Nixon PTO - Co-Presidents' Monthly Letter
September, 2006
Welcome
Back!
Welcome back to all our Nixon families and a warm welcome to our new Principal,
Mrs. Joni Jay! We hope you created wonderful summer memories and are ready
to greet the new school year ahead!
What is the Nixon PTO? The Nixon Parent Teacher Organization is just that
– an organization of parents, teachers and staff who have come together
to help enrich the community at Nixon school. All parents of Nixon students
are automatically members of the PTO and are welcome and encouraged to participate
in all PTO meetings and functions. The parents in the Nixon community are
the PTO’s greatest asset. It is all of you who contribute your time
and talents that make our PTO the wonderful group that it is and allow us
to accomplish so much each year.
The PTO is comprised of 28 different committees and we are very proud to
have such a dedicated group of parent volunteers co-chairing these committees
this year. A list of current PTO committees and
co-chairs can be found on our Nixon PTO website. We encourage all parents
to take a look at the list, find someone you know or a committee that sounds
interesting and give one of the co-chairs a call. Parent volunteers are always
needed and always welcome!
Each fall, the PTO conducts a number of fundraisers in order to fund programs
throughout the school year. Through the generous support of our parent community,
the PTO is able to fund numerous programs and activities that greatly enrich
the curriculum and school experience of our children.
Some activities funded by the PTO this year will include:
In addition, the PTO will also host our annual Monster Mash in October and
Bingo Night in April.
You will also be receiving our Direct Appeal Letter later this month. We
hope that you will give as generously as you can. Our goal is 100% family
participation.
We are just days away from the start of our annual Innisbrook Gift Wrap Sale.
We encourage everyone to get their family, friends, neighbors and co-workers
involved in this PTO fundraiser by stocking up on this terrific, high quality
gift wrap.
The schedule of PTO meetings for the 2006-2007
school year is now posted on the Nixon PTO website. You will notice that our
meetings alternate between morning and evening times to accommodate the busy
schedules of our parents. We hope you will take the time to come to our meetings
and let us know if you have any questions or suggestions for the upcoming
school events.
Mrs. Jay will be hosting a series of Principal Coffees as our new school
year gets under way. Her first event will be held on Thursday, September 14th,
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Come meet our new Principal! Immediately following
the coffee will be our kick-off PTO Meeting at 10:15 a.m. Please join us as
we begin planning for the upcoming school year!
The Nixon School Open House will be held on Wednesday, September 27th at
7:00 p.m. It’s the perfect opportunity to discuss volunteer opportunities,
as well as pick up an updated School Directory, newly designed dismissal pads,
order slideshows and yearbooks and some Nixon Gear. We look forward to seeing
you there!
Deidra Vingers and Laura Semple Walsh
Nixon PTO Co-Presidents
Archive of Past PTO Co-President's Letters
June, 2006
It’s
amazing how quickly the school year has gone by! The kids have grown taller
and they’re so proud of all their classroom accomplishments!
We’ve been able to achieve so many things this year including fantastic
educational enrichment programs at all grade levels, the author-in-residence
program, providing timely information from our Thursday Notices and Nixon
website, staffing volunteers for lunch, recess and library, aiding students
with community service projects and organizing school wide events such as
Monster Mash, Science Fair and our very first “Embrace the Globe”
Cultural Night. This is thanks to the commitment and generous support of so
many members of our parent community. In addition, we’re grateful for
Bobbi Benson and Joanne Bleiler, who served as our teacher representatives
this year and to our principal, Rita Bissonnette-Clark, who’s a real
champion of our PTO programs and events. Special thanks to all our PTO committee
co-chairs for their unending support and leadership.
Thanks to the many families who made contributions to our Annual Teacher
Appreciation Luncheon! Nixon teachers and staff enjoyed the delicious treats
served during the “Nixon Idol” themed luncheon! A special thanks
goes to Pat Hileman for her logo design on the “Nixon Idol” CD
cases the teachers and staff received as an appreciation gift.
Many thanks to our Computer/Website committee for their continued commitment
to our Nixon website. Their efforts ensure that we receive important school
information in a timely manner. As you are reading this letter, I’m
sure you’ve realized that the website has undergone a redesign. First,
we’ve renamed the Nixon PTO Website and it will now be referred to as
The Nixon Gazette. Secondly, we’re merging the Gazette,
Thursday Notices and Top Alerts into a new Gazette front page that will always
have the latest information and provide a single place to look for Nixon news.
This simpler design will help you find information you need more quickly by
including fewer links and by providing more organization around the links
and navigation of the site. And lastly, you should know that we are only changing
the look and organization of the website. You will still receive your weekly
reminder email on Thursday to remind you of the latest updates. The process
for submissions and approvals for Thursday Notices and Gazette articles is
not changing at all. We will continue with the submission protocols we have
been using for the past few years. Please take some time to explore the new
Nixon Gazette… it’s an outstanding resource for us all!
