Dear Sprague Community,
"The arctic fox is an incredibly hardy animal that can survive frigid
Arctic temperatures as low as –58°F (-50°C) in the treeless lands where
it makes its home. It has furry soles, short ears, and a short
muzzle—all-important adaptations to the chilly clime. Arctic foxes live
in burrows, and in a blizzard they may tunnel into the snow to create
shelter." - National Geographic
Each time I exit through the back door into our arctic freezer, climb the seven foot snow pile on the back deck, emerging from my burrow to scan the barren landscape for signs of life and ice dams, I feel more fox-like. Anyone else having these issues? I know many of you have actively tunneled into the snow to create snow shelters, so I can't be too far off...
Lately it has taken some fox-like behavior to find a spot in our shrinking parking lot. Once again, please be patient and cautious as all of us navigate around the blind corners created by the snow piles.
This week we can pad across the wind-swept landscape for Walk-to-School Day on Tuesday. If you wish to stick around, there is a discussion of the Common Core Math Standards at 9:00a in the cafeteria, followed by the PTO board meeting. The main topic for discussion at the board meeting will be the Spring Party/ Auction. Everyone is always welcome to join us. So, if you are curious like a fox (or crazy from the weather) about what happens during these meeting, I encourage you to join us.
On Friday morning we have the Sprague Open House at 8:00am. This morning time is a change from last year. We understand the morning time is not the best for some of you. The staff plans to evaluate whether the adjusted schedule encouraged more parents to participate after Friday and make any necessary adjustments going forward.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Showing posts with label President Message. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Message. Show all posts
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Are you a bear or a goose? Personally, I'm a bear and try to hibernate during the winter with layers of long underwear and sweaters. Others, migrate to warmer places and escape the cold weather. Whichever you are, welcome back to the reality of Sprague school. We hope you had a fun break and we will do our best to offer a warm reception!
Thank-you Jennifer and Andrew Vernazza and Michelle and Jon Walsh for all the effort organizing the Sprague Ski weekend and the warm hospitality provided up in Maine. You went above and beyond organizing a fabulous event for everyone who made the trek up to Sunday River. The fact you reserved exceptional ski conditions put it over the top! Thank-you again for all your effort.
Looking forward (because dwelling on February is not productive), the first week of March really kicks us back into the swing of things. On Tuesday, March 3 we have scheduled Walk to School, as well as the PTO Board Meeting at 9am. At the board meeting the Math coaches will present about Common Core Math Standards. We encourage parents to attend who are interested in learning more about these standards. On Friday, March 6 the Sprague open house will happen in the morning, from 8am to 9:30am. By changing the open house to the morning the hope is it will allow both parents to attend.
All of us are likely a little frayed at the moment. Please remember to use caution in the parking lots and have patience as all of us maneuver around snow banks and ice sheets.
Warm Regards!
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Are you a bear or a goose? Personally, I'm a bear and try to hibernate during the winter with layers of long underwear and sweaters. Others, migrate to warmer places and escape the cold weather. Whichever you are, welcome back to the reality of Sprague school. We hope you had a fun break and we will do our best to offer a warm reception!
Thank-you Jennifer and Andrew Vernazza and Michelle and Jon Walsh for all the effort organizing the Sprague Ski weekend and the warm hospitality provided up in Maine. You went above and beyond organizing a fabulous event for everyone who made the trek up to Sunday River. The fact you reserved exceptional ski conditions put it over the top! Thank-you again for all your effort.
Looking forward (because dwelling on February is not productive), the first week of March really kicks us back into the swing of things. On Tuesday, March 3 we have scheduled Walk to School, as well as the PTO Board Meeting at 9am. At the board meeting the Math coaches will present about Common Core Math Standards. We encourage parents to attend who are interested in learning more about these standards. On Friday, March 6 the Sprague open house will happen in the morning, from 8am to 9:30am. By changing the open house to the morning the hope is it will allow both parents to attend.
All of us are likely a little frayed at the moment. Please remember to use caution in the parking lots and have patience as all of us maneuver around snow banks and ice sheets.
Warm Regards!
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Judging by the sage words of Dr. King, the community at Sprague is providing a true eduction to our children. Thank-you teachers, staff and parents for strongly supporting our school. I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend!
A couple upcoming events to consider:
Free Private Class at The Bar Method on Thursday January 29 at 8pm: Put the kids to bed, gather a few friends and enjoy a fun workout with time to hang-out afterwards. Please see sign-up details below.
With roots in Connecticut, The Bar Method opened its first studio in San Francisco in 2001. Six years later, Katie McKay, one of their original customers, would move to Wellesley and threaten to open up her own franchise because she missed it so much. Well, Katie never followed through on that threat and so now she simply enjoys the awesome workouts provided by owners Jen and Sarah.
Sprague Ski Weekend on February 6-8 in Sunday River. Still time to join the over thirty-five Sprague families hitting the slopes at Sunday River in Maine. The more, the merrier!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
“Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
― Martin Luther King Jr.
Judging by the sage words of Dr. King, the community at Sprague is providing a true eduction to our children. Thank-you teachers, staff and parents for strongly supporting our school. I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend!
A couple upcoming events to consider:
Free Private Class at The Bar Method on Thursday January 29 at 8pm: Put the kids to bed, gather a few friends and enjoy a fun workout with time to hang-out afterwards. Please see sign-up details below.
With roots in Connecticut, The Bar Method opened its first studio in San Francisco in 2001. Six years later, Katie McKay, one of their original customers, would move to Wellesley and threaten to open up her own franchise because she missed it so much. Well, Katie never followed through on that threat and so now she simply enjoys the awesome workouts provided by owners Jen and Sarah.
Sprague Ski Weekend on February 6-8 in Sunday River. Still time to join the over thirty-five Sprague families hitting the slopes at Sunday River in Maine. The more, the merrier!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Hope you enjoyed the winter break. Our household had a little bit of everything; family, friends, skiing, cross-country skiing, and flying on a giant golden eagle... Never done that? If you're not worried about liabilities, it is an excellent way to send your children flying (literally) up in the air on a rope attached to the wings while you (the responsible parent) pull down on a rope attached to the wooden eagle's body. Let's just say winter activities in Quebec are a little more freestyle. Although it was probably a good thing we discovered the Bailey's option for hot chocolate after riding the eagle.
Great to see everybody back at school. Kids are excited to see friends and parents are over-joyed to have their days returned to them. On Friday we have Walk to School to celebrate nose icicles, followed by the PTO Board meeting at 9:30 in the cafeteria. We are starting the board meeting a little later than usual because of the school assembly that morning in the gym. At the board meeting we will go over the final numbers for the Cookie Walk (which were awesome!), discuss the Ski Trip (February 6-8), and go over the fund raising calendar for the remainder of the school year, among other items.
As a reminder, board meetings are open to everyone. If you are curious, we would love to see you.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Hope you enjoyed the winter break. Our household had a little bit of everything; family, friends, skiing, cross-country skiing, and flying on a giant golden eagle... Never done that? If you're not worried about liabilities, it is an excellent way to send your children flying (literally) up in the air on a rope attached to the wings while you (the responsible parent) pull down on a rope attached to the wooden eagle's body. Let's just say winter activities in Quebec are a little more freestyle. Although it was probably a good thing we discovered the Bailey's option for hot chocolate after riding the eagle.
Great to see everybody back at school. Kids are excited to see friends and parents are over-joyed to have their days returned to them. On Friday we have Walk to School to celebrate nose icicles, followed by the PTO Board meeting at 9:30 in the cafeteria. We are starting the board meeting a little later than usual because of the school assembly that morning in the gym. At the board meeting we will go over the final numbers for the Cookie Walk (which were awesome!), discuss the Ski Trip (February 6-8), and go over the fund raising calendar for the remainder of the school year, among other items.
As a reminder, board meetings are open to everyone. If you are curious, we would love to see you.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Elizabeth Young absolutely knocked the cover off the ball this year. The event brought us together as a community in a fun and energetic atmosphere. The set-up was beautiful and engaging (I loved the historical photos from around town), and the programming was fun and entertaining (my girls raved about David Hall, the magician).
The financial numbers are not final quite yet, but suffice to say we significantly exceeded our revenue and profit target for the event. These funds will go towards enhancing the Sprague experience for our children. Thank-you Elizabeth for all of the hard work. You not only put together a phenomenal event, but you also created a plan for how the Cookie Walk can continue to be successful for future years.
