Thompson School News : April 29, 2019

Save the Date
*New items are in bold* May 2, Thursday – Kindergarten Enrichment: Tidepool Program May 2-3, Thursday-Friday – MCAS Math 5th Grade May 6, Monday – Franklin Park Zoo Field Trip – 1st Grade – Rescheduled! May 6-7, Monday-Tuesday – MCAS Math 4th Grade May 6-10, Monday-Friday – Teacher Appreciation Week May 8, Wednesday – PTO Meeting, 7-9 pm, Library May 8-9, Wednesday-Thursday – MCAS Math 3rd Grade May 9, Thursday – Arlington EATS Community Dinner, 6 pm, Cafeteria May 10, Friday – 1st-3rd Grade Author Visit: Toni Buzzeo May 15, Wednesday – 5th Grade Yoga May 16, Thursday – 1st Grade Enrichment: African Drumming May 20-21, Monday-Tuesday – MCAS Science 5th Grade May 22, Wednesday – Incoming Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 8:30 am, Gym May 22, Wednesday – 5th Grade Yoga May 23, Thursday – School Art Show May 27, Monday – No School May 28, Tuesday – Kindergarten Student Visit with Parent Tour May 29, Wednesday – Old South Meeting House Visit – 5th Grade Field Trip May 30, Thursday – Spring Concert, 9 am, Gym May 31, Friday – Annawon Weeden, First Light Foundation Visit – 3rd Grade May 31, Friday – Spirit Day: Red, White and Blue Day
School Calendar Click here 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. The Arlington Public School Calendar is @ www.arlington.k12.ma.us/calendar.
PTO Spotlight
Administrative Assistant Day Thompson School celebrated Vicki Rose and all she does for our students and staff last Wednesday, April 24th. If you see her, show her some love or stop by the front hall to see how much the 4th graders appreciate her!

National School Principal Day
Thompson School will be recognizing our own, Karen Donato, on May 1st. 5th graders will be sharing their “favorite things tied up with string!” 

Nurse’s Day
Third graders will be sharing their appreciation for Nurse Christina on May 8th and letting her know she is a real “lifesaver!” 

Teacher Appreciation Week
It’s that time of year when Thompson School shows our great appreciation for the outstanding teachers and staff! During the week of May 6th-10th, teachers and staff will enjoy a luncheon, breakfast, ice cream social and gift card raffle, as well as chair massages! It should be a great week, but we will need your help! 
Please see the sign up genius below to volunteer a bit of time and/or your culinary skills. 
Staff Appreciation Week Sign Up
Thompson News & Events
Thompson Art Show
The Thompson Art Show is scheduled for Thursday, May 23rd from 6-7:30 PM. During this special evening the Thompson School will be transformed into an art gallery showcasing the work of all of our amazing student artists! Families and friends are invited to see and interact with the art and the artists. In keeping with the philosophy behind Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB), each student comes up with their own ideas, and decides which techniques and materials would be best to make their ideas come to life. Students will choose the work to display, and help mount the work. Our students have a lot to say about their work, and why it is important to them. We hope that this show will be a chance for the whole community to come together and celebrate their growth as artists and the unique work they do in the art studio! 
Green Team News
The Thompson School Garden Committee is thrilled by the enthusiastic community effort at our glorious Garden Work Day and throughout the week!  We are grateful to all who participated in planting seeds for a spectacular new garden program. Due to the rain some of the activities were scheduled to next week, so sign up to create a Butterfly Pollinator Garden with the 2nd and 5th graders.
            

During our Garden Work Day students, teachers, parents, community volunteers, siblings and DPW staff all worked together to build pollinator habitats! We dug and tilled a new garden bed around the middle playground, brought wheelbarrows of compost to the garden beds and trees, cleaned up trash, planted pollinator plants, prepared the new trees with water bags and sold compost and pollinator habitat kits. DPW showed up with more compost and mulch for our trees and garden beds and had tilled us a 300 sq ft bed last week. Charlotte Milan answered questions about recycling.  Local artists dropped off butterflies and bees sculptures for our lobby.  Throughout the week first graders made native seed balls, kindergartners made fairy houses, after school students made environmental education posters and 2nd/5th graders created pollinator garden beds, and everyone learned about pollination ecosystems.
Resources:
Videos: In the Tallgrass; Pollinator HabitatsPollination Video; Wings of Life; 1+hr Movie on Netflix: “Wings of Life” 
Articles: Article on how to make seed balls with children ; Article on Guerrilla Gardening 

Thank you to all who participated in Earth Week activities!                                 
       
Thompson Diversity and Inclusion Group One aim of the Thompson Diversity and Inclusion Group (DIG) is to share resources and local events that support courageous parents as they talk to their kids about diversity and inclusion.
 
