The Starburst
Home of the Shining Stars
Barrows Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, September 8th: First Full Day for Kindergarten
& Principal Summer Reading Challenge Logs &/or Sketchbooks due to School Office
Wednesday, September 9th: Picture Day (Individual & Class Photos)
Thursday, September 10th: š New England Patriots Spirit Day (In honor of our openting game last night wear NE Patriots gear or red/white/blue)!
Friday, September 11th: Barrows Back-to School Picnic, 5-6:30 pm (& Spiritwear Store Ends)
Wednesday, September 16th: Back to School Night (adults only):
5:30-5:55: Grades 3-5
6:00-6:25: Principal and PTO Welcome in Cafeteria
6:30-6:55: Grades K-2
Sunday, September 20th: Barrows School Outing with Boston Legacy FC (PTO Event)
Tuesday, September 22nd: Barrows PTO Meeting (in-person & zoom) 7 pm
Wednesday, September 23rd: Restaurant Fundraiser @ Shake Shack in Woburn
School Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 8:15 AM - 2:45 PM
Friday, 8:15 AM - 12:45 PM
*Students must be in class by 8:25 to be counted as on-time and present
Happy Labor Day, Barrows Families!
It has been a busy weekend for the Gallegos family! We are starting the year with a high school senior, a college senior, and our daughter in between. This weekend, I moved my daughter into her first apartment at Northeastern, made it to my son's RMHS soccer BBQ, and then flew to Colorado Springs for my son's last Parents' Weekend at the United States Air Force Academy! I am grateful, thankful, and exhausted!
I was going to skip this week's newsletter and save everything for Friday, when I'll share reflections and photos from our AMAZING first six days at Barrows! But there is too much happening this week not to send an updated newsletter.
Before we start sharing lots of photos, please make sure you have updated the Parent Plus Portal for each of your children. This is required every year and allows us to confirm emergency information and photo permissions. Thank you for taking care of this!
This Week at Barrows
Kindergarten's First Day ā Tuesday, September 8
Our kindergarteners have their first official day tomorrow! Teachers will meet students on the blacktop. Come a little early for a first-day photo and to find a good spot!
Principalās Reading & Drawing Challenges are due to the office Tuesday, 9/8! Weāll celebrate all of our challenge participants at our Back-to-School Assembly next week!
School Picture Day ā Wednesday, September 9
Picture Day is Wednesday. Information about ordering photos was sent home last week. If your family is experiencing financial hardship, please email me directly at alissa.gallegos@reading.k12.ma.us.
š Spirit Day: New England Patriots ā Thursday, September 10
Celebrate the start of football season! Wear your Patriots gear, football gear, and/or red, white & blue to show your team spirit!
Spirit Wear Shop Closes ā Friday, September 11
The Spirit Wear Shop closes Friday! We are ordering 1st-, 2nd-, and 4th-grade shirts through this sale. Students are encouraged to wear grade-level shirts on field trips and Wednesdays, our weekly Spirit Days.
Back-to-School Picnic ā Friday, September 11 | 5:00ā6:30 PM
Join us for the PTO Back-to-School Picnic! Bring a picnic dinner (or grab some pizza!) and a blanket and enjoy the evening together in our backyard. It's a great chance to connect with other families. This is not a drop-off event.
I want to thank all of our teachers and staff for the tremendous preparation that went into making such a strong start to the year. And a very special thank you to Mrs. Ring, our assistant principal, who will be doing double duty tomorrow while I return from Colorado! Mrs. Ring must put on 20,000 steps every day, making sure our students and staff are supported in every possible way. She truly is our very own Mary Poppins!
Enjoy your Labor Day, and I look forward to seeing everyone when I return!
Warmly,
Alissa
Arrival
- Please drive slowly up Edgemont to keep everyone safe; remember, it is a ONE-WAY during the school day.
- Do not park in the indented section by the gym. This is the "kiss & go" area for a quick drop-off.
- Doors open at 8:15 and close at 8:25. Your child needs to be in their seat by 8:25 AM. If your child arrives to school after the doors have closed, they must come to the front door and be marked tardy.
- The Staff Parking Lot is for staff only and off limits to all pedestrians from arrival-dismissal for the safety of all. Please respect this important aspect of our campus.
Dismissal:
- At dismissal time, there is no live pick-up in the driveway except for students who take the bus. Kindergarteners exit the building at 2:40 PM. The rest of the students dismiss at 2:45 PM from the same doors they enter in the morning.
As a safety reminder, the staff parking lot is staff-only. We respectfully ask that caregivers park along the streets. With our students exiting from their external doors in the parking lot, having cars drive in and out is not safe. You need to walk around the school on the blacktop to the back. Thanks for helping us out.
Ready to Play the Best Way
Please do not have your children wear flip-flops. Sneakers are best, but flip-flops are dangerous when running at recess (and Crocs aren't great).
Dogs and Puppies on School Grounds
School Committee policy prohibits dogs on school grounds as much as we all love dogs and puppies and as much fun as it is walking them. If you'd like to walk your dog as part of your pick-up routine, the dog has to stay off school property. If you'd like your child to walk to you on the sidewalk or to the driveway entrances at dismissal so you can wait with your dog, please make that plan with them.
We continue to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students!
The Food Service Department continues to offer breakfast to all elementary schools! All first meals, including breakfast and lunch, are free for all students!
If your child would like a second breakfast or lunch, these are available for purchase at $1.50 for breakfast and $2.75 for lunch. Additionally, our cafeterias offer a variety of snacks and a la carte items that can be purchased separately. Our Department looks forward to a fantastic year filled with fresh new foods and the energy from a healthy start to the day! We are excited to serve this incredible community and ensure every student has access to nutritious meals throughout the upcoming school year.
For the first two days of school, all students will go to their homerooms before grabbing breakfast (if they want breakfast). Teachers will show students our new routine for getting lunch on the way to school. We will share our updated communication in next week's newsletter about which entrances will be used for students who want to eat breakfast at school.
PIN #s for Breakfast, Lunch, and purchasing snacks.
All Reading Public School students are assigned a PIN number that they must use to get breakfast, lunch, or snacks. Please help your child memorize their PIN number. Although we provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, we ask that families send in a healthy snack for their students each day. If they forget their snack, they may purchase one in the cafeteria.
It is also important for families that may need financial support including but not limted to our food services to complete the following forms on this page: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=1701802399965&page=lunchapps
An Important Reminder from Mrs. Atwood
Dear Barrows Families,
This is a friendly reminder that kids should wear sneakers on the days that they have Physical Education. I love Crocs too, but they donāt count as sneakersā¦even when theyāre worn in sport mode! Thanks so much for your support with this safety matter.
Sarah Atwood
Please follow Art and Physical Education on Instagram!
You must request to follow these private accounts. We post images, reels and stories that give you a quick glimpse into your childās day during these Special class times. Mrs. Hurley for Art can be found here @mrs.hurley_art and Mrs. Atwood for Physical Education can be found here @barrowspe
*If your Instagram name does not easily identify you, please send us a separate email so we know itās you! For safety, we are careful about who we accept.*
Check-Out Artsonia!
Dear Barrows Families,
Another way you can support your childās art is to join Artsonia. Artsonia is the world's largest collection of student art, published by teachers and students from around the world. Through Artsonia families can view student art online and leave comments. If you would like to join Artsonia keep your eye on your inbox; email invitations will be going out shortly! Thank you! Beth Hurley
