Birch Meadow Update
July 20th, 2026
Hello Birch Meadow Families, Guardians and Caregivers,
I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer! While we're busy preparing for the new school year, Birch Meadow feels a little quieter this time of year without the energy of our students filling the halls and classrooms.
I am excited to share my first newsletter as Interim Principal. Having been part of the Birch Meadow community as Assistant Principal, I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this new role. This is a special community, and I am looking forward to the year ahead. I am also thrilled to welcome our new Assistant Principal, Heather Marsh, to Birch Meadow. She has shared a letter of introduction, which you can read HERE. Join me in giving her a warm welcome!
As a leadership team, we have been developing an entry plan to guide our work during the opening months of the school year. We look forward to sharing more about that plan soon. An important part of our process is hearing from you, so we invite you to complete this brief Family Survey. Your feedback will help us better understand what is working well and where we can continue to grow together.
Please take a few minutes to review the important dates and information included in this July update. We will send another newsletter in August with additional details to help everyone prepare for the first day of school.
Thank you for your continued partnership. Enjoy the rest of the summer!
Warmly,
Lisa Azzarito
Interim Principal
IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS
August 14th - Class Placement Letters sent to families
August 19th at 9:00AM - Meet and Greet: Coffee with new leadership team in the Birch cafeteria
August 19th at 10:00AM - School tour for new Birch families/students (Grades 1-5)
August 22nd & 29th - PTO Playdates for incoming K and 1 students from 9AM - 11AM on the Birch Playground
September 2nd - First day of school Grades 1-5
September 2nd & 3rd - Kindergarten orientation (Information will be sent to these families)
September 4th & 7th - No School
September 8th - First full day of Kindergarten
Reminder: Let it Grow Summer Challenge
This summer, Reading Public Schools and our community partners invite families to participate in the Summer Let Grow Challenge! Whether this is your first week or your fourth, remember: every challenge counts. Big or small, every challenge helps children build confidence, independence, and resilience.
The goal of the challenge is simple: encourage children to try something new, helpful, or independent with a little less adult assistance than usual. Research shows that opportunities to build independence help children develop confidence, problem-solving skills, resilience, and a greater sense of responsibility. Growing children's independence is truly one of the most important gifts we can give them.
One of the best things about the Let Grow Challenge is that there is no "right" challenge. For one child, independence might mean learning to tie their shoes, ride a bike, or swim. For another, it might mean making a snack, helping with a household chore, ordering their own ice cream, learning an important phone number, walking to a neighbor's house, or even starting a lemonade stand. Some challenges are big. Some are small. What matters is taking one step toward greater confidence and independence.
The challenge is open to all children living in Reading or attending Reading Public Schools.
To learn more, register, and access challenge ideas, please visit the challenge website.
2026 - 2027 Grade Level Teaching Teams
We're pleased to introduce our grade-level teaching teams for the 2026 2027 school year. We are also excited to welcome two new teachers, Madelyn Puglisi and Dominique Bailey, to Birch Meadow. We look forward to the many ways they will contribute to our school community.
Kindergarten: Danielle Carroll, Ines Costa and Danielle Piazza
Grade One: Madelyn Puglisi, Kelly Sarasin and Maria Simon
Grade Two: Alaina Denney and Heather Weiss
Grade Three: Allison Kelley, Melissa Milner and Kelly Stojanowski
Grade Four: Dominique Bailey, Arielle Mucha and Marissa Rossi
Grade Five: Emily Cronin, Beth Slater and Caitilyn Valente
Grade Level Supply Lists
To help families prepare for the first day of school, we've included each grade level's school supply list below and on our website. Students are encouraged to bring these items with them on the first day of school. If your family is unable to purchase some or all of these supplies, please don't worry. We're here to help ensure every student has what they need for a successful start to the year.
SEPAC works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized support). Reading SEPAC IS OPEN TO ALL parents/caregivers, not only families who have a child with special needs as we offer various opportunities to connect with other families and provide learning experiences. To learn more about Reading SEPAC, please visit our website: Reading SEPAC Website'
Should you wish to receive our monthly newsletter, please email SEPACReading@gmail.com
