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.
Please use active transportation when coming to Winn Brook today. Grab your scooter, skateboard, bicycle, or sneakers and start your morning right with some fresh air and exercise before getting to class. It feels great and you're helping improve the immediate air quality in our community.
Another option is to try our new Bike Bus! Meet us this morning at 8:20am in the Claflin Parking Lot, or join us along the route as we bike down Cross Street to Winn Brook. All students and their grownups are welcome (helmets required for kids under 16 and recommended for adults).
Have to take the car today? Park a few blocks away from school and walk the rest of the way.
Look for our Safe Routes to School (SRTS) volunteers on the blacktop who will be cheering you on and giving out hand stamps as students arrive this morning.
Hayward Photography will be here Thursday, May 2nd to take Class Photos on Joey's Park for both the entire 4th Grade and then the entire 3rd Grade student/teacher body. Students will also receive their special class t-shirt tomorrow and wear it for the shot.
These class pictures will go into the respective yearbooks and framed copies will remain in the hallways at Winn Brook to commemorate their time here.
If you would like to order a copy of your child's grade for $10, please go to www.haywardphotography.com, click on "Prepay for Picture Day" and use the code WB34S24. Instructions are attached as well.
Thank you to our 3rd and 4th Grade Committees for designing and producing the shirts as well as organizing the photo shoot with our School Picture Day Committee!
Need a little more time to complete the optional Family Tradition Poster? You can send them back to school through Friday of this week. Use any medium (paint! text! collage! photos!), be as creative and personal as you like. Please submit only one poster per Winn Brook family. We can't wait to display these in school in advance of Multicultural Night and create a scavenger hunt for our students based on the wonderful and diverse family traditions represented on these posters.
Examples of posters submitted so far. Be creative! Mix media! Have fun with the project!
For parents/caregivers of current 3rd and 4th Graders headed to Chenery Upper Elementary (CUE) next fall, you may submit optional parent input during the student placement process (read the letter from incoming Principal Smith here). If you would like to submit information regarding your rising 4th or 5th grade student, please do so by submitting this Caregiver Placement Information Form by Friday, May 10th, 2024.
The PTA is excited to celebrate the rich diversity of Winn Brook students at this year’s Multicultural Night! It will be held on Friday, May 17th, starting at 6:30pm in the gym. Whether you'd like to share your personal heritage or show us aspects of a culture or country you've visited and loved, your participation is welcome!
Sign up here to PRESENT at Multicultural Night if you would like to:
Sign up here to VOLUNTEER at Multicultural Night if you would like to provide event support with setup/breakdown, decorating, announcing the performances, and other fun tasks. Shifts range from 30-60 minutes. We need many parents to make this fun event happen, so please consider helping out!
Thank you for your help with this fun community-building event! Please email Michelle Miller and Polina Gasparian, Co-Chairs of the Multicultural Night Committee, with any questions and see the attached flyer.
BPS School Calendar 2023-24
Winn Brook School and PTA Calendar
May 1: Spring Walk, Bike, & Roll to School (hosted by SRTS Committee)
May 6-10: Staff Appreciation Week
May 9: 1st Grade Enrichment, Field Trip to Drumlin Farm
May 17: Multicultural Night, 6:30-9pm
May 19: Boston-Belmont Bowling Night, 5pm at Boston Bowl, 820 Morrissey Blvd., Dorchester, MA - All Belmont Public Schools invited for this district-wide event! Volunteer to help here!
May 20-24: Scholastic Book Fair
May 28 and 31: 3rd Grade Enrichment, “Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride” In-school Presentation by Paul Revere House
May 29: 1st Grade Enrichment, Author Visit by Jamie Deenihan
On April 12th, just before spring break, Winn Brook's 4th Graders enjoyed a special enrichment activity with artist Giles Laroche. The day began in the cafeteria where all the students gathered, full of anticipation. Giles engaged them with an exciting talk about his career as an illustrator and author, showcasing some of his beautiful illustrations from books like "Down to the Sea in Ships" and "What's Inside? Fascinating Structures Around the World."
