AMS Weekly Update

Good Afternoon,

The end of the school year always feels like a whirlwind! While students are wrapping up final academic units, projects, and exams, there’s also a lot of fun mixed in, and both students and staff are really enjoying these moments together.

This week, we finally completed MCAS testing for the year. If you have an 8th grader at home, they deserve a big pat on the back, they completed eight days of testing, which is more than they’ll have in any other school year across their K–12 journey. It’s a lot, and they did an amazing job. I know they’re thrilled to have it behind them!

Our 7th graders went on their field trip to Gillette Stadium and the Patriots Hall of Fame this week and had a blast. We’ve now received positive feedback from members of the public about both our 6th and 7th graders, especially about their respectful behavior. That kind of compliment is one of the highest we can receive, and I’m incredibly proud of our students. Before they left, we reminded them that they are representing themselves, our school, and their town, and they truly rose to the occasion.

Team Silver/Gold hosted a fun team event on Tuesday that was a big hit, and our 6th grade band students wrapped up their final concert of the year on Wednesday.

This morning was one of my favorite events of the year, the AHS Graduation Walk! Our graduating seniors walked through AMS in their caps and gowns, and our students were so excited to see familiar faces; neighbors, team coaches, family members. It’s a special tradition, and it’s incredibly meaningful for our staff to see former students return, full of pride and accomplishment. There were many hugs, fist bumps, high fives, and yes, even a few happy tears.

A few important reminders:

• Term 4 grades close next Friday, June 13th. Please make sure your student has turned in all work and is up to date.

• All students are currently working toward earning MEGA RECESS on June 18th. Students must keep at least one of their 5 Rs (representing Respect and Responsibility) to participate. If a student loses an R, a staff member will contact families directly.

• Upcoming concerts:

• 7th & 8th Grade Band Concert: Monday, June 10th at 7 PM at Ashland High School

• Chorus Concert: Thursday, June 12th at 7 PM at Ashland High School

We also have several fun events coming up next week, including Murphy’s Ice Cream, the Taco Festival, and the highly anticipated Pickleball Finals!

Our 8th grade students will kick off their end-of-year celebrations next Friday night (June 13th) with the Semi-Formal Dance from 7:00–9:30 PM at AMS. I’ll send a separate message to 8th grade families next week with more details and reminders for all the upcoming events.

A quick note from Ms. Micucci in the Art Room:
As the year winds down, we’re planning some fun creative activities and are in need of a few donations:

• Shaving cream

• Sidewalk chalk

• Old large shirts (to use as smocks)

• Old towels/washcloths (for rags)

• Gel pens

Thank you for your support and for encouraging your child’s creativity!

Upcoming Schedule

• Monday, June 9- C Day

• Tuesday, June 10--D Day

• Wednesday, June 11-E Day

• Thursday, June 12- F Day

• Friday, June 13-A Day

Thank you, as always, for your support. Have a great weekend!

Erin Lachapelle

AMS Principal

I will provide an opportunity in every weekly update for parents and guardians to recognize the amazing work of our faculty and staff. If your student comes home and shares an incredible learning experience or stories about their teachers, please take a moment to fill out the google form linked here. This will allow me to recognize the faculty and staff members and share the positive experiences that students are having with the community.

I want to take a moment to celebrate and thank several AMS staff members who are retiring at the end of this year: Ms. Ernest, Mr. Truesdale, Mr. Allen, Ms. Angelo, and Ms. Destefano.

Each of these educators has made a lasting impact on our school community through their dedication, care for students, and passion for teaching and learning. They’ve inspired countless students, supported their colleagues, and helped shape AMS into the special place it is today. While we will miss them deeply, we are incredibly grateful for the years they’ve given to our school and excited for all that lies ahead in this next chapter of their lives.

Please join us in congratulating them on their well-earned retirements and in wishing them all the best in the adventures to come!

If your student will not be returning to Ashland Public Schools in the fall, please take a moment to log in to www.myschoolbucks.com and disable AutoPay. If AutoPay remains active, your account may continue to reload automatically—even after we've issued a refund.

Please also note:

We can only issue refunds for balances of $10.00 or more. If your child’s account has

less than $10.00, you have two options:

1. Transfer the remaining balance to a sibling or another student who will be

returning.

2. Donate the funds to help a student in need (donations are anonymous).

Again, if your child is not returning to Ashland next year, please turn off AutoPay as soon as possible to prevent unwanted reloads.

To request a refund, transfer, or donation, please contact both:

Regina Wilkinson – rwilkinson@ashland.k12.ma.us

Paula Caffrey – pcaffrey@ashland.k12.ma.us

Cartwheel Care, our partner in supporting the mental health needs of our students, is now offering a way for parents/guardians to directly raise their hand for mental health support for their child. Just fill out this simple form to inquire about accessing these services.

