Samuel Mason Elementary School

Amazon SchoolRewards

2009-10-22T11:43:00.002-04:00

Dear Mason Pilot School Supporter:

We are pleased to announce that The Mason Pilot School has joined the Amazon SchoolRewards Associates program, an effortless way for you to help us fundraise, simply by shopping at Amazon.com.

Please use our SchoolRewards link to access Amazon.com

Through SchoolRewards, we receive up to 10% of every Amazon purchase as long as shoppers use our SchoolRewards link to access Amazon.

Click on our link to enter site: http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=samumasoelems-20

This unique SchoolRewards link takes you directly to Amazon.com, where you can browse and shop just as you normally would. Each month, Amazon pays us up to 10% of all purchases made by shoppers who reached Amazon through our link. That includes products sold at Amazon by other companies - like Target and Lands End.

Please support us by bookmarking this link in your Internet browser — then making this the first link you click each time you shop at Amazon. Whether you are buying one item or doing all your holiday shopping, when you use our link to enter the site, you will be helping us reach our fundraising goals.

Please be sure to share this link with your friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances, and anyone else who might like to help us raise funds by shopping at Amazon.

Thank you for your support. We appreciate your contribution to our student programs and fundraising efforts.

Stop & Shop

2009-10-22T11:38:00.000-04:00

Earn $$ for our school with your Stop & Shop card

From now through March 25, 2010, Mason Pilot School will have the opportunity to earn cash through the Stop & Shop A+ Bonus Bucks Program. With this program, points accrue with each purchase where the Stop & Shop Card is used. It even works with purchases made online with Peapod by Stop & Shop. At the end of each month, these points determine our school's cash total!

Simply register your Stop & Shop card and earn money each time you buy groceries.

All you have to do is:

Log on to www.stopandshop.com/aplus to register online

OR

Dial 1-877-275-2758 to register your card over the phone

Have your card ready when you go online or call. If you do not yet have a new (purple and white) Stop & Shop card, you can go online (www.stopandshop.com) and request one be mailed to you. At the same time, you can register to begin earning points for our school. To find our school in the list, look under “MA – Roxbury” (it is not listed under “Boston”).

After you register your card, each shopping trip at Stop&Shop earns CASH for our school when you remember to use your Stop & Shop card! It is so easy! You can track the amount of points you earn for our school by checking the bottom of your grocery receipt. Our school will receive a check at the end of the program. The money we raise will help support field trips and special events for all our children.

Please take a few minutes to register your card today – before your forget. Also, don’t forget to encourage your friends, relatives, and neighbors to do the same. The more points we earn, the more money the school earns.

Register your card by October 31st and we will receive credit for ALL of your October purchases!

Principal's Office

2009-09-01T13:02:00.000-04:00

Harolyn Bowden, Principal

Harolyn Bowden, of West Medford, previously served as Acting Principal of the Mason for the 2007-08 school year. She had been the Assistant Principal of the William Trotter Elementary School since 2004, where her duties included supervising and evaluating teachers, monitoring student progress, communicating with parents, and analyzing data. Her teaching career in the Boston Public Schools began in 1975 as a kindergarten teacher at the P.A. Shaw Elementary School. She also taught at the former Endicott Elementary School, where she served as teacher-in-charge, and was the literacy coordinator at the Mattapan Early Education Center. In 2000, Ms. Bowden received the Golden Apple Award. She earned a bachelor's degree from Lesley University and a M.Ed. in elementary school administration from Bridgewater State College.

Governing Board

2009-09-01T12:59:00.000-04:00

The charge to the Mason Elementary School Governing Board support the school's vision and mission, to set policies as a Boston Pilot School, and to work with the other constituencies of the School to ensure that their concerns, as related to school governance, are addressed. The five Pilot School Autonomies guide the board's work in terms of budget, staffing, calendar/schedules, curriculum, and governance.

There shall be thirteen members of the Governing Board, representing each of the primary constituencies of the Mason Elementary School. Specifically, the Governing Board will be comprised of the following members: the principal, 4 parents (with 2 alternates), 4 teachers (with 2 alternates), and community representatives (local organizations, businesses, university partners). The Principal will serves as Co-Chair; the second Co-Chair will be a community representative elected by the members of the Governing Board.

Governing Board Members:
Harolyn Bowden, Principal, Co-Chair
Ruth Shane, Community, Co-Chair
Chuck Levin, Community
Jorge Martinez, Community
Caitlin McArdle, Teacher
Bebhinn O'Connell, Teacher
Maria Mendes, Teacher
Brian LoBue, Teacher
Josephine Tavares, Teacher (alternate)
Karolyn McNeil, Teacher (alternate)
Rochelle Woodard, Parent
Gabrielle Schaffner, Parent
Katherine Jenkins Djom, Parent
Konjit Abere-Gomes, Parent
Keesha O'Galdez, Parent (alternate)
Raulina Gomes, Parent (alternate)

School Parent Council

2009-09-01T12:58:00.002-04:00

The School Parent Council is the independently established “voice” of ALL the parents/guardians of students attending the school community.
The School Parent Council advocates for the students and the school, meets regularly, elects representatives to sit on the School Site Council, promotes an environment of understanding and common purpose among parents.

