ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
February Nurse’s Notes: Food Allergies
With the New Year upon us, I feel it is important to remind parents about our food allergy policy. Alcott School has many students that are allergic to a variety of foods. If your child has a student in his/her class with a food allergy, you would have received a letter in the mail over the summer. The letter would have stated the following: Strict avoidance of an allergen is the only way to prevent a life threatening allergic reaction. We ask your assistance in providing the students with a safe learning environment.
To allow students with allergies to participate fully in all classroom activities, please do not send in any products (if your child is in a classroom with a student with a specific allergy) containing the allergen for your child to eat or drink during snack time. Any exposure to the allergen through contact or ingestion can cause a life threatening reaction. If your child has eaten anything containing the allergen prior to coming to school, please be sure your child’s hands have been thoroughly washed prior to entering the school.
Since lunch is eaten in the cafeteria, your child may bring a lunch that contains the allergen. In the cafeteria, there will be a designated table where any classmate that brings allergen products will sit.
This plan will help to maintain safety in the classroom while allowing non-allergic classmates to enjoy their preferred lunches in a controlled environment in the cafeteria. It is important that adults understand that some children do not necessarily have to touch or ingest a large amount of food to which they are allergic to have a life-threatening reaction. Please be extremely careful in selecting any foods to be eaten in the classroom. We appreciate your support in helping to keep all students safe. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Colleen Asselin RN (casselin@concordps.org; 978-318-9544 ext 2304)
PTG Board 2024/2025: The Alcott PTG Board is looking to fill positions for the 2024/2025 school year. If you are interested in getting more involved on the PTG Board or at Committee level, please email gibbs.eliz@gmail.com. One of the roles we are specifically looking for is a new Treasurer (after many years of dedicated service from our current Treasurer!). If you have a finance or accounting background, please reach out! Being a part of the Alcott PTG Board is a great way to get more involved. Thank you!
Show your appreciation to Alcott teachers and staff with a $5 purchase of a single long-stemmed rose and support the Alcott PTG too! Place your order by February 7th using the link below, and select who you want to show your appreciation to this Valentine’s Day! Maybe an extra-dedicated teacher, your favorite crossing guard, Mr. T, Dr. Hunter ... ? All our teachers and staff are included, or you can opt to let us spread the love wherever it's needed! On Monday, February 12th, the PTG will brighten their day with the delivery of these gorgeous arrangements. Let’s shower our teachers, specialists, tutors, front office staff, nurse, crossing guards, bus drivers, and administrators with roses as a thank you for all they have done this school year! Place your order here: Order Valentine's Roses
Concord METCO Family & Friends: Wednesday, February 14th Playdate: For 1st-3rd grade, the PTG has organized a group playdate option at the Umbrella Arts Center, 40 Stow Street in Concord. The program will run from 1:00-2:30pm. Concord buddies can stay for pizza at Alcott before walking down to the Umbrella or meet the group there for the 1:00pm start time.
Please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49AEAB2BA5F9C52-47552867-february and indicate if you can volunteer for the event when you sign up. For Kindergartners, 4th and 5th graders, please coordinate with your buddy family for the monthly 1-1 playdate opportunity.
Multicultural Night SAVE THE DATE: March 8th, 2024
With the success of Alcott’s first ever Multicultural event last year, the school is inviting all families to come and join the multicultural night this year again!! Showcase your culture through food, trinkets from your country, a performance…keep an eye out for the google sign up coming soon! If you have questions or would like to volunteer in running the event, please reach out to Megha Mathur or Jen Lichoulas.
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Calendar and important dates
***Every Wednesday is a half-day***
Feb 7 - Deadline to order Valentine’s Roses for Alcott Faculty & Staff
Feb 14 - Concord METCO Family & Friends Grades 1-3 Umbrella Arts Group Playdate
Feb 19-23 - February Recess
Feb 26 - Classes resume
CPS/CCRSD 23-24 School Calendar can be found here.
IN THE COMMUNITY
How to Talk to Your Kids About Race and Racism: Join COAR to watch a brief video from EmbraceRace and discuss ways to talk to your young children about race. Offered at the Concord Main Library, Sat, Feb 10th, 9:15-10:15am, and at the Concord Fowler Library, Fri, Feb 16th, 10:30-11:30am.
Walk away with tips and strategies for engaging kids of varying ages and readiness in conversations about differences. Activities will be provided for children during the event. All caregivers are welcome, no matter if you're new to conversations about race or looking for ways to continue your learning. Registration is appreciated; walk-ins welcome. Co-sponsored by Communities Organizing Against Racism (COAR) and Concord Family Network (CFN).
CCHS Girls Youth Basketball Clinic Saturday, February 10th 11am– 2pm at CCHS: Come for a fun basketball clinic and pizza lunch with the CCHS Varsity Coach Amy Davagian, her coaching staff, and varsity players. Clinic is open to girls grades 1-8. Cost is $50 per participant - all proceeds directly support the program. Register NOW before spots fill up at: https://www.cchsgirlsbasketball.org/youth-clinics-community-events. No prior basketball experience necessary — the clinic is designed to be both competitive and fun. Players will be broken up appropriately by age/skill level. Please bring clean sneakers and a water bottle, we’ll provide pizza.
