The Starburst

Happy Weekend, Barrows Families!

I am so excited for our Barrows community that the highly anticipated Monster Mash is this Friday. Please read through the PTO section to learn everything you need to know about Friday and other important updates! Please remember that if your student needs financial assistance for these events, they should contact me directly. We never want financial reasons to prevent our students from participating in our community celebrations.

Please remember that our staff is not on duty on the t=blacktop until 8:15 a.m. each morning. Students should be supervised if they come early to play. We remind all students and families that they must play team games, such as football, on the fields. It is too crowded to throw balls on the blacktop. Thanks for working together to lessen the chance of unwanted injuries.

Mrs. Becker has begun planning our Veterans Day assembly. If someone in your family is a veteran and you would like them to be honored during the assembly, please see the information below. It is a special day for our veterans, students, staff, and families.

This Wednesday, Mrs. Ring spoke to the students during the Barrows Belief Assembly about being global citizens. We listened to the story "What Does It Mean to Be Global?" The students learned that a global citizen cares about the environment and the planet, celebrates and appreciates different cultures, and works together to ensure everyone is treated with respect and dignity. These characteristics connect perfectly with our Barrows Beliefs in respect, kindness, collaboration, safety, and perseverance.

The students also learned how the United Nations has Sustainable Goals to help people and the planet. One goal concerns food and making sure everyone has enough to eat. This goal complements a community service project the students can participate in during October and November. The students will be able to collect food for the Lawrence Food Pantry. More information about the food collection will be coming home soon.

Each fourth and fifth-grade student should have received their MCAS scores in the mail this week. As a staff, we see the MCAS as just one piece of data of many that we analyze that celebrates our instructional and learning successes and helps guide us to drive targeted and improved instruction. We are proud of the student growth progress (SGP) shown in the data but know we can improve more. I am sharing an overview of our Barrows results in this link: Barrows 2022-23 MCAS Presentation. I will discuss this data and how our staff will respond to our MCAS results at our October PTO meeting this Thursday at 8:30 a.m. Please join us in person or on Zoom!

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Monster Mash on Friday!

Warmly,

Mrs. Gallegos

Is a member of your family a Veteran? Help Barrows honor those that served our country. Two options - We are inviting Veterans to be part of our assembly on Wednesday November 8th at 8:30 OR you can send us a photo and information and it will be included in the assembly. Either way please email carina.becker@reading.k12.ma.us to register your Veteran in order to be recognized at the assembly. Please do this no later than Monday November 6th.

You will need to share the following information:

• Barrows student/students and their teacher

• Veteran’s Name

• Branch

• Rank

• Please include a photo of the Veteran

• Will they be in person for the assembly or just recognized?

***If you shared this information last year, please just email and remind me! I have it saved. ***

Reach out to carina.becker@reading.k12.ma.us with any questions.

Wednesday, October 18th: Barrows PTO Meeting (8:30 am in-person & virtual: reoccuring zoom link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/88139870550)l)

Wednesday-Friday, October 18-20th: Pumpkin Book Report Due

Friday, October 20th: PTO Monster Mash (rain date: 10/27)

Wednesday, October 25: ⭐💙⭐All School Assembly & Spirit Day (Students are encouraged to wear Blue & Yellow (with or without stars) or Barrows Gear!

Tuesday, November 7th: No School: Teacher In-Service Day

Wednesday, November 8th: Veterans Day Assembly- Wear Red, White & Blue ❤️🤍💙

Friday, November 10th: No School: Veterans Day Observed

Wednesday, November 22nd: 11 am dismissal

Thursday & Friday, November 23-24: No School- Thanksgiving Break

Thursday, December 7th: Early Dismissal (Conferences)

Friday, December 8th: No School (Conference Day)

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

Reading Public Schools Calendar

School lunches are once again free for students in the Commonwealth. We do ask families that need financial assistance to complete this form: https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/en-US/food-services-4f8d79b4/frl-bac51fe9

We look forward to providing nutritious meals for our students!

Reading Public Schools Food Service/Lunch Menus: http://reading.k12.ma.us/departments/food-services/

JOIN US

The next PTO meeting has been moved to Thursday October 19th at 8:30am. We will meet at Barrows as well as have Zoom link available. virtual: reoccuring zoom link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/88139870550)

MONSTER MASH

The weather forecast looks perfect for Monster Mash on Friday October 20th from 3:30 to 5:30pm. We have some AMAZING raffle baskets being put together by each of the grades – Barbie, Taylor Swift, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Movie Night and MORE!! Avoid the raffle ticket line and get your tickets during the pre-sale. Final pre-sale orders will be accepted up to Monday so send in the order form with your kiddos on Monday.

Besides for the raffle we have lots of fun planned – DJ, pumpkin decorating, glitter/tattoo and craft stations, trunk or treating, games and a selfie station. Cost is $10 per family. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

We can still use some more volunteers and donations of candy and snacks/water. Use the sign up genius to sign up. We cannot pull off this event without your help. Thank you!!

CALARESO’S FALL FUNDRAISER

The fundraiser is underway and will run until Friday October 27th. Order form went home with your kids this week. Stock up on certificates – they are used like cash at Calareso’s and 25% of the sale comes straight back to the PTO to be spent on enrichment activities for our kids. Win win win.

