Lowell Family Newsletter

Reminder- Early Release Thursday, March 24th

Message from Mrs. Phelan

Student Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council Meets this week

Parent-Teacher Conferences

MCAS Dates

Lunch Menus Phillips and LW

Scenes from Lowell

What's Happening Around Town

Parents Recreational Softball Sign-up

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming Events and Save the Dates

• Students are released at 12:15.
• There is no lunch service students will receive a bagged lunch.
• Teachers will attend professional development.

Dear Families,

The highlights of this week were the return to field trips for Lowell. On Friday, our fifth grade visited WMS to see the production "Matilda Jr." Also happening on Friday, the first grade took a walking field trip to see local sights and businesses. They will use their research in an upcoming writing project.

The long-awaited Equity Audit was presented to the School Committee on Monday night. You can read the report, summary, and recommendations in the Equity Audit Report. Thursday night, our Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council met to discuss findings and takeaways for Lowell and WPS. The conversation was rich and thoughtful.

COVID cases were on the rise last week at Lowell West. We will pool test on Monday, and I will communicate the result on Tuesday. If your child is experiencing symptoms, please do all you can by home testing them and ensuring they don't come to school. Masks are required until Tuesday. We will decide based on our metrics to return to mask optional.

We look forward to seeing you during parent-teacher conferences over the next two days. You can expect to receive a progress report during your child's meeting. If you cannot attend a conference, you will receive your student's progress report by email.

Happy Spring!

Stacy

Grade 2 & 3 Wednesday, March 30th at 1:00 pm gym LW

Grade 4 & 5 Thursday, March 31st at 1:30-2:15 gym LW

Remaining Conference Dates and Times

Evening Conferences:

Monday, March March 28 - 5:00 - 7:00

Early Release Day- Afternoon Conferences:

Tuesday, March 29 - 1:00 - 2:30.

ELA: April 12th & 14th

Math: May 15th & 17th

Science: May 24th & 25th

Students are doing research for an upcoming writing project.

Watertown Challenger Baseball Seeks “Buddies” to Help Athletes

The Watertown Challenger Baseball program allows children with special needs to participate in little leaguebaseball in a safe environment.

What Are “Buddies”?

A Buddy’s job is simply to be a friend, engage his buddy in conversation, if possible; help him/her hit, throw, catch the ball if needed, keep the child’s attention on the game and make sure that the players are safe and no one gets hit with a ball or bat. This becomes a rewarding experience for both the player and the Buddy. Buddies have to be in the eighth grade or older and can earn community service credits.

We are looking for a full season (8 weeks) commitment and ask that Baseball Buddies arrive 15 minutes before the games. The Baseball Buddies program allows the parents to receive a much-deserved break and cheer the players from the stands.

When:

Sundays from 10am-noon for 8 weeks beginning on Sunday, May 1, 2022

Where:

Bemis Park

(Bridge St and Waltham St)

Registration:

Buddy registration can be found >Here. All volunteers are required to fill out a CORI form.

For more information contact: andrewcivetti@wybb.org

School Committee Meeting

Monday, March 21, 7:00 pm

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION VIA ZOOM AT:

https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/88289821256

Elementary School Evening Conferences- Zoom

Wednesday, March 23th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Elementary School Early Release

Thursday, March 24, 12:15 Dismissal (Lunch is bagged)

Conferences: 1:00-2:30

Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council - Adults

Thursday, March 24

7:00–8:00 pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/86985632231

Elementary School Conferences

Thursday, March 24, 12:15 Dismissal (Lunch will be bagged)

Conferences: 1:00 – 2:30 pm

Elementary School Evening Conferences

Monday, March 28, 5:00 – 7:00 pm

Anti-Bias Coalition Meeting

Monday, March 28, 5:30 – 7:00 pm

Description: Meetings will be held in a hybrid model. The physical location will be on the 3rd floor of the Phillips Building in room 301.

Join Zoom Meeting https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/82142739210?pwd=MjZZL3JURU5RdUtYc3ZNVHlockVCQT09

Elementary Schools Early Release

Tuesday, Marth 29th, 2:15 Dismissal (Lunch will be bagged)

Conferences: 1:00 – 2:30 pm

MCAS Dates for Spring 2022

ELA: April 12th & 14th Grades 3, 4, & 5

Math: May 16th & 17th Grades 3, 4, & 5

Science: May 24th & 25 Grade 5 Only

A group of parents is trying to put together a recreational softball league for parents of kids in the Watertown schools. The idea is for it to be super relaxed and open to people of all skill levels. Teams would be school-based to give parents a fun opportunity to socialize and build community with other parents at their kid’s school.

If you might be interested in participating (or, even better, helping to organize!), please fill out the Google Doc below

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqgG8g7GXfkQigYh0QYNdrlX4AlmjYW0GUViXjqQk1IXOfYw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Special In-Person Family Event

Sunday, March 27, 1:00–4:00 pm

Free with regular admission

Admissions require reservation

Amazing Archaeology Fair at Harvard

Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East, 6 Divinity Avenue

Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Avenue

Experience an epic day of archaeological events with the family! Activities are scattered across two museums so explore Native North American, Central American, Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Mediterranean archaeology. Throw a spear with a spear thrower. Talk to student archaeologists who excavate in locations around the world.

Free parking at 52 Oxford Street Garage

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Virtual Family Program

Wednesday, April 6, 4:00–4:45 pm ET

Free

Advance registration required

Afterschool Animal Encounters: Super Skeletons

How do animals change as they grow? What do skeletons have to do with how an animal moves? How do animals today compare with their ancient ancestors? Get the answers to these questions and more with human museum staffers Javier and Arielle. Each month we will discuss a different theme while sharing specimens from the museum collections and interacting with some of the museum’s incredible live animals!

Do snakes have bones? Can a turtle crawl out of its shell? How far could you jump if you were a frog? Looking at skeletons can help us answer these questions! Comparing the skeletons of different animals can help us learn more about how they live and move. Join human museum staffers Arielle and Javier as they lead you in a 45-minute program with live animals and specimens from the museum collections. This event will be fun for the whole family so bring your questions and sense of wonder.

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Upcoming Programs for Kids and Families
Now Register for Summer Science Weeks
5/4 Afterschool Animal Encounters: Ancient Ancestors
5/15 In-person Family Workshop: Colossal Heads of Mexico

30 Common Street

Watertown, Ma 02742

Telephone: 617-926-7770

Lowell West Location

175 Main Street

Waltham, Ma 02451

Telephone: 781-899-3701

Email: stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma
Website: http://watertownjrlowell.ss19.sharpschool.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRLowellElementary