Community Impact: Operation Pumpkin Patch!

As part of our Community Impact blog series, we highlight events where the community came together in support of our schools. Recently, Out Post Farm and 17 PTO volunteers worked together to accomplish Operation Pumpkin Patch! This was a coordinated effort to transport 260 pumpkins from Out Post Farm to Placentino for the PreK/K Pumpkin Stroll which was held on October 27th.

The Pumpkin Stroll is a favorite Placentino fall event where Pre-K and Kindergarten students decorate little pumpkins for their class pumpkin patch, parade outside the school in fall attire or costumes, and then sing adorable fall/pumpkin related songs for their families.

We’d like to extend a big THANK YOU to Out Post Farm for providing over 260 pumpkins and to the 17 volunteers who loaded, transported, unloaded, and created the Pumpkin Patch!

Volunteers:

• Beth Leach

• Brittany Ela

• Elissa Simkins

• Elizabeth Navarro

• Emily Raffile

• Jacqueline Hayes

• James Archibald

• Jennifer Schiavoni

• Jess Scalzo

• Liz Ahluwalia

• Lucas Wisner

• Marissa Marcoux

• Marissa Santos

• Mary Ann Sanchez

• Mary Arnold

• Michelle Nauss

• Sarah Hill

PTO Hosts First Autumn Appreciation Gathering 10/26/2023

On Thursday evening, October 26th, we had a fantastic time with parents, teachers, staff, SEPAC, and HYFS at our first Appreciation Gathering! We thank everyone who joined us to celebrate our wonderful volunteers and school community, as well as Anthony's on the Green who did a spectacular job with the catering and service.

An Update from the Outdoor Learning Alliance (OLA)

Placentino Courtyard

The Outdoor Learning Alliance (OLA) is a PTO sub-committee dedicated to creating outdoor learning spaces where all children can learn, play, and rest. Since first breaking ground in November of 2022, they have been busy turning the Placentino Courtyard into a beautiful garden of learning and discovery. The project concluded this fall with the planting of new spring bulbs in the courtyard.

OLA is deeply appreciative of Barrios Landscaping for donating close to 100 hours of labor (wow!), Jim Stucchi and Ahronian Landscaping for the many plants and materials they generously donated.

Next, the OLA is bringing their magic to the outdoor spaces at RAMS. This fall, the OLA team spruced up the garden bed next to the RAMS entrance, and is now in a conceptual phase of working on the “learn and rest” garden space for RAMS. The OLA is also in talks with the administration about planting shade trees around the most sun exposed walls of RAMS as a means of passive cooling during heatwaves. 

To learn more about the OLA, click here to view their webpage or email outdoorlearningalliance@gmail.com.

Thank you to Jim Stucchi of Stucchi Landscape and Design for donating the plants for the RAMS entrance!

BEFORE

RAMS Entrance

Garden Plans

Placentino Courtyard

Flowers in bloom

Placentino Courtyard

Yoga Frog Circle

Placentino Courtyard

Tim’s Tree

Placentino Courtyard

Enjoying Nature

Placentino Courtyard

AFTER

RAMS Entrance

Work in progress

Placentino Courtyard

Landscaping Extraordinaires

Placentino Courtyard

Seating for outdoor learning

Placentino Courtyard

Grand opening!

Placentino Courtyard

Rock Garden

Placentino Courtyard

Flowers in bloom

Placentino Courtyard

Community Impact: Color Run & Staff Back to School Breakfast

Through this Blog series, we’ll be highlighting the community’s impact on different PTO-sponsored events. Read what your contributions made possible for the Color Run and Staff Back to School Breakfast.

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First Ever Kids Color Run Fundraiser - August 27, 2023

This year the PTO kicked off the school year with the Color Run - a fundraiser where participants in PreK through 5th grade run, skip, walk or roll through colored powder, turning the runners into a messy rainbow of color. What’s a better way to kick off the school year than making a mess outside in the sunshine with your friends? 

This event drew over 150 runners and raised over $1200 for the Holliston PTO! Fundraisers are a critical component of the PTO’s ability to fund programs that support our schools and students such as Parent to Parent, Culture Connection, Mindshare, Grants, Social Events (dances, carnivals, field days), and so much more. 

The equally critical component to the PTO’s ability to operate is the VOLUNTEERS! None of our events or programs would be possible without the amazing members of the HPS community who choose to offer their time and talents to make these events a reality. Twenty volunteers offered up their Sunday morning to throw color, check in participants, sell snacks, and make sure fun was had by all. 

This new fundraiser was the idea of the newly established Fundraising Committee in June of 2023. In just 2 short months of planning, the Color Run was made a reality. Many thanks to Lindsay Galvin for initiating the planning, and Lucy Weinburg and May Ramos who went above and beyond to make it all happen! From setting up the race registration website, to booking the Kona ice truck, to making Color Run T-Shirts and coordinating with the many involved parties - this team did a fantastic job in a short period of time.

We especially thank the administration for allowing us to hold this event on school grounds, and to Mr. Keim for saving the day with the speaker and microphone!

Thank you to everyone who participated, planned, and supported the Color Run. The money raised will go towards funding 2023-2024 school year programs.

Volunteers*:

Amanda Furlong

Anna Mensing

Barbara Ryan

Beth Leach

Brenda Elwell

Eliza Watt

Emma Elizabeth Scott

Evie Thibault

Hiatt Mueller 

Jacalyn Judd

Jess Scalzo

Jimmy Ryan

Katie DellaRocca

Kyle Raffi 

Lindsay Galvin

May Ramos

Melissa Hutchinson

Micah Watt

Mirembe Reed

Nadeeka Thiththagalla Gamage

Pooja Gupta

Preetha Rao

Sarah Kane

Stacey Raffi

*We apologize if we missed anyone - this list is from the sign up genius as of 8/25/13

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Staff Back to School Breakfast - August 28, 2023

For several years the PTO has been hosting the Staff Back to School Breakfast on the first day of school for employees. This breakfast is held at the high school where all of the district staff have an initial meeting at the start of the school year. Sarah Rotz has been organizing this warm welcome for over 10 years with the help of many dedicated volunteers.

This year, $990 was donated from the community to fund the catering and purchase of other supplies. In addition, over 20 community members purchased items at the grocery store and delivered to the homes of the breakfast organizers, who then had to set up at 6AM on a Monday (that’s dedication!).

Thank you to the amazing HPS community for your generous donations and time spent working together to give the HPS staff a great start to the 2023-2024 school year!

Do you have an idea for a fundraiser or PTO initiative? Or are you looking to get involved in existing programs? Please let us know - we’d love to involve as many HPS community members as possible! Whether you want to volunteer at one event, make a donation, or join a committee or hold a PTO position - there are options to work with anyone’s schedule or bandwidth. 

Volunteers*:

Barbara Ryan

Catie Ehret

Joy Green

Kaela Doss

Karen DiModica

Karla Alfred
Kerry Peterson

Pooja Gupta 

Sarah Rotz

Stacey Raffi

*We apologize if we missed anyone - this list is from the sign up genius as of 8/28/13

Teacher and Staff Wish List

The PTO is facilitating a Year-Round Teacher Request Process to open a more flexible channel for teachers and staff with small material needs to get support from the families of HPS students and community. Click below to view the wish list on Amazon.

Purchase from the wish list and ship directly to the school with attention to the teacher’s name. Items can also be shipped to your home address and dropped off at the school office.

If you’re not sure which teacher the item is for, email hollistonpto@gmail.com.