Dear Families,
We hope your children are adjusting to being back at school and are enjoying our new building and playground! We wanted to remind everyone to book their sitters for the Parent Social on October 17th at 7 PM. This year's get together will again be at the home of Christine and Andrew Evans. Please look for more details to come home in back packs. Also, we wanted to let everyone know the Math Beyond Numbers Class, to be held before school starting in October, is full and already has a wait list.
Thanks!
- Aimee Cupp and Kate Olney, PTG Co-Presidents

The Concord Carlisle Parents Initiative (CCPI) is a working subcommittee of the school Superintendent's Community Advisory Council on Student Health. We are not only a group of concerned parents, but have an official responsibility within the Concord Carlisle School District. Our by-laws specify two representatives from each elementary school, the middle schools and the high school. And we are still in need of representatives from Willard School.

CCPI meets once a month, currently scheduled at 9:30 AM on the third Wednesday in the Concord Public Library. (This time may change due to conflicts of scheduling this year). The elementary school representatives report on concerns and events at their respective schools, bring news of programs of relevance to parents back to their school communities and may be asked to support programs which CCPI decides to sponsor. Programs we have sponsored in the past have focused on Nutrition, Bullying, Sexuality and Positive Parenting. We are always looking for new ideas and programming that would be of value to our parent community.

Joining the CCPI board can be very informative and fun. It is a volunteer job that allows you to follow your interests while working with other dedicated and caring Concord/Carlisle parents. For more information, look at our website at www.ccpionline.org and/or contact Kathe Falzer (978) 369-6118 or lkfalzer@comcast.net or Regine Ryder (978) 318-1964 or acupoint.ryder@yahoo.com.

Make arrangements now to have a playdate with your buddy on Tuesday, September 22nd. Be at Alcott at 4:15 to catch the late bus back to METCO Inc.Questions? Contact Debbie Osofsky, debbieosofsky@hotmail.com, or Grace Ryan graceryan9@comcast.net. And please mark these dates on your calendar for future playdates:

• October 20
• November 17
• December 15
• January 19
• February 9
• March 16
• April 13
• May 18
• June 15
  

The Willard PTG will once again be offering a Family Photo Day fundraiser in association with Coffee Pond Photography. Family Photo Days will be held at the Old Manse in Concord on Saturday, October 17 (rain 10/18) and Sunday, October 25 (rain 11/8). The fee for participating in this event is $35, which is donated to the Willard PTG (an additional administrative fee of $35 is required at the time of booking). If you wish to participate, please send a check for $35 payable to the Willard PTG to:

Madeleine Pooler
49 Indian Pipe Lane
Concord, MA 01742

Please include your phone number on the check. After your check is received, you will be given instructions for scheduling your sitting with Coffee Pond Photography. Please contact Madeleine Pooler (madeleine@pooler.com) if you have any questions or need additional information.

Willard Pack 149 has two opportunities in September for boys in grades 1-5 to learn more about the scouts. New and returning scout families are invited to participate in an easy hike on September 20th at Fairhaven Bay on the Sudbury River (an easy hike) from Noon - 2 p.m. The kickoff Pack 149 meeting is September 24th from 7-8:15 p.m. at the Alcott School cafeteria (due to Willard construction). There will be entertainment for the boys and scout leaders on hand to answer questions. For more information, contact the Pack 149 Cubmaster, Drew Clarke at cubmaster149@gmail.com. Financial aid is available.

The Willard community is collecting school supplies and flip-flop/sandals for Honduras. Last year, Noel Solano-Gomez, a student in Jen Shea's kindergarten was here from Honduras for medical treatment follow-up. We are hoping to provide his community with much needed supplies to help with their educational needs, as well as, prevent illnesses and injuries. There will be a collection box outside the main office from Monday, September 21st through Friday, October 2nd. Thank you for your support.

On Friday, September 25, the CCHS Men's varsity soccer team will be playing Boston Latin @ 7pm at the turf field behind the High School in the Third Annual Lois Wells Memorial "Kicks for Cancer" Soccer Match with all proceeds donated to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. This night game is in memory of Concord resident Lois Wells, who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Lois is the mother of Steve Wells, who is the team's assistant coach and a 1998 graduate of CCHS. Tickets will be on sale at CCHS Back to School Night on September 24th and at the event. Raffle Tickets will also be available. We invite you and your family to join us on the evening of the 25th to watch a great soccer match and help support cancer research.