Subscribe to Mason School Parent Council E-Mail List

School Parent Council - Elected Officers 2008-2009:
Co-Chair: John-Marshall Norman
Co-Chair: Shauna Rives
Co-Secretary: Cara Gillis
Co-Secretary: Eric Esteves
Co-Treasurer: Ivette Hernandez
Co-Treasurer: Gladi-Matos Jackson
Co-Treasurer: Sophia Fontes
Governing Board Rep: Katherine Jenkins-Djom
Governing Board Rep: Keesha O’Galdez

Meeting Minutes
October 10, 2008

Friends Of The Mason

2009-09-01T12:58:00.000-04:00

The Mason Pilot Elementary School would like to thank the following partners in our continued growth and success:

Boston College
Boston University
Citizens Bank
Community Music
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
Harvard Graduate School of Education
John Hancock Financial Services
Literacy Collaborative Learning Site
Massachusetts Audubon Society
Newmarket Business Association
Pine Manor College
ReadBoston
Science Learning Site
SECOND STEP Violence Prevention Program
TERC Mathemnatics (Boston Public School Math Learning Site)
The Boston Foundation
The Boston Plan for Excellence
Tufts University
Walker Home and School After-school Program
Wheelock College
Wildlife Outdoor Science Partnership
Writing in First Grade, Writing in Kindergarten

Calendar

2009-09-01T12:57:00.001-04:00

For Parents

2009-09-01T12:57:00.000-04:00

School Parent Council
Parent University
the district's Family Matters newsletter

Faculty & Staff

2009-09-01T12:56:00.000-04:00

Teacher	Class	Room
Mrs. Baron	Early Childhood	102
Mrs. Mendes	Early Childhood	104
Ms Iwantsch	KII	103
Ms. McArdle	KII	206
Mrs. O'Connell	1st Grade	208
Ms. Purple	1st Grade	209
Mr. LoBue	2nd Grade	205
Ms. Henderson	2nd Grade	207-B
Ms. Considine	5th Grade	207-A
Ms. Anderson	3rd Grade	310
Ms. McNeil	3rd Grade	311
Mrs. Chick	4th Grade	312
Mrs. Shea	5th Grade	313
Ms. Balti	4th Grade	314

About Us

2009-09-01T01:45:00.002-04:00

The mission of the Mason Pilot Elementary School is to provide a comprehensive and rigorous full inclusion academic program supported by committed teachers, staff, teacher interns, devoted parents, and a strong community working collaboratively and learning together.

History | Principal's Office | Governing Board | Friends of the Mason

We will provide for our students:

Multiple educational experiences for every learner to develop his or her best academically, socially, emotionally, and physically.
High expectations for achievement, behavior, and positive social interactions for everyone.
Research-based, cutting-edge, challenging curriculum and instruction which meets the individual needs of each child in reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, science, and technology.
A positive and respectful school culture that is nurturing, supportive, honors diversity, and celebrates one another's achievements and accomplishments.
Opportunities for parents and families to be active partners in their children's education and in our educational community.
Ongoing student assessment that informs and guides teaching and learning for each student.

Contact Us

2009-09-01T01:45:00.000-04:00

150 Norfolk Avenue
Roxbury, MA 02119

Phone: 617-635-8405
Fax: 617-635-8406

Directions:
via Google Maps
via public Transit (MBTA)

View Larger Map

History

2009-09-01T01:33:00.000-04:00

A History of the Mason:

The Samuel W. Mason Elementary School transformed itself from the "least chosen elementary school" in 1990 to the first school ever to win the prestigious City of Boston Management Excellence Award in 1994, the U.S. Department of Education Model Professional Development Award in 1996, and the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award in 1997. Located in the troubled Roxbury neighborhood of the city, the student population is ethnically diverse (45 percent African American, 23 percent Cape Verdean, 15 percent Latino, 13 percent Caucasian, 2 percent Asian American, and 2 percent Native American); 91 percent qualify for the free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs, and 23 percent are recent immigrants to this country and come from homes in which no English is spoken.

Mason had been slated for closure when its staff and parents seized an opportunity to become part of the National Accelerated Schools Network. They reached out to the City of Boston departments, businesses, universities, a health center, and community organizations to become partners in transforming the school through teamwork and collaboration.

A year later, the Mason School used the flexibility afforded by the Chapter One Program to change its focus from remediation to acceleration. The schoolwide project created an interdependent team from formerly disparate programs. As a result, a consistent learning approach reaches all students, accelerates learning, and promotes thinking skills; the amount of time spent in reading instruction per grade has been doubled. The project is supplemented by a 5-day-a-week after-school program, a 6-week full-day summer school program, a school-based counseling and therapy program, parent education and training, portfolio assessment for all students, and extensive professional development opportunities.