This event was successful because of a lot of hard work from many people. I encourage you to read through and personally thank as many of the people as possible. Also, please let me know if I have forgotten to thank someone.
A strong leader always has a strong team behind them and Elizabeth was no exception. Thank-you Julie Knudson, Bram Young, Julia de Peyster, Jill Fischmann, Melissa Martin, Jenn Fallon, Jenn Yu, Aileen Russell and Marissa Rosenbaum, and anyone else who pitched in behind the scenes to help Elizabeth. All of you are amazing and Sprague is so much better because of all your effort.
Thank-you Julia de Peyster for helping to administer the raffle (results announced Monday). This was a significant under-taking given the volume of tickets bought. Processing all the raffle entry forms submitted prior to the Cookie Walk took an all-out effort on the part of Julia. Your positive 'can-do' approach is inspiring and you always bring an element of fun to all that you do.
Of course the Cookie Walk required a great deal of thought and coordination concerning funding and payment collection. Thank-you Melissa Martin and Jill Fischmann for all the effort you put into planning and coordinating the handling of money. Your calm demeanor and willingness to stay late to ensure all the funds were properly accounted for at the end was huge.
Another huge job was pulling together all the people to help set-up, support and clean-up the event. Thank-you Aileen Russell for coordinating all the volunteers for the event. People who stepped up to help out at the event included Marissa Rosenbaum, Wade Ju, Jen Bowers, Jennifer Yu, Jenn Fallon, Carrie Reepmeyer, Betsey Weintraub, Eileen Brackenbury, Becca Cahaly, Nur Hamzaogullari, DD Marcoux, Annie Newman, Joanne Hinchley, Michelle Frost, Kirsten Stevenson, Eunice Groark, Jean Walsh, Andrea Scampini, Cindy Shorris, Maura Miele, Angie Gakidis, Phyllis Theerman, Sue Maggioni, Mason Smith, and Marie Schiller.
Thank-you Jenn Fallon for coordinating the cookie production and room parent communications. Thank-you Claire van der Elst for helping to get the word out about baking, volunteers and event details. Thank-you to all the parents who baked cookies for the Cookie Walk! We ended up with about the perfect number of cookies and your festive wrapping helped elevate the atmosphere of the event.
Thank-you Kate Naughton for organizing the Spirit Shop for the event. The PTO made a healthy profit and now all of us can show our Sprague spirit with pride. Helping Kate pull off this amazing feat were Dulcey Connon, Lisa Neighbors, Susie Ellis, Janet Goujiamanis, Amy Chase, Jennifer Voldins, Jacqie Stathis, and Carolyn Carroll. Thank-you to all of you for volunteering your time and effort in support of the school!
Thank-you Carrie Reepmeyer and Karyn DeVito for working out the best possible solution for the METCO students so that they could participate as much as possible.
Thank-you Sprague PTO Board and all the parents who attended the planning meetings. Your thoughtful input helped fine-tune the event and ensure its success.
Thank-you Ms. Snyder for your support in helping to plan the event, as well as during the Cookie Walk. Your willingness to help coordinate the usage of the school was a huge help.
Thank-you to the custodians, Mr. Grady, Mr. Carter and Mr. Glorioso, for supporting the set-up and clean up of the Cookie Walk. It was a lot more work for you and we really appreciated your thoughtful and positive engagement.
Thank-you Mr. Hagar-McKee for the music, explanation on how to set-up the sound system, and the music stands. Thank-you Ms. Stabnick for having your students create the back drop for the Photo Booth. Thank-you to all the teachers who provided easels from their classrooms for displaying the posters from the Wellesley Historical Society during the Cookie Walk.
Thank-you Ms. Webb for taking pity on a hungry father during the set-up of the event. The sandwich was delicious and the apple you gave me from the cafeteria tasted like it came from the Hesperides themselves!
Thank-you Wellesley High School Key Club for adding much needed man hours for the event.
Finally, thank-you WCCC for your flexibility during the event.
Everyone played their role beautifully and it showed big time during the event. As you can see, this was an enormous undertaking that Elizabeth and her team orchestrated. Again, thank-you Elizabeth for creating a memorable Cookie Walk experience for all of us!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
'Twas the night before the Walk, when all through the school
Not a student was stirring, for it was a rule;
Their work was displayed in the hallways with care,
In hopes that their parents soon would be there...
Dear Sprague Community,
We're in the home stretch for the Sprague Cookie Walk, when families share their ancestral cookie recipes and we come together as a community to wonder at the energy level of sugar-infused children. This year you will notice a few different twists to the Cookie Walk. Elizabeth Young, with the aid of her husband Bram, has updated the theme with new graphics, colors and theme. The theme is focused on our town and we hope you enjoy looking at the pictures displayed from the Wellesley Historical Society.
There will be more attractions at the Cookie Walk this year, including a magician, photo booth, cookie grams, and cupcake corner. We will also have the LINX dancers and Spirit Shop for your enjoyment. Thank-you Kate Naughton for pulling together the Spirit Shop in time for the Cookie Walk. I encourage you to look over the items that will be at the Spirit Shop and pre-order.
The items in the Cookie Walk raffle are incredible, with something for just about everybody. With thirty-five bundles there is a great chance for everybody to win something. You now have the chance to pre-order raffle tickets, as well as tickets to the David Hall magic show (scroll down form). By ordering ahead you are able to reduce your anxiety about buying the tickets the day of the event.
Given that we are widening the audience to the town of Wellesley, we expect more people to attend the event this year. Elizabeth and her team have spent many late nights planning for these changes and I am very excited to see everything she has worked on and to help out to make sure it is successful. Our central focus is on encouraging families to sign-up to bake cookies. We are stronger when many of us engage to support one another.
Lastly, we are making an effort to be considerate of the environment this year. Please read this message from our friendly environmental consultant.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Short school week, followed by a five-day break due to Thanksgiving on Thursday, no school on Friday, and a professional day for teachers on Monday. Don't be that parent who giddily shows up to Sprague on the Monday morning after Thanksgiving only to find out they have one more day of joyfully entertaining their children. (I'm not talking from experience, or anything...)
Time to walk-the-walk Sprague! In the spirit of the original Wellesley Cookie Exchange, the families of Sprague are asked to provide cookies to the Cookie Walk. We need cookies, lots and lots of cookies! Call up family and schedule a time together to bake. Invite over friends and make them together. Bake'em now and freeze them. Bake'em with the kids during the Thanksgiving break. Bake'em during the weekend before the Cookie walk. Make it fun, an excuse to spend time together with friends and family. The more love that goes into this community-building event, the more fun for everyone.
We're asking for at least three to six dozen per family, packaged in six cookies per bag. To ensure we will have enough cookies, please record how many cookies you will make in our exclusive cookie spreadsheet. (Thank-you Jenn Fallon for creating the sign-up sheet!)
One last point, Elizabeth Young has been working extremely hard organizing the Cookie Walk and pulling together volunteers. Her dedication, creativity and deep love for Sprague is inspiring to watch and support. Thank-you very much Elizabeth for all the hard work! Also, thank-you to everyone who has been supporting Elizabeth as she works through all the details of organizing the event. (Thank-you Aileen Farrell for creating the volunteer sign-up sheet) Sprague is very lucky to have so many families willing to roll-up their sleeves and help-out!
Have a great Thanksgiving and stay safe over the break!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Short school week, followed by a five-day break due to Thanksgiving on Thursday, no school on Friday, and a professional day for teachers on Monday. Don't be that parent who giddily shows up to Sprague on the Monday morning after Thanksgiving only to find out they have one more day of joyfully entertaining their children. (I'm not talking from experience, or anything...)
Time to walk-the-walk Sprague! In the spirit of the original Wellesley Cookie Exchange, the families of Sprague are asked to provide cookies to the Cookie Walk. We need cookies, lots and lots of cookies! Call up family and schedule a time together to bake. Invite over friends and make them together. Bake'em now and freeze them. Bake'em with the kids during the Thanksgiving break. Bake'em during the weekend before the Cookie walk. Make it fun, an excuse to spend time together with friends and family. The more love that goes into this community-building event, the more fun for everyone.
We're asking for at least three to six dozen per family, packaged in six cookies per bag. To ensure we will have enough cookies, please record how many cookies you will make in our exclusive cookie spreadsheet. (Thank-you Jenn Fallon for creating the sign-up sheet!)
