Fall is always a hectic time of year - school begins, sports and events take up weekends, Halloween hits and then the rush to the holidays begins. Life at Sprague is no exception to this rapid pace. Our fall has been full of social, fundraising and school events, and with all there is to do and choose from, we have been so thrilled and appreciative to see the great success of our school events - turn out and spirit has been huge and we have had so much fun sharing these times with friends and family. Thanks very much for all you do to make our school community so strong - and fun!

The Scholastic Book Fair held this past month was a great success, both in funds raised for Sprague and in quality of entertainment! Sue Maggioni and Catherine Mirick, along with their team of volunteers, led our very successful book event, raising over $4,500 for our school, all while running an impeccably smooth operation. Thanks for your leadership Sue and Catherine! Dr. Goodwin, Katharine Odell and Jim Brommers Bergquist created a Family Evening to remember - and one that will be very hard to top - with their music, reading and theatrics. The kids - and parents - couldn't get enough! Thank you for a very special show.

As we move towards the end of the calendar year, our much anticipated annual Cookie Walk remains as our last large scale gathering before we head into 2011. The Cookie Walk, held on December 9th from 2:00 - 5:00pm, provides a little something for everyone with an amazing assortment of cookies for sale, a teacher and merchant raffle, entertainment for the kids and a chance to give back through Cookies for Our Soldiers. Please join us on the 9th for this festive event, being so well planned by DD Marcoux, Andrea Doglioli, Elizabeth Young and all of their many team members. We look forward to seeing you!

On November 17th our school celebrated being recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. As Sprague parents, we are constantly mindful of all the small things that make our school special - from the teachers, to the curriculum, to the leadership and staff and even the great facility. Seeing the school recognized on this large scale only adds to the pride we feel being a part of this community. We know you'll enjoy as much as we did reading Jamie Morrison's account of his trip to Washington DC to participate in the Blue Ribbon ceremony - what a special experience.

Another amazing success for us all to celebrate is the fundraising effort lead by Kathy Ashraf to help us acquire SMARTBoards for all of our grade level classrooms! As you may recall, we came into the year with four boards in place - a sense of accomplishment in having board fulfillment underway. Kathy's passion for technology and seeing equity throughout the school drove her and the school community to step up and see us through to this enviable position in an incredibly short amount of time. Many, many thanks to Kathy, Jackie Hoglund, Jill Heckman, Rob Ford and everyone who provided support of all kinds in helping Sprague reach this goal! Go Sprague!

Our December PTO meeting will be held Tuesday, December 14th at 8:30am in the school library. As we are in the midst of holiday season, we'd like to take this time to enjoy it a bit with everyone. So we invite you to join us for coffee, light pastries and holiday cheer at this month's meeting.

As always, we invite you to reach out to us and would love to have you join us for a meeting or school event.

Warmest wishes to you all this holiday season,
Leslie & Anne

Meeting called to order at 8:45 by Leslie Tellalian.

• Leslie thanked Lynn Sanville and Jennifer Bowman for their work on the Fall Festival.
• She thanked Colette Aufranc and Lisa Moore for their efforts on behalf of the Sprague Excellent Adventure Club. She noted there is a wait list for the next session.
• Leslie thanked Catherine Mirick, Sue Maggioni, Elizabeth Young, and the other parent volunteers for the success of the Book Fair, which raised more than $4,500.
• Leslie noted great results from the technology drive, and she commented on how much fun the Wellesley Education Foundation (WEF) Spelling Bee was, with Dr. Goodwin, Laurance Stuntz and Kathleen Woodward representing Sprague. Dr. Goodwin was the only principal to participate. Sprague is looking for volunteers for next year's Bee.
• Leslie commented that Sprague students did a great job raising money for Unicef this past Halloween. Sprague raised $1,160 and as a result reached the "ambassador" level of giving ($1,000-$2,999 per school). Leslie said the PTO would like to find a way to recognize each child who participates in the future.

Maureen Henzel reported on the start of the peer mentoring program:

• It will include 24 1st and 2nd graders with a 5th grade mentor. In addition, 18 10th and 11th graders will work with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders as peer mentors. Ms. Henzel said there was an overwhelming response to the idea of peer mentoring. There will be 13 sessions running through February, and each session will be 45 minutes long. In response to a question by Leslie Del Col, Ms. Henzel said the goal will be to help students with their homework, but if there's something a student shows an interest in, the pair may work on that.
• Dr. Goodwin thanked Ms. Henzel and Kristan Taylor for their efforts in starting this tutoring project, and noted that it is a volunteer effort on the part of these teachers.

