Abbot Update 6.14.19
Dear Abbot Families,
Although I mentioned this last week, it seems fitting after Move-Up Day to say it again - This time of year can bring about mixed feelings as we all begin thinking about closing one chapter and looking ahead to the next. As you know, our children take their cues from us. To that end, I encourage you to focus on the positive with your children regarding their placement for next year by celebrating their success and embracing the excitement and potential for what lies ahead. Change is good!
Please see below for important updates.
Enjoy the weekend!
Sincerely,
Lori McDermott
Abbot School Principal
________________________________________________________________________________________________________Student Placement
A great deal of time, effort, and thought was put into the process of student placement. Careful consideration was given to input from parents, staff as well as student needs. Moving students is not possible without causing imbalances and inequities. Thank you for being positive with your child and helping him or her understand that it is impossible to place all students with their favorite friend or preferred teacher. All decisions are made based on what is best for students academically and socially. Thank you for your continued support.
Grade 5 Completion Ceremony
We are looking forward to our 5th Grade Completion Ceremony on Monday, June 17 at 9am in the Abbot School Gymnasium.
Compassion Corner
Compassion Corner donations for Dana Farber Cancer Institute that were collected at our final school store totalled $84.24. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Race For Education
I am thrilled to let you know that funds generated from this year's Race For Education allowed us to not only fund the teacher mini grants, but also to purchase a large shade and table to add to the Abbot School playground. This will allow teachers to bring their students outside to extend the learning beyond the classroom. On behalf of everyone at Abbot, I thank you for your time, dedication and generosity. We are planning for an August installation for the shade, so hopefully, it will be in place for our Welcome Back Wildcats event.
Yearbooks
Yearbooks will be sent home with students on Monday.
Staff Update
Please join me in welcoming the following 4th grade teachers to the Abbot School Community:
Emily Sullivan, who filled in for Mrs. Hogan this year.
Christine Hoskins, who filled in for Mrs. Britko this year.
Jane Bassett, who has an extensive background as a classroom teacher and Literacy Specialist. She comes to us from Stony Brook where she has been working as an Academic Coach.
We are looking forward to welcoming them back in August!
Newspaper Club
Please click here to read this year's final issue of the Abbot Gazette.
Important Reminders
- Be sure to pick up your child’s EpiPen/medication from Mrs. Grassi.
- We have an overflowing Lost and Found Bin. Items will be donated after the last day of school.
- The current CORI forms, mandatory for volunteering, will expire this month. We are collecting forms for next school year.
WPS Grades K-5 Consistent Core Values
We are thrilled to share with you that the six K-5 elementary schools have adopted and will implement a new, consistent set of core values- utilizing the acronym SPIRIT- during the 2019-2020 school year. A consistent set of core values will pull our six elementary schools together to create a closer community feel, and the same consistent message will travel with the children and staff as they grow and move onto new elementary schools within the district. The creation and development of these consistent core values is the culmination of feedback and work of the elementary staff throughout the district. We are excited to continue our work next fall as we more clearly define our social-emotional learning expectations as those that identify civic and character education as vitally important to the development of well-rounded students.
We will build this respectful community by asking our students to “Show their SPIRIT!”
Safety
Students of the Westford Public Schools will demonstrate SAFETY. They will honor others' space and property, and will keep their hands, feet, and other objects to themselves. They will exhibit self-control by walking as they travel throughout the school building, by using an appropriate voice level for the setting, and by following directions and instructions given by adults the first time. They will use words and adult intervention to solve problems.
Perseverance
Students of the Westford Public Schools will demonstrate PERSEVERANCE. They will set goals and strive to reach them each day. They will work hard and not give up even when something is difficult. They will demonstrate a growth mindset when met with challenging tasks and activities. They will keep a positive attitude.
Inclusion
Students of the Westford Public Schools will demonstrate INCLUSION. They have a responsibility to break down barriers by inviting new people into teams, circle of friends, and experiences as they work to be a unified, collaborative community. They will show acceptance to everyone around them.
Respect
Students of the Westford Public Schools will demonstrate RESPECT. They will think about others before speaking or taking any action. They will appreciate the contributions of others, while showing respect for themselves, other people, personal and/or community property, and the environment. They will treat others the way that they want to be treated.
Integrity
Students of the Westford Public Schools will demonstrate INTEGRITY. They will do the right thing, even when no one is watching. They will show good character. They will be honest, fair, and humble. They will exercise their best effort and judgment in all activities in which they participate and will set goals that promote positive academic, social, and personal development.
Teamwork
Students of the Westford Public Schools will demonstrate TEAMWORK. They will encourage others to do their best. They will listen to the ideas of others, while also sharing their ideas to ensure the best end product. They will show empathy, considering another person's situation, feelings, or motives before speaking or taking action. They will compromise when necessary. They will behave in a manner that allows all others to enjoy a safe, positive learning community.
REMINDERS FROM PREVIOUS UPDATES
Communication Survey
One of the Abbot School Improvement Plan goals this year was to increase overall communication. Please complete this short survey to provide your valuable feedback. It's really short - I promise! The information provided will help me in planning for next year. Thank you!
Lunch Account Balances
The school year is coming to a close, and it seems many students have negative balances in their lunch accounts. Reminder slips and emails have been sent, and it would be great to end the year with all of Abbot students paid up to date. If any negative balance remains at the end of the school year, it will carry over to next year and the debt remains active when the next school year begins. Thank you for your attention to and assistance with this matter.
