Cougar Chronicles

Happy March Cook Hill Families,

We are so excited to welcome March and all that it brings—hopefully including some warmer weather! After a long winter season, we are looking forward to a month filled with learning, reading, celebration, and community connection at Cook Hill.

March is especially exciting as we launch our Cougars Read Together experience. As a school community, we will begin reading our shared book, The Trouble With Chickens by Doreen Cronin. Throughout the month, students will learn more about Doreen Cronin as an author and explore many of her texts, building a shared love of reading across grade levels.

We also want to thank our families for your continued collaboration and support during what has been an interesting winter season. We truly appreciate your understanding and partnership in ensuring that students are at school each day, ready to learn and grow. Your support makes a meaningful difference, and we are grateful to work alongside you.

We hope everyone is ready for a fun, engaging, and joyful month at Cook Hill!

March Events & Important Dates

March 2–6 – Read Across America Week
Monday, March 2 – Get Caught Reading Day
Anytime students are caught reading, they may receive a raffle ticket. At the end of the day, tickets with student names can be turned in for a chance to win a prize.
Tuesday, March 3 – Favorites Day
Bring in and read your favorite book and wear your favorite color.
Tuesday, March 3 – Virtual PTO Meeting at 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 4 – Read Across the World Day
Read books that tell stories from different cultures and places around the world.
March 4 & 5 – UConn 4-H STEM Team Visit
In collaboration with the PTO, students will explore local ecosystems through hands-on STEM experiments.
Thursday, March 5 – D.E.A.R. Day
Cook Hill will Drop Everything And Read together at 9:30 AM.
Friday, March 6 – Cougar Day
Wear Cook Hill blue or Cougar gear!
Friday, March 6 – Cozy Up to a Good Book Day
Bring a stuffed animal to school and cozy up with a favorite book from home or school.
Sunday, March 8 – Daylight Saving Time Begins
Tuesday, March 10 – Spring Parent-Teacher EveningConferences (Day 1)
Teachers have shared schedules and sign-ups with families.
(our Second conference day will be Thursday, April 9th.)
Tuesday, March 17 – Go Green Day for St. Patrick’s Day
Spring Book Fair begins (March 17–18)
Evening of Thursday, March 19 – Eid al-Fitr begins
Eid Sa’id to all who celebrate.
Friday, March 20 – Crazy Sock Day
Wednesday, March 25 – Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day
Wear green to show support.
Saturday, March 28 – PTO Glow Gala

Thank you again for being such incredible partners in your children’s education. We are hopeful, energized, and ready for a wonderful month ahead. We can’t wait to experience all the learning, joy, and community that March has to offer at Cook Hill.

With gratitude and collaboration,
Mr. Munroe and the Cook Hill Team

World Read Aloud Visitors from around Wallingford! Thank you to our volunteers!

WPS 2026-2027 District Calendar

Wondering when the first day of school is next year? Planning vacation during school breaks? Check out the approved district calendar for next year and start planning!

Parent Letter - Student Learning Environment - 2026 - 2027

Please keep in mind the due date of these letters is March 16th!

Parent Letter - Student Learning Environment - 2026 - 2027 - Spanish

March 2nd-6th - School Social Work Week - We appreciate Mr. Troiano and all his hard work!

March 3rd - Virtual PTO Meeting

March 4th & 5th - UCONN 4-H Stem activity at Cook Hill

March 6th - Cougar Day *Check the spirit day calendar for more details

March 10th - Spring Evening Conferences 5-8pm

March 17th - Go Green Day *Check the spirit day calendar for more details

March 17th & 18th - Spring Book Fair - Details to follow soon

March 19th - Virtual Author Visit with Doreen Cronin

March 20th - Crazy Sock Day *Check the spirit day calendar for more details

March 25th - Cerebral Palsy Day *Check the spirit day calendar for more details

March 26th - 2 HOUR EARLY DISMISSAL FOR STUDENTS

April 1st - Paraprofessional Recognition Day

April 2nd - Autism Day *Check the spirit day calendar for more details

April 3rd - GOOD FRIDAY - NO SCHOOL

CH Spirit Days

Click here for the 2025-26 Spirit Days

WPS 2025-2026 District Calendar

With 4 snow days this year, our potential last day of school is currently 6/19/26. Once the district sends a final revised schedule, we will share with families.

2nd grade student leaders planning a school wide event!

Hard at work in Kindergarten!

A visit from our friends at Quinnipiac Women's Volleyball

🏀March Madness Take-N-Bake — It’s a Slam Dunk!

