What’s new with the Hastings PTO

Principal’s Letter

View this week’s message from Hastings Principal Louise Lipsitz.

Drop off and dismissal reminder:  When driving on Crosby Road, PLEASE do not leave your car at arrival or dismissal.  The car line on Crosby Road is “Live Parking” ONLY. That means that drivers must remain in their cars and children get out in the morning and get in (at the back of the school) at dismissal.  If you want to park, leave your car on the side streets off school property and walk to Hastings. Thank you in advance for helping make arrival and dismissal smooth and safe for our children. 

HASTINGS NEWS

Shop and Support Hastings and the PTO

A+ Stop and Shop School Rewards Program
Since 2005, Stop & Shop has awarded more than $20 million to local schools. Last year, Hastings earned $1,174 from parents shopping at Stop & Shop! Link your card online now – it’s easy!
  • Register for the A+ Rewards Program here: https://stopandshop.com/member-benefits/
  • Sign in to your account (or register for an account) to link your Stop & Shop Card to Maria Hastings Elementary School. 
  • If you need assistance, call Customer Care at 877-366-2668 OPTION #1
Amazon Smile
Another simple and automatic way to earn $ for the Hastings PTO is through Amazon Smile. Simply go to smile.amazon.com, select Hastings as your charity and make purchases like normal! There is no extra charge to you, but a small % of your purchase amount will be donated to the Hastings PTO. Details are here. 

Other opportunities coming soon!  Details will be in the Bulletin and on the Hasting PTO Fundraising section of the website.  Contact Kim Ryan at vp-fundraising@hastings-pto.org with questions.

Hastings PTO Open Positions for 2019/2020 School Year

Join the PTO by leading or co-leading an event! We need Hastings community members help to fill the following open roles:

  • Hastings Harvest Run Post Race Party Co-Chair
  • Hastings Harvest Run Volunteer Coordinator
  • Math Olympiad (one 4th Grade Parent + one 5th grade parent)
  • School Committee Liaisons
  • Green Team Co-Chair

Please email vp-planning@hastings-pto.org for more information or to offer your help. The full list of Board Positions – including open positions – are located here: http://hastings-pto.org/board/.

Room Parents Needed!

Additional room parents are needed! Please email Beverly at roomparents@hastings-pto.org if you are interested in helping out this year!  For more information visit: http://hastings-pto.org/roomparent-signup/

Library Volunteers Needed!

Are you interested in volunteering in the library during your child’s class time or during a different time slot? Volunteer shifts are generally 60 minutes every week, although there is some flexibility in scheduling. Volunteers are vital to the smooth running of the library. Please contact Anne Boulter at library@hastingspta.org with any questions and to sign up.

Lunchtime Composting/Recycling Help Needed!

When: M, T, W, F (11:15-12:20 or 12:20-1:25)
Where: Hastings Cafeteria
What:  Did you know that with parent help with composting and recycling at lunch, Hastings now has only 1/2 a trash bag per lunch, compared with 6 bags in the past? 

This is a fun opportunity to help the environment and get a peek at your child at lunch. 

We have two shifts available. The first is for grades K, 1, and 2 (11:15-12:20) and the second for grades 3, 4, and 5 (12:20-1:25). Highest need currently is for help on Mondays.

Please go to the Lunchtime Composting/Recycling form on your account at Membership Toolkit to let us know your availability. We will contact you to firm up the schedule. Contact the Hastings Green Team with questions (greenteam@hastings-pto.org).

Considering Volunteering in the School? Two Important Steps are Required First

There are MANY ways to get involved at Hastings and to volunteer your time with the children. If you are thinking about volunteering there are a few steps that must be taken BEFORE you can do so.

  1. ALL volunteers must have a CORI background check on file. These criminal background checks are required for all volunteers and must be updated every three years. TheCORI form is available online at http://bit.ly/LexCORI. Fill out the form, but DO NOT SIGN IT. Bring the form and your license to the Hastings front office for office staff to witness your signature. If you sign before you arrive, you will need to fill out a new form.
  2. Volunteers are required to watch a 10-minute video online about volunteering at Hastings (http://hastings-pto.org/getinvolved/). Upon its completion, you will electronically sign that you have watched it. Unlike the CORI, which needs to be done every 3 years, you only need to watch the video once.

