Abbot Update 4.12.19
Dear Abbot Families,
Today is the birthday of the beloved, award winning author Beverly Cleary and is celebrated nationwide by engaging in at least 30 minutes of DEAR time (Drop Everything and Read). So, I encourage you to unplug and make time to enjoy some family reading time. You'll be glad you did!
We had a wonderful Community Meeting this week. The meeting began with a poem shared by Ms. Antonelli's class called Sick, by Shel Silverstein. It was adorable and the students did a wonderful job. The remainder of the meeting focused on the SPIRIT core value of Inclusion. Mrs. Jerzylo and I shared a video called Amazing Things Happen which gives a brief overview of Autism and is intended to promote understanding and acceptance. I encourage you to watch it again with your son/daughter as it is a great springboard for important conversations.
ELA MCAS is complete for all grades. Woohoo!!! What a great way to start the vacation! Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Lori McDermott
Abbot School Principal
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Compassion Corner
PTO School Store Compassion Corner raised $152.16 for Autism Speaks. Thank you to 4th grader, Linlee, and her friends, Anna, Erin, Mia, and Lila for bringing forth this wonderful idea, bringing in the bracelets to sell, and working at the Compassion Corner during their recess time. My heart feels so full when students take this kind of initiative. I wish you could have seen how genuinely excited these girls were when they realized how much money they raised for this cause - indescribable!!!
National Poetry Month
Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Kerry Clery, was our "Monday Mystery Reader" during morning announcements this week and she read I'm a Bucket Filler!, a fun poem that reminds students of the importance of filling eachother's buckets with kindness. The students were so excited to hear Dr. Clery's voice!
4th Grade Immigration Day
What a special day!!! The students arrived dressed and ready to experience Immigration Day. You could feel the excitement in the air. This was my first time seeing Immigration Day and I was blown away by the student engagement and community participation. It was extra special to listen to real-life citizenship experiences from Abbot School parents and grandparents, as well as the speeches given by Senator Kennedy, Representative Jim Arciero, Dr. Kerry Clery and Superintendent Olsen. I have no doubt that students will remember this day forever! Thank you to all of the fourth grade teachers and the parent volunteers for making this day happen.
Yearbook Cover Contest
The yearbook cover contest made for an exciting week. We had 70 entries for the yearbook cover contest and any one of them would have made a great cover. We have some incredibly talented artists here at Abbot. I am so proud of all of the students who took the time to share their talent with us. The staff voted for their top 5 favorites. The first place winner will be on the cover and the second place winner will be on the back cover. Here are the results:
1. Sherry Ye (Gr 4 - Britko)
2. Julia Zhou (Gr 5 - Faigel)
3. Cooper Paquette (Gr 4 - Mancuso)
4. Eve Howard (Gr 5 - Freeman)
5. Ariana Acosta (Gr 3 - Martinson)
Field Day
Our school-wide Field Day is scheduled for May 28 and will be here before we know it. The theme this year is "On Island Time" and we are looking forward to a funfilled day of community building events. Students are encouraged to wear tropical attire and sneakers, bring a water bottle, hat and sunscreen. We will need several volunteers for this event, so please consider joining us for a day that's sure to be one of the most exciting days of the year. Volunteer information is coming soon.
K-12 District-wide Art Show
WPS will be hosting its first ever K-12 Districtwide Art Show at Westford Academy on Wednesday, May 8 from 5-7 pm. There will be artwork from each building as well as performances from music and theater students throughout the evening. A reception will be held outside in the courtyard (weather permitting) at 6:30 pm. Tickets will not be sold for this event, but optional donations will be accepted at the door. Please see the attached flyer. Hope to see you there!
Library Books
With only about 40 school days left (yikes), it's time to check under the beds and behind those couches for those missing library books. We appreciate your support in keeping our library fully stocked.
Stony Brook Parent Information Night
Parents of 5th grade students will be invited to attend an information session at Stony Brook on May 2 at 9pm. Please save the date. More details to come.
Dates to Remember
April 22 Westford Museum (Anderson, Kelly)
Yearbook Club (2:30-3:15pm)
Field Day Committee (2:50-3:50pm)
April 23 Before School Orchestra (7:30am)
April 24 Westford Museum (Breen, Conlin, Martinson)
Abbot Author's Club (2:35-3:35pm)
April 25 Student Council (7:30am)
April 26 Grade 5 - Boston Tea Party Field Trip
Chess Club (2:30-3:30pm) _________________________________________________________________________________________
COMMUNITY NEWS
Kids Can Be Cruel!
Children don’t want adults to be involved in their social lives. They hate it when teachers interfere. Yet teachers are witnesses to the exclusion of low-status children in elementary schools and the popularity wars of middle school and they must act to protect the weak. Parents also see the friendship difficulties of their own children. Some take their children’s social ambitions to heart and worry that their children are not popular. Other parents hope the school can protect their children from all social pain. Social cruelty among kids is one of the most difficult things that adults must confront in raising or educating children.
