From the Principal: 10/26/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  The kids have been talking about Halloween since the first hint of October…the calendar is finally catching up with their wishes!  It was so fun to see everyone dressed up for the Greenwood Halloween Dance on Friday - lots of creative costumes!  

Early Release - Friday, October 30th

Our next early release day for students is on Friday, October 30th.  Preschool students will be dismissed at 11:25am and all K-4 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

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 Monday, October 26th. (NOTE: PreK families have their separate lunch calendar and will not complete the survey,)   Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about this!

DIBELS & i-Ready Reports

We have wrapped up our beginning of the year assessment window, and we will be sending home paper copies of your child’s DIBELS report on Friday.  There will also be an email sent out containing instructions on how to digitally access iReady reports.  Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!

Intervention Groups

Related to having finished beginning of the year assessments!  As an extension to the small group instruction that classroom teachers do throughout the school day, our reading team and math interventionist will work directly with students outside of the classroom during WIN blocks to further develop foundational skills and reinforce the instruction happening in the classroom.  If your child is taking part in one of these groups, you will receive more information early next week.

School Messenger Reminder

Gator Tales goes out through a different email list service, but any messages sent out by Greenwood or WPS are sent using School Messenger.  We have occasionally run into situations where those messages end up in people’s spam folders and then end up getting “blocked” from being delivered altogether.  If you are NOT receiving school/district messages and would like to be getting those, please email Ms. Paiva and me so that we can check the system and “unblock” if needed.

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.  Please stop by and check it out!  

Dogs on School Grounds

Since Greenwood is a community where many families walk to and from school regularly, we do have a number of folks who naturally take that opportunity to bring their dogs along for the walk.  However, I’d like to remind folks that if you have a dog with you, please keep them away from the building and monitor them closely while you drop off or wait for pickup.  We want everyone to be safe and feel comfortable while arriving and leaving!

Annual Pumpkin Drop - New Arrangements!

Wakefield’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Sustainability Committee are proud to once again partner with Black Earth Compost for their Annual Pumpkin Drop.   This year the collection site will be centralized and held in conjunction with WMGLD’s Electric Vehicle Showcase.  If your jack-o-lantern or doorstep pumpkin is ready for a new life, bring it to the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department’s parking lot on Sunday, November 8th from 10:00-1:00pm so it can be composted..

Please remove glitter, stickers, plastic decorations, and candles/wax from your pumpkin prior to drop off. If you bring your pumpkin over in a plastic bag, please do not include the bag in the compost pile.   Last year, Black Earth and communities across the state diverted 22 tons of pumpkins from the waste stream!

Fun Fall Friday

If you’ve been with us at Greenwood for a bit, you know that we like to give a little nod to Halloween!  On Friday, October 30th, we will have the chance to celebrate together.  Students (and staff!) have the opportunity to dress up in some wacky way, which could involve wearing their costume, or simply just sporting some seasonal fall gear, crazy hair, mismatched clothes, or a fun hat. 

Dress-up guidelines for the day:

●      Must be school-appropriate (both for costume theme and ability to do schoolwork in it)

●      No props or accessories

●      No full-face masks

And then we will  bring our (early release) day to a close with the PreK-2 costume parade! Because our PreK classroom has an earlier dismissal time than the rest of the school, we will start the parade at 11:00am so that they can be part of the fun.  Students will follow a route out the back door, around a giant loop (or two!) on the blacktop, walk around the Kindergarten side of the building, and go back in the front door.  Families are welcome to come and spectate - please arrange yourself outside the cones.  Our 3rd and 4th graders will join everyone outside to help cheer on our younger students.  Keep your fingers crossed for good weather - we will not hold the parade if it is raining.

Lunchroom Volunteers

We love, love, love having family members come in and help out during lunches! And we are so lucky to have so many folks who regularly sign up!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 up until the DECEMBER 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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 10/19/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  How is it that the shorter weeks always feel the busiest?  Guess we’re all just trying to make up for lost time (and trying to remember which day it actually is).  Luckily we’re up for a normal five-day week!

Annual Pumpkin Drop - New Arrangements!

Wakefield’s Department of Public Works and Environmental Sustainability Committee are proud to once again partner with Black Earth Compost for their Annual Pumpkin Drop.   This year the collection site will be centralized and held in conjunction with WMGLD’s Electric Vehicle Showcase.  If your jack-o-lantern or doorstep pumpkin is ready for a new life, bring it to the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department’s parking lot on Sunday, November 8th from 10:00-1:00pm so it can be composted..

Please remove glitter, stickers, plastic decorations, and candles/wax from your pumpkin prior to drop off. If you bring your pumpkin over in a plastic bag, please do not include the bag in the compost pile.   Last year, Black Earth and communities across the state diverted 22 tons of pumpkins from the waste stream!

Fun Fall Friday

If you’ve been with us at Greenwood for a bit, you know that we like to give a little nod to Halloween!  On Friday, October 30th, we will have the chance to celebrate together.  Students (and staff!) have the opportunity to dress up in some wacky way, which could involve wearing their costume, or simply just sporting some seasonal fall gear, crazy hair, mismatched clothes, or a fun hat. 

Dress-up guidelines for the day:

●      Must be school-appropriate (both for costume theme and ability to do schoolwork in it)

●      No props or accessories

●      No full-face masks

And then we will  bring our (early release) day to a close with the PreK-2 costume parade! Because our PreK classroom has an earlier dismissal time than the rest of the school, we will start the parade at 11:00am so that they can be part of the fun.  Students will follow a route out the back door, around a giant loop (or two!) on the blacktop, walk around the Kindergarten side of the building, and go back in the front door.  Families are welcome to come and spectate - please arrange yourself outside the cones.  Our 3rd and 4th graders will join everyone outside to help cheer on our younger students.  Keep your fingers crossed for good weather - we will not hold the parade if it is raining.

