Message from the Principal’s Office
The past 9 months have been very stressful in ways that none of us could have imagined this time last year. Be sure to take some time this Thanksgiving to stop and reflect on all we have to be thankful for: our children, our friends and families, our neighbors, and our school community to name just a few of the most important ones. As many of you know, my husband, Patrick, and I are from very large families and the holidays are typically times when it is not uncommon for 40 or 50 of us to be together. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible with this year as we work to keep each other safe and healthy. It will be the first time in my life that I’ll be having Thanksgiving with just a few members of my immediate family. I will miss my oldest son, Patrick, as he spends the day with his husband, and my middle son, Dan, as he and his wife celebrate with her mom and dad, and I will miss my siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews (and now grand nieces and nephews) as we each celebrate in smaller more intimate groups. No big family gatherings this year, but I am thankful to have this time with my husband, my youngest son, Michael, and my sister-in-law. We will figure out how to make the day special and enjoy each other’s company. I know that this too will pass and that next year we will all be together again with maybe even more little ones to join in the fun.
I hope that your day, even if different than in previous years, is also filled with close family, good food, laughter and health.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and please know how very thankful I am to be part of such a wonderful school community. While this year has certainly had its challenges, the support that many of you have shown to me, our teachers and staff, and our students is so very much appreciated.
Travel: Some of our students and families have mentioned that they will be traveling over the holidays. We have worked very hard as a community to keep our schools open to the extent possible, while keeping our staff and students safe. Please be sure to follow all state and CDC guidelines if you must travel. And remember, if you travel, you must contact the WPS COVID team, wpscovidteam@westwood.k12.ma.us at least 1 day prior to your child’s expected return to school, in order for your child to be cleared to attend school. 
Here is some information that Supt. Parks recently shared with families:
We are writing to share with you two information sheets prepared by the Westwood Board of Health with information about how to have a safe Thanksgiving holiday. You will see that these handouts include information about Massachusetts’ current travel restrictions, including the requirement to quarantine and/or obtain a negative COVID-19 test before returning to work or school if you travelled to a non-lower risk state.
As you know, Westwood Public Schools has been working hard to keep our students in school to the greatest extent possible, and we appreciate the efforts of our community in helping us achieve this goal. While committing to public health guidance can be challenging, we hope that this holiday season, we all continue to make individual decisions that keep the safety and strength of our community in mind. Thank you for your patience and endurance thus far and we wish everyone a healthy and happy Thanksgiving.
TRAFFIC SUPERVISORS NEEDED!
The Westwood Police Department has an immediate need for part-time and substitute Traffic Supervisors to direct/control traffic around school crossings; control pedestrian movement of children toward/away from school; assess vehicle speed to provide adequate warning in stopping traffic; administer immediate temporary first aid as necessary; and other duties. Must be 18+ years old; possess HS Diploma/GED; have a valid MA Driver’s License; and clear a background check. Must be able to work 2 one-hour crossings per school day, rain or shine! CPR/First Aid Certification or ability to obtain certification required. $18.72 per hour for 8 – 10 hours per week; additional hours possible. Please send cover letter and resume to: hr@townhall.westwood.ma.us
Picture Retakes December 1st & 3rd - School Pictures have gone home. All students should have received a class photo and those who ordered, should have received their package. If you are not satisfied with your child’s photo and would like a retake, please return the original photos with your child on December 1st or 3rd.
Update - 11/20/2020
THANK YOU FROM THE WESTWOOD COUNCIL ON AGING
Thank you to everyone who donated to our collection for the Westwood Council on Aging. It was truly wonderful to see the Martha Jones community come together to support our senior citizens during this time. We received this lovely note from Lina Arena-DeRosa, the Director of the Westwood Council on Aging that we wanted to share with all of you.
There are so many seniors who live alone and are isolated; and this year, with the pandemic, the list is growing. Thanks so much to Martha Jones PTO for their generous donations of socks, scarves, crossword puzzles, hats etc. These items will be delivered to homebound elders in our community in mid-December and will cheer up individuals who would otherwise be forgotten during the holidays. Thank you never seems enough, but from all of us here at the Westwood COA, thank you!!
Stay safe and Happy Holidays!
SAVE THE DATE FOR PARK STREET BOOKS HOLIDAY SHOPPING
Thursday, December 3
Park Street Books in Medfield is generously hosting a shopping day for the Martha Jones community. On Thursday, December 3 from 9 a.m.- 9 p.m., Park Street Books will donate 20% of all Martha Jones sales, including gift cards, to the Martha Jones PTO.
Can’t make it to the store that day? No worries! Just call (508-242-3083) or email (jim@parkstreetbooks.com) in an order on December 3 and mention Martha Jones and they will set aside your order to be picked up at a later date. Get your holiday shopping lists ready!
MARTHA JONES PTO MEETING
Tuesday, December 1 at 7 p.m.
Please save the date for our next general PTO meeting on Tuesday, December 1 at 7 p.m. This meeting will be held over Zoom and a link will be sent out closer to the date. The dates for the remaining meetings this year are March 2 and May 4 all at 7 p.m.
5th GRADE COMMITTEE
Although the end of the year celebrations may look very different for our 5th graders this year, we are committed to thinking of creative ways to celebrate their 5th grade graduation from Martha Jones. If you are a parent of a 5th grader and would like to join the committee, click here to volunteer.
MABEL’S LABELS- NOW WITH THE MJ LOGO!
We are excited to announce you can now order the Mabel’s Label combo pack with the Martha Jones logo. Go to campaigns.mabelslabels.com and enter “Martha Jones PTO” as the fundraiser you would like to support. The “combo label pack” is available at the top of the menu bar. By purchasing the MJ combo label pack or any of the labels via our fundraiser, you will receive free shipping (labels are mailed directly to your address) and the PTO will receive 20% of your purchase.
ELECTRONIC BOX TOPS - COLLECTION ONGOING
Download the Box Top App and scan receipts within 14 days of purchase. Click here for more information about how to download the Box Top app and scan your receipts. Each Box Top is worth 10¢ for our school.
SHOP AmazonSmile ON THE APP
Support Martha Jones with every purchase
The Amazon Shopping app now supports Amazon Smile! Simply download the newest version of the Amazon Shopping app, go to settings, turn on Amazon Smile and choose the Martha Jones PTO as your charity. After you’ve done that, every purchase you make will automatically support the Martha Jones PTO at no cost to you.
You will find the exact same prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the Martha Jones PTO.
MARTHA JONES PTO FACEBOOK GROUP
Did you know Martha Jones PTO has its own Facebook group page? Join the Facebook group to get the latest PTO news and updates delivered right to your news feed! Click here to join!
PTO CONTACT FOR EVENTS, NOTICES
If you have an event or notice for our PTO update, please email it to PTO Co-Secretary Amy Amatangelo at amyamatangelo@yahoo.com.
