Fitzy's Flyer
January 12, 2024
Principal Update
Greetings FitzGerald Families!
We had another wonderful week at FitzGerald School!
We are excited to offer Fitzy Parent Universities once again this school year! We will be offering one each month for the next four months. The dates, times, and topics for these voluntary parent workshops are included in the section below. All workshops will take place in the FitzGerald cafeteria and will be presented in English and Spanish. The first workshop is coming up on Thursday January 18th from 6:00-7:00pm. The topic is supporting reading skills at home and will be facilitated by Mrs. DiMasi (FitzGerald Literacy Coach) and Mrs. Santillo. If you plan to join, please complete the RSVP form linked below, so we can have enough materials, refreshments, and childcare help.
Here are some items coming up next week:
1. Monday January 15th- No School
2. Wednesday January 17th- Early Release Day, 1:00pm
3. Thursday January 18th- Fitzy Parent University, 6:00pm
4. Friday January 19th- Principal Coffee Talk, 8:45-9:15am, FitzGerald Cafeteria
Thank you for your partnership and collaboration! See everyone again on Tuesday January 16th!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Santillo, Principal- jennifersantillo@walthampublicschools.org
Mrs. Lamoly, Assistant Principal- julielamoly@walthampublicschools.org
Fitzy Parent Universities at FitzGerald!
We are excited to bring back Fitzy Parent Universities this school year! We ran these a lot during the COVID pandemic time (when students were learning virtually or in hybrid mode) as a way to provide more information for parents/guardians on how to support learning at home.
This year, we are bringing it back to continue the conversation on additional ideas and strategies to support learning at home!
Please see below for the schedule of dates and topics. We are offering the parent/guardian workshops on different days each month, to provide more flexibility for nightly family schedules/commitments.
We will have snacks and light refreshments available. We will be asking for parents/guardians to RSVP before each event (a Google Form will come out the week prior to each workshop) so that we can make sure to have enough materials/snacks available.
These sessions will be informational sessions, with opportunities for practice and learning for parents/guardians. We are working on providing childcare for these events and we will update everyone on soon on this. We are working hard to be able to provide this for families.
These voluntary workshops are completely free and will be held in the FitzGerald cafeteria.
Fitzy Parent University Topics and Dates:
January 18th, 2024- 6:00-7:00pm- Supporting Reading Skills at Home
February 13, 2024- 6:00-7:00pm- 7 Habits of Leader in Me and the Core Values of FitzGerald (SEL-focus)
March 6, 2024- 5:30-6:30pm (Before the PTO meeting)- Math Games to Play at Home
April 11, 2024- 6:00-7:00pm- Internet Safety
This Week's Specialist Update- Science with Mrs. White!
Greetings FitzGerald Families!
I hope that you all had a wonderful and restful winter break! As we begin the new year with flu and cold season upon us, I am finding that we are running low on a couple of key supplies in the science classroom. If you are able to donate tissues or clorox wipes, I would be so grateful!
Here are the topics we will be covering in the coming weeks in the Science classroom.
First Grade: We have started our unit on Space! Students have been experimenting with light and shadows and we will be reinforcing many of the topics covered in the current EL unit that students are learning about with their classroom teachers. We will focus specifically on the Earth, sun, moon, and stars. To reinforce the learning in this unit at home, have conversations with your child about what you notice in the nighttime sky. Ask your child if they notice anything about the moon or the stars on different nights. I always love hearing their connections in class!
Second Grade: In second grade, students are finishing the Earth Science unit with one final engineering activity in which they attempt to protect land from a landslide. Most classes have completed this project already, so please ask your child about it at home! In the coming weeks, we will be starting our next unit which is Physical Science. In this unit, students will learn about the states of matter, properties of matter, and complete many hands-on activities!
Third Grade: Students in third grade will be completing the weather unit with an engineering activity in which they will work to design a paper house that can withstand a wind storm. Students will test their designs and then learn about how the materials they used are actually models of real materials that builders use to ensure that houses are built to be sturdy and strong. This is always a fun way to end our first big unit of study!
