Every September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration sponsors “Recovery Month” to increase understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who recover.  The annual theme for this year’s Recovery Month is Join the Voices for Recovery: Strengthen Families and Communities.

RCASA is hosting a series of special events this month, all open to the public, to celebrate National Recovery Month.  

RCASA’s board hopes to see many community members, particularly parents, at the 9/28/17 Annual Meeting with Keynote Speaker. See below for more details.  

September Events:    

Sun. 9/10/17- RCASA Recovery Month Booth at the Reading Fall St. Faire

Mon. 9/18/17- RCASA Presentation for Reading Rotary Club members at their monthly luncheon event.

Wed. 9/20/17- RCASA and Reading/North Reading Chamber of Commerce Breakfast Event for Business Community at Fusion Restaurant, 7:30-9 am, $15 for breakfast buffet payable to Reading/North Reading Chamber of Commerce http://business.readingnreadingchamber.org/events/details/substance-abuse-and-the-workplace-issues-that-affect-all-businesses-72

Wed. 9/20/17- MA Organization for Addiction & Recovery (MOAR) Boston Celebration, learn more athttp://www.moar-recovery.org/

Fri. 9/22/17 and Sat. 9/23/17- First Congregational Church (FCC) Leaders & RCASA volunteers will promote handmade “blanket making” through Project Linus.  A blanket making booth will be featured at the 2-day Annual FCC Faire.

Tues 9/26/17- RCASA will host regional partners of the Mystic Valley Public Health Coalition for the Annual Voices for Recovery & Remembrance Celebration at

RMHS, 62 Oakland Rd, Reading 6-7 pm.

Thurs. 9/28/17- RCASA Annual Meeting featuring District Attorney Marian Ryan and Dr. Ruth Potee, Keynote Speaker at RMHS, 7-9 pm

District Attorney Ryan is a career prosecutor with significant courtroom experience, having prosecuted many of Middlesex County’s most complex and challenging cases.  She has been acknowledged for her leadership on the opioid crisis and on developing initiatives aimed at keeping children safe and protecting our seniors.

Dr. Ruth Potee is board certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine, she is a physician with Valley Medical Group in Greenfield, providing a full scope of family medicine with special interests in women’s health, pediatrics, addiction treatment, psychiatric illness, and pain management.  Dr. Potee is nationally recognized for her public speaking style that skillfully blends scientific research with an understanding of the challenges of raising healthy teens.  She is an extremely dynamic and sought after speaker who, in response to the ongoing opioid epidemic, has made it her mission to educate the public about the nature of addiction and why it is the only brain disease that is 100% preventable…“It’s chemistry, not character”.  

For more information on all of the above please visit the RCASA website:

https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/community/rcasa/

The Reading Fall Street Faire is being held this Sunday, September 10th from 12:00-5:00 p.m.  As part of the Faire, there will be two children contests, a pie eating contest, and a three on three basketball tournament.  The information is below.  If you would like to sign up for the Pie Eating Contest, please sign up at the link below.

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/eventllr=drv4kndab&oeidk=a07eeirhfxt4dc15f4f 

If you would like to sign up for the Three on Three Basketball Tournament, please contact Jodi Bourgeois from the YMCA at jbourgeois@ymcaboston.org.

The Reading Fall Street Faire is in need of student volunteers to help out in the Children’s Area at the Faire on Sunday, September 10, 2017.

Any amount of time that can provided will gladly be accepted. This is a perfect opportunity for students that are looking to fulfill community service hours as well!

Students that are interested in volunteering can sign up by either clicking on the link below:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054ea5ad2aa6fb6-2017

or by visiting the RFSF website: www.fallstreetfaire.com

Good Morning,

Superintendent of Schools John Doherty will be holding office hours during the following times this week:

Wednesday, September 6th, 7:30-8:30 a.m.-Parker Middle School

Wednesday, September 6th, 3:00-4:00 p.m.-Killam Elementary School

Office hours are an opportunity for the Reading Community and staff to inquire or ask questions about any areas related to the Reading Public Schools.  We will try to have at least 2 opportunities for office hours each week during the school year.  There is no appointment needed.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Reading Public Schools Administration Offices at 781-944-5800 or at https://www.reading.k12.ma.us/about-us/contact-us/ .

Good Morning, Reading Public School Community and Welcome Back!