One last point, Elizabeth Young has been working extremely hard organizing the Cookie Walk and pulling together volunteers. Her dedication, creativity and deep love for Sprague is inspiring to watch and support. Thank-you very much Elizabeth for all the hard work! Also, thank-you to everyone who has been supporting Elizabeth as she works through all the details of organizing the event. (Thank-you Aileen Farrell for creating the volunteer sign-up sheet) Sprague is very lucky to have so many families willing to roll-up their sleeves and help-out!
Have a great Thanksgiving and stay safe over the break!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Apparently the internet did not break this week, despite one celebrity's best effort to crack it. This news comes as a great relief because our own Jennifer Vernazza has been working feverishly to make the internet a better place. She has been busy updating information on the Sprague PTO website so that all of us remain well informed. A huge thanks to Jenn for all her effort!
Jennifer Vernazza has also put together the Sprague Ski weekend for the year. The weekend is planned for February 6-8 at Sunday River in Maine. Before you panic, the Super Bowl is scheduled for the weekend before. This way you can work off that seven-layer bean dip on the slopes, or simply soak in the hot tub. Thank you, Jenn, for planning the event!
The preparations for the Cookie Walk are rolling along, spear-headed by Elizabeth Young. You should expect to begin to hear more about baking cookies in the near future. We will need a lot of cookies! Personally, I'm very excited for the event this year with all the interesting ideas Elizabeth has incorporated. The final Cookie Walk preparation meeting happens this Thursday after drop-off in the morning in the Sprague cafeteria. Please either come to the meeting or reach out to Elizabeth if you would like to be involved.
Recently two members of the School Committee presented to the Sprague community about the improvements planned for the Wellesley schools. For those who are interested in learning more about the December 9 debt exclusion vote, please view the linked presentations about the Fiske and Schofield improvements, as well as the Middle School. These presentations will be made at School Committee on November 18 in Town Hall.
In the interest of supporting a strong and engaged community, if you are interested in running for a member of Town Meeting in the March 2015 town election, the Town Clerk has information about the process and deadlines. Candidate election forms can be picked up starting on December 4. A list of current Town Meeting Members is also available.
Pull out those cookie recipes!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Apparently the internet did not break this week, despite one celebrity's best effort to crack it. This news comes as a great relief because our own Jennifer Vernazza has been working feverishly to make the internet a better place. She has been busy updating information on the Sprague PTO website so that all of us remain well informed. A huge thanks to Jenn for all her effort!
Jennifer Vernazza has also put together the Sprague Ski weekend for the year. The weekend is planned for February 6-8 at Sunday River in Maine. Before you panic, the Super Bowl is scheduled for the weekend before. This way you can work off that seven-layer bean dip on the slopes, or simply soak in the hot tub. Thank you, Jenn, for planning the event!
The preparations for the Cookie Walk are rolling along, spear-headed by Elizabeth Young. You should expect to begin to hear more about baking cookies in the near future. We will need a lot of cookies! Personally, I'm very excited for the event this year with all the interesting ideas Elizabeth has incorporated. The final Cookie Walk preparation meeting happens this Thursday after drop-off in the morning in the Sprague cafeteria. Please either come to the meeting or reach out to Elizabeth if you would like to be involved.
Recently two members of the School Committee presented to the Sprague community about the improvements planned for the Wellesley schools. For those who are interested in learning more about the December 9 debt exclusion vote, please view the linked presentations about the Fiske and Schofield improvements, as well as the Middle School. These presentations will be made at School Committee on November 18 in Town Hall.
In the interest of supporting a strong and engaged community, if you are interested in running for a member of Town Meeting in the March 2015 town election, the Town Clerk has information about the process and deadlines. Candidate election forms can be picked up starting on December 4. A list of current Town Meeting Members is also available.
Pull out those cookie recipes!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Suffrutescent. This word took down our fearless Sprague Spelling Bee team, despite their expansive brains. The pronunciation by the announcer may have been a bit off, leading our team down the wrong road, but we'll give credit to the Bates PTO who managed to fight through the acoustics in the Sprague gym and spell it correctly. Thank-you Kim Khoury, Julia de Peyster and Brian Hagar-McKee for all the hours of studying and preparation. You represented Sprague well!
On Tuesday we had two members of School Committee, KC Kato and Matt Kelly, talk with parents about the upcoming special election on December 9. Residents of Wellesley will be asked to approve funding for renovations to Fiske, Schofield and the Middle School. Susan Snyder also presented Sprague MCAS scores, which were very strong. If you would like to learn more about the scores, and were unable to attend the meeting, please send Ms. Snyder an email.
Also on Tuesday we held our November board meeting for the PTO. Karin Sodervall was officially voted in as Co-President. Thank-you Karin! Kirsten Stevenson updated everyone on Creative Arts and Sciences. DD Marcoux wanted to thank all the parents who helped with Nature Walks this fall. Ms. Snyder provided an update on the school, which included the start of the installation of the 'Buddy Bench' on the playground (the area recently prepared by the shade structure).
The board approved a small increase in the previously approved gift for fourth grade study aides to cover shipping expenses. The board also approved the creation of an Innovation Fund that will support technology purchases for the school. The fund was seeded with a $15,000 gift that will initially go towards the purchase of laptops. Due to the size of the school, it was determined through conversations with teachers and school officials that Sprague had a shortage of laptops. The purchase of laptops is consistent with the district's technology vision and curriculum. In the future, the desire is to enhance the district's technology plans within the parameters of the curriculum through this fund.
Melissa Martin presented the Treasurer's report, noting the financial position of the Sprague PTO remains healthy after making these gifts. The board also approved a modest increase in expenses associated with PTO-sponsored events, such as coffee and donuts at presentations for parents. Please contact me if you have any questions about the items discussed at the board meet.
On Thursday Elizabeth Young hosted a kick-off meeting for preparations of the Cookie Walk. It was a productive meeting with lots of good ideas and productive discussions about the best way to organize the event. Thank-you to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion.
The collection of items for Cradles to Crayons this week was awesome! Thank-you to everyone who donated items. Also, thank-you Jenn Friedman, the exuberant fifth graders who helped, and the rest of the Cradles team for reminding all of us each morning to bring our donated items to the school. The volume that was picked up at the school on Friday was incredible. The Sprague community should feel quite proud of our generosity.
Thank-you to everyone who has come in and looked through the Lost and Found! There has been a noticeable reduction in the height of the piles and I'm sure the articles of clothing were overjoyed to get washed and reunited with their owner. At the end of the month we will donate what is left in the Lost and Found to Cradles and Crayons.
Kate and Robert Naughton have been busy working on the Sprague Turkey Trot T-shirt design. Please fill out the Turkey Trot Form if you would like to buy a shirt! Deadline is Monday, November 10 to order shirts.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Suffrutescent. This word took down our fearless Sprague Spelling Bee team, despite their expansive brains. The pronunciation by the announcer may have been a bit off, leading our team down the wrong road, but we'll give credit to the Bates PTO who managed to fight through the acoustics in the Sprague gym and spell it correctly. Thank-you Kim Khoury, Julia de Peyster and Brian Hagar-McKee for all the hours of studying and preparation. You represented Sprague well!
On Tuesday we had two members of School Committee, KC Kato and Matt Kelly, talk with parents about the upcoming special election on December 9. Residents of Wellesley will be asked to approve funding for renovations to Fiske, Schofield and the Middle School. Susan Snyder also presented Sprague MCAS scores, which were very strong. If you would like to learn more about the scores, and were unable to attend the meeting, please send Ms. Snyder an email.
Also on Tuesday we held our November board meeting for the PTO. Karin Sodervall was officially voted in as Co-President. Thank-you Karin! Kirsten Stevenson updated everyone on Creative Arts and Sciences. DD Marcoux wanted to thank all the parents who helped with Nature Walks this fall. Ms. Snyder provided an update on the school, which included the start of the installation of the 'Buddy Bench' on the playground (the area recently prepared by the shade structure).
The board approved a small increase in the previously approved gift for fourth grade study aides to cover shipping expenses. The board also approved the creation of an Innovation Fund that will support technology purchases for the school. The fund was seeded with a $15,000 gift that will initially go towards the purchase of laptops. Due to the size of the school, it was determined through conversations with teachers and school officials that Sprague had a shortage of laptops. The purchase of laptops is consistent with the district's technology vision and curriculum. In the future, the desire is to enhance the district's technology plans within the parameters of the curriculum through this fund.
