Sent: August 4th and August 16, 2023

 

Dear Sprague/Hunnewell Families,

This is always the big day!  Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year.  The Sprague/Hunnewell staff and I are most excited to welcome everyone back to school.

 Welcome Kindergarten Families and New Families

  • Welcome to all new kindergarten students and families!

  • Welcome to all new Sprague students and families!

 

Welcome Back, Hunnewell Students/Families

  • We consider ourselves lucky to have our Hunnewell students/families return as they are and will always be a part of us!  

 

Best Wishes to….!

  • Keith Malament, grade 5 teacher, on his new position in Belmont Public Schools

  • Kate Connolly, grade 2 teacher, on her pursuit of new professional opportunities

  • Katy Andrus, social worker/school adjustment counselor, on her new district-wide position as a WPS social worker

  • Mikayala LaFleur, art teacher, on her new position as a ceramics instructor in a studio

  • Jaymee Mannix, EL teacher, will be part time at Sprague and part time at Schofield

  • Michelle MacLeod, reading paraprofessional, on her new assignment across town to Fiske

  • Jessica Bangs, teaching assistant, on her move to western MA

  • Miranda Alpert, teaching assistant, on her new pursuits

  • Katie Wilson, teaching assistant, on her special education teacher role in Arlington

  • Roxanne Scott, librarian, on her move back to the Hunnewell librarian (will stay at Sprague to teach Hunnewell classes)

  • Cristina Alvaro-Sanchez, Spanish teacher, on her move back to Hunnewell (will stay at Sprague to teach Hunnewell classes)

  • Lisa Mortarelli, literacy coach, on her return to Hunnewell at Bates

  • Suzanne Colangeli, Hunnewell grade 4 teacher, on her move to Hardy School

  • Kristine Perodeau, Hunnewell grade 4 teacher, on her move to Hardy School

  • Lisa Cannon, Hunnewell grade 2 teacher, on her move to Upham

  • Megan Conroy, Hunnewell grade 2 teacher, on her leave of absence to be with her young family

  • Heidi Anderson, Hunnewell special education teacher, on her move to Hardy

Welcome New Sprague/Hunnewell Staff!

  • Welcome to the Hunnewell staff:  

Grade 3: Anna McGrath and Cecily D’Esopo

Grade 5: Heather Haskell and Marcia Sullivan

Special Educators: Julie Kennedy, Ryan St. Aubin

Behavior Interventionist: Vanessa Bussberg

Teaching Assistants: Maggie Valarioti and Rose Garron 

Specialists:  Peter Knapp, Roxanne Scott, Cristina Alvaro-Sanchez

 

  • Welcome to the NEW Sprague staff:

Rebecca Venuto, kindergarten teacher

Elizabeth/Liz Pereillo, Sprague librarian

Brian Corey, art teacher from Wellesley High School, teaching only Sprague students

Karalyn Kickham, social worker/school adjustment counselor

Justine Ferguson, English Language teacher from Hardy School

Sara Bartelloni, Literary Coach from Upham

Marcie Mann, reading paraprofessional

Jocelyn Habib, Upham Spanish teacher teaching two Sprague kindergarten classrooms

Maggie Tensen, teaching assistant 

Mallory Ruth, teaching assistant

Madison Lehr, teaching assistant

Isabella Leonardi, teaching assistant

 

Sprague Grade Level Assignments

  • Sprague will be a 15 section school once again – a 19 section school with the Hunnewell community

Kindergarten (3 sections)

  • Genie Madden

  • Emma Kondrotas (formerly McLean)

  • Rebecca Venuto – Welcome!

First Grade (2 sections)

  • TBA

  • Dara Gaul

Second Grade (2 sections)

  • Louisa Blumenthal – Welcome!

  • Alee Rogers

Third Grade (2 sections)

  • Jen Lundbohn

  • Kristan Fiore

  • Cecily D’Esopo (Hunnewell) – Welcome!

  • Anna McGrath (Hunnewell) – Welcome!

Fourth Grade (3 sections)

  • Jill Rogers (formerly Heckman)

  • Taryn Drake

  • Jill Ameral – Welcome!

Fifth Grade (3 sections)

  • Nancy Bentley

  • Ellen Banthin

  • Moe Henzel – Welcome!

  • Heather Haskell (Hunnewell) – Welcome!

  • Marcia Sullivan (Hunnewell) – Welcome!

Parent Portal Access – Important Dates

Wed 8/16/23

Communication 2: Open Parent Portal at 12:00 noon for Annual Student Data Review
   

 

Wed 8/23/23

Communication 3: 

  • Teachers’ Class Letters – teachers will begin communications with new classrooms/students/families 

Wed

8/30/23

First Day of School

  • School Begins for all students

Parent Portal Opening Directions

  • Please follow the link below (and above) as it outlines how to access the PowerSchool parent Portal once it is open on August 16th at noon

  • Parent Portal Opening Information

First Day of School/September Dates

  • August 30th                                 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL – ½ day – 12:00 pm

