31

WHALEY WEEKLY: January 31, 2024

posted on

Newsletter Logo

Opening Remarks

Introducing “Belmont Town News” - Read on to see our newest section to the Whaley Weekly. Going forward we will share pertinent news and events relevant to our community and happenings around Belmont. 

We cannot believe that the preparations for the Third & Fourth Grade Send-Offs have officially begun! Emails were sent via room parents to all 3rd and 4th grade families this week. Please be sure to read these letters and provide the requested materials by March 1st, including: 1) pictures of your students and 2) t-shirt information. 

If you would like to learn more about the Send-Offs, or would like to volunteer your time please contact Lindsay and Aisha at farewellington@gmail.com

Notable Mentions

Parents/Guardians Night Out!
We’re reintroducing Monthly PTO parent/guardian nights out. Our first night will be Thursday, February 8th at Hanami Sushi (89 Trapelo Rd.) from 7-9pm. This is a casual gathering, an opportunity to meet people in our Wellington community and spend time outside of the school playground! Hope to see you there!

A Message from Our P.E. teachers:
Kids Heart Challenge at Wellington for grades 2-4. Over the next few weeks in P.E. classes, we will be focusing on jump rope skills to improve our own cardiovascular endurance, as well as learning about other ways to take care of our hearts. Students in all grade levels will be working on jump rope skills and discussing heart health, but grades 2-4 will also have the option to fundraise for the American Heart Association. For more information please read this letter.  

We’re collecting donations for the Wellington Community!
If anyone has any used kids snow pants/boots that they can donate, please drop them off in the bins located in the front entrances. Our guidance counselors will hand them out to families in need. Thank you in advance!

 

Important Dates

BPS School Calendar 2023-24

February:

  • Feb 8:         Monthly Parent / Guardian Night Out - 7-9pm at Hanami Sushi, 89 Trapelo Rd
  • Feb 14-17:  Kids Heart Challenge (see above for details)
  • Feb 19-23:  February Break - No School

March:

  • Mar 6:         Wellington Virtual Storytime (Read Across America Week)
  • Mar 11-17:  Belmont Books Book Fair
  • March 14:   Belmont Books In-Store Event (Wellington PTO Fundraiser)
  • Mar 22:       Third and Fourth Grade Science Night

 

DEI Corner

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...

Thank you to our Community Events Coordinators Maggie Croy and Jas Kaur, Bingo Night Volunteers Alyssa Creedon and Michelle French, and our amazing music teacher Craig McMahan for hosting a fun night of virtual bingo with our Wellington Students!

 

Thank you to our DEI team Sara Colleary and Selena Fonseca for organizing a successful community volunteering event at Cradles to Crayons!

 

 

Three cheers for Erin Jones, Lara Lind, Amy Heuer, Lindsay Kalmakis, Aisha Foxx Telfort, Chip Gaysuna, Kim Goodman, Mary Ellen Birenbaum, Anastasia Kenyon, and Rachel Nathan who came to assist with a mid-year library clean up. With the amazing help of these volunteers, books were organized, shelves dusted and spine labels updated. Thank you!!!  The library looks wonderful. (And if you wanted to help but couldn't make it, there will be another chance in June!)

Rose O'Neil and Jenn Scranton
Wellington Library
 

Open Positions

The PTO Board is planning for the 2024-25 school year! Thanks to those who have reached out! It’s time to start building our volunteer village for next year. We have many board members graduating from Wellington which opens up spaces for new volunteers to join us, either as a board member or as a program / event specific coordinator.

Here is a list of open positions for the 2024-25 school year: 

  • Treasurer
  • VP Fundraising
  • VP Community Events
  • ASE Coordinator 
  • Preschool Representative (new)
  • Directory Coordinator 

If you are interested in one of these roles and would like to learn more, please email Aisha and Lindsay at: wellingtonptopresidents@belmontschools.net 

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.

 

Belmont Town News

Belmont has its own local newspaper again. It’s nonprofit, independent, staffed by professionals, and looking for input from everyone in town, including parents. Visit the website at BelmontVoice.org.

Belmont School Committee Budget Schedule Updates - Here is the full set of up-to-date deadlines/meetings as provided to the PTA by Meg Moriarty, Chair of the Belmont School Committee. Note that dates for the budget and the Summit IV have been pushed back with publishing now due on Feb 2nd and the Summit on Feb 8th.

  • Jan 30th (AM) – Select Board will decide on Override number (which may require adjustments to the schools' override budget)
  • Feb 2nd – Municipal and School budgets published
  • Feb 8th – Budget Summit to review budgets
  • Socialize budgets and impacts to the community

The School Committee will provide us with budget slide decks once they have a solid budget for each override scenario (end of January).

 

Reminders

Annual Appeal!
We ask that you consider a donation to the Wellington Fundraising Appeal. So far this school 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

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 

| Categories: PTO Newsletters | View Count: (124) | Return