Principal Rubino's Weekly Update

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As you are aware, Tuesday is Halloween. We are allowing students to dress up and we are reminding students that we need to be able to see students' faces; therefore, masks or face coverings are not allowed. Additionally, toy accessories that resemble or look like weapons are not allowed. Also, please be mindful that students are required to complete all regular school activities, so whatever costume they choose should not inhibit their ability to partake in a regular school day. Students are not required to dress up. This is entirely optional.

During advisory, we have had conversations around cultural appropriation. The goal of these conversations is to teach what it means to be a kind member of a community. We have been explaining the following:

Cultural appropriation is when someone adopts or uses elements of another culture in a way that can be disrespectful or offensive. For example, wearing a costume that makes fun of someone's traditional clothing or that exaggerates characteristics of a specific culture can be hurtful. Instead, it's a great idea to choose a costume that doesn't play on stereotypes or make fun of a culture. Students can still dress up as their favorite characters or creatures without borrowing from someone else's culture in a way that might offend them.

It's always a good idea to ask yourself: "Is this costume respectful to the people and traditions it represents?" If the answer is unsure, it might be better to choose a different costume.

Remember, Halloween is about having fun and being creative, so it's awesome to express yourself through your costume while being kind and respectful to everyone.

• The second session of Parker's After School Activities was sent home to families last week. Please be sure to sign up and get involved.

• The next Principal Student Advisory Council with Principal Rubino will meet after school in the cafeteria on Wednesday, Nov. 8 from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. All are welcome; signups not required. Attend when you are able.

• If you are interested in joining the following Parker clubs, please see the appropriate teacher(s) for more information:

1. Parker Leaders - Ms. Peterson (kimberly.peterson@reading.k12.ma.us)
2. AWOD (A World of Difference) - Ms. Fowke and Mr. Gibbs (nancy.fowke@reading.k12.ma.us; douglas.gibbs@reading.k12.ma.us)
3. GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance) - Ms. Merrill and Ms. Kiser (julie.merrill@reading.k12.ma.us; megan.kiser@reading.k12.ma.us)
4. Math Team - Ms. Carter (caitlin.carter@reading.k12.ma.us)
5. Science Olympiad - Ms. Cotta (robyn.cotta@reading.k12.ma.us)
6. Parker News Live - Ms. Ferrazzani (robyn.ferrazzani@reading.k12.ma.us)
7. Yearbook - Ms. Ferrazzani (robyn.ferrazzani@reading.k12.ma.us)
8. Environmental Club - Ms. Fowke (nancy.fowke@reading.k12.ma.us)
9. 8th Grader Leadership Academy - Dr. Story (jill.story@reading.k12.ma.us)

Have a great week!

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday, Oct. 31:

Halloween - students are allowed to dress up (no masks, weapons, and please pay attention to cultural appropriation)

NE Metro Tech Presentation Grade 8

Thursday, Nov. 2:

Library Field Trip; Team Unity

Tuesday, Nov. 7:

No School for Students/PD Day for Staff

Friday, Nov. 10:

No School/Veteran's Day Observed

Monday, Nov. 13:

Essex Tech Presentation to Grade 8 Students

PTO Meeting - 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 17:

No School for Students/PD Day for Staff

Wednesday, Nov. 22:

Early Dismissal at 10:45 a.m.

Thursday, Nov. 23:

Thanksgiving Day - No School

Friday, Nov. 24:

No School

Tuesday, Nov 28:

Team Endeavor Lexington Field Trip

Wednesday, Nov. 29:

Team Inspire Lexington Field Trip

Wednesday, Nov. 29:

Coffee and Conversation with Principal Rubino via Zoom at 9 a.m.

Special Guest and Topic TBD

To access the 2023-2024 District Calendar, click here.

To access the Cultural Holidays Calendar, click here.

📌 Our next PTO meeting is Monday, November 13 at 7 p.m. at Parker Middle School and via Zoom (https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/85845982809). All are welcome! Take a sneak peek at our upcoming agenda: https://tinyurl.com/Nov23PTOmtg

📌 It’s pie time! Once again the Parker PTO is working with Wilson Farm of Lexington to provide us with delicious pies for the holiday season! Buy some for yourself or purchase pies to donate and we will deliver to the Reading Food Pantry!

