
Willett Whaler
May 12, 2023
Principal's Corner - Mr. Jeffrey Cateon
Congratulations to our grades 3 and 4 students in completing the MCAS testing this week.
As a reminder to our Kindergarten families, Friday, June 2nd is the last day this year for kindergarten students.
The entire staff at Willett would like to thank the PTO and our families for their generosity during Staff Appreciation Week.
Important Safety Reminder
Upcoming Event Dates
May
15-19 - Book Fair (K-15th, Gr 1-16th, Gr 2-17th, Gr 3 and 4-18th, make-up 19th)
17* - Student Council - Rainbow Day
25* - Boosterthon Fun Run
29 - No School -Memorial Day
June
2 - Kindergarten Last Day of School
9 - Field Day (Grades 1-4)
15 - Last Day of School (Grades 1-4) Tentative
Willett School Garden Seeds for Tomorrow!
Garden Volunteer Meeting!
Place: Willett School Garden
When: Monday, May 15th
Time: 3:45 p.m.
**Everyone is invited to come hear how they can make a difference.
We need your support!
Willett Spring Book Fair THIS COMING WEEK!
If you are interested in your child purchasing books from the upcoming book fair, please be aware of the following assigned dates for each grade. More information below. Thank you!
Monday, May 15th - Kindergarten
Tuesday, May 16th - Grade 1
Wednesday, May 17th - Grade 2
Thursday, May 18th - Grade 3 and Grade 4
Friday, May 19th Anyone who was absent or could not go on their assigned day
Yearbook
Willett Families- The time to order a yearbook is now! The cost of the yearbook is $15.00 for students in grades K-3. Thanks to the generosity of the Feinstein Foundation, Willett Families and PTO, all fourth grade students will receive a yearbook free of charge. Thanks!
Fun Run Thursday, May 25th
“Don’t Miss Out! | Our Willett Whales Fun Run Details!”
Thomas Willett families!
We’re only ONE week away from our Willett Whales Fun Run and our students and staff are so excited! We’re looking forward to having fun and building community together.
⭐️ Log into MYBOOSTER.COM today to get started! ⭐️
Register & share today to help our school reach our goal of $20,000 for students & staff.
PLUS, there are only a FEW DAYS LEFT to register before 05/16/2023.This year if we get 65% of our whole school registered by the Willett Whales Fun Run, our WHOLE SCHOOL gets a PJ day!
Check out this 30 second video about our upcoming event >> Click for Fun!
Thank you for supporting our school - we are grateful for our amazing school community!
PTO News and Update
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK!
“A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind & touches a heart.” We thank all the Willett teachers for their unwavering guidance and support they show our students, day in and day out!
SOMEONE SPECIAL DANCE
What an absolute blast at the Someone Special Dance last weekend! Thank you to all who helped to make it such a success. A special shout-out to the Attleboro Norton YMCA downtown branch for their space and help running the event, to Tracy Dupuis Photography for capturing our special night, to the Willett teachers & students for the awesome games, to our high school & parent volunteers and to DJ Nate for making it so fun and keeping everyone up on their feet dancing!!
All images from the event can be found here for personal download: https://www.flickr.com/gp/139770121@N06/4r01f23yW7
BOOK FAIR, MAY 15 - 19th - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are excited to announce the Book Fair is back with a special twist! Not only will your child be able to choose from a wonderful selection of titles before summer vacation starts, they'll also get one free book for every book they buy! Students will have the hance to shop the book fair from May 15-May 19. We need volunteers to make this event a success! Please consider signing up for a shift at the link below. All volunteers will receive $5 Scholastic Dollars for their student to use at the fair.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054BAFA82FA2FC1-willett
Visit our school book fair site: It's Book Fair Time!
CHIPOTLE FUNDRAISER
Save the Date: Tuesday, May 16th
We hope you'll join us for our Fundraiser at Chipotle on Washington St.! 33% of sales will be donated directly back to Willett!! If ordering online or thru the App, make sure to input our unique online fundraiser code YVV32A4 in the “Enter a Promo Code” section. Don’t forget to click “Apply.”
Fondly,
The Willett PTO 🐳
Assistant Principal's Corner
THANK YOU PTO and Abacus
Yesterday, our afternoon Abacus students spent time making a beautiful chalk display helping our teachers and staff feel happy and proud to be an amazing educator at Willett. Thank you Abacus for helping to add some color and smiles to our morning arrival.
