The second round of Pine Grove School Explorations after-school classes for first-and second-graders begins the week of Jan. 12. The fun and games enriched learning classes run from 3 to 4 p.m. For those classes held on Mondays, there will be no late buses available.

Reading Fun & Games begins on Jan. 12 and will run for five weeks. On Tuesday, Creative Fun with Legos begins, and Math Fun & Games starts Wednesday after school. Both of these classes run for six weeks.

Kristen Hunter, an instructional assistant, and Susan Pothier, first-grade teacher, instruct these very popular enrichment program classes.

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Pine Grove's PTO welcomes a new treasurer to its board — Jill Watson. Watson has a first-grader and a preschooler at the school. She replaces Sue Kelly on the board.

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There will be a school committee meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 14. It will be held at Triton Regional High School and begin at 7 p.m.

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Friday, Jan. 16, will be an early release day to allow for professional development for staff. Students will be dismissed at 11:40 a.m. On that day, regular morning kindergartners will have no school, and the afternoon kindergartners will attend school in the morning.

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Those students who are involved in the Pine Grove Board & Ski program will still ski Friday even though it is a half-day of school. They will enjoy an entire afternoon of skiing as they will leave the school right after early dismissal. They will return to the school at the regular time, around 6 p.m.

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Progress reports go home Friday for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

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Sign-up for Rowley Youth baseball and softball will take place on Jan. 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the McDonalds in Rowley. Registration forms can also be printed from the Web site at www.rowleyyouthbaseball.com or www.rowleyyouthsoftball.com. The deadline for registration is March 1.

Girls in grades three though eight are eligible for softball, and boys and girls ages 6 to 12 as of April 30, 2009, are eligible for baseball.

For more information, visit the Web sites listed above or contact John McCarthy at 978-835-2573 or john@rowleyrealestate.com.

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There will be no school on Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Michelle Pelletier Marshall reports on the Rowley and Merrimac elementary schools.

She can be reached at marshallsinmass@comcast.net