Colette Aufranc gave the treasurer's report:

• The technology drive has raised $39,000 so far, with 2/3 of the school outfitted with new Smartboards. Sprague has $3,000 more to raise.
• PTO dues: We have $11,100 in contributions to date against a budget of $10,500, with a participation rate of 51 percent. The goal is to have 100 percent participation.

Dr. Goodwin reported on school events:

• There was an all-school assembly Nov. 5 on teamwork.
• He thanked Kathy Ashraf for her efforts on the technology front and noted that the last 4th grade class will receive their Smartboard on Nov. 9.
• There will be a Blue Ribbon school celebration on Nov. 17. Students write about what Sprague means to them, and Dr. Goodwin will read examples over the loudspeaker. Each student receives a Blue Ribbon bookmark, and the staff will have a Blue Ribbon barbeque. He thanks Anne Marvan for her help on this effort.
• Other items of note: the 4th grade architecture showhouse. The Wellelesley Education Foundation grants. Round 1 now; round 2 later in spring. The Reading Intervention program in Grade 1. Sprague's Excellent Adventure Club. Dr. Goodwin thanked the parents involved. He said the Halloween parade was a success and well-organized. Cradles to Crayons was also successful, with lots of goods donated. He thanked Sue Maggioni, Catherine Mirick, and Jim Bergquist for their efforts on the Family Literacy Night. Dr. Goodwin asked for volunteers to help reorganize the school library on Sat., Nov. 13, from 9-12:00 a.m., including moving 11,000 books.
• He spoke of his meeting with Leslie Del Col and the 5th grade committee to discuss community service at Sprague. As part of this effort, the Kindergarten classes will clean its playground; 1st grade will be in charge of Lost and Found; 2nd grade will be responsible for cleanup of the larger playground; the 3rd grade will raise the American flag each morning; the 4th grade will compost lunch-room waste; and the 5th grade will lead the paper/plastic recycling effort. Sprague is pairing up with the Wellesley Food Pantry. There will be a bucket at school events for people to deposit canned goods. And with help from Sprague parent Johnny Cator, students will raise funds for Haiti.

Leslie Del Col reported on community service at Sprague:

• It's a three-pronged initiative: Leslie said her team wants students to feel invested in their school, their town, and something bigger than their daily lives.
• The Food pantry is having a big drive now. The pantry will be in relatively good shape over the next month or so, but food contributions may dwindle. One idea is to have kids bring a can as admission to different events. The Wellesley Food Pantry serves more than 200 families. Sprague parent Laura Brown-Mackinnon works closely with the pantry and has offered to give tours to small groups from Sprague.
• Haiti: a tent and four cots costs $500. Sprague could make that donation. Kids could bring loose change on each walk-to-school day. Theresa Levy has offered to get jugs to fill up with coins. Kids can rummage through loose change at home and see how it adds up.
• There are additional ideas for people to get involved (and all initiatives will be listed on the updated Sprague Web site). These include SWAT teams (students who assist teachers before and after school events) and a custodian appreciation effort. Wendy Garber said Cradles to Crayons was a huge success, and she thanked those who donated. Wendy participated in a town-wide sort of donated goods and said it was rewarding.

Jane Neilson and Margaret Flitsch reported on Sprague's Community Garden:

• The idea is to create an outdoor classroom, i.e. an organic community garden near where the buses park. These would be raised beds accessible to everyone. Each class can have its own bed. Margaret has talked with the staff and asked for creative ideas to connect the curriculum to the garden. For example, the 3rd grade is learning about insects and could plant plants that attract ladybugs. Kindergarten students study Mexico and could grow tomatoes to make salsa. In PE, students are learning about healthy eating, and the garden would give them a better idea of where their food comes from.
• Jane said the idea for the garden came after the budget was set, so the effort will require fundraising. One idea is to have Sprague art teacher Jen Stabnick design personalized stones that families can buy. The stones will be professionally laid. The initial investment is high: get beds, soil, and figure out water. The vision is to plant in spring, get classrooms involved and have families involved in summer to water. The team will begin collecting names for volunteers to come plant. The team needs volunteers for construction days and to weed. Please contact Jane Neilson to get on the volunteer list. The initial expense is big ($3,500 to install), and the school has applied for two grants. Other towns have done this and have had everything donated. The group is watching to see what the level of interest is and how it unfolds. There are possibilities, including getting Girl and Boy Scout troops involved or partnering with a seniors' organization.