For the past two years I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with
Tracie Nathin as our PTO Co-President. Tracie’s commitment to our school,
coupled with her creativity and vision has not only strengthened Nixon but
the district as well. Her enthusiasm spread to all who were fortunate enough
to work with her during these past few years. Tracie, thank you for your service
to Nixon!
I’m delighted to announce that Laura Semple Walsh will be our new PTO
Co-President for the next two years. Laura has worked on our Educational Enrichment
Committee for the past two years and was instrumental in bringing us NASA
Astronaut, Dan Burbank. I know that she is eager to begin her new position
as PTO Co-President. We still have a few openings, so don’t hesitate
to call if you are interested in joining us in the fall! Many thanks to the
parents who have volunteered to serve on the PTO board next fall. Laura and
I are looking forward to working with you.
The Nixon PTO is hosting a special Barnes and Noble Bookfair Fundraiser in
Framingham from Friday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 4th with up to 25% of your
purchase going to Nixon. Grab your book club buddies and head over on Friday,
June 2nd from 10:00am-Noon as we host a Nixon morning including light refreshments
and a special story time for preschoolers at 11:00a.m. Hope to see you there!
This is a great opportunity to buy your kids summer reading list books or
a juicy book for the beach.
To celebrate the community of volunteerism within our school, Nixon teachers
and staff are graciously hosting a Parent Volunteer Luncheon on Wednesday,
June 7th. All school volunteers are welcome to attend whether you’ve
worked an hour in your child’s classroom or coordinated the Monster
Mash. Attend your children’s class concert then drop by for a delicious
lunch!
June 21st is jammed packed with fun events for the students starting with
our annual General John’s March. No need to prepare lunch that day either
because the PTO will be hosting its annual School Picnic. Our annual Nixon
Slide Show, created again by Jane Simons, will be viewed at a special school
meeting that afternoon. Please watch the Thursday Notices for General John’s
March permission slips as well as information on the School Picnic and details
about how you can purchase a copies of the slideshow and our new full-color
yearbook. Your family will want copies of these treasures!
In honor of Rita Bissonnette-Clark’s retirement, the PTO will be hosting
a reception after school on June 21st for all Nixon families, past and present.
Please join us as we celebrate her seven years as Nixon’s Principal.
Additional information on the reception will be coming out in the Thursday
Notices.
Please remember to check your Directory and e-mail information for any changes
and fill out our online update directory form. It’s a quick and easy
way to keep your information up-to-date.
We’ve added one additional PTO meeting to our schedule this year on
Thursday, June 15th at 9:15 a.m. in the Cafeteria. We look forward to seeing
you there!
Tracie Nathin and I wish all the Nixon families, teachers and staff an enjoyable
summer filled with happy memories. Laura Semple Walsh and I look forward to
seeing everyone in September!
Deidra Vingers
PTO Co-President
Archive of Past PTO Co-President's Letters
May, 2006
We
hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing spring break! The warmer weather,
longer days and outdoor sports are a welcome change. It’s hard to
believe there are less than two months left in the school year, but there
are still many events left on the calendar!
What a big hit Bingo Night was! The crowds were caught up
in the excitement of getting a BINGO, but also found time to try the new
Out of This World Raffle and enter to win some of the many raffle prizes
so generously donated by Nixon teachers & staff, Nixon families, and
numerous local businesses. It was an incredible Nixon community event. Many
thanks to Fundraising co-chairs Nicola DiFelice, Jennifer Parr, Beth Sorbo
and Tracy Sconyers who spent so much time organizing this wonderful event.
We were entertained by Master of Ceremonies, Rita Bissonnette-Clark and
associates Senora Benson, Mrs. Whitney and Mrs. Bleiler, who so graciously
ran the BINGO games – we appreciate your wit and humor! We also want
to thank all the Nixon teachers and staff who helped staff Bingo Night,
including Mrs Rivera, Ms. Kopman, Mr. Whiting, Ms. Wong, Ms. Paulson, and
Ms. Morabito, as well as the many Nixon parents, alumni and student volunteers.
It could not have been done without all of you!
The PTO has just a few more events planned for the remainder
of the school year. The Spring Book Fair will be held from Monday, May 1st
through Friday, May 5th. This is always a great opportunity to stock up
on books for summer reading!
We will host our annual Teacher Appreciation Luncheon on May
10th this year during Teacher Appreciation Week. This event, organized by
Hospitality co-chairs Michelle Babikian and Eileen Reardon and Room Parent
Coordinator Sarah Telford, is a way for us to show our teachers how much
we appreciate all their hard work and dedication to our kids! If you can
help out by providing a dish or dessert for the luncheon, please contact
Michelle or Eileen, or check out the online sign up form on the PTO website.
On May 1st, Audubon Ark will present “Hatchin’
Out” to our kindergarteners in anticipation of the hatching of the
baby chicks in each classroom. On May 8th, the 2nd graders will get a visit
from a Mexican Storyteller to enhance their study of Mexico. Many thanks
to the Educational Enrichment Committee for arranging for these wonderful
programs to come to Nixon School.
