Bates Family Newsletter

And just like that, there are only five more wake ups before the winter vacation!

Many thanks to all of the families who met with our staff on Wednesday night. We had a fantastic turnout, and we appreciate the partnerships we are building with all of you to ensure that your children feel safe, supported and valued here at Bates.

As we head into the final week before vacation, there will be lots of fun to be had with trips to the holiday store (shout out PTO for the hard work they do in getting this ready!), a winter-themed Town Hall on Friday, and our Feeling Festive Spirit Day. 😀

Have a wonderful weekend!

Our best,

Ms. Smith

Mr. Mac

Mr. Lister

There is no school from Monday, December 22nd through Sunday, January 4th. We'll see you back at Bates on Monday, January 5th! It's a very long break, and we hope you enjoy your time😀

January 15 - Grades 4 and 5 instrumental music concert for caregivers and students, 9:00-9:45 am (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 8:45 am.)

January 23 - Grades 3, 4, and 5 Winter Showcase, 1:00-1:45 pm (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 12:45 pm.)

We work off of three basic priorities here are Bates: Center Belonging, Empower Educators, Elevate Student Learning. You'll notice that our weekly newsletters are divided into these three sections for a reason - We always work toward our goals, and we want to keep you informed as to how we're doing it!

Each week at Bates, we shine a light on our Beacons of the Week, our rockstars who have truly embodied the social-emotional skill we’re focusing on. Their teachers share the many beautiful ways these students have shown up for themselves and for others, and how they personify what it means to live out our values.

Beacons of the Week this week showed great skills in having a growth mindset!

Henry Skonieczny

Lennox Vuijk

Owen Cleary

Elliott Irving

Camilla Sanford

John Oquendo

Athena Luna

Boden Rouse

Freya Imperato

Milania Espinal

Maya Gray

Mackenzie Lee

Izaiah Bordeau

Ruth Dumornay Balthazar

Carson Morency

Erblina Jakupi

Gabe Vicente

Friday, December 19th, is the last day of school before winter break, so let’s get fun and festive! Students are invited to wear any festive gear that makes them feel joyful — this could include holiday-themed pajamas (or "regular" pajamas!), cozy sweaters, bright colors, sparkles, winter-themed outfits, or anything that shows off their festive spirit.

We can’t wait to celebrate together!

This week in SEL, students learned what it means to have a growth mindset, the belief that we can improve our skills through practice, effort, and trying new approaches. Throughout the week, students

explored what to do when they feel stuck or when something doesn’t work the first time. Instead of giving up, we practiced trying a different strategy, noticing what helps, and celebrating small steps forward.

Through quick challenges, discussions, and reflection, students learned that mistakes are part of learning, and that flexible thinking helps us move toward our goals. Families can join in by encouraging children to pause, breathe, and ask themselves, “What else could I try?” when they encounter challenges at home.

The Student Voice Club had their first stakeholder panel on Tuesday. Parents, caregivers, and staff turned out to watch our 4th and 5th grade members present what makes them who they are! This was a practice round in order for our members to become more comfortable in ‘presenter’ mode, and they crushed it! Way to go, kids, and shout out to Ms. Acconcia and Ms. Shannon for their excellent facilitation.

If we had to guess how many times we heard "67", let's just say it was a lot more than 67 times. 😆

It's always a good idea to be familiar with our general operating rules and procedures. Please take some time to read through our Bates School Handbook. Thank you!

If your child’s dismissal plans change, please notify Ms. Julie in the Main Office at (978) 740-1250 as early in the day as possible.

Please do not inform your child’s teacher directly, as this interrupts classroom instruction. Ms. Julie will make sure the teacher is notified.

Planning Vacations During the School Year
As you plan, please keep the school calendar in mind when scheduling family vacations. Below are the vacation dates for the 2025–26 school year:

• December 22 – January 4 (please note: this break is a full two weeks)
• February 16 – 20
  
• April 20 – 24

Thank you for making school attendance a priority. We look forward to partnering with you to support your child in the year ahead!

December 22nd - January 2nd - Winter break (Full day on December 19th, back to school on January 5th)

January 15 - Grades 4 and 5 instrumental music concert for caregivers and students, 9:00-9:45 am (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 8:45 am.)

January 19 - No school due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 20 - PTO meeting, 6:30, Bates School Library

January 23 - Grades 3, 4, and 5 Winter Showcase, 1:00-1:45 pm (Families are welcome to wait in the lobby until the gym doors open at 12:45 pm.)

Look no further! Sign up to rent the rock here.

Reserve the spirit rock from the PTO for the following: Birthday, ½ Birthday (summer birthday), school spirit, congratulating someone, etc. Spirit Rock is a PTO fundraiser for the school year of 2025-2026. Funds raised will help pay for school programs and/or initiatives.

A School Site Council (SSC) is a representative group of stakeholders - parents, teachers, and the principal, who work together to improve the school. Our main role is shared decision-making around our school’s goals, programs, and budget.

Here’s what our SSC typically does:

• Develops and reviews the school improvement plan
  

• Advises on the use of certain funds
  

• Monitors progress toward goalsBrings stakeholder voices together
  

• Builds transparency and trust

• Meetings are public and our agenda is posted below.

We meet monthly, and our agenda is here. Please let Mrs. Smith know if you'd like to join in for a meeting. Upcoming meetings: 1/8, 2/12, 3/12, 4/16, 5/14, 6/4 - 7:45-9:00AM.

Bates Elementary School, in partnership with our families and community, will provide all students with a culturally responsive, student – centered, and equitable learning experience that celebrates our students’ diverse backgrounds, creative pursuits, and their academic, social, emotional success.

School Hours:

Monday through Friday

PreK - 7:45 - 2:10 pm

Kindergarten - 7:45 - 2:15 pm

Grades 1-5 - 7:45 - 2:20 pm

Early Release:

PK at 10:55 am

Kindergarten at 11:00 am

Grades 1-5 at 11:05 am