Thompson School News : April 8, 2019

Save the Date
Apr 8 and 9, Monday and Tuesday – Thompson Drama Project performances Apr 11, Thursday – Arlington EATS Community Dinner, 6 pm Apr 11 and 12, Thursday and Friday – MCAS ELA 3rd Grade Apr 13, Saturday – Skating Party Apr 15-19, Monday-Friday – NO SCHOOL, Spring Break Apr 22-26 – Earth Week Activities Apr 22 and 23, Monday and Tuesday – MCAS ELA 4th Grade Apr 24 and 25, Wednesday and 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
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
Ice Skating Party
Saturday, April 13th, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Join your Thompson friends at the Thompson Skating Party! Saturday, April 13th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm the entire Ed Burns Arena will be reserved for Thompson skaters. Bring your own helmet and skates or borrow them for FREE! Food will be available for purchase at the snack bar or vending machines. Entry to the event will be $3 per skater. The PTO needs volunteers for this event. Sign up here to help!
Thompson News & Events
Thompson Drama Project
We’re pleased to present two productions of the Phantom Tollbooth this year! Our directors and actors have been working hard, and we hope you will come see the results in our own Thompson Auditorium.
The play:  Monday, April 8, 7:00 p.m. THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Susan Nanus, Based on the book by Norton Juster “The Phantom Tollbooth” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
  The musical: Tuesday, April 9, 7:00 p.m. THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH JR. Music by Arnold Black Book by Norton Juster and Sheldon Harnick Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick Based on the novel by Norton Juster.  Presented through special arrangement with Musical Theatre International (MTI).  
Tickets will be available at the door for $5 (cash only). Both shows will also be performed for Thompson students during the day on Monday, April 8. We want to thank all the volunteers and donors that make this production possible!
Green Team News Thompson Get Ready to Create Pollinator Habitats!
Earth Week Apr 22-26! Sign up for Garden Work on April 24 Wed 2:30 – 6 PM!   Sign up for class projects throughout the week of Apr 22-26! Everyone is needed to brighten up Thompson school grounds with beautiful wildflowers gardens and fund raise for our new garden program!

Watch gorgeous 4 min film of pollinatorsLearn about bees!

Learn how to Make pollinator habitats!, Make native wildflower seed bombs!, Check out these bug and bee hotels!
Cause + Event Boston: Support Thompson PTO
The 5K run/walk, Cause + Event Boston, is coming back to Arlington on Sunday, May 12 (Mother’s Day) at 8:00 am.  This race is unique – at least 50% of each runners’ registration fee is donated to their charity of choice. You can select the Thompson PTO or your favorite charity.

Over the past four years, Cause + Event has donated almost $1500 to the Thompson PTO as a part of the $80,000 donated to participants’ selected charities. This is the goal race for the FitGirls program so there will be 250+ 4th and 5th grade girls running the 5K including the Thompson team!  Register today and learn more at the Cause + Event Boston website. Register soon, last year the race sold out a month ahead of the race.

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
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.

Check out this list of “Top Ten” race conscious things you can say to your child to advance racial justice:  http://www.raceconscious.org/2016/06/100-race-conscious-things-to-say-to-your-child-to-advance-racial-justice/

It comes from this great website Raising Race Conscious Children.  Find it here:  https://www.raceconscious.org

Want to get involved?  Join us at ThompsonElementarySchoolDIG@gmail.com
Community News & Events
APS Budget Plan Released The plan is available here:  http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/administration/budget/fy20/fiveyeardraftapsbudgetplan.pdf  

This initial draft will continue to be revised based on feedback from the public, funding availability, and changing needs.  There will be a forum on Wednesday, April 10 at 7 pm at the Gibbs School with members of the Administration and the School Committee to review and discuss the draft five-year plan.  The School Committee is very interested in public feedback on the plan, including thoughts on which items might be the highest priorities and on items missing or not fully addressed by the plan. Comments can also be submitted by email to:  kfitzgerald@arlington.k12.ma.us.  
Resident Meeting for Precincts 1 + 5 Wednesday, April 10th | 7:00-8:30 pm Thompson School @ 187 Everett Street

Learn about current issues, meet Town Meeting members, and ask questions!

All are welcome.

Contact: Pr. 1 Town Meeting Member Steve Revilak [steve@srevilak.net]
or Pr. 5 Town Meeting Member Pat Hanlon [patrick.m.hanlon@gmail.com] for more info.
Boston Kids Comics Festival SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH, 2019 10am to 5pm Pine Manor College
400 Heath Street
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Children, parents/guardians, educators and librarians discover and explore “kid friendly-comics”, graphic novels and hybrid books.

The kid-centered Fest includes: a book fair & exhibitors. This year’s 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 & your library, and more! Panelists: Superheroes She-Hulk, Black Panther, Star Lord and Jack Frost (from the Rise of the Guardian Comics) A. David Lewis Food Trucks: Bon Me, Melt, Chicks and Dogs Young Artists Table for youth 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 Having Courageous Conversations about Race with Our Children Monday, April 30 from 7:00 pm – 9:00 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. Please join us whether or not you attended the first workshop! 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
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

Box Tops: We collect Box Tops throughout the year. Each box top is worth 10 cents for Thompson. Drop off your box tops @ the Thompson lobby.

Stop & Shop A+ Rewards for the 2018-2019 school year concluded on March 19th.  
Schools will get paid in June, and start earning again in September!  

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