Sunday, June 1 - Color Run at School St. Park

Thursday, June 5 - Field Day (Rain date - June 6)

Thursday, June 5 - PBIS Wear Grade-level Colors

Friday, June 6 - Music Matters Concert at School St. Park (6:00pm)

Tuesday, June 10 - PTO Meeting (6:00pm in the Phelps Library)

Wednesday, June 11 - 4th grade tour of Doering Middle School and class picnic

Friday, June 13 - JJ's Giveback night

Friday, June 13 - PBIS Superhero vs. Villains Day

Wednesday, June 18 - PBIS Aloha Wednesday

Thursday, June 19 - NO SCHOOL - Juneteenth

Friday, June 20 - 4th grade Moving Up Ceremony (9:45am)

Monday, June 23 - Last day of School - HALF DAY (12:20pm dismissal)

Our Girls on the Run team has organized a community service project! They are collecting donations for the TJ O'Connor Adoption Center now through June 6. Items can include pet toys, blankets, leashes, collars, harnesses, and beds.

As summer approaches, we want to remind families about the importance of keeping young minds active during the break. Without regular practice, students can lose some of the important skills they worked so hard to build during the school year—this is often called the "summer slide." But don’t worry! There are lots of fun and simple ways to keep learning going at home. Check out the flyer below for ideas, activities, and free resources to help your child stay sharp all summer long!

Interactive PDFs from the Agawam Public Library:

On April 17, Phelps students were treated to a school-wide enrichment from the Tanglewood Marionettes courtesy of our AMAZING PTO. They were dazzled by the story of the Dragon King:

A terrible drought has overtaken the land, and all the world has turned brown and lifeless. The Dragon King is ruler over all things water, and the people are beginning to wonder why he has not brought the life-giving rains in such a very long time.

An underwater fantasy based on Chinese folklore, The Dragon King tells the tale of an intrepid Grandmother who journeys to the bottom of the sea in search of the elusive Dragon King, and the answers to why he has forsaken the land above.

Our virtual mental health partner Cartwheel regularly offers articles and/or webinars designed to empower parents/caregivers in offering support, guidance, and tools to navigate various student challenges. The attached free webinar on How Trauma Affects Youth & Family Mental Health And How To Support Yourself And Your Kids describes how surviving trauma can impact how one sees and experiences the world. Watch this webinar to learn more about trauma, common trauma responses, and what we can do to be a steady and supportive adult for our kids and teens, even if we have experienced trauma ourselves.

If you need more information on our virtual mental health partner, Cartwheel, please reach out to us!

Planning and hiring for the 2025-2026 school year is underway! Here are a few important updates:

• Class placements continue to be an ongoing process. Final placements will be emailed home in August.
• We have some more exciting upgrades happening around Phelps again this summer!
• In our June Newsletter we will be highlighting our retirees.

We are making our way even closer to the end of the year! This is another reminder to please turn in current physical forms for your child if you haven’t already done so. Notices will be going home soon for students who need to bring in an up-to-date physical form. New physicals are required every 3 years. This is also the second reminder that any student with medication in the nurse’s office including inhalers and epi-pens should be picked up at the end of the year, just prior to beginning summer vacation.

Thankfully, it seems that flu season is mostly over. Unfortunately, however, with the end of that season, we are at the start of spring cold and allergy season. It seems like those allergies are in high gear and there is lots of pollen in the air. If there is anything I can do to help you and your kiddo through this season, please let me know. You can always reach me in my office by phone at 413-821-9368 or via email tjasperson@agawamed.org.

It's back! Our annual Music Matters Spring Concert! Click the link below the flyer for the order form to purchase optional meal tickets.

Check out a couple examples of their final projects!

For the 2nd year in a row, a Phelps 4th grade student won the Agawam Junior Women's Club Spelling Bee. Michael in our 4th grade took home the title with the word MAGNETIC. Also representing Phelps were Sadie and Maisyn! Congratulations!

We know that showing up matters, and that when students show up to learn, they are more likely to be able to stay on-track, stay engaged and meet major educational milestones.

We are at 95.27% average daily attendance as a school (which is an increase from where we were in April).

Let’s finish the year strong! As we wrap up the school year, students will take part in several benchmark assessments to measure their progress since the fall and winter. Consistent attendance is essential, so please ensure your child comes to school every day.

On May 7, our very own Mr. Viens received the 2025 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award! Phelps is proud to have another recipient of this award on our amazing team. Congratulations Mr. Viens!!!

The staff Crystal Apple Award for the month of May is Ms. Sohail!!!

Ms. Sohail goes above and beyond for all phelps students. Her calm and positive demeanor helps her students feel safe, heard, and seen. She is a reliable and trusting person - a great colleague and team player!

Ms. Sohail has been an important and valuable part of our team and community. She has covered virtually every position at Phelps. Her skill level is superior and well balanced. She can pivot into any situation or grade level given to her and do it with enthusiasm and unmatched energy. If Ms. Sohail doesn’t know something, she isn’t afraid to ask. She has a unique ability to think outside of the box in any situation. She is always willing to help, and always puts students first!

Congratulations Ms. Sohail!!!

Here are the students of the month for May!

Phelps will be taking part in the Color Run on Sunday, June 1. If you have registered to run, please arrive at school street by 11:45am. The run will begin promptly at 12:00pm!

Not registered, but interested in joining us?! We will have open registration from 11-12. Bring your $30 donation that day! (limited t-shirts available)

We are looking for help at the Color Run! If you’re able to volunteer, check out the signup below!

Thank you to all of the amazing parents that have volunteered to help at Field Day this year! Remember you must be CORI checked to attend. Volunteers will receive more information via signup genius next week!

JJ’s Give Back Night is Friday, June 13th! Grab yourself a treat after school and 10% of the sales will come back to Phelps PTO. Hope to see you there! 😀

Fourth grade picnic will be on Wednesday June 11th with a rain date of Thursday June 12th!

Please have your student wear their red t-shirt, bring a water bottle, apply sunscreen, and bring a small blanket or towel to sit on outside!

We’re excited to announce new grade-level and content-specific websites designed to enhance the connection between school and home! These online resources will provide students and families with helpful tools, activities, and important updates to support learning both in and outside of the classroom. Be sure to check out your child’s grade-level page to explore all the great resources we’ve made available to help foster a fun and engaging learning experience at home. Stay tuned for more updates!

To find your website - head over to https://www.agawamed.org/o/bjp and click on MENU. All of our new sites are published here!

Our new sites are a work in progress and will continue to be updated throughout the year.

Benjamin Phelps Elementary School

Email: avillamaino@agawamed.org
Website: https://www.agawamed.org/o/bjp
Location: 689 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001 USA
Phone: (413) 821-0586