Lilja PTO

September 27, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (9/27/22)

Lilja PTO

September 27, 2022

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wed 9/28 - Curriculum Night
Wed 10/5 - Yom Kippur (No School)
Mon 10/10 - Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day (No School)
Tue 10/18 - Picture Day
Wed 10/19 - PTO Meeting, Anthony’s Fundraiser
Wed 10/26 - Early Release
Sun 10/23 - Wicked Fun Run (Memorial/Brown PTO)
Sun 10/30 - Trunk or Treat

Curriculum Night

Please carefully read this document sent by Principal Marscher to ensure you are prepared for tomorrow’s Curriculum Night. Note: this event is for grown-ups only, and all curriculum presentations are in the cafeteria, with the exception of the 1/2s multiage class (1/2A & 1/2M), which is in the library.

Don’t forget to use the opportunity to check the Lost & Found shelves by the cafeteria!

SEPAC meeting tonight

The Natick Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is an all-volunteer organization of parents and caregivers of children receiving support services. In the Natick school system, there are more than 800 children on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and 504 plans. Whether your child is already receiving support or you are trying to determine if your child needs services, SEPAC provides a parent’s perspective and connections.

Please join SEPAC tonight, Tue Sep 27, at 7PM for a kick-off meeting. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents/caregivers and weigh in on priorities for this year.

Zoom meeting link

Meeting ID: 894 8848 5314
Passcode: 500356

Halloween Events

Save the dates! On Sunday October 23, the Memorial and Brown PTOs will be hosting a Wicked Fun Run, and Lilja families are welcome to participate - for more details visit their Facebook page here. The following Sunday October 30, we will be holding our highly popular Trunk or Treat event at Lilja. Stay tuned for more details and start planning your vehicle decorations! Signup and registration details will be shared in an upcoming newsletter.

Volunteers still needed

We are still looking for volunteers to help with communications and event planning! If you are interested to find out more about what’s involved, please fill out this form or email us, and we will be in touch.

If you have received this email in error, i.e. you no longer have children attending Lilja, please click the unsubscribe link below or contact us at pto@liljapto.org and we can remove you from the mailing list.

Lilja PTO

September 19, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (9/19/22)

Lilja PTO

September 19, 2022

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wed 9/21 - 12:15pm Early Release, 7pm PTO Meeting (on Zoom)
Mon 9/26 - Rosh Hashanah (No School)
Wed 9/28 - Curriculum Night
Wed 10/5 - Yom Kippur (No School)
Mon 10/10 - Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day (No School)
Tue 10/18 - Picture Day

Kindergarten Picnic

Thank you to everyone who came along to our Kindergarten picnic yesterday! Families enjoyed a beautiful late summer afternoon of fun and treats. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at our next event, a Trunk or Treat planned for Sunday October 30th - stay tuned for more details!

PTO Meeting

All are welcome to join us at 7pm this Wednesday (9/21) on Zoom for the first PTO meeting of the year. Vice Principal Buckmire will attend to give an update on what’s happening at the school, and the PTO Board will cover the budget, event and fundraising plans, volunteer opportunities, Cultural Arts and Field Trips, with time for questions at the end.

Zoom link: https://bentley.zoom.us/j/95346038480

Curriculum Night

Please carefully read this document sent by Principal Marscher in last week’s school newsletter to ensure you are prepared for next Wednesday’s Curriculum Night. Classroom teachers have also sent further details., with links to sign up for a particular Museum Walk time slot.
Note: curriculum presentations are in the cafeteria, with the exception of the 1/2s multiage class (1/2A & 1/2M), which is in the library.

Picture Day

This is scheduled for Tuesday 10/18 and will once again be conducted by Coffee Pond. Students will be sent home with an order form, or you can search for Lilja on their website to order online.

Lost Property

Sweaters are piling up on the playground fence already. Please check that your child is returning home with all their belongings, and name everything to help items return to their owner. The virtual Lost & Found will be updated when possible, but families are welcome to check the playground fence at any time. You can also browse the indoor Lost & Found shelves by the cafeteria on Curriculum Night.