We hope that your family had a great start to our school year.  This link below is for our first Pathways Newsletter of the School Year.  Pathways is a district wide newsletter which provides school and district information for the Reading Public School Community.  The newsletter will contain local school stories and photos, as well as, other interesting articles that connect to our schools.  We always welcome your feedback on the newsletter or if you have any articles or information that you would like to share.  Please send any information to Superintendent of Schools John Doherty at john.doherty@reading.k12.ma.us.

This week’s newsletter features a list of new staff, an article on resources for teaching after Charlottesville, and an article on building relationships in the classroom.  We also have opening week photos from Barrows, Parker, and RMHS.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Pathways Newsletter V4N1

August, 2017

Dear Reading Public School Families and Staff:

Each year, we review, revise, and update our safety and emergency plans to align with current best practices.  As part of this review process, we would like to inform you of some specific guidelines that will affect you and your child. Attending to your child’s safety in school is of greatest importance to our school district. Our response procedures are reviewed regularly so that we can make prompt and responsible decisions in the event of an emergency. The purpose of this letter is to review some of our routine procedures. Please read this information so that you will be aware of our safety efforts, and know what you should do in case of emergency.

Please help us in the following ways:

• Keep medical information on file for your child up-to-date. It is very important that you notify the school nurse of any health or medication changes.
• Keep all emergency contact information current, and inform the school secretary if there are changes in your cell, office or home phone numbers.
• Register for your family District Parent Portal account so that you may access this site for information if needed, and make sure that your email address is up-to-date.
• During an emergency, please do not call the school. Telephone lines need to be kept open for emergency calls. We will keep you notified through our Blackboard Connect notification systems.
• Cooperate with visitor sign-in and identification procedures at all times. When you enter any of our schools, please go to the Main Office.  A member of our staff will be there to assist you.
• In an emergency situation, do not immediately drive to the school. Access routes may not be open, and additional traffic will interfere with safety procedures and put students at risk. Refer to the listed radio and television stations and our Connect Ed message system for instructions and emergency information.
• Please have your family review and practice responses to emergency situations at home, including instructions that your child should following the event of an early dismissal if you are not at home.
• Subscribe to our social media tools that we will also use to keep you updated. They are as follows:

• • Website:  www.reading.k12.ma.us
  • Superintendent’s Blog:  https://retiredsuperintendent.wordpress.com/
  • Twitter Account: @ReadingSchools
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Readingpublicschools
• Please give us any feedback on our safety and security procedures and how we can improve.

Off-Site Evacuation/Dismissal Policy:

In an extreme emergency when a school has been evacuated and it is not possible to return, an off-site meeting place may be needed. Parents will be directed (through BLACKBOARD CONNECT) to go to a designated reunification center in the community. The Superintendent, with public safety personnel, will determine the location that best meets the needs of the specific emergency, and staff will be on site to assist with dismissal procedures using the following guidelines:

• No student will be dismissed from a primary or secondary evacuation site unless a parent (or individual designated by a parent on the Pupil Information Card) comes for him/her and is able to present photo ID upon request.
• All parents or designated persons who come for students will be required to sign out at the front office (or from a designated alternate release location in certain emergencies).
• In addition to the above notification sources, signs will be posted if an alternate location is needed.

Throughout the school year your child will be trained in emergency procedures.  Each school will have at least four fire drills, 2 enhanced lockdown drills (A.L.I.C.E), and 1 shelter in place drill.  Schools may have a full school evacuation drills this year to an offsite location.  Our secondary schools may have a canine search of lockers, public areas, some classrooms, and the parking lot as part of the School Committee Search Policy.  She/he will learn how to react, where to assemble, and what to expect in an emergency situation. While it can be unsettling to think about situations that require emergency response, frequent review and practice will reduce hazards and help everyone to be prepared in an actual event.

HEALTH, SAFETY AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS:

In an emergency, we will make every effort to keep you informed so that you will understand the situation, what is being done in response, and any instructions for families. Information will be disseminated in many ways, including:

• Broadcast on local cable and television stations
• District BLACKBOARD CONNECT notification system (See separate form for more details)
• District website (reading.k12.ma.us )
• Automated telephone, email, and text messaging via BLACKBOARD CONNECT and Edline
• Reading Public Schools Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/Readingpublicschools )
• Reading Public Schools Twitter (@ReadingSchools)

When providing phone numbers for emergency contact, please provide us with phone numbers without extensions If possible, list only lines and cell phones that will be answered by you or a person that you have authorized to pick up your child in an emergency. Be sure to inform your co-workers if you have listed your place of employment as an emergency contact number, and inform the school(s) if any of your contact information changes throughout the year.

