Jaguar Tracks for Families
September 22, 2020
From the Office of Mrs. Ippolito
Dearest Joshua Eaton Parents and Guardians,
What a fantastic first few days of school! Thank you to our entire Joshua Eaton community for taking such good care of us here at Eaton. We truly appreciate it!
Beginning this week, the Jaguar Tracks will be sent out on Tuesdays and will contain both school and PTO information.
We would like to remind you that our doors will be locked at ALL times. This will also in effect for the Extended Day Program in the morning. There will be a monitor in place at 7 AM.
We know JE is a great place to be, but please refrain from having students and siblings on the JE play structure and schoolyard during the school day between 8:10 -2:45. We have kindergarten students and others attending school live using the outdoors for learning, playing, and taking mask breaks. For their safety and yours, as is typical during the regular school year, please keep this in mind.
Please be sure to check our school website for information related to Joshua Eaton and the start of the school year. http://reading.k12.ma.us/joshuaeaton/
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ippolito, Principal
Joshua Eaton
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.
Curriculum Night
Specialists
Students should be joining the Music, Library, and PE Google classrooms for their grade levels. The links are being sent by the classroom teachers. These links are also located on the specials schedule on the class landing pages. Students will have double music during the first half of the year and double art during the second half of the year.
Specialists will be following the A/B schedule. For Grades 1-5, on each classroom's cohort week they will be receiving synchronous (remote live) lessons. Then on their opposite cohort week, they will be receiving asynchronous (recorded) lessons. All specials next week are asynchronous.
From the Office of Danielle Collins, Food Service Director
The Reading Schools Food Services is working hard to create a welcoming and safe environment to provide healthy meals for all Reading Public Schools students. We are so excited to provide our students with nourishing and nutritious meals that will support them, both in school and at home.
There will be some significant changes to the Food Service program this fall. The primary one is related to the payment system. In March, when our schools closed because of COVID-19, the USDA (the federal agency that oversees the nation’s school lunch and school breakfast program) allowed all schools in the US to provide meals at no cost to all students and then they extended that provision through the summer. A second extension was announced on August 31st and is set to expire on December 31st or when funds run out. What this means is ALL students will eat for free through this USDA extension period. All students, regardless of eligibility are able to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch every academic day until December 31st. We understand the vital importance of providing meals at no cost for all students across our community during this unprecedented time. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has requested that the USDA extend free meals for all students for the entire school year. However, no decision has been made by the USDA.
Families should still submit a household application to determine eligibility for free and reduced price school meals in order to qualify for any additional benefits as well as have a seamless transition when school meals transition to a paid school meal program. Therefore, we strongly encourage families to complete an application for free and reduced priced meals as soon as possible. The application is available to download at Reading.k12.ma.us under Food Services.
In addition, we also encourage families to apply for SNAP benefits. SNAP provides monthly cash benefits (on an EBT card) to purchase groceries for eligible families. To apply for SNAP, visit DTA Connect at https://dtaconnect.eohhs.mass.gov/ or call the Project Bread FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333. Families approved for SNAP are directly eligible to receive free meals at school.
Meal Distribution will be provided each Wednesday from 2:30 – 3:30 pm and Friday from 11 am – 12 noon at the bridge of Reading Memorial High School.
Please reach out with any questions you might have. Your children are the reason we love our jobs and we are here to make sure that they are fueled with good food and ready to learn!
Sincerely,
Danielle Collins, Food Service Director
How to Translate this Newsletter
In the black box at the top of the newsletter, select Translate Newsletter to pick the desired language.
- Portuguese: Na caixa preta na parte superior do boletim, selecione Traduzir Boletim informativo para escolher o idioma desejado.
- Spanish: En el cuadro de Negro en la parte superior del boletín de noticias, seleccione Traducir Boletín de escoger el idioma deseado.
- Arabic : في المربع الأسود في أعلى النشرة الإخبارية، حدد ترجمة الرسالة الإخبارية لاختيار اللغة المطلوبة.
Google Classroom
Please visit the ClassWork tab to view the classroom "Landing Page". This document contains contact information, schedules, links, and resources.
At this time, all students should be on their individual classes Google Classroom page. If your child is not, please let me know how I can help.
Google Support -TEACH FROM ANYWHERE
Here is a link to help families troubleshoot and learn from home.
Information from the Nurses of RPS
I just wanted to send a quick thank you to all the parents/guardians that submitted their kindergarten health forms last week. If you have updated health forms throughout the year, please feel free to email or fax me a copy so that I can update their records.
At this time, I am asking that all families that have school-based medications, submit updated 1) medication orders from their providers, 2) a signed parental consent form, and 3) an updated care plan (allergy/asthma/seizure), if appropriate. These forms should be submitted yearly. Parents are encouraged to drop off their child’s medication prior to their first in-person day. If you have any questions, please email me elmy.trevejo@reading.k12.ma.us
Reminders – The health office will no longer be providing back up clothing for students. There are many reasons why a child, of all ages and grades, could need a change of clothing during the day. Please make sure that you send your child in with an extra set of clothing (include socks/underwear/extra masks) in their backpacks, in case they need to change. If your child needs a change of clothes and he/she does not have any, a call will be placed at home asking for a parent or guardian to bring in a change.
Flu Vaccination Requirement – This year, the state is mandating that all students (K-12) receive a flu vaccine prior to 12/31/20. If your child has already received their flu shot, please send me documentation letting me know that they have. Many local pharmacies/minute clinics are offering flu shot clinics. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Remember to review the daily COVID symptom checklist prior to sending your child to school.
Stay well –
Mrs. Trevejo, RN MPH
Office of Student Services
During the extended closure in the Spring of 2020 office hours were offered to families and we would like to continue to offer virtual office hours with Jennifer Stys, Director of Student Services, and Allison Wright, Assistant Director of Student Services. Office hours are a time for individual families to discuss questions and concerns regarding the implementation of their student’s IEP, their progress or to share positive feedback. If you are interested in attending office hours, please sign up for a 15-minute block via the link below. The dates/times of office hours are as follows:
- Wednesday 9/23 9-10 am
- Tuesday 9/29 2-3 pm
Link to DOODLE Poll for Student Services Office Hours for the month of September
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
SEPAC and Parent Resources are always listed in the Jaguar Tracks. See the information section below.
COVID-19 Update for Families from SEPAC (Special Education Advisory Council)
The mission of the Reading Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is to work for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community.
- We remind parents/caregivers to contact team chairs and principals with individual concerns and questions.
- The SEPAC Board strongly encourages members to review the following links:
Visit SEPAC's website and follow SEPAC on Facebook for more information.
Thank you,
SEPAC BOARD
Reading Kids Connect
Is your child in need of a friend or an older peer to spend time with? Many younger students might feel distant from their peers because of remote-learning, and on top of that, some parents might feel overwhelmed with having to entertain their kids and work from home at the same time.
To reduce the stress of child-care on parents and feelings of isolation on younger students, Reading Kids Connect connects RMHS students + alumni with younger students (ages 7-15) over virtual video sessions. We can provide homework help, boredom-killing activities, high school advice, and a friendly face. To find a mentor, visit our website:
https://readingkidsconnect.org/
*Advertisement from Reading Kids Connect
Election Time
Hello families! It’s finally time to hold our annual PTO election! Please submit your choices on this Google form by Oct 1. We will share the results and info on your new board shortly thereafter! Thank you!
About These Services
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