Greetings FitzGerald Families!

We hope that everyone had a great week! Today we welcomed Jorge Cham, the best-selling author of the book series Oliver's Big Universe, as well as the co-creator of the PBS Kids animated series Elinor Wonders Why, here at our school! He did a presentation for students in Grades 3-5. Thank you to Mrs. McKeever, FitzGerald Librarian, for bringing this opportunity to our school. Thank you also to the PTO Enrichment Committee who purchased 25 of the books for our school! More information will be forthcoming on an author visit for Grades K-2 as well.

Here are some updates for this week's family newsletter:

1. Trunk or Treat TONIGHT- Thank you to the PTO and many volunteers for putting together the Trunk or Treat happening tonight from 5-7pm in our school parking lot!

2. Pumpkin Drop- Thursday October 30th- We are very excited for the school-wide Pumpkin Drop STEM event coming up next week on Thursday morning! The students will be working together as a class next week to "protect" a pumpkin by surrounding the pumpkin with lots of recyclable materials. The goal is for the students to build a protective structure around their class pumpkins that will help the pumpkins to not break, when it is dropped from the top of a fire truck ladder! "Building Days" will be on Monday and Tuesday, so please send in recyclable materials if you have more at home. A list of suggested supplies came home with students this week. Thank you to the PTO Enrichment Committee, as well as the Waltham Fire Department, for all that they are doing to support this enriching learning experience for the students!

3. Walking Wednesday- This week, 86% of students in attendance participated in the Walking Wednesday event! Thank you to all staff and parent volunteers for helping outside. We had four classes earn the Golden Shoe this week: Mrs. Scruggs, Mrs. Church, Ms. Sherman and Mrs. Foley. We have finished Walking Wednesdays for this fall and we look forward to starting them back up again in May 2025!

4. Principal Round Table Discussions- Each year, we typically run "Principal Coffee Talks" where we enjoy informal conversation with family members on any questions pertaining to FitzGerald School. We usually hold these conversations in the mornings with coffee and refreshments. This year, we are going to try holding these informal chats, with no formal agenda, during different times of day, to help to provide more options for parents/guardians who are interested in joining. We will hold our first evening chat, which we are calling "Dinner and Discussion" on Wednesday November 13th from 7:00-7:30pm. This will be a virtual time where Mrs. Santillo and Mrs. Lamoly will be hanging out in a virtual chat space and available for any parents/guardians who would like to join and ask questions, learn more about school happenings, and get an update on what occurred at the PTO meeting the previous week. We will send out the link prior to the evening. The next informal chat will be a "Coffee and Conversation" time in the morning in December.

Have a wonderful weekend! We'll see everyone on Monday!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Santillo, Principal- jennifersantillo@walthampublicschools.org

Mrs. Lamoly, Assistant Principal- julielamoly@walthampublicschools.org

Please see an update about Panorama Survey administration here:

Each year, we share a survey about school experience with students, faculty/staff, and parents. Your feedback as family members is very important to us and we appreciate any time that you might be able to take to share with us your thoughts regarding this school year so far. The link for a family feedback survey is here: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/waltham/family24/surveys?language=en. Please click on "FitzGerald Elementary" for our school's specific survey.

Here is more information on the family survey:

English: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1neSxRI_My4xcIl-4cpbcBf7GafaZyiq8/view?usp=sharing

Spanish: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BtlnjVWO-7EA4lHgzUFScgltQQm8N88f/view?usp=sharing

Portuguese: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B7FYnz-qQvryVOJU5dN29PaKviq4BeaT/view?usp=sharing

Grades 3-5 students will also be participating in a student survey. More information is coming home today to families of students in Grades 3-5 on this as well.

Happy Autumn FitzGerald Families,

It was so nice to meet so many families on our Back to School night. The art room was hoppin’ with families making their own dot to add to our school’s dot day display. The whole school took part in making individual dots for International Dot Day that was celebrated September 16th.

