Wellington PTO News and Announcements

Opening Remarks

The Fun Run is the MOST FUN, FUNdraiser! We are at 25% of our goal!
Our biggest fundraiser of the year helps us provide amazing field trips, in-school enrichment programs and teacher support! We’ve raised 25% of our goal ($5,000 of $20,000)! There are 15 days left until the Fun Run on October 13, and if we hit our goal, everyone earns an extra recess. 

We are still looking for course monitors and parent runners (especially for 1st and 2nd grade!), but you must sign up and have an active CORI form on file by this Friday 9/29! Sign up here!

Here's how you can help us reach our goal:

• Register your child(ren) here: Wellington Fun Run Hub
• Email and Text your child(ren)'s student fundraising webpage to friends and family
• Sign the permission slip (going home in the blue folders this week) and return to school

 

Notable Mentions

Wellington’s Curriculum Night is tomorrow, Thursday September 28th from 6:30pm-8pm. Here is the schedule:

• 6:30 - 7:00
  • Presentations in Pre-K, Kindergarten and First Grade Classrooms
  • Presentation about PE, Art, and Music in the Gym
• 7:05 - 7:25
  • Community Meeting for all families in the Gym
• 7:30 - 8:00
  • Presentations in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade Classrooms
  • Presentation about PE, Art, and Music in the Gym

The PTO is organizing a Parent/Guardian Night Out following the school event. Join us at Olespana Whiskey & Tapas at 645 Mt Auburn St in Watertown after your student’s sessions end. We hope to see you there!

Important Note re: BPS Plus Portals and Wellington School Directory

• On September 21st, all families/guardians should have received an email from Wellington Elementary School <messenger@plusportals.com> with a subject line: “Wellington Online Forms - please submit”. It asks you to verify your student(s) information in Plus Portals under “Forms”. 
• We are bringing this to your attention because completing this allows you to opt in for your information to be used in the Wellington School Directory. The PTO provides one complimentary directory to each household using the information you provide through the Rediker system. 
• If you want to be included, opt-IN when you see this field in the form:
  • PTO/PTA Directory: Include my student's name, classroom, home phone and street address. If completing this section after October 1st, contact your school's PTO/PTA directly to be included.*

 

Important Dates

BPS School Calendar 2023-24

September:

Sept 28:    Wellington Curriculum Night + Parent/Guardian Night-Out afterwards

October:

Oct 2:        ASE fall classes begin
Oct 4:        International Walk, Bike, Roll to School Day
Oct 13:      Fun Run - our biggest fundraiser of the year! - during school hours
Oct 16:      7pm virtual Wellington PTO Board Meeting with Special Guest, Superintendent Jill Geiser*.

*We are opening up this meeting to the entire Wellington community to meet Superintendent Geiser and learn about the emerging needs for our upcoming budget season - join at this link - https://meet.google.com/gkb-jzgv-cfb

November:

Nov 14-16:  Book Fair

 

DEI Corner

Are you interested in bringing more awareness about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the Belmont community? If so, sign up to get involved with the District-wide DEI initiative as a Wellington representative. Check the box for ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Liaison(s)’ in our Volunteer Interest Form.

 

Thank You To...

Kate Vigour for organizing and running a very successful School Picture Day! And to our incredible volunteer team who supported the students and staff throughout the entire day. We had 274 picture pre-orders, and a portion of pre-order net sales goes towards the PTO. Thank you for supporting our fundraiser!

 

Open Positions

The PTO runs on our volunteer engine and we have many opportunities throughout the year for families and guardians to participate and support our students. The best place to start is by completing our PTO Volunteer Interest form - here. 

Here are our current open positions and volunteer opportunities::

• School Advisory Council: 
  • The School Advisory Council is seeking members for the 2023 - 2024 school year. The Advisory Council is a group made up of parents/guardians and school staff that discusses big picture issues related to the governance of the school (school improvement plan, budget, etc.).  Meetings are about 5 times a year.
  • The only requirement / qualification is being a parent or legal guardian.  There is a parity requirement per state guidelines.  This means that although as many people as are interested can attend meetings, only a limited number of parents/guardians will be able to be members of the council. 
  • If you are interested, email: wellingtonptopresidents@belmontschools.net

• ASE Volunteer Coach / Runner wanted!
  • Are you available from 2:55 pm - 3:55 pm on Mondays from 10/2 - 11/20 (excluding Indigenous Peoples’ Day)? Get in a workout and join marathoner mom Mary Ellen Birenbaum in co-teaching ASE’s Track Club.
  • Basic understanding of running is preferred although not necessary. 
  • Positive attitude required!
  • We will walk though the basic principles of pacing, racing, stretching and strategy. The focus of our weekly meetings is preparing Our runners to develop strategy and a positive attitude for attempting hard things in running and life. 
  • Sneakers and the ability to slowly run a mile encouraged. 
  • Contact ase.wellington@gmail.com to sign up.

Important note to all volunteers: Everyone will receive a CORI form (one per household - feel free to make a copy) in your Communications Folder. If you can support the PTO and would like to volunteer, CORI forms are required for every parent volunteer. You must bring the completed form and a form of ID to the Wellington office to complete the process. CORIs are valid for three years! We highly recommend you get these completed early in the school year.

 

Reminders

• PTO Annual Appeal - learn more about how you can support the efforts of the PTO to fund programs that benefit our students and teachers throughout the year. Read more about upcoming programming and how you can get involved in this letter coming home in your student’s Communication Folder.
• Traffic Safety - Please remember to be considerate when parking around Wellington and do not block the crosswalks or the driveways of our neighbors. There is no active pick up. Please do not pull into the parking lot or driveway at dismissal to retrieve your child.
• A Note about PTO Communication Channels:
  • Whaley Weeklys (the PTO newsletter you are currently reading!) will be emailed to you every Wednesday with updates on events, volunteer opportunities, school happenings and more! 
  • Communications Folders - Be on the lookout for a blue folder coming home with your student(s). They will include some pertinent information from the PTO, particularly our community and fundraising events. Your child’s folder comes home everyday as a way to get their school work and Wellington happenings into your hands! 
  • Room Parents - each classroom will have PTO volunteer Room Parents who act as liaisons between the classroom teacher and class parents/guardians.
  • Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellingtonpto 

 

Lindsay Kalmakis & Aisha Foxx Telfort
Wellington PTO Co-Presidents
wellingtonptopresidents@belmontschools.net