Hi everyone, 

This weekend marks both the official start of summer and the homestretch of the school year, which brings plenty of PTO fun which we've outlined below. 

But first, a couple of VERY important updates from WPS:

1. WPS is seeking input from the community about the district calendar. Consider signing up for a slot to share your opinions. Learn more and sign up.Questions, Feedback? Email the Task Force: calendartaskforce@wellesleyps.org 
2. Are you unenrolling from Sprague next year? Be sure to email Lisa Licata or the Registrar office.

THIS WEEK

We're excited to see you all this week at the A-Cat-Emy Awards, Field Day, and the Upham Family Welcome Party — but we'll need some help to make all of these successful, so please consider signing up for a slot to volunteer!

MEMORIAL DAY

And of course, on Memorial Day, we honor the brave women and men who made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation's freedom. Wellesley will hold its Memorial Day observances on Thursday, May 30 to honor those who lost their lives while defending their country. All community members, and especially veterans, are invited to attend. Learn more.

 We hope you're enjoying this lovely weather with your loved ones.

Best, 

Rose & Wendy

NEW SPRAGUE PTO EMAIL ADDRESSES

Sprague PTO has upgraded our emails! From now on, watch for communications coming from addresses ending in @spragueschoolpto.comhowever, it may take some time for the migration to be complete. We appreciate your patience.

A-CAT-EMY AWARDS - Wednesday, May 29

Parent paparazzi should arrive in the gym between 10am and 10:20am. The awards ceremony will begin at 10:30am.

Sign Up Here to decorate for our Reading Stars to walk the Red Carpet!

Add Red Carpet to calendar

KINDERGARTEN SCREENING - Thursday, May 30

We're still looking for volunteers to give incoming kindergarten parents some much-welcomed guidance to Sprague. Sign Up HERE to help.

SPRAGUE FIELD DAY - Friday, May 31

Parent Field Day volunteers needed to set up, run events, and clean up! Sign up to help HERE.

UPHAM WELCOME PARTY - Friday, May 31

Sprague Playground by blue pagoda 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Meet new Upham and incoming Kindergarten friends at this ultimate play date! Snacks will be provided, bring water bottles.

SPRAGUE SUMMER GARDEN SIGN UP

Now the vegetable seedlings are in the ground, and they need your help to continue growing throughout summer. Care is straightforward, so please consider signing up for one week or more to experience how vegetables grow with your family. Details and the signup here.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact SpragueGreenTeam@gmail.com

SPRAGUE RED SOX GAME 

It's almost time for the annual Sprague Red Sox game on Saturday, June 1st at 4:10pm! If you ordered Red Sox tickets with our group, you will need to download the MLB Ballpark app and set up an account under the email that was used to purchase tickets. Tickets will automatically show up in your MLB app. Questions? Email John Wells at jkwells16@gmail.com 

Order your Sprague Red Sox Night T-shirt HERE

Add to calendar

WALK, RIDE & ROLL TO SCHOOL - Wednesday, June 5

Our last Walk, Ride & Roll of the school year is fast approaching and we need your help. SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER HERE from 7:45 - 8:30am.

Add to calendar

END OF YEAR PTO RECAP - Friday, June 7th

Sprague Elementary School Library 8:35am – 9:25am

Please join Sprague PTO for coffee, snacks, recap of the 2023-24 school year, and preview for 2024-25 school year!

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/mng-xgjn-dno

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 505-289-1512‬ PIN: ‪686 255 177‬#

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SPRAGUE ALOHA DANCE PARTY - Friday, June 7th

Details and tickets HERE

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2024-2025 CURRENT BOARD OPENINGS

We promise, it really doesn't take a lot of time each month to hold a Board Seat. Information about all Board Seats is available on our website.

Thank you to all who helped to create our PRIZE-WINNING Sprague float! Special thanks to Alejandra Tejada for organizing the event and volunteers!

Thank you so much to those who showed up in misty Sunday morning to help with planting at the Sprague Garden!  

