Winchendon Weekly News school newsletter - Wednesday, April 12

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Winchendon Public Schools Pre-K Screening

Winchendon Public Schools Preschool Screening will take place on May 3 and 10, 2023 by appointment only. Children must be age 3 or 4 by August 31, 2023 to be eligible. Screening is optional and looks at a child's development in the areas of speech and 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 Kathy at the Winchendon Pre-K Program office at 978-297-3436 or email kbrooks@winchendonk12.org.

MWCC Student Christine Boadu named to Phi Theta Kappa All-Massachusetts Academic Team

GARDNER, MA – April 18, 2023 – Mount Wachusett Community College student Christine Boadu of Holden, MA has been named to the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Massachusetts Academic Team and will be honored with her peers in a ceremony to be held on May 4, 2023.

"Christine is an exceptional young woman who holds leadership positions on campus, is an incredibly hard worker, and brings great ideas forward in her work regularly," noted PTK Advisor and Dean of K-12 Partnerships and Civic Engagement, Fagan Forhan.

"In high school I found that I wanted to grow academically and advance my community service knowledge. I did some research and found the Pathways Early College program where I was able to start college early in my junior year of high school. I was able to earn credits which would cut down the amount of time and money spent at a four-year college. I've also been able to participate in community service projects that have helped build my leadership skills and my love for helping my community."

As a dual enrollment student, Boadu will be receiving her associate degree in interdisciplinary studies and her high school diploma in May. This fall, she will begin her bachelor's degree studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell in biological and bio-medical sciences with the goal of eventually earning her doctoral degree. Boadu is drawn to the bio-medical sciences field because of its wide impact and hopes to contribute to the management and curing of diseases. In her Microbiology class, she is currently developing a project on the bacteria Proteus Vulgaris to determine what conditions, such as temperature, medium, or light wave might affect its swarming abilities and why it may or may not go through that process.

"This was exciting for me as I was able to display my love for the biological sciences in an intellectual and creative manner, while at the same time refining my research skills. I am also applying to labs for internships to gain more lab experience," she notes.

Boadu's parents moved from Ghana when they were in their twenties. They struggled to make ends meet and find shelter, and as the parents of three young children, working through college classes proved difficult, however they persevered, and both earned master's degrees. Inspired by their perseverance, she sought help with her homework and college applications at her local library. The kindness of the librarians' efforts touched her, she began to volunteer there too, helping others who were in a similar position as she had been.

"My passion for leadership is insatiable. When I volunteered at my local library, I was glad to help those who could not help themselves. It was almost as if I was their ringleader, leading them to resources and programs to help them navigate through the difficulties of American life," Boadu adds. "I found that my passion for leadership grows each time a person learns to get back on their feet and start again. Being a leader means not standing at the highest point of the pedestal but humbling yourself to help others at their lowest points. I hope to continue such efforts towards immigrants adjusting to their new environment in the future."

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the international honor society of two-year colleges and has recognized and encouraged scholarship among community college students for 100 years while promoting the academic integrity of the associate degree program. Students with grade point averages of 3.5 or higher are invited to join PTK. The Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society and community college presidents co-sponsor All-State Academic Team recognition programs in 39 states each year.

Open Kindergarten Registration Starting March 1

Dear Parents:

If you have a child that will be eligible for the 2023-2024 Kindergarten school year, you will need to fill out the registration forms that can be found on our website at www.winchendonk12.ore/o/mes. They are located under the Menu dropdown, Kindergarten Registration. You can download and fill in the forms. Hard copies are also available at Memorial School. Once completed, you will need to return them to Memorial School along with the items listed below. You can do this any number of ways:

1. Fax: 978-297-3944
2. Email: mmacewen@winchendonk12.org
3. Mail: Memorial School, 32 Elmwood Road, Winchendon, MA 01475
4. Drop off: In person between the hours of 10 AM - 2 PM

No child will be admitted to Kindergarten without having met the eligibility requirements listed below.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. If your child is five (5) years of age by August 31, 2018 (of the forthcoming year), he/she is eligible.
2. "BIRTH CERTIFICATE"- Original must be brought with you.
3. PROOF OF RESIDENCY- Current utility bill, or copy oflease.
4. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION INCLUDING VISION AND HEARING SCREENING BY YOUR PHYSICIAN MUST BE DATED AFTER AUGUST 31, 2022.
5. IMMUNIZATIONS - VERIFICATION WILL NEED TO BE PROVIDED BY THE END
OF AUGUST. This must include lead screen results. Click here to view and download a list of needed vaccinations.

Each child MUST have a physical examination completed by your physician. A signed printout from your child's doctor's office listing all the required information is also acceptable. Students cannot start school without a completed physical. We recommend calling your physician today to schedule an appointment as it sometimes takes several months to get one.

All completed immunization/examination forms need to be in the School Nurse's Office by Friday, August 25th before your child will be permitted to start school. These forms can be faxed by your doctor to the school at 978-297-3944.

Kindergarten Screening will be conducted, as required by State and Federal school laws. Screenings will be Wednesday, May 31; Thursday, June 1, and Friday, June 2. You will receive a letter with a sign up link for a screening appointment after you have registered.

We share the excitement of your child entering Kindergarten and look forward to both of you being a part of the Winchendon Public Schools. Please be aware that screenings will take place at Memorial School but your child will be attending Kindergarten at Toy Town School due to the school econfiguration. We are excited to have you be a part of the first year of our Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten building. Please feel free to call the school at (978) 297-1305, with any questions or concerns you may have.