Thompson School News : March 19, 2018

Save The Date

* New *

  • March 19, Monday, Fit Girls Starts, grades 4-5
  • March 23, Friday: All School Spring Concert; K-2nd 9 am. 3rd-5th 9:45 am NOTE: postponed from last week
  • March 23, Friday, Spirit Day – Dress to Impress
  • March 23, Friday, Community Card Info Meeting, 8:15-8:45 AM Thompson Cafeteria
  • March 26, Monday – Grade 3 -5 Enrichment, ImprovBoston Anti-Bullying Workshop

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.

Highlight

Science Week

Science Explo 2018

Thank you to the parents, teachers and Ms. Donato who helped celebrate science during Thompson’s first Science Week. Despite Mother Nature’s alternate plans, parents visited different classrooms and shared their knowledge of science. A special thank you to parent Anthony Fernandez who amazed all the kiddos with experiments involving liquid nitrogen during lunch. Ask you child about the frozen balloon or the smoking cheez doodles!

On Saturday, the Science Explo included more than 30 exhibitions on physics, robotics, chemistry, biology, earth science and more. Kids lined up to walk on “oobleck” (a mixture of cornstarch and water). Students programmed circuits and created animation videos. They explored chemical reactions and circadian cycles. None of this would have been possible without the many parents who took the time to plan a station and spent hours passing on some valuable knowledge.

Thank you to all of the many volunteers that donated their Saturday to make this event a success. A delicious and nutritious lunch was provided by Something Savory catering, thank you Jodi and John. The bake sale featured galaxy bars, dino fossils cookies, periodic table cupcakes, and more. It was a scientific treat.

Thank you Mr. Brahim for coming in on a Saturday, maintaining your good humor, and cleaning up our mess.

There were several impressive science themed raffle baskets featuring biology, chemistry, physics, programming, geology, astronomy and more. Basket items were donated by our incredibly generous Thompson Community. Additionally, we were lucky to receive donations from Empow Studios, Einstein’s Workshop, MIT Museum, The New England Aquarium, and more.

It’s events like these that invest in our future by inspiring our kids to become scientists and engineers. We look forward to the next Science Explo in 2020.

Thompson News & Events

Green Team

Green Team 2018 03 aThompson students transformed trash into art, education and collective action to gear up for the Science Explo and Arlington Ecofest Sat. March 24th.

The Thompson 4th graders in Ms. Armstrong’s class collected straws at lunch for 2 weeks to make their trashformation on the Superhero Decomposer, Red Wiggler Worms, and Composting. Inspired by their project 4 students in Ms. Jette’s class, wrote essays on the negative environmental impact of straws and a letter to the school food service director asking her to consider switching to compostable and reuse-able straws. After using their 2016 transformation, a sea turtle made from school cafeteria styrofoam trays, to inspire APS to switch to compostable trays, these students have their minds set on compostable straws and zero waste lunches.

EcoFest Transformations 2018 03 c

Textile Recycling Bin

Support Thompson while donating your unwanted clothing, shoes, linens, stuffed animals, and more (in any condition as long as they are clean and dry). Bay State Textiles gives the schools a share of their profit from the sale of these materials. The more you donate, the more the school will receive! The bin is located on the Everett Street side of the school, near the loading driveway.

You can learn more about the Bay State Textiles program at http://www.baystatetextiles.com/schools-box-program

See the acceptable items and other participating schools in the AHS Textile Recycling 2018 Flyer.

Community

Wonderful Town

AHS School Musical 2018 03Arlington High School’s spring musical production of Wonderful Town opens on Friday, March 23rd and runs all weekend. Shows are 7:30 PM on Friday and Saturday and 2:00 PM on Sunday. Order your tickets from a cast member, in the AHS main office, or by using this online link. Tickets are also always available at the door. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and children. The show is appropriate for the whole family, and we’d love to see you there!

