April newsletter
Rosanna Paribello, OST Director
Adriana Guereque, OST Assistant Director
Gina Miranda, Student Services Coordinator
Dana Gordon, Clinical Consultant
Embedded Files
Parent Resources
Important Dates
April 21 to 24 Vacation Program for Registered Students
Adventure Summer Program from July 6 to August 7
Financial Aid Assistance Information
In our commitment to making our program as available as possible, we continue to provide financial assistance for families. If you need information, please contact Adriana Guereque at aguereque@k12.somerville.ma.us. You can also contact the Site Director at your child's school.
Thank you for all your support to Community Schools – being with your children makes us all happy!
Counselor’s Corner
by Dana Gordon, Clinical Consultant
As the school year is winding down, we are mindful that these upcoming transitions can feel different for everyone. It is natural to experience a mix of emotions—excitement for summer, pride in accomplishments, and even sadness about saying goodbye to routines, teachers, and friends. At Community Schools, we recognize that the end of school can represent a significant transition for our students. Our teachers help students take time to reflect on how much they’ve grown this school year, both academically and personally, and celebrate the effort they’ve put in along the way. We also encourage them to stay connected with the friendships they’ve built and look ahead with confidence to new opportunities. Ending the year thoughtfully helps our students carry positive energy and strong relationships into whatever comes next and leave the year feeling confident, prepared, and proud of their growth! We understand this can be a tricky time of year so please reach out to your teachers for some help if you are seeing behaviors or emotions that concern you. We are happy to share this final stretch of the school year with you all!
Albert F. Argenziano
Albert F. Argenziano
Site Director: Elizabeth Bell
Assistant Site Director; Brianna Arevalo
Ileana Perlera, Etta Resnick, Ana Cortez, Sana Kazemi, Gianna Bottiglio, Brandy Ellis, Shruti Sood, Zaita Antonio, Sophia Ortega, JAred Perovic,
andrea cardoza, LEILA MCLAREN, Komal Verna
Happy April Argenziano families!! Although the weather has brought us some April showers and cooler temps, we are excited about the spring season and the beautiful warm weather it brings! Session 3 is in full swing, and we have welcomed some new clubs like Wiggly Giggle Dance, Fashion Club, Peaceful Pandas, Mini Olympics, Move & Groove Studio, Karaoke, and Snip, Stick & Smile. We are getting lots of outside time, playing soccer, and also having fun with chalk outdoors. Let’s check out what each grade level is up to..
*Parents/Guardians: With the warmer temperatures approaching, it can still be a bit chilly out. Please ensure your children have jackets, sweatshirts, etc. Thanks so much for your donations and support!!
Pre-K/K (Ms. Shruti):
Happy April! This month, the Pre-K students have been celebrating the changing of the seasons by doing spring-related crafts, such as making cotton ball bunnies, rocking birds, and making floral mosaics. We also worked on our fine motor skills by folding origami butterflies and learning how to weave paper. Of course, we also enjoyed the nicer weather by playing lots outside!
K-2nd grade (Mr. P, Ms. Sana, Ms. Zaita, Ms. Etta & Ms. Leila):
Dear families, we hope you are all doing well and enjoying a wonderful spring season so far! Students have made a great start as we move into the third session of our Creative Makers Lab and Puzzle & Brain Games Club. In Creative Makers Lab, students explore their creativity through hands-on projects such as painting, building with recycled materials, and creating collaborative artwork. In Puzzle & Brain Games Club, students challenge their minds by solving puzzles, designing their own games, working through riddles, and playing strategy-based activities that promote problem-solving, logic, and teamwork. We are excited to continue moving forward and look forward to seeing students bring even more ideas and creativity to our clubs.
Ms. Leila’s clubs:
In Lion’s Den this month, we are expanding our coping toolkit! We start club time with affirmation yoga to calm our bodies and build self-confidence. Activities such as making cloud dough and creating fidgets are helping to promote self-regulation strategies that students can use daily. Team Thrive is learning about self-expression and social skills this month! We wrote name- acrostic poems that pair each letter with a positive attribute, made glitter bubble dough, and paper squishes sensory projects. Since it’s National Deaf History Month, we are learning about notable deaf figures and practicing some basic signs.
