Dear Families,

Where did the summer go? Our offices and hallways are bustling with activity as we prepare for the new school year. We are so excited to open our doors and see your children's smiling faces return to our halls. Our team has been busy preparing wonderful events and learning experiences, and sprucing up our buildings and classrooms to welcome students back, and we can't wait for all the adventures ahead. We're especially excited about the new roof at MHS, and we're thrilled to welcome some new faces to our elementary team this year!

Later today, families will receive an email with specific instructions on how to access their child's classroom teacher assignment. Please know that our teachers invest hours, thoughtfully building each class list before the school year begins. They carefully consider academic needs, social dynamics, personality balance, and friendships, all with the shared goal of setting every child up for a successful year. Because of this careful, intentional process, we are not able to accommodate requests to change homeroom teacher assignments, as doing so could disrupt the balance we've worked hard to create in each classroom.

We look forward to partnering with you to make this a truly memorable and successful year for your child. Thank you for trusting us with your child's growth and well-being. Together, we will make this school year one filled with learning, laughter, and new accomplishments.

This newsletter is just the beginning of information that will be coming your way. We can't wait to see you in a few weeks! Here's to an amazing year of learning and fun ahead!

Warmly,

Kathy Taylor, Principal

Mike Leander, Assistant Principal

Sneak Peek for New Families and Anxious Students

Thursday, August 27th

4:00-5:00 p.m.

Kindergarten Orientation

Tuesday, September 1st

9:00~9:45 AM

Students will visit their classrooms and meet their new teachers. They will also have the opportunity to ride a big yellow bus. Meanwhile parents and caregivers will listen to a brief presentation and talk with Mrs. Taylor and Mr. Leander.

MHS/WES OPEN HOUSE

Thursday, October 1st

Families are invited to join us for a special evening! Your student will be your personal tour guide, showing you around their school and classroom. Members of our PTO, Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), Local Scouts, the Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Excellence (AWFAE) and more will be here to answer any questions.

ARRIVAL

8:20 - 8:30 AM

DISMISSAL

2:55 PM

HALF DAYS - DISMISSAL

12:00 PM

AM Session 8:45-11:10 AM

PM Session 12:00-2:30 PM

Full Day Session 8:45-2:30 PM (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)

All students have a bus number assigned to them as well as stops. Please click on the button at the end of this newsletter to see your child's bus number and stop. HOWEVER, if your child is going to be a parent pick up, walker, walker to MHS, or going to extended day, it is VERY IMPORTANT to send in a note on the very first day of school. One note is sufficient for the year with their schedule, but if it changes at all, we need to know. The safety of your child is our priority. Thank you

August 31: Monday ~ First Day of School, Grades 1-12

September 1: Tuesday ~ Kindergarten Orientation, 9:00-9:45 AM

September 4 & September 7: Friday & Monday ~ No School, Labor Day Weekend

September 8: Tuesday~ First Day of School for Kindergarten and Preschool!

September 9: Wednesday~ School Pictures for MHS & WES

September 10: Thursday~ School Pictures for MHS only

September 16: Wednesday ~ Noon Dismissal, Professional Development

October 1: Thursday ~ MHS Open House 5:00 - 6:00 PM , WES Open House 6:00-7:00 PM

Emergency Early Dismissal Policy

In the event of an unforeseen emergency that necessitates the dismissal of students prior to the end of the school day, parent notification will be provided through the automated phone and email system. Typical emergency situations that may precipitate an early dismissal include, but are not necessarily limited to, severe weather conditions, fire and absence of heat or water.

Since it is impractical for school officials to personally contact every parent in the event of an early dismissal, parents and particularly the parents of elementary age children, are encouraged to develop a clear and well-defined plan with their children in case of an early dismissal. Since children will be dismissed to their home, it is imperative that children know how to gain entry into their home and how and whom to call once they are there.

ABSENCES: Please call WES (978-874-2043) or MHS (978-874-0163) when your child will be absent or late for school. Please state your name, your child’s name, teacher, and the reason for absence. If you must speak to someone, please call after 7:45 AM. This system is to ensure the safety of your child. If we do not hear from you, we will contact you at home or work, and if we can’t reach someone we may send a school resource officer to the house to do a well child check. Absent notes are required when children return to school.

