AMS Weekly Update
AMS Weekly Update-January 31, 2025
Good Afternoon,
This past Tuesday marked the halfway point of the school year, and on Wednesday, we began Term 3 and Semester 2! It’s incredible to see how much our students have grown, and we look forward to a strong second half of the year.
At Ashland Middle School, our top priority is ensuring that every student feels safe, valued, and supported. In times of change and uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to remind our children of the power of kindness and respect.
As parents and guardians, you play a crucial role in shaping how your children interact with the world. Please take a moment to talk with them about the importance of treating others with kindness, even when they have different backgrounds, beliefs, or experiences. Our words and actions matter. By following the Golden Rule—treating others the way we want to be treated—we help create a school culture where all students feel welcome and included.
We also want to be clear: There is no place at AMS for words or actions that make someone feel like they do not belong. Disrespect, discrimination, or unkind behavior will not be tolerated. Every student deserves to attend school without fear of being treated unfairly, and we are committed to fostering a community where all students feel safe, supported, and valued. I have shared below guidance from the Attorney General's Office on addressing hate in schools.
Bravo to Our AMS Performers!
A huge BRAVO to the cast and crew of The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet, who put on three amazing performances last weekend! The students worked incredibly hard, and seeing their smiles and excitement during the curtain call on opening night was a highlight of my year so far.
Signs of Suicide Program for 8th Grade Families
Eighth-grade families should have received an email from me earlier this week with details about the Signs of Suicide Program. Please refer to that email for information, and reach out to our school adjustment counselor, Kelly Roy (kroy@ashland.k12.ma.us), with any questions or to opt your child out of the program.
National School Counseling Week
This upcoming week is National School Counseling Week, and I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for the incredible work our counselors do to support students each day. If you have a moment, please consider reaching out to your child’s counselor to thank them!
Update Your Family’s Contact Information
Have you changed your phone number or email address recently? If so, please contact us to update your information to ensure you receive important notifications, including class cancellations, delays, or emergency updates.
In case of early release or an emergency, students may only be picked up by an authorized individual. Please update your child’s emergency contacts to ensure we have someone on file—other than their parent or primary caregiver—who is authorized to pick them up from school.
To verify or update your contact information, please reach out to:
Mrs. Watt (cwatt@ashland.k12.ma.us)
Mrs. Lester (llester@ashland.k12.ma.us)
Term 2 Grades
Term 2 closed on January 28th. iPass is temporarily unavailable to students and parents while teachers finalize grades and report card comments. Report cards will be available in iPass after 3:00pm February 7th.
Message from the Health Office
The health office is already preparing for next school year!
- If your student is currently in 7th grade and has had a physical exam within the past year, please ensure we have a copy on file. All incoming 8th graders must have a recent physical exam dated September 1, 2023, or later to start school in the fall.
- Current 6th graders must be up to date on their vaccinations to begin 7th grade.
You can find more information about immunization requirements HERE. If you have questions, please email ams_nurses@ashland.k12.ma.us.
Next Weeks Schedule
Monday, February 3rd-D Day
Tuesday, February 4th-E Day
Wednesday, February 5th-F Day
Thursday, February 6th-A Day
Friday, February 7th-B Day
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Have a great weekend!
Erin Lachapelle
AMS Principal
WPI Sonia Kovalevsky Day Event for Middle Schoolers - Saturday, April 12, 2025
Interested participants should register by visiting:
https://www.wpi.edu/news/calendar/events/sonia-kovalevsky-day
Space is limited, so we ask that participants please register early (no later than Sunday, March 30th).
Faculty & Staff Recognition
I will provide an opportunity in every weekly update for parents and guardians to recognize the amazing work of our faculty and staff. If your student comes home and shares an incredible learning experience or stories about their teachers, please take a moment to fill out the google form linked here. This will allow me to recognize the faculty and staff members and share the positive experiences that students are having with the community.
"Ms. Collins was my son's guidance counselor at AMS for all 3 years, and I truly appreciated her caring and competent support with my son's education. She was a such a partner in his success at AMS, and so prompt at effectively addressing any concerns or questions. Thank you Ms. Collins!"
Ashland Education Foundation, Inc (AEFI)
I am writing in my capacity as President of the Ashland Education Foundation, Inc. I'm excited to tell you that after a 1 year hiatus, AEFI is bringing Casino Night back to the Warren Conference Center on March 8, 2025!
This event is our primary fundraiser and helps AEFI fund programs like the brand new AV setup in Warren, social-emotional tools for Mindess, and the AHS therapy dog.
Tickets and additional details are available here Ashland Education Foundation Casino Night 2025 - Ashland Education Foundation, Inc. with a $10 discount on early ticket purchases for the rest of this month.
Thanks so much and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Sincerely,
Ben Kriete, President AEFI
Girls Hockey!
Email Athletic Director, Kevin Anderson if your child is interested! kevinanderson@ashland.k12.ma.us
Club and Activity Information
Unified Sports
AMS is proud to be recognized by Special Olympics Massachusetts as a Unified Champion School. If your child is interested in participating in unified sports please reach out to Kelly Romano at kromano@ashland.k12.ma.us
Best Buddies
Best Buddies is a social club created to foster one-to-one friendships between middle school students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Through their participation, students with and without IDD form meaningful connections with their peers, gain self-confidence and self-esteem, share interests, experiences and activities. Best Buddies helps to create an inclusive middle school culture for all students early on in their educational development. We meet the first Wednesday of every month from 2:45-3:45 in room 119. Please join by filling out this online form: www.bestbuddies.org/join and contact KellyAnn Romano with any questions at kromano@ashland.k12.ma.us.
AMS Student Council
Student Leaders is now officially AMS Student Council! Meetings will be held Wednesday mornings, at 7:15am in Mrs. Steinbrick’s room. If students are unable to make it, please let Mrs.Steinbrick know. This meeting is for current student leaders. Interested in joining but not a student leader? Stay tuned for more details! "
Math Counts
Club meets on Monday afternoons in Room 222. Please reach out to Karen Bernier with any questions kbernier@ashland.k12.ma.us
Chess Club
The AMS Chess Club meets every Monday after school from 2:45 pm- 3:45 pm in rooms 208, 210, & 211. Please email Mrs. Sadana gsadana@ashland.k12.ma.us or Mr. Van Wyhe rvanwyhe@ashland.k12.ma.us with any questions.
Art Club
Please reach out to Mrs. Micucci with any questions. rmicucci@ashland.k12.ma.us
Diversity Club:
Diversity Club will have its first meeting on October 17th in the Art room. All are welcome! Please reach out to Mrs. Micucci with any questions rmicucci@ashland.k12.ma.us
Drama Club
Drama Club has started !!! AMS Theater Company will be producing
The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet ! It is a comedy.
Email any questions to : elangmeyer@ashland.k12.ma.us
Yearbook:
Open to all grades. Yearbook will meet on Wednesdays after school in room 142. If you have questions please reach out to Ms. Collins mcollins@ashland.k12.ma.us
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 are 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 Sweet
Mashed Butternut and Quinoa, Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Salad 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
Commuity Bulletin Board
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.