Lunchroom Volunteers

We love, love, love having family members come in and help out during lunches! And we are so lucky to have so many folks who regularly sign up!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 OCTOBER.  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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 10/12/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Tuesday!  I hope everyone was able to enjoy the long weekend and do something fun at some point (or at all points!).  Everyone at Greenwood has been working hard, kids and adults alike, and it’s always great to take a little break and reset! 

District Assessments

If your child comes home one day and says, “I did a reading activity with a different teacher today!” or “I logged into iReady to do math/reading today,” that’s just a sign that we have entered the elementary assessment window for the beginning of the year!  You may have heard about some of this from your child’s classroom teacher on Back to School Night - there are three times over the course of the school year where we collect benchmark information about students in reading and math to better refine our general classroom instructional needs, identify and form intervention/enrichment groups, and monitor overall student growth.  This assessment information is shared with families as well - more to come about that soon!

Bicycle/Scooter Safety

We absolutely love having kids ride their bikes and scooters to and from school - the Greenwood community is fortunate to have so many families able to do so!  We also love keeping everyone safe, and we have noticed some new trends that have raised concerns in that area.  Please note the following guidelines that will be in effect moving forward:

●      Students (and adults) should not cut through the back parking lot to reach the blacktop area.  The back parking lot is an active traffic zone with teachers/staff arriving and leaving at various times. 

●      Once arriving on school grounds, bikes and scooters must be taken directly to the rack area and parked.

●      At dismissal, bikes and scooters need to be walked to an area away from the dismissal zone and pedestrian traffic before riding.

We appreciate your support with this!

Fun Fall Friday

If you’ve been with us at Greenwood for a bit, you know that we like to give a little nod to Halloween!  On Friday, October 30th, we will have the chance to celebrate together.  Students (and staff!) have the opportunity to dress up in some wacky way, which could involve wearing their costume, or simply just sporting some seasonal fall gear, crazy hair, mismatched clothes, or a fun hat. 

Dress-up guidelines for the day:

●      Must be school-appropriate (both for costume theme and ability to do schoolwork in it)

●      No props or accessories

●      No full-face masks

And then we will  bring our (early release) day to a close with the PreK-2 costume parade! Because our PreK classroom has an earlier dismissal time than the rest of the school, we will start the parade at 11:00am so that they can be part of the fun.  Students will follow a route out the back door, around a giant loop (or two!) on the blacktop, walk around the Kindergarten side of the building, and go back in the front door.  Families are welcome to come and spectate - please arrange yourself outside the cones.  Our 3rd and 4th graders will join everyone outside to help cheer on our younger students.  Keep your fingers crossed for good weather - we will not hold the parade if it is raining.

Lunchroom Volunteers

We love, love, love having family members come in and help out during lunches! And we are so lucky to have so many folks who regularly sign up!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 OCTOBER.  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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 10/5/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  We have really been riding the temperature roller coaster over the past week.  Do we think fall is actually settling in now?  The trees sure seem to think so! 

School Picture Day - Monday!

O’Connor Studios will be at Greenwood on Monday, October 5th to take individual student photos, class photos, and the 4th grade group photo.  Your family should have received an email from O’Connor about photo ordering options.  On Monday, October 5th, the 4th grade photo will start organizing around 8:45am, so please make extra-sure your 4th grader is on time to school that morning!

WMGLD Open House

The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department is hosting an open house for Public Power Week on Tuesday, October 6th from 4:00-6:00pm. There will be fun activities for kids and useful information for adults. Please see the linked flyer for more information!

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 7th.  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!

No School - Monday, October 12th

Just a reminder that all WPS schools and offices will be closed on Monday, October 12th in observance of Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day.  Enjoy the upcoming three-day weekend!

Lunchroom Volunteers

We love, love, love having family members come in and help out during lunches! And we are so lucky to have so many folks who regularly sign up!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 OCTOBER.  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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 9/28/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  Because I usually write these on Friday afternoon, it’s always a little bit of a “seeing into the future” situation when it comes to commenting on the weekend weather.  But I will say that according to what’s out there at the moment, it is perfectly appropriate to say, “I hope you found ways to stay dry and cozy over the weekend!”  And that we don’t love it when it rains on school days because we miss out on outdoor recess!   

School Picture Day

O’Connor Studios will be at Greenwood on Monday, October 5th to take individual student photos, class photos, and the 4th grade group photo.  Your family should have received an email from O’Connor about photo ordering options.  We will also be sending home paper copies with photo ordering information.  On Monday, October 5th, the 4th grade photo will start organizing around 8:45am, so please make extra-sure your 4th grader is on time to school that morning!

From the Elementary Science Teachers

Please take a moment to read about all the exciting things going on in science!

September K-4 Science Newsletter

Spanish Copy of September K-4 Science Newsletter

Portuguese Copy of September K-4 Science Newsletter

Absences - Student Safety Line

If your child is going to be absent from school or tardy due to an appointment, it is important to leave a message on the Greenwood Child Safety Line so that we can reconcile our daily attendance appropriately.  Sending a message to the teacher is always appreciated, but the office must be notified as well.  The phone number is 781-245-6646.  Thank you so much for your help with this!  

