Principal Rubino's Weekly Update

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This past week you received your child’s quarter 1 report card. As a reminder, although Parker does not hold formal teacher conferences, I encourage you to reach out to your child’s team leader to schedule a time to meet with your child’s team either in person, via Zoom or on the phone if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress.

I also wanted to offer some clarity around the effort and conduct marks. Students do receive a comment for effort and conduct. The spectrum for those marks is as follows:

Conduct Marks:

Conduct is satisfactory

Conduct is inconsistent

Conduct is unsatisfactory

Effort Marks:

Effort is outstanding

Effort is above average

Effort is satisfactory

Effort is inconsistent

Effort is unsatisfactory

Special education progress reports will be sent home by Friday, Dec. 1.

This upcoming week is a short week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Wednesday is an early release day and students will be dismissed at 10:45 a.m. I will not be publishing a newsletter during the Thanksgiving break. My next newsletter will be published on Sunday, Dec. 3.

On Wednesday, Parker Middle School students will participate in the Second Annual Gobbler Games. This is an opportunity for team building and community engagement on a short day right before the Thanksgiving break. It’s likely to be quite a bit of fun!

Date Change: Please adjust your calendar - the next Coffee and Conversation with Principal Rubino will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. Mr. Ruscak will be my special guest. During this session, you will hear more about Title 1 at Parker Middle School and get to learn more about our new Title 1 math interventionist.

Join me at Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. for the next “Coffee and Conversation with Principal Rubino” via Zoom: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/84997881056

Attention Eighth-Grade Families: On Friday, I sent an email about Challenge Day. Please check your emails and the Portal so you can learn more about the upcoming SEL experience for students.

Upcoming Events:

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

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

Special Guest: Title 1 Interventionist Mr. Bryan Ruscak. https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/84997881056

Wednesday, Nov. 29:

Team Inspire Lexington Field Trip

Saturday, Dec. 2 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Sunday, Dec. 3 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.):

REF Festival of Trees @ Parker Middle School

See flyers below for more information.

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

To access the Cultural Holidays Calendar, click here.

From now until December break, Parker Middle School will be participating in the “Coats for Kids and Families” Drive.

We are looking for adult and children size warm winter coats. Each year, Anton’s Cleaners aims to collect 50,000 warm winter coats to provide to individuals and families in need. Coats are cleaned by Anton’s Cleaners and made available to a network of over 90 distribution partners made up of local nonprofits, social service agencies, and schools to ensure the coats are given to those who really need them!

Please donate your coats to the large box next to the main stairs on the first floor.

President Biden issued on October 29, 2021 a proclamation designating November 2021 as "National Native American Heritage Month." 2022: President Biden issues on October 31, 2022 a proclamation designating November 2022 as "National Native American Heritage Month."

The month is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, histories and acknowledge the important contributions of Native American people. It’s a time to educate students about different tribes, raise general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and in ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges

Registrations are via the QR code on the flyer or this Eventbrite link.

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

SEPACsgiving was a great success. A huge thank you to Maria Morgan for organizing and hosting this wonderful series of events. Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving next week.

Upcoming events:

The Learning Center review process has been completed and Student Services will be presenting the findings at the school committee meeting on November 30th. This will be followed-up with a virtual presentation (The Learning Center Review Results) hosted by Reading SEPAC on Thursday 12/7 @ 7 pm to give parents an opportunity to learn more about the learning center, the review results, and to ask questions directly to Student Services. Zoom link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/85297238312

SEPAC REF Tree:

Reading SEPAC is proud to once again participate in the Reading Education Foundation (REF) Festival of Trees which supports our schools. Every year our members have graciously helped us to reach this goal and we hope this year will be no different as it would not be possible without your help!

A big thank you to Alyssa Scaparotti for volunteering to create a tree for the REF Festival on behalf of Reading SEPAC. This year's theme will be Ice Cream Wonderland.

This is a wonderful opportunity to not only support two Reading volunteer groups, Reading SEPAC and REF, but also to help Reading SEPAC spread awareness of our mission to continue to make Reading a better place for children with disabilities and to support families.

Here's some ways to help and to get involved:

Donate items or help decorate the tree

We would gratefully accept contributions of decorations/gifts for the SEPAC tree.

Here's two lists, if you wish to contribute, please know that we would welcome anything that goes with the theme, no matter where it's from.

Sign Up Genius

Amazon Wishlist

Items purchased off the Amazon wishlist have the option to be shipped directly to Allysa.

If you are able to help, we are beyond grateful. Please reach out if you'd like to help in any way not mentioned. Thank you!

The Parker Middle School will begin Annual Screenings including Postural, beginning next week. The purpose of Postural screening is to find early signs of possible spinal problems in children in grades 6-8. It is not a diagnostic service but a program to identify young people who should have further medical evaluation. If your child has any unusual findings, you will be notified and asked to take the child to a physician as a precaution. The majority of students exhibit no findings. If nothing unusual is found, we will not be contacting you again until the screening next year.

Annual State mandated screenings include:

Grade 6: postural-scoliosis

Grade 7: postural-scoliosis, hearing, vision, height/weight

Grade 8: postural-scoliosis, sbirt

For postural screening please send students in clothing (during PE days) that will help support visualization of the spine. Students should be checked with their backs bare. Boys should be bare to the waist; girls should wear two-piece bathing suits or shorts and a halter.

There is an alternative to opt out. If you do not want your student to participate, please email/submit a written request specifying which screening(s) to omit and submit current documentation of screening by their health care provider.

Parker screenings opt out link: https://forms.gle/bkUS6Anz3cPmxptE8

Please see the links for state information about school health screenings, immunizations and school exclusions: https://www.mass.gov/lists/school-health-screening,https://www.mass.gov/info-details/school-immunizations#school-and-camp-requirements-,

Chart reviews will continue to update immunization records, parents can upload updated vaccinations and documents directly on the snap health portal.

Grade 7 & New Students: Tdap & Meningococcal vaccines are required for the start of 7th grade, and the district requests an updated physical.

Reading Public Schools Snap Health Portal: https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/en-US/health-services-83f6862d/snap-health-portal-7580ab3a

Health offices can be reached via the health portal, or email/phone.

In Health,

Nurse Kate

kate.shmulsky@reading.k12.ma.us

"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."

For those who enjoy updates on my puppy, I thought I'd share a photo from this past weekend. Maui had his first experience at the groomer and returned with trimmed nails and lots of fluffy fur!

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