Phyllis Theerman reported on making Sprague green:

• SEED is Sprague's green initiative, looking at everything in school through green-colored lenses. The green team is always looking for more volunteers. Sprague is one of the greener schools in Wellesley with a model green classroom (Kristan Taylor's second-grade class). This initiative is focused on how teachers can make their classrooms less wasteful, i.e. using both sides of paper, turning out lights, recycling, and composting during day. What can we do to make kids think differently and change habits. Phyllis thanked Ms. Taylor for her efforts.
• Some of the green team's ideas include having high school students come in to certify classrooms. Also, as part of their composting efforts, the 4th grade will take buckets from the cafeteria outside and mix in leaves. They will be learning what can be composted.
• Sprague will continue with "no waste" lunch on Thursdays. Whatever the students carry in to lunch, they carry out. They're being asked to bring only reusable containers. Students who buy lunch throw too much away.
• The committee made two statements to the school committee about how to waste less.
  The Wellesley Green School Council made recommendations to the School Committee that they consider recycling in all the schools and they look for a new food services director and or company that is in favor of healthier and nutritious food at our schools. One idea is "farm to school," i.e., buying carrots, etc., from local farms.
• In December, there will be a "no idling" in carline push. State law allows for five minutes of idling. This effort will encourage people to think more about idling. Dr. Goodwin commented that he sees almost no idling in carline.
• Other ideas include "Second Chance Paper Initiatives" and "Green Bean Awards," similar to HEART awards, given to students who've done something green during the day. The green team is working on how to make school events more green, i.e. people bringing their own bags. Individual schools are thinking about "eco mascots," with the students coming up with the idea for a mascot. Sprague's SEED Fest will be May 1 and will be open to the town. It will be half eco-fair and half science fair.

Kathy Ashraf reported on the technology drive:

• Sprague had four Smartboards at the beginning of the year. The school raised enough money for 12 more. After $3,000 more is raised, the Kindergarten classrooms will be fully outfitted.

Leslie Tellalian concluded by thanking Jennett Murphy for coordinating the library reorganization. She noted that the Cookie Walk will be held Thurs., Dec. 9, from 2:00-5:00. The kickoff meeting was Tues., Nov. 9, at 8:45.

The meeting adjourned at 10:00am.

Respectfully submitted by PTO Secretary Suzanne Fletcher

After a month-long campaign, we are no longer "Making Sprague SMART" --

We are (very) SMART!

We started the school year with just four white boards in our school. Now, we have the funding for a board in every grade-level classroom. Take a look... 

The purchasing process is underway and should be complete in a few weeks. The Fourth Grade boards have already been installed and we hope to have the remaining units in by the close of February. The New Year promises to be full of new teaching and learning opportunities!

Without the Sprague community, this would never have been possible. In particular, I would like to thank the following:

• All of the families that participate in PTO activities - it is your support and encouragement that make being a part of such efforts an honor
• Leslie Del Col and Janet Giesser in running an amazing Auction last Spring that got this started
• The 100 Sprague families, including grandparents, who made contributions - you helped raise $15K for Sprague!
• The donors that gave us a head start to our fundraising and provided matching gifts to the general appeal
• Gillian Callaghan for rallying the Fourth Grade
• Colette Aufranc, PTO Treasurer Extraordinaire, and her keen ability to track funds for umpteen activities and events
• Elizabeth Young, PTO Ways & Means Officer, for identifying and helping secure our grant monies
• Julie Barker and Pamela Carr for being sounding boards and reading draft (after draft) of presentations and grant rebuttals
• PTO Presidents, Leslie Tellalian and Anne Marvan, for always looking after what is best for Sprague
• Dr. Goodwin and his dedication to providing our kids with the best education and school experience possible
• Rob Ford, Wellesley Public School Director of Technology, who worked diligently on our behalf to get the best pricing (he saved us over $10K - no joke!)
• My family - Nicholas' laughter at a laundry pile taller than him; Lexi's offer to run a lemonade stand (I think it would have cost $100 per cup); and Ash's guidance on strategy and understanding that, despite the state of the house or daily frustrations, this is the right thing to do

This is an achievement that we should all take pride in.