Lunchroom Volunteers

We love, love, love having family members come in and help out during lunches! And we are so lucky to have so many folks who regularly sign up!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 OCTOBER.  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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 9/21/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  It was wonderful to see so many families here with us last Thursday for Back to School Night!  While our goal is to have ongoing conversations with families throughout the school year, Back to School Night is always an important opportunity for you to literally sit in your child’s seat, meet your child’s teachers, and hear in the teachers’ own words the learning and social-emotional goals for the upcoming months.  We appreciate your presence! 

Greenwood PTO Meeting - Wednesday, September 23rd

If you watched my slideshow overview about Greenwood, you heard me talk about how important the Greenwood PTO is and how the dedicated volunteers who have already stepped into leadership and coordinator roles could use much more help!  A great place to begin is by attending the first Greenwood PTO meeting of the year on Wednesday, September 23th at 7:00pm.  This will be an in-person meeting at the Main Street Grille & Taphouse, and we’d love to see you there!

Early Release - Friday, September 25th

Our first early release day for students is on Friday, September 25th.  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

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 Monday, September 21st. (NOTE: PreK families have their separate lunch calendar and will not complete the survey,)   Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about this!

Technology Heads-Up

In order to log into applications like ST Math from home, students need to be logged into their school account on whatever device they are using at home.  Please see the linked document for more information about logging into Clever. 

NOTE FOR 3rd GRADE FAMILIES…once WPS students move into 3rd grade, their school-based accounts have individualized passwords for logging in, not the grade-level based ones they had prior to that point.   

Absences - Student Safety Line

If your child is going to be absent from school or tardy due to an appointment, it is important to leave a message on the Greenwood Child Safety Line so that we can reconcile our daily attendance appropriately.  Sending a message to the teacher is always appreciated, but the office must be notified as well.  The phone number is 781-245-6646.  Thank you so much for your help with this!  

From the Greenwood Library

Mrs. Bayer is so excited for this new school year and would like to share some information with families!

Seeking Monday Morning Library Volunteers!

Interested in volunteering but are not able to commit every week?  Sign up to volunteer in the library on a Monday morning!  The task is quick, simple, and fun!  Students return books to the library and the volunteer scans books in with a scanner.  Requires a maximum of 30 minutes.  Arrive 8:45am (or anytime after dropoff).  The job should be done a little after 9am so you can get right on to your day ahead!  CLICK HERE to sign up!

Library Book Checkout / Due Day Schedule 

CLICK HERE to view important information about the Library program and book checkout.\

Lunchroom Volunteers

We love, love, love having family members come in and help out during lunches!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 OCTOBER.  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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 9/13/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

We’ve had a two-day school week…we’ve had a four-day school week…we are definitely ready for a full five-day school week!  It seems funny to think that we haven’t “had a real Monday” yet because I can confidently say that it feels like we’ve been back at it for a while now.  But we’re really just getting started!  

Beginning of the Year Paperwork - For Real!

There was a little glitch before, but NOW families should have received an email from Ms. Paiva with a letter linking to the “paperwork” that is required at the start of the school year (it was sent on Thursday afternoon).  Please be sure to complete the required items in a timely manner, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Greenwood Back-to-School Night Details

Greenwood’s Back-to-School Night is on Thursday, September 17th.   Classroom presentations will be staggered (as much as we can!) so that families with students in multiple grades can attend multiple presentations.  We know there will be some “divide and conquer” situations for sure!  

Greenwood Back-to-School Night Format

• 6:00-7:30pm Greenwood PTO and Wakefield Educational Foundation (WEF) available at  

                           tables in the 1st floor hallway

• 6:00-6:30pm   1st Grade, 2nd Grade classroom presentations

• 6:15-6:45pm   Specialist teachers and related service providers available to meet in their 

              learning spaces (room info will be sent out ahead of time)

• 6:30-7:00pm PreK, Kindergarten classroom presentations

• 7:00-7:30pm   3rd Grade, 4th Grade classroom presentations  

An overview video with general information about Greenwood School will be sent out to all families ahead of time - there will not be a centralized group meeting during the evening.

If your child is in PreK or Kindergarten:

Before the classroom portion of the evening, families can visit specialist teachers and related service providers from 6:15-6:30pm (room locations will be sent out prior to the event).  Representatives from the Greenwood PTO and a representative from the Wakefield Educational Foundation (WEF) will have information tables set up in the 1st floor hallway from 6:00-7:30pm.  Classroom presentations will take place in your child’s classroom on the 1st floor from 6:30-7:00pm.

If your child is in 1st grade or 2nd grade: 

When you arrive at Greenwood, you will go directly to your child’s classroom on the 1st floor.  Classroom presentations will begin promptly at 6:00pm and end no later than 6:30pm. After the classroom portion of the evening, families can visit specialist teachers and related service providers until 6:45pm (room locations will be sent out prior to the event).  Representatives from the Greenwood PTO and a representative from the Wakefield Educational Foundation (WEF) will have information tables set up in the 1st floor hallway until 7:30pm. 

If your child is in 3rd or 4th grade:  

Before the classroom portion of the evening, families can visit specialist teachers and related service providers from 6:15-6:45pm (room locations will be sent out prior to the event).  Representatives from the Greenwood PTO and a representative from the Wakefield Educational Foundation (WEF) will have information tables set up in the 1st floor hallway from 6:00-7:30pm.  Classroom presentations will take place in your child’s classroom on the 2nd floor from 7:00-7:30pm.

**Just a reminder - this is an event for adult family members only.  A reminder with additional information will be sent out via School Messenger midweek.  We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday night!

Technology Heads-Up

In order to log into applications like ST Math from home, students need to be logged into their school account on whatever device they are using at home.  Please see the linked document for more information about logging into Clever. 