Alcott kindergarteners are invited to talk about sisterhood and do a fun craft from the free Trolls It Takes Two Activity Challenge, available at girlscouts.org/trolls, while their adults learn how to bring Girl Scouts to your neighborhood as an adult leadership volunteer and get started with a new Girl Scout troop on Thursday, February 8th, at 6:15 PM in the lower-level meeting room at Concord Free Public Library, 129 Main St., Concord. Please let us know you're attending at https://www.gsema.org/en/get-involved/event-rsvp-region-2.html or that you're interested at https://www.gsema.org/moreinfo.
Jubilee Kids: You are invited to join 4th and 5th grade kids throughout Concord to learn and work to build a more inclusive community. Jubilee Kids is an 8-week program designed for 4th and 5th graders that provides an age appropriate exploration of race, racism and racial identity. This program will be co-taught by Amy Freedman and Anderson Manuel. It will also provide your child with basic information and experiences that open conversations in your family about responsibility and respect as it relates to racial justice and inclusion. Emphasis is on experiential learning through art, drama, games, and group circle processes. We will begin with a Jubilee Kids and Parent/Caregiver Introduction on 1/28 at 10:15 am. Please join us on this learning experience and bring a friend too!
Contact Amy Freedman for more information: afreedman@firstparish.org
Download flyer & schedule: HERE
CORRECTED TIME! Concord Middle School Presents: Beauty and the Beast Jr. Dates: Friday Feb 2- Saturday Feb 10 at 7:30 PM (4 shows) | Location: CMS Sanborn Auditorium | In case of inclement weather, there will be a snow date for each weekend of shows, Sunday February 4th at 2pm and Sunday February 11th at 2pm. The 60-minute musical, designed for middle school-aged performers, is based on the 1994 Broadway production and Disney’s 1991 animated feature film. The CMS cast includes 80 students led by Hannah Vincent, Kathryn Denney, Kellee Messier, and Sarah Kiefer (CCHS Senior). For information on purchasing tickets please visit https://ticketstage.com/T/CONCORDMS
Discovery Museum Speaker Series Event: Parenting in a Time of Insecurity | FREE Live Zoom webinar | Thursday, February 15, 7:00-8:00 pm
The health and well-being of families, classrooms, and communities today is increasingly affected by the insecurity, intolerance, and injustice we see in the world around us. Gene Beresin and Khadijah Booth Watkins from Mass General Hospital's Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds will help us understand the link between local and global events, social and cultural norms, and the confusion and uncertainty we and the children in our lives feel—and they will offer advice on how parents can care for themselves first, in order to successfully navigate the conversations that help children feel agency, safety, and security in uncertain times.
Registration for this event and the entire 2024 series is open now at http://bit.ly/DMSpeakerSeries. All events are free with advanced registration, which is required.
Concord Public Library Fowler Branch Offerings
Wreath Composting, Sat., 2/3 at 3 PM (rain/snow date Sun. 2/4 at 10 am)
Keep your wreaths and garlands out of the trash! Bring them to Fowler's backyard where Mothers Out Front and volunteers with wire cutters will help us remove the wire so the greenery can be composted and the forms reused! For details see the library event calendar.
Read to a Dog (Emma), Mon. 2/5, 4:30-5:30 PM
Are you looking to improve your reading? Join Emma, a Bernese Mountain Dog, on 2/5, 3/11, 4/8, 5/13, and 6/10 for a 10-15 minute reading session. No advance registration required, but sign up when you arrive at the library. For more information see the library event calendar.
Valentine's Day Craft Lab with Mothers Out Front, Wed. 2/14 2-3 PM, ages 12 & under
Together, we’ll craft, cook, and learn with magnets! Participants will have the opportunity to express their love for the earth by creating heart-shaped magnets from recycled materials. Additionally, they'll experience the wonders of cooking with magnets as they enjoy delicious chocolate-dipped strawberries made with a portable induction cooktop. Register on the library event calendar for this event.
Read to a Dog (Samantha), Mon. 2/15, 4:30-5:30 PM
Are you looking to improve your reading? Join Samantha, a young golden retriever, on the 3rd Thursday of the month for a 10-15 minute reading session. When you arrive, sign up and choose a book to read, and we will do our best to accommodate all interested participants! No advance registration required, but sign up when you arrive at the library. For more information see the library event calendar.
Talk Yoga at Fowler, Fri. 2/16, 1-1:45 PM, ages 3-5
Talk Yoga classes incorporate movement, mindfulness, games, and music to boost language, articulation, and sensory awareness. Benefitting children of all abilities, these classes help students connect their minds and body and gain acceptance, confidence, and self-awareness. Register on the library event calendar for this event.
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!