FOLLOW US

We are now on Facebook and Instagram! Like us on Facebook – Barrows Elementary PTO and Follow Us on Instagram @BarrowsElementaryPTO

Be a Cafeteria Volunteer

Sign up to help in the cafeteria during lunch periods (11am - 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 (complete 1 week prior to volunteering) 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. Parent/Guardian Help at Lunch

FUNDRAISING

Minted Fundraiser

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!

Many thanks,

PTO Board

Lori Barcikowski, Co-President

(LoriBarcikowski@yahoo.com)

Meghan Dribin, Co-President

(MegDribin@gmail.com)

Amy Koehler, Treasurer

Alicia Curtin, Secretary

Alison Ethier, Social Media Coordinator

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook:

@barrowselementarypto & https://www.facebook.com/BarrowsPTO/

Shop online to get your Barrows gear, including tees, sweatshirts, pajama pants, hats, and more!

Order deadline is Sunday, October 22nd, and items will be delivered to Barrows in November before the end of year holidays.
* When ordering, be sure to note in the comments box if something is a gift! *
*Questions? Contact Kate Grant: katefgrant@gmail.com

SEPAC 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

Nominate yourself and/or someone else for the SEPAC board. This is the easiest time to join the board because much of the groundwork for the 2023-2024 school year has been laid and there are active parents who have pledged to continue being active. Submit nominations by emailing sepacelection2023@gmail.com

We need YOU for the Fall Business Meeting and Board Elections on Tuesday, Oct 17th, 6PM via this link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/83527291225

Who can/should attend? Anyone affiliated with RPS is a SEPAC general council member and thus welcome and encouraged to participate. Any parent of a child with a disability, and any child 14+ with a disability are considered voting members and thus can vote in the board election.

What will attendees do at this meeting? Determine SEPAC leadership by electing board members; consider updates from Student Services administrators; collaborate on programs and events; gain skills from a general council member about how to create a successful communication tool to be given to anyone who will be working with your child; connect and gain support during optional parents-only conversation following the conclusion of the business meeting.

Your child’s educational experience directly benefits from high attendance and active engagement from general council members in real-time, but portions of the meeting will be recorded and posted on our website if you have a conflict.

SEEKING a general council member to be a note-taker for this meeting. Email sepacreading@gmail.com if you can do this.

METCO unites suburban towns with Boston to engage in a reciprocal learning partnership in support of all students. Because of this, every child who attends school in Reading Public Schools is a METCO student and every parent or guardian who has a student in RPS is a part of the METCO community.

"Since its founding during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement, the METCO program has enrolled tens of thousands of Boston students of color in predominately white school districts, creating the opportunity for those districts to experience the advantages of learning and working in a racially and ethnically diverse setting."

Work with your family at home, join in on this fun opportunity for students to showcase their reading comprehension and creative makerspace skills!

Click Here: Barrows Pumpkin Decorating Book Report

Arrival

• Please drive slowly up Edgemont to keep everyone safe; remember, it is a ONE-WAY during the school day.
• 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 their seat by 8:25 AM. If your child arrives to school after the doors have closed, they must come to the front door and be marked tardy.
• The Staff Parking Lot is for staff only and off limits to all pedestrians from arrival-dismissal for the safety of all. Please respect this important aspect of our campus.

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.

Ready to Play the Best Way

Please do not have your children wear flip-flops. Sneakers are best, but flip-flops are dangerous when running at recess (and Crocs aren't great).

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.

As a parent guardian of a child in the Reading Public Schools, you have access to the Parent PlusPortal. The Portal will be used throughout your child’s academic career as it is where you update your child’s emergency contact information, view report cards, and beyond elementary school, see your child’s grades in real time. It also acts as a communication portal between you and your child’s teacher where oftentimes, different academic links, notes, or activities are shared.

If you are a returning parent, your account is still active but you still need to update the forms at the start of each school year. If you are a new parent guardian and have not received access, please reach out to our school administrative secretary, Donna Walsh at donna.walsh@reading.k12.ma.us. At that point, you will receive a separate email with your PlusPortal login information. The subject line of the email is Important! Barrows School PlusPortals login. This is a confidential portal that is linked to your email account. You have 48 hours to activate your Portal account using the temporary password supplied through the email. Once you login, you can update the password and personal information.

Directions for Filling Out Forms on Plus Portals (You will have better luck using a computer than your phone)

Please follow the steps below to update Pupil Information and Contact forms on Plus Portals.

1. Log into Plus Portals

Follow our Facebook Page www.facebook.com/SEPAC.Reading

PTO Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/BarrowsPTO/

Follow us on Instagram: @barrowselementarypto

Barrows Homepage: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/barrows/

Reading Public Schools: http://www.reading.k12.ma.us

The Town of Reading contracts with William James College to offer a special service for our residents. The William James INTERFACE Referral Service maintains a mental health and wellness referral help line Monday through Friday, 9 am-5 pm, at 888-244-6843 (toll free). This is a free, confidential referral service for individuals across the lifespan living in Reading. Callers are matched with licensed mental health providers from our extensive database. Each referral meets the location, insurance, and specialty needs of the caller. Click here to learn more!