8/25/26 Barton Family Update

Hello Barton Families!
It was great to see an enthusiastic staff back in the buildings the past two days to meet and make preparations for Wednesday's first day with students!  Things are shaping up to be a great year.  New is our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) special to provide some hands on activities for students to build and employ the engineering process each week.  Not to worry- they will still have the opportunity to visit the library and check out books on a rotating basis (Mondays grade 4, Tuesdays grade 5, and Thursdays grade 3) as the year gets underway.
Our first day is this Wednesday, August 26th. Please see the attached letter that was mailed home for more information about the logistics of parent drop-off, afternoon pick up, buses, and more! On Wednesday morning, grade 3 will all be helped to the gym where they will gather by homeroom for a short welcome assembly before traveling as a group back to classrooms. Our 4th and 5th graders are professionals here, and will make their way directly to classrooms where teachers will greet them at the door. There are plenty of grown-ups posted to help them find their way if needed though! As always, free grab and go breakfast items are available for students to take back to their rooms to eat- however, no outside food/drink is permitted.

• You can find the Elementary School Handbook by clicking here.  Please review with your students and then electronically sign the Elementary Handbook Acknowledgement Sign-Off at the bottom of this post.
• Complete your Electronic Permission to Release Student's Name and Image (for news articles, etc) by clicking here
• Complete your Parent Agreement of Student Use of Technology by clicking here.  (Students are unable to utilize Chromebooks/tech applications until that is signed).  
• Please send a note in on day one confirming the afternoon transportation plan for your student so we can cross reference it to Powerschool.  All bus routes should now be accurate and in that program- please reach out to Helen Vo at Central Office if yours is still unlisted or erroneously listed. (hvo@oxps.org 508-987-6050 x 1128).
• The school day runs from 8:15-2:30, and drop off begins at 8:00am at the side door.  Thank you in advance for your patience with parent drop off and pick up these first days of school as new students and families get acclimated to the process.  Bright yellow placards will be provided to all students on day one- if you pick your child up you should place the placard on your dash to facilitate the pick up process.  If your student rides the bus you can discard the placard with their name.
• We know things happen at home that can affect a student during the school day.  Feel free to send along a Handle With Care message- no details needed- to teachers should your student be in need of a little extra Tender Loving Care on any given day.  Also, feel free to reach out to guidance or administration if you would like to explore additional supports. Contact information is listed at the bottom of this post!