AMS Newsletter

  September 3, 2026

September 7th Monday – No School Labor Day

September 13th Sunday – Abington Music Parents Craft Fair

Good afternoon,

What an exciting week!  Much planning goes into the opening of a new school year. Schedules are created, classrooms are resupplied, entire buildings are deep cleaned and ready for the return of students.  All of that is in preparation for the first few days of school. We are thankful for the dedicated maintenance and custodial teams, our educators who created welcoming classrooms and thoughtful lesson plans, and our administrative and support personnel organized schedules and ensured supplies reached every corner of our school.  We are happy to share that the 2026-2027 school year is off to a fantastic start.  Over the past two days, Assistant principal Sullivan and I visited classrooms, held grade level meetings, and caught up with students in the hallways and lunches.  It was great to meet our new students and reconnect with our returning students.

We hope you all have a safe and relaxing long weekend, and we look forward to an exciting school year.

Mr. MacCurtain, Principal

Very Important to Follow Drop-off and Pick-up Instructions: 

·      Location: Door 10 (next to the tennis courts)

·      Morning drop-off: Door 10 opens at 7:20 AM and closes at 7:50 AM

·      Breakfast: Available starting at 7:20 AM

·      Dismissal: 2:22 PM

·      Driving directions: Enter campus from Gliniewicz Way and proceed around the right side of the building past the athletic fields

·      Walkers: Students who are walking to and from school will enter and exit through the main entrance at the front of the building. 

• Students riding bicycles to school should walk their bikes once they are on school grounds. Students should not be riding bikes in the school lots or bus loop. 

AMS staff will be present at Door 10 and the main entrance during arrival and dismissal to assist. If you have questions about drop-off or pick-up procedures, please contact the main office at (781) 982-2170. 

Updating Student Information in Aspen  

Families can update student information via Aspen. Directions are available by clicking the following link: UPDATING ASPEN  

Health & Medical Checklist

Helping Your Child Have a Safe & Successful School Year

As we enter into the new school year, please take a few minutes to review the checklist below. Completing these steps before school begins helps ensure that your child’s health and medical needs can be safely and effectively supported throughout the school year.

BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

☐ Update Emergency Contacts 

Make sure the school has current emergency contact information, including updated phone numbers.

☐ Review Immunizations 

Confirm that your child’s immunizations are up to date and meet Massachusetts school requirements: Mass state requirements

☐ Request Updated Medical Orders 

If your child requires medication, treatments, or other health-related accommodations at school, please request updated orders from their healthcare provider.

☐ Notify the School of Health Changes 

Please let the school nurse know about any new or significant medical conditions, diagnoses, allergies, or changes in your child’s health.

HEALTH PLANS

Updated Medical Orders

Please obtain updated medical orders before the start of the school year from your child’s healthcare provider.

You may use the school’s provided forms or your healthcare provider’s own medication/medical order form, as appropriate.

Your child may need an Emergency Action Plan or other medical plan at school if they have:

☐ Allergies - allergy action plan.pdf 

☐ Asthma - asthma action plan.pdf 

☐ Seizures - seizure action plan.pdf 

☐ Diabetes – Please obtain updated orders from your child’s endocrinologist. 

☐ Other Medical Conditions

MEDICATIONS & SUPPLIES

☐ Parental Consent for Prescription Medications – parent/guardian consent for medication.pdf 

Complete the required parental consent forms for prescription medications.

☐ Original Pharmacy Containers 

All prescription medications must be provided in the original pharmacy-labeled container and clearly identify your child’s name, medication, dosage, and instructions.

☐ Check Expiration Dates 

Make sure all medications are current and have not expired. Please request refills from your pharmacy as needed.

☐ Over-the-Counter Medications – For students at Abington Middle School and Abington High School, complete the required parental consent for over-the-counter medications.

Middle School: Consent for Over-the-Counter medication- AMS 

High School: AHS Consent for OTC medications and treatment

COMMUNICATION & SUPPORT

Please provide the school nurse with all completed medical forms, parental consent forms, and required medications before the start of school.

You may:

• Bring paperwork and medications to Open House

• Arrange an appointment with your child’s school nurse

• Contact your school nurse with any questions or concerns

 School Nurse Contacts

Abington High School / AEEP 

Donna Conso donnaconso@abingtonps.org

Abington Middle School 

Sarah LaPointe sarahlapointe@abingtonps.org

Woodsdale Elementary School Debra Ambrose debraambrose@abingtonps.org

Beaver Brook Elementary School Renee Brown reneebrown@abingtonps.org

A Healthy Start to the School Year

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students healthy, safe, and ready to learn!

Please complete all applicable items before the first day of school.

 Hydration Reminder 

Please remember to send your student(s) to school with plenty of water each day. Staying hydrated helps students remain healthy, focused, and ready to learn!

Refillable water bottles are a great option, as filtered water filling stations are conveniently located throughout Abington Middle School. Please note that water bottles are not available for students to purchase or receive at school, so bringing one from home each day is strongly encouraged.

Thank you for helping us keep our students hydrated and feeling their best this spring!

The Nurses Office Is Looking For Clothing Donations:

New:

• Girls’ underwear size 12/14 and Women’s small or medium

• Girls’ and Women’s socks

• Boys’ underwear size 12/14 and Men’s small or medium

• Boys’ and Men’s socks

New OR Gently Used:

• Girls' leggings (preferably black) and Shorts size 12-14, Women’s size small or medium

• Boys’ pants/sweatpants size 10-14, Men’s small or medium

• Girls short sleeve and long sleeve shirts size 10-14, Women’s size small-large

• Women’s sweatshirts size small-large

• Boys short sleeve, long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts size 10-14, Men's size small-medium

We do not have significant storage so small quantities of all items is perfect. Any donation is greatly appreciated. 

