| As you may know, this year we began reviewing and updating our Science curriculum by piloting the KnowAtom curriculum in all Grade 5 classrooms—as well as in several selected classrooms at other grade levels. This spring we have also been in the process of exploring next steps and reviewing feedback on the program—including student data from other districts who had previously adopted the program. If you have not had the opportunity to review KnowAtom materials, each elementary school is making sample resources available in the main office from May 24-May 31, and elementary school parents are welcome to stop in and look through the materials. Any feedback can of course be shared with the building principal and/or Craig Martin, Assistant Superintendent.
As you may also know, the 2016 MA Standards for Science and Technology/Engineering are now adopted by the DESE, and the state Framework (PreK-12) is complete. Information about STEM standards and the process for developing the state Framework can be found at this link: http://www.doe.mass.edu/stem/review.html . . . and the new Framework itself can be accessed as a PDF file here: Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework, April 2016 http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/scitech/2016-04.pdf Please feel free to review this information as well. On Monday night (May 22), Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching Craig Martin and staff will be presenting an update to the School Committee on the Science Curriculum. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Patrick A. Schettini Jr. Library at Reading Memorial High School. |
Pathways Newsletter for Week of May 22
Good Morning,
The link below is to this week’s Pathways Newsletter which contains an abundance of information, photos, and articles from this week’s events. Included is an update on the elementary science curriculum, the transition from Edline to our new web page, and several photos from RMHS activities this past week.
Thank you for your continued support of our schools. Have a great week ahead!
Pathways Newsletter for Week of May 15
Good Morning,
We hope that you are enjoying this beautiful weekend. Below is the link to this week’s Pathways Newsletter for the Reading Public School Community. In this week’s edition, we have stories on the teachers who were honored at the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony last week, How to end the school year right, and PLCs and Teacher Evaluation. In addition, we have photos from Parker, RMHS, RMHS Drama Club, Middle School Band, and Barrows. It was quite a busy week!
Have a great rest of the weekend and week ahead!
Take care.
Pathways Newsletter for Week of May 8, 2016
Good Morning, Everyone and Happy Mother’s Day!
Attached, please find this week’s edition of the Pathways Newsletter. This week there are articles about Killam winning the FBI contest and the second part of the two part article on 20 tips to help deescalate interactions with anxious or defiant students. We also have several pictures from the Special Olympics, Killam, Barrows, Eaton, Parker, Coolidge and the High School.
Have a great day and week ahead!
Take care.
Pathways Newsletter for Week of May 1, 2016
Good Morning,
We hope that you are having a great week. The link below is for this week’s Pathways Newsletter. In this week’s edition, we have a story that celebrates the work that our teachers and nurses do each day in honor of Teacher and Nurse Appreciation Days, the first part of a two part article on 20 Tips to Help De-escalate Interactions With Anxious or Defiant Students, and what happens when we reassure students that anxiety is normal. We also have photos from Coolidge, Parker, and Killam events and classroom experiences.
Have a great rest of the weekend and week ahead!
Take care.
Late Start Working Group Meeting Minutes
Good Afternoon,
The link below is the April 5th minutes from the first meeting of the Late Start Working Group, which is charged with investigating starting school at a later time each day for middle and high school.
Weekly Pathways Newsletter for Week of April 24, 2016
Good Morning,
We hope that you and your families have had a great April vacation. We are pleased to send to you this week’s Pathways Newsletter which celebrates our 8th Annual Arts Fest and Blue Ribbon Institute. We hope you enjoy the stories and photos.
Have a great rest of the weekend and week ahead!
Pathways Newsletter for Week of April 10, 2016
Good Morning,
We hope you are having a great weekend. Below is the link to this week’s Pathways Newsletter. In this week’s edition we have stories about ArtsFest, our Transition to a new Integrated Web Page for the 2016-17 school year, how Middlesex League Superintendents support a later start time for High School and Middle School, the Reading Education Foundation Grant Winners and uses and misuses of character traits. In addition, we have photos from Birch Meadow and Killam.
Have a great rest of the weekend and week ahead.
Take care.
Reading Education Foundation Grants Awarded
Reading Education Foundation is pleased to announce the 2016 Grant Awards totaling $44,214.19, benefiting every school in our district. Please join us in congratulating this year’s recipients.
HIGH SCHOOL GRANTS
Computing in the Arts: With user-friendly micro-controllers and software, students will create meaningful visual or musical artifacts that respond to human inputs. Grant proposed by Steve Cogger
Active Sitting Workspace Options: A pilot study of specially-designed seating options which will improve focus, attention and concentration. Grant proposed by Danja Mahoney
3D Printers for Hands-on Design Production: The addition of three 3D printers will allow all students in the Intro to Engineering Design course to produce their designs. Grant proposed by Charles Strout
HIGH SCHOOL/MIDDLE SCHOOL GRANT
STEAM Makerspace at the Secondary Level LCMs: The purchase of kits and materials will support hand-on, collaborative creativity in these DIY areas designed for blending Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. Grant proposed by Sharon Burke
MIDDLE SCHOOL GRANTS
Digitized Reading in the 21st Century: Through the purchase of additional iPads, 6th Grade Parker students will have increased access to digital text and beneficial accompanying software. Grant proposed by Donna Martinson
Green Screen Video Studio: The easy-to-use technology of iPads and Apps will allow students to facilitate video production and focus on content. Grant proposed by Christine Steinhauser
Bandroom Dynamic Soundfield System: This sound system will allow the 90+ students to clearly hear the band director during practices. Grant proposed by Cheryl Webster
World Music Drumming: This set of instruments, to be used in African-American slave and new American music units, will increase 7th grade students’ engagement in the general music program. Grant proposed by Anna Wentlent
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRANTS
Art in the Sky, A Transformational Adventure in Perspective: Through the creation of a giant living painting on a field that can only be understood from above, Killam’s all-school, three-day residency program will deepen perception and develop a big-picture approach to creative problem solving. Grant proposed by Amy Hussey
Access for All Elementary Library/Media Collection: This grant will establish a collection at each school to benefit all students including ones with language based learning challenges. Resources, including audio book kits and readers, dyslexia friendly books and low level-high interest books, will be available for in-class and student check-out. Grant proposed by Krista Erikson
Makerspace Robot Coding Kits: Each school will procure K-3 and 4-5 robot kits to support hand-on, collaborative creativity in these DIY areas designed for blending Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. Grant proposed by Tracy Thrasher Hybl
Core Value Literature Collection Development: Each school will establish a collection to support social/emotional/mental health and diversity. Grant proposed by Lisa Norcross
Pathways Newsletter for Week of April 3, 2016
Good Morning,
We hope all is well and you are having a great weekend. The link below is to this week’s Pathways Newsletter. In this week’s edition, there are articles about the 5 myths of Technology in Classrooms, Nine Ways to Introduce Students to Random Acts of Kindness, and Using a Daily Poem to Jump Start English Classes. In addition, we have photos from the recently held French Culture Day at RMHS.
Have a great rest of the weekend and week ahead!
The Journey-The Next Chapter 