RJ Grey Weekly PTSO Chatter

ABRPTSO

Weekly Chatter

RJ Grey Junior High School

October 31, 2021

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"Creating a community of thinkers, learners, and responsible citizens."

Table of Contents

Calendar of Events
Minuteman Showcase Event
Boo! Guess Who? Project Graduation Needs YOU!
Proscenium Circus Presents Alice in Wonderland
After-School Clubs
Rise to the Challenge
Message from A-B Food Services Department
A-B Food Services is Hiring
ABSAF: Gingerbread Construction Co. Muffin Loaves Fundraiser
Looking for a Mental Health Provider?

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Monday, November 1: School Picture Retake Day

Monday, November 1: Early Release at 1pm

Tuesday, November 2: No School - Professional Learning Day

Wednesday, November 10: Minuteman Showcase Event (8th Graders)

Thursday, November 11: No School - Veterans' Day

Monday, November 15: Early Release at 1pm

Minuteman Showcase Event

The Minuteman Showcase Event is scheduled for Wednesday, November 10th. This is for 8th grade students interested in visiting the campus and learning more about Minuteman HS. Parents should pre-register their student at Showcase Day Registration and choose the two career majors your students will visit while they are there. Families also need to complete a permission slip available in the RJ Grey counseling office. The deadline to register is November 3rd. Students should see their RJ Grey counselor for any questions.

Boo! Guess Who? Project Graduation Needs YOU!

Happy Halloween! While you scramble for candy and costumes, why not consider volunteering for Project Graduation? It's not scary at all! You'll have fun, and together we will continue to keep kids safe on graduation night as we have done for more than 30 years. Grab a friend or make a new one with Project Graduation. In fact, we have several chairs who are set to "graduate" with their kids, so we have multiple shadow opportunities. (How Halloweeny is that?) Please send us an email to let us know you can help. We'll announce our kick-off meeting in November, and then have monthly meetings starting in January. No bones about it, it's going to be a great year!

Thank you to these awesome chairs:

Project Graduation Chairs: Jen Mabardy and Jenny Philion

Breakdown: Merry Hibbard

Casino: Chris Hanlon

Chaperones: Sam and Candace Valente-Phillips

Chatter: Jill Maxwell

Check in: Orissa Lawrence

Decorations: Jenn Jaroch, Cydney Cotter, Angela Ryan, Jen Hennessey

Entertainment: Christine Kobelski, Tracey Smith

Food: Karen Finkelman, Eleni Bury, Karen Pierce, Kathleen Iglesias

Business Donations: Maureen Flynn, Amy Molchan

Parent Donations: Carol Chytil

Fundraising Events: Michelle Baytarian, Debbie Brissenden, Kara Letourneau

Gift Card Coordinator: Jill Davis

Grant Writer: Neal Silverman

Logistics: Kathie Schroeder

Minute To Win It: Sarah Lent

Photography, Facebook, Instagram: Rebecca MacNeill

Treasurer: Deb Maffei

Volunteer Sign Up Genius: Orissa Lawrence

Website: Indira Hooloomann

Jennifer Mabardy & Jennifer Philion

AB Project Graduation 2022 Co-Chairs

abprojectgraduation@gmail.com

https://www.abprojectgrad.org

Proscenium Circus

Tickets are now on sale for our fall play, Alice in Wonderland! The show is appropriate for all audiences and runs October 29-November 6th! Tickets and show times can be found at www.abdrama.org! All tickets must be purchased online in advance of the shows.

After-School Clubs

The official RJ Grey Clubs doc is now on the RJ Grey Website. Click here to link to the page. If you have any questions about the clubs, please contact the club advisor.

Rise to the Challenge

Rise to the Challenge is something the Junior High started as a way of recognizing student involvement in community service. We know that many students are already participating in service activities outside of school, and we hope to celebrate those efforts along with encouraging more students to become active in service opportunities. Students who complete 10 hours of service within a school year will be recognized for their efforts. Please visit the Community Service webpage for details on this program. If you have any questions please email Debbie Brookes.

