Jaguar Tracks for Families
October 26, 2020
From the Office of Mrs. Ippolito
Dear Joshua Eaton Families,
It is hard to believe it is the last week of October! We have had a great time welcoming our students back to school both remote and in the hybrid model.
On November 2nd, we will be welcoming our Grade 3 Cohort A students back to school. We are thrilled to have four grade levels back in the building. Those student's families should read this newsletter carefully, as arrival and dismissal procedures have changed from last year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ippolito, Principal
Joshua Eaton
Important Dates
- Oct. 28th - K-2 Picture Day - Cohort B -picture envelopes sent home Oct. 26th
- October 29th - Halloween Hoopla 2020 Parade - Cohort B K-2
- November 2nd - Grade 3 Cohort A -Mrs. Emery's class begins.
- November 2nd - Halloween Hoopla 2020 Parade - Cohort A K-2
- Nov. 4th - K-2 Picture Day - Cohort A - picture envelopes sent home Nov. 2nd
- Nov. 3rd - Election Day - Remote for all students
- Nov. 9th - Grade 3, Cohort B begins; Mrs. McGevna, Ms. Lewis
- Nov. 10th - Cohort B Grade 3 Picture Day
- Nov. 11th - Veteran's Day, No School
- Nov. 18th - PTO General Meeting Virtual
- Nov. 20th - No School - Parent Conferences
- Nov. 25th - 1/2 day 11:00 dismissal
- Nov. 26th - Happy Thanksgiving
- Nov. 27th - No School
MORNING DROP-OFF - Please read carefully for student safety!!!
- Staff supervision at JE begins at 8:10 am. Hybrid students should not arrive unsupervised before 8:10 am. All students must be wearing their masks on school property.
- Please leave dogs at home and off of school property. Some students are allergic to dander or afraid of dogs, and we are also using the entire school grounds for learning spaces where the students will be sitting on the ground.
- Drop-off is from 8:10 – 8:25 am. All students should enter the building following their classroom assignment:
- Kindergarten - Mrs. Cornetta ( Door 4), Ms. Fusco/Mrs. Meagher (Door 6), Mrs. Manna( Modular) - same as the start of the year.
- Grade 1: Cohort A - Ms. Byrnes & Mrs. Varghese, Cohort B - Ms. McQuillin - Door 2 (front of the school -center)
- Grade 2: Cohort A - Mrs. Libby & Ms. Fitch, Cohort B - Ms. Kiley & Mrs. Nazzaro - Door 5 (Library Door, near glass windows)
- Grade 3: Cohort A - Mrs. Emery, Cohort B - Mrs. McGevna & Ms. Lewis - Oak Street St Lawn
MORNING TRAFFIC & PARKING at JE
Between 7:30 - 8:30 am:
- Oak Street is a right turn only between the hours of 7:30 am – 8:30 am. There is a right turn only sign at the bottom of Oak Street.
- Drop-off cars will be pulling into designated drop-off spaces on Summer Ave. in front of Joshua Eaton only coming from Summer Ave and Oak Street. OR if coming down Oak Street there are 4 drop-off spaces at a time. These are reserved for DROP & GO only. Parents, please pull all the way up to the farthest available space available.
Please be sure your children can exit the vehicle from the right side of the vehicle.
Parents who wish to walk with their children to their entrance door should find parking on nearby side streets. Everyone should be wearing a mask on school property to ensure everyone's safety and maintain social distance.
Our parking lot is closed between the hours of 8:05 -3:10, except for ½ day Kindergarten at 11:30. ∙ A special parking pass is required to use the faculty parking lot for those with a special need.
Our hope is that we can all work together to create a safe drop-off for our community and most of all, for our children.
Afternoon Dismissal - PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
Thank you to each family that submitted a dismissal plan to the office through the Google Form.
*Kindergarten dismissal remains the same as the start of the year.
Dismissal begins at 2:45 with walkers first. Walkers exit doors 2 or 7.
At 2:50, Car Riders aka Parent Pick-up begins.
Notes for Walkers:
There will be two locations/doors for your child to be dismissed Door # 2/Summer Ave or Door #7/playground. Please note that walkers will be dismissed at 2:45 and they are required to promptly walk off of school grounds with their masks on. Parents and Caregivers can wait at the "rock" or cross the street on the sidewalk for social distancing!!!
