Wood End Wildcat News

Save the Date

Friday, February 6 - Join the PTO for our biggest fundraiser of the year, our 4th annual Casino Night at the Crystal Community Club in Wakefield. Right now, we need your help! Do you enjoy event planning and decorating? Do you own a business or have ties to a business in town? Would you like to help solicit items for our silent auction? Please click HERE to find out the many ways you can help the PTO have the most fun and successful event of the year!

Want to volunteer during your child's Library class? CLICK HERE

Based on the text Anxious Generation. See link below for more information more information!

Please be sure your child has appropriate clothing to go outside. Our students will go outside for recess on most days even when it's cold. Students will be sent outside in whatever it is that they are sent to school in for outdoor recess. Please have your child wear appropriate winter clothing and not just sweatshirts! Similarly, arrival will be outside, so dress warm!

We will allow children to play in the snow IF they have snow-pants, gloves/mittens, snow-boots and jackets. If your family is in need of any of the above items, please do not hesitate to reach out and let us know.

Salt and Plowing during Inclement Weather

School personnel salt all sidewalks that are located on school property. This includes the driveway leading down to Sunset Lane, the side door entrance, and the front courtyard.

Please note that the Department of Public Works (DPW) does not salt or sand sidewalks, per their guidelines under the “Sidewalk Plowing” section (per their guidelines, see here). This includes walkways that connect to school property, such as the Fox Run path and other adjoining paths.

If you have any questions regarding DPW policies or procedures, please feel free to contact DPW directly.

SAFETY in the DRIVEWAY: Please adhere to typical traffic patterns in the driveway. We are a one-way in and one-way out access and with students, staff and families trying to get into the building, we need to be safe. We have observed many drivers not stopping at the crosswalk and passing cars quickly while traffic is coming the other direction. To ensure our students are not hurt, we are asking that families adhere to safety regulations as outlined below:

• Crosswalk: Please be sure to use the crosswalk when crossing the drive way.

• Morning Drop-Off: Staff will be visible beginning at 8:10 a.m. to assist students. All cars will remain in a single-file once they enter Sunset Rock Lane, up the driveway, continuing around the circle at the top of the driveway near the playgrounds, and back down the driveway to exit the school. Drivers will pull into the unloading area along the sidewalk. All students must exit quickly & safely through the passenger side doors closest to the sidewalk. Drivers must stay in cars and remain alert. We will unload several cars at a time, so please pull up and unload as soon as you enter this area. Do not wait to pull up to the front door. Please do not pass cars in the driveway or park in the fire lanes

• Afternoon Placard Pickup: All parents or designated adults will place the placard on the right-hand side of their vehicle’s windshield upon entering the Wood End driveway. Cars will line up along the school driveway and onto Sunset Rock Lane (do not park or idle in the rotary at the end of the driveway blocking in our neighbors). As your car reaches the school, a staff member will radio your name to additional staff stationed where your child will be waiting (under the large wooden awning at the front of the building). Staff will direct your child to the right side of your car as you stop. Please remain in your vehicle while your children get into the car. Once your children are seated and buckled in, you will proceed around the traffic circle and exit back onto Sunset Rock Lane.

• Idling of Motor Vehicles - For the safety of staff and students, school policies restrict operators of school buses and personal motor vehicles, including students, faculty, staff and visitors, from prolonged idling of such vehicles on school grounds and violators may be subject to a fine.

Affordable family fun alert!!! Finding Nemo Jr (yes, the Disney & Pixar one) is coming to the stage at Reading Memorial High School 1/16 & 1/17 7pm and 1/18 2pm

See the talented students of Coolidge Middle School Drama, support the arts, get out of the house!!!

PS … there will be raffle prizes and snacks available for purchase during intermission

SEATS ARE ASSIGNED. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: https://cur8.com/projects/CoolidgeDrama

We respectfully ask you to partner with us by reminding your student that all student smartwatches (GizmoWatch, etc.) & cellphones must be powered off and remain in backpacks or teachers' desks during the entire school day. Students always have access to call home with the permission of their classroom teacher in case of an emergency. We want to help our students learn that we have many caring adults here during the day to help them navigate challenges and solve problems together.

School’s and state’s expectations around attendance and why it matters so much for every student:

Why is attendance so important?

• Building strong connections with peers. Missing multiple days can make it harder to come back, as students feel they’ve missed out on social and academic opportunities.
• Providing the best opportunities for academic success. From core instruction to interventions, research shows a direct correlation between poor attendance and academic challenges.
• Establishing good habits for the future. Consistent routines now build lifelong responsibility.

It’s absolutely okay for students to come to school with a mild cold. Students should stay home if they have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea (fever-free for 24 hours before returning).

A few reminders:

• If your child will be absent, please notify the main office by calling or emailing.
• If your child misses school for an appointment, please send in a doctor’s note.
• If a child is out sick for five or more days, a doctor’s note is required.
• Please avoid planning vacations during school days. We are fortunate to have many breaks built into the calendar, including one of the longest winter breaks in recent years. You can find the full calendar here: RPS District Calendar 25/26

To support your child’s energy and focus throughout the school day, we kindly ask that you send a snack with your child each day. Please avoid any allergens as they relate to your child's classroom (notice from Nurse Kristin went out if there are any classroom restrictions). Thank you for helping us promote healthy habits and a positive learning environment!