We have had a wonderful start to the school year in the art room. Kindergarten students have been learning about some elements of art; color, line and shape. They are learning how colors mix together to make other colors. They are also learning to blend colors together using crayons. We practiced drawing different types of lines and used water colors to paint. Most of their art work is stored in their own personal art folder and kept in school until the end of the year.

First graders are learning that it’s ok to be different. We read the story Elmer the Elephant and created patterns for our own Elmer the Elephant.

Second graders are using watercolors to learn different painting techniques.

Third graders are learning the difference between geometric shapes and organic shapes. They are creating zentangle patterns and will be adding color in various ways.

Fourth graders are creating optical illusions and learning how to blend color in a way that helps to trick the eye.

Fifth graders are learning about a Japanese artist named Yayoi Kusama and they are creating a piece of art based on her style. Yayoi Kusama is a Japanese artist who is sometimes called 'the princess of polka dots'. Although she makes lots of different types of art; paintings, sculptures, performances and installations she has become known for the one thing they have in common, DOTS! https://youtu.be/GUoDUhsWJL8?si=h4ZNrwS_jXDtVGKY

Later in the year we will be doing Square 1 Art. For those new to FitzGerald, this is a wonderful fundraiser for our school and the students look forward to it every year. I already have had students telling me that they have ideas for their Square 1 art. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions at:Sandrawalsh@walthampublicschools.org

Sincerely,

Sandra Walsh

Art Specialist

Would you like to be a guest reader in the library?

If you are interested in being a guest reader during your child’s library time, please email Ms. McKeever, elizabethmckeever@walthampublicschools.org.

Fall Reading Challenge:

To encourage students to read widely and often, the whole school will participate in the Fitzy Football Reading Challenge. All students will receive copies of the challenge on Monday, September 23rd.

See directions and challenges below:

K-2 Challenge and directions in English, Spanish, & Portuguese

Grades 3-5 Directions in English and Spanish

(Additional copies are always available in the library)

The FitzGerald School Council is a group that includes parent, staff, and community representatives that discuss items such as budget, School Improvement Plan, etc. Approved meeting minutes are posted in the Fitzy's Flyer office communication.

Please see below for the agenda from October's School Council Meeting and the approved meeting minutes from the last school meeting in June.

Next Meeting (Tentative Date): Wednesday November 13, 2024

Time: 6:00-6:45pm

*Breakfast and Lunch are available for free for all students this school year!

** All students should bring one snack and a water bottle to school each day.

Every Friday is "Fitzy Friday" at FitzGerald! Everyone is invited to wear Fitzy Spirit Wear or the colors blue and/or yellow to school, if they would like to!

Friday October 25th- PTO Trunk or Treat Event- 5:00-7:00pm

Wednesday October 30th- Pumpkin Drop Event for all FitzGerald classes! (Rain Date- November 1st)

Tuesday November 5th- No School, Professional Day

Monday November 11th- No School, Veterans Day

Wednesday November 13th- Early Release Day, 1:00pm, Parent Conferences

Friday November 15th- Multicultural Event 6:00-7:30pm (more information coming home soon)

Tuesday November 19th - Retake Picture Day

Wednesday November 27th- Half Day, 11:45am Dismissal, Lunch Will Be Served

Thursday November 28th- Friday November 29th- No School, Thanksgiving Break

Wednesday December 11th- Early Release Day, 1:00pm Dismissal

Monday 12/23- Wednesday January 1st- No School, December Break

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Clever is an app we use at school that makes it easy for students to access many online learning programs and resources with their Waltham Public Schools Google account. Students can also access Clever at home on a personal device. Click HERE for directions.

Email: jennifersantillo@walthampublicschools.org
Website: https://www.walthampublicschools.org/o/fitzgerald
Location: 138 Beal Road, Waltham, MA, USA
Phone: 781-314-5680