3rd-5th (Ms. Ana, Ms. Ileana, & Ms. Andrea):
Welcome to the Fashion Club, where students get to tap into their creative side and create different creations every week! To start, students were asked to create a fashion mood board, detailing all their interests and demonstrating the different types of fashion styles they like as well.
A message from CinemaKidz (Pokemon Adventures):
Hello families of Argenziano! Our class is off to an exciting start! So far we’ve designed our very own Pokémon and even created custom cards for them! Next, we’re diving into the world of film production as part of our Pokémon adventure. Students will be filming scenes where they meet their Pokémon partners, battle rivals, and discover Pokémon in the wild. Using green screen technology and special effects, we’ll bring these stories to life on screen! Stay tuned for more!
Arthur D. Healey School
Arthur D. Healey School
Site Director: Amanda Oppman
Assistant Site Director: Alexander Walters
Nicholas Triant, Suri Gonzalez, Christopher Thompson, Samuel Macmillan, Delmis Aviles, Rafael Santos,
Ryan Ribeiro-Bisetti, Maria Lima Da SIlva, ALEXA RYAN
The Healey after-school kids have been having a great April! It was a long March, and the winter was tough to deal with this year, but we are so happy to finally have had some great weather!
We started our final session of clubs a few weeks ago. The younger students have been enjoying Ms. Alexa's clubs, which include Story to Screen, Lego, Perler Beads, Puzzle, and Creative Creations, and Mr. Mac's clubs, which include Play 60, Throwback Gym Class, and Lessons in Film.
The older students have been having a blast in Mr. Rafael's clubs, which include Soccer, Chess, Backyard Adventures, Trivia Masters, and Art Explorers, and Mr. T's clubs, which include Water Colors, Flag Football, and Perler Beads. Students of all ages have also loved our outside providers' clubs, which include Farrington Nature and Parkour.
And of course, we've been going outside a little extra recently to be able to catch some of this great weather. Students of all ages have enjoyed visiting both playgrounds, playing on the turf field in the back, and finally being able to blow off some steam in the form of exercise after this long winter.
We look forward to more of this good weather, which is coming our way, and to April Break next week!
Benjamin G. Brown School
Benjamin G. Brown School
Site Director: Kelsey Kent
Assistant Site Director: Justin Penezic
Ashley Marks, Jessica Alvarenga Lazo, Marie Cheney, Grace Barton,
El Ark, Jesus Castro, Ryleigh Martell, Vijayalaxmi, COLE THOMPSON, Madeleine LUCEY
Spring is here, and April is shaping up to be a fun and active month in our afterschool program! As the days get longer and the weather warms up, we’re excited to bring more outdoor activities, creative projects, and engaging learning opportunities to our students, as well as outdoor dismissal again!
With the Session III clubs now in full swing, we are happy to finally be able to start enjoying the spring weather with our outdoor clubs! Some of our highlighted clubs this month include: Outdoor Adventure, Danger Wizards, Science Trivia, and Soccer for the younger kids led by Tufts University students!
April break will be taking place from April 20th-24th; there will be no school or Afterschool during this time. We hope all of our families enjoy a relaxing and fun-filled April break! This is a great time for students to recharge, spend time with family and friends, and explore new activities. Whether you're traveling, enjoying the outdoors, or simply taking it easy at home, we wish everyone a safe and happy vacation. We look forward to welcoming students back refreshed and ready for more learning and fun!
A heartfelt thank you to our Afterschool families for being such an important part of our community. Your support, communication, and involvement help our program thrive each and every day!
