Dear Zervas Families:

Happy New Year!  We hope you all had a nice vacation week and that you and your family had an easy transition to the Carr School.

The kids seem to be adjusting well to their new space and are enjoying the cafeteria, new playground, and taking the bus. The teachers encourage parent communication, especially through email, and will strive to respond within 24-48 hours.

Please remember to use the dismissal manager software (www.schooldismissalmanager.com) to let the school know of any dismissal changes. Contact Regina Moody with any concerns about bus routes or the bus system in general. Regina can be reached at Regina_Moody@newton.k12.ma.us or 617-559-9051. And don’t hesitate to let us or Dr. Beck know of any other concerns that you may have about the dismissal procedure or other changes associated with the new space.

Thank you to Bindiya Stancampiano and Lisa DePalma for coordinating several staff appreciation activities in December, including lunches, snacks, and our annual cookie swap. The staff especially appreciated the healthy snacks that we provided for them on the days when they were busy packing and unpacking their classrooms.

Our first online Library Gift Book Sale was also a great success. Thanks to all of you for purchasing books to donate and for all of the kind dedications to the staff.  The online process appeared to run smoothly, but if you experienced any difficulties ordering or have any comments about future sales, please let us know.  We intend to continue to sell books online at the spring sale, but also will try to schedule a time for families to select books to donate in person. We’d like to extend a special thank you to Lou Bonegio for all of her work setting up the online sale.

Thank you to Alicia Collins for hosting our first parent social coffee at her home last Monday. More than two dozen parents reconnected after the holidays over coffee, fruit, and pastries after getting their children onto the buses. We are planning to coordinate social coffees every month at different times to help parents stay connected so look out for more dates. Also save Friday, February 5 at 8:30 am for the next Principal Coffee with Dr. Beck (location TBD).

This week, there will be a Family Scavenger Hunt at Carr created by the 5th grade student council. Join us at Carr from 6-7:30on Wednesday, January 20 for the hunt followed by ice cream and snacks.

Also stay tuned for more information about the Zervas Auction, which will take place on Saturday, April 9^th. That may seem far away, but the Auction Committee is already hard at work planning for this event and lining up donations. The auction is one of our major fundraisers of the year, and input from the whole community is necessary for its success. In addition to attending and bidding, please consider what you may be able to contribute. For example, parents may contact their employer or other organizations with which they have a relationship for donations or volunteer to host a theme dinner, party, or playdate. Zervas community events raise the most money! Please contact Jessica at jldavis18@yahoo.com with any donation or other ideas.

Stay warm!

Best,
Jessica & Lori
PTO Co-Presidents