Notes for Car Riders:
You received an orange placard for your vehicle, it is a family number when you pull into a parking space either on Oak St or Summer Ave. Please pull all the way forward in the parking spaces. A staff member will make note of your number on the placard and using our Google Slide system call for your child(ren) to come out to your car.
We will get your child out to you swiftly, please be patient. You must remain in your vehicle this year!
Notes for Bus Riders and Ext. Day:
If your child is taking a bus or attending the Reading Extended Day, he/she will be escorted to that location.
Dismissal Changes:
Please note that if you make a change to your plan, it will be important for you to notify us. Please use the "Change of Dismissal Form" or call the main office by noon. http://reading.k12.ma.us/joshuaeaton/forms/
Incoming Kindergarten 20-21
Attention Reading Families: If you have a child born between September 1, 2015 and August 31, 2016, we are looking for you. The registration process for the 2021-22 school year will begin soon. Please contact Linda Engelson by phone (781 944-5800) or email (linda.engelson@reading.k12.ma.us) if you have any questions or would like to be sure your child is on our preliminary list. If emailing, please provide your child’s name, date of birth, and address. Incoming Kindergarten Parent Information session is November 4th at 7:00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams.
Student Directory
We are asking all families who wish to share their contact information do so through the Parent Portal. The Portal will be the way that Joshua Eaton families share contact information. In the Portal, you can choose what you want to share with your child's classmates and other families in the school. If you would like other families to be able to contact you for any reason (for instance, party invitations or playdates) please set up your Parent Portal account to share information in the online directory.
Directions for Adding Your Information to the Directory
- On your Parent Portal account go to the pulldown menu below your name.
- Choose Directory Listing on that pulldown menu.
- A Directory Listing menu will appear.
- Click "List my information in the school directory"
- Select which information you would like to include in your listing.
- Click the blue "Save Directory Listings" button.
Privacy laws and regulations prohibit schools from releasing your personal information, including class lists with identifiable information. The portal is the best way to gather that information and gives families choices about personal information to be released.
Pictures here show you how this appears in your account.
Adopt-a-Family Program
The Adopt-a-Family Program is an annual holiday program that matches anonymous donors and recipients for Thanksgiving dinner, Holiday dinner, and/or gifts for dependent children. The program is managed by the Reading Rotary and Reading Cares and has been helping residents for over 30 years. To participate as a donor or recipient, click on the link below to download the appropriate form below. Questions about the program may be directed to (781) 942-6678 or email readingaaf@gmail.com.
https://www.readingma.gov/elder-and-human-services/pages/adopt-a-family-holiday-program?fbclid=IwAR0kUdfUsSoDrvZqyfnxiDt3dBF5SDD3apS6b332HwdzJ2_ogq1BTCVAh4YGet Ready for Book Borrowing from the Joshua Eaton Library in October!!
Grades 3-5: You can check out books from the Library Media Center while we’re learning in our hybrid learning model. When in school, the library will come to each classroom for checkout starting in October. When remote, students will request and pick up books on our school pickup day on Tuesdays.
Mrs. Ghirardi is beginning in school book check out for grades K-2 this week!!
Our books are for everyone, so please remember to take good care of them. Please email Mrs. Ghirardi for questions and more details. karen.ghirardi@reading.k12.ma.us
Please see more details in the flyer below.
PE Weekly challenge with Ms. Cucinotta
Teacher Absences
While we are in this hybrid model, if a teacher is absent during their remote week, their class will work remotely on asynchronous lessons for the day through their class-specific Google Classroom.
To start the student's day they will log to their classroom Zoom link for attendance to be taken for the day at 8:30.
From the Desk of Mrs. Trevejo
Vision and Hearing Screenings for 2020-2021 school year
This year, due to the COVID pandemic, the state has put a hold on school-based screenings. That said, I want families to know that if you have a concern regarding your child, I am able to set up individual screenings in a safe manner. Please reach out if you would like to have your child screened.
Masks
Just a reminder, please make sure that students come in with a fresh, clean mask daily. Masks should be chosen that are comfortable and the right size for your child. When a mask is ill-fitting, students spend the day touching and readjusting their masks often, which decreases their effectiveness. Please make sure that your student’s back up masks are also the correct size and fit.
