To translate this newsletter, click on it then use the link to the right.

If you are on a computer, open this in a new page. Then to translate this newsletter, click on the link to the right. If you are on a phone, touch the person in the black circle to get the translate button.

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Se você estiver em um computador, abra uma nova página. Em seguida, para traduzir esta newsletter, clique no link à direita. Se você estiver em um telefone, toque na pessoa no círculo preto para obter o botão de tradução.

(Portuguese)

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Si está en una computadora, abra esto en una nueva página. Luego, para traducir este boletín, haga clic en el enlace a la derecha. Si está en un teléfono, toque a la persona en el círculo negro para obtener el botón de traducción.

(Spanish)

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إذا كنت تستخدم جهاز كمبيوتر ، فافتح هذا في صفحة جديدة. بعد ذلك ، لترجمة هذه النشرة الإخبارية ، انقر فوق الارتباط الموجود على اليمين.

إذا كنت تستخدم الهاتف ، فالمس الشخص الموجود في الدائرة السوداء للحصول على زر الترجمة. (Arabic)

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Եթե ​​համակարգիչ եք, բացեք սա նոր էջում: Ապա, այս տեղեկագիրը թարգմանելու համար կտտացրեք աջ հղմանը: Եթե ​​հեռախոսով եք, դիպչեք սև շրջանի անձին ՝ թարգմանության կոճակը ստանալու համար: (Armenian)

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Если вы работаете на компьютере, откройте это на новой странице. Затем, чтобы перевести этот информационный бюллетень, щелкните ссылку справа. Если вы разговариваете по телефону, коснитесь человека в черном кружке, чтобы получить кнопку перевода. (Russian)

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Bilgisayar kullanıyorsanız, bunu yeni bir sayfada açın. Ardından, bu bülteni çevirmek için sağdaki bağlantıya tıklayın. Telefonda iseniz, çevir düğmesini almak için siyah daire içindeki kişiye dokunun. (Turkish)

Message from Mrs. Phelan

Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council

Buddies at Lowell

Parent Resources- Social Stories

Celebration of MLK

Report Cards and i-Ready Parent Reports go home February 4th

Knowing when to return after a positive COVID test

COVID protocols

Pool Testing Monday, January 24th

Lunch Menu for this Week

Scenes from Lowell

UpComing Events and Save the Dates

Hello Families,

We very productive week! It was very encouraging to see our COVID cases decline back to where they were before the holiday break. Governor Baker and the Education Commissioner announced take-home COVID tests would be made available for teachers and students. The first batch of take-home tests for teachers may begin as early as this week. Student test distribution will most likely begin the following week. Dr. Galdston and Kathy Desmarais are trying to figure out the best procedure for getting tests in the hands of families and teachers. I'll keep you posted.

Friday, our school held its second Buddy Activity. We were hoping to have students meet in person with their Buddies as they did in December. But we didn't want to get students together in person out of an abundance of caution, especially since our COVID numbers are down.

Instead, classrooms met over zoom with their partner classrooms to participate in a live drawing activity. We ended the day with a whole school dance party. We're hoping to have students get together with their Buddy in person before February vacation but only if it's safe. Otherwise will host another virtual event.

Each Buddy is asked to make a card or poster for their Buddy that they will receive on their first day of school when we return from February Break. Our goal is to stay connected while we're in two different buildings.

This week I'll be sending your several documents. I will be turning these same documents into S'more Newsletters for those folks who need to read them in their home language.

The following week we will hold three caregiver forums to answer questions related to our move. The parents' forums will take place:

Tuesday, February 1st at 6:00 pm

Wednesday, February 2nd at 9:00 am

Thursday, February 3rd at 6:00 pm

We will also hold parent forums for our families who need an interpreter. Those meetings will be announced shortly.

A few parents have asked if they can tour the Phillips Building and Lowell West before the first day of school on February 28th. Yes!

Tuesday, February 22nd, parents and their children are welcome to come by the building and take a tour. We will hold three tour times: 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm.

Friday, February 25th, we will offer the same opportunity to families of the Phillips Building.

These are not official Open Houses, and teachers will not be on site. Mr. Chen and I will be there conducting the tours.

Enjoy the week ahead!

Stacy

Thursday, January 27th at 6:30 pm

Join Zoom Meeting https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/89913750385

Many families have asked for resources to help them explain our move as we prepare to relocate to our new buildings. Melina Jacovides, Guidance Counselor, has created a story for each scenario. Teachers will use similar materials in class.

Social Stories to facilitate conversation.

Move to Phillips Spanish

Move to Lowell West Spanish

Move to Phillips Portuguese

Move to Lowell West Portuguese

Move to Phillips English

Move to Lowell West English

This week in Mrs. Connors & Mrs. Masters' classroom, students learned all about Martin Luther King, Jr. They read Martin's Words and The Crayon Box That Talked. They discussed how boring the world would be if everyone looked the same and learned the importance of uniqueness. Please take a look at their MLK board below.

