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 : February 26, 2018

Save The Date

* New *

  • March 2, Friday Visit by author Jessica Garrett; All Grade Levels.
  • March 2, Friday 6 PM to 8 PM – Game Night
  • March 8, Thursday 6 PM to 7 PM, Arlington EATS Community Dinner
  • March 14, Wednesday 7 PM to 9 PM PTO Meeting (Parents Only)
  • March 16, Friday, 8.30 AM All School Spring Concert
  • March 17, Saturday 11 AM to 3 PM – Science EXPLO
  • 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,

I hope you had a wonderful week and were able to enjoy some of the gorgeous weather we had! My boys and I went to the Cape Codder in Hyannis for a couple of days where it was rainy and cool outside, but the water park and arcade inside were warm and toasty. Of course, those were the days where it was 70 and sunny back in Arlington! C’est la vie! All in all, it was a nice change of pace for our family, and I hope it was for yours as well.

I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the horrific event that occurred in Parkland, Florida just before vacation. Like many of you, this shakes me to the core as both a parent and a school principal. Every day, the safety of our children is of the utmost of importance to Thompson Faculty and Staff. While we are always conscientious of not propping doors open, being aware of our surroundings, and student/staff/parent well being, I am asking for your assistance in these areas as well. Please encourage one another to be mindful of signing in at the main office, putting on a Visitor Badge, waiting for the door to close behind you as you enter, etc. We are always practicing, discussing, and re-evaluating our protocols, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

I’ve seen quite a barrage of political discussions, cartoons, etc. on social media this week, and while I don’t typically engage in such discussions or postings, I feel very strongly about my responsibility to keep our Staff and Students safe. I firmly believe that having personal connections with each other, building a positive culture, and supporting each student emotionally, socially, and academically is paramount in keeping each other safe.

Please keep the families, staff, and students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in your thoughts and prayers.

Karen

Thompson News & Events

Winter Party Feedback Request

Party 01The Winter Party in January was a huge success! Thanks to YOU, our amazing Thompson community, for coming out and making it a super fun night. Gorgeous space, great conversations, lots of dancing, and even a $1,300 profit for the PTO Enrichment Fund! We are one of the few schools that puts on an parents-only social event like this, and we hope to continue this tradition for years to come. So that we can do that, kindly give us your feedback on the event at tinyurl.com/WinterParty2018Survey

Congrats again to our Raffle Winners!

  • Jaime Viteri: Original Cyanotype Artwork #1 by Sri Thumati
  • Yael Beals: Original Cyanotype Artwork #2 by Sri Thumati
  • Susan Zwick: Scutra dining certificate
  • Kristen Fritsch: 3 moths of Wine of the Month Club at Menotomy Beer and Wine
  • Sarah Mowbray: In-Home Dinner Party for 6 with JuliaCooks!
  • Kobie Cook: Kids cooking class with “Chopped Jr” Champion Charlotte Kilroy
  • Christy Murphy: Tennis Lesson with Jagat Adihya

Financial Assistance Available

The PTO would like to continue to support families who need assistance for the remainder of the 2017- 2018 school year. To help with this process, if your child/children would like financial assistance for any PTO related programs, please print and fill out the form found here and return it to Ms. Vicki or Karen Donato. All information provided will be kept confidential. It is the mission of the Thomson PTO to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate alongside their peers in all Thompson events and initiatives. By filling out this form, you are helping the PTO make this possible.

Game Night is back!

Game NightFriday, March 2, 6 – 8 pm

Come with the kids and join the fun!

Local game company GAMEWRIGHT lends us demo games to try out and families are welcome to bring a favorite board game from home, set up a table, and teach a group of friends how to play it.

Plan to feed the kids before coming or bring a picnic style dinner to eat in the cafeteria. Additionally, we will have healthy snacks, baked treats, apple cider and hot cocoa.

We will have new GAMEWRIGHT games and used games donated by Thompson families for sale. All profits go to the PTO. Consider buying a game from your teachers’ wish lists.

Come prepared to sit and play board games with the children, this is not a drop off event. If you are planning on attending, please consider helping us to make it a successful one, by collaborating in one of many ways.

Sign-up to Volunteer and/or donate snack items here: https://tinyurl.com/ThompsonGameNight

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.

Enrichment – 5th grade

Grade 5 Enrichment 2018 02 bThe Museum of Science visited the 5th graders on Monday to discuss “States of Matter.” The presenter used liquid nitrogen and various other materials to demonstrate how physical matter transforms from solid to liquid to gas and back. The kids saw metal melt in water, and glycerin, water, and air become solid. They even saw super-heated water cause paper to burn.Grade 5 Enrichment 2018 02 a

Community

AHS Building Project News

Planning for the future rebuilt/renovated Arlington High School is underway and the AHS Building Committee invites the community to participate in the conversation.

Community Forums

Each forum will provide an opportunity for community feedback.

  • March 5, 7pm, AHS: tours of the building, discussion of design patterns for the future school
  • April 4, 7pm, Town Hall: update from HMFH Architects on potential building concepts
Resources

Web Site: updates, detailed information, events, blog
Facebook: updates, events
e-Bulletin: sign up to receive occasional email updates
Email the building committee with questions or feedback

The Town of Arlington has been invited into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process for the renovation/construction of Arlington High School. Acceptance to the MSBA program does not guarantee state funding. The MSBA approval process must be completed successfully for the state, via the MSBA, to provide significant financial assistance to the project. Local funding must also be assured through passage of a debt exclusion.

The AHS Building Committee

Upcoming School Committee Chats

When: 11 am to 12 noon on Saturday, on the first Saturday of each month

Why: Stop by and say hi to two School Committee members (look for the sign) to answer questions, collect concerns, listen to your ideas, and generally talk about the Arlington Public Schools.

Where:

  • March 3 at Whole Foods
  • April 7 at Caffe Nero
  • May 5 at Whole Foods
  • June 2 at Caffe NeroNo appointment necessary, simply stop by!

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

Game Night – Friday March 2nd

Game Night is this Friday March 2nd! In addition to needing volunteers for Game Night itself – we need donated baked items and healthy snacks to sell as concessions. Take a look at the sign-up genius and let us know if you can help!

https://tinyurl.com/ThompsonGameNight

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

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

Join the Community Card Team!

Believe it or not, it’s time to start planning for the 2018-19 Community Card! The new card doesn’t come out until September, but here is our Early Spring plan:

  • get contracts signed
  • confirm our advertising plans
  • start planning for Town Day and beginning of new school year sales

We are looking for:

  • task-rabbits
  • brainstormers
  • AND a 3rd Co-Chair (shadow for a year and poise themselves to take over for Gaggi in 2020)

Whether you’re totally ready to take something on, or are just curious about what’s involved before committing to anything – please join us at the:

Spring Community Card Info Meeting

Thursday March 8th

8:30AM

Thompson School Cafeteria

FREE Coffee!

Can’t make it?

Need more info?

Get involved!

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