Hello Spraguewell Community! 

Again we wanted to extend a special WELCOME to all of new families including our Hunnewell friends! 

Each week, the Pulse has important Calendar Dates, General Information, Community Happenings, and Everyday ways to help Sprague. If you have items to share, please email them to spraguepto@gmail.com - submissions received by Fridays at noon will be in the following week's Pulse.

And, as always, please reach out to spraguepto@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. 

Have a great week,

Sneha & Rose

THE SPRAGUE 2022-2023 PTO BOARD

Co-Presidents: Sneha Patel & Rose Nolan

Co-Vice Presidents: Sita Mehta Merchea & Liz Sower

Treasurer: Hande Alparslan & Jill Wells

Creative Arts and Sciences: Wendy Englebardt

Secretary: OPEN POSITION

Communications: Liz Sower

Social Co-Chairs: Dena Giggie & Sangita Kalidas

Social Media Chair: Catherine Cerio

Spirit Wear Chair: OPEN POSITION

Auction Chair: OPEN POSITION

Yearbook Coordinator: OPEN POSITION

METCO Liaisons: Katie Sullivan & Kasia Schwarzman

Walk-to-School Coordinators: Katherine MacRostie & Doreen Barrett

Green Team: OPEN POSITION

Sprague Garden Masters: Tomoe Harrison, Margaret Flitsch, Xiaojing Su, & Rose Nolan

Sprague Elementary needs your help! In order to organize and facilitate all the wonderful programs for our kids, we need an amazing PTO Board to get the job done!

Please email spraguepto@gmail.com with any questions.

PTO MEETING

Join us for our next PTO meeting in the playground pavilion. It would be like, really cool if you came!

Tuesday, October 4th at 8:45am

Upcoming Meetings:

CREATIVE ARTS & SCIENCES (CAS) UPDATE

Owls, poets, scientists, naturalists, mathematicians... Did you know that these special guests visit your children's classrooms? It's true - AND you can join in on the fun as a CAS Parent Representative!

The team is currently seeking 3rd and 5th Grade Parent Reps. This is a terrific opportunity to get involved with Sprague AND spend meaningful time with your child!

Working together, CASParent and Teacher Grade Reps organize relevant arts and sciences events to your students that supplements their normal curriculum.

Grade Reps not only plan these events, but they get to attend them as well. What better way to connect with your child!?

If you are interested in learning more, and joining in on the fun, contact CAS Chair Wendy Englebardt.

This effort is funded by Sprague parents like you, so be sure to Donate to the Sprague PTO to support your child's enrichment!

Watch for weekly CAS updates here in the Pulse.

SPRAGUE SOCIAL MEDIA

Hi Guys! Today I just wanted to like, share our social media links with you. Be sure to like and follow! Thanks, byeeeee!

Instagram  @sprague_pto

and

Facebook  @spraguePTO

YEARBOOK PHOTOS

In addition to needing volunteers to head up Yearbook Committee (email spraguepto@gmail.com if you are interested in getting involved), we need your photos! 

Submit your Sprague photos to the yearbook at spragueschoolphotos@gmail.com

REMINDER - SPRAGUE SCHOOL FAMILY DIRECTORY 

Clickthis link to access our Directory and create/update your account and be sure to download the Membership Toolkit app onto your phone!

This will ensure that you are included in the 2022-23 Family Directory and that you will receive Sprague PTO communications.

AMAZON SHOPPERS HELP SPRAGUE

Did you know that every purchase you make at Amazon.com could - at no added cost to you - send a donation to our PTO?

