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Originally delivered on 12/6/2022 5:29 pm

SUBJECT: The Word newsletter - December 6th 2022

Dec 6th 2022 - Edition #62

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UPCOMING DATES

PTO & SCHOOL HAPPENINGS


DEC 6Junior College Kick-Off Meeting
DEC 7EARLY DISMISSAL 
DEC 8WHS Band Concert
DEC 15WHS Orchestra & Choir Concert
DEC 21WHS Jazz Night
DEC 23EARLY DISMISSAL
DEC 26 - JAN2 HOLIDAY RECESS

DID YOU KNOW...?


You can help fundraise all year long for WHS PTO when you shop on Amazon.com by shopping through AmazonSmile on your computer or mobile device?! Please follow a few simple steps to easily contribute to WHS PTO at no additional cost. Click HERE to learn how on Amazon.com.

IN THIS ISSUE


  • PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
  • PTO MEETING RECORDING
  • GOOD READS
  • BRICK BY BRICK
  • MIDTERM SURVIVAL KITS
  • VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
  • FRIENDLY REMINDER
  • SPED LIAISON
  • CLASS NOTES
  • AROUND TOWN
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Hello Weston High School PTO families,


I hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving and a great start to December. It’s a busy time of year for one and all. There's lots going on for students, teachers, and families at Weston High School this month.

This past Friday on, December 4th, we had our monthly PTO General Board Meeting. It was a great meeting, and we were delighted to welcome Superintendent Tina Henckel as our guest speaker. She shared with us about the growth mindset and had some very insightful perspectives for all of us.  Details on the meeting recording and reading materials can be found below in the newsletter. Please check it out if you were unable to join us. 

Tonight at 7PM is the Junior College Kick Off. Juniors and their parents are encouraged to join. Information regarding this meeting was emailed to all students and parents.  For more details, check the Class of 2024 section for a summary.

On Thursday, our students will participate in a special pep rally during the school day to support the winter athletes and celebrate the success of the fall season. Weston High School band concert is coming up this Thursday, December 8th.  Thursday, December 17th, is the WHS orchestra and choir concert, followed by Jazz Night on Wednesday, December 21st.  

Weston High School held the first School Climate Committee meeting before Thanksgiving and another one earlier this week.  It is a collaboration of students, faculty, and parents getting together to discuss the direction and culture of the student experience at WHS. It is a great place for us to come together and work as a team to enhance the student experience at WHS. The committee meets regularly to work as a group.  Looking forward to what’s ahead with this amazing collaborative group!

While all the students and staff at Weston High School are all extremely busy, our staff appreciation chair people, Lisa Zhang and Tammy Roberts, are planning a winter dessert bar for our teachers and staff on December 21st. We are so appreciative of all our teachers and staff do! We look forward to showing them how much we care with this sweet end-of-year treat!

It’s been wonderful seeing so many of you at our General Board meetings, both in person and online. January will kick off with an entirely virtual General Board Meeting on January 6th, followed by an in-person and hybrid “Coffee & Conversation” with Principal Meghan Ward on January 10th at 9 am. Look out for more details soon!  

The last edition of The Word for 2022 is scheduled for Tuesday, December 20th. Until then, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas. Feel free to email me at crizpto@yahoo.com or call/text me at 516-581-7474. I am happy to help and would love to hear from you. 


With Warm Regards,

Christine Harris

WHS PTO President


If you could not attend our last PTO general meeting on December 2nd, you can access the recording HERE.  

We had a great meeting joined by guest speaker WPS Assistant Superintendent Tina Henckel.  Her presentation begins at about minute 46 in the recording. 

The next monthly PTO General Board Meeting will be on Friday, January 6th. Please note that this meeting will be held on *ZOOM* only.

In our last PTO General Meeting, Assistant Superintendent Tina Henckel recommended a few books to learn more about the fascinating topic of Growth Mindset. Please note she highlighted that although some of the reading materials relate to Mathematics, the topic of Growth Mindset is universal and applicable to any realm of life.

 

Follow the links below to learn more about these book recommendations or if you wish to purchase them using WHS PTO Amazon Smile.

 

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

 

Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students' Potential through Creative Mathematics, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching (Mindset Mathematics) 2nd Edition by Jo Boaler

 

Faster Isn't Smarter (Second Edition): Messages About Math, Teaching, and Learning in the 21st Century second edition by Cathy L. Seeley


Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12 by Peter Liljedahl

 

Additionally, Assistant Superintendent Henckel shared the following resources to support further cultivating Growth Mindset in both ourselves and our children.


Statement guide to support a growth-mindset and a thinking flow:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k1R_27vip8yDAiY6qf7HEvzYs6zXBOPJR3_2KUG7BbY/edit?usp=sharing

 

At Home Tasks: Jo Boaler:

https://www.youcubed.org/tasks/

 

Brain Dump Worksheet:

https://convertkit.s3.amazonaws.com/landing_pages/incentives/000/445/292/original/FTJ_brain_dump_printable_blank.pdf?153891639116


LearnStorm Growth Mindset: The Truth About Your Brain (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf8FX2sI3gU


Happy Reading (and viewing)!


BRICK BY BRICK FUNDRAISER 2022-23

Buy a brick, leave a legacy!
Honor a teacher or administrator, commemorate a student’s graduation or achievement, honor a loved one.
Your personalized brick will be permanently installed in the high school's main interior courtyard. 

