A Message from Principal Gallegos
Greetings, Barrows Families,
This time of year always feels like a season warp. I still have snow in my yard in a spot that never gets sunlight and pops of green buds popping up around it. March is always the longest month in school; as the days grow longer and we are maximizing this new sense of energy with lots of reading, students are deep into their learning and demonstrating stamina in their work. As a school community, we are reteaching our expectations at lunch, recess, and transition times (in and outside the classroom). Our number one priority is for students to feel safe; we are reminding our students to be kind with their words and safe with their bodies. Please take some time this weekend to encourage your student to continue to make great choices around their peers and show respect for themselves and each other.
This week Mrs. Hurley and I had the opportunity to attend the Reading Municipal Light Art Contest to see three of our Barrows 4th graders presented with certificates for their artwork. Congratulations, Addy, Abby, and Nola! Every fourth grader learned about electrical safety, how electricity gets to the home, and electricity and the environment and created a poster to show what they learned. I am so impressed by how each student creatively captured their learning!
We plan on finishing the month and our Read-a-thon in style! Students are invited to dress up as their favorite book characters on Friday. See the flyer below for details. Don't forget to help your student log their last week of reading minutes--this is the final push!
Happy reading!
Warmly,
Alissa Gallegos
Check-out how Barrows Families Encourages Reading at Home!
Awesome idea #5:
"Regular trips to our awesome public library--even better when the weather is nice and we bike there! Our kids like to check out some books and some things! Not only do we enjoy the hunt for great books, we have checked out building sets and a ukelele."
From the Desk of Nurse Rose
Dear Families,
As you may know, each year, 5th graders learn about puberty in health class in the fall. For some, this is all new information, and we know it is helpful to learn about this first with their parents/guardians.
It is very helpful to start young children to learn, understand, and get comfortable with their body functions. At some point (anything to do with puberty) gets too close for comfort, and they do not want to hear any of it! The period before this is what I would consider the "window of opportunity"- when children are curious about their bodies and not embarrassed to talk with their parents/guardians.
There are many awesome books for children about body anatomy in general. I also have some puberty-specific books in the health office available to borrow if you are interested.
Some titles include:
What's The Big Deal
It's So Amazing
It's Perfectly Normal
Who Has What?
The Boys Body Book
The Care of Keeping You, 1
The Care of Keeping You, 2
Warmly,
Christine Rose R.N
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.
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.
