Category Archives: Principal Update

Principal Update 10.21.19

Dear families,

We hope to see you all at our Fall Festival next Saturday from 4-6pm!  Also, parent-teacher conferences are coming up; if you have not yet signed up for a conference, please reach out to your teacher to arrange a time.

Reminder: our flu clinic is coming up on October 30th; please make sure to have your forms in by Monday, October 28th.

Lincoln Eliot’s Safety Day, October 29th, 9:00- 10:30 a.m.
As a school, we will practice our district’s updated emergency procedures and protocols both in and out of school.  This will include having students practice a fire drill, a shelter-in-place, and lockdown for times when we want to keep everyone safe inside their learning spaces.  We will also practice how to respond if there is a hostile event in our school and we need to quickly and safely evacuate to an alternative site, Our Lady Church.  The staff reviewed all procedures and protocols during our September professional development afternoon.  The superintendent also shared resources in his update that was emailed to families last week, Safety in the Newton Public Schools.  Some of these procedures and protocols may raise questions for families.  If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me or our school Social Worker, Julian Turner.

Please mark your calendars:

* Saturday, October 26th:  Fall Festival, 4-6pm
* Wednesday, October 30th:  Flu Clinic at school and Early Release Day, 12:30pm
* Monday, November 11th:  Veterans’ Day – No School
* Tuesday, November 12th:  PTO Meeting, 6:30pm in the library

Have a great week!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 10.14.19

Dear families,

I would like to express my gratitude for your kindness, patience and empathy over the last year as my family and I slowly said goodbye to my mother.  This has been the single most challenging time in my life and coming to Lincoln Eliot every day provided me respite and joy from the reality of what I was facing in my personal life.  In the spirit of my mother’s legacy and one of her core values — I want you to know that I appreciate you all and your kind words, encouragement and gifts that truly helped to ease our pain.

Lincoln Eliot’s Safety Day, October 29th, 9:00- 10:30 a.m.

As a school, we will practice our district’s updated emergency procedures and protocols both in and out of school.  This will include having students practice shelter-in-place and lockdown for times when we want to keep everyone safe inside their learning spaces.  We will also practice how to respond if there is a hostile event in our school and we need to quickly and safely evacuate to an alternative site, Our Lady Church.  The staff reviewed all procedures and protocols during our September professional development afternoon.  The superintendent also shared resources in his update that was emailed to families last week, Safety in the Newton Public Schools.  Some of these procedures and protocols may raise questions for families.  If you have any questions feel free to reach our to me or our school Social Worker, Julian Turner.

Please mark your calendars:

* Monday, October 14th:  Columbus Day – No School
* Saturday, October 26th:  Fall Festival, 4-6pm
* Wednesday, October 30th:  Flu Clinic at school and Early Release Day, 12:30pm
* Monday, November 11th:  Veterans’ Day – No School
* Tuesday, November 12th:  PTO Meeting, 6:30pm in the library

See you on Tuesday!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 9.23.19

Dear families,

We had an awesome Welcome Back to School/Curriculum Night on Thursday — I hope everyone had a chance to visit your child’s classroom and hear from our terrific teachers.

Please note that this Tuesday is our first PTO meeting of the year, at 6:30pm in the school library, and we hope to see you there!  Also, this Thursday is an early release day, and this Friday is Picture Day — please remember to send in your forms if you haven’t already (even if you are not ordering a photo).

Lunch monitors are needed at the Newton Elementary Schools listed below.  These are great hours for a stay-at-home parent/grandparent or anyone who wants to work a couple of hours a day.  The hours range from 2 ¼ – 2 ½ hours per day, 4 days a week, at $14.36 an hour.  Please call the school directly to set up an interview.

Lincoln-Eliot:  617-559-9540

Underwood:  617-559-9660

Williams:  617-559-6480

Bowen:  617-559-9330

Angier:  617-559-9300

Upcoming Dates to Note

* Tuesday, September 24th:  First PTO Meeting of the year, 6:30pm in the library
* Thursday, September 26th:  Early Release Day, 12:30pm
* Friday, September 27th:  Picture Day
* Monday, September 30th:  Rosh Hashanah – No School
* Wednesday, October 9th:  Yom Kippur – No School

Have a great week!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 9.16.19

Dear families,

Thank you to everyone who came out, volunteered, donated desserts, and made our back to school picnic such a success!  Even with the change in time and date, we had a great turnout and lots of fun.

Back to School Night/Curriculum Night will be taking place this Thursday, September 19th from 6:00pm – 7:00pm.  Similar to previous years, grades K-2 teachers will be presenting for families from 6:00-6:20, and then grades 3-5 teachers will present for families from 6:25-6:45. Specialists will be located in the library — please stop by and say hello.  Title 1 staff will be available to discuss Title 1 services.

