|
Principal’s Message
Hope you had a great week! After all the snow we've received, we're now experiencing a significant cold snap. Thank you for all your flexibility weathering this weather together. On a fun note, Kash has been loving the snow!
As temperatures remain frigid, please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for outdoor recess with warm coats, hats, gloves, and layers. We will go outside for recess when the "feels like" temperature is 20 degrees or higher, as fresh air and movement are important parts of the school day. When temperatures fall below that threshold, we bring the fun inside with indoor recess activities.
 ____________________
Preschool Lottery Applications Now Open - February 2-27 Preschool Lottery applications for the 2026-27 school year will be available starting Monday, February 2nd through Friday, February 27th, 2026.
Important Dates:
-
Application Window: February 2-27, 2026
-
Lottery Drawing: Friday, March 6th
-
Results Notification: By mail by Friday, March 18th
Who Should Apply: The Preschool Lottery is for students who will serve as Peer Models/Community Peers ONLY. Students who receive services through an IEP are identified separately for enrollment in the Preschool program.
How the Lottery Works: The Preschool lottery system is a random selection process for determining which students will attend given the number of available seats in our program. The lottery system aims to give all applicants an equal chance of being admitted and occurs when more students apply for enrollment than seats available. All submitted lottery applicants' names will be placed in a computer-generated randomization to ensure that the lottery is truly random and free of any human error. If chosen through the lottery, students will be assigned to their first choice unless full, then they will be assigned to their second choice indicated on the application. If all of the enrollment seats have become filled after the lottery, the students who were not selected will be added to a wait list. The lottery method will continue to determine in what order students will be put on the wait list. The wait list will be continuously updated as students are admitted and seats become available. In order to submit a lottery application, the following conditions must be met:
- You must be a resident of Uxbridge, MA
- Your child must be at least three years of age by August 31, 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year
Note: Current Preschool students have already committed to their slots and do not need to complete a lottery application. If you have any questions about the lottery or are interested in any available seats for the current school year, please contact Laura Newhall, Preschool Coordinator at lnewhall@uxbridge.k12.ma.us Apply here: 2026-27 Preschool Lottery Application
____________________
First Grade Penguin Parade - Waddle This Way! Today our first graders celebrated the culmination of their penguin study with an adorable Penguin Parade! Students have been learning all about penguins as part of a fun winter theme, exploring these fascinating birds and their unique adaptations.
   Our little emperors marched proudly around Taft wearing their handmade penguin crowns and showing off all the wonderful work they've created during this unit. The excitement and pride on their faces were absolutely priceless! These first graders really brought the Antarctic to Taft today!
  
____________________
District Calendar - Your Go-To Resource for Important Dates This week's weather cancellations combined with our scheduled half-day for curriculum professional development created some confusion around pickup and dismissal times. While I always try to send reminders about half-days, I want to make sure you have easy access to the most reliable source of information. The official Uxbridge Public Schools District Calendar is your go-to resource for:
- School closures and holidays
- Half-day schedules
- Professional development days
- Early release times
- No-school dates
You'll now find the District Calendar link placed more prominently in the Important Links section of the Taft Times for easier access. We encourage you to bookmark it or add important dates to your personal calendar at the beginning of each month.While I'll continue to send reminders when possible, the district calendar is always the most up-to-date and reliable source for planning purposes. Thank you for your understanding as we all navigate schedule changes together!
____________________
Parent Workshop: The Cell Phone Dilemma - February 2nd
Important Budget Meetings - Your Voice Matters As we've shared in recent newsletters, our district is facing significant budget challenges for FY27. These funding decisions have long-term impacts on our students - those who don't receive adequate funding in their early years will continue to feel that impact throughout their entire education.
Two critical School Committee meetings are coming up:
Tuesday, February 3rd at 6:00 PM - Superintendent's Budget Presentation to School Committee (UHS Library) Superintendent Ljungberg will present the current proposed FY27 budget to the School Committee.
