November, 2017
The East PTO Digest is a monthly recap of all the great activities, events, and initiatives the PTO sponsors - thanks to your Annual Appeal contributions.  A big thank you to all PTO volunteers but especially Kirsten Moore and the Enrichment coordinators, Karen Deane, Jen Clow  and the Teacher Appreciation Committee.  Special thanks to Laura Hyman for her contributions to this month's edition and to the East cafeteria staff for their help with Garlic Bread Day.   We hope you enjoy it!
Enrichment
Plimoth Plantation Visit (Grade 2)
Museum teachers from Plimoth Plantation visited East School second graders to reinforce their curriculum on Pilgrims and Wampanoags. The students got to dress in authentic Pilgrim clothes.
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Pop Up Explorers
Chris Poulos, winner of the World Championship Stunt Bike Competition and more than 85 worldwide stunt bike competitions, visited East School on the Early Release day for a Pop Up Explorers demonstration and enrichment event.   
Events
Book Fair & Ice Cream Social
The annual Fifth Grade Ice Cream Social was a huge success in helping raise funds for the Fifth Grade yearbook and culmination ceremony.  It was held during the Fall Scholastic Book Fair, which had a Wild West theme this year. 
Green Team News


Garlic Bread Day
East School Garlic Bread Day was a huge success, thanks to the East School Green Team and the Hingham Farm to School program. Students Grades K-5 sampled some garlic bread made with fresh garlic grown by last year's 4th graders in the East garden. The bread was delicious and a huge hit! 

PTO Appeal Prizes Awarded
Party Prize Winners
During the November All School Meeting, Appeal winners from each grade were announced.  This month's prize was a Fun & Games Party with Mr. Keady and Mrs. Case, and the winners are: Estelle Perine (K), Neil Deininger (Grade 1), Samantha McCabe (Grade 2), Elisette Gibson (Grade 3), Madeleine Accettella (Grade 4) and Will Frank (Grade 5).

Our very exciting Appeal prize for the month of December is a ride to school in Officer John's police car!  Contribute ANY amount to the Annual Appeal by 5pm on December 13th, and your child(ren) will automatically be entered in the drawing.  Six kids will win (one from each grade).  Please contact Appeal Chair Chrissy Roberts with any questions at cjrob47@hotmail.com.

Did You Know?
Teacher Appreciation Luncheon
The Fall Teacher Appreciation lunch was held in November.  Did you know that PTO volunteers help coordinate a variety of events to thank the teachers and staff for their dedication to our children?  Events include a monthly coffee, a year-end luncheon, and other events throughout the school year.
Getting To Know . . .
Laura Hyman (First Grade Teacher)
Q:  What do you enjoy most about teaching?
A:   I love encouraging students in their desire to learn.  I think that is one of the most important things you can do as a teacher. It is exciting to think that you are inspiring your students to have interest in subjects that may continue long after they leave your classroom.  I also enjoy getting to know each student individually - their interests, what they think about.  Seeing the emotional, developmental, and academic growth that they make from September to June, which is significant in first grade, makes it a challenging and incredibly rewarding job to do every day. 

Q:  If you weren't a teacher, what would you like to be doing?
A:   I have always wanted to be a teacher (I used to play school all of the time when I was little with my friends and my sister!), so even though I have other interests currently or that I would love to explore I can't picture myself not involved with teaching for a profession.  I enjoy traveling and learning about different cultures and I am intrigued when reading about the different ways teachers teach in other parts of the world, such as in Scandanavia, so I think it would be an interesting experience to live and teach in another country for a little while.

Q:   What is your favorite book?
A:    I have several favorites - I love when I come across a book that I cannot wait to pick up again!  The Book Of Joy by Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama has to be my latest and ultimate favorite.  The title caught my eye when it first came out, and I ended up listening to it in the car on the way to work every day.  It is about cultivating joy (versus happiness) in yourself and others, and it has amazing wisdom from two very wise men who have gained a lot of powerful knowledge in their lives about what it means to be human.  It is a book you can pick up at any point and just start reading, and can read over and over.   

Q:  What is your dream vacation?
A:   I love thinking about and planning new places to visit.  The build up to actually going somewhere is always half the fun, but I dream about just waking up one day and going to the airport and randomly picking a place to go to that day on a vacation, totally unplanned!
We Need You!
When parents get involved, kids do better! Click here to visit the East PTO website and sign up for one day events or ongoing committees! 

Give once. Your kids benefit all year long. All of the PTO field trips, events and programs are funded by your generous contributions!

STAY CONNECTED:      
For questions, or if you have content you'd like to share for an upcoming Digest, please contact Kathie Cronin at kcronin99@comcast.net or Sarah D'Souza at sarahjdsouza@yahoo.com.