Hi Everyone,
Earlier this calendar year my family moved from our home in a town close by to Acton-Boxborough, to another neighboring town. Our decision to move was almost entirely motivated by location. Specifically, being closer in proximity to extended family that includes a few aging parents who we want to see more often, along with the plus of a better commute to work and reducing travel time to other staple activities in our family life. While not part of the equation when we first decided to move, I have recently started thinking about two other aspects of our new address. The first is around Halloween, which is coming up in a few weeks. While I personally have never been really into costumes and spooky-related themes, I think it’s great that Halloween gives kids a chance to be creative and playful. At the end of this Grey Matters, please review the information I share about our school’s annual Dress Up Day that takes place on the day of Halloween. In our former home, we would answer the door a lot over the course of the evening, probably because we lived in a neighborhood of interconnected streets that was ripe for trick or treating. I think I did a good job and contributed to a good evening for the kids (my wife thinks I could do better), and there were times when the evening felt like it would never end. So I am curious about whether the location of our current home will be a high volume area for trick or treating. We’re on a pretty busy road, so we will see if that increases or decreases the foot traffic on that night. The other location-related thing I’ve been thinking about is how our close proximity to one of our town’s retail areas has changed some of my morning routines. We are a stone’s throw from several stores, restaurants, and parks and it’s been great that our kids walk and bike a lot more frequently. It’s also been a blessing and a curse to be so close to Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts, as my visits to those establishments in the morning has increased and my wallet is now a lot lighter. However, a new development in our school cafeteria may help curtail my visits to those establishments, now that our school’s breakfast service includes hot breakfast sandwiches as part of the menu. With this new addition starting tomorrow (Tuesday), I thought it might be helpful to provide all families with a more general overview of our breakfast options through our cafeteria, and also make sure that those who are eligible for free and reduced cost school meals have information that may prove helpful.
During every school day, breakfast and lunch service are provided to all students. The one exception is when we have an early release, and then lunch is not served. A breakfast meal has included a choice of muffin, bagel or cereal, and starting tomorrow now includes a hot breakfast sandwich (sausage, egg & cheese). The breakfast meal comes with a choice of milk or hot chocolate, and also includes choice of fruit. Please note that if students would like a breakfast sandwich without the meat, that can also be arranged. The cost of a breakfast is $1.75, and breakfast service is available daily from 7:30am to 8:00am. Students who are eligible for free meals are able to receive both a breakfast and a lunch each day at no cost, and we want to make sure students know that coming for breakfast does not preclude them from the lunch service later in the day. Students eligible for reduced cost meals are eligible to receive breakfast at a reduced rate of $.30, and lunch at a reduced rate of $.40. We know that the school day can be long, especially for students who may not have eaten something before the start of school. We hope that this expanded breakfast service can play a role in making sure more students are starting the day with food in their stomachs and the energy that comes with it. For any family who has had questions about Food Services at AB (for any of our schools), or interested in learning more about eligibility for Free and Reduced meals, you can visit the Food Services website here, or contact Food Services Director Kirsten Nelson at [email protected].
I’m pleased to share that the R.J. Grey Artist of the Month program is continuing this year. This program was launched in February 2017, and is the brainchild of 8th grade art teacher Mrs. Vlajinac. The goal of this program is to provide 7th and 8th Graders and opportunities to have an authentic, juried art exhibition experience similar to the process in which professional artists participate. Since this event is supposed to mimic a real world, professional artist experience, not all students that apply will become RJG Artists of the Month. However, Ms. Vlajinac offers this important reminder to students who may have an interest in participating: “If you are not selected to be RJG Artist of the Month, DON’T STOP MAKING ART!! If you are not selected it only means that there were a handful of people that had work that was just a bit stronger than yours… Not being selected doesn’t mean that you are terrible at art or that we don’t like you as a person. Quite the opposite actually! We appreciate that you took a chance and put yourself/artwork out there. Doing that is SUPER BRAVE and you should be proud for even trying!“ Congratulations to this month’s Artist, Eshaan Bansal of 7 Gold. When asked about some things that inspire the artwork he likes to make, Eshaan shared, "One thing that influences my artwork are superheroes. I have always liked superheroes and I feel like I get really connected to the story when I draw them." To view Eshaan’s work, click here, and to learn more about the RJG Artist of the Month process click here.
