Winthrop Weekly
December 5, 2023
Principally Speaking
Dear Winthrop Families,
The first snow of the season arrived to the delight of our students this morning!
Winter Weather
During the winter months, we aim to have the students outside and playing daily. We follow the Child Care Weather Watch Guidelines to make decisions about indoor or outdoor recess taking into account temperature and wind chill. Please send your child to school with outerwear including winter jackets, snow pants, boots, hats, and gloves/mittens. We also have many extras on hand in the case that a student forgets an item. If your family could use some support in purchasing new winter weather gear please email Rebecca Higgins or Sarah Mitchell. They can also be reached directly by calling the school number at 979.356.2976, option 6.
Free Food and Drink Tickets for this Saturday's Jingle Bell Walk
The Ipswich High School Interact Rotary Club will be hosting the Jingle Bell walk this Saturday, December 9th at 11:00 AM. Santa's arrival will be at the Town Wharf at 11 AM and then we will parade to the Town Hall for games, crafts, raffles, pictures with Santa, and more! Festivities will continue until 1:00 PM.
We have some snowman tickets available to distribute at Winthrop that are good for one food item and one drink at the Kringle Kitchen downstairs at the Town Hall. If you would like tickets for your family prior to the event, please contact Sarah Mitchell at Winthrop by email (smitchell@ipsk12.net) or phone (978) 356-2976.
Grade 5 Orchestra Performance at Brookline Bank
Spirits were high and tunes were merry and bright as the combined Winthrop and Paul F Doyon Memorial School 5th Grade Orchestras traveled to Brookline Bank in Ipswich to participate in the annual Toys for Tots fundraiser hosted by Senator Bruce Tarr. 65 budding musicians entertained not only the audience present in the bank lobby but also the broadcast audience of 98.9 and 102.9FM. Students were an excellent representation of our elementary schools!
Stay warm!
Amy B. Sullivan, Principal
Nicki Amisson, Assistant Principal
Important Upcoming Dates
- Tuesday, December 5th: SLC Green Team Meeting, 8 AM
- Tuesday, December 5th: Early Act Meeting, 3 PM
- Tuesday, December 5th: Grade 5 Band/Orchestra/Chorus Concert, 7 PM
- Thursday, December 7th: Early Release, PK @ 1:30, K-5 @ 1:50
- Thursday, December 7th: Open Door Mobile Mart at dismissal
- Thursday, December 7th: No Place For Hate Meeting, 2-2:45 PM
- Friday, December 8th: KinderSwim
- Friday, December 8th: 1st Semester Report Cards Sent Home
- Wednesday, December 13th: FRIES Meeting, 6:30 PM - Winthrop Cafeteria
- Thursday, December 14th: Early Release PK @ 1:30, K-5 @ 1:50
- Thursday, December 14th: Mobile Mart @ Dismissal
- Friday, December 15th: KinderSwim
- Tuesday, December 19th: Early Act Meeting, 8:00 AM -Winthrop Library
- Tuesday, December 19th: Winthrop School Council meeting, 7 PM via Zoom
- Thursday, December 21st: Early Release, Pk @ 1:30, K-5 @ 1:50
- Thursday, December 21st: Free Mobile Mart @ Dismissal
- Friday, December 22nd: Whole School Pajama Day
- Monday, December 25th- Monday, January 1st: No School, December Break
- Tuesday, January 2nd: Classes Resume
Ipswich Public Schools Calendar
Ipswich Caring
Dear Winthrop Families,
During this holiday season, the Winthrop School community has a great deal to be thankful for. This time of year we try very consciously to help children focus on the giving and sharing aspects of the season and to develop a sense of how fortunate we all are to have school, families, and our health, when many in the world and our town are still in need.
We have a long-standing tradition at Winthrop School with Ipswich Caring. Ipswich Caring makes significant contributions to Ipswich families during the holiday season, as well as throughout the year with its many programs. We would greatly appreciate it if you would forego giving gifts to the staff at this time. Those of you who feel the need to “do something” are encouraged to make a donation to Ipswich Caring. If you’d like to make a contribution, you may fill out the form below to send to the teacher to let her/him know that you’ve made a donation in their honor. Your contribution can be sent in cash or as a check made out to Ipswich Caring, along with the form, and dropped off at the office.
