ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
We hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and enjoyed the 4 day weekend!
Turkey Trot Update: Our deadline for pledges to be turned in is Monday, December 5th. Thank you to all the families who have either sent their pledges into school or used the paypal link on the PTG website to electronically donate. Just a reminder that this is NOT a PTG fundraiser. Thank you for all of your support, the checks will be sent to the charities before the Winter break. Tim Gaudreau, Alcott PE Teacher
"Help support the Alcott Student Garden! For each 5 dollar donation, Alcott Student Garden Volunteers will plant 6 daffodil bulbs on school grounds. All proceeds support educational materials and opportunities for the students. Help us grow while we wait for spring! Donate through the PTG website and note that it's for the Student Garden or use this link directly.
Coffee with Principal: After a several year hiatus due to COVID, I would like to invite you to join me for coffee or tea (compliments of the PTG) on Friday, December 2nd at 9:30am at Alcott. This is a casual, informal meeting and a great time to ask questions, listen and get to know more about Alcott. If you can't attend this one, I will be hosting several more (both in person and remote) throughout the year (Please see below). Alcott Principal, Naomi Krakow
December 2nd at 9:30 - in person at Alcott
January 19th at 9:30 - remote
March 16th at 9:30 - in person at Alcott
May 4th at 9:30 - remote
Thoreau Elementary Toy Swap: Saturday, December 10 Just in time for the upcoming holidays - Thoreau is excited for our 2nd annual Toy Swap Shop! One of our primary goals at Thoreau is reducing waste and encouraging re-use... this is a fantastic place to pick up some excellent toys at a fraction of what they cost new (think gifting for the year without the financial stress). We are accepting toys in good condition (no big sports equipment or books please) on Friday, December 9th from 3-6pm (we are asking a nominal donation for drop off). Come SHOP on Saturday, December 10th from 9-12 for some new-to-you toys and gifts. Thoreau Elementary - 29 Prairie Street, Concord MA 01742. For questions please reach out to Evy Alloway (alloway42@yahoo.com), Lauran Barbosa (ellecbarbosa@gmail.com) or Colleen Bixby (colleen.bixby@gmail.com)
Holiday Cards? Minted TinyPrints Fundraiser: We are partnering once again with Minted and TinyPrints to fundraise for Alcott. Shop on minted.com using the code FUNDRAISEALCOTT to give 15% back to the Alcott while enjoying 20% OFF your order! Shop Minted and TinyPrints through our storefront - AlcottElementarySchool.ShutterflyStorefront.com - and they will donate 8% of your order back to Alcott. Share the code and storefront link with friends and family, local or far, to help make our fundraiser a success!
Alcott Twitter - Follow Alcott on its new Twitter account!
Update on the Middle School Project: Join the Middle School Building Committee for a Forum or Coffee Hour! There will be a Special Town Meeting January 19 at 7PM and a Special Election February 24 for Concord residents to decide whether to approve increased funding for the middle school building project due to extreme inflationary factors. Before then, please join a Public Forum or informal Coffee to learn the details of the options. The full schedule is here.
Calendar and important dates
***Every Wednesday is now a half-day***
December 2: Principal’s Coffee
December 16: Alcott Spirit Day - Sweatshirt Day
December 23: Half Day
December 24-January 1: Winter Recess
CPS/CCRSD 22-23 School Calendar can be found here
IN THE COMMUNITY
Help Raise Awareness for the Middle School Project! This Sunday, December 4th at 4:30 pm at the Concord Annual Tree Lighting Parade. Help spread the word about the upcoming January 19th Town Meeting and Feb 16th town ballot vote on the Middle School Project by marching in Concord's annual Tree Lighting Parade. Kids of all ages and their caregivers are encouraged to participate! While marchers will not express individual opinions about how to vote, please come to celebrate the importance of civic engagement and the democratic process. The parade is this Sunday, December 4th at 4:30pm with more event details and ability to RSVP here.
"The Concord Free Public Library is extending its hours at the Main Library to include Sundays from 1pm to 5pm beginning Sunday, December 4th. The Fowler Branch Library remains closed on Sundays."
Concord Tree Lighting – Sunday, December 4th from 2:30-5:00pm Concord’s Annual Tree Lighting is Here! Starting at 2:30pm singers and performers will be in the downtown area. Parade will step off from Hunt building at 4:50pm. After the tree is lit, Santa will go to Monument Hall for photographs.
Festival String Orchestra before school program is for students who have been studying basic skills since September and can play Twinkle Twinkle (#43 in the book) by January. The program is suitable for 4th year beginner students or second year + players (5th) graders. Join to further develop your ensemble playing skills on your string instrument. It's fun to make music all together! The final product will be sound recorded and emailed to the parents.
Concord Recreation Announcement: Mark your calendars - Winter Program Registration opens Wednesday, December 7th at 7:30am! Be sure to check our program options on our website at www.concordrec.com.
IMSCC Music Lessons - Winter-Spring enrollment is open! Registration is open for the Winter-Spring session that starts in January. We have instructors for all band and orchestra instruments as well as voice, piano, guitar, bass guitar, banjo, and ukulele. Lessons are one-on-one and open to students of all levels and all ages including adults. Lessons take place at CCHS and the Carlisle school campus. Click here to learn more about IMSCC; click here to submit a lesson inquiry and begin the enrollment process. Email Debbie Levine with questions. Join us!
