6th Grade Orientation

Good Afternoon,

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and are excited to send your students to AMS on Wednesday. I enjoyed meeting so many students and parents at our 6th-grade orientation and optional locker setup last week.

Faculty and staff returned today, and we had a great first day of professional development. We have another day of professional development on Tuesday, and we are all very excited to welcome your students to school on Wednesday.

This week, students have school on Wednesday (8/28) and Thursday (8/29). There is no school on Friday, August 30, 2024, or Monday, September 2, 2024.

Important Information:

Buses:
If you registered for the bus, you can find the bus routes posted at this link. Students who have registered for the bus will receive their bus pass on the first day of school in homeroom. Please be patient with bus route timing during the first few weeks of school.

Parent Drop-Off:
If you will be dropping off your student at school, please note the following:

• Students may be dropped off at Ashland Middle School between 8:00 and 8:15 a.m.

• Stay in the left lane upon entering the school. You will take a U-turn before reaching the rotary in front of the school (the rotary is reserved for buses in the morning for safety purposes).

• Drivers should pull up as far as possible along the right side of the exit road, regardless of whether there are other cars in front of them, to decrease waiting time for everyone.

• Students should exit on the passenger side of the vehicle.

• All cars should yield to buses exiting the rotary.

Student Arrival:

All students should enter the school through the small gym entrance, where buses drop off students. 6th-grade students will enter the small gym, 7th-grade students will enter the café, and 8th-grade students will enter the large gym to wait until they are released to their lockers. Homeroom lists will be posted in these areas, and students should check these lists when entering the school.

Parent Pick-Up:

Dismissal is at 2:45pm. If you will be picking up your student at dismissal, please follow the same procedure as drop-off. Additionally, the parking spaces adjacent to the exit road will be reserved for student pick-up. Once spaces along the exit road are filled, parents or caregivers may park in the reserved spaces, allowing students to cross the sidewalk safely and enter the car without having to go into the parking lot. For safety, all drivers should park in marked spaces only and avoid non-designated parking areas.

West Union Street Sidewalk Project:
Over the next two months, there will be construction along West Union Street to install a new sidewalk from State Park Road to Indian Spring Road. The sidewalk will be along the eastbound lane (State Park side). Please be aware that this may cause additional delays during arrival and dismissal times.

Student Schedules/Lockers:
Copies of student schedules will be provided during homeroom on Wednesday morning. Students will have the opportunity to find their locker and put materials in it before starting the day.

Update on World Language:

Due to unexpected staffing changes—(currently, we have only one returning World Language teacher out of the five positions), and scheduling logistics, we've had to adjust the plan for our 6th-grade World Cultures class.

6th grade students will now spend one semester with a Spanish teacher, learning introductory Spanish and engaging in cultural exploration projects. During the other semester, they will spend one-quarter of the year with a French teacher, learning introductory French and working on cultural projects. The remaining quarter will be spent with our librarian, focusing on a study skills curriculum.

7th & 8th grade students who take World Language will spend the entire year taking either Spanish or French.

As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Erin Lachapelle

AMS Principal

• Wednesday, August 28th - A Day

• Thursday, August 29th - B Day

• Friday, August 30th - NO SCHOOL

During the first week of school, we will use the discovery block to review school expectations and introduce our core values.

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.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the new school year! As the Director of Nutrition Services for Ashland Public Schools, I am thrilled to welcome you and your children back to school. We hope you had a restful and enjoyable summer break.

Our team is committed to providing nutritious and delicious meals that support the health and academic success of every student. We understand the crucial role that nutrition plays in a child's development and learning, and we are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards in our meal programs.

This year, we are excited to introduce a variety of new menu items featuring fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. We aim to ensure that our meal programs cater to diverse tastes and dietary needs, and we encourage students to explore the healthy options available to them.

Thank you to Governor Healy and the state legislators for their support of Universal Free meals. This initiative allows us to provide all students with one free breakfast and one lunch throughout the school year. It ensures that every child has the opportunity to begin their day with a nutritious meal, helping them stay energized and focused.

All à la carte purchases are charged to the student’s school lunch account. Only students with a positive balance in their lunch account may purchase à la carte items.

In addition to our daily offerings, we will promote our "Harvest of the Month" program, highlighting seasonal fruits and vegetables. This initiative not only supports local farmers but also helps students learn about the importance of eating a variety of fresh foods.

If your child has a life-threatening food allergy, please take a moment to notify both the nursing department and our nutrition services team before your child begins receiving meal service from our district. By sharing this information with us, you enable us to take the necessary precautions to accommodate your child's needs and minimize any potential risks. To review our Allergy Awareness Policy and Procedure in detail, visit ashland.k12.ma.us/nutrition.

We are always looking for ways to improve and welcome your feedback. Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or suggestions. Together, we can ensure that our students have access to the nutritious meals they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

Thank you for your continued support. Here's to a healthy and successful school year!

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.