MHS/WES NEWSLETTER
February 12, 2026
100 days of School!
Dear Families,
We have officially celebrated our 100th day of school! This year is flying by, and we couldn't be more proud of our students. They continue to grow, learn, and amaze us every single day.
Thank you for your continued partnership in making this such a wonderful year.
Sincerely,
Kathy and Mike
School Improvement Survey:
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IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
- February 16-20: No School ~ February Break
A huge thank you to our wonderful school library volunteers! Your time and dedication make our library a welcoming place for students and help foster a love of reading. We truly appreciate you!
If you are interested in volunteering in one of our school libraries. Please reach out to our lead volunteer, Ashleigh Gelinas.
When an absence is unavoidable, the parent/guardian should notify the school by phone prior to 8:30 am on the day of the absence. Between 3:30 pm and 7:20 am you may leave a message on our answering machine. The office phone number at W.E.S. is 874-2043 and at M.H.S. is 874-0163. Additionally, the parent can email the offices at mhsoffice@awrsd.org or wesoffice@awrsd.org.
If the school is not notified before the school day starts, an automated voice message will come from the school first and if we do not receive a response, the school nurse OR secretary will attempt to contact you. This is done as a safety check to ensure each student’s well being.
In 4th grade, students have been hard at work in all subjects! In math, we are finishing up our fractions and decimals unit and completing the final test to demonstrate understanding. This is typically a longer and more difficult unit, and we are proud to see the students persevere in their understanding of fractions and decimals! We’ve been reading Hatchet by Gary Paulson, which is a wonderful survival story. When we finish reading the novel, students will have the chance to write their own survival stories!
On Friday, February 13th, students will have time to exchange Valentine cards. If your child does choose to bring something in, please help ensure it is a non-food-related item. It’s a wonderful time of year for students to show their appreciation for one another. Our classrooms truly become our “school families.”
Enjoy the vacation week with your families!
Hi Fifth Grade Families!
In math, we recently wrapped up unit 3 and just started our 4th unit. Unit 4 focuses on multiplying and dividing whole numbers and decimals. So, we are adding onto our place value unit. We will also finally get to the point where we will practice standard algorithm for multiplication. Students are excited to get into it.
In ELA, we are in the midst of our second module. Students have been enjoying word play and dissecting jokes and puns. We have been reading our novel The Phantom Tollbooth. Throughout the novel, the fifth grade hallway transforms into the lands beyond where characters appear. Students will also be working on their own stories incorporating wordplay and helping readers visualize what they are hearing. They started drafting and brainstorming. Ask to see their slides they are working on!
Thank you to everyone who volunteered to be a chaperone for Outdoor Classroom. The last week of January letters went home to everyone that applied to chaperone (whether they are yes or a no). Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any questions! The countdown is on: we are under 100 days until the buses leave on May 18th!
Reminder: please make sure students are charging their chromebooks each night!
Have a wonderful and safe February break!
News from The Purple Palette and Paintbrush!
Students in K and 1 have had Open Studio for the past 3 classes. They started off January with some color mixing practice and we learned about PRIMARY colors!
Grades 2 and 3 did an activity called “Paint-Around-The-Room”, where they experimented with different types of paint: liquid watercolor, watercolor pans, liquid tempera and tempera cakes. The Paint Center is now open for choice along with the other centers!
Grades 4 and 5 had a “Clay-Play-Day” to practice with clay and this week they are creating their clay projects. Grade 5 is also starting "Choose Your Own Art Adventures" where they will be creating independent multi-media projects!
DONATIONS NEEDED: I am still looking for empty Cinnamon Toast Crunch boxes. (I need 20 more!)
"Creation Celebration", our annual art show for WES grades 2-5, is Wednesday, May 13, 6:00-7:30pm. I am looking for 4-6 adult volunteers to help run the show. If you are interested and able, please email: abanning@awrsd.org. Some of the responsibilities are:
*Monitoring the "Paint the Sky" 1 minute dance sessions (with rainbow ribbons) Music will be cued up.
*Managing the "Make-and-Take" room (the Art Room) Managing supplies and clean-up.
*Monitoring the "Glow Gallery" in the back of the Art room.
*Monitoring the "interactive community bulletin board" and the supplies involved.
*Managing the "Information Desk" (sit-down job!)
*Managing the Raffle table and selling tickets
March is Youth Art Month across America! We will be showcasing our student's artwork at New Dawn Arts Center in Ashburnham. This is a K-12 District Art Show and I have been asked to submit 30-35 pieces from K-5. I will reveal the names of the students whose art has been selected on Friday! More info coming...
Lastly, here is my Amazon Wishlist if anyone is able to donate some crucial items for the Art Show. (Black paper and adhesive for attaching artwork to the walls)
Stay creative!!!
Ms. Banning
ILLNESS/ABSENCES: As with every Winter, we have seen an increase in illness in our schools. Please be sure to review the district’s illness guidance, and reach out to your school nurse with any questions. Please contact the main office in the morning if your child is to be absent and inform them why your child will not be attending.
As a reminder, if your child has a fever they must be fever free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medication before returning to school. The same 24 hour rule applies to those who have vomited or have diarrhea, they must be free of those symptoms for at least 24 hours prior to returning to school.
Physical Exams: Please continue to send in your student’s physical exam documentation from their medical provider. AWRSD requires that all kindergarten and third grade students have a current physical exam on file in the nursing office.
Health Screenings: The state of Massachusetts requires health screenings to be completed by the end of the school year. Vision screenings are done on all students in grades K-5; stereopsis is an additional vision screening done with students in grades K-3. Hearing screenings are done on students in grades K-3. Notices of any failures are sent to the parent by the school nurse for follow-up. Results of the follow up will be returned to the school nurse. Height and weight screenings are completed in 1st grade and 4th grade. All 5th grade students are checked for scoliosis, unless notification from the parent/guardian has been received by the school nurse to opt out. Parents/guardians are notified if additional evaluation is needed by the student’s primary care physician. If you prefer for your student to not participate in screenings, and have not already notified the school nurse, please do so by sending an email, or written note with your request to opt out.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at ashea@awrsd.org or 978-874-2043 x 3.
Car Riders - Thank You for Keeping Drop-Off Safe!
We appreciate all our families who drive their children to school each day! With so many cars coming and going, working together makes mornings safer and smoother for everyone.
Here are a few helpful reminders to keep our car line moving safely:
- Pull forward as far as you can so more cars can fit in the line
- Stay in the lane and avoid passing other vehicles
- Have your child ready to hop out quickly on the sidewalk side (not on the traffic side)
- Wait until your car is completely stopped before opening doors
- Please stay in your vehicle while in the drop-off zone
- Put phones away so you can stay alert and follow our staff's directions
We know mornings can be hectic, and we're so grateful for your patience! When we all follow these simple steps, drop-off goes quickly and safely for everyone. Our staff is here to help keep things moving smoothly.
Thank you for being such an important part of our school community and for helping us keep all our students safe!
Grades K-5
ARRIVAL
8:20 - 8:30 AM
DISMISSAL
2:55 PM
HALF DAYS - DISMISSAL
12:00 PM