School Parent Council - Jan 2009 Meeting

2009-01-06T14:16:00.003-05:00

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
5:30pm – 6:30pm
Computer Room #101

All parents and guardians of children at the Mason Pilot School are automatic members of the School Parent Council and are encouraged to attend the meetings and participate in the discussions and decision-making.

At the meeting we will discuss the following:
• Fundraiser – Pancake Breakfast Recap
• Pool Closing
• Photo Release/Parent Permission to photograph your child at school events
• Join Committees for School Events and other Initiatives

If you need childcare, are unable to attend the meeting, or have concerns, opinions, or ideas about any of the agenda topics, please contact either co-chairs: Shauna Rives at ssrives@aol.com or John-Marshall Norman at pastorjmarshall@yahoo.com, or leave a note in the Parent Council mailbox in the school office or contact the Parent Liaison and Coordinator, Maria Pontes at mpontes@boston.k12.ma.us or at 617-635-8405.

Your opinion counts! Make sure your voice is heard.

School Parent Council Flyer

2008-10-27T08:45:00.003-04:00

MASON PILOT SCHOOL
PARENTS GETTING TOGETHER:

Thursday, November 5, 2008
5:30pm – 6:30pm
Computer Room #101

All parents and guardians of children at the Mason Pilot School are automatic members of the School Parent Council and are encouraged to attend the meetings and participate in the discussions and decision-making.

SPC Executive Committee Members 2008-2009:
Co-Chair – Shauna Rives
Co-Chair - John-Marshall Norman
Gov. Board SPC – Representative:
Katherine Jenkins Djom
Co-Secretary – Cara Gillis
Co-Secretary – Eric Esteves
Gov. Board SPC – Alternate Representative:
Keesha O’Galdez
Co-Treasurer – Ivette Hernandez
Co-Treasurer – Gladi Matos-Jackson
Co-Treasurer - Sophia Fontes

At the meeting we will discuss the following:
· Fundraiser or School Events:
- Pancake Breakfast – Applebee’s Fundraiser – December 13th

· Upcoming School Goals (Teams)
- K-8 Expansion, etc.
If you need childcare, are unable to attend the meeting, or have concerns, opinions, or ideas about any of the agenda topics, please contact either co-chairs: Shauna Rives at ssrives@aol.com or John-Marshall Norman at pastorjmarshall@yahoo.com, or leave a note in the Parent Council mailbox in the school office or contact the Parent Liaison and Coordinator, Maria Pontes at mpontes@boston.k12.ma.us.
Your opinion counts! Make sure your voice is heard.

Mason wins $100,000 School On The Move Award!

2008-10-20T13:42:00.003-04:00

The Mason was named the winner of the annual Thomas W. Payzant "School on the Move" Prize at the 3rd Annual School on the Move Gala On Friday, October 17, 2008. The Mason was originally named one of three finalists from Boston Public Schools. The other 2 finalists included the Rafael Hernandez K-8 School and the F. Lyman Winship Elementary School.

The Thomas W. Payzant School on the Move Prize builds on EdVestors’ reputation for rigorous due diligence and expertise to manage a selection process with an external panel that employs both quantitative data and qualitative review. This process clearly identifies schools that are demonstrating success in accelerating student achievement among diverse populations. The Prize itself will provide both visibility and incentive to schools to share strategies and best practices with other schools.

Parent Messenger - October 9, 2008

2008-10-12T21:57:00.000-04:00

The Mason School community would like to thanks parents for coming to the Back-to-School Night and participating in the School Parent Council Election on October 1st. Congratulations to all elected SPC members. The next SPC meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 5th, from 5:30pm – 6:30pm. All interested parents are welcome to attend.

The Edvestors Site Visit – Thursday, October 2nd went well. Thanks to parents that came in to support the Mason Climate/Family Engagement.

Just a few reminders:

The Students’ Emergency Card information sheet should be filled out and return ASAP. We must have information for each child as mandated by the superintendent.

The Lunch Form Application must be completed and submitted as soon as possible, even if you are not interested in purchasing the school meals. Each completed application constitutes money received from Federal Government.

Wednesday, October 15th - Fall Fundraiser orders are due as soon as possible. We need your support. If you need more time to collect the money, please let me know.

November 4th – 13th – The Scholastic Book Fair: Please mark your calendars! It’s a great fundraiser for school, plus it gives our children/families the opportunity to purchase carefully selected, low cost books. Volunteers are needed!

December 13, 2008 – Pancake Breakfast @ Applebee’s Restaurant is coming up soon!

If you have any questions, or concerns, please give me a call at the school at 617-635-8405. Thank you, Maria D. Pontes, Parent Liaison and Coordinator