Cradles to Crayons October 24th - November 2nd

Once again, Sprague will be participating in the Wellesley wide Cradles to Crayons drive from October 24th through November 2nd.  We will be collecting new or gently used clothing, toys and books for children in need.  Cradles to Crayons mission is to provide these children with the essential items they need to thrive - at home, at school and at play and every year the Wellesley community does a fantastic job in supporting this mission.

You can drop off items to be donated in the morning car line or in the Cradles to Crayons box outside the main doors to Sprague starting October 24th.  Want to get involved collecting or sorting donated items?  Click here to find out how.

Most needed items right now:  Adult sizes in coats, shoes and winter boots (for children 12 and up who are tall/ big for their age), Boys' pants sizes 5/6 - 18/20, Baby coats size 0-6 months, Girls winter coats size 5/6, Boys winter coats size 7/8, Baby winter hats & gloves, Crib bedding and Infant & toddler toys

Wellesley Hockey Registration

 Learn to Play and Mosquito Hockey

Register On-line Today

www.wellesleyyouthhockey.org

These programs begin November 12, 2011

Programs are held at the Babson Skating Rink, Wellesley

Learn To Play Program

Ages: 4 1/2 to 8 yrs old

Times: Mid-afternoons on Saturday and midday on Sunday

Experience: No experience is necessary

Mosquito Program

Ages: 6 to 9 yrs old

Times: Late afternoon Saturdays; games late morning on Sunday

Experience: Some hockey skating experience

Information and Registration

Additional information and registration can be found on our website at www.wellesleyyouthhockey.org.

For more INFORMATION see the In House Programs tab.

To REGISTER, click the Register Online tab

It's Family Fun Afternoon at the Book Fair, Wed. 10/10

Family Fun Afternoon! Wednesday Oct 10th, 12:30-2:30 pm

• The superb Ellen Mandel will be presenting a dramatic book reading with a surprise guest everyone will be talking about!  
• Bake Sale - sponsored by the 5th grade class 1:00-2:30pm
• Halloween Costume Sale (gently used) from 1:00-2:00pm 

Don't forget to send your child with $$ if you want them to shop:-)  Please also consider donating a book to your child's class by visiting the teacher table for class books and the Ghosting/Remember Me Books.   

Book Fair Hours:

Wednesday, Oct 10th, 9:00-2:30pm
Thurs. Oct 11th, 9:00-11:30am, 1:15-3:30 pm

Class Visit Schedule

	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
09:00	2KF (Fiore)	3JB (Byrne)	3JL (Lundbohn)
09:30	1LB (Blumenthal)	4MH (Henzel)	3AR (Rogers)
10:00	2KC (Casalena)	5EB (Banthin)	KSG (Goudreault)
10:30	KGG (Gledhill)	1KL (Lindquist)	2LM (Mortarelli)
11:00	4JH (Heckman)	4TD (Drake)	KKB (Bender)
1:15	5HH (Heon)
1:45			2CR (Craig)
2:15	5BH (Hale)		1DG (Gaul)

We'd love your help! Click here to volunteer!

If you can't make it to the fair - no problem - you can shop ONLINE until Oct. 23rd.
Click here for the ONLINE BOOK FAIR.

Thank you for your cooperation ,

DD Marcoux and Andrea Doglioli

Book Fair Co-chairs

Bates Elementary School Pumpkin Fair, Sat., Oct., 13th 10-2pm

BATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PUMPKIN FAIR

Saturday, October 13, 2012

10 a.m – 2 p.m.

116 Elmwood Road, Wellesley

                                           Join us for a day of family fun, including: 

·       Haunted Houses!

·       Moonbounces!

·       Pumpkin Patch!

·       Games!

·       Kid’s Raffle!

·       Crafts!

·       Face Painting!

·       Pumpkin Café!

·       Sweet Treats!

·       Popcorn and Cotton Candy!

·       Games!

Save the Date for the Sprague Annual Ski Trip: Feb. 1st - 3rd

Please mark your calanders for our annual Sprague ski trip!!! 

Feb. 1st, 2nd and 3rd 2013 @ the same great mountain... Waterville Valley!!  Ski Prices are lower this year because we're back to February and the dinner & hotel prices remain the same, YES!!

I hope all of you can join us for another fun year...some missed last year.  Don't make the same mistake this year, will be tons of fun and we've been promised perfect snow and sunny skies by the mountain people!

Call Golden Eagle Lodge at 603-236-4600....remember to ask for the Sprague discount! Then email Andrea.giroux@yahoo.com for discount lift ticket forms.

Watch Out for the Energy Vampire Homework

In the Halloween spirit, be on the look out for the Energy Vampire Homework mid October.

This elementary school exercise will allow Wellesley students and families to understand which electronic appliances are constantly using energy - even when you think they are off. Older students will be able to calculate how much energy and money the energy vampires are draining out of their home.

Making changes will lower energy usage and money. Enjoy this exercise with your children.

This campaign, run by the Wellesley Sustainable Energy Committee, will help Wellesley reach its goal of lowering energy usage 10% by 2013.

Special thanks to WHS student Brianna Burke for her vampire artwork.

73% Participation, $28,030 from Direct Dues!!!

Big Kudos to our Sprague Community!!!

The Direct Dues program is at 73% participation, $28,030!!  And checks are still coming into the main office.

Your contributions have enabled the PTO to add the following programs this year:

• Buses & Field Trips - the PTO will now pay for all bus and field trip fees*.
• Yearbooks - Each student will now receive a yearbook at the end of the year.
• Online School Directory - All families will now have access to the new online directory and receive a paper directory.

