The Thursday Owl - March 9, 2023

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Come join us in celebrating what makes our Alcott Community so diverse and strong TODAY, March 9th! If you have any Questions now, then reach out to Megha Mathur and Melissa Karczewski at: mathur2619@gmail.com melissahun@gmail.com

March 16 - Principal’s Coffee - in person at Alcott, 9:30am. After a several year hiatus due to COVID, Principal Naomi Krakow would like to invite you to join her for coffee or tea (compliments of the PTG). This is a casual, informal meeting and a great time to ask questions, listen and get to know more about Alcott.

METCO Advocacy Day in Boston is Tuesday 3/21. There will be a few of us from Concord heading into Boston for the morning. We encourage others to join. Here is a link to the flyer.

Book Fair March 27-30th: All students will have the chance to visit the book fair during their school day with their teacher sometime between March 27-30. Be sure to send money in with your child on the day of their visit! We will need book fair volunteers to help set up and to support the classroom visits. You can sign-up here Book Fair Volunteer Sign-Up to help. As a reminder, you will need an active CORI to volunteer. Stop by the Alcott office with your photo ID if you need a CORI ASAP!

Book Fair and Museum of Math Night March 30th: A Visit to Book Fair and “Museum of Math”: On Thursday March 30th, all families are invited to Alcott after school to visit the book fair and “Museum of Math”. The Book Fair will open at 4:00 pm and the Museum of Math will run from 4:30-6:30 pm. There is no need to sign up in advance to attend either the Book Fair or Museum of Math on March 30th. We also will need volunteers to support this open house on the 30th. You can sign up here Book Fair Volunteer Sign-Up to help families navigate the Book Fair and Museum of Math. Training will be provided to all volunteers. Middle School and High School Alcott Alums: Do you know a middle school or high school Alcott alum who is in need of community service hours? We are looking for student volunteers to help run the math games at the Museum of Math! We would love to welcome back Alcott alumni to help out! Sign up here: Middle and High School Student Volunteer Sign-Up

Alcott Parent Social: Saturday May 6: more information to come!

Ice Cream Social: Friday June 2: stay tuned!

School Budget: you are interested in the current discussion surrounding next year’s School Budget with the Town of Concord Finance Committee, please tune in on zoom to the March 9th meeting, details about the meeting and zoom links should be posted on the School Board’s Webpage as well as the Finance Committees. These meetings are leading up to the Annual Town Meeting. While the PTG does not advocate for a particular position, it is important for all of our members to be aware of the issues and what is at stake in this year’s budget. Please see for more details here

We will have PTG Board members rolling off this spring so if you have the capacity to volunteer this upcoming year, please reach out to your room parent who can forward the information along to the appropriate Chair on the PTG. We welcome anyone who wants to give any bit of their time - Thank you! If you have any questions please reach out! melissahun@gmail.com.

MCAS Schedule: As a reminder, MCAS begins at the end of March and continues through the middle of May.  Specific test dates are as follows:

  • March 27 and 28 - Grade 3 ELA

  • March 30 and 31 - Grade 4 ELA 

  • April 10 and 11 - Grade 5 ELA

  • May 4 and 5 - Grade 3 Math 

  • May 9 and 11 - Grade 5 Math

  • May 15 and 16 - Grade 4 Math

  • May 18 and 19 - Grade 5 STE

Alcott Twitter - Follow Alcott on its new Twitter account!

Update on the Middle School Project. The full schedule is here.

Calendar and important dates

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

March 9: Alcott Multicultural Night

March 16: Principal’s Coffee

March 27-30: Book Fair Class Room Visits

March 30: Book Fair and Math Night Community Event

April 17-21: April break, no school

May 6: Alcott Parent Social

June 2: Ice Cream Social


CPS/CCRSD 22-23 School Calendar can be found here

IN THE COMMUNITY

SEPAC Parents Night out! Please join Concord & Concord-Carlisle SEPAC on Thursday, March 16th for a fun and festive parents night out! Catch up with old friends and make new connections at Chang An Restaurant, 10 Concord Crossing. We will be in the bar area from 6-9 p.m.--drop in anytime! Light appetizers will be provided. Adults only 21+ please.

