Welcome to November 2026
News from the Paws of Farley| November 9, 2026
Principal Johnson | Assistant Principal, Rachel McMenemy
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November 9, 2026
Farley Families and Caregivers!
A reminder: parents should let the office and teachers know about dismissal changes or if their child will be absent.
Later this fall, students at Farley will participate in our annual social-emotional screening. We will use the information provided to address social-emotional concerns and provide comprehensive, timely support for your child. The links below will direct you to a letter explaining the screening process and an opt-out Google form, should you wish not to have your child participate in the screening.
If you have any questions, please email me or the district's Director of Student Services, Alise Bundy (adbudny@hudson.k12.ma.us).
Last week’s Specialist Spotlight Award winners.
In Kindergarten, Ms. Smith’s class earned a perfect score.
In first grade, Ms. Thais’s class won.
In 2nd grade, Ms. Sequenzia’s class won again and gets to keep their trophy for one more week.
The third-grade winner is Ms. Hamrick’s class.
And in 4th grade, Ms. Pucillo’s class keeps their trophy with another perfect score!
Once again, congratulations to the winners and to all students who have been trying VERY hard to be Respectful, Responsible, and Ready in Art, Music, P.E., Library, and Technology! Keep up the good work!
Farley's School Improvement Plan: Where We Are and Where We Are Going
At Farley Elementary School, our mission is to prepare every student to grow rapidly in literacy, mathematics, and social-emotional development toward grade-level proficiency. We want every child to feel connected, experience success, and develop a love of learning by igniting their curiosity and creativity.
Are We There Yet? Our Fall 2026 Starting Point
As part of our commitment to sharing school progress, we are posting our beginning-of-year reading and mathematics results.
In reading, 55% of the 355 students assessed in Grades K-4 met or exceeded the DIBELS benchmark. In mathematics, 14.6% of the 378 students assessed placed on or above grade level on the i-Ready diagnostic.
These assessments measure different skills and provide a starting point for the school year.
Our focus is on strengthening grade-level instruction, responding to evidence of learning, and providing targeted support. We will use classroom assessments, student work, and winter and spring diagnostic results to monitor progress.
The chart below shows our current results. We will update the Are We There Yet? display as new assessment results become available.
We look forward to sharing our progress with families throughout the year.
Parent-Teacher Conference Guide for Families
Parent-Teacher Conferences! Aligned with our School Improvement Goal to strengthen daily connections with students and families, our conferences are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate student growth, share data, and partner with you to plan next steps. Our goal is for every parent and caregiver to leave feeling welcomed, informed, and valued as an essential partner in their child's learning and success.
Conference Overview & Expectations
Duration: Each conference lasts 15 minutes. Please arrive on time so that we can respect every family's scheduled appointment.
Interpreters and translated materials are available for all major languages represented at Farley. If you require translation or interpretation support, please let the school know in advance so we can arrange it for you.
We view families as experts on their children. Conferences are solution-focused collaborations designed to support your child's growth.
Fall 2026 Conferences
- Monday, Nov 9, 2026, DL3 Conferences
- Tuesday, Nov 10, 2026, Early Release Session, 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov 12, 2026, Early Release Session, 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.; Evening Session, 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
To make the most of our time together, conferences follow a structured 15-minute agenda:
Introduction & Overview (1 min): Outline main discussion topics.
Celebrating Strengths (2 min): Highlighting student academic, social, and creative strengths.
Academic Growth Areas (2 min): Reviewing assessment data (such as DIBELS, i-Ready, IRLS, Benchmark) and student work.
Attendance & Routines (2 min): Discussing school attendance and morning routines.
Social-Emotional Learning & Behavior (2 min): Sharing observations on peer connections, engagement, and SEL growth.
Goal Setting (3 min): Setting clear, collaborative goals for the student.
Family Comments & Next Steps (3 min): Addressing parent/caregiver questions and finalizing an action plan.
Tips for Families: How to Prepare
Before the Conference:
Review recent work samples and assessment reports sent home.
Ask your child how school is going, what they enjoy most, and whether they have any concerns.
Write down questions or topics you'd like to discuss (e.g., homework routines, motivations, social growth).
Questions You Might Consider Asking:
What are my child's greatest strengths in class?
How is my child progressing in reading, math, and social-emotional skills?
How can we support learning and routines at home?
After the Conference:
Talk with your child about the positive strengths and goals discussed with the teacher.
Follow through on agreed-upon action steps (such as nightly reading logs or morning routines).
Reach out to the teacher anytime if new questions arise-early communication is always
School Resources and Important Links
School Links
Other Resources
A new school year means new routines, new classrooms, and a fresh start. It can also bring anxiety, stress, or emotional challenges that make it harder to settle in. Cartwheel, our virtual mental health partner, can offer:
- Individual teletherapy for students — appointments with a licensed therapist available within days, with no waitlist
- Parent and caregiver guidance — practical support for navigating challenges at home
- Family therapy for transitions, stress, or ongoing challenges
- Psychiatric support, when appropriate
- Care Programs for specific challenges like school avoidance, screens and social media, and intense emotions and behavior challenges
Appointments are virtual, scheduling is flexible, and care is available in multiple languages. For students with Medicaid, care is completely free. Most private insurance plans are also accepted.
