Principals' Weekly Updates
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We hope you and your family had a great week! This week, students began our beginning of the year benchmark assessments in grades K-3. Students completed the Math I Ready assessments as well as the Math Number Corner interviews. Students in grades 1-3 have begun early literacy screening by participating in DIBELS assessments.
In addition to the B.O.Y. assessments, students have also jumped into learning and are engaging in daily UFLI lessons, Bridges Math, and our newly revised Wonders Literacy units.
As a reminder- We have several events coming up in September including:
- Next Week--PreK-3 Meet the Teacher Night on Wednesday September 16th following this schedule:
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All PreK and K Parents/Guardians come to the cafeteria for a short presentation from 6:00-6:15, then go to PreK and K classrooms from 6:15-6:45
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All Grade 1-3 Parents/Guardians come to the cafeteria for a short presentation from 6:55-7:10, then go to Grades 1-3 classrooms from 7:10-7:45.
- We ask families to kindly leave students and young children at home for this event.
- There will also be an opportunity for Parents/Guardians to check status/fill out CORIs after teacher presentations.
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DiPietro Ice Cream Social on Friday September 25th from 5:30-7:00. The Ice Cream Social will take place on the main playground, weather permitting. If it rains, we will have the event in our cafeteria. We will be looking for donations - Please click the red button below for the donations sign up genius and thank you for your generosity!
- We want to remind everyone that we are getting ready for our annual DiPietro Fun Run which will take place on Friday, October 16th (rain date 10/23). Schedule to follow soon. Please check out the T Shirt link below to order your students' T shirts for the event.
- CORIs are needed for family participants.
Previous week's newsletters are posted to our DiPietro webpage. Please click the button down below to go to the webpage where you can also check out our DiPietro School Calendar.
We are so excited to partner with all of you once again this year. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions of concerns. We wish all of our students and families a wonderful school year!
Kerri L. Sankey, Ph.D. Principal
Max Perkins, Assistant Principal
Telephone 508-883-8001
Email:
ksankey@bpsdk12.org
mperkins@bpsdk12.org
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Mr. Perkins is our new Assistant Principal at DiPietro and Stall Brook Elementary Schools. Throughout his educational career, Mr. Perkins has had the privilege of serving students and families as a Clinician, School Coordinator, School Adjustment Counselor and Assistant Principal. His experiences have shaped his belief that strong partnerships between home and school are one of the greatest predictors of student success.
As Assistant Principal, Mr. Perkins' goal is to help create a school where every child feels safe, welcomed, challenged, and celebrated. He believes every student deserves to be seen, heard, and supported, and he looks forward to getting to our students—their strengths, interests, and goals—as the year unfolds.
You will often see him greeting students during arrival, visiting classrooms, attending school events, and spending time in the hallways getting to know our school community.
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DiPietro family members who wish to walk/run on the field during the Fun Run on October 16th must have a valid CORI on file. CORIs are valid for two years. We have CORI forms in our main office and family members are welcome to stop by Monday through Friday between 9:15 - 2:30 to fill out a CORI. We will also have a CORI checklist and CORI forms available on Meet The Teacher Night September 16th. All you need to do is fill out the form and present a valid photo id such as a drivers' license. PLEASE fill out CORIs early so you are ready for our yearly events such as field trips, volunteer opportunities, and end of year events. |
Here is a description of some of the beginning of year assessments we administer:
DIBELS (K-5)
Our district uses an early literacy screening tool called DIBELS, which stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, consisting of a series of brief tests measuring a variety of early literacy skills. This screening allows us the opportunity to begin identifying students who might be at risk of developing reading difficulties, including the risk of dyslexia, in an effort to provide the appropriate additional support needed within our general instruction and Title I funded programming.
A typical screening takes between 5-10 minutes and does not interfere with classroom instruction. Students are screened three times a year. At the completion of screenings, a school-based team will review the results and all parents/guardians will receive a family report at the beginning-of-year and end-of-year highlighting your learner’s individual strengths and areas for additional growth.
If your learner’s composite (overall) score is significantly below the benchmark we will provide you with additional information identifying ways in which we plan to provide additional support throughout this school year.
i-Ready (1-8)
Students in Grades 1-8 will complete the i-Ready Diagnostic assessment in reading and math. Families will receive a report at the beginning of the year and again at the end of the year, which will provide a snapshot of your learner’s current skill levels. The i-Ready Diagnostic is a flexible computer-based assessment that adapts to each student’s responses. When a student answers questions correctly, the test presents more challenging items; if a student answers incorrectly, the questions become easier.