Thank you for honoring our request.
Wishing you health and happiness over the holidays!
The Winthrop Staff
All School Pajama Day ~ Friday, December 22nd
On Friday, December 22nd all students are invited to wear their pj's to school to celebrate the last day before December vacation.
We have plenty of extra, new pajamas for any student who would like a pair. Please reach out to your child's teacher or Principal Sullivan if your child may need a new set and we will send them home (discreetly) ahead of time. We will also have plenty of extra new pj's ready for any student who may forget theirs on the 22nd.
Participating in PJ day is optional. Comfy clothes and sweats are perfectly acceptable, too.
FRIES News
Thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers for November's Staff Appreciation spread, a tea party for the best "tea-chers"! Thank you Lindsey Corrigan, Leslie Collier and Jules Grant!
Winter Solstice Walk: FRIES Invites families to join us Thursday, December 21, 4:30pm-5:30pm on the Winthrop School Lawn for a Winter Solstice Walk. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate with friends and experience a traditional solstice walk as we light up the darkest night of the year. Event is free, pre-registration required: https://forms.gle/Rfw7gxDQF54jMZXp9
Green Team News
Swap Success!
Thank you to all of the Winthrop families who participated in the Community Toy and Clothing Swap. So many families found high-quality clothes and toys for their loved ones, AND we helped to reduce, reuse, and recycle goods within our community. We donated leftover goods to The Community Giving Tree, Birth to Three, The Epilepsy Foundation, Winthrop and Doyon Schools, and other local programs. Amazing!!
- Leftover cardboard boxes and paper bags were recycled
- Ripped/stained clothing were recycled via the textile bin
- We ended the day with less than one bag of trash! Wow!
If you missed the event this year, come by next year to check out this fun and sustainable tradition!
Harvest of the Month
Harvest of the Month is back next Friday, December 15 with some delicious honey-roasted carrot fries for Winthrop students. Thanks to the SLC Green Team students for helping to serve this special treat during lunch!
Coming soon!
We're looking forward to jumping into some new initiatives in 2024, such as a waste reduction day at the cafeteria, seed saving for spring gardening, and a community clean-up for Earth Day. Stay tuned! Do you have ideas for the new year? We'd love to hear from you and help make it happen! Email Molly Dugdale at mduffy345@gmail.com
Thank You Early Act!
Yesterday, Ipswich High School Interact students came to make crafts with the Early Act SLC group for the Jingle Bell Walk on Saturday. They made some beautiful bells!
Thank you to Sophie Carver-Brown, Caleb Chapman, RJ Dorr, Katelyn Fesseden, Maggie Joss-Green, Lainey Rita, Grayson Whitaker, Weston Whitmore, and Alice Villa!
Jingle Bell Walk
Join us for a day of holiday festivities and cheer! Greet Santa as he arrives at the Ipswich Town Wharf. Sing carols with Buddy the Elf as we await Santa’s arrival! Jingle bells will be available for purchase. Jingle your bells and follow our honored guest and Buddy the Elf on a festive “Jingle Bell Walk” to the Ipswich Town Hall at 45 Green Street. Keep a sharp eye out for the Grinch!
Once Santa arrives at Town Hall, he will receive children 11 and under while a string quartet entertains. Parents are urged to bring a camera! Following their visit with Santa, the children can have their faces painted, play festive games, and create holiday crafts. The Rotary Club will serve hot dogs, hot cocoa, and more in the COA cafeteria.
Tickets will be available for purchase in order to enjoy delicious food, face painting, and crafts. There will be free games to play as well. Raffles for Christmas trees, a new iPad and apple pencil, and local business baskets will also be up for grabs!
Attendees are encouraged to bring unwrapped gifts fit for a child to support the Marines in their organization, Toys for Tots! Proceeds from the Jingle Bell Walk proceeds will be donated to charitable activities and Interact Club activities.
Ipswich Interact is a high school group that prioritizes youth leadership and follows the Rotary model of "service above self." This event is a great way to connect high schoolers with younger children!
Ipswich Basketball
Winthrop School
Email: winthrop@ipsk12.net
Website: https://www.ipsk12.net/Domain/185
Location: 65 Central Street, Ipswich, MA, USA
Phone: 9783562976