Box Tops Thank You
 
Thank you for your submitting your Box Tops!  Through your great efforts, we have raised over $1,300 for Holmes School this year.  Congratulations to Mr. Conetta's class for submitting the most Box Tops during this last submission.
Please keep clipping!  We will collect once more in early June and those Box Tops will count toward next year's goal.

Kindergarten Orientation Reminder

Kindergarten Orientation for incoming Kindergarteners is Thursday, April 7 and Friday, April 8.
There will be NO SCHOOL for current kindergarten students on those days.


 
Volunteer For Next Year!

Believe it or not, it's already time to start thinking about next year! The PTO is looking forward to welcoming all willing helpers: working parents or stay-at-home parents, moms or dads, there is an opportunity for you to be involved and we want to hear from you!

Below are specific positions that need volunteers. If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact PTO Vice Chairs Jennifer Woodbury (jennifer.woodbury@gmail.com) or Sima Farmer (sfdfarmer@yahoo.com) directly:
- Treasurer (2 people needed)
- Fundraising (2 people needed)
- Environmental Committee (2 chair people needed)
- Literary Magazine (1-2 chair people needed)
- PTO Special Education Representative (1-2 people needed)
- Welcoming Committee (1 chair person needed) 
- Box Tops (2 chair people needed)

If you are interested in volunteering for any other committees or want to be a room parent for the 2016-17 school year, please fill out this quick form:


Detailed job descriptions about the various PTO volunteer opportunities can be found here:
         

Order Your 2015-16 Yearbook
 
Placing your online order is as easy as 3 simple steps:

2) Enter pay code 78743
3) Buy a yearbook for $21.00

Price per book will increase to $24.00 after March 21, 2016. Last date to order April 1st. For scholarship orders, please contact M'liss Conetta in the school office by March 21st.

Please contact Leslie Reber (lesliemreber@gmail.com) or Susan Maher (zaccandy@gmail.com) with any questions.

Darien Day at the Sound Tigers - Rescheduled Date 
 
Due to snow in January, the original Darien Day with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 3 at 5:00. The choruses from all five Darien elementary schools will sing and there will be a very special opportunity after the game for all families to skate on the ice with Storm, the Sound Tigers' mascot! Bring your skates and have a blast with friends and family. April 3rd is also "Pucks and Paws" night...you can even bring your dog to the game!

Please see the attached flyer for details. Tickets are $20, discounted from $39 with a portion of the price going to the Holmes PTO.  Payment is due on March 25th.

Families who purchased tickets for the January game will automatically receive tickets for the new date and do not need to send in another check.

Please contact Sara Parent (saradparent@gmail.com) with any questions.
 

Girl Scout Toy Drive 
 
During the month of March, Darien Girl Scouts will be leading their Annual Toy Drive to stock the Toy Closet at the Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital.  A Donation Box has been placed outside the Common Room (near the desk). Donations will be accepted until March 31.  We welcome any toys appropriate for ages newborn - 18 years old (suggestions include but are not limited to: art kits, board games school supplies, sporting goods, craft kits, coloring books, crib toys, bike helmets & books).  Please contact Sima Farmer at sfdfarmer@yahoo.com or Brett Edgar at bedgar@droga5.com  with any questions.
 

Honors Chorus 
 
Miss Lindroth is holding auditions for Honors Chorus before and after school beginning Monday, March 7th through Friday, March 18th.  A student must be in chorus in order to audition.  For further information, please contact Miss Lindroth at alindroth@darienps.org.
 

Thriving Youth 
 
Experts agree that you are your child's most important role model. Setting clear rules about safety and modeling them yourself is the first step. Your child begins to learn to drive long before they ever get behind the wheel of a car - from you! Did you know that you are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash when you text and drive? Even that quick glance at your phone can be a life or death decision. Model safe driving.
 
For more information visit:  www.thrivingyouthdarien.org 
A Community Fund initiative:  Let's Get Talking - Thriving Youth.  

In This Issue
Box Top Thank You
Kindergarten Orientation
Volunteers for Next Year
Yearbook Order
Sound Tigers - New Date
Girl Scout Toy Drive
Honors Chorus
Tip of the Week
Calendar of Events

March
16       Holmes Literacy Submissions
           Due 
22       DPS Literacy Workshop 
25       No School (Good Friday)
28       No School (Staff
           Development)
 
April 
1         Gr 3 Music Share, CR
1         Gr 2 to Bridgeport Cabaret
5         Gr 5 Visit MMS Len Cabral
           Author Visit
7-8      K Orientation - No School for K
11-15  No School - Spring Recess
21       Earth Balloon All Grades, Gym
25       Gr K-1 Theatreworks Perf.
  

