The Thursday OwL
The Alcott ptg weekly email
May 1, 2025
The PTG provides information and support to the Alcott community and raises funds to help make our school the best it can be.
Flowers at CCHS
News and Announcements
Concord Carlisle Courage
The families of Hannah, Jimmy and Maisey are in our thoughts and prayers, and we send our deepest sympathies to all those impacted.
—
Teacher Appreciation Week: NEXT WEEK!
Please be on the lookout for an email from your room parents about how you can help show our teachers how wonderful they are!
—
MFF Spring Picnic Now May 10
A reminder that the Metco Family Friends End of Year Picnic has been rescheduled to Saturday, May 10 from 1-3 pm at Almont Park in Mattapan. Please sign up here and sign up to bring a dish to share here. Questions? Contact Solange at sbenjamin@concordps.org.
—
Alcott PTG Open Meeting: Wednesday, May 14
The last open PTG meeting of the school year will take place on Wednesday May 14th. The slate for the 2025-2026 school year Alcott PTG Board and Committee will be voted on at this meeting. All are welcome to attend. The meeting will take place in the Alcott cafeteria from 7-8pm.
—
Alcott Bike to School Day is May 20
Save the date for Alcott’s Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day! The event will take place rain or shine. See more information here.
—
Alcott Parent Social Date Change: Saturday, June 7
The Annual Alcott Parent Social has been moved to Saturday June 7th. Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased using this link. Food will be provided by Amigos Locos taco truck (included in your ticket purchase!). The PTG Auction will have amazing prizes to bid on - stay tuned! The event is BYOB. The event location will be disclosed with the purchase of your ticket. We look forward to gathering as a community at the social!
—
Alcott Field Day Volunteers Needed
Hello Alcott Community! Our annual Field Day is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, 2025. We are looking for volunteers to help with stations (no experience necessary)! The event will run from 9am-12pm on Alcott school fields. We will meet in the Alcott gym by 9am to get assignments. You will need a current CORI form to volunteer. If you are unsure about your CORI form status, the front office can help.
Please email me at tgaudreau@concordps.org by Friday, May 23rd. Thanks, Tim Gaudreau, Alcott PE Teacher
—
Square 1 Art Fundraiser Note of Thanks
We want to extend our appreciation and thanks to all of our students and their families for your participation in our first ever Square 1 art fundraiser. Thanks to your orders, and celebration of your child's art, we raised over $3600 for our school community! The money raised will go directly back to our school, funding additional enrichment opportunities, field trips, exciting events and more for our whole community. We are also incredibly appreciative of Mrs. Brady's help in inspiring our young artists and helping us organize the procurement of their artwork for this fundraiser. We hope you and your children will enjoy your uniquely wonderful Square 1 keepsakes for years to come!
The Alcott PTG Fundraising Team
—
Alcott Chess Updates
Welcome back from vacation everybody! The Alcott Chess Tournament begins this week with a warm-up session. The games begin next week, one a week through the end of May. And then June 5 is the gala celebration when all awards are distributed. And parents, you are invited to attend the awards ceremony! This is a memorable event. Be sure that your children don't miss out.
Tournament details are included here. This is not your normal chess tournament. It's for all ages, all grades, all skill levels. Don't be concerned if your child will enjoy it. They will. It's fun for everyone. Everyone plays, everybody wins! So, complete the attached form today and email it to alcottchess@hotmail.com. It's your move!
—
Green Art Bags
Please be on the lookout for any green Art Bags that you might have at home and send them back in with your students. After starting the year with about 100 bags, we only have about 5 currently in the art classroom, which makes it tricky to send home large format art. Thank you!
—
Volunteer Opportunities
May Composting at Lunch (Alcott cafeteria): sign up here
Substitute Teachers Needed: If you are Interested in learning more about substitute teaching in Concord, please visit this website. To apply to become a substitute teacher, please complete this application.
—
Calendar and Important Dates
Every Wednesday is a Half Day
May 1 - Alcott Chess Tournament Begins
May 1 and 5 - Grade 3 Math MCAS
May 6 and 8 - Grade 5 Math MCAS
May 10 - MFF Spring Picnic
May 12 and 13 - Grade 4 Math MCAS
May 14 - PTG Open Meeting at Alcott (7pm)
May 15 and 16 - Grade 5 Science MCAS
May 16 - A Summer Day in May Spirit Day
May 20 - Walk/Bike/Roll to School Day
May 22 - Spring Fair (during school hours)
May 26 - Memorial Day (No School)
May 27 - Silent Auction Live (ahead of Parent Social)
May 28 - Field Day (during school hours)
June 7 - Parent Social
In the Community
Concord Family Bike Fest
Pedal into fun with bike skill-building, e-bike test rides, helmet fitting, and more! This is for all ages on Sunday, May 4 from 1-3pm at Thoreau School. Find more info here.