Annual Arlington Trivia Bee

JOIN or come cheer on school & community teams as they compete in the 23rd Annual Arlington Trivia Bee hosted by Arlington Education Foundation!

March 25th from 3-5pm at Town Hall

On March 25th, Arlington’s Town Hall will be abuzz with the friendly yet fierce team-based competition of the Arlington Trivia Bee. Live music, kids activities and the opportunity for audience participation help create the lively, family-friendly atmosphere that defines this annual town-wide event.

Each Trivia Bee team consists of three adults who compete under a team name and may don a creative hat or team costume. Nearly thirty teams — made up of friends, neighbors, elected officials, school groups or community organizations — face off in multiple rounds of trivia questions on sports, literature, history, current events, music, science, and local lore. All proceeds help to sustain the Arlington Education Foundation’s work supporting students and teachers in Arlington. The Bee will include teams of fifth graders from each elementary school who will compete in their own round to kick off the event.

The event will feature Todd Bearson on the piano, and Irwin Grossman will once again be our lively MC. This year’s judges include Kathleen Bodie, Superintendent of Arlington Public Schools and Kevin Flood, Assistant Director of the Arlington Boys & Girls Club. The kids activities will include a presentation by Curious Creatures. Stop by on the 25th and join in the fun!

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.

Annual Picnic Organizers

Though it seems a long way off the planning for the annual June picnic is starting now. The PTO is seeking parent volunteers interested in taking an active role in planning to join the picnic organizing team.

Contact: Kate Murphy, thompsonschoolvolunteers@gmail.com

Safe Routes to School Coordinator

Looking for a parent interested in helping with the Safe Routes to School program. This is the program that has organized the Walk/Bike to School Day among other projects. The current parents in charge have graduating 5 graders. If interested there is a March 8th meeting about Safe Routes to School you might be interested in attending.

Contact Kate Murphy: thompsonschoolvolunteers@gmail.com

Join the Community Card Team!

2018-19 Community Card Spring Info Meeting TAKE 2!

Friday March 23rd, 8:15-8:45AM, Thompson Cafeteria

Our original meeting date got cancelled for snow, but the good news is, now you don’t have to make an extra trip to Thompson to attend! Come to the cafeteria before the School Concert starts, to hear how you can get involved with the 2018-2019 Community Card. This is Thompson’s 2nd most profitable annual fundraiser, bringing in a record $16,000+ this year for Student Enrichment. It’s no overnight task though; now is when we get the businesses on board and confirm our advertising and selling plans, so that we can relax over the summer, and then hit the ground running in September with successful Town Day (Sept 15th) and Fall Sales. Whether you are totally ready to jump on board, have some great ideas to suggest, or are simply curious before committing to anything – come to this meeting. You will get an overview of the program, and hear the long-term and short-term tasks needing attention over the next 6 months. Many talents are valuable here – we have important jobs available for introverts and extroverts alike, both behind-the-scenes and face-to-face, and of varying time commitments.

Questions? Comments?
Can’t make it to the meeting, but still want to get involved?

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.

Thompson School News : March 5, 2018

Save The Date

* New *

  • March 8, Thursday, Community Card Planning Meeting
  • March 8, Thursday 6 PM to 7 PM, Arlington EATS Community Dinner
  • March 10, Saturday, Kindergarten Registration Begins
  • March 12, Monday, Science Week Kick Off, Dress for Science
  • March 15, Thursday 7-9pm PTO Meeting (Parents Only) NOTE: Date changed
  • March 16, Friday, 8.30 AM All School Spring Concert
  • March 16, Friday, Spirit Day – Dress to Impress
  • March 17, Saturday 11 AM to 3 PM – Science EXPLO
  • March 19, Monday, Fit Girls Starts, grades 4-5
  • March 26, Monday – Grade 3 -5 Enrichment, ImprovBoston Anti-Bullying Workshop

