The Saugatuck Scoop
Saugie’s Checklist:
🎃 Fifth Grade Jack O’Lantern Contest details below!
👻 Halloween Boo Bash tickets are going fast and we need your help!
🍪 Election Day Bake Sale… remember: EVERYBODY loves a cookie.
➕➖✖➗ It all adds up… to Math Night!
Save the Date:
October 25th | Author Matt Tavares visits SES |
October 26th, 9:30-10:30am | Special Ed Sip-n-Chat |
October 26th, 7:30pm | “A Conversation with the Superintendent” in BMS Auditorium |
October 27th, 9:30am | ArtSmart Workshop @ Westport Library |
October 27th or October 28th | 5th Grade Jack O’Lantern drop-off |
October 28th, 6:30-8:30pm | Halloween Boo Bash! |
October 31st, 7:30am | Kindergarten Rise & Read |
October 31st, 8:00-8:30am | Kindergarten Parent Coffee |
October 31st, 9:00am (grades 3-5) & 10:00am (grades K-2) | Halloween Storyteller |
November 8th | Election Day Bake Sale - |
November 10th | School Picture Re-take day |
November 10th, 7:30am | 3rd Grade Rise & Read |
November 10th, 6:30-7:30pm | Math Night (Grades 3-5) |
November 12th, 2:00-4:00pm | Special Ed Community Fun Day |
November 18th | Movie Night! (Movie TBD) |
Halloween Boo Bash!
Less than 50 tickets left for the Boo Bash! If you’re one of the few who haven’t done it yet, buy your wristbands NOW before they’re gone! EVERYONE must have a wristband to enter, including students, adults, volunteers and children ages four and under. Wristbands will be distributed in backpacks the week of the party. If you are going to be there anyway, please consider taking a volunteer shift… there are still PLENTY of fun opportunities! How is it that Pumpkin Bowling isn’t completely booked yet?!? Click here to sign up now! *Just a reminder: no masks, no weapons and family-friendly costumes, please! Questions? Visit www.seshalloween.com now!
Fifth Grade Jack O’Lantern Contest
New this year! ALL fifth graders are invited to enter a JACK O' LANTERN CONTEST at the Boo Bash. Please carve a pumpkin at home (with an adult!) and bring it to drop-off or pick-up on Thursday, October 27th or Friday October 28th. They will all be lit up and displayed in the 5th Grade Lounge the night of the Boo Bash! Prizes will be awarded for the Most Original, Spookiest and Funniest pumpkins! Questions? Contact Andrea Berkley (andreafberkley@gmail.com).
Author Visit: Matt Tavares
All of our kids have heard about The Great Blondin in “Crossing Niagara: The Death-Defying Tightrope Adventures,” by now, so who’s excited to see and hear Matt Tavares on Tuesday, October 25th? Parents, we hope you’ll join us in the auditorium for what is sure to be a fascinating presentation on his writing and illustrating career. See below for the schedule by grade.
*9:00-9:50am - Grades 4 & 5
*10:00-10:50am - Grades 2 & 3
*12:40-1:25pm - Grades K & 1
Thank you to everyone who ordered Matt Tavares books! If you have questions about existing or additional book orders, please contact ses_pta@westport.k12.ct.us.
A Conversation with the Superintendent
Please join Dr. Colleen Palmer, our new Superintendent, on Wednesday, October 26th at 7:30pm in the Bedford Middle School Auditorium. Dr. Palmer will provide a 30-minute presentation on the current work of the district, including major initiatives for 2016-17 and emerging trends in education. Following her presentation, there will be a Q&A session. Your participation is welcome in this event.
ArtSmart Workshop
Get ready to use the RIGHT side of your brain! The next ArtSmart Workshop will be held at the Westport Library on Thursday, October 27th at 9:30am. Lindsay Heffernan, an independent art educator, will be offering advice on how to incorporate Visual Thinking Strategies into ArtSmart projects.
Rise & Read and Kindergarten Coffee
Kindergarten Rise & Read will be held at 7:30am on Monday, October 31st in the SES library. Parents, stay for some coffee with Principal Beth Messler from 8:00-8:30 (while the kids head to their classroom to change into their Halloween costumes) and then proceed outside to watch the Halloween parade. There are still plenty of opportunities to contribute Breakfast Carbs… Ms. Alegi’s and Ms. Bader’s classes, please sign-up now to contribute NUT-FREE food and drink donations! Contact Lavinia Larsson (ldlarsson2002@yahoo.co.uk) with any questions.
Halloween Storyteller
The SES PTA proudly invites all parents to join students and enjoy our annual Halloween Storyteller performances on Monday, October 31st. This year, we have chosen storyteller Tom Lee to engage our students with stories “drawn from cultures around the world... rich with vivid imagery and compelling characters.” Please join us for either of the following performances in the SES auditorium:
*9:00am - Grades 3-5
*10:00am - Grades K-2
Find out more information about Tom on his website, www.tomleestoryteller.net, or find recordings on iTunes and Spotify. See you on Halloween!
Election Day Bake Sale
Voting is a privilege. And so are Rice Krispie Treats. So join us on Tuesday, November 8th to witness democracy - and the power of chocolate - in action. Please contribute to our Bake Sale and/or volunteer to work a shift... CLICK HERE to sign up!