EVACUATION:

The need to evacuate students from a building before the regularly scheduled dismissal time could arise from a relatively minor incident such as a power failure, or from a major event such as fire or bomb threat. During evacuation, students are guided to the nearest exit and assemble at an established location. Communication into the school, dismissal times and transportation may be temporarily disrupted. Families will receive information and instructions from the listed communication sources.

ENHANCED LOCKDOWN OR SHELTER-IN-PLACE:

Enhanced Lockdown (A.L.I.C.E.) or shelter-in-place is implemented when it has been determined that conditions outside of the classroom or building are potentially unsafe. Situations that may activate an enhanced lockdown/sheltering response include a hazardous materials situation near the school, police activity close by, or potential intruder alerts. While enhanced lockdowns are extremely rare, enhanced lockdown drills are conducted periodically to ensure that staff members and students are prepared to respond confidently and calmly. During an enhanced lockdown drill, as with an actual event, students and staff remain quietly in a designated location within the room or are guided to a secure location either inside or outside of the school to wait for the “All Clear” signal.  It is possible, based on the situation, that students will evacuate the school the school to a predetermined location. It is not possible for anyone to enter or exit the building until an “All Clear” signal is given by the principal or public safety official. Information concerning the lockdown is given to families through the listed communication sources.

EARLY OR DELAYED DISMISSAL DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER:

In severe weather or similar emergencies when travel conditions are expected to deteriorate, it may be necessary to take the precaution of an early dismissal, or to delay dismissal until conditions improve. You will be informed of modified dismissal times through the communication sources listed above.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your building principal or the Reading Public Schools Administrative Offices.

Have a healthy, safe, and productive school year.

Sincerely,

John F. Doherty, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

August, 2017

Dear Reading Public School Families:

I hope that you had an enjoyable summer.  Welcome to the 2017-18 school year!  Each year, we are required by Federal, State, and local laws and policies to distribute certain informational flyers which are meant to inform you about your rights and your child’s rights in a public school setting.  The purpose of this letter is to inform you about where you can access that information and how you make any necessary changes to current demographic information.  This information is very important because they provide us with contact information in case of an emergency, as well as, permissions that allow your child to fully participate in educational activities.

This year for the first time, we will be asking you to make any demographic changes to your child’s information online via the parent portal.  Attached to this email are the directions that you need to access the demographic information and make those changes.  If you do not have access to your portal account, please contact your child’s school.

In order to conserve paper, we are only distributing to you the information that you either need to complete and return, or is required by law or school committee policy for us to distribute to you in paper copy.  Those forms will be given to your child on the first day of school.  This the medical permissions and other permissions that are required under Massachusetts General Law or School Committee policy.  Please complete the forms that are sent home and your parent portal information no later than Friday, September 8^th.  You can also print paper copies of these forms on the Reading Public School District Website, http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/district-information/first-day-school-fliers/ or pick up paper copies at your child’s school.

In addition, some informational flyers will not be distributed by paper and will also be posted on the link above.  If you would prefer to have a paper copy of these flyers, please contact Linda Engelson, the Administrative Assistant for the Superintendent, at 781-944-5800 or by email at linda.engelson@reading.k12.ma.us.

Please take a few moments to read these important fliers located at http://www.reading.k12.ma.us/district-information/first-day-school-fliers/ :

1. School Committee Policy ACAB/ACAC on Harassment, Discrimination, Bullying and Hazing-This policy has been updated to reflect the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying and Gender Equity Laws.
2. Notification of Rights under FERPA-This letter describes the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which affords parents and students over 18 years of age certain rights with respect to the student’s education needs.
3. Directory Information-FERPA requires that the Reading Public Schools, with certain exceptions, obtain your written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from your child’s education records.  However, the Reading Public Schools may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent unless you have advised the District to the contrary.  This letter describes the directory information and the process and has been updated since last year.
4. Notification of Rights Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)-This letter explains the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), which affords parents certain rights regarding our conducting of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams.
5. Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and Children Families and Protection Act-This letter outlines procedures to notify parents and faculty under the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and the Children Families and Protection Act (Use of Pesticides).
6. Acceptable Use Policy and Internet Safety Agreement for Students-This document explains in detail the Reading Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy and Internet Safety Agreement for Students.  Parents should read this policy carefully with their child and sign on the Pupil Emergency Card.  This document has been updated to reflect the changes that have occurred in the cyberbullying aspect of the Massachusetts Anti-bullying law.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Superintendent’s Office or your child’s school.  We look forward to working with you and educating your child during this upcoming school year.

