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Family Updates
Lincoln School K-4 Newsletter
June 8, 2025
Click here to view previous editions of the Family Updates Newsletter
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Hello Lincoln K-4 Families!
It's hard to believe we have only 6 more days of school! The recent learning celebrations have shown just how much growth students made this year. Kindergartners had their annual pride parade, showing their identity posters featuring the things they like, things they can do, family, friends and things that make each person special. The first-grade reader's theater performances showcased their progress, resulting in wonderful reading with expression, well-timed humorous or frightening lines, and collaboration to tell stories. Congratulations to Mrs. Hoffman and the 2nd Grade students on their beautiful "Music is Everywhere" concert! This week we have the 3rd Grade Animal Research Celebration and 4th Grade Comic-Con.
Fourth Grade Clap Out - Mon 6/16 at 12:25
We will do a school-wide clap out for the 4th graders as they finish their time in "the K-4". Students and staff line the halls and cheer for the "K-4 alum" as they leave for the summer. They will exit the building at the end of the kindergarten hallway where families are invited to continue to the clap out by lining the driveway between the red playground and Smith 1 field. 4th graders may leave with caregivers or proceed to the car line, bus dismissal or back to the Learning Commons if they are going to LEAP.
Kathy O'Connell - Congratulations and Thank You!
The following speech was written by Gwen Blumberg, Lincoln School Librarian, and delivered at the end-of-year faculty event.
It is a great honor to speak on behalf of our colleague, and my dear friend Kathy O’Connell.
Kathy began her teaching career in Lincoln in 1987 at the tender age of 22. Her interview took place in what is now the second grade wing of the Lincoln School in the space that is Lyssa McGrath’s classroom. I imagine that fresh-faced young graduate had no idea when she was hired for her first teaching position that one day she would be retiring from that same school district as number one on the seniority list.
For 38 years– all but two in Lincoln because Kathy believed the grass was greener in Weston but then quickly returned when she realized it wasn’t, Kathy has held a variety of roles on both campuses in our Lincoln Public Schools. She spent 14 years as a 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teacher – ten years at Hanscom and then four more on the Lincoln Campus. She moved into a math leadership role in 2004 and although the name of her position has changed several times, one constant has remained… the joy of being the go between for admin and teachers particularly when rolling out new initiatives.
Kathy’s dedication to the district and her craft regularly extended beyond the school day. She served as the LEA president for two years, was at the negotiations table for three contracts, was a team leader, led too many math curriculum committees to count and was a member of even more hiring than math committees.
Other notable achievements include co-authoring the book Why Write in Math Class published in 2018 by Stenhouse Publishers, and figuring out how to support math instruction through a pandemic… which she did virtually from her dining room for an entire school year with her turquoise headphones as her constant companion.
Kathy has worked for seven and several interim superintendents, 6 assistant superintendents, and 18 different principals in her career.
If you wonder how one person could do so much for so long– well, my hunch is that her daily 80 mile commute gave her plenty of time to relax and unwind on 128 after an especially long and busy day…
Everything I’ve just shared is evidence of a long and successful career– there’s numbers and data, which is only fitting for our mathematical leader. How lucky Lincoln has been to have such a dedicated educator for so many years.
However, I believe it’s what isn’t in the statistics that makes Kathy such a master teacher and exceptional colleague... It’s all of the things that happen behind the scenes that aren’t easily captured by numbers, but are seen by a few, and felt by many.
You see, Kathy is often at the center of small and often unseen gestures of kindness and collegiality. Attending a PD session she’s leading– she’s baked something yummy from scratch. If you have a “is this a contract issue or not” question– Kathy is very likely the trusted colleague you have turned to for honest advice. She is the first to organize a card, a meal, or flowers when colleagues have experienced a loss and she’s also one of the first to step up when extra hands are needed. Hole in the lunch duty schedule? MCAS make up session? A math night to organize? A child whose grown up wasn’t able to make the grade level celebration? An administrator needs to step out but the meeting needs to keep going? Chances are, Kathy is there, quietly stepping up and stepping in whenever there’s a need.
Kathy holds the institutional knowledge of so many of our long-standing traditions. Today’s celebrations for example… want to know where or how to get something engraved, or how to order ice cream for over 100 people? Kathy will know and even when it’s her turn to be honored, she will offer to step up and help.