Have you ever been in a conversation about race or identity that just didn’t feel right?  Code Switch is an NPR podcast that aims to help with that.  Check out the podcast here:  https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch
Want to get involved?  Join us at ThompsonElementarySchoolDIG@gmail.com
Cause + Event Boston: Support Thompson PTO
Cause + Event Boston is coming back to Arlington on Sunday, May 12 (Mother’s Day) at 8 am. Over the past four years, this 5K run/walk event has donated almost $1,500 to the Thompson PTO. This is the goal race for the FitGirls program, so 250-plus 4th and 5th grade girls will be running the 5K, including the Thompson team! Register today and learn more at the Cause + Event Boston website. Not a runner but want to get involved? Consider volunteering! It takes about 100 amazing volunteers to make this race happen each year. Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact Sara Wilkinson: swilkie49@hotmail.com
Join the Picnic in the Park Planners
                              
Summer is coming and it will be time for the Thompson School Picnic in the Park before you know it! Interested in helping to plan the fun? Come join the committee putting it together.
Contact:  Kate Murphy: katejoycemurphy71@gmail.com
Community News & Events


Arlington EATS has lots planned for this spring and summer, starting with a Community Meal on Thursday May 9 at 6pm.  In July and August, we will have Summer Lunches at Thompson (M-Th) and at Robbins Library (Fridays). Want to know more about what we do? Come chat with us at the Feast of the East on June 15th or email us at info@arlington-eats.org.     
The Little Fox Shop Is Back in Business!                                   
The Little Fox Shop is a beloved nonprofit resale shop of children’s goods operating out of, and benefiting, the Fox Library. It was closed for a few months, and is set to re-open for sales in early May. Meanwhile, they are in need of inventory as well as funds to purchase new fixtures, hangers, shelving and shelving units etc. If you’ve been meaning to clear out your kids’ closet or toy collection, the Fox Shop is a great place to send it!  Items should be clean (no stains, rips, or tears; up to size 14!), complete (no missing pieces), and current (no baby gear before 2013).

To donate inventory:  Fox Shop website for hours and guidelines.
To donate funds: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/a-little-help
To Volunteer (kids can tag along!): http://www.littlefoxshop.com/volunteer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelittlefoxshop
Arlington Hockey Club Registration Now Open Interested in playing ice hockey in Arlington? Registration is now open for the Arlington Hockey Club’s (AHC) 2019-2020 hockey programs. These programs are no-checking. Practices are held at Ed Burns arena, while games are held at Ed Burns arena and/or in the greater Boston area, depending on the selected program. AHC’s focus is on providing a fun and safe environment to learn and play hockey for boys and girls at all ability levels. If you are interested, please visit our website for more information and registration at Arlingtonice.com. AHC practices USA Hockey’s American Development Model in its program.
More Courageous Conversations about Race with Our Children
Tuesday, April 30, 7-9 pm @ Brackett Auditorium
Dr. Liza Talusan, a nationally recognized educator on issues of diversity and inclusion, is returning to the APS to help us dive deeper in learning how to talk about race and racism among adults and with our kids. Please join us whether or not you attended the first workshop! Bring a friend! Here is an interview of Liza talking about the first event: https://acmi.tv/videos/talk-of-the-town-liza-talusan/ Register here:  http://tinyurl.com/CC2-register
 
North Union Park Community Work Day
Sunday, May 5, from 10-12

We will finish weeding, fertilizing and mulching around the trees and installing and filling gator bags on all the trees that need watering. There will also be a composting workshop on this day at 11.
 
Stay tuned for a sign-up genius coming soon for watering trees this summer. Water is the most important thing for new trees to get established and thrive, including the 7 new trees planted at Thompson last fall, and once again this will be a team effort! 
 