Volunteers still needed

Lilja PTO

September 12, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (9/12/22)

Lilja PTO

September 12, 2022

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sun 9/18 - Kindergarten Picnic
Wed 9/21 - 12:15pm Early Release, 7pm PTO Meeting (on Zoom)
Mon 9/26 - Rosh Hashanah (No School)
Wed 9/28 - Curriculum Night

Volunteers Needed

Do you have experience or interest in communications, social media, web management, event planning or fundraising? We are looking for a new communications coordinator from November, as well as help with our bi-annual auction, a massive fundraising event scheduled for March.

You will receive training and the full support of the PTO board. None of what we do would be possible without parent volunteers. If you are interested and able to help, please fill out this form or contact us directly at pto@liljapto.org.

Kindergarten Picnic

Join us THIS SUNDAY at the Upper Field (by the playground) for the Lilja Kindergarten Picnic! BYO picnic food, outdoor games/toys, and the PTO will give out sweet treats to share. For weather related cancellations, please check our website or Facebook page on the day of the event.

PTO Meeting

Our first public meeting of the year is scheduled for next Wednesday 9/21 at 7pm on Zoom. All are welcome to attend to find out more about what we’re doing to support Lilja and build our community this year. The meeting link will be available in next week’s newsletter and on our Facebook page.

Subscribe to this newsletter

Did you click through to this newsletter from another site, or had it forwarded to you? Get it delivered directly to your inbox to ensure you don’t miss out on important notices and events. Subscribe here.

Did you know?

Every year, the PTO gives $180 to each teacher and $2,000 to the principal for classroom supplies, special programs and other needs that benefit Lilja. We are also planning to bring back our mini-grant program, where classroom teachers and specialists can apply for extra funding for particular items such as PE equipment and STEM materials. Shop using our Partner Programs and participate in our events to help contribute to our efforts.

Lilja PTO

September 6, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (9/6/22)

Lilja PTO

September 6, 2022

Upcoming Events

Sun 9/18 - Kindergarten Picnic
Wed 9/21 - Early Release, PTO Meeting
Mon 9/26 - Rosh Hashanah (No School)
Wed 9/28 - Curriculum Night

Staff Snack Station

Back by popular demand, we extensively restocked the Snack Station in the Lilja staff room to welcome back our teachers and start the school year in style! Thank you to the Lilja community for your continued support of our staff appreciation efforts.

Kindergarten Picnic

Join us at the Upper Field (by the playground) for the Lilja Kindergarten Picnic! BYO picnic food, outdoor games/toys, and the PTO will give out sweet treats to share. For weather related cancellations, please check our website or Facebook page on the day of the event.

PTO Meeting

Our first meeting of the year was originally scheduled for Wed 9/28, but has now been moved to Wed 9/21, to avoid clashing with Curriculum Night. All are welcome to attend to find out more about what we’re doing to support Lilja and build our community this year. The zoom link will be available in that week’s newsletter and our Facebook page.

BOKS is back!

BOKS is a before school physical activity program at Lilja that will run every Tuesday and Thursday, 7:40am to 8:20am, from Sep 20 to Dec 8. There is space for 20 children on a first come, first serve basis and the total cost for the fall session is $60 per child. Participating families must arrange their own transport to school and children will still be able to get breakfast at school.

Backup Lunch Monitors

We still need more backup lunch monitors! If you may be available to be called on as a one-off backup lunch monitor, please help out the school by filling out this form.

Breakfast

All NPS students can get free breakfast at school if needed. Students arriving by bus can tell their bus driver they are getting school breakfast to be let off the bus early and make their way to the cafeteria. Other students can be buzzed in at the cafeteria doors from 8am onwards.

SEPAC

Did you know there is a volunteer group of parents dedicated to supporting Natick families with children on IEPs and 504 plans? Visit them at naticksepac.org or follow their Facebook page.