Fourth Grade: In 4th grade, students are wrapping up the Earth Science unit with an activity about landslides. After learning about landslides for the first time in second grade, students revisit this information as 4th graders and are asked to solve the problem facing a town that is threatened by landslides. They must think of ways they can protect the town while keeping in mind realistic constraints such as cost and materials. Students will also be completing their first unit assessment in science in the coming weeks which covers all that we have learned in the Earth Science unit.
Fifth Grade: 5th graders have started learning about water on Earth. Students have used math skills and mapping to calculate the relative amounts of salt water, fresh water, and frozen fresh water on Earth and are gaining a greater understanding of how valuable fresh water is as a resource on our planet. In the coming weeks, students will review the steps of the water cycle with their classroom teachers and will complete an engineering project in the science classroom which includes designing, creating, and testing water filters.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns or you would like to send in a mystery picture for your child, you can reach me at: jenniferwhite@walthampublicschools.org
Mrs. White
Science Specialist
An Update from Ms. Bernard, FitzGerald School Adjustment Counselor!
Greetings from the SAC Office!
We hope everyone had a relaxing winter break and is geared up for the second half of the school year by working hard to get smarter every day!
During Community Circles this month we are focusing on the habits of leaders by working hard to understand others and our core value, Empathy. Students are engaging in meaningful conversations with their classmates and teachers on what that looks like and sounds like here at school daily. Students are also learning ways they can demonstrate empathy throughout the building and in their community by understanding the perspectives of others and putting themselves in someone else’s shoes when a friend is hurt or sad. Through role playing and collaborative discussions, students are increasing their awareness on this very important topic.
The Fourth Grade Council has begun brainstorming ideas for their next school wide initiative. Some ideas so far include a toy drive for a local hospital, a pet supply and food drive for a local animal shelter and creating recess games for use during indoor recess. It’s amazing to see our leaders shine while they help support each other expressing thoughtful ideas and feedback to one another.
Our Fifth Graders have been also working hard on their leadership opportunities here at school through the Green Team, Safety Squad and Panther Partners. These students are so eager to help throughout the building and are gaining a sense of responsibility by reporting to their spaces as assigned.
We are so proud of our student leaders who are engaged and invested in the many leadership opportunities here at FitzGerald!
Lastly, we are excited to announce an upcoming “Fitzy Parent University” being held on February 13th from 6-7 in our cafeteria! Topics for this session are going to include information about Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Leader In Me and our Core Values. It is our hope that by providing families with this information they will be able to engage in meaningful dialogue with their child(ren) further enhancing our home-school partnership.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out should you have any questions or if you would like additional information and/or resources from the SAC office.
In health,
Jesse
Lunch Monitor Position Available at FitzGerald!
We are looking for a part time Lunch/Recess Monitor for the lunch and recess periods at FitzGerald!
The daily shift is from 11:00am-1:45pm. The opening is for 5 days a week, but we can discuss availability during the interview process. If you are interested in learning more about this opening, please contact Mrs. Lamoly at julielamoly@walthampublicschools.org or 781-314-5681.
Coffee and Conversation with Mrs. Santillo and Mrs. Lamoly
Thank you to everyone who has been able to join Mrs. Santillo and Mrs. Lamoly for Coffee Talk time! The group has been enjoying coffee and pastries together and engaging in conversations about FitzGerald School!
We will be hosting a Coffee Talk monthly this year for parents/guardians in the FitzGerald cafeteria.
The next Coffee Talk will be from 8:45-9:15am on Friday January 19th.
Spanish and Portuguese translation will be available!
Come with questions, or just come enjoy a cup of coffee and/or a breakfast pastry on us! We would love to see you!
Library Guest Reader Program
I am happy to announce the return of the Fitzy Library guest reader program. All caregivers are welcome to come visit the library and read a story to their students' class during their scheduled library time. If you would like to be a guest reader, please email Ms. McKeever: elizabethmckeever@walthampublicschools.org
PTO News
Dear Families,
A massive thank you to all of the families that joined us for the Bentley Hockey Fundraiser last Friday and Saturday! It was great to see Fitzy students having a great time. We were also informed that Fitzgerald sold the MOST amount of tickets - WTG!!
The Wizards are coming to Town! The Harlem Wizards will be going against the Declan Hawkstars! Purchase your tickets here: http://tinyurl.com/DeclanHawkstars. The PTO is in search for 2 volunteers to help with the event. If our school provides volunteers, we will receive $3/ticket back to the school. More info HERE or email the PTO @ FitzGeraldPTO@gmail.com.