A percentage of each sale adds up to major financial support for our school, especially during the holiday season. Follow these three easy steps:

1. Sign in to your account using this link EVERY TIME you make a purchase: https://smile.amazon.com

2. Set your Charity (found under Account Settings) to "Sprague School Parent Teacher Organization Inc. Wellesley, MA".

3. Make your purchase! Questions? More details can be found here.

SPRAGUE SCHOOL PTO DONATION ANNUAL APPEAL

Sprague PTO organizes and pays for multiple programs and events during the school year. Programs and events include:

• Creative Arts & Sciences
• Field Trip Entrance Fees & Bus Transportation
• Teacher & Principal Support
• School Yearbooks
• Digital Family Directory
• Curriculum Support
• Community Support
• Library Books

Typically we spend approximately $130 per student to operate programs including teacher classroom support and we plan to spend this amount this year. Funding from our budget comes from PTO donations and fundraisers. We thank you for any and all help that you can provide. 

Ideal donation is $65 per student.

PTO donations are 100% tax deductible (please ask if your employer matches). 

Employer Tax ID: 01-0694293

If you would like to donate via PayPal visit

https://www.spragueschoolpto.com/giving

and click the "DONATE"  on the right hand side of the page.

5TH GRADE ACTIVITIES FUND

In order to make this year's activities possible we ask for parent donations. Please check out the 5th Grade donation page below: 

https://www.spragueschoolpto.com/donate-to-5th-grade

GRADE SOCIALS

Each fall a family from each grade hosts a parent get together at their home. All parents are welcome and typically food and drinks are provided pot luck style, with the hosts sending out a Sign up Genius to the grade for those who wish to participate in contributing. 

We are looking for party hosts in Grades K, 1, 3, 4 & 5

If you are interested in hosting a grade level parent and caregiver social at your home please email spraguepto@gmail.com.

LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS

The Sprague/Hunnewell Library is looking for a few weekly parent volunteers

Typically 500-600 books come in and go out each week 

Parent volunteers are so much help and extremely appreciated!

We are looking for several parent volunteers who could commit to coming into the library weekly for 30-60 minutes to help with shelving books

If you are interested please contact Toni Carlson, WPS Director of Libraries and Innovation at carlsont@wellesleyps.org

A MESSAGE FROM NURSE CHRISTINE

Wondering what happens if your kids forget their mittens, need a change of clothes (acccidents happen!) or even forget their snack? Nurse Christine is there to save the day!  She has a supply of new underwear, socks and clothes for the children to ensure they are taken care of when in need during the school day.

Nurse Christine is currently in need of mittens (can be worn across many ages), BOYS sweatpants (ages 5-7), and Saltine crackers (for snack or when kids have upset stomachs).

Please sign up below if you have LIKE NEW items at home or are willing to purchase.

Please send items into school with your child in a bag marked "FOR NURSE CHRISTINE".

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080844A5AF2FA02-wish

WELLESLEY YOUTH BASKETBALL

Registration is now open for Wellesley Youth Basketball 2022-23 season programs at www.wellesleybasketball.org.  Please click HERE to register for any of our winter programs. Detailed program info can be found on our website.

• Wellesley Hoops is our balanced, in-town league for Grades 4th-9th.  Everyone makes a team.  Season: Mid Nov-early March. Fee: $245

• 3rd Grade Hoops is a practice and play league of small teams.  Saturdays from mid Nov until February break. Fee: $175

• Mini Raiders instructional program for 1st & 2nd graders: Saturdays from Dec until February break. Fee: $180

• Metrowest travel team TRYOUTS for grades 5th-8th is a competitive league for dedicated players.  $25 tryout fee.   Season: Beginning of November - mid-March.  Team Fees approx.: $570 plus a $60 unifor

WELLESLEY EDUCATION FOUNDATION (WEF)

Support WEF & its Back to School Campaign and Friend us on Facebook!

Help advance innovation & excellence in Wellesley Public Schools! WEF awards grants reaching all WPS students in all different subject areas. Over the past 10 years, WEF funded grants totaling over $2.8 million to WPS. Some of our recent elementary school grants include:

·       Ozobot robots and charging carts

·       Project Based Learning classroom materials

·       Author visits to schools

·       SEL & DEI age-appropriate books

·       Kits for programming and coding activities

Click here to support our initiatives today! WEF Back to School Campaign and click here to friend us on Facebook and stay informed!

