Your membership will support our school!

MARCH

2020-21 SCHOOL CALENDAR

WIS PTO WEBPAGE

WIS MAIN WEBPAGE

WIS PTO FACEBOOK PAGE - Please follow us to get updates on WIS PTO news!

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
• ALL PTO SPEAKERS EVENT RESOURCES
• 2021-22 WIS PTO BOARD
• BOE REPORT
• PTO CAMP PRESENTATION
• YEARBOOK UPDATE
• WIS SPIRIT STORE
• AROUND TOWN

Happy Friday! 

Hopefully with snow melting away, things might be changing for the better!  It’s definitely exciting as we approach March to know that vaccinations are beginning for teachers and staff next week.  That is a positive  step in the right direction. I’m quite sure we all can agree to that.  

I’m delighted  so many joined the February 23rd speaker event on "Cultures Matter: Managing Unconscious Bias",  with Dr. Jonelle Reynolds as she gave a fabulously insightful talk. Those of you who joined were in for a treat.  Those who missed out, you can watch the event in full on the PTO website.  A huge thank you to Nicole Copans, HES PTO President for securing such a dynamic and eye opening event.  The following day we had another wonderful turn out for our General Meeting and  Q & A session with Pattie Falber.  A huge thank you to our VP, Ilene Richardson for organizing  and equal thank you to our Principal for giving us dedicated time for discussion and answers on issues that were prompting  concern. Those who joined  had the perfect opportunity to get clarification.  In the meantime, if you still have questions or concerns please continue to contribute them as the PTO is here to support you and every WIS family.  

Please don’t forget that the PTO is an all volunteer collaboration. We collectively work immensely hard to support our families, our school, and our students while finding ways engaging in fun for our kids.  This is something that PTO members take great pride in.  Those who are “career” PTO members are so immersed and involved that it easily and quickly becomes a way of life. Could that be you one day??  Take a look at the PTO positions and see what interests you.   We are poised to find a PTO Board who is equally committed,  capable and excited for next year.  

Therefore the WIS Nominating Committee is still in the process of putting together the 2021-2022 WIS PTO Board.  If you would like to volunteer to hold a position or would like to nominate someone, please complete the nominating form below. Nominating will remain open.  It’s never too late to get involved!

We hope to see you all again in March as we will having our March General Meeting on the 24th and a Special Camp Event (via Zoom) Tuesday, March 9th from 10:00-11:00 AM.  We ask that you show your support for your school and community and join us. 

Any questions or concerns feel free to reach out. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Daniella Swetland

PTO President 

Thank you to everyone who attended the all schools PTO speaker event on Diversity & Inclusion this week - we had a great turnout, and it was a very valuable and rewarding session!

For those of you who were unable to attend, the recording of the talk can be accessed on our YouTube channel HERE and the materials, including the presentation, can be accessed HERE.  As this link will only be active for two weeks, we have also uploaded the materials to the HES PTO webpage HERE.

Dr. Reynolds would be grateful if those who attended or who watch the recording could complete a short feedback survey HERE.

DEADLINE EXTENDED

We would love to hear from you if you are interested in joining the Executive or General Board next year!  

The mission of WIS PTO is to enhance the educational and social experience of the students and families Weston Intermediate School. We achieve this by coordinating, and contributing both money and manpower to, a variety of events, programs, social initiatives, clubs, and more. 

WIS PTO is an all-volunteer organization and we simply cannot continue our mission without volunteers. We need YOU!

We welcome new and returning members - it is a great way to meet other parents, and is also a way for friends to work together and for you to get more involved in your child's school environment.  

There are various board positions you can cover depending on your skills and the time you want to dedicate to the volunteer.

If you have any questions regarding any of the positions, or any part of the process, please contact me at jbernheim@onpurposepr.com.   

And please go ahead and fill out the nomination form HERE if you know which position you would like - or if you know of someone else who would be fantastic!  

Thank you!

Jennifer Bernheim
WIS PTO Nominating Chair

The BOE meeting began with the discussion of the eligibility of CT educators to receive the Covid-19 vaccine at the beginning of March. Weston educators will be enrolled to receive it as soon as possible.

Questions were asked regarding the decision to have all of WIS go fully remote on Monday due to a positive Covid result reported on Sunday.  Mrs. Falber and Dr. McKersie explained that, because they received the information at 7pm on Sunday, time was needed on Monday to contact and organize all people involved, including those on buses, in classrooms, on the playgrounds, in specials and the cafetorium. The administration continues their commitment to keeping the students and staff safe.

The Curriculum Committee is gathering data and statistics to assess how students are being academically impacted by the changes and interruptions in education due to the pandemic. Using state testing, surveys, and classroom information, they are trying to get a full picture of what this year looks like and what our needs are as a district. Their goal is to see how to best support students and what some interventions might look like. This topic will be discussed further at the March BOE meeting.

The mental health of the students is a priority for the district. Each school is continuing to educate students about emotional wellbeing and teach strategies for coping with difficulties. Psychologists and social workers are working with students and families as much as possible. Social workers in the lower schools go into classrooms and check in with kids and all schools are increasing their efforts to meet the understandable increase in mental health needs of students and familied in the district.