NOTE FOR 3rd GRADE FAMILIES…once WPS students move into 3rd grade, their school-based accounts have individualized passwords for logging in, not the grade-level based ones they had prior to that point.   

Absences - Student Safety Line

If your child is going to be absent from school or tardy due to an appointment, it is important to leave a message on the Greenwood Child Safety Line so that we can reconcile our daily attendance appropriately.  Sending a message to the teacher is always appreciated, but the office must be notified as well.  The phone number is 781-245-6646.  Thank you so much for your help with this!  

School Pictures - Save the Date

A couple of folks have asked - O’Connor Studios will be at Greenwood to take individual student photos and class photos on Monday, October 5th.  Information about photo packages available for purchase will be emailed to families directly by O’Connor prior to that date.

WPS Student Support Services Website

Looking for information and/or resources to help support your child’s social-emotional health?  Want to find out more about ways to look into counseling and family support?  Please check out the Student Support Services website for the Wakefield Public Schools.  There is a lot of helpful information to be found there. 

Lunchroom Volunteers

It’s a new year, and we are once again looking for adults to support students during lunchtime!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 the month.  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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 9/7/2026

Dear Greenwood Families,

We had a great kickoff to the new school year at Greenwood, and everyone is excited about all of the adventures that lie ahead of us!  While we’re still learning and practicing school and classroom routines, we definitely feel like we’re getting into the swing of things and will hit the ground running when we return after the long weekend!     

Beginning of the Year Paperwork

Families received an email from Ms. Paiva with a letter linking to the “paperwork” that is required at the start of the school year.  Please be sure to complete the required items in a timely manner, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Science Letter Regarding Allergies

In order to keep families informed about organic materials being used in science classes, the linked letter was sent out via School Messenger on Friday morning.  Any questions can be directed to me or your child’s science teacher (Laurel Laroche - Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd; Jennifer Holder - 3rd, 4th).

First Fire Drill

Greenwood had the first fire drill of the year on Thursday, and everything went very smoothly!  Kids moved with their classes quickly and quietly to exit the building and waited patiently until we got the “all clear” signal from the Wakefield Fire Department to reenter the building and continue on with our learning.  Practicing safety routines is important!  

Rolling Arrival (Grades K-4)

On Tuesday, September 8th we will begin our “rolling arrival” procedure.  Please note that there is no supervision outside prior to 8:30am - any student arriving before that time will wait outside until the doors open (bring those umbrellas on rainy days!).

• 8:30am - 1st bell rings, back doors open, students enter the building and go to their classroom

• 8:30-8:40am - student arrival window

• 8:40am - 2nd bell rings, back doors close

Students arriving after 8:40am must enter through the front door of the school and sign in at the office.  (They do NOT need to be signed in by a parent/guardian.)  They will then proceed to their classroom with a tardy slip.

We will have staff members at the back doors ready and able to support students as they enter.  Getting to greet students as they arrive makes for a wonderful start to each and every day!

Dismissal Crowds

We do love to see everyone gathering at dismissal to pick up students!  However, we ask that family members stand away from the building (closer to the basketball court) both while waiting for and during the actual dismissal process to provide room for all teachers to be able to bring their classes out and dismiss them in an organized fashion.  Please let your child give the “thumbs up” or “I see mine!” signal to their teacher and then come to you, rather than walking up to them.  Thank you for your cooperation with this!

PE Classes - Appropriate Footwear

In order to ensure that students are able to participate safely and fully during PE classes, we are asking that students either wear or bring sneakers on the day that their class has gym.  We’ve seen a few twisted ankles and cases of tripping/falling when kids are wearing Crocs or slides - we’d like to avoid this moving forward.  Nurse Alicia and Mr. Kelleher thank you in advance for your help with this!

In case you’re wondering which days your child has PE…

Tuesday

Doherty, Swift, Braham, Campbell

Wednesday

Conway, Morse, Ricupero, Wallace, McCann

Thursday

Frazier, Morse, Ricupero, Braham, Wallace, Campbell

Friday

DiVasta, Doherty, Swift, McCann

Save the Date Reminder - Back to School Night

Next week’s issue of Gator Tales will have more details, but please be sure that Thursday, September 17th from 6:00-7:30pm is blocked off on your calendar for Greenwood’s Back to School Night!  

WPS Student Support Services Website

Looking for information and/or resources to help support your child’s social-emotional health?  Want to find out more about ways to look into counseling and family support?  Please check out the Student Support Services website for the Wakefield Public Schools.  There is a lot of helpful information to be found there. 

Afterschool Playground Use

Once the school day is over, many students enjoy spending outdoor time at the Greenwood playground, blacktop areas, and the Greenwood Garden.  And we love to see it!  However, just a gentle reminder that Wakefield Academy often uses the same areas for the afterschool program and our “school rules” are still in effect.  The expectation is that all students are respectful of themselves, of others, and of school property.  This includes following any directives from the adults who are supervising students at Wakefield Academy, regardless of whether your child is enrolled.  We want everyone to be safe and have fun after school!

Lunchroom Volunteers

It’s a new year, and we are once again looking for adults to support students during lunchtime!

Do you have any free time between 12:00-1:15pm on school days?  Looking for a way to help out at Greenwood?  We are finally bringing back 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 the moth.  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 start to the school year!

