From the Principal: 3/4/24

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday! They say March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, but I feel like the “lion” was tricked by the Leap Day and showed up early with that crazy wind! We’ll see what still lies ahead, but spring is certainly on everyone’s minds. It’s a little hard to believe that we’ve only been back from February break for one week - everyone is working hard, staying busy, and having fun - let’s keep it up!

No School - Tuesday, March 5th

Due to the use of Galvin Middle School for townwide voting, there will be no school for students on Tuesday, March 5th. This will be a professional development day for all WPS staff.

Upcoming Early Release Days - Change in Lunch Routines

This should sound familiar from the fall! During the month of March, we have two early release days for conferences (3/13 & 3/20) along with some additional adjustments to our instructional schedules on those particular days. Due to this, we will NOT have a scheduled lunch block during the morning on those days. However, we WILL be offering the opportunity for children to pick up a “Grab & Go” lunch before they leave the building. While still free to access, families will have to sign up in order for their child to take a lunch on either of these days. I will be sending out a School Messenger with the sign-up link no later than the Monday before each early release day. Thank you for your cooperation and flexibility with this!

Wakefield Parent University

Wakefield’s 2024 Parent University will take place on Saturday, March 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Galvin Middle School. All parents and caregivers are invited to attend this free event featuring more than a dozen in-person workshops, a keynote session, and meet-and-greet opportunities with local organizations. Wakefield Academy will provide free on-site childcare.

The event will kick off with keynote speaker Mel Peirce. Peirce, a Certified Professional Coach and Parenting Mentor, has combined research with the most effective coaching tools to develop a parenting toolbox you can start using right away. If your child is easily frustrated, their emotions are all consuming, or if you’re often on edge because your child's emotions are unpredictable, her session will be especially insightful.

Following the keynote will be casual, interactive workshops facilitated by Wakefield Public Schools staff and community partners, that cover a variety of topics spanning all grade levels. From “Early Childhood Milestones” to “College Planning,” there’s something for everyone! Register for your sessions and sign up for on-site childcare at bit.ly/WakefieldParentU.

WEF is 35 Years Old!

Celebrate by Supporting WEF through its Online Auction! WEF’s annual auction to raise money for its annual grant process will run from March 1st (12 am) through March 15th (11:59 pm). Auction items are better than ever, including Bruins, Celtics and Patriots tickets, family fun activities in and around Boston, tickets to theater and live music, art and jewelry, gift cards to Wakefield restaurants and small businesses, and more. And new this year is lunch for your child and a friend with their elementary school principal--look in the unique experiences category! Please click this link and support WEF as it supports our school in providing additional enrichment activities for all students in Wakefield. Thank you from WEF!

Wakefield Human Rights Commission - International Women’s Day

On Thursday, March 7th, the Wakefield Human Rights Commission (WHRC) will commemorate International Women’s Day with a program that illuminates the UN Women’s 2024 theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.” This will feature a panel of accomplished women who will share their experiences transforming challenges and barriers into opportunities. This special program will be presented from 7- 8:30 p.m. in the Wakefield Memorial HS theater. A reception will follow.

Lunchroom Volunteers

Thank you to all of the fantastically-dedicated volunteers who have been making lunchtime a little brighter! You are so greatly appreciated!!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:10 pm on school days? Or 10:30-11:50 am on regular early release days? Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood? Then join us for our lunchroom volunteer opportunities! 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 through the end of April. 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

From the Principal: 2/12/24

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday! We’ve survived the groundhog...we’ve flown past the 100th day...how is it already time for February break? This will be a busy week at Greenwood, starting off with some special visitors from the Wakefield School Committee and Wakefield Town Council on Monday. Greenwood is the next stop on their “school visit tour,” and we’re excited to show them what makes Greenwood a great place to be!

Report Cards

Report cards were emailed out to families on Friday afternoon. As mentioned in the “student ID” email, we were advised that there may be a PowerSchool issue where only one family member, despite the selected settings, may receive the report card. We’re hoping this will be remedied before the next sending, but in the meantime, please reach out if you still need access.