The most simple and effective way to prevent illness is to wash your hands often, with soap and warm water and friction. Rub hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces, washing for 10 to 20 seconds. (Ask your kindergartener or first grader to sing the "Wash, wash, wash your hands" song.) The soap combined with the scrubbing action helps dislodge and remove germs that could cause infection. Regular soap is fine; antibacterial soap is not necessary.

When soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based sanitizers. Rub hands until they are dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol kills germs that cause colds and the flu. However, alcohol-based sanitizers do not remove dirt or many food residues. (This is an important consideration when maintaining precautions for food allergies.) Also, sanitizers are proven most effective in those individuals who already practice frequent proper hand washing.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread when people touch something that is contaminated and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Eating, nail biting, thumb sucking, handling food, and touching toys are all ways that germs may be spread. Many germs can live for a long time on doorknobs, telephones, and other surfaces.

Now that we are entering the cold and flu season, it's an important time to emphasize good hand washing with our children. Proper hand washing is the single most effective way to stop the spread of germs that cause infection. Scientists estimate that 80% of infections are transmitted by hands. An interesting fact to make note of: with all the extra attention paid to increased frequent proper hand washing during the 2009-10 school year, we at Sprague experienced a decrease in the number of cases of common communicable diseases such as norovirus (stomach bug) and strep throat. This decrease in the number of cases was noted in a number of states, including Massachusetts and Connecticut - a direct result of improved hand hygiene and germ etiquette attributed to concern about the spread of H1N1 influenza. Let's keep it up! (Since we have shown we can do it...)

During these past weeks I have visited all the classrooms to review effective hand washing and germ etiquette with the students.

One of the best ways for children to develop good hand washing behaviors is for adults to set an example with proper, frequent hand washing. Remembering these steps will help to stop the spread of germs in your household and throughout the Sprague community:

1. Use warm water and plenty of soap.
2. Rub your hands together vigorously for at least 10 seconds to make a good lather.
3. Scrub all surfaces - don't forget fingernails and the backs of your hands.
4. Rinse well.
5. Dry thoroughly.

Sharon Kahn, Sprague Nurse

No Heartbeat in January. The weekly Pulse and Message from Dr. Goodwin will continue as usual and the monthly Heartbeat is back in February, first Friday of the month.

We are always interested in changing it up for your reading interest! We thank Jamie Morrison for sharing his experience and thoughts about the Blue Ribbon Ceremony he attended in DC. Read about it in the Sprague Enriches Kids section. We have the weekly Pulse with quick updates for the school week and would welcome your longer contributions for the Heartbeat. Deadlines are typically two weeks before the Heartbeat is out. Please share your ideas and thoughts.

Some initiatives under way:

• We're updating the website. What are your recommendations for websites we might include for linking? We would welcome: interesting kid's informational or learning sites, fun family activities, sports, parental sites, kids' book or game reviews, etc. Please be aware that we are concerned about sites with marketing/promotional material and will take that into consideration.
• We're looking for pictures of the school for the website: art room, cafeteria, playground, library, outdoor shots of the building, classrooms, etc. Submit your shots of every facet of the school! Please be aware we do not have signed parental permission for pictures of children for PTO use.
• We would like to see your other favorite photos for our future newsletters: vacation, around town, majestic scenery vistas, interesting shots, etc. We thank Lori Goldenthal, Kathy Ashraf and Karen Haberly for the photos adorning this Heartbeat issue and recent Pulses.
• Please submit some story snippets about your students or kids or kids in general for a possible new section called "Heard in the Classroom/Playground/at Home..." We would like to hear and share what kids are thinking and talking about. That cute story would make our day.
• Check out our new forum Heartsongs for student contributions in this Heartbeat issue under Sprague Enriches Kids!

Please contact Yolanda Tong bytong@verizon.net with any contributions, suggestions or comments for the New Year. Sprague parents, staff and students are welcome to submit!

Friday January 21st to Sunday January 23rd

1. Book your room (condo style: sleeps 6, kitchen, living room) by calling the Golden Eagle Lodge at 603-236-4600 or www.goldeneaglelodge.com
2. Request the lift tickets order form by sending an email to haig@tellalian.net - remember kids are free
3. Sign up for the family dinner by sending a check ($38 Adults, $15 Ages 2-12) to: Gillian Callaghan, 23 Chestnut St, Wellesley 02481 

1. RSVP by January 25th to Jessica Rosenbloom jeronsebloom@gmail.com (email preferred) or 781-431-9633.
2. Each 4th grader should bring a board game for four or more players that takes 20 minutes or less to play.
3. Please contact Jessica if you can chaperone and/or bring a snack or drink. We need approximately 10-15 chaperones and snack/drink donations.

