Good Morning, Reading Public School Community,

I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful weekend.  Here is Spring Update #10.  Have a great day!

• May 28^th Inservice Day-This is a reminder that May 28th is an Inservice Day for staff and will not be a day of school, except for Birch Meadow.  Birch Meadow will have a regular day of school with a Friday schedule because of the additional day that was given to them in October.  If you have any questions, please contact your building principal.

• Health Information-We have some very good news in that our positive cases are decreasing significantly!  This week we had the following:
  • One positive case at Coolidge, 6 students quarantined.
  • To date, we have completed 2,294 pool tests with 23 positive pool results, including one this week.
  • We are also pleased to announce that 588 RMHS students have had at least one dose of the vaccine.  That is close to 50%.
  • We are also holding clinics at Coolidge, Parker, and RMHS this week for students 12 years and older.  Information went out on Friday with the link to register.

• Birch Meadow and Joshua Eaton Principal Searches-We are finalizing the decisions for both the Birch Meadow and Joshua Eaton Principal Searches.  Our goal is to have information communicated to the community early this week. 

• Congratulations to RISE Preschool!- Congratulations to R.I.S.E. Preschool on being selected as an exemplar preschool for addressing the social-emotional and mental health needs of children.  The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) on behalf of The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requested states to identify local programs that implemented the Pyramid Model with success.  R.I.S.E. Preschool was selected as an exemplar Pyramid Model Preschool for Massachusetts.  Here are some of the accomplishments that were highlighted:
  • All 11 classrooms are implementing Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) with fidelity measured by Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool.  All classrooms are at 80% or above.  
  • The program works in partnership with community preschools.  
  • Amid COVID restrictions, social emotional behavior supports have continued with social emotional direct lessons taught with all deliveries of instruction.  
  • The R.I.S.E. Building Leadership Team meets monthly to review data and program goals.  This Team includes the director, classroom teacher, paraprofessional, related service provider, district data coach, district behavior coach, internal R.I.S.E. coach, external DESE coach and a parent.  
  • Program-wide educator goals are tied to family engagement with a focus on social emotional and mental health of children. 

Congratulations to the staff of RISE and Director Kelley Bostwick on this well-deserved recognition!

• SEPAC Survey-The Reading Public Schools Special Education Parent Advisory Council would like your feedback on future topics for SEPAC meetings and workshops.  Please complete this quick survey no later than Friday, June 4th.    https://forms.gle/VtqY7nditk1Nqsxg7 
• Updated Graduation Guidelines-Below is the updated graduation guidelines from DESE.  We will put out further detail once we get closer to the events.