Tuesday, February 10th at 6:00 PM - School Committee Meeting with Public Comment (UHS Library). This meeting will include open public comment, providing an important opportunity for community members to share their thoughts on the budget proposals heard the week before.
Budget materials are available for review: Our School Committee works incredibly hard to advocate for all our students, and they value hearing directly from community members about the importance of maintaining strong educational programs. Your presence and voice at these meetings can help demonstrate community support for our schools.
Together, we can ensure our students have the resources they need to thrive.
____________________
Counselor's Corner - February Newsletter The Taft Counselor's Corner newsletter has been updated for February! This month's edition includes helpful resources and tips to support your child's social-emotional learning.
View the February Newsletter here.
You can always find the current Counselor's Corner newsletter in the Resources for Families section of our website, which is updated monthly.
|
Have a great weekend! Mr. L, Mrs. Cataldo, and Mrs. Newhall |
|
| PTO News |
|
PTO Update:
Planning for the Taft Student Art Show has begun! Donations of the following are needed - clean empty water bottles, cardboard boxes of any size, brown paper bags, bubble wrap. Donations may be sent in with students or dropped off at the school for Mrs. Steel in the Art Room.Staff Wishlists
The PTO has put together Amazon Wishlists for our Taft staff! If you'd like to brighten a teacher or staff member's day, check out the attached lists and consider purchasing an item. Every contribution helps support our classrooms and shows our appreciation for the incredible work our staff does every day.
--
Volunteer Opportunities: The Taft Parent Teacher Organization is always looking for help. If you have interest in joining the PTO, please email us at taftpto@uxbridge.k12.ma.us.
All volunteers need an active CORI and fingerprints on file with the school.
PTO Information: Stay up-to-date on PTO information and additional resources by visiting: https://campsite.bio/taftpto
|
|
| School Procedures |
|
Taft Arrival Options Note: Only parents with a Preschool placard are allowed to park in the Taft Parking Lot at arrival. If you are dropping off your student at Taft you must park on Oak Street or at the McCloskey lot (62 Capron Street, Uxbridge, MA).
1. School Bus
2. Drop-off via the Taft lot drop-off loop (8:25-8:35am)
Approach Taft on Granite Street from the direction of Whitin Intermediate School
Enter the loop with a right-hand turn only
Exit the parking lot with a right-hand turn onto Granite Street
For detailed instructions, please watch our informational video on Drop-Off Loop procedures.
The Taft drop-off loop is far slower than utilizing the McCloskey lot option below, especially when Preschool is in session. Please expect delays
The drop off loop will close no later than 8:40am. If your student does not make it in before 8:40am, they will be marked late.
3. Drop-off at the Outdoor Basketball Courts via Door 16 (K & 1st) or Door 15 (2nd & 3rd)
Park at McCloskey School (62 Capron Street, Uxbridge, MA)
Walk your student down the path to Taft's side doors
Doors are open 8:25-8:35 AM daily
This option is much faster than waiting in the drop-off loop.
Taft Dismissal Options
Note: Only parents with a Preschool placard are allowed to use the Taft Parking Lot at dismissal. If you are dismissing from Taft you must park on Oak Street or at the McCloskey lot (62 Capron Street, Uxbridge, MA).
1. School Bus
2. Kindergarten - 3rd Grade Family Dismissal from Assigned Exit Doors
Parents / Guardians must park at the McCloskey Parking Lot (62 Capron Street, Uxbridge, MA) or on Oak Street for this option
-
Parents / Guardians using this option should arrive at their assigned door between 2:50 - 3:00 p.m.
Door #16: K-3 Students with last names beginning with A-F
Door #15: K-3 Students with last names beginning with G-L
Door #14: K-3 Students with last names beginning with M-Z
3. Preschool Pick-up
-
Door #9: All Preschool students are picked-up from the cafeteria doors. Each class is now assigned a specific time. Please remain no longer than 5 minutes so the next wave of parents can arrive for pickup.
