RMHS Weekly Newsletter

2023-24 School Year Calendar (format 1)

• 10/25 - HBCU school visit @ RMHS

• 10/26 - HBCU Field trip to Reggie Lewis (college fair)

• 10/27 - Early Dismissal for Students

• 11/2 - PTO Meeting (4 pm)

• 11/2 - School Committee meeting (7 pm)

• 11/3 - Q1 Ends; Grades Close

• 11/6 - Q2 Begins

• 11/6 - NHS Induction (7 pm)

• 11/7 - Full Day In-Service (PD) - No School for Students

• 11/8: MCAS ELA Retest

• 11/8: Transitioning to College for Students with Learning Differences 6:30 pm

• 11/9: MCAS ELA Retest

• 11/10: No School (Veteran's Day)

• 11/14: MCAS Math Retest

• 11/15: MCAS Math Retest

• 11/15 - School Council Meeting (4:30 pm)

• 11/17: Conferences (Virtual) - No School for Students

• 11/22: Early Release for Thanksgiving Break (11:15 am dismissal)

• 11/23-11/4: No School (Thanksgiving Break)
  
  

RMHS office staff and administration have noticed a substantial increase in the number of school dismissals in the last few weeks in which parents are dismissing students for an illness and students are not seeing the school nursing staff first. If a student isn't feeling well during the school day they should ask their teacher to see the nurse before reaching out to a parent / caregiver. The school nursing staff will assess the student and contact the parent if a dismissal or additional follow up is needed.

We as a community are still adjusting to life after the pandemic and know there are anxieties around illness, but we ask that you partner with us in having students use the proper channels while at school.

Any student that needs to be dismissed should go through either the main office staff or school nursing office if health related. Thank you for your help in support in this matter, we appreciate your partnership. Please check out the helpful visual on attendance reporting below.

Our next vaccine clinic is Friday November 3rd from 2-5 pm at Coolidge. COVID and flu shots will be available for all students, staff and families. Register here for an appointment.

As cold and flu season is upon us, please make sure that your contact information is updated. You may consider adding additional emergency contacts, including family, friends and neighbors who might be available if your child is ill and you are unavailable to pick them up. You may add additional emergency contacts through the health portal here.

The students in AWOD, which is an organization within the school that affiliates with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), issued the above PSA for our staff and community. It is also displayed around the school on the TVs. The goal is to raise awareness about world events and remind all of us to take care of one another as we navigate these challenges in our own community, country and globally.

We are looking for one student representative from your school to join with school, town, and community leaders to help solve problems for our youth.

What is the Reading Children's Cabinet?

The Reading Children’s Cabinet brings together key leaders and community members that serve children and youth. Our goals are to strengthen collaboration, align resources, and help to close programming gaps. The Reading Children’s Cabinet builds on the strong cross sector leadership already in place in Reading with Reading Public Schools, Town leadership, the Reading Police Department, community leaders, business leaders, parents / guardians, and students all coming together to empower youth to thrive.

What is the time commitment?

We anticipate that the time commitment will include three official meetings in the 2023 – 2024 school year, with the possibility of interim working group meetings to develop action plans for priorities that are identified.

Meeting dates for the 2023 – 2024 Reading Children’s Cabinet are as follows:

December 6th, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
March 6th, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
June 5th, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Meetings will be held at the Reading Public Library and are zoom optional.

I'm interested. Now what?

If you are interested in this unique opportunity and are able to commit to attending all 3 meetings, please complete this form. Thank you!

Students who registered for district transportation for the 2023-2024 school year should have received their bus pass from the main office a few weeks ago. As we are now into the second month of the school year, bus drivers will be checking to make sure each student has their pass when boarding the bus. Students may choose to show the driver their pass or attach it to their backpack.

If your student has not picked up their bus pass, please advise them to do so as soon as possible. If the main office does not have a bus pass readily available, please contact Olivia Lejeune (Olivia.lejeune@reading.k12.ma.us) to confirm your student is registered for transportation and to create a bus pass. Students who have not registered for transportation through the Superintendent’s Office should not be riding the bus. Please contact Olivia Lejeune (Olivia.lejeune@reaing.k12.ma.us) or Derek Pinto (Derek.Pinto@reading.k12.ma.us) to inquire about transportation registration.

The Special Education Parent Advisory Council works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized support). Watch this brief introductory video to learn more!