IMSCC Music Lessons: Introducing new faculty members Jae Eun Park and Lori Syngajewski. IMSCC welcomes new instructors Jae Eun Park, piano, and Lori Syngajewski, clarinet and bass clarinet. Lori and Jae Eun join IMSCC's faculty of talented musicians and experienced educators. We are thrilled to have them on board; they are both accepting new students this spring! Spring lesson enrollment is ongoing, lessons can start any time. Please join us for one-on-one lessons with any of our instructors. Lessons take place at CCHS and the Carlisle school campus, after school and evenings. Information about IMSCC. To start the enrollment process, submit a lesson inquiry here. Questions: email Debbie Levine at dlevine@concordcarlisle.org

Join us when the Concord Conservatory of Music (CCM) presents Boston Jazz Wisdom on Friday, March 24th, at 7:30 pm. Experience an evening of energetic, free-spirited, and innovative jazz led by jazz percussion legend Ra-Kalam Bob Moses. His colorful and multicultural music knows no boundaries. The all-star line-up features Dave Bryant on piano, John Lockwood on bass, and CCM faculty member Tsuyoshi Honjo on saxophone. Ra Kalam Bob Moses is one of the world’s great musicians, composers, and drummers and has played with many stellar musicians, including Dave Liebman, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Bobby McFerrin, Dave Sanborn, and others. Concord Cultural Council, supported by the Mass Cultural Council, generously granted funding toward the 2022-2023 CCM Concert & Lecture Series. Purchase $25 General Admission tickets online or at the door.

COAR Discussion, Mon Mar 13, 2023, 7-8:30pm. COAR (Communities Organizing Against Racism) offers a bi-monthly learning and discussion group open to all. Come join us next Monday, March 13th at 7pm on Zoom, to learn about racialized school discipline and the school to prison pipeline. In addition to addressing the larger context and history, we will look at data for Concord and other MA school districts. Check out www.coaraction.org to learn more, or email coaraction@gmail.com to join the conversation!

The CMS Musical is BACK! The Concord Middle School presents Xanadu, Jr. on Fri., March 3 at 7:00 pm , Sat., March 4 at 7:00pm and Sun., March 5 at 2:00pm. Mark your calendars! Tickets will go on sale on Feb 24. Watch LivingConcord.com and The Concord Bridge for details.

GRAMMY Award-winning Okee Dokee Brothers return to our area for one show only, bringing their new album "Brambletown" and their fan-favorite songs for singing and dancing. On Saturday, April 1, at 2:00 pm, the Concord Conservatory of Music presents the inspirational, infectious musical duo at the Acton-Boxborough High School. With humor and heartfelt connections to nature, their songs teach and entertain audiences of all ages. They have created their own unique sound with a touch of bluegrass, old-time, and folk. Funding support from The Dewey Rosenfield Foundation, Concord Cultural Council, and Mass Cultural Council have helped present the concert. $25 General Admission tickets in advance from ConcordConservatory.org or at the door (if not sold out). info@concordconservatory.org/(978) 369-0010. Concord Conservatory of Music is the area's non-profit community music school at 1317 Main Street in West Concord.

NEW Parent Education classes coming up from Concord Carlisle Adult & Community Ed! Full information and registration is available at www.concordcarlisleace.org or 978-318-1432.

Building Resilience and Managing Big Emotions Mar. 9 7-8:30 pm Online With Dr. Rachel Kramer - Dr. Kramer will share cognitive behavioral approaches to building resilience and distress tolerance. She will discuss specific strategies parents can use to encourage the development of emotional literacy and will present specific tools for supporting emotional regulation in both children and parents. This workshop will include lots of practical, actionable ideas and suggestions and there will be ample time for Q&A at the end of the presentation.

Home Alone Safety for Kids (Or Entire Family!). Mar. 12 4-6 pm Online With Frank Oliveiri - Geared toward students in grades 3-6, Home Alone Safety is a readiness program that helps prepare your child while building self-confidence, a sense of responsibility, and proper decision-making abilities. The course will teach basic safety guidelines through a variety of fun, interactive activities, discussions, and situational role-playing.

Your Teen & Money Mar. 21 7-8:30 pm Online With CCHS Math Teacher Laurie Fortunato - Money management can be challenging. Explaining all future financial adventures your child will encounter can be a daunting task. Let’s start talking about some of the topics your child should be aware of now to help them start better money habits today. We’ll discuss ways you can explain money habits, budgeting tips, retirement (yes, start young), banking, credit cards, debt, and more. It is said that 4 out of 5 parents wished they learned more about money as a kid. Our goal is to help your child feel a little more comfortable understanding how to manage money and give them awareness of their financial future.

Celebrate the Earth with the CCHS Green Team, Grades K-2, Fowler Branch, CFPL, 1322 Main St. Saturday, March 18, 11:00-11:45 AM. Join members of the CCHS Green Team for a storytime and hands-on activity leading up to Earth Week. This program is offered with support from the Thoreau PTG. Register on the library event calendar.

