Day School News
March 20, 2021
Dear Day School Community,
We are gearing up for our full return on April 5. I appreciate everyone's patience and flexibility as we make this huge transition for the last semester of the school year. For some children this will be an exciting change as they may be entering our school building for the first time this school year. Others are likely to be quite anxious about what will be ostensibly be the first day of school. Some children who will remain in the remote learning academy may be missing some friends in their online classes. This will certainly be a mixed bag of emotions for students, teachers, and families. Please know that whether your children come back into the school building or remain in our remote learning academy, they will be in good hands with our caring staff. Everyone at the Day School is working hard to make sure this is a positive school year for your child.
Our Reading and Writing Celebration Week will kick off with virtual all school meetings for pod B on Friday, March 26 and pod A on Monday, March 29. Students are invited to dress as their favorite book character for our spirit days. Please read more about the activities for Reading and Writing Celebration Week in this newsletter.
We look forward to seeing you in our online conferences on Monday and Tuesday!
Sincerely,
Chris Louis Sardella, Principal
Norman E. Day Elementary School
The Day School stands in solidarity with our Asian community.
Virtual Conference Week Schedule
Monday, March 22
No school- Conferences 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday, March 23
All students will resume their normal Tuesday morning schedules from 8:25 AM-11:40 AM
Conferences will take place from 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
There will be no synchronous or asynchronous work from 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM.
Friday, April 2
Parent Portal Opens to Review Second Semester Report Card
Fifth Grade Parent Volunteers Needed
The Day School is looking for parent volunteers for the 5th grade Celebration Committee. We would like to make this memorable for the students as they move on to Middle school next academic year and we cannot do it without your help! Please join the committee and find out what you can do to help continue this Day School tradition.
Please contact the Day School PTO at dayschoolptopresident@gmail.com
Day School Yearbook
Click the Day School Yearbook link above to find out more information about submitting photos, fifth grade yearbook contest, and ordering yearbooks. We need your candid photos!
Picture Day is Coming
Save the Date: Thursday, April 15
Picture Day for Hybrid students and RLA students by appointment
More Details to Follow
WA Last Night
This has been a tremendously difficult year for all Westford families and students. So much has been lost. However, the Westford Academy Class of 2021 has lived through a truly trying and unique experience for a senior class. They have been unable to experience or celebrate, as an entire class together, much of the milestones that come with senior year. The high school years seem so far in the future when your children are in elementary school, but they will be walking through the doors of Westford Academy before you know it! Hopefully they will get the senior year and experiences they will have worked so hard for and will deserve.
While WA Last Night is unable to host its traditional all night lock in at WA, we are planning to give the Class of 2021 a Carnival Celebration to remember. WA Last Night is appealing to the entire Westford community again this year to rally behind the Class of 2021. We understand that the pandemic has adversely impacted many families in the community. If there is any amount you are able to donate to help us, we would greatly appreciate it!
Please donate by sending a check to WA Last Night, PO Box 4079, Westford MA 01886 or
donate via PayPal by using this link:
Day School Reading and Writing Celebration Week
March 29-April 2
Click the photo above to learn more about our author in residence.
Author in Residence
Children's Author Kevin Kurtz will be visiting the Day School classes virtually to present highlights from his books to help teach science and ELA concepts including researching and writing nonfiction, adaptations, the future of technology, climate change, scientists and engineers, plant and animal needs in habitats, and new discoveries in space. Students will have an opportunity to ask the author questions following the presentation.
Nonfiction Writing Contest
Students who enter a nonfiction writing contest will have a chance to meet the Kevin Kurtz in person in a private session. Student winners will also win one of Kevin's books.
Guest Readers
Members of our community will be invited to our virtual classrooms to present stories to students. In the past we have welcomed school officials, state and national political leaders, fire and police personnel, Westford librarians, and other local celebrities for these fun read aloud events. We are looking forward to offering this popular event online this year.
Contests, Prizes, and More!
All week we'll be having fun contests, opportunities for students to read original writing during an all school meeting, and chances to win new books.
Survey: Children's Perceptions Towards Television Food Advertisements
My name is Sophie Rodman and I am a senior at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. I am studying Marketing Communications and I am looking forward to living in Boston after graduation. I have lived in Westford my entire life and I also attended Westford Public Schools. I graduated from Westford Academy in 2017 and was part of the field hockey program and peer leaders.
At Endicott College, I am taking a senior thesis course and I am conducting a research study to learn more about children’s perceptions towards television food advertisements. I would appreciate your participation in my survey to gain a better understanding around how brand mascots and media characters influence children’s food preferences.
The survey should take about 15-20 minutes to complete and consists of 25 questions. Your anonymity will be preserved in this study because no identifiable information will be collected. In other words, no one will be able to link your name with any information or data that you provide for this study.
Below is the link to complete the survey:
https://forms.gle/qfqdykiQMyHU3kxHA
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at: srodm452@mail.endicott.edu or my cell #: 978.799.8813.
Westford Integrated Preschool
Westford Integrated Preschool offers a curriculum that is meaningful to Westford’s youngest learners with focus on social and emotional development through play based learning and alignment with Massachusetts pre-kindergarten common core standards. Our inclusive preschool program welcomes students with and without disabilities.
Preschool classrooms are housed in each of the neighborhood PreK-2 schools: Nabnasset School, Col. John Robinson School and Rita E. Miller School. Whenever possible, students are placed in their neighborhood school; however, because of limited space as well as specially designed programs, placement in a neighborhood school is not always possible.
For students that have been found eligible for special education services because of a disability, the range of service will vary and may include walk-in therapy appointments or participation in one of the integrated classrooms. The exact type of instruction/therapy and frequency of service is determined by a Team at an initial eligibility meeting and agreed upon in a signed IEP. If you suspect that your child may have a disability, please contact Courtney Moran at cmoran@westfordk12.us to initiate the evaluation process.
Westford Integrated Preschool is now welcoming applications for the school year 2021-22.
Applications are needed for the tuition-paying role model openings ONLY.
In order to apply, please click on one of the following schools. By filling out the on-line form, you are entering a lottery for the school in which you identified. Your application is not automatically applied to every school. A lottery will be held at each of the schools on Friday, April 9, 2021. We are anticipating a high volume!
Click on your choice of school for the application form:
Students who have already been identified and are currently recommended for services because of a disability should refer to their child’s IEP service delivery grid for clarification about their child’s recommended participation.
News from the School Nurse
COVID-19 Vaccines
New CDC regulations on Operating schools during COVID-19: CDC Considerations: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.htm
Westford Board of Health COVID-19 vaccine information
Covid Vaccine Locations: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccination-locations
Precautions to take after having a COVID -19 vaccine :
An Arlington software engineer, while out on maternity leave, developed a site that makes signing up for a vaccine a bit easier. Click the image above to access the site.
Contact Day School Nurse Cheryl Carpenter with any questions.
(978)692-5591 ext 3655; ccarpenter@westfordk12.us
DF-Camp-Brochure_2021_web.pdfDrumlin Farm Camp
Registration opens on Thursday, January 28, for Drumlin Farm Camp in Lincoln, and we're looking forward to sunshine, summertime, and days filled with adventure in the great outdoors.
Download the brochure to see complete camp information, including session descriptions, dates, and costs.
To learn more and to register, visit us online or call 781-259-2244. Can't wait to see you outdoors!
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!