Join the Westford Parent Connection on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 for Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Friendship Development, Popularity, And Social Cruelty In Childhood, a dynamic presentation by Dr. Michael Thompson. Dr. Thompson is an internationally recognized, highly acclaimed speaker, author, and psychologist. His talk will be held at the Stony Brook Middle School, 9 Farmer Way, Westford, at 7:00 p.m. Due to the generosity of many sponsors, the presentation is free and open to the public. It is appropriate for parents, guardians, and teachers of children of all ages, but may be particularly helpful for those who have younger kids in their lives.
Dr. Thompson walks teachers and parents through the complex social world of childhood ad addresses a number of questions: What do social relationships in school predict about happiness in adult life? What is the normal sequence of child friendships, from the parallel play of the two-year-old to the intimate self-disclosure of the adolescent? Why do cliques form and what are the differences between boy and girl groups? Why are children scapegoated and how can their parents and school protect them? Dr. Thompson will draw on research to highlight the differences between friendship and popularity. He makes suggestions about the management of social problems in schools, and builds the case that while all children yearn for popularity, is it friendship that truly helps children survive and thrive.
For more information about Dr. Thompson, go to http://michaelthompson-phd.com/. For more details about the Westford Parent Connection, check out https://www.westford.org/wpc/ or contact Mary Anne Seraphin at mary.anne.seraphin@gmail.com.
FAME MEETING UPDATE AND FAME-OUS FUNDRAISER
Do you support music education in the Westford Public Schools? Has your son or daughter developed essential skills such as discipline, confidence, and a sense of belonging by participating in the nationally recognized music program that Westford offers? If so, FAME, Friends Advancing Music Education, is asking for your support.
FAME is the primary organization awarding scholarships to graduating Westford Academy seniors in recognition of their dedication and commitment to the study of music and music-related community service during their high school tenure. Last year, FAME awarded 13 scholarships to WA music students. In addition, FAME has provided music related mini-grants and other subsidies to music students of all grade levels.
FAME meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7PM, room 108 at WA. Please Note: Due to a conflict with the WA Spring Chorus and Orchestra Concert, our next meeting has been rescheduled to April 9. If you support music education and would like to see FAME continue to recognize your music student’s hard work and dedication, join our meetings and learn how you can help. If you can’t attend the meeting but would still like to support FAME, visit the FAME website to make a one-time, tax deductible donation to FAME through our FAME-ous Fundraiser. To donate by mail, print our form here and send it, along with a check, to: FAME, PO Box 627, Westford MA 01886.
Thank you! Your support will help FAME continue to recognize your music student’s hard work and dedication.
@FAME.Westford (on Facebook)
Sunday, May 5, Marks The 20th Annual Westford Road Race
The Westford Charitable Foundation reaches a significant milestone in 2019: the Westford Road Race is being held for the 20th year! For two decades, runners have come from all over to participate in the Family Fun Run and the USA Track & Field sanctioned and certified 5K and 10K races. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised and given back to the community to support a wide variety of local causes. Want to participate in what is sure to be a big celebration? Pre-registration (if completed before April 21) is $15 per person for the Fun Run, $25 per person for the 5K race, and $30 per person for the 10K race. After April 21, the cost increases to $30 for the 5K and $35 for the 10K. (The price for the Family Fun Run remains $15 per person.) The first 600 pre-registered runners are guaranteed t-shirts. All entries are nonrefundable. Runners can register at http://roadrace.westford.org/regform.html or can register the day of the event from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Abbot School. The Westford Road Race is held in memory of Cindie Davis Holub. For more information – about the courses, start times, numbers, and so on – go to http://roadrace.westford.org/ or contact Westford Charitable Foundation founder Lori Cogliano at lcogliano@lycos.com.
Westford Summer Music Program - The Westford Summer Music program is now accepting registrations for band and orchestra students entering grades 5 through 9 in September 2019. Band and orchestra ensembles will rehearse daily from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Stony Brook School on July 8th through July 12th . During the week, the students will prepare new music and give a free performance on Friday, July 12th at 11 a.m.
For more information and registration please visit: www.westfordk12.us/summermusic
For questions, please contact:
Julie Ottesen - jottesen@westfordk12.us
PARENT SUPPORT GROUP
This support group is free drop in group available to any parent who is concerned that their child might be struggling with a mental health issue. This can be something such as ADD, or some sadness, lots of worries or perhaps something more defined. This is a pro bono group offered for parents to come together and share ideas, offer support to each other and realize that they are not alone in our concern for our children. Facilitators are: Dianne Walsh, LICSW (Cogitative-Behavioral Therapist) and Sue Hanly, RN (school nurse at Stony Brook Middle School). All groups include discussion and sharing by any member who is interested in getting feedback from the group. You do not need to be a Westford resident to attend. To be included on the group email feel free to contact: Dianne Walsh, LICSW dwalsh@perkinschool.org or 508-566-3189
Sue Hanly, RN smhanly1@gmail.com or 978-501-0837
Please call the Westford Health Dept for any questions at 978-692-5509.
Dates: 5/14
Location: Millennium School (behind Abbot) Large Old Purpose Room
Time: 7:00 pm-8:00 pm
May 14 The impact on mental illness on the entire family
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