A Week in Review 10.30...

October 30, 2105

The full moon and the excitement of Halloween had our students running on all cylinders!  We channeled their energy, and they had another productive week of learning!

Our third grade students went back in time when they visited Plimouth Plantation.  This hands on experience made history come alive for our historians.  Pumpkins were a popular tool used in many science, math, and writing lessons.  Our young mathematicians estimated the weight and number of seeds in a variety of pumpkins, our scientist made observations and recorded their findings in their journals, and the Halloween season was an inspiration for our writers!  

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped to make our students' Halloween celebrations memorable!

Does the pumpkin sink or float?

Halloween Parade!

Trip Back in Time!

Exploring the Fells!

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

A Look Ahead Week of 10.18...

We are gearing up for another busy week at Muraco!  

Teachers, and in many cases students, have been preparing for these goal setting conferences by reflecting on individual learning profiles and looking at student work.  Your child's teacher is looking forward to collaborating with you to create meaningful goals that will take your child to his/her next level of excellence.

Be sure to check out the Book Fair, which won't be hard to miss given our new location in the front lobby.  I want to extend my thanks and appreciation to Jess Klau for chairing this event.  She has been working closely with Lori Stalteri and several volunteers to ensure that this year's fair is a success!  All profits from the Book Fair go directly to our library.

Books may be purchased during Parent Conference Days: 

• October 21 and 22 from 8:15 to 9:00 AM, and 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM 
• Friday, October 23 from 8:15 to 9:00 AM and 12:00 to 2:30 PM.

New Elementary Report Cards

This year, we are excited to announce that all of the district’s elementary schools will be piloting new report cards in grades 1-5. These report cards have been revised so that they are more closely aligned to state standards as well as giving parents more information about their child’s progress. A report card revision committee was developed with representative teachers from each of the grade levels during the 2014-15 school year. The committee sought input from parents, teachers, administrators and the school committee. In addition, they looked at recently updated models from other communities. After many rounds of revisions, new report cards have been created for the upcoming year. This school year will serve as a pilot year, as additional surveys will be conducted during the implementation of the pilot to help determine what changes are needed in order to have a finalized report card in place for the 2016-2017 school year. We look forward to your feedback! For more information about these report cards, please click on the link to see an informational video: https://goo.gl/yTII2c

The Multicultural Fair was great fun!  Many, many thanks to Oksana Carnes and her team of volunteers for their efforts in making this evening one to remember! 

Serving Up Delicious Food at the Mulitcultural Fair!

Fun Evening with Friends!

A Week in Review 10.19...

Our students continue to work hard, and as a result, they are shining!

Mulitcultural Fair:  Oksana Carnes and a group of volunteers have been working overtime to make Saturday night's celebration of cultures one to remember.  You won't want to miss seeing many of our students perform dances and sampling food from all around the world!  The Fair will be held in our gym on Saturday evening from 5pm-7pm.  We look forward to seeing you there!

DATA:  Please be sure to call or email Lori Mckinney at: lmckinney@winchesterps.org if your contact information has changed, phone and email addresses.  It is essential that we have accurate information in the event of an emergency.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Fourth Grade Gardeners!

Second Grade Bloggers!

Third Grade Active Readers!

A Week in Review 10.9.15

It was another week filled with meaningful and purposeful learning!  I have shared some of the highlights.  Enjoy!

On Wednesday staff participated in a wide array of workshops, too many to name.  Some of our staff collaborated with their colleagues to look at their math and writing practices and to plan instruction to best meet the needs of their students.  We have many staff members who are currently taken a course on co teaching, which is being led by the Assistant Superintendent, Jen Elineema, and the Director of Special Education, Pam Giourad.  Participants in this course worked on gaining a deeper understanding of best practices in the co teaching model by sharing ideas and experiences in their classrooms.  Time spent discussing teaching and learning has a direct impact in our students, and we cherish this time together!

Staff Update: Andrea Phelan, grade 3 teacher, will be assuming the role of the Interim Assistant Principal of the Lynch School. Andrea's experience in the classroom and in leadership roles will serve her well as she embarks on this new challenge. Andrea will be missed in our community, but it is comforting to know that students in Winchester will continue to benefit!

I am delighted to announce that Lauren Cooper will be joining the third grade team. Lauren has taught in grades kindergarten, first, and third in Lowell. Presently, she is completing her Master's degree in reading and works at Lynch as an ISS. I know that you will join me in welcoming her to our community.

Enjoy the long weekend!

Interactive Read Aloud in Kindergarten!

Breakfast Club!

Healthy Start to the Day!