Hello Peabody Parents and Guardians,
So we are just about there...with so much happening around us during a medical pandemic of 2020 and now the ongoing racial pandemic that has plagued our country for years. As we begin to end this school year, we hope that everyone is taking time to relax and enjoy some of the sun out there.
We had a successful JK/K Virtual Open House with families last week. It was wonderful to welcome and re-welcome families again. We also had our fifth grade Moving On Ceremony on Friday morning. It feels surreal to say good-bye to this group of students virtually. They will be missed as they transition into upper school.
Also, as a reminder, teachers will be holding optional Year End Closure Meetings with families to have a final good-bye. This is a chance for teachers, families, and children to connect one-on-one before the summer. But more importantly, these conferences give everyone a chance to say goodbye and to celebrate how amazing your children have been over the last few months. Given how much we don't know about the fall, we are holding class lists until mid-August. We are sorry to hold them so long, but if there's a chance that groupings need to change, it’s better to wait and give out accurate information.
By now, those students who were invited to attend the summer program for additional support, should have received an email and link to apply. The deadline to register is Monday, 6/15. Additional resources for ELA, Math and other curriculum areas will be posted on the district’s Summer Opportunities 2020 Site for ALL families to access. This site will also include resources to support social emotional learning. All elementary students will receive 2-3 summer reading books from Scholastic Books. Please be expecting those in the mail. RAZ Kids will also be available to all students through July.
In addition, Peabody will also be sending out Grade Level Brainquest Workbooks for students/families who wish to continue to work on skills. This is not mandatory; just an additional resource. Peabody 5th grade students should have received an email from RAUC about summer reading books. If you have not received it, the information is
here in this document.
So many historical moments are being made around us. It’s 2020 and Nascar has just now banned the confederate flag? It’s hard to believe from any standpoint why one would justify it being displayed anywhere in our country. We want our community to know that we are here to work on equity and committed to opening up dialogue amongst one another to discuss race. Will this be easy? Absolutely not, but it’s work that we need to engage in. This, of course, should not be a “one time” workshop but rather deep ongoing work- as a community to support anti-racism systems that will only strengthen us as a community. Where to start? At the dinner table, teaching children to embrace diversity, to peak their cultural curiosity, and explore the world around them. Trust, that silence only separates people.
Best Regards,
Nadia Jeudy, Interim Principal
Catherine Serrano, SOM