Dear Proctor Penguins and Families,

At Proctor, we believe every child deserves to feel a strong sense of belonging, respect, and voice in our community. One of the ways we nurture this is through community-building circles and conflict-resolution circles. These are practices where we sit together, listen, and share so that every student is heard and valued. These circles represent traditions that Indigenous peoples have used for generations to strengthen their communities and ensure that every voice is valued and matters. Today, schools like ours continue that wisdom through restorative practices.

This connects directly to The Penguin Way: taking care of ourselves, taking care of each other, and taking care of our school. Circles remind us that caring for one another starts with listening, showing respect, and building a sense of belonging together.

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we also take a moment to acknowledge that our school is located on the homelands of the Nipmuc people. We are grateful for their lasting presence and care for this land.

In the weeks ahead, our fifth graders will read "Thunder Rolling in the Mountains" as part of their ELA Core (Wit & Wisdom) curriculum. This novel provides students with the opportunity to learn more about Indigenous history and resilience while practicing the same values of empathy, respect, and community that guide us every day at Proctor.

Thank you for taking the time to read our weekly newsletter. This weekly newsletter will outline the following updates:

Respectfully, 

Stacy Mahoney and the Proctor Team

On Friday, October 17, we will be celebrating Walk to School Day! This event encourages students and families to get active, enjoy the fresh air, and build healthy habits while traveling safely to school. We look forward to seeing many of our Penguins walking together.

Join Proctor School staff and Safe Routes to School as we promote physical activity and practice safe walking to school!

We look forward to seeing our Penguins walking together as we build healthy habits and community spirit!

We are looking forward to a fun-filled Halloween this year. Throughout the school day on October 31, our activities will focus on the fall season, and there will be no in-class activities specifically related to Halloween. Toward the end of the day, around 2pm, students will have the option to participate in a costume parade or take part in a craft activity in the cafeteria. The craft will not have any Halloween themes, making it a comfortable option for all students.

We encourage all families to send their children to school on October 31. If you have any questions or concerns about what your child will be doing that day, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher or Mrs. Mahoney.

The Halloween Parade will take place on Friday, October 31, from 2:00-2:30 pm on the upper wing field. An alternative craft activity will be available in the cafeteria at the same time for students who prefer not to participate in the parade.

During the time of the parade, there will be a fun activity being held in the cafeteria for all students who are not participating in the Halloween parade. If your child would prefer to make cloud slime with Mr. Doherty,  Please email your teacher to let them know if your child would prefer to attend the alternate activity. This will help us plan ahead. 

Halloween Parade 

The Halloween Parade will be from 2-2:30 pm. Students should bring their costumes to school, but we ask that students do not wear them to school. We will line up by classrooms outside and the parade will begin at approximately 2:10. Students will parade around the field with their classroom teacher. There will not be time for students to take off their costumes before dismissal. 

For any families who are interested in being spectators for the parade, we invite you to line up on the side of the field. Should the weather not cooperate on the day of the parade we will move the parade indoors. Unfortunately, we will not have families join us inside so we do hope the weather holds out!

Thank you to those who have already expressed interest in joining our school council. I plan to send a message to the group one day this week, but we are always looking for more participants. See below for information about the Proctor School Council.

One of the things that makes Proctor so special is the way our families, staff, and community come together to support our students. With that in mind, I’d love to invite you to consider joining our School Site Council for the 2025–2026 school year.

The School Site Council is a group of parents, caregivers, community members, teachers, and the principal who meet a few times each year to partner around Proctor’s goals.

Together, we look at the School Improvement Plan, share ideas, and ensure that many voices are part of shaping the direction of our school. It’s also a wonderful way to learn more about what’s happening at Proctor and to be part of conversations that make a difference for all students.

We’ll meet four times this year, in person in the Proctor Library before school from 7:45–8:25 a.m. The time commitment is small, but the impact is meaningful.

School Site Councils are required by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71, Section 59C, which emphasizes the importance of parents, educators, and community members working side by side to identify student needs, set goals, and guide the school improvement plan.

If you’re interested, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. We’d love to have you at the table. Your perspective matters, and your voice helps ensure that Proctor is a place where every child feels a deep sense of belonging and joy in learning.