Visit the SEPAC WEBPAGE

Sign up for our mailing list

Follow SEPAC on Facebook or Instagram

See our 2023-2024 Calendar of Events

Thank you to everyone who attended the 10/17 meeting. The video of recorded portions will be posted on our website soon. Thanks to Etain O’Dea for serving as Election Coordinator and to Dana Levin for taking notes. New SEPAC board members are Chris Kowaleski, Dilly Wilson and Jacyln Lee. Returning SEPAC board members are Zea Lennard, Eunice Kenyon and Lindsay Conti.

Upcoming events:

SEPACsgiving November 13-19 (sign up for sessions by November 3rd)

SEPACsgiving will be an opportunity for general members to connect with other general members in self-selected groups (eg ADHD, Dyslexia, SAIL, OOD, etc.). Members will "give" presence, time, resources, support, encouragement, and compassion to one another. The initial meeting, for which you can sign up using this link, will be 30 minutes long, virtual, and with an identified point person present to help facilitate conversation, take general notes of broad ideas and questions the group would like shared with the SEPAC board and/or Student Services, and help identify and plan for next steps. Members MAY share contact info and choose if and how they would like to continue/grow their network. Please sign up by November 3rd to allow organizers enough planning time.

SEPAC Tree

Watch emails for news for how to participate in the creation of a fantastic SEPAC tree for the REF Festival of Trees. SEPAC is proud to once again participate in this fantastic community event which supports our schools! Thank you Alyssa Scaparotti for volunteering your time, resources and vision for this year’s tree.

Are you on our mailing list? Check to see if you received an email from “SEPAC” at about 5pm on Tuesday 10/17. If you did not, you are not on our confidential mailing list, and you are missing out! Simply send an email to sepacreading@gmail.com and we will add you to our private list.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XpTyNkzybZT9w1pV-Oxrq-ahVkKmDgdiT0SqnD5-O7E/edit?usp=sharing

The YMCA is seeking both participants and high school students volunteers as swim buddies. To sign up to participate open the first link below, to be a swim buddy volunteer open the second link below. This is a great opportunity for community service hours as well.

We are preparing our next lottery for Swim buddies.

FOR PARTICIPANTS TO SIGN UP FOR SWIM BUDDIES: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2aqQzYyysUKRF5TjLuyxkHIEEhsJDltBiSyhi0o-cpRUNklLVE1GU05GU01QSU5JMFdKVktWUEFKNS4u.

FOR HS STUDENTS TO VOLUNTEER AS BUDDIES: https://ymcaboston.volunteermatters.org/admin/projects/127/detail

If you have specific questions about the volunteer opportunity please reach out the Burbank YMCA directly.

RMHS girl's swim team is organizing a paper goods drive to benefit the Reading Food Pantry. A collection box will be in front of the main office on Main St. this week, as well as at the Burbank YMCA lobby. The drive is will run through 11/3. Please let me know if this is possible. I've attached the flier she prepared for the event.

Senior yearbook photos must be done by Thanksgiving. Seniors must have their photo taken by Prestige Lifetouch in order to be included in the yearbook. Free and upgraded appointments will be available up through the deadline. Families may buy ads via the portal. https://portal.lifetouch.com.

Contact the Yearbook advisor, Ms. Jenna Glazier, jenna.glazier@reading.k12.ma.us with any questions.

PTO DUES (different from Class Dues) - $50 per family (not per student) is the suggested donation but any donations are welcome. Please send your annual dues via PayPal or check. Pay via PayPal using the online link https://bit.ly/2MnjShb (we suggest donating $55 to cover fees) or send a check written out to “RMHS PTO” to “Attn. RMHS PTO - RMHS Main Office, 62 Oakland Road.” The PTO is a 501(c)(3) organization and dues are tax-deductible. We are happy to accept additional donations or matching gifts from your employer. In recent years, your PTO dues and funds raised have provided funding for items including agendas, funding after school library hours, books/resources for RMHS library, enrichment programs and speakers, staff appreciation, Homecoming and Unity Day activities. Thank you for your support!

Volunteers Needed: The PTO needs your help! Please reach out to PTO board members or email RMHSpto@gmail.com if interested in volunteering for any of the following.

Restaurant Night chair: plan restaurant nights over the course of school year.

Navigating Transition to College for Students with Learning Differences: On November 8th at 6:30 pm, in the RMHS Media Center, the Director of Learning Strategies and Student Success at Northeastern University, Jennifer Newton, will share helpful information to parents and students who are beginning to think about the transition to college. Topics discussed include seeking appropriate support, navigating disability services, necessary documentation, etc. This evening is open to parents, caregivers, and students.

Principal (Interim) Jessica B. Callanan

jessica.callanan@reading.k12.ma.us
781-944-8200 ext. 19801

62 Oakland Road

Reading, MA 01867

https://rmhs.reading.k12.ma.us/en-US