Thank you and we look forward to a fun evening of games!!

Jessica Rosenbloom

November has been a very productive month for our 5th graders with service activities and fund raising. Our 5th grade tutors have begun working with the younger students on Tuesdays after school, the in-school recycling program is up and running and some of our students went to the Elizabeth Seaton Home for a lovely afternoon with senior citizens.

For fundraising, we provided babysitting for many Sprague families during conferences. We had two successful bake sales during Election Day and the Book Fair. Our Stella & Dot fundraiser continues until December 17th. You can still order away online at www.stelladot.com/kristenweiss. Click on "find your hostess", type in your name- "Sprague" for first name, "School" for last.

Looking Ahead:

• Service Project: Singing at the Alzheimer's Center Friday, December 10th 3:15pm. Ideally 10-15 children per visit due to the size of the facility. Meet in Ellen's Alcove. Cocoa and donuts following. Please contact Amanda Curtis alcurtis63@aol.com if you can join us.
• Year Book Process Begins
  • Please help your 5th grader choose photographs that they will like for their Fifth Grade Page. This process takes time for both parents and children to locate photos, either printed or digital.
  • We will begin assembling photos and questionnaires with an online link in January. We will have hard copies available, but hope to keep as green as possible. Our deadline will be February 1.
  • Ordering yearbooks and ads can be done now at http://www.spragueschool.org/go/newsletters.
  • If you are interested in helping with the yearbook, please contact Theresa Levy theresa@the-levys.org
• Basketball BIG Event February 17th
  The enthusiasm is building for our First Annual Sprague 5th Graders VS The Faculty. The whole school is invited to watch our mighty 5th grade squad battle our faculty on the WMS basketball court. Sprague Students and Alums can cheer for teachers, family members and friends. This event will be both fun and a fundraiser for our fifth graders. Please contact todd@himstead.com for more information.
• Bake Sales: We need organizers for the next few sales. Possible ideas:
  • December/January cocoa and cookies in the carline
  • Any Saturday basketball game at Sprague

Thank you for all your support this year,
Todd and Theresa

Help raise funds for our school while holiday shopping! Please consider:

(snow date Friday, December 10) Only one week away in the Sprague Gym!

Join with others from Sprague for a traditional celebration of the holiday season.  Experience the fun and excitement of community spirit at Sprague.  Please help us make this event a success!

• Bake: Each Sprague family is encouraged to bake 6 dozen of a family favorite cookie, bundle and festively wrap in packages of 6, and donate them to be sold at the Cookie Walk. Drop off in carline Thursday December 9th 8:00-8:45am. Contact Coordinator Andrea Doglioli aaodoglioli@hotmail.com Don't want to bundle? It's a wrap for us to handle...
• It's a Wrap: For a $5 donation we will bundle and wrap your cookies for you! Drop off in carline with a note telling us what you have generously made. Coordinator Michelle Heath mandpheath@yahoo.com.
• Volunteer: Work a shift at the Cookie Walk. Signup at Sprague Cookie Walk or contact Coordinator Lori Goldenthal lorigoldenthal@gmail.com. Various opportunities to help for an hour or more the day of with...
• Cookie Walk Set Up: From Gym ordinaire to Walk extraordinaire. Coordinator Lorelei King lcmking@comcast.net.
• Table Top: The finishing touch on decorating. Coordinator Wendy Garber whgarber@comcast.net.
• Kids' Entertainment: Help monitor the kids during the live entertainment. FREE admission 3:00 - 5:00pm. Coordinator Gillian Callaghan gncallaghan@aol.com.
• Blue Ribbon Teacher Raffle: Host the table. Coordinator DD Marcoux ddbuilttolast@yahoo.com.
• Wellesley Merchant Raffle: Host the table. Coordinator Rebecca Cahaly rebecca@tellalian.com.
• Care Packages for our Troops: This year we will again be spreading some holiday cheer by sending cookie care packages and letters and pictures to service men and women serving our country. We will be accepting donations of cookies and monetary donations to cover shipping costs at the Cookie Walk. Last year the men and women who received our packages not only loved the tasty treats but loved hearing from Sprague students and community members. Please stop by the Table for the Troops and draw a picture or write a note to let a service member know you care. You can write a letter or draw a picture in advance and bring it to the cookie walk for inclusion in a care package. Coordinator Lisa Moore lmoore06@verizon.net.  Here are some suggested letter starters  for the kids if you need help getting started:
  - Because of you and what you do for us, I can....
  - I wish for you...
  - My happiest holiday memories to share with you...
  - Let me tell you about my favorite cookie...
  - Let me tell you about the best gift I ever got...
  - Let me tell you about the best snow day...
  - Today in school...
  - I read this great book about...
  

