End of August Newsletter
August 29, 2023
Dear Parents/Guardians
It is with pleasure that we welcome the students and families of the J. Turner Hood Elementary School community to the 2023-2024 school year. Our staff is committed to ensuring an outstanding learning experience for all our students as we support their development as scholars and citizens. We are dedicated to the success of each student.
Previous Important Communication: Please note that a previous communication was sent out to families on August 14, 2023. This communication was filled with the essential information to start the school year. This newsletter represents a follow-up to that communication.
Here is a link just to that information:
https://www.north-reading.k12.ma.us/hood-elementary/news/welcome-back-2023
Dismissal Procedures: Dismissal procedures are an essential tool for us to use in order to maintain a safe or orderly environment. As of today, 99 student dismissal procedures have been completed. This represents 24.6% of our student population.
Here is the link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPTA2EW6E33fL9vhATMp-2TtJ336WX...
Emergency Information: An emergency information form was sent out last week. If you have not completed it yet please do so as soon as possible. If you need support or did not receive this form please contact the main office of the school at 978-664-7817 X0 or by emailing Mrs. Mastascusa at: mmastascusa@nrpsk12.org
Calendar of Events: Our school is a busy place. As such, I would like to remind everyone that the school-based calendar is on a Google link that you can access via the school website. As the year starts to move forward, all of the school events will continue to be posted here. The link is located on the Hood School Home page. Please know that you are also able to subscribe to the link and integrate it into your family calendar.
Twitter AKA X: Stay up-to-date on the latest happenings at the Hood School! Follow the Hood School on Twitter (X) @jthoodelemen. We utilize this as a means to share important information as well as provide our stakeholders with a glimpse into the lived experience of the members of our school community.
Parent’s Association: Our Parents Association is an amazing partner for our entire school community. This group dedicates time and expertise to ensure that the needs of everyone are met and we appreciate their partnership. As a school leader, I have tried to quantify the tasks they complete and the roles they fulfill and it is always simply too vast to discern. However, in the latest ad campaign, this group has done exactly that. Be forewarned, It is vast. Please check out their website and social media which can be found at: https://hoodschoolpa.org/
I would encourage you to participate in this group as there is a direct connection between student success in a variety of domains. According to the Casey Foundation “research shows. Students whose parents stay involved in school have better attendance and behavior, get better grades, demonstrate better social skills, and adapt better to school.”
We hope to see you at our first meeting on Sept. 20th at 7 p.m.
Playground Update: First, I would like to note that this project has been fully funded by the aforementioned Parent’s Association. Furthermore, Mr. Ryan Carroll has been instrumental in making this happen and helping us achieve our goal of having “a shovel in the ground in September.”
I am pleased to note that Phase 1 has been purchased, and staked out in the schoolyard. Demolition of the existing structure could occur any day. This is happening just in time as our slide was recently rendered unusable.
Thank you, Mr. Carroll, and the generous Hood School Parent Association, we appreciate you!
School Council: Our Hood School Council has been hard at work on our latest school improvement plan. This document represents our design for our future and is aligned with the mission, vision, and goals of North Reading Public Schools. Thank you to our Council Members: Mrs. Gorman, Mrs. Heffernan, Mrs. Mayuski, Mrs. Taylor, and Mrs. Alimonti. I will be presenting the final plan along with my elementary colleagues on September 11, 2023, at the School Committee meeting.
Kindergarten Welcome Social: Our annual Kindergarten Social will be on August 30, 2023, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. All incoming Kindergarten students are invited to attend. Please join us if you can. This is a rain or shine event. We will meet on the blacktop near the playground.
Sip Sip Hooray for Kindergarten families is another Kindergarten tradition. This event is an opportunity to meet some of the faces of the Hood School and the Parent’s Association as your students transition into their first day of K. We will meet in the library. Coffee will be served. This event will occur immediately following your kindergarten students' transition into school on the first day (Friday, September 8th.)
Food Pantry: For those new to our school community, September is the month the Hood School adopts the North Reading Food Pantry by sponsoring a food drive. Below are the items currently needed. As always, all food donations are welcome. Please note that they cannot accept expired items.
Hot chocolate/hot cocoa
Instant oatmeal packets
Canned pasta with meat
Cookie mixes
Donations can be dropped off on Mondays and Fridays from 11:00-1:00. If these times do not work, please feel free to reach out to me at any time and I would happily receive any item and transport it to the Food Pantry.
I am so excited to welcome you and your children back to school for another amazing year of learning! On behalf of the staff, I look forward to working with you to provide each student with an outstanding learning experience. It is an honor to serve the J. Turner Hood School community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Glen S. McKay
Principal, J. Turner Hood Elementary