JOHN

A. BISHOP SCHOOL

         Principal’s Update – August 19, 2019

Tuesday, September 3rd– Grades 1-5 First Day of School  

Tuesday, September 3rd - Kindergarten Classroom Visitation Day

Wednesday, September 4th and Thursday, the 5th –

 Kindergarten First Days of School 
(half the Kinder students report on assigned day)

Friday, September 6th – Whole Kindergarten Class Starts School

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 A HALF DAY – School hours on Tuesdays are
8:10am-1:00pm (Lunch will be served on early release days)

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 2019-20 school year.

The State of Bishop The summer months are when many things
happen within the Bishop walls.  Our custodians, Steve Adams and Dave Kyle,
along with Carla, our High School support, have prepared the building for our
2019-20 school opening on Tuesday, the 3rd of September. Please join me in
extending our sincerest gratitude for the work, effort, pride, and detail these men
and woman put into Bishop this summer.

Staffing 
Speaking of new staff who have been hired - I'm pleased to inform you that we have
successfully found and hired a new Assistant Principal - Eva Liner will be joining the
administrative team and Bishop family in a .5 (half time) capacity.
Eva has been an Assistant Principal in Walpole for the past couple of years; before that, she
taught Social Studies and was the Assistant Principal at the High Rock (6th grade school) in
Needham. Eva comes to us with a passion for students and their social/emotional well-
being.
I'm excited for this opportunity to build a stronger administrative team within the building.
With this said, Eva and I will begin our planning as it relates to responsibilities, once she hits
the Bishop scene. More to come as the plan becomes clearer.

Tiffany Shaheen has joined us, becoming our fourth, 1st grade classroom teacher. Tiffany
has worked as a Teaching Assistant at the Peirce for the past 3 years.
Elizabeth Strods is our new Special Education Liaison, joining Monica Stowell and Brenda
Rolfe in the Learning Center. Elizabeth will be servicing grades 1 and 5.
Lynn Rubin is our newly hired full time Music teacher. Lynn comes to us with extensive
experience in the area of music instruction, beginning her career in 2006.
Ollie Macfadden will be joining the instrumental instructor team at a .5 (half time) capacity.
Pam Meppelink has been hired as Anne Hess-Mahan's Long Term Substitute for the
months of September-December. Pam is a recent graduate from Lesley University and has
worked as a museum educator at the Tsongas Industrial History Center in Lowell (10 years).
Pam will start her work on or around September 11th.
Jeannette Christensen has come aboard at a .5 half time capacity, team teaching with
Andrew Scopa as we manage our double PE blocks throughout the week. Jeannette comes
to us with a majority of her experience in the Natick Public Schools.
Ms. Katherine Kriketos has joined our recess/cafeteria monitor team. Bob Smith and
Joanna Pijoan have stayed on and will continue their work at the Bishop as well.
Seana Barrett will be joining the Kindergarten staff as a full time TA in Angela Morais'
classroom
Michelle Mesurri will continue her work in kindergarten as a Large Class TA.
Joanna Lee will be joining the kindergarten TA staff in Mrs. McLaughlin's classroom at a .5
in the afternoons. (Angela Hodgdon will be .5 in the mornings)
Molly Tenters has joined our family. Molly will be a 1;1 student support aide
Jeanne Wall has been reassigned to the 3rd grade at a .5 TA capacity (welcome home,
Jeanne).

Michael Aboulafia has moved on and will be working in another district - We are in the
process of identifying our next School Psychologist. I will let you know who that will be once
he/she is assigned.
   
Remaining Open Position – I’m currently in the process of interviewing for the
final Teaching Assistant  position, grades 2/4. This work will be completed early
next week.

College Practicums and Internships  - A few Bishop teachers will be

hosting and mentoring graduate students and undergraduate students this year,
as they fulfill their practical application requirements. 

