Whaley Weekly

Hello Wellington! You may notice a new look and feel for the Whaley Weekly. The BPS district rolled out new software this week and we're testing it. Please excuse our appearance while we familiarize ourselves with the new process. One very exciting new feature is the ability to translate the newsletter. You'll find the translate button in the upper right corner on this page. More to come!

We’d like to introduce our new incoming PTO co-president for the 2024-25/2025-26 school years!

Andreina Parisi-Amon

While born in Boston, I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. I then spent a few years hopping around, moving first to North Carolina for my undergrad degree at Duke, then for a year as an engineer in Italy, and finally to California where I met my husband Ryan while we were both in the biomedical engineering graduate program at Stanford. We hung around San Francisco living our best pre-kid lives, while I pivoted into educational technology and built the Teaching and Learning team at Coursera to enable everyone, everywhere to access high quality education.

In 2017 we moved to Boston, the best (imo) education - biotech combo city, where for three years I led partnerships for the Mass STEM Hub, a program of the One8 Foundation focused on supporting K12 schools across Massachusetts with researched-backed STEM and Applied Learning programs. I currently lead the Learning and Teaching team at Engageli, where we’re building an engaging and collaborative virtual classroom.

While living in the South End we had both of our children, Rory (6) and Gabriella (3). In the summer of 2022 we moved to Belmont. We have loved becoming a part of the Belmont community. I have already been so impressed and inspired by the energy and dedication of the Wellington PTO and community and am eager to channel my passion for education and our town in my new role — Rory and I are preparing our backpacks, as he heads into first grade and I join as the PTO Co-President!

Field Day is this Friday May 31st! 

An all day event full of exercise and fun, organized by our PE teachers.

• To show your class team spirit, you can find your students' class T-shirt color here. 

• Here is some information to help prepare for Field Day. 

• Thank you to those who have signed up to volunteer for field day. We have filled all of the volunteer needs! 

Volunteer at the Wellington Library: End of Year Shelf Reading!

The Wellington Library is looking for volunteers to join us on Monday, June 10th from 9am-10:30am (after the 4th grade showcase) to help go through shelves, put things back in order and pull out books that need repair or replacing. Help Wellington and get a chance to meet other volunteers! No experience necessary, though you need to have an up to date CORI. If you're able to join us, even if only for a short amount of time, please follow this link to let us know you'll be there: Sign up Here!

Lost & Found!

As we approach the end of the school year, and the warmer weather has started, the lost and found has piled up! We will be donating everything June 3rd. Please drop into the school and look for your student’s missing items! 

We’re coming to the end of the school year and we wanted to take this opportunity to give a HEARTFELT THANK YOU to ALL of the families who’ve volunteered their time or donated money to the PTO this year. It takes a village to run the PTO and we are truly grateful for our community!

The PTO Board is planning for the 2024-25 school year! Thanks to those who have reached out! It’s time to start building our volunteer village for next year. We have many board members graduating from Wellington which opens up spaces for new volunteers to join us, either as a board member or as a program/event specific coordinator. 

Here is a list of some of our open positions for the 2024-25 school year: 

• Treasurer

• Community Events Coordinator

• Fundraising Coordinator

• Preschool Representative (new)

• Directory Coordinator 

• If you are interested in one of these roles and would like to learn more, please email Aisha and Lindsay at: wellingtonptopresidents@belmontschools.net 

• Important note to all volunteers: Everyone will receive a CORI form (one per household - feel free to make a copy) in your Communications Folder. If you can support the PTO and would like to volunteer, CORI forms are required for every parent volunteer. You must bring the completed form and a form of ID to the Wellington office to complete the process. CORIs are valid for three years! We highly recommend you get these completed early in the school year.

We invite you to visit the Belmont Department of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion website to learn more about the BPS commitment to DEI and how to sign-up to receive the DEI newsletter - https://www.belmont.k12.ma.us/bps/dei 

For all of the 3rd and 4th grade families who have students heading up to the CUE (Chenery Upper Elementary School) next year: 

• If you're interested in volunteering at the CUE, please fill out their volunteer interest form here.

Annual Appeal!

We ask that you consider a donation to the Wellington Fundraising Appeal. So far this school year, these funds have been used to reimburse teachers for their classroom supplies, purchase school supplies and grocery gift cards for Wellington students and families in need and fund school wide initiatives like new sports equipment, music stands, and storage sheds for both blue and green playgrounds. 

If you have a corporate or workplace match, this is an amazing way to DOUBLE your impact. 

• Follow this QR code to donate using a credit card

• OR Send a check payable to Wellington PTO
  (Memo: “Annual Fund” and your child’s name) and return to school in their Communications Folder, or mail to:

Wellington School

ATTN: Wellington PTO

121 Orchard Street, Belmont, MA 02478

• Check to see if your employer matches charitable gifts!

  • Wellington School PTO’s EIN is 04-3093301

  • Need a receipt? Email wellingtonptotreasurer@gmail.com 

• Traffic Safety - Please remember to be considerate when parking around Wellington and do not block the crosswalks or the driveways of our neighbors. There is no active pick up. Please do not pull into the parking lot or driveway at dismissal to retrieve your child.

• A Note about PTO Communication Channels:

  • Whaley Weeklys (the PTO newsletter you are currently reading!) will be emailed to you every Wednesday with updates on events, volunteer opportunities, school happenings and more! 

  • Communications Folders - Be on the lookout for a blue folder coming home with your student(s). They will include some pertinent information from the PTO, particularly our community and fundraising events. Your child’s folder comes home everyday as a way to get their school work and Wellington happenings into your hands! 

  • Room Parents - each classroom will have PTO volunteer Room Parents who act as liaisons between the classroom teacher and class parents/guardians. 

  • Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wellingtonpto 

Lindsay Kalmakis & Aisha Foxx Telfort

Wellington PTO Co-Presidents

wellingtonptopresidents@belmontschools.net