Weekly Newsletter - September 23, 2024 |
Hi everyone, Thanks to all who came to our PTO Kick-Off Meeting last week. We had amazing attendance as we heard from each of our Board Chairs.
Our annual operating budget was presented and approved for the 2024-2025 school year. With a continued decline in corporate sponsorship, family donations will continue to be critical. The majority of our PTO spend goes directly to classroom support and curriculum enrichment.
We agreed that we will ramp up on our Fundraising efforts. If you would like to join Diana Anderson-Pinzon to run Fundraising, or have a recommendation to add to our program, email fundraising@spragueschoolpto.com.
We will also sell more Spiritwear on-site at Sprague PTO events, and potentially add a second Book Fair this spring (mark your calendars for the Fall Book Fair, November 18-22).
The full Meeting Notes will be posted on our site tomorrow, and we look forward to seeing you at next month's meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
Grade Social Hosts Needed Each fall, families host these gatherings to help parents get to know one another better. They’re usually potluck-style, but they can also be hosted at local establishments. If you're interested in hosting, please email us at presidents@spragueschoolpto.com.
Community Announcements — Now Improved! Did you know? The community announcements are shared with us via WPS and we are required to include them in our Pulse. Yes, we know that the list is very long, which is why we've added sub-headers to organize them into three sections: Sports, WPS, Miscellaneous. We hope this helps you find the programs that interest you the most. To submit an announcement to WPS, email direnzoa@wellesleyps.org.
Best, Rose & Wendy |
| 2024-25 Annual Appeal — 50% to Goal! Our organization spends over $175 per student per year directly on field trips, community building and classroom support.
Did you know that last year, the PTO funded more than 30 in-class school programs last year with experts from places like the Discovery Museum, Ecotarium, New England Sci-Tech, Natick Community Organic Farm, and Arts for Learning MA? We even welcomed the famous "Who Would Win" Author, Jerry Palotta!
Our request this year is a donation of $150 per student, but any donation amount is greatly appreciated. Ask your employers if they have a gift matching program. Sprague PTO is a tax-exempt 501(c) (3) organization, and our Tax EIN is 01-0694293.
Our participation goal is 75%, and in the spirit of fun, our generous and always enthusiastic principal, Leigh, has offered a special Pajama Day for our students if we hit that goal.
Please help us continue these programs with a tax-deductible donation — and be sure to ask your employers if they match donations! |
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| Monday, September 23 | | Wednesday, October 2 | | Thursday, October 3 | | Friday, October 4 | | Saturday, October 5 | | Tuesday, October 8 | | | Saturday, October 19 | |
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| View Sprague PTO's Calendar Visit our website to view the entire calendar for the year. Events are always being added, so we recommend subscribing to stay up-to-date! |
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| Garden Clean-Up Thank you to those who helped care for the garden during summer months! We had a successful season, thanks to you! Now the growing season is almost over at Sprague vegetable garden, and we are ready to winterize it. So we need lots of hands to tackle them all! We hope to see you in the garden!
