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News and Announcements

The Saugatuck Scoop - 10/4/24

We’d like to wish Principal Messler a very Happy Birthday! If you see her in the hallways, be sure to send her some birthday cheer!

This week we shine our Saugie Spotlight on…Open Volunteer Positions! The PTA relies on the participation of the entire community to carry out the programs that provide a combination of enrichment, logistical support, entertainment, and community connection throughout the year. Let's ensure our kids have a year full of fun and special memories! Please consider volunteering for one of the open roles below. You can also read through each job description here: 

  • Bingo Night - 2 volunteers to help coordinate the actual evening and prizes
  • Fill Your Baskets - 1 volunteer
  • Ice Skating Party  - 1 volunteer
  • Spring Faculty Luncheon - 2 volunteers
  • Books as Gifts - 1 volunteer to work in the library once a month for about 30 minutes
  • Coat Drive and Souper Bowl Charity Events - 1 volunteer to learn the ropes
  • Room Parent (year-long commitment)
    • 1 open position: Byrne, Bloom, Roffe, Banet, Coclin, Kain, Driscoll
    • 2 open positions: D’Alessandro, Morales

For Room Parent volunteers please contact Courtney Fuchs to sign up for a teacher in Grades K-2 or Jaclyn Carbino for Grades 3-5. For all other open roles, reach out to Melissa Stewart to sign up OR to request more information. 

Saugie’s Checklist

  • Bring in your gently used winter gear to support the annual coat drive (details below)
  • There are still a few spots available for Fall Family Photos with Josephine Ettinger of La Luna Photography! Sign up here 
  • In case you missed Ms. Lasto’s email, check here for updates from the Art Room
  • Follow the SES PTA on Instagram @thesaugiescene for reminders, updates and links
  • October’s lunch menu is here

Save The Date

Saturday, October 12, 9-11am and 3-6pm Fall Mini Photo Sessions - Details below
Sunday, October 13, 9-11am and 3-6pm Fall Mini Photo Sessions - Details below
Tuesday, October 15, 10am SpED Sip N Chat - Westport Public Library, RM 216
Friday, October 18 Early Release - Professional Development
Saturday, October 19, 9-11am and 3-6pm Fall Mini Photo Sessions - Details below
Sunday, October 20, 9-11am and 3-6pm Fall Mini Photo Sessions - Details below
Sunday, October 20, 3pm SES Day at the Bridgeport Islanders - Details to come

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Latest News and Events

Donate To The Coat Drive Now Through October 11

This year, SES is partnering with Kids Helping Kids to collect new and gently used children's winter coats of all sizes (infant-high school), along with hats and gloves, for The Sharing Shelf. This wonderful organization provides quality clothing to school-aged children so they can attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success. The Sharing Shelf uses clothing donations to assemble a Wardrobe Pack - a week's worth of seasonally appropriate clothing matched into outfits according to a child or teen's sizing needs. 

We’ll have collection bins by the main entrance and the cafeteria today through October 11. So start cleaning out those coat closets and storage bins!

Questions? Check out the flyer or contact Lindsay Cardinali or Diana Grossman.

SES Movie Night Is Back! Save The Date: Thursday, October 24th 

Join us in the SES Auditorium on Thursday, October 24th, 6:30pm and "check in" to "Hotel Transylvania 2", a batty tale as Dracula opens up Hotel Transylvania 2 to humans while enlisting his half-human grandson in monster boot camp to keep up his vampire skills. 

Tickets are $10 per family and can be purchased in advance beginning Thursday, October 10. Logowear and snacks will be available for purchase. This is not a drop off event.  

Volunteers are needed to make this event a success! Sign up to help out here.

Fifth Grade Families - Order Your T-shirts by Friday, October 11th!

One of the many perks of being a 5th grader is getting to wear the cool 5th grade t-shirt at field day, on field trips, and other special SES occasions.  But for them to wear it, YOU have to order it! Click here now because the deadline is next Friday, October 11th!

Important Early Dismissal Time Change and Pajama Day October 18th, 11:30am

Per Superintendent Scarice's parent communication on September 27, there will be two different early release times in WPS this year.  The early release times on the following dates will be 11:30am at SES: October 18, January 17, and March 21. On these dates, students will be dismissed earlier to enable additional professional development time for teacher collaboration.  Student lunch will not be served on these days; instead, students should bring a big snack.  Students who qualify for free and reduced lunch will bring a bagged lunch home with them on these days.

