Bulldog Bulletin
Week of January 26th
Every Voice, Every Heart, Every Day
Third grade students enjoyed a wonderful visit to the Lexington Symphony Orchestra as part of their continued arts learning. We are grateful to our PTO and to families for supporting these opportunities through Dance Fit Dollars, which make these enriching experiences possible. We also had a fantastic Winter Concert on Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm. Congratulations to our fourth and fifth grade students on an excellent performance.
We are looking forward to our PTO meeting on Monday at 7:00 pm. Dr. Parvey and Mr. Taverna will be joining us to share more about the budget process.
On Wednesday, we will have an early release, with dismissal at 12:15 pm.
Our long awaited play performance of Frozen will take place on Friday and Saturday. Students will have an opportunity to view the play during the school day. Family and friends performances will be held at 7:00 pm on Friday and at 12:00 pm on Saturday. Our students have worked incredibly hard on our first staff run play, and I look forward to seeing many of you there.
Thank you for your continued partnership and the many ways you support our school community.
Dear Families of Incoming Kindergarten students:
We share in your excitement for your child to enroll in Kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year and look forward to them being a part of the Andover Public School community in September.
Kindergarten registration will begin on Monday, February 2, 2026 to Monday, March 2, 2026. Please access the Kindergarten Registration link on our website.
Following your registration, please contact your school directly to make an appointment to submit your registration paperwork.
For your reference, student eligibility requirements are as follows:
A student must actually reside in Andover, unless one of the exceptions set forth in Policy JF applies. The residence of a minor child is ordinarily presumed to be the legal residence of the child´s parent or legal guardian.
Kindergarten:
As per School Committee Policy, children must be 5 years old on or before August 31, 2026 and entering Kindergarten in the Andover Public Schools for the first time.
First Grade: (New to Andover / Andover Public Schools)
Children must be age 6 on or before August 31, 2026, and enrolling in the Andover Public Schools for the first time or transferring from another school district school.
The first day of school for Pre-K and Kindergarten students is Tuesday, September 8, 2026!
We look forward to meeting all our incoming students and families in the new school year!
Electronics at School
As we return from break, we recognize that some students may have access to new or expanded digital features on personal devices. We continue to navigate a rapidly changing digital landscape and value the partnership between school and home in supporting healthy, safe, and respectful technology use. Our elementary schools provide the following guidance to help maintain a focused learning environment and promote responsible digital behavior.
Cell phones must be turned off and kept in students’ backpacks from arrival through dismissal. Smartwatches may be worn as traditional watches; however, students may not use them to text, make calls, access the internet, use applications, take photos or videos, record audio, play games, or access social media. This expectation applies to all internet-connected wearables and similar devices.
Other personal electronics such as tablets, handheld gaming devices, wireless earbuds or headphones, smart rings, AI-enabled devices, and virtual or augmented reality devices should not be brought to school unless explicitly requested by a teacher for a specific instructional purpose.
Location-tracking devices such as AirTags may be kept in backpacks, but students may not access or interact with them during the school day.
If parents or guardians need to reach a child during the school day, please contact the main office. Students may also come to the office if they need to contact someone at home. If a personal device becomes a distraction to learning or interferes with school expectations, an administrator will follow up with families. Andover Public Schools is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal devices.
To support healthy digital habits and minimize interruptions to learning, families may find the following tools helpful.
Apple Watch and iPhone
Using Schooltime
Open the Watch app on the paired iPhone.
Select All Watches, then choose your child’s watch.
Tap Schooltime and turn it on.
Select Edit Schedule.
Choose the days and times Schooltime should be active.
Add additional time blocks if needed.
Android Devices and Wearables
Using Google Family Link
Open the Google Family Link app.
Select your child’s account.
Set daily device limits and downtime hours.
Restrict calls, messaging, app access, and notifications during school hours.
Gizmo Watches
Using School Mode
Open the GizmoHub app.
Select your child’s device.
Turn School Mode on or off.
Set a recurring School Mode schedule if desired.
We appreciate your continued partnership in supporting student focus, learning, and responsible digital citizenship throughout the school day.
Cold Weather Reminders
As we move into winter weather, we want to ensure a consistent and safe outdoor experience for all students.
Outdoor Clothing Expectations
Students who wish to play in the snow need to come prepared with snow pants, boots, jackets, and gloves or mittens. Those without full snow gear will remain on the blacktop. Please label each item so that misplaced clothing can be returned. If your child is well enough to attend school, they are well enough to go outdoors. We make every attempt to go outside everyday, so please be sure that students dress for the weather even if they do not want to go in the snow.
Outdoor Behavior Expectations
To keep recess safe and enjoyable for everyone, snow and ice will remain on the ground. Students who choose not to play in the snow will stay on the blacktop.
Snow play is a beloved part of winter at Sanborn and these expectations help ensure that all students can enjoy this season safely and comfortably.
RULER Words of the week!
Kindergarten-proud
First Grade- joyful
Second Grade-hopeful
Third Grade-motivated
Fourth Grade-determined
Fifth Grade-committed
Grades 3-5 MCAS Dates
Mark your calendars!
The testing window has been set by DESE and we are planning for the following MCAS test dates. Please note that students will take 2 days of tests per content area. Please refrain from vacations or unnecessary absences on these dates.
Grade 3
-English Language Arts (ELA) Assessments: Monday, March 30th and 31th
-Mathematics Assessments: Thursday, May 7 and Friday, May 8
Grade 4
-English Language Arts (ELA) Assessments: Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 9
-Mathematics Assessments: Monday, May 11 and Tuesday, May 12
Grade 5
-English Language Arts (ELA) Assessments: Tuesday, April 7 and Wednesday, April 9
-Mathematics Assessments: Monday, May 11 and Tuesday, May 12
-February 16 - 20: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
