Tuesday, March 14, 2017
HOOT'S HAPPENINGS

THIS WEEK
MAR 14           Snow Day!
MAR 16           LPS Kindergarten Orientation

UPCOMING
MAR 23           Fiske PTO Science Fair
APR 05-06       School Conferences - 12:15 Dismissal
APR 07            Parents Night Out
APR 12-13       School Conferences - 12:15 Dismissal

PTO NEWS AND EVENTS

PARENTS' NIGHT OUT - SPRING AWAKENING
Friday, April 7
7:30 - _10:00 pm
Stacey and Dan Raiche's home
12 Glen Road, Lexington
Free

Space is limited so RSVP by Tuesday, April 4 at fiskeschoolpto.org/Spring
 
Join us for a Spring night to reconnect with Fiske Parents at the home of PTO board member, Stacey Raiche. Bring a beverage of your choice. 


LEXINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS - SEEKING PARENT PARTICIPATION
LPS SEEKING PARENTS FOR COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION 

LPS has asked the PTO to seek Parent representative(s) on two (2) different committees being formed.   
  1. Food Service Program - LPS will have a committee to  assist in reviewing submitted RFPs by vendors seeking the Schools' Food Programs.  The existing vendor's contract will expire in June.  The committee will have additional stakeholders as members.   [1 Candidate]
  2. School Start Times Task Force - LPS will be evaluating changing school start times for the district.  This may mean a later start time at LHS and an earlier start at elementary schools or the district might move all schools to some other configuration.  This group will start on Wednesday, March 22.  [2 candidates]
As the timing for this participation is very near term, we will need to fill the roles immediately.  If you are interested, please send an email to fiskeschoolpto@gmail.com.  Please include your name and contact information as well as a short note on why you are interested.  Please be sure to indicate which committee you are submitting your name for in the subject line.

WHOOS HELPING!
LEGOS FOR AFRICA DONATION DRIVE - THANK YOU

Thanks to everyone from the Fiske community for sponsoring our first ever Legos for Africa donation drive.  

Fiske families were incredibly generous!  Earlier this month, with the PTO's help, we shipped:
10 Extra large boxes, 
Containing over 200 bags,
And over 300,000 individual Lego pieces

All donations will be sent to needy kids in Africa through a worthy charity called  Play Well Africa.  To learn more about them and their amazing mission, check out this video


COACHES NEEDED FOR FOR FIT GIRLS!
 
The Fiske PTO is excited to bring you FIT Girls -  a running club for girls!   This after-school program combines training for a 5k road race with reading and community outreach. 

Registration for this program will occur in March 2017, but in order to launch this program we need Coaches!

  • Anyone can coach!  You do NOT need to be a runner, you just need to show up and encourage the girls with a positive attitude.  
  • Fiske FitGirls will run 6 - 8 weeks from April - June.
  • 2  practices/week after school (3:15 - 4:30 pm) on Wednesdays and Fridays. 
  • Practice will be at Fiske, ideally outside on the fields by the playground
  • Current CORI volunteer form MUST be on file with the Fiske Main Office.
  For more information on Fit Girls go to  www.fitgirls.org

To volunteer as a Coach, please contact Head Coach & Coordinator Vanessa Keeney at vanessakeeney@gmail.com by Friday, March 10.

COMMUNITY NEWS
THE GIFT OF FAILURE
Tuesday, March 21
7:00 pm
Estabrook Elementary

Estabrook Elementary School is hosting Jessica Lahey, author of the New York Times bestselling book,  The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. This talk is open to the entire Lexington community. Adults and high-school aged children are welcome and encouraged to attend. Attending this event is FREE, however attendees will be asked to register to ensure space. Registration is open at  EstabrookSpeakerSeries.eventbrite.com

In support of Ms. Lahey's speaking event, The Estabrook PTO will be hosting a  discussion  of  The Gift of Failure  on March 7th from 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m  at Estabrook school.  To participate in the  discussion , please register at this link:  BookClub_registration  by February 17th. We will use that list to communicate details about the  discussion Cary Library has held several copies of the book for checkout.  Copies are also for sale at all major  book  vendors .

