The Peirce Weekly
November 14th, 2023
Welcome to our new format for the Peirce Weekly! We hope you like it and we would love any feedback you have! We are particularly excited about the translation and accessibility features - just check out the tool bar at the top of the newsletter. If you know community members for who these features are useful please help spread the word about our new and improved format. If you are not seeing a Table of Contents on the left or accessibility button across the top of this email, click "View in Browser" to see all of the features.
We hope everyone enjoyed Spirit Week as much as we did. We were so impressed with everyone's creativity - check out the 2nd grade teaching team in their tribute to The Day the Crayons Quit! Thanks so much to all of the volunteers who made last week's Book Fair and Glow Dance a success - especially Sarah Barton (Book Fair Coordinator) and Megan Fitzpatrick (Glow Dance). PTO volunteers are the backbone of all of our amazing events - they help make things run smoothly and safely for everyone!
Mark your calendars for upcoming events:
- Saturday, November 25 Peirce volunteers will be wrapping purchases at Henry Bear's Park - all proceeds will go to the Peirce PTO
- Tuesday, November 28 - November PTO Meeting via Google Meet - the link will be in the Nov 28 newsletter
- Friday, December 1 - December Green Team Meeting
- Thursday, December 7 - Peirce shopping day at Maxima Gift Center in East Arlington (details below)
- Saturday, December 9 - Peirce give back day at Wicked Bagels in Lexington (details below)
- Thursday, December 21 - Peirce PTO Winter Meet Up at the Arlington Brewing Co. Pop Up Tap Room @The Roasted Granola
Reminder - tomorrow (Wednesday, November 22) is an earlier than normal early dismissal day. Students will be dismissed at 11:30 with the option of a brown bag lunch, and there is no Peirce After School Program.
Finally, we wish everyone a safe, restful & joyous long weekend and Thanksgiving to those who celebrate.
-Kelly, Laura, John & Beth
With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, on behalf of our school community, we would like to express our gratitude to all who have contributed to the 2023/2024 Peirce School Annual fund. Without your support, we could not continue to provide classroom supplies, put on community events and more.
If you have not yet made your annual fund contribution, please see below on how to give.
The PTO estimates that we spend between $125 to $150 per child each calendar year, and the more we are able to raise, the more we are able to give back!
We hope you will consider a gift of $125 per child. Please know every gift, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated.
Venmo: @flamingo_PeircePTO
Online: HERE
Check: Please make your check payable to Peirce PTO and indicate “Annual Fund” and your child’s name in the memo section. You may send the check back to school in your child’s folder or mail it directly to our mailbox at school:
Peirce School
ATTN: Peirce PTO
85 Park Ave. Ext.
Arlington, MA 02474
Does your company have a corporate matching program? Please ask, your gift could be doubled!
Questions? annualfund@peircepto.org
I'm asking that all families please consider filling out the APS Family-School Relationship Survey. Results from this survey help us learn the areas that you all see as strengths and where we have room to grow. I would truly appreciate it if you would take the time to complete the survey. This survey will close on December 1st.
*Please fill out one survey PER CHILD.*
Early in November Peirce 1st graders had a special enrichment program with Arlington EATS. They learned about what they do and how we can help alleviate hunger in our community.
The kids then worked in small groups to make posters to advertise a food drive.
The kids are welcoming donations of any non-perishable food items between now and December 8th and the first graders will be helping to collect and organize the donations.
Items may be sent to school with your child or dropped off in the boxes in the lobby/our classrooms.
In particular Arlington Eats is in need of:
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Chocolate chips
- Cornmeal
- Cornstarch
- Brown sugar
- Yeast
- Cocoa powder
- Parchment paper
- Shelf stable soup
- Almond butter
- Soy sauce
- Dish soap
- Personal care items
- Children’s diapers
- Paper or reusable bags
'Tis the season for reducing, reusing, recycling, and giving!
Come join the Green Team on Friday, December 1st from 2:30-3:30pm (in the Library).
This time of year, there are many holidays to be celebrating and many ways to show we care. We'll be decorating recyclable gift wrap, learning why regular wrapping paper isn't recyclable, and making special experience coupons for our family/friends.
Sign-up here to join in the fun. All are welcome!
Emily, Jyoti, Alex, and Claire
PS-If you have leftover newspaper hanging around, feel free to send it with the kids. We can remake it into beautiful wrapping paper!
Small Business Saturday - November 25
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Shop at Henry Bear's Park and get your gifts wrapped by PTO volunteers!