Finally, please take a few minutes to complete the community survey for the upcoming renovation of North Union Park and share it on social media and with others in the community! 
Survey link: https://surveyhero.com/c/390a4d8c

Thompson School News : April 22, 2019

Save the Date
*New items are in bold* Apr 22-23, Monday-Tuesday – MCAS ELA 4th Grade Apr 22-26, Monday-Friday – Earth Week Activities Apr 24-25, Wednesday-Thursday – MCAS ELA 5th Grade Apr 24, Wednesday – PTO Meeting, 7-9 pm, Library Apr 25, Thursday – 3rd Grade Field Trip: Plimoth Plantation Apr 26, Friday – Spirit Day: Backward Day Apr 26, Friday – 1st Grade Field Trip: Franklin Park Zoo *May 2, Thursday – Kindergarten Enrichment: Tidepool Program* *May 2-3, Thursday-Friday – MCAS Math 5th Grade* *May 6-7, Monday-Tuesday – MCAS Math 4th Grade* *May 6-10, Monday-Friday – Teacher Appreciation Week* *May 8, Wednesday – PTO Meeting, 7-9 pm, Library* *May 8-9, Wednesday-Thursday – MCAS Math 3rd Grade* *May 9, Thursday – Arlington EATS Community Dinner, 6 pm, Cafeteria* *May 10, Friday – 1st-3rd Grade Author Visit: Toni Buzzeo* *May 16, Thursday – 1st Grade Enrichment: African Drumming* *May 20-21, Monday-Tuesday – MCAS Science 5th Grade* *May 22, Wednesday – Incoming Kindergarten Parent Orientation, 8:30 am, Gym* *May 23, Thursday – School Art Show*
School Calendar Click here 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. The Arlington Public School Calendar is @ www.arlington.k12.ma.us/calendar.
PTO Spotlight
Important News About Amazon Fundraising As of April 2019, the Thompson School PTO is no longer part of the Amazon Associates program. But you can still support the school with Amazon Smile! Amazon Smile is operated by Amazon and provides the same product selection, pricing, and convenient shopping. When you start your Amazon shopping at smile.amazon.com and choose Thompson PTO as your charity of choice, the Amazon Smile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the Thompson PTO.

