September 22, 2024

BATES BLAST

Great to see so many friends at BTSN! We'll keep our update short and sweet, because this blast is a doozy, friends.

Central Council

We had our first Central Council meeting this week, where all the PTOs come together. We’ve been told this is the one meeting past prezies miss - and now we get it.

WPS elementary school enrollment is up!
We also learned that the WEF is funding some incredible resources for our schools, including holographic cadavers for the high school science program! 😯 How cool is that? And it’s just one more reason to support their efforts, like the upcoming Wellesley Spelling Bee.
Are you a spelling enthusiast? Come cheer on our team on November 13, 7pm at WHS! We’d love to see you there supporting a great cause.
Finally, Climate Control has been labelled a priority! Niki Ofenloch, a new member of the School Committee and Wellesley parent, is leading the charge. She emphasized that public comments at meetings and letters to members of both the School Committee and Town Meeting can make a real difference. If you're passionate about climate control (yes, we mean air conditioning) and have time to help, email us!

Jess Pratt + Nicole Schmidt

Co-Presidents, Bates School PTO 2024-25

batesptomail@gmail.com

KEY DATES

9/23 METCO Family Night at WHS
9/26 2nd Grade Social
9/27 1st Grade Social
10/3 Rosh Hashanah (no school)
10/5 Pumpkin Fair
10/8 Picture Day
10/11 3rd Grade Social
10/14 Indigenous Peoples Day (no school)
10/18 Movie Night
10/22 All Parent PTO Meeting
10/24 Kindergarten Social
12/5 Jingle Jam (K-2)

Printable Calendar

rev. 9.8.24

VOLUNTEER + GET INVOLVED

PTO Action Items:

On Thursday night, you learned how we invest our time and money – let us know if you have questions or great ideas. Or just clear out that to-do list by:

Signing up for a Pumpkin Fair volunteer shift (each family is required to sign up for one shift, and if you can’t, email Janet Griffin to help out in advance.)
Becoming a Monster Sponsor family
Connecting us to a Corporate Sponsor for Pumpkin Fair
Finally settling into the year and interested in volunteering? Check out our open roles here.

FAMILY EVENTS

Kindergarten social is 10/24, 7PM hosted by LAUFER FAMILY. First Grade social is 9/27 at 7PM, hosted by PINGPANK FAMILY. Second Grade social is 9/26 at 7PM hosted by KING FAMILY. Third Grade social is 10/11 at 7PM hosted by LALIBERTE FAMILY

GRADE SOCIALS

4th Grade Families - Let's keep this tradition going. We're still looking for a host(s) for the 4th grade Social. Find a friend to co-host, get creative, don't let grade 4 be left behind!

Email BatesPTOevents@gmail.com

BATES MOVIE NIGHT

Friday 10-18 at 6pm

Featuring Inside Out 2

PUMPKIN FAIR 2024 - OCTOBER 5, 12-4PM

13 DAYS TO GO!

We hate to be a buzz-kill, but as you know, the success of the Pumpkin Fair relies entirely on our dedicated parent volunteers—and we still have 100+ volunteer shifts open. Without sufficient staffing, we may have to scale back certain activities, which would be a great loss for our students and the school. Whether you can assist with games, help set up, or collect tickets at the bounce house, your contribution will make a difference.

If you haven’t signed up yet, now’s the time to jump in. Every shift helps make this event a success and ensures our children have a memorable experience.

Volunteer Sign-Up

BE A MONSTER FAMILY

A Pumpkin Fair Monster Sponsorship is a $100 cash donation (we happily accept more!) and is reserved for Bates families. By becoming a Monster Sponsor, you help cover key costs of the fair, including the pumpkin patch, haunted house, rides, and more.

Make Your Monster Donation Here!

MONSTER WALL OF FAME

Beaty Family

Benson Family

Burch Family

Byrne Family

Carpenter Family

Clifford Family

Domenicone Family

Green Shah Family

Griffin Family

Iorio Family

Kaplan Family

Kertzman Family

Laliberte Family

Lee Family

Melnitchouk Family

Micozzi Family

Norris Family

O'Toole Family

Pratt Family

Sateia King Family

Schmidt Family

Scott Family

Shapiro Family

Sullivan Family

Synborski Family

Toffling Family

Udeshi Family

Veilleux Family

Voris Family

Waclawsky Family

Williams Family

Young Gao Family

BATES MINI AUCTION

Get ready to bid on exciting items from the comfort of your home! We're adding a silent auction to this year’s Pumpkin Fair, featuring unique experiences, gift baskets, and local treasures. Every bid supports our school community and enriches our students' experiences.

