Bancroft Bulletin
Family Edition: February 6, 2026
DATES TO KNOW
Wednesday, February 11: Bingo for Books with Mrs. Leavitt 6:00 - 7:00
February 16 - 20: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL
February 26: Science Fair 6:00 - 7:30
Andover Public Schools 2025 - 2026 Calendar
Andover Public School 2026-2027 Calendar
MCAS dates
Grade 3
ELA - April 6 and April 7
Math - May 11 and May 12
Grade 4
ELA - March 31 and April 1
Math - May 13 and May 15
Grade 5
ELA - April 13 and April 14
Math - May 4 and May 5
Science - May 18 and May 19
Please do not wear Heelys to school.
Heelys are not safe on the stairs and the wheels should not be in the sneakers when worn in school. Please keep the wheels out and at home. Thank you for your cooperation!
Winter Benchmarking Assessment Reports
On February 13, 2026, parents and guardians will receive Family Reports that summarize your child’s middle-of-the-year assessments. These reports will be sent home with your child.
DIBELS (Grades K–5): A literacy screener that helps us understand your child’s reading development and guide instruction.
MAP Growth (Grades 2–5): An adaptive assessment in reading (Grades 2-5) and math (Grades 3-5) that shows your child’s current learning level and growth over time.
For more information:
MAP Growth: NWEA Family Toolkit or Andover Public Schools MAP Assessment
These middle-of-the-year results help teachers inform instruction, personalize learning, and monitor the growth of individual students. Administrators use the data to assess performance and progress at each grade level, school, and district. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher or principal.
ENROLLING FOR KINDERGARTEN!!
ENROLLING FOR KINDERGARTEN!!
February 2026
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 here or on our website at www.aps1.net/o/aps/page/kindergarten-registration.
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!
Sincerely,
Beth Leavitt
Physical Education weekly update!
Week of February 2nd
This week, students in all grades participated in an exciting game called “Over and Under”! Divided into two large teams, students used gator balls to throw over the volleyball net and slid beanbags under the net in an effort to knock down the opposing team’s pins. The first team to knock down all the pins was the winner!
Art weekly update!
Week of February 2
Kindergarteners have been creating a painted paper collage project inspired by American author and illustrator, Eric Carle.
First graders have been creating a colorful line design project inspired by American artist, Rachel Hayes.
Second graders are creating Personal Pizzas! Students are reflecting on their personal identities to create a drawing of their own slice. They will then make their slice out of clay. We are going to save these sculptures to exhibit at the spring art show!
Third and fourth graders are creating a 5x 5 artwork inspired by the theme of interdependence for a district-wide installation.
Fifth graders are working on a project inspired by IMAGINE (aka Sneha Shrestha) a Nepali - American artist and muralist based in Boston. Students are experimenting with stamping sponges to make a colorful brick wall, and learning to make bubble letters to create their own “Identity Wall.” This will be their “Art to Remember" project for our art fundraiser this year.
Library Media weekly update!
Week of February 2
Kindergarten revisited the letter M this week and read Over and Under the Waves by Kate Messner. This was an extra special author because Kate Messner will be visiting Bancroft in March and students will be able to hear about her writing process. Students then drew their favorite sea creature and discussed whether it lives over or under the waves.
First grade students this week began their literature appreciation unit. Students will be reading different retellings of the Three Little Pigs. To begin, students read The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone and completed a story sequence.
Second grade and third grade students continued their work on their literature appreciation unit through their writing work. Second grade read A Bad Case of Stipes by David Shannon and began sketching their main character. Third grade students read Some Birthday! By Patricia Polaco and brainstormed how to stretch their small moment.
Fourth and fifth grade students continued to dive into research. Students selected their topic this week and thought of guiding questions for their research topic.
School librarian: Tiffany Hutchins
Librarian email: tiffany.legare@andoverma.us
Bobcat to Bobcat
Bobcat to Bobcat is a committee in our school of staff members who work to support families who may need assistance with various needs throughout the year. This includes helping with scholarships for events, holidays, and more. Our work is confidential and financially supported by our PTO as well as our staff and families who donate when needed.
All donations are given anonymously and recipients’ information will be kept in strict confidence.
We have an amazing community here at Bancroft and know that when there is a need, everyone pitches in. We will reach out throughout the year!
If you are a family wanting to be on our list needing support, please email our social worker, Nancy Modlish at nancyjo.modlish@andoverma.us or me, Beth Leavitt at beth.leavitt@andoverma.us.
Cold Weather Reminders
As we enter the cooler weather leading into winter, we want students to have a consistent outdoor experience between grades and classrooms. To support this, we have set guidelines for temperature/weather type when deciding outdoor vs. indoor recess for all classrooms. Below are guidelines for outdoor recess.
Students will be outdoors if the temperature (including wind chill) is 20 degrees or warmer and it’s not raining, sleeting, hailing, or blizzarding. We use Weatherbug.com to determine the temperature.
