PARKER WEEKLY BULLETIN

Good afternoon Parker Families,

It was fantastic to get back to school this week. The kids were excited to reconnect with their peers and teachers and share their experiences from the winter vacation. The students dove back into their studies with vigor and enthusiasm. The students have been engaged in the mid-year iReady assessments in both reading and math this week. The forthcoming results will give important insight into the progress being made from their diagnostic assessments taken in September. These results identify areas of strength and weakness, and their "My Path" lessons are catered to their individual needs based on these results.

Second Step - Social Emotional Learning

During the month of December, we concentrated on our SEL Blocks on our Parker Be the Change Service-Learning Project. This week we returned to our Second Step units. Our fifth-grade students will begin a unit on Emotion Management while our sixth-grade students will start a unit on Bullying/Harassment. The goal is to build social emotional skills to empower kids to navigate their daily lives in a healthy manner.

January Artists of the Month

We are proud to announce our January Artists of the Month Adhya Singh (grade 5) and Charlotte Jeffers (grade 6). Their artwork expresses a vision and spirit that is inspiring! We are so proud of them both!

5th and 6th Grade Socials

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting grade level social events on the next two Fridays right here at Parker. Our amazing PTO is sponsoring the socials which will run from 2:45-4:00 pm right after school. It is a fantastic opportunity for the kids to let loose a bit, have fun with their friends, dance, and play games in a safe setting. Permission slips were sent home today for the 5th grade social and tickets cost $5 which will pay for snacks, drinks, and games. The school store will also be open during the social. I encourage every child to attend! More information can be found below.

Friday January 16: Grade 5

Friday January 23: Grade 6

STEM Fair - March 26

We are excited to announce that we are hosting a student STEM Fair on March 26 at Parker. A committee has been formed, and a great night is being planned. More specific details will be sent out next week!

Parking Lot Safety

To ensure the safety of all students, staff, and families, we ask that you carefully follow the established traffic patterns during drop-off and dismissal, as shown in the image below.

When students are dropped off in the middle of the parking lot, they must navigate moving vehicles entering and exiting the area, which creates an unsafe situation. Similarly, at dismissal, parking directly alongside the building can block the flow of traffic and places vehicles too close to students who are boarding their buses.

Our arrival and dismissal procedures are designed to be both safe and efficient when everyone follows the established protocols. We appreciate your cooperation and attention to this important matter, as it helps us maintain a safe environment for all members of our school community. Thank you for your continued support.

I hope that everyone has a great weekend. Please reach out if you need support!

Warm Regards,

Josh

Tuesday - January 13th

No Clubs Today-Early Release Day dismissal at 11:10 a.m.

Wednesday - January 14th

Book Club - Ms. Beaudoin - Room 125

Homework Club - Ms. Hamilton - Room 117

NO FITNESS CLUB TODAY

Intramurals - Mr. McCarthy, Ms. Hardock, Ms. Olsson- Grade 6 - GYM-Check Google Classroom

Parker Cares - Ms. Rappaport - Room 109

NO POWER HOUR TODAY

Seasonal Crafts/No Bake Club-Ms. Stuz - Room 107- Club is Full

Thursday - January 15th

Art Club–Ms. Annunziata–Room 4-Grade 5 Today

Festival Band - Mr. Linsner-Band Room

NO GAME CLUB TODAY

Intramurals - Mr. McCarthy, Ms. Hardock, Ms. Olsson-Grade 5-Group 5B-GYM

Stand-Up Parker -Mr. Lee - Conference Room 240A

Student Council-Ms. Engel & Ms. Merrill-Room 204

Tuesday, January 13th-Early Release day-dismissal at 11:10 a.m.

Friday, January 16th -5th Grade Winter Social (Snow Ball) see link below

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jd4Eq_8XyEqC7hW1uP7uUvBluCp7BDlLG_qn7fxFpg8/edit?usp=sharing

Monday, January 19th - No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Friday, January 23rd - 6th Grade Winter Social (Snow Ball) see link below

https://docs.google.com/document/d/150WFZyAdOLKFFh0oHAiHDpGPo--HQbdvN1x2Fgp5w5k/edit?usp=sharing

Monday, February 2nd thru Friday, February 6th-19th Annual "Souper Bowl" more details to follow

Thursday, February 5th-Early Release day-dismissal at 11:10 a.m.

Monday, February 9th thru Friday, February 13th-PRIDE WEEK

Monday, February 16th thru Friday February 20th-No School VACATION Week

Monday, February 23rd-School Resumes

BRRR!!! It's cold outside!! Parker students will still be going outside for recess/outside break every day, weather permitting. Please BUNDLE UP!! Remember to wear appropriate clothing, sweatshirts, warm coats, hats and gloves are recommended.

REMINDER - PARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS SET A 2:15 p.m. CUT-OFF TIME FOR ALL STUDENT DISMISSALS AS IT IS A CRITICAL SAFETY MEASURE THAT ENSURES A SECURE AND ORDERLY END TO THE SCHOOL DAY.

~THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION WITH THIS POLICY. Please contact the office with any questions or concerns.

