The Thursday Owl, September 16, 2021

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Back to School Night, Wednesday, September 22, 2021: Alcott's virtual Back to School Night will take place next Wednesday, September 22nd, via Zoom. Principal Krakow will host two brief welcome webinars, one at 5:15pm and one at 6:15pm. Classroom sessions will be held via Zoom according to the following schedule:

5:30 pm - Kindergarten

5:50 pm - Grade 1

6:10 pm - Grade 2

6:30 pm - Grade 3

6:50 pm - Grade 4

7:10 pm - Grade 5

A link to Principal Krakow's webinar will be distributed the week of Back to School Night. Classroom teachers will share their links with students' families directly, also closer to the date of the event. We hope that you will attend this informative virtual session!


'21-'22 Room Parents needed: Are you interested in helping out your student's classroom this year? Each Alcott classroom is looking for two volunteers to assist classroom teachers by serving as Room Parents during the school year. Details and signups can be found here.


Pooled Testing: If you have not yet signed your student up to participate in asymptomatic pooled testing this year, we hope that you will consider doing so. You can access the consent form via this link. Pooled testing is an incredibly important way to keep our students safe, particularly at the elementary level where COVID vaccines are not yet available. If you have any questions about the pooled testing process, please do not hesitate to reach out to Principal Krakow or Nurse Amante.


Alcott Chess Club: The Alcott Chess Club is back at school, just like you! Yes! We're back onsite like before in the Faculty Lounge, 8 a.m. Thursday mornings, for ten weeks starting September 23. The Chess Club also offers online sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays at 5 p.m. Click here for the informational flyer (with registration form), or simply email alcottchess@hotmail.com and you'll be emailed a flyer pronto. For all questions, email Ken Belt at alcottchess@hotmail.com, text or call him at 617-332-4483. Now, it's your move, mate! We're ready to play.

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

Sep 22: Back to School Night (virtual), 5:30-7:30pm
Oct 11: Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day - no school
Nov 5: K-5 Parent/Teacher Conferences - no school
Nov 11: Veterans Day - no school

CPS/CCRSD 21-22 School Calendar can be found here

IN THE COMMUNITY

Concord/Carlisle Girl Scouts: Thinking about joining Girl Scouts? Concord & Carlisle girls in Kindergarten through 3rd grade are invited to learn about Girl Scouts and get WILD on the (outdoor) dance floor at our Animal Dance Party on Saturday, Sept. 25! Siblings are welcome! Please register so we have enough craft supplies. Details and registration link at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/concordcarlisle-girl-scouts-animal-dance-party-registration-168870749959


Saturday, September 18 Car Wash Fundraiser for CCHS Women’s Soccer: Come support the players by getting your car washed at Crosby’s parking lot on Saturday from 10 am - 2 pm. All donations go to supporting the CCHS Women’s Soccer Freshmen, JV and Varsity teams. For more information, click here or visit www.cchswomenssoccer.com. Thank you!

Concord Recreation Fall Programming is underway:  Concord Recreation is happy to be back in full-swing with fall programming! Check out our website for more details: www.concordrec.com.

November Professional Day Care  Looking for child care for the November 4th Professional Day? The November Professional Day Program is from 8:00am to 6:00pm at Hunt Recreation Center. Registration open to general public. First come, first served basis. This program has NO AFFILIATION with Concord Recreation’s Before or Afterschool Program. Please inform Concord Recreation of any medical issues or allergies. Field Trip to be announced.

Esports League  NEW to Concord - Esports leagues and events for ages 8-18! You can safely play your favorite games in a competitive league, or one off major event. Play Madden 21, Fortnite, Super Smash Bros, or Rocket League.

Outdoor Movie Night  Join Concord Recreation on Friday, September 24th at 7pm for an outdoor, family friendly movie to be shown on the basketball courts at the Hunt Recreation Center (90 Stow Street Concord, MA).  Bring your chairs, blankets and snacks. Registration recommended.

We’re hiring: Before and After School Staff  Concord Recreation provides After School, Before School and Early Release Day care for our  Alcott, Thoreau and Willard families. This year, we are fully enrolled at all sites with waitlists. We are actively seeking people to work in our programs. Contact Anita Stevanazzi-Hill for more information at ahill@concordma.gov.


Tennis Backboard at Emerson:  Would you be interested in having a new, full-sized tennis backboard at the Emerson courts?  There is a local effort to raise funds to install a backboard, in conjunction with the town of Concord.  If you are interested in supporting this effort, please see the details on the website at https://gofund.me/73edde41.