Celebrate the Earth with the CCHS Green Team, Grades 3-5, Fowler Branch, CFPL, 1322 Main St. , Saturday, March 18, 11:00-11:45 AM, Join members of the CCHS Green Team to share Braiding Sweetgrass (For Young Adults): Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. We will read excerpts together to launch our discussion and work together to do a hands-on activity. Let’s celebrate the earth as we prepare for Earth Week. This program is offered with support from the Thoreau PTG. Register on the library event calendar.

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!

The Thursday Owl - March 2, 2023

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Come join us in celebrating what makes our Alcott Community so diverse and strong on March 9th, 2023! The Alcott Multicultural Night is looking for families to participate! Share a favorite dish in the Celebration of Food, make a Family Heritage Display or take part in the Cultural Show with a song or dance performance! We have Cape Verde, Italy, Sweden recently join in the long list of countries that are all ready to showcase their cultural heritage!! If you are interested in showcasing yours, here’s the link https://forms.gle/gxYfUjf8B72WQ7879 If you have any Questions now, then reach out to Megha Mathur and Melissa Karczewski at: mathur2619@gmail.com melissahun@gmail.com

Alcott Before School Sports Session #4 starts Monday, March 6th. (This session runs from 3/6/23-4/13/23) The program is for Grades 1-5. Monday is 5th grade, Tuesday is 4th grade, Wednesday is 3rd grade and Thursday is 1st and 2nd grades. Come play some fun sports and games. You can register/sign up at www.concordrec.myrec.com

Alcott Twitter - Follow Alcott on its new Twitter account!

Update on the Middle School Project. The full schedule is here.

Calendar and important dates

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

March 9: Alcott Multicultural Night

March 27-30: Book Fair Class Room Visits

March 30: Book Fair and Math Night Community Event


CPS/CCRSD 22-23 School Calendar can be found here

IN THE COMMUNITY

The CMS Musical is BACK! The Concord Middle School presents Xanadu, Jr. on Fri., March 3 at 7:00 pm , Sat., March 4 at 7:00pm and Sun., March 5 at 2:00pm. Mark your calendars! Tickets will go on sale on Feb 24. Watch LivingConcord.com and The Concord Bridge for details.

GRAMMY Award-winning Okee Dokee Brothers return to our area for one show only, bringing their new album "Brambletown" and their fan-favorite songs for singing and dancing. On Saturday, April 1, at 2:00 pm, the Concord Conservatory of Music presents the inspirational, infectious musical duo at the Acton-Boxborough High School. With humor and heartfelt connections to nature, their songs teach and entertain audiences of all ages. They have created their own unique sound with a touch of bluegrass, old-time, and folk. Funding support from The Dewey Rosenfield Foundation, Concord Cultural Council, and Mass Cultural Council have helped present the concert. $25 General Admission tickets in advance from ConcordConservatory.org or at the door (if not sold out). info@concordconservatory.org/(978) 369-0010. Concord Conservatory of Music is the area's non-profit community music school at 1317 Main Street in West Concord.

NEW Parent Education classes coming up from Concord Carlisle Adult & Community Ed! Full information and registration is available at www.concordcarlisleace.org or 978-318-1432.

Building Resilience and Managing Big Emotions Mar. 9 7-8:30 pm Online With Dr. Rachel Kramer - Dr. Kramer will share cognitive behavioral approaches to building resilience and distress tolerance. She will discuss specific strategies parents can use to encourage the development of emotional literacy and will present specific tools for supporting emotional regulation in both children and parents. This workshop will include lots of practical, actionable ideas and suggestions and there will be ample time for Q&A at the end of the presentation.

Home Alone Safety for Kids (Or Entire Family!). Mar. 12 4-6 pm Online With Frank Oliveiri - Geared toward students in grades 3-6, Home Alone Safety is a readiness program that helps prepare your child while building self-confidence, a sense of responsibility, and proper decision-making abilities. The course will teach basic safety guidelines through a variety of fun, interactive activities, discussions, and situational role-playing.

Your Teen & Money Mar. 21 7-8:30 pm Online With CCHS Math Teacher Laurie Fortunato - Money management can be challenging. Explaining all future financial adventures your child will encounter can be a daunting task. Let’s start talking about some of the topics your child should be aware of now to help them start better money habits today. We’ll discuss ways you can explain money habits, budgeting tips, retirement (yes, start young), banking, credit cards, debt, and more. It is said that 4 out of 5 parents wished they learned more about money as a kid. Our goal is to help your child feel a little more comfortable understanding how to manage money and give them awareness of their financial future.

