Dear P.A.W.S. Families,
DONATE ALL YOUR EXTRA CANDY
Gather all of your extra Halloween candy (and the extra candy from your friends and neighbors) and bring it to P.A.W.S. for Wellesley Dental Group’s 11th annual Candy Drive! Each year, area schools collect extra Halloween candy and give it to the Wellesley Dental Group, who then send the candy to our troops. The school that donates the most candy receives a $1,000.00 donation to their PTO! The drive runs from Thursday, November 1 – Thursday, November 8th. Gather as much candy as you can, and put it in the donation boxes in the front hall at P.A.W.S..
Coffee and tea with ‘Becca – Thursday, November 15, 2018
Join me for coffee and tea on the third Thursday of the month for a visit and a chat! This month, Dr. Terry Weksel, P.A.W.S. School Psychologist, will join us to discuss, Anxiety: How it Might Manifest in Young Children and Related Parenting Strategies. We are working to set up a video conference call, so those parents who are not able to attend in person, might be able to join us remotely! More information to come!
Putting It All Together Workshop – Friday, December 7, 2018 – 9:00am – 10:30am – Evite (http://evite.me/UTmHpfKjC7)
For parents of children with identified special needs, there can be a lot of paperwork to understand, file, and organize. Join parent Rose Nolan and Director Rebecca Zieminski, for a Make-And-Take workshop – where you will be given a binder, page protectors, and MANY helpful tips to help you organize your piles of special education paperwork, and learn about navigating different aspects of special education in the public school!
Please RSVP to this LINK Evite (http://evite.me/UTmHpfKjC7) to help us plan for and prepare for the correct number of sets of materials to share. Each year this is a highly valued workshop, by the parents who attend. If you can’t join us in person, we are working on setting up a conference call, to ensure parents who are not able to come in, will still have access to the information and many amazing tips, from an experienced parent! You won’t want to miss this!
Sharing Family Traditions
We love to have parents and family members come to P.A.W.S. to share family traditions in the classrooms! As each family shares their special and meaningful songs, stories, traditions, and activities, every child’s learning experience is enriched and enhanced. There is so much thoughtfulness, love, and care shared during these special class presentations and the lessons taught, make lasting impressions. Next in this newsletter, you will read about an exciting opportunity for YOU to come and share some of your special family traditions at our Night of Sharing Family Traditions and favorite Desserts, on December 7th! We encourage you to join us at this annual event, and connect with your child’s classroom teacher to arrange a time to share in your child’s class, as well!
Save the Date! December 7 – Family Traditions Dessert Night at P.A.W.S. Evite (http://evite.me/4wu4X9MbnX)
Last year we started a new P.A.W.S. Tradition – our Night of Sharing Family Traditions and favorite Desserts! It was so well attended, and delicious, we are eagerly looking forward to the event again this year, on December 7th at P.A.W.S., from 6:00 pm until 8:00pm! All families are invited and we hope you’ll bring a favorite family dessert to share.
Prior to the event, a luminary bag will be sent home for students to decorate and return to school before the event. The luminary bags will be used to light the walkway into P.A.W.S. the night of the event. We will gladly accept all decorated bags, and if you are able, we ask for a $10 donation for each luminary to help fund activities at P.A.W.S..
Click HERE for the Evite (http://evite.me/4wu4X9MbnX) and RSVP and let us know how many people from your family will attend the event and what dessert you are planning to bring, and what tradition it represents. Please remember no nuts! Children are invited to come in their pajamas or come as they are. We will also be showing the movie A Snowy Day based on the book by Ezra Jack Keats.
P.A.W.S. CARE TEAM
At this time of year, we often gather together and give thanks for all that we have and we are also reminded to think of those who are working hard and yet may be struggling to make ends meet. Sometimes, a little loving assistance from friends can help make a difference. The P.A.W.S. Care Team, along with the Fiske and Schofield School Care Teams, work together helping those who are in need in our school community. The P.A.W.S. Care Team is comprised of volunteers who would like to lend a hand. The Care Team will send out emails to those who ask to be on the Care Team email distribution list, and will be alerted when someone in our community needs assistance or support. If you would like to join the P.A.W.S. Care Team, please send an email to pawsoffice@wellesleyps.org or send a note to your child’s classroom teacher with the email address you would like us to use to contact you. Thank you in advance for your caring and support!
