
The Starburst
The Barrows Weekly Newsletter: March 31, 2023
A Message from Principal Gallegos
Greetings, Barrows Families,
Our Book Character day was a great success! I love seeing students showing their love of books by representing characters that make them laugh, escape to imaginary places, inspire them, and draw us back to more books to have those connected experiences. It's common for us to wear our favorite team gear (Go Sox!), so it is wonderful that we take a day to celebrate the magic and power of books in our lives as well!
Grades 3-5 begin the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests. Our testing schedule is posted below our calendar section of the newsletter. We will not be permitting gum or candy during testing (unless this is an accommodation on an IEP/504). We have found that this past practice can cause unnecessary distractions during testing. We hope that all students show what they know and do their best, but we also know that their scores do not define who our students are--we value the personalities, work ethic, and talents they bring to us every day. We also believe in assessing our students in various ways, allowing us to provide skilled and targeted instruction for each student. MCAS testing does help our school as a whole identify instructional strengths and curriculum gaps.
To get the best possible results, please encourage your child to:
- Get plenty of sleep starting this weekend
- Eat Healthy options, especially breakfast on the school day
- Hydrate! Water is excellent for the brain
- Please arrive at school on time; this allows for the least amount of disruption during testing
Pizza Kit orders start today! See the order information below!
We have extended our Read-a-Thon through April 12th to meet our goal of 400,000 minutes. Please encourage your students to continue logging their minutes. This a reminder that there will be two raffle baskets for each grade, and the more they read, the more entries they will get.
Happy Reading,
Mrs. Gallegos
Barrows Upcoming Dates
2022-2023 School Year
Friday-Tuesday, March 31-April 4th: š
PIZZA KITS! Orders Due
Monday-Thursday, April 3rd-6th: ELA MCAS Testing (see below for details)
Monday-Wednesday, April 10th-12th: Reading Public School ArtFest @ RMHS
Wednesday, April 12th: Final Read-a-thon Raffle, Barrows PTO Meeting @ 8:30 am in the library
Tuesday, Tuesday, April 11th: Pizza Kit Pick up at Tremezzo Ristorante (2 Lowell St., Wilmington)
School Hours:
Monday-Thursday, 8:15 AM - 2:45 PM
Friday, 8:15 AM - 12:45 PM
Students must be in class by 8:25 to be counted as on-time and present
Barrows Grades 3-5 MCAS Dates
Mark your calendars! Barrows Grades 3-5 2023 MCAS Assessment dates are noted below. The testing window has been set by DESE and we are planning for the following MCAS test dates at Barrows. Please note that students will take 2 days of tests per content area (English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Gr. 5 Science and Technology). Please refrain from vacations or unnecessary absences on these dates.
School Lunch Menu
Remember, school lunches are once again free for students in the Commonwealth. We look forward to providing nutritious meals for our students! Be sure to check out the weekly menus, as there are a lot of NEW options! Our new daily options are Bagel & Cream Cheese, Yogurt Parfait with Granola or SunButter & Jelly sandwich (details listed in the menu). Students will not have the option of cereal or pretzels anymore.
Reading Public Schools Food Service/Lunch Menus: http://reading.k12.ma.us/departments/food-services/
DAILY SNACKS in the CLASSROOM
It is the Reading Public School's wellness policy that we are not permitted to provide snacks to our students during the school day. Please send a healthy snack with your child every single day. If you are unsure about the allergies in your classroom, please check with your child's teacher. Teachers are not allowed to provide snacks to our students.
The Spring Apparel Store is now open!
The Spring Apparel Store is now open!
Shop online to get your Barrows gear, including tees, sweatshirts, pajama pants, hats, and more! https://tinyurl.com/BarrowsSpring23
Order deadline is Sunday, April 16th, and items will be delivered to Barrows in May.
* When ordering, be sure to note in the comments box if something is a gift! *
All items are made to order and are final sale. Please check sizing chart measurements before ordering.
Questions? Contact Kate Grant: katefgrant@gmail.com
Important PTO UPDATES!
JOIN US
Our next PTO meeting will be Wednesday, April 12th at 8:30am (Barrows Library and Zoom). Agenda will be sent in advance of the meeting. ALL parents and caregivers are welcome! Reach out to Lori and Meghan with any questions or topics for consideration.
