2021-22 Respect, Responsibility, and Regard

Back Together Again!

The Forecast Calls for Rain Tomorrow,
Thursday, September 9th - Bring Your
Umbrellas and if you can walk to
Campus, Please do!
9.8.21
Dates for the Calendar
• Thursday, September 9th - First day of School - K-5

School Hours - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Fridays. School hours are 8:10am
to 2:30pm. Students will be marked tardy at 8:15am.

EVERY TUESDAY IS AN EARLY RELEASE – School hours on Tuesdays are 8:10am-

1:00pm (Lunch will be served on early release days)
Kindergarten students have an abbreviated first two days - PLEASE READ DETAILS
BELOW
*******INCOMING KINDERGARTEN FAMILIES - PLEASE READ*******

Hello Bishop Families!

I am thrilled to be delivering this first Bishop Weekly Update for the 2021-22 school year.

You will receive a weekly update from the PTO and me, every Thursday.

If you are not receiving the Weekly Updates, please go into the Parent Portal within
PowerSchool to update your contact information.

Bishop and APS have developed plans for a safe reentry to school this fall in
collaboration with members of our community. The plan is here. We will take the
first few weeks of school to establish routines and schedules for students.
 In case you missed it, here is the Bishop Family Forum Recording from 9.1.21 , from
this past week. Also, here is the accompanying slide deck to review.
Did you complete your RSU???? Please take the following steps to
complete your RSU ASAP if you already haven’t
1. Login to your Parent Portal Account. Challenges? Visit this page.
2. Select the student you wish to review/update
3. Select the Returning Student Update icon on the button of the left side
menu.
4. For Authentication, please fill in your student's date of birth
(MM/DD/YYYY format) and click "Continue"
5. Follow the instructions on the form to complete the Returning Student
Update.

APS intends to continue its COVID-19 pooled testing program as a mitigation

strategy. We need to acquire consent from all new and returning families. We
have included the consent form in the Returning Student Update Form, which is
now available in the Portal for parents to complete. Remember, you can not
participate in our Test and Stay program for identifying close contacts without
participating in pooled testing, weekly.

Staffing -
Welcome Ms. Nicole Magliozzi -
Bishop’s Newly Acquired Administrative Assistant!
Ms. Magliozzi has begun her work today, September 8th.
Ms. Magliozzi will be the new face to the Bishop School whenever you visit, email, or call;
Please join me in welcoming our newest Bishop Bear! Ms. Magliozzi’s email is
nmagliozzi@arlington.k12.ma.us for your reference

Nurse Martin’s Back to School Update - PLEASE READ

Arrival/Dismissal Each grade level enters the building at a separate location

- Please refer to the Bishop Family Forum 9.1.21 Slide Deck for visuals of this plan
• K: Kindergarten doors - Bishop’s front courtyard
• Grade 1: Main Bishop doors in the front of school
• Grade 2: Bishop’s front courtyard (Same area as Kindergarten)
• Grade 3: Crosby Street Sidewalk and Entrance
• Grade 4: Bishop blacktop near the information kiosk
• Grade 5: Bishop blacktop - meet on the basketball court, enter
through side parking lot door
**Teachers will greet students for the first week of school to help them learn our
arrival routines.
 FOR FAMILIES: Bishop Elementary is a pet/animal-free campus per district policy.
Animals should remain across the street from any pick up location or the surrounding
sidewalks during school hours. We have students whose school day can be greatly affected by
their morning arrival transition, and animals can unfortunately make a big, not-positive impact.

Snacks should be brought from home. Students are usually hungry by recess, so a
healthy snack is important. Your teacher can give you guidance on this. Please do not send
candy or soda. Snack will be eaten outside, during mask breaks, to the extent possible.

Please take a few moments to label your child’s belongings. For example, backpacks,
coats, lunch boxes, even shoes should be clearly labeled. We will designate an area for lost
and found early in the year, but it is much easier to return it to the child that day.