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,

As Spring quickly approaches, so will State Mandated testing for our students in Grades 3 through 5. Please find the schedule for Thompson below. This year, students in grades 4 and 5 will take the MCAS Online using Chromebooks. Our 3rd graders will take the MCAS via Paper Based Testing. It’s important that students are in school on time each day, get a good night’s rest, and have breakfast at home and/or at school those mornings. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Thank you, Karen

  • Grade 3 ELA- April 3 & 5
  • Grade 4 ELA- April 9 & 11
  • Grade 5 ELA – April 10 & 12
  • Grade 5 Math- May 7 & 9
  • Grade 4 Math- May 8 & 10
  • Grade 3 Math- May 15 & 17
  • Grade 5 Science- May 21 & 22

Highlight

SCIENCE EXPLO Saturday, March 17th, 11 am – 3 pm

Science Explo 2018 aThe biennial Thompson Science EXPLO is back! Join us on March 17th as the Thompson school is transformed into a space filled with scientific explorations and hands-on learning. More than 50 exhibitors from the Thompson community will present interactive demonstrations to engage, enthrall and entertain students.

Besides the engaging exhibits, there will be a science-based scavenger hunt, raffle baskets, a bake sale and lunch options at the Brain Fuel Cafe.

As one of the showcase events of the year, the Science EXPLO is well attended and the perfect time to volunteer while your children are exploring and learning; please sign up to volunteer https://tinyurl.com/scienceexplo18

Science Week

The Science EXPLO will mark the culmination of Thompson’s first Science week (March 12th –March 17th); a week of celebrating science at school. Morning announcements will include fun scientific facts and music, the library will showcase science-themed books, and parents are encouraged to present a science topic to their child’s class.

We will kick off Science week with Dress for Science day on March 12th. Be inspired and dress up as your favorite scientist, science professional, a scientific concept, element, or object. Be creative and have fun!

Raffle Baskets

Each grade is sponsoring a basket to be raffled off at the end of the event as an easy and fun way to raise funds for school enrichment. Please consider helping even in a small way. Please bring all donations to school by Wednesday, March 14th.

Ecofest Trashformations

EcoFest Transformations 2018 03 aEcofest Trashformations “Ecosystem Superheroes” will focus on “The Decomposers, Nature’s Recyclers!” Thompson classrooms and families are encouraged to submit a 100% non-recyclable trash sculpture of their “Ecosytem Decomposer Superhero” at the 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, mix material trash. Trashformation entries less than 5″ x 5″ x 5″. Comic strips- on 8.5 x 11″ paper (on back of reused paper).

EcoFest Transformations 2018 03 bInformation about trash, ecosystems and decomposers: 1. Arlington recycling guide 2. Ecosystem video for young readers 3. Decomposer video 3. Worm video 4. Video on amazing fungi systems in forests 5. Gut microbiome 6. 15 min. Decomposers video for older students

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – Carl Sagan

Thompson News & Events

Arlington EATS Community Meal

Thank you to all who contributed and volunteered for the February 8th Arlington EATS Community meal. It was a fun and successful evening of community building and service. The many volunteers (parents and kids) helped serve Arlington EATS Meal 2018 02 bover 80 meals and helped with the pop-up pantry. Between donations from the community and PTO contributions, we donated $300 to Arlington EATS for the meal.

 

 

2018-19 Community Card Spring Info Meeting

Community Card 2017 2018All Are Welcome!

Thursday March 8th, 8:30AM, Thompson Cafeteria, **Free Coffee!!**

Believe it or not, it’s time to start planning for next year’s Community Card! This is the PTO’s 2nd most profitable annual fundraiser, bringing in a record $16,000+ this year for Thompson Student Enrichment. It’s a very satisfying fundraiser, but it’s no overnight task; we need to start signing contracts with the businesses and getting the advertising plans set up now, so that we can relax over the summer, and then hit the ground running in September with a successful Town Day (Sept 15th) and Fall Sales. Whether you are totally ready to jump on board, have some great ideas to suggest, or are simply curious about what’s involved – come to this meeting. You will get an overview of the program, and hear the long-term and short-term tasks needing attention over the next 6 months. There are plenty important jobs available for introverts and extroverts alike, both behind-the-scenes and face-to-face, and of varying time commitments.

