DESE Doing Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Winchendon Public Schools.
During the week of May 23, 2021, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Winchendon Public Schools. The Office of Public School Monitoring conducts a review in each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child's special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairperson(s) of the district's Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations.
Parents and other individuals may call Michael McDonald, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at (781) 338-3746 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the district with a report with information about areas in which the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at www.doe.mass.edu/psm/.
Winchendon Public Schools
Suzanne Michel, Director of Pupil Services
Preschool Screening in June
Winchendon Public Schools Preschool Screening will take place on June 9 & 10, 2021. Children must be age 3 or 4 by August 31, 2021 to be eligible. Screening looks at a child's development in the areas of language, fine and gross motor skills, cognition and social emotional skills.
If you have any concerns about your child, suspect your child may have a disability, or if you did not receive an information packet by mail please call the Winchendon Pre-K Program 978-297-3436 or email kbrooks@winchendonk12.org.
Sizer's Reclaiming Sunshine Environmental Club is Growing Places
9th grade student Abigail Barto of Fitchburg waters a group of seedlings.
Sizer School's student-led environmental club, Reclaiming Sunshine has only been active for about a month but has already begun work to make their communities greener.
Including joining forces with the Leominster-based, woman-led organization, Growing Places.
On Monday, April 26, Sizer held its first full-time in-person academic school day, which ended with Reclaiming Sunshine's first in-person club meeting. Seven of the group's 18 member core stayed after school to work with Kyle Aderson of Growing Places, while remote club members watched on. Together Kyle and the group set up an entire grow station in the school lobby complete with a full arrangement of seedling starts.
The seedlings will be tended by Reclaiming Sunshine, with help from community volunteers for the rest of the month and will eventually be sold during the Fitchburg and Leominster Farmers' Markets as a fundraiser for the Growing Places organization.
"The Sizer School Board of Trustees Development Committee has been actively searching for ways to refocus our work during the pandemic: how do we support the community and represent Sizer in an authentic, THINK CARE ACT way?" explained Jill Connell, Director of Development and Communication. "Reclaiming Sunshine formed around the time that we started posing this question, and the collaboration with Growing Places grew naturally from there."
According to the group's Executive Director Ayn Yeagle, "Growing Places seeks to create a community culture around healthy eating and environmental sustainability and we believe that youth engagement is a critical component to shaping this culture so it is sticky!"
She continued, "Growing Places is an organization committed to inclusivity and we believe that the voices of our youth enrich the work we do."
The pairing of Growing Places with Reclaiming Sunshine was the perfect match.
Growing Places is a nonprofit based in Leominster whose mission is to "inspire and connect the North Central Mass community to create equitable access to healthy food and environmental sustainability through education, collaboration and advocacy," according to their website.
Reclaiming Sunshine is dedicated to education, advocacy and community collaboration!
"I am so ecstatic that we were able to bring together so many unique people over a cause that matters to everyone!" said Club Advisor, 9th Grade ELA teacher Cassie Johnson. "I was so happy to learn that we would be partnering with Growing Places, because our missions are so perfectly aligned, and they are an incredibly kind and knowledgeable crew of people."
Johnson went on to say, "I look forward to continuing to grow (pun intended) our partnership and learn more about the world of sustainable agriculture and the ways we can bring it to our surrounding communities!"
Reclaiming Sunshine club founder, 9th grade student Elysia Cornier of Fitchburg agrees.
"Reclaiming Sunshine is an environmental group dedicated to creating a better world for everybody," said Cornier.
Reclaiming Sunshine will be selling their seedlings (all proceeds to go to Growing Places) during the Fitchburg Farmers Market on Thursday, May 27th and at the Leominster Farmers Market on Saturday, May 29th. Information about these markets can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/FitchburgFarmersMarket & https://www.facebook.com/LeominsterMarketplace.
Reclaiming Sunshine members will also be working with Keep Fitchburg Beautiful, a group of Fitchburg residents, businesses, and government employees "dedicated to taking action to make our city a cleaner, greener place to live, work, and play" according to their Facebook page. Reclaiming Sunshine will assist during upcoming Fitchburg cleanups scheduled throughout the month of May. Look for ways that you can volunteer too and find out more on Facebook /KeepFitchburgBeautiful.
To find out more about Reclaiming Sunshine & Sizer School, visit www.sizerschool.org. To learn about Growing Places, visit www.growingplaces.org or contact staff@growingplaces.org.
Sizer is currently enrolling in the 7th and 9th grade for the 2021-2022 school year. Apply today at https://tinyurl.com/SizerSchool.
Kyle Anderson of Growing Places explains the right conditions from growing certain plant starters.