 

 



 


 

Getting ready to pack lunches? Reusable food containers save the Earth, and they save you money! Please pack waste-free lunches! 
  
Any questions, email Susie at flahtsus622@yahoo.com!

THANK YOU!

  
 
Community News
 
Darien High School Save the Children's Club (formerly Invisible Children)
is once again holding an Easter Egg Hunt for the preschoolers and kindergarten aged children of the Darien Community in the DHS Courtyard on March 21 at 3:30pm. Click here for details.

***

CELEBRATE WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY!
This fun and inclusive family celebration is aimed at raising awareness of Down syndrome and promoting greater appreciation of those living with it. Activities for all ages are free and include Bouncing Bears, music, arts and crafts, floor hockey, karate, basketball, Zumba and more. Sunday, March 20, from 2:00 to 4:00 at the New Canaan YMCA, 564 South Avenue, New Canaan. For questions and to register in advance, please contact Tricia Bresnahan, cooney_tricia@yahoo.com. www.21strong.org.  Click here for more information.

***

DJCL INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Darien Junior Cheerleading League invites all Darien girls entering grades 2-8 in Fall 2016 to an informational meeting to be held  Thursday March 17, 2016 at 7:00-8:00 pm at the Middlesex Middle School auditorium. Find out more about this exciting program and our fun season. All new and returning cheerleaders are encouraged to attend to learn about our requirements and key registration and season dates.  Become part of the Darien cheerleading/football community! For more information please visit www.djfl.org under the CHEERLEADING tab. Go Darien!

***
"Wild" Author Cheryl Strayed & the Darien Library
Ticket and tables are currently on sale for Darien Library's first-ever "Novel Tea" fundraiser featuring bestselling author Cheryl Strayed. The lunch will be held at Wee Burn Country Club on Wednesday, March 30 from 12-2pm, and each guest will receive a signed copy of Wild. Visit http://www.darienlibrary.org/noveltea for tickets, tables and more information.

***

'The Day the Crayons Came to Holly Pond' - A Book Fair at the Darien YMCA
The Holly Pond School will be holding its annual book fair in the main lobby of the Darien YMCA from 
Tuesday, March 15th through Saturday, March 19th. Books from all different genres will be available with a focus on books for pre-school and early readers. Please contact Caroline Comfort at carolinecomfort15@gmail.com or Lindsay Rogers at ledougherty@gmail.com. Hours will be as follows: 

Wednesday, March 16th (9am-6pm)
Thursday, March 17th (9am-7:30pm)
Friday, March 18th (9am-6pm)
Saturday, March 19th (9am-12pm)

***
DARIEN ARTS CENTER
Spring Forward Into Art! Workshop for ages 5 & up, Mar. 26, 2-3:30pm
After a long winter, kids can get ready for spring by indulging in their creativity with several art projects that celebrate this time of year. Register your child at darienarts.org or call (203) 655-8683 by Mar. 24. $30, no registration fee. The DAC is located at 2 Renshaw Rd., behind Town Hall. 
***

Volunteer Opportunities Available for Parents of Incoming Sixth Graders
The nominating process for the Middlesex Parent Association 2016-2017 school year has begun.  We are always looking for new volunteers to join the MPA Slate, especially parents with new students to MMS.  The job descriptions are on the MPA website.
Please contact nominating chairs Dawn Edgar at dawnedgar@mac.com, Elizabeth Fitzpatrick at ebfitzpatrick24@gmail.com, or Liane Zielinski at lcarita@optonline.net and let us know if you would like to volunteer for the MPA.  We can help you decide what job best suits your interests and schedule.







 
Submission Guidelines:
Please send your submission in the text of your e-mail, single spaced and left adjusted, with "HTH Submission" in the subject line to holmes2home@gmail.com. 
Make sure you include a contact name and email or website in the text of your submission for questions.
We do not accept files or formatted text.
Please limit your submission to one paragraph. All text may be edited. Submission does not guarantee publication. 
Community submissions must be local, 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organizations and parent or child-related. We will not include advertisements for businesses. Submissions will run for two weeks.
The deadline for submission is Monday by 4pm; H2H is normally distributed on Wednesdays.

 

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Holmes to Home / Holmes School / Darien, Connecticut 06820 / (203) 353-4371