Lunch

The cost of lunch is $3.30, water and juice is $.90 and milk is $.75. More information about the lunch program can be found by:

  1. Visiting the NPS website
  2. Click the Families tab on top
  3. Click Menus and Food Services on the left

On that page, you can also find some information on how to sign up for free/reduced lunch and the online application. Please call the Lincoln-Eliot Office if you need help completing this form.  Or if you cannot complete the application online:

1. Go to the NPS website
2. Click the Families tab on top
3. Click Menus and Food Services on the left
4. Find the Application for Free/Reduced Meal Program on the right (directions are on the right as well)

Upcoming Dates to Note

* Thursday, September 19th:  Curriculum Night, 6-7pm
* Tuesday, September 24th:  First PTO Meeting of the year, 6:30pm in the library
* Friday, September 27th:  Picture Day
* Monday, September 30th:  Rosh Hashanah – No School

We look forward to seeing everyone Thursday night!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 9.8.19

Dear families,

We had an awesome first week here at Lincoln-Eliot!  It was such a joy to welcome our scholars back and meet so many wonderful new faces.  We are looking forward to celebrating back to school with everyone at the picnic this Thursday!

Important Upcoming Dates:

Thursday, September 12th: Welcome Back Picnic, 5:30-7:00pm

Thursday, September 19th: Back to School Night/ Curriculum Night, 6:00-7:00pm  (Title 1 staff will be available to discuss Title 1 services.)

Tuesday, September 24th: PTO meeting, 6:30-7:30pm

Friday, September 27th: Picture Day

Monday, September 30th: No School – Rosh Hashanah

Have a great week!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 9.1.19

Dear Lincoln Eliot Community,

I hope you had a wonderful summer.  I cannot believe we are already starting the new school year!  We are so excited to welcome our scholars back to school on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019.  Our first day of school is an early release day with a 12:30 dismissal time.  Lunch will not be provided.

On Tuesday and Wednesday you may bring your child directly to their classroom.  We will have staff stationed throughout the building to assist with locating classrooms.  However, beginning Thursday, September 5th, we will begin implementing the district’s drop off policy of allowing students to enter the building independently.

Please review our Blue Zone Rules and this helpful video made by Lincoln-Eliot staff and families to help us keep mornings as safe and low-stress as possible:

 Please mark your calendars:

* Friday, September 6th: PTO Welcome Back Coffee, 8:15-9am by the flagpole
* Thursday, September 12th:  Back to School Picnic, 5:30-7pm
* Thursday, September 19th:  Curriculum Night, 6-7pm
* Tuesday, September 24th:  First PTO Meeting of the year, 6:30pm in the library

Happy back to school!  We look forward to seeing you all on Tuesday!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 6.10.19

Dear families,

Our last full week of school is upon us!  We’re looking forward to another wonderful Celebration Day on Tuesday morning — or Wednesday if Tuesday is rained out!  Volunteers will be hearing from Mr. Rota soon, and parents are welcome to join us on the field to cheer and help out.  Also, don’t forget that Thursday is Walk and Roll to School Day!

Congratulations to all our musicians who worked so hard this year and gave us such great performances last week — the third graders with their recorder recital on Tuesday morning, and the fourth and fifth graders at their concerts on Thursday.  We hope everyone enjoyed the wonderful artwork on display at LE Arts Night as well.  A big thank-you to our art and music teachers, Ms. Sutherland and Ms. Schoepflin, for everything they do!

As with each year, we have some team members who will be transitioning from Lincoln-Eliot to new ventures:

  • Marlene Hole: Grade One: Retirement
  • Barbara Phelan: Grade Two: Retirement
  • Jason Raisner: Grade Two: will be furthering his educational career outside of Newton
  • Elka Kuhlman: Math Coach: school change
  • Becky Kinney: Library: returning to Zervas full-time
  • Sara Subach: Occupational Therapist: Maternity Leave
  • Rachel Waldstein: Speech and Language Pathologist: school change
  • Michelle Reddick: METCO counselor: will be leaving LE but will continue to serve METCO students in Newton elementary schools

The above-mentioned staff members will be greatly missed and have been instrumental in ensuring our students have received a rigorous, dynamic and fun education.  Please join me in wishing them the best of luck on their journeys.

We are very excited to welcome the following staff to the Lincoln-Eliot community:

  • Melissa Gayle: Classroom teacher
  • Catherine Warren: Classroom teacher
  • Megan Mahar: Math Coach
  • Samantha Lund: Learning Center
  • Heather Humphries, who will be returning to LE as a Learning Center teacher
  • Julian Turner will be returning to LE full time as our Social Worker and METCO counselor
  • Krista Doherty: Occupational Therapist

Please mark your calendars:

* Monday, June 10th:  Instrument Program Information Night, 7pm
* Tuesday, June 11th:  Celebration Day, 10am – 12pm (rain date 6/12 same time)
* Thursday, June 13th:  Walk and Roll to School Day
* Tuesday, June 18th:  Last Day of School

Have a great week!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 6.2.19

Dear families,

Happy June!  It’s hard to believe we only have a few more weeks left of school.  This is a particularly busy and fun week; we hope to see many of you at the 3rd grade recorder recital on Tuesday at 9am, at the PTO meeting Tuesday night at 6:30pm, and at our Lincoln-Eliot Arts Night and Spring Concert on Thursday at 6:30pm.