On questionable, cold days the office will make an announcement before the first recess announcing outdoor or indoor recess. If no announcement is made then it is outdoor recess.
If students want to play in snow, they must be wearing snow pants, boots, jackets, and gloves/mittens. If students do not wish to play in the snow, they will remain on the blacktop.
With a large amount of students out on the playground at each recess, we need to be extra vigilant about safety. There is no throwing of snowballs or ice.
Label each article of clothing so that if something is misplaced, it can be returned to you as quickly as possible.
Please be aware that all students go outside when the weather meets these conditions.
Please send your child to school wearing appropriate outdoor clothing for the weather. We highly encourage you to practice getting dressed in the snow gear as quickly as possible- make a game of it and time it! The expectation is, if your child is well enough to come to school, they are well enough to go outdoors.
Thanks for taking the time to remind students of the winter expectations. Snow play is beloved by many and we want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to safely enjoy their recess time during these months.
TECHNOLOGY DEVICES AT SCHOOL
We are all working to manage the age of technology and are looking for support between school and home. Many children have new smart devices and the elementary schools have some guidance.
A kind reminder to our families that cell phones must be turned off and in students’ backpacks at the start of the school day. Smartwatches may be worn as regular watches, however, students are not allowed to text, communicate with others, use applications, take pictures or videos, or access social media services and websites.
Should parents/guardians urgently need to reach their child during the school day, we ask that you call the main office. Students are also allowed to come to the main office if they need to contact someone at home. If a cell phone or watch becomes a significant distraction, school administrators will reach out to parents/guardians. The Andover Public Schools is not responsible for lost, stolen, damaged, or broken devices.
To promote healthy digital habits during the school day, the resources below may be helpful to use. We appreciate your partnership as we work to keep interruptions to the school day at a minimum.
Resource for Apple Watches:
How to set a School Time schedule
Open the Watch app on your iPhone. Tap All Watches, then tap your child's watch.
Tap Done, then tap Schooltime.
Turn on Schooltime, then tap Edit Schedule.
Choose the days and times when you want Schooltime to be active.
Tap Add Time if you want to set up more than one schedule in a day.
Resource for Gizmo Watches:
How to set up School mode
Open the. Gizmo Hub app.
Tap the. School mode switch. turn on or off. If necessary, set up a School Mode schedule.
Meals at Bancroft
All students are able to receive 1 free breakfast and 1 free lunch daily during the 2025 - 2026 school year. Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria from 8:45 - 9:00 and does not need to be ordered ahead of time.
Lunches will need be preordered. It is very important that our cafeteria has an accurate lunch count each day. Please review with your children each morning what you have ordered for them.
Please click below for the monthly menu and more information about Andover's Nutrition Program including how to sign up.
LOST & FOUND
Every year the lost & found racks become quite full of clothes, water bottles, shoes, etc. and you can help by LABELING EVERYTHING!!
PLEASE write your last name on items and this will help us to return things to your child.
Thank you!!
Transportation Information
MOST IMPORTANT - CARS DO NOT TRAVEL FROM THE BANCROFT ROAD SIDE OF THE SCHOOL. YOU ENTER THE CAR LANE FROM WEST KNOLL.
OUR BUSES MUST USE BANCROFT ROAD AND IT IS NOT WIDE ENOUGH FOR CARS AND BUSES. YOUR COOPERATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL!
When cars are waiting prior to 8:45 and prior to 3:30, they must be TURNED OFF.
This is a NO IDLING ZONE as the SIGNAGE INDICATES.
DROP OFF: ALL CARS MUST DRIVE UP WEST KNOLL TO DROP OFF STUDENTS. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not get out of the car in the morning to help your child. We have staff on duty to assist and this will hold up the line quite a bit. We know many have to rush off and we want to help in any way we can. This is a way we can help one another!
There is a staff member there to direct traffic and it is a single lane so you may not pass even if your child has exited your car.
PARENT PICK-UP: ALL CARS MUST DRIVE UP WEST KNOLL TO PICK UP STUDENTS. NO CARS WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER FROM BANCROFT ROAD.
In order to help expedite the pick-up procedure, please write your last name ONLY in LARGE, BLACK, BOLD print on a piece of tag board/paper and have it prominently displayed when you arrive to pick up your child. This will expedite the process. If someone else is picking up your child, please have them follow the same protocol.
AGAIN . . . DO NOT EXIT YOUR CAR DURING THIS TIME OR PASS CARS! Every car stays in a single line and waits for the car in front of you to drive off.
Thank you very much!
Resources
Important Links (APS):
Bancroft Elementary School
Email: beth.leavitt@andoverma.us
Website: Bancroft School
Location: 15 Bancroft Rd, Andover, MA, USA
Phone: (978) 247-9500
X: @BancroftAPS