Student Safety - Riding Bicycle, Scooter and Skateboard:

As the weather gets warmer more students will begin to walk or ride their bikes home from school, we ask that they remember to follow all traffic laws and stay off private property. These rules help keep you safe and maintain good relationships with our community.  

Students who ride bicycles or scooters to school are encouraged to wear safety helmets. Students who ride bicycles or scooters to school must abide by the following rules. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the privilege of riding a bicycle or scooter to school. Upon arriving at school, students will park their equipment in the appropriate area designated by a bicycle rack. At the closing of school, students who have ridden a bicycle or scooter to school will be dismissed when the walking students are called for dismissal.

Important reminders:

• Please walk your Bikes, Scooters and Skateboards on the sidewalks and in the parking lots during high traffic times.

• Walk your Bikes, Scooters, and Skateboards at crosswalks.

• Do not ride bikes on the track at Reilly Field. The track is for runners only. Bicycles can damage the surface of the track, which is used recreationally by townspeople and by our own APS sports teams.

• If you need to pass through Reilly Field, stay outside of the track fencing. Use the designated pathways around the perimeter.

• Follow all traffic signals and crosswalk rules when traveling to and from school.

• Respect private property by staying on public sidewalks and paths.

Thank you for being responsible members of our school community and helping to keep everyone safe!

Late Arrival and Dismissal Procedures Reminder

The safety of all students remains our top priority. To help ensure a smooth and secure arrival and dismissal process, we ask that all parents and guardians carefully review the procedures below.

Authorized Pickups

• Only individuals listed on a student’s emergency contact or dismissal form may pick up that student. Please log in to the Aspen Parent Portal to verify that all contact information is accurate.

• Questions regarding Parent Portal access may be directed to our Tech Services Department.

• A photo ID is required for all pickups unless identity has been previously verified.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Abington Middle School hours are 7:50 a.m. – 2:22 p.m. Students should be seated in their homerooms by 7:50 a.m., ready to begin the day.

• Morning Drop-Off: Parents dropping off students should use the Door 10 entrance (to the left of the building) and follow the designated drop-off procedures. Door 10 is open from 7:20–7:50 a.m. Students arriving after 7:50 a.m. must enter through the main entrance and will be marked tardy.

• Late Arrival: Students arriving after 8:30 a.m. must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and sign in at the main office.

• Afternoon Dismissal: Dismissal is at 2:22 p.m. Parents picking up students should use Door 10 pickup area and follow all traffic and safety guidelines.

Early Dismissals

If your child needs to leave school early, please send a written note or email to the main office before the start of the school day to colleenblanchard@abingtonps.org or annparks@abingtonps.org  Students may only be dismissed to individuals listed on their emergency contact form, and a photo ID will be required. To minimize disruptions to instruction, early dismissals should occur before 2:00 p.m. whenever possible.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal process for all students.

NOTES FROM HOME

Parents must notify the school if your child is to be absent, tardy or dismissed.  A written note must be submitted for each absence stating the date and reason for the absence. A note is also needed to dismiss your child from school or if your child will not be taking the bus home. Phone calls changing student dismissal plans can impact child safety. Thank you for cooperating with this important child safety issue.

IMPORTANT BUS INFORMATION REQUEST

If you received a bus tag for your child, but do not plan for them to take the bus this year, please email transportation@abingtonps.org and let them know so that they can be removed from the bus roster. Please include your child's name and school (AMS) in your email. You can also contact 781-982-2170 and let the office know. Thank you.

FREE SCHOOL BREAKFAST & LUNCH

Breakfast & lunch remains free for all students. We are still asking that families submit Free and Reduced Lunch Applications for federal reimbursements and other financial considerations in the district.

STUDENTS SHOULD BRING EVERY DAY

Please have your student bring their charged laptop and a water bottle to school every day. (Plastic water bottles please - no glass bottles).

SCHOOL COUNCIL MEMBERS-

Abington Middle School needs a Community Representative to serve on our School Council. The primary function of the council is to advise and assist the principal in the development of the School Improvement Plan, Student Handbook and Program of Studies. In addition, the council discusses and advises about school-based programs, initiatives, and events. The council consists of two parent representatives, two staff representatives, a community representative and school administration.   Council meetings will be held on the second Monday of each month at 4:00 in the Abington Middle School conference room. If you are interested in serving on the School Council or have questions, please contact Mrs. Blanchard at colleenblanchard@abingtonps.org.

Help Us Reach 500 Participants for Our 5th Year! 

5th Annual Abington C.O.P.E.S. 5K Road Race & Walk 

Sunday, September 20, 2026  •  9:00 AM  •  Woodsdale School 

This year is extra special as we celebrate our 5th year, and we have set a big community goal — 500 participants for our 5th year! We need the help of our students, families, staff, and community to make it happen. 

★ SPECIAL STUDENT RAFFLE!  ★ 

All students who register between now and September 8 will automatically be entered into a raffle to win a $25 Starbucks Gift Card! 

Whether you run, walk, bring the family, or gather a group of friends, every participant helps us get one step closer to 500 while supporting the prevention, education, resources, and support Abington C.O.P.E.S. provides to our youth and families. 

Help us reach 500 — register today and be part of something special! 

Register at: www.abingtoncopes.org 

One Community. One Good Cause. 500 Strong.