2023-2024 Fee For Service Information
APS will offer bus service on a Fee for Service basis for the 2023-2024 school year. Registration opens on Monday, May 8, 2023, and closes on July 31, 2023. Please review the email sent by the APS Welcome Center on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, or visit the Transportation website for more information: https://www.attleboroschools.com/o/apswc/page/transportation
Basic Rights in Special Education and Meaningful Parent Participation
Kindergarten Registration
Do you know a student who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2023? Kindergarten Registration for the 2023-2024 school year is open now! Registration must be completed by May 1, 2023, in order to guarantee placement in your neighborhood school. Visit the APS Registration page for more information. ELC students should not complete the online registration process. As a member of the ELC, your child is already enrolled in Attleboro Public Schools. The ELC to Kindergarten Packet contains information regarding the process to transition your child to Kindergarten.
From the Health Office....Mrs. O'Malley
Spring is here with sunny, warmer days and early emergence of pollen and molds that trigger seasonal allergies. Children, who have never been diagnosed with seasonal allergies before, are often affected when the pollen/mold levels are high.
Common symptoms include itchy/watery eyes, nasal stuffiness/drainage, scratchy throat, and headaches (same as covid so please do a covid test first). If your child suffers from allergy symptoms, please contact your doctor for advice on eye drops, nasal sprays, or an appropriate non-drowsy allergy medication that can be taken before school to provide all day relief from symptoms.
Poison Ivy is everywhere. Contact with the oil from the plant’s leaf causes irritation and a red pimple-like rash. Children should wear appropriate clothing to protect skin exposure to poison ivy, especially in wooded or grassy areas. Showering after being outdoors is also a good practice to prevent irritation. If a skin rash develops, over-the-counter medications such as caladryl lotion or hydrocortisone cream will provide relief from minor symptoms. When the rash affects the face or eyes, contact your doctor, as a prescription medication may be needed. It is important to remove over-the-head clothing carefully to protect the face and eyes from contact with poison ivy on clothing.
As outdoor evening activities increase, the time of day when mosquitoes are most active, use of bug repellent can help prevent bites. Ticks can be found in the woods, but also in low bushes, grass and on pets. It is a good practice to check children and pets for ticks when they come in from outdoors.
Drinking enough fluids and good nutrition are very important during the warm weather as the body works harder to regulate temperature. Please encourage your child to have a full glass of a beverage, water preferred, with breakfast and to bring a drink for snack and lunch. Sunscreen can be applied in the morning since recess is usually outdoors, weather permitting.
A Message from Attleboro Public Schools Nurses
Dear Families,
We hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. As the school year progresses, we want to remind you about the importance of keeping your child at home when they are unwell. This not only safeguards their health but also that of their classmates and teachers. It is our collective responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone in our community.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommends the following guidelines to keep children home from school:
- Fever: Temperature of 100.0 or greater - Your child must stay home for 24 hours after the fever has dropped and no fever reducing medication has been given in a 24 hour span of time.
- Diarrhea: Your child must stay home until there is no more diarrhea for 24 hours.
- Vomiting: Your child must stay home until vomiting has stopped for at least 24 hours.
- Cold symptoms: Frequent cough, runny nose, sneezing (not necessarily associated with a fever)-Please test for COVID 19. If negative, please use your best judgment when sending your child to school. If positive, please call the health office.
- Remind your child to cough or sneeze into elbow and not into hands. Encourage frequent hand washing.
- Contagious illnesses: (Strep throat* - see below, conjunctivitis), Your child needs to have taken at least 24 hours of prescribed medication before coming back to school.
- Rashes: Rashes need to be evaluated by a doctor to determine cause and treatment
* According to the Centers for Disease Control, the symptoms of strep may include:
- Fever (100.0 or higher)
- Sore throat with or without swollen, red tonsils
- Difficulty swallowing
- Headache, when combined with sore throat
- Stomachache, when combined with sore throat
- Body aches
It is important to note that not all sore throats are caused by strep throat, and a lab test is needed to confirm a strep infection.
We understand the difficulties that arise when keeping your child at home, but we urge you to prioritize their health and safety. With your cooperation, we can create a safe and healthy environment for everyone.
