Anne T. Dunphy Newsletter

Do you want to send a special message to one of the stars of the musical?

Do you own a local business and want to support local youth programming?

Our musical program is a great way to share your message!

See below for details about how to place an advertisement in our upcoming musical program book.

Ads are due by March 24th!

Last year, you may remember that we asked our families to share their perceptions of our school community with us. The School Council would like to continue to gather this information to help inform decisions as the committee drafts the School Improvement Plan for 2025-2026!

Please take a few moments to share your feedback with us! Responses will be collected until March 18th.

The ATD School Council

Stacey Jenkins, Principal

Rachel Marino, Parent

Marissa Nye, Parent

Heather Punska, Staff Member

Mary Ellen Woods, Staff Member

Kathaleen Emerson, School Committee Representative

It's time for our Spring Caregiver Conferences! Conferences will be held on March 26, 27, and 28th. These will be half days for students, with dismissal at 11:45.

This week's school committee meeting agenda will contain the FY26 Public Budget Hearing. The School Committee will hear a presentation about and discuss options for next year's school budget.

Anne T. Dunphy students in grades K-6 have access to individual Google Workspace for Education accounts which provide learning tools for students to create, edit, store & share files, collaborate, and communicate with teachers. These are learning tools that are vetted to provide appropriate content to students and protect their personal data. Some tools, such as YouTube, have additional student safeguards in addition to a personal Google account.

Teachers have used these tools educationally and safely with students for some time. However, Google is now requiring caregiver permission for using these tools. Please read and complete the form below to grant permission for your child to use these Google learning tools.

˜Brian Gilman

Students continue to be excited to hear who will be selected by our bus drivers each week to receive a Bus Brag award! When they are selected, names are read aloud at morning announcements, and students receive a Bus Brag Ribbon and a prize from Mrs. Jenkins' prize box!

As we head toward late winter, our snow becomes wet and our field turns soggy! Even with snow pants and boots, students can often come in from recess quite wet! It may be helpful to put an additional set of clothes in your child's backpack to prevent uncomfortable afternoons for your student... no matter which grade! Socks can be especially helpful!

It's also time for the PTO's Hillside Pizza Fundraiser!

Orders are due March 21st.

Pick up is March 28th!

Our Friday Community CFCE Playgroup has been busy! Last week they enjoyed a special musical event together! Families with children ages 0-5 are welcome to join us each Friday from 10:00-11:30.

As spring approaches and families are planning calendars, please note the following MCAS testing dates. If possible, please avoid scheduling conflicts on the mornings of MCAS testing.

April 8th & 9th

English Language Arts , 3rd-6th grades

May 13th & 14th

Mathematics, 3rd-6th grades

May 20th & 21st

Science, Technology & Engineering, 5th grade only

Thanks to Llama Maynard from Stars Above, Inc for bringing her exciting planetarium to ATD last week! Students in grades K-6 had a chance to visit the stars!

During March Madness, students are often hearing and seeing names of colleges and universities in the media. To take advantage, we hold an annual "College T-shirt/Sweatshirt Day" to help raise awareness of the thousands of higher ed options for students to consider down the road.

So, dig out those old college shirts for March 25th!

(Stay tuned for "Local Business & Trade T-shirt Day" later this spring!)

Some reminders for families to help keep our dismissal process safe for everyone!

• Vehicles should be turned off and not left idling, even while a caregiver is waiting in their car. This regulation is part of Massachusetts State Law which prohibits idling on school grounds.

• Caregivers arriving for dismissal should use marked parking spaces or park along the straight sidewalk in front of Angel Park. Cars should not park on the far side of the bus loop island. Cars parked there make it difficult for cars leaving those parking spots, can make it difficult for cars moving through our parking lot, and can make it more complicated for pedestrians to cross the parking lot.

Thanks for keeping us safe!

Sixth grade families, mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 16th for HRHS' Middle School Expo Night. More information to come soon!

The Williamsburg Recreation Commission seeks volunteer coaches to help with the upcoming spring T-ball program.

This program, which we hope to run on Saturday mornings from late April to the end of the school year, introduces children aged 4 to 6 to the fundamentals of baseball and softball. Coaching is provided by volunteer parents who receive training and support from members of the Recreation Commission.

If you are interested in coaching, please contact the Recreation Commission at burgyrec@gmail.com.

We need you!

In order of date!

March

March 17 ~ 5th & 6th to HRHS Musical Preview

March 18 ~ 3rd grade to Zononi Sugar House

March 19 ~ School Committee 5:30, Public Budget Hearing

March 21 ~ 5th grade to Historic Deerfield

March 25 ~ College T-Shirt Day

March 26, 27, 28 - Caregiver Conferences

March 26, 27, 28 ~ 1/2 days for students 11:45 dismissal

March 28th & 29th ~ SpongeBob Square Pants, Jr. Musical

March 28 ~Report Cards home

March 28 ~Preschool Visitation 9:00-10:30

Friday CFCE Playgroup

Caregivers and children ages 0-5 are welcome!

Fridays ~10:00-11:30

Email: sjenkins@hr-k12.org
Website: www.burgyschool.org
Location: 1 Petticoat Hill Road, Williamsburg, MA, USA
Phone: (413) 268-8421
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063877785225