Wood End Wildcat News

The PTO is excited to be hosting the Penguin Patch Holiday Shop again this year! Students will have so much fun secretly shopping for holiday gifts for their family. The holiday shop will open on December 8th, more information was shared in a previous email!

For over 30 years, the Adopt-A-Family program has anonymously matched donors and families in need of extra help over the holidays. The program is coordinated by ReadingCares and the Reading Rotary Club, with support from several Town of Reading departments. Please direct any questions to ReadingAAF@gmail.com. Click here to access the donor letter as well as participation form, wish lists and more.

Give the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season! Give the gift of reading! If you are interested in donating a book to the library this holiday season you can access Wood End Library’s Amazon Wishlist here! All books will be shipped directly to the school. We will add a bookplate with the student/family name to the front of the book, so please make sure to add who the book is from if you choose to buy something from the list. Then the book will be added to the catalog for circulation. It’s a great way to add to our library collection and gift that will reach many of our students!

2025 FESTIVAL OF TREES

Kick off your holiday season on Saturday and Sunday, December 6th and 7th by visiting Reading Education Foundation’s (REF) 23rd annual Festival of Trees! The Festival features a winter wonderland of decorated holiday trees donated by local families, organizations, businesses and schools that Festival visitors can win for themselves! This signature REF fundraising event, held at Reading’s Parker Middle School, is a magical and memorable community holiday tradition for adults and children of all ages. This event offers fun for all ages, while raising the money that REF uses to fund teacher-initiated grants for Reading Public Schools. There is local entertainment throughout both days including live performances by school choruses, bands and local groups. Food trucks will be outside selling items at the event. Lucky winners of tree raffles will be selected at closing on Sunday night.

Tree Donations

REF has a goal of 100 donated trees this year – please consider donating one! We welcome trees from PTO’s, grade levels, groups and staff. This is a great way to showcase the creativity and curriculum of the Reading Public Schools. You don’t need to spend a lot on a tree – just a fun theme and a few gift cards or small tokens (especially from our local businesses) are all you need. Remember, you don’t even need a tree as we’ve seen hockey sticks, bookcases and other items serve as a “tree”. If you are interested in donating a tree please email us at reftreedonor@gmail.com and include the following:

- Name of Tree Donor

- Contact information & phone number

- Tree Name

Advanced Ticket Sales Are Open

Raffle tickets purchased in advance will be preprinted with the purchaser's raffle number on the back, saving patrons the time and hassle of entering their personal information. Visit readingef.org to purchase tickets.

REF, non-profit foundation, is committed to supporting innovation and excellence in the Reading Public Schools. REF’s goal is to enhance and increase educational opportunities for all Reading students by providing funds for projects that go beyond the scope of traditional classroom learning. To learn more about REF, advance sales, opportunities to donate a tree, and see a schedule of events, visit the REF website at www.readingef.org.

Save the Date for Coats for Kids!

Are you starting to clean out closets to make room for winter clothes? Don't get rid of any of those old winter coats! Wood End will be holding our annual coat drive for Coats for Kids through Anton's Cleaners. We will be collecting both children and adult winter coats. Collection bins will be in the lobby starting November 12th-December 22nd. More details to come when the dates get closer.

This winter, let’s come together to keep communities warm! Wood End is organizing a Hat and Glove Drive to collect new or gently used hats and gloves for those in need. Your contributions will be donated to The Wish Project and will help ensure that everyone stays cozy and warm during the cold months ahead. Collection bins will be in the Wood End lobby starting November 12th-December 22nd. See attached flyer for more details.

We respectfully ask you to partner with us by reminding your student that all student smartwatches (GizmoWatch, etc.) & cellphones must be powered off and remain in backpacks or teachers' desks during the entire school day. Students always have access to call home with the permission of their classroom teacher in case of an emergency. We want to help our students learn that we have many caring adults here during the day to help them navigate challenges and solve problems together.

School’s and state’s expectations around attendance and why it matters so much for every student:

Why is attendance so important?

• Building strong connections with peers. Missing multiple days can make it harder to come back, as students feel they’ve missed out on social and academic opportunities.
• Providing the best opportunities for academic success. From core instruction to interventions, research shows a direct correlation between poor attendance and academic challenges.
• Establishing good habits for the future. Consistent routines now build lifelong responsibility.

It’s absolutely okay for students to come to school with a mild cold. Students should stay home if they have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea (fever-free for 24 hours before returning).