Lilja PTO

August 29, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (8/29/22)

Lilja PTO

August 29, 2022

Upcoming Events

Wed 8/31 - First Day of School (except for Kindergarten Group B)
Mon 9/5 - Labor Day (No School)
Sun 9/18 - Kindergarten Picnic
Wed 9/21 - Early Release 12:15pm
Mon 9/26 - Rosh Hashanah (No School)

We hope everyone had a great summer! This year we will be sending PTO news using Squarespace (our web host), instead of Konstella. All who were subscribed have already been transferred to the new mailing list. If you did not receive this in your inbox directly and would like to, subscribe here. If you no longer have any children at Lilja and would like to unsubscribe, use the link at the bottom of this email, or let us know directly at pto@liljapto.org.
Thank you and we look forward to your continued support this year!

Before School Checklist

Complete PowerSchool forms (look for login information in your spam folder if needed)
Update default dismissal plans in PickUp Patrol
Read Principal Marscher’s welcome newsletter
Subscribe to this PTO newsletter if you haven’t already
Set up Lilja PTO as your AmazonSmile charity
Follow us on Facebook

Kindergarten Activities

Thank you to everyone who came to our playdates and the building tours last week! We hope everyone enjoyed the chance to meet up with other new families and get a sneak peek at the school. We will be hosting a welcome coffee for K parents on the first two days of school at 9am in the library, and are excited to be bringing back a Lilja tradition for the first time in a few years, the Kindergarten Picnic. Mark your calendars for Sunday 9/18, and stay tuned for more details soon.

Arrival & Dismissal

The first week of school is often a chaotic time at the car dropoff and pickup line. Please ensure you are familiar with these instructions from the school. Some further tips :

DO NOT BLOCK Oak St while waiting to turn into the Sargent Field entrance, particularly if waiting to turn left.
SLOW DOWN & WATCH for families crossing the road, particularly at the pedestrian crossing on Oak St between Eisenhower and MacArthur Road, and on Bacon St by the bus loop.
BE READY - as you pull into the drop off area, have your child(ren) unstrapped with their backpacks on and ready to exit on the passenger side as soon as you are in position, and a staff member opens your vehicle door.
If you arrive after 8:30am and the doors are closed, you must drive to the front loop off Bacon St and sign your child in as a late arrival at the front office.
Dogs are not allowed on school property during school hours, as per the Natick Public School district rules.

Lunch is free for all!

All school lunches are free for the school year!

Please ensure your child is aware that they must order from their classroom in the morning in order to be able to receive school lunch from the cafeteria later. Food is delivered to the school based on these morning orders, so last minute lunch requests are difficult to accommodate.

For more details visit the Natick Foodservice website.

Volunteer Opportunities

None of our work would be possible without the help of parent volunteers. We have many opportunities available, from giving just one hour of your time at an event, to taking on a project which runs through the school year. We are currently looking for assistance with:

Cultural Arts
Communications
Bi-Annual Auction
Early Release Day activities
Parent Coordinating Council
Backup Volunteer Lunch Monitors

If you are able to help, let us know! Please also consider volunteering to be the Room Parent of your child’s class, your classroom teacher will ask for help with this directly.

Extra Curricular Activities

There are a wide range of sports and activities run by the Town of Natick and other local organizations.

Natick Recreation & Parks
Fall registration begins noon tomorrow, Tuesday August 30, at https://register.communitypass.net/natick. Activities offered include skating, archery, home alone safety, theatre, track, tennis, science programs, basketball and more.

Other town sports include:

If you have received this email in error, i.e. you no longer have children attending Lilja, please click the unsubscribe link below or contact us at pto@liljapto.org and we can remove you from the mailing list.

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (6/22/22)

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (6/22/22)

Upcoming events

6/22 Last Day of School (Early Release 12:15pm)
8/24-26 New Family Playdates
8/31 First Day of School

Thank you to everyone who came to the Ice Cream Social last night, and all the generous support you've given the PTO over the school year! We gave away 248 frozen treats and other items were sold at cost. It was wonderful to see all the Lilja families enjoying a beautiful evening out on the field at the end of the school year.

