October/November 2023

Hello Little School Families!

We hope you’re all having fantastic autumns with some time between sports and Halloween activities to relax with loved ones!

It’s been a busy fall for the Little School PTO: we kicked off the annual fund drive.org/news/2023/annual-fund-drive, started our 11th annual thanksgiving pie sale (and cookie dough too!) and prepared for our first ever Trunk or Treat right in the Little School parking lot!

Our enrichment team is kicking things off this year, and all sorts of fun events are being booked across every grade level this year, including all-school events and assemblies. Keep an eye out on the PTO facebook page and website, and flyers that will come home via backpack letting you know. The PTO works closely with teachers to ensure these enrichments line up well with what they kids are learning in the classroom!

We are looking for volunteers for a few things: a grade-level enrichment leader for Pre-K and Kindergarten and a webmaster are the top 3 roles we need for this school year. If you’re interested in helping out here, please email us at e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com. Anyone in any of these roles would have all the help and assistance to succeed!

Our next PTO meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 15th at 7pm. Keep an eye out on the PTO website for news and information on enrichment, fundraising and other updates.

Thanks!

Katie Gabriello & Katie Roy
Little School PTO Co-Presidents
e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

September 2023

Hello Little School Families!

Happy new school year, Little Labs! To our returning families, welcome back! To our new families, welcome to our school community. You’ll find it to be a warm, supportive place and we’re thrilled to have you here!

We are PTO co-presidents Katie Gabriello and Katie Roy! Katie G has Johnny, Grade 4, Betsy, Grade 2 and Teddy, Kindergarten, and Katie R has Layla, Grade 4 and Norah, Grade 2. This is the start of our fourth year leading the PTO along with an amazing group of volunteers, and we hope you’ll consider joining us in whatever capacity works with your life and schedule. The PTO is an inclusive place; by virtue of having a child at the Little School, you are already part of the Little School PTO. Whether you donate funds or supplies, attend an event, purchase apparel or support a restaurant night, you are an integral part of our PTO and make our school community such a special place.

The main mission of the PTO is to implement enrichment programs that all of the students benefit from like author visits, science programs and dramatic historical presentations to name just a few. Our enrichment committee works with each grade level team to find appropriate curriculum-based programs to bring into the classroom. To that end, we host a variety of fundraisers each year to provide these programs for our students, along with things for the school that benefit the whole school population. Check out the 22-23 Impact Report here that showcases some of the many things the PTO accomplished last year, including new scooters for PE, new music stands for performing arts and state-of-the art robotics kits of Digital Learning, along with a variety of activities and events for each grade and across the school!

We’ll be meeting in-person on Wednesday, September 20th at 7pm in the Little School cafeteria. There will also be a virtual option to join as well. The PTO website is a great resource to bookmark, and you can also follow the PTO on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Please consider joining us for a meeting or event, and we can’t wait to see you!

Warm wishes for a happy start of school,

Katie Roy & Katie Gabriello
Little School PTO Co-Presidents
e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

May/June 2023

Well Little School families, we’ve just about made it through another school year!

It’s hard to believe we’re so close to the end of the 2022-2023 academic year, but June 20th is right around the corner!

The PTO is poised to finish the year off strong; we’re holding our last meeting on Wednesday, June 7th, where we’ll vote on our executive board for 2023-2024. We’ll also recap some of the PTO’s accomplishments over the year, and discuss some of the potential events and activities for next year.

We want to thank you all for a fantastic year; the Little School PTO succeeds due to our wonderful families and staff, and the collective willingness to provide the very best experience for our students.

We’ll be back in September ready for another fun year. We’re always looking for new volunteers. Feel free to email us at e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com if you’d like to join a committee, help with grade-level enrichments or with fundraising events!

Have a fun and safe summer!

Katie Gabriello and Katie Roy

Little School PTO Co-Presidents

e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

December 2022

Happy Holidays, Little School families!

This is a short one to respect everyone’s time during this busy time of year! 

It’s a special day coming up this Friday at the Little School: The Winter Concert is back live and in person this year for the first time since 2019! As much as we loved the beautiful recordings we got last year, there is something so special about seeing our students singing in person! Stop by the PTO table before and after the winter concert on Friday; the bake sale is also back this year; plus, we’ll have apparel (including winter hats, perfect stocking stuffers or Hanukkah gifts!) and we’re also raffling off an American Girl and Lego set. Bring cash! =)

We’ll gather virtually for our final meeting of the year this Wednesday, 12/16 (Google Meet link here!) Please join us to hear about recent and upcoming happenings, and we’ll also hear about and vote to help fund a whole school field trip this Spring!

Wishing you joy and (at least some!) rest during this hectic season!