All other early release days will dismiss students at 1:00pm.  On these early release days, student lunch will be served in our cafeteria. On all early release days, all changes to SDM must be entered by 10:30am.

To make the 11:30 early release days a little more fun, these will also be Pajama Days! Send your kids to school in their favorite cozy pajamas for a quick, comfy day. We'll send out more reminders as these dates get closer, but please make your necessary arrangements and mark your calendars now.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) News

Join us for the monthly DEIB Meeting on October 23rd at 7:30-8:30pm in the Westport Library, Room 210. We welcome and encourage people of all ethnicities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations and abilities to attend. In order to “be the change” we must understand each other. The best way to understand is through dialogue. If you are curious about the group but don’t think it’s for you for any reason, please reach out to one of the chairs to learn more. If you have questions, suggested topics, or want to become more involved, please email the SES DEI Chairs: Eric Cheung and Steve Turner at ses_pta_dei@westportps.org.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct 15 in the US) celebrates the cultures and histories of people with heritage from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It's also a way to honor the many achievements and contributions by Hispanic people around the world. Click here for ideas to mark the occasion with books, recipes, music, and more!

This year’s theme for Hispanic Heritage Month 2024, according to the National Archives, is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.”  The theme and its corresponding poster are selected by the National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM), who advocate for Hispanic participation and representation in the federal government. As the NCHEPM press release states, “The theme encapsulates the spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity that define the Hispanic experience.”

Save the Date! Diwali Celebration Tuesday, October 29th, 3:20pm

As part of our SES PTA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Group (DEIB), we’re excited to announce a special Diwali celebration at Saugatuck Elementary School on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, from 3:20 to 4:15 pm! Join us as we transform the cafeteria into a celebration of colors to commemorate this joyous "Festival of Lights".

This event is open to up to 24 K-5 students, and an adult must accompany all students. See the flyer with more details, and sign up here to attend or volunteer at the event.

Redistricting Resource Map Now Available

The district has shared a new redistricting maps resource, which can be found on the district’s Redistricting Resources page. Families can use both locational services or search by address to explore the interactive map. This will help families better understand the proposed elementary attendance zone changes and whether or not they are impacted.  

SES Day at the Bridgeport Islanders

Enjoy an afternoon of hockey with Saugatuck Elementary School students, staff, and families! Tickets are on sale now for the Bridgeport Islanders game on Sunday Oct. 20th at 3pm vs. the Hartford Wolfpack. Tickets are $29.12 inclusive of a fundraiser for SES. Cheer on our 4th and 5th grade Chorus as they perform during intermission. Note students participating in the chorus performance must purchase tickets. Students may also sign up to hold the flag on the ice during the National Anthem. All students must be accompanied by an adult on the ice, no skates required. Any questions, please reach out to Rebekah Balagtas, Maeke Paul, or Diana Gaitan. 

Special Education News

The Westport SpED PTA welcomes the families of all 504 and IEP students with diverse needs as we organize events, talks, and gatherings. All Sip n’ Chat events are at 10am in the Westport Public Library. No RSVP is required to attend the Sip n’ Chat events. See this flyer describing the topics planned for the year.

  • 10/15/24, Room 216 - Bring your own topics and concerns and benefit from this amazing resource of dedicated parents who have been there before 
  • 11/21/24, Room 210 - SUMMER CAMP/ESY: A presentation of available summer camps and how to approach Extended School Year (ESY)

Questions? Reach out to Megan Bouchard. 

Support The PTA

Books As Gifts - Donate a New Book to Our Amazing SES Library!

The Books As Gifts program offers friends and families of SES students an opportunity to support our library each year by dedicating a special new library book to their child or someone special. You can celebrate birthdays, accomplishments, holidays, passions, a teacher or staff member, or donate a book just because! To purchase a book from the SES Library's Amazon Wishlist and have a bookplate inscribed with your dedication, please fill out this form. Within the form, you'll be able to access the Amazon Wishlist to purchase the book AND provide the information to us for the bookplate inscription. Please make sure to have the book(s) shipped to SES by selecting “Saugatuck Elementary Library's Gift Registry Address” as the shipping address. Once the book or books arrive at SES, your child will be the first to check it out (once it is barcoded) and share it with their family. 

Watch for the growing photo display near the library - your child's proud face holding your donation! The book will become a part of the SES library for everyone to enjoy for years to come. 

See the flyer for more information. Questions? Email Leah Crane or Kerri Joller.

Book Your Fall Family Photos Now! 