Sincerely,
Attleboro Public School Nurses
Book now: Manet Community Health at the APS Welcome Center
Manet Community Health Center is now offering Insurance Navigation Services and new patient intake and scheduling on-site at the APS Welcome Center! Book now and learn more here: https://www.attleboroschools.com/o/apswc/page/manet-community-health-center
MASS Health and SNAP Benefits
Important Information about MassHealth and SNAP Benefits:
In response to the COVID-19, MassHealth put protections in place that prevented members’ MassHealth coverage ending, and qualifying Massachusetts households began to receive extra SNAP at the beginning of each month to buy food. Due to recent action by the federal government, these protections and extra benefits will be ending soon. Please visit the Welcome Center website for more information on what you can do now.
Dismissal Notes
Project Connect Newsletters
APS Welcome Center
The APS Welcome Center is happy to share the Family and Community Resource Guide. This guide is for the APS Community, including families, students, and staff, to access local resources and support. You can access the guide by visiting the Welcome Center webpage, or using this direct link:
APS Welcome Center
Did you know that the APS Welcome Center is open and continues to serve all APS families, students, and staff?
The Welcome Center is here to:
- Offer support for families to complete district tasks, included but not limited to New Student Registration, Transportation, Food Services, “how-to” tutorials, translations and interpreting
- Strengthen relationships between APS and the Attleboro community by:
- Connecting families and staff to local resources and supporting this access
- Providing referrals to local support agencies
- Sharing information on behalf of and about community organizations through community fliers and the Welcome Center webpage
- Within the Welcome Center you can find:
- Staff ready to assist with district tasks, clarification of APS information, connections to local resources
- Computers with internet access for APS families and students, hotspots available for loan to APS families
- Information detailing local resources, programs, and events
- Access to translations and interpreters
- Contact the Welcome Center:
- If you need assistance completing district tasks
- You would like to learn more about available resources
- You have questions or suggestions you would like to share
- You would like to connect with a local community organization
Community Flier Summary
All fliers, opportunities, and events shared by the Attleboro Community are found on the Welcome Center webpage. To view the most recent updates and opportunities, visit the Community Fliers page.
Student Attendance Policy
"Research supports that student attendance has a direct correlation to student achievement and graduation rates. Therefore, communication between schools and families regarding student attendance is critical in supporting academic success. All schools will follow the notification schedule outlined below. Students and parents should consult the Student Handbook for details about the procedures and consequences associated with excessive absenteeism at each school."
2022-2023 MCAS Dates
Families with students in grades 3 and 4 - please note the dates below. We ask that all efforts are made to have students present during testing days. Please do your best to avoid these dates when scheduling appointments and vacations.
Math:
Grade 4 - May 8, 9
Grade 3 - May 10, 11
Rooms Communication Tool
You may notice that an additional button, called Rooms, will be visible at the bottom right of our Attleboro Public Schools mobile app. This button is part of our integrated system of communication and will allow for your child’s teachers/coaches/and other staff to share detailed information (assignments, special events, practice schedules, etc.). More information is forthcoming, and we will have a table set up at Welcome Back Night.
Lunch Applications
Lunch applications can be found on the Food Services website, including the online application, a downloadable version in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and a link to access all other languages. Please note that even the online application can be completed in many languages. Direct link can be found here: https://www.attleboroschools.com/page/food-services
Our new website and App:
Please go to the App store and search Attleboro Public Schools. There is a new app which will be an excellent means of finding information in one location. You will see updates both from the district and our school. As we use this new tool, administration will be using less of the ASPEN email function.
🥳WIN A TRIP TO DISNEY!
Registration is open, so be sure to register your student(s) on MYBOOSTER.COM and check out the giving and sharing features.
Just for sharing, you can earn some pretty cool rewards, like a trip to Disney for your family. 🤯
Don’t turn into a pumpkin ! Register and share your donation page today ➡️ MYBOOSTER.COM
There will be more information forthcoming about the Fun Run but we wanted to give you the times for the various grades for any families who may want to cheer the students on from the sidelines (along the field edge)
Kindergarten- 9:15-10:00
Grade 1 and 2- 10:10-11:10
Grade 3 and 4 and LEAP- 1:05-2:05