Dear Franklin Families,
With only seven school days left before vacation, we are looking forward to a time of rest and the opportunity to start a new year with all of its possibilities. To celebrate the end of 2021, Student Council has planned several Spirit Days for next week after eliciting feedback from all classes. Please note the following schedule:
Monday (12/20): Snow/Winter Day (Creatively dress with a winter theme.)
Tuesday (12/21): Fancy Day (Dress up for the day!)
Wednesday (12/22): Sports Day (Wear items related to an athletic activity or favorite sports team.)
Thursday (12/23): PJ's/Movie Day (A relaxing way to launch vacation!)
During our Staff Meeting and Building-Based Professional Development last Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, we continued our professional learning about Culturally Responsive Teaching through our two focus areas of Racial Identity Development and Culturally Responsive Approach to Trauma. Building on our district’s Statement of Values and Commitment to Racial Equity, we believe that reflecting on one’s own racial identity and unconscious bias strengthens and positively impacts our interactions with students, colleagues, and families. Staff members shared their own experiences with Racial Identity Development and reflected on the impact of our diverse experiences on the way we see the world and interact with each other. As we grow in our capacity to truly listen to and appreciate the experiences of others and think deeply about the structural inequities that exist in our world, we seek to become a school community that is safe and supportive for all of our students and families.
Kindergarten Registration: Please see the attached information below about Kindergarten Registration for the 2022-23 School Year.
ELPAC: Please see this invitation for tonight’s NPS English Language Parent Advisory Council meeting.
School Transfer Requests: Please see the attached information below about School Transfer Requests within Newton Public Schools.
Newton Public Schools Gift Policy: As we enter this season of holidays and vacations, we ask that families please be mindful of the Newton School Committee’s policy stating, “Newton Public Schools allows a group gift to an individual staff member only if the gift is identified as being from the entire class, the identity of the givers and the individual amounts are not disclosed to the recipient, and the gift does not exceed $150 per school year. This differs from a gift for the classroom. Individual gifts of appreciation in the form of sentimental tokens are allowed. Gifts of commercial value are not permitted. NPS allows and encourages giving to charitable organizations such as school PTO’s or the Newton Schools Foundation’s Honor Thy Teacher Program, which honors staff while supporting our schools.”
Weekly COVID Case Numbers: This week, Franklin School recorded no COVID cases. Information on districtwide COVID cases and vaccination rates can be found on the Newton Health and Human Services website here: NPS COVID Case Count and Vaccination Rates.
Save the Date! Dr. David Fleishman, Superintendent of Schools, and members of the Newton School Committee will be visiting Franklin at the Parent Coffee on Friday, February 11th, 8:30-9:30 a.m., as a part of their annual tour of Newton schools. They look forward to speaking with members of the Franklin community.
Parent Coffee/PTO Evening Meeting Dates: This year, we have a mixture of morning Parent Coffees and evening PTO Meetings through which we hope to engage all of you in conversation about life and learning in our school community. Please join us on the following dates. We will meet in-person when feasible and rely on virtual meetings when necessary. At this point, in-person meetings will need to be outdoors, so we expect to use Zoom during the winter months. We will let you know the format for each meeting as the date approaches. Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Fleishman and members of the Newton School Committee will join us at the February 11th Parent Coffee.
January 20th 7:30 p.m.
February 11th 8:30 a.m. [NOTE CHANGE OF DATE]
March 24th 7:30 p.m.
April 29th 8:30 a.m.
June 2nd 7:30 p.m.
Absences: If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please call the Student Absence Line at 617-559-9509 before 7:50. Also, please be sure that teachers have accurate information about dismissal routines for your child.
Early Release Dates: We will have dismissal at 12:10 p.m. on the following dates: February 3rd, March 24th, and May 12th.
With best wishes,
Mark Chitty
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