Sneakers should be worn to school on gym days and are the preferred footwear on
other days. Please avoid flip-flops, clogs, and shoes with higher heels. It is difficult for
children to participate in active play with these types of footwear. If purchasing sneakers,
please select a variety with non-marking soles.

The Bishop main website is a great place to find resources and answers to frequently asked
questions. You can also find information about our staff and curriculum.

Please make sure to reference the school calendar for upcoming professional development
days for staff and holidays. The full yearly calendar can be found here: 2021-2022 APS Yearly
Calendar. Here are a few dates to add to the calendar early:

Upcoming Holiday Observances (no school):

Monday, September 7th -Rosh Hashanah*
Thursday, September 16th- Yom Kippur*
*Jewish Holiday begins at sundown the day before

Upcoming National Holidays (no school):

Monday, September 6, – Labor Day
Monday, October 11 - Indigenous Peoples' Day

Bishop Bus Application LINK

BISHOP PTO NEWS AND UPDATES

Stay Up to Date

Bishop PTO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BishopPTO/

Websites:
Bishop School (general info, links to the school system):
http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/bishop/
Bishop School (news and events): https://bishopschool.net/
Bishop PTO: http://www.bishopschoolpto.com/
DIG website: https://bishopdig.weebly.com/. To join our mailing list, please email
bishopdig@gmail.com

TRANSLATED UPDATES

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French
Dates for the Calendar
Thursday, September 9th - First Day of School
Thursday, September 16th - No School (Yom Kippur)
Friday, September 17th - Back to School Coffee at 8:15am
Friday, September 17th - Back to School Picnic and Ice Cream Social at 6pm
Wednesday, September 22nd - PTO Community Meeting at 7pm

Bishop PTO News

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! We are thrilled to welcome every student
and Bishop staff member back to school for full-time, in-person learning. While this
year may still look different than past years, the PTO executive board and
coordinators are working diligently to map a course for the upcoming school year
that is fun, familiar and safe. We hope you’ll join our efforts in creating great Bishop
experiences and memories for our children. Volunteers are always welcome and
appreciated! This is your organization, and we depend on volunteer
support. Volunteering is also a great way to meet other Bishop families. If you
would like to get involved, please reach out to us at bishopschool.pto@gmail.com.

Bishop PTO Mission Statement

The mission of the Bishop PTO is to bring parents and community members
together to build a strong Bishop community and align resources with the vision and
direction of the School with an emphasis on enhancing the dynamic educational
experiences of our students.

AY2021-22 PTO Executive Board

Laura Tikonoff, Co-President
Anna Pisania, Co-President
Kyle Chiang, Co-Treasurer
Lindsay Pacheco, Co-Treasurer
Jessica Nordgren, Recording Secretary
Amanda Maltais, Communications Coordinator
Lindsay Sweeney, Room Parent Coordinator
Tai Sokoloff, Fundraising Coordinator

Back to School Coffee

Back to School Coffee for Parents & Caregivers is on Friday, September 17th at
8:15am on the Bishop front lawn. This is a great opportunity to learn more about
Bishop Elementary School. Coffee and donuts will be provided.

Back to School Picnic and Ice Cream Social

Family Picnic and Ice Cream Social is on Friday, September 17 from 6-7:30pm at
the Bishop back lawn. Join the Bishop Community to kick-off the new school year!
Bring a picnic dinner and blanket. Individually wrapped ice cream treats will be
provided.

There will also be an opportunity to purchase Bishop Spirit Wear both at the Coffee
and Picnic. Spirit Wear may be paid for by cash, credit card or check made out to
Bishop PTO.

PTO Community Meeting

September 22nd, 7:00 pm via Zoom
Please join the PTO for its first meeting of the new school year on Wednesday,
September 22nd at 7pm. All are welcome! These meetings are a great way to meet
other parents, stay up to date, and voice your ideas, concerns, or feedback. We will
present the budget for this school year and provide orientation for Room
Parents. The Zoom link will be posted in the newsletter and Facebook closer to the
meeting date.

