Green Meadow Back to School Update

Dear Green Meadow Families,

Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared a lot of information, and I know it can feel overwhelming. This special edition is designed to give you the basics you’ll need to get your Tiger ready for the first week of school. We cannot wait to welcome our students back! Reconnecting with them is what keeps us grounded in why we do this work.

I recently read an article in Education Week by Brooklyn Raney about the importance of home–school partnerships. It resonated with me, and I hope it will resonate with you as well. Rather than rewriting her entire list, I’ve adapted some of the points to better fit Green Meadow. I’ve also linked the complete article below for anyone interested.

Here is what you can expect from us:

• We will treat your child with dignity and respect.

• We will communicate clearly, consistently, and within healthy boundaries.

• We will follow school policies.

• We will assume good intentions, seek to understand, and respond with care.

• We will make space for your child to grow, take healthy risks, and develop resilience.

• We will value you as a vital partner in this journey.

Here is what we need from you as partners:

• Support your child in getting plenty of sleep and arriving to school on time.

• Reach out to the school office for resources, if needed.

• Read messages or information sent home and respond in a timely manner, if a response is requested.

• Speak positively about school and the adults here—your children adopt your attitude toward school, so let’s make it a good one that helps them grow.

• Allow space for your child to develop resilience and experience natural consequences.

• Attend events and concerts your child participates in, if possible. If you cannot, please communicate with us so we can make sure your child has a trusted adult looking out for them at the event.

• Encourage your child to seek out and connect with trusted adults at school.

Thank you in advance for your partnership this year. Together, we can help every Tiger thrive.

With appreciation,
Karen Lindquist
Principal, Green Meadow

Please join us on Tuesday, August 26, from 2:00 - 2:30 PM, for a Kindergarten - Grade 3 Meet & Greet event. Students will be able to meet teachers and see their classrooms. Families should walk to the event, park in the Crowe Park Lot, or park at the Fowler School. Please do not park at Maynard Motors.

The PTO is hosting a Playground Playdate from 2:30 - 3:30 PM, on our new playground. You will also be able to connect with some local organizations that host student activities.

Our preschoolers are invited for a Meet & Greet on Thursday, August 28. Please see the times below. Families should park in the Crowe Park lot when attending.

8/28 - PreK Meet and Greet, 9:00 - 9:30 - Ms. Viros and Ms. DiLuca (listed in Aspen as Ms. Paoletti)

8/28 - PreK Meet and Greet, 9:30 - 10:00 - Ms. Cohen and Ms. Gonsalves

We anticipate there will be a lot of traffic on the first day of school.

• Please consider taking your first day of school photo at our Meet & Greet at our Back to School Photo Stand or taking your photos at home.

• If your child will be taking the bus this year we strongly encourage you to have your child take the bus the first day.

• Utilize our new arrival car line!

• Walk your child to school

We will have lots of staff available the first two weeks of school to meet students at the bus and the car line and walk them to their classrooms. Jumping right into the routine helps in many ways; including getting your child into the routine while reducing traffic and congestion. Thanks in advance!

Principal, Karen Lindquist - klindquist@maynard.k12.ma.us

Assistant Principal, Kate Murray - kmurray@maynard.k12.ma.us

Administrative Assistant- Kathy Sullivan - ksullivan@maynard.k12.ma.us

Administrative Assistant- Nancy Dangelo - ndangelo@maynard.k12.ma.us

School Nurse, Maria Bourgeois - mbourgeois@maynard.k12.ma.us

Important Phone Numbers to Add to Your Contacts List

Main Office Line - (978) 897-8246

Absentee Phone Line - (978)897-0310

The first day of school for Grade K-3 is Wednesday, August 27!

Regular School Hours

Grades K- 3: 8:30 AM – 2:50 PM, student drop-off begins at 8:15 AM

Preschool: 8:40 AM - 2:40 PM (full day)

8:40 AM - 11:10 AM (morning program)

12:10 - 2:40 PM (afternoon program)

Early Release Hours

Grades K- 3: 8:30 AM – 11:45 AM

Preschool: Students who attend our program on Fridays will be dismissed at 11:35 PM on an Early Release day.

8/26 - Meet & Greet for K-3 Families, 2:00 -2:30 PM

8/27 - First Day of School for 2025-2026

8/28 - PreK Meet and Greet, 9:00 - 9:30 - Ms. Viros and Ms. DiLuca

8/28 - PreK Meet and Greet, 9:30 - 10:00 - Ms. Cohen and Ms. Gonsalves

8/29 - No School, Labor Day Weekend

9/1 - No School, Labor Day

9/2 - First Day for PreK

9/11 - Green Meadow Back to School Night (Parent/Caregiver Event), 6:00 - 7:30 PM

9/12 - Early Release Day, dismissal for PreK @ 11:35 AM, dismissal for K-3 @ 11:45 AM

9/23 - School Picture Day!

9/26 - Early Release Day, dismissal for PreK @ 11:35 AM, dismissal for K-3 @ 11:45 AM

We are anticipating changes to our arrival and dismissal procedures as the construction of our new school continues to move forward. Here are a few highlights but more details and visuals will be shared next week:

• We strongly encourage families to walk to school, carpool, or take advantage of the bus.

• Parking for families dropping students off or picking students up will continue to be very limited. Cars may not park along Tiger Drive or the entrance to Green Meadow FOR ANY REASON.

• Please do not park at Maynard Motors. They have been a wonderful neighbor and we would like to respect their space.

• Only School Buses and Vans will be allowed to enter the bus circle between the hours of 7:45 AM and 6:00 PM. With the temporary playground location now in the bus circle, cars may not drive into the bus circle for drop-off or pick-up.

• This year we will be offering a carline drop-off for arrival only for all students in grades PreK-3 starting at 8:15 AM. This drop off location will be on Tiger Drive, just past the staff parking lot. Tiger Drive will be ONE WAY for both Green Meadow and Fowler morning drop-off. Staff will accompany students to the building. Preschoolers can participate in the car line if they are able to unbuckle themselves or an older child is able to help them.

• We will not be offering a car line pick-up at dismissal this year.

• There will continue to be a handicap parking area next to the bus circle

• Students in Grades 1-3 will line up for school INSIDE the building this year due to the fact that the construction fencing will not provide enough space for an outdoor line-up. Preschool and Kindergarten students will continue to go directly to their classroom doors as they have done in previous years. PreK and Kindergarten teachers will send out more information about which door to use. These routines are familiar to students who attended Green Meadow last year. Staff will supervise students inside the building.

• Students who are picked up after school as a walker will still be dismissed from the LIBRARY doors. We ask that families pick up and go. Due to the construction we do not have space for after-school play and our buses and vans are still in the process of dismissal until 3:00 PM.

Families are welcome to walk to the Fowler Playground for after-school play. We recognize that this is a cultural shift as we wait for the new school to be complete but this is a great option to continue to foster community and outdoor free play.

Here are some resources to review with younger children about what to expect on the first day.