READ-A-THON
The readathon has been extended to April 7th! Make sure you are logging your childās reading minutes. It is not too late to share the link on social media, via email and text to allow friends and family from all over the WORLD to support your child.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS - UPCOMING RESTAURANT NIGHTS
- PIZZA KITS! Orders will be taken Fri, 3/31-Tue, 4/4. The link to the order form will be sent out in next weeks Starburst. Pizza Kit pick up will be on Tuesday, April 11, at Tremezzo Ristorante, 2 Lowell St Wilmington.
- Venetian Moon! Wed, 5/10 dine in and take out 4:30-9. (Don't forget to shop Aines and Tin Bucket 10a-8p while on the block!)
- CAPRI! Mon 6/5, dine in or take out 5-9pm!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Sign up to help in the cafeteria during lunch periods (11:15am - 12:35pm). The cafeteria is fully staffed but can always use a couple extra hands to help with opening up packages, milk cartons, moving through lunch line efficiently. Please note that all volunteers must have a completed CORI on file prior to volunteering and unfortunately non-school aged children will not be allowed to join with the volunteer. If you are interested in volunteering please use the Sign Up Genius to sign up for the day or days you would like to help out ā Link to Sign Up
ONGOING FUNDRAISING
Minted
The Minted Fundraiser is open the ENTIRE year! You can use the promo code FUNDRAISEBARROWS any time you place an order through Minted and help support the Barrows Elementary PTO. You'll get 20% OFF your ORDER and 15% of every purchase made using our code will be donated back to Barrows.
Box Tops
Did you know you no longer need to clip Box Tops and send them into school? Box Tops now offers an app where you scan your receipts! Doing online grocery delivery these days? No problem! Box Tops also offers a way to email your online orders for credit. Find it in the app store or google play store today!
Helpsy Bin
Finally, have you been in purge mode lately? Getting rid of old, stained or ripped clothing? Drop it off in the Helpsy box in the Barrows staff parking lot (after school hours of course) and Barrows will receive a small donation for your items. Clothing, shoes and accessories are all accepted!
Questions about any of these programs, contact Alison Ethier at alison.ethier@gmail.com
PTO Board
Lori Barcikowski, Co-President
Meghan Dribin, Co-President
Amy Koehler, Treasurer
Alicia Curtin, Secretary
Alison Ethier, Social Media Coordinator
Latest News from SEPAC!
SEPAC works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of all children with special needs in the community.
ā SPRING with SEPAC Events are open to ALL!
Don't miss out! See flier for all of our events and mark your calendars.
ā Do you have a child who is on an IEP, a 504 plan, and/or has a disability?
Fill out this BRIEF, ANONYMOUS survey for the SEPAC board to help us reach ALL families and plan for 2023-2024. We especially wish to reach anyone who feels disconnected from SEPAC despite having a child with an IEP, a 504 plan, and/or special needs.
āSEPAC meeting THIS Tuesday, April 4th, at 1pmāsee flier
For more information about these and other opportunities, click here for SEPACās latest newsletter.
Calling all library volunteers!
The UPDATED (January-June) link to signup to help in the library is here! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45ACA62FA0F58-parent
Please make sure you have an up to date CORI on file.
If you would like to know more about volunteering in the library please contact Mrs. Becker @ carina.becker@reading.k12.ma.us . All are welcome to donate their time!
SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS!
Arrival
- Please drive slowly up Edgemont to keep everyone safe; remember, it is one way.
- Do not park in the indented section by the gym. This is the "kiss & go" area for a quick drop-off.
- Doors open at 8:15 and close at 8:25. Your child needs to be in the doors by 8:25 AM. If your child gets to school after the doors have closed, they must come to the front door and be marked tardy.
Dismissal:
- At dismissal time, there is no live pick-up in the driveway except for students who take the bus. Kindergarteners exit the building at 2:40 PM. The rest of the students dismiss at 2:45 PM from the same doors they enter in the morning.
As a safety reminder, the staff parking lot is staff-only. We respectfully ask that caregivers park along the streets. With our students exiting from their external doors in the parking lot, having cars drive in and out is not safe. You need to walk around the school on the blacktop to the back. Thanks for helping us out.
Dogs and Puppies on School Grounds
School Committee policy prohibits dogs on school grounds as much as we all love dogs and puppies and as much fun as it is walking them. If you'd like to walk your dog as part of your pick-up routine, the dog has to stay off school property. If you'd like your child to walk to you on the sidewalk or to the driveway entrances at dismissal so you can wait with your dog, please make that plan with them.
About these Services
Helpful Links
Barrows on Twitter: @BarrowsSchool https://twitter.com/BarrowsSchool
Barrows Homepage: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/barrows/
Reading Public Schools: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us