Dear Bates Families,
As fall settles in, we are excited to invite our school community to one of our favorite traditions! We will hold our annual Halloween parade starting at 8:45 am on Friday, October 30. We hope you can join us for the fun! Here are some important details to help the morning run smoothly:
- Students who wish to participate in the parade should wear their costume to school and bring a change of clothes for after the parade.
- Any child who prefers not to participate in the parade will enjoy a fun activity in the gym.
- Costumes should be appropriate for a K-5 audience. Simple props are allowed, but no masks, face coverings or toy weapons may be brought to school.
- Families are invited! Please stand along the parade route, to the side of the sidewalks where students will walk. Classes will walk around the school building two times.
Fall Assessment Reports Available Today
We are pleased to share our fall assessment results with families today. You can access these reports directly through the PowerSchool Portal.
- K–3 Early Literacy (DIBELS): Beginning-of-year reading reports for K–3 students are now available.
- Grades 3–5 Math & Reading (NWEA MAP): Student reports for Grades 3–5 are also ready to view.
These baseline results provide a helpful snapshot of your child’s start to the school year. To help you track growth over time, updated reports for both DIBELS and MAP will be shared again alongside report cards in the winter and spring.
Student Emergency Drill & Safety
Keeping our school community safe and prepared is always our top priority. Looking ahead, we will conduct a routine student emergency practice drill on Wednesday, November 4. During this drill, Bates students and staff will practice evacuating the building. Our framing with students always emphasizes calm and reassurance. Teachers will discuss how practicing our responses, whether for a fire or another scenario, helps us stay prepared, while reassuring students that Bates remains a very safe environment.
I look forward to discussing our student safety procedures and sharing our 2026 MCAS results at our upcoming Bates PTO meeting on Friday, October 23, at 9:00 am. Please join us if you are able!
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Warmly,
Toni Jolley