685 Mass Ave
All funds raised will go directly to the PTO to help support 5th grade graduation activities.
Do you love gift wrapping and supporting Peirce?
Sign up for a shift here.
Saturday, December 9
71 Mass. Ave, Lexington
On December 9, Wicked Bagel will donate 50% of the retail cost of each dozen bagels purchased when Peirce School is mentioned! Mark your calendars to shop in store, or pre-order starting Sunday 12/3.
50% of the proceeds from each dozen, sold go to Pierce Elementary! This means the school will receive $9.32 for every dozen sold!
As the weather is getting a bit colder, we need to make more space in the lost and found. We ask that you grab your items by Thursday, November 30 as we will donate all sweatshirts to Cradles and Crayons the first week of December.
The Lost & Found is located on the 1st floor by the elevators. We would appreciate it families could label clothes and water bottles to minimize all that has to be donated. We try and take pictures of most items in the lost and found but it does become overwhelming.
Please be sure to check out our google photos for your students lost sweatshirts, water bottles and lunch boxes. The lost and found is already overwhelmed with items.
All Arlington School Committee meetings are open to the public, and most are held both in person and over Zoom. For additional information on the Arlington School Committee, including its working groups, please visit their website. Agendas and reference material for each meeting will be available at least 48 business hours prior to the meeting and may be viewed on the Committee’s Agendas and Minutes page.
- Novemer 30, 6:30 - 10:00 PM Arlington School Committee Regular Meeting - Hybrid (Zoom and in person)
- December 14, 6:30 - 10:00 PM Arlington School Committee Regular Meeting - Hybrid (Zoom and in person)
Mount Gilboa Feasibility Study
The feasibility study kicks off with a public forum at Peirce Elementary School on December 4th at 7:00 PM.
The 10.2-acre Mount Gilboa Conservation Area is a tall, tree-covered hill with a single house on top, located in the Crescent Hill Neighborhood of Arlington Heights. The property, including the house, is owned by the Town and managed by the Conservation Commission. Residents frequent the area’s trails for walking and bird watching; the house stands unoccupied. Discussions about the future of the property as a Town-owned asset include access and trail improvements and the possible removal of the house to create a vista park at the top of hill.
Robbins Library Rainbow Readers Book Club (3rd - 5th Grade) - Thursday, December 14
Robbins Library hosts a monthly, in-person book club for kids that fall under the LGBTQ+ Rainbow umbrella. Welcome to readers of all genders currently enrolled in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade. We'll read a graphic novel with an LGBTQ+ main character and then meet up to chat, play games, and make a craft! This book club meets at the Robbins Library.
The book selection for each month will be available in the children's room of the Robbins Library for pickup prior to the club meeting. Kids can read the book themselves or have someone read it to them.
Registration is required. Please enter your child's name on the registration form and not your own.
This month's book is Goldie Vance by Hope Larson. The meeting is Thursday, December 14th from 3:30 - 4:15pm.
Troop 306 for Teens – Holiday Gift Drive
Hello Peirce Families! Troop 306 has a VERY strong presence of Peirce alumni (including SEVEN scouts from the class of '22!) and they would love your support in this important service for local teens in need:
Troop 306 for Teens – Holiday Gift Drive is a way YOU can help local teens in need served by the Department of Children and Families.
Please consider dropping off new, unwrapped items such as hats, gloves, scarves, socks, art & school supplies, gift cards, or small games at the following locations anytime through December 10th:
· Arlington Police Department (112 Mystic St) - Arlington Center
· Bishop Elementary School
· Hardy Elementary School
· Leader Bank (141 Massachusetts Ave) - East Arlington
· Leader Bank (1201 Massachusetts Ave) – Arlington Heights
· LivFit (471 Massachusetts Ave) – Arlington Center
· The Roasted Granola (1346 Massachusetts Ave) – Arlington Heights
· Stratton Elementary School
· True Fitness (30 Park Ave) - Arlington Heights
Donations can also be made online by shopping the Amazon gift list: https://bit.ly/Troop306forTeens_amazon
(please order by December 5th so they will arrive in time to be included (they will be delivered directly to our Troop).
You can also donate to our gift card fund – these are a popular choice, as they give teens the excitement of shopping for themselves!
https://bit.ly/Troop306forTeens_giftcards
We have been asked to serve nearly 250 local teens in need, so your generosity will be greatly appreciated!
Troop 306 is a co-ed scout troop for children in grades 6-12. For more information, email T306Arlington@gmail.com.