Concord AMP Auction to support the music programs! The Concord Association of Music Parents (Concord AMP) has launched its annual online auction at www.concordamp.org/auction. Concord AMP is a parent-led volunteer organization that raises money to support the music performing programs in the Concord Public Schools. The auction includes homemade treats, exclusive gifts, and sought-after services. We are especially thrilled that Heart Orthodontics, located on Main Street in West Concord, has donated a complete orthodontic treatment (value $7000). Other items include a stay at the Black Bear Lodge in Waterville Valley, NH; Boston Bruins tickets; bread from Nashoba Brook Bakery; a week of Concord Recreation summer camp; Thoreau Club adult fitness and group fitness membership; Beede Center family membership; BSO tickets; Radius Ensemble tickets; Concord Museum tickets; Nosh gift certificate; homemade pies; foreign language classes and ASL lessons from Concord Scholars, private music lessons; and more! Please bid and support our student musicians! The auction runs through December 16, so please bid by then!
Only a few days remain in Concord's Ukrainian Quilt Raffle, supporting Ukrainian Children’s Hospitals. Buy tickets here: A $250 donation funds one bed (and buys 400 raffle tickets), and any donation is helpful. Please consider funding a bed - on your own or with friends, family, and neighbors. The raffle winner will be announced this Sunday evening at the December 4 Concord Tree Lighting, and all donors will be notified by email of the result. The War in Ukraine continues to rage, and hospitals desperately need beds for children's and maternity wards. Please join us in funding hospital beds for children suffering in this war. Donate or Buy tickets today!
West Concord is celebrating the season with a Holiday Stroll from 1-5. on Dec. 10th. Stop by Fowler to warm up, make a citrus garland, and get decorated with henna (while supplies last). All are welcome.
Gingerbread House Kits through the Concord Free Public Library - The Concord Free Public Library Children's Department is offering children gingerbread house kits for the holiday season beginning Monday, December 12! Stop by the Main Library Children’s Department or the Fowler Branch Library to pick up your free kit. The kits will be provided on a first come, first served basis. One kit per family. Please note: these kits contain small pieces. We recommend adult supervision for our youngest participants. Thank you to The Concord Free Public Library Corporation for generously sponsoring this program!
In the Pale Morning Light – A Festival of Hope on Sunday, December 4th from 1:30 – 2:30 pm - The Concord Conservatory of Music presents the 2nd Community Sing on Sunday, December 4th. Here’s the opportunity for singing enthusiasts of all ages and levels to gather and enjoy making music together. Each one-hour singing session provides an opportunity to learn new repertoire and sing in a family-friendly gathering. There’s no cost to participate, just a love of singing! Led by CCM voice faculty Gray Leiper, this unique multi-generational chorus will sing musical selections that celebrate the seasons. Join us for our second of a 3-part Series, In the Pale Morning Light – A Festival of Hope on Sunday, December 4th from 1:30 – 2:30 pm. Then, cherish the rare gift of light in our winter months and sing with us at Concord’s annual Tree Lighting on December 4th immediately following the session. Sign-up for sessions in advance at ConcordConservatory.org and bring the entire family!
Free Public Speaking & Debate Workshop During Vacation Break! Sign up for a free Public Speaking and Debate Workshop on December 27, 28, 29 (Lexington, Newton and Online), hosted by Lumos Debate! Your child will love Lumos's friendly instructors and fun activities as they learn about: Speaking Confidence, Impromptu Speaking, Debate Fundamentals, Argumentation and Reasoning. This workshop is free for all Alcott students. Please make sure to use code ALCOTT when you register. Please do not share this code with families that are not from Alcott. Email info@lumosdebate.com or call 781-474-3359 with any questions. Register now at: lumosdebate.com/workshop
Open Table's Help Fill the Sleigh Food Drive @ The Concord Tree Lighting & Holiday Parade, Sunday, December 4, 3-6pm - Bring Food & Have Fun! Find us near the Main St. roundabout on the same side as Helen's. Start your afternoon with Open Table: Drop-off a shelf-stable donation, get a picture with Rudolph, make reindeer food, and play some reindeer games before enjoying all the other festivities on offer. For Kids 0-99! Spread the word & donate: Help us make this our biggest food drive ever! Hungry to Help Open Table? Follow us @opentablema on Instagram and Facebook to stay in-the-know!
Brighten the Night with WBYC: December 20, 2022 Brighten the night with green luminary kits from William's Be Yourself Challenge (WBYC) Organization as we come together to shine a light on mental health and grief awareness and remember a beloved community member. On February 19, 2019, William Shaw died in a tragic ski accident. He was 9 years old, in 3rd grade at Carlisle Public School. Every year since, the Carlisle and Concord communities have lit luminaries on his birthday, Dec. 20. This year, WBYC is selling luminary kits with 14 lights - 13 for William's 13th birthday, plus 1 light for you to use in memory of a loved one you have lost. For more information or to purchase a kit online, visit our website at www.williamsbeyourselfchallenge.org
Call for K-12 Artists: The 11th Annual Cool Science Artwork Competition - This year’s deadline is January 13, 2023 - Cool Science is a free and public art competition held each fall for all K-12 artists. Cool Science is a collaboration between the UMass Lowell, UMass Boston, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, University of Kansas, and Kansas City Art Institute. In 2019, Cool Science received a National Science Foundation grant that helped it expand the project beyond Massachusetts to Kansas, Missouri, and Southern New Hampshire. Challenge Questions - This year, we are asking young artists to answer one of the following challenge questions with a visual work of art: How might your experience with extreme temperatures be different from kids in other places around the world? Draw someone who is getting ready for flooding where you live. Draw a public transportation system (like buses & trains) that keeps working in a severe storm. Competition Winners - During this winter, we will select the best entries for display on public buses in 2023. The honorees will be recognized at our art exhibit celebrations next year. To Learn More - For further information about the contest, please visit: https://www.coolscience.net/artwork-guidelines-rules - You can also join our community on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.
Please visit this space for updates on sports, music and theater registration dates, seminars, and more events throughout town.
PTG online volunteer information and sign-up: Please visit our website to 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!