10/19/2026- The Washington Weekly

Hi Washington Families,

This week we have Picture Day, School Council, and a big need for Trunk-or-Treat candy! Also, Progress Reports come home this Friday. Progress reports offer a broad overview of your child's growth so far this year and mark the halfway point to our first-term report cards, which come out in December.

You will also see our first round of attendance letters coming home with progress reports. Any child with over three absences at this point in the year is considered chronically absent. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of school days. Why does it matter?

• In Massachusetts, students who maintain attendance rates consistently above 95% from pre-kindergarten through grade 3 significantly outperform peers with lower attendance on third-grade MCAS tests.
• Education data tracked by the National Center for Education Statistics shows that finishing high school through regular attendance drastically improves lifetime earnings and stability.
• Elementary school builds foundational skills in math, reading, and general knowledge. Missing classes is like pulling blocks from the bottom of a Jenga tower—without a firm base, future lessons become difficult to grasp.

If you are having trouble getting your child to school every day, please reach out to your child's teacher, our school social worker (Krista Kubick - kkubick@lowell.k12.ma.us), or me to ask for support.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Lilley, Washington Principal
jlilley@lowell.k12.ma.us

• School Council 5:30-6:15 PM

• Progress Reports Go Home PK-4

• TRUNK or TREAT!! 5-6 PM

• Respect Character Trait Parade / Certificate Presentation 8:50-9:20AM

• PTO 6:00-6:45PM Meeting Online!

CANDY EMERGENCY!!!!

We are hoping to have a fun Trunk or Treat event on Wednesday, October 28 2026 from 5-6 PM but we have very little candy in our donation bins. If you can send a bag in, it would be amazingingly helpful to supporting the event. Thank you!

We are also still accepting trunk hosts!

• Be a trunk host! We'll supply your trunk with donated candy. You can create a theme for your trunk and dish out the candy! Email or Dojo Ms. Lilley (Jennifer Lilley, jlilley@lowell.k12.ma.us) if you can host a trunk!

All students have their picture taken by a professional photography company, O'Connors Studios, during the school day. A copy of the picture goes into our database, so we can identify each child in our school. Any family can also choose to order a picture package of their child from O'Connors Studios.

To order pictures go to the website: https://vando.imagequix.com/294339Z

Then, enter our school code 28826F

Then, follow the instructions to make your order.

Thank you to families and staff who volunteered to participate in the Washington School Site Council.

• Sreang Heng, Grade 1 & 4 Parent

• Resty Nalwanga, Preschool Parent

• MaryLuz Benitez-Acosta, 3rd Grade Parent

• Tammy McMahon, Kindergarten Aunt

• Diane Cahill, Kindergarten Teacher

• Cate Hugo, Literacy Coach

• Laura Katz, Music Teacher

• Jennifer Lilley, Principal

Our first meeting is October 22, 2026 from 5:30-6:15

Our Agenda is linked HERE.

Breakfast and Lunch Menu links from our food service provider are available below. Please know that breakfast and lunch are available free to all students every day. Please also know, that the menus can change at the last minute if deliveries are late or products arrive not as expected. Students are always provided with options.

Breakfast Menu

If a bus gets to a stop and there is no parent there for a student, the student is taken to Moody Elementary School, 158 Rogers St, Lowell, MA 01852. The main number at the Moody is(978)937-7673. Staff there contact parents by phone and the student needs to be picked up at the Moody if this occurs. https://share.google/ErMevlBQJhi7KFfgJ