Principal Rubino's Weekly Update

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· Swahili: Katika sanduku nyeusi juu ya jarida, chagua Jarida la Tafsiri ili kuchagua lugha taka.

As we head into the final week before December break, along with finishing strong academically, students have been having fun decorating the doors of their homerooms for a fun winter community building activity. The friendly competition ends on Friday and the winning homeroom will be able to proudly display the stuffed Parker Panther in their classroom. Students are also welcome to participate in spirit week this week. Please read below for more information.

Congratulations to our 8th grade students who performed in the winter concert last week. A special shoutout to Ms. DiMuzio and Mr. Norton for all their hard work leading up to the event. I'm looking forward to the sixth and seventh grade student performances on Tuesday.

I was able to stop by the seventh-grade basketball games on Friday night and it was fun to see so many students present to cheer on their peers. I'll be at a basketball holiday tournament with my fifth grade son over the December break, so perhaps I'll see some Reading teams playing then too!

I wish all Parker students and families a happy, healthy holiday season and a happy 2024. I will not be publishing a newsletter at the end of next week, so please check back for the next newsletter on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024.

Please read on for more information for the week ahead.

Upcoming Events:

Monday, Dec. 18, 2023

Coffee and Conversation with Principal Rubino 8:30 a.m. via Zoom

Topic: What's on your mind? Come chat with me as we round out 2023 and look ahead to 2024.

Zoom Link: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/84997881056

Shrek the Musical Callbacks -after school

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023

6th Grade Winter Concert 6 p.m.

7th Grade Winter Concert 7:45 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 22, 2023

Early Release at 10:45 a.m.

Dec. 25 - Jan. 1, 2023

Winter Break

Monday, Jan. 1

No School - New Year's Day

Wednesday, Jan. 3

iReady ELA

Wednesday, Jan. 10

iReady Math

Friday, Jan. 12

Early Release

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

To access the Cultural Holidays Calendar, click here.

Congratulations to Declan Grant who has been named the Project 351 Ambassador. Project 351 is a year-long, student leadership service organization seeking aspiring change-makers who demonstrate kindness, compassion, and respect for diverse lived experiences, identities and perspectives. Declan was nominated and selected by the Parker Middle School staff.

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.

Reminder if you are interested in participating in the boys or girls’ lacrosse program registration for the 2024 Spring season is now open. Look for the registration signs around Town and please go to www.readinglacrosse.org to register for a team. No prior lacrosse experience is required!

Please mark your calendar for the following dates for MCAS testing:

• ELA 6 - 8: Tuesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 10

• Math 6-8: Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16

• STE 8: Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22

• Civics 8 performance task: Tuesday, May 28

• Civics 8 end of course test: Monday, June 3

It's important that students are present in school on the days of MCAS testing.

The RMHS PTO is sponsoring a presentation given by Fidelity for parents on Jan. 17 at 7 pm in the RMHS library. Fidelity is putting this on as a free resource for parents and we are also partnering with them for sessions for students and PD for staff – all for free.

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

Tuesday, Dec 19th, 6PM

Tiered Support for Students Presentation and SEPAC Winter Business Meeting

• Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is used by the Reading Public Schools to give targeted support to struggling students. Join us to learn how it works and to ask questions.

• Business meeting to follow

• Opportunity for parents and caregivers-only conversation following conclusion of the meeting.

• Virtual Event - Meeting URL: https://readingpsma.zoom.us/j/81226110598

Enrollments and audition sign ups are available for this summer's Five Star program for ages 9-15. Enroll by January 1, 2024. Details on their website: https://www.fivestartheatre.org/

As we are in the midst of cold and flu season, we are also seeing an increase in COVID cases. Please be aware that there are masks and COVID test kits available in the health office for all students, families and staff. Please see our COVID protocols here, and information about the flu here. Please feel free to reach out to Nurse Kate with any questions. Our next vaccine clinic will be held at Coolidge middle school on Friday January 5th from 2-5 pm.

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."

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