JOHN A.

BISHOP SCHOOL
25 Columbia Road, Arlington, MA 02474
www.arlington.k12.ma.us/bishop

Mark McAneny, Principal Eva Liner, Assistant Principal

Phone: 781-316-3792 Fax: 781-316-3747

And, A New Year Begins!

Rain Forecasted for Tomorrow - Bring an
Umbrella!
Excited To Be Back! As most of you cherish the last weeks of summer, know that our
Bishop staff are beginning their transition (mentally and physically) back, focusing on your
children, our students, their professional collaboration, collegiality, and best practice. The
staff is excited, as I, to be back, preparing for the 2022-23 school year!

School Hours (PLEASE NOTE AS DAILY START TIME HAS CHANGED) - Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday, and Fridays. School hours are 8:00am to 2:30pm. Students will be marked
tardy at 8:05am.

EVERY WEDNESDAY IS AN EARLY RELEASE – School hours on Wednesdays are

8:00am-1:00pm (Lunch will be served on early release days)

The State of Bishop The summer months are when many things happen within the
Bishop walls. Our custodians, Ken Riggle and Mike Kellaher, continue to prepare the
building for our 2022-23 school opening on Tuesday, September 6th.

Work done over the summer included new floor tile installed on the main floor, downstairs,
in classrooms, and a fresh coat of paint in hallways and select classrooms. In addition to
this work, Ken and Mike have been moving furniture back into classrooms and setting up
for the fall.

Please join me in extending the sincerest gratitude for the work, effort, pride, and detail
these individuals have put into Bishop this summer.
 NEW PLAYGROUND CONSTRUCTION! - Major progress has been made on the
newly constructed Bishop playground! I’m excited for you to see the amazing
transformation. The projected completion date is the second week of September, meaning,
the play structure will not be immediately accessible when we return on the 6th. The main
Bishop grass area on the playground WILL be accessible; planning for the first and second
week on the playground is currently underway!

Nurse Martin’s Back to School Update - PLEASE READ

Staffing There has been some turnover during these past two months,
with a handful of staff moving on.

- Marion Nolan (Former Special Education Team Chair and Reading Specialist has
transferred to the Gibbs and OMS, where she will assume the Special Education
Team Chair Roles.

- Gabby Ambrosino, Speech and Language Pathologist, is making the move into the
private sector

- Carolyn St. Laurence, Social Work, has moved on to another district

- Joanna Lee, Anne Thomson, Donna Coakley, Christine Huang, Anna Anderson,
Amber Dempsey, Emma Cardarelli, Joanne Pijoan, and Meri Wall , Support Staff,
have all moved on to other opportunities
We have been busy this summer interviewing and hiring for the open positions at Bishop.
Although not fully staffed as of yet, there are new staff who I would like to introduce!

- Annabelle Dunn - English Language Learner teacher to be working alongside Isabel

Ferreira, bringing Bishop to (2) full time ELL teachers!
- Marie Clevering - 4th Grade Classroom Teacher
- Marie Morin - 5th Grade Classroom Teacher
- Julie Woodland - Special Education TEAM Chair
- Crystal Arguello - Speech and Language Pathologist
- Mollie Bourne - Social Work
- Erin Beattie - Reading Specialist
- Amanda Munsie - Bishop Garden Coordinator
- Maureen Twohig - Recess/Lunch Champion
- Kathy Way - Teaching Assistant
- Ellie Wolf - Teaching Assistant
- Charles Disilva - Teaching Assistant
- Christine Capaldo - Although not new, Ms. Capaldo has moved into the Bishop
Mathematics Interventionist position.

Daily Arrival/Dismissal Logistics

Please arrive on campus no earlier than 7:50am. Doors open at 8:00am daily.

Each grade level enters the building at a separate location.**

● K: Kindergarten doors (Bishop courtyard)
● Grade 1: Main Entrance to Bishop (Dismissed through the 2nd grade
courtyard doors)
● Grade 2: 2nd grade doors (Bishop courtyard)
● Grade 3: Crosby Street Entrance
● Grade 4: Middle of the Blacktop
● Grade 5: Blacktop Entrance by parking lot
**Teachers will greet students for the first week of school to help them
learn Bishop’s arrival routines. You will find your classroom teacher at the
assigned staging points (identified above) with visible signs for easy
identification. Please check in with your teacher and introduce yourself
upon arrival!
 Walk to school if possible! For the purpose of reducing the daily
traffic congestion, please consider walking, biking, or carpooling!

Students will leave the building through the same doors they arrive, FYI.