Contact any of the above point people to participate in the coordination of this ever evolving family favorite event. Look for teacher and merchant raffle information coming soon!

Shop for Sprague

Purchase and get your gift cards at face value, and yet Sprague earns money! See the order form for our extensive selection:

Shop for Sprague - Page 1 (pdf format)

Shop for Sprague - Page 2 (pdf format)

Shopping Online? Use the Box Tops Marketplace!
Over 150 participating retail stores like Target, Walmart, Apple Store, Old Navy/Gap, Best Buy, Macy's, ToysRus! Contact Lisa Jones joneswellesley@aol.com for more information.

1. Sign up online at www.boxtops4education.com .
2. Shop online as you normally would.
3. Sprague earns cash! Up to 15% of your purchase will be automatically donated back to our school with no additional cost to you.

Remember Me Books Ongoing all year for our school library
Our goal for the year is 180 books. 60 donated already, including 33 this month!

Thanks to the Ashraf, Aufranc, Bowman, Cahaly, Del Col, Ellis, Fixler-Jacoby, Fletcher, Frost, Garber, MacKinnon, Paladino, Rendell, Schumer, Sewall, Theermann, Tong and Young families and Ms. Beth Kauczka, our Library Assistant! Thanks especially for checking out the Library Wish Lists and making purchases at the Scholastic Book Fair, thus supporting our school in two ways!

Learn how to order books and celebrate your child or teacher at http://www.spragueschool.org/index.cfm?objectid=93614B89-B3F3-D3C8-C145A28DDDF939C3. Contact Julie Barker juliegbarker@hotmail.com or Kathy Ashraf ashraf.family@me.com with any questions, comments, or suggestions.

Being able to attend an event such as the Blue Ribbon Ceremony in Washington D.C. and represent my school and my school district is an honor I will not soon forget. It was exciting and rewarding to sit in a room with 313 other school districts from around the country and to be celebrated for doing what educators do on a daily basis.

There were several highlights in the two-day ceremony. One that stands out in my mind was the panel of all the heads of the national principal associations (elementary, middle and high school). Each gave a brief presentation, and then took questions. Each gave such an eloquent, thoughtful, inspirational presentation that focused on the message of "pay it forward", meaning that all of the schools, with all of the work that earned them the right to sit in that ballroom and accept a Blue Ribbon Award, are charged with sharing with other colleagues and schools what they are doing every day to be a high performing school.

Other highlights of the ceremony included hearing from Melody Barnes, the President's Domestic Policy Advisor, who shared the President's commitment to education. The keynote speaker was the Secretary of Education, who did an amazing job of championing the educators in the room, by asking each teacher and then principal to stand up and be applauded. He spoke of the President's agenda towards education with such initiatives as increasing access to early childhood education, and reauthorizing No Child Left Behind, with an emphasis on fixing its flaws and changing it from being too punitive to rewarding excellence.

I think my favorite speaker of all, though, was the 2010 National Teacher of the Year: Ms. Sarah Brown Wessling from Iowa, a high school English teacher. She spoke so eloquently about how one of the most important and critical ways to help a child to succeed is to make a connection with that child. She reminded me how important that connection is and how with that connection many doors open, not only for the student, but for the teacher as well.

I did have time as well to see some sights in Washington; one exciting event was an evening bus tour of the city organized by the Blue Ribbon ceremony. It was overwhelming to stand before Lincoln's statue at the Lincoln Memorial, as he is one of my own personal heroes. The Word War II Memorial, as well as the Vietnam Memorial, also stand out in my mind.

It was a tremendous honor and privilege to represent Sprague, a school that I always thought of as a high performing school. Although I have heard some say that Sprague doesn't need such an award because we are already part of a strong school system, I would argue that it is still nice to be recognized for doing great work. We were recognized not only for our MCAS scores, but also for our RTI (response to intervention) model as well as our leaders, our teachers and our parents' commitment to our students; which make us not only a National Blue Ribbon School, but also a great school community to be a part of.