Monday’s All-School Meeting - 3rd Grade Hosting

We will have our 3rd grade-hosted All-School Meeting on Monday, February 12th starting at 9:00 am. Each grade level is responsible for sharing about a positive attribute that we want our Greenwood community to embrace and embody. We would like to invite 3rd-grade parents/guardians to attend if you are able to do so. (Seating will be up in the balcony.)

4th Grade Reminder - NAEP Testing

4th grade families received notification toward the end of January about NAEP testing for our 4th grade students on Thursday, February 15th. While there are no individual or school score reports as a result of this assessment, the information gathered through the randomly-selected schools who participate is used to provide information for “The Nation’s Report Card” each year. More information can be found on the NAEP website.

DIBELS and iReady Family Reports

Later this week, we will be sending home paper copies of your child’s DIBELS and iReady reports in their folders. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the information!

Food Rescue Program Support Needed

Greenwood has been doing such a great job reducing food waste through our volunteer-run food rescue program, and they could use more help! If you’re able to help out by signing up to pick up food from school and/or drop off food at designated locations, that would be great! Please use the WPS Food Rescue 2024:Sign Up Genius form to select the day(s) you’re able to support. Thanks in advance!

Wakefield Police Department - RAD Kids Program

Please see the linked flyer about the WPD RAD kids program to be run during February vacation week.

WEF's Annual Online Auction

WEF's Annual Online Auction WEF's annual auction is one of its most profitable fundraisers, making it possible to provide more grant funding back to our schools. WEF is looking for items to auction from our community members. Do you have a business, or know of a business owner who might be willing to donate WEF with an item in the form of an experience, a gift card for a service, tickets to a sporting event or theater, or other item? We are collecting items from now until Feb 25th. Please send an email to either Cary Mazzone at carymazzone@gmail.com, or Melissa Holmes at melissa.holmes@rcn.com with details and any questions. Thanks for your support of WEF!

Lunchroom Volunteers

Thank you to all of the fantastically-dedicated volunteers who have been making lunchtime a little brighter! You are so greatly appreciated!!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:10pm on school days? Or 10:30-11:50am on regular early release days? Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood? Then join us for our lunchroom volunteer opportunities! 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 through the end of February. 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

From the Principal: 12/4/23

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday! Last week classrooms began to enjoy the VERY hands-on and active science workshops brought to us by the Discovery Museum, thanks to the generosity of the Greenwood PTO and the Wakefield Educational Foundation! Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade have had their turns…3rd grade and 4th grade programs are upcoming. It’s been fantastic to have parent volunteers joining us to support these workshops as well. We are so lucky to be part of a school community that provides these additional opportunities for fun and joyful learning!

Early Release - Wednesday, December 6th

Our next early release day for students is on Wednesday, December 6th. All students will be dismissed at 11:55 am in order for WPS staff to have professional development sessions in the afternoon. Please note: there will be a scheduled lunch block for students prior to dismissal.

School Safety Reminder - Doors and Visitors

You may have seen some recent news stories about unauthorized people attempting to enter school buildings in other towns. Just a reminder that for the safety of all, outer doors at Greenwood are kept closed and locked unless monitored by building staff. People wishing to access the building must ring the doorbell and be admitted by office staff. Visitors are to sign in and out of the building and wear visible during their time here. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation with these protocols!

Lost & Found

Has your child’s jacket gone missing? Are you wondering where their sweatshirt has gotten itself to? We have QUITE a collection of items in the lost & found (the fluctuations in temperature haven’t helped lots of sweatshirts and jackets left on the playground during recess). Feel free to drop by and check it out - let’s do some reuniting! Anything left in the lost & found when we head into December break will be donated.