Message from the A-B Food Services Department

The Acton-Boxborough Food Services Department is asking for your patience and support as we navigate new challenges. As you may be aware, we are currently faced with unprecedented shortages of food and packaging materials, massive delays or cancellations of deliveries. Nationwide shortages and delays have affected availability of several food items, leading to substitutions of menu items we’ve been able to offer regularly. These supply issues are occurring throughout the country and are especially challenging for school systems, due to the increased number of meals we serve and the strict nutrition standards we follow. All of this means that we may need to make quick substitutions to our menus based upon what we are able to acquire. We know that this affects students, and we are doing our best to provide menu options. Be confident in knowing our students will always be served a complete meal as well as additional fruits and vegetables to select from, no matter the circumstances. Please know that our number one priority continues to be providing healthy, nutritious, and appetizing meals for your children. We love seeing them every day and appreciate your support and patience as we continue to offer daily one breakfast and one lunch at no charge for all students. Your participation helps our program stay strong, and we look forward to serving our students! If you have any further questions, please contact our office directly at 978-264-4700 x3221.

Kirsten Nelson

Food Service Director

Acton-Boxborough Regional Schools

978-264-4700 x3221

A-B Food Services is hiring!

Due to everyone receiving one breakfast and one lunch at no charge we have openings in the Food Service Department.

Do you have food service experience? Are you tired of working nights and weekends? Do you want to be on the same schedule as your kids? Apply for a Food Service Position HERE.

Acton Boxborough Student Activities Fund (ABSAF)

DON'T MISS OUT!!

ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO PLACE YOUR ORDERS!!

Surprise your Family and Friends while

supporting Acton Boxborough Student Activities Fund (ABSAF)!

DELICIOUS HOLIDAY TREATS from GINGERBREAD CONSTRUCTION CO!

Make your holiday entertaining (or gifting) a little easier this Thanksgiving while supporting ABSAF! This year we are excited to be selling delicious muffin loaves from the Gingerbread Construction Co., a local, family-owned business located in Wakefield, MA. These products do not use preservatives or shelf stabilizers.

We have many varieties to choose from:

Apple Crumb

Corn Muffin

Cranberry Walnut

Iced Lemon

Blueberry

Carrot

Coffee Cake

Gingerbread

Chocolate Chip

Iced Pumpkin

Please place your order by Friday, November 5th.

Link to purchase and view pictures:

Welcome to Acton-Boxborough Student Activities Fund | ABSAF.net

We will have a contactless pick up on Saturday Nov. 20th from 10am - 1pm at the St. Elizabeth’s Parish (89 Arlington Street Acton)

Price: $15 each. All proceeds go to support ABSAF

Thank you for your support! And Happy Holidays from ABSAF!!

ABSAF contributions support athletic teams (Junior High to Varsity), academic teams (Math Team, Science Team, Speech and Debate Team, and Academic Decathlon Team), performing arts groups (Band, Chorus, and Theater), and community service at ABRHS and RJ Grey. Some examples of how ABSAF funds have been used include: donations to Proscenium Circus (the High School Theatre group), purchase of band uniforms and instruments, new stage curtains and sound system for the Junior High, supplies and equipment for all athletic teams, study guides and league dues for academic teams, athletic uniforms, and transportation to events for all the groups mentioned above.

For more information about ABSAF and how to donate and support extracurricular activities, please visit www.absaf.net.

Looking for a Mental Health Provider?

INTERFACE Referral Service is a mental health resource and referral Helpline that helps children, adults and families, in subscribing communities, become connected with mental health and wellness resources. Part of your ABRPTSO Membership Donation goes towards the funding of this service.

INTERFACE Referral Service looks forward to continuing to help residents of Acton & Boxborough find a successful match with an outpatient mental health provider in their area, who is able to see them at a convenient time, takes their insurance or meets their fee requirement, as well as meets their clinical needs.

Please call the William James College INTERFACE Helpline at 617-332-3666 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, for resource information and/or provider referrals from a mental health professional. Please also review the very extensive website at interface.williamjames.edu for additional information about the service, as well as resources on mental health and wellness across the lifespan.

The Weekly Chatter is distributed each Sunday. If you have a submission you'd like to include in the Chatter, please email it to chatter@abrptso.org by noon on Friday. The Chatter was created solely for the purpose of communicating school-related events, groups and forums to parents and students.