I would like to end with the words from a plaque I discovered while I was in Washington. Its words stuck with me, especially being at the Blue Ribbon Ceremony, and in the setting of Washington D.C. It is part of a song written by Amy Dixon-Kolar:

Jamie Morrison, Special Educator

Introducing a NEW literary and art magazine for our kids! Sprague is launching a new publication this year for students to contribute their creative and original work: poetry, short stories, drawings, art, craft projects or even just thoughtful ponderings. How often does your child come home with that great work of art or writing that he/she is so proud of? How often do they say or do something you just wish could be shared with the world? Now there's a forum for it.

Our kids can be playful, serious, funny and thoughtful. What they are capable of can often surprise and move us. Please share a part of them with us in Heartsongs. Even a short sentence can be very telling. Here are some examples from the recent Blue Ribbon Recognition Day at school, when students completed the sentence "I like Sprague because..."

• I like the playground! (completed with a drawing)
• Because everyone helps me. When I don't know where to go, someone walks me there. And I really like the teachers. And the classmates. They really help me out.
• My favorite teacher is Ms_______. No offense to my current teacher.
• I really enjoy the HEART awards. I think they are useful because they recognize when people are doing good things and encourage students to keep doing those good things.

We hope parents are supportive and encourage all their children to submit something. If they have something from last year that's a favorite project they want to submit, it's welcome. We're aiming for 100% student participation!

Come hear about it Thursday, December 9th at the Cookie Walk Cookies for Our Soldiers table. We'll show kids and parents what we're hoping for and suggest ideas. Maybe your child can put a suggestion right there to use in a letter to a soldier.

Parent involvement is key to making this happen! Please consider ways you can help:

• Share your ideas, suggestions and passions with us
• Be a student advisor, possibly hold an info session with the kids
• Be a classroom rep to encourage and track submissions
• Photographer for student submissions (art pieces, craft projects, dioramas, collections, etc.)
• Find a publisher or printer (we're hoping to print after April vacation)
• Edit and layout
• Create a Heartsongs logo (we welcome parents' creative sides too)

Open House Saturday December 18th 1:00-4:30pm. Come explore and try out various programs Wellesley Recreation http://wellesleyma.gov/Pages/WellesleyMA_Recreation/index has to offer.

• Tues, December 7 - MS Grade 6 Jazz Band, Monday & Tuesday AM Jazz Bands Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Wed, December 8 - HS Band & Orchestra & Wind Ensemble Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Thurs, December 9 - Gr. 7 Chorus & Jr. Moving Company Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Fri, December 10 - Upham Winter Concert - 9:00 am)
• Mon, December 13 - Hunnewell Winter Concert - 9:00 am
• Tues, December 14 - HS Choral Concert - Concert Choir, Rice Street Singers, Keynote Singers - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Wed, December 15 - Schofield Winter Concert (Band & Orchestra) 9:00 am
• Thurs, December 16 - Fiske Winter Concert - 8:45 am
• Thurs, December 16 - Gr. 8 Choral Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Tues, December 21 - MS Gr. 7&8 Band, Orchestra, & Fiddlin' Around Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Thurs, December 23 - Bates Winter Concert - 9:00 am
• Thurs, January 6 - All Town Band Rehearsal - 3:30 pm - Middle School Band Room
• Wed, January 12 - Essential Orchestra - 3:30 pm - Middle School #333
• Wed, January 12 - Gr. 6 Orchestra, Chorus, Band Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Fri, January 14 - Sprague Winter Concert, Band, Orchestra, Chorus, 9:00 am
• Wed, January 19 - Gr. 8 musical, Willy Wonka, Matinee @ 4:30 pm - MS Auditorium. Non-ticketed performance; donations greatly appreciated.
• Fri, January 21 - Grade 8 musical, Willy Wonka - Evening performance at 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium. Non-ticketed performance; donations greatly appreciated
• Wed, January 26 - All Town Orchestra Rehearsal - 3:30-4:30 pm - Bates Gym
• Tues, February 8 - MS Gr. 8 Chorus & HS Chorus Step Up Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium
• Wed, February 9 - Essential Orchestra Rehearsal - 3:30 pm - MS
• Wed, February 9 - MS & HS Full Orchestra - Step Up Concert - 7:00 pm - MS Auditorium<
• Mon, February 14 - All Town Band Rehearsal - 3:30 pm - MS Band Room