East Somerville Community School
East Somerville Community School
Site Director: Yolanda Andrade
Assistant Site Director: ali tammaro
Raymond Corsini Joanne Simon, Sonia Barahona, Mario Quiroz, Sharon Castellon, Ashley Castro, Michael Chiaravalloti, Jaime Albayeros, Taylin Smith, Olivia Oliveira, Devin Andrade, Bryan Rodriguez, Luzmila Magana, Bryan Rodriguez, Kayla Lopez, Virgilio Garcia, Jessy Munos-Palacios, Emily Posada, Angie Montealegre
We have had such a great April at East! This month brought everything in terms of weather and started out with a few freezing days where we had to pivot to indoor activities, but as always, we made the most of it. We used our time inside to play games like freeze dance, musical chairs, and Simon Says, and our first graders have been enjoying playing many rounds of ‘Heads Up Seven Up’.
This month, students really dove into their creative clubs and worked on building their fine motor skills using Perler fuse beads to make beautiful bead creations, building action figures with tin foil and pipe cleaners, designing Easter ornaments, and making superhero masks.
Luckily, the weather did warm up, and we had a lot of time enjoying the sunshine. Outdoor time included playing together through team building games, Nature Explorers Club going on a nature scavenger hunt, Parkour club practicing their balancing skills, and tricks on the playground. We are all feeling the joy of the sunshine and looking forward to what this nicer weather brings in terms of outdoor activities for the rest of the school year!
Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center
Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center
Site Director: Michael Horowitz
Assistant Site Director: Sarthak Khamal
Bryan Convey, Ana Treska, Neelam Sehil, Mei Idri, Joao Detoledo, Mamata Chalise, Latifa Mortady, Devin Baxter, Fanta Diawara, Rute Zephyr, Gabriela Miranda
The April weather has run hot and cold. April also brings April vacation. Themes have run along the lines of “Frogs”, “Spring”, “Spring Insects”, “Dinosaurs", and “Vegetables.”
Classes have read books like, “ Frog and Toad Are Friends” by Arnold Lobel, “Splish, Splash, Spring” by Jan Carr, “Find the Insect” by Cate Foley, “Sammy and the Dinosaurs” by Bernard Most, and “One Bean” by Anne Rockwell. Projects related to the readings have included paper bag frogs, flower bouquets and all kinds of spring flowers, various ladybugs, T-Rexes, and hand carrots.
We continue to have lessons on big feelings and we are figuring out ways to deal with big feelings. We also focus on what it means to be kind, and how to solve problems with your friends.
April vacation is here. If your children are not coming to our program, we hope you have a great week! If your children are coming to our program, we hope that they enjoy their time with us!
John F. Kennedy Elementary School
John F. Kennedy Elementary School
Site Director: Allison Pelletier
Assistant Site Director: Kelly Lopez
Nicole Tolbert, Savannah Paul, Maureen Nichols, IULIIA POROSHINA, Mary Lou Hodgdon, Silvana Dinka, Christopher Montejo, DAMARIS MENDEZ, JENISSA AYBAR
As we transition to warmer months and sunnier days, I want to send a few reminders for you to pack for your children. Please make sure students have a hat and water bottle, and sunscreen if they need it! The sun can be pretty strong, and we want to make sure everyone is staying safe! I hope you all have a wonderful April Break 🙂Hard to believe it is almost May! As always, please let Ms. Alison know if you have any questions.
It has been a wonderful start to session 3! Ms. Kelly has enjoyed focusing on kindness and teamwork with our students, and we are thrilled to welcome Julia as our new lead kindergarten teacher. While we have recently combined some clubs due to staffing changes, our activities remain as engaging and vibrant as ever. Our student clubs are in full swing: Footy Fanatics is scoring goals, Mystery Mania detectives are earning badges, and Literary Legends is diving into The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Creative energy is high as the Scrap Squad explores self-expression (magazine donations welcome!), while the Storytelling club builds fictional worlds, and the Drama club performs daily short plays. Students are also busy writing original songs in the Music club, playing soccer and "scramble" in Gym Class Heroes, and tackling friendly debates on topics like school homework. Finally, students are sharpening their critical thinking in Math Games, relaxing with Mindful Coloring, and practicing gratitude through our "Helping Hands" initiative with cards for Boston Children’s Hospital.