All five elementary schools in RPS dedicate a weekly 30-minute block to Social Emotional Learning (SEL). This year, with guidance from an RPS multidisciplinary curriculum team, we are excited to launch updated SEL lessons. This flier gives families a snapshot of what SEL looks like in grades K-5.

SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

Students need new medicine orders for each new school year. The summer is an ideal time to start this paperwork. Families can use this attached form for parent permission and doctor's orders. We also accept medication orders that a doctor writes on their own form. If you think your child would occasionally need Tylenol or Motrin, we need a doctor's order to give this in elementary school. For medicine safety, a parent or guardian needs to bring the medicine directly to the nurse to sign it into school. Please do not send medicines in their backpack.

School Medical Policies below!

PTO General Meeting Schedule

• March 18 : LINK HERE
• May 13 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• June 3 @ 8:15 (In Person)

We have some amazing parents who have taken on leadership roles to keep our very active PTO up & running. We are so grateful for their willingness to provide our community with many opportunities to volunteer and support our students and families. Our PTO has been involved in coordinating fundraising events, book fairs, enrichment programs, school supplies, teacher appreciation events, flamingo flocking, and restaurant nights, just to name a few, to make Wood End the special community it is today. If you are interested in becoming more involved in our PTO, please reach out to any of our board members @ woodendpto@gmail.com .

BOARD MEMBERS

Linda Liang, President

Linda Liang, Treasurer

Courtney Bell, Secretary

Hilary Quinn, Events and Fundraising Coordinator

Sarah Henic, Enrichment Coordinator

Steff Keilty, Room Parent Coordinator

Thank you for celebrating November SEPAC Awareness Month with us and supporting our community. The Reading Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) improves the outcomes and wellbeing for ALL students. SEPAC fosters relationships, helps identify unmet needs, and provides valuable input on the development of programs, services, and policies. Our council is open to all parents and caregivers and is not limited to just families who have children with special needs. We offer various opportunities to connect with other families and provide learning experiences for all.

To learn more about Reading SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council), please visit our website: Reading SEPAC Website

Should you wish to receive our monthly newsletter, please send an email to SEPACReading@gmail.com

SEPAC WEBSITE!

Click here for the NEW, IMPROVED READING SEPAC WEBSITE, an incredible resource for parents/caregivers of all children, especially those with diverse learning profiles. We strongly urge you to visit it soon, and often. Short on time? Here’s a very brief video to give you a sense of what’s there in just over one minute.

About Reading SEPAC

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 supports).

SEPAC WEBPAGE

Join SEPAC's mailing list

Follow SEPAC on Facebook

Follow SEPAC on Instagram

"Since its founding during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, the METCO program has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students of color in predominately white school districts, creating the opportunity for those districts to experience the advantages of learning and working in a racially and ethnically diverse setting."

January

Reading Public Schools Calendar 2025-2026

We're excited to welcome back SNL Sports, Theater, and Dance this winter!

Keep kids active with SNL Indoor Sports, perfect for staying healthy and burning off winter energy.

Or students can flex their creativity and take center stage with SNL Theater, where imagination shines. Move and groove with SNL Dance, learn hip-hop skills in a playful, supportive setting. Both Theater and Dance will include a short performance for families to enjoy! Keep the fun going this winter and register here!

• https://readingpl.org/healing-kits/

• At the Reading Public Library, there are 10 different kits that address different needs that people in the community may experience (e.g. Grief, anxiety, trauma, etc.). You can request a kit through the online library catalog or check it out in person. Kits contain a variety of materials that are accessible to kids, teens, and/or adults, as well as a resource packet with lists of community resources and activities. Each kit also contains a notebook where others who have used the kit can leave words of support.

In the box at the top of the newsletter, click on Translate to pick the desired language.

• Portuguese: Na caixa preta na parte superior do boletim, selecione Traduzir Boletim informativo para escolher o idioma desejado.

• Spanish: En el cuadro de Negro en la parte superior del boletín de noticias, seleccione Traducir Boletín de escoger el idioma deseado.

• Vietnamese: Trong hộp đen ở đầu bản tin, chọn Dịch bản tin để chọn ngôn ngữ mong muốn

• Polish: W czarnym polu u góry biuletynu wybierz Przetłumacz biuletyn, aby wybrać żądany język

• Korean: 뉴스레터 상단의 검은색 상자에서 뉴스레터 번역을 선택하여 원하는 언어를 선택하세요.

• Chinese: 在新闻通讯顶部的黑框中，选择“翻译新闻通讯”以选择所需的语言。

• Arabic: في المربع الأسود الموجود أعلى النشرة الإخبارية، حدد ترجمة النشرة الإخبارية لاختيار اللغة المطلوبة.
  fi almurabae al'aswad almawjud 'aelaa alnashrat al'iikhbariati, hadad tarjamat alnashrat al'iikhbariat liaikhtiar allughat almatlubati.

Please save my email address and reach out with questions, comments or thoughts. My door is always open!

Email: nicole.schwartz@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/woodend/
Location: 85 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA, United States
Phone: 781-942-5420

Wood End Resource Guide/Handbook

District Handbook