Fitzy's Flyer
August 31, 2023
Principal Update
Greetings FitzGerald Families!
We have had a wonderful first week at FitzGerald School! We look forward to welcoming Kindergarten students on Tuesday September 5th! Class placement assignments for Kindergarten will be coming out at 4:00pm today via email. Please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Santillo (jennifersantillo@walthampublicschools.org) if you are a Kindergarten parent/guardian and do not get an assignment sent to you this afternoon.
There is no school tomorrow, Friday September 1st, or Monday September 4th, in observance of Labor Day.
We look forward to seeing everyone next week!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Santillo, Principal- jennifersantillo@walthampublicschools.org
Mrs. Lamoly, Assistant Principal- julielamoly@walthampublicschools.org
Grades 3 and 4 Instrumental Demonstrations
In Grade 3, students have the option to play a string instrument (orchestra).
In Grades 4 and 5, students have the option to either play a string instrument (orchestra) or a band instrument.
Next week, Grades 3 and 4 will be having instrumental demonstrations by the music staff. Grade 3 will see the string instruments and Grade 4 will see the band instruments.
Sign up forms will be coming home with more information and providing students the option to sign up for instrument lessons during school hours.
Update from Ms. Bernard, School Adjustment Counselor
Greetings FitzGerald Families!
I am so excited to begin another school year together! It’s been wonderful to see so many smiling faces entering the building each day!
We are thrilled to announce that at FitzGerald and across the district we will be introducing a new SEL Curriculum called “Leader In Me”. This program is going to be slowly rolled out over three years with some grades participating in the entire program this year while others will be introducing common language and activities during their Community Circle time with the SAC office. Stay tuned for an upcoming Fitzy University where more details will be shared with families and our FitzGerald community.
Community Circles will start next week. We are continuing to establish our routines together as we create our new classroom communities and how together we are one class family. We are all continuing to work hard while getting smarter, being kind and respectful to everyone, while making positive choices throughout the school community. This makes learning a fun and safe environment for all while getting to know each other and Leader In Me will help support these goals and values as well.
This year, Ms. McKeever, our school's amazing Librarian, and I will continue to provide families with literature that highlights the FitzGerald Core Values. Our school library currently has these books available that relate to August and September’s Core Value, Positive Attitude:
We're All Wonders, by R.J. Palacio
Pout Pout Fish, by Deborah Diesen
Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses, Kimberly and James Dean
Daniels Good Day, by Micha Archer
As always, please don’t hesitate to email with any questions about your child(ren)’s Social Emotional Learning and how the SAC office can help support your family in any way. We also understand the transition back to school can be difficult for some children. Please reach out to me if you would like support for your child(ren) during these first few weeks of school. I can be reached at 781-314-5689 or jessebernard@walthampublicschools.org.
I am looking forward to another wonderful partnership with you this year!
I hope you enjoy the weekend!
Ms. Bernard
2023-2024 Drop Off and Pick Up Information (One More Week)
General Information:
Between 8:25am-8:42am and 2:55pm-3:15pm, the Beal Road side of FitzGerald School is a live drop off and pick up area. If you will be dropping off or picking up your child during these times, please use the Warren Street entrance to Beal Road to keep all traffic flowing in one direction and ensure student safety.
Drop Off:
Drop off is from 8:25am-8:42am. Cars may pull into either of the two curb cuts in front of the school on Beal Rd. Members of the school staff will be outside to greet students. Students will exit their vehicles and walk down to the middle entrance door to enter the building. All walkers/drop offs will enter in the Beal Rd. side of the building.
Adults accompanying a walker in the morning may walk their child to the outside middle entrance door on Beal Rd. Students then enter into the building independently once arriving at the school entrance door. A parent that drives their child, but would like to walk their child to the door, should park on Beal Rd. (not in front of the school) and then walk their child to the Beal Rd. entrance door.