Get ready for the excitement of the General John’s March
& School Picnic scheduled for Thursday, June 21st. The General John’s
March is our last fundraiser of the school year where the students are challenged
to see how many times they can complete our obstacle course with their classmates.
There’s no need to pack a lunch that day, as this will also be the
day of our annual School Picnic! Lunch will be provided for all students,
courtesy of the PTO. After lunch, at a special school meeting, the students
will be viewing the annual Nixon Slideshow. Please watch the Thursday Notices
for the General John’s March permission slips as well as information
on the School Picnic, and details about how you can purchase a copy of the
Slideshow for your family.
Finally, we’ve had a great response so far, but we still
have a few more PTO committee co-chair positions to fill for next year.
Getting involved in the PTO is an important way to support your child’s
educational experience. There is a place for everyone’s talents and
interests. Please take the time to look at the positions listed in the Thursday
Notices and contact us if you have questions.
Our last PTO meeting of the year will be held on Thursday,
May 11th at 9:15 a.m. in the Art Room. We look forward to seeing you there!
Tracie Nathin and Deidra Vingers
PTO Co-Presidents
April, 2006 - Spring is Here!
After the long, cold winter it’s great to finally feel the warm sun
on our faces! The kids are all headed outdoors to enjoy their spring sports
and play with their friends!
The Nixon school is once again actively involved in
organizing activities for the METCO students and their cooperating families.
On March 2nd, Nixon hosted the annual Nixon/Noyes METCO Family Dinner for
METCO families and their Sudbury host families. Good food and good company
were enjoyed by all! Monthly play dates involving arts and crafts as well
as games are also happening. Special appreciation goes to Patty Greene and
Katina Fontes, our METCO co-chairs, for organizing these events and bringing
these families together.
Thanks so much to the many parent volunteers and student
scientists for their support and dedication to the Nixon Science Fair. We
had our biggest turnout yet with over 260 students participating! We can
thank our amazing co-chairs, Melissa Rowe and Beth Winograd, for organizing
this successful event! We also had a wonderful team of parent volunteers
who worked with Melissa and Beth to get the Science Fair off the ground.
Many thanks go to these dedicated committee members for spending countless
hours coordinating our record number of participants. A big thanks also
to all the Nixon teachers and staff members who helped support the Science
Fair as well. The participation of so many people in the Nixon community
truly made this a special evening for everyone.
March was another busy month with our Educational and
Science Enrichment committees. On March 16th, all Nixon students were treated
to a fun-filled musical production by Jack Sprat Low-Fat. The play focused
on raising students' level of understanding of good eating habits. Also
in March, our Nixon 1st graders got busy with Rhythm Kids. This musical
program taught kids about the ancient art of drumming and rhythm. Our 2nd
graders will go "buggy" when Bugworks visits Nixon on April 27th
and 28th. Be sure to ask your kids about this exciting science program using
live bugs. In addition, our 5th graders will be participating in a program
to learn about early colonists in the Bay area. The costumed colonist will
interact with the kids as they teach them how to play early colonist games.
The Nixon community is celebrating Read Across America
this spring in a new and exciting way. Our students are participating in
Read to Feed, a program of Heifer International. Read to Feed promotes literacy
while giving students a way to set off a chain reaction of positive change
around the world. Students ask reading sponsors to help raise money to buy
gifts of livestock for impoverished families. Families who receive an animal
repay the loan by passing on one or more of their animal’s offspring
to other families in need. Soon one gift multiplies throughout the community.
Encourage your child to pick up a book and happy reading everyone!
B I N G O! Nixon’s fun-filled Bingo Night is fast
approaching on Friday, April 7th so hurry and order your tickets! Our fundraising
committee has been hard at work organizing this wonderful event and it’s
sure to be an entertaining evening for the entire family. Volunteers and
donations are still needed so please check the website for further details.
Hope to see you all there!
We may only have three more months of school left but
they’re jammed packed with lots of interesting PTO sponsored events!
Our annual Spring Book Fair will be held May 1st–5th.
This is a perfect opportunity to order books for your child’s summer
reading. We’re hosting our annual Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
on May 10th. The General John’s March, All-School
Picnic and Slideshow presentation will be held on June 21st. Additional
information will be coming soon about these events, so be sure to check
the website in the coming weeks.
Finally, we are looking for volunteers to fill open
committee positions on the PTO next year. Please check the Thursday Notices
in the coming weeks to see how you can get involved! Feel free to contact
us if you have any questions about committee responsibilities, or if you
have special skills and wonder how you can help! Being part of the PTO is
a terrific way to support your child’s school experience and to work
with some great parents and teachers at Nixon School. We have a place for
everyone’s interests and talents. Please consider joining us!
Our next PTO meeting is April 6th at 9:15am
in the Art Room. We hope that you will join us. Enjoy April vacation
with your families and friends!
Tracie Nathin and Deidra Vingers
PTO Co-Chairs