Day School News
December 12, 2020
Dear Day School Community,
We hosted our first virtual all school meeting on Friday, December 11 for our pod A meetings. It was so great to see our school community come together even if it was behind a screen. School nurse Cheryl Carpenter shared some important reminders to keep our hybrid students healthy and safe. This was followed by a presentation from guidance counselor Trish Sampson about texting etiquette. Mrs. Sampson's most important message was "Text messaging and phone etiquette requires tweens/kids to think about how their actions make other people feel." The November 21 newsletter has more information about texting etiquette that you can share with your child.
Our next virtual PTO meeting will take place on Monday, December 14 @6PM. Please see the link in the newsletter below. We are always looking for new members. Please join us to find out what you can do to get involved.
We are also looking for a committee of parents to head up our yearbook committee. If you are interested in getting involved, please email me by Friday, December 18. Simply stated, we cannot have a yearbook without parent volunteers. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Chris Louis Sardella, Principal
Norman E. Day Elementary School
Report Cards
The Parent Portal will open on December 18, 2020 at 4:00 PM to access Report Cards. To access your child's report card, log into the Parent Portal - click here. If you have already registered for iParent access, but do not remember your username and/or password, do not register again, simply contact iParent via the webform, click here to obtain that information.
Virtual PTO Meeting
Monday, December 14 @6PM
Open Google Meet and enter this code:
evs-spgo-rtb or click the link below
Read our latest newsletter by clicking the link below:
The deadline for applying to the Preliminary Screening Committee is December 21st. Please follow the link below for more information:
Westford SEPAC & Student Support Survey: 2020-2021
The Westford Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC), in conjunction with the Westford Public Schools' Office of Pupil Services, is gathering feedback as it relates to special education in our district. We have created what we hope will be an annual survey, allowing both the SEPAC and the district, to self-reflect on current practices, make improvements, and plan for meaningful SEPAC activities.
This survey focuses on some basic questions around school communication, direct services, and SEPAC participation. It also includes a section on how COVID accommodations and changes have impacted the school year, so far. Because we recognize that responses may change based on the child and their support team, we're asking SEPAC members to fill out one survey per child with special needs in the household. The end of the survey will present an option to start a new survey if necessary.
Please note that this survey is NOT a replacement for the special education process. If your child is struggling during this -- or any -- school year, reach out to your student's Team lead. Additionally, please be aware that although you may remain anonymous, the data obtained from this survey may be shared with members of the district, including the School Committee. The SEPAC also expects to share the results of this survey with members of the SEPAC and the general public early in 2021.
This survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete (per child). Please complete this survey by Friday, December 18, 2020 at 5PM.
Thank you for taking time to fill out this survey. Click the link below to access the survey.
Day School Yearbook Committee
We cannot produce the yearbook without your help! Please join the committee and find out what you can do to help produce this annual Day School tradition. All meetings are virtual and work will be done from home.
If you are interested in joining the Day School yearbook committee, please contact Day School principal Chris Louis Sardella by emailing csardella@westfordk12.us by Friday, December 18.
A fifth grade elf squad was spotted leaving gifts on cars parked in the Day School lot. Spreading kindness is a Day School tradition!
Westford Education Foundation Teacher Appreciation Gifts
Our incredible teachers have risen to the challenge of these uncertain times and remained present and a constant in our children’s lives and education. What a perfect time to thank them for all their hard work. Please consider sending a WEF note to your favorite teacher, counselor, teacher’s aide, school nurse, office staff member, or principal. It’s the perfect way to say thank you and support innovation in Westford schools at the same time! Money generated from these notes will be used to fund grants for the Westford Public School system.
Just make a tax-deductible donation (minimum of $10 per honoree) to Westford Education Foundation and we will send your honoree an email from WEF with a personalized note. The email will state your name and your note, but will not disclose the amount of your gift. These cards make great end-of-year class gifts, as well.
Note: Donations made to WEF in WPS staff members’ names comply with the revised state ethical regulations in terms of gift-giving and acceptance.
Westford Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization that promotes excellence in education. We fund grants to teachers, staff, and the community for innovative educational initiatives,professional development, and life-long learning ventures.
