Welcome to this edition of the Early Steps Newsletter! We’re excited to share the latest happenings and updates from our school community to keep you informed and engaged.
Staff Appreciation Week
A heartfelt thank you to all of our students and families for making this week so special for our Early Steps staff. Your kindness, generosity, and thoughtful gestures meant so much to our team and truly made us feel appreciated.
We would also like to give a special shout-out to Frank Pepe Pizzeria for generously donating ten pizzas for our staff lunch, Starbucks for donating three coffee travelers, and Wicked Bagel for providing delicious bagels and cream cheese. Your support helped make the week extra special for our staff.
We are so grateful for the opportunity to be part of your child’s learning journey. Thank you for your continued partnership, support, and kindness each and every day!
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In observance of Memorial Day, there will be no school tomorrow, Monday, May 25, 2026.
Watertown's Memorial Day Parade will begin at City Hall (149 Main Street) at 12:00pm on Monday, May 25. The procession will go down Main Street, turning right on Waverley Avenue, right on Orchard Street, and concluding at Victor Field with a brief ceremony.
Following the parade, the community is invited to an Open House at the Marine Corps League Shutt Detachment (215 Mt Auburn Street) to share food and connect with local veterans and their families.
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We would like to share an important reminder regarding sunscreen use at school as the weather becomes warmer.
At this time, sunscreen may only be applied at school by an adult and with written permission from a medical provider, such as a doctor or nurse practitioner. Sunscreen is not permitted to be self-applied during the school day.
We recommend applying sunscreen to your child before school. However, if you would like sunscreen re-applied while your child is at school, please contact your child’s physician’s office to obtain the required medical authorization. Linked below is a copy of the required permission form. Once completed, please send the form to Nurse Katilyn.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
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Reminder: There will be no school on Friday, June 5, 2026, for all Early Steps Preschool and PreK students at Early Steps, Hosmer, Cunniff, and Lowell, as staff will be conducting preschool screening. |
Are you seeking guidance related to immigration matters? Would you like to feel more prepared during the time students will be away from school for vacation?
Ther Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office for Refugee and Immigrants is hosting a free webinar taking place on May 27th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM EDT.
When: May 27th at 6:30 PM EDT
Representatives from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Office for Refugees & Immigrants will provide important information about current immigration-related topics and help families better understand their rights and available resources.
The presentation is offered in the following languages, as interpretation services will be provided: Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Cape Verdean Creole, Farsi, French, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Sotho, Spanish, Twi, Uzbek, Vietnamese, and Yoruba.
Topics will include:
- Understanding federal immigration laws and family rights
- How to locate a family member if they are detained
- What to do if you or a family member is detained
- Legal resources families can rely on (at no cost or reduced cost)
- How to identify whether an officer has the legal authority to detain someone
- What to do if someone is wrongfully detained
- Understanding warrant requirements (Judicial vs. Administrative Warrants)
- How to report misconduct by federal agents
No information will be collected from families. It is a confidential and safe environment where they can ask the representatives any questions they may have.
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As part of the kindergarten registration process, all families are required to complete a Home Language Survey for their child.
The purpose of this survey is to identify the languages your child hears and uses at home. This information helps us better understand your child’s language background and ensure that we provide appropriate support and services if needed.
Please take a few minutes to complete the survey as soon as possible. Completing this form is an important step in preparing for your child’s transition to kindergarten.
If you have any questions or need assistance completing the survey, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important requirement. We look forward to welcoming your child to kindergarten!
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Upcoming Events
Upcoming Dates:
- Monday, May 25, 2026 - No School
- Friday, June 5 - No School for students
- Friday, June 5 - Screening Day
- Thursday, June 18 - Playground Day - Save the Date
- Wednesday, June 24 - Last Day of School
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We invite you to attend the Second Annual Watertown Diversity and Belonging Celebration at Filippello Park!
This event takes place on the first Thursday in June each year. This year, it’s June 4, 2026, 5:30-7:30pm.
All Watertown families are invited to come, bring a picnic dinner, enjoy an evening of live music, games, ice cream, a bouncy house and more. Our musical performances this year feature our talented WHS Jazz band, WMS Choir and a faculty band!
This event was established in 2025 as a way for families to come together and celebrate another year of wonderful work by our students and the caregivers who support them. The WPS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Office Organized this event in collaboration with the WPS Diversity and Belonging Councils, Watertown Community Foundation, Watertown Parks and Recreation Dept, WPS Fine Arts/Performing Arts Dept.
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Early Steps School
1 Concord St.
Watertown, Ma 02472
Phone: 1-617-926-7765
Principal - Christine M. Gibelli
Administrative Assistant - Tricia D’Amelio
Special Education Team Chair- Ilana Sommer
Nurse - Kaitlyn Reynolds
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