Despite the many challenges our community have faced, we had a hugely successful year in terms of both fundraising and the classroom support we were able to provide the school, and we're looking forward to doing it all again (and then some) next year. Have a great summer everyone!

Do you recognise this? It was left at the yearbook sales table last night. If so please contact us at pto@liljapto.org so we can reunite it with its owner.

Yearbooks still available for sale
It's not too late to get a copy of the 2021-2022 yearbook! Order over the summer and it can be delivered free to a Natick address or mailed to a non-Natick address for a small fee.

Order now at liljapto.org/yearbook

Lost & Found - LAST CALL

Today at pickup is your last chance to retrieve your child's belongings from the Lost & Found next to the cafeteria. Please check these photos carefully to see if something looks familiar!

Wanted: Cultural Arts Coordinator

We are still looking for a new Cultural Arts Coordinator for the coming school year. This rewarding role involves coordinating enrichment activities such as author visits, STEAM workshops, field trips, etc, between the teachers and the visitors such as the Discovery Museum. You will have the PTO Board's full support and guidance.

If you are interested, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org.

Newsletter changes

It is likely we will be moving away from using Konstella for the newsletter and fundraisers in the fall. If you are already receiving this newsletter, you will automatically be migrated to the new list. If your child(ren) will no longer be at Lilja next year and you do not wish to receive our e-blasts in future, please let us know at pto@liljapto.org and we will ensure you are removed from the mailing list.

Ongoing Partner Programs & Fundraisers

Amazon Smile (search for Lilja Elementary PTO to automatically donate)
Square 1 Art
Shutterfly
Minted (use code FUNDRAISELILJA to get a 20% discount and donate)
Spirit wear
Staff Appreciation Fund
Cultural Arts Fund

Talk to us

Whether you're a new or returning family, we would love to hear from you! If you have any questions, ideas or suggestions, relevant news for this newsletter, or want to help us out, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org.

For PTO updates outside of this newsletter, visit our website or find us on Facebook.

For the latest Lilja School Newsletter from the Principal, click here.

If you have received this email in error, i.e. you no longer have children attending Lilja, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org and we can remove you from the mailing list.

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (6/13/22)

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (6/13/22)

Upcoming events

6/14 4th Grade Chorus Concert
6/17 4th Grade trip to YMCA
6/20 Juneteenth (No School)
6/21 Ice Cream Social
6/22 Last Day of School (half day)

All Lilja families are invited to join us at Sargent Field on Tuesday June 21, 6-8pm for an ice cream social! Sweet Pete's Ice Cream truck will be there with a free frozen treat for every Lilja student - simply bring the flyer that will be going home with your child this week to the event. A variety of over 30 frozen treats (including nut free and dairy free items) will also be available for sale to siblings, adults and other family members.

We are so thankful to the entire Lilja community for your support throughout this year, and we hope you can come along for this sweet summer send off.

Yearbooks are going home this week!
The 2021-2022 Lilja Yearbooks look amazing, and they will be going home this week. Many thanks to our Yearbook Coordinator Shahnaz Islam (pictured). Despite only becoming a Lilja parent this school year, she took on the task with gusto and did a fantastic job, bringing her invaluable experience in the publishing industry to the role.

Did you know? All 4th graders are given a yearbook free of charge so no child goes home without one at the end of their time at Lilja. This is largely funded by the sales of yearbooks to other grades, so pay it forward and buy a yearbook for your K-3rd grade child now if you haven't already!

Order at liljapto.org/yearbook

All orders made by Monday June 20 can be sent home with your children from school. Orders made after this date can be picked up or delivered, We will contact you to confirm your preferred method after your order.

Wanted: Cultural Arts Coordinator

After previously serving on both the PTO Board and as the current Cultural Arts Coordinator, Kristine Black will be departing as a Lilja parent at the end of this school year - many thanks for all your hard work over the years, Kristine!