—
Concord Children's Center Preschool Open House
On May 3 from 10am-12pm, come learn about enrollment opportunities for the 25-26 school year! Special musical performance by beloved children’s musician, Peter Sheridan. Bring the whole family for a fun filled morning of discovery and entertainment! The Open House will be at the West Concord location (1300 Main Street).
—
Free Sarah Ward Seminar
Join Sarah Ward and Kristen Jacobsen on Tuesday, May 6 from 12-1pm for a free webinar about their new Time Tracker Program book series and get an inside look at the tools and strategies behind the program!
Whether or not you have the books, join them as they share practical strategies and tips for time management and executive functioning. This is helpful for caregivers, educators, and therapists who support students from elementary grades through college. Register for the free webinar here! Can’t attend live? Register to get the replay.
—
From Fear to Understanding: Fostering Open Conversations in the Digital Age
Join us on Tuesday, May 14, from 7–8:30 PM at Concord Middle School for an expert-led panel discussion on the impact of technology and social media on youth. Inspired by the powerful series Adolescence, this free event explores how digital life is shaping kids today—and what families, schools, and communities can do to support healthier habits. Hosted by Turning Life On, featuring expert panelists including State Rep. Simon Cataldo, Dr. Elizabeth Englander, Detective Sergeant Trista Manchuso, Adrienne Principe, and Dr. Nancy Santoro. Tickets are free, but registration is required. Find more info here. Hosted by Turning Life On.
—
Register: IMSCC Summer Lessons!
Would your young student like to get a head start learning a new instrument? Does your child who has had 1-2 years of school lessons want more in-depth individualized instruction? Does your middle or high school student want to work on fall audition pieces over the summer? Lessons are available for students of all ages and levels including adults. The summer session is flexible – families can sign up for as many weeks as fit their schedule. Here’s the form to begin the enrollment process.
—
IMSCC Summer Music Ensembles Enrolling Now!
Click here to browse summer music classes and to register.
-Orchestra Summer Program (string players in grades 4 and 5)
-String Chamber Music Ensemble (string players in grades 9-12)
-Trombone Choir (in its 16th year; for low brass players grades 6+)
Bassoon Reed-Making Workshop
—
Patriots Field Hockey Clinics
Patriot Field Hockey Clinics offer players fun and intensive field hockey programs for children entering Grades 3-9. Our clinics are appropriate for players of all levels and allow for maximum enjoyment, improvement and understanding of the game for every camper.
Registration is open for our 2025 Summer Field Hockey Camp (CCHS; Tuesday, 6/17-Friday, 6/20; 9am-2pm): https://www.patriotfieldhockeyclinics.com/
—
Milldam Open House May 10th
Come join Milldam Nursery School on May 10th from 10:00 AM-Noon for a performance by local favorites Rockabye Beats, a craft led by Umbrella Arts staff, ongoing tours plus free coffee, juice and donuts. We have limited spaces in all classes ages 2-5. Milldam Nursery School is located at 20 Lexington Rd, Concord MA 01742. To RSVP or for more information, please reach out to: membership@milldamnurseryschool.org
—
SEPAC Annual Appreciation Awards
The Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) will be honoring educators during our 8th Annual Appreciation Awards. This year’s awards will be delivered to recipients during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 5-9, 2025). If you have a child on an IEP or 504 plan, please use this linked form to tell us about any exceptional educators, administrators, or staff in our districts you would like to honor with an Appreciation Award. You may use this form to submit as many nominations as you wish. This year we also will be creating a video tribute to our educators to be posted to SEPAC’s website and social media. If you and/or your child(ren) would like to provide a short video tribute (10-15 seconds) to honor their educators, you may do so by emailing the video to concordsepac@gmail.com.
—
Eating Healthy for Kids
Tuesday May 6th 7:30pm. Come join us for an informative panel discussion featuring Joanne Csaplar, a licensed and registered dietitian and Early Intervention specialist, alongside experienced educators from Concord Children's Center, who specialize in infant, toddler, and preschool care. Together, they will offer invaluable support by providing realistic, science-based advice and encouragement to help today’s busy families make healthy food choices. They will also share practical tips for making mealtimes less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn about how to begin building these positive, lifelong habits in your young children's lives! Please see attached flyer for additional information.
—
SEPAC Weekly Office Hours
SEPAC holds weekly office hours at the Concord Main Library in the cafe area. These take place every Tuesday from 11am-12:30pm, except for the third Tuesday of each month when they take place from 6-8pm. Office hours provide an opportunity to talk in person with a member of the SEPAC Board to help answer any special education questions and get parent-to-parent support. All are welcome!
—
Join the Alcott PTG
Discover all the ways both working and non-working parents and guardians are needed to support our wonderful staff, students, and families. Have something to offer that you don’t see listed there? There’s a place for you to submit that info as well! We hope to hear from you!
Alcott PTG, 93 Laurel St, Concord, MA 01742, USA