AM Arrivals: Bus drivers do not let children off the bus until 8:20 a.m. There is NO Supervision before 8:20 a.m. Walkers/students being dropped off should not arrive before 8:20 a.m. School starts at 8:30 a.m.

PM Dismissals: The school day ends at 2:55 p.m. The office needs to know your dismissal plan. If your child is a car-rider, you will be given a sign to display on your car dashboard to be used each day. Car riders will be dismissed to the cafeteria and called outside in the order cars line up. Please remain in your car. Signs will be posted. If you would like your older sibling to walk from WES to MHS pick-ups for dismissal in the afternoon, please send a note to the office and your child’s teacher.

If your child needs to be dismissed early, please send a note to his/her teacher stating the time and reason for dismissal. Early dismissals will be handled through the main office.

NOTES: Please use student’s (and parent’s) last names in all notes to the teacher/office. Please also date all notes so that we can be sure we are dealing with current messages. Notes are required for any change in dismissal. You may also email a note to mhsoffice@awrsd.org (MHS) or wesoffice@awrsd.org(WES).

MEDICATIONS: ALL Medications must be brought to the nurse by an adult at the beginning of the day. Medication is NOT TO BE TAKEN by any child on his/her own. The school nurse under the following circumstances will administer medication:

• A signed and dated note from a doctor and a parent is sent with the child’s name, dosage, reason for medication and time to be given.

• The prescription bottle is sent with only the amount which will be needed for the administration at school. (Pharmacies will dispense in two bottles if you ask.)

School Announcements:

Please make sure all phone numbers and email addresses are updated throughout the school year to ensure you receive all messages sent from the school or district.

RESTRICTIONS: Please provide the office with any LEGAL DOCUMENT which indicates any legal restrictions on the release of your child as per district policy. These restrictions CANNOT be honored unless we have a copy of the legal documents in your child’s file. Please remember that it is MOST IMPORTANT that your child knows who he/she is allowed to leave school with and restrictions of the same.

TARDINESS: It is important that your child be at school on time. Tardy students need to stop at the office for a tardy slip when they arrive later than 8:30 a.m. If excessive tardiness continues, it will be necessary for the parent and child to meet with the Principal so that we may remedy the situation.

Please reach out with any questions you may have. We are happy to help!

• MHS - Kathi McCarthy 978-874-0163 ext. 0
• WES - Liz Maillet 978-874-2043 ext 0

Grade 5 Outdoor Classroom at Camp Cody 2024

Monday, May 24th - Friday, May 28th

Each year our 5th grade students travel to Camp Cody in Freedom, NH for an outdoor classroom experience. The trip is 5 days/4 nights. Next year we are going the week of May 24-28th. We want to prepare families that the cost of this trip has increased and is estimated to be about $550 or possibly more per student. More information will go home with students in a few weeks.

Hey fourth graders! See America’s natural wonders and historic sites for free.

https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm

For questions about transportation, please email bussing@awrsd.org and provide your child's full name, school, address, and the question/issue.

• IMPORTANT BUS NOTES for 2026-2027:

  • All students are expected to be present at their stop and visible to the driver 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. This includes all door-to-door stops as well as group stops. 

  
  

  • All K and 1st Grade students must have an adult at the stop to receive them in the afternoon, unless authorization to get off the bus alone or with an older sibling has been given to the school office or busing coordinator.

  
  

  • All 2nd & 3rd Grade students must have an adult/older sibling/designated person visible to the driver when dropping off. They don’t have to be at the stop location, they can be on a porch, in a doorway, etc., as long as the driver can see them.

  
  

  • Students who miss the bus in the morning can board at any other stop along the route, but the buses will not stop if it isn’t a designated stop location, for legal and safety reasons. However, in the PM, unless there is a pass indicating otherwise, the student will only be dropped off at their stop of record for legal and safety reasons.

  
  

  • Due to transportation limitations and the increasing number of requests, separate bus trips will no longer be provided for any student group traveling to a local organization for scheduled club or activity. For any outside organization in the student’s hometown/community, if a student’s designated bus goes by the organization location, the school may issue a bus pass. If the student’s designated bus route does not go by the organization’s location, and an alternate bus has space, the school may issue a bus pass. The district CANNOT guarantee a specific drop off time (i.e. start of the outside program) or space on an alternate bus. If there is a new request from a community organization to offer bus passes to students, it will need Superintendent’s office approval via bussing.