Melissa Martin presented the Treasurer's report, noting the financial position of the Sprague PTO remains healthy after making these gifts. The board also approved a modest increase in expenses associated with PTO-sponsored events, such as coffee and donuts at presentations for parents. Please contact me if you have any questions about the items discussed at the board meet.
Please MARK YOUR CALENDAR for
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11 as the date of
COOKIE WALK.
The doors open to the gym at 2:30p with activities and shows starting
late enough to allow for families from other schools to attend.
On Thursday Elizabeth Young hosted a kick-off meeting for preparations of the Cookie Walk. It was a productive meeting with lots of good ideas and productive discussions about the best way to organize the event. Thank-you to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion.
The collection of items for Cradles to Crayons this week was awesome! Thank-you to everyone who donated items. Also, thank-you Jenn Friedman, the exuberant fifth graders who helped, and the rest of the Cradles team for reminding all of us each morning to bring our donated items to the school. The volume that was picked up at the school on Friday was incredible. The Sprague community should feel quite proud of our generosity.
Thank-you to everyone who has come in and looked through the Lost and Found! There has been a noticeable reduction in the height of the piles and I'm sure the articles of clothing were overjoyed to get washed and reunited with their owner. At the end of the month we will donate what is left in the Lost and Found to Cradles and Crayons.
Kate and Robert Naughton have been busy working on the Sprague Turkey Trot T-shirt design. Please fill out the Turkey Trot Form if you would like to buy a shirt! Deadline is Monday, November 10 to order shirts.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
What a week! The energy of the Book Fair pulsed through the hallways as students eagerly anticipated their class visit and the opportunity to pick out books of interest to them. Maybe the books brought home weren't exactly what you would have chosen for them. But, part of the book fair's magic is empowering our children to make choices, for better or worse, and for them to learn from those decisions.
The final tally from the book fair is not yet in, but the early indication is that it was another successful year. Thank-you Catherine Mirick and Andrea Doglioli for organizing the event and putting in countless hours this week ensuring our young children found something of interest. Your efforts have raised money for the PTO and enhanced the community. Also, thank-you to all the parents who volunteered during the week to help operations run smoothly.
The Halloween parade was another highlight of the week. The creativity of the families within our community is astounding. From the over-sized pants costume to the hand-sewn Harry Potter robe, the time and love put into many of the costumes was impressive. Personally, I particularly enjoy watching the paparazzi jostle for position to get their 'shot.'
This coming week is also jammed with activities. Throughout the week, Jenn Friedman and her team will be collecting articles for Cradles to Crayons. On Tuesday we start off the day with Walk-to-School. After you and your family have peregrinated (take note spelling bee team) across the fields, please consider sticking around to listen to Ms. KC Kato of the School Committee update parents on town-wide school initiatives. Immediately following Ms. Kato, Susan Snyder will offer a presentation to parents on the MCAS scores of Sprague. Finally, the PTO Board will meet after Ms. Snyder's presentation and provide updates by the Enrichment chairs, the Principal, and Elizabeth Young on Cookie Walk preparations.
As you know, Sprague is gearing up for our community enhancing fund raiser, the Cookie Walk! This year expect more of an 'our town' format with the hope it fosters Sprague community involvement. Elizabeth Young has been VERY busy developing ideas and planning the event. This year's Cookie Walk should be nothing short of magical! She has put together an all-star team to help organize the raffle, coordinate the cookies, and plan out many other necessary items.
There will be an informational meeting for anyone interested in participating. If you would like to get involved with this incredible group of dedicated parents, please plan to attend the first coordinating meeting on November 6 at 8:45a in the Sprague cafeteria. If you cannot make this meeting, please fill out this form and Elizabeth will reach out to you.
One last note, the WEF Spelling Bee occurs on November 6. Please consider coming out to Sprague to support our team of Kim Khoury, Julia de Peyster and Brian Hagar-McKee as they try to buzz the competition.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
What a week! The energy of the Book Fair pulsed through the hallways as students eagerly anticipated their class visit and the opportunity to pick out books of interest to them. Maybe the books brought home weren't exactly what you would have chosen for them. But, part of the book fair's magic is empowering our children to make choices, for better or worse, and for them to learn from those decisions.
The final tally from the book fair is not yet in, but the early indication is that it was another successful year. Thank-you Catherine Mirick and Andrea Doglioli for organizing the event and putting in countless hours this week ensuring our young children found something of interest. Your efforts have raised money for the PTO and enhanced the community. Also, thank-you to all the parents who volunteered during the week to help operations run smoothly.
The Halloween parade was another highlight of the week. The creativity of the families within our community is astounding. From the over-sized pants costume to the hand-sewn Harry Potter robe, the time and love put into many of the costumes was impressive. Personally, I particularly enjoy watching the paparazzi jostle for position to get their 'shot.'
This coming week is also jammed with activities. Throughout the week, Jenn Friedman and her team will be collecting articles for Cradles to Crayons. On Tuesday we start off the day with Walk-to-School. After you and your family have peregrinated (take note spelling bee team) across the fields, please consider sticking around to listen to Ms. KC Kato of the School Committee update parents on town-wide school initiatives. Immediately following Ms. Kato, Susan Snyder will offer a presentation to parents on the MCAS scores of Sprague. Finally, the PTO Board will meet after Ms. Snyder's presentation and provide updates by the Enrichment chairs, the Principal, and Elizabeth Young on Cookie Walk preparations.
As you know, Sprague is gearing up for our community enhancing fund raiser, the Cookie Walk! This year expect more of an 'our town' format with the hope it fosters Sprague community involvement. Elizabeth Young has been VERY busy developing ideas and planning the event. This year's Cookie Walk should be nothing short of magical! She has put together an all-star team to help organize the raffle, coordinate the cookies, and plan out many other necessary items.
There will be an informational meeting for anyone interested in participating. If you would like to get involved with this incredible group of dedicated parents, please plan to attend the first coordinating meeting on November 6 at 8:45a in the Sprague cafeteria. If you cannot make this meeting, please fill out this form and Elizabeth will reach out to you.
One last note, the WEF Spelling Bee occurs on November 6. Please consider coming out to Sprague to support our team of Kim Khoury, Julia de Peyster and Brian Hagar-McKee as they try to buzz the competition.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Everyone is probably in the final stretch of stitching together Halloween costumes, literally and figuratively. It is always fun to watch our little monsters (er princess/ princesses) put on their costumes for Halloween. The parade of costumes at Sprague will occur Friday morning with a set route so that all parents/ paparazzi can snap enough photos to fill their memory cards. Be safe on Halloween!
The grade level social season drew to a close Friday evening with the second grade parents celebrating all that is wonderful about having a baby-sitter on Friday night. Thank-you Melissa and Kevin Martin for opening your home and providing an outlet for all the pent-up parental social needs.
The Scholastic Book Fair happens this week, October 28-30. This is one of my favorite events of the year as the kids have the opportunity to browse through titles and choose what they want to read. It also gives them an opportunity to set a budget for themselves and work to remain within it. (Why should grown-ups have all the fun?) Parents are encouraged to come in during the time their child's class visits the book fair to assist their book worms. Also, the teachers have put together a wish list of books they would like for their classrooms, another way to support your child's learning. Finally, Catherine and Andrea purposely scheduled Dads and Donuts for Thursday so all the lost donut fans can find sustenance during the reconstruction of the Dunkin' Donuts on Route 9.
The Wellesley Education Fund is celebrating twenty-five years of hosting the Spelling Bee on November 6 and Sprague is sending an All-Star team to claim the title. Kim Khoury, Julia de Peyster and Brian Hagar-McKee are busy memorizing the spelling of EVERY SINGLE WORD in the dictionary. You can come support our team in your finest Sprague inspired 'habiliments,' and bring your 'lorgnettes' to watch the action.
Preparations for the Cookie Walk on December 11 are well underway by Elizabeth Young. She has assembled a stellar team and the plans look amazing. Elizabeth would like some help with cookie coordination, which offers a wonderful opportunity to work with some really fabulous people. If interested, please contact Elizabeth.
