NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

2021-22 SCHOOL CALENDAR

WIS PTO WEBPAGE

WIS MAIN WEBPAGE

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

** NEW - WIS PTO YOUTUBE CHANNEL **

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
• BOE REPORT
• WIS YEARBOOK
• SQUARE1 ART
  
• WESTON SWAG
• AROUND TOWN

Thank you to everyone who attended the WIS/HES General Membership meeting this week. I hope you enjoyed learning from Assistant Superintendent, Ken Craw, HES Math Specialist, Kelly DelVecchio and WIS Math Specialist, Carolyn Vinton.  It was so good to hear first hand how our teachers support out students’ learning and what resources are available to our families. Please reach out to Ms Vinton or Mrs. Falber if you have any additional questions regarding your child. 

Our book fair sales are in! Thank you so much for supporting the WIS PTO by purchasing books at the book fair. We raised over $4000 to support our students and teachers at WIS. Susan Valentino-Hersey and Loren Cahue as well as our librarian Mrs. Rinas did an amazing job on the fair this year. Be sure to continue to shop online at www.scholastic.com and check and see if you have or have not used all of your eWallet money. 

Please bring your ideas to the PTO for Philanthropy requests. We have a few requests for ways to add to our children’s learning at WIS. We want to do more and can’t do it without you!! Go to the WIS Philanthropy page and download the form and submit it before 12/1/2021. It can take a couple of months to approve a request due to the approval process. Can’t wait to see your great ideas!!!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! 

Debbie Carrothers

WIS PTO President 2021-2022

Report on BOE Meeting 11/15/21

BOE MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

• There will be a week-long February Break, instead of just a long weekend, in the 2022-23 school calendar

• Voluntary Covid Pool testing is successfully underway at HES and WIS

• A Covid Vaccine Clinic will take place at WIS for kids ages 5-11 

• Many classrooms in HES/WIS will soon see the return of rugs for the children to sit on and desks once again arranged in clusters

The Board voted on and passed a motion to make a change to the 2022-23 school calendar. In 2022-23, there will be a week-long February break over President’s day weekend, rather than a four-day weekend. This will add 2 vacation days to that break, and school will start two days earlier, on a Tuesday (8.30.22) instead of on a Thursday (1.1.22). 

The two proposals on the table were 1) start school on a Thursday and have a long-weekend break in February (Thursday, Friday, weekend, and President’s day Monday);  or

2) Start school on a Tuesday and have a week-long break, Feb. 20-24, including the weekends. 

Superintendent Lisa Wolak did an informal survey of the PTO boards, teachers, and the unions. The staff was mixed on having a long weekend versus a week-long break; the PTO boards were strongly in favor of a week-long break, although one was more mixed/ambivalent. The unions were a mix of ambivalence and in support of a long weekend. 

Superintendent Wolak and the members of the Board of Education were overwhelmingly in favor of changing the calendar to a week-long break in February. While the District has not had a week-long break in February for many years, the Board thought that it should at least try it. Board members noted the following in their discussion: the surrounding schools have a week long break making Weston an outlier with its 4-day weekend; family time became a renewed priority over Covid and that should be honored/fostered by the District; kids have been under a lot of stress and will benefit mentally and emotionally from an extended break; unlike the other breaks in the calendar, which may be constrained by family/holiday obligations, a week in February allows families to freely travel; some families, especially in the younger grades, take the week off regardless; after more than a year with families homebound due to Covid, many are eager to travel again; the change would not cause a major change to the school year calendar other than adding two days to the start, and no days to the end; high school students whose sports commitments limit their ability to travel in February are no more affected than if the break were a week rather than a long weekend; families seemed to be strongly in favor of a week-long break. 

COVID Pool Testing took place with 60 HES students, 80 WIS students, and 21 6th graders participating. This program is free, quick, voluntary, and a student can change his/her status to opt in or out at any time. The District is proud to provide this service to its unvaccinated students. 

A COVID Vaccine Clinic for children ages 5-11 will take place at WIS thanks to a partnership with Griffin Hospital. The first dose will be available Monday, Nov. 22, 4-6pm and the second dose on Monday, December 13, 4-6pm. A link to register, which is required for participation, will be forthcoming. The District is excited to be able to offer this Clinic to its students, and to get it underway before Thanksgiving!

The District was excited to have been able to offer in-person parent/teacher conferences at HES and WIS. After Thanksgiving, more changes will be put in place. For example, carpet and rugs will be added to the classrooms for children to sit on; desks will be moved into clusters, although students will still maintain 3-feet of social distance; and more 1:1 parent meetings will be offered throughout the district.

The next BOE meeting will take place on December 15, 2021, at 6:00pm. Public Comment is now welcomed at the BOE meetings.