We are now looking for a new Cultural Arts Coordinator for the coming school year. This rewarding role involves coordinating enrichment activities such as author visits, STEAM workshops, field trips, etc, between the teachers and the visitors such as the Discovery Museum. You will have the PTO Board's full support and guidance.

If you are interested, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org.

Teacher Gift Policies

A reminder for those who are planning to give end of year gifts to staff to adhere to the MA gift policy of no more than $50 per individual gift or $150 per class gift. More details available here.

Even if families are not planning to give a gift, just a short note of appreciation can go a long way to showing your support for all the Lilja staff who have worked so hard this (and every) school year.

Kindergarten & New Family Playdates

These will be happening on August 24-26 and include tours of the building. Whether you're a current Lilja family or an incoming one, it's a great way to meet other families. Stay tuned for an email from Christie Ingoldsby in the front office for more details.

Families are also welcome to connect with each other directly in groups such as Lilja Families Group and Lilja Kindergarteners 2022/2023.

2022-2023 NPS Calendar

Ongoing Partner Programs & Fundraisers

Amazon Smile (search for Lilja Elementary PTO to automatically donate)
Square 1 Art
Shutterfly
Minted (use code FUNDRAISELILJA to get a 20% discount and donate)
Spirit wear
Staff Appreciation Fund
Cultural Arts Fund

Talk to us

For PTO updates outside of this newsletter, visit our website or find us on Facebook.

For the latest Lilja School Newsletter from the Principal, click here.

If you have received this email in error, i.e. you no longer have children attending Lilja, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org and we can remove you from the mailing list.

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (6/6/22)

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (6/6/22)

Upcoming events

6/6-8 Field Days
6/7 Band Concert, Student Step-Up Day at Wilson
6/14 4th Grade Chorus Concert
6/17 4th Grade trip to YMCA
6/22 Last Day of School (half day)

Lilja Carnival - THANK YOU!

Wow, what a huge turnout for the Carnival yesterday! We are incredibly excited to announce that we raised just shy of $17,000 in profit ($34,905 in revenue and $17,930 in expenses) to benefit the school.

This will be a huge help toward funding the many programs at Lilja supported by the PTO, including teacher supplies, Cultural Arts, STEAM programs, supporting the costs of 4th grade celebrations, and more.

Thank you to everyone in the Lilja community who helped with this massive effort. This includes the volunteers who gave their time to do a shift in the games tent, concessions stand or ticket booth, the families who donated a cake for our hugely popular game, Mark, Bob and Luis our incredible custodian team, our sponsors (particularly our gold sponsor Dion's), Eastern Acrobatics who put on two amazing shows in the gym, and of course all the families who came along to support the event.

If you have any feedback or suggestions for future events, or would like to share any photos, please email us at pto@liljapto.org

For more event photos visit our Facebook page facebook.com/liljapto

Yearbooks are arriving at school this week!
We are pleased to confirm that all the printed copies of the yearbook are being delivered to the school this week!

We are still finalizing with the front office when these can go home with your kiddos, but we're aiming to get these out as soon as possible.

In past years, many who didn't preorder wanted one after the printed copies were distributed and they saw what they were like. Luckily we have some spare copies, and we will do our best to fulfill all orders made between now and the end of the school year. So order now at liljapto.org/yearbook

Parent Support Group for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Natick SEPAC is sponsoring an affinity group designed to provide support and foster community among parents raising children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Parents of children within the Natick Public School System (this includes out-of-district placements) are welcome. If your child has more than one diagnosis, among them ASD, you are welcome! If you suspect your child could have ASD you are welcome!

Please join SEPAC on the Natick Common Thursday, June 9 at 1PM to connect and share how the group can best serve its members in the summer and 2022-2023.

Email naticksepac@gmail.com with any comments or questions.

