This Week @ Gates
September 17, 2017
Upcoming Events

Monday-Wednesday, 09/18/17 - 09/27/17 : Coin Drive
Tuesday, 09/19/17 : Picture Day (makeup date is 11/01/17)
Thursday, 09/21/17: Rosh Hashanah (no school)
Sunday, 09/24/17: Art In Nature: A Community Happening
Monday-Friday, 09/25/17 - 09/29/17 :  Book Fair
Tuesday & Wednesday, 09/26/17 - 09/27/17 : Gates Open House /
Back To School Night
Monday, 10/09/17: Indigenous People's' Day (Columbus Day - no school)
Friday, 10/13/17: Fifth Grade Trip to Old Sturbridge Village
Saturday & Sunday, 10/14/17-10/15/17: Annual Family Photo Day
Friday, 10/20/17: Gates Fun Run

Top 10 Reasons Why the Gates Fun Run is Way Better than the Auction

  1. The Gates Fun Run is so much FUN!
  1. You can quickly and easily earn money for your school electronically online. Pledging takes no time at all.
  1. Not only do children get to participate in a Fun Run, but they will learn about the 6 virtues of being a true hero-Focus, Self Awareness, Respect,Trustworthiness, Creativity, and being a Life-learner.
  1. There are no tickets to buy and no classroom baskets to contribute too. This means less hassle for you!
  1. Help build a caring community at Gates school. Join the principal, teachers, students and parents to work together to exceed our financial goal.
  1. Don't miss out on the fun incentives, fitness prizes, and nightly challenges for everyone. Who doesn't love earning a prize?
  1. Don't worry about a babysitter or your weekend schedule, the Gates Fun Run is Friday morning, October 20th!
  1. Your kids will love running, walking, skipping, or dancing around a track-all the while earning money for their school.
  1. Every single child will participate in the Gates Fun Run.
  1. Come cheer your child on and socialize with your friends on Friday, October 20th during the Fun Run. It is going to be a blast!

Check out the Gates Fun Run website to learn more.

Calling All Proofreaders!  

The Gates Directory will be coming together in the next few weeks and we are looking for volunteers to help format and proofread the family and class listings. This is work that can be done entirely from home via a shared Google Document to streamline the workload. Volunteers can put in as much or as little time as they want.  

New this year the Gates Directory will be provided, free of charge, to all Gates families in a secure PDF. The directory is a useful tool for families to connect outside of school and the PTO would like to make this information available to everyone. Please note, if you opted out of inclusion in the Directory in PowerSchool parent portal, your information will not be shared in the Gates Directory.

Work on the directory will start as soon as we get the information from the central office, hopefully within the next few weeks. Please contact Chair of the Gates School Directory Kara Bayer to learn more or to volunteer with this effort.

The Scholastic Book Fair is Just Around the Corner

We will be transforming the Gates Library into a Bookstore for an entire week starting Monday, 09/25/17. Remember, all parents, neighbors, and book lovers are welcome to stop by and purchase books. Students will visit the fair with their class and information packets will be sent home. Check out the 2017 Scholastic Book Fair Schedule for classroom visit times and openings. In addition to purchasing books for themselves, students can also purchase and donate books for their classroom. All money raised go towards funding the Author Visit program at Gates.
In order to make the Book Fair a success, we need parent volunteers to assist students with selecting books and making wish lists. If you are interested in helping,
please sign up for a time slot that works for you.

Gather Your Coins for the Upcoming Coin Drive

Help us collect spare change during the All 4 Books Coin Drive from 09/18/17 to 09/27/17. As part of the Scholastic Book Fair, all money raised goes towards purchasing more books for our school and Scholastic Books will donate one book for each dollar raised to help children and families in need. Coin collection jugs are located in your child's classroom. All money collected will be combined and divided between the teachers at Gates.

The two classes that raise the most money will get a selection of bonus new books for their classroom. Last year we raised just over $800, help us beat that goal this year!  All that spare change really adds up!
Mark Your Calendars, the Gates Open House is Coming

The Gates Open House / Back to School night is an opportunity for parents to visit your child's classroom and meet their teacher. When you are done, stop by and meet the Gates PTO. We will have some take home flyers, Gates Spirit Wear on display, and a neat video about the upcoming Gates Fun Run. Don't forget, the Scholastic Book Fair will be open as well. Here are the dates and times:

September 26th
6:00-6:45pm - Grade 6
7:00-7:45pm - All Kindergartens & Grade 3

September 27th
6:00-6:45pm - Grades 2 & 4
7:00-7:45pm - Grades 1 & 5

*Please note this is an adult only event.

Check out the Gates Chorus

To:                    All students in grades 4, 5, & 6
From:               Mrs. Ward
When:              Wednesdays 8:00 am to 8:55 am
              First Rehearsal is Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Where:             Gates Music Room
Cost:                $35
Concerts:        Thursday, December 7, 2017 at 7:00 pm
                       Friday, December 8, 2017 at 2:30 pm

Participation is voluntary, but we hope that many of you decide to join us. The theme for this semester is "A Community in Harmony". Registration for this session will be done through Acton-Boxborough Community Education. You can sign up online here or you can enroll by phone 978-266-2525. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Ward at kward@abschools.org.

Don't Forget Picture Day is Coming

Say cheese! Picture Day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 19th. Make-up Picture Day for absentees will be Wednesday, November 1st.











Shop and Support Gates

Donelan's Receipts for Education
Donelan's Supermarkets proudly sponsors the Register Tapes for Education Program to make a difference in local communities. Simply collect Donelan's receipts and deposited them in the collection center outside the Gates school office. These receipts are then converted into points and redeemed for equipment and supplies for Gates School.

AmazonSmile
Shopping on AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Gates school. Just sign up at AmazonSmile and register Paul P. Gates School PTO as your designated charity. Then every time you shop, AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of your purchase price to the Gates PTO. Don't forget to bookmark the website.

Box Tops for Education
The Box Tops for Education program is an easy way to earn cash for Gates school. Simply clip Box Tops on hundreds of products at your local grocery store and place them in the collection box outside of the Gates school office. For each one, Gates receives 10 cents and it really adds up.

"This Week at Gates" is distributed at the beginning of each week. If you have a submission you'd like to have included in the weekly email, please be sure to email it to the Senior Co-chair Naomi Phaneuf by noon on Wednesday. 
This newsletter was created solely for the purpose of communicating school related events to parents and students.   

Gates PTO team