What type of support does Cartwheel offer? (Care is provided in multiple languages)

• One-on-one virtual evidence-based therapy (students in grades 3-12)

• Virtual guidance sessions for parents/caregivers (students in grades prek-12)

• Psychiatric evaluation and medication management (students in grades prek-12)

• Family therapy

• Intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization services through our partner organizations

• Cartwheel also offers care coordination, webinars, and referrals to other providers if needed

What can Cartwheel help your child with?

Anxiety, stress, depression, sadness, grief, loss, low self-esteem, self-harm, navigating identity, technology use, coping skills, motivation, family and relationships, anger, trauma, school avoidance, social issues, sleep issues, and more…

What is Parent Guidance?

Parent Guidance sessions are one-on-one sessions for you as a parent/guardian to meet with a licensed therapist to receive personalized guidance on how to best support your child’s mental health and well-being.

Update Your Family’s Contact Information

Have you changed your phone number or email address recently? If so, please contact us to update your information to ensure you receive important notifications, including class cancellations, delays, or emergency updates.

In case of early release or an emergency, students may only be picked up by an authorized individual. Please update your child’s emergency contacts to ensure we have someone on file—other than their parent or primary caregiver—who is authorized to pick them up from school.

To verify or update your contact information, please reach out to:
Mrs. Watt (cwatt@ashland.k12.ma.us)
Mrs. Lester (llester@ashland.k12.ma.us)

Unified Sports

AMS is proud to be recognized by Special Olympics Massachusetts as a Unified Champion School. If your child is interested in participating in unified sports please reach out to Kelly Romano at kromano@ashland.k12.ma.us

Best Buddies

Best Buddies is a social club created to foster one-to-one friendships between middle school students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Through their participation, students with and without IDD form meaningful connections with their peers, gain self-confidence and self-esteem, share interests, experiences and activities. Best Buddies helps to create an inclusive middle school culture for all students early on in their educational development. We meet the first Wednesday of every month from 2:45-3:45 in room 119. Please join by filling out this online form: www.bestbuddies.org/join and contact KellyAnn Romano with any questions at kromano@ashland.k12.ma.us.

AMS Student Council

Student Leaders is now officially AMS Student Council! Meetings will be held Wednesday mornings, at 7:15am in Mrs. Steinbrick’s room. If students are unable to make it, please let Mrs.Steinbrick know. This meeting is for current student leaders. Interested in joining but not a student leader? Stay tuned for more details! "

Math Counts

Club meets on Monday afternoons in Room 222. Please reach out to Karen Bernier with any questions kbernier@ashland.k12.ma.us

Chess Club

The AMS Chess Club meets every Monday after school from 2:45 pm- 3:45 pm in rooms 208, 210, & 211. Please email Mrs. Sadana gsadana@ashland.k12.ma.us or Mr. Van Wyhe rvanwyhe@ashland.k12.ma.us with any questions.

Art Club

Please reach out to Mrs. Micucci with any questions. rmicucci@ashland.k12.ma.us

Diversity Club:

Diversity Club will have its first meeting on October 17th in the Art room. All are welcome! Please reach out to Mrs. Micucci with any questions rmicucci@ashland.k12.ma.us

Drama Club

Drama Club has started !!! AMS Theater Company will be producing

The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet ! It is a comedy.

Email any questions to : elangmeyer@ashland.k12.ma.us

Yearbook:

Open to all grades. Yearbook will meet on Wednesdays after school in room 142. If you have questions please reach out to Ms. Collins mcollins@ashland.k12.ma.us

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we wrap up the school year, we’re excited to share our June menu featuring the

Massachusetts Harvest of the Month: Strawberries!

Strawberries are a beloved fruit, known not only for their sweet, delicious flavor but also for

their impressive health benefits. Grown locally here in Massachusetts, they’re packed with

vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber, making them a great choice for a nutritious diet.

For more information on the benefits of strawberries and some fun recipe ideas, please visit the

Massachusetts Harvest of the Month page: Massachusetts Harvest of the Month - Strawberries.

Our June menu includes a variety of tasty dishes that highlight this seasonal fruit, such as Fresh

Strawberry, Romaine & Spinach Salad, Strawberry Yogurt Smoothies, and Strawberry

Shortcake.

We’re proud to provide fresh, locally sourced strawberries to our students, supporting local

farmers and ensuring the highest nutritional quality in our meals. We encourage you to enjoy

strawberries at home too, to share in their many health benefits.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for trusting us with your children’s nutrition and well-

being throughout the school year. Wishing you and your family a wonderful summer filled with

delicious and nutritious foods!

Warm regards,

Regina Wilkinson

Director of Nutrition Services

Ashland Public Schools

Email: rwilkinson@ashland.k12.ma.us

Phone: 508-881-0165

Don’t forget to visit ashland.k12.ma.us/Flyers where we feature announcements and events offered by organizations, clubs and teams throughout our community that serve to enrich the lives of our students, families, faculty and staff.