Warren School Weekly Update

This week we celebrated the 100th Day of School and enjoyed our Grade 2 Character Parade, where students proudly shared their work and creativity. I’ve included a few photos from these exciting events. It was wonderful to see so much enthusiasm and pride on display.

Our teachers also completed the third round of Data Team meetings. During these meetings, classroom teachers and specialists review student progress in reading, writing, mathematics, and social-emotional skills. Teams set targeted goals and instructional plans that will be revisited at our next round of meetings in April.

Thank you for your incredible support of the Ashland Food Pantry. The volume of donated items from our school community has been truly impressive. This was a meaningful act of community service carried out by every classroom. Special thanks to Mrs. Mackay and her students for leading this important endeavor.

Next week is school vacation week. On Monday, we observe Presidents’ Day, a time to recognize and reflect on the leadership and contributions of those who have served as President of the United States. Originally established to honor George Washington’s birthday, the day now recognizes all presidents and their role in shaping our nation’s history and values. In classrooms, students have been discussing how leaders make decisions, serve others, and guide communities. It’s a great opportunity to talk with your child about leadership, responsibility, and ways they can make a positive difference.

Although the Patriots did not win the Super Bowl, there is another exciting international sporting event taking place, the Olympics. Watching Olympic events as a family can be a great experience. Beyond the competition, the sportsmanship on display is especially powerful. When I watched with my own children, we often focused on the medal ceremonies, noting how proud each athlete looked, how they respected their competitors, and how accomplishment and effort matter just as much as the color of the medal.

Have a wonderful vacation week. When we return on February 23, please have your child wear comfy clothes for the school day.

Pete

Come Cheer on Our Teachers!

Join us for a fun and spirited basketball game as teachers from different schools face off on the court! Bring your family, friends and school pride to cheer on your favorite teachers and show your support. This high-energy event is all about community, sportsmanship and school spirit. Don't miss the chance to see our teachers in action and help make it an unforgettable night! We hope to see you on February 26th at 6PM at Ashland High School for the 2026 Clocker Classic!

MetroWest Food Collaborative

Dear Families,

I want to share a helpful resource: our local partners at the MetroWest Food Collaborative have created an easy-to-use website where food pantries, community meal sites, farmers markets and more are listed for our region. You’ll find flyers and calendars in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and you can search by town to see what’s available. MWFC

Please check it out if you or your family ever need additional support: metrowestfoodcollaborative.org/find-food

Dear Families,

K–2 Reading & Writing – Update

Students returned from winter break eager to learn and share. During January and February, K–2 students continue to grow as readers and writers and are

Kindergarteners are working hard to develop their reading superpowers in the Superpower Unit! In writing students are finishing up writing narrative stories and will be gearing up to write How To books.

💡 At-home ideas:

Check out these videos from The Teachers Table:

To practice sounds and/or sight words try using a RAN chart with your child.
To practice segmenting words try these activities in this video

Practice letter sounds using names of people your child cares about.
Ask your child to draw a picture of a family activity and then write a sentence about it below the picture. Encourage your child to say the sentence and write letters to match the sounds in each word.

First graders are diving into nonfiction reading and writing, learning how to gather information and teach their readers. Students are practicing asking questions, noticing text features, and organizing facts in their writing.

💡 At-home ideas:

Read a nonfiction book and ask your child to share one fact they could teach someone else.
Encourage your child to write a helpful list or note for someone at home.
Look for nonfiction text features (headings, pictures, captions) in books or magazines.

Second graders are enjoying writing realistic fiction stories. They are focusing on characters, feelings, and story structure. In reading, students are thinking deeply about characters’ motivations and how events impact the story.

💡 At-home ideas:

Ask questions while reading:
How is the character feeling? What makes you think that? How do the character’s feelings change?
Talk about favorite characters and what makes them interesting.
Brainstorm story ideas where characters help others or solve problems together.

Thank you for supporting literacy learning at home. We are proud of the growth students are making as readers and writers.

Warm regards,

Kathy Ferrecchia

kferrecchia@ashland.k12.ma.us

Warren School's Social Emotional Learning Update:

Hello Families,

This month we are learning about GENEROSITY.

We have defined generosity as: giving to others without expecting anything in return.

Here are some things you can do to help your child learn to be generous:

Talk about it - brainstorm ways to be generous. Remember being generous isn’t just giving things to others, you can also be generous by giving someone your time.
Model it - let them see you being generous. “I’m bringing soup to our neighbor because they aren’t feeling well.” “I’m staying at work a little late to help a co-worker.”
Pick something generous to do as a family. Pick out some toys to donate, donate your time and find a volunteer opportunity, or make some homemade crafts or cards to give to others.
Start a “charity allowance”. Below you’ll find one example of this.

“In my house each of my kids has three jars, one is a save jar, one is a spend jar and one is a give jar. Each week they get an “allowance” that is split equally into the three jars. As they have gotten older the weekly amount has gone up, but you could start little by putting a nickel or dime in each jar. Every December we take out their jars and count their money. Save money is deposited into their savings accounts. We plan a special family shopping trip where they get to use their spend money. Then we talk about ways to donate their give money. One year they “adopted” animals through the World Wildlife Fund. Another year they each bought a toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Even as teenagers my kids still look forward to this end of year tradition.” - Taryn Marquez

Books about generosity:

Should I Share My Ice Cream? By Mo Willems
Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead
Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña
Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson
The Mitten Tree by Candace Christiansen
A Bear to Share by Jessica Alba, Kelly Sawyer Patricof, and Norah Weinstein
The Girl and the Bicycle by Mark Pett

Warren School’s SEL Team

PLAY LACROSSE THIS SPRING!

SEASON RUNS MARCH 2026- JUNE 2026

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN Financial assistance is available.

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February Warren Menu SY2526.pdf

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Check out what our Nutrition Services department is serving up for Warren students in February! Menu items are subject to change without notice, based on current supply chain issues or other factors. If dietary concerns are an issue, please contact us.

To view a translated version of the menu, please visit ashland.k12.ma.us/Nutrition.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we move through the winter season, we are excited to share our February menu with you, featuring the hearty and nutritious Massachusetts Harvest of the Month: Winter Squash!

This month, we're excited to showcase the delicious flavor of winter squash in our dishes. This versatile, nutrient-packed vegetable will be a highlight on our menu with dishes like Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole and Quinoa, Black Bean, and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Feta Cheese throughout February. Grown locally in Massachusetts, winter squash is a fantastic source of vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber.

For more information on the benefits of winter squash and fun recipe ideas, please visit the Massachusetts Harvest of the Month page: Massachusetts Harvest of the Month - Winter Squash.

We are committed to providing fresh, locally sourced produce to our students, supporting local farmers, and ensuring the best nutritional quality in our meals. We encourage you to incorporate winter squash into your meals at home to enjoy its many health benefits.

Thank you for your ongoing support and for trusting us with your children's nutrition and well-being. We look forward to a hearty and healthy month!

Warm regards,

Regina Wilkinson

Director of Nutrition Services

Ashland Public Schools

Email: rwilkinson@ashland.k12.ma.us

Phone: 508-881-0165

February 16-20: No School, February Vacation
February 23: Wear Comfy Clothes Day
Febrary 27: Whole School Assembly, wear BLUE for Ashland pride
March 18: Literacy Night
March 20: No School in observance of Eid at Fitr
March 24/25/26: Early Release at 12:00 for Parent Teacher Conferences. Lunch will not be served.
April 2: Early Release at 1:15 for staff professional development, lunch will be served.
April 3: No School in observance of Good Friday

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.