We're coming at you with an attitude of gratitude today! Hopefully, we can all spend a few days relaxing with friends and family this week.


Speaking of time with friends, have your kids told you about our new Buddy Table on the playground? The PTO purchased a Buddy Table this fall as a spot for kids to get a quiet break from the playground and spend time with a friend or as a place to make new friends! 


Did we say playground? We should also mention that we've replenished the playground equipment for recess, including 24 new sports balls of all types, hula hoops, jump ropes, quieter games for the new Buddy Table and more...plus handy storage carts to keep it all organized by wing.


And while we're sharing, we’ve also purchased books and Sanborn swag to be included in Welcome Bags for the newest Bulldogs who will arrive at our school mid-year.  


Gratitude is an understatement. None if of this would be possible without your donations – we cannot thank you enough!


As if that wasn't enough? Read on for a handful of updates on the haps for the rest of November and December.


Gobble Gobble, Bulldogs.

Let's celebrate...

Sanborn's 45th Annual Harvest Festival!


Harvest Festival is a tradition where Sanborn students give back to our community through activities that showcase their talents. This event and the activities leading up to it, help our children see that a strong, healthy community is vital for all of us and that they play an active and important role in bringing our community together.


This year, our Harvest Festival was a celebration of how we are all "Better Together". We came together to collect canned vegetable donations for Lazarus House’s St. Martha’s food pantry, which supplies emergency groceries to over 1,200 families each week.


Our Festival culminated in an all-school performance during the school day today, where members of Andover's Senior Center were invited to attend along with former teachers, administration, and members of Andover's first responder community. Due to space constraints, the performance was not open to parent/family attendance, it will be viewable by the whole community via an Andover TV link that will be shared very soon!


A warm thank you to the Sanborn staff, especially Mrs. Waddell and Mrs. Ricciardi, for bringing this event to life. And a HUGE shout out to our volunteer lead, Beth Frey, and her team, Becca Zoss and Lisa Dore. For two years in a row, Beth has brought this Sanborn tradition to life and we are immensely grateful.

Supporting our Community

While the holiday season brings us joy, for many of us it also brings worries and/or financial stress. We are partnering with Mrs. Cann to support Sanborn families through the donation of gift cards from Market Basket, Walmart or Target to help with holiday needs.


If you are a family in need OR would like to help contribute, please sign up by clicking one of the links below. All donations are given anonymously and recipients’ information will be kept in strict confidence.

If you need assistance please share your information, confidentially, here:

Sanborn Holiday Giving - Request for Assistance



If you would like to donate a gift card please sign up here:

Sanborn Holiday Giving - Sign Up to Donate


DID YOU KNOW?

The PTO brings enrichment activities to Sanborn?

In last month's newsletter, we shared our fundraising philosophy with you. This month, we want to update you on some of the Enrichment activities that we've been able to bring to our students through your donations!


  • Historical Perspectives - Abigail Adams: In October, our third graders enjoyed a performance about Abigail Adams, they were immersed in a multimedia learning experience that captivated the students and sparked their interest to explore more. The story started off with Abigail Adams as an adult and went back through her childhood and then back to an adult again.


  • Stone Zoo: Our fourth graders spent a day in October exploring Stone Zoo. With a fun scavenger hunt, they were able to learn about the zoo’s many animals, birds, insects and more. The day culminated with an engaging presentation from a zoo biologist on barred owls.


  • Discovery Museums Weather Program: Last week, our first graders had the opportunity to learn about the important role weather plays in daily life as they engaged in the practice of science and engineering by developing tools for forecasting and observing day-to-day changes and seasonal patterns over time. 


  • Up next: We're thrilled to welcome the "Mind Your Bu$iness" program to our fourth graders over four sessions starting at the end of November! In this program, our students will learn the basics of running a business by dividing into mock companies where they'll face business challenges and experience a variety of roles from CEO to Sales. They'll develop products, sell their goods and calculate their profits, while presenting and discussing for continuous improvement. The program will run on: 11/30, 12/7, 12/14, and 12/21


...and that's not the end! We have a lot more coming throughout the rest of the school year, including all-school enrichment programs and more opportunities for class-level experiences.


We couldn't do any of this without donations from you,

THANK YOU for your continued support.

📘 DIRECTORIES ARE COMING! 📘


As in the past, we will be sending out a Sanborn Directory (a list of names and family contact info)


A few new things this year:

  • There will be no cost for the directory.
  • In order to have your family's information in the Directory, you will need to "opt-in" via Aspen (see directions below) by December 1, 2023.
  • You will only receive the Directory if you are listed in the Directory. Contact information for the primary parent listed in Aspen will be shared.
  • We will not produce printed copies this year, we will email a PDF of the Directory to those who choose to participate.


If you would like to participate, please go to Aspen, click on "Family Connection-Back to School Forms" and ensure you've checked "Yes" on the 2nd question: "Do you wish to participate in a school based "Family Contact List...". Please do this for ALL children in your family.

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

🛍️🎁 SANBORN SHOPPING NIGHT 🛍️🎁

Celebrate Giving Tuesday with us at Learning Express Andover

on 11/28 at 6-8:30pm!


10% of every purchase made during this private shopping event will be donated back to the Sanborn PTO

If you're not able to join us for this event,

please consider making a donation directly to the PTO

Mark Your Calendar!

There's lots to look forward to and there's a lot to keep track of. 🫣


Don't worry, we've got you covered!


We put together a handy shared Google calendar for everything going on at Sanborn. We update it regularly so you will always have the most accurate info.

GET THE DATES

Don't have Google? No problem! We'll still share upcoming dates in our newsletters.

November


  • 11/21 - Harvest Festival (in-school)
  • 11/22 - Early dismissal
  • 11/23-11/24 - Sanborn closed
  • 11/28 - Sanborn Shopping Night at Learning Express (6-8:30p)

December


  • 12/1 - Directory opt-in deadline
  • 12/8 - Early dismissal
  • 12/8 - Sanborn Winter 🏀 at Merrimack (details to come soon)
  • 12/25-1/1 - Sanborn closed
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