Walk and Roll to School Day: Thursday, June 13
Celebrate summer and the end of the school year with the Lincoln-Eliot community as we promote walking, biking, rolling, taking the bus, and carpooling to school on June 13.  Scholars will receive stickers, a giveaway, and information on staying safe when traveling to school.  This is our last walk to school day of the year, and we hope you will join us to help make it our biggest and best yet!

To volunteer to help, or for more information, please contact Wendy Lennon at 617-584-0531.

The school year is quickly coming to an end!  If you want to do something special for your child’s teacher or other staff this year, consider the Newton Schools Foundation’s Honor Thy Teacher program.  Make a donation to the foundation in the name of one or more teachers.  Notifications will be sent to each teacher honored, as well as to Principals and the Superintendent.  Their names will appear in a special announcement on the NSF website and in the Newton TABLook for a flyer in your child’s backpack.  Visit our website to donate online (www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org/honor-thy-teacher) and to find out more about the programs NSF funds (http://www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org/programs-we-fund).  Your tax-deductible donation will support NSF-funded projects encompassing: art; civics; math; music; science; social and cultural studies; literature and writing instruction; and social-emotional learning.

 Please mark your calendars:

* Tuesday, June 4th:  3rd grade recorder recital, 9am
* Tuesday, June 4th:  Incoming Kindergarten Visiting Day, 1-3pm
* Tuesday, June 4th:  Last PTO Meeting of the year, 6:30pm in the library
* Thursday, June 6th:  L-E Arts Night and Spring Concert, 6:30-8pm (4th and 5th grade instrumental)
* Monday, June 10th:  Instrument Program Information Night, 7pm
* Tuesday, June 11th:  Celebration Day, 10am – 12pm (rain date 6/12 same time)
* Thursday, June 13th: Walk and Roll to School Day
* Tuesday, June 18th:  Last Day of School

Have a great week!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 5.26.19

Dear families,

Thank you so much to everyone for a wonderful International Night; it is always exciting to come together and celebrate the diversity of our community this way each year.  An extra big thank-you to the teachers who worked so hard to organize everything, the families who brought food and created the individual country displays, and the students who performed so impressively in the talent show!

This week our fifth graders head off for their Camp Wing camping trip — we hope they have a wonderful time!  Congratulations and thank you to our indefatigable 5th grade parents for fundraising and running Pizza Tuesdays all year long, and thank you to everyone for supporting their efforts.

Please mark your calendars:

* Monday, May 27th:  Memorial Day – No School
* May 29th – 31st:  5th grade camping trip to Camp Wing
* Tuesday, June 4th:  3rd grade recorder recital, 9am
* Tuesday, June 4th:  Incoming Kindergarten Visiting Day, 1-3pm
* Tuesday, June 4th:  Last PTO Meeting of the year, 6:30pm in the library
* Thursday, June 6th:  L-E Arts Night and Spring Concert, 6:30-8pm (4th and 5th grade instrumental)
* Monday, June 10th:  Instrument Program Information Night, 7pm
* Tuesday, June 11th:  Celebration Day, 10am – 12pm (rain date 6/12 same time)
* Tuesday, June 18th:  Last Day of School

See you on Tuesday!

Principal Morrissey

Principal Update 5.20.19

Dear families,

Thank you so much to everyone who participated, donated, volunteered, and supported our students for our first ever FUN RUN!  Together we raised $13,450 for Lincoln Eliot….that is amazing!!

If you’d like to learn more or have a say in how those funds will be spent next year, please join us on Tuesday, June 4th at 6:30pm in the school library for the last PTO meeting of the year, where we will be going over the budget and talking about future goals (and looking for new volunteers for an expanded PTO board).

As the nice weather is finally here, we have been reminding our scholars of our recess rules and expectations.  Please reinforce safe recess behavior at home.  We understand the importance of recess for all scholars, which is why it is not our practice to take recess away from students.  That said, there may be times when a student will be asked to miss part of their recess to discuss recess expectations.

We hope to see everyone this Thursday, May 23, for our annual International Night, featuring food, student performances, and cultural displays and presentations.  Incoming K families are very welcome to join us.  The schedule of events is as follows:

5:30pm: Multicultural Potluck
6:00pm: Individual Country Displays
6:30pm: Cultural Talent Show

Please mark your calendars:

* Thursday, May 23rd:  International Night, 5:30-7pm
* May 29th – 31st:  5th grade camping trip to Camp Wing

* Tuesday, June 4th:  3rd grade recorder recital, 9am
* Tuesday, June 4th:  Incoming Kindergarten Visiting Day, 1-3pm
* Tuesday, June 4th:  Last PTO Meeting of the year, 6:30pm in the library
* Thursday, June 6th:  Spring Concert, 7pm (4th and 5th grade instrumental)
* Monday, June 10th:  Instrument Program Information Night, 7pm
* Tuesday, June 11th:  Celebration Day, 10am – 12pm (rain date 6/12 same time)

Have a great week!

Principal Morrissey