Fitzy's Flyer
February 2, 2024
Principal Update
Greetings FitzGerald Families!
We had another wonderful week at FitzGerald School!
Mrs. Santillo and Mr. Brackett are looking forward to the basketball game against the Harlem Wizards TONIGHT at 7:00pm, at the Kennedy Middle School! They will be joining staff representatives from each school to try to win the game! There are still some tickets left (as of 10am this morning). You can find the link to purchase tickets in the PTO update below. We want to thank Kennedy Middle School for organizing the event tonight and bringing the entire Waltham community together for a night of fun! Today, one of the Wizards players came to our school to lead an assembly for us and we had a great time together as a school! You can see highlights from the assembly in the next week or two on the Waltham Channel, who was here filming during the event.
Yesterday, sign up sheets went home for the upcoming after school enrichment program, with offerings available for students in every grade. Sign ups will be on a first come, first serve basis. If your child is interesting in participating, please return the form as soon as possible.
Thank you for your partnership and collaboration! See everyone again on Monday (or tonight at the game)!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Santillo, Principal- jennifersantillo@walthampublicschools.org
Mrs. Lamoly, Assistant Principal- julielamoly@walthampublicschools.org
An Update from Ms Bernard, School Adjustment Counselor
Good Afternoon FitzGerald Families!
We hope everyone had an amazing week and is looking forward to some much needed sunshine!
This week we wrapped up January’s Core Value of Empathy and have begun this month’s SEL topics which include our Core Value; personal ownership, the Habit of being proactive and self management. We will encourage students to keep working hard by making positive choices in the classroom and around the building by being positive community members. They do this by making responsible decisions and taking responsibility around their learning, how they communicate with each other and how they act towards one another. We will talk more about these connections at our upcoming Fitzy University on February 13th and invite you to join us to learn more about this very important topic!
The Fourth Grade Council has been working together to create their next school wide initiative. They are having collaborative conversations with their groups about what they think will best support our school community and beyond. We are so proud of our students who are demonstrating their leadership skills by listening to each other’s ideas respectfully and being kind to each other around varying ideas.
Our fifth grade Panther Partners, Safety Squad and Green Team continue to volunteer their time throughout their school community and take such pride in their roles and responsibilities around the building. The students are so excited to partner with us in engaging in these leadership activities daily.
We are looking forward to sharing all the exciting things that are happening around the school from our SEL learning and leadership opportunities each week!
I can be reached at jessebernard@walthampublicschools.org and invite you to reach out to me anytime if you have any questions or if you would like any more information or resources to help support your family.
An Update from Officer John McFadyen, School Resource Officer
Hello Fitzy families. Believe it or not, we are halfway through the school year. With that I would like to go over a couple friendly reminders when it comes to drop offs and pick ups which I know can seem a bit daunting to some. This implemented system of ensuring everyone’s safety during these times of day does work and will continue to work with everyone’s cooperation. Thank you to everyone for continuing to adhere to these procedures.
Regarding drop offs-
Please remember there is no live parking in the first smaller curb cut. This area is designed for cars to pull in and then immediately pull out. If you would like to walk your child to the building or need extra time to get ready then please park anywhere else but the first curb cut.
Please remember not to cut through the school parking lot. Please continue to use the loop system where Warren St, Barbara Rd and Cleveland Rd are utilized to reconnect with Beal Rd. You will not be allowed to access Beal Rd from Candace Ave as we want to keep all traffic flowing in the same direction. I have begun to close the gate once the last bus has departed and you will not be able to exit this way. We want to limit if not eliminate the number of vehicles exiting onto Beal Rd from the side driveway as this is a very popular and congested cross walk.
Please remember the doors to the school open at 8:25. If you are going to drop your student off early, please remember there are no staff members outside. Please ensure if necessary that your student is supervised and will not wander. The doors also close at 8:42.
Please be mindful that during inclement weather the number of vehicles increases substantially. I ask that you allow more time during these days as traffic can backup and children take longer to prepare for the day.
Regarding pick ups-
Please adhere to the posted signage and refrain from double parking. This continues to be an issue. It is not fair or legal to block someone from leaving and could result in a fine if warranted. I can fully understand and appreciate wanting to pick up your child directly in front of the school however the number of children picked up far outweighs the number of spaces available. Please consider parking anywhere else on Beal Rd or any adjoining side street and walk to the school or if needed conduct another loop of surrounding streets as spots quickly open once students are dismissed.
Please utilize the crosswalks. Having people unexpectedly cross at various parts of the streets creates unnecessary dangers. Four school traffic supervisors are strategically placed around the school to assist.
Please do not park on the opposite side of Beal Rd as there is signage posted for this reason. Parking is only allowed along the school. Also please do not block any driveways or the school exits.