Tiffany Back

Principal, Greenwood School

From the Principal: 6/21/26

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  I’d say the school year is a wrap, but we plan to make the most out of these last two-and-a-half days.  However, this is most certainly my final Gator Tales letter for the 2025-2026 school year!  This has been another amazing year together as a Greenwood community, and while everyone always looks forward to some summer fun, it can be a little bittersweet to head out the door on the last day.  Our goal is to make school a place that everyone loves coming to, and it takes all of us together to make that happen.  I wish each and every one of you a wonderful summer break - for those “graduating” 4th grade families, I’ve enjoyed our time together!  And for those families who will be returning to Greenwood in the fall - I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Notification of School Change

If you are aware that your child will not be attending Greenwood in the fall, please reach out to Ms. Paiva in the main office and let her know.  This will help us prepare for the sending of school records and help our class placement process.  Thank you for your help with this!

Last Day of School for Kindergarten 

The last day of school for our Greenwood  Kindergarten students is Monday, June 22nd, which is an early release day for Kindergarten only.  Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 11:55am, and while we will not be serving lunch to them before they leave, students who are signed up for Grab & Go Lunches will be able to take one.

IMPORTANT: After-school Wakefield Academy is not available for Kindergarten students on Monday, June 22nd - all Kindergarten students must be picked up at the 11:55am dismissal.

DIBELS & i-Ready Reports

We will be printing and sending home the end-of year family report for DIBELS and information about accessing i-Ready reports online on Monday, June 22th.

Incoming Kindergarten Screening

On Tuesday, June 23rd our newest Gators will be visiting Greenwood for Kindergarten Screening.  We can’t wait to meet them all!  More details have been sent out separately to families who are registered for this.

Last Day of School for Grades 1-4

The last day of school for our Greenwood students in Grades 1-4 is Wednesday, June 24th and is an early release day.  Students will be dismissed at 11:55am, and while we will not be serving lunch before dismissal,  there will be an option for a grab & go lunch for those who sign up for one.  See next blurb for more details!

Grab & Go Lunches for Grades 1-4 - Wednesday, June 24th

We will be offering the opportunity for children to pick up a “Grab & Go” lunch on the last day of school. As with our other early release days, families need to sign up ahead of time in order for their child to take a lunch.  Since it's the last day of school, it is especially important that we have accurate grab & go lunch numbers to avoid wasted food.

A separate School Messenger with the sign-up link for grab & go lunch was sent to families on Tuesday, June 16th.  This signup must be completed by the end of the school day on Monday, June 22nd.

4th Grade Walk of Fame

On Wednesday, June 24th, we will hold our 4th Grade Walk of Fame starting at 11:50am. 4th graders will take their final (official) walk through the halls of the Greenwood School to the rousing cheers of their fellow Gators.  4th grade families are asked to create a “cheer tunnel” outside the back door to greet the kids as they exit the building.  It’s always exciting (and emotional)!

Report Cards - FYI

Report cards will be sent digitally to all families on the last day of school, Wednesday, June 24th.  (Apologies to Kindergarten, who will have to wait a little for theirs.)  We plan to have them go out sometime after 1:00pm.

End of the Year Dates

• Monday, 6/22 - Grade 4 Moving On Ceremony (9:30am)

• Monday, 6/22 - Last day for Greenwood Kindergarten (11:55am dismissal for K only)

• Tuesday, 6/23 - Greenwood Incoming Kindergarten Screening 

• Wednesday, 6/24 - Last day for Greenwood 1st-4th Grades (11:55am dismissal)

From the Science Teachers

Check out the Science Newsletter for the month of June to find out about all the interesting things going on in classrooms during science!

June Science Newsletter 2026

Spanish Copy of June Science Newsletter 2026

Portuguese Copy of June Science Newsletter 2026

Summer Reading & Math Family Resources

Summer is a wonderful time for children to continue building their reading and math skills through fun, engaging experiences. This resource list includes activities, websites, games, and learning opportunities that can help students practice important skills at home. We encourage families to choose activities that fit their child's needs and schedule, keeping learning enjoyable and helping students return to school confident and ready for a successful year ahead. 

Lunchroom Volunteers - Last Two Chances!

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 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  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

From the Principal: 6/07/26

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!   We are really counting down the days now and feeling like there just isn’t enough time left to do everything we want to get done…but that won’t stop us from trying!  Just a reminder to all - while the end of any school year is always filled with a lot of excitement, it can also be a source of anxiety for many as schedules become more unpredictable, year-long routines get interrupted for special occurrences, and children start thinking about saying goodbye to their current teacher and preparing to move to their next grade-level adventure.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything additional we can do here at school to help.  

Afterschool Playground Use

An updated reminder…once the school day is over, many students enjoy spending outdoor time at the Greenwood playground and blacktop areas.  And we love to see it!  That being said, Wakefield Academy uses the same outdoor areas for students enrolled in their program.  In order for the WA staff to be able to effectively supervise the students under their care, children who are not attending Wakefield Academy must be accompanied by an adult if using the playground/blacktop after school while Academy is using the space.  We want everyone to be safe and have fun after school!

Greenwood Field Day

Keep those “no rain” thoughts coming!  Greenwood’s Field Day is scheduled for Thursday, June 11th starting at 12:00pm.  (Students will be able to access school lunch in the cafeteria as normal…but there’s a special treat at the end of the afternoon!)  Our entire Gator community is looking forward to a fun afternoon of games and activities thanks to the HUGE efforts of our PTO Field Day Committee and all of the adult volunteers.  We can’t wait!

Math Curriculum Review - Family Survey

As part of the Math Education Review process in Wakefield Public Schools, we are seeking feedback from families about their children’s experiences learning mathematics. Family perspectives are an important part of this work and will help us better understand the strengths of our current program, identify areas for growth, and explore opportunities to better support all learners. We appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete this survey: English // Spanish // Portuguese

Lost & Found

Is your child missing a coat?  A sweatshirt?  Or maybe even three of them?  Our Greenwood lost & found is once again overflowing with unclaimed clothing, and we really want to reunite as many items as possible with their rightful owners before the end of the school year.  If you’d like to come and take a peek, please contact Ms. Paiva to arrange a time.  Once school is out for the summer, all remaining items will be donated.