Kids Naturally is REGISTERING NOW for Spring - Wednesdays from 2pm to 5pm beginning April 5 on the Thoreau Club's beautiful 35 wooded acres. Fill those half day Wednesdays! Not sure if the kids will like it? Register for a Try-It day in March! See website for details. The mission of Kids Naturally is to inspire wonder for nature and a desire for exploration and discovery through free play outside by creating a safe, nurturing and fun space where children can build resilience and develop creativity and independence away from screens and sedentary entertainment. Learn more: www.kids-naturally.com

Celebrate the Earth with the CCHS Green Team, Grades K-2, Fowler Branch, CFPL, 1322 Main St. Saturday, March 18, 11:00-11:45 AM. Join members of the CCHS Green Team for a storytime and hands-on activity leading up to Earth Week. This program is offered with support from the Thoreau PTG. Register on the library event calendar.

Celebrate the Earth with the CCHS Green Team, Grades 3-5, Fowler Branch, CFPL, 1322 Main St. , Saturday, March 18, 11:00-11:45 AM, Join members of the CCHS Green Team to share Braiding Sweetgrass (For Young Adults): Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. We will read excerpts together to launch our discussion and work together to do a hands-on activity. Let’s celebrate the earth as we prepare for Earth Week. This program is offered with support from the Thoreau PTG. Register on the library event calendar.

Concord Conservatory (CCM) Presents Music & Water Concert & Lecture—Join us on Friday, March 3rd at 7:30 pm when CCM partners with OARS and The Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council to present Music & Water. Guest speaker Alison Field-Juma, Executive Director of OARS, will act as a guide and help us explore our local rivers. Enjoy a chamber music concert inspired by water and performed by CCM faculty including Nicole Parks, Susan Gottschalk, Stephen Marotto, Yoko Hagino, and Justin Meyer. Both the Concord Cultural Council and River Stewardship Council provided funding support for the concert. $25 General Admission/free for kids 18 and under. Advance ticket purchase sales at ConcordConservatory.org or at the door. info@concordconservatory.org/(978) 369-0010 Concord Conservatory of Music is the area's non-profit community music school: 1317 Main Street, West Concord.

Does your child love to play sports? Join us at Star Camps! Star Camps is a sports camp for kids ages 5-15. Our mission includes helping children to have fun playing sports while also advancing their skills. Star Camps runs for four weeks during the months of June and July. Sport offerings include Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Flag Football, Lacrosse, Multi-Sport, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball. Campers have the option of joining for either a half-day or a full-day. Join us for our 40th season! For questions about camp offerings, please visit the website or email info@starcamps.com

Registration is open for CCYS Winter futsal session II & Spring 2023 Intown Soccer.  InTown soccer is open to players in grades Pre-K through 4 and the registration deadline is MARCH 10th. Winter futsal sessions run Sunday mornings in Carlisle for players in grades 2-8.  Winter futsal is a fun, low-cost option for your players this winter. CLICK HERE to register.

CCYS has a club soccer program, Liverpool (LFC) that is open to players in grades 2 - 12. We currently have a few open roster spots for our girls U10 team. Tryouts will be held on Wednesday, March 1 from 6 to 7pm at Mill Works in Westford for players born in 2013 or 2014. Please email Mark Thomas at mark.thomas@lfciasne.com if your child would like to attend the try-out session. For more info please go to https://ccysoccer.org/

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!

The Thursday Owl - February 16, 2023

ALCOTT NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS 

Special Election re: MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT TODAY February 16th.  Polling Locations on Election Day are open from 7:00am – 8:00pm, please see the Town’s website for the most up to date and accurate information in the event there are changes.   VOTE: 

Shall the Town of Concord be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds to be issued in order to pay for the additional costs to construct a new middle school, to be located at 835 Old Marlboro Road, Concord, Massachusetts (the present site of the Sanborn Middle School), including, without limitation, the costs of engineering, design, site preparation, construction, landscaping, paving, furnishing and equipping, demolishing the existing school, construction of recreational fields, driveways and parking lots, and all other costs incidental or related thereto? A yes vote on the ballot approves the increased spending required to commence the Middle School Building Project, and a no vote disapproves the increase and sends the project back to redesign with the Building Committee.  