Back by popular demand…professional photographer extraordinaire and SES parent Josephine Ettinger of La Luna Photography, is thrilled to offer Fall Family Mini Photo Sessions (dogs welcome)! 

Sessions will be held on October 12th-13th and 19th-20th, as 15 minute sessions between 9-11am and again at 3-6pm each day. Photo shoot location will be at the Aspetuck Land Trust Haskins Preserve (20 Green Acre Lane). 

There are limited spots available, so sign up ASAP: 

  1. Choose an available time slot by clicking HERE and then
  2. Make sure to confirm your spot by paying the required $50 sitting fee which directly supports the SES PTA (link included in signup page). 

Once your photos have been captured, Josephine is offering these specialized packages exclusive to SES families for prints and images. 

Minted Holiday Card Offer

It's that time of year again! Signing up for a fall photo shoot is a great reminder to get on top of organizing those holiday cards! SES has partnered with Minted, a premium card printer service, to provide SES families with a discount on products. You can visit their site here (http://www.minted.com)

By using our promo code FUNDRAISESES at checkout, you will receive 20% off card and gift orders.  Minted will then donate 15% back to SES. This offer is good now through December.

Volunteer Opportunities

PTA Membership and School Directory

If you haven’t already, head over to Membership Toolkit and become a member of the PTA! As a PTA member, you'll have the opportunity to volunteer for enriching events around school that let you be part of your child’s school experience AND you’ll gain access to the school directory. Please note that you must be a member of the PTA in order to volunteer at school and to access the directory. Membership is $35 per family. Click here to become a member of the SES PTA! 

Check out a quick Membership Toolkit app tutorial from last year here.

Fifth Grade Pumpkin Contest

Help keep this special 5th grade tradition alive!  This team will coordinate the drop off of entries, create the display in the courtyard, and coordinate the voting. After categories are selected, Team Leaders will touch base with Mr. Lawrence to create a Padlet to handle digital submissions & voting.  Winners are traditionally announced at the end of the 5th grade Halloween Party. If you’d like to sign up to volunteer for the Fifth Grade Pumpkin Contest, please email Nat Smitobol.

Fifth Grade Halloween Party (In school event)

This frightfully fun party-planning committee will organize a Halloween costume party only for the 5th graders. Team Leaders will work with the 5th grade teachers to choose a date and time (during a school day), decorate the cafeteria, and plan activity stations that the kids rotate through.  This party is in lieu of a seasonal craft typically led by room parents in grades K-4.  The 5th grade pumpkin contest winners will be announced at this event. If you’d like to sign up to volunteer for the Halloween Party planning committee, please email Nat Smitobol.

Updates and Reminders

Arrival and Dismissal Reminders

Please do not park on or block any Riverside Avenue driveways. During Arrival and Dismissal, it is safest for all when cars proceed through the car line for pick up and drop off.  Should you park and walk your child, please be mindful of our neighbors and their property. 

During Chorus and Orchestra morning drop off, all drivers should remain in a single line, hugging the curb. Please only let your child(ren) out of the car once the teacher has come outside.

Helpful Resources

Click here for helpful resources such as previous communications from the SES administration, how to’s and district updates.

Scoop of Thanks

…to the Room Parents for launching class chats and welcome communications this week. Their efforts are key to keeping our classrooms connected and informed!

Community Corner

Board of Education (BOE) Meetings

Residents are always welcome to attend the BOE meetings in person every other Thursday in the Staples High School Cafeteria (calendar here). You are also able to watch them live from home on the BOE webpage here. Every meeting is archived on that same page for viewing at any time. 

Be “In The Know” with the Digital Community Bulletin Board 

The district's Digital Community Bulletin Board is the resource you didn’t know you needed! Make a habit of checking the bulletin board and you’ll be in the know about upcoming sports clinics, school drama club performances, and other events happening around town. The Digital Community Bulletin Board is updated regularly, so be sure to check it out! If you are interested in submitting something for the bulletin board, please contact the PTA Co-Presidents Allison O'Dell and Indy Pereira (ses_pta@westportps.org).

Contact The Scoop:
To include your announcement or event in The Scoop, please submit this form at least two weeks before the event or announcement date. Last minute announcements must be submitted by Tuesday at 5:00pm to be considered for inclusion in that week's edition, released on Friday. Flyers or attachments need to be approved by Principal Beth Messler (emessler@westportps.org) and PTA Presidents, Allison O’Dell (allisonson@gmail.com) and Indy Pereira (ipereira@cahoot.ai). Contact the Scoop (saugatuck.scoop@gmail.com) with any questions or just to say hello.