The Thursday Owl - February 29, 2024

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

March Open PTG Meeting: The PTG would like to invite our entire Alcott School community to join our March Open PTG Meeting.  During the first 30 minutes of this zoom only meeting we are inviting the three candidates running for the Concord School Committee to come and speak to our group and answer some questions. The second half of the meeting will cover general PTG matters, discussing lots of great things so please see the agenda here and hope you can join us next week, March 6th at 7 pm via zoom.  

Melissa Karczewski 

5th Grade Dues & Donations Appeal:  Please contribute to the 5th grade by submitting dues and a donation for the class activities by March 8, 2024. This year, we ask for $40.00 dues contribution and sincerely thank you for your generosity.  5th grade dues — The Alcott Owl (alcottptg.org). On the dues link, you will see that there is an opportunity to donate additional funds for specific activities. Traditionally, these are special events to mark your student’s last year at Alcott Elementary that are not fully covered by other resources.  Please reach out to Rene Kashmiri directly if 5th grade dues cause a financial burden for your family. Thank you!

Multicultural Night - SAVE THE DATE- March 8, 2024 5:30-7:30pm: 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!! We have Ireland, Spain, Italy, Pakistan, Ukraine that have already signed up! Join the bandwagon and showcase your heritage....sign up here: https://forms.gle/aSsrDcS1tq5G8JsC8

Support Alcott Elementary: Join Our Fundraiser with WECO Hospitality! We're thrilled to announce our upcoming fundraiser in partnership with WECO Hospitality, scheduled from March 1st to March 15th. WECO Hospitality offers an array of chef-prepared meals delivered straight to your door, including dinners, appetizers, desserts, and kids' meals. By participating in this fundraiser, you not only treat yourself to delightful cuisine but also contribute to the advancement of our school.

During the fundraising period, WECO will generously donate 10% of every dinner bill to support Alcott Elementary. Your involvement will play a pivotal role in enhancing our school community. To take part, simply visit wecohospitality.com, choose your meals, and use the promo code "AlcottFundraiser" during checkout.

Alcott Before School Sports - Winter Session #2: Hello Alcott Community - Our Winter Session #2 (Session #4 of the year) started this week. Click the flyer to view dates and other information. Registration is live and can be accessed through this link. It's under the "register here" tab and then "general recreation programs-Alcott Before School Sports." Thanks, Tim Gaudreau, Alcott PE Teacher

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Calendar and important dates

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

Mar 6- PTG Open Meeting

Mar 8- Multicultural Night

Mar 15- Coffee with the Principal

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

IN THE COMMUNITY

Registration is open through March 4th for CCYS Intown Soccer: Intown soccer is open to players in grades PreK – 4.  PreK players need to turn 5 by September 1, 2024.  More info can be found at: http://www.ccysoccer.org.  CLICK HERE to register.

Concord Carlisle Youth Hockey 2024-2025 Travel Registration Open: Registration is now open for the CCYH 2024-2025 Travel Season. Evaluations will take place this Spring for the 2024-2025 season and are required for placement on a team. Evaluations will take place at Valley Sports on the following dates/times:

  • Mites (2016 and 2017) will be on Thursday 3/14 and Thursday 3/21 from 5:40-6:40pm

  • Squirts (2014 and 2015) will be on Thursday 3/14 and Thursday 3/21 from 6:50-7:50pm

  • Peewees (2012 and 2013) will be on Thursday 3/14 and Thursday 3/21 from 8:00-9:00pm 

  • Bantams (2010 and 2011) will be on Tuesday 3/12 and Tuesday 3/19 from 8:40-9:40pm

Please visit https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/420654 to register your child for the 2024-2025 season. Registration is required prior to participating in evaluations. Please contact Mark Daniel, CCYH Registrar (ccyh.registrar@gmail.com), with any questions.

Final Hours to Bid at the Concord AMP Auction to Support the Music Programs: The Concord AMP, a parent-led volunteer organization that raises money to support the music performing programs in our public schools (Grades 4-8), has launched its annual online auction. This year’s auction features Heart Orthodontics with a complete orthodontic treatment (value $7000). Other items up for auction include: a night at the Colonial Inn; dinner at 80 Thoreau; tickets to the BSO, Concord Orchestra, and Radius Ensemble; a lodge stay in Waterville Valley; Boston Bruins tickets; a Beede Center membership; museum tickets; lawn mowing service; homemade baked treats; and so much more! 