Katie Gabriello and Katie Roy

Little School PTO Co-Presidents

e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

November 2022

Hi Little School families,

Can you believe it's the middle of November already?! The Little School PTO has had a busy fall! Hopefully you've received your printed copy of the 2022-2023 Little School directory, that came home last week via student backpack (1 per family). This is a great tool for birthday parties, play dates or just to say hi to a classmate's family!

More than 100 families joined us for Fall Fest on October 23rd! We had so many great costumes, crafts, games, and a special visit from the Sanderson Sisters! Thanks to everyone who attended, donated and volunteered before, during and after the event, and a big thank you Alyse Bonfiglio and Kim Begley for making this awesome event possible!

The next 7 days bring us the November PTO meeting on 11/16 (in person or via Google Meet), Adult Music Bingo on 11/18 (get tickets here) AND Thanksgiving pie & frozen cookie dough pickup on 11/22 (10am-12pm in the Little School driveway). We hope you can join us as you're able; music bingo especially is going to be a blast, especially since we haven't held this event since the Fall of 2019!

As always, we welcome your comments, ideas and questions; email us at the PTO email below!

Wishing you all a warm and happy Thanksgiving,

Katie Roy and Katie Gabriello

Little School PTO Co-Presidents
e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

September 2022

Back to School 2022

Hello Little School Families!

Welcome to a new year at the Little School! To our returning families, welcome back! To our new families, welcome to our school community. You’ll find it to be a warm, supportive place and we’re thrilled to have you here!

We are PTO co-presidents Katie Gabriello and Katie Roy! Katie G has Johnny, Grade 3, Betsy, Grade 1 and Teddy, pre-k, and Katie R has Layla, Grade 3 and Norah, Grade 1. This is our third year leading the PTO along with an amazing group of volunteers, and we hope you’ll consider joining us in whatever capacity works with your life and schedule. The PTO is an inclusive place; by virtue of having a child at the Little School, you are already part of the Little School PTO. Whether you donate funds or supplies, attend an event, purchase apparel or support a restaurant night, you are an integral part of our PTO and make our school community such a special place.

The main mission of the PTO is to implement enrichment programs that all of the students benefit from like author visits, science programs and dramatic historical presentations to name just a few. Our enrichment committee works with each grade level team to find appropriate curriculum-based programs to bring into the classroom. To that end, we host a variety of fundraisers each year to provide these programs for our students, along with things for the school that benefit the whole school population. Last year, funds raised purchased new scooters for PE, new music stands for performing arts and state-of-the art robotics kits of Digital Learning.

We’ll be meeting in-person on Wednesday, October 19th at 7pm in the Little School cafeteria. There will also be a virtual option to join as well. The PTO website is a great resource to bookmark, and you can also follow the PTO on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Please consider joining us for a meeting or event, and we can’t wait to see you!

Warm wishes for a happy start of school,

Katie Gabriello & Katie Roy
Little School PTO Co-Presidents
e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

June 2022

Dear Little School families,

Welcome to the final update and newsletter of the 21-22 school year! Mrs. Molle always says it, but the time between April vacation and  the end of school really does go so fast!

Things have been busy at the Little School, from kindergarten screenings for next year's kindergartners to lots of fun for our 5th graders as they prepare to move to the middle school! PTO activities have been full steam ahead also, with the most notable being the return of Little Laps, our fun run that was held on Field Day last week! 

Our students ran more than 10,000 laps around field 1, and raised more than $38,000 for the Little School! These funds will be used for enrichment and special projects for the coming years. We couldn't be more impressed and thankful for this effort from the students and families, thank you so, so much! Prizes are being distributed by the end of school, and a whole-school PJ day and magic show are coming up on Thursday 6/16!

We'll have our final PTO meeting of the year this week on Wednesday 6/15; please join us as we vote on our board nominees for next year, and some projects for our specialist teachers to fund.

All of your support for the PTO and for the Little School is noticed, felt and appreciated. Thank you for volunteering, donating, purchasing, sharing, liking, attending, and showing up for our students in so many ways. Our school community is the best, without a doubt! 

Wishing you and your families a relaxing and peaceful summer,

Katie Roy & Katie Gabriello

Little School PTO Co-Presidents
e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

May 2022

May 2022

Hi Little School Families,

Hope everyone is having a great month so far. It’s all hyper speed from now through the end of the school year, with many things happening with the Little School PTO! Some opportunities to help out, have some fun and help us raise funds for the upcoming year are all in our future! 