Math Night
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally! 3rd, 4th and 5th graders are all invited to join us for Math Night on Thursday, November 10th from 6:30-7:30pm. It’s a fun opportunity for parents and kids to play games, solve puzzles and enjoy a variety of math-related activities in a relaxing environment. The deadline to sign up is November 7th and spots are limited, so SIGN UP NOW! Contact Marinka Hudonogov (mhudonogov@mac.com) or Katherine O'Brien (kjobrien72@mac.com) for more information.
👉 And don’t forget…
PTA Membership!
In order for our PTA to continue all the amazing educational enhancements at SES, we need EVERYONE’S support! Only 65% of our parent community has signed up for PTA membership - we can do better than that! Click here and register TODAY! Our final deadline for submitting our council dues, and for entrance into our November VIP parking space drawing is October 26th!
Order “Books As Gifts” Online Now!
It’s so easy to help our incredible library grow… CLICK HERE to donate a book now.
A Scoop of Thanks To...
Quote of the Week
“The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” John F. Kennedy
🌟 Special Education News 🌟
Community Events:
Click here for information on events in the community.
Presentation: Insights from the Reading Brain: Focusing on Reading Development, Dyslexia, and the Digital Culture with Dr. Maryanne Wolf
Wed, 10/19, 7-8pm (8-8:30pm Book Signing), Eagle Hill Southport School
Presentation: The Many Faces of ADD/ADHD with Presenter, Dave Sylvestro
Tues, 10/25, 6:30-8:30pm, SoNo Branch Norwalk Public Library (Community Room).
This presentation will provide an opportunity to discuss ways we can maximize the experience of having ADD/ADHD while managing some of the fallout. Visit www.spednetwilton.org for more information.
Sip-n-Chat:
Wed, 10/26, 9:30-10:30am, Panera Bread (1860 Post Rd East, next to Home Goods).
Meet, exchange ideas and ask questions with other Special Ed parents. Open to all parents of students receiving Special Education services in Westport schools.
Community Fun Day:
Sat, 11/12, 2-4pm, Greens Farms Elementary School.
This is a FREE event, open to all students receiving Special Education services from Stepping Stones Preschool & Westport schools grades K-8 (and their families). Bring the whole family for an afternoon of SPORTS, KARATE, ARTS & CRAFTS, MAGIC & SNACKS. RSVP to Laura Campagnino (laura_woodbridge@yahoo.com).
Presentation: Understanding ADHD From the Inside Out by Robert Tudisco, Esq.
Mon, 11/14, 7-8:30pm, Westport Library.
New perspectives on ADHD from nationally recognized activist and motivational speaker Robert Tudisco, who will speak from his own and his clients' experiences about why kids with ADHD are doing what they're doing, common myths and where they come from, and his views on medication and other interventions.
👉 Other Community News…
Community Bulletin Board:
Click here to check out what’s new…
Educational Programs:
*Privileged & Pressured: The Risks of Growing Up in an Affluent Community*
Fri, 10/21, 10am-12pm, Wilton HS Little Theater
Dr. Luthar, a nationally recognized expert on this topic, will speak about the challenges faced by children of affluence across the country, sharing highlights of her research as well as educating parents & school staff on skills/ strategies to foster resilience. This presentation is free, open to the public & appropriate for parents with children of all ages. See the attached flyer for more info or call Wilton Youth Services at (203) 834-6241.
*Protecting Our Families from the Opioid/Heroin Epidemic*
Tues, 10/25, 10am, Westport Town Hall Auditorium
Join Dr. John Douglas, Clinical Director Outpatient Addiction Program at Silver Hill Hospital as he talks about the risks of addiction to opioids. This event is free and open to the public. See the attached flyer for more information or contact Lauren Rosenkranz (lrosenkranz@westportct.gov).
Tools for Schools
Did you know that all eight schools in the district have a Tools for Schools (TFS) Team made up of at least one administrator, teacher, school nurse, head custodian and parent? The TFS teams meet at least twice per year and do a walkthrough of their school to check for any potential Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) issues. The team’s findings are kept in a TFS binder in either in the nurse’s or administrator’s office. If you have any IAQ concerns, please contact a team member at your school.
Register to Vote!
New Voters… your application must be submitted or received by a voter registration agency by the 7th day before an election (OR you may register in person with your Registrar of Voters by the 7th day before an election).
Questions? Call the Registrars at 203-341-1115 or email: mcowden@westportct.gov or kwhite@westportct.gov.
The League of Women Voters: Debate
Tues, 10/25 from 7pm-9pm at Town Hall; debate will include candidates to state legislature for districts that include Westport (there are 7: Walsh, Steinberg, Boucher, Curry, Hwang, Lavielle, Dwyer). See the attached flyer for more info.
Visit All of Your Westport PTA Council Sites!
Contact The Scoop:
If you’d like your announcement or event to be included in a future edition of the Scoop, complete THIS NEW FORM to request submission. (Flyers or attachments need to be approved by Principal Beth Messler (emessler@westport.k12.ct.us) and PTA Co-Presidents, Caroline Evans (carolinesespta@gmail.com) and Jodi Harris (jodiharris.pta@gmail.com). Once approved, email it to saugatuck.scoop@gmail.com.) Contact the Scoop (saugatuck.scoop@gmail.com) with any questions!