Getting started takes just a few minutes. Complete this simple interest form, and someone from Cartwheel will follow up with you. Explore Cartwheel for mental health resources for our students well-being.
HUDSONRECREATION.ORG Email hudsonrecreation@townofhudson.org to connect with a staff member! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
2026-2027 Yearbook Photos Wanted
Calling all families, especially those of the 4th graders! We are starting to work on the Farley yearbook. All students will be included (if there is no photo restriction), but the 4th graders will be showcased. Please start gathering and sending photos to the following email- farleyyearbook2027@gmail.com. If you could include the student's name and event information that would help us out. Photos from current and past field trips, cultural assemblies, concerts, field day, classroom events, etc are what we are looking for. Thank you so much from the yearbook committee!
Home and School Corner
Join Us for Our Home & School Meetings!
We invite all parents and guardians to join our Home and School Association! Like a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), this group is a great way to stay connected, share ideas, and help organize fun school events and activities for our students.
Dates:
- Wednesday, December 9, 2026
- Wednesday, January 13, 2027
- Wednesday, February 10, 2027
- Wednesday, March 10, 2027
- Wednesday, April 14, 2027
- Wednesday, May 12, 2027
Where: School Library
Who: All parents and family members are welcome!
A teacher will be available to provide Portuguese translation if needed.
We hope to see you at our next meeting as we work together to support our school community!
Home and School Upcoming Events
Spirit Wear Store – Next Spirit wear store will open Nov 16-30. Colored shirt and beanie/magnet additions will be added
2026 / 2027 Activities- Give a Gift - December 9-10th
- Cookie Swap – Monday December 21st Donations of 3 dozen cookies per family. GF/Allergen free options needed.
- Railers Game – Tentative – January 31st awaiting info from the rep
- Farley Gives Back/BINGO - March 10
- Farley Gala – February 12th Volunteers needed for Set up/Snack donations.
- Book Fair – March 22-26
- Teacher Appreciation Week - May 3-7, 2027
- Honey Dew Donut Day – TBD Nov 20- Fox donuts available from 7-noon. 10% off order if mention Farley.
CA Farley School Directory 2026-2027
School Year 2026-2027 Directory. If you would like to be included in the directory, please complete and submit a separate form for each student.
Meals Menu
Monthly Meals Calendar
🧺 Reminders to Families
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Extra Clothes: Please send a full set of labeled extra clothes for your child (including socks and underwear) to be kept in their locker in case of an accident.
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Dress for Weather: Our building is air-conditioned, so we recommend that students bring a light sweater or sweatshirt each day.
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Toys at Home: We kindly ask that balls, tablets, and other toys and fidgets stay at home unless a teacher has specifically asked students to bring something in for a project or share time.
School Improvement
Our next School Improvement Council meeting scheduled for October 22, 2026: School Improvement Council Meeting agendas are always shared in this bi-weekly newsletter, and families are welcome to add discussion topics for upcoming school-year meetings in our feedback survey link .
SIC Meeting Dates 2026-2027
- November 12, 2026
- December 17, 2026
- January 28, 2027
- February 11, 2027
- March 18, 2027
- April 15, 2027
- May 20, 2027
- June 10, 2027
- Two-Way Communication & Engagement Opportunities
- Questions & Feedback: Please submit your questions or feedback regarding our curriculum and programs using our so we can address them in upcoming communications.
- Coffee Hours & Curriculum Conversations: Join Principal Johnson at our upcoming family coffee hours and trimester curriculum conversations, where we discuss student progress, curriculum updates, and answer family questions. Meeting Link.
- Friday, December 11, 2026
- Friday, January 8, 2027
- Friday, February 5, 2027
- Friday, March 12, 2027
- Friday, April 9, 2027
- Friday, May 14, 2027
- Friday, June 11, 2027
- Look for updates in our biweekly newsletters sent through TalkingPoints.
- School Improvement Council (SIC): Add your questions and discussion topics to our ongoing feedback survey. The SIC brings together parents, teachers, and administrators to review data, guide the School Improvement Plan, and collaborate on school priorities.
Save the Date
Important Dates
Save the date: Upcoming School Dates
November Events
- 11/9/26 DL3 Conferences
- 11/10/26 Early Release: Parent/Teacher Conferences- 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm
- 11/11/26 No School: Veterans Day
- 11/12/26 School Improvement Council
- 11/12/26 Early Release: Parent/Teacher Conferences - 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm and 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
- 11/18/26 Grade 4th Danforth Falls Field Trip
- 11/19/26 November Birthday Lunches
- 11/20/26 Spirit Day: Wear Plaid and Flannel Day
- 11/25/26 Early Release Day
- 11/26/26 No School
- 11/27/26 No School