Ashland Preschool Update
October 9th, 2026
Happy Friday, Pittaway Families!
We had another fun-filled week here at Pittaway, with some special visitors who helped make it even more exciting!
On Tuesday, we welcomed officers from the Ashland Police Department. They spent time talking with our students about their important role in the community and how police officers help keep us safe. The children had the opportunity to ask questions about the officers' jobs and some of the tools they use. Of course, the highlight of the visit was getting to head outside and check out the police vehicles up close! There was lots of excitement and curiosity from our little learners!
Today, we were also happy to welcome Representative Lewis to Pittaway! He spent time visiting classrooms, seeing some of the wonderful things happening in our school, and even took a few minutes to share a story with one of our students.
A quick reminder: There is no school on Monday in observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day.
We hope all of our Pittaway families enjoy a wonderful long weekend filled with time together, relaxation, and maybe a little fall fun! We look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday!
Join the Pittaway School Site Council
We are looking for two more parents who would like to join the Pittaway School Site Council. Having parent voices at the table is so important, and this is a wonderful way to be involved in conversations about our school and the needs of our students. School Site Councils are mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Education and work collaboratively with the principal/director to:
Adopt educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards.
Identify the educational needs of students attending the school.
Review the annual school building budget.
Help develop the school improvement plan.
Our Site Council will begin meeting in October and will meet once a month on Thursday afternoons from 3:00–4:00 p.m. If you are interested in joining us, please email me at acurley@ashland.k12.ma.us. We would love to have parents join the conversation and share their perspectives!
Best,
Amanda
Important Safety Update: Understanding Our Protocols and Parent Guidelines
We want families to understand our school’s safety protocols and how we communicate during an incident.
What is a “Stay in Place”?
A Stay in Place is used for isolated incidents that do not pose a threat to the overall safety of the school community. Classroom instruction continues, but hallway traffic and entry to or exit from the building are temporarily restricted.
We may initiate a Stay in Place to:
Keep hallways clear when an ambulance is called for a student or staff member.
Protect a student’s privacy.
Respond to an environmental issue, power failure, or event in the surrounding community.
Building Threats and Safety Drills
ALICE Protocol: In the event of a direct safety threat inside or immediately outside the building, our school follows the ALICE framework: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. This provides staff and students with response options based on the information available.
Announced Drills: All safety and evacuation drills are announced to parents and students in advance.
How Families Can Help During an Incident
If a safety protocol is activated, please:
Avoid calling the main office. Phone lines need to remain available for staff and emergency responders.
Do not come to the school unless instructed. Additional traffic can interfere with emergency vehicle access and safety procedures.
Wait for official communication. Our immediate priority is to care for students and staff and to manage the situation. We will share updates and instructions with families as soon as possible.
School Photos
School Picture Day is October 19th!
School Picture Day is right around the corner! Order forms were sent home this week. You can also conveniently place your order online using the code provided on the flyer below. Get ready for picture-perfect smiles!
Powerschool
Have you logged in to PowerSchool? Have you completed your forms?
If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and complete all required forms. LOGIN Directions
Important: Add Emergency Contacts
When completing the forms, please make sure you ADD at least one emergency contact for your child.
You must click the ADD button to create the emergency contact.
Please review your child’s information and make sure all forms are complete and emergency contacts have been added.
Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and our school records up to date!
📆 Upcoming Dates 📆
October 9th: Early Release 11:20AM - Professional Development
October 12th: No School - Indigenous Peoples' Day
October 19th: School Picture Day
October 27th, 28th, 29th: Early Release 11:20AM - Teacher Conferences
Ways To Get Involved
District Report Card
🎫 Community Bulletins 🎫
Looking for something to do in and around our community? Check out our Community Bulletin Board at ashland.k12.ma.us/flyers. From teen trivia nights to musicals to concerts, there's something for everyone!
📝 Friendly Reminders 📝
Questions? We’re here to help!
For day-to-day operations, curriculum and assessment, community events, and general communication, please contact Amanda Curley at acurley@ashland.k12.ma.us
For questions related to evaluations, team meetings, or IEP development, reach out to Sara Davidson at sdavidson@ashland.k12.ma.us
📄 Smore Help 📱
Please remember that all family members who wish to receive the newsletters from me — or any of our other school, department or district newsletters — must subscribe by visiting ashland.k12.ma.us/subscribe. You can also forward them this newsletter and have them subscribe by scrolling down to the footer and clicking the “subscribe” button.
If you have any issues subscribing or unsubscribing, check out Smore: Frequently Asked Questions.