But first, we must give a giant Thank you thank you THANK YOU to everyone that helped make Teacher and Staff Appreciation week such a success (May2-6)! Jenny Sawyer and the whole hospitality team (Steph Norwood, Chantal McCarron, Alison Rosabianca, Kara Harron, Lena Giordano, Jenn Callahan, and many others!!) made this a week to remember for our whole staff. Once again, our school community filled our list of needs within a few days; the monetary and item donations are so appreciated and helped so much! We'll have a more comprehensive recap at this week's PTO meeting, but please know, everyone who had their child write a note, dress up or send $$, we are thankful for YOU!

Other notable items this month:

• PTO Board nominations: We're looking for volunteers to serve on the board and on committees next year. Fill out the nomination form for yourself or a friend who you think would be great! We welcome all parents and guardians to make the PTO the best it can be for our students and school!

• 2021-2022 Yearbook: Orders are due May 12, and they cost $20. Orders yours today! 

• Little Flights at Hopothecary Ales: Parents' night out on Thursday May 19th at Hopothecary Ales! Enjoy live music, good company, and a sampling of the house beverages! Purchase tickets here.

• Flamingo flocking: Flocking is well underway, and we could use some volunteers to help move them from one home to the next! Sign up here; many hands make this go fast, it usually takes 20 minutes between 8-11am, and you'll get your route in advance! 

• Save the date: Field Day is Tuesday, June 7 and we'll need volunteers to run the game stations and also help out with Little Laps! 

Phew! Stay tuned for more information about an amazing return to Field Day, and the new and improved Little Laps, our fun run fundraiser happening that same day!

With appreciation,
Katie Roy & Katie Gabriello
Little School PTO Co-Presidents
e.ethel.little.pto@gmail.com

April 2022

Hello Little School Families,

Welcome to Spring, and all the accompanying busyness of the season!  We are so excited to convene in person this week, for the first time in almost 800 days! Hope you can join us for this special April PTO meeting, Thursday 4/14 at the Little School cafeteria. Here’s the Google Meet link for those that would rather join us virtually; we can’t promise a perfect experience, but we’ll try our best! 

Our in-school enrichment is back and running! We have some great updates on the website, the kids have all been so excited to have these learning experiences back in the classroom. Big thank you to Lena Giordano, Erin Mendall, and the enrichment committee for all their hard work!

The Little School Flock is back in action, and almost ready to fly back after a long winter! Flocking will start right after vacation, on April 26th. Send a flock to a friend, or purchase flock insurance to keep them away! Keep an eye out for a volunteer sign up sheet to help safely transport the flock from one Little School Family to another! 

We’re also partnering with Boston Flower Market again this year for our Mother’s Day flower sale! Buy a potted or hanging plant, and a small portion benefits the Little School. These plants looked beautiful and lasted a long-time last year, so we’re happy to support this local business again for 2022. 

We’re in the planning stages of some fun activities to take us through the end of the year, so stay tuned to email updates, flyers home and Little School PTO social media (Instagram/Facebook/Twitter). Field day (June 7th) this year is going to be extra special, and we’re so excited for the students to have a back-to-normal and then some, experience!

Wishing you all a relaxing April vacation; we’re almost to the home stretch of this school year! Thanks for all your support, the PTO doesn’t run without its amazing families, and the Little School has those in abundance! 

Katie Gabriello & Katie Roy

March 2022

Hello Little School Families,

We hope you are all well and enjoyed a relaxing February vacation. March is here and spring is right around the corner! We’re excited for the return of warm weather and the newness that spring will surely bring. 

After the holidays we returned to school and were back in action with our grade level breakfasts hosted by the 1st 3rd and 4th grade families. Teachers were showered with notes of love composed by the students about what makes the Little School so special. Thank you to Jenny Sawyer and Stephanie Norwood for organizing!

Bingo/Zingo was the place to be on Friday February 4th! Little school families enjoyed pizza kits from Anthony’s in Reading and a few rounds of Bingo hosted by Phil Carbone. Our events committee provided prizes for our lucky bingo winners. Thank you to Sabrina Coviello and Kim Begley for a great event. 

March will be whipping up a flurry of enrichment activities for our students. Techsploration will return to our 4th and 5th grade, helping them to plan, build, and problem solve like engineers.  Our third grade will get a visit from the Whalemobile to learn the role whales play in the ocean ecosystem and their importance to our planet. Second grade will have a visit from the Discovery Museum, to explore changes in matter. Last, but certainly not least, our K classes will be visited by a miniature therapy horse from Lifting Spirits for a unique bullying prevention program.

As we look to spring, keep an eye out for some great PTO events. Our Mothers Day Flower Sale will run again in April/May. We will see 5th grade activities ramping up as we get ready to say goodbye to our oldest Little Labs. And our wildly popular Little Flock will return to grace our lawns with pink flair!

Thank you for your support of our student’s, staff and the PTO.  We rely on our Little School Community support to help us bring our enrichment programs and fun events to life!

Katie Gabriello & Katie Roy