One note, on November 4 a member of the School Committee, Ms. KC Kato, will talk to interested Sprague parents at 8:45a in the cafeteria. This is a good opportunity to learn about initiatives within Wellesley schools and to ask questions. Immediately following Ms. Kato, the PTO board will meet.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Everyone is probably in the final stretch of stitching together Halloween costumes, literally and figuratively. It is always fun to watch our little monsters (er princess/ princesses) put on their costumes for Halloween. The parade of costumes at Sprague will occur Friday morning with a set route so that all parents/ paparazzi can snap enough photos to fill their memory cards. Be safe on Halloween!
The grade level social season drew to a close Friday evening with the second grade parents celebrating all that is wonderful about having a baby-sitter on Friday night. Thank-you Melissa and Kevin Martin for opening your home and providing an outlet for all the pent-up parental social needs.
The Scholastic Book Fair happens this week, October 28-30. This is one of my favorite events of the year as the kids have the opportunity to browse through titles and choose what they want to read. It also gives them an opportunity to set a budget for themselves and work to remain within it. (Why should grown-ups have all the fun?) Parents are encouraged to come in during the time their child's class visits the book fair to assist their book worms. Also, the teachers have put together a wish list of books they would like for their classrooms, another way to support your child's learning. Finally, Catherine and Andrea purposely scheduled Dads and Donuts for Thursday so all the lost donut fans can find sustenance during the reconstruction of the Dunkin' Donuts on Route 9.
The Wellesley Education Fund is celebrating twenty-five years of hosting the Spelling Bee on November 6 and Sprague is sending an All-Star team to claim the title. Kim Khoury, Julia de Peyster and Brian Hagar-McKee are busy memorizing the spelling of EVERY SINGLE WORD in the dictionary. You can come support our team in your finest Sprague inspired 'habiliments,' and bring your 'lorgnettes' to watch the action.
Preparations for the Cookie Walk on December 11 are well underway by Elizabeth Young. She has assembled a stellar team and the plans look amazing. Elizabeth would like some help with cookie coordination, which offers a wonderful opportunity to work with some really fabulous people. If interested, please contact Elizabeth.
One note, on November 4 a member of the School Committee, Ms. KC Kato, will talk to interested Sprague parents at 8:45a in the cafeteria. This is a good opportunity to learn about initiatives within Wellesley schools and to ask questions. Immediately following Ms. Kato, the PTO board will meet.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Grade level socials were in full swing Friday night, testing the scheduling flexibility and intestinal fortitude of Ms. Snyder and myself. Thank-you Sarah and Paul Green, Catherine and Chris Mirick, Michele and David Frost, and Carrie and Will Reepmeyer for opening your homes to the community and supplying a little more warmth to us all. Also, thank-you to everyone who contributed food and supplies to the events. Finally, thank-you again Karyn DeVito and Andrea Scampini for organizing all of them and ensuring they went of smoothly.
The BOKS program starts up this week, running on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. BOKS is a before-school physical activity program that sparks a child's mind and body for better learning during the day. Thank-you Elaine Marten for organizing this program! It is a great way to ensure our kids start-off the day on the right foot. Elaine could use a few more parents to help with the program. Please email her at spragueboks@gmail.com if you would like to help or sign-up your child for the program.
The Book Fair is right around the corner and you should have received information in your child's folder. The incredible pair of Andrea Doglioli and Catherine Mirick have again organized an awesome book fair for the kids on the days of October 28-30. One of my favorite personal events, Dads and Donuts, is on October 30 and offers a great opportunity for all the fathers to spend some time picking out a book with their kids and sharing it over a donut.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Grade level socials were in full swing Friday night, testing the scheduling flexibility and intestinal fortitude of Ms. Snyder and myself. Thank-you Sarah and Paul Green, Catherine and Chris Mirick, Michele and David Frost, and Carrie and Will Reepmeyer for opening your homes to the community and supplying a little more warmth to us all. Also, thank-you to everyone who contributed food and supplies to the events. Finally, thank-you again Karyn DeVito and Andrea Scampini for organizing all of them and ensuring they went of smoothly.
The BOKS program starts up this week, running on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. BOKS is a before-school physical activity program that sparks a child's mind and body for better learning during the day. Thank-you Elaine Marten for organizing this program! It is a great way to ensure our kids start-off the day on the right foot. Elaine could use a few more parents to help with the program. Please email her at spragueboks@gmail.com if you would like to help or sign-up your child for the program.
The Book Fair is right around the corner and you should have received information in your child's folder. The incredible pair of Andrea Doglioli and Catherine Mirick have again organized an awesome book fair for the kids on the days of October 28-30. One of my favorite personal events, Dads and Donuts, is on October 30 and offers a great opportunity for all the fathers to spend some time picking out a book with their kids and sharing it over a donut.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Community. My mind turned back to this emotion-laden idea as the board discussed plans for the Cookie Walk. The kernel wrapped inside our event is community, stretching back almost fifty years in Wellesley with the Cookie Exchange. It was about sharing a recipe with neighbors, as well as something of each of our lives. By baking cookies and sharing them, the goal is to bring us closer together. Maybe a strange concept in our digitized world, or maybe even more necessary.
The board meeting occurred this past Wednesday. Thank-you to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. We had some great ideas and feedback put on the table this week. The main topic of discussion was the Cookie Walk, which received a bump in their approved expenses to support a broader audience this year. Melissa Martin, Treasurer, reported that the PTO is on-track financially. Susan Snyder reported about the strong showing by the school on MCAS, success of Global Child, and strong interest in other after school programs.
One obvious take-away from the board meeting was that Elizabeth Young has done an incredible job planning out the event for this year. A challenge this year is to open up the Cookie Walk to more of a town-wide audience. Elizabeth has taken on this challenge head-on! She has thoughtfully considered the theme, gym lay-out, entertainment, and marketing to raise the event another level this year. The Cookie Walk provides an opportunity for the community to come together and create something special. Please reach out to Elizabeth if you'd like to get involved.
Grade-level socials started up this week with the First Grade parents gathering at the home of John and Kristina Alessi. The Alessi family offered a warm and welcoming reception to everyone. Thank-you to the Alessi family for opening up your home to the community!
As a reminder, there is no school on Monday due to Columbus Day.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Community. My mind turned back to this emotion-laden idea as the board discussed plans for the Cookie Walk. The kernel wrapped inside our event is community, stretching back almost fifty years in Wellesley with the Cookie Exchange. It was about sharing a recipe with neighbors, as well as something of each of our lives. By baking cookies and sharing them, the goal is to bring us closer together. Maybe a strange concept in our digitized world, or maybe even more necessary.
The board meeting occurred this past Wednesday. Thank-you to everyone who attended and contributed to the discussion. We had some great ideas and feedback put on the table this week. The main topic of discussion was the Cookie Walk, which received a bump in their approved expenses to support a broader audience this year. Melissa Martin, Treasurer, reported that the PTO is on-track financially. Susan Snyder reported about the strong showing by the school on MCAS, success of Global Child, and strong interest in other after school programs.
One obvious take-away from the board meeting was that Elizabeth Young has done an incredible job planning out the event for this year. A challenge this year is to open up the Cookie Walk to more of a town-wide audience. Elizabeth has taken on this challenge head-on! She has thoughtfully considered the theme, gym lay-out, entertainment, and marketing to raise the event another level this year. The Cookie Walk provides an opportunity for the community to come together and create something special. Please reach out to Elizabeth if you'd like to get involved.
Grade-level socials started up this week with the First Grade parents gathering at the home of John and Kristina Alessi. The Alessi family offered a warm and welcoming reception to everyone. Thank-you to the Alessi family for opening up your home to the community!
As a reminder, there is no school on Monday due to Columbus Day.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Ah, October! The leaves are turning, the apples have fallen, crisp fall air is blowing in, and parents are fully into Crush Season. Crush Season? No, I'm not referring to crushing grapes to make wine occurring right now in Napa, although wine is very complementary to our season. Crush Season is when we parents desperately make lunches before breakfast, frantically search for that library book that is due, prod our kids about unfinished homework and simply getting dressed (why is that considered a chore?), jam a full day's worth of book bags and sports gear into our cars before racing to make it to school before the whistle blows. The best part? Crush Season transitions right into Holiday Season, which is right around the corner! (Sorry, did that make you spill your coffee)
As a reminder, we may be stressed and harried by everything going on, but please drive cautiously through the parking lot.
