Monday, February 26, 2018



Lowell School Newsletter


Read Across America March 2nd

Lowell School Reading Challenge
Lowell School will kick off our reading challenge
Monday March 5th
Starting with a whole school assembly
followed by an unveiling of classroom doors decorated by each class.
Decorate Your Classroom Door
Parent volunteers can help with creating  backgrounds. Please fill out a blue request sheet.

Greetings,
Welcome back to school.  I hope your winter break was filled with relaxation and joy.
Building projects continued over vacation. The asbestos abatement went as planned. Air quality tests were performed at the completion of work, and all tests came back negative. The demolition phase of the project is complete and rebuilding begins. Today the electricians were in working. We hope to have our spaces back and ready for use in 4 weeks. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.
We have many fun events planned for this month, and we will end the month of February with a Buddies event being held on Tuesday afternoon.
Friday March 2nd the kindergarten will visit the post office by class. This will give many students their first exposure to riding a big yellow school bus. They will meet the post office workers and learn how to send letters through US Mail Service.
We will kick off our reading challenge for the month of March as a school community. We will gather in the gym on Monday, March 5th to kick off the event. I will begin by reading the book  Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss and then explain the rules of the reading challenge and tell  students how to log their reading times.
We will also take a “book cover” walk through the school to view the decorated doors of each classrooms’ favorite book cover. Each door will be opened for all to see. Hopefully the walk through the school to see the various book covers will encourage students to read new stories.  
In light of the recent events in Florida and the emphasis on school safety, I will be organizing along with the PTO a parent forum focused on reviewing school safety procedures and critical incident response protocols. Time will be set aside for questions and answers. In addition, I will also hold a safety training for parent volunteers. This is to give volunteers the same exposure to vocabulary and training as the teachers and students received during the year. I encourage everyone to attend. Safety is our number one concern.
This Tuesday we are holding a School Site Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m.  in the library. The focus of this meeting is to assess where we are in relation to this year’s School Improvement Plan and begin planning for this next year’s school improvement goals. All are welcome to attend.
We are getting ready to kick off the Annual School Auction to be held from March 3rd-March 10th. The PTO has done a tremendous job soliciting great auction items. Please take a look and bid on one of the many fabulous items.  All proceeds benefit our students directly. Your participation makes a world of difference.
The month will end with a Math and Science Night being hosted on Thursday, March 29th by Mrs. Kaplan, the WPS  Curriculum Coordinator. She has planned an amazing evening for all of Lowell. Come learn and explore with your child. It’s a great way to support their love of learning. Volunteers are still needed  please see below to sign up.
Warmest Regard,
Stacy
Free Confidential Medical Clinic
Free Confidential Medical Clinic in Greater Boston
Including School Physicals (vaccines not available)
All Welcome, including Immigrants
First & Third Monday of the Month (except federal holidays)


6:00 – 8:00 pm


Sponsored by Marcia Tanur, MD and Other Volunteer Clinicians


Family Medicine
metrobostonfreeclinic.weebly.com
• First Aid (burns, cuts)
• Minor Illness (colds, fevers)
• Well Child
• Blood Pressure Testing
• Blood Sugar Testing
• Evaluate Digestive Problems
• Treat Aches & Pains
• Diagnose Sinusitis, Bronchitis and Pneumonias
• Urine Pregnancy Tests
• Provide Prescriptions
• Family Planning
• Other
Location: First Parish of Watertown- Unitarian Universalist
35 Church Street
Watertow
Bus routes to Watertown Square: # 71 from Harvard Square; #70 from Waltham & Central
Square; #57 from Brighton: From Watertown Square walk two blocks down Main St., turn right
on Church St., walk 2 blocks to clinic, behind branch of Watertown Savings Bank.

            
Lowell STEM night planning
The Lowell school is fortunate to have generous funding from the Watertown Education Foundation and the Watertown Community Foundation for this year's Family STEM Night
The event is scheduled for Thursday, March 29th.  We are looking for parent and teacher volunteers to help plan this great event.  The committee will have one-two brief meetings in late February/early March  Please email Elizabeth Kaplan, Elementary Math/Science Coordinator if you are able to help plan the event. elizabeth.kaplan@watertown.k12.ma.us
      
Dates: Event: Time/Location:

February 27
Buddies Event
12:50-1:30
February 28
Superintendent’s Coffee
Central Office
9:00 AM
7:00 PM
March 1
School Site Council
Meeting
7:00-8:00
March 6
Band-A-Rama
7:00 PM
March 7
Early Release for Students
12:15
March 9
Principal’s Coffee
All Welcome!
8:30-9:30
March 13th
PTO Meeting
6:30-7:30
March 16th
Early Release Day
Afternoon Conferences
12:15
March 20th
Early Release Day
Afternoon
Conferences
12:15
March 22nd
Evening
Conferences
6:00-8:00
March 28th
Evening
Conference
6:00-8:00
May 1 & 3
MCAS ELA
Grade 3, 4, & 5
Begins at 9:00
May 7 & 8
MCAS Math
Grade 3, 4, & 5
Begins at 9:00
May 22 & 23
MCAS Science
Grade 5
Begins at 9:00


You can now subscribe to the James Russell Lowell Blog, just type in your email address.