If you have any questions, please email president@hastings-pto.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

General PTO Meeting – All Welcome!

Date: Thursday, September 19
Time: 7-8:30pm
Location: Hastings Cafeteria

Join us for the first PTO meeting of the new school year! Babysitting will be provided. Principal Lipsitz will give an update and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. 

Hastings Parents’ Night Out

We all need a night out! Join us and get to know other Hastings Parents too.

Date: Friday, September 20, 2019
Time: 7-10pm
Location: Great Wall Restaurant, 309 Great Rd., Bedford, MA

Book your sitters and come enjoy a night out with other Hastings parents. Cash bar, light appetizers will be served. Sign up here today! ↓

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4fa4ad23a6f94-hastings

Hastings Back to School Night Food Drive

Date: Thursday, September 26

Lexington’s PTAs and PTOs are partnering to do a special back to school night collection for the Lexington Food Pantry at a time of year when their supplies are running low. The Hastings PTO will collect Boxed Cereal AND/OR Oatmeal Canisters in the lobby on the evening of September 26th. Please see this flyer for additional details.

Hastings Harvest Run

Date: Sunday, October 6
Time: 11:15am

The 10th Annual Hastings Harvest 5K Run/Walk is on Sunday, October 6. This event is one of the biggest fundraisers for the PTO, so please join us for the walk/run and after party! It’s great fun for the whole family. Learn more and register here: http://www.hastingsharvestrun.com/

Playground Meet-Up for New and Returning Families

Date: Friday, October 18 (note date change)
Time: 3:30-5:00pm
Location: Center Playground (1625 Mass Ave) 

Hosted by the Welcome Committee, come join us for an informal playground meet-up after school on Friday, October 18th from 3:30-5:00pm.  Now that school is well underway, and classmates’ faces are no longer so new, we invite new and returning Hastings families to reconnect on the Center playground.  Grab a buddy and come join the fun! Please email welcome@hastings-pto.org if you have questions. 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND UPDATES

Upcoming Meetings: Tuesday, September 24
                                    Tuesday, October 1

All meetings are at 7pm in the Selectmen’s Meeting Room (1625 Mass. Ave.) unless otherwise noted. Full schedule is posted on the town website. 

Don’t have time to volunteer during the school day? Consider being a school committee liaison by attending or watching the School Committee meetings remotely and sharing news relevant to the Hastings community in this section of the weekly bulletin. With 3-4 parents participating the commitment would be one two-hour long meeting approximately every two months – we have one volunteer so far! Contact vp-planning@hastings-pto.org if you are interested!

REDISTRICTING TIMELINE UPDATE: From the Superintendent’s Update for the September 10th School Committee Meeting, they are now ready to present a preferred redistricting plan. The initial presentation will occur at the regularly scheduled School Committee meeting on October 1, 2019. Public hearings will be held during the month of October, and the School Committee will make a final decision on redistricting at their November 5, 2019 School Committee meeting. As noted in the timeline, outreach to school staff and families will occur shortly thereafter. 

UPCOMING MONTH’S CALENDAR

9/19  Thursday  7-8:30pm General PTO Meeting
9/20 Friday 7-10pm Adult Social – Great Wall, Bedford
9/26 Thursday 6-8:00pm  Hastings Back to School Night 

–Parents Only – 
9/27 Friday 9-11:30am School Pictures 
9/30  Monday – NO School – Holiday – Rosh Hashanah
10/1 Tuesday 7pm School Committee Meeting
10/6 Sunday 11:10 am (same day registration 9:30-10:30 am) Hastings 8th Annual 5K Harvest Run/Walk, Hayden Lower Field
10/9

Wednesday

 – NO School – Holiday – Yom Kippur
10/14 Monday – NO School – Holiday – Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day
10/15 Tuesday 7pm School Committee Meeting
10/18 Friday 3:30 – 5:30pm Welcome Committee After School Playground Meet up – Center Playground
  • Bulletin submissions are due Mondays by 12pm and made online.