Willard Weekly 11/12/09

If you are having trouble reading this HTML newsletter, you can find it here on our web site.
banner

Willard School Newsletter

12 November 2009

Issue 10

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

NOVEMBER 2009
SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY
8	9	10 NO SCHOOL Professional Day & Conferences	11 NO SCHOOL Veteran's Day	12 Willard School Advisory Council, 6:30, Library MCAS Data Presentation, 7:00, Library	13 Superintendent's Tea, 3:30-5:00, Alcott Library (Rescheduled)	14
15	16 PTG Board Meeting, 12:30, Conference Room Deadline for Appeal prize drawing, 12:00	17 Early Release School Photo Retake Day METCO Late Bus	18	19 Green Committee Meeting, 9:30	20 Game Guru Training, 7pm	21
22	23	24	25 Half Day	26 NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving	27 NO SCHOOL	28

FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Working with School Resource Officer Detective Scott Camilleri, Willard School held it's annual Lockdown Drill on Monday. The Lockdown Drill is part of the district's Emergency Response Plan and provides staff and students with the opportunity to practice Lockdown Procedures. Each fall, teachers discuss safety protocols with students. Fire Drills are the most common safety protocol that we practice. The Lockdown Drill and a School Evacuation Drill are events that happen annually. Teachers prepared their students for the Lockdown Drill in a manner suitable for their grade level, explaining that there may be a time when we need to remain in a classroom for safety reasons. Practicing allows us to review the process. Students and staff did a great job. The drill began at 9:15 and ended shortly after 9:30.

Later this fall, we will schedule an Evacuation Drill with Detective Scott Camilleri. During an Evacuation Drill, students are transported by bus to the Sanborn Building. This drill provides practice with a quiet and orderly exit from the building. Following building egress protocols similar to a fire drill, students board buses and travel with their teachers to the Sanborn building. Upon arrival at Sanborn, students exit the buses and proceed to the auditorium where teachers take attendance. Students then board buses again for a safe return back to Willard. The
Evacuation Drill is facilitated by Detective Scott Camilleri as part of the safety protocol of the District Response Plan.

Many Willard students demonstrated concern for the well being of children in other parts of the world by participating in the Trick or Treat for UNICEF campaign. Thank you to Suzanne Hogan for organizing this program again this year.

The Fall Conference Day on Tuesday appeared to be quite successful. Hopefully, all parents were able to engage in productive conversations with their children's teachers. Spring Conferences will be held in a similar fashion with a Conference Day is April. First Semester Progress Reports will be issued in late January/early February.

Thanks to the generosity of the PTG, Willard will soon have a shade structure in place. A contractor was hired to prepare the site and a concrete pad was poured on Tuesday. In the next few days, technicians from Miracle Playground will begin the installation of the structure.

On November 12th at 6:30 (tonight), the Willard School Advisory Council will meet in the Willard Library. At 7:00 PM, I will present the 2009 Willard School MCAS Data to the SAC and to any interested parents. All parents are invited to attend.

As always, thank you for all you do for Willard School.
- Pat Fernandes

Kindly submit articles for inclusion in the Willard Weekly to the editor, Christine Evans, at willardweekly@willardptg.org
Deadline for submission is Wednesday at 4pm.

WILLARD NEWS AND EVENTS

PTG NEWS AND NOTES

The Willard PTG will hold its next Board meeting on Monday, November 16th at 12:30 in the Willard Conference Room. All Willard parents are welcome to attend. The current agenda is as follows:

Welcome (Cupp/Olney )
Principal Report (Fernandes)
- Nanae trip funding request
Treasury Report (O'Neil)
Fundraising (Kuchar/Mueller/Reed)
- Appeal Update/raffle drawing for winner of gift certificate
Communications (Evans/Waldron)
- Progress of website
- Room Parent Communication: parameters, responsibilities, gifts (Jennifer Clarke)
President Report (Cupp/Olney)
- Update PTG By-Laws - needs to be Reviewed and Updated - progress?
- Family Games Night, Friday December 4, from 6:30-8:00PM - help needed??
- Summary of PTG President's Meeting from last week
Additional Items for Discussion (All)

ANNUAL APPEAL UPDATE

Thanks to everyone who has already donated to the PTG's Annual Appeal - your generosity is greatly appreciated! And for those of you who haven't yet donated, there's just a few days left to be eligible to win $250 in "Gift of Concord" gift certificates. Send your donation to the school office by noon on Nov 16th (or donate online at www.shopwillard.org) to win!