Sanitizer Opt-Out
Just a reminder, if your child has sensitive skin or if you have a personal preference for the sanitizer that they use throughout the day, please email me. Hand sanitizer can be sent in from home, we just ask that it be at least 60% ethyl alcohol.
Flu Shots
I just want to send a big thank you for your support with getting our students their flu vaccines. It is only October, and we are already at about 70% compliance, and that does not include the families that have appointments scheduled over the next few weeks. You have been amazing. Remember, once your child is vaccinated, you can send me a photo of the documentation, fax it to the office (781-942-9053), or scan and email it to me. Hard copies are also accepted.
Have a great weekend,
Mrs. Trevejo
Out of State Travel
- Out of State Travel- As we get closer to the holiday season, we want to remind families about the Department of Public Health guidelines for Out of State travel. The full guidelines are located at the link below.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
In summary, the guidelines state the following:
- All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not meet an exemption, are required to:
- Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival, unless you are visiting from a lower-risk state designated by the Department of Public Health.
- Quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.
- If your COVID-19 test result has not been received prior to arrival, visitors, and residents must quarantine until they receive a negative test result.
- Please note that we will not be able to allow students or staff in person who have traveled out of state unless they submit a negative COVID test with 72 hours of return
From the Desk of Food Service Director, Danielle Collins
Superintendent Virtual Office Hours
- Now that we have begun the school year, we will be restarting the Superintendent Virtual Office Hours. Office hours will be scheduled in 20 minutes blocks of time on Microsoft Teams. If you would like to schedule an office hour, please complete this link.
Office of Student Services
Special Education Support
If you have any questions about your student’s IEP or services please reach out to our building Team Chairperson, Shana Goldwyn at Shana.Goldwyn@reading.k12.ma.us
Reading SEPAC
Details about the following SEPAC events, and more, were emailed to everyone on SEPAC’s confidential mailing list. Check your email for further details, or contact SEPACREADING@gmail.com to be added to our list.
SEPAC Events:
- SEPAC Meeting (including Board elections)
- THIS Tuesday, October 27 - 7:00 PM
- The meeting agenda is available here
- Virtual meeting: Oct 27 Meeting Link
- Understanding the IEP Workshop
- October 29 - 6:00 PM
- You must pre-register by clicking here
- Transition Planning Workshop
- November 2 - 6:00 PM
- You must pre-register by clicking here.
- Virtual support Chat for Reading SEPAC Members
- November 5 - 7:30 PM
- Email: SEPACREADING@gmail.com for the meeting link
- Presentation on Facilitated Team Meetings and Mediation Services
- Nov 17 - 7:00 PM
- Meeting link forthcoming
DESE Guidance about COVID-19 Compensatory Services
- COVID 19 Compensatory Services Family Fact Sheet
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) Special Education Technical Assistance Advisory 2021-1: COVID-19 Compensatory Services and Recovery Support for Students with IEPs
Thank you--
SEPAC BOARD
Join the 5th Grade Yearbook Committee!
5th Grade parents, join the Yearbook Committee, and help design the yearbook that your fifth grader will be able to look back on! Collect photos and details that will help them savor their memories from Joshua Eaton. Interested? Please contact Rachel Hitch and Julie Ross: racheldhitch@gmail.com. Thanks for supporting our students!
Seeking Room Parent Volunteers
If you're looking for a great way to support your child and his or her teacher this year, please consider being a Room Parent. It's not a big time commitment, yet it can make a big impact on your child's class. We are looking for TWO Room Parent volunteers per class, and hope to have these roles filled by Friday, November 6th. Interested? Volunteer here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQQwjbofWs1HFF9P71QqVBLjLVW0N1q6egUwxfCLXPGW4k4g/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&usp=mail_form_link.
Questions? Email jevolunteers@gmail.com
Mrs. Ippolito, Principal
Mrs. Trevejo, School Nurse
Mrs. Greco, Administrative Assistant
Website: http://reading.k12.ma.us/joshuaeaton
Location: 365 Summer Avenue, Reading, MA, USA
Phone: 781-942-9161
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaEatonSchool/
Twitter: @Mrs_Ippolito