Mason Road Sunshine Bulletin

Happy October Mason Road Families!

Now that school has been in session for almost two months, I’m so proud to share how beautifully our students have adjusted to the expectations in their classrooms and throughout Mason Road School. Students are working hard—not just on their academics but also on their behavior—and they’ve embraced our positive support system in such a meaningful way.

Every day, they’re bringing the SUN by being Safe, Unique, and Neighborly. There’s nothing better than walking down the hallway and seeing those bright SUN stickers proudly displayed on their shirts. Their smiles say it all! They absolutely light up when an adult notices and says, “You’re bringing the SUN!” Many students are even keeping count of their stickers and feeling incredibly proud of their progress.

I sincerely appreciate all the support you give from home. When families celebrate these moments and make a big deal out of the stickers, it reinforces the positive message we’re spreading throughout our school community. Thank you for being such an important part of why Mason Road School shines so bright!

That said, it’s equally important to talk about the other side of this: there need to be clear and consistent expectations for kindness and respect. Yes, this is the age when students are learning appropriate social behavior—but being kind and respectful is nonnegotiable. Every student must show respect to those around them in every capacity.

We know everyone has tough days—students, staff, and families alike. As parents and caregivers, we’ve all been there. But at school, we work hard to prevent battles by teaching, guiding, and holding students accountable. So, if you receive a phone call from me or an email from a teacher, please take a moment to talk with your child about what happened. Remind them that we’re all on the same team, working to help them grow into kind, respectful, and capable young people. This is exactly what our Be the SUN program is all about.

There’s a lot of information in this newsletter, so I encourage you to read it in its entirety. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at jdesto@dcrsd.org

Sincerely,

Jen Desto
Principal, Mason Road School

A HUGE thank you to Kerrin Graphics, right in Dudley, for creating this amazing store for families to purchase School Swag at a low cost. Kerrin has done an amazing job on may of the things we use in our District. SHOP AWAY by clicking the SPIRIT picture or by visiting Kerrin Grapics!!!

Mason Road School recently conducted its first fire drill and lockdown drill of the school year. Both drills were executed smoothly, and students and staff followed procedures carefully. These drills are an important part of ensuring everyone knows how to respond in an emergency. Students will continue practicing “going to the beach,” which prepares them to safely evacuate specific areas of the building. Families will always be notified in advance of any lockdown drills.

October 5th - October 11th is Fire Prevention Week and our students had the opportunity to learn fire safety information. The Dudley Fire Department visited our preschool and kindergarten classrooms to educate students on the importance of smoke detectors and emergency preparedness. Grade One students visited the fire station to gain firsthand knowledge of fire safety procedures and the essential work of firefighters in keeping our community safe.

Hello Mason Road Families,

Happy Fall! As the weather gets cooler, we typically see an increase in seasonal illnesses such as asthma flare-ups, colds, flu, conjunctivitis (pink eye), and stomach bugs. Our students have been doing a fantastic job washing their hands and covering coughs and sneezes with their elbows—please continue to encourage these healthy habits at home to help keep everyone at Mason Road healthy.

A reminder to all Kindergarten families: physical examinations, proof of lead testing, and an updated immunization record are required. You may submit these documents by:

Fax: 508-949-1005
Email: smoisan@dcrsd.org
Sending them in your child’s backpack for the school nurse

Now that students are settled into their routines, I’ll be starting our annual health screenings. If you would like to opt your child out and have not yet completed the opt-out form, please do so by October 17, 2025. [Screening Opt out]

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via email at smoisan@dcrsd.org or call the school at 508-943-4312.

Thank you,

Nurse Moisan

MRS Nurse's Corner

Thank you all for your patience and understanding with our drop-off and pick-up procedures. While the process may not be perfect, it remains the safest way for us to receive and dismiss your child.

A few reminders to keep everyone safe:

Please stay in your car and follow the car line unless your child is in preschool.
All preschool families should park when dropping off or picking up their child, as there is no car line for preschool.
Be mindful of your speed when entering the school area to ensure the safety of all students and families.

If you are running late, please don’t worry—your child will be cared for. Just be sure to notify the office so we know to expect you.

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is right around the corner! It's that time of year when the National Honor Society (NHS) at Shepherd Hill works hard to make sure families in our district do not go without a special meal for the Thanksgiving holiday. If you need help providing a Thanksgiving meal for your household, please send an email to our School Adjustment Counselor, Rachael Shelburne, at rshelburne@dcrsd.org by Friday, October 31st at 12PM.

If you request help this Thanksgiving, you will be contacted by someone at Shepherd Hill to confirm your need for a meal. All coordination and delivery of the meals are completed by the NHS and students are informed of the importance and need for confidentiality. If you your financial situation changes after Friday, November 1st, please contact Mrs. Shelburne directly.

