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 here for a printable version of this month’s calendar.
Thank you to all the parents who attended the first PTO meeting of the year on Tuesday, September 11th. At the meeting, we elected the new board for the 2018-2019 school year. I am delighted to introduce the members, many of whom are continuing for another year, and some are joining the board for the first time:
Here are some fun facts about the board: did you know that between us, we speak 8 different languages? In the world outside of Thompson, our professions include: a historian, editor, pediatric dermatologist, psychologist, fitness trainer, product manager, economist, pediatric physical therapist, illustration agent, nutritionist, elder service manager, film maker, and sustainable investing professional. Our favorite superheroes – the Thompson school teachers!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing board members for their leadership. Diana Trudell, Sara Wilkinson, Sarah Gupta, Kate Murphy and Maf Terry, thank you for all you have done for the Thompson students and community!
Turning to fundraising, the 2018-2019 Arlington Community Card (ACC) sales were off to a spectacular start at Town Day. We topped all sales records to date, raising over $11,000 in one day! Despite the cloudy day and a busy weekend packed with other activities, parents and a handful of Thompson alumni volunteers helped exceed our sales goal by selling 1183 cards. Hats (and wigs) off to ACC co-chairs Ashley Lorenz and Gaggi DeStefanis, the ACC committee, and all the volunteers for a tremendous effort!
Next up is our largest fundraiser for the year, the Direct Donation Drive (DDD). This one-time request for a contribution from families and friends is held only during the month of October. Our family participation goal for the year is 275 families and no amount of contribution is too small. Please look out for the flyer and form in your child’s backpack.
Finally, thank you to those who filled out the PTO parent survey. If you have not done so, please take a few minutes to fill it out (link below). Tell us about your interests and skills and how you would like to help.
Nandana Mewada
PTO Co-President
Thompson News & Events
Arlington Community Card
The Community Card Team is pleased to announce that we sold a grand total of 1183 cards on Town Day! That’s a new all-time record, over 200 cards more than last year, and already more than $11,000 for our kids’ enrichment programming.
We want to thank each and every volunteer for getting out there on Town Day to help us meet our goal. A special shout out as well to the additional members of our Community Card Committee – Christy Murphy, Taffy McParland, Lori Leahy, Lani Obermeyer, Stacey Ihnat, Don Mei, and Ema Rodrigues for all their effort starting in May. Most importantly, this fundraiser would be nothing without the 40 establishments who so generously offer their exclusive deals to cardholders. Thompson PTO takes great pride in the fact that we can support our school AND help promote these local businesses at the same time.
It doesn’t end here though! We have about 600 more cards for sale out there, and as usual will continue to promote the points-of-purchase while supplies last.
What can you do to help?
• Sign up for Farmer’s Market Sales (Sept 26 & Oct 3); fun to do with kids or a friend!
• Help hang our posters around town – we have a list of locations you can pick from. Email ashley.e.lorenz@gmail.com.
• Help with Targeted Sales to Realtors and Professional Offices (a new initiative this year!).Email ashley.e.lorenz@gmail.com.
• Have a new marketing idea we haven’t thought of? Tell us!
Lastly, if you still haven’t had a chance to get a card, you can purchase one from:
Vicki at the front desk (cash or check made out to Thompson School PTO)
Arlington Health Department and the Arlington Public Schools are once again offering seasonal flu vaccinations at your child’s school. The Centers for Disease Control recommends all persons ages 6 months and older receive the seasonal flu vaccination each year.
The flu clinic for Thompson Elementary School students will be on Thursday, September 27th from 8:30am to 9:45am. This clinic, will be held during the school day and will be for students, teachers, and staff only and will not be open to the public. This year you can complete the form ans upload you insurance information online at: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/departments/flu-clinic-registration.
Electronic forms must be submitted by Tuesday, September 25th
For your convenience, a paper copy of the insurance form will be sent home. If you are filling out a paper form please include the grade and teacher for your student. Completed forms and a copy of your child’s insurance card must be submitted to the Main Office by September 25th.
Spirit Day, Thompson Pride
Friday, September 28th
Start the new school year off by showing your Thompson Pride! Wear a pineapple, spirit wear or kindergartners, use your new bag!