Date: Saturday 10/19/24 (Rain date: Sun 10/20/24) Time: 9am - 11am Details and sign up Feel free to email GreenTeam@SpragueSchoolPTO.com if you have any questions. Garden Committee Follow the Sprague Garden on Instagram! |
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| All Hands on Deck We love our volunteers and appreciate any amount of time you are able to give. Short on time? We also have opportunities for volunteer at various events. Add your name to the All Hands on Deck Volunteer list – we'll be in touch when a need arises. |
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| Open Board Seats Looking for more? We have the following open positions for our Board: - Communications Chair
- Fundraising Co-Chair
Interested in joining a committee? Reach out to a Board Chair! |
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| CAS Our fifth graders are kicking off the school year with the first CAS event! They will journey to the Center of the Galaxy with a program about the Milky Way and black holes, followed by a live star show about the stars, planets, moon, solar system, nebulae, and galaxies, as well as constellations in the Wellesley sky this time of year. Learn more about CAS or email cas@spragueschoolpto.com. |
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| SEPAC The Wellesley Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is made up of parents and caregivers whose children receive special education services (IEPs) or accommodations (504 plans). The SEPAC advises the district on matters relating to the education and safety of students with disabilities AND provides support and community for families of children with IEPs and 504 plans or who are going through the evaluation process. If you’d like to learn more, share input or feedback, or just get connected, contact Sprague SEPAC rep Nicole Katz at sepac@spragueschoolpto.com |
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| Send in Yearbook Photos The yearbook team is already hard at work gathering memories for the yearbook. Send in your First Day of School photos — and whatever else you've snapped so far this year — to yearbook@spragueschoolpto.com |
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| Sprague PTO's Socials Our Instagram and Facebook accounts are updated daily with fantastic content to keep you up-to-speed on all Sprague PTO happenings! Follow the links below to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Want to help? Share your photos with social.media@spragueschoolpto.com |
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| Join Sprague Parents on WhatsApp Stay in touch with other Sprague families with WhatsApp Grade Chats — scan these QR codes to join! Many classes have been using WhatsApp years to connect with other parents to make playdate plans, send party invites, and hand down gently-used items to each other. These are YOUR chats, so use them however you'd like. Grade Reps will drop PTO messages here as needed. |
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From the Community - Sports |
| Wellesley Youth Basketball Wellesley Youth Basketball Registration is open! Wellesley's Youth Basketball Association offers programs for players grades K - 12. Click Here to Register For more information please visit wellesleybasketball.org or email WellesleyBasketball@gmail.com.
Summary of programs: Mini Raiders (Grades K & 1st): Introductory program run by professional coaches and high school students that will develop skills and fundamentals in a fun, high-energy clinic each week. Saturdays 12/7/24 - 2/8/2025; fee $180 Hoops (Grades 2 & 3): Twelve hour-long sessions including basketball skills and drills (30 minutes) and a scrimmage (30 minutes). Players are assigned to a team of 7-8 players typically with other students in your player’s elementary school. Parent coached - please get involved! Saturdays (3rd grade) or Sundays (2nd grade), 12/7/24 - 3/22/25; fee $240 Wellesley Hoops League (Grades 4-9): A competitive and fun basketball experience, coached by parents or high school coaches. All games are played against other Wellesley teams in Wellesley gyms. Please consider volunteering to coach. One weeknight practice (Tues, Thurs or Fri) and Saturday games. 11/18/24 - 2/8/25 (playoffs: 2/25/25-3/8/25). All teams make playoffs. Fee: $275.
Please don't hesitate to contact us confidentially about financial aid. Click here to register if you're interested in coaching. |
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| US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based training program for all athletes with intellectual, emotional, and or physical disabilities. The program strives to provide soccer opportunities (the opportunity of soccer) for players to develop at their own pace in a safe, fun, and supportive/inclusive environment.