LAST CALL FOR SCHOOL PHOTO RETAKE DAY

Last call to register for the optional School Photo Retake Day on Tuesday, November 17th. Please take advantage of this free service if you are unhappy with your child's photo. Retake registration instructions were included with your child's photo package. Contact Jennifer Clarke at jbp.clarke@yahoo.com or 978.369.0910 to register. Thanks.

METCO LATE BUS - NOV 17th

The next METCO late bus is Tuesday, Nov. 17th. We hope you will able to arrange a playdate with your buddy/buddies. Other Concord families are reminded that they can invite Boston students over for playdates on these days even if they are not part of the Family Friends program. Concord families are reminded to bring the kids to the Alcott school by 4:15 p.m. to meet the bus to Boston. Boston families are reminded to meet their children at the METCO, Inc. office (Dimock St, Roxbury) at 5:20 p.m. The next late bus date is Tuesday, Dec. 15th. If you have questions, please let us know.
- Debbie Osofsky (debbieosofsky@hotmail.com) Grace Ryan (graceryan9@comcast.net), Willard Family Friends Committee

GREEN COMMITTEE MEETING - NOV 19th

Please join the Willard Green Committee on Thursday, Nov. 19th at 9:30 at Willard School. This a great chance to learn about the green elements of the new building, share your ideas for this year's green programs and get involved in promoting green practices at Willard. Whether you are already "living green" or just want to learn more, all are welcome. Bring a friend! Questions or to be added to the Green Committee email list, please contact Michelle Ernst at mpernst@comcast.net

STILL A FEW MORE GAME GURUS NEEDED

We are still in need of five (or more) parent volunteers to become Game Gurus for Family Game Night on Dec. 4th! Being a Game Guru involves learning how to play several GameWright games in a particular age group and then teaching others how to play on Family Game Night. Guru training will be held on Friday, Nov. 20th at 7 p.m. Please contact us if you are able to help or would like additional information. Thanks!
- Debbie Osofsky (debbieosofsky@hotmail.com, 978-287-5945) and Kathi O'Neil (kathioneil@gmail.com, 978-369-5336)

COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS

PRESENTATION ABOUT TALKING WITH YOUR KIDS

"7 Things Your Teenager Won't Tell You... and How to Talk About Them Anyway"
Parents, don't wait until the time comes when you have to say, "Oh! I wish I had heard this earlier!" Now is the time to learn effective communication techniques and healthy limit setting so you will be prepared when the teenage years arrive. Author and national lecturer, Jenifer Marshall Lippincott returns to offer parents of children of all ages sound, concrete advice about how to keep the lines of communication open and to foster a positive relationship with their teens (and soon-to-be teens). A simple plan for talking to teenagers is proposed, based on a set of three rules: Teens need to stay safe, show respect, and keep in touch. Learn more at an evening presentation for parents on Monday, November 16th, 7-8:30PM at the CCHS Auditorium. For more information, click here.

CONCORD ORCHESTRA - DEC. 6th

The Concord Orchestra presents a Family Concert on December 6, at 1:30 and 4:00 pm at 51 Walden Street. For additional info click here and to order tickets: www.concordorchestra.com or call 978-369-4967. Stookey The Composer is Dead. Children's author Lemony Snicket's mystery story narrated by WBZ's Lisa Hughes leads us through the Inspector's interrogation of the orchestra for clues to the Composer's demise. Richard Pittman, Music Director. Anderson Christmas Festival. Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik by the Concord Middle School Orchestra, Anna Anderson, director.