These are 10” pies, and they’re frozen so you can use them throughout the holidays. Available flavors: blueberry, apple, southern pecan, pumpkin, Boston cream, chocolate cream, and strawberry rhubarb.

** LAST DAY TO DONATE PIES TO THE READING FOOD PANTRY IS MONDAY, OCTOBER 30!! **

All other pies must be ordered by Monday, November 6.

For more info, see the order form: https://tinyurl.com/ParkerPies

If you have any questions please contact Kate McLeod at kate.fugina@gmail.com.

📌 Check out the Charleson Wrap sale, open now through 12/4/23! https://tinyurl.com/ParkerCW2023

Shop online for upcoming holidays including Halloween and Thanksgiving, gift wrap, candles, eco-friendly items, personalized gifts, kitchen items, gourmet snacks and more. A portion of all sales will be donated to Parker. Shop now and items are delivered after ordering - no waiting for the end of the sale!

📌 SAVE THE DATE!

- Pie Sale - Donate a pie to the Reading Food Pantry by M, 10/30. Other pie orders are due M, 11/6. Pickup Tuesday, 11/21 from 5-7pm at Parker. https://tinyurl.com/ParkerPies2023

- Charleston Wrap - Open 10/16-12/4/23: https://tinyurl.com/ParkerCW2023

- Friday, November 3, 2023: Restaurant Night at Mandarin Reading

📌 WAYS TO STAY CONNECTED:

• Email: parkerptopres@gmail.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParkerPTO
• Instagram: @ParkerMSPTO
• Parker PTO webpage: tinyurl.com/ParkerPTOpage

Paul Stiller, founding member/producer/arranger/vocal percussionist for the Boston-based a cappella quintet Vox One, visited the 8th grade chorus and Parker’s a cappella group (Parkappella) on 10/24. Mr. Stiller is also a professor of Ear Training at Berklee College of Music, as well as an active adjudicator and clinician throughout the US and Japan. While at Parker, Mr. Stiller demonstrated various beatboxing techniques, coached the students on their a cappella repertoire, and answered questions about his musical background and career. He will return again in April for a second visit with the groups. These visits, along with four others throughout the year, were funded by a grant from the Reading Education Foundation to provide excellent vocal and choral instruction from experts in their respective music professions.

A message from Rebekah Torrensson from the Burbank YMCA:

We’ve had a number of families interested in afterschool for middle schoolers recently. Afterschool is available until age 14 at the Y. Our focus is social emotional growth and development. The structure of the day includes outdoor or gym time, snack, homework time and support, age appropriate enrichment activities, opportunities to learn how to support and lead younger age groups. We also have a rock wall which use from time to time and swimming on full days especially. We do have many opportunities for our young people to be involved in service projects throughout the year! Please reach out to the Y for more information!

Lights, camera, STEAM! Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) inspire big ideas, bold action – and creativity. Our skills make it possible to create art and experiences that bring us together, entertain us, and move us.

During our 2023-2024 arts-inspired robotics season, FIRST® IN SHOWSM presented by Qualcomm, we will celebrate the roles our STEM skills play in the arts and design and build a world of endless possibilities. The future is yours to create! For more information or to register, please visit: https://readingcommunityeducation.myrec.com/info/default.aspx

Who: Students in 6th – 8 th grade. Each team will have a maximum of 6 students.

What: Each team is given the FIRST LEGO League challenge to complete. This year it is the “MASTERPIECE” challenge! In early March there will be an exhibition for the teams to showcase what they’ve done all season.

When: Teams meet for 1.5 hours/week starting in November until early March.

Where: Teams will meet at the middle schools during a time that the coach is available.

Coaching: Parents, we need your help! We are in need of parent volunteer coaches. We will supply you with all materials and information for the season. If possible, we will have assistant from the RMHS Robotics Team.

The number of teams are dependent on the number of coaches available. Please consider volunteering to coach this exciting program!

Cost: $199/child (Includes team registration fee and t-shirt)

We are looking for one student representative from Parker to join with school, town, and community leaders to help solve problems for our youth.

What is the Reading Children's Cabinet?