After the presentation, Giles visited each of the four 4th Grade classrooms for hands-on workshops in cut-paper art. He demonstrated how to create detailed paper houses using only paper, scissors, and glue. The students then had the chance to make their own paper creations. This workshop was not only fun but also a great way for the students to dive into the art of paper crafting. The day was filled with creativity and learning, making it a memorable experience for the students.
The PTA would like to thank 4th Grade Enrichment Coordinators Na Li (Lina) and Amanda Lubarsky for bringing Mr. Laroche to Winn Brook! Please enjoy more photos in our online Gallery.
Thank you to our wonderful Staff Appreciation Committee for transforming the teacher's lounge on April 25th with family donations of goodies, beverages, kind messages, and springtime flowers to brighten their day!
Next week is Staff Appreciation Week and we can't wait to share all the events and special surprises our Committee has in store for our Winn Brook teachers, administration, and support staff.
Two volunteers from the PTA's Friends of the Library created this stunning Gallery Wall for our Winn Brook Library. A huge shout out and thank you to Kim Jason and Maria Olagunju. Please stop by and notice all the delightful details - a giraffe reading, sign language letters of W & B, hellos in multiple languages, and a few favorite book characters are just some of the images.
You're invited to join hundreds of runners and walkers in Belmont community on Sunday May 5th to raise the voice and visibility of AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) residents. This event is organized by BCAA (Belmont Chinese American Association) and sponsored by local businesses. Funds are being raised for Belmont Celebrates AAPI Heritage Fund.
The racecourse is right around our Winn Brook School and neighborhood! Sign up today with your family for the 2K or 5K course.
As part of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, Belmont Celebrates AAPI Heritage (BCAH) is sponsoring an event with Grace Lin at Chenery Upper Elementary (CUE) School on May 14th, 7-9 pm. Grace Lin, winner of the Newbery Honor and Caldecott Honor, has authored over 20 books, including Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and A Big Mooncake for Little Star. Her newest work, the New York Times Bestselling Chinese Menu, is a fascinating collection of stories about favorite Chinese foods.
This event is open to the public. A free ticket is required for entry. Please visit our website for tickets and other scheduled events for this year's AAPI Heritage Month celebration including an Essay contest and Chess tournament.
Friends of Chenery Park Complex is a citizen-run, local organization tasked with outreach and integration of public input on the proposed renovation of the park. Our goal is to generate a park design that serves the needs of our community while creating a space where the people of Belmont can gather to build community.
To accomplish this goal, we are meeting with key stakeholders from the school, athletic leagues, and the community at large to understand how to re-envision the grounds. Through your input, we will generate a design plan that best serves the needs of as many people as possible.
We want to do more than just make our community feel heard. We want you involved.
The first step in this process is this survey. Please take a few minutes to fill this out to share your opinions. We will analyze the survey data to establish an initial framework of ideas for the design team to get started on, if funding is approved by Town Meeting in June.
For more information about the proposed renovation, please visit our website: http://friendsofchenerypark.com/
Thanks for your engagement!
Sincerely, Laura Burnes & Nichole O'Connell (Co-Chairs of Friends of Chenery Park)
Photo Credits of Existing CUE Playground: Belmont Voice
The Foundation for Belmont Education (FBE) is hosting a 90s theme party fundraiser on May 18th at the Beech Street Center from 7pm to 10pm. The proceeds will directly benefit the FBE and its support to the Belmont Public School system. Tickets are available at https://www.fbebelmont.org/
Belmont Helps, Belmont Pan-Asian Coalition, and Black and Brown in Belmont are just three of the 64 organizations and committees represented at Belmont Connects! Join us Saturday May 4th, 2-4pm at the Beech Street Center to learn more about our town's organizations, meet new people, and get involved! This event is free, but please sign up for the free tickets on Eventbrite so we have a headcount, complimentary pizza and refreshments are provided and ALL are welcome to attend.
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 - 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