Concord Association of Music Parents meeting, September 29 at 8:00 pm via Zoom:  The Concord Association of Music Parents (Concord AMP) is a parent group that supports the music ensemble programs (band, orchestra and chorus) in the Concord elementary and middle schools, through advocacy for music education, fundraising and community engagement.  We are a group for all parents and guardians of students in these programs, and we’d love to meet you!  Please join us for our next meeting on Wednesday, September 29 at 8:00 pm, via Zoom or phone; a link can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11CWVoWnRU2E6h9MHT6w33U3vhJPKbNW2E9Z6JfjVVEc/edit?usp=sharing

The Thursday Owl, September 9, 2021

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

School Picture Day: Wednesday, Sept. 15 (Rain Date Sept. 17)
Picture Day is on!! You should receive an order form in your child's backpack this week--if you didn't, no problem!! Go to www.coffeepond.com and follow the prompts to order your child's portraits online.

Wanted: Picture Day Volunteers!
We need help on Wednesday, Sept. 15 to ensure that everything runs smoothly. We will be outside, masked and socially distanced. You will assist a photographer in managing lines, collecting forms (in a bucket for no contact) and reminding students to be distanced. Sign up here.

The Alcott Chess Club returns! Great news! The Alcott Chess Club is back onsite and ready to bring you chess live. For the past year, we've kept Alcott Chess going online and we'll continue to do that, but now we'll also be in the Faculty Lounge. We trust you're as excited as we are to be back.

First and foremost, our goal is to comply with Covid safety guidelines to bring you chess in a healthy environment. We know you'll do your part. We're all in this together. Classes begin September 23 and run for just 10 weeks into December. Cost of the program is $180, payable by Venmo or PayPal to alcottchess@hotmail.com, by check or just bring it to the first class. See our flyer for details and other exciting news, such as discounts and the Chess Challenge.

The Alcott Chess Club is for everyone - all ages, grades, levels of ability. Don't know the moves? We'll happily teach you. Chess is a great way to start the day, bright-eyed and eager to learn. For all questions, email Ken Belt at alcottchess@hotmail.com, text or call him at 617-332-4483. Can't make it Thursday mornings? Don't worry! There are online sessions. Just ask for the flyer.

It's your move, mate! We're waiting to see you!

Donate to Alcott with AmazonSmile: Do you shop on Amazon? If so, one easy way to support our PTG is to shop through smile.amazon.com. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of all qualifying purchases to a charitable organization of your choice. There is no catch and no extra fees; just designate “Alcott School Parent Teacher Group Inc” as your charity, then shop through the “AmazonSmile” link!

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

Sep 15: School Picture Day
Sep 22: Back to School Night (virtual), 5:30-7:30pm
Oct 11: Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day

CPS/CCRSD 21-22 School Calendar can be found here

IN THE COMMUNITY

Mothers Out Front Family Walk
Family Walk with OARS!
DATE: September 12, 2021
TIME: 10:00am – 11:00am ET
LOCATION: The Walden Woods Project’s Bear Garden Hill

Please join us to reconnect with friends and nature on this family-friendly walk along the Sudbury River led by wetlands specialist, Ingeborg Hegemann Clark from OARS. Learn about local watersheds, their soils, and the important role these protected wild spaces play in heat reduction and carbon sequestration.

REGISTER HERE


Concord-Carlisle Youth Basketball registration now open: Concord-Carlisle Youth Basketball has opened registration for the 2021-2022 travel basketball season to boys and girls in Grades 4 - 8. Earlybird registration is open until 9/19 and tryouts will take place on October 13-15. More details can be found at the CCYB website at http://ccybasketball.org.


Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meeting - September 13: Please join Concord Public/Concord-Carlisle Regional Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC) for our first meeting of the 2021-22 school year. We'd love to hear about your ideas for priorities, events, and concerns for this year. All are welcome.

Concord SEPAC September meeting
Time: Sep 13, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84963740730?pwd=QVdtdVZnbHJnbWFRK3hwTkNKbWNpZz09
Meeting ID: 849 6374 0730
Passcode: U911NF


The Umbrella Arts Center Fall Registration now open: Register now for fall at The Umbrella Arts Center. There are many new and improved youth classes and workshops. Please check out: Youth Classes & Workshops | The Umbrella Arts Center for more information.


