In This Issue
- Save the Date | School Calendar
- PTO Update
- Thompson News and Events
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Community News and Events
- PTO Fundraising
- Connect with Us
Save The Date
- November 8, 7-9 pm – PTO meeting, Special speaker: Lori Pescatore AYCC (Arlington Youth Counseling Center)
- November 9 – Arlington EATS Community Dinner
- November 10 – No school, Veterans Day
- November 13, 5-9 pm – Otto Fundraising Night
- November 17 – Spirit Day – Harvest Day
- November 18 – Boys in Motion 5K
- November 22 – Early dismissal 12:00 pm
- November 23 and 24 – No school, Thanksgiving Break
- November 27 – Picture retake day
School Calendar
Click http://tinyurl.com/ndp8spb for Thompson’s Google Calendar to get school holidays, early release days, and PTO events on your own calendar. Click http://tinyurl.com/y7u5k2on for a printable version of this month’s calendar.
PTO Update
We are happy to announce our Room Parents for the school year. Thanks in advance to all of them for volunteering their time to help us connect with each class’ specific needs. If you as a parent have a question or suggestion and are not sure who to approach, room parents are there to help you.
Kindergarten Team
- Mrs. Abbot – Amy Yeagar amy.yeager@corentus.com Amy Mulholland ncprez1@yahoo.com
- Mrs. Giovannini – Anna Panszczyk mara.vatz@gmail.com Fiona Ehring fionaehring@gmail.com
- Mrs. Melnik – Mara Vatz mara.vatz@gmail.com Emily Gauthier emczar00@hotmail.com
- Mrs. Joseph – Lani Obermayer lsharac@gmail.com Christina Murphy Christina_Murphy@hks.harvard.edu
1st Grade Team
- Mrs. Frost – Shannon LeMay Finn sklemayfinn@gmail.com
- Mrs. Givens-Lamothe – Kate Joyce Murphy katejoycemurphy71@gmail.com Jaime Viteri jaimecviteri@gmail.com
- Mrs. Caplin – Danielle Gottesman dbirdie@gmail.com
- Mrs. Coveno – Shannon Hancock shancock429@gmail.com
2nd Grade Team
- Ms. Dichter – Nicole Flory drflory@drflory.com Sonia Valada svalada@outlook.com
- Ms. Orlando – Takako Sugihara takako.sugihara@gmail.com Mahabi Mistry/Tom Travison madhabi@gmail.com
- Ms. O’Mahoney – Karen Roth LoRusso krroth@yahoo.com Meridale Baggett meridale.baggett@gmail.com
- Mrs. Bassham – Keryn Shaffner kerynshaffner@gmail.com
3rd Grade Team
- Mrs. McKenney – Amy Mulholland ncprez1@yahoo.com Allison Manheim Caplin armanheim@yahoo.com
- Ms. Fassel – Danielle Gottesman dbirdie@gmail.com Sarah Gupta sarahruth16@gmail.com
- Ms. Ferola – Liz Spingler lizspingler@yahoo.com
Nandana Mewada nmewada@gmail.com Susan Zwick suezwick@hotmail.com - Ms. Foley – Lori Lennon lorilennon@gmail.com
4th Grade Team
- Mrs. Jette – Fiona Ehring fionaehring@gmail.com Sara Wilkinson swilkie49@hotmail.com
- Mrs. Brogna – Maja Fiket fi.maja@gmail.com fi.maja@gmail.com Jacqueline Chakrabarty jchakrabarty@mac.com
- Mrs. Armstrong – Nicole Flory drflory@drflory.com Don Mei meifamily@3b9.com
5th Grade Team
- Mr. Allen – Christa Kelleher christakel@verizon.net
- Mrs. Leigh – Liz Spingler lizspingler@yahoo.com
- Mr. Guidoboni – Shannon LeMay Finn sklemayfinn@gmail.com Dory Higgins dorys01@gmail.com
- Ms. Daley – Kristin Clark kreekle@yahoo.com Amy Yellin ascreamin@yahoo.com
Thompson News & Events
Community Card
Fall Family Sales
76 cards sold by Thompson families to-date. That’s another $760 for Thompson Enrichment, woohoo! November is our last big push, and with the holidays approaching, it’s the perfect time to use the “makes for great gifts or stocking stuffers!” pitch when chatting up the card. Can people still buy the card at Book Rack, Menotomy Beer & Wine, or at www.arlingtoncommunitycard.org? You bet, but they don’t always remember to do it and that’s one more day they miss out on these great deals! Our goal is to provide as many ways as possible for people to get hold of a card. No sales skills required either – you’ll be surprised how comfortably a simple “hey do you have a Community Card yet?” gets the conversation going.
Fall Family Sales continue through December 8th, to sell cards (even 3 is fine!)), fill out this form.
Other Ways to Help Boost Card Marketing Efforts
- Please “Like” our Community Card Facebook page!
- Follow us on Twitter at @ArlCommCard
- Post your own visits to, and/or savings experiences at, participating Community Card businesses to Facebook or Twitter, and reference #ArlCommCard.
