Thompson School News : February 12, 2018

Save The Date

* New *

February 12, Monday – 5th grade Museum of Science Traveling Workshop “States of Matter”
February 14, Wednesday, 7-9PM – PTO Meeting, Parents only
February 16, Friday – Spirit Day – Mismatch Day
February 17-25 – No School
February 20, 21, 22, 23 – Arlington EATS Lunches

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.

Principal’s Update

Dear Thompson Families,

Here we are – the middle of February! We have survived some crazy snow, ice, up to 50 degrees, down to 20…and of course, some have also coped with a Patriots loss in the Super Bowl. As I type this, I realize we are also at the 100th Day of the school year! Congratulations to ALL of us!

This week will bring Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, and PTO Spirit Day on Friday. PLEASE remember that FOOD items are not allowed to be distributed with valentines.

If you have a few moments this week leading up to the break, stop by and check out the Lost & Found. We expect to donate these items in the very near future!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful break next week – take some time to just “be” with one another…that’s my plan!

Karen

Thompson News & Events

Green Team News

The Thompson “Ecosystem Superhero” theme for this year’s Ecofest Trashformations will be “The Decomposers, Nature’s Recyclers.”

Thompson classrooms and families can submit a 100% non-recyclable trash sculpture of their “Ecosytem Decomposer Superhero at Science Explo.” Students can include a comic strip about their superhero’s super power to recycle nature’s waste into food and energy for the food chain.
Trash-straws, toothbrushes, non-recyclable plastic including silverware,… Trashformation entries less than 5″ x 5″ x 5″. Comic strips- on 8.5 x 11″ paper (on back of reused paper).

Information about trash, ecosystems and decomposers:

Green Team meets on the first Friday of the month 2:30pm – 3:30pm in the Conference Room.

Financial Assistance Available

The PTO would like to continue to support families who need assistance for the remainder of the 2017- 2018 school year. To help with this process, if your child/children would like financial assistance for any PTO related programs, please print and fill out the form found here and return it to Ms. Vicki or Karen Donato. All information provided will be kept confidential. It is the mission of the Thomson PTO to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate alongside their peers in all Thompson events and initiatives. By filling out this form, you are helping the PTO make this possible.

Game Night is back!

Game Night Friday, March 2, 6 – 8 pm

Come with the kids and join the fun!

Local game company GAMEWRIGHT lends us demo games to try out and families are welcome to bring a favorite board game from home, set up a table, and teach a group of friends how to play it.

Plan to feed the kids before coming or bring a picnic style dinner to eat in the cafeteria. Additionally, we will have healthy snacks, baked treats, apple cider and hot cocoa.

We will have new GAMEWRIGHT games and used games donated by Thompson families for sale. All profits go to the PTO. Consider buying a game from your teachers’ wish lists.

Come prepared to sit and play board games with the children, this is not a drop off event. If you are planning on attending, please consider helping us to make it a successful one, by collaborating in one of many ways.

Sign-up to Volunteer and/or donate snack items here: https://tinyurl.com/ThompsonGameNight

Community

Arlington EATS

Come join us for February Vacation Lunches! Tuesday, February 20- Friday, February 23.

To get food assistance: info@arlington-eats.org
To learn more: www.arlington-eats.org
To donate: www.arlington-eats.org/giving/
To volunteer: www.arlington-eats.org/volunteer/
To follow along: www.facebook.com/Arlington.EATS
To contact: sarah@arlington-eats.org

AHS Building Project News

Planning for the future rebuilt/renovated Arlington High School is underway and the AHS Building Committee invites the community to participate in the conversation.

Community Forums

Each forum will provide an opportunity for community feedback.
Feb 13, 7pm, Town Hall: current and future AHS programming, nationwide HS trends
March 5, 7pm, AHS: tours of the building, discussion of design patterns for the future school
April 4, 7pm, Town Hall: update from HMFH Architects on potential building concepts

Resources

Web Site: updates, detailed information, events, blog
Facebook: updates, events
e-Bulletin: sign up to receive occasional email updates
Email the building committee with questions or feedback

The Town of Arlington has been invited into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process for the renovation/construction of Arlington High School. Acceptance to the MSBA program does not guarantee state funding. The MSBA approval process must be completed successfully for the state, via the MSBA, to provide significant financial assistance to the project. Local funding must also be assured through passage of a debt exclusion.