Beebe Library - Summer at the Library Information

Celebrate Summer Reading and America’s 250th Anniversary at Lucius Beebe Memorial Library! This summer, students are invited to read, connect, and celebrate community through books, programs, and special events all season long.

Summer at the Library launches June 22nd with a kickoff party from 3:00-5:00pm. Make reading part of a fun summer routine. The Youth Room librarians love recommending page-turners, hidden gems, and just-for-fun reads. Participation is free, and readers can earn collectibles throughout the summer!

As part of the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the library is also partnering with the Wakefield Food Pantry to support neighbors in need. Families are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations to the library from June 22nd through June 30th. A list of the most-needed items can be found here https://wakefieldfoodpantry.org/donate-food/

For more information, including lists of recommended reads by grade, visit: https://wakefieldlibrary.org/summer/. Make this a summer of reading, community, and celebration!

End of the Year Dates

Here are a few key dates for your June calendar:

• Tuesday, 6/9 - Grade 4 Field Trip

• Wednesday, 6/10 - “Fairy Garden” Community Event (3:00-5:00pm)

• Thursday, 6/11 - Field Day

• Friday, 6/12 - Field Day Rain Date

• Monday, 6/15 - Grade 2 “Ancestry Day” Family Event

• Tuesday, 6/16 - Beebe Library visit to Greenwood

• Thursday, 6/18 - Grade 1 Field Trip & Grade 2 Field Trip

• Friday, 6/19 - No School (Juneteenth)

• Monday, 6/22 - Grade 4 Moving On Ceremony (9:30am)

• Monday, 6/22 - Last day for Greenwood Kindergarten (11:55am dismissal for K only)

• Tuesday, 6/23 - Greenwood Incoming Kindergarten Screening 

• Wednesday, 6/24 - Last day for Greenwood 1st-4th Grades (11:55am dismissal)

I’ll continue to update the list as more special events get booked!

FYI - First Day of School 2026-2027

Just one more shot at highlighting that the first day of school for students next year will be September 2, 2026 which is BEFORE Labor Day.  This is different from previous years, so just take note!

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 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  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

From the Principal: 5/31/26

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  And just like that, it’s June!  We still have a decent chunk of time left in the school year (17 school days, but who’s counting?) and some fun events to look forward to before heading off into whatever summer has planned for us.  The time has been flying by and will undoubtedly continue to do so!  

WMHS Elementary School Walk

This Friday, June 5th will feature some special visitors here at Greenwood!  After their graduation rehearsal on Friday, Wakefield Memorial High School seniors will be returning to their elementary schools to walk the halls one more time.  Greenwood is excited to welcome back our graduating Gators and cheer them on as they head toward their next steps! 

Math Curriculum Review - Family Survey

As part of the Math Education Review process in Wakefield Public Schools, we are seeking feedback from families about their children’s experiences learning mathematics. Family perspectives are an important part of this work and will help us better understand the strengths of our current program, identify areas for growth, and explore opportunities to better support all learners. We appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete this survey: English // Spanish // Portuguese

Lost & Found

Is your child missing a coat?  A sweatshirt?  Or maybe even three of them?  Our Greenwood lost & found is once again overflowing with unclaimed clothing, and we really want to reunite as many items as possible with their rightful owners before the end of the school year.  If you’d like to come and take a peek, please contact Ms. Paiva to arrange a time.  Once school is out for the summer, all remaining items will be donated.

Beebe Library - Summer at the Library Information

Celebrate Summer Reading and America’s 250th Anniversary at Lucius Beebe Memorial Library! This summer, students are invited to read, connect, and celebrate community through books, programs, and special events all season long.

Summer at the Library launches June 22nd with a kickoff party from 3:00-5:00pm. Make reading part of a fun summer routine. The Youth Room librarians love recommending page-turners, hidden gems, and just-for-fun reads. Participation is free, and readers can earn collectibles throughout the summer!

As part of the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the library is also partnering with the Wakefield Food Pantry to support neighbors in need. Families are encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations to the library from June 22nd through June 30th. A list of the most-needed items can be found here https://wakefieldfoodpantry.org/donate-food/

For more information, including lists of recommended reads by grade, visit: https://wakefieldlibrary.org/summer/. Make this a summer of reading, community, and celebration!

End of the Year Dates

Here are a few key dates for your June calendar:

• Monday, 6/1 - Grade 3 Recorder Concert & Grade 1 “American Symbols” Family Event

• Friday, 6/5 - WMHS “Senior Walk” at Greenwood

• Saturday, 6/6 - WMHS Graduation

• Tuesday, 6/9 - Grade 4 Field Trip

• Wednesday, 6/10 - “Fairy Garden” Community Event (3:00-5:00pm)

• Thursday, 6/11 - Field Day

• Friday, 6/12 - Field Day Rain Date

• Monday, 6/15 - Grade 2 “Ancestry Day” Family Event

• Tuesday, 6/16 - Beebe Library visit to Greenwood

• Thursday, 6/18 - Grade 1 Field Trip & Grade 2 Field Trip

• Friday, 6/19 - No School (Juneteenth)

• Monday, 6/22 - Grade 4 Moving On Ceremony (9:30am)

• Monday, 6/22 - Last day for Greenwood Kindergarten (11:55am dismissal for K only)

• Tuesday, 6/23 - Greenwood Incoming Kindergarten Screening 

• Wednesday, 6/24 - Last day for Greenwood 1st-4th Grades (11:55am dismissal)

I’ll continue to update the list as more special events get booked!

