PRINCIPAL UPDATE
Our Northeast Read-A-Thon continues this week! Keep reading!!
This week is a Northeast School Spirit Week. Be sure to check out this document to make sure you know what to wear each day: March Spirit Days
Attention Grade 5 Families:
- Middle School Course Selection Forms are due on Thursday, March 28th.
- There will be a Middle School Transition Night at both Kennedy Middle School and McDevitt Middle School on Tuesday, April 30th. You should attend the event at the middle school your child is attending in the fall.
- Northeast Fifth Grade Celebration will be on Wednesday, June 12th at 10:00am.
MCAS
MCAS begins on April 2nd and runs through May 15th for students in Grades 3, 4 and 5. Please see the MCAS calendars below for specific MCAS testing days for your child(ren). It is very important that your child(ren) be in school for their testing days and be ON TIME. Students who arrive late to school on their testing day will not be allowed to enter their classroom until testing is over and will have to participate in a make-up session. It is equally important for all of our students to be well rested and have a healthy breakfast on testing days in order for them to be prepared to do their best.
Northeast School Council Update:
The Northeast School Council has begun researching the possibility of building a new Inclusive Playground for Northeast Elementary School that would be accessible to ALL of our students. An inclusive playground is an open and safe space carefully designed to promote play among children of differing abilities, ages, and communities. It gives children with and without any disability the same platform to play while breaking down barriers, both physically and socially. We are in the beginning stages of this journey which has included: looking at Inclusive Playgrounds in other towns, obtaining quotes from different companies, brainstorming fundraising efforts, applying for grants to help fund this project, meeting with different groups and organizations such as the Waltham Disabilities Commission, the Waltham School Committee, SMILE Mass. We will provide updates on our progress as we have them. We are very excited and passionate about this project. Stay tuned!
BUS 320
Unfortunately, we continue to have behavior concerns on Bus 320. These behaviors include students putting their hands on other students, moving seats, standing up, jumping on and over students, inappropriate language, yelling, and disrespectful behavior towards the bus driver. These are all unacceptable behaviors and will not be tolerated. We have spoken to many students on this bus about their poor behavior, have assigned seats for some students, and have given warnings. It has come to the point where we have had to issue severe consequences and remove bus privileges from several students. On Friday, everyone on Bus 320 was spoken to at the end of the day and reminded of our Northeast expectations for riding the school bus. This is considered a warning for all students on Bus 320. Any further incidents will result in removal of bus privileges.
We will also be having conversations with students on all buses as a reminder about expectations for riding school buses. In addition, we would greatly appreciate family support with conversations at home as well. As a reminder, I am including the Northeast School Bus Contract that all students who ride a school bus signed with their families at the beginning of the school year.
Thank you for your support with this.
Another reminder about cell phones and smart watches:
We continue to see students with cell phones and smart watches in school. These are not allowed to be used in elementary school or on the school buses. On page 18 of the Waltham Public Schools Elementary Schools Handbook it states, "Students are not permitted to bring video games or similar equipment to school. If students bring cell phones, smart watches, or any other communication device, they are to remain turned off and placed in their backpack before leaving the house and remain there during the school day, riding the bus to and from school, and at all times on school property. The first such offense will lead to confiscation of the equipment for the day. Repeat offenses may lead to confiscation until the end of the school year." Please help us to reinforce this rule. Parents should not be texting or calling their children during the school day. If you need to contact them, you should be calling the main office of the school. Thank you.
This week...
- Monday, March 18 - Northeast Spirit Day - Northeast St. Patrick's Day - Wear GREEN
- Tuesday, March 19 - Northeast Spirit Day - Fandom Day - Wear your favorite team or band color
- Wednesday, March 20 - Northeast Spirit Day - MisMatch Day - Wear clothes that don't match like: colors, patterns, silly combinations
- Wednesday, March 20 - Early Release Day for Staff Professional Development. 1:00pm Dismissal. No afternoon Integrated PreK.
- Wednesday, March 20 - School Committee Meeting @ 7:00pm
- Thursday, March 21 - Northeast Spirit Day - RED-y to Learn - Wear something RED
- Friday, March 22 - Northeast Spirit Day - Students dress like teachers, teachers dress like students
Have a great week!
Mrs. Tenaglia and Miss McAvoy
NORTHEAST READ-A-THON
Please see the following information about our Northeast Read-A-Thon, which began on Monday, March 11, 2024 and is ongoing. Keep reading Northeast friends!
WPS KINDERGARTEN FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR
Waltham Public Schools will once again be holding a Kindergarten Family Resource Fair on Thursday, April 11th from 4:00-5:30pm at the McDevitt Middle School Cafeteria. This is an event where you can learn all about Kindergarten in the Waltham Public Schools, meet school staff and begin preparing to send your child to Kindergarten.
🍎 HEALTHY WALTHAM FOOD PANTRY
For details about Healthy Waltham and the Food Pantry, please visit: healthywaltham.org or call: 781-314-5647
Located at Fitch
5 Cherry Street, Waltham
All pantry clients must sign up for an appointment
through this link: https://www.your-market.org/
Upcoming pantry dates:
Thursday, March 28th
NORTHEAST PTO
Follow the Northeast PTO on Instagram @northeast_elementary_pto and Facebook Northeast PTO page for updates on all the fun coming up!
New PTO Website!!!!
Register today to access a school directory, check out the calendar, and follow all things PTO! Once signed up, you can opt in to the directory and share the information you choose with other registered families!
If you want to access the website in a different language, you can choose your language on the top right on mobile, or at the bottom on a computer!
Any questions - just ask!
Parent Sign-Up Instructions:
Click “Sign Up” link to sign up (for mobile phone, click top right menu, then “Sign Up” link)
After signing in, enter code P7747R to join
If you want to add your student to the Directory, you can find the Student Directory section, “Add Student," Add your child, Choose their teacher!
Restaurant Fundraisers:
Spirit Wear Store
Spirit Wear Store Link: NORTHEAST SPIRIT WEAR
See the PTO Calendar of Events for the 2023-2024 school year below!
2023-2024 Northeast PTO Board Members:
-President: Daniella Ricci
-Vice Presidents: Jill Cannon and Jaclyn Komow
-Secretary: Jackie Arone
-Treasurer: Jenn Gunnell
-Executive Director of NEPTO LLC: Jeremy Davidson
Northeast Elementary School
Ms. Kelly McAvoy, Assistant Principal
Email: MaryEllenTenaglia@walthampublicschools.org
Website: https://www.walthampublicschools.org/o/northeast
Location: 70 Putney Lane, Waltham, MA 02452, USA
Phone: 781-314-5740