Make dinner easy and delicious while supporting our March Madness Take-N-Bake Fundraiser, featuring a complete meal for four from Taste of Home Catering. Orders include penne pasta with sauce on the side, meatballs, tossed salad, and chocolate chip cookies, with pickup on 3/13 from 5–7 PM. Order by 3/10 using the link: https://pfchpto.ptboard.com/formvw?store=6488&form=11

✨March 28th | 4:00–6:00 PM - Spring Dance: GLOW GALA

Our Annual Spring Dance will take place on Saturday, March 28 from 4:00–6:00 PM at Parker Farms School. Each Cook Hill or Parker Farms family is welcome to invite one special guest to join in the fun. Please note that event capacity is limited to 250 attendees, so we encourage you to secure your tickets early:
https://pfchpto.ptboard.com/formvw?store=6488&form=12

When purchasing your admission tickets, you’ll also have the opportunity to pre-purchase discounted raffle tickets online—a convenient way to save and get a head start on entering for some exciting prizes!

We also welcome support from our community to help make the evening a success. Please consider signing up to bring a refreshment and/or volunteer during the event. You can view available opportunities and sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/zp8ywstr

🗓️💻 Next PTO Meeting:

March 3rd - Next PTO Meeting at 7:00 PM

Please join us for our next PTO meeting, which will be held virtually on March 3 at 7:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to stay informed, share ideas, and get involved in upcoming events and initiatives. March PTO Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/kzb-oqjp-epv

Volunteer Opportunities

AT-HOME Opportunity: Write Appreciation Notes - We are looking for volunteers to help with handwritten appreciation notes for our teachers and staff throughout the year. We have a list of dates and names, just sign up for what you can do. PTO will provide the cards. Please reach out to board@pfchspto.org if you’d like more information.

AT-HOME Opportunity: Spanish Translation - We are looking for spanish-speaking volunteers to assist with reviewing translations on our event flyers. What would this involve? We send you a flyer via text or email. Just give it a quick look to make sure everything is correctly translated. Contact board@pfchspto.org if you can help.

More Ways to Support Our Schools

Clothing Donation Bins - Located in both Parker Farms & Cook Hill parking lots. Donate clothing anytime—PTO earns funds for each donation!
Spiritwear - Open year-round, ships directly to your home. https://www.wamiswag.com/shops/pfchpto
Skip-The-Sale Donation - Prefer to skip fundraisers? Make a direct donation! 100% goes toward supporting our students & educators. https://pfchpto.ptboard.com/formvw?store=6488&form=6
Our A Blend Above Fundraiser is OPEN all school year long and filled with delicious dip, soup, drink, and dessert mixes—perfect for your Super Bowl spread or any gathering. Order anytime, as often as you like, and have everything shipped directly to your home. Get stocked up now and enjoy easy, crowd-pleasing snacks all season!
https://fundraising.ablendabove.com/pages/store?code=TP2H2V-ZOG

Check out the PTO Website!

Join our PTO Facebook Page!

Check out the Spirit Wear store!

As part of our continued efforts to celebrate and recognize our amazing students, families, and staff we would like to invite families to complete our Student Celebrations and Happenings form!

The form will be open throughout the entire school year. Anytime your family or child celebrate or do something interesting, add a new submission!

Not only will we celebrate our school community together during our Morning Announcements, but (with the families permission) we will regularly share one of the submissions with our entire school community!

We cannot wait to see what our students, staff, and families are up to when they are being the change they want to see in the world and living their best lives!

World Read Aloud Day!

You Matter student made cards!

STEM night at the CID was a wonderful family experience!

Student Celebrations and Happenings

Winter time is full of amazing experiences!

Not too many families realize they may be eligible for free after-school child care for children attending Cook Hill or Parker Farms Elementary School. This opportunity is made possible through a partnership with the Wallingford School District and the 21st CCLC grant.

The after‑school program runs from 3:00–6:00 PM, with kids transported directly from school to the Boys & Girls Club. Spots are limited, so if you are interested in receiving more information, please complete the form using the link below and a representative will contact you.

The Boys & Girls Club offers the following enrichment programs including:

Arts & Crafts
Sports, Fitness, & Recreation
Homework Assistance
Field Trips
Fun Fridays
Family Activities
Transportation

Fill out this form to learn more: https://forms.gle/T95GmmMguWf1hegX7

Registration is now open for the current school year and is now open for next school year (2026/2027) for Kindergarten through Grade 12 only. If your child is already enrolled in Wallingford Public Schools Preschool, you do NOT need to register for Kindergarten.

Please note due to recent legislative changes in the State of Connecticut, that a child is to be five years old on or before 9/1/26 in order to register for Kindergarten. If your child will be five on or before 9/1/26 you may use the link below. If your child will not be five until 9/2/26 or later, please use THIS LINK if you would like to have them screened for possible early admission to Kindergarten for the 26/27 school year.

For general information regarding Kindergarten Registration, please CLICK HERE for more information.

To start the registration process, please visit the WPS website here: https://www.wallingford.k12.ct.us/district-info/school-registration

and click on the NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION button.

PLEASE NOTE: If your child will not be five years old by 9/1/26, your registration will not be accepted. Only screenings at the above link can be requested at this time. For questions regarding registration, please call (203) 949-6506.