If you are going to stay long after dismissal to utilize the school facilities or playground and courts then please consider leaving your car in the school parking lot and not in the pickup area to keep spaces open.
I know this is a lot of information but these seem to be the issues that come up most often. Thank you for your time and anticipated cooperation. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me.
johnmcfadyen@walthampublicschools.org
781-314-5683
MCAS Dates for Spring 2024
Each year, students in Grades 3-5 take the MCAS assessments. The FitzGerald School MCAS testing schedule this school year will be:
Grade 3 ELA Session 1- 4/4/24
Grade 3 ELA Session 2- 4/11/24
Grade 3 Math Session 1- 5/2/24
Grade 3 Math Session 2- 5/9/24
Grade 4 ELA Session 1- 4/3/24
Grade 4 ELA Session 2- 4/10/24
Grade 4 Math Session 1- 5/1/24
Grade 4 Math Session 2- 5/8/24
Grade 5 ELA Session 1- 4/2/24
Grade 5 ELA Session 2- 4/9/24
Grade 5 Math Session 1- 4/30/24
Grade 5 Math Session 2- 5/7/24
Grade 5 STE Session 1- 5/14/24
Grade 5 STE Session 2- 5/16/24
We kindly ask for families to please do their best to avoid appointments, etc. on the testing days. Thank you in advance for your help with this! More information will come home regarding MCAS testing closer to the testing dates.
Specialist Update: Music with Mr. Irwin!
Hello Fitzy Family! I hope you are all having a great start to 2024! I can't believe it is already February. A BIG THANK YOU to the PTO for purchasing 26 ukuleles for the music room. I am excited to get started teaching ukulele after February vacation. Please read below about what your musician(s) is working on in music class.
Grade K - Kindergarten has continued working on various activities and songs to find their singing voice and we have begun to start focussing on how to match pitch as well. They have also learned their first percussion instrument in class, the rhythm sticks. Our focus with the rhythm sticks has been on keeping a steady beat, whether that is a fast beat or a slow beat.
Grade 1 - First grade is continuing their work on singing posture, singing voices, and matching pitch while singing echo songs and simple songs. They have also begun to improvise short melodies in “Ariosoland”, a land where you can only sing.
Grade 2 - In addition to our normal singing objectives, second grade has been working on playing ostinatos (a short repeating pattern) on drums, learning about dynamics (the volume of music), going to the rainforest to decode quarter notes and eighth notes, and have been learning a folk dance from Ireland.
Grade 3 - I hope you have been hearing beautiful music at home from your recorder players! January marks the time when recorders become my main focus in music class. For the remainder of the year, students will be trying to earn “recorder belts” as they master songs on the recorder. We began working on Hot Cross Buns in January which is their white belt song. Please encourage your child at home to play with a gentle breath and to have their left hand on top. That will be super helpful! They have also been learning to sing in a round from a song from Guatemala.
Grade 4 - Fourth grade has had two main focuses in January. Firstly, they have been learning two songs from England that are rounds as well as partner songs. A partner song is where two different songs are sung at the same time and they musically fit together. The other focus of music class has been using Chrome Music Lab’s Song Maker. They have been working on creating an emotion through music. The students will be sharing their songs in the next two weeks and their classmates will try to guess what emotion they were trying to express.
Grade 5 - Mrs. Vizard has joined music class this month as fifth grade students have been learning how to use Makey Makey to create a song while tapping tin foil tape. They have also been learning about expression in singing.
If you would like to contact me, please feel free to reach out to me at CharlesIrwin@walthampublicschool.org.
Mr. Irwin
General Music
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 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. Child care will be provided for in person workshops.
These voluntary workshops are completely free and will be held in the FitzGerald cafeteria or online.
Upcoming Fitzy Parent University Topics and Dates:
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
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. We will also now be offering the chance to join in virtually each month as well!
The next Coffee Talk will be from 8:45-9:15am on Monday February 12th.
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,
The Fitzy Valentine’s Party is 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. Volunteer/Donation opportunities are now open. Please click the link to sign up/donate: https://volunteersignup.org/RJCQ3
Thank you for volunteering/donating!
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.
SAVE THE DATE: Field Day is scheduled for Friday, June 7th with a rain date of Monday, June 10th. More info in the coming months!!
FITZY SCHOOL STORE: The FitzyWear shop website is temporarily down due to technical issues. We are working on getting it open and will provide an update when we do.
*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: Thursday, January 25th *VIRTUAL MEETING ONLY*
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: March 12, 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
2/2- Grades K and 1 Report Cards Go Home
2/2- Harlem Wizards Game, 7:00pm
2/9- PTO Valentine's Day Party, 6:00pm
2/12- Principal Coffee Talk, 8:45am-9:15am
2/13- Fitzy Parent University #2, 6:00-7:00pm, Topic: Social Emotional Learning
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