Sincerely,

John F. Doherty, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Cover letter 2017

Parent Portal demographic update_

Dear Reading Community,

Over the weekend, a member of the community reported to the Reading Police Department that there was additional graffiti in the form of a swastika symbol etched onto the wooden fence on the street side of Oakland Road adjacent to the RMHS Fine and Performing Arts side of the Reading Memorial High School property.  The etched swastika was enclosed in the shape of a window, with the word “no” in front of it.  It is unclear when the swastika was etched onto the fence and the incident is currently under investigation by the Reading Police Department.

As we have mentioned in previous communication to you over the last few months regarding other graffiti related incidences, there is no place for these types of hateful actions in the Reading Public Schools or in our community.  During the summer, the graffiti incidents from last spring have been on the forefront of our planning for this upcoming school year.  In June, Superintendent of Schools John Doherty and Deputy Chief David Clarke met with members of the Jewish Community to discuss the graffiti incidents and to listen to their concerns and possible next steps.  The school department has been updating the Bullying Prevention Plan which will be implemented this upcoming school year to address issues of bullying, harassment, and bias incidents.  Both the Town and Schools are working closely with the Anti-Defamation League in how we can create a more inclusive community that respects differences.  In addition, the Reading Clergy Association has been working with a planning group of Town, School, and Community members to plan events in the fall that will address these issues.  They will be communicating in the near future when the first event will take place.  Although this graffiti incident happened outside of the school year, we will continue to use these situations as teachable moments for our students and help them understand the impact of these types of hateful actions and poor decisions.  Finally, we will continue to work closely with the Reading Police Department and the Town of Reading to address these and any future issues.

If you have any questions or information regarding this incident, please contact the Reading Police Department at 781-944-1212.

John F. Doherty, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Good Afternoon,

The Reading Fall Street Faire is seeking volunteers to help with a variety of tasks at the Faire on Sunday, September 10, 2017.  There are many volunteer opportunities available and any amount of time you can provide will be gladly accepted.  Whether it’s setting up/marking booths in the morning prior to the start of the Faire, painting faces in the Children’s Area, directing traffic or putting on a costume, there’s something for everyone. 

The Reading Fall Street Faire would not be possible without our many volunteers.  If you are interested in volunteering this year, please click on the following link to view the online sign up:

http://www.signupgenius.com/ go/20f054ea5ad2aa6fb6-2017

 or go to our website http://www. fallstreetfaire.com to sign up on the volunteer tab.

Thank you for making this this another great town event!

The following press release is from the Reading Rotary Club who is a major supporter of the Reading Public Schools.

The 8^th Annual Fall Street 5k Race will take place at Washington Park, 100 Washington Street, at 8:30 am on September 10. The race takes place before the Fall Street Faire festivities, which begin at noon. Lori Haverty of Tread & Tread on the Mill, who has been involved in planning the race in previous years, is coordinating the race sponsored by the Rotary Club of Reading.

The 5k race has played a popular role in the Faire since 2010 and is a great way for friends and neighbors to get together for some fun and friendly competition after the summer recess. The course for the race is moderate, not only approachable for casual runners, but also a great speed challenge for the pros. Children are encouraged to run with their families. The course starts at Washington Park and winds through some of Reading’s most beautiful neighborhoods, including Hillcrest Avenue, Oak Street, Walnut Street and Summer Avenue.

“I am happy to be back at the helm planning a family race at the Street Faire. We are looking forward to families running together to make the race an annual family-friendly community event,” said Haverty. “While we hope for a cool September morning, this event is rain or shine. Besides, running in the rain is fun!”

There will be a brief awards ceremony at Washington Park following the race. The times to beat are 15:57 for males and 19:40 for females.

Bib numbers and registration packages will be available at Tread on the Mill, 13 High Street, in the back of the lot behind Square Liquors, on Friday, September 8, from 2-4 pm, or Saturday, September 9, from 10:15 am to noon or at Washington Park on the day of the race at 7:30 am. The first 200 registrants will receive race T-shirts, so register early!

“Prizes for our race winners will be given out during the ceremony, but, don’t leave yet! You will want to stay for food, drinks, kids’ activities, live music, a chili cook-off, antique car show and so much more at the 9^th Annual Fall Street Faire from noon to five,” added Lori.