Dear Caregivers,
Congratulations to our 4th grade instrumental musicians who performed last night and to our 5th grade musicians who will perform tomorrow. These performances are a testament to the high quality instruction our students receive from Ms. Tandon and Ms. Keenan and to the hard work of our students. Taking on a musical instrument requires commitment from both families and students to ensure that the practice is happening at home. Our students' concerts certainly lead us to believe that our PAWS values of acting responsibly and working hard are being lived out in your homes as well as at school!
We’d like to thank Ahmed Abouelnaga, Avital Dagan, and Colleen Kurson for taking the lead with the 5th grade, “Just Like Me” programming. The fifth grade program focuses on autism and was designed by a group of Wayland special educators who have dedicated their careers to educating students with autism and raising acceptance. In the spring our third grade students will receive programming that focuses on deafness and hard of hearing and our fourth grade programming will focus on learning differences. Claypit Hill is a school whose identity is rooted in inclusion and the celebration of differences. We appreciate that our PTOs and parents like Ahmed, Avi and Colleen, commit themselves to championing inclusion and acceptance, too, by sharing their time and expertise. We truly appreciate them!
Please find the 2026 MCAS dates below. We are administering the MCAS to every grade (3, 4, and 5) on the same day for the ELA test and the Math test. While this may be a more stressful way to administer for the adults, particularly our MCAS coordinators, we are very hopeful that testing on fewer days will lead to less interruption to students’ educations, particularly students who receive specialized services. While scheduling vacation time outside of the school calendar is always important, it is critical that students are present during testing so that they can test with their peers in their regular classrooms. We know that keeping things as “normal” as possible for our kiddos will limit their stress and of course, this is an important goal of ours. Thanks in advance for prioritizing attendance on these testing days.
Finally, please remember to send your kiddos dressed for the weather. We almost always have outdoor recess. Please encourage your children to check for their belongings like mittens, gloves and hats. Our lost and found is often overflowing with such items. Keeping track of their belongings is one way our students can act responsibly!
Thanks for your continued partnership!
Sincerely,
Marie, Kate, and Naomi
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