Please visit https://www.westford.org/wef/teacher/ to fill out the form. You can complete your donation using your PayPal account or credit card.
Questions? Contact the Westford Education Foundation on wef@westford.org
Request a Book from the Day School Library
Hybrid and RLA students can now safely check out books from the Day School library. Click on the video below to find out more information:
How to Access, Log In, and Request a Library Book on the Day School Online Library Catalog.webmClick on the video above to find out how you can request books from the Day School library.
Mandatory Flu Vaccines Required for Hybrid and RLA Students
Submit proof of vaccination to Cheryl Carpenter, School Nurse
Influenza immunization will be required for all children 6 months of age or older who are attending Massachusetts child care, pre-school, kindergarten, K-12, and colleges and universities. The new vaccine requirement is an important step to reduce flu-related illness and the overall impact of respiratory illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students will be expected to have received a flu vaccine by December 31, 2020 for the 2020-2021 influenza season, unless either a medical or religious exemption is provided.
Coats for Kids
Day School fifth grader Amrita Harish is organizing a winter coat drive. Please read her message below and consider donating to this cause.
The “Coats For Kids” is a coat drive that is co-sponsored by Jordan's Furniture, Enterprise Bank and Anton’s Cleaners. We are setting up a collection bin for this at Day School. The blue collection bin will be outside the front door with a big sign on top. If you have any gently used or new coats, feel free to drop them off at the Day School. The reason behind this coat drive is because I have seen people who are less privileged than us live through the winter without coats and it makes me sad. My goal is to get more than 30 coats.
The coat drive is going to be available to drop off coats until January 8, 2021.
Thank you, Amrita
Coats for Kids accepts donations of coats in both child and adult sizes!
For the Love of Erika Toy Drive
For the Love of Erika is a toy drive started by Taylor Leong, in memory of her friend, Erika, who passed away from cancer at the age of 7. "For the Love of Erika" collects, wraps, and distributes holiday presents to hospitals, shelters, and DCF in MA and NH, as well as hosting holiday parties for homeless shelters and disadvantaged children (at Jump On In, Lowell; Jump On In, Haverhill: and Gibbet Hill, Groton). In addition to this, "For the Love of Erika" also raises scholarship money to send disadvantaged children to summer camp.
If you would like to make a donation, please make it payable to: For the Love of Erika, c/o Laura Goodman, 68 Main Street, Suite 3, Andover, MA 01810
Visit our GoFundMe page to help us reach our goal of $5,000! Any donations are greatly appreciated! We can't do what we do every year without the support of the community.
Westford Youth Baseball and Softball
Register Early and Save for Spring Westford Baseball and Softball
With our fall season wrapping up, it is already time to think about the 2021 Spring Baseball and Softball seasons. This year the Westford Youth Baseball and Softball League was able to have a spring/summer and fall season for baseball and softball. Baseball and Softball continue to be great ways to participate in team sports while learning good sportsmanship and building confidence.
Westford Youth Baseball and Softball League is offering a registration for early bird special. For divisions 7U to 12U, players who register prior to January to January 30th, 2021 will save $30.00 per registration. For all Tee-ball and pre-ball registrations the discount will be available up until registration close.
Got Sneakers?
Recycle Sneakers and Raise Money for our School
Did you know that in the U.S., roughly 200 million pairs of shoes and sneakers end up in landfills each year?
Did you know that more than 600 million people worldwide don’t even own a pair of shoes?
The GotSneakers recycling organization will help us to recycle our sneakers! We will ONLY accept athletic sneakers and sports related footwear. Ideally, unused and gently used sneakers will raise the most money for our school. But, if you have sneakers with holes, mold/mildew or detached soles, GotSneakers will take them as well. By participating, you’ll help keep sneakers out of landfills while also putting shoes on the feet of people living in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, West Africa, and Europe. Some of the unusable sneakers will even be made into new athletic surfaces! Your old sneakers will make a huge difference; reducing what we throw away and raising money for our school is a win-win!
Please drop off all donations to the box outside near the Day School’s main entrance doors. We encourage you to bring all non-athletic shoes/boots to the drop-off bin in the St. Catherine’s Church parking lot, to Savers in Nashua, or to other local thrift shops for resale. Thanks so much for your support!