This month, Pre‑K has been jumping into spring with excitement! We’ve been learning all about weather and plants through hands-on experiments and observations. In our weather unit, children explored how clouds make rain by conducting a shaving‑cream‑and‑food‑coloring experiment. They also discovered how the sun warms the Earth and helps create different kinds of weather.
During our plant unit, we learned that plants need water, soil, and sunlight to grow. We’re trying to grow our own lima bean plants using sandwich bags and paper towels—wish us luck! If they sprout, we’ll transfer them into pots and care for them right in our classroom. We’ve also been enjoying more time outdoors on the tot lot during early‑release Wednesdays. Pre‑K is thrilled to have warmer weather, extra outdoor play, and plenty of space to burn off energy! 😊
Thank you for everything!
Winter Hill Community Innovation School
Winter Hill Community Innovation School
Site Director: Diana Posada
Assistant Site Director: Maria Henriquez
Tanty Koita, Nehemie Simon, Luz Janampa, Roxana Alfaro, Alaa boutkhurst, Ruolx Dorvilier, Olivia coleman, nancy nimako, aryanna peart, olivia prophete
April has officially arrived, and with it comes sunshine, fresh air, and students who suddenly have a lot more energy! We’ve been taking full advantage of the warmer weather (when we have it) by heading outside as often as possible, whether it’s for group games, sports, playground time, or just soaking up some much-needed sunshine. Safe to say, everyone is very happy to trade in snow boots for sneakers.
Our clubs are continuing to thrive this session, and many have been getting creative by bringing activities outdoors or adding more movement and hands-on fun into their time together. From active games and team challenges to art projects and collaborative activities, students have been fully engaged and excited to try new things. We’ve especially loved seeing their teamwork, creativity, and (very competitive!) spirit shine through.
Beyond clubs, students have been enjoying a variety of structured and choice-based activities each day, giving them opportunities to explore their interests, build friendships, and just have fun after a long school day. Whether they’re running around outside, creating something amazing indoors, or leading their own games with friends, there’s never a dull moment in our program.
We’re looking forward to even more beautiful spring days ahead and yes, we will absolutely be outside every chance we get!
West Somerville Neighborhood School
West Somerville Neighborhood School
Site Director: Joshua Leibovitz
Assistant Site Director: Seana Read
Jane Fabiano, Darly Pierre, Gianna Amari, Joseph Amari, Rodrigo Rodriguez, Katherine Yanes, Henry Duarte, Teodor Todorov, Valerie Perez
Welcome to the West! Spring is in full bloom at WSNS, and our final batch of clubs for the year is underway, with students enjoying both new experiences and familiar favorites. A new addition, Ms. Elisa’s Yoga club, helps younger students care for their bodies and minds, while PreK students with Ms. Jane continue to build on their yoga experience. In Mr. Joseph’s Bloom Lab club, students are exploring the science behind spring flowers and growing their own plants from seeds to sprouts. Meanwhile, students in Backboard Ballers with Mr. Teddy are sharpening their basketball skills, while his Improv club is creating an original one-act play, and Mr. Henry’s Creative Canvas club is completing personalized name paintings.
The NBA playoffs might be over, but keep your eye on the 2036 draft for the future stars of sports from the Backboard Ballers club with Mr. Teddy. I don’t know what a pick-and-roll play is, but they definitely do! Mr. Teddy’s Improv club is hard at work writing/directing/costuming/acting in an original one-act play sure to have audience members laughing, crying, awed, and amazed! Mr.Henry’s Creative Canvas club has been busy putting brush to paper to create personalized name paintings and is putting on their final touches.
Reminders for Families
● Please see our WSNS Afterschool class on the TalkingPoints for Families app for the quickest updates. Email Josh or Seana if you have any questions about the app.
● Pack extra clothes for younger children in case of accidents or emergencies.
● After-school does not have its own Lost and Found. We use the Lost and Found located outside the main office. Please be sure to check it regularly!
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROGRAM
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