Lunchroom Volunteers

Thank you to all of the fantastically-dedicated volunteers who have been making lunchtime a little brighter! You are so greatly appreciated!!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:10 pm on school days? Or 10:30-11:50 am on regular early\ release days? Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood? Then join us for our lunchroom volunteer opportunities! 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 through the end of December. 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

From the Principal: 10/10/2023

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday! I hope that everyone had an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful weather we did FINALLY get to have over a weekend. The little dip back into summer last week was pleasant, but there’s nothing quite like actual fall in New England! I know there are many of you who can relate to the sentiment I expressed after my run on Sunday morning - fall weather is every runner’s reward for slogging through the other seasons!

All School Meeting Recap Last Monday, Greenwood students and staff gathered together for our first All-School Meeting of the 2023-2024 school year. Our focus was on the importance of taking action to “Be Kind” to others. We reviewed Greenwood School Expectations (Take Care of Yourself; Take Care of Others; Take Care of Your Environment) and I read the picture book Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller to everyone. September and October birthdays were celebrated, and we finished our time together off with a rousing rendition of the Greenwood School Spirit Song. While this first meeting was “hosted” by me, as we move through the year different grade levels will take on the responsibility of planning and presenting. We will be sure to let families know when “their” grade level is on deck, in case you are able to join us!

Lunchroom Volunteers Thank you to all of the fantastically dedicated volunteers who have been making lunchtime a little brighter! You are so greatly appreciated!! Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:10 p.m. on school days? Or 10:30-11:50 a.m. on early release days? Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood? Then join us for our lunchroom volunteer opportunities! 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 through the beginning of November. 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

Wakefield Educational Foundation (WEF) Volunteers Needed WEF is looking for new volunteers!!! WEF (Wakefield Educational Foundation) is hosting an informational session for community members interested in becoming volunteers on Wed, Oct 11 from 6:30-7 p.m. The meeting is being held at the High School, conference rooms A and B located in the main office suite. Enter the building at the Savings Bank Theater entrance. We hope to see you there! Please email carymazzone@gmail.com or melissa.holmes@rcn.com with any questions.

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

From the Principal: 10/1/2023

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday! And suddenly, it’s October! I know I’m not the only one that feels like September just zipped by - it just goes to show how much is going on around Greenwood these days. We love keeping busy!

School Lunches - October We have a lot of happy children choosing to participate in the school lunch program here at Greenwood! While we did a September survey to gauge numbers, now that we have a good sense of how much food we need each day you do *not* need to sign your child up for specific lunch days during the month of October. Here is a link to the month’s menu so you can plan ahead!

Walk (International Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Day) Safe Routes to School Massachusetts is once again encouraging schools to participate in this event on Wednesday, October 4th. Students and families across Massachusetts will walk, bike, and roll to school to enjoy a safe, healthy, and active lifestyle. Luckily, here at Greenwood almost every day is walk, bike, and roll to school day! We will have a table outside at arrival with stickers and bookmarks to distribute. It will be festive!

School Photo Day O’Connor Studios will be at Greenwood this Thursday, October 5th to take individual student photos, class photos, and the 4th grade group photo. You should have received an email from O’Connor about photo ordering options, as well as a paper ordering form that was sent home with your child. If you didn’t get either of these, we do have extra copies of the form in the office - just ask Ms. Paiva!

Please note: The 4th grade photo will start being organized around 8:45 a.m., so please make extra sure your child is on time.

Greenwood School Council The Greenwood School Council held its first meeting of the year on Thursday, September 28th. The School Council consists of parent and staff representatives and provides input/feedback for our school improvement plan, school budget, and educational needs/goals for Greenwood.

2023-2024 Members

Tiffany Back, Greenwood Principal Jeanine Campbell, Greenwood Grade 4 Teacher Samantha Giangregorio, Greenwood Parent (Kindergarten) Sarah Volkenant, Greenwood Parent (1st Grade)

Our first meeting consisted of reviewing the Greenwood School Improvement Plan, which will be shared at the Wakefield School Committee meeting on Tuesday, October 10th. Greenwood School Council meetings will be held approximately every six weeks. Please feel free to reach out to any School Council member for more information or with topics of interest.

