JANUARY

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
• WESTON NIGHT AT BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS
• NEXT PTO MEETING
• BOE MEETING REPORT
  
• WESTON SWAG
• SQUARE1ART
• AROUND TOWN

2022! We made it!

The first week of 2022 has been full of excitement! Ice and freezing rain, new Covid-19 rules and regulations, and as I’m writing this I just saw the text message that WPS is closed Friday. SNOW DAY!!!  Get out the sleds, snow pants, and hot chocolate!! This is the time to make memories that you and your kids will remember for years to come.   

A few business items before it’s time to get the sleds ready for the morning;

• The WIS and Hurlbutt PTOs are hosting sleep away and day camp zoom forums. Stay tuned for dates and times.
• January 19th is the next General Membership meeting held in conjunction with the Hurlbutt PTO at 9:30am over zoom. See the link below. 
• The WIS PTO is in the beginning stages of gathering our Nominating Committee to recruit, interview and approve a slate for the 2022-2023 Executive Board and General Board. Please reach out to me if you are interested in being on the nominating committee or serving on either board. debbiecarrothers@yahoo.com 
• Guest Author!! The WIS PTO is working hard to secure a guest author to visit with the students at WIS. 
• Memorial Day Fair weekend is in the planning stages! The PTOs are very excited to bring this back to Weston.  

Have a great day today and every day!!

Best Regards,

Debbie Carrothers

WIS PTO President 2021-2022

Come join us for a fun night out at the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday, January 8th at 7pm! 

Watch as members of Weston Schools sing the National Anthem before the game!

The Weston chorus will still be performing but If anyone is uncomfortable attending because of COVID, they can move their ticket to another game. 

 Email Kyle: kyle.abad@bridgeportislanders.com to submit your request.

We will not have a PTO General Board meeting in the month of December.  The next meeting will be Wednesday, January 19th, at 9:30 am via Zoom (see details below).  

We look forward to seeing everyone who can make it then! 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87660269527

Meeting ID: 876 6026 9527

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Meeting ID: 876 6026 9527

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc7qICMdi1

(Meeting was held on Dec. 20, 2021)

1.  Superintendent Report

• COVID 19 Update(to hear entire update, 1:08:39 in live stream of meeting)
  • Increase in COVID Numbers as reflected in the Dashboard. Currently, 107 cases in our District Community – 11 staff, 96 students). 
  • Parents have voiced concerns over the uptick in cases and are inquiring about the district’s plan and if there is a need to return to Remote Learning, or if the parents can have a choice in moving to remote. WPS response is as follows: We will continue to follow the guidelines put forth by Governor Lamont and the State of CT. For the moment, WPS is doing everything possible to keep kids in school. Using mitigating strategies such as postponing events or moving them virtual when able, when possible, small group instruction; more outside time, and spreading children out as much as possible.   Flipping back and forth between virtual and in-person puts tremendous pressure on administration and there are also union implications with the teacher’s union regarding virtual learning. In short, we will stay the course and re-evaluate in January.
  • There was no pool testing this week as there was a staffing issue with the state-run organization that administers them. Reminder – pool testing is only for non-vaccinated or not fully vaccinated students. Pool testing K-6 will return on Jan. 3. Pool testing 7-8 will begin on Jan. 10 and for WHS after winter break. 
• Security Update (to hear entire discussion, 1:28:30 in live meeting stream)
  • Although the BOE does not publicly discuss the district’s protocols and procedures pursuant to school safety, they reiterated that the ‘most important thing we do as a Board and a District is that we need to be diligent about the safety of our students and staff’. Last week there was a special Executive Meeting with local Law Enforcement to review and discuss procedures and protocols. The number one priority is to make sure that the staff knows how to respond to different scenarios. 
• Budget Update 
  • Budget Presentation: Thursday, January 6 at 7pm

2.  Facilities

• On-going discussion regarding WPS facilities moving forward. A think tank of teachers has been established to discuss different grade configuration options for K-5 and 5-8. The consultants that have been hired to assess and develop a plan will present an update in January. 

A reminder that the next Board of Education meeting will be Monday, January 18th, at 6 pm via YouTube.  It can be viewed via LiveStream or as a recording.  Public comment is welcomed.

You can access the LiveStream and Recording HERE!

It’s a New Year and we have a 

 NEW PTO STORE ITEM!

PRE-ORDER ONLY! 

2 Weeks only!

Leggings will arrive by Valentine’s day!!

Just in time to gift it to the one you love 

so that they can show off their 

WESTON LOVE!

Click HERE to order

An Update on Backorders

We are back in the office, re-stocked, re-staffed, and working hard to get all backorders shipped by January 14. Thank you for your understanding and patience during delays due to heavy volume and labor shortages. We are a "mom and pop" small business and while nationwide, we do 95% of our custom keepsake application in-house.  Most of all, thank you for supporting your school with your fundraiser order, and for supporting your child's creativity!

Other Issues?

If you filled out our online Contact Form, a Case for Customer Care has been created and we are working on your Case and will be in touch soon. Please do not fill out a new form unless you have a new issue to report. If you have a new issue, fill out this Contact Form. Replacement products have an expected delivery of mid-January.

Thank you again for your understanding and patience.

- The Square 1 Art Customer Care Team

Hello Parents, 

There are some items in the Lost & Found Section located outside of the cafeteria. Please call the school to schedule an appointment for pick up if you recognize an item or send your child to locate the item. 

Thank you Maritza.

Calling all Weston Residents!

Is adding more bees, butterflies and birds to your yard high on your 2022 to-do-list? Do you want to reduce your carbon footprint AND eliminate toxic chemicals from your yard? Look no further! Join the Weston Pollinator Pathway today:

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

The Weston Pollinator Pathway proudly supports the following native pollinator gardens on campus:

Hurlbutt Monarch Waystation - financed by the PTO

Hurlbutt Butterfly Circle - financed by the PTO and Weston Garden Club / Pollinator Pathway

Middle School Entry Garden - financed by the PTO

Baby birds need caterpillars, caterpillars need native plants, native plants need you! Please join today.

The Weston Pollinator Pathway Steering Committee

Take the CT River Smart Pledge HERE!

Sign up to the Pollinator Pathway HERE!

Follow us on Instagram  and Facebook 

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.