Dear Sprague Community,
We had a fun school gathering on Friday to raise awareness for the need to support those affected by recent hurricanes and the earthquake in Mexico. Many thanks to Sprague Community Service Chair, Peggy Collier for coordinating donations that sponsored our dancing ‘Spraguers.’ Thanks also to Brian Hagar-McKee for teaching and leading the dances. Check us out in the Swellesley Report.
School Security
I’d like to share a bit about the security drill that all staff participated in last Wednesday. As you know, we take our responsibility for safety very seriously and have many plans in place for responding to both daily concerns and also unexpected emergency situations. We have a school based Crisis Team that meets regularly to discuss possible scenarios. We have school plans for Lockdown situations, Shelter in Place situations, and evacuations. We work closely with the Wellesley Police and Fire Department on these plans. Last Wednesday’s drill was part of our planning. We appreciated your cooperation in leaving the school and grounds clear so the drill could take place. Over the summer, we had some upgrades in the classrooms and now have flip locks on all classroom doors. This makes the possibility of locking classroom doors in an emergency much simpler. A more likely scenario is the Shelter in Place. We would use this procedure in the event of a medical emergency where we would want students to remain in classrooms and not be in hallways. Shelter in Place simply means that students stay put. In the unlikely event of an evacuation, our relocation site is Wellesley Middle School. As we have said, the Wellesley Public School trainings have focused on being sure staff are prepared to lead in emergency situations and make good decisions. We will keep you posted about our security upgrades and let you know when the security cameras are operational and our new card system entry for staff is complete. We will also have enhanced communication capabilities with a new PA system.
21st Century Skills– Boston Improv
This Friday, we will have a program for students in grades 1-5 from Boston Improv. It will focus on the 4C’s—communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity—all components of 21st century learning skills. This program is being paid for by our PTO and supported by the Creative Arts Committee. We chose this Improv program because it promotes collaboration, encourages students to take risks (growth mindset), helps students practice listening skills, and develop empathy.
WPS Climate Survey
In the next week, families will receive an email with a survey link. Please take the time to complete this survey to help us assess school and community climate around issues relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion. WPS has engaged Kingston Bay Group, an independent organization to help us with this work. WPS is committed to its core values of commitment to community and respect for human differences. We hope the survey results will help us to build an even stronger community.
Parent Conferences
Parent/Teacher conferences will take place in November. Look for your communication from your child’s teacher if you haven’t already signed up for a conference.
Peer Mentoring
The Peer Mentoring program pairs selected Wellesley High School students with interested Sprague students in grades 3-5. Once a week, high school mentors come to Sprague to help students with homework and other needs. This is a great opportunity for your child to receive additional help with homework after school on a regular basis! It also allows children to build a positive and supportive relationship with a local high school student.
For Whom: Sprague students in grades 3-5
Where and When: At Sprague every Monday from 3:05pm to 4:00pm. This program will run from October 23rd-November 20th. These are the scheduled dates for the program: Mondays: Oct. 23, 30; Nov. 6, 13, 20.
Note: The program will take place in Ms. Blumenthal’s room (Room 113). Ms. Blumenthal and Ms. Viscomi will be supervising each Monday. Your child may bring a snack if they would like.
If you are interested in having your child participate, please email Ms. Blumenthal (blumenthall@wellesleyps.org).
Pick up will occur at 4:00 p.m. sharp in car line.
Dates to remember:
Oct. 10: Fall Festival from 5-7 PM
Oct. 12: PTO meeting
Oct. 13: Boston Improv –4C’s Grades 1-5
Oct. 17: Walk to School Day
Oct. 24-26: Scholastic Book Fair at Sprague
Oct. 31: Halloween Parade