Monday Message

Back to School Night
Back to School Night is this Thursday, October 1st from 6:30-8pm. It is a great opportunity to see your child's classroom and learn more about their class and experience. Individual conversations about students will happen in November at conferences.  We hope to have all parents and guardians attend. The schedule is as follows:

Time		PreK-2		3-5
6:30-6:45 pm	Presentation from Ms Kaplan (Gym)
6:45-7:15	Visit your student’s classrooms		Visit specialists (Café)
7:15-7:45	Visit specialists (Café)		Visit your student’s classrooms

School Site Council
The first Site Council meeting is TONIGHT. The Site Council researches all areas of the school, looks at data and current best practices in education to write school improvement goals. It is a public meeting so all may attend-we have great teacher representatives on it this year.

Grade 4 Parent Coffee
We will have our first grade level coffee this Thursday at 8:20 am in the Lowell cafeteria. Grade 4 parents are invited to come and learn about grade 4 curriculum, instruction, and much more!

Grant Writers Needed
We have a number of projects that we would like to pursue grant opportunities for at the Lowell. We are in need of volunteer grant writers. In the past, parent volunteers have written grants that have provided us with: a parent speaker series, garden construction, and much more! Please email Ms Kaplan if you are able to help! elizabeth.kaplan@watertown.k12.ma.us

Color Fun Run
The all elementary PTO color fun run is Sunday, October 4th.  The link to register is here:  http://www.active.com/watertown-ma/running/distance-running-races/crazy-color-fun-run-walk-5k-2015
It is shaping up to be a very fun event that will raise money for our school!

PTO Meeting
The next PTO meeting is Tuesday, October 13th at 7pm in the Lowell library.

Monday Message

I hope everyone had a great weekend! It was so wonderful to see so many families at movie night. Also, we had a great turn out at our new parent coffee. Thank you to all who attended!

Lowell Calendar
While we tend to post upcoming dates here, the calendar on the Lowell website also contains school and district events. As more events are scheduled, we will continue to add them to the website so that you can rely on the calendar there.

When Your Student is Absent
A reminder that we do NOT have an absence hotline at the Lowell, so parents do not need to call the school when your child is at home sick. If your child is absent, you will receive an automated call. If you receive the absence call and your child is school, then call the main office.

Spirit Day
Our first spirit day is this Friday! We have a spirit day once a month and this year we will be asking students to choose what spirit days they like! We will have a PAJAMA DAY this Friday for our first spirit day. ***Please remember to have your child wear appropriate shoes for recess-no slippers***

PTO Updates
The all elementary school Color Fun Run is Sunday, October 4th. Parent volunteers are needed! Please email Michelle Flanagan if interested! amichelleflanagan@gmail.com

Monday Message

This is the first Monday Message of the school year! I use this message to communicate with families every Monday. I usually like to include pictures from the week and an interesting article. As this is the  first Monday Message, it is "all business".

Breakfast Program at Lowell
Each school has a before school breakfast program from 7:45-8:15am.  The process for payment is the same as lunch payment and students who qualify for free/reduced lunch also qualify for free/reduced breakfast. Menus can be found on the district main webpage under "food menus". Breakfast is such an important part of student's learning! If you have any questions, please contact our food service director, Stephen Marshall at 617-926-7756.

Dismissal Forms
Dismissal forms were due last Friday. Please turn them in as soon as possible if you have yet to do so.

Dropping Off and Picking Up
Some gentle reminders about drop off and pick up.
-In the drop off car line, please pull all the way to down to the second crosswalk/last yellow cone.
-In the drop off car line, DO NOT DRIVE AROUND THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. Some cars have been doing this and it is extremely dangerous as there could be children crossing ahead.
-Do not block neighborhood driveways or fire hydrants.
-Do not park in staff parking lots.

Events This Week
-New Family Coffee: There will be a new family coffee at 8:20 am in the Lowell cafeteria on Friday, September 18th. This is a great time for families new to the Lowell (whether it be a first child in Kindergarten or have moved in from another school or district) to learn more about the school and meet others!

-PTO Meeting: The first PTO meeting of the year will be this Tuesday, September 15th in the Lowell libary at 7pm. It is a great opportunity to get involved and learn more about school All are welcome! We have some new, exciting things happening this year.
Our teacher representative at this week's meeting will be Mrs Walsh and we will be discussing fifth grade events.

-Movie Night: The annual movie night and ice cream social is this Friday, September 18th at 6:30 pm on the Lowell front lawn. It is such a fun family event! Ice cream will be served first and then the movie, The Incredibles, will be shown at dusk! Bring blankets and chairs to watch the movie. This is a FREE event. Children must be accompanied by parents as this is not a drop off event.


PTO Updates
-Summer Box Top Contest ends this Friday. Please remember to turn in all Box Tops by then and make sure they are labeled with your child's name!

-Color Run: The first annual elementary school wide color fun run is October 4th! Please register at http://goo.gl/HbwNUw

First Week Updates

It has been a great first two days, hot, but great! We have been checking temperatures in all of the classrooms today and they have been staying at a safe level for students and teachers. I have some small updates for you today.

• New Family Coffee-DATE CHANGE

Our new family coffee will be next Friday, September 18th at 8:20 am. It was originally scheduled for this Friday

• Notice day is this Thursday, so please look for important paper notices in your child's backpack. Free/Reduced lunch forms are coming home at this time as well.

• I received a message from WPD Sgt Sampson asking me to kindly remind parents to NOT block driveways during drop off and pick up time.

• When you come into the school, you will be buzzed into the lobby. ALL visitors must check into the main office. 

It has been so great to see all of you and spend time with your students. Please remember to follow this blog and "like" our JR Lowell Elementary page on Facebook!

Back to School!

It is finally time to welcome your students back to school! Teachers and staff have spent the past few days in wonderful professional development and preparing for your students. Our mission at the Lowell school this year is to always do what is best for children and to ensure that our students are happy, healthy, and safe.  Here are some details about the opening of school.

First Days of Schools
The first day of school for students in grades 1-5 is Tuesday, September 8th.  Our full school day begins at 8:15 and ends at 2:30. Students are allowed to enter starting at 8:05.

Schedule for prek/k students: 
Tuesday, September 8th:  Prek/k students have a previously scheduled tour on this day.

Wednesday, September 9th, 20115: 8:15 AM –12:00 PM (lunch, no extended day) Thursday, September 10th, 2015: 8:15 AM – 2:30 PM (full day, lunch, extended day) Friday, September 11th, 2015: 8:15 AM – 2:30 PM (full day, lunch, extended day)

Name and Teacher Cards
In order to get students to their classrooms on the first day, a reminder to please send your child to school with an index card or piece of paper with their name and their teacher's name on the card. There will be "all on hands" on deck in the main lobby to help students easily find their way and this card will help!

Coming Home
The day notice's go home in backpacks is Thursday each week of the school year. We do have some important notices going home on the first day of school (Tuesday for 1-5, Wednesday for preK/K) so please be on the look out!

Supply Lists
Here are the grade level supply lists!
Grade Level Supply Lists

New Families
If you are new to the Lowell community this year (whether it be first time in kindergarten or you have just moved to the Lowell), please join me for coffee on Friday, September 11th at 8:20 am (right after drop off) in the Lowell cafe. It will be a good time to meet and learn more about our community.

Enjoy the long weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday!
Ms Kaplan