Picture Day was a bit wet this year, but through the efforts of many parents it was a success. Thank-you Julie Knudson for orchestrating everything and thank-you to all the volunteers who helped make sure our little ones exhibited their best side. The teachers truly appreciated all the help from Becca Cahaly, Joanne Hinchley, Suzanne Fletcher, DD Marcoux, Sara Joseph, Jessamy Harrington, Kathy Severson, Christine Choate, Jacque Stathis, Ana Alexander, Karyn DeVito, and Jen Bowers.
On Wednesday at 9:00a in the cafeteria, the PTO will have its next board meeting. Topics on the agenda include preparations for Cookie Walk, Treasurer's update and the Principal's update. We will also discuss potential topics for parent discussions throughout the year. If you have any suggestions of topics you would like to hear about, please send me an email.
The next Walk-to-School is also scheduled for Wednesday. If you would like to help our young students sign themselves in and choose a footie, please email Lizzie Murillo.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Ah, October! The leaves are turning, the apples have fallen, crisp fall air is blowing in, and parents are fully into Crush Season. Crush Season? No, I'm not referring to crushing grapes to make wine occurring right now in Napa, although wine is very complementary to our season. Crush Season is when we parents desperately make lunches before breakfast, frantically search for that library book that is due, prod our kids about unfinished homework and simply getting dressed (why is that considered a chore?), jam a full day's worth of book bags and sports gear into our cars before racing to make it to school before the whistle blows. The best part? Crush Season transitions right into Holiday Season, which is right around the corner! (Sorry, did that make you spill your coffee)
As a reminder, we may be stressed and harried by everything going on, but please drive cautiously through the parking lot.
Picture Day was a bit wet this year, but through the efforts of many parents it was a success. Thank-you Julie Knudson for orchestrating everything and thank-you to all the volunteers who helped make sure our little ones exhibited their best side. The teachers truly appreciated all the help from Becca Cahaly, Joanne Hinchley, Suzanne Fletcher, DD Marcoux, Sara Joseph, Jessamy Harrington, Kathy Severson, Christine Choate, Jacque Stathis, Ana Alexander, Karyn DeVito, and Jen Bowers.
On Wednesday at 9:00a in the cafeteria, the PTO will have its next board meeting. Topics on the agenda include preparations for Cookie Walk, Treasurer's update and the Principal's update. We will also discuss potential topics for parent discussions throughout the year. If you have any suggestions of topics you would like to hear about, please send me an email.
The next Walk-to-School is also scheduled for Wednesday. If you would like to help our young students sign themselves in and choose a footie, please email Lizzie Murillo.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Gap Tooth Memorial day is coming up on September 30, also known as Picture Day. Julie Knudson has done a great job organizing the day for our favorite toothy-smile little ones. Thank-you Julie for pulling everything together so that our children have lifetime reminders of their adolescent dental development.
If you didn't see it, our Social Chairs Andrea Scampini and Karyn DeVito have firmed up the grade level socials during October. For those of you who are new to the Sprague, these events offer a great opportunity to meet other families with children in the same grade as your child.
The dates are little more bunched up this year due to Yom Yippur and Columbus Day. These days restricted two of the available weekends in October. Thank-you to the Reepmeyer, Alessi, Martin, Frost, Green and Mirick families for graciously opening up their homes to host a social. Everyone else can help out by bringing something to the party, whether it is food, wine, or another miscellaneous article with the host's acceptance. As a reminder, the dates are:
The directory is up and running! The directory is the single most important communications tool within our community. Thank-you Cindy Marmer for setting everything up and chasing down families to put in their information. Your efforts have made a huge positive impact on Sprague.
Another key person on the PTO is Melissa Martin, the Treasurer. A good treasurer can go largely unnoticed outside of board meetings, but the position is every bit as important and as much a commitment as the president. Melissa is who I turn to regularly for sage advice, bounce an idea off, and simply share a laugh. Her thoughts and humor are always highly valued and appreciated. Thank-you Melissa for everything you do. Frankly, I couldn't do this role without you!
As a reminder, Ms. Susan Snyder is hosting a morning coffee for parents on Monday from 8:45 to 9:15 am in the school lobby. This is a great opportunity for anyone wishing to meet Ms. Snyder and ask her questions. Please stop by to say hello, chat and enjoy some coffee.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Gap Tooth Memorial day is coming up on September 30, also known as Picture Day. Julie Knudson has done a great job organizing the day for our favorite toothy-smile little ones. Thank-you Julie for pulling everything together so that our children have lifetime reminders of their adolescent dental development.
If you didn't see it, our Social Chairs Andrea Scampini and Karyn DeVito have firmed up the grade level socials during October. For those of you who are new to the Sprague, these events offer a great opportunity to meet other families with children in the same grade as your child.
The dates are little more bunched up this year due to Yom Yippur and Columbus Day. These days restricted two of the available weekends in October. Thank-you to the Reepmeyer, Alessi, Martin, Frost, Green and Mirick families for graciously opening up their homes to host a social. Everyone else can help out by bringing something to the party, whether it is food, wine, or another miscellaneous article with the host's acceptance. As a reminder, the dates are:
Kindergarten - Oct 17
First Grade - Oct 10
Second Grade - Oct 24
Third Grade - Oct 17
Fourth Grade - Oct 17
Fifth Grade - Oct 17
The directory is up and running! The directory is the single most important communications tool within our community. Thank-you Cindy Marmer for setting everything up and chasing down families to put in their information. Your efforts have made a huge positive impact on Sprague.
Another key person on the PTO is Melissa Martin, the Treasurer. A good treasurer can go largely unnoticed outside of board meetings, but the position is every bit as important and as much a commitment as the president. Melissa is who I turn to regularly for sage advice, bounce an idea off, and simply share a laugh. Her thoughts and humor are always highly valued and appreciated. Thank-you Melissa for everything you do. Frankly, I couldn't do this role without you!
As a reminder, Ms. Susan Snyder is hosting a morning coffee for parents on Monday from 8:45 to 9:15 am in the school lobby. This is a great opportunity for anyone wishing to meet Ms. Snyder and ask her questions. Please stop by to say hello, chat and enjoy some coffee.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
The PTO is hitting its stride with many parents stepping up to help in various capacities. The community is as strong as the people involved, and we are very fortunate to have so many dedicated parents within Sprague. Many conversations on the playground either start or end with, "I'll do that." Something truly special. Thank-you for all the support!
This week our incredible dynamic duo Social Chairs of Karyn DeVito and Andrea Scampini hosted an awesome Ice Cream Social. Karyn and Andrea did a fantastic job organizing and coordinating the event. Thank-you again for all your effort over the past month to ensure the school year started off on a positive note. Also, thank-you to all the parents who helped scoop and clean-up! This includes Principal Susan Snyder, Patty Javidi, Michelle Walsh, Jen Mungovan, Michael Scampini (love the spousal support!), Jenn Fallon, Annie Newman, Ana Alexander, Carrie Brown, Andrea Doglioli, Sue Maggioni, and Frank Zhao. Finally, thank-you Perdoni family for donating twenty of the pizzas, as well as Old School Pizza and White Mountain Creamery.
The first Walk-To-School went off on Friday (who didn't need to walk off the ice cream?). Lizzie Murillo has taken the reins of running Walk-To-School and did a great job gathering volunteers to help all our young students write in their names and mark the appropriate circle. Thank-you Lizzie and all the volunteers for supporting this fun monthly event. Also, thank-you Carrie Reepmeyer and Karyn DeVito for meeting the Metco students and walking with them. One note, future PTO Board meetings will take place during the morning after Walk To School.
An example of great ideas was offered by Pete Murillo, one of our two dads tasked with putting together some social events with fathers in mind. For the Wellesley Turkey Trot on the morning of November 27 (Thanksgiving), Sprague School will have a team called the "Sprague Speedsters." Simply go to the website, choose to join "Sprague Speedsters," and enter the necessary information to sign up for the race. Kate Naughton is working to create t-shirts for the event as well, so everyone will know about Sprague Spirit!
A couple reminders about how you can support the Sprague PTO, without a major time commitment or cost. Karyn DeVito (amazing, isn't she?!) is running the BoxTops program this year. There is a box in the main school office where you can drop off the box tops you've collected. Also, Jill Fischman has set up Sprague PTO as a charity in Amazon Smile. This means that all you have to do is select Sprague Parent Teacher Organization as your preferred charity in Amazon and a portion of eligible sales made through Amazon Smile will be donated to the PTO. Thank-you Karyn and Jill for administering these programs.