Questions?
Can’t make it to this particular meeting, but want to get involved?

Reach out to Co-Chairs Ashley Lorenz (K,3,5) ashley.e.lorenz@gmail.com or Gaggi DeStefanis (3) gaggi@rcn.com

Textile Recycling Bin

Support Thompson while donating your unwanted clothing, shoes, linens, stuffed animals, and more (in any condition as long as they are clean and dry). Bay State Textiles gives the schools a share of their profit from the sale of these materials. The more you donate, the more the school will receive! The bin is located on the Everett Street side of the school, near the loading driveway.

You can learn more about the Bay State Textiles program at http://www.baystatetextiles.com/schools-box-program

See the acceptable items and other participating schools in the AHS Textile Recycling 2018 Flyer.

Community

AHS Building Project Tours & Forum

Arlington High School 00March 5, 7-9pm @ Arlington High School

The public is invited to take a tour of the current AHS building and join the conversation about future design needs for the facility. The evening will begin with tours of the building followed by Q&A with the AHS principal and Superintendent. David Stephen from New Vista Design will facilitate the second half of the evening leading an interactive discussion about potential design patterns and ideas for the future facility. Tours start at 7:00 p.m. in the foyer of the main entrance of the high school. Snow date: March 12.

District leaders and representatives from HMFH Architects (project architect) and Skanska (Owner’s Project Manager) will be on hand to answer questions.
This is the third in a series of public forums to gather community input for the future renovated/rebuilt Arlington High School. The next forum will be held on April 4. Learn more about the project at www.ahsbuilding.org.

Beats for EATS

Arlington EATS Beats 2018WHEN: Saturday, March 10, 2018 – Doors at 7PM
WHERE: Arlington Town Hall, 730 Massachusetts Avenue
WHY: All money raised will help feed kids in our community. AND, there will be dancing, hors d’oeuvres, fancy drinks, and an amazing Silent Auction!

Gibbs Parent Forum

March 14th, 2018, 7-9 pm, Stratton School Cafeteria

Kristen DeFrancisco, principal of the the Gibbs 6th Grade School, will be hosting a parent forum. On the agenda:

  • Building a Social Emotional Responsible School
  • Academics and Courses
  • Schedule
  • Busing
  • PTO Plan

Thompson’s representative on the Gibbs Parent Advisory Committee is Juliet Moir (juliet.moir@gmail.com). Please reach out if you have any questions!

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.

Annual Picnic Organizers

Though it seems a long way off the planning for the annual June picnic is starting now. The PTO is seeking parent volunteers interested in taking an active role in planning to join the picnic organizing team.

Contact: Kate Murphy, thompsonschoolvolunteers@gmail.com

Safe Routes to School Coordinator

Looking for a parent interested in helping with the Safe Routes to School program. This is the program that has organized the Walk/Bike to School Day among other projects. The current parents in charge have graduating 5 graders. If interested there is a March 8th meeting about Safe Routes to School you might be interested in attending.

Contact Kate Murphy: thompsonschoolvolunteers@gmail.com

Science EXPLO – March 17th

One of the biggest PTO events of the year, the Science EXPLO requires many helping hands! The Explo runs from 11am-3pm, so it’s easy to both sign-up for an hour long volunteer shift and have time to enjoy the Explo too! Sign-up at the following link:

https://tinyurl.com/scienceexplo18

If you can’t give your time on March 17th – please consider giving to the Explo bake sale or one of the grade level raffle baskets:

Bake Sale: https://tinyurl.com/ExploBakeSale

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.

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.