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WHALEY WEEKLY: March 13, 2024

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Opening Remarks

Reminder! Today is an early release day! 
March 20th, and 27th are also early release days - No lunch served!

Spring ASE Registration
Sneak peek is open now! We have 22 classes for the spring session. Including some new offerings: Snack Engineers; Taylor Swift Fan Club; & LEGO Robotics! 

Registration opens on Monday, March 18th at 7 am. 

Are you a jogger / runner? We need your help. Our running coach, Mary Ellen Birenbaum, needs another parent to help staff our Running Club on Mondays from 2:55 - 3:55 pm. Email our ASE team if you can help. 

And we’re always looking for 7th & 8th grade and high school volunteers. If you have older children willing to help AND earn community service hours send them our way

Wellington’s Celebration of Reading Events:

We hope your student/s enjoyed virtual storytime last week!

  • Monday, March 11th-17th: Belmont Books Online Book Fair
    • When shopping online please enter the promo code WELLINGTON24 for online purchases. By entering the promo code, 20% of all sales (except for gift cards, online gift codes, or event tickets) will be donated to the Wellington PTO.
  • Thursday, March 14th: Belmont Books Wellington Shopping event 3 - 7pm
    • Join us at Belmont Books on Thursday, March 14th for an exclusive shopping event to raise money for the PTO, 20% of the 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

 

Notable Mentions

Science Night is March 22nd!

Registration is closed but we’re still in need of volunteers. You can sign up HERE for a slot.

Last Call 3rd and 4th grade families!
If you’d like to order an all grade class photo, the online gallery will be available until this Friday, March 15th. Please see the flyer below for instructions on how to place your order.

A Note from our Enrichment Coordinators:

Ballpark Mysteries author David A. Kelly talked to the second graders about his writing process during a fun presentation full of baseball trivia. 


 

Rainforest Reptile Shows visited the first graders. The students learned about rescuing animals and many facts about reptiles. The herpetologist brought in a real life Red foot tortoise, Red Tegu Lizard, and a Tree Boa constrictor. The final reptile was an American Alligator that the students got to touch!

 

Multicultural Night is coming soon, May 10th!
Help organize one of the most engaging community events at Wellington by using your skills to: 

  • select a theme 
  • find cultural entertainment 
  • coordinate food
  • organize student sign-ups for their chosen countries coordinate volunteers as needed 

This event showcases and celebrates the diversity of our school community - please help make it a success again this school year! We have held this event for many years so there is a playbook to help guide the new co-chairs, and as always you will have the PTO board’s support! 

If you are interested, please contact: wellingtonptopresidents@belmontschools.net
 

Lost and Found is piling up! Please drop by to check for your students' lost items. Any items not picked up will be donated Friday, March 29th. 

 

Important Dates

BPS School Calendar 2023-24

March:

  • 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 15:       Winter ASE Classes End (exceptions emailed to parents)
  • Mar 18:       Spring ASE Registration Opens at 7 am
  • 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 26:       Spring ASE Registration Closes
  • Mar 27:       Early Release Day. 11:40am dismissal. No lunch is served.

April:

  • Apr 1:        Spring ASE Classes Begin
  • Apr 6:        Wellington Skate Day
  • Apr 15-19: Spring Break - NO School

 

DEI Corner

March brings with it a number of diversity events dedicated to celebrating inclusion! Read below for more information. 

  • March is Women's History Month, when we reflect on women's achievements throughout history that advocated for rights and equality.
  • March 1st was Zero Discrimination Day, when we focus on eliminating discrimination in all forms.
  • March 15th is International Day to Combat Islamophobia, when we address the discrimination faced by Muslims, and promote acceptance and tolerance.
  • March 18-24 is Neurodiversity Celebration Week, when we recognize and celebrate the diversity of neurodivergent individuals, such as those with autism, dyslexia, and ADHD
  • March 31st is International Transgender Day of Visibility, when we celebrate those living as transgender and focus on eradicating discrimination. 

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 Wellington teachers who brought our 50 Wellington student attendees joy, reading for our Virtual Storytime! 
Kate Ebdon, Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin 
Mina Vahedi, Saturday by Oge Mora 
Kim Tolleson, Tokyo Digs a Garden by Jon-Erik Lappano 

 

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

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

Dear Wellington Families,
Who is the most outstanding teacher at Wellington this year? Please nominate them for the Outstanding Teacher Award!

The Foundation for Belmont Education (FBE)’s Outstanding Teacher Awards are given annually to one teacher at each Belmont public school based on nominations from parents, students (including high school and middle school students), and community members. Everyone is welcome to celebrate these honorees at the awards ceremony on Monday, April 29th.
There isn’t much time left before the nomination period closes on March 20, so please submit your nomination today. More info can be found on the FBE's website. Thank you!

Best Wishes,
Amanda and Lyn 
FBE OTA Co-chairs
 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Have you heard the Buzz around town? The FBE spelling Bee is coming soon on April 6 at Chenery Upper Elementary School. There is a lot of information in this email so please read carefully. 

The FBE Spelling Bee is a fun filled event where the community comes out to support our young spellers and raise money for the BPS. Small prizes are available for all participants. Grades k-4 are non competitive. Grades 5-6 are competitive with prizes for first and second place. The Bee will be live streamed by Belmont Media for family members who are far away. 

Registration Instructions
Bee registration is open March 1- 15 

Word lists by grade:  

We are always looking for volunteers to help out on the day. Please sign up if you are interested. Volunteer sign up. BMHS students can get community service hours. 

All Information can be found on the FBE Bee website:  https://www.fbebelmont.org/spelling-bee
Good luck to all our spellers and thank you for your continued support of the FBE and BPS. 

Holly and Wenhong
2024 Spelling Bee Co-Chairs 
beemaster@fbe-belmont.org

 

***Order dates: March 6th through April 3rd***

 

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

 

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 

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