The 4th Annual Mighty Moose 5K Fun Run: Join us on September 26, 2021 for the 4th Annual Mighty Moose 5K Fun Run, a community event to raise funds for Ovarian Cancer research. Please see the flyer for registration details.


Concord Free Public Library's "Read to Luna the Dog Live!": The Concord Free Public Library invites children to “Read to Luna the Dog Live!” on the Main Library Lawn the third Wednesday of each month between 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm. The upcoming dates to read to Luna are Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, and Dec. 15. When the weather gets cooler or if there is rain, Luna will meet with readers inside the Main Library. Reading to dogs boosts reading skills and emotional and social skills for children. This event is for children ages 5 and up. Register in advance for a 15 minute individual session with Luna. Details can be found here.

MADE POSSIBLE BY YOUR SUPPORT

Welcome Back luncheon and treats for the Alcott team

Thanks to the generous support of PTG donors like you, the entire Alcott team enjoyed a Welcome Back luncheon on August 27th, followed up with surprise cookie treats on the first half-day of the school year. With your continued support, we can show our appreciation to these Alcott team members who create a wonderful experience for our students every day.

The Thursday Owl - September 2, 2021

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year at Alcott!
Greetings, Alcott community! We hope that you all had a great summer and that you are enjoying the first days of school. We look forward to working with Alcott faculty, staff and families for another wonderful and unique elementary school year. Our PTG volunteer programs will continue to evolve based on current guidelines for in-person volunteering, but our primary goal of enhancing the day-to-day experiences of Alcott students, team members and families remains the same. Please watch for more information in this Thursday Owl space in the weeks to come.

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

School Picture Day: Student portraits will be taken on Wednesday, September 15th by Coffee Pond Photography. Details and order forms will be distributed soon, and information will be included in the next Thursday Owl.

'21-'22 Room Parents Needed: Are you interested in helping out your student's classroom this year? Each classroom will be looking for two volunteers to assist classroom teachers by serving as Room Parents during the school year. Signups will be distributed in the coming week. Thank you for your time and energy!

A message from Ms. Kwarcinski (former Alcott Music Specialist) to the PTG and Parents:
Please see the attached letter from our beloved Music Specialist, Ms. Kwarcinski, who retired last summer after many decades of dedicated and inspired instruction.

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

Sep 3: No School
Sep 6: Labor Day (No School)
Sep 15: School Picture Day
Sep 22: Back to School Night (virtual), 5:30-7:30pm
Oct 11: Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day

CPS/CCRSD 21-22 School Calendar can be found here

IN THE COMMUNITY

Concord Free Public Library:

Rockabye Beats Fall Concerts The Concord Free Public Library will host monthly free, family-friendly concerts featuring Rockabye Beats this fall on the Main Library’s front lawn on Thursdays at 10:30am on September 9 and October 14. Rockabye Beats’ music is reminiscent of founder Marcos Valles’ Puerto Rico. Their songs offer a range of styles from rock n’ roll to calypso to funk and even blues. Their music will have you bopping and moving along in no time!

Beede and Books The Beede Swim and Fitness Center and the Concord Free Public Library are teaming up to bring you "Beede and Books." Join us in the Beede Center lobby and Children’s Play Pool for a collaboration of reading and swimming. A librarian will read books from 11:30 am-11:50 am. Then children get a half hour of swimming fun from 12 pm-12:30 pm. This free program happens once a month in 2021 on the following Fridays: Sept 24, Oct 22, Nov 19, and Dec 17. Register at concordlibrary.org.

Going Green program The Children’s Department at the Concord Free Public Library is excited to host Going Green in Your Backyard on Wednesday, September 29 from 2:00—3:00 PM on the front lawn of the Main Library. Help us celebrate Climate Preparedness Week and also learn about local wildlife and what you can do to help the environment beginning in your own backyard! This program is open to all ages! In case of rain, the program will be rescheduled. No registration required. This event is generously sponsored by The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library.


Concord Recreation Fall 2021 Offerings:

Concord Recreation is excited to offer a wide variety of programs for the Fall 2021 Season! Check out our offerings below – you can register by clicking the program title hyperlink.

Alcott School Programs located right at Alcott!
Before School Sports (8:00-8:50am): Alcott Before School Sports is a 6 week program open to Alcott School students, grades K-5. In Session (1) of Before School Sports, students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports/games like speedball, indoor soccer, floor hockey, and other PE games.

Chess Club (8:00-8:50am Gr K-5): Kids must already know how to play chess. They will play each other right from the start, and added to the virtual chess club!