Details: Auction ends on Leap Day February 29th, so take the leap and bid, bid, bid

Helping Children Build Skills to Manage Stress and Worried: Wed. 3/6, 7-8:30 pm ONLINE.. Join Dr. Rachel Kramer for a conversation about helping children learn adaptive and effective strategies for managing stress. Dr. Kramer will discuss building blocks for maintaining physical and mental health, reducing stress, and improving mood. She will present family-oriented coping skills, physiological approaches to managing stress and worries, and cognitive behavioral strategies. The presentation will provide actionable tactics for building a coping toolbox and will offer many practical tips and tools. There will be ample time for Q&A at the end of the presentation. Register at https://ccace.asapconnected.com/#CourseID=293412; fee is $25.

BLAST Babysitting Safety & CPR: Fri. 3/8, 3:30-6:30 at CCHS. The BLAST! (Babysitter Lessons and Safety Training) program provides training in First Aid, in household safety, and some fundamentals of childcare. In addition, this course helps prepare children to interview for a babysitting job, select safe and suitable games and activities, prevent accidents, and begin babysitting safely and competently. We will cover choking prevention and relief and how to call 911. Participants will also be certified in CPR/AED upon successful demonstration of practical skills. This program is for students in grades 6-8. Offered through CCACE; for more information and to register go here: https://ccace.asapconnected.com/#CourseID=130900.

Summer Camp & Kids Activities Fair- Looking for summer camps and activities for the kids?  Come to the Summer Camp & Kids Activities Fairs in Acton! Sunday, March 3rd  1:30-4:30 PM Team Works Acton.Gather information on local and overnight camps, summer programs, summer entertainment, and year-round activities such as dance, steam, sports, etc. Presented by Macaroni Kid Acton Concord Bedford Lexington, the Fair will feature day camps, overnight camps, specialty camps, local entertainment, and year-round activities such as dance, steam, sports and more. Meet with program representatives, Enter giveaways, Gather information about costs, schedules and activities, Enjoy crafts, games and activities, FREE admission! See our article for the latest list of participating programs.

Concord Conservatory’s Music & Invention Concert and Lecture—Explore how music and invention interact and influence each other at Music & Invention, presented by Concord Conservatory of Music on Friday, March 8th at 7:30 pm featuring composer, inventor, and educator Tod Machover of the MIT Media Lab and artists: pianist Yoko Hagino, violinist Charlie Lovell-Jones, cellist Ariana Falk. From bow-and-string to new interactive interfaces and from AI to singalong, join us for an unusual evening of sounds and ideas that will spark imaginations, open minds, and bring delight. Whether you are interested in classical, experimental, or electronic music, you’ll find something to enjoy. Purchase tickets at ConcordConservatory.org.

How To Have Brave Conversations that Build Empathetic Kids | Free, live Zoom webinar, Wednesday, March 6, 7-8pm | Discovery Museum Speaker Series event with Valora Washington, Ph.D., CEO & President, The CAYL Institute and former Vice President, W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Dr. Washington joins us to discuss helping adults have the brave conversations that develop kids' sense of empathy over judgment, and respect the complexity of the world we live in. She will help us understand why keeping children "in a bubble" is not a reasonable option in today's world. You can also find it on our website here: https://www.discoveryacton.org/events-programs/parenting-time-insecurity. Event is free, advanced registration is required.

Concord Library Offerings:

  • Read to a Dog (Emma), Mon. 3/4, 4:30-5:30 PM: Are you looking to improve your reading? Join Emma, a Bernese Mountain Dog, on 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.

  • MCBA Book Club (grades 4-6), Wed. 3/6 2-3 PM: Do you love to read? Would you like to meet new friends and discuss interesting books? The Massachusetts Children's Book Award (MCBA) 2023-24 list showcases an amazing selection of books chosen by students. We will meet on the first Wednesday of each month at 2 pm and discuss new titles from the list. An array of snacks will be provided. For more information and to register, see the library event calendar.

  • Talk Yoga at Fowler, Fri. 3/15, 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.

  • Literacy and Littles at Fowler, Sat. 3/16,10:30 AM—12:00 PM: Join Concord Family Network, the Concord Children's Center, and library staff to celebrate and support early literacy! We'll start with storytime, and then invite children to make nature journals. Caregivers will have time to hear from our panel of teachers and librarians about ways to support their children on their reading journey. Drop ins are welcome, but register on the library event calendar if you would like to receive updates.

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!