Dear Families,

There is no school on Monday, May 26th in observance of Memorial Day.   To honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice,  there is a parade on Monday.   Information about the parade as well as other events are listed on the City of Haverhill website here:  https://www.haverhillma.gov/government/veterans-services/events/.  I also would like to share some of my favorite picture books and resources that help students learn about the significance of Memorial Day:

• PBS History of Memorial Day Video 
• The Wall by Eve Bunting 
• Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner
• Haverhill’s Monuments 

I hope these resources help your family honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the US military.

As we near the end of the school year, it is time to once again complete the Family Feedback survey.  Please click here to complete the brief, ten question survey.  Your feedback is very important and shared with Site Council, staff, and PTO.  This input helps us improve Walnut Square School by celebrating our successes, identifying educational needs, and guiding decisions for next year’s School Improvement Plan. Your participation is crucial, and we truly appreciate your insights! Currently, we have 71 responses- this is the highest amount of responses we’ve received for a spring survey!  Can we get to 100?  Please fill it out if you haven’t completed it yet!

This week we had a visit from Ms. Jurnee from the Haverhill Public Library!  She visited classrooms to read a story and share all of the upcoming and awesome activities and resources that are available at our Haverhill Public Library!  She also shared information about the summer reading challenge!  Many of our Superstars were really excited and wanted to make sure their families knew the location of the library as well as information on how to get a library card.  Here is the link to the Kids Department:  https://haverhillpl.org/kids/.  Please note that the website is translated in Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole.

Another exciting event that was held this week was NECC’s Peace Poetry Reading.  We had many of our Superstars and their families attend to receive their certificates and chapbook of published poems.  Some of our Superstars read their poems aloud- and they were so brave and impressive!  I would also like to give a thank you to Ms. Davy, Mrs. Hughes, Mrs. O’Leary, and Mrs. Sanchez for attending to support and celebrate our Superstars on this amazing accomplishment. Our Peace Poets are scheduled to attend the next School Committee meeting scheduled at 7:00 pm on Thursday, June 12th (the last day of school).  Invitations will be sent home next week.

Even though May is busy, reading every night with your child is very important.    It helps improve their vocabulary, comprehension skills, and overall academic performance. Additionally, reading fosters a love of literature and encourages critical thinking.  To support this essential habit, I invite all Superstars to complete the Superstar Book Review. By filling out this log, you will contribute to a wonderful resource for our school community that will inspire others to read!  Please use the following link to complete the form after reading each book: https://forms.gle/iDTbdMb6mkwBkmAu6.  Thank you for participating and promoting the love of reading!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Jen Rubera

Principal

ATTENDANCE MATTERS:   ALPHABET CALENDAR- SPRINTING THROUGH SPRING!

• Walnut Square Alphabet Calendar:  Sprinting Through Spring!  English
• Walnut Square Alphabet Calendar:  Sprinting Through Spring!  Spanish
• Walnut Square Alphabet Calendar:  Sprinting Through Spring!  Portuguese

KIDS CLUB AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM AT WALNUT SQUARE

District and Community Updates:  

• • Haverhill Community Resources:  This link provides many resources in our community to support families.
  • The Haverhill YMCA is offering swim lessons!  Please click on this link to view the flyers in English and Spanish.