If you would like to help by providing food donations, please keep an eye on the upcoming October newsletter. We will be organizing a special food drive in the coming weeks.

During the holiday season, Mason Road School partners with local organizations and businesses to provide new clothing and toys to children who might otherwise receive few or no gifts. All information is kept strictly confidential—community sponsors never receive identifying details about the children they are helping. If your Mason Road School student—or a younger sibling not yet in school—needs support this holiday season, please complete the Holiday Support Form by Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

While our donors are generous, we kindly ask that you avoid requesting high-cost items such as expensive electronics or gaming systems. To help ensure your child receives gifts they will enjoy, please provide gift suggestions that are reasonably priced and limit individual items to $30. Please note that gifts will be distributed unwrapped.

If you have questions or your circumstances change after the deadline, please contact Mrs. Shelburne at rshelburne@dcrsd.org

Hello, My name is Mrs. Gray, and I’m excited to be working in all of our PreK through 1st Grade classrooms this year! We’ve started the school year with our Heggerty, CKLA, SPIRE and UFLI curriculums—building strong reading foundations in phonemic awareness, phonics, and comprehension. If you would like to know more about any of these curriculums, please feel free to contact me.

Upcoming Literacy Events: MARK YOUR CALENDAR

• Kindergarten BOOtastic Literacy Night – Wednesday, October 29, 5:30–6:30 PM

• First Grade Storybook Literacy by Lantern – Thursday, October 30, 6:00–7:00 PM followed by a Storybook Literacy Parade by 7:15 PM.

Mrs. Gray’s Reading Rays ☀️

There’s a bulletin board between the first-grade rooms and the office for photos of students being “caught” reading. If you catch your child reading, please snap a picture and send it to me!

Word of the Week (WOW)

I will be wearing a WOW everyday beginning Tuesday, October 14th. If I hear someone using the WOW, I will give them a WOW to wear for the day!

Stay in Touch

If you have questions, concerns, or fun reading stories to share, I’d love to hear from you! I look forward to meeting you during Parent Teacher Conferences on 11/6/25. Mrs. Allen will have the Scholastic Book Fair set up in the library too! Please come see us! You can reach me at mgray@dcrsd.org.

The Art room could use a donation of Baby wipes for their Oil Pastel Project..

Check out the Unified Arts Newsletter for all the exciting updates, activities, and information from our amazing Unified Arts team!: Unified Arts Newsletter!

DUDLEY-CHARLTON REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT 2025-2026 SCHOOL CALENDAR

* October 15th - DCRSD School Committee - 6pm - SHRHS Library

* October 20th - MRS School Council

* October 29th - Kindergarten BOOtastick Literacy Night - 5:30pm

* October 30th - Grade One Storybook Literacy by Lantern - 6:00pm

* November 4th - Make up picture day all grades

* November 4th - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* November 6th - Early Release - Parent/Teacher Conferences

* November 11th - No School - Veterans Day

* November 26th - Early Release

* November 27th - 28th - No School - Holiday Break

* December 2nd - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* December 12th - Early Release - Teacher Prof. Dev.

* December 23rd - Early Release

* December 24th - January 2nd - No School - Holiday Break

* January 6th - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* January 19th - No School - MLK Day

* January 20th - MRS School Council

* February 3rd - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* February 16th - 20th - No School - Winter Break

* March 2nd - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* March 6th - Early Release - Teacher Prof. Dev.

* March 16th - MRS School Council

* March 26th - Early Release -Parent/Teacher Conferences

* March 27th - No School - Teacher Prof. Dev.

* April 3rd - Early Release - Good Friday

* April 7th - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* April 20th - 24th - No School - Spring Break

* May 5th - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* May 18th - MRS School Council

* May 22nd - Early Relase - Teacher Prof. Dev.

* May 25th - No School - Memorial Day

* May 31st - Class of 2026 Graduation

* June 2nd - PTO - 6pm - Dudley Elementary Library

* June 10th - Early Relase - Projected Last Day of School (last day will depend on number of snow days needed)

* June 19th - No School

Please refer to the District Calendar for future dates throughout the school year:

Dudley-Charlton Regional School District 2025-2026 School Year Calendar

The DCRSD Elementary School Student Handbook is available online. You can access it by clicking the image on the right of the screen. The handbook includes important information about school policies, procedures, and expectations for student conduct. It is reviewed annually by the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District School Committee and is on file with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

We encourage all students and their parent(s)/caregiver(s) to take the time to review the handbook and become familiar with its contents. If you prefer a printed copy, please contact the main office at (508) 943-4312, and we will send one home with your child.

The Dudley PTO have been a huge supporter of programs, field trips, etc. for Mason Road School. If you are interested in joining the PTO or want to stay up to date on fundraisers, please click on the picture to access their website.

You can also follow the Dudley PTO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DudleyPTO