Dear Greenwood Families,
Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend! It seems funny to have no school Monday and an early release day on Friday, but sometimes that’s just how the calendar plays out. We’ll have a lot to fit in during the rest of the week!
Staffing Update
WPS has a new Occupational Therapist as of 2026! Robin Litwalk decided that the time was right for her to begin her retirement journey at the end of 2025. She will be greatly missed! The district has hired Jennifer Bond to work with students at Greenwood, Woodville, Walton, and WMHS, and we are excited to welcome her on board!
Early Release - Friday, January 23rd
Our next early release day for students is on Friday, January 23rd. All students will be dismissed at 11:55am in order for WPS staff to have professional development sessions in the afternoon. While there will not be a scheduled lunch block during the morning, families will have the option to sign up for a “Grab & Go” lunch. See next blurb for details!
Grab & Go Lunches - Friday, January 23rd
Due to the necessary adjustments to our instructional schedules on shortened school days, we will NOT have a scheduled lunch block during the morning on early release days (kids will still have snack!). However, we WILL be offering the opportunity for children to pick up a “Grab & Go” lunch before they leave the building or go to Wakefield Academy. While still free to access, families will have to sign up in order for their child to take a lunch on any early release day. I will be sending out a separate School Messenger with the sign-up link on Tuesday, January 20th. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about this!
Grades 3 & 4 - MCAS Dates
While we’re still a couple of months away from the testing windows, planning and scheduling for this year’s MCAS tests is underway! Students in Grades 3 & 4 will complete computer-based testing in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. There are two sessions for each subject area, and tests must be scheduled within the window provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. We are sharing these dates now in the effort to avoid scheduling appointments that would remove your child from school on the MCAS testing days.
ELA - Monday, 4/6 & Tuesday, 4/7
Math - Monday, 5/11 & Tuesday, 5/12
If you have a known conflict with these dates, please let me know ASAP. We do have some leeway for makeup dates as long as we stay within the mandated testing window.
Fall 2026 Kindergarten Registration
Do you have a child who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall of 2026? Do you know someone else who does? It’s just about time for us to start looking ahead and thinking about welcoming next year’s crew! Here is the general plan - more information to come!
In early January, WPS will send a mailing to all families of kindergarten-age children in Wakefield. Information will also be posted on the WPS website, WPS social media and in the Wakefield Daily Item. Families will be asked to complete the online registration between January 8th and January 29th. There will be a virtual WPS District Kindergarten Information Meeting with elementary principals for families on Thursday, March 26th at 7:00pm. Kindergarten screening dates will be in June - exact dates will be finalized and shared once we know the date for the last day of school.
Lunchroom Volunteers
Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days? Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood? Come join us as a lunchroom volunteer! If you’d like to come in and help support students while they’re eating lunch, please see the linked Sign-Up Genius to select time slots up until the FEBRUARY break! Single days, multiple days, one time slot, the whole lunch block…we welcome any and all helpers!
Lunchroom volunteers will help students with those tricky thermoses, hand out napkins and utensils, support students while they sort items into composting/food rescue/trash, and help clean tables at the end of each lunch. Oh, and the most important thing - bring smiles and laughter!
NOTE: You will need to have a CORI form completed before coming in for any lunch shifts - please contact Ms. Paiva about the process or to check if you have a current one on file.
Greenwood School Social Media
We are on Facebook and Instagram, and one of my personal goals this year is to show off the fun we’re having throughout Greenwood! Check us out - @wpsgreenwood on both Instagram and Facebook!
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions.
Thank you for everything you do to support your children and their learning! Let’s have a great week!
Tiffany Back
Principal, Greenwood School