Any questions? Contact ashley.e.lorenz@gmail.com
Flu Clinic
The Arlington Board of Health will be hosting a flu clinic for the students and staff of Thompson Elementary on November 15th from 7:45 AM to 9:45 AM. Mrs. Donato will be sending out a link from the Board of Health to register your child for the clinic over the next few weeks. Paper forms will also go home in the next few weeks as well. In addition, November 16th will the general clinic for Arlington children 6 months – 18 years at Ottoson Middle School, 63 Acton Street (5 PM to 7 PM) where parents are welcome to attend with their child.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Thompson PTO is always in need of helping hands for all sorts of tasks.
Thompson Night at Otto Pizza – November 13th
Sign-Up Here to help represent Thompson School at an information table and sell Community Cards: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090f49adad2aa0f49-thompson5
Is there an accountant in the house?
As a 501(c)(3) registered charity, the PTO is seeking the assistance of a CPA to prepare our form 990-EZ for FY17. If you or a family member are a CPA who would like to make an in-kind donation of free or reduced-rate tax preparation, please contact us at thomptreas@gmail.com.
Amazon Coordinator
The PTO needs someone to help promote the PTO/Amazon fundraising link. Thompson School earns 4-10% back on purchases made through the Thompson/Amazon page but shoppers must use the link on the PTO website. Interested in helping get the word out? Contact: Kate at thompsonschoolvolunteers@gmail.com
Community Card Sales
Community Card seeks a volunteer to do a small data entry project, using google sheets. Can be done on your own time. Email ashley.e.lorenz@gmail.com.
Other Current Volunteer Opportunities
http://tinyurl.com/ThompsonPTOVolunteers
Community News & Events
The Privates Rule
Join Dr. Nora Shine, child psychologist, at Ottoson Middle School on November 7th in a warm and engaging talk about keeping children safe from sexual abuse. “The Privates Rule” teaches empowerment, sexual abuse information and strategies. This talk will show a framework for integrating abuse prevention into good parenting and teaching practices by calming and confidently addressing concerns. You will learn how to recognize adult behavior that should raise concern and you will leave feeling informed, empowered, and eager to use strategies outlined in her presentation.
Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive
The Board of Youth Services (BYS) is once again organizing the Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to provide Thanksgiving food and food staples to families in need during this time of year. Families with school-aged children in Arlington are welcome to participate. If you would like to receive extra food for the holiday please use following link to register: http://bit.ly/2yrxaRv If you have trouble with this link you may email: bys.arlington@gmail.com The deadline for signing up is Friday, November 10th. Sign up today. The BYS is also coordinating a gift card drive, and it is our hope to distribute grocery store gift cards to each of the families who have signed up to receive food. Distribution of gift cards will take place on Monday 11/20 and Tuesday 11/21. We will contact registered families via email by Friday 11/17 to confirm the location and time of gift card distribution. Food will be distributed on Saturday, November 18th from 9:30am – 3:30pm at the Arlington Food Pantry,117 Broadway. If you have any questions please contact the Arlington Board of Youth Services at: bys.arlington@gmail.com.
Regent Theatre
Lots of Family Fun coming up at the Regent Theatre in Nov & Dec. Karen K and the Jitterbugs, Allistair Moock, Singalong Mary Poppins (a perennial favorite) even a stage production of Charlie Brown Christmas! $2 off per ticket with your Community Card. See the full list of Family offerings here: http://regenttheatre.com/tickets_events/category/family
PTO Fundraising
Amazon
Shopping at Amazon.com? Click the Amazon link from the Thompson PTO website and a share of your purchase will help the Thompson PTO.
Connect with Us
THOMPSON PTO BOARD
Nandana Mewada, Co-President (Mom to Eshaan, 3rd)
Diana Trudell, Co-President (Mom to Matilda, 4rd and Joaquin, 1st)
Yael Beals, Vice-President (Mom to Annabella, 2nd)
Carolyn Schneyer, Co-Treasurer (Mom to Leah, 4th)
Sara Wilkinson, Co-Treasurer (Mom to Ezra, 4th, and Amelia, 1st)
Emily Gauthier, Co-Secretary (Mom to Sophia, 5th)
Fiona Ehring, Co-Secretary (Mom to Emma, 4th and Elise, K)
Danielle Gottesman, Communications Chair (Mom to Oliver, 3rd, and Penny, 1st)
Melissa Crowley, Spirit and Appreciation Co-Chair (Mom to Joseph, 1st)
Judu Hu, Spirit & Appreciation Co-Chair (Mom to Sofia, 1st)
Sarah Gupta, Room-Parent Chair (Mom to Norah, 3rd, and Meena, 1st)
Juliet Moir, Fundraising Chair (Mom to Jack, 5th, and Eva, 2nd)
Maf Terry, Enrichment Co-Chair (Mom to John, 5th)
Tonja Bishop, Enrichment Co-Chair (Mom to Ellen, 2nd and Neil, K)
Ashley Lorenz, Community Card Chair (Mom to Oliver, 5th, Melanie, 3rd, and Peter, K)
Gaggi DeStefanis, Community Card Chair (Mom to Sofia, 3rd)
If you have news to share with the community, please email ThompsonPTOevents@gmail.com by Thursday at 12 noon to be included in the next newsletter.
Please note that we will only include news from the Thompson School and Town of Arlington. Announcements of interest to the Thompson community from other non-profit organizations may be included at our discretion.