The AHS Building Committee

Upcoming School Committee Chats

When: 11 am to 12 noon on Saturday, on the first Saturday of each month

Why: Stop by and say hi to two School Committee members (look for the sign) to answer questions, collect concerns, listen to your ideas, and generally talk about the Arlington Public Schools.

Where:

March 3 at Whole Foods
April 7 at Caffe Nero
May 5 at Whole Foods
June 2 at Caffe NeroNo appointment necessary, simply stop by!

Mindfulness for Parents and their Children

A Presentation By Renowned Author & Psychologist Dr. Christopher Willard

When: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13 AT 6:30 P.M.

Where: Everett High School, Frederick F. Foresteire Center for the Performing Arts

Join author, psychologist and consultant Dr. Christopher Willard for an evening presentation about stress in children’s lives and bringing mindfulness to kids, teens and families. Dr. Willard will be sharing practices for caregivers to use themselves and take home to their families. We will explore the importance of our own practice, starting or deepening your own self-care, as well as fun ways to share with your kids.

Party like it’s 1985 with the Peirce PTO

What a feeling! Join fellow Arlington parents for the Peirce PTO 80’s Night party on March 3rd – have a great grownups-only night out with friends old and new, enjoy laughing at the best and worst of 80s culture, and maybe get lucky in our raffle, silent auction, or 80’s costume contest! DJ 5461 (a Thompson School parent!) will be partnering with a VJ to provide an immersive 80s nostalgia experience. This party raises funds for the Peirce School PTO but it is open to the entire Arlington Public Schools community. Tell your friends at other schools too!

Peirce PTO 80’s Night: A fundraiser for the Peirce School PTO

Saturday, March 3rd, 8:00 – 11:00 PM
Sons of Italy: 19 Prentiss Road, Arlington
$25 in advance; $30 at the door
DJ, VJ, 80s snacks, cash bar, raffle, silent auction, and costume contest

Volunteer Opportunities

The Thompson PTO has many volunteer needs both small and big. If you’re looking for a way to give back to Thompson, here’s a list of ways you can help.

Teacher’s Wish List Program Coordinator

Parent needed to help coordinate a new “Teacher’s Wish List” program in late February and March. Teachers will be given a survey about items that are needed for their classrooms; anything from books, games, choice time activities, headphones, supplies etc. A Wish List will be consolidated from the survey and a board with the individual items (similar to what is done at the holidays) will be created for parents to purchase or donate items they may already have. Interested in taking this on?

Science EXPLO – March 17th

The biennial Thompson Science EXPLO is March 17th. There is still time if you are interested in organizing a science-themed activity. Please email the EXPLO chairs at ThompsonExplo2018@gmail.com. One of the biggest PTO events of the year, the Science EXPLO requires many helping hands, be it an hour or more. Please mark your calendars and look out for the volunteer signup after the Winter break.

Thompson Parent Handbook Volunteer

The PTO is looking for a parent volunteer to put together an updated electronic Parent Handbook. There is a paper version from a few years back that needs updating with current information. This will be the place where parents can find useful information such as drop-off and pick-up procedures, contact information for teachers, field trip information and all the things you wish you knew as a new parent to Thompson. If you’d like to volunteer from the comfort of your own home doing some typing and copying and pasting – this is the project for you.

Interested? Contact: Kate Murphy, thompsonschoolvolunteers@gmail.com

Help Throughout the Year

To check all current volunteer opportunities: http://tinyurl.com/ThompsonPTOVolunteers

Connect with Us

THOMPSON PTO BOARD

Nandana Mewada, Co-President
Diana Trudell, Co-President
Yael Beals, Vice-President
Danielle Gottesman, Communications Chair

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.