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Atkinson News
Welcome Letter to Families
 Dear Atkinson Families, It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I write this letter of introduction to you as the interim principal of Atkinson Elementary School. I am honored to become part of the Atkinson community, which has already given me such a warm welcome! In just the few interactions I have had with staff, students and families so far, it has been abundantly clear that this school is a unique and special place. This summer, I have been spending much of my time getting to know the building and the school’s community. In doing so, I have learned that Atkinson is a place where strong connections are made between home and school and staff members are committed to developing the whole child. In his time as principal, Mr. Landry helped to build a strong foundation of academic excellence and I am excited to continue his legacy at the Atkinson School. Additionally, I would like to offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to our custodial staff. They have worked diligently throughout the summer to clean and ready the school for the upcoming school year. Professionally, I am beginning my eighteenth year working in the North Andover school district. I have worked in many capacities including teaching first grade, third grade and fifth grade at Franklin School and then moving to assistant principal at both the Franklin School and Sargent School. I grew up in North Andover, attended the North Andover public schools, and much of my family resides in town. I love the community of North Andover. Additionally, I have three children. My son is going into sixth grade and my two daughters are going into fourth grade and second grade. I fully understand the challenges and rewards you face every day as you work to ensure your child has the best educational experience. One of the most important aspects of my work here at Atkinson School will be building strong relationships with students, teachers and families. My goal is to ensure that all children are healthy, happy and safe, so they may learn as much as they can. My passion has been and always will be educating students. With that in mind, you can expect that I will work diligently with teachers to make sure our students are exposed to curriculum and instruction that is both engaging and challenging. I am looking forward to meeting each of you as we start this new and exciting year together! Please note a few important upcoming dates: 8/29 (1:30-2:30) - Meet and Greet for all incoming 1st graders and new Atkinson families 9/3 - First Day of School 9/25 - Open House (in the evening for parents only) Sincerely, Erin O’Loughlin M.Ed., C.A.G.S. |
School Supply Kits Available Now!
It's that time of year again when you can order your All-Stars school supplies for next year. Have a stress free summer with at least one big "to-do" off your list! All lists have been approved by all the Atkinson teachers and will be delivered to your student's classrooms before the 1st day of school, plus, the kits are shipped free to Atkinson. All orders are due June 30th. Any questions, please reach out to us at atkinsonptoboard@gmail.com. |
Recommended Summer Reading List 2019 for Students Entering Grades K-5
We are shooting for the moon this summer with our reading goals as we team up with the public library for our Summer Reading Theme, “A Universe of Stories!” The books on this list are just suggestions! There are NO specific required titles for kids to read. Feel free to choose appropriate books for your unique reader. When deciding on books, have your child read a page out loud to see if it’s a good fit. If they struggle with more than a few words, it’s probably too difficult and may be a better choice for a read-aloud. |
The Home Stretch
The 2019 Home Stretch We all can't believe that there are only a few weeks left of school this year. It has been an amazing year for student growth and for opportunities to show that RAISE is the Craze. Our young All-Star students have worked so very hard to learn and to demonstrate their very best behavior in class. Our teachers and staff have loved their time with the children and we have been impressed by the student effort and the support from you all at home. We have quite a few activities scheduled for the end of the year to celebrate reaching our goals and to celebrate our friendships and relationships with one another. We hope to see you all very soon! |
Boosterthon Fun Run
Boosterthon Fun Run 2019 What an amazing fundraiser we did this spring with the help of Boosterthon staff! Our PTO set a goal for $12,000 and, with all of your help and outreach (to all 50 states and several countries), we were able to raise more than $20K for the school...Wow! We will use that funding to buy new classroom libraries, new chromebooks and other essential resources for the school. This one our one big effort this year. I hope it was fun and motivating for the students. I think they all have felt a great sense of pride as we hit our small and large goals. Thank you all for your service to our school and community! |
Positive Communication About School
FACEBOOK ISN'T ALWAYS BEST Atkinson staff takes pride in responding to parent & guardian concerns in a timely and respectful manner. When a school problem arises that relates to your child (or if you have any questions about daily routines), the following process should be followed:
Social media can be an efficient and effective communication tool, however, we ask that you please consider the potentially detrimental effect a particular post could have on students, parents/guardians, staff and/or the school community. Thank you very much for reflecting on this process and for supporting the school in so many ways throughout the year! |
MCAS Dates 2019
MCAS Dates Upcoming Our MCAS dates are set for the spring. Students in grades 3-5 will be taking the MA Department of Education's computer-based tests again this year. Atkinson will attempt to have all three grades tested on the same days to minimize the number of testing dates for the school. Our schedule includes only six-days (versus 14 testing dates in previous years). Please see the schedule below. If you have any specific questions about MCAS, please reach out to your child's teacher or to Principal Landry. Thank you for your support!
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Lunch & Recess at Atkinson
LUNCH & RECESS BLOCKS Like all elementary schools in town, Atkinson has a mid-day lunch and recess block for each grade level. Grades 1-5 have 45-minutes to be active outside or social inside along with ample time to eat. We work very hard to split the 45-minute block evenly so students usually get enough time for both parts of the day. They typically experience about 23 minutes at lunch and 22 for recess (20/20 on early release days). Since moving to our new playground near the cafeteria, the transition times between both activities is much quicker. As for staffing, we have at least three noon attendants on duty for lunch and three available for recess. Students are well-supported during this important time of the school day. We hope you hear great things about fun times with peers during this time of your child's day. :) |
Volunteers for Understanding Our Differences
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED for Understanding Our Differences throughout the year. Understanding Our Differences (UOD) is program that teaches 3-5th graders to develop understanding and respect for fellow students with physical, sensory or developmental disabilities as well as chronic medical conditions.
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FERPA Rules in Schools
Please read the following entry about FERPA and school communication. It's important to know how schools can share information. Thank you for taking the time to review this message. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. Schools that receive federal funding are required by law to keep student information private. FERPA allows parents and legal guardians access to their own child's school information with regard their student’s health, attendance, academics and discipline. Occasionally, issues arise around discipline, when parents may want information about another student. FERPA does not allow this information to be shared without the full consent of involved parties. Atkinson is limited by this law as to what can be shared with other individuals or parents in the school community. A school’s responsibility is to protect and maintain privacy of all students, regardless of the situation. In cases that involve what could be deemed as a weapon, parents and guardians often desire to know more, especially if it may impact their child. School administrators are bound by FERPA to maintain student privacy and would be limited in what, if anything, could be shared publicly. Atkinson Elementary School aims to protect all students with regard to safety and to maintain the privacy of student records. A school community must have trust in their school administration’s ability to manage situations appropriately, while accepting the limited information that is permissible by law. |
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