| 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 |
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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 |
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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! |
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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 Habitats; Pollination 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! |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 |
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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 |