As a quick reminder, there is no school on Thursday. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
The PTO is hitting its stride with many parents stepping up to help in various capacities. The community is as strong as the people involved, and we are very fortunate to have so many dedicated parents within Sprague. Many conversations on the playground either start or end with, "I'll do that." Something truly special. Thank-you for all the support!
This week our incredible dynamic duo Social Chairs of Karyn DeVito and Andrea Scampini hosted an awesome Ice Cream Social. Karyn and Andrea did a fantastic job organizing and coordinating the event. Thank-you again for all your effort over the past month to ensure the school year started off on a positive note. Also, thank-you to all the parents who helped scoop and clean-up! This includes Principal Susan Snyder, Patty Javidi, Michelle Walsh, Jen Mungovan, Michael Scampini (love the spousal support!), Jenn Fallon, Annie Newman, Ana Alexander, Carrie Brown, Andrea Doglioli, Sue Maggioni, and Frank Zhao. Finally, thank-you Perdoni family for donating twenty of the pizzas, as well as Old School Pizza and White Mountain Creamery.
The first Walk-To-School went off on Friday (who didn't need to walk off the ice cream?). Lizzie Murillo has taken the reins of running Walk-To-School and did a great job gathering volunteers to help all our young students write in their names and mark the appropriate circle. Thank-you Lizzie and all the volunteers for supporting this fun monthly event. Also, thank-you Carrie Reepmeyer and Karyn DeVito for meeting the Metco students and walking with them. One note, future PTO Board meetings will take place during the morning after Walk To School.
An example of great ideas was offered by Pete Murillo, one of our two dads tasked with putting together some social events with fathers in mind. For the Wellesley Turkey Trot on the morning of November 27 (Thanksgiving), Sprague School will have a team called the "Sprague Speedsters." Simply go to the website, choose to join "Sprague Speedsters," and enter the necessary information to sign up for the race. Kate Naughton is working to create t-shirts for the event as well, so everyone will know about Sprague Spirit!
A couple reminders about how you can support the Sprague PTO, without a major time commitment or cost. Karyn DeVito (amazing, isn't she?!) is running the BoxTops program this year. There is a box in the main school office where you can drop off the box tops you've collected. Also, Jill Fischman has set up Sprague PTO as a charity in Amazon Smile. This means that all you have to do is select Sprague Parent Teacher Organization as your preferred charity in Amazon and a portion of eligible sales made through Amazon Smile will be donated to the PTO. Thank-you Karyn and Jill for administering these programs.
As a quick reminder, there is no school on Thursday. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
Notice anything different when you walked into the school? Lindsay Jones, with the aide of Julie Knudson, completely redesigned and updated the teacher and staff picture display in the front lobby. On a separate note, Kate Naughton has volunteered to run Spirit Shop this year (New Sprague Gear!). Thank-you Lindsay, Julie and Kate for adding a little bit more spirit to Sprague!
Back To School Night was a success Thursday night. It was wonderful to see so many of you during the evening. Thank-you Lizzie Murillo for helping at the PTO table, as well as Karyn DeVito and Andrea Scampini for hosting and coordinating. All of you added a warmth to the evening.
We continue to look for volunteers to help with the Ice Cream Social on Thursday night and the first Walk to School on Friday morning. If interested, please reach out to either Karyn DeVito or Andrea Scampini for the social and Lizzie Murillo for Walk to School. Also, Elizabeth Young has started planning the Cookie Walk and will need help in many areas.
The first PTO Board meeting was held this past Tuesday and it was quite productive. Thank-you to everyone who attended and contributed. I wanted to make everyone aware of a few items discussed and approved during the meeting.
We voted in four new board members, who are Elaine Marten as Co-VP (Yeah!), Jill Fischmann as Assistant Treasurer, Betsey Weintraub as Chair of Ways and Means, and Jenn Friedman as Chair of Community Service. Thank-you Elaine, Jill, Betsey and Jenn for raising your hand to fill these positions. The other Co-VP position remains vacant at the moment as we look for someone willing to make a two year commitment. Elaine would very much like to work with someone this year, so please reach out to her or myself with any interest.
An updated 2014-15 PTO budget was approved during the meeting. There were a few minor changes to reflect adjustments in the expectations of operations, as well as over $20,000 in gifts approved for the school. These gifts were a reflection of the needs of the teachers and school. They included funding for after-school programs, in-house specialists, playground supplies, support for our new school psychologist, scholarship funds for Global Child, seed money for a new Art Appreciation program, funding of DreamBox, various teacher-related supplementary teaching tools, hand-held two-way radios for the nurse, and a special project for Ms. Snyder to enhance the playground environment.
A significant number of requests were also deferred so that additional information could be gathered, including increasing the number of laptops available, an imagination playground, a sound garden, a computer science club, a new smart board, and shade structures on the playground. The board plans to re-visit these requests when appropriate. These gifts are on top of the support for on-going enrichment programs at Sprague.
The Sprague community should feel very proud of the support it has provided to the school over the past few years! Your generosity has enabled these enhancements to your school. Thank-you! Your help makes a big difference.
The PTO board also approved a decision to update the disclaimer in the Sprague PTO directory to mirror the disclaimer in the Wellesley High School directory, which was recently updated. This change largely reflects the migration to an online directory. The directory remains the single most important piece supporting our community. Please be assured that the PTO takes the protection of your personal information very seriously.
If you have any questions about these topics, please contact me. I will be happy to go over the logic behind each decision.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Notice anything different when you walked into the school? Lindsay Jones, with the aide of Julie Knudson, completely redesigned and updated the teacher and staff picture display in the front lobby. On a separate note, Kate Naughton has volunteered to run Spirit Shop this year (New Sprague Gear!). Thank-you Lindsay, Julie and Kate for adding a little bit more spirit to Sprague!
Back To School Night was a success Thursday night. It was wonderful to see so many of you during the evening. Thank-you Lizzie Murillo for helping at the PTO table, as well as Karyn DeVito and Andrea Scampini for hosting and coordinating. All of you added a warmth to the evening.
We continue to look for volunteers to help with the Ice Cream Social on Thursday night and the first Walk to School on Friday morning. If interested, please reach out to either Karyn DeVito or Andrea Scampini for the social and Lizzie Murillo for Walk to School. Also, Elizabeth Young has started planning the Cookie Walk and will need help in many areas.
The first PTO Board meeting was held this past Tuesday and it was quite productive. Thank-you to everyone who attended and contributed. I wanted to make everyone aware of a few items discussed and approved during the meeting.
We voted in four new board members, who are Elaine Marten as Co-VP (Yeah!), Jill Fischmann as Assistant Treasurer, Betsey Weintraub as Chair of Ways and Means, and Jenn Friedman as Chair of Community Service. Thank-you Elaine, Jill, Betsey and Jenn for raising your hand to fill these positions. The other Co-VP position remains vacant at the moment as we look for someone willing to make a two year commitment. Elaine would very much like to work with someone this year, so please reach out to her or myself with any interest.
An updated 2014-15 PTO budget was approved during the meeting. There were a few minor changes to reflect adjustments in the expectations of operations, as well as over $20,000 in gifts approved for the school. These gifts were a reflection of the needs of the teachers and school. They included funding for after-school programs, in-house specialists, playground supplies, support for our new school psychologist, scholarship funds for Global Child, seed money for a new Art Appreciation program, funding of DreamBox, various teacher-related supplementary teaching tools, hand-held two-way radios for the nurse, and a special project for Ms. Snyder to enhance the playground environment.
A significant number of requests were also deferred so that additional information could be gathered, including increasing the number of laptops available, an imagination playground, a sound garden, a computer science club, a new smart board, and shade structures on the playground. The board plans to re-visit these requests when appropriate. These gifts are on top of the support for on-going enrichment programs at Sprague.
The Sprague community should feel very proud of the support it has provided to the school over the past few years! Your generosity has enabled these enhancements to your school. Thank-you! Your help makes a big difference.
The PTO board also approved a decision to update the disclaimer in the Sprague PTO directory to mirror the disclaimer in the Wellesley High School directory, which was recently updated. This change largely reflects the migration to an online directory. The directory remains the single most important piece supporting our community. Please be assured that the PTO takes the protection of your personal information very seriously.