- 2:45 p.m.- Ms. Doucette & Ms. Mazzola
- 2:55 p.m.- Ms. Churchill & Ms. Manzov
- 3:05 p.m.- Ms. Collins & Ms. Russell
-
Door #5: Families with both Preschool and K-3 students can sign up to pick up their K-3 student at Door 5 (by the cafeteria). Please call the main office to see if you qualify for Door 5 pick-up.
Preschool families must display their Preschool Placard on their mirror. With their preschool Placard, they can access the Taft Parking lot by the cafeteria door or park on Oak Street near the park.
There will be no road access in the bus loop from 2:30-3:15 pm as buses are lining up and loading.
|
|
Early Dismissals If for some reason you need to dismiss your student early, you must do so before 2:30pm for safety reasons. After 2:30pm we will are prepping the whole school for dismissal and attempting to coordinate approximately 550 students. If you are changing your student's typical dismissal you must let us know in the following ways
1. Physical Note to Teacher (no emails please)
2. Phone Call to the Main Office
Please call 508-278-8643 to let us know if you did not turn in a teacher note and need to change your dismissal type.
Emails to the teacher can be missed as teachers are teaching and not frequently checking their email.
School Nurse Procedures As we begin the school year, we would like to remind all families of the importance of keeping our school community healthy and safe. In order to minimize the spread of illness and ensure that all students are ready to learn, please review the following guidelines carefully: Keeping Sick Children at Home
- Children who are experiencing fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or any symptoms of contagious illness must remain at home until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication. Please refer to the student handbook for more information.
- Students who appear unwell during the school day may be dismissed home at the discretion of the school nurse.
- Keeping children home when they are sick helps protect other students and staff from unnecessary exposure.
Medication at School
- If your child requires medication during the school day, you must first contact the school nurse to set up an appointment prior to bringing the medication to school.
- All medications must be delivered directly to the nurse by a parent or guardian—students are not permitted to carry or deliver their own medications.
- Medications must be accompanied by:
- A physician's written order
- A completed parent/guardian authorization form
- Medications will not be accepted or administered without these required documents.
Cough Drops and Over-the-Counter Medications
- Cough drops are not permitted at Taft Early Learning Center due to the increased risk of choking in young children, possible allergic reactions, and restrictions around over-the-counter medications in school.
- Instead, the school nurse may provide salt-water gargles or other safe comfort measures at their discretion.
Your cooperation with these health and safety policies is greatly appreciated. Together, we can maintain a safe learning environment for all students. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the school health office directly. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our students healthy and ready to learn.Preschool Tuition Payments
Preschool tuition information can be found at the Preschool Website. Payments can also be made from the Preschool Website.
Food Services Procedures
Every day, students can have access to 1 free breakfast and 1 free lunch.
Individual Milks must be purchased. If a student wants to buy a milk by itself, each milk will cost $0.65.
Families should ensure funds are available in their student's MySchoolBucks account. Families can set up these accounts here: MySchoolBucks.com.
Breakfast for adult staff members is $3.25 (plus tax) and lunch for adult staff members is $6.00 (plus tax).
Food service questions can be directed to our School Nutrition Director, Alison Weir: aweir@uxbridge.k12.ma.us
Technology
Directions to set up your PowerSchool Parent Portal can be found here. This is needed to view your students report card
Half-Day Info
Through out the year we will have half-days for students. Most of these are so that teachers can attend professional development in the afternoon. These dates are all posted on the District Calendar. Dismissal times for half-days are as follows:
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
Friday, 1/30/26 - Spirit Day: Wear Black & Orange
Tuesday, 2/3/26 - School Committee Meeting w/ Budget Presentation from Superintendent Ljungberg (UHS Library @ 6pm)
February 5th-6th - 100th Day Celebrations
Friday, 2/6/26 - Spirit Day: Wear Black & Orange
Tuesday, 2/10/26 - School Committee Meeting w/ Budget Public Hearing (UHS Library @ 6pm)
Thursday, 2/12/26 - Spirit Day: Winter Olympics Day
Friday, 2/13/26 - Friendship Day: Wear Red or Pink
Uxbridge School Department District Calendar
Important Links
Opt Outs
Resources for Families
Social Media
|
|
|