Welcome (Back) to Sprague!

Welcome (Back) to Sprague!

For all the returning families, the PTO would like to extend a warm welcome back. To all the new families joining us this school year - Welcome, we're very excited to meet you!

This year we also welcome Susan Snyder, our new principal, to the community. Ms. Snyder has had a busy summer preparing for the start of school. After talking with her quite a few times, I believe she will do a fabulous job of both supporting everything we love about Sprague and working to enhance the experience for all. This year the top priority of the PTO will be to support Ms. Snyder as she learns about us. We want to ensure her first year is a wonderful experience for her, the teachers, the parents, and most all, the students.

You should have received a packet in the mail during the summer from the PTO, which included multiple forms and a welcome letter from Ms. Snyder. If you have not already done so, please return the completed forms to the front office of Sprague as soon as possible. Jean Walsh and her team of volunteers did a fabulous job updating the forms, organizing them, and stuffing envelopes. Thank you, Jean, for taking on this task over the summer! Your effort helped ensure we will start the year off on the right foot.

Michelle Walsh is working to organize host families for all the new families into Sprague. New families have been joining Sprague up until last week, so there will be many new faces for us to reach out to. Please send her an email if you would like to volunteer as a host family to a new student in your grade level. This entails reaching out to the new family, answering any questions, and organizing a play date for the kids. Also, you should plan to attend the New Family Picnic on September 9 at 6p. Thank you, Michelle, for all your effort to provide a warm Sprague welcome!

Karyn DeVito and Andrea Scampini have been busy organizing the social events to kick off the new year. They have planned many exciting events to ensure you and your child's first day is special. For kindergarten and new students, this begins with a Popsicle play date on Tuesday, August 26th at 3p. For returning families, there will be a parent coffee set up by the front entrance of the school on August 27th at 8:30a. On the first day of kindergarten, Tuesday, September 2nd there will also be a parent welcome coffee set up by the front entrance at the start of school. We know how it feels to see those doors close once your kindergartner has entered the classroom, so please plan to share some coffee and treats with us. All PTO board members are encouraged to attend both welcome coffees so that families can meet you. Thank you Karyn and Andrea for organizing these events!

The last piece of business is the position of Vice President. It remains vacant... I would love to have at least one willing, if not two, parents volunteer. If you are interested please send me an email, or approach me on the playground to talk about it. If nobody raises their hand then I will be forced to invoke Bylaw 45-B2.C, which says I can pull a name out of a hat. Okay, I made that up. However, it is important to have continuity from one year to the next and the role of VP is the main position to ensure that the PTO remains strong from year to year. So please consider the role.

Again, welcome everyone and we look forward to refreshing friendships, making new ones, and enhancing our children's education throughout the school year.

Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President

P.S. A reminder that Wednesday, August 27th will be a half day.