A few reminders:

• If your child will be absent, please notify the main office by calling or emailing.
• If your child misses school for an appointment, please send in a doctor’s note.
• If a child is out sick for five or more days, a doctor’s note is required.
• Please avoid planning vacations during school days. We are fortunate to have many breaks built into the calendar, including one of the longest winter breaks in recent years. You can find the full calendar here: RPS District Calendar 25/26

To support your child’s energy and focus throughout the school day, we kindly ask that you send a snack with your child each day. Please avoid any allergens as they relate to your child's classroom (notice from Nurse Kristin went out if there are any classroom restrictions). Thank you for helping us promote healthy habits and a positive learning environment!

All five elementary schools in RPS dedicate a weekly 30-minute block to Social Emotional Learning (SEL). This year, with guidance from an RPS multidisciplinary curriculum team, we are excited to launch updated SEL lessons. This flier gives families a snapshot of what SEL looks like in grades K-5.

SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

Free School Meals for All Continues: We are excited to share that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has extended the Free School Meals for All program into another school year! This means that all students in grades K–12 will receive a free school breakfast and lunch every day, and our full-day Pre-K students will also receive a free lunch at no cost to families. Our Food & Nutrition Services team is thrilled for a new year with fresh menus and new offerings. Monthly menus are posted online, where families can also view allergens and nutrient information. Please note: newly enrolled students must register in our food service payment portal. The link can be found on the Food & Nutrition Services page or directly at LINQ Connect. For any questions or assistance, please contact Julianna Moccaldi or Catherine Franzetti.

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.

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

Students need new medicine orders for each new school year. The summer is an ideal time to start this paperwork. Families can use this attached form for parent permission and doctor's orders. We also accept medication orders that a doctor writes on their own form. If you think your child would occasionally need Tylenol or Motrin, we need a doctor's order to give this in elementary school. For medicine safety, a parent or guardian needs to bring the medicine directly to the nurse to sign it into school. Please do not send medicines in their backpack.

School Medical Policies below!

PTO General Meeting Schedule

• January 7 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• March 18 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• May 13 @ 7pm: LINK HERE
• June 3 @ 8:15 (In Person)

We have some amazing parents who have taken on leadership roles to keep our very active PTO up & running. We are so grateful for their willingness to provide our community with many opportunities to volunteer and support our students and families. Our PTO has been involved in coordinating fundraising events, book fairs, enrichment programs, school supplies, teacher appreciation events, flamingo flocking, and restaurant nights, just to name a few, to make Wood End the special community it is today. If you are interested in becoming more involved in our PTO, please reach out to any of our board members @ woodendpto@gmail.com .

BOARD MEMBERS

Linda Liang, President

Linda Liang, Treasurer

Courtney Bell, Secretary

Hilary Quinn, Events and Fundraising Coordinator

Sarah Henic, Enrichment Coordinator

Steff Keilty, Room Parent Coordinator

Thank you for celebrating November SEPAC Awareness Month with us and supporting our community. The Reading Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) improves the outcomes and wellbeing for ALL students. SEPAC fosters relationships, helps identify unmet needs, and provides valuable input on the development of programs, services, and policies. Our council is open to all parents and caregivers and is not limited to just families who have children with special needs. We offer various opportunities to connect with other families and provide learning experiences for all.

To learn more about Reading SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council), please visit our website: Reading SEPAC Website

Should you wish to receive our monthly newsletter, please send an email to SEPACReading@gmail.com

SEPAC WEBSITE!

Click here for the NEW, IMPROVED READING SEPAC WEBSITE, an incredible resource for parents/caregivers of all children, especially those with diverse learning profiles. We strongly urge you to visit it soon, and often. Short on time? Here’s a very brief video to give you a sense of what’s there in just over one minute.

About Reading SEPAC

SEPAC works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized supports).

SEPAC WEBPAGE

Join SEPAC's mailing list

Follow SEPAC on Facebook

Follow SEPAC on Instagram

"Since its founding during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, the METCO program has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students of color in predominately white school districts, creating the opportunity for those districts to experience the advantages of learning and working in a racially and ethnically diverse setting."

Friends of Reading METCO invites you to join us for our fourth annual Holiday Brunch on Saturday 12/6/25 at the Reading Public Library. Come meet other families, enjoy delicious food and fun family crafts and activities then continue to the Reading Education Foundations’ Festival of Trees at Parker Middle School. This is a FREE event and everyone is welcome! See flier for more details and register here or via the QR code on the flier.

December

6: METCO Brunch

6-7: REF Festival of Trees

23: Early Release

24-Jan 1: Winter Break; No School

Reading Public Schools Calendar 2025-2026

We're excited to welcome back SNL Sports, Theater, and Dance this winter!