For families interested in discussions around WHS and WMS bringing students back full-time, please watch this BOE meeting or see the BOE summaries from those schools.

The next general BOE meeting is scheduled for March 15, 2021.

Julie Ruby

WIS BOE Chair

Please join HES and WIS PTOs for a sleepaway camp presentation at 10am on Tuesday, March 9.  We will hear about a number of camp options, including their Covid plans.  

Please also mark your calendars for 9:30 am on Tuesday, March 16 for the HES and WIS PTOs virtual camp fair, focusing on day camp and program options.  We will have representatives from many popular local camps, including the Westport/Weston YMCA’s Camp Mahackeno, the Wilton YMCA’s Camp Gordyland, Camp Playland, Earthplace, Ambler Farm, Peak Performance Sports, Weston Parks & Recreation, and Weston Youth Services.  

Please stay tuned for more information and Zoom links to follow!

Don’t forget to order your yearbook!

https://wis.picaboo.com/weston-intermediate-school-2020-2021

Password: WIS2021

This price is $36.50 

You can personalize your book with four (4) personalized pages as we have done in recent years (at no charge) and you will be able to stamp your Childs' name and symbols on the cover in silver foil (for an added fee). The personalized pages need to be completed by May 1st.  Please disregard the Picaboo site telling you that pages need to personalized by a different date. 

Please contribute photos to the yearbook making sure they are  added to the correct section. 

https://uploads.picabooyearbooks.com/9186108

I have added sections “Cutest Mask”, “Funniest Mask” Coolest Mask”.  Please share your mask photos!

Yearbooks will be back on track to be handed out at school during the regular school year.  

Please also contribute your fifth graders’ baby photo. Photos must be vertical. They can be in black & white, sepia or color.  Please only send one baby photo.  Submit photos by March 13th, 2021 to:

21wisyearbook@gmail.com

In Subject Line write student’s “given” name not nickname. 

Before the books go to print the fifth grade parents will receive a proof of the baby photo section for review.  

If you are new to WIS and your child missed picture day, we have reached out to those families so you can contribute a portrait photo for the yearbook.  

Finally, we are selling Parent Ads for the fifth grade. Please check out options here: https://adstore.shopyearbook.com/9186108

Thank you!

As always, stay tuned for updates.

Daniella Swetland 

daniellarc@aol.com

(203) 858-5956

Show your WIS pride and support the PTO.

New items are available in our Spirit store.

You can purchase the WIS Spirit t-shirt or pre order the hat HERE

Please CLICK HERE for a calendar of events and activities to mark Black History Month 20201, sponsored by TEAM Weston.

TEAM Weston promotes equity in our community by working in solidarity with neighbors, organizations and movements to dismantle systemic discrimination through education, advocacy, and action. If you would like more information, you can sign up for the TEAM Weston newsletter HERE or follow them on Facebook HERE.

The library is open by appointment and for curbside pickup! We also have tons for you to take part in virtually in March! Upcoming in March, we are focusing on the 2021 Nutmeg Book Award Nominees, as voting will take place in April. We also have Spring STEM projects, Carry Out Crafts and more Food Programs! We continue to offer our binge boxes for those that would like us to select books for their children and teens. To do this, and to learn more about all that is going on this month at the Weston Public Library, including how to register for our programs and events, check out our LATEST NEWSLETTER HERE.

Registrations for the spring 2021 baseball and softball seasons are now open out our new website www.westonctbbsb.com. Programs are being offered from Pre-k through 7^th grade for baseball and Pre-K through 9^th grade for softball. Evaluations, which will take place on Saturday, March 13^th, are required for baseball grades 3 and up.

Are you already a part of our old mailing list and didn’t see the registration blasts for the week? Be sure to check your junk or promotions folders and add info@westonctbbsb.com to your contacts.

Registration for the Spring 2021 soccer season is now underway! 

Weston Soccer Club offers programs for players aged two through high school, with a variety of programs including rec, travel, and TOPSoccer. Our programs are taught by professionals in the field of soccer and adhere to strict COVID measures for the safety of you and your child.

Click here to register your soccer player!

• The WIS PTO newsletter is distributed on Fridays, please send your submissions by the prior Wednesday, 2 pm.
• It is your responsibility to write and submit your relevant WIS activity each week.
• All submissions should be either included in the text of your email or attached in Word format and the content should be print-ready (please proofread!). Keep it simple and short.
• If you have a flyer, please submit a brief write-up along with it in PDF format and we will link it to the newsletter.
• Please send all necessary links, there will be a click "here" linking to the more detailed information.
• If you want to re-run a write-up from the previous week, check to see if it requires updating, i.e. changing the wording from  "next week" to "this week", etc.  If so, please make appropriate changes and re-send the revised write-up.
• All submissions should be sent to: wisptocommunications@westonpspto.org. All will be acknowledged.
• Submissions should be relevant to WIS and the town of Weston (i.e., town sports programs, Town of Weston sponsored community events or after-school sports programs for students taking place in the Town of Weston). If there is any question regarding the relevance of submission, final approval will be determined by the HES PTO Communications Chair and/or President.