FYI - First Day of School 2026-2027

Just one more shot at highlighting that the first day of school for students next year will be September 2, 2026 which is BEFORE Labor Day.  This is different from previous years, so just take note!

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 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  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

From the Principal: 5/24/26

Dear Greenwood Families,

Welcome back!  I hope that everyone was able to enjoy time together over the weekend.  Whether you were spending time at parades and observances for Memorial Day, gathering for cookouts with family and friends, or taking a quick trip somewhere, it’s always a treat to spend time with others when we can!  On another note, it hardly seems possible that we’re looking at 17 school days left in the school year…but it’s true!  Time flies!  

Reminder - Grade 3 Recorder Concert

Mrs. Brighenti sent out an email to 3rd grade families already, but just in case you didn’t get the date on your calendar!  Greenwood third graders have been working hard in music and chorus classes and are excited to invite families to their concert! The performance will take place on Monday, June 1st from 9:00-9:25am in the Greenwood gym.  Seating for families will be in the balcony.

Lost & Found

Is your child missing a coat?  A sweatshirt?  Or maybe even three of them?  Our Greenwood lost & found is once again overflowing with unclaimed clothing, and we really want to reunite as many items as possible with their rightful owners before the end of the school year.  If you’d like to come and take a peek, please contact Ms. Paiva to arrange a time.  Once school is out for the summer, all remaining items will be donated.

End of the Year Dates

Here are a few key dates for your late May & June calendars:

• Monday, 5/25 - No School (Memorial Day)

• Wednesday, 5/27 - Grade 3 Field Trip

• Friday, 5/29 - Greenwood Spring Dance

• Monday, 6/1 - Grade 3 Recorder Concert & Grade 1 “American Symbols” Family Event

• Friday, 6/5 - WMHS “Senior Walk” at Greenwood

• Saturday, 6/6 - WMHS Graduation

• Tuesday, 6/9 - Grade 4 Field Trip

• Thursday, 6/11 - Field Day

• Friday, 6/12 - Field Day Rain Date

• Monday, 6/15 - Grade 2 “Ancestry Day” Family Event

• Tuesday, 6/16 - Beebe Library visit to Greenwood

• Thursday, 6/18 - Grade 1 Field Trip & Grade 2 Field Trip

• Friday, 6/19 - No School (Juneteenth)

• Monday, 6/22 - Grade 4 Moving On Ceremony 

• Monday, 6/22 - Last day for Greenwood Kindergarten (11:55am dismissal for K only)

• Tuesday, 6/23 - Greenwood Incoming Kindergarten Screening 

• Wednesday, 6/24 - Last day for Greenwood 1st-4th Grades (11:55am dismissal)

I’ll continue to update the list as more special events get booked!

FYI - First Day of School 2026-2027

I am in no way glossing over the rest of this school year AND the summer, but I thought it would be worth highlighting that the first day of school for students next year will be September 2, 2026 which is BEFORE Labor Day.  This is different from previous years, so just take note!

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 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  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

From the Principal: 5/10/26

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  Not that we don’t feel it at other parts of the year, but the Greenwood Staff is feeling EXTREMELY appreciated after all of the amazing treats and special theme days last week!  It was completely delightful to see what was in store for our taste buds each day.  We all feel lucky to be part of such an amazing school community - we are truly a team that works together to support children!

Reminder - MCAS Testing Grades 3 & 4

It’s time!  We will have MCAS testing for Math on Monday, May 11th and Tuesday, May 12th.  Students who are absent from school or tardy on those days will complete their testing during a makeup session once they return.

Optional Class Placement Survey - Due Monday!

This is the time of the school year when we start our process of looking ahead toward planning for the fall, and one of the most important projects we have ahead of us is class placement. On Thursday, April 30th families of students in grades K-3 received a brief optional online survey that gives you the opportunity to provide relevant input about your child if you so choose.  More details will be sent along with the survey form, but we are asking for any input to be provided no later than Monday, May 11th.  

For our Grade 4 families...Galvin Middle School has its own process for sharing information about students entering 5th grade in the fall, and they will communicate with you about that (if they haven’t already been in touch).

Early Release - Friday, May 15th

Our next early release day for students is on Friday, May 15th.  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, May 15th

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 Monday, May 11th.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions about this!

Save The Dates - Leah's Fairy Garden Installation and Opening

To honor the memory of Greenwood student Leah Ellis, a Fairy Garden will be installed on the school grounds this spring. Volunteers will install the garden on May 15th from 12-2pm (a half day for students). And on June 10th from 3-5pm, all are welcome to attend a community opening of the garden. There are a variety of ways to help. If you're interested in helping, please fill out this form which has specific ways to volunteer this spring and beyond. Questions? Contact Brie Reynolds, briewreynolds@gmail.com.

Warrior Clean Up Crew Event

On Saturday, May 16th, the Warrior Clean Up Crew is hosting a spring litter pick-up along the rail trail. If they have enough volunteers, it will expand to the Galvin as well. Volunteers will meet near the intersection of Main and Richardson Streets from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (rain date: Sunday, May 17th).