If you have any questions about these topics, please contact me. I will be happy to go over the logic behind each decision.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
Dear Sprague Community,
We're off! For me personally, the start of the school year has felt like that first push off the top of a water slide: excitement, exhilaration, a tinge of fear, and the knowledge there is no turning back. We may have some twists and turns as we navigate through the year, but one of the goals is to have some fun.
Andrea Scampini and Karyn DeVito continue to work hard organizing social events for all of us. The Kindergarten coffee was a great opportunity to welcome our newest families and the New Family/ Kindergarten picnic is set for this Tuesday evening around the playground. Andrea and Karyn are also working to organize the grade-level parent socials in October, so please stay tuned for further information.
The first PTO board meeting will be held Tuesday, September 9 at 9am in the cafeteria. The main item on the agenda will be discussing PTO gifts to the school. Ms. Snyder has been gathering feedback from teachers about current needs in the school and there are also a few parent ideas. This deliberate process should ensure funds are spent effectively. Anyone can attend the meeting and listen, it is completely open. So please, if you are curious about the PTO we encourage you to drop in.
Thursday night is Back to School Night at Sprague, where parents are invited to visit their child's classrooms and learn about plans for the year. The PTO will have a table set up in the lobby to answer questions. On the table will be volunteer sign-up sheets for various opportunities for you to engage and enhance the Sprague experience. If you are interested in being a Room Parent, please talk to your teacher directly about what is involved.
Ms. Snyder continues to learn about us and our priorities. She has been taking a methodical approach with many activities, listening to all interested parties and trying to find opportunities to improve what is already in place. One example is the HEART award. She is absolutely committed to them, it was one of the things that attracted her to the school, but the teachers have expressed some concern about the length of morning announcements (typically when HEARTs are awarded). Please be patient as she works to get over these start-up hurdles.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
We're off! For me personally, the start of the school year has felt like that first push off the top of a water slide: excitement, exhilaration, a tinge of fear, and the knowledge there is no turning back. We may have some twists and turns as we navigate through the year, but one of the goals is to have some fun.
Andrea Scampini and Karyn DeVito continue to work hard organizing social events for all of us. The Kindergarten coffee was a great opportunity to welcome our newest families and the New Family/ Kindergarten picnic is set for this Tuesday evening around the playground. Andrea and Karyn are also working to organize the grade-level parent socials in October, so please stay tuned for further information.
The first PTO board meeting will be held Tuesday, September 9 at 9am in the cafeteria. The main item on the agenda will be discussing PTO gifts to the school. Ms. Snyder has been gathering feedback from teachers about current needs in the school and there are also a few parent ideas. This deliberate process should ensure funds are spent effectively. Anyone can attend the meeting and listen, it is completely open. So please, if you are curious about the PTO we encourage you to drop in.
Thursday night is Back to School Night at Sprague, where parents are invited to visit their child's classrooms and learn about plans for the year. The PTO will have a table set up in the lobby to answer questions. On the table will be volunteer sign-up sheets for various opportunities for you to engage and enhance the Sprague experience. If you are interested in being a Room Parent, please talk to your teacher directly about what is involved.
Ms. Snyder continues to learn about us and our priorities. She has been taking a methodical approach with many activities, listening to all interested parties and trying to find opportunities to improve what is already in place. One example is the HEART award. She is absolutely committed to them, it was one of the things that attracted her to the school, but the teachers have expressed some concern about the length of morning announcements (typically when HEARTs are awarded). Please be patient as she works to get over these start-up hurdles.
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Sprague PTO Update
The Sprague PTO is gearing up for another great year. On Tuesday morning we look forward to welcoming the kindergarten families into the community. Social Chairs, Andrea Scampini and Karyn DeVito, will host a welcome coffee for kindergarten parents. Please plan to stop by after drop-off and introduce yourself to our newest members.
Please know that we will work diligently to keep you informed of upcoming board meetings (first one is Tuesday September 9 at 9am), as well as the financial position of the organization. Our focus is to enhance the Sprague experience, and hope that everyone can feel included.
Thank-you to everyone who contributed dues to the PTO. We haven't gone through all the forms quite yet, but judging from the volume of forms the PTO should begin the year in a healthy financial position. By contributing at the front end of the year, the PTO can focus more on community building. There is still very much a need for successful fundraising by the Cookie Walk, Teacher Raffle, and Spring Party/ Auction, but we hope our focus can broaden somewhat this year.
Thank-you everyone who has stepped forward this year to help. Over forty people have raised their hand to take on a specific role with the PTO. I would like to specifically thank our newest volunteer, Jill Fischmann, who recently stepped into the role of Assistant Treasurer. Your involvement helps to deepen our bench and strengthen the organization.
Of course we will always welcome more involvement. We are stronger with more people engaged. If you are interested in a role, I encourage you to reach out directly to me, or to a member of the board overseeing an area of interest. From volunteering to lead a Nature Walk, to helping to organize a parent social event, to helping set-up Cookie Walk, there are numerous less intensive jobs where we need your help.
Given some feedback, the PTO likely evolves somewhat this year. Art Appreciation is one area we are looking into with the help of parent Annie Newman and Ms. Stabnick. Community service is another area we would like to expand, to complement the efforts of the Fifth Grade Committee. I am taking a look at after school programing, in conjunction with Ms. Snyder, to see if there is a better way to support it and administer it. Also, working with local vendors in a more effective manner is an opportunity. If you are interested in helping out with any of these projects, please let me know.
Below is the current structure of the executive board:
T - Pending Board Approval
A full list of everyone involved in the Sprague PTO, including open positions, can be found here.
We're off to great start. There is lots to do and we're eager to get to work to enhance the Sprague experience for everyone. Again, thank-you for your contributions and involvement!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Please know that we will work diligently to keep you informed of upcoming board meetings (first one is Tuesday September 9 at 9am), as well as the financial position of the organization. Our focus is to enhance the Sprague experience, and hope that everyone can feel included.
Thank-you to everyone who contributed dues to the PTO. We haven't gone through all the forms quite yet, but judging from the volume of forms the PTO should begin the year in a healthy financial position. By contributing at the front end of the year, the PTO can focus more on community building. There is still very much a need for successful fundraising by the Cookie Walk, Teacher Raffle, and Spring Party/ Auction, but we hope our focus can broaden somewhat this year.
Thank-you everyone who has stepped forward this year to help. Over forty people have raised their hand to take on a specific role with the PTO. I would like to specifically thank our newest volunteer, Jill Fischmann, who recently stepped into the role of Assistant Treasurer. Your involvement helps to deepen our bench and strengthen the organization.
Of course we will always welcome more involvement. We are stronger with more people engaged. If you are interested in a role, I encourage you to reach out directly to me, or to a member of the board overseeing an area of interest. From volunteering to lead a Nature Walk, to helping to organize a parent social event, to helping set-up Cookie Walk, there are numerous less intensive jobs where we need your help.
Given some feedback, the PTO likely evolves somewhat this year. Art Appreciation is one area we are looking into with the help of parent Annie Newman and Ms. Stabnick. Community service is another area we would like to expand, to complement the efforts of the Fifth Grade Committee. I am taking a look at after school programing, in conjunction with Ms. Snyder, to see if there is a better way to support it and administer it. Also, working with local vendors in a more effective manner is an opportunity. If you are interested in helping out with any of these projects, please let me know.
Below is the current structure of the executive board:
President
|
Matthew McKay
|
Vice President(s)
|
Pending
|
Treasurer
|
Melissa Martin
|
Asst. Treasurer
|
Jill Fischmann (T)
|
Secretary
|
Carrie Reepmeyer
|
Chair - Ways & Means
|
Betsey Weintraub (T)
|
Chair - Social
|
Andrea Scampini
Karyn Devito
|
Chair - Communications
|
Claire van der Elst
|
Chair - Enrichment
|
DD Marcoux
Kirsten Stevenson
|
PAC Representative
|
Lindsay Jones
|
A full list of everyone involved in the Sprague PTO, including open positions, can be found here.
We're off to great start. There is lots to do and we're eager to get to work to enhance the Sprague experience for everyone. Again, thank-you for your contributions and involvement!
Warm Regards,
Matthew McKay
Sprague PTO President
Saturday, August 23, 2014
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.
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.
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