Dear Bates Families,
I hope this email finds you very well and enjoying your summer. Personally, I am enjoying spending my summer visiting family and friends and having extended time to plan for the upcoming school year. I’ve had the opportunity to visit northern California and also to attend the annual retreat for Wellesley administrators at Babson College. I look forward to a family trip to Michigan in early August and returning fully rested and excited for the new school year.
While the start of school is still many weeks away, I would like to share some important information that will help you to prepare for the upcoming school year.
PowerSchool Parent Portal & Classroom Assignments
You will receive a letter via email with information about accessing the PowerSchool Parent Portal to confirm important family information. Your child’s Homeroom information for the upcoming school year will be available after you complete the parent portal forms for each student in your family. The portal will be open August 6 – August 31. Classroom teachers will send a follow up welcome letter to each student in mid-August.
Paperless Packets
Our Back to School Packet and Insider’s Guide to Bates are available online through our website in the Quick Links section of the Bates home webpage. If you need a printed copy, please contact the Bates office. Online you can find the following information:
- Recommended Supply Lists by grade level
- The Bates Insider Guide 2018-19
- School Calendar 2018-19
- School Council letter
- WCCC after school application
New Family Coffee
Please join us for the New Family Coffee on Tuesday, August 28 at 9:00 a.m. in the Bates cafeteria. This is an excellent opportunity to warmly welcome the newest members of the Bates community. All are welcome!
Visiting Before the First Day of School
Students feel a range of emotions including excitement and nervousness in anticipation of starting a new school year. For this reason, we invite all students who wish to visit school prior to the first day to drop-in on Tuesday, August 28 from 9:45 – 10:30 a.m. following the New Family Coffee. The visit is an opportunity for students to say hello to their new teacher and see their classroom. This is also when all kindergarteners are invited to visit their classrooms. Please note that this is not a time for parents to talk with the teacher about their child. There will be opportunities for ongoing parent teacher communication once the school year begins. Visiting will end promptly at 10:30 so that teachers have adequate time to finish preparations for the start of school.
The Start of School
The first day of school for all students is Wednesday, August 29. This is a half day of school for students. Starting at 8:15 a.m. students in kindergarten and grade 1 will meet for arrival on the front playground and students in grades 2-5 will meet on the back playground. Families and students enjoy this as a time to meet and briefly visit with friends. Teachers will meet their classes outside by their classroom sign to start the day at 8:30.
Back to School Night
Please save the date for Back to School Night: Wednesday, September 12 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. At Back to School Night parents and guardians have the opportunity to meet their child’s teacher and learn about the core academic curriculum, ways we support social and emotional growth and how families can best support their child at home. I will also talk briefly about the priorities for the year ahead. This evening is for adults only.
Safety at Bates
The busy arrival and departure times require ongoing safety precautions. Please make yourself and all caregivers who come to school aware of the following procedures prior to the start of school.
Car line
The Bates School car line begins in the circle in front of the school. Please observe the following:
Approach: Approach the car line from Westgate Rd. only. Do not turn left into the car line from Elmwood Rd. Avoid using Elmwood as your route to Westgate, as this necessitates a dangerous U-turn on Westgate near crosswalks.
Arrival: The Bates car line is a moving car line. Students may exit cars only on the passenger side only once inside the front loop. For safety reasons drivers must remain in the car. Adults and students on safety patrol can provide an extra hand if needed, but students are encouraged to exit the car independently. Please pull forward as far as possible before stopping to let students get out. This will enable the car line to move as quickly as possible. Please remain in the car line after your child has exited the car; do not pass other cars to exit the car line.
Dismissal: If you choose to pick up your child in the car line, please display your family’s name tag in the windshield for staff to see. Your child will meet your car in the front loop.
Parking lot: For safety reasons the Bates parking lot is only accessible to staff during arrival and dismissal times.
Thank you for partnering with the Bates School to help all of our students have a successful school year. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Bates secretary Maureen Herzig or me in the office at (781) 446-6260 or batesoffice@wellesleyps.org.
Warm regards,
Toni Jolley
Upcoming dates:
Monday, August 6 Powerschool Parent Portal opens
Tuesday, August 28 New Family Coffee in the gym, 9:00 a.m.
Visiting hours for all students, 9:45 -10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, August 29 First Day of School; students arrive 8:15 – 8:30 a.m. on front and back playgrounds
Wednesday, Sept. 12 Back to School Night, 6:00 p.m.