News and Announcements

The Saugatuck Scoop

 

Saugie Spotlight

This week we shine our Saugie Spotlight on…holiday giving! Are you looking for a quick way to make a big impact for deserving families in our community this holiday season? Just click here to select items to donate through Westport’s Annual Holiday Giving Program, which enables over 80 income-qualified Westport households with school-aged children to provide gifts and essentials for their families. This program is funded entirely by community donations and the Amazon wishlist was hand-selected by our very own SES Student Leadership Council. Donations will be sent directly from Amazon to our PTA coordinator. Our students will also write holiday cards to accompany these donations. See the flyer for more info. We will accept donations through next Friday, December 8th.

Questions about this program can be directed to Annette D'Augelli, Westport Dept. of Human Services at (203) 341-1183. For questions specifically about the SES initiative, please reach out to Swapna Raj (832) 244-5773 / Lindsay Cardinali (917) 674-0363 / Diana Grossman (305) 321-0407

 

 Saugie’s Checklist

• Have you already donated to Books as Gifts? Thank you! Please make sure you fill out this dedication form so we can get your book into your child's hands.

• Latest lunch menu here.

 

Next Week at a Glance

Friday, December 8th, 7:30am

Rise and Read, Pajama Day - All Grades

 

Save the Date

Friday, December 22nd, 1pm	Holiday Break - Early Dismissal
Mon., December 25th-Mon. January 1st	Holiday Break - No School
Sunday, January 7th, 3pm	Bridgeport Islanders Game - Total Mortgage Arena
Monday, January 15th	Martin Luther King Jr Day - No School
Sunday, January 28th, 5-7pm	Ice Skating Party - PAL Rink at Longshore

 

PTA Events and Activities

 

Rise and Read, PAJAMA DAY - Friday, December 8th, 7:30-8:05am (SES Library)

The SES library warmly invites you to join us for a delightful reading experience with your child before the start of the school day, on Dec 8, 2023 from 7:30 to 8:05 am. This event promises to be a heartwarming way to kickstart your day. Immerse yourselves in the joy of shared stories as you explore the shelves together. Feel free to bring your kids in their comfiest pajamas and join us in nurturing a lifelong love of reading. This isn't just about books; it's an opportunity to spend some extra quality time with your children before a busy day. By connecting through storytelling, you'll not only create precious moments with your child but also strengthen our school community. And because mornings are better with coffee and light bites, we've got you covered! Enjoy some refreshments as you dive into the magical world of books with your little ones. If you would like to volunteer to bring some light refreshments please sign up here. Please remember that this isn't a drop-off event; it's a special opportunity for you to actively participate in fostering a love of reading within your family and our school.

 

Westport PTA Cultural Arts presents…Magic Morgan & Liliana - Friday, December 1st.

“Magic into the Deaf World” is a mystifying and amazing inspirational journey into the world of the Deaf that will visit SES for students, staff and administration on Friday, December 1st. Matthew and his wife Liliana, both Deaf, use American Sign Language to perform their award-winning magic show filled with grand, eye-popping illusions, dazzling stunts with live animals and much more. To read more about Matthew & Liliana visit their website.

This performance is brought to you by school PTA contributions and by parent contributions. Please consider donating here.

 

Minted Holiday Card Offer - now through December

Put your photos from the mini sessions to good use! It's nearly time to start thinking about holiday cards! SES has partnered with Minted, a premium card printer service, to provide SES families with a discount on products. Use promo code FUNDRAISESES at checkout to receive 20% off card and gift orders. Minted will then donate 15% back to SES now through December.

 

Saugatuck Elementary Day at The Islanders Game - Sunday, January 7th, 3:00pm

Tickets are on sale now for the Bridgeport Islanders game on Sunday Jan 7th at 3pm - CLICK HERE for advanced tickets at $28 per ticket. Enjoy an afternoon of hockey with Saugatuck Elementary School students, staff, and families! Cheer on the choristers as they perform the National Anthem. Sign up to hold the flag on the ice for the National Anthem (grades 3-5 only)! Play the in-game Jersey Raffle and send 100% of the proceeds back to Saugatuck! More info here.

Around Town

 

Community Conversation - Never Enough by Jennifer Wallace

If you enjoyed Jennifer Wallace’s talk on her book Never Enough, please join Westport Together and Westport Public Schools to continue the conversation around themes shared in the book. Elementary school parents will meet on Wednesday, December 6th, 9-10am in the Staples Library classroom. Please click here to register for the event. Reading the book ahead of time is not required, though may be helpful in deepening the conversation.

Digital Community Bulletin Board - live now and regularly updated!

The district has launched a digital bulletin board that will share all the non-school related activities (think Staples Players performances, sports clinics, Westport Library presentations, and more) relevant for elementary school students and will be updated regularly. Be sure to check it out! If you are interested in submitting something for the bulletin board, please contact Allison O’Dell or Nat Smitobol.

Scoop of Thanks …

…the Book Fair Committee - Tracy Bach, Laura Crocombe, Michaela Farquhar, Melissa Kaufmann, Runa Knapp, Nancy Pincus, Natalie Rabaa, and Olga Stefanski - who spent countless hours planning the entire book fair event, coordinating volunteers, transforming the library, and manning the event. It’s no wonder Book Fair week is so celebrated at SES!

…and to the Book Fair Volunteers - Helen Bomier, Andrea Brito, Jaclyn Carbino, Lindsay Cardinali, Katie Carmody, Lisa Cloherty, Jennifer Collins, Michelle D’Auria, Sarah Frankel, Courtney Fuchs, Leora Goren, Elana Gorshein, Dawn Greenberg, Jessica Hawkins, Sara Levy, Terry Lin, Valentina Lopez, Emily Shakibnia and Hannah Spencer - for helping our readers shop the fair. The week wouldn’t happen without you.

Helpful Resources 

Click here for helpful resources such as past Scoops, SDM, My School Bucks, and becoming a PTA member.

 

Contact The Scoop:
If you’d like your announcement or event to be included in a future edition of the Scoop, complete this form by Tuesday at 5:00pm to request inclusion in that week’s Scoop. Flyers or attachments need to be approved by Principal Beth Messler (emessler@westportps.org) and PTA Presidents, Nat Smitobol (nsmitobol@gmail.com) and Allison O’Dell (allisonson@gmail.com). Contact the Scoop (saugatuck.scoop@gmail.com) with any questions or just to say hello.