Bus Pass Notification - 2019/2020 Bus Passes
Registration Begins on Friday, May 31
Late Registration charge applies as of July 15
Bus Pass Registration for school year 2019-20 begins on Friday, May 31, 2019.
In order to obtain the appropriate number of buses and avoid overcrowding buses at the start of the school year, all registrations must be received before July 15. As of July 15, a $30 per-student late registration charge will be applied.
Additional busing information and online registration may be accessed via the Westford Public Schools website at https://www.westfordk12.us/district/transportation.
The bus pass fee for school year 2019-20 remains the same as for 2018-19:
1 student: $275
2 students: $550
3 or more students: $750 (family cap)
Bus passes will be mailed to home addresses prior to the start of school in August. Questions may be emailed to bus@westfordk12.us.
Updated 2019-2020 WPS Calendar
The 2019-2020 School Calendar has been updated due to the change of a professional development day (March 12th changed to May 19th). Attached please find the newest version, Rev. A. A hard copy on green paper was also sent home with students.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Westford Public Schools Diversity and Inclusion Team is a committee made up of staff looking to promote diversity and inclusion within the district. We are looking for parent volunteers who are interested in being part of a group of parents who can be a peer contact for immigrant families in the district. This group would be a resource to help immigrant families access district information and resources while also providing a contact who can relate to their situation. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Mary Mathew at mmathew@westfordk12.us.
Dates to Remember
June 17 Last Day of School (dismissal at 11:40am)
Grade 5 Completion Ceremony (9:00am)
Parent Portal opens to view Report Cards (4:00pm)
August 26 Welcome Back Wildcats Event (4-6pm)
August 27 First Day of School
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
COMMUNITY NEWS
Chelmsford - Westford PMC Kids Ride
Dear Families,
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tina Williams. I am the Coordinator of the Chelmsford-Westford PMC Kids Ride. I am a 30 year participant of the 40 year event. I am also a cancer survivor. I live and work in Chelmsford as a Physician Assistant. My passion is helping others and I do that every day of my life. I took over the leadership role in running the local Kids Ride four years ago. I just love what the PMC represents and have immersed myself in the entire organization. My 2 daughters have been riding in the Kids Ride program since they were both 18 months old and are now 9 and 7 years old.
It is with great excitement that I share with you all that the 10th Chelmsford-Westford PMC Kids Ride is taking place on June 22, 2019 at Heart Pond/Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Bicyclists, tricyclists, scooter riders, etc. are welcome to join us as we work to raise $20,000 for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 100% of all funds raised will be donated directly to the Jimmy Fund. There are several mileage routes from which to choose. To learn more about this exciting event, please click on this link for more information and to register: https://kids.pmc.org/chelmsford-westford. If you have any questions, please reach out to me directly.
DATE: JUNE 22, 2019
TIME: 8A-12P
LOCATION: HEART POND, CHELMSFORD, MA (OFF RT. 27)
REQUIREMENTS: $20 REGISTRATION FEE (FULLY REIMBURSED WITH A $20 GIFT CARD FOR THE RED SOX STORE, FENWAY PARK)
FUNDRAISING MINIMUM: $30
AGE: 1 YEAR TO 15 YEARS
If any of you are interested in volunteering to help me prior to or the day of the event, please let me know and I can direct you to the volunteer registration site. I look forward to meeting you next month and thank you for helping me work with the PMC Organization to raise money to conquer cancer and save lives!
Cheers,
Tina Williams
Chelmsford-Westford Kids Ride Coordinator
C: 978-590-7569
Westford Youth Soccer Association- Registration is now open for the Fall 2019 Season!
Registration for the Fall 2019 Soccer Season is now open! Registration deadline for players in grades 3-8 is June 23rd. There is a **NEW** option for players entering grades 3-6 in the fall. Players in grades 3/4 and 5/6 now have the option of registering for the traditional TRAVEL program or our new REC program. Players in the REC program will practice once a week and play other Westford teams and possibly teams from neighboring towns such as Acton. Players must choose between REC or TRAVEL- they cannot play both. REC and TRAVEL players should sign up to attend assessments starting on June 9th. Check out the WYSA website to sign for assessments, register for the soccer season, or for more info: http://westfordyouthsoccer.com/. Questions about the REC program? Please email: rec@westfordyouthsoccer.com
Challenge Success
Please read the latest Challenge Success Newsletter http://bit.ly/WestfordCSMay19Newsletter
Girls' Basketball
Any girls interested in playing basketball this summer should come to the Grey Ghost Basketball Clinic from June 18 through June 21st. This clinic is run by the WA Girls' Basketball program and is appropriate for all levels of players from recreational to AAU/travel basketball players. Counselors include current members of the WA Varsity Girls' Basketball team plus current NCAA college basketball players Emily Bramanti (Stonehill - NCAA D2) and Cammy Desrochers (Framingham State - NCAA D3). Please see the flyer that was sent home with your student or email Coach Russ Coward at rcoward@westfordk12.us. Thank you very much for your support!
WESTFORD ACADEMY BOYS’ BASKETBALL SHOOTING CLINIC is now Open to All Boys Entering 2-9 Grade (Entering Fall of 2019). Westford Academy Boys' Basketball Head Coach Chris Bramanti, and members of the Westford Academy Boys' Basketball program will host a four day, three hour per day shooting clinic from Tuesday, June 18th through Friday, June 21st from 8:30am to 11:30am. Registration can be found on www.basketballwa.com or you can email Coach Bramanti at cbramanti@westfordk12.us.
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