  • August 30th – September 8th     Kindergarten ½ Days – Dismissal at 12:00 pm

  • September 4th                             Labor Day – No School

  • September 11th                           Full Day Kindergarten Begins

  • September 14th                           Back-to-School Night @ 6:00 pm

  • September 20th                           Walk-to-School Day

  • September 25th                            Yom Kippur – No School

  • September 26th                            TreeTop Adventures – 5th Grade Only

  • October 2nd – 6th                         Book Fair

  • October 3rd                                  Walk-to-School Day

  • October 9th                                   Indigenous Peoples Day – No School

  • October 19th                                 Picture Day

  • November 2nd                              Parent/Teacher Conferences – ½ Day

  • November 3rd                               Walk-to-School Day

  • November 10th                             Veterans’ Day – No School

  • November 22nd                            ½ Day – Thanksgiving Break

  • November 23rd-24th                    Thanksgiving – No School 

  • November 27th                             Professional Development Day – No School 

  • December 7th                               Walk-to-School Day

  • December 25th-January 1st        December Break – No School 

First Day of School Opening Ceremony

  • Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 30, 2023 for our First Day of School Opening Ceremony

  • 8:30 am to approximately 8:45 am

  • Sprague Field – weather permitting

  • OPENING DAY CEREMONY 2023

  • All are encouraged to join!

 

Back-to-School Night

  • Thursday, September 14, 2023 – Back-to-School Night at 6:00 pm

  • Additional details will be forthcoming

  • 6:00 – 6:30 pm for grades K, 1, and 2

  • 6:35 pm – 6:55 pm – Principal Presentation in the gym for all

  • 7:00 pm – 7:30 pm for grades 3, 4, and 5

 

2023-2024 Academic Calendar

 

Afternoon Pick Up/Dismissal App – PUP Patrol

  • Pick Up Patrol – PUP – is an app that all elementary schools ask families to use to record daily dismissal plans along with daily attendance records/data

  • I please ask that all Sprague and Hunnewell families use this helpful and efficient procedure regardless of dismissal choices – the goal is to identify students’ dismissal plans on a daily basis 

  • Please review the flyer LINK below

  • PickUp Patrol Parent Flyer

  • The week of August 21st, an email is set to come directly from PUP Patrol – the email will come from this sender along with this subject line (directly below) – once received, please follow the instructions for access and use

From: pickuppatrol@pickuppatrol.net

Subject: It’s Time to Set Up Your PickUp Patrol Account

Daily Attendance Reporting Form

 

Kindergarten and New Sprague Families 

  • Kindergarten students, please come visit your classroom and classroom teacher!

  • Tuesday, August 29th

  • 2:30 – 3:00 pm – please meet in the kindergarten classrooms – please use the main entrance and you will be directed to your assigned kindergarten classroom

  • New Sprague Families (including kindergarten families who did not receive a tour in May), please come for a tour of Sprague!

  • Tuesday, August 29th

  • 2:00 – 2:30 pm – please meet in the main lobby

  • Kindergarten students and New Sprague Families, please join for a PTO-sponsored Popsicle Party!

  • Tuesday, August 29th

  • 3:00 pm – Sprague Playground

 

Walk-to-School Day Dates

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Friday, November 3, 2023

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Friday, January 5, 2024

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

 

Sprague PTO

  • The Sprague staff and I are most grateful for the active and unwavering support of the Sprague PTO!

  • If you are interested in volunteering and joining the Sprague Board, please reach out as we would be thrilled to have you

Co-Presidents:  Rose Nolan and Wendy Englebardt

Vice President:  Ezra Englebardt

Treasurers:  Hande Alparslan and Jill Wells

Creative Arts and Sciences: Carolyn Kornwitz

Secretary:  Ceren Bayulgen

Communications:  Liz Sower

Social Co-Chairs:  Dena Giggie and OPEN POSITION

Social Media Chair:  Nicole Katz

Spirit Wear Chair:  OPEN POSITION

Raffle Chair:  Bryanne Tartamella and Sneha Patel

Yearbook Coordinator:  OPEN POSITION

METCO Liaisons:  Kasia Schwarzman and Nicole Katz

Walk-to-School Coordinators:  Ezra Englebardt and Alex Baker

Green Team:  Tomoe Harrison and OPEN POSITION

Sprague Garden Masters:  Tomoe Harrison and OPEN POSITION

Transportation Questions

 

Before School Program

 

WCCC Programming

 

Sprague Insiders’ Guide

 

Massachusetts School Lunch Programs – Great News!

  • After much deliberation, the state legislature has approved funding for universal free school meals next school year and made universal free school meals permanent! 

  • Pending Governor Healey’s signature, Massachusetts is set to become the eighth state to make universal free meals permanent

  • This is a historical day for child nutrition and a reflection of the significance of school nutrition programs

  • Importantly, the cycle of uncertainty regarding universal free school meals is over as it is now codified into state law

  • This is a significant investment in student wellness and supported by all three branches of state government.

 

New Sprague Playground!

  • I am so excited to share that Sprague will be receiving a new playground structure replacing the 20+year original structure

  • The replacement work has begun and it is creeping along

  • We can all look forward to a new, innovative structure upon our return!

Refurbished Gym Floors

  • Also a work-in-progress is our new gym floors!

  • Please keep a careful eye out for a new addition/something exciting as part of the new floors

 

The Sprague staff and I are most excited for the start of the 2023-2024 school year!  Welcome back

Leigh

Welcome Back!