The Thursday OwL
The Alcott ptg weekly email
October 23, 2025
The PTG provides information and support to the Alcott community and raises funds to help make our school the best it can be.
News and Announcements
5th Grade Food Collection to Benefit Open Table
Grade 5 students are working together on a community service project to benefit Open Table, a local food pantry and meal program whose mission is to provide fresh food and household supplies to keep families healthy. We need your help to make our project - a school-wide collection of items for Open Table Kids Bags - a success! Open Table distributes more than 150 bags a week to children who visit the food pantry with their families.
Each grade is asked to donate different items to the bins outside their classrooms. Kindergarten - boxes of mac and cheese; Grade 1 - small, individual boxes of cereal or oatmeal packets; Grade 2 - 100% juice boxes; Grade 3 - fruit cups or applesauce cups (no sugar added); Grade 4 - granola bars, fruit bars, or canned soup; Grade 5 - canned soup/ravioli or snack-sized crackers/pretzels
Kids Bags will be prepared by fifth graders and delivered to Open Table in early November. Please see this flyer for more info. Many thanks for your support of this great organization and the kids and families they serve!
—
Alcott Movie Night Tomorrow!
Please note: This is not a drop-off event. Every child must have an adult responsible for supervising them. Alcott Movie Night is TOMORROW: Friday, October 24th! Today is the LAST DAY for students to vote for their preferred movie (Moana 2, Elio, the new Lilo & Stitch, or Zootopia) via small change donations in buckets in the main lobby. Concessions will be available starting at 5:30, and the movie will begin at 6pm. Cash preferred for concessions and/or ticket sales day of event.
Kate Smith & Emily Dreitz are still looking for additional volunteers to help make Alcott Movie Night a blockbuster event! Please consider helping and sign up here! Tickets are $20 per family and can be pre-purchased here. Families in need of ticket assistance may contact Mike Kordosky (mkordosky@concordps.org). Hope to see many of you there!
—
Meadow Farms Ends Today!
The Meadow Farms Fundraiser ends TODAY, Thursday, October 23!
Get final orders in: Meadow Farm Fundraiser.
Thank you for supporting Alcott via Meadow Farms!
—
Save the Date: Walk to School Day
Our first fall Walk to School Day is Thursday, November 6.
Additional details to follow! Sign up here to help with hot chocolate distribution.
—
Picture Retake Day
Retake day is Wednesday, November 12th.
For any issues with orders, including info about order forms, late orders, missing orders, and refunds, please contact our Coffee Pond Customer Care staff directly: Lifeguards@coffeepond.com or 508-907-6633 ext. 0.
—
Alcott’s All School Turkey Trot
Alcott’s annual Turkey Trot will be held on Wednesday, October 29. Please see Mr. Gaudreau’s note HERE for all the details!
—
Alcott Variety Show
The Alcott Variety Show will showcase on November 20, 2025!
For those of you who may not know, the Alcott School Variety Show is a family-friendly evening that showcases the awesome talents of our Alcott students (and sometimes teachers!) This is meant to be a fun, supportive night, with no competition involved. Talents can be performing an instrument, doing stand-up comedy, performing a skit, dancing, or whatever you can think of! Participation details can be found HERE.
—
First Grade Events
All Class Play Date: Sunday, 10/26 from 10am-12pm (Castle Playground)
Adults-Only Social: Thursday, 11/20 at 6pm (Revolution Hall in Lexington)
—
Volunteer Opportunities
October Composting at Lunch: Sign up here. Feel free to come often!
November Composting at Lunch: Sign up here. Feel free to come often!
Calendar and Important Dates
Every Wednesday is a Half Day
October 23 - Meadow Farms Sale Ends
October 24 - Alcott Movie Night (5:30pm snacks; 6pm movie) *Not a drop-off event*
October 26 - First Grade Class Play Date (10am-12pm)
October 29 - Turkey Trot (9:45-11:45 with grade-specific times)
October 29 - Alcott Variety Show Auditions
October 31 - Last Day to Donate to Open Table
November 6 - Walk to School Day
November 10 - K-5 Conferences (No School)
November 11 - Veterans Day (No School)
November 12 - Picture Retake Day
November 20 - First Grade Adult Social (6pm)
November 20 - Alcott Variety Show (6pm)
November 27 - 30 - Thanksgiving Recess
In the Community
Sip, Sweat & Shop to Support Our Students!
From November 13-23, eight local businesses will donate a percentage of all purchases to the Concord Education Fund, which provides teacher grants for innovative programs that enrich learning for students in the Concord-Carlisle school district - programs that go beyond what school budgets can cover. It's an easy way to support our teachers and students - just shop, eat, or work out locally! See more details here.
—
Call for Treasurer – Friends of the Concord Free Public Library
The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library are seeking a Treasurer to join our volunteer Board. This essential role includes maintaining accurate financial records, performing light bookkeeping, assisting with book sale proceeds, and preparing and filing annual IRS documents and tax returns.
