CS PTO Update

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We hope you are enjoying these last days of summer and are excited about a great school year ahead! Our names are Jessica Kaplan and Amy Casilio, and we are your PTO Co-Chairs this year. We want to welcome you and provide some back-to-school information. Please see below for a list of important upcoming dates.

Mrs. Maguire and the Country School faculty and staff are busy preparing to welcome new and returning families to our school community. Classroom assignments were emailed out yesterday (Wednesday), and they are also available in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Teachers will be reaching out with specific classroom information – you may have already heard from them!

Room Parents will create and distribute class lists over the next few weeks and will be in touch with you directly. To help streamline this process, please fill out the appropriate form below (one for each child). We ask that you kindly complete these form(s) at your earliest convenience.

Throughout the year, Amy and I will email you each Sunday evening to update you on the latest Country School happenings. We also recommend subscribing to the Country School calendar and joining the PTO (or renewing your membership) to access online directories, the Westword newsletter, and more. And please follow us on Instagram @countryschool for school-related photos and information!

Finally, if you are interested in volunteering, please email us or visit the PTO membership website. From organizing campus clean-ups to planting flowers outside the building to volunteering as a lunch monitor or room parent, there are many opportunities to nurture and celebrate our  Country School community! Please reach out if you have questions or ideas. We welcome and encourage your input.

We look forward to seeing you all very soon as we kick off another great year at Country School! Go Coyotes!

Best,
Jessica Moore Kaplan and Amy Casilio
Country School PTO Co-Chairs
jesstessa@gmail.com
ancasilio@gmail.com

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IMPORTANT DATES
Thursday, 8/31 – Grades 1-3 Classroom Visits
– Back-to-School Ice Cream Social | 3:00 – 5:00 pm | Field School
Tuesday, 9/5 – First Day of School for Grades 1-3
Tuesday, 9/5 – Preschool and Kindergarten Classroom Visits
Tuesday, 9/5 – WCCA Kindergarten Kickoff | 11:00 am
Wednesday, 9/6 – First Day of School for Kindergarten (morning only)
Thursday, 9/7 – Room Parent Orientation | 8:30 am
– Lunch Monitor Orientation | 9:30 am
Monday, 9/11 – First Full Day of School for Kindergarten
Wednesday, 9/13 – Parent Forum with Mrs. Maguire | 8:30 am
Monday, 9/25 – No School | Yom Kippur
Wednesday, 9/20 – Country School Back to School Picnic | 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Thursday, 9/28 | Back to School Night (details to come from school)

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
Classroom assignments went out via email yesterday, and they are also available in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. If you are having difficulties or have additional questions regarding Infinite Campus or Campus Portal, please contact ichelpdesk@weston.org.

ROOM PARENTS NEEDED
We are in the process of assigning room parents to each class and still need some volunteers. If interested, please email Jess and Amy. We are matching parents and classes this week and will provide instructions and orientation. This is a fun and easy way to stay connected to your fellow parents and your child’s teacher. Please note that room parents must be current PTO members.

LUNCH MONITORS NEEDED
Last year, we experimented with inviting parents into the cafeteria as volunteer lunch monitors, and it worked out so well we’re doing it again! Lunch runs for an hour and a half, from 11:30-1:00, and ideally the school needs 4-6 volunteers a day. Interested parents are invited to attend a brief orientation with Mrs. Maguire on September 7 at 9:30 am in the school cafeteria. This is a great way to see your kiddos in action during the school day!

OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
If you are interested in volunteering at any point in the year, please email Jess or Amy or visit the PTO membership website. Once in your Membership Toolkit account, click “Sign up to Volunteer” and select Country. There you will find a list of volunteer opportunities. Please reach out directly if you have ideas that are not listed.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL KONA ICE SOCIAL
Country, Woodland, and Field School Families are invited to join the Weston PTO on Thursday, August 31 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM on the Field School playground for the Back-to-School Kona Ice Social.  Enjoy a frosty allergy-friendly treat from the Kona Ice Truck and playground time with old and new friends as we celebrate the start of the school year!  This is a wonderful opportunity for new families in Weston to meet friends and for existing families to reconnect with old friends. Please contact Stacy Gilman  Michelle Raymond or Anisha Palmer with any questions.

KINDERGARTEN KICKOFF PARTY
Welcome, new Kindergarteners! The WCCA invites families to visit Alphabet Field after their Kindergarten classroom visits on Tuesday, September 5 at 11:00am to mingle with new classmates and meet your principal and other school representatives! BYO nut-free picnic lunch and blanket. Siblings welcome.

A LITTLE ABOUT US
Jessica Kaplan
I have lived in Weston for the past seven years with my husband, Larry, and our two children, Violet and Stella. Violet is entering fourth grade at Field School and Stella is entering second grade here at Country. This is my second year as co-chair of the Country School PTO. I look forward to getting to know you throughout the year!

Amy Casilio
I moved to Weston in July 2022 from California with my husband Corey, our three kiddos and dog. Our kids will all be attending Country School in the fall: Alexandra is heading into 3rd grade, Santino is going into 1st and our youngest Nicolette is in Weston Windows. This is my first year on the PTO as co-chair and I’m looking forward to all the exciting activities we’ll experience together.

JOIN THE PTO!
PTO membership provides parents and guardians the opportunity to volunteer for events throughout the school year. While membership does not require volunteer time, the hope is that all families in the District will join or renew their membership to support the work the PTO does in our schools on behalf of our children, faculty, staff, administration, and you, our parents and guardians! We work hard to support families and teachers and your membership funds go a long way! Your PTO membership also offers access to an online directory so you can connect with other families in your child(ren)’s school(s). PTO membership also keeps you more informed about special events and other important information to keep you up to speed on what’s happening. Thank you for joining the PTO! If you have questions about membership or your current membership status, please contact Membership Co-Chairs Theresa Nibi and Jaclyn McDonald.

WEEFC FALL FUNDRAISER
On Saturday, September 30, the Weston Education Enrichment Foundation Committee (WEEFC) will be hosting a fall celebration to raise funds for enrichment programming at all five Weston Public Schools. This outdoor, tented event will take place on the Field School field and feature food trucks, live music, and an auction. Visit the event website for more details, and be sure to follow along on Instagram for event updates and info on what WEEFC is doing in our schools.