The livestream of that meeting, and the recording of this meeting, is available here: https://westonps.org/board-of-education/

Questions? Reach out to Stephanie.Feingold@gmail.com, the HES Board of Education representative who prepared this report. 

WIS 2021-22 YEARBOOK NOW ON SALE - Order now and save! 

WIS 2021-22 Yearbooks are NOW ON SALE! We are offering an EARLY BIRD SPECIALof $35. Ordering online is the quickest and most efficient way to order. The yearbook will be at our lowest price, $35 until December 31, 2021. The price will go up as of January 1, 2022, so do not miss the opportunity to order now. 

To order, visit https://store.shopyearbook.com/wis-2021-22.The password is wis2022.  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Sarah Gargiulo (yearbook chair), at seobrie@hotmail.com. 

Need gifts for the holidays?

It’s time to order keepsakes with your child’s ART 

and support the WIS PTO!

1. Look for your child’s personalized catalogue in their school folder/backpack.
   
2. Log onto this link: Square1 Art Shop
   
3. Use the unique code on your child’s catalogue to browse items with their art
   
4. Place your order for amazing keepsakes and gifts
   

DEADLINE (no exceptions!): November 26 

SHIPPING: Everything will ship to your home before the holidays

Not in love with your child’s artwork, 

or want them (or siblings) to create another? 

1. Print this art paper (or use any paper you have!): Art Paper for Square1
2. Make some art or use art you already have. Here is a short video on Art Tips & Tricks
3. Upload (an unlimited number of) new artwork here: Art Upload Link for Square 1
4. Order keepsakes online instantaneously

Need ideas for additional artwork your kids can create?

• Make art just for Grandma or a favorite Aunt. Our Gaga loves her “I love you Gaga” mug!
• Have all your kids draw on one art sheet, so that you can buy 1 item with all your kids’ art represented.
• Make “Happy Father’s/Mother’s Day/Birthday” art and you’re covered when this holiday rolls around!
• Have a sibling not at WIS make something so s/he gets a keepsake too!
• A paw print from your dog makes a great keepsake! Anyone can make art to upload!

QUESTIONS? Email Stephanie.Feingold@gmail.com

Thank you for supporting the WIS PTO!

We congratulate the WPAL Flag Football 2021 Weston Seahawks. They won the championship game against the Westport Cowboys by a score of 14-7. Picture Below…Coaches:Derek Thompson and Geoffrey Walsky. Players from left -back row:

Oscar Carlson, Ryan Schneider, Henry Rosenthal, Jackson Walsky, Cody Thompson, Mason Dunst. Next Row - Matteo Sirignano, Alex McCain and PJ Ackley laying in front.

Here is the link to the Children's Library newsletter. The Children's Room is undergoing its last phase of remodeling tomorrow, and will be unavailable for browsing. We'll be happy to pull books in advance for patrons.

https://library.booksite.com/7567/nl/?list=CNL1&group=EB213

Dear Weston Community, 

We hope this email finds you healthy and well!  

Even during these most challenging times, Weston’s Scouting BSA Troop 788 is determined and excited to launch their Annual Holiday Fundraiser. This has been a long-standing and cherished tradition in our town, which has brought joy to the troop and to our community, and one which the Scouts have pledged to continue safely, even amid the backdrop of an ongoing pandemic. Their commitment is admirable!  

Again this year, they will be selling premium fresh cut Christmas Trees and hand-made Balsam Wreaths as a service to Weston and as a fundraiser to help defray the cost of their scouting activities throughout the year. 

The Scouts will be selling trees and wreaths at the Onion Barn on 11/27, 11/28, 12/4 and 12/5each day at 9am-3pm. You can also place your orders online now at: 

www.westontroop788.org

The trees are grown in New Hampshire and fresh cut a few days before they arrive on our lot. Supplies are limited, so please make sure to reserve your trees and wreaths early. We sell out every year and have to finalize orders soon. We’ll have your items tagged and ready to pick up at the Onion Barn after Thanksgiving or we can deliver them to your door for only $15.  

Please note that this year, due to availability and supply constraints, if you wish to order a tree larger than 10’ or wreaths sized 36” – 48”, they will need to be pre-ordered. Although the troop will work hard to fulfill your order, they are not able to guarantee delivery. In the event that they can’t deliver your item(s), a refund will be issued.

We thank you in advance for your continued support of the Weston Boy Scout Troop! 

Wishing you and your loved ones continued health and happy holidays! 

The Weston Boy Scouts

Town Hall Link: https://www.westonct.gov/about-us  

Weston Public Library: https://www.westonpubliclibrary.org/ 

Weston Historical Society: https://www.westonhistoricalsociety.org/ 

Weston Garden Club: https://www.westongardenclub.com/

Weston Education Foundation: https://www.westoneducationfoundation.org/

• 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.