Here are some reminders and notes for the next few weeks:
It’s a few weeks away, but a friendly reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, November 5 for our District’s Professional Learning Day. There is also no school the following Monday, November 11 for Veteran’s Day.
The District’s Late Bus program continues to provide a transportation option for those who participate in after school activities and we’re pleased that it’s been a helpful resource/option for a number of our families. With the Winter season on the horizon, new activities, sports programs and other after-school opportunities might be on your child’s radar. If the Late Bus might be something you want to consider, you can click here for the original letter and list of stops that are part of the two Late Bus routes.
On Wednesday or Thursday of next week, we will be emailing to families mid-trimester interims. For those new to RJ Grey, a brief explanation. “Interims” is the term that we use for what others might call “progress reports”, or “warnings”. Teachers submit interims for any students who might be struggling in their class - this could be based on performances on tests and quizzes, consistency of homework, or other assessments and observations. In addition, there are a number of teachers who provide interims as a way to update families, and this could also include feedback about how well a student is performing in a particular class. This is all to say that there are a number of reasons why you might receive an interim from your child’s teachers (note: you may also not receive anything). If and when you do receive one, please read the information and comments carefully and consider using it as a way to begin a dialogue with your child. Please also keep in mind that a letter grade is attached to each interim from a teacher, but that letter grade may or may not represent a significant body of assessments and graded work. I would encourage you to place greater focus on the narrative that the teacher provides and the areas of concern and suggestions for improvement that are offered. If there is information that you would like clarified, please contact the teacher and begin a dialogue with him or her. The Fall Trimester does not close until the week before Thanksgiving, so there is plenty of time for students to use this feedback to make adjustments.
Interim reports, along with report cards, are now by email to the parent/guardian contacts listed on your student’s Emergency Card on the parent portal. Given the sensitive nature of these transmissions, we strongly encourage you to review the email addresses you have provided in the parent portal and that the only email addresses listed are for parents/guardians with joint legal, physical, and/or shared custody and who should have access to these records. For more detailed instructions on how to verify your email, please click here. 
Finally, Halloween is a little over two weeks away, and my guess is that many of your children are thinking about possible costumes not only for an evening of trick or treating, but also for our school’s annual Dress Up Day (which is always scheduled for the day of, or around, Halloween). I’d like to include here my typical overview of our Dress Up Day to help families with any planning that is currently underway. We have a tradition at RJ Grey where many students (and teachers) choose to attend school dressed up in costumes on the day of Halloween. Our Student Council officers also organize a fun and lighthearted contest where each homeroom nominates a student/costume and the staff will vote for a winner. We want to emphasize our intention to keep this light-hearted and good-natured, and to showcase student creativity. We do not want anyone to invest money in this activity. Please also note that not all students and staff --including yours truly--always dress up, which is perfectly fine. There are always many students who do not come to school in costume.
We do have general guidelines that we expect all students to follow when considering their outfit for the day. Student costumes must avoid props that mimic weapons (swords, firearms, knives, etc.), and clothing that includes profanity. In addition, we must see our students’ faces throughout the day, so wearing a face mask can not be a part of a costume. We see a restriction on face masks as a reasonable limitation to address physical safety and the fact that lessons are still being taught! There’s nothing quite like watching a teacher, often dressed in costume as well, providing instruction to a room that includes Mario, Luigi, Harry Potter, a giant bunny rabbit, and Flo the Progressive Insurance spokesperson. I am asking our parents and guardians to please have a conversation with their children about their costume plans, and to keep the above guidelines in mind. Halloween Dress Up Day has always been a fun opportunity for our students (and staff) to be playful and maybe showcase another side of their personality. Our students have always been thoughtful about the event and it makes for one of the more colorful days of the school year. I’m looking forward to seeing the parade of costumes that enters RJ Grey that morning.
Have a great week, everyone.
Cheers,
