Dear Peirce Families,
We are more than a third of the way through the school year now, and we are in the busy season of holidays, vacations, and unpredictable weather! In celebration of the diverse traditions that bring light in this darkest season of the year, your Peirce Team wishes you joy, peace, and happiness. Thank you for being a part of our school family in 2019 and joining us again for the journey of learning and growth in 2020.
Traffic Reminder: Many thanks to everyone for observing safe traffic behavior in our rear driveway and parking lot. During the cold months, we see an increase in people driving students to school. It is essential that students be dropped off only at the curb and that no one park or drop off students in the middle of the driveway. We also request that parked cars be left on the street rather than in our lot, which is needed for staff members. Please also avoid parking in the drop-off lane, which blocks parents from dropping off students safely. We depend on all adults in the community to follow these rules so that we can keep students safe!
Out-of-Assigned District Information: Each year, all Newton schools make families aware of the out-of-assigned district process. Please see the following attachment for this information:
OAD Newton Parent Form 2020-21 Rev. 112019.pdf
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.”
Absences: If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please call the Student Absence Line at 617-559-9650 before 8:00. Also, please be sure that teachers have accurate information about dismissal routines for your child.
Parent Coffees: We invite everyone to our next Parent Coffee on January 10th. Join other parents, PTO leaders, and the principal to talk about Culturally Responsive Instruction, our Investigations Math program, and other topics of interest. Future coffees will be held on February 14th, March 13th, and May 1st. We hope to see you there!
Concert Dates: The Fifth Grade Choral and Instrumental Concert will be held on Thursday, January 30th, 10:00 a.m. for students and staff and 7:00 p.m. for families. In the spring, the Fourth Grade Concert will be held on Thursday, May 21st, and the Fifth Grade Concert will be held on Thursday, May 28th.
Early Release Dates: Please note that the following Wednesdays and Thursdays will have dismissal at 12:30 for the purpose of professional development and conferences: February 6th, March 19th, and May 7th.
Private School Applications: As families are considering private school applications for the 2020-21 school year, we respectfully ask that reference/transcript requests be given to Peirce staff as early as possible so that they may be completed well ahead of application deadlines.
MCAS Schedule: We have recently finalized the MCAS Testing Schedule for Grades 3, 4, and 5. We ask that families please keep the following dates in mind when scheduling appointments:
Grade 3 English Language Arts: 3/30 and 4/1
Grade 4 English Language Arts: 4/2 and 4/8
Grade 5 English Language Arts: 4/9 and 4/13
Grade 3 Math: 5/8 and 5/11
Grade 4 Math: 5/4 and 5/6
Grade 5 Math: 4/29 and 4/30
Grade 5 Science: 5/13 and 5/14
It is a privilege and pleasure to serve as your principal, and I hope that you always feel free to contact me at [email protected] or (617)559-9630 with any questions, thoughts, or concerns.
With best holiday and vacation wishes,
Mark Chitty