We are in urgent need of someone with basic financial or bookkeeping experience who would like to contribute meaningfully to the Library’s ongoing programs and community initiatives.
If you are interested or would like to learn more, please contact Erin Piro, Vice President of the Friends (603) 667-1030 or eliza.erin@gmail.com.
—
Watershed Warriors at Fowler
What can we do to protect our rivers? TerraCorps Fellows from OARS 3 Rivers will teach us about the various pollutants that impact our watershed using their EnviroScape model. Drop in for a hands-on learning experience! This event takes place today, Thursday, October 23 from 4:30-5:30 PM in the Fowler Library Meeting Room (1322 Main Street). All ages welcome. No registration required. Questions: 978-318-3550
—
Marcella Pixley at Concord Main Library
The Concord Free Public Library is hosting National Book Award long-listed author Marcella Pixley on Tuesday, October 28 at 6pm to celebrate the launch of her newest middle-grade book, Neshama. Activities include an author talk, reading, and book signing. Find more information and register here: http://cfpl.info/4ndVZpm.
—
The Great Pumpkin Smash at Codman Community Farms
Join us on Sunday, November 2 from 10am-2pm in Lincoln, MA for the 5th Annual Pumpkin Smash (hosted by Codman Community Farms, Mothers Out Front of Lincoln/Concord, and WCCA) — a fun, family-friendly event where your old pumpkins help the planet! Instead of tossing them, smash them up and feed the farm animals or compost them into healthy soil. Please remove candles, stickers, & decorations (no painted pumpkins). Suggested donation is $1/pumpkin to support Codman Farms. Interested in helping out? Sign up for a time slot on this form.
Event Highlights: Smash your pumpkins & gourds — pigs and cows will love them! Enjoy farm-fresh food & ice cream cookie sandwiches (vegan/GF options available). Learn easy composting tips at our Composting Corner. Bike over for a chance to win a raffle prize!
—
Helping Teens (and Parents) Thrive in the Digital Age
Growing Up Well is a community event series that tackles one of the most pressing challenges of our time: how to raise healthy, resilient kids in the digital age. This series brings together leading experts, community leaders, educators, and families to share insights and practical solutions.
The first event, on October 28, 2025, from 6-7:15pm at Concord Carlisle High School, is Thriving Together in a High-Tech World, where Jean Twenge, PhD—award-winning psychologist, author, and mother of three teens—shares ten evidence-based strategies from her acclaimed book 10 Rules for Raising Teens in a High-Tech World. This event is free, but registration is required.
The second event, on November 19, 2025, is The Anxious Generation: Supporting Teens in a Tech-Driven World. Join us for a reception starting at 6pm, followed by a panel discussion from 6:30-7:30pm, where an interactive panel of experts explores how smartphones and social media are reshaping childhood—and what families and communities can do to reclaim balance. This event is free, but registration is required.
—
Kids Thrive in Nature
Get the kids outside to play like nature intended with Kids Naturally. Each day at Kids Naturally is an adventure of learning, play, exploration and collaboration inspired by stories and surrounded by nature! Programs meet Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Register Now at Kids-Naturally.com.
—
Library Community Survey
We want to hear from you! The Concord Free Public Library is planning for the future, and your input is essential. Complete our Community Survey at cfpl.info/survey to share your thoughts about your library experiences and help shape future collections, services, and programs. All responses are strictly confidential and will be shared only in summary form as part of our strategic planning process.
—
Veterans Day Boys Basketball Clinic
The CCHS Boys Basketball Veterans Day clinic (for 2nd-8th graders) is the most important fundraiser of the year for the program. All proceeds go toward the Boys' Basketball program to help pay for assistant coaches, team building activities, team dinners and the end of season banquet. The clinic will be held from 9am - 2pm on Tuesday, November 11 at Concord Carlisle High School. Find more info and register here.
—
CC Youth Hockey: In-Town Registration Open for 2025-26!
Registration now open for Learn-to-Skate, Learn-to-Play, and Hot Shots.
-Hot Shot Hockey is for Girls and Boys 8-15 yrs old who are looking for a fun, learning-focused, no-pressure hockey experience. Hot Shots includes 14+ weeks of games and practices starting on November 16th.
-The Learn-to-Play program is considered our "Hockey 101" program and is geared for Girls and Boys who were born between 1/1/17 and 12/31/20.
-Learn-to-Skate is for children 3yrs+ and teaches skating fundamentals.
-Learn-to-Skate and Learn-to-Play begin the 15th/16th of November at the Middlesex School rink.
Please visit www.ccyh.org for more details and to register your child.
—
Standing SEPAC Office Hours
Office hours are an opportunity to talk in person to help answer any special education questions and get parent-to-parent support. We meet on the second Tuesday of each month from 11am-12:30pm at the Concord Main Library.