Dear Peirce Families,
In this final week of the school year, we are celebrating all that we have learned this year, anticipating summer adventures ahead, and reflecting on what an unusual experience this has been. As we come together for happenings such as grade-level family events on the field and Fifth Grade Graduation, there are moments when it all feels “normal,” and we can be tempted to forget that we spent so much of this year apart physically and socially. I am grateful to all of the hard-working parent volunteers who have planned these events so that we are able to conclude both this school year and my tenure at Peirce with in-person gatherings. It has been a great honor to lead this school community for the past eleven years. I have learned so much by being your principal, and I have been glad to share all of the memories with you, ranging from the hilarious to the sad (and everything in between). As I move down the street to Franklin School, I look forward to continuing our collaboration within the Newton Public Schools and the West Newton community. Peirce is an amazing school with an exceptional professional team and dedicated families. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the Peirce story.
Great appreciation is due to our hard-working PTO Board. Board Members Rebecca Anderson, Jordana Bluestein, Erica Chamberlain, Lindsey Conkey, Lauren Dale, Noreen Martin Herzog, Jaime Mason, Andrea Merin, Rielle Montague, Marjorie Montero, Prachi Samudra, Pam Sarian, Charlotte Stafford, Robin Stuart, and Adela Wang have joined Tri-Presidents Karen Ghiron, Elsa Janairo, and Kathryn Thorndike and Teacher Representatives Katie Beaulieu and Emily Donahue to make this a wonderfully successful year of support for Peirce students and families. In this year of unfamiliar learning models, our PTO has worked to bring us together as a community and keep our connections alive. As always, they have helped us bring much-needed supplies and technology resources into the school, and we even enjoyed virtual Creative Arts and Sciences programming, multiple FORJ events, a Halloween Costume Parade, and an outdoor Book Fair! Tonight, the PTO Board will meet to welcome new volunteers for the 2021-22 school year with the hope for a more “regular” calendar of events ahead. As principal, I am grateful for the leadership of all parent volunteers who take on both long-term and short-term assignments to strengthen our school culture and support the work of our teachers and students.
I hope that all of you enjoy a safe and healthy summer filled with laughter and meaningful time with loved ones.
With best summer wishes,
Mark Chitty
Directory Cover Artwork Contest Winner: Congratulations to Fourth Grader Linnea Goksor, whose work will appear on the cover of the 2021-22 Peirce Family Directory! Here is Linnea’s design. Thanks to everyone who submitted original artwork. They were all fantastic!
Important Message about Returning Devices: We will be collecting all devices given to students in Grades K-8 this June. The devices will be stored over the summer and redistributed in the Fall. At the elementary level, devices will be mostly used within school, going home on occasion as needed. At the middle school level, devices will be issued to students for use both at home and in school.
Here are the details of device collection:
For Students Attending School in Person:
Please send the device and charging cord to school with students on Monday, June 21st (unless your teacher asks you to bring it earlier).
For Students in the Distance Learning Academy:
Please return devices and charging cords to the school office between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 22nd.
The night before the device collection day, please:
- Wipe down the device with a wrung out cleaning wipe
- Charge the device to full capacity
- Wrap up the charging cable tightly
On the collection day:
- Bring the device and charging cable to school
- Make sure the device is completely turned off (hold down the power button until the device turns off, then close the lid)
Thank you!
Virtual Color Day: Many Thanks to Mr. Nye and the district PE, Health, and Wellness Teachers for creating these Virtual Color Day activities for students to try at home.
Give the Principal a Pie! Peirce’s annual Fun Run will happen at each grade-level family social event in June! In addition to the Fun Run, we will hold a raffle and both the top Fun Run fundraiser and the raffle winner will get to give Mr. Chitty a pie in the face!
This year, in recognition and support of the many families in our community who have been affected by the COVID crisis in India, all funds raised through the Fun Run and raffle will support Vibha, a nonprofit organization helping to purchase and distribute oxygen concentrators and PPE kits in India. To learn more about Vibha’s efforts, please visit Vibha.org. All donations must be received on/by Tuesday, June 15, and we will announce the final amount raised once tallied and send all proceeds directly to Vibha. Raffle tickets will be sold at the front of the school during drop-off and pick-up in the coming days.
To learn more about the Fun Run, raffle, and details for documenting, collecting, and turning in pledge forms and donations, please click here.
Progress Report Access: Progress Reports will be available to families in Aspen on Thursday, June 17th.
Class lists will be available in Aspen on August 27th.
STAFF GIFT AND SOLICITATIONS POLICY
The Newton Public Schools Staff Gifts and Solicitations Policy is updated and incorporates current Massachusetts Conflict of Interest Law M.G.L. c. 268A. This replaces the earlier 1991 policy.
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.
For any questions about this policy and our procedures, please contact the Department of Human Resources.
*Please see the Equity Policy for information on classroom gifts or donations.