The Thursday Owl - October 5, 2023

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Alcott Lost and Found: Lost and found items are sorted and organized every two weeks. Please ensure that all belongings, such as clothing (including hoodies and jackets), water bottles, lunchboxes, gloves, and snow gear (such as snow pants, boots, hats, and scarves), are properly labeled with the student's first initial and last name.

We kindly request your assistance in encouraging students to check the lost and found area, located outside the cafeteria. Any items labeled with the student's name will be returned to their respective classrooms. Items without a label will be stored for a duration of 30 days before being donated to those in need. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us manage the lost and found effectively.

METCO Friends & Families APPLE PICKING Event 2023!! Please join our Concord METCO Friends & Family program for the annual Apple Picking at Shelburne Farm in Stow, MA.

When: Wednesday, October 11, 2023 1:00-3:00pm

Where: Travel by bus or car from Alcott Elementary to Shelburne Farm, 106 West Acton Rd.,Stow, MA 01775 (~30 minute drive)

Volunteer: With such a popular event, we need more parent volunteers to meet us at Shelburne Farm. Please sign up here:  Apple Picking Parent Volunteer Sign-Up

To Attend:  Please sign up here: METCO Family Friends Apple Picking (2023)

Parent Social: The 2023-24 Alcott Parent Social will be hosted by Jen & Tom Lichoulas on Saturday, October 14th 6:30 at their home in Concord. The event will feature food from Area Four (www.areafour.com) who will bring in their mobile wood-fired oven for the night! Come by to reconnect and meet new Alcott families.  Tickets are $30 per person. BYOB

Purchase Social Tickets here.

See you October 14th, 6:30-10PM.  Address will be provided in your ticket purchase confirmation. For those looking for ways to support the night, please find signup opportunities at the link below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4DAEA922A75-44899651-alcott.

Annual Auction: The Annual Auction will go live on Monday October 9th! 

Highlights of the upcoming Silent Auction include: 

  • Weekend Away in Quebec City! 

  • Med Spa Services!

  • Private training sessions! 

  • Rounds of golf at Nashawtuc and/or Concord Country Club!  

  • Museum tickets, Restaurant gift cards, popular kid activities and camp sessions! 

  • Event Planning Services! 

  • Family photoshoot session! 

  • Tour of Police Station and Police Cruiser Ride! 

And much much more!  Look for the link for the online live Auction starting on Monday October 9th and continuing through the Social on the 14th! In person online bidding will also take place at the Social. If you are not able to pick up your prize the evening of the social, you can get it at the front office at Alcott the following Monday or Tuesday at the latest. Look forward to seeing you all at the Alcott School Fall Social! 

EXTENDED DEADLINE OCTOBER 8th: Join the Buddy Program!

What is the Buddy program, you may ask? The Buddy Program is where you will be paired up with one or two high school students and meet over Zoom or in person with them every other week, or more if you'd like to. The meeting times are flexible based on whenever you and your buddy are free. The meetings will last anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour. You can do arts and crafts, play virtual games, do school work, and have a friend during this time.

If you are interested in being a buddy, please complete the Google form by October 8th: https://forms.gle/KVyAariyt6DrgUiQ9. Feel free to contact alu25@concordcarlisle.org or eredmond25@concordcarlisle.org if you have any further questions! Thank you, Concord-Carlisle Community Buddy Program Leadership

The Meadow Farms sale is here! Starting today, Thursday October 5 - October 26, Meadow Farms provides an opportunity to purchase items from their catalogue and a percentage of the proceeds go back to Alcott as part of our fundraising efforts. It's a win win! You can purchase anything from candles, to wrapping paper, to food and kitchen items, to flower bulbs! Use the following link to browse the online storefront: Meadow Farm Alcott Sale. Or follow the instructions in the flyer sent home to set up your own account to share with family and friends.

Brochures and online info will be sent home in your child's bag today so be on the lookout!  Thank you from the Alcott Fundraising Team.

Alcott Movie Night: On Friday, October 27, bring a picnic blanket and join the fun with your Alcott Community! Tickets are $20 per family. Purchase Movie Tickets here.

If you’re interested in supporting the night please signup here: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409094CADAF22A4FF2-44761720-alcott

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Calendar and important dates

***Every Wednesday is a half-day***

Oct 9 - Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Oct 11 - METCO Friends & Families Apple Picking Event

Oct 14 - Alcott Fall Parent Social and Auction

Oct 27- Alcott Movie Night

CPS/CCRSD 23-24 School Calendar can be found here.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Concord Public Library Offerings

  • Leslie Riedel Memorial Lecture for Young People: Chris Van Dusen

    Sunday, October 22 at 2pm

    Goodwin Forum, Concord Free Public Library, 129 Main Street

    Registerhttps://cfpl.info/Riedel23

    The Riedel Lecture Series was created in memory of Leslie Riedel by her family and friends so that young people could meet some of their favorite authors. This year, the library is thrilled to honor Chris Van Dusen with the 11th annual Riedel Award for his impressive body of literary work for young people. He is the author and illustrator of the popular If I Built a School (and the If I Built series) and the Mister Magee series, and he is also the illustrator of the Mercy Watson series by Kate DiCamillo (among many more)! Time for book signing will follow the lecture.

  • All Ages

    Family Nature Walk: Concord Land Conservation Trust's Nashawtuc Hill Circuit

    Sunday, October 8 at 2 PM: Join Peter Alden for a family nature walk of the Egg Rock and Nashawtuc Hill Circuit. We will assemble at the start of Squaw Sachem Trail, and we'll see Egg Rock, the hemlock grove along the Assabet River, fields, woodlands, and more! Register online.

