School Committee Decides to Move Ahead With ELPAC

The Winthrop School Committee met on Monday, April 25, where it decided to move ahead with its English Language Parent Advisory Committee (ELPAC).

The WPS ELPAC is an organization for the parents of the district’s roughly 160 English Language Learners (ELLs). It was initially implemented prior to the pandemic and is finally getting off the ground.

According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), “ELPACs provide advice and insight on topics that are important to ELs in their school or district community.” WPS will advisor the ELPAC when it comes to planning and meeting their needs.

The WPS ELPAC will operate similarly to the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC). Like SEPAC, it will have its own bylaws and elected officers.

There will be two ELPAC meetings before the end of the school year, on May 11 and June 8, at 6 pm, in the Cummings School Cafeteria. Parents and guardians of current and former ELL students are invited to attend.

“This is an opportunity to hear from more parents about what they need, what they’re struggling with and how we can help them,” said Lori Gallivan, WPS Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Technology.

A flier with the dates of the meetings will be distributed to parents in multiple languages. Albanian, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish interpreters will be available. To request an interpreter for an additional language, please email foliveira@winthrop.k12.ma.us.

More information about ELPACs can be found here.

General Announcements

The School Committee honored the Winthrop Middle School Quiz Bowl team for its recent victory. Erik Briggs, Joseph Disney, Eloise Farnsworth, Roy Konopaska and Majira Shehu posed for a photograph alongside their advisors Chris Farnsworth and Erica Foley.

Again this year, the Committee voted against accepting students from surrounding towns (school choice). Schools must opt in to school choice and a vote must be held yearly. Winthrop has not opted in for the past several years.

The Cummings School Student Council raised over $430 in a fundraising effort for the Ukraine.

Students will be taking the MCAS Math portion on May 11 and 12, and the Science portion on May 17 and 18.

We are WINARC is having a fundraising walk on Saturday, May 7, at 11 am. Register on eventbrite.com. $10 per person or $25 per family.