Walk/Bike/Scoot to School Day
On October 3rd, join with students around Massachusetts for Walk, Bike, and Scoot to School Day. If you’d like to volunteer to hand out prizes or help with a before-school bike safety clinic, contact Tonja Bishop at tbowenbishop@gmail.com
Box Tops for Education
We are collecting Box Tops throughout the year. The submission deadline is November 1st for fall earnings. You can find a pink and yellow Box Tops container in the lobby below the mailboxes.
Green Team News:
Minuteman Bikepath 25th Anniversary Celebration
Come celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Minuteman on Saturday, September 29, 2018, when Arlington, Lexington, and Bedford will host a tri-town celebration of the popular rail-trail. Community celebrations will be held simultaneously along the bike path in all three towns from 11 am to 3 pm on September 29th.
On Uncle Sam Plaza there will be a Haiku Hangout featuring a public reading of the haiku submitted for the stenciling of the bike path. Cambridge Typewriter is bringing vintage typewriters, so people can write new poems. Aeronaut Brewery, will be running a Beer Garden across the street (in Whittemore Park), so you can stop in there for drinks and food! More music will be at Spy Pond Park and behind Trader Joe’s on the Bikeway.
For up-to-date details, visit http://bikeway25.org. To learn more about the Minuteman Bikeway visit http://minutemanbikeway.org and view the 25th Anniversary video at http://youtube.com/watch?v=gBY81vjAD2E.
An Outdoor Education, Garden Tour for all Saturday, September 29th, 11am-2pm, 7 gardens (including Bishop and Dallin!)
This is a free self-guided tour and highlights include a backyard composting demo/Q&A by Jeremy Marin at 12pm , and “Meet the Hawk” with Diane Welch, Arlington’s Animal Control Officer at 11am and 1pm.
More info here: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/20136/18
Next Meeting: Friday October 5th 2:40pm in the Garden
Green Team Club will read about ecosystem superheroes, weeds. A Green Team mom and horticulturist, Meredith, will need the club in a plant walk on Thompson grounds.
Email Elizabeth Rocco at egrocco@email.com for more information.
Support Thompson
Please remember to use the Amazon link on the PTO Website for your back-to-school shopping!
Volunteer
Welcome Back Breakfast for Staff
To welcome back our tremendous Thompson Staff, the PTO is planning an appreciation breakfast on Tues, Oct 2nd at 7:45am. We need help with set-up, clean-up and with donations of breakfast items. Sign up here.
Room Parents play an important role at Thompson! One to two volunteer Room Parents collaborate to support each class teacher and specialist. Room Parents may be called up to: communicate important class and PTO information to families, organize supplies for special class projects, organize class celebrations, recruit volunteers and organize class gifts for the teacher. The role does not require you to be present at school during school hours.
If you would like to volunteer to be a Room Parent or have any questions about Room Parents, please contact Christy Murphy-Macinta, cembc99@yahoo.com
Volunteer Survey
We are looking for parents to help during the 2018 – 2019 school year for roles large and small. If you are just a little bit interested, please check off the position(s) in this survey. This simply shows your interest, it doesn’t commit you to the position! The PTO board will correspond and/or meet with interested parents.
We are looking for a co-chair for Movie Night. A popular fall event with Thompson families, the tentative date for movie night is October 12th. Please email Yael Beals: yael.beals@gmail.com, if you are interested or would like more information.
Community News & Events
AHS Building Project Community Forums
The community is invited to attend a series of Fall/Winter public forums to receive updates, ask questions and provide feedback on the AHS Building Project design. Forums will be held at Town Hall from 7-9pm on:
September 24
October 24
November 27
The September forum will focus on site definition; exploring possibilities for the front green, traffic flow, entrances, location of school on the site, outdoor learning areas, landscaping, and more. Later forums will focus on the look and feel of the exterior facade as well as interior layout and spaces.
DeVito Funeral Home is proud to sponsor a free “Touch a Truck” event in Arlington on Sunday October 21st from 1-4pm at the St. Camillus Church parking lot. We will have fire trucks, police cars, ambulances, dump trucks, excavation equipment, bobcats, oil trucks, paving equipment and more!! Take your turn sitting in the front seat of all of these awesome trucks and seeing how they operate up close. This is going to be a great event for children of all ages and will be held rain or shine.
Arlington Community Card
Spirit Day, Thompson Pride
We are looking for parents to help during the 2018 – 2019 school year for roles large and small. If you are just a little bit interested, please check off the position(s) in this survey. This simply shows your interest, it doesn’t commit you to the position! The PTO board will correspond and/or meet with interested parents.
Touch a Truck