Lego Engineering (3:30pm-4:30pm Gr 2-5): In Lego Engineering Concepts investigate simple machines including gears, pulleys, cams, inclined planes, and ratchets.

Skyhawks: Golf, Flag Football, and Floor Hockey
September 13 – October 4__Monday: Floor hockey, ages 7-9 3-4pm……ages 10-12, 4:15-5:15pm

September 15 – October 6__Wednesday: Golf, 3-4pm ages 5-8 …… Flag Football, ages 7-9, 4:15pm-5:15pm

Code Wiz (Online Classes)  Ages 7-12: Learn coding through Minecraft, learn to build a game in Roblox, or participate in coding strategy games! Code Wiz promotes a vision in which all students critically engage in computer science issues; approach problems in innovative ways; and create computational artifacts with a practical, personal, or societal intent.

Esports League NEW to Concord - Esports leagues and events for ages 8-18! You can safely play your favorite games in a competitive league, or one off major event. Play Madden 21, Fortnite, Super Smash Bros, or Rocket League.

Outdoor Movie Night Join Concord Recreation for an outdoor, family friendly movie to be shown on the basketball courts at the Hunt Recreation Center (90 Stow Street Concord, MA).  Bring your chairs, blankets and snacks. Registration recommended.
 

Concord Conservatory of Music:

Discovery Day Open House—Saturday, September 11th, from 1 - 3 pm. Our Instrument Petting Zoo enables you to explore instruments in a safe environment with COVID-19 protocols in place. Introduce your kids to the world of music through singing, dancing, and games! Sign-up for a free Music/Movement demo class at the Open House (1:30 pm-ages 3-7, 2:30 pm-ages 8-15) or kids ages 5-7 can try Group Keyboard at 2:00 or 3:00 pm: concordconservatory.org/Open_House Learn about the Music Achievement Program—a free, private lesson enrichment program included in fees. Enter a raffle at Discovery Day for a chance to win a free CCM Group Class for 2021 fall semester! Anyone registering for a group class at Discovery Day will receive a 15% discount. Financial assistance available.

New American Roots Offerings—for all acoustic instrumentalists and singers! The Guitar Journey – The Vast World of Roots Music will expand your repertoire while gaining ideas and approaches to playing with others. Contemporary String Band is the best class to acquire a mastery of essential techniques common to American music. Banjo Study Group is ideal for helping dedicated banjo players master new skills, play new songs, and learn rhythm and backup techniques. Relieve stress and get your creativity going by joining Mandolin 1 or join The Fiddle Tunes Jam Toolkit class to explore instrumental music from several fiddle styles and learn jam techniques. Group classes begin the week of September 20th (register by September 16) concordconservatory.org/offerings/american-roots

New Music & Movement Classes—Kids ages 3 through 15 can build a musical foundation through movement. Partnering with a music-focused, nonprofit, Integral Steps, CCM will offer integrated learning experiences that allow students to experience music through singing, dancing, and games. Young musicians will explore all the qualities of music through movement—learning about pitch, phrasing, accent, and all of the richness of music. They won’t even realize that they’re gaining ear-training skills and other musical concepts. Explore the fall offerings and register today: Music Makers (age 3), Musical Gateway (ages 4–5), and Rhythmic Solfège (classes divided by age and skill level- appropriate for age 6-15. Financial assistance is available.

Ukulele Taster—Free class on September 9th, 7:15 – 8:15 in West Concord. Get hooked on playing the most infectious and fun instrument, the ukulele! Join Concord Conservatory of Music’s free Ukulele Taster at Reasons to Be Cheerful in West Concord on Thursday, September 9th from 7:15 – 8:15 pm with Covid-19 protocols in place. Ukuleles will be available to use for the evening, but it is advisable to bring your own if possible. Plan to learn a song and treat yourself to ice cream, what could be more enjoyable? Sign up athttps://bit.ly/UKETASTER or show up for an entertaining evening and please bring your face mask to wear in the building.

ConcordConservatory.org / info@ConcordConservatory.org / (978) 369-0010.

Concord Youth Theatre hosts a Family Fun Fair featuring Games, Fun, Food, Music, and Prizes! Join us for the fun on Saturday, September 18th, 1 PM to 4 PM (rain or shine). Admission is $25 per family and $10 for individuals. All proceeds benefit CYT programming. Get your tickets here.

Please visit the Community Events page for updates on sports, music and theater registration dates, seminars, and more events throughout town.