Keep kids active with SNL Indoor Sports, perfect for staying healthy and burning off winter energy.

Or students can flex their creativity and take center stage with SNL Theater, where imagination shines. Move and groove with SNL Dance, learn hip-hop skills in a playful, supportive setting. Both Theater and Dance will include a short performance for families to enjoy! Keep the fun going this winter and register here!

You are invited to the Dickens Holiday Marketplace and Craft Fair.

This event is a wonderful holiday marketplace featuring approximately 50 craft vendors exhibiting and selling their creations. The RMHS Main Street hallway will be transformed with seasonal decorations and musical performances throughout the day. We look forward to strolling carolers, Victorian-era actors, dance troupes, musicians, refreshments - and 50+ crafters/vendors, all under one weather-proof roof. Patrons will enjoy shopping, relaxing with a cup of cocoa, and taking in the holiday spirit. Free admission! Free parking!

The Dickens Holiday Marketplace and Craft Fair is a fundraiser for Parents Supporting Student Theatre (PSST), which supports The RMHS Drama Club. All fundraising enhances our students' experiences by paying for extracurricular teachers (Playwriting, Shakespeare, Improv, and Technical Directors), providing student scholarships, covering extra production costs (mic batteries, fog machines, shop tools, etc.), and feeding working students who spend 8 hours building sets on a Saturday!

Dickens Holiday Marketplace and Craft Fair

Saturday, December 13, 2025

10 am - 3 pm

Reading Memorial High School

62 Oakland Rd.

Reading, MA 01867

https://www.facebook.com/DickensHolidayMarketplace

https://www.facebook.com/share/17mwXLJuJ2/

HOLIDAY COOKIE DECORATING KITS! We will be offering delicious and fun holiday cookie decorating kits through our bake sale that you can pre-order and pick up at the fair!

These will be freshly baked with zero artificial preservatives and nothing you can't pronounce. We're making them like mom did: with sugar, flour, butter, eggs, baking powder, salt and real vanilla! And, best of all, every cent we raise will go to support the RMHS drama club and the great work that our students do!

We will have traditional cookie decorating kits (cookies, buttercream and sprinkles) which will have a seasonal theme (shapes like snowmen and snowflakes). We will also have paint-your-own cookies in a variety of Christmas, Chanukah and seasonal designs. These come with their own palette of edible paint and a brush. Kids love them (adults too!). They make great gifts, party favors, Elf on the Shelf gifts from the North Pole, stocking stuffers (they'll be heat-sealed and will keep for a few weeks!), etc.

QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED SO PRE-ORDER YOUR KITS TODAY! Deadline Sun Nov 30th to order! Scan the QR code in the image or go to https://bit.ly/rmhscookies

• https://readingpl.org/healing-kits/

• At the Reading Public Library, there are 10 different kits that address different needs that people in the community may experience (e.g. Grief, anxiety, trauma, etc.). You can request a kit through the online library catalog or check it out in person. Kits contain a variety of materials that are accessible to kids, teens, and/or adults, as well as a resource packet with lists of community resources and activities. Each kit also contains a notebook where others who have used the kit can leave words of support.

In the box at the top of the newsletter, click on Translate to pick the desired language.

• Portuguese: Na caixa preta na parte superior do boletim, selecione Traduzir Boletim informativo para escolher o idioma desejado.

• Spanish: En el cuadro de Negro en la parte superior del boletín de noticias, seleccione Traducir Boletín de escoger el idioma deseado.

• Vietnamese: Trong hộp đen ở đầu bản tin, chọn Dịch bản tin để chọn ngôn ngữ mong muốn

• Polish: W czarnym polu u góry biuletynu wybierz Przetłumacz biuletyn, aby wybrać żądany język

• Korean: 뉴스레터 상단의 검은색 상자에서 뉴스레터 번역을 선택하여 원하는 언어를 선택하세요.

• Chinese: 在新闻通讯顶部的黑框中，选择“翻译新闻通讯”以选择所需的语言。

• Arabic: في المربع الأسود الموجود أعلى النشرة الإخبارية، حدد ترجمة النشرة الإخبارية لاختيار اللغة المطلوبة.
  fi almurabae al'aswad almawjud 'aelaa alnashrat al'iikhbariati, hadad tarjamat alnashrat al'iikhbariat liaikhtiar allughat almatlubati.

Please save my email address and reach out with questions, comments or thoughts. My door is always open!

Email: nicole.schwartz@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/woodend/
Location: 85 Sunset Rock Lane, Reading, MA, United States
Phone: 781-942-5420

Wood End Resource Guide/Handbook

District Handbook