Amazon makes a direct deposit into our PTO bank account each month. We then use that money to support all of the school programming the PTO organizes: enrichment, field trips, school supplies, and more. Your Amazon Prime membership still applies, too!
Thompson News & Events
Monday, April 22 – Friday, April 26: All-Schools Textile Recycling Competition All Schools will be competing to collect the most textiles during the competition week and to win a prize and town recognition. Drop off your textiles (all old, worn, torn clothes, shoes, bedding, stuffed animals, etc.) to the Bay State Textiles collection bin outside Thompson School (Everett Street side) from April 22-26. Here is more information about textile recycling and why it’s important: https://www.mass.gov/guides/massdep-textile-recovery https://www.smartasn.org/SMARTASN/assets/File/resources/SMARTInfographTextileRecycling.pdf https://www.smartasn.org/SMARTASN/assets/File/resources/SMARTDoubleLifeofRecycledTextiles.pdf For questions about the competition, contact Rachel Oliveri, School Sustainability Coordinator, at roliveri@arlington.k12.ma.us.
Green Team News Happy Earth Day! Thompson school cares about the Earth! For Earth Week we will focus on stewardship by creating pollinator habitats, planting native wildflower gardens, watering the trees, adding compost to the soil and cleaning up trash.   Sign up to help the kindergartners make fairy “pollinator” houses on Thursday! (Kindergarten is collecting pine cones, bark, sticks, rocks, stones, shells, etc.) Sign up to help the 1st graders make native wildflower seed balls on Wednesday! (1st grade is collecting bamboo poles, hollow sticks, pinecones, untreated wood, and logs, ideally to fit nicely in an 8-inch deep shelf. Wood can have 5-6 inch drilled holes.) Sign up to help the 2nd graders plant gardens of native wildflowers and other pollinator plants on Friday! Sign up to help 5th graders make a bee and bug hotel and sell pollinator habitat kits on Wednesday and Friday! Send your K-1 students in with sustainable garden treasures! BEE a steward of the Earth and sign up for our first all-school garden day on Wednesday after school, 2:30-6 pm! Bring a wheelbarrow to buy compost for your garden! Buy native wildflower seeds to plant your own pollinator garden! Learn how to make a DIY bee and bug hotel and guerrilla garden! Sign up your 4th grader for an urban tree and watering workshop and your 5th grader for a pollinator habitat workshop, 2:30-3:30 pm.
Thompson Diversity and Inclusion Group One aim of the Thompson Diversity and Inclusion Group (DIG) is to share resources and local events that support parents as they talk to their kids about diversity and inclusion. If you’re looking for great books to read on topics from gender equality to disability rights to racial justice, check out this site:  https://booksforlittles.com/category/identity/gender/ Or consider making it out to Drag Story Hour for Kids of All Ages at the Robbins Library on April 28, 3-4pm. Want to get involved? Join us at ThompsonElementarySchoolDIG@gmail.com
Cause + Event Boston: Support Thompson PTO
Cause + Event Boston is coming back to Arlington on Sunday, May 12 (Mother’s Day) at 8 am. Over the past four years, this 5K run/walk event has donated almost $1,500 to the Thompson PTO. This is the goal race for the FitGirls program, so 250-plus 4th and 5th grade girls will be running the 5K, including the Thompson team! Register today and learn more at the Cause + Event Boston website. Not a runner but want to get involved? Consider volunteering! It takes about 100 amazing volunteers to make this race happen each year. Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact Sara Wilkinson: swilkie49@hotmail.com
Community News & Events
Arlington Hockey Club Registration Now Open Interested in playing ice hockey in Arlington? Registration is now open for the Arlington Hockey Club’s (AHC) 2019-2020 hockey programs. These programs are no-checking. Practices are held at Ed Burns arena, while games are held at Ed Burns arena and/or in the greater Boston area, depending on the selected program. AHC’s focus is on providing a fun and safe environment to learn and play hockey for boys and girls at all ability levels. If you are interested, please visit our website for more information and registration at Arlingtonice.com. AHC practices USA Hockey’s American Development Model in its program.
Boston Kids Comics Festival
Saturday, April 27, 10 am-5 pm @ Pine Manor College Children, parents/guardians, educators and librarians discover and explore “kid-friendly comics,” graphic novels, and hybrid books. Special guests include Erica Henderson, Raul the Third, and Joel Christian Gill Workshops: Dynamic comic creators including Marika McCoola, John Lechner, Tak Toyoshima of Wondermore, and Dan Moynihan are scheduled to run a range of hands-on workshops on comic creation, drawing, digital comic creation, using comics in the classroom and your library, and more! Panelists: Superheroes She-Hulk, Black Panther, Star Lord, and Jack Frost (from the Rise of the Guardian comics), and A. David Lewis Food trucks: Bon Me, Melt, Chicks and Dogs Young Artists table for youths to sell their kid-friendly comics. The event is accessible via the MBTA Chestnut Hill Line with a shuttle bus running between the station and Pine Manor College.
More Courageous Conversations About Race With Our Children (Corrected) Tuesday, April 30, 7-9 pm @ Brackett Auditorium Dr. Liza Talusan, a nationally recognized educator on issues of diversity and inclusion, is returning to lead us in a follow-up workshop that will further our learning about the challenges and opportunities in talking about race and racism in our families. Here is an interview of Liza talking about the first event: https://acmi.tv/videos/talk-of-the-town-liza-talusan/ Please join us whether or not you attended the first workshop! Register here: http://tinyurl.com/CC2-register
Plant a Street Tree!   This spring, the Town of Arlington wants to plant 50 new street trees in the Thompson School area (out of 150 total new trees being planted in Town this spring). Request one now – click this link! The Tree Warden will select an appropriate tree for the location, and the Town will plant it with a Gator bag for watering. You’ll just need to water the new tree for a few growing seasons so it can get established. If you have any questions, please email Phil Tedesco at philip.tedesco@gmail.com.
Support Thompson
Amazon Smile
Designate Thompson School PTO as your favorite Amazon Smile charity of choice, and Smile will automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price of any qualifying products to the PTO. (As of April 2019, we are no longer part of the Amazon Associates program.)
Box Tops for Education
We collect Box Tops throughout the year. Each box top is worth 10 cents for Thompson. Drop off your box tops at the Thompson lobby.
Maxima Gifts’ My School Program
Every time you make a purchase, 5% of the pre-tax sale price goes to your school of choice. To sign up, see the My School webpage for details. Maxima will add an additional 2% of your purchase to your school when you sign up and make your first purchase.
Stop & Shop A+ Rewards
The Stop & Shop A+ Rewards program for the 2018-2019 school year concluded on March 19. Schools will get paid in June, and we can sign up and start earning again in September!