  • Teens

    Teen Advisory Board

    Tuesday, October 3 at 3 PM: Join us in the Teen Lounge for Teen Advisory Board (TAB)! TAB is a monthly meeting of volunteers who work with the Library to help us plan programs, buy materials, and run events. Attendees receive community service! Main Library. No registration required.

    Teen Ultimate Werewolf

    Friday, October 20 at 3:30 PM: Someone in the room is a monster. Can you figure out their identity before it’s too late? Alternatively…can you convince your paranoid prey to eliminate potential witnesses for you? Main Library. No registration required.

    Teen Hack-o-Lanterns

    Friday, October 27 at 3:30 PM: Get tips on how to turn your plain pumpkin into a grisly gourd that guts faster, carves easier, and keeps longer! This event is made possible by the generous support of the Concord Free Public Library Corporation. Main Library. Register online.

  • Children's

    Spooky Storytime (for Big Kids!)

    Saturday, October 28 at 2 PM: Join us for some (slightly!) spooky stories on an autumn afternoon! Recommended for spooky story fans ages 4 and up. Main Library. No registration required.

    Pumpkin Decorating for Kids

    Monday, October 30 at 4:30 PM: Drop in for a festive evening decorating pumpkins! We'll provide the pumpkins and decorations; you provide the creativity. Then, enter your pumpkin in our Pumpkin Decorating Contest (beginning at 5 PM) for the chance to win special prizes! Main Library. No registration required.

Concord-Carlisle Adult & Community Education has two new Parenting Discussion Groups! Join parent coach Allison Flynn on six mornings for a parent discussion group, sharing tips and techniques and getting new resources. Monday's session is open to all; Tuesday's will focus on parenting kids with special needs of any kind. There will be a coinciding playgroup for kids 12 months to 3 years; pre-crawling babies are welcome to stay with the parents during the discussion. Six weeks starting Oct. 16, 9:30-10:30, 120 Meriam Rd, Concord. Click here to register or for more information or call 978-318-1432.

Youth Basketball for Boys and Girls, Grades 4-8: Registration for the 2023-24 travel basketball season is now open.  Concord-Carlisle Youth Basketball runs from November to early March, and is open to boys and girls in grades 4-8. Register by 06 Oct for an early registration discount. For more information, visit www.ccybasketball.org.

Fall and Winter Coat Drive: for Concord Homeless Shelter organized by the Community Chest. New or used coats sized infant through adult are needed. Drop off deadline is October 9 at the Chest offices in Concord Center, the Community Services Building at 55 Church St and at First Parish Church at 20 Lexington Road.

Save the Date - Cell Phone Tower Forum:  October 19, 2023 at 5pm; Location TBD.  Plans for the installation of a cell phone tower are being considered to help improve cell service in Concord Center, including coverage near Alcott School and CCHS.  If you are interested in sharing your opinion about whether the town should, or should not, install an additional cell tower to improve cell service please attend this Town forum and also email the Concord School Board Committee to share your opinions! https://www.concordps.org/school-committee/contact-school-committee/

CCHS cheer invites you to be cheerleader for a day for aspiring athletes ages 5-12: Friday October 20th 6:00PM arrival through the end of halftime of the CCHS Varsity Football game Learn Cheers Dance with the Band REGISTER BY OCTOBER 5TH: https://forms.gle/s7SqAz3Kef8rDZVu9

Daisy Troop Leaders Needed! Volunteers are needed to organize a Daisy Girl Scout troop at Alcott for this year's kindergarten cohort.  Girl Scouts provides opportunities for girls of all ages to learn skills and develop as leaders in STEM, the outdoors, life skills, and entrepreneurship.  Click HERE for more info on stepping up to be a troop organizer or leader.  Kate McEneaney is the leader of our current 5th grade troop at Alcott and is happy to provide guidance and answer questions, please contact her at mceneaney.kate@gmail.com.

Kindergarten families in Concord and Carlisle are invited to see for yourselves how your child will have more fun learning, doing, and growing as a Girl Scout on Saturday, October 7th, at 3 PM in the meeting room at the Fowler branch. Bring a friend or make a new one as we do a fun activity and learn about Girl Scouts and how to get involved. Siblings are welcome. Let us know you're interested at http://gsema.org/eventrsvp2.

Unable to attend but want to learn more? Please visit gsema.org/moreinfo, and a council staff member will be in touch.

Food Drives Needed - Open Table, your local food pantry, is looking for community leaders from scout troops, athletics, clubs, organizations, faith-based groups, businesses, and neighborhoods, to run a food drive (among your members or involve the public - it's up to you!) this autumn.  We pinky promise your group will feel great working together to help neighbors experiencing food insecurity.  Go to https://www.opentable.org/donation-activities/ for more information and to register your food drive.  Email questions to fooddonations@opentable.org.  

Kids Naturally Program: What are your kids doing on half-day Wednesdays? Kids Naturally is an experiential outdoor program. We are registering NOW for our Wednesday program from 2 to 5pm on the Thoreau Club's beautiful 35 wooded acres in West Concord. The Mission of Kids Naturally is to inspire wonder for nature and a desire for exploration and discovery through free play outside. Kids Naturally creates a safe, nurturing and fun space where children can build resilience and develop creativity and independence away from screens and sedentary entertainment. Learn more: kids-naturally.com

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!