Pine Hill Post
Dear Pine Hill Families,
On behalf of all Pine Hill School faculty and staff, we wanted to extend a giant thank you for such an amazing start to the 2024-2025 school year! We have gotten to meet so many families and students who are new to the community and welcome back to the returning members of our community. We hope the start of the year has been as wonderful for you as it has been for us!
This year we will send a monthly newsletter to families. This will include important dates, updates, reminders, and information about Pine Hill.
Important Dates
This week the calendar will show the next two weeks of events at Pine Hill. However, in the coming weeks there will be important dates for the entire month.
September 24th - Picture Day - All Grades
September 30th - PTO Meeting - 7:00 PM at Pine Hill Cafeteria
October 1 - Bus Evacuation Drills
October 2 - Early Release
News and Announcements
Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who was able to come out for the community picnic and curriculum night! It was wonderful to get to meet so many folks and see the love and support our families have for Pine Hill. We appreciate everyone who was able to take the time to come learn about the school community and what their students will be learning this year. As we look forward to planning other events in the future, please fill out this family feedback form.
Inclusion Opportunities
There is an incredibly exciting opportunity for reverse inclusion this year at Pine Hill. Please reach out to your child’s teacher to sign up or learn more about these opportunities.
New Faces at Pine Hill
There are many new faces at Pine Hill this year! We will be spotlighting some of those folks each month until we have gotten the chance to meet them all.
Reid Jones - Principal
I have served as Elementary Educator and have worked my entire career in Boston Public Schools. For the last two years I have served as the principal at the Mason School in Roxbury. There, my work focused on inclusive practices, and improving learning outcomes for all students at the Mason. Before the Mason, I was the Lynch Leadership Fellow at the Murphy K-8 School in Dorchester during the 21-22 school year, focusing on coaching and developing teachers to help them continually improve their practice and disrupt inequitable outcomes through strategic, intentional planning. Prior to that I taught grade 5 at the Mather Elementary School where I also served as the Transformation Plan Coordinator as well as a member of the school’s Instructional Leadership Team. Throughout my time in education, my focus on using data to guide reflection of teaching practices, and bring about more equitable educational outcomes is the driving factor in my work. I am a proud graduate of Cornell University, the Boston Teacher Residency through UMass Boston, and the Lynch Leadership Academy through Boston College.
When I am not at school, you can find me enjoying my (several) cups of coffee hanging with my wife, Amanda, and kids Elizabeth (3) and Brian (1). We love cooking and being outside whenever possible. I’m always interested in learning new things and try my best to read as much as possible. I also have a love for the Buffalo Bills.
Samantha Bean - Vice Principal
I am honored to be the Assistant Principal at Pine Hill. Prior to coming to Westwood, I have 10 years experience in education as a Special Educator and Administrator in Chelsea and Everett Public Schools. At Pine Hill, I am working on getting to know our amazing students and staff and celebrating student learning! I am a proud alumni of Lesley University, Northeastern University, and Salem State University. Additionally, I am a proud dog mom and swiftie!
Lindsay Strauss - Student Services Team Chair
Hi! I have been working in Special Education for the last 12 years. I started my
career as a teacher at the New England Center for Children where I worked in both their
residential and day school programs. NECC taught me a great deal about ABA and working
with students on the Autism Spectrum. I have spent the last 7 years working at Brookline High
School as a teacher in a program for students with significant cognitive and behavioral
challenges. I spent the last two summers coordinating the K-8 ESY program in Brookline. I am so grateful and excited to bring my knowledge and passion for Special Education to Westwood Public Schools.
Useful Resources
WPS Calendar and School Day Hours:
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School Day Hours: 9:00am - 3:20pm
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Morning Arrival: 8:40am - 8:55am (Bell rings at 8:55am to line up)
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Dismissal: 3:20pm (12:00pm on early-release Wednesdays)
Classroom Teachers for the 2024-2025 School Year:
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Kindergarten: Ms. Robin Greene, Mrs. Beth Kelly, Mrs. Erin Kelly, Mrs. Stephanie Traugott
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Grade 1: Mrs. Kerry Demone, Mrs.Valerie Sharpe, Mrs. Jen Spellman, Mrs. Jessica Tartufo
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Grade 2: Mrs. Christy Kennedy, Mrs. Rena Rizzi, Mrs. Jen Stygles, Mrs. Sarah Waterman
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Grade 3: Ms. Laura Cavanagh, Ms. Tien Chen, Ms. Olivia Wardle, Mr. Jeremy Wolfe
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Grade 4: Ms. Stephanie Feuer-Beck, Ms. Sam Gross, Mrs. Judy Morgan, Mrs. Laura Urquijo
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Grade 5: Mrs. Katie Ennis, Ms. Amy Hayes, Mrs. Kim Pestana
Specialist Teachers for the 2024-2025 School Year:
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Art: Mrs. Carla Miller
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Digital Literacy: Mr. Mark Goguen
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Instrumental Music: Ms. Lori Labedz, Mr. Joel Yennior
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Library: Mrs. Meg Kara
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Music: Mrs. Katelyn Pickering
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PE: Mr. Peter Hochman and Mrs. Shanna Jennings
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures and Other Important information
Please join us in thanking our Pine Hill custodians, Mr. Rich Holleran, Mr. Scott Hampton, Mr. Pat Moriarty, Mrs. Shelly Valade for their tremendous efforts over the summer to make sure both schools look great and are ready for the start of the year!
Many thanks to our Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Jenny Abdou, for her summer communications, ordering and organizing school supplies and materials, and welcoming new and returning families to our school.
Thank you to all of our faculty and staff for the care and attention they provided throughout the class placement process and in preparation for the school year. They have been setting up their classrooms, taking courses, reviewing curricula, and preparing to get to know and work with their new students. We always welcome your input, feedback, and partnership and look forward to a productive year ahead!
You made it! Thank you for taking the time to read all the way to the end. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding this information or the start of the school year.
Thank you so much,
Reid & Samantha
Sincerely,
Reid J. Jones Samantha Bean
Reid Jones Samantha Bean
Principal Assistant Principal
rjones@westwood.k12.ma.us sbean@westwood.k12.ma.us
The Pine Hill PTO Welcomes Students, Families, and Staff to the 2024-2025 School Year!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- PTO General Meeting - Monday, September 30th at 7:00pm, Pine Hill Cafeteria
- Ever so Humble Pie Fundraiser - now through October 9th, order here
- Halloween Party - Friday, October 18th at Pine Hill (rain date October 25)
More Info about the Pine Hill PTO
For additional information about your PTO, please visit the PTO section of the Pine Hill Website.
Contact Us
Email us at pinehillpto@westwood.k12.ma.us.
Introduction Video - check out this video to learn more about Westwood SEPAC!
**What is The Westwood SEPAC?**
The Westwood Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is a parent-led volunteer organization that fosters a supportive network for parents, guardians, and caregivers of children with special needs.
SEPAC collaborates with the Director of Student Services and the School Committee to shape policies and initiatives. Westwood SEPAC strives to promote understanding, acceptance, and inclusion for all special education students by gathering input from parents, teachers, service providers (such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, etc.), and the broader Westwood community.
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**Join us**
- If you are a parent and/or a caregiver of a child currently receiving special education services in Westwood through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 accommodations, or an out-of-district placement.
- Your child is experiencing learning difficulties.
- You want to improve your advocacy skills.
- You are a parent, an educator, a service provider, or a community member interested in learning more about Westwood Public Schools’ Special Education Services.
- To find strength and offer support within a community of parents and caregivers who truly understand the ups and downs of nurturing a child through learning challenges and share in the experience.
