Wellington PTO News and Announcements

Opening Remarks

We want to wish our Wellington Community and our amazing Wellington teachers and staff - Happy Holidays! This week, our PTO Hospitality team is showing our immense gratitude for our teachers and staff with daily acts of appreciation - including Friday’s Treat Day!And a big, warm THANK YOU for all of the support and contributions the PTO received in 2023. We are grateful for our Wellington community! We will see you again in the New Year! Reminder: school resumes on Tuesday January 2, 2024.

 

Notable Mentions

Mark Your 2024 Calendars! Winter ASE Registration is Monday, January 8th at 7am! Sneak peek starts January 2nd! Please take some time to discuss the course offerings with your child. We always have a more successful program when children are familiar with their schedules. 

For a text-only link to this flyer, click here.

 

Last Call for 2023 Annual Appeal!
As 2023 comes to a close, we ask that you consider a donation to the Wellington Fundraising Appeal. We have a goal of $6000 and we're only halfway there! So far this year, these funds have been used to reimburse teachers for their classroom supplies, purchase school supplies and grocery gift cards for Wellington students and families in need and fund school wide initiatives like new sports equipment, music stands, and storage sheds for both blue and green playgrounds.

If you have a corporate or workplace match, this is an amazing way to DOUBLE your impact. 

• Follow this QR code to donate using a credit card

• OR Send a check payable to Wellington PTO 
  (Memo: “Annual Fund” and your child’s name) and return to school in their Communications Folder, or mail to:

Wellington School
ATTN: Wellington PTO
121 Orchard Street, Belmont, MA 02478

• Check to see if your employer matches charitable gifts!
  • Wellington School PTO’s EIN is 04-3093301
  • Need a receipt? Email: wellingtonptotreasurer@gmail.com 

Important Dates

BPS School Calendar 2023-24

December:

• Dec 22:       Teacher Appreciation - Treat Donations Welcome - Sign-up here!
• Dec 25-29:  No School - Winter Break

January:

• Jan 1:          No School - Last day of Winter Break
• Jan 2:          School Reopens for 2024
• Jan 2:          ASE sneak peak
• Jan 8:          ASE Registration
• Jan 15:        No School - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Jan 22:        ASE classes Begin
• Jan 25:        Virtual BINGO Night - Wellington Community Event
• Jan 27         Volunteer at Cradles to Crayons (sign-up coming soon)

DEI Corner

DEI’s first community volunteering event!
The DEI Committee at Wellington believes that anyone with a passion for improving their community can make a difference. Working together on a common goal reinforces that we all have a place of value in our community, and that our diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, abilities, and lived experiences truly enrich our society. We know that we can build a stronger community together through acts of volunteerism and by giving back. Therefore, the Wellington DEI committee is proud to present our first-ever volunteer event! This volunteer opportunity will take place at Cradles to Crayons in Newton on January 27th from 10am to 12pm, and will allow for 30 volunteers (3:1 adult to student ratio). If you would like to sign up for this event, be on the lookout for a sign up sheet in an upcoming Whaley!

We invite you to visit the Belmont Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion website to learn more about the BPS commitment to DEI and how to sign-up to receive the DEI newsletter - https://www.belmont.k12.ma.us/bps/dei

Thank You To...

Our incredible After School Extracurriculars (ASE) volunteer team of Audrey Miller, Jenn Murphy and Mary Gharios. Thank you for your dedication to running this beloved program for our students. It truly takes a village! We are excited for the Winter classes!

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. 

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

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