And it isn’t just at school where Kathy is helping and connecting. I’ve had the good fortune to spend many a summer day with Kathy, in Ipswich, where she lives with her husband Barry and her recently graduated son, Brendan. Everywhere we go– for a sandwich at a local shop, a walk through town, or to sit and while away the day on Crane’s Beach, there is someone who knows her, is drawn to her, and is inevitably thanking her for her recent kindness- – for coming to their child’s ballgame, for sending over a covered dish, for connecting them to the just right handy person.
We have all been so lucky to know Kathy and to benefit from her dedication, her leadership, her no nonsense approach to problem solving, her institutional wisdom, and above all else– her friendship.
Kathy, thank you for all you have done for all of us for so many years. We wish you all the best in your retirement. You will be sorely missed.
Last but not least, thank you to all the volunteers and visitors who helped make this year so special - compost volunteers, STEM speakers, field trip chaperones, field day volunteers, mystery readers, School Council, PTO, LSF, MCC, SEPAC - we couldn't do it without you!
Sincerely,
Sarah
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HATS off to teachers! (AKA Honor a Teacher or Staff)
Orders due by June 9!
Are you looking for a special way to thank a teacher, staff, or support team member?Recognize them with a personalized HATS certificate (and mini hat) as a gesture of support and celebration of their work. In addition to honoring the dedicated school personnel, your gift funds LSF grants to enrich the learning experiences for every child in the Lincoln and Hanscom schools. Follow the instructions on the Lincoln School Foundation website and order by June 9th so that the honorees can receive their certificates before the last day of school.
Order here: www.lincolnschoolfoundation.org/hats
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ART - Ms. Caira
I have seen such artistic growth from K-4 students this year! Their passion for their artwork is truly inspiring and helping them find creative solutions is a gift I will never take for granted. We have been trying to send all the artwork home in a timely manner but please be on the lookout for their last pieces.
Kindergarten made koinobori fish while learning about Japanese Children's Day. We drew on rice paper pre-cut fish and then used watercolor, watching our colors bleed together. These have been featured in the hallways all month!
First grade learned about stained-glass history. We made our own using tissue paper on acetate sheets and then covered with mod podge. It was really exciting to see these hanging in a sunny window as the students jumped from each color block reflected on the floor.
Second grade made underwater self-portraits! We carefully drew them in pencil, colored with crayon, and then used liquid watercolor and salt to give us a really "bubbly" effect.
Third grade used clay to sculpt a mandala plate. We explored symmetrical patterns and used various stamping techniques before firing in the kiln. We then carefully painted with glaze and refired.
Fourth grade spent a lot of time on their drawing skills before they attend middle school next fall. They finished their beautiful symmetrical buildings and then learned to draw spheres.
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First Grade
Did you know that chameleons change color to communicate as well as regulate their body temperature? First-graders ended the year by making chameleons using solar beads that change color when exposed to sunlight. Students were challenged with creating a shady house for their beaded chameleons. They tested their houses by bringing them outside into the sunlight to observe any changes in color.
Second Grade
The final engineering challenge of the year for second-graders asked them to create a marble maze using a paper plate as a base. They were required to add an element for the marble to go under and another element to go around. As part of the Engineering Design Process involves testing and improving designs, students had fun asking their classmates to test out their designs.
Third Grade
For their final Lego robotics unit of the year, third-graders built and programmed cars using Lego Spike Prime kits, and graphed the distance traveled versus time. They used their data to compete in a "closest without going over" challenge. The finish line was guarded by stuffed animals and students used their data to program their cars to stop before running them over.
Students are ending the year with a study of the geologic timescale and fossils. As a part of this unit, they created replicas of fossil types using clay.
Fourth Grade
Fourth-graders ended their year with 2 exciting units. First, they studied energy transfer by creating Rube Goldberg Machines. Students flexed their creativity muscles and tested their patience when creating chain reaction machines.
Rube Goldberg Video 1 Rube Goldberg Video 2
For their final unit, students participated in the 2025 Sumo-Bot Challenge. For this challenge, students were asked to build and code robots that would battle each other. Students began with the same driving base, and then added on battle elements such as walls, spears, and spinning mechanisms. They competed in a bracket challenge until one final bot was declared the winner.
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Grades 1, 4 - Mr. McDonough
Grades K, 2, 3 - Ms. Matthes
Kindergarten has been laying the foundation for digital creativity by exploring shapes. Take a look at the awesome artwork they've produced by working with shapes and drawing tools!
In Second Grade, students combined their mapping skills with the fundamentals of programming. They designed personalized maps and then wrote code to guide our Finch Robots. It's exciting to see them apply problem-solving and computational thinking!
