January Parent Newsletter

Information will be available on the Wilmington Public Schools website (www.wpsk12.com), Twitter, and local news outlets if inclement weather causes any disruption to our regularly scheduled school day. In addition, families will receive an automated telephone call. If there is a 2-hour delayed opening, all morning preschool classes are canceled. Kindergarten students would start at 10:00 am and drop-off would begin at 9:45 am. Afternoon preschool classes would begin at their regular start time of 11:05 am.

Now that the New Year is upon us, please make sure to update your child's contact information in Aspen. We must have the most current information available to ensure we are able to contact you in the event of an emergency.

There is an early release day on Wednesday, January 25th. All kindergarten students will be dismissed at 10:15 am. All morning preschool classes will be dismissed at 10:30 am. There will be no afternoon preschool classes on this date.

The flu season is upon us and we are seeing an increase in positive cases at our school. Please review the following guidelines and information to keep our students, families, and staff healthy. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/family/flu-guide-for-parents-2020.pdf

Happy New Year! Last month our students were introduced to the Zones of Regulation and what feelings we and our friends might experience in each of the four zones: Green (calm, happy, focused); Red (angry, mad, frustrated); Blue (sad or tired); Yellow (silly, worried, nervous). For the month of December, we focused primarily on the Green and Red Zones and identifying coping strategies to manage hard feelings: Green (you are ready to learn and good to go); Red (need to stop and calm our bodies with deep breaths, counting to 10, thinking of something happy, asking for a break). This month we will continue to explore the Zones of Regulation and focus on ways to help ourselves and our friends in the Blue and Yellow Zones: Blue (need to rest our bodies by taking a break, spending time with someone you love or thinking of something that makes you happy); Yellow (need to slow down with deep breaths, counting to 10, thinking of a happy place). We encourage families to provide “zone checks” with students to help them identify their feelings at home. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please reach out to our School Adjustment Counselor, Mrs. Henley, at Kristen.henley@wpsk12.com.

Our January PAC meeting will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2023 beginning at 9:30 am. If interested in joining, please email Boutwellpac@gmail.com to receive the Zoom invite.

We're planning on having a Raffle Calendar fundraiser in March 2023 to help raise money for the school. We are looking for donations to make this fundraiser a success. If you would like to make a donation (gift basket, gift certificate, etc.) please contact Judy Janes, PAC President at Boutwellpac@gmail.com. Please note that we cannot accept cash or lottery for the fundraiser. Thank you for your continued support!

I would like to thank our students, families, and staff for graciously donating to Toys for Tots, Toys for Wilmington Children, and the Pajama Drive. Many items were collected and all recipients were very appreciative of our generosity and willingness to support our community!

This month, students will be learning about being responsible, practicing self-care, and making good choices. Your child will bring home a "January Winter Activity" Calendar, with daily activities to foster these skills at home. These activities are not a requirement but simply a fun way to keep us motivated after the busy holiday season. If your child chooses to participate in a minimum of ten activities, they will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a prize. Have fun!

January 2nd - No School

January 3rd - School Resumes

January 16th - No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 19th - PAC Meeting

January 25th - Early Release Day

January 31st - Return your "January Winter Activity" Calendar

Email: kristen.walsh@wpsk12.com
Website: www.wpsk12.com
Location: 17 Boutwell Street, Wilmington, MA, USA
Phone: 978-694-6070
Twitter: @Boutwell36