This approach helps pinpoint each student’s strengths and areas where they may need additional support. In some cases, a student’s score may be impacted if they rush or do not fully engage with the assessment.
Data Analysis & Informed Instruction
As shared above, we will use this diagnostic information along with other data sources to identify each student’s strengths and opportunities for growth. The results will also inform our instruction to meet students’ individual needs and strengths.
During Reading Foundational Skills (phonics) instruction, students in the above identified grades may be grouped across classrooms based on the skills they need to learn. This means they may or may not be taught by their classroom teachers. Their instructor will be another highly qualified teacher from within the school who is trained in structured literacy practices.
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The instructor and classroom teacher will be in constant contact throughout the learning process and will work in collaboration with the school’s Literacy Specialist and Principal, who will oversee the grouping process.
This structure is not an intervention approach, but rather a core instruction model that meets each student where they are in the learning continuum, and allows for acceleration of learning versus intervention.
Following the DIBELS assessments, you will receive a notification about your child’s reading scores which will determine the foundational skills learning group. Soon after, your child’s foundational skills teacher will send a letter home to introduce themselves and the reading skills they are working on.
We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with families throughout this process. If you have any questions regarding the early literacy screening process please feel free to contact DiPietro’s Literacy Specialist, Noreen Thomas, at nthomas@bpsdk12.org
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Our DiPietro students are working hard and showing great respect and responsibility toward others. These friends are our first PAWS students to be recognized this year! KEep up the great work DiPietro friends! I am so proud of you. |
Statewide Call for Student Artwork for Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month
The Hispanic and Latin Organization of Leaders in Action (HOLA), an employee resource group at DESE, invites student artists to submit their artwork about Hispanic or Latino identity or culture to be featured in DESE’s Board meeting rooms in late September in honor of Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month. The theme is “Our Diversity is Our Strength.” Students may submit originals or copies of visual art – including but not necessarily limited to drawings, collages, paintings, murals, sculptures, computer illustrations, and photographs. Students may submit work created specifically for this event or work created previously that fits the theme.
The selection committee will prioritize showcasing work from a variety of schools across the Commonwealth. Submissions are due by Monday, September 14. HOLA will make their selections and share their decisions by Friday, September 18. All entries should be submitted using this student art submission form. The submission form includes space for the artist’s name, school, grade, sponsoring teacher, a scan or photo of the piece, the media used, and an optional space for an artist statement.
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Our very own Bellingham High School Band will be playing the National Anthem accompanied by our Bellingham Police and Fire Honor Guard at 6:45 at Fenway Park on Wednesday, September 23rd. Please click the button below for more info and ticket information. |
As a reminder to families who may be seeking financial assistance. Financial assistance is something that must be applied for on a yearly basis. For families who are looking for assistance with PreK tuition or have sought assistance for transportation, you must complete a new application each school year. If you have questions about your status, please reach out to:
Erica L. Monteiro, MBA
(she/her/hers)
Director of Finance
Bellingham Public Schools
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Looking for a rewarding part-time job that offers competitive pay and flexible hours, perfect for parents? Consider joining the Vendetti family of school bus drivers. No experience necessary. Paid behind-the-wheel CDL training. Immediate openings in our Milford location. Contact Jean (508) 520-5111 or Transportation@vendettibus.com to learn more. |
Please be sure to check out our DiPietro Webpage for our events calendar. In addition, we will post important dates here as we move through the school year.
SEPTEMBER IMPORTANT DATES:
- Wednesday, September 16th - PreK-Grade 3 Meet the Teacher Night
- Monday, September 21st- No School in observance of Yom Kippur
- Friday, September 25th - DiPietro Ice Cream Social from 5:30-7:00
- Monday, September 28th and Tuesday, September 29th - School Picture Day according to schedule (coming soon)
Health Screening - To be completed by our School Nurse-Holly Barros:
- 2nd grade vision and hearing screenings start the week of Sept 14.
- 3rd grade vision and hearing screenings start the week of Sept 21.
- 1st grade vision, hearing, and BMI screenings the week of Sept 28.
- K vision and hearing screenings the week of October 5th.
*Referrals will be sent home to parents if your child failed the vision or hearing screening.
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We are here to support and collaborate with all families! If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach out via the following links:
- (508) 883-8001 DiPietro Main Office
- ksankey@email.com, Kerri L. Sankey, Principal
- mperkins@bpsdk12.org, Max Perkins Assistant Principal
- kdavis@bpsdk12.org, Karyn Davis, School Secretary
- DiPietro Elementary School Website
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