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This image of Mickey Mouse wearing a one piece jumper, cutting off the top half, and sharing it with Winnie the Pooh, reminds me of the work of the P.A.W.S. Care Team. We offer what we have and what we can, to show another we care.
Thank you for your giving and for your kindness!
World Kindness Day November 13, 2018 The purpose of World Kindness Day is to highlight good deeds in the community, focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness that binds us. |
Current P.A.W.S. Community Needs: Food Cards to Roche Brothers, Stop & Shop, Market Basket, or WalMart; Gas Cards (to any local gas stations), boys size 4T and 5T winter clothing (warm sweaters/sweatshirts, shirts, pants, pajamas – two piece sets and/or one piece, socks, slippers (size 10) and mittens). All donated items can be brought to the school office. Gift cards can be dropped in the P.A.W.S. CARE TEAM mailbox in the front office. Thank you in advance for your kindness and support!
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is celebrated November 13 – The purpose of World Kindness Day is to highlight good deeds in the community, focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness that binds us. This day serves as a reminder to be kind to others, but being kind certainly does not begin and end on November 13.
I saw a sign posted in a yard recently that said, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” and I thought about the many ways we teach our students at P.A.W.S., including teaching our children to be kind and caring members of a community. There are many Kindness Activities you can research online for fun ideas to do with your preschooler or school age children. HERE is one idea you can try at home, that reminds me of the Kind and Caring hearts our students earn in their classrooms.
A former P.A.W.S. parent shared a strategy she used, in helping to teach kindness to her child. Each day, this parent would ask her child, “What did you do today that was kind, caring or helpful?” This elevated and thoughtful version of, “How was your day?” served as an intentional and mindful practice this parent utilized to underscore the value she placed on being kind and caring. She would also help her child notice or recognize others being kind and caring at school, at the store, at the library, or around town. The focus of the parent’s question – What happened today that was kind or caring? Or What did you do or see that was kind or caring today? sends a very different message as compared to asking: What did you do today? Or Did you have fun today?
Many of our teachers make it a point to recognize and name kind, caring, and helpful behavior in the classroom, and the children begin to learn what kindness is and how they can practice and share it! Now, more than ever, it seems we need to be actively teaching, reinforcing, and practicing kind and caring behavior in our homes, in our schools, and in our communities. As your child’s first teacher, we thank you for partnering with us in raising kind, inclusive, and caring citizens!
Best,
‘Becca Z.
Important Dates:
Tuesday, Nov. 6 Early Release – Classes dismiss at 11:45 for Parent-Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, Nov. 7 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Monday, Nov. 12 Veterans’ Day – No School
Thursday, Nov. 15 Coffee and Tea with ‘Becca – 9:00am Special Guest Speaker – Dr. Terry Weksel
Wednesday, Nov 21 Early Release Day – All classes at PAWS dismiss at 11:45
Thursday, Nov. 22-26 No School – Thanksgiving Recess
Monday, Nov. 26 No School – Professional Development Day
Friday, December 7: Please RSVP for both events through the Evites listed in this message.
1. Putting It All Together – (9:00am-10:30am) A Binder Making Workshop, Providing Support to Families of Children with Special Needs (All materials provided through the generosity and support of the P.A.W.S. PTO) Evite (http://evite.me/UTmHpfKjC7)
2. Winter Traditions Dessert Night – (6:00pm-8:00pm) An evening for P.A.W.S. families to gather together and share their family’s favorite traditional winter desserts on Friday night! This event is free and open to all P.A.W.S. families! Evite (http://evite.me/4wu4X9MbnX)