Address: Winn Brook Elementary School 97 Waterhouse Rd, Belmont, MA 02478
Contribute to the Winn Brook PTA online by using the Pay Pal Button below. Donations are tax deductible.
We hope everyone is enjoying a fun and safe wintery week off from school and we look forward to seeing you back next Monday.
Don't forget to submit your design by Friday Feb 23rd for the annual Yard Sign Design Contest by MA Safe Routes to School (SRTS)! This year's theme is "Bus Stop Safety."
Winn Brook has had two students win this statewide contest in the past few years. The contest is a way for students to use their creativity to help promote safe roads for cyclists and pedestrians in their communities. It is open to students in grades 2-8, so invite older siblings to participate. Follow the contest guidelines here the email electronic submissions to Rachel.ODonnell2@aecom.com or mail hard copies to: Safe Routes to School C/O AECOM, 1 Federal Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02110. Good luck!
Grab your hockey and figure skates and join us for the PTA's annual Skate Night on Friday March 1st from 7 to 8:20pm! While we anxiously await construction of the new rink in Belmont, this year's Skate Night will be held just next door at the John A. Ryan Arena at 1 Paramount Place in Watertown. Participation is free and open to all Winn Brook families of all skating abilities. Details to come next week from the Skate Night Committee.
The PTA is once again teaming up with Original Works to provide families with the opportunity to buy high-quality keepsake products that showcase their children’s original artwork. There are two ways to participate - your child can attend one or more free after school art-making sessions the week of March 18th-22nd, or your child (and siblings) can make their artwork at home. We will send home order forms and instructions in early March, so keep an eye out!
BPS School Calendar 2023-24
Winn Brook School and PTA Calendar
Feb 23: Yard Sign Design Contest Entries Due to MA Safe Routes to School (SRTS)
Feb 27: PTA Enrichment - 4th Graders will be visited by the Discovery Museum for their "Keeping Cool: Green Engineering" workshop (in school event!).
Feb 28: Belmont Wellness Coalition - Monthly Parenting Group 7-8pm, join in the community conversation via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81577946616
Mar 1: **Skate Night** - Free Admission, John A. Ryan Arena, 7-8:20pm
Mar 4: 4th Grade March Madness Basket Raffle Goes Live Online! Stay tuned for a link to buy tickets.
Mar 8: Movie Night - 6:15pm Doors Open, 6:30pm "Super Mario Bros. Movie" Begins
Mar 14: Monthly Staff Treats "So Lucky to Have You" from the Staff Appreciation Committee
Mar 18-22: **Make-A-Gift Art Making Days** - Stay after school for an hour to make some original art with friends. Details and signups to come!
Mar 20: Crossing Guard Appreciation Day organized by the SRTS Committee
Mar 21: 4th Grade Bingo Night
Mar 28: STEM Night (formerly Math and Science Nights)
Mar 31: 4th Grade March Madness Basket Raffle - Drawing of Winners
Winn Brook 2nd Graders visited Wheelock Family Theatre on Friday Feb 16th to see the classic children's novel "Mr. Popper's Penguins" come to life on stage. The PTA covered all expenses including busing and admission to be sure all of our students could attend. Thank you to all our parent chaperones and staff for making this a safe and educational experience. More photos of the bus ride to Boston (which is half the fun for any field trip!) and pre-show snacking can be viewed in the Gallery online.
Superintendent Jill Geiser is making the rounds to all seven Belmont Public Schools with an important presentation before the Town Election in April. To reach the largest audience, each school has agreed to open their doors to the public on the night they host the Superintendent so that any Belmont family can attend, regardless of the school their children attend. If a date works better for you at a different location than Winn Brook - feel free to attend! More dates, including Winn Brook's, will be shared soon once confirmed by the Superintendent's office!
Butler Elementary School, Tuesday Mar 26th 6pm on Zoom - Meeting ID: 829 2341 1493, Passcode: 213517 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82923411493?pwd=aW5JUlFJR0dZeXNrcVZ2Qk9Qdkl5Zz09
The PTA runs on an amazing engine of volunteers like you, and we have many opportunities throughout the year for families and guardians to participate and support our students. If you haven’t already, the best place to start is by completing our Parent Volunteer Interest Form.