PROCEEDS ARE SPLIT BETWEEN THE WHS PTO AND A SPECIFIC CLASS (YOU SELECT WHICH CLASS WHEN YOU PLACE YOUR ORDER)

 Click HERE for more information and to make your purchase!
 

MIDTERM SURVIVAL KITS ARE BACK!!!

After the success of last year’s Midterm Survival Kits and Final Exam Care Packages, the Class of 2024 PTO parent reps are once again selling Midterm Survival Kits! 

Kits may be purchased for students in all grades, and each kit will include fun-filled goodies and exam-themed treats and surprises.  Contents may vary slightly based on current availability and supply chain issues.  


Order now through December 23rd for early bird pricing - $25.  

Standard pricing -$30 will begin on December 24th. 

The last day for orders will be January 6th 2023.  


We plan to distribute the Midterm Survival Kits on campus on January 12th & 13th  and will email you with specifics closer to the date.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Nancy Kirwan-Hayden at nancyvalerie@me.com.

Thank you for supporting your students and the Weston High School PTO!

STAFF APPRECIATION - WINTER DESSERT BAR

Dear Parents,

 Let's show our WHS Staff how much we appreciate what they do every day for our kids!

Please Visit Sigunup Genius for opportunities to help with the Winter Dessert Bar we are planning on December 21st.

Thank you!

The WHS PTO

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f44aba822abf58-staff



PTO Printed Directories have arrived!! Directories will be sent to your youngest child’s school and labeled as such. If your youngest student is at WHS, please ask them to check the bins right inside the WHS Main Entrance doors, in the corner by the WHS Security Desk, to collect and bring home to you.


SPED LIASON


Weston High School Unified Sports is excited for the opportunity to attend the 2022 Unified Sports Summit in Deep River, CT. The Summit will take place on December 6th from 9am-12pm at Valley Regional High School. Our athletes are very excited to participate!

SENIOR CLASS

Hello Senior parents!


I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday and that all seniors are finishing up college applications, gap year plans, or whatever they dream of doing as they wrap up their time at WHS.  All of the class parent reps have been through this process many times, and we are happy to chat.

Senior portraits & baby pictures are handed in.  Details for senior ads (optional) can be found HERE.  Enjoy looking through your old photos - it goes by so quickly! 


Janet, Maggie, Maureen, & Jen

PTO Parent Reps Class of 2023

JUNIOR CLASS

Hi Class of 2024 Parents!

  

Please mark your calendars for the “Junior College Kickoff”, which will meet virtually on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 7 pm. Attendees will be given important information on how to conduct their college search while managing their junior year effectively. All juniors and a parent(s) are expected to attend. The meeting will also be recorded and posted on Naviance before the holiday break. If your student is not yet registered in Naviance, please have them stop by the School Counseling office ASAP to get set up. 

 

Here is the link and passcode for the meeting:

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/nyp- onox-niz

 

Or dial:ʉۻ(US) +1 314-649-0088 PIN:ʉۻ731 808 017#

 

If you have not already, please join the WHS PTO Class of 2024 Parent Group where we share information relevant to our class. https://www.facebook.com/groups/3162447787131719 

 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your PTO Class of 2024 Parent Representatives:

 

Christine Harris - crizpto@yahoo.com

Carlye Adler Nussbaum - carlye@carlyeadler.com

Lauren Carter - laurenjcarter5@gmail.com

Casey Saussy - caseysaussy@mindspring.com

SOPHOMORE CLASS

Hello, Class of 2025 sophomores and families!

 

If you have not already, please join the WHS PTO Class of 2025 Parent Group

Facebook Page where we share information relevant to our class. Please spread the word to other 2025 parents that may not have joined yet, as it is one of our most effective ways to communicate with you!

 Please do not hesitate to reach out to your PTO Class of 2025 Parent Representatives:

  • Megan Burns - meganschmaling@gmail.com

  • Gayle Costello - cassandracostello@gmail.com

  • Juad Masters - jbmasters@gmail.com

  • Carrie Shaffer - shaffercp@gmail.com


Have a great week!

Class of 2025 PTO Reps

FRESHMAN CLASS

We are excited to welcome our Class of 2026 freshman and families! 

Your Parent Representatives are Joslyn Crowe, Ann Kyle, Tammy Roberts, and Lori Umhoefer.

The WHS Class of 2026 Parent Group, PTO Sponsored Facebook group is live!   It is intended to serve solely as a communication vehicle between the PTO and the parents of the Class of 2026. 

You can easily join this group here: WHS Class of 2026 Parent Group, PTO Sponsored | Facebook

Parents:  please encourage your son or daughter to join the student-run Class of 2026 Facebook page. Students are encouraged to have a Facebook account, as many WHS groups and sports communicate via Facebook.

AROUND TOWN
WESTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Christmas at the Coley House - Explore a 1940s Christmas

Explore a World War II home front Christmas at the Coley House. What was the holiday season like on the home front during World War II? On your guided tour, explore the Coley House decorated as it would have been during the 1940s and learn about how the holidays were celebrated during World War II. Also, explore how the Coley family lived, worked, and played during the 1940s. 

Weston History & Culture Center ( Weston Historical Society) 104 Weston Road, Weston, CT. 

Guided tours at 1pm, 2pm & 3pm on November 20, December 1, 4, 8, 15, 18, 22. 


Free for Members

Non-members: $5 adults, $3 child. 

Advanced tickets encouraged.

Tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christmas-at-the-coley-house-guided-tours-tickets-461138737377

SUBMISSIONS
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