Bus Application Process

If you have not signed up for the bus and need a bus pass, there is still time to
purchase one.  Please download the application and mail with check to Business
Office, Arlington High School, 869 Mass Ave, Arlington, MA 02476.  Any
questions, or if you would like to pick up your pass, please call Vickie Souza in
the Business Office at 781-316-3535.

Application Link: http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/administration/

transportation/pdfs/bishopbusapplication.pdf

Bus Schedule Link: http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/administration/

transportation/pdfs/bishopbusschedule.pdf

Bus Stop/Map Link: http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/administration/

transportation/pdfs/bishopbusstopmap.pdf

First Week of School Gathering on the Field 

Tuesday,  September 3rd and the week to follow, at 8:00am, the entire Bishop
School, students, teachers, parents, and support staff will congregate on the
playground before the start of school.  Teachers will have visible signs identifying
their class and grade. This will be a great opportunity for the community to gather
during the first week of school.  We look forward to seeing you all!

Daily Arrival and Dismissal  (Please read this information

carefully) 
All children will gather on the playground daily, NO EARLIER than 7:50am. At
the 8:08am whistle, Grades K-4 will line up in designated areas as they prepare
to enter the building.  Kindergarteners will line up near the playground/parking
lot entrance.  The Kindergarten students will then be walked around to the front of
school and into their classrooms.  Grades 1 and 2 will line up along the cafeteria
wall.  These students will be escorted into the building by our 5th Grade Patrol. 
Grades 3 and 4 will line up by the walkway leading up to the Crosby Street
entrance [their entrance and dismissal door]. These students will walk up the hill
and into the building.  Grade 5 will walk around to the 5th grade side door and
enter there. 

CAR DROP OFF: Families may drop off in the drive line in the
parking lot or at the front of the school.  Please note that these are active,
flowing drop off points. I ask that you refrain from parking your car and
leaving it in the driveline.  I will also ask that your child or children exit your
vehicle on the school side only.

DISMISSAL: Grades K-2 will be dismissed through the Crosby Street doors,
into the courtyard.  Grades 3-5 are allowed to exit through the back playground
door, upper Crosby Street doors, and the main entrance.

BUS STUDENTS: Bus #1 will be walked directly to the bus before general
dismissal, at 2:25pm.  Bus #2 will wait outside on the playground.  When the bus
arrives, students walk up sidewalk to board.  K-1 students who take bus #2 will
have their own escort/supervision to ensure the safety, emotional well-being, and
accountability.

There is always the option to park and walk in to pick up your child…… or simply
walk ;)
As always, please do not park on the school side of Columbia Road at any
time.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation in making our arrival and
dismissal a safe, efficient, and pleasant process.

Curriculum Night Date - THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER

12th
Tentative - Grades K, 1, and 2 - 6:00-7:00pm
Grades 3, 4, 5 - 7:00-8:00pm
This will be an opportunity for you to hear about the grade level team approach,
to discuss the curriculum with your child’s teacher, and look over curriculum
materials. More information to come regarding times and location in the
September 5th Bishop Weekly Update.

2019-20 District Calendar Link

http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/calendar/

5th Grade Science Camp Dates – 

November 19th - 22nd
More information to come

2019-20 MCAS Dates

http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/cal.html
I will send out a detailed calendar in the next month for your planning purposes.
 Keep Up To Date
Bishop PTO Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/BishopPTO/

Twitter: 
Follow Principal McAneny @markmmcaneny (https://twitter.com/markmmcaneny)
Follow the PTO @BishopPTO (https://twitter.com/BishopPTO)

Web sites: 
Bishop School: http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/BISHOP
Bishop PTO: http://bishopschoolpto.weebly.com/

I look forward to seeing everyone on the 3rd!  

Spread Kindness

 Mark
                                                   
                       

--

Mark McAneny
Principal, Bishop Elementary
25 Columbia Road Arlington, MA 02474
(781) 316-3791
mmcaneny@arlington.k12.ma.us