Wellington PTO News and Announcements

Opening Remarks

Welcome back! We hope everyone had an enjoyable February break!

Reminder!
March 13th, 20th, and 27th are early release days - No lunch served!

 

Notable Mentions

In honor of Read Across America Week!
Celebration of Reading Events:

• Tuesday March 5th: Book Character Day
  • Students are welcome to select a book with their favorite character to share with the class and/or dress up as their favorite character. 
  • To support students feeling safe and secure, violent or frightening costumes are not acceptable. No weapons, dangerous-looking items, or scary costumes will be permitted.
• Wednesday March 6th: Virtual Storytime 6:30 - 7:00 pm
  • Join us for our 6th annual Wellington Storytime event with special guest readers from Wellington.  Link to the Storytime is here.
• Thursday March 14: Belmont Books Wellington Shopping event 3 - 7 pm
  • Join us at Belmont Books on Thursday, March 14th for an exclusive shopping event to raise money for the PTO; 20% of proceeds go to Wellington.
  • Books can be purchased for teachers from Wellington Teacher Wishlists. Copies of wish lists will be available in Belmont Books and can be found on-line HERE

Science Night is March 22nd!
If your student is in 3rd or 4th grade and would like to present a project for Science night, or if you would like to volunteer for this event please see this letter.

Attention 3rd and 4th Grade Parents and Guardians!
Thank you to those who have uploaded pictures of your students to Dropbox and submitted your t-shirt sizing form! We will contact you if we are missing your photos; otherwise, assume we have received them. We are extending our t-shirt and photo deadline to March 15th. If you have any questions or need support uploading pictures, please contact farewellington@gmail.com.

 

Important Dates

BPS School Calendar 2023-24

March:

• Mar 5:         Wellington Character dress up day (Read Across America Week)
• Mar 6:         Wellington Virtual Storytime (Read Across America Week)
• Mar 11-17:  Belmont Books Online Book Fair (Wellington PTO Fundraiser)
• Mar 13:       Early Release Day. 11:40am dismissal. No lunch is served.
• Mar 14:       Belmont Books In-Store Event (Wellington PTO Fundraiser)
• Mar 20:       Early Release Day. 11:40am dismissal. No lunch is served.
• Mar 21:       Monthly Parents Night Out 7-9 pm - Olespana 645 Mount Auburn St, Watertown
• Mar 22:       Third and Fourth Grade Science Night
• Mar 27:       Early Release Day. 11:40am dismissal. No lunch is served.
• Mar 29:       Lost and Found clean-out day! Grab your lost items; they will be donated today!

 

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...

Our 3rd Grade Enrichment Coordinator Amber Porter for organizing a visit from the Discovery Museum to learn about Forces & Magnetism!

 

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

Following Superintendent Jill Geiser’s budget presentation on February 8th, the Superintendent’s Blog released on February 24th included this FY25 Budget Video which offers a condensed description of both an override and non-override budget scenario. 

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 - Here are the deadlines/meetings as provided by Meg Moriarty, Chair of the Belmont School Committee: 

• April 2, 2024 - voters cast ballots on proposed Override 

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

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

 

Reminders

Lost and Found is piling up! Please drop by to check for your students' lost items. Any items not picked up will be donated.

Have you outgrown your Wellington Spirit Wear? - If you have any outgrown spirit wear that you no longer want and would like to donate them please drop them off in the bins located in the school entryways. 

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