I am very excited to see all of our Bates students and families in just two weeks! As a follow up to my email on Monday, as a reminder the Parent Portal opens to all families today.

PowerSchool Parent Portal & Teacher Assignments
Your child’s teacher assignment for the upcoming school year will be available after you complete the important parent portal updates and permissions for each student in your family. If you need help accessing the portal, please email portal@wellesleyps.org.

Teacher Letters
Please look for a welcome email from your child’s classroom teacher on August 26.

Back to School Information
The Bates 2026-2027 Back to School Packet is available online through our website in the Quick Links section of the Bates home webpage. In this digital folder you can find several resources, including:

• Recommended supplies by grade level
• The Insider’s Guide to Bates 2026-2027

In the WPS Elementary Handbook and the Insider’s Guide to Bates we share important information about our district and school. I ask that all families review the following sections of the Insider’s Guide prior to the start of school:

• Attendance
• Arrival and Dismissal Guidelines
• Behavior Guidelines, Items Not Permitted at School, Items Best Left at Home and Dress Code
• Safety Protocols, including Safety During Arrival and Dismissal

Thank you for your cooperation in following all of our school procedures.

Welcome New Families
We hope to ease the transition to a new school by inviting new students, including kindergarteners, and their families to visit school on Tuesday, September 1. New students and families, please join us at 2:00 in the courtyard off the library for a building tour and brief classroom visit.

The First Day of School
The first day of school is Wednesday, September 2. Please plan to arrive at school at 8:15. Kindergarten and grade 1 arrive on the front playground and grades 2-5 arrive on the back playground. When the bell rings students are asked to line up by the sign with their classroom name. Teachers will greet students and lead them into school.

Back to School Night
Please save the date: Bates Back to School Night is Thursday, September 17 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. This evening for parents and guardians only is an opportunity to visit your child’s classroom, meet your child’s teacher and learn about the curriculum and expectations for the year. The program includes:

• 6:30 – 7:00: K-2 Classroom presentations in classrooms
• 7:00 – 7:30: Principal & PTO message in the gym
• 7:30 – 8:00: Grades 3-5 presentations in classrooms

Communication
We recognize that an important aspect of a successful home school partnership is strong ongoing communication. We strive to keep families informed by sending regular updates via the ParentSquare platform. Families can manage their settings in ParentSquare to receive instant updates via email and text or a daily digest. In addition, I recommend families subscribe to the WPS districtwide and Bates School calendars, linked here. Finally, many families appreciate the Bates PTO weekly updates, which include information about Bates and PTO events. If you have not done so already, you can visit the Bates PTO website, , to sign up for the blast.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Bates secretary Megan LeBlanc or me at (781) 446-6260 or via email at wps-bates-office@wellesleyps.org or jolleya@wellesleyps.org. I look forward to seeing you at Bates in September!

Warmly,

Toni Jolley
Bates Principal

Important Dates

• Wednesday, August 19 – Parent Portal opens
• Wednesday, August 26 – Teacher email sent
• Tuesday, September 1 – New students and family visit, 2:00 – 3:00 pm
• Wednesday, September 2 – First Day of School!
• Monday, September 14 – Kindergarten starts full days
• Thursday, September 17 – Back to School Night, 6:30 – 8:00 pm