Volunteers:

Alessandra Reotheli and the family

Josh and Oliver Englebardt and the family

Poyraz Alparslan and the family

Eli and Sasha Katz and the family

Stella Smith and the family

Celina Xaio and the family

William and Hugo Harrison

Ceren Bayulgen

Rose Nolan

For those who were unable to join us for the fantastic, informative talk, you may find the Presentation and Recording, along with a Boston Globe article featuring our own Dr. Allie Baker HERE! 

Learn more about the pledge for Wait Until 8th HERE.

And for additional information on the topic check out this Flusterclux Podcast Episode: Phones and the Consequences: Let's Get Real About the Impact

The Hunnewell PTO would like to extend a very warm welcome to those families joining the Hunnewell community this fall. For those that would like to start learning more about Hunnewell now, we’d love to get connected! Complete this Google Form to share some information & we’ll reach out to guide you on accessing PTO communications and invitations to PTO activities.

Additionally, as we're filling PTO positions for the upcoming school year, we encourage parents from our redistricted schools to consider taking on roles. Explore our PTO and volunteer opportunities on our website at www.hunnewellschool.org and feel free to express your interest in the Google Form. For any inquiries, please email our co-presidents, Heather Conway and Lillian Lau, at info@hunnewellpto.org.

WHO: 5th Grade

WHEN: Tuesday, May 28th

WHAT: Sprague 5th graders will welcome two National Park Service rangers. The rangers will give the students a virtual tour of Boston, highlighting many sites relevant to Black history. 

WHO: First Grade

WHAT: On Friday, Farmer Ken from nearby Natick Community Organic Farm visited our first grade classes for their last CAS event of the school year. In the Egg to Chicken program, the students learned about the life stages of chickens, starting from what happens while the chick is developing in the egg. Ask your students to describe what the developing chick looked like and you won't be disappointed! The students remembered what makes a bird a bird (ask them! Answer: feathers and a beak) from Wing Masters and also the reason why some species have eyes on the sides of their heads vs. in the front (answer: prey vs predator). 

Some other questions to ask your first grader:

• On farm, animals are either used for food or what? 
• Chickens are omnivores. What does that mean? What other animals are omnivores? 
• How many eggs can a chicken lay in one year? (Answer: up to 250!)
• Why is the yolk important?

Spend your 1/2 Day Wednesday at The Painting Place now through the end of the school year! 

Mention Sprague on a 1/2 day Wednesday and The Painting Place will donate 15% of your purchase to our PTO!

ORDER SPRAGUE GEAR FROM 1ST PLACE SPIRITWEAR

Come hear about the great books on the entering 6th Grade reading list at the WMS Summer Book Fair for parents/guardians. 

WMS Summer Book Fair

Friday, May 31st from 1:00-2:00PM

WMS Library (Second Floor)

Please sign in at the front desk (Kingsbury Street Entrance) and head up the stairs to the library on the second floor. Bindy from Wellesley Books will highlight a few great books on the WMS Summer Reading list and provide copies to purchase during the meeting (with a credit card). The WMS PTO will present the “Financial Year In Review” and vote on the 2024-2025 Proposed Budget. Please RSVP HERE

Spots still open for Academic Calendar Focus Groups

Reminder: The Academic Calendar Task Force would like your input on the observance of religious and cultural holidays within the WPS academic calendar. The Task Force has organized focus groups for members of the WPS community to share their feedback. 

Each focus group is open to a maximum of 20 participants. The input received from these groups will shape a survey that will be open to everyone in the fall. The following focus groups have openings as of Thursday morning. We ask that only one parent/caregiver sign up per family.

• May 29, 7 p.m., in person at the Wellesley High Faculty Dining Room. Open to parents and caregivers only. Link to register.

• May 30, 7 p.m., in person at the Wellesley High Faculty Dining Room. Open to parents/caregivers, educators/staff, or students. Link to register.

• June 3, 7 p.m., on Zoom (Limited openings). Open to parents/caregivers, educators/staff, or students. Link to register.