Please note: registration for the  book discussion does NOT guarantee a spot at the evening presentation by Ms. Lahey. Attendees must register separately for the presentation once the registration link is made available.

Questions? Email  estabrook.spc@gmail.com. For more references and enrichment activities, visit  estabrookpto.org/gift-of-failure.

LEXINGTON 20/20 VISION COMMITTEE - TOWN SURVEY
March 13-March 31

Please share your thoughts and expectations on what you would like Lexington to be by completing the Lexington Town-Wide survey accessed at http://www.lexingtonma.gov/2020survey.This survey is performed every five years and helps Town officials determine what our residents want and need for town services and policy. 
 
  The survey site will accept responses from March 13 to March 31, 2017.  Hard and translated (Korean, Mandarin) copies of the survey forms will also be available at the Cary Library, the Lexington Community Center and other public venues in town.  
 
The Lexington 20/20 Vision Committee is working on the possibility of  engaging a cross-section of survey respondents in focus groups on the various topics covered.  At the end of the survey, you will have an opportunity to indicate your interest in participating in such a future focus group.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON RACIAL JUSTICE
Sponsored by the Lexington Human Rights Committee
Thursday, March 30, 2017
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Parish Hall, Sacred Heart
718 Mass Ave, Lexington
 
Bring your hearts and minds to this conversation on racial justice in Lexington and workshop on what we can do to have a meaningful impact on the lives of those living and working in our town.  

STAND FOR RACIAL JUSTICE AND AGAINST RACISM.  Share stories and explore how you and your neighbors can work together to build a more racially just community.  For more information visit the Lexington Area Interfaith Community Facebook page.  

STRENGTHENING FAMILIES DEALING WITH ADDICTIONS
Free Supportive Education Group for Parents
First Monday of every month - 4/3, 5/1 and 6/5
7:00-8:30PM
Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road

Facilitated by LPS Prevention Specialist Julie Fenn, LICSW & Youth and Family Social Worker Kristie Demirev, LICSW

  • Open to all parents
  • Can be any kind of addiction (Alcohol, substances, gaming, etc.)
  • Can be parent of child with peers dealing with addiction
  • guest speakers
  • Talk to other parents
  • Share experiences
  • Gain resources

For more info contact:
 Julie Fenn, LICS 781-861-2320 or   jfenn@sch.ci.lexington.ma.us
  Kristie Demirev, LICSW 781-698-4843  or  kdemirev@lexingtonma.gov


LEXINGTON YOUTH LACROSSE - SPRING REGISTRATION
Grades 1 and 2 - Boys and Girls
 
Lexington Youth Lacrosse is excited to invite all first and second graders to join us for our Spring Lacrosse Season. NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH LACROSSE IS NECESSARY! 
 
Our Boys and Girls programs are dedicated to introducing, teaching, and expanding youth lacrosse in Lexington, through a fun and instructional environment that teaches individual athleticism as well as teamwork. Sessions are on Sundays afternoons, from April 2nd  through June 18th at Lincoln Fields (no session Easter & Memorial Day weekend).  Come out and join many of your classmates from Bowman, Bridge, Estabrook, Fiske, Harrington, and Hastings!
 
To register for the spring session, please visit:  http://lexingtonlax.org/Registration/Default.asp?org=lexingtonlax.org
 
If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. We hope to see you in the spring!
 
Rob Lyng (Boys Grade 1 and 2)  rob_lyng@yahoo.com
Matt Arnold (Girls Grade 1 and 2) mharnold1@outlook.com

SUSTAINABLE LEXINGTON - ENERGY CHALLENGE
Sustainable Lexington, is hosting the Lexington Energy Challenge.  The coordinator is seeking interested people to contact her. The challenge will encourage Lexington households to sign up for home energy audits.  The company which has been retained for the audits, Home Works, will donate $15 to the house's selected Lexington Public school for each audit. Please contact Lin Jensen at linsbridge@gmail.com.   

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