The lost and found racks are overflowing with your student's stuff! There are sweatshirts, coats, lunch boxes, water bottles galore and a lot more. Please ask your students to check for any lost or missing items. All unclaimed items were donated or disposed of over the winter break in December. ~Thank you.

DRAMA: The cast list is out and we have had a successful first rehearsal. Check schedule weekly for updates: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bkuEEpcdfAKv7FGLqdZp5EKnc6IKpymJmRHEf1-cKmE/edit?tab=t.0

SELECT CHORUS:The official roster is out and we have also had a successful first rehearsal. See the Fall/Winter schedule here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a9Sa7k8JvjQ53aaZi0qA30pR6OBp4P3cG2-SuDQybTI/edit?usp=sharing

Yearbooks are now on sale! Emails have been sent by our yearbook company (Walsworth) with an ordering link, but you can also order at https://yearbookforever.com/

No books will be available for sale in June...don't miss out on capturing this year's memories!

Check out the below upcoming PTO activities. You can always reach us at ptoParker@gmail.com. Parker & McCarthy PTOs work collaboratively to provide community building activities, provide enrichment programs for our students and families and support our teachers. Upcoming events, activities and additional information can also be found on our new website.

❄️⛄🎶 Winter Socials- We need your help!

Every January we have a social for the two grades. There is music and games, and snacks in the cafe and sports activities in the gym. The kids LOVE it and have a blast. We need your help to hand out snacks, organize games and keep an eye on the students. Sign up below if you can! Contact Sarah if you want to help but can't make the below times or have questions.

• Sign up to help - Grade 5 Social - Friday, January 16th - 2:40 to 4:00 PM
• Sign up to help - Grade 6 Social - Friday, January 23rd - 2:40 to 4:00 PM

We hold a winter fundraiser where families sell raffle tickets and then we choose a daily winner of a variety of fun prizes. We are beginning our outreach to local businesses and beyond for donations. Please reach out to us if you are any of the below.

• You have a business and would like to donate.
• You know of a great business that would like to donate.
• You would be happy to send some emails, go on websites, or visit local businesses to get donations.

UML Riverhawks will be hosting Chelmsford Middle Schools. Meet all your middle school friends at the Tsongas for two great nights of hockey!

• Saturday, February 21st @ 6:05 PM Click link to order tickets

🏀 Harlem Globetrotters:

The Harlem Globetrotters are an American exhibition basketball team founded in 1996 in Harlem, New York, known for their combination of elite athleticism, entertainment, and comedic showmanship. Support the PTO as $5 of each ticket will be donated back to the Middle Schools PTO.

• Saturday, February 14th @ 2:00 PM Click link to order tickets

The Box Tops for Education app allows you to earn cash for schools by purchasing participating Box Tops products and scanning your store receipts or digital receipts. You can download the free app for iOS and Android devices, select your school, scan the receipt, and the app automatically identifies and credits your school for the products. Earnings are posted to the school's account and checks are sent to the schools twice a year.

1. Download the App: Get the Box Tops for Education app from your device's app store.
2. Select Your School: Choose a school to support, or find a school in need.
3. Shop: Purchase Box Tops products that have the Box Tops icon.
4. Scan Receipts: Open the app, tap "Scan," and take a clear, well-lit photo of your store receipt to earn cash for your school.
5. Earn: The app automatically identifies the Box Tops products and adds the earnings to your school's account.
6. Receive Funds: Eligible schools receive checks twice a year based on the earnings credited to their accounts.

WAYS TO EARN: Connected Accounts: Connect your account to participating retailers, like Walmart, to automatically earn when you buy eligible products. Bonus Box Tops: Participate in special promotions and sweepstakes to earn extra earnings for your school.

If your student is going to be absent, tardy or dismissed please:

Email: ParkerAttendance@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Please Send Email: Prior to 9am on the day of the absence. Please Include: Child’s name, Grade, and Reason for absence. We encourage you to use the email option when reporting an absence, dismissal, etc. for efficiency.

**PLEASE READ**

We will continue to send automated emails home when students are absent. You will receive the email whether you notified the school or not. In order for an absence to be marked as "Excused", families will need to provide medical documentation. Please call the office if you have any questions or need clarification. ~ Thank you for your understanding.

Directions to set up your account and order:

1. URL Link: https://family.onlineordering.linq.com/
2. Sign up now: Email, create password.
3. School District: Chelmsford Public Schools
4. Student ID: This can be found on X2-Student's ID Number
5. Last Name: (You can also search and add siblings/family members at this time). Once this is completed, student's name should appear on page

1. School Menu-select online lunch ordering (all schools)
2. Scroll to week of half day/early release date (top right of page)
3. Find date, select meal option
4. Add item to cart/Select add to order
5. Click on shopping cart icon at top right of page
6. Click check-out
7. Select pick-up location: Elementary pick-up location classroom. Middle/High school pick up location cafeteria.
8. Place order

Early Release Dates:

Tuesday, January 13th

Thursday, February 5th

Wednesday, March 11th

Tuesday, April 7th

Email: robinsond@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://parker.chelmsfordschools.org/
Location: 75 Graniteville Road
Phone: 978-251-5133