Third Grade students are just starting their rotation. They will learn to use a new app called Octostudio. Students will write code to make their very own games. I can't wait to see what they create!
K Shape Pictures:
Second Grade Maps in Action:
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For the most up-to-date library updates, please visit the Lincoln School Library Blog page.
Happy JUNE! It's hard to believe that our year is almost over-- what a fun one it has been!
Grades K, 1, 2, and 4 are in their final library rotation of the year. Grades 3 and 5 are finishing their year in the technology portion of the library/tech rotation and continued to come for book checkouts until the last day for book checkouts on Friday, 5/23. In library classes, we have continued to explore and enjoy our new Tonies, courtesy of the Lincoln School Foundation, have been learning about giraffes, and reflecting on all we have learned in the library this year. The Lincoln Public librarians are coming for a visit on 6/10 to share details with the kids about their and the BPL summer reading programs. I will post updates on my summer reading resources webpage after their visit.
As of 5/29, we have 347 student books checked out... and we need to get them all back before the end of the school year. I have been emailing families whose children have books that are significantly overdue and appreciate the kind replies and extra help finding MANY of those books.
The first K-5 class to return ALL of their books... kids and teachers alike... will win a BONUS library time full of games, Legos, Magna-Tiles, Tonies, and all around library fun. Each child who has ALL of their books in will be entered into a raffle with the big prize being naming rights for our library giraffe. Both of these things have generated a LOT of library excitement and I can't wait to see who will win and what our giraffe's name will be!
Mrs. Doherty, our awesome library assistant, will be sending paper notices home next week with children who still have books on their account. If a book has been lost-- which sometimes happens, families will be asked to replace the book/s either by providing a new copy or sending in cash or a check payable to the Town of Lincoln. Please keep your eyes open for those library notices and if you want to check your child's account or find out the replacement cost of a book, please feel free to email me (gblumberg@lincnet.org) or Jennifer Doherty (jdoherty@lincnet.org.)
I hope you all have a wonderful summer full of stories and reading! I'll miss my library kids over the summer and will look forward to seeing them again in the fall! :)
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Click here to see the Breakfast Menu. Click here to see the Lunch Menu.
We are proudly serving the following local products: Pickles from Stretch's in Worcester, MA; Apples from Carlson Orchards in Harvard, MA; Hot Sauce from Craic Sauce in Lowell, MA; Green Leaf Lettuce from Little Leaf Lettuce in Devens, MA; Tomatoes from Backyard Farms in Madison, ME; Carrot Coins & Potatoes from the Joe Czajkowski Farm in Hadley, MA; Hamburger, Hot Dog & Sub rolls from Fantini Bakery in Haverhill, MA; Burgers & Ground Beef from Maine Family Farms and Broccoli from Harvesting Good in Maine. We are serving Curry Sauce from Flavor Temptations this month and we should have syrup from Slopeside Syrup in Vermont in house this month!
Menus are always subject to change and you will be notified if there are any entree changes. Menus can always be viewed HERE. This is the best place to view allergy information, see the full menu with all of the offerings and view the menu in other languages.Please let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great weekend!
Kelly Haley, School Nutrition Director
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Saturday Math Fun with Christine!
Saturdays, May 31, June 7, and June 14 from 2:00 - 2:45pm
Come listen to a math book read-aloud with a related activity and try out some fun math games! Get ideas for math at home. No registration necessary. Intended for children ages 3-6 with a caregiver. This is part of a three series workshop - attend one, two, or all three sessions.
Christine Size is a Lincoln parent who has spent the past 25 years in elementary education as a fifth grade teacher, pre-K teacher, math coach, and math coordinator. She has Master's degrees in Learning & the Brain and Early Childhood Education. Christine loves doing fun math at home with her son and wants to share it with you!
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RESOURCE LINKS - 2024-25 LPS Academic Year Calendar
- LPS Student & Family Handbook
- Application for Free and Reduced Price School Lunch
- MySchoolBucks Information for Parents
- MySchoolBucks Sign Up Information
- LPS Employment Opportunities
If your student needs financial assistance, please review these links.Applications are submitted by US Mail or In-person Drop-Off or by Confidential Fax: 781-259-9246. EMAIL is not confidential.- Financial Assistance Application
- Financial Assistance Verification Form
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Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application (Determination required for some programs if sharing is authorized)
- Solicitud de comidas gratis y a precio reducido
The town also has financial support available as well.
All applications are confidential.