The Bates Mini Auction is officially open and closes on 10/6 at 9 PM. Block your calendars for an 8 PM bidding war—let’s see who comes out on top! Happy bidding!

Bates Mini Auction is Live!

Questions about the auction can be directed to Lauren Scarpati by Email or Phone/Text

GOLD SPONSORS

HAPPY PUMPKIN SPONSORS

COMMUNITY NEWS

Fiske's Western Round-Up

Join us for our school's largest event, which will include rides, games, prizes, bouncy houses, arts and crafts, music, and more! There will be a full menu of pizza, hot dogs, snacks, beverages, and sweet treats available throughout the event. Everyone is welcome!

Saturday, September 28, 11am-3pm, Fiske Elementary School

School Committee Conversation

Bates parents and caregivers are invited to a virtual meeting with two members of the School Committee regarding current Committee activities. Principal Jolley and Superintendent David Lussier will also attend. School Committee Information

Thursday, September 26, 9-10am

Zoom Meeting Link

Academic Calendar Task Force

The Task Force is examining the inclusion of religious and cultural holidays in the WPS academic calendar. We strongly urge parents and caregivers to take 5-10 minutes to fill out this important and anonymous survey.

Survey closes Monday, September 23, 12pm

ACADEMIC CALENDAR TASK FORCE SURVEY

WPS Cell Phone Working Group

Wellesley Public Schools is seeking parents/guardians interested in serving on a new Cell Phone Working Group for the 2024-25 school year.

By May 2025, the Working Group will present a set of recommendations to the Superintendent of Schools for changes, as needed, in policies and/or practices for student use of cell phones and other smart devices. More Information + Meeting Dates

Submit this Google form by September 25 to express interest in participating.

Basic Rights Presentation: Understanding the IEP

Please join the Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN), the Wellesley SEPAC, and WPS for a free presentation and workshop. More Information.

Contact: pacwellesley@gmail.com

Monday, September 23, 6pm, Wellesley High School Library, Floor 3

The Bradford, Annual Subscription

Support student journalism at Wellesley High School by subscribing to the student publication, The Bradford. For only $25 you will receive all issues of The Bradford for the 2024-2025 academic year with zero delivery fee!

SUBSCRIBE HERE

Morses Pond Kids Trails Day with Cub Scout Pack 140

Children will look for treasure boxes using letterboxing (written clues). Refreshments served at the end of the activities. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Sponsored by Wellesley Trails Committee.

Saturday, September 21, 10-11:30am, Morses Pond beach parking lot

Wellesley Youth Basketball Association

Wellesley's Youth Basketball Association offers programs for grades K-12. Additional program details available online (click the links below):

Mini Raiders (Grades K-1) 12/7/24 -2/8/25
Hoops League (Grades 2-3) 12/7/24 -3/22/25
Hoops League (Grades 4-9) 1/18/24 -3/8/25

Fall TOPSoccer Grades K-12

US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a community-based training program for all athletes with intellectual, emotional, and or physical disabilities. The program strives to provide soccer opportunities for players to develop at their own pace in a safe, fun, and supportive/inclusive environment. More Information. Contact: Ben Aronson Bnaronson@icloud.com.

Sundays, September 8, 15, 22, 29, October 6, 20. 10:30-11:30am, Sprague Field

Wellesley Youth Hockey Association Learn To Play

Our Learn to Play (LTP) program is part of a multi-year introduction for those who are new to the sport of hockey. We encourage you to register your child born in 2019, 2020 or 2021 (or older kids who may want to skate for the first time) for the upcoming LTP program. We look forward to seeing you on the ice during the 2024-25 season!

Mondays: 5:10-6:10pm Coaches/Volunteers/Parent-led practice with direction from WYHA and USA Hockey
Fridays: 5-6pm Driscoll Skills every other week
Saturdays: 8:10-9:10am Cross-ice scrimmage

October 14, 2024-March 2025, Boston Sports Institute

Make your Annual Appeal donation here

BatesBlast@gmail.com | PTO Website | Bates + WPS Calendar