FRIENDS OF WELLESLEY METCO

If you are  passionate about the value of a strong METCO program in Wellesley, we are looking for Volunteers from Boston or Wellesley. 

Friends of Wellesley METCO, Inc is an all-volunteer group of parents, teachers and community members, whose mission is to support the educational experience of the 158 METCO students in Wellesley Public Schools and build community between Boston and Wellesley families. 

We are a 501c3 and hold monthly board meetings (Sept-May) as well as occasional opportunities during the school year to connect with students and families. 

To learn more about what we do please visit our website at friendsofwellesleymetco.org or email us at FriendsofWellesleyMETCO@gmail.com. 

Thank you!

Susan Westmoreland and Tinea Rochelle, FWMI Co-Presidents

PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (PAC)

Come meet the new Director of Student Services!  Kat Bernklow will be the attending the first PAC coffee of the year.  The introductory coffee will be at 9 am on Thursday, October 6 at the home of Christine Mizzi at 16 Suffolk Road. 

If you are unable to attend this first coffee of the year, following are the dates for the 2022-2023 school year. All of them are on Thursday mornings as they have been for the past few years. The coffees will be hosted at the home of Christine Mizzi at 16 Suffolk Road from 9-10:30 am. Please feel free to bring a friend or forward to someone that you think may benefit from meeting others within the PAC community. 

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Thursday, January 5, 2023

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Thursday, March 2, 2023

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Thursday, May 4, 2023

Thursday, June 1, 2023

WELLESLEY GIRL SCOUTS

You are invited to join our Girl Scout Daisy Level Troop for K/1 girls who live or go to school in Wellesley. The town-wide troop will be divided into two group, each meeting monthly on Mondays or Fridays. Wellesley Girl Scout Seniors & Ambassadors (High School aged) will plan and run the meetings. Meeting locations will vary by month.

Interested parents are invited to an information meeting on Monday, September 19 at 8pm. The meeting will be held over zoom. Please RSVP with your daughter’s name, grade & school, along with your name and email address, to gstroop70666@gmail.com. For additional
Information about the Daisy troop, please contact Jennifer at gstroop70666@gmail.com.

For information about other Girl Scout opportunities, please contact Lucy at wellesleygs@gmail.com.

WELLESLEY FREE LIBRARY

Special Opportunity for 6th-8th Graders! 

Award-Winning National Children’s Book Council                                                                                

Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards 

Calling all 6th-8th Graders!! Would you like to be a part of creating the only National Children's Book Awards List where kids help choose the best books? Wellesley Free Library applied to be a coordinating site for the 6th-8th graders in our community and the library was selected to be one of the sites to participate in the process. From September through December, you can drop by the library to pick books to read and rate. Books may also be available in the Wellesley Middle School. More details will be coming soon.   

Questions? Email: ethaler-sroussi@wellesleyma.gov If you would like to check out the current lists you can see them here: https://www.cbcbooks.org/readers/reading-lists/ccba/

Crazy 8s Math Club K-2 Grade:  

8 Wednesdays, September 28 - November 16, 2:30—3:15, Wakelin Room. 

Register Here: https://wellesleyfreelibrary.libcal.com/event/9487368 

Crazy 8s Math Club 3-5 Grade:  

8 Wednesdays, September 28 - November 16, 3:30—4:15, Wakelin Room. 

Register Here: https://wellesleyfreelibrary.libcal.com/event/9387298 

Come join the Crazy 8s Math Club, a part of Bedtime Math. Participate in a collection of novel, high-octane math activities for kids. This is math as fun and recreation, math as play. The club will build stuff, run and jump, make music, and have a good time applying math concepts to entertaining games and activities. Since space is limited, please sign up online starting on September 21. Signing up commits you to attending all eight sessions.