For more information and a complete list of ALL of the programs 

covered through Direct Dues - click here.

Because of Direct Dues we've reduced hundreds of hours of volunteer time.  What a great way to say 'thank you and we care' to your fellow parent volunteers, elementary school staff, students and community!!!

*If you've received permission forms from teachers asking for field trip fees, please disregard, as forms are in the process of being updated.  

Thank you!  Jean and Andrea

PS - Not sure if you've paid your dues?  

Contact Shaune Berg, smpberg5@me.com

PTO Coffee & October Meeting Highlights

September and October Coffees and Meetings have been well attended!  
It's great to see participation from so many active parents:-)  

Top 3 PTO Goals 2012-2013

1. 100% Participation (increase volunteerism and financial support from 1/3 to 100%)
2. Restructure PTO Jobs (make more accessible, enjoyable, break down BIG jobs to reduce volunteer burnout) 
3. Evaluate programs being offered and measure success rate for the educational value of our children. 

If you couldn't make the meeting, you can catch up by clicking on the links below:

Sprague PTO Meeting Presentation, Oct. 3rd 2012 
September 2012 General Meeting
September 2012 Board Meeting

Next PTO Coffee Meeting, Thurs., Nov. 8th 8:45am
Wellesley's varsity baseketball coach Glen Magpiong and his wife and business leader, Jane Magpoing will be our guest speakers.  

Thank you, Jean and Andrea

Book Fair this Week - Need a Few More Volunteers :-)

Every READER is a STAR at Sprague's annual Scholastic Book Fair!

Don't miss this once a year chance to stock up your at-home library, or make a book donation to your child's class.  Parents can shop during all book fair hours, or join your children during their classroom trip to the book fair! Can't shop with your child? Just send them with money in an envelope and our book fair staff will help them shop for the perfect book.  

New this year... Family Fun Afternoon! Wednesday Oct 10th, 12:30-2:30 pm

The superb Ellen Mandel will be presenting a dramatic book reading with a surprise guest everyone will be talking about! The 5th grade will be selling some tasty treats as well, so come expecting family fun for all! See you there!

Fifth Grade Sponsored Events at the Book Fair on Wed, Oct 10:

Bake Sale  1:00-2:30pm
     Cookies, brownies, cake pops
Halloween Costume Sale  1:00-2:00pm
     Gently used costumes, great for Ms. Stabnick's Halloween challenge

Book Fair Hours:

Tuesday, Oct 9th, 9:00-11:30am, 1:15-3:30pm

Wednesday, Oct 10th, 9:00-11:30 am

Family Fun Afternoon Wed., 12:30-2:30pm

Thurs. Oct 11th, 9:00-11:30am, 1:15-3:30 pm

Class Visit Schedule

	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
09:00	2KF (Fiore)	3JB (Byrne)	3JL (Lundbohn)
09:30	1LB (Blumenthal)	4MH (Henzel)	3AR (Rogers)
10:00	2KC (Casalena)	5EB (Banthin)	KSG (Goudreault)
10:30	KGG (Gledhill)	1KL (Lindquist)	2LM (Mortarelli)
11:00	4JH (Heckman)	4TD (Drake)	KKB (Bender)
1:15	5HH (Heon)
1:45			2CR (Craig)
2:15	5BH (Hale)		1DG (Gaul)

We'd love your help! Click here to volunteer!

Thank you for your cooperation ,

DD Marcoux and Andrea Doglioli

Book Fair Co-chairs

If You Want the COOKIE WALK, We need YOU!

The Sprague Annual Cookie Walk is almost 2 months away, and we still don't have COOKIE WALK chairs:-(.  Grab a friend or gather a committee and start planning for one of the most favorite events at Sprague scheduled for Thursday, Dec., 13 at 2pm.  (snow date, 12/14)

Here are the results of the recent survey from 53 families:

•  Traditional Cookie Walk
• 29 Families = 55%
•  Holidays Around the World Celebration - no cookies sales - Music, Dance, and Cultural Snacks
• 16 Families = 30%
•  Nothing - December is too stressful, please leave me alone :-(
• 8 Families = 15%
• One family asked not to have the cookie award this year, it put too much pressure on.

Please contact Andrea Giroux at andrea.giroux@yahoo.com if you are interested in chairing or being on the committee.  

Thank You - Volunteer Spotlight

Thank you to Maura Miele and Jenn Friedman, Readers Breakfast chairs for leading this very special event on Friday for our children and teachers.  What a great way to say thank you to all of our children who read so many books over the summer!  Thank you to Ellen Mandel for surprising the kids by recruiting WALLY - the kids absolutely loved it!  Over 20 parent volunteers came out to help - thank you for your support!

Thank you to Julie Knudson, Picture Day chair for all of her hard work organizing and running a super SMOOTH picture day for Sprague.  Special thanks to veteran Picture Day mom, Michelle Heath, for teaching Julie the ropes.  Thank you to the many parents and teachers who also helped make picture day a success.

Walk to School Day - It was great to see so many walkers/riders once again, over 300 students!!!  Thank you to Cindy Marmer, Anng Kinney and Catherine Mirick who arrived early that morning to help with check in. We need parent volunteers for the next Walk to School, Thurs., November 8th, click here to sign up.

Wellesley CYO Hoops: Register Before October 18th

Wellesley CYO Hoops

Registration for the 2012-13 Wellesley CYO Hoops Basketball Season will open on October 1^st.  All Boys and Girls in grades 4 – 9 are eligible.

Please register online at our website, www.wellesleycyohoops.org before October 18^th to ensure a spot on a team.  In addition, all parents and HS students who are interested in coaching are asked to register online as well.