The Reading Children’s Cabinet brings together key leaders and
community members that serve children and youth. Our goals are to
strengthen collaboration, align resources, and help to close
programming gaps. The Reading Children’s Cabinet builds on the strong
cross sector leadership already in place in Reading with Reading Public
Schools, Town leadership, the Reading Police Department, community
leaders, business leaders, parents / guardians, and students all coming
together to empower youth to thrive.

What is the time commitment?

We anticipate that the time commitment will include three official meetings in the 2023 – 2024 school year, with the possibility of interim working group meetings to develop action plans for priorities that are identified.

Meeting dates for the 2023 – 2024 Reading Children’s Cabinet are as follows:

December 6th, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

March 6th, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

June 5th, 6:30pm – 8:00pm

Meetings will be held at the Reading Public Library and are zoom optional.

I'm interested. Now what?

If you are interested in this unique opportunity and are able to commit to attending all 3 meetings, please complete this form.

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."

Essex North Shore's Annual Open House: Saturday, November 18, 2023

Essex North Shore’s Annual Open House will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023. Two sessions will be offered. Pre-registration will be required. Additional information will be available at EssexNorthShore.com in the coming weeks as will posters and “Apply Now” cards for your offices and schools.

Northeast Metro Tech Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, November 1, 2023 from 6:00pm – 8:30pm

The Special Education Parent Advisory Council 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

Thank you to everyone who attended the 10/17 meeting. The video of recorded portions will be posted on our website soon. Thanks to Etain O’Dea for serving as Election Coordinator and to Dana Levin for taking notes. New SEPAC board members are Chris Kowaleski, Dilly Wilson and Jacyln Lee. Returning SEPAC board members are Zea Lennard, Eunice Kenyon and Lindsay Conti.

Upcoming events:

SEPACsgiving November 13-19 (sign up for sessions by November 3rd)

SEPACsgiving will be an opportunity for general members to connect with other general members in self-selected groups (eg ADHD, Dyslexia, SAIL, OOD, etc.). Members will "give" presence, time, resources, support, encouragement, and compassion to one another. The initial meeting, for which you can sign up using this link, will be 30 minutes long, virtual, and with an identified point person present to help facilitate conversation, take general notes of broad ideas and questions the group would like shared with the SEPAC board and/or Student Services, and help identify and plan for next steps. Members MAY share contact info and choose if and how they would like to continue/grow their network. Please sign up by November 3rd to allow organizers enough planning time.

SEPAC Tree

Watch emails for news for how to participate in the creation of a fantastic SEPAC tree for the REF Festival of Trees. SEPAC is proud to once again participate in this fantastic community event which supports our schools! Thank you Alyssa Scaparotti for volunteering your time, resources and vision for this year’s tree.

Are you on our mailing list? Check to see if you received an email from “SEPAC” at about 5pm on Tuesday 10/17. If you did not, you are not on our confidential mailing list, and you are missing out! Simply send an email to sepacreading@gmail.com and we will add you to our private list.

Youth MHFA for Adults Supporting Youth

The Reading Coalition for Prevention & Support invites adults to participate in a special course. Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18. The course will teach you how to apply the MHFA Action Plan including: Assess for risk of suicide or harm, Listen nonjudgmentally, Give reassurance and information, Encourage appropriate professional help and Encourage self-help and other support strategies. The instructor, Erica McNamara, is credentialed through the National Council on Mental Wellbeing for Mental Health First Aid USA. Join us for all 4 sessions to become certified as a first aider on November 9, 16, 30 from 6-8 pm and Dec. 7 from 6-8 pm at the Reading Public Library. Register at https://conta.cc/3DKbCQQ

Please take the time to read through the handbook to review our policies regarding school attendance.

The best way to report any attendance issues (absence, tardy, or dismissal) for your child is by sending an email to the Parker absentee line – wspabsences@reading.k12.ma.us

Please make sure to give us:

• Student Name

• a reason for the absence or tardy

• expected date of return

• for dismissal, the name of the person who will be dismissing your child

Ms. Rochelle M. Rubino, M. Ed., CAGS

Principal

Dr. Jill Story

Assistant Principal

Email: rochelle.rubino@reading.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/parker/
Location: 45 Temple Street, Reading, MA, USA
Phone: 781-944-1236
Twitter: @WSParkerMS