Your PTO Dollars At Work

On Thursday, September 2nd, the PTO provided a Wicked Bagel breakfast for all
teachers, staff, and administrators to enjoy as they headed back to school for a day
of meetings, collaboration, and classroom set-up. We are so appreciative of all that
our Bishop teachers and staff do, and we are thrilled to have each one back in the
building for this school year!

In Search Of Volunteers
• Room Parents - Thank you to everyone who has volunteered already! We are
still looking for one volunteer for Ms. Brubaker. You would help your child's
teacher by assisting in occasional activities, events and holiday celebrations;
being a link between families, the teacher, and the PTO; and helping to ensure
each child has what he or she needs to be successful this academic year. You do
not need to be home during the day to volunteer as a room parent. If you are
interested in becoming a Room Parent, please contact Lindsay Sweeney, Room
Parent Coordinator, at lindsay_sweeney4@yahoo.com.
• Bishop Garden Coordinator - Did you know Bishop Elementary School has an
outdoor classroom that offers a dynamic environment for students to engage
with many subject matters such as science, math, reading, nutrition & health,
history, and social studies? We built a Bishop Community Garden in 2015 with the
help of many passionate students, teachers and parent volunteers. We are
looking for volunteers to help with overall oversight and management of the
garden and compost program, including working closely with the garden
educator and Bishop teachers. If you love gardening, this is a perfect opportunity
to share your green thumb with us and learn more about our commitment to a
garden classroom. Please email aemaltais@gmail.com for more information, or
if you are interested in volunteering.

Spirit Days
On the first Friday of every month students have the chance to showcase their
Bishop Pride! Students are encouraged to wear their Bishop spiritwear or Bishop
school colors (yellow/gold and blue). Bishop spirit wear is available here for
purchase.

Community News:
Interested in getting information to the Bishop community? Information that you’d like
to share with the Bishop community can be included in the weekly Principal’s Update.
Please email the relevant information to Amanda Maltais (Communications
Coordinator, Bishop PTO) at aemaltais@gmail.com

Music Lessons with Maestro Musicians Academy

Are your kids looking for a creative and confidence building after-school activity to
start the new school year? Music Lessons are the perfect enrichment activity for
kids! Located across from Hastings School in Lexington, we offer lessons both
online and in person and parents and kids love our music instructors! Lessons in
Piano, Violin, Voice, Guitar, Cello, Trumpet, Sax, and much more!
Lesson slots are first come first serve, so get your spot before the good ones fill up!
If you contact us to sign up for a month of lessons before September 15 and quote
"PTA45", we'll give you FREE registration ($45 value)!
Signing up has never been easier. Request info at
maestromusicianslexington.com/request-info, lessons@maestromusicians.com, or
857-756-5230. Find out more today!

IvyMath - Online Math Coaching

IvyMath offers private online math coaching, enrichment and tutoring for students in
grades 3-8. Their current back-to-school promotion includes a FREE math
assessment and 6 FREE, private, math sessions.

At IvyMath, your child will work 1-on-1 in focused, 30 minute sessions with fun and
engaging math instructors. IvyMath is the best way to make sure your child has a
mastery of basic math fundamentals and gets a head start on more advanced
concepts.

Get started by scheduling a FREE online assessment for your child. We’ll talk
through your child’s strengths and weaknesses with you and set up a plan just for
them, starting with six free sessions. Contact us at info@ivymath.com to schedule
your free assessment! Or sign up now at ivymath.com.

Stay Up to Date

Bishop PTO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BishopPTO/

Websites:
Bishop School (general info, links to the school system):
http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/bishop/
Bishop School (news and events): https://bishopschool.net/
Bishop PTO: http://www.bishopschoolpto.com/
DIG website: https://bishopdig.weebly.com/. To join our mailing list, please email
bishopdig@gmail.com