Ongoing Partner Programs & Fundraisers

Amazon Smile (search for Lilja Elementary PTO to automatically donate)
Square 1 Art
Shutterfly
Minted (use code FUNDRAISELILJA to get a 20% discount and donate)
Spirit wear
Staff Appreciation Fund
Cultural Arts Fund

Talk to us

For PTO updates outside of this newsletter, visit our website or find us on Facebook.

For the latest Lilja School Newsletter from the Principal, click here.

If you have received this email in error, i.e. you no longer have children attending Lilja, please contact us at pto@liljapto.org and we can remove you from the mailing list.

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (5/31/22)

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (5/31/22)

Upcoming events

6/1 PTO Meeting, Dates & Olives Restaurant Night
6/2-8 Field Days
6/5 Lilja Carnival
6/7 Band Concert, Student Step-Up Day at Wilson
6/14 4th Grade Chorus Concert
6/17 4th Grade trip to YMCA
6/22 Last Day of School (half day)

PTO Meeting - TOMORROW

Please join us tomorrow night, Wednesday June 1 at 7pm on Zoom, for our last public meeting of the year! Feel free to dial in with your camera off and muted while you multitask.

Meeting link: bentley.zoom.us/j/99460346720

Lilja Carnival - Sunday June 5

5 days to go!

There is still time to sign up to volunteer or donate a cake to help! We are still very short on volunteers to run games from 3-4pm. Please consider donating just one hour of your time:

Carnival Day - assist with games, concessions, ticket sales, etc.
Cake Donation - donate a homemade or store bought 8" cake

Ticket Presales

Entry to the venue is free, but tickets will be required for rides, games, raffles, shows and other attractions. Tickets will be sold on the day at the event, but you can skip the lines and get some bonus items by pre-ordering your tickets here: liljapto.org/carnival-store

Ticket presales will end at noon on Saturday June 4, so get your order in now!

Food and drink will ONLY be sold by cash, credit or Venmo.

If your family would like to participate in the carnival but are facing financial hardship, the PTO has donated a number of free tickets which will be distributed through the Lilja School Counselor, Courtney Simoni. Please contact her confidentially at csimoni@natickps.org if you require assistance.

Event Information

For all the latest event information visit our website. We have an amazing day planned with rides and inflatables from Cushing Amusements, games with prizes, a raffle, a balloon twister, airbrush tattoos, awesome acrobatics shows by local circus school Eastern Acrobatics, reptiles, crafts, and food and drink for sale.

Parking

Please park in the Sargent Field lot and walk up to the blacktop and upper field for all the event action.

Lilja PTO Newsletter (5/23/22)

Lilja PTO

August 3, 2022

Lilja PTO Newsletter (5/23/22)

Upcoming events

5/25 Parent Info Night at Wilson
6/1 PTO Meeting, Dates & Olives Restaurant Night
6/2-8 Field Days
6/5 Lilja Carnival
6/7 Band Concert, Student Step-Up Day at Wilson
6/14 4th Grade Chorus Concert
6/17 4th Grade trip to YMCA
6/22 Last Day of School (half day)

PTO Meeting - Rescheduled

The last public PTO meeting of the year has been rescheduled to avoid a clash with the parent information night at Wilson for rising 5th graders. It will now be on Wednesday June 1 at 7pm on Zoom. The meeting link will be available in next week's newsletter and on our Facebook page.

Lilja Carnival - Sunday June 5

Volunteers Still Needed!

Only two weeks until the carnival and we still need a LOT of volunteers, particularly to run games from 2pm onwards. Moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teenagers, friends, neighbors - anyone is welcome to sign up, we need your help so the carnival can go ahead!

We will be holding two quick volunteer info sessions on Zoom prior to the day so you will know exactly what to do when you arrive. If you sign up, we will email you the information next week.

Carnival Day - assist with games, concessions and more
Cake Donation - donate a homemade or store bought 8" cake for a fun new game, 'Candy or Cake', where players spin a wheel to see if they win candy or a cake

Ticket Presales Now Available

Food and drink will ONLY be sold by cash, credit or Venmo.