At 8:42am, the homeroom bell rings. Any student arriving after 8:42am will need to enter on the parking lot side of the building. Students that arrive after 8:42am are considered tardy and will need to check in at the main office.
All bus and van students are dropped off between 8:25am and 8:42am on the parking lot side of the building.
Pick Up:
The parking lot side of the school is for buses and vans only and is not a live pick up area.
Kindergarten, third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade students who are walkers or pick ups will exit out the middle entrance door on Beal Rd. (the same door as morning drop off). Kindergarten parents should wait in the area at the bottom of the stairs. Third, fourth, and fifth grade parents should wait on the grass area at the top of the stairs.
First and second grade students will exit out the gym door (on the left side of the building on Beal Rd.). Parents should wait on the grass area outside of the gym door.
If your child will be a pick up or a walker each day, please share with your child's teacher who the adult(s) will be that will have permission to pick up your child. Please keep in mind that students in Grades Kindergarten, first, and second grade will need to have an adult present before they can depart the building.
Please note that there is no double parking in the live pick up area.
Bus Students:
Please note that all Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students must be accompanied by an adult at the bus stop for all bus pick up and drop off times. Any K-2 student that does not have an adult present at the bus stop at drop off will be brought back to the school by the bus driver.
Thank you in advance for your help with following the drop off and pick up procedures and for keeping traffic flowing during these very busy times of the day.
2023-2024 Bus Routes
Please check this page for the 2023-2024 Bus Routes:
https://www.walthampublicschools.org/page/transportation-services
PTO News
PTO News
Dear Families,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! We hope you all had an amazing summer with your family and friends and are as excited as we are to get the school year started!
The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is a nonprofit organization made up of parents who give their time, services and monetary donations to improve the learning environment for students, teachers and their families. We raise money to purchase school programs, additional school resources, supplement field trip activities, and provide fun family events throughout the year.
We pride ourselves on communication. We have many ways for you to get the information you need. Please visit our website www.fitzgeraldpto.com, join our FaceBook Group, and follow us on Instagram.
We rely extensively upon volunteers - whether you can volunteer one hour or many hours. We are always looking for help at various events; please consider joining a committee or the board. Also, please come to our meetings every other month in the cafeteria at 6:30 pm. Our first meeting will take place on Wednesday September 13th. You can find the PTO events calendar at www.fitzgeraldpto.com.
We look forward to meeting you and working alongside you to make this the best school year yet!
Ann Tierney & Diana Lehmann
FitzGerald School PTO Co-Presidents
Ann Tierney & Diana Lehmann - Co-Presidents
Diana Lehmann - Treasurer
Chesley Muniz - Secretary
Analia Boltuch - Director of Communications
Dan Stafford - Director of Events
Deirdre Georgoudis - Director of Finance
Erin Poppe - Director of Fundraising
Laura O’Toole - Director of Fifth Grade
Ryan Ellis - Director of Enrichment
UPCOMING EVENTS: K Coffee Meetup: Tuesday, September 5th at 8:45am at the Playground. Come meet up with other parents and members of the PTO for some coffee, chatting and volunteer signups!
Ongoing FUNDRAISING through BOX TOPS, RAISE RIGHT, MABEL LABEL, FITZY WEAR – Order online 24/7. Delivery takes 10 - 15 business days from date of purchase.
Stay in touch! PTO website – Facebook – Instagram
School Lunch Information
*Breakfast and Lunch will also be available for free again in 2023-2024!
** 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
8/31- Kindergarten Classroom Assignments Sent Out
9/1 and 9/4- No School, Labor Day
9/5- First Day of Kindergarten
9/25- No School, Yom Kippur
9/26- Schedule Change- Monday Schedule
9/27- Early Release Day, 1:00pm, Lunch will be served
9/27- Back to School Night at FitzGerald, 6:30-8:00pm- More information to come in September!
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2022-2023 Elementary Student Handbooks (2023-2024 Coming Soon)
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