Our next jamming event is approaching quickly with the Fitzy Valentine’s Party on Friday, February 9th from 6pm - 8pm where we will have DJ, Raffles, Craft Tables, and Games! $5 per person with a $20 maximum per family. Please note: THIS IS NOT A DROP OFF EVENT! Parents must accompany all children regardless of their grade. Flyers will be coming home soon with more information!
*NEW* WINTER NEWSLETTER: Click HERE to read our November/December highlights!
PTO ELECTIONS FOR 2024-2025: Stay tuned for updates regarding PTO Elections coming up in June! We will have several positions available.
UPCOMING PTO MEETINGS & RESTAURANT NIGHTS
PTO Meetings 2024
January 2024: Originally for 1/3/24 - New Date TBD
March 6th, 2024: 6:30pm
May 1st, 2024: 6:30pm
Restaurant Nights 2024
Tuesday, 2/13/24: Bistro 781
Wednesday, 3/13/24: D’Angelo’s
Thursday, 4/11/24: Tempo
Thursday, 5/9/24: John Brewer's *In Person Only*
*ONGOING AND UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS/EVENTS*
2024 Science Fest: Our Science Fest last year was an absolute hit and could not have been possible without the generous support of the Waltham/Massachusetts Cultural Council! We will be at it again this year and our gears are starting to turn with ideas. Reach out to the PTO to find out information about this and more from our Enrichment committee!
The 6th Annual Fitzy 5k Fun Run is coming up this Spring with a tentative race date of May 30th, 2024. We are looking to form a committee to look at the current race route and start planning the event.
Our next meeting will be in February; date TBD. If you are interested in joining the Fun Run Committee, please Email Ann at FitzGeraldPTO@gmail.com.
FITZY DRINKWARE: Customizable Drinkware showing your Fitzy Pride. A portion of all sales go to the PTO to support our students. Click HERE to view options and order!
We look forward to meeting you and working alongside you to make this the best school year yet!
FitzGerald School PTO
Ongoing FUNDRAISING through BOX TOPS, RAISE RIGHT, MABELS LABELS, FITZY WEAR – Order online 24/7. Delivery takes 10 - 15 business days from date of purchase.
Stay in touch! PTO website – Facebook – Instagram
FitzGerald School Site Council
The FitzGerald School Council is a group that includes parent, staff, and community representatives that discuss items such as budget, School Improvement Plan, etc. Approved meeting minutes are posted in the Fitzy's Flyer office communication.
Next Meeting:
Date: January 16, 2024
Time: 6:00-6:45pm
Location: Virtual (please contact Mrs. Santillo if you would like the link)
School Lunch Information
*Breakfast and Lunch are available for free again for all students this school year!
** All students should bring one snack and a water bottle to school each day.
"Fitzy Fridays" at FitzGerald!
Every Friday is "Fitzy Friday" at FitzGerald! Everyone is invited to wear Fitzy Spirit Wear or the colors blue and/or yellow to school, if they would like to!
2023-2024 District Calendars
Upcoming Dates
1/15- No School
1/17- Early Release Day, 1:00pm (Parent Conferences)
1/18- Fitzy Parent University, 6:00-7:00pm, FitzGerald cafeteria (please RSVP on the form above if coming)
1/24- Early Release Day, 1:00pm (Professional Development)
2/2- Grades K and 1 Report Cards Go Home
2/19-2/23- No School, February Vacation
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Information About the Clever App
Clever is an app we use at school that makes it easy for students to access many online learning programs and resources with their Waltham Public Schools Google account. Students can also access Clever at home on a personal device. Click HERE for directions.
Sign Up Information for the Waltham Public Schools App
2023-2024 WPS Elementary Student Handbooks
Please see below for electronic copies of the student handbooks for this school year. We appreciate your support in reviewing the handbook contents at home with your child.
Weekly Notices
James FitzGerald Elementary School
Email: jennifersantillo@walthampublicschools.org
Website: https://www.walthampublicschools.org/fitzgerald/
Location: 138 Beal Road, Waltham, MA, USA
Phone: 781-314-5680