This is a kid-friendly event, and we encourage students and families to participate. Refreshments will be served, all supplies will be provided, and participants just need to bring a refillable water bottle. Registration is here: https://nipthenips.com/volunteer/

End of the Year Dates

I haven’t gotten any “What’s the date of the last day of school? emails yet, but I anticipate they’ll be coming soon!  Now that we’re safely past the threat of snow days (!!), here are a few key dates for your late May & June calendars:

• Monday, 5/25 - No School (Memorial Day)

• Wednesday, May 27th - Grade 3 Field Trip

• Friday, May 29th - Greenwood Spring Dance

• Monday, 6/1 - Grade 3 Recorder Concert

• Friday, 6/5 - WMHS “Senior Walk” at Greenwood

• Saturday, 6/6 - WMHS Graduation

• Tuesday, 6/9 - Grade 4 Field Trip

• Thursday, 6/11 - Field Day

• Friday, 6/12 - Field Day Rain Date

• Tuesday, 6/16 - Beebe Library visit to Greenwood

• Thursday, 6/18 - Grade 2 Field Trip

• Friday, 6/19 - No School (Juneteenth)

• Monday, 6/22 - Grade 4 Moving On Ceremony 

• Monday, 6/22 - Last day for Greenwood Kindergarten (11:55am dismissal for K only)

• Tuesday, 6/23 - Greenwood Incoming Kindergarten Screening 

• Wednesday, 6/24 - Last day for Greenwood 1st-4th Grades (11:55am dismissal)

I’ll continue to update the list as more special events get booked!

FYI - First Day of School 2026-2027

I am in no way glossing over the rest of this school year AND the summer, but I thought it would be worth highlighting that the first day of school for students next year will be September 2, 2026 which is BEFORE Labor Day.  This is different from previous years, so just take note!

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 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  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

From the Principal: 5/03/26

Dear Greenwood Families,

Happy Monday!  Even though I usually write my letter on Fridays, I decided to wait until after the Gator Gallop so I could talk about the event.  The weather on Saturday morning was so odd, but I thought it was great that we managed to get the 1 Mile Kids’ Fun Run off and running (and finished!) before the rain picked up.  HUGE thanks to all of the Gator Gallop Committee members and additional volunteers who made it all possible!     

Lunchroom Volunteers REALLY Needed…

Our wonderful lunch monitor, Karen DeJoie, is going to be away on a well-deserved family vacation from Monday, May 4th through Friday, May 8th.  If you have a bit of free time and can help support in the cafeteria during any student lunch blocks, your help would be greatly appreciated!

Reminder - MCAS Testing Grades 3 & 4

One more week!  A reminder to families of students in Grades 3 & 4 that we will have MCAS testing for Math on Monday, May 11th and Tuesday, May 12th.  Students who are absent from school or tardy on those days will complete their testing during a makeup session once they return.

Optional Class Placement Survey

This is the time of the school year when we start our process of looking ahead toward planning for the fall, and one of the most important projects we have ahead of us is class placement. On Thursday, April 30th families of students in grades K-3 received a brief optional online survey that gives you the opportunity to provide relevant input about your child if you so choose.  More details will be sent along with the survey form, but we are asking for any input to be provided no later than Monday, May 11th.  

For our Grade 4 families...Galvin Middle School has its own process for sharing information about students entering 5th grade in the fall, and they will communicate with you about that (if they haven’t already been in touch).

From the Science Teachers

Check out the spring newsletter from our elementary science teachers!

April Science Newsletter 2026

Spanish Copy of April Science Newsletter 2026

Portuguese Copy of April Science Newsletter 2026

MA Safe Routes to School Event

Massachusetts Walk, Bike, and Roll to school day is Wednesday, May 6th!  Many of our Greenwood families already travel to school via safe, active commutes, and this is a day when everyone in the Commonwealth is encouraged to do so as well.  Wakefield police officers will be on site at each of the schools to welcome all our walkers, bikers, and rollers that morning, and we’ll have stickers, bookmarks, and (hopefully) music to greet everyone at arrival.  Looking forward to another fun arrival activity!

Save The Dates - Leah's Fairy Garden Installation and Opening

To honor the memory of Greenwood student Leah Ellis, a Fairy Garden will be installed on the school grounds this spring. Volunteers will install the garden on May 15th from 12-2pm (a half day for students). And on June 10th from 3-5pm, all are welcome to attend a community opening of the garden. There are a variety of ways to help. If you're interested in helping, please fill out this form which has specific ways to volunteer this spring and beyond. Questions? Contact Brie Reynolds, briewreynolds@gmail.com.

End of the Year Dates

I haven’t gotten any “What’s the date of the last day of school? emails yet, but I anticipate they’ll be coming soon!  Now that we’re safely past the threat of snow days (!!), here are a few key dates for your late May & June calendars:

• Monday, 5/25 - No School (Memorial Day)

• Wednesday, May 27th - Grade 3 Field Trip

• Friday, May 29th - Greenwood Spring Dance

• Monday, 6/1 - Grade 3 Recorder Concert

• Friday, 6/5 - WMHS “Senior Walk” at Greenwood

• Saturday, 6/6 - WMHS Graduation

• Tuesday, 6/9 - Grade 4 Field Trip

• Thursday, 6/11 - Field Day

• Friday, 6/12 - Field Day Rain Date

• Friday, 6/19 - No School (Juneteenth)

• Monday, 6/22 - Grade 4 Moving On Ceremony 

• Monday, 6/22 - Last day for Greenwood Kindergarten (11:55am dismissal for K only)

• Tuesday, 6/23 - Greenwood Incoming Kindergarten Screening 

• Wednesday, 6/24 - Last day for Greenwood 1st-4th Grades (11:55am dismissal)

I’ll continue to update the list as more special events get booked!

FYI - First Day of School 2026-2027

I am in no way glossing over the rest of this school year AND the summer, but I thought it would be worth highlighting that the first day of school for students next year will be September 2, 2026 which is BEFORE Labor Day.  This is different from previous years, so just take note!

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 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  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