Students continued to focus on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. concentrating on his contributions to education and the values and beliefs he governed his life by. Below is a whole class project they worked on together.

Friday, February 4th you will receive your child’s semester 1 report card and (in the case of students in grades 1-5) their updated i-Ready diagnostic assessment results. These are being sent home with students via backpack. Each of these reports will provide you with information about your child’s progress. In many cases, the two reports are in close alignment. In some cases, they may appear to differ. Keep in mind that the information from the teacher is a synthesis of many pieces of information while the information from i-Ready is one snapshot in time.

Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions regarding Standards-Based Report Cards and i-Ready assessment reports. I hope this is helpful to you as you review the information.

As always, feel free to reach out with additional questions!

Returning after COVID

Self-isolation for COVID-19 positive cases is a minimum of 5 days - regardless of vaccination status Most people who test positive and have a relatively mild illness will need to stay in self-isolation for 5 days. People who test positive can return to school on the 6th day if they:

• If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID and they are asymptomatic, they may come back on day six. The day they test positive for COVID is day 0. For example, if an individual gets a positive test on Wednesday, you can return on the following Tuesday. See chart below.

• If a student or staff member is symptomatic and then they test positive, day 0 is the first day they start to develop symptoms.

• If a student or staff member tests positive and develops symptoms AFTER their positive test, day 0 resets to the day they become symptomatic.

• A student or staff member CAN ONLY RETURN after 5 days of isolation if they were asymptomatic, OR if they are fever-free and your symptoms are significantly resolving.

• If a student or staff member has COVID, they cannot be part of pool testing for 90 days from their positive test, as they may test positive for up to 12 weeks on a PCR test.

Pooled testing will take place on Monday morning for students and staff.

Dear Families,

Could you please send me your child's completed COVID- 2 doses information via email or hard copy? Your child's personal medical information will not be shared with anyone but the school nurse.

Thank you!

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Council

Thursday, January 27th at 6:30 pm

Join Zoom Meeting https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/89913750385

Tuesday, February 1st at 6:00 pm

Wednesday, February 2nd at 9:00 am

Thursday, February 3rd at 6:00 pm

Join Zoom Meeting https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/89913750385

Tuesday, February 22nd, parents and their children are welcome to come by the building and take a tour. We will hold three tour times: 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm.

Friday, February 25th, we will offer the same opportunity to families of the Phillips Building.

MCAS Dates for Spring 2022

ELA: April 12th & 14th Grades 3, 4, & 5

Math: May 16th & 17th Grades 3, 4, & 5

Science: May 24th & 25 Grade 5 Only

MCAS Dates for Spring 2022

ELA

April 12th & 14th Grades 3, 4, & 5

Math

May 16th & 17th Grades 3, 4, & 5

Science

May 24th & 25 Grade 5 Only

Principal, Stacy Phelan ext. 33002

Main Office ext. 33001

Email: stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma.us
Website: https://lowell.watertown.k12.ma.us/
Location: 175 Orchard Street, Watertown, MA, USA
Phone: (617) 926-7770
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRLowellElementary

Dear Lowell Before School, Extended Day, and Late Bird Program Families:

Beginning February 6th, there will be movers present at the Lowell School in the afternoons as the school begins to transition to its two temporary site locations, Lowell West and Lowell at Phillips, ahead of the Lowell School construction. In talking with Principal Phelan, I feel confident that our program will be able to make adjustments around the daily afternoon move schedule and continue to run without issue each day. The only day we expect that the scheduled move will impact our programs will be Thursday, February 17th. Following school day dismissal on February 17th, the movers will begin to load desks, chairs, and tables into trucks. It will not be safe for us to have students present at Lowell as the movers are moving these furniture items and it will be difficult for our program to operate without chairs and tables.

The Lowell Extended Day Program and the Lowell Late Bird Program WILL NOT be open and WILL NOT run on Thursday, February 17th.

The Lowell Before School Program WILL be open and run at Lowell on Thursday, February 17th.

Watertown schools are closed to students on Friday, February 18th for a district-wide full-day, professional development day.

The Lowell Before School Program, The Lowell Extended Day Program, and The Lowell Late Bird Program will resume on Monday, February 28th. Beginning on Monday, February 28th, Lowell School students who are enrolled in the Lowell Before School Program, Extended Day Program, and Late Bird Program will attend these programs held at the Lowell School campus at the Phillips Administration Building. We are working on the drop-off and pick-up procedures and the bussing routes for students to and from these programs. We will have these details for you in the next couple of weeks.

I know that this program closure date for the Lowell Extended Day and Late Bird Program on Thursday, February 17th, may be challenging for families. I want to thank you in advance for your support and understanding. We will be issuing a credit to families whose students are scheduled to attend either of these programs on February 17th. I will follow up with an email letting you know the credit amount and how and when you can apply your credit.

Sincerely,

Debi