FOR FAMILIES: Bishop Elementary is a pet/animal-free campus per

district policy. Animals should remain on across the street from Bishop 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.

Bishop Bus Application LINK

Dates for the Calendar

The first day of school for grades 1-5 is Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

School hours are 8:00am- 2:30pm.

Note: EVERY Wednesday is an early release, with dismissal at 1:00pm. Lunch is served on
early release days

Kindergarten Families - Please TAKE NOTE

The first day for Kindergarten is Tuesday and Wednesday September 6th and 7th,
2022.
● Tuesday, September 6th - 1st day of school for students’ last name that falls
between A-L

● Wednesday, September 7th - 1st day of school for students’ last name that falls
between M-Z (NOTE: This is an early release day, with dismissal being at 1:00pm)

● Thursday, September 8th - ALL KINDERGARTENERS report to school!!

For clarity, students (A-L) will come to school on the 6th, while the M-Z’s
are home, and on the 7th, M-Z comes to school, while A-L stays home

Full class of kindergarteners on the 8th

Bishop Elementary will be offering breakfast this year free of charge starting
at 7:45 AM in the cafeteria.

Snacks should be brought from home. Students are usually hungry by

mid-morning, so a healthy snack is important. Your teacher can give you
guidance on this. Please do not send candy or soda and respect any notice
further restricting snack items due to food allergies or other state guidelines.
Snacks will be eaten outside, during morning recess.

LUNCH - Is free again this year, FYI!!!

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.

Toys from home are not allowed and exceptions should be cleared with the
classroom teacher. There are special occasions and some other flexibility, but
the general rule is to please leave toys at home.

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.

For security purposes when school is in session, everybody (parents and

other visitors) MUST check-in at the office and obtain a Visitor’s Pass .

School picture day is October 7th - Details will follow soon.

 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 APS calendar can be found
here: 2022-2023 APS Yearly Calendar.

Here are a few dates to add to the calendar early:

Upcoming Holiday Observances (no school):

Monday, September 26th -Rosh Hashanah*
Wednesday, October 5th- Yom Kippur*
*Jewish Holiday begins at sundown the day before

Upcoming National Holidays (no school):

Monday, September 5th, – Labor Day
Monday, October 10th - Indigenous Peoples' Day

Annual Mental Health Screeners for All APS Students

The Arlington Public School Counseling/Social Work teams will be providing an
annual, universal Mental Health Screener to all Arlington School students grade 3-12
during the 2022-2023 once again. We are using the screener to better understand
how our students are coping with social issues, chronic stress and how we can best
support their mental health and wellbeing. The screening takes 10 minutes and will
be administered twice a year. Students can OPT OUT of completing the screener on
the day of screening and you can also opt out your student at any time by
COMPLETING THIS FORM. For any questions about our screening process, please
reference the FAQ sheet..

Information gained from the screener will show the student support team whether your
student may benefit from additional support, and the school counselor or other support staff
will reach out to you to share more information regarding supports that may be available. If
you choose to contact a mental health provider yourself we have attached a list of agencies
here.

BISHOP PTO NEWS AND UPDATES

Dates for the Calendar

Tuesday, September 6th: First Day of School
Friday, September 9th: Back to School Coffee at 8:15am
Friday, September 16th: Back to School Picnic & Ice Cream Social at 6:00pm
Wednesday, September 21st: PTO Community Meeting at 7:00pm via Zoom

Bishop PTO News

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! We are thrilled to welcome every student
and Bishop staff member back to school. 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.

AY2022-23 PTO Executive Board

Anna Pisania, Co-President
Mary Perry, Co-President
Lindsay Pacheco, Co-Treasurer
Leonie Lennon, Co-Treasurer
Jessica Nordgren, Recording Secretary
Valerie Geary, Communications Coordinator
Julie Moscatel, Room Parent Coordinator
Lori Hennelly, Fundraising Coordinator

Back to School Coffee

Back to School Coffee for Parents & Caregivers is on Friday, September 9th 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 16 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 21st, 7:00 pm via Zoom
Please join the PTO for its first meeting of the new school year on Wednesday,
September 21st 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.

In Search of Room Parents!

If you are interested in becoming a Room Parent, please contact Julie Moscatel,
Room Parent Coordinator, at jmoscatel@hotmail.com. 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 they need to be successful this academic year. You do not need to be
home during the day to volunteer as a room parent.

Stay Up to Date

Bishop has a wonderful PTO. The first PTO meeting will be in September; the
full schedule will come soon. For the most up-to-date information, visit their
webpage at http://www.bishopschoolpto.com

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