Here are some ways you can get involved today:
Donate to the PTA - Each fall we hold an Annual Appeal, but donations are welcome any time of year and directly support our students, staff, and school. Checks, PayPal, and Venmo are all accepted. Learn how to contribute to the PTA and the ways your donation makes a difference at Winn Brook here.
Donate to the Backup Clothing Closet - Keeping our backup clothing closet well stocked is especially important for Nurse Carbeck who needs changes of clothes for students every day due to spills and accidents that happen at school. To help, first sign-up to donate backup clothing here then launder and package the item in a Ziploc bag, label the size on the outside, and deliver it to the front office.
Purchase and Wear Winn Brook Swag - Head to our Winn Brook Swag Square Site and get outfitted today with long-sleeve t-shirts, flannel pants, hoodies, and beanies to show your Winn Brook pride all year. All purchases support the PTA's 3rd Grade Committee, order now while supplies last!
Volunteer in the Lunchroom - **NEW DATES ADDED** The cafeteria needs up to 3 lunchroom volunteers per lunch period. This is a fun way to visit with the kids in the middle of the school day and help provide much needed (and appreciated) coverage for our staff.
Volunteer in the Library - there are two ways to help in the Winn Brook library:
Sign up to volunteer during your child’s weekly library class. You'll help your child and their classmates check books in and out at the circulation desk plus shelve returns to help our librarian.
Friends of the Library - This separate group of volunteers work on special projects as requested and as needed by the librarian. Some tasks can be done at home while others will be completed in the library itself. Email our librarian Doreen Cameron if you are interested in being a part of the new "Friends of the Library."
Volunteer with the Welcome Committee - Would you like to help welcome and orient families new to Winn Brook, to Belmont, maybe even new to the country? Please fill in this Companion to New Winn Brook Family form and we’ll be in touch if there is a match that could use your support and companionship!
Volunteer with the Staff Appreciation Committee - Help keep our staff nourished, pampered, and cared for while they support our kids by signing up to bring in Monthly Teacher Treats.
Volunteer with 3rd or 4th Grade Committees - Have a third or fourth grader and it is their final year at Winn Brook? It’s not too late to get in on the fun and event planning for our "graduating" students! Check out all the ways you can pitch in on the 3rd Grade Committee or 4th Grade Committee to make their last year here special and memorable.
Visit our Lost and Found online! Check our regularly updated photos of Lost and Found items then stop by the school to collect your things before they are donated to charity. Anything clearly labeled will be returned to the student's classroom by our Lost and Found Committee volunteers.
The students' safety must be our priority. Every day we see dangerous and illegal driving and parking practices at Winn Brook by drivers in our own school community. Our Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Committee reminds us all to please:
Follow the Winn Brook Arrival & Dismissal Plan and associated map
Use the Student Drop-Off Zone on Sherman Street properly
Never obstruct crosswalks, driveways, intersections, disability spaces, or fire hydrants
Never enter or obstruct any Winn Brook parking lot or driveway
Never idle at school, it’s against MA law. Always turn off your vehicle as soon as you are in park.
Never make U-Turns/reverse direction in the school zone
Obey signage, there are one way streets and No Parking/Stopping areas during Arrival and Dismissal times
Never double-park
Never allow your child to enter or exit your vehicle while in the street
With your cooperation and effort we can ensure a much safer and healthier experience for our walkers, bikers, busers, and drivers alike while maintaining critical access for emergency and first responder vehicles at all times.
Weekly Winnies (the PTA weekly newsletter you are currently reading!) will be emailed to you every Wednesday with updates on events, volunteer opportunities, school happenings and more.
Winn Brook Listserv - sign up for the Winn Brook Listserv to receive important correspondence from both the school and your PTA.
PTA Website & Calendar - The PTA Events Calendar and PTA News & Announcements on our website are current! Check regularly.
Room Parents - each classroom has 1-2 volunteer Room Parents who act as liaisons between the classroom teacher, PTA, and parents/guardians. Look for emails from them! Check here if you aren’t sure who your Room Parents are this year.
Erika Roberts & Sarah Boyle
Winn Brook PTA Co-Presidents
winnbrookptapresidents@gmail.com