Dear Greenwood Families,
Happy Monday! Is everyone ready for another busy week of learning? And with Massachusetts STEM Week and Wakefield STEM Week on top of it all as well! While registration for the WPS activities is now closed, you’ll see in one of my blurbs that we have a lot of participation happening...
Grab & Go Lunches
Some good news last week - the federal grant that is providing students with FREE school lunches has been extended through the end of the 20-21 school year! This means that Grab & Go lunches are available at no cost to any student who may want one. We just need to make sure we get the right number of lunches delivered to us at Greenwood each day! So please fill out this survey if your child is going to participate in the lunch program. Next week’s survey will include November dates.
As a reminder, AM cohort students will bring their lunch home with them. PM cohort students will have the opportunity to eat the Grab & Go lunch as their afternoon snack.
STEM Week Kits
When I got a big delivery of little paper bags with STEM Week materials kits on Friday morning, my first thought was, “Wow! Greenwood kids are really into STEM activities!” as I delivered them to classrooms. Imagine my surprise when ANOTHER big delivery showed up midday on Friday! Very exciting! All this to say that if your child is missing a materials bag for a session, it should be coming home with them on Monday.
School Pictures
O’Connor Studios will be at Greenwood on Monday, November 2nd to take individual student photos for both the AM and PM cohorts. Group photos (individual classes, 4th grade) will not be taken at this time. More information to come!
Grades 3 & 4 - iReady Testing Schedule
As previously shared, Greenwood students will take the diagnostic during their asynchronous learning time on Tuesday, October 27th. Linked here is the iReady testing schedule with Zoom links for Grades 3 & 4 on that day. Valerie Drinan, our Elementary STEM Coordinator will be online proctoring the sessions for each school, with additional support from building principals.
Unfortunately, due to the need for an uninterrupted block of time, this diagnostic will affect 3rd grade specials for both the AM and PM cohorts on October 27th. 4th graders should still be able to attend their specialist class on that day.
A Message from Mrs. Doherty - Grades 3 & 4
From the health office to THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE PARENTS/GUARDIANS:
Massachusetts State Law requires that each child presents documentation of a physical examination prior to first school entry and at intervals of every three to four years thereafter. Ideally, this physical should be performed by your child’s primary care physician.
Children in third & fourth grade need to provide documentation of ONE PHYSICAL performed after September 1st of third grade.
If you have this documentation at home and have not yet sent it in, please email it to mary.doherty@wpsk12.org. (A picture of the document is fine). You could also send a hard copy in with your child labeled “Nurse/Mrs. Doherty” if that would be easier.
Thank you,
Mary Doherty, R.N.
Weather-Appropriate Clothing
I know that classroom teachers have been communicating to families about our outdoor snack/mask break opportunities, and I just want to re-emphasize that we will be taking children outside for this activity as often as we can unless it is actively raining or below 20 degrees with wind chill factored in (not ready to think about that yet, but we know it’s coming!). As the temperatures continue their downward trend, please make sure your child has a sweatshirt or jacket available to them while at school.
Face Mask Reminders
While we’re on the subject of clothing, a reminder about the WPS Face Coverings Policy, specifically the types of face coverings that are not allowed.
Gaiters, bandanas, and masks with one-way valves or vents are not permitted in school buildings.
If a child comes to school with one of the above face coverings, they will be required to use a school-provided mask for the day and the family will be notified of the need for an approved mask from home.
Also, we want to make sure that children are not wearing masks that are dirty or wet while here at school. If you haven’t already put a “back-up mask” in your child’s bag in case it is needed during the day.
We appreciate everyone’s mindfulness for safety!
Technology Support
Please email the WPS Tech Department at technology@wpsk12.org if your child is in need of technology support while at home.
Health Reminder
As we start the school year, we want to ask parents to support us in our efforts to keep everyone safe by practicing and promoting safety precautions, which include hand hygiene, mask-wearing, social distancing, and avoiding large group gatherings and travel to high-risk states where the rates of transmission are high. We are also asking for you to keep children home if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
Fever of 100.0 or higher, and/or chills
Cough (not due to other known cause such as chronic cough, asthma, allergies)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Headache when in combination with other symptoms
Muscle aches or body aches
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Fatigue when in combination with other symptoms
Nasal congestion or runny nose when in combination with other symptoms and not due to other known causes such as allergies
Unusual rash when in combination with other symptoms
Our school nurse, Mrs. Doherty, is always happy to answer any questions you may have or provide clarification.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions. Thank you for everything you do to support your children and their learning!
Tiffany Back