Did you know that transportation contributes to over 30% of Wellesley's carbon emissions?  With the weather getting warmer, it's a great time to get the bike tuned up and ready to go!  Besides being good for the environment, biking can save you money and is good for your health! Check out the bike repair stations at the Police Station and Warren Park. Also, for current and rising Middle Schoolers, sign up for the Rules of the Ride event June 1st!

Join us on Thursday, June 6th from 9-10:30 for our monthly PAC coffee! The coffee will be at the home of Christine Mizzi at 16 Suffolk Road. The PAC supports families in town who have children (PAWS through WHS) that are receiving special education services from the district. 

We will be holding elections for the 2024-2025 school year so please reach out (pacwellesley@gmail.com) if you’d like to get involved! Please bring a friend or forward to someone that you think may benefit from meeting others within the PAC community. We look forward to meeting you!

Get Ready for Adventure with Scout Troop 185!

Do you have kids who like hiking, camping, kayaking, or just being outdoors?  

Troop 185 turns kids into leaders through the development of practical skills. These are applied in youth-led community service projects and various amazing, fun outdoor adventures across New England and beyond! 

We meet on Mondays at 7:30 pm. Kids in sixth grade and up are welcome. You don't have any prior experience with scouting, camping, or anything else.  Check us out here and look at our calendar.  

Feel free to join our family end-of-the-year BBQ on June 10 at 7:00. For more information, email scoutmaster@mytroop185.com.

Road Race Registration NOW LIVE!

NEWS FLASH! - Schofield 5K - REGISTRATION IS NOW LIVE!!!! Sign up today and get early bird pricing and a FREE T-Shirt for the first 300 registrants! 

Click Here To Register

Event Details:

Sunday, June 2nd at 9:30am

Kids FunRun, FunFair, DJ, food and games to follow!  

BIGGEST EVENT OF THE YEAR!!  Sign up today!

Race Link: https://schofieldpto.redpodium.com/2024-schofield-road-race

Trail Walk at Wellesley's Charles River Reservation Trail
Saturday, June 1 @ 1pm 

Celebrate National Trails Day with this scenic, easy, 0.9-mile walk along the Charles River at the Wellesley Office Park led by members of the town's Wellesley Trails Committee. 

The trail is ADA accessible and has multiple stops along the paved pathway with views of the river. Meet at the Wellesley Office Park parking lot behind the offices at 45 William St., Wellesley. Free. 

No signup needed. Walks are held rain or shine, except in high winds. Questions: trails@wellesleyma.gov

Did you know Shopper’s Corner is a unique resale shop located right in the basement of Schofield Elementary School? The shop sells new and gently used clothing and accessories from infant through adult. 

Not only do they promote sustainability, their prices are rock bottom: items start at $1 and most are less than $5!  

The store is open during the school year every Wednesday that school is in session from 8:30am to 12:15pm and the first Saturday of most months from 9am to 11am. 

Click HERE to access our Family Directory.

Instagram @sprague_pto

Share your photos with our Social Media Chair, Nicole Katz (nicolestacykatz@gmail.com)!

Co-Presidents: Rose Nolan & Wendy Englebardt

Vice President: Ezra Englebardt

Treasurers: Hande Alparslan & Jill Wells

Creative Arts and Sciences: Carolyn Kornwitz

Secretary: Ceren Bayulgen

Communications: Liz Sower

Social Co-Chairs: Dena Giggie & Tanya Johnson

Social Media Chair: Nicole Katz

Spirit Wear Chair: Inia Perez

Raffle Co-Chair: Bry Tartamella & Sneha Patel

Wellesley Wonderful Weekend Co-Chairs: Alejandra Tejada

Yearbook Coordinators: Julie Covino-Vogel, Ambika Hoguet, & Hadley Stephens

METCO Liaisons: Kasia Schwarzman & Nicole Katz

Parent Advisory Council Rep: Nicole Katz

Walk-to-School Coordinators: Ezra Englebardt & Alex Baker

Green Team: Tomoe Harrison & Jenny Lee

Garden Masters: Tomoe Harrison, Rose Nolan, & Margaret Flitsch

Sprague Night at Fenway Coordinator: John Wells