Monday, February 12, 2018



Lowell School Newsletter


Happy Valentine’s Day



Tuesday, February 13th
Is the 100th Day of School
Can You Find a 100 Ways to Celebrate!
Morning drop-off 🚘  ðŸš™ðŸš—


Last week members of our Lowell Community Volunteer Program (LCVP) stepped in to assist with our morning car drop-off. It was a huge help for our regular faculty and staff who are out there every day. The goal is to keep our students safe while making the drop-off process as smooth as possible.


REMINDERS to those who drop their kids off:
1. Please STAY in your vehicle - DO NOT get out and walk around your car. If your child can not get out of their seat belt or open their car door please park on a side street and walk them up to the front of the school.
2. Please do your best to pull all the way forward to the first crossing guard aid.
3. We realize children have a lot of bags (especially during the winter months). Please try to assemble their backpacks/lunch boxes/instruments/extra clothes in the easiest possible way for them to carry into school.


The drop off volunteers, faculty and staff leave their positions at 8:15am, so please do your best to get your child to school as close to 8am as possible to avoid them being marked tardy!


If YOU would like to join the morning drop off volunteers - please email LCVP parent coordinator Julie Candiello at jxcandiello@hotmail.com




We are pleased to announce that we have acquired TenMarks for use in grades 3-5 in all of our elementary schools! TenMarks is an online math program that provides students with an opportunity to practice the math concepts and skills that they learn about in class.

On TenMarks, your child can work independently on class concepts at any time within a
structured, flexible, and supportive platform. Students can work on assignments that their teachers make for them or they can practice skill "jam sessions" on their own.

Teachers will be sending home letters with your child's account information and your own parent login so that you can view their progress.

Feel free to contact Elizabeth Kaplan, Elementary Math/Science Coordinator with any questions.  elizabeth.kaplan@watertown.k12.ma.us

            
Lowell STEM night planning
The Lowell school is fortunate to have generous funding from the Watertown Education Foundation and the Watertown Community Foundation for this year's Family STEM Night
The event is scheduled for Thursday, March 29th.  We are looking for parent and teacher volunteers to help plan this great event.  The committee will have one-two brief meetings in late February/early March  Please email Elizabeth Kaplan, Elementary Math/Science Coordinator if you are able to help plan the event. elizabeth.kaplan@watertown.k12.ma.us
     Lowell Online Auction
          March 3rd -10th
Llll
SAVE THE DATE
The Annual Lowell Online Auction is a month away. This is our largest fundraiser of the year, last year raising $20,000. This auction has grown over the years to include summer camps from all over, restaurants, business services, theater tickets, ski tickets, museum tickets, Yoga passes, Youth Sport registrations, Principal for the day, fifth grade front row graduation seats, music lessons with Mr. Spano and new this year we have many teachers volunteering to have lunch with students. We had over 300 items last year, there is so much to bid on.
Have something you can donate?
We are reaching out to our Lowell families to ask if you own or work for a business that would consider donating to our auction to please get in touch with us. Years past we've had photography sessions, estate planning, restaurant gift cards, salon services and so many other fantastic items our families have generously given.  Have gift cards you received as gifts? Those too would be great.

More information will be coming out on how to register to bid and all the great items we've received. This auction is open to anyone anywhere so items don't have to be limited to Watertown (we had winning bids from Arizona last year).
Thank you for considering our auction!
Dates: Event: Time/Location:

February 12
100th Day of School
All Day!
February 13
PTO Meeting
6:30-7:30
February 14
Valentine’s Day
All Day!
February 15
SEPAC
Meeting
6:30-8:00
at
Lowell School
February 16
February Vacation
Begins at the end of the school day.
Enjoy
Students Return
February 26th
February 27
Buddies Event
12:50-1:30
February 28
Superintendent’s Coffee
Central Office
9:00 AM
7:00 PM
March 1
School Site Council
Meeting
7:00-8:00
March 6
Band-A-Rama
7:00 PM
March 7
Early Release for Students
12:15
March 9
Principal’s Coffee
All Welcome!
8:30-9:30
March 13th
PTO Meeting
6:30-7:30
March 16th
Early Release Day
Afternoon Conferences
12:15
March 20th
Early Release Day
Afternoon
Conferences
12:15
March 22nd
Evening
Conferences
6:00-8:00
March 28th
Evening
Conference
6:00-8:00


You can now subscribe to the James Russell Lowell Blog, just type in your email address.