No School - Monday, October 9th Just a reminder that all WPS schools and offices will be closed on Monday, October 9th in observance of Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day. Enjoy the three-day weekend!

Lunchroom Volunteers Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:10 pm on school days? Or 10:30-11:50 am on early release days? Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood? Then join us for our lunchroom volunteer opportunities! 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 through the beginning of November. 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.

Updates from Wakefield Academy The following information was sent out to all WPS families by Estelle Burdick, Director of Wakefield Academy, last Thursday. Don’t miss out!

Before School Program/After School Program Schedules: ● Please do not create an additional contract for your child(ren) or use the drop-in day feature. You will use the change schedule option to add your future days. If you have a set schedule, you may add your needed days for October and any month beyond that. Please note: You will only be invoiced for one month at a time. *Online: Click here to view the steps to update your schedule. *Smartphone: Click here to view the steps to update your schedule. ● Be prompt with your payments or contact us for payment arrangements. Payment is due upon receipt of your monthly invoice. If payment is not received within 5 days, a $50 late fee will be applied to your account. Some families find it easier to add an automatic form of payment so they can make payment deadlines. ● Once the monthly invoice has been issued, you can no longer add or delete days for that month. You may request up to 3 monthly drop-in days, excluding early release days. You may also switch days as long as they are within the same month. ● Credits and refunds are only given if a child is absent for a long-term illness of 5 days or more.

Enrichment programs: ● Your child does not need to be part of our before/after school program to participate. Additionally, the time between the end of the school day and the start of the enrichment is covered in your registration. You must only sign up for ASP if your child stays with us after the enrichment program ends. ● New clubs! We added our well-known Art Club and Magic The Gathering to our Galvin Enrichment clubs. Use the link here to learn more. There are many programs with openings available, so join now! Enrollment closes October 2nd. ● Elementary and Pre-K enrichment programs are filling up fast! There are still many to choose from, such as Buildwave, Kidstock, Chess, Trivia at Dolbeare, KidzGroove, and lots more! Use the link here to check out all we have to offer. Hurry, enrollment ends October 2nd!

Wakefield Educational Foundation (WEF) Volunteers Needed WEF is looking for new volunteers!!! WEF (Wakefield Educational Foundation) is hosting an informational session for community members interested in becoming volunteers on Wed, Oct 11 from 6:30-7 p.m. The meeting is being held at the High School, conference rooms A and B located in the main office suite. Enter the building at the Savings Bank Theater entrance. We hope to see you there! Please email carymazzone@gmail.com or melissa.holmes@rcn.com with any questions.

Call for Artists - 12th Annual CoolScience Artwork Competition Cool Science is a free and public art competition held each fall for all K-12 artists. Cool Science is a collaboration between UMass Lowell, UMass Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, University of Kansas, and Kansas City Art Institute. In 2019, Cool Science received a National Science Foundation grant that helped it expand the project beyond Massachusetts to Kansas, Missouri, and Southern New Hampshire. However, students from any location around the world are welcome to participate.

Challenge Questions This year, we are asking young artists to answer one of the following challenge questions with a visual work of art: 1) Sunlight is the largest source of energy on the surface of the Earth. How does sunlight fuel extreme weather (e.g., extreme storms)? 2) Increases in carbon dioxide in the air lead to more extreme weather. Animal homes do not make carbon dioxide on average (they are Net Zero). What can we learn from animals to help us get our homes closer to Net Zero?\ 3) What simple thing could you do now to better prepare for extreme weather in the future?

Competition Winners During this winter, we will select the best entries for display on public buses in Massachusetts and Kansas in 2024. The honorees will be recognized at our art exhibit celebrations next year.

To Learn More For further information about the contest, please visit: https://www.coolscience.net/artwork-guidelines-rules You can also join our community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. You can also visit our website for further information about the program (www.coolscience.net).

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