Wellesley TOPSoccer Fall 2024 will be held on Sundays from 10:30 - 11:30am and will run for 6 weeks Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29, Oct. 6, 20 at Sprague field. This program is for Grades K – 12 at a cost of $65/child. Registration is to be done on-line via this link to WUSC Registration - login and select WUSC Fall 2024 TOPSoccer. Registration is to be done on-line and payment is by credit card only. (Please note that the credit card payment system is very secure – credit card numbers are not stored and encryption is used). There is one waiver form that are required for each player: Medical Certification Form
To get started in the program you can register on the Wellesley United Soccer Club Registration site and select Fall 2024 TOPSoccer. If you have questions, please contact Ben Aronson at Bnaronson@icloud.com |
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| Wellesley Youth Hockey Learn To Play Wellesley Youth Hockey is proud to offer our Learn to Play (LTP) program as part of a multi-year introduction for those who are new to the sport of hockey. We encourage you to register your child born in 2019, 2020 or 2021 (or older kids who may want to skate for the first time) for the upcoming program. We look forward to seeing you on the ice during the 2024-25 season! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN Click here to register your skater. SEASON SCHEDULE Start Date: Week of October 14, 2024, through March 2025 Tuesdays: 5-6pm Coaches/Volunteers/Parent-led practice with direction from WYHA and USA Hockey Fridays: 5-6pm Driscoll Skills every other week Saturdays: 8:10-9:10am Cross-ice scrimmages Where: Boston Sports Institute 900 Worcester St. Wellesley, MA 02482 |
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| Academic Calendar Task Force Survey Reminder: Please fill out the Academic Calendar Task Force survey! The Task Force is examining the inclusion of religious and cultural holidays in the WPS academic calendar. We strongly urge parents and caregivers to take 5-10 minutes to fill out this important and anonymous survey. You will have the opportunity to share what holidays you celebrate with your family, as well as identify your most important considerations for including religious and cultural holidays in the WPS academic calendar. There is also an open response section at the end for sharing further input. The survey will be open until noon on Monday, September 23. |
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| Fiske's Western Round-Up Fiske's Western Round-Up is this week! Saturday, September 28th from 11am-3pm at Fiske Elementary School. Join us for our school's largest event, which will include rides, games, prizes, bouncy houses, arts and crafts, music, and more! There will be a full menu of pizza, hot dogs, snacks, beverages, and sweet treats available throughout the event. |
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| Shoppers Corner at Schofield 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. |
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| WPS Cell Phone Working Group Wellesley Public Schools is seeking parents/guardians interested in serving on a new Cell Phone Working Group for the 2024-25 school year. Please fill out this Google form by 9/25 to express interest in participating. In response to emerging research linking mobile technology use to disruptions in student attention, mental health, and related impacts on student learning, this Working Group will thoroughly evaluate district policies and practices related to student use of smart technology, including cell phones and smartwatches. By May 2025, the Working Group will present a set of recommendations to the Superintendent of Schools for changes, as needed, in policies and/or practices for student use of cell phones and other smart devices. The purpose of this form is to help identify a group of WPS parents/guardians representing diverse opinions and experiences. Two WHS, two WMS, and two elementary parents will be selected. Additionally, two Boston resident parents will be selected. The Working Group will meet on the following dates and times: - Monday, October 7 - in person, 6:30-8
- Thursday, November 21 - Zoom, 6:30-8
- Wednesday, December 11 - Zoom, 6:30-8
- Wednesday, January 8 - In person, 6:30-8
- Wednesday, February 5 - Zoom, 6:30-8
- Wednesday, March 19 - Zoom, 6:30-8
- Wednesday, April 8 - In person, 6:30-8
Questions can be directed to the WPS Central Council of PTOs (wpscentralcouncil@gmail.com). |
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| WHS’s Student Publication (The Bradford) Annual Subscription For only $25 you support student journalism at WHS and get a copy of each Bradford print edition this year, with zero delivery fee! You can subscribe via this link or the QR code. |
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From the Community - Miscellaneous |
| Wellesley Green Schools' Update Wellesley Green Schools is a collaborative group of caregivers, students and staff working together to reduce Wellesley schools' ecological footprint and to inspire students to create a healthy sustainable world.
Save the date for upcoming WGS meetings: 11/14, 1/16, 3/13 and 5/15 |
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| Cub Scout Pack 140 Cub Scout Pack 140 is sponsored by the Hardy PTO, and affords the opportunity for both boys and girls in grades K-5 to learn new skills, make new friends, and take in a host of new experiences, while encountering the outdoors and our community. The Pack has tons of exciting activities planned for the 2024-25 scouting year, including local hikes, the Pinewood Derby, canoeing, as well as several overnight adventures to places like Battleship Cove. Pack 140 holds pack meetings usually once a month at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church (207 Washington Street) on Monday evenings at 6:45. Scouts also have monthly den (grade-specific) meetings, scheduled to suit participants.
For more information, or to sign up online, visit http://wellesleypack140.org/ |
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