So, that was a very short week and you may have been hoping that I would have nothing to say...surprise!
Students anxiously rushed out of here at dismissal as they knew Progress Reports would be available this afternoon through the iParent Portal. Gone are the days of hoping to intercept the mail delivery...in order to hand deliver the good news in person! On the PDF of the Progress Report you should notice students were given grade ranges and comments in the 4 or 5 academic courses that they have everyday based on their individual schedules. We did not include grades from the Integrated Arts classes that rotate on our 6-day cycle as they have still only been able to meet a few times so far in our year.
We have successfully completed a few fire drills this year already with one taking place yesterday. We decided to have the drill while the 6th graders were outside after lunch to give them an opportunity to experience the drill when they are not already sitting in one of their classes and assess whether or not they would be able transition to their advisory locations without direct instruction. Everyone did very well and it gave us all a few extra minutes of sunshine in the afternoon on a beautiful fall day...no one seemed upset. Sometime in the next month before the weather gets too uncomfortable, we will hold an A.L.i.C.E. drill as another important aspect of our regular WPS safety procedures. I will inform the students prior to holding the drill so that questions can be addressed by me or their teachers. By now, all three grades currently in our building have been able to participate in one of these drills in one of our district schools with great success. Any student new to our district will have an opportunity to discuss the protocols of the drill ahead of time, as well. One of the important parts of the drill is to respectfully and maturely discuss problem solving strategies to potentially harmful scenarios in an effort to minimize anxiety that can understandably be associated with an activity of this kind. Through discussion, evacuation scenarios, and sheltering in place options, students and staff are empowered to make informed decisions based on the information provided. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Continuing the thread of communication and safety, I have been asked by central office to include the following as a reminder in my next parent message:
If you know of any child attending public or private school, or who is homeless or has left school, and could benefit from a special education evaluation under Chapter 766 or educational services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, please contact the Special Education Department in Westford
(978-692-5560).
Every effort will be made to contact the parents to advise them of their rights under these laws.
Thank you for assisting us in this important matter.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Chris
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