Dates to Remember:
Dec. 11-15: School Store WeekDec. 19: Solstice Stroll, 4:30-5:30
Dec. 22: Early Release, 11:15 Dismissal
Dec. 25-Jan. 1: Winter Holiday
Dear Cutler Families,
What a dreary day! I hope the sun comes out and beautiful winter returns!
This Friday you will be able to access report cards via Aspen for students in 1st- 5th grade. Report Cards are a measure of where students are at this moment, though children are working toward the standards at their respective grade levels, with a goal of meeting those standards by the end of the year. My hope is that between Open House and conferences, you have a strong sense of your child’s strengths and areas of growth, which the report card will reflect. If you have any questions, you may always reach out to your child’s teacher.
Next Tuesday we invite you to join us for the Solstice Stroll at 4:30 in the back gazebo area. Students will display their winter lanterns and we will serve hot cocoa. We are looking forward to a wonderful afternoon!
Have a lovely week.
Warmly,
Juliana
UPDATING INFORMATION IN ASPEN:
Below are the steps to follow. It is very important we have accurate and updated information. Thank you!
In order to review, edit and sign off on the documents please follow these steps:Login to your Aspen account through the parent portal. If you need assistance with logging in, please email aspenhelp@hwschools.net
Once you login, click the Initiate button in the Start a new Student and Contact Information Update box.Error! Filename not specified.
Click on Each Tab and Review/Update the information.
***Some fields are required and you will not be able to submit until they are completed.***
In order to confirm your child’s Aspen and medical information, the Digital Signature box requires a Yes answer before signing your name. No updates will be made without your digital signature, even if you “finish” completing the form.If you start to fill out the form and need to finish it at a later time, you may click on the Save & close button at the bottom of the form. To resume filling out the form, click on the green check mark next to your student’s name under Resume working on any Student and Contact Information Update that has already been started. Error! Filename not specified.
When the information is entered how you want, click on Submit.
The information will be sent to the main office for review before being updated in Aspen.
**Please ensure all information is as you would like. Once it is submitted, it cannot be edited until after review has been completed.**
The student handbook and relevant policies are linked in Aspen and require your review and signature and are included in this process of updating information.
Please contact us at aspenhelp@hwschools.net if you need assistance.
While this is an exciting time of year for many, we understand that some families are experiencing financial hardship this season. We are fortunate this year to be able to offer some of our families gift cards for holiday needs. Please reach out to me directly at acreilson@hwschools.net if you are in need of assistance. We are also collecting gift cards to distribute to families, please see the attached flyer, Gift Card Donation, for how you may do that. In addition, below are some resources you may find helpful.
Acord serves clients in Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester, Topsfield, and Wenham. They offer weekly food distributions, holiday meal programs, school vacation lunch bags, nutrition education and outreach, and emergency meal assistance. They also partner with local farms to provide fresh produce to their clients every week. They can be reached at 978-468-7424 or acord.director@gmail.com.
The Hamilton Foundation was created to help meet unexpected, urgent, and short-term needs of Hamilton residents due to job loss, death, divorce, or catastrophic illness. It also maintains a directory of over 60 regional social service agencies and refers people to those programs when appropriate.
Please call 978-233-1816 and leave a message and someone will return your call.
WISSH assists Wenham residents in need of temporary financial or social service assistance. Their mission is to identify the social service needs of Wenham residents and to coordinate and implement appropriate immediate unmet financial assistance to those in need. You may call WISSH at a confidentially maintained phone number, 978-468-5520 Ext. 9.
Beverly Bootstraps provides critical resources to families and individuals so that they may achieve self-sufficiency. They offer emergency and long-term assistance including access to food, housing stability, adult and youth education, counseling and advocacy. The best way to contact them is to fill out this form and a case manager will reach out to you. You may also call them at 978-927-1561 and a message will be relayed to a case manager for you.
I maintain connections with all of the above organizations. If you need any help accessing them or if there are other supports that I might assist you with, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Warmly,
Ann Creilson
978-626-8575
Guidelines for Dismissal or Reasons to Keep Your Child Home from School:
In an effort to minimize the spread of contagious illness, the Hamilton Wenham Regional School District has developed the following guidelines for determining whether your child needs to be sent home or stay home from school: Fever (elevated temperature of 100.0 or higher). Must remain home until fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines, such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil).
Vomiting or diarrhea. May return to school 24 hours after the last episode.
Generalized rash of unknown origin. Must be evaluated by a doctor and provide a note for re-entry into school.
Live head lice. Must be treated at home, and then re-checked by the school nurse, preferably with a parent/guardian present, upon return to school.
Red or pink itchy eyes with crusty and/or green/yellow drainage. May return to school when there is no drainage and/or on medication for 24 hours.
Strep throat. May return 12-24 hours after beginning antibiotic treatment and feeling better.
Uncontrollable cough or symptoms that make your child unable to function in the classroom.
COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 schools:
Children and staff who test positive must isolate for at least 5 days. If they are asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving and they have been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medicine fo1 24 hours, they may return to school after Day 5 and should wear a high-quality mask through Day 10 If the individual is able to mask, they must do so through Day 10.If the individual has a negative test on Day 5 or later, they do not need to mask
If the individual is unable to mask, they may return to programming with a negative test on Day 5 or later.
This list is a guideline. The School Nurse reserves the right to dismiss students who, in their professional opinion, are possibly contagious or are too ill to be in school.
Dr. Michael Yoon, School Physician
Lea Tabenkin, BSN, RN, NCSN, District Nurse Leader and HWRHS Nurse
Darlene Budds MSN, RN, NCSN, Cutler School Nurse
Jessica Baker, BSN, RN, NCSN, Winthrop School Nurse
Lisa Druskat, BSN, RN, NCSN, Buker School Nurse
Lynne Nardella, LPN, District Float Nurse
Maribeth Ting, MSN, RN, NCSN, MRMS Nurse
From the Cafeteria:
Lunch Menus:
Here is the link to access the lunch menu: Elementary Lunch Menu
For the Acord Food Pantry: There is a box in our front lobby for donations. We have extended the deadline until this Friday, December 15. Please bring what you can to help support Acord.
The Hamilton-Wenham Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
Parents Rights Workshop
Monday, December 11th from 6 – 8pm
via ZOOM
The workshop will be presented virtually via ZOOM by Tracey Morgan, a special education advocate. Everyone must register via the Zoom link in order to receive the meeting link and presentation materials for this workshop.
This workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to special education laws and procedures. We will cover the purpose of the law, referrals, evaluations, and the team meeting process including determining eligibility. You will also learn what to do if the student is not eligible and the parent’s procedural due process rights for resolving disputes. The Federation for Children with Special Needs hosts additional parent workshops on topics such as “Transition Planning” and “Understanding the IEP”. Dates and times of all Federation-sponsored events can be found on their website: https://fcsn.org/event-calendar/
Registration Link: https://fcsn-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAsf-GtrDsjEtYZWq1LlIYvbm-irZjyoPDc
- Join us in spreading holiday cheer to the Cutler team by donating some yummy baked goods to our annual cookie swap on December 18th.
- And Save the Date for one of our favorite new Cutler traditions, the Winter Solstice Stroll on December 19th from 4:30 - 5:30! Bundle up and bring your whole family as we bring light and good cheer to the year ahead!