Milldam Nursery School is holding an Open House
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Time: 10:00 am -12:00 pm (BRING THE FAMILY!)
Location: FIRST PARISH CHURCH, 20 Lexington Road (in the back of the church)

Interested in cleaning house/facilitating re-use and recylcling? The Concord Family Network is holding a Kids' Stuff Tag Sale and is looking for sellers (as well as customers). Items to be sold include children's gently used clothing/toys/gear. The Tag Sale will be held Saturday, October 3, 2009, 8am-12noon (7am set-up), Thoreau Elementary School Cafeteria, $20 buy in fee for sellers (will cover site cost), $1 entry fee per family (will go to First Connections). If interested in selling, please contact CFNtagsale@concordfamilynetwork.org

Did you child just rent a violin, cello, or bass? Consider private instruction at The Concord Conservatory of Music as a means to supplement the group lesson at school. CCM also has private instruction for all levels in piano, voice, guitar and jazz. Group class registration is currently underway for the group voice class Broadway Babies, Singing for 11 & 12, as well as Group Keyboard and Early Childhood. For more information about any of these offerings please call 978-369-0010, or go to www.ConcordConservatory.org. CCM is located in the West Concord Union Church on 1317 Main Street.

The Center for Parents and Teachers is offering several Parenting Programs starting in October. Pre-register now to hold your place! Check out our new website at www.centerforparentsandteachers.org for ongoing program updates!

• "How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk" with Cyndie White, M.S/Parent Educator
  This perennial favorite is a five-part workshop that offers innovative ways to solve such common problems as: How to listen to and understand your child's concerns; how to have cooperation in your family without nagging; how to find alternatives to punishment; and how to help your child attain a positive self-image. Video clips are used as a jumping off point for discussion and to illustrate points. Presentation and discussion is overseen by a seasoned facilitator. This course fills up fast, so register early! For parents of children through age 9. 5 Friday mornings: October 16, 23, Nov 6, 13, 20, from 9:30 to11:00 AM, Ripley, Conference Room 1. Registration required. Fee: $110 (includes cost of workbook) Limited to 12. Please contact Angela at: amartinez@colonial.net or 978-202-1143 (new telephone number).
• "Raising Your Challenging Child" with Patricia Marquis, LicSW, Family Therapist and Parent Educator
  This 8-week series is for parents who often feel challenged by their 2 - 5 year-old child who is bright, interested in many things and also often uncooperative, who may have a hard time with basic activities such as mealtime and dressing. Challenging children can have a very difficult time transitioning from one activity to another, may struggle to develop appropriate interactions with peers, and may resist their parents' efforts to calm them during stressful episodes. In this group, parents will learn about the role of temperament in their parent-child interactions, and acquire tools to anticipate problems and make appropriate adaptations, easing day-to-day friction. 8 Consecutive Monday Evenings: Oct. 26, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Dec. 7, 14, from 7:00-8:30PM. Location TBA. No fee to attend. Pre-registration required. Limited to 12. Call First Connections at 978-287-0221 to register.

Back-To-School Shopping Event, September 17-19th -10% of Sales at Fritz and Gigi and Blue Donated to the Local School of Your Choice! Kick-Off Reception on Thursday, September 17th, 6:00 - 9:00 pm at Blue Dry Goods, 16 Walden St., Concord. Wine & Cheese Provided by The Concord Cheese Shop. Participating Schools/Organizations: Alcott, Thoreau, Willard, Carlisle Public School, The Fenn School, Concord Middle Schools, and the Concord Ed Fund. Donated sales includes any purchases made at Blue Dry Goods or Fritz & Gigi between September 17-19, 2009 when you mention this promotion.

Girl Scout registration will take place for all new and returning members who are not currently in a Girl Scout troop on Thursday evening September 17th 7:00pm- 8:30pm and Saturday September 19th from 10am-2:00pm at the Concord Scout House 74 Walden Street. Girls Scout membership is open to all adult and girls in kindergarten through grade 12. Registration requires a parent/guardian signature and an annual fee of $12 per registration. For more information call 978-287-5484.

The Friends of the Concord Free Public Library need your help. Every year, the Friends raise more than $50,000 to support the library. Children's programs, museum passes, movies, author talks, poetry readings, and concerts all are provided through Friends memberships and book sales. Right now, the Friends need volunteers to help with publicity, graphic design, and scheduling volunteers for author events. There are jobs large and small: If you have two hours, you could help sell books at an author talk. If you have more time, you could help with marketing for the book sales or moderate the Friends Facebook page. To volunteer or learn more, email friends@concordlibrary.org or call Claire Greene, (978)369-6285.

Playtime Theatre - Actors from Concord Youth Theatre, a local non-profit organization, will inspire you with their new and improved versions of familiar children's stories, complete with ample opportunities for audience participation. Outgoing audience members may even join the actors on stage to make their debut with a favorite song, joke or unusual trick or talent. So put on your performing hat and come play with us! Appropriate for all ages. Performances are most Saturdays at 10:30am, $5 per ticket. There are no advance sales for these shows. Go to the following link to see the show schedule: http://www.concordyouththeatre.org/HTML/playtime_theatre.htm