Alcott Multicultural Night: Are you interested in sharing your family heritage with the Alcott Community on 9th March, 2023?! It will be held from 5-7 PM. Super excited to have these countries join us in showcasing their cultural heritage - Trinidad and Tobago, Ireland, Australia, China and Sweden!! If you are interested in showcasing yours, here’s the link. Come join us in celebrating what makes our Alcott Community so diverse and strong! Share a favorite dish in the Celebration of Food, make a Family Heritage Display or take part in the Cultural Show with a song or dance performance! Questions now? Email Megha Mathur and Melissa Karczewski at: mathur2619@gmail.com or melissahun@gmail.com 

ROSES!!  A big thank you to the Alcott Community for showing up of our teachers and staff for Valentines Day.  Almost 1100 roses were given away this year after lots of hard work trimming, watering, and sorting by Hilary Drake, Sarah Flynn, Liz Gibbs and their crew, and of course all the math and organization by Jess Reed our Treasurer.  Great Team Effort Alcott!! Our Valentines Roses would not have been possible without our Sponsor Lauren Walsh Interiors.

Alcott Before School Sports Session #4 starts Monday, March 6th. (This session runs from 3/6/23-4/13/23) The program is for Grades 1-5. Monday is 5th grade, Tuesday is 4th grade, Wednesday is 3rd grade and Thursday is 1st and 2nd grades. Come play some fun sports and games. You can register/sign up at www.concordrec.myrec.com

SEPAC February business meeting: Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC).  Time: February 16, 2023 7:00 PM. Join Zoom Meeting

Please join SEPAC for a Special Education Basic Rights talk with Danielle Green. March 1st at 7pm.  Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 828 7429 8056, Passcode: 063781. Danielle Green is an attorney who advocates for and represents children with special education needs through her own practice, Exceptional Children Special Education Advocacy, LLC.  Her passion for ensuring all children receive a free appropriate public education was ignited because she needed to obtain special education services for her own son.  

Alcott Twitter - Follow Alcott on its new Twitter account!

Update on the Middle School Project. The full schedule is here.

Calendar and important dates

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

February 17: Alcott Spirit wear - your favorite team apparel day

February 20-24: February Recess

March 9: Alcott Multicultural Night

March 27-30: Book Fair Class Room Visits

March 30: Book Fair and Math Night Community Event


CPS/CCRSD 22-23 School Calendar can be found here

IN THE COMMUNITY

The CMS Musical is BACK! The Concord Middle School presents Xanadu, Jr. on Fri., March 3 at 7:00 pm , Sat., March 4 at 7:00pm and Sun., March 5 at 2:00pm. Mark your calendars! Tickets will go on sale on Feb 24. Watch LivingConcord.com and The Concord Bridge for details.

Concord Conservatory (CCM) Presents Music & Water Concert & Lecture—Join us on Friday, March 3rd at 7:30 pm when CCM partners with OARS and The Sudbury, Assabet and Concord Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council to present Music & Water. Guest speaker Alison Field-Juma, Executive Director of OARS, will act as a guide and help us explore our local rivers. Enjoy a chamber music concert inspired by water and performed by CCM faculty including Nicole Parks, Susan Gottschalk, Stephen Marotto, Yoko Hagino, and Justin Meyer. Both the Concord Cultural Council and River Stewardship Council provided funding support for the concert. $25 General Admission/free for kids 18 and under. Advance ticket purchase sales at ConcordConservatory.org or at the door. info@concordconservatory.org/(978) 369-0010 Concord Conservatory of Music is the area's non-profit community music school: 1317 Main Street, West Concord.

Does your child love to play sports? Join us at Star Camps! Star Camps is a sports camp for kids ages 5-15. Our mission includes helping children to have fun playing sports while also advancing their skills. Star Camps runs for four weeks during the months of June and July. Sport offerings include Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Flag Football, Lacrosse, Multi-Sport, Soccer, Softball, and Volleyball. Campers have the option of joining for either a half-day or a full-day. Join us for our 40th season! For questions about camp offerings, please visit the website or email info@starcamps.com

Registration is open for CCYS Winter futsal session II & Spring 2023 Intown Soccer.  InTown soccer is open to players in grades Pre-K through 4 and the registration deadline is MARCH 10th. Winter futsal sessions run Sunday mornings in Carlisle for players in grades 2-8.  Winter futsal is a fun, low-cost option for your players this winter. CLICK HERE to register.

CCYS has a club soccer program, Liverpool (LFC) that is open to players in grades 2 - 12. We currently have a few open roster spots for our girls U10 team. Tryouts will be held on Wednesday, March 1 from 6 to 7pm at Mill Works in Westford for players born in 2013 or 2014. Please email Mark Thomas at mark.thomas@lfciasne.com if your child would like to attend the try-out session. For more info please go to https://ccysoccer.org/

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!