Click here to schedule your session with Sarah Owen Photography. If you plan to make cards or other designs with your photos, take advantage of the FUNDRAISEHOLLISTON discount code at Minted.com and save 20% on your order! 15% gets donated to the PTO!
Order online by 11/15 for delivery by Mid-December. Your purchases support Holliston SEPAC and the Holliston PTO!
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
On November 14th from 4-8PM, Urban Air will donate 20% of ticket sales to the PTO. So bring your kids to climb, jump, and fly the evening away - they can sleep in the next morning as there is no school on November 15th! Be sure to mention HOLLISTON PTO at the door!
Use code FUNDRAISEHOLLISTON for 20% off your Minted.com purchase and they will donate 15% to the PTO! This is an ongoing fundraiser and the discount code can be used on holiday cards, invitations, stationary and more.
Already thinking about holiday gifts? We’ve got you covered!
The Holliston Spirit Wear store is planned to launch on October 20th through November 15th. A change for this year is that SEPAC branded items will also be available through the Spirit Wear store!
Sample images - actual designs will be available in the spirit wear store on october 20th - stay tuned!
We’ll send an email as soon as the store is open. The store is open to all - please feel free to send the link to family and friends to stock up on their Holliston gear!
Email pto.funds.holliston@gmail.com with any questions.
Look for ski club details and sign-up information mid-October. This year’s Ski Club Coordinators are:
Ski Club Chair: OPEN
Miller Ski Club Coordinator: Justin Wing
RAMS Ski Club Coordinator: Elissa Sanford
HS Ski Club Coordinator: Andy Ferland
We are still in need of a Chairperson (overall coordinator). See the position description below & email hollistonpto@gmail.com to learn more if you are interested!
Timeframe: Short-term commitment: November through January (5-10 hours total during November & December; 1 hour/week January – early February while program is active)
Responsibilities: The Townwide Ski/Snowboard Club Chairperson makes sure the (already set up) registration system is good to go, contracts with the mountain (Nashoba Valley), and contracts the bus company (Fox Bus Lines) that transports students to the mountain. Also promotes and communicates program details and registration info to parents and students, and plans the rental equipment fit night. The Chairperson oversees the school-level Ski/Snowboard Coordinators, providing lists and information to them as the coordinators run the program week-to-week at each school. Program runs once per week for 5 weeks in January and early February – Thursday nights for Adams and Friday nights for Miller. The Chairperson is not responsible for the weekly departures from the schools, and does not need to be there unless they want to or want to chaperone – or simply want to go along and ski. The Chairperson receives a free pass for the dates of the program if they would like.
***Note: The previous Chairperson will be available to help with setup and questions. ***
Find a babysitter, grab a friend, and head over to Anthony’s on the Green on Thursday, 10/26! Socialize, celebrate, and build your community with a fun night hosted by the PTO. This is a great way to meet people and get involved!
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.
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
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
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.
The fees, donations, and fundraisers make it possible to achieve the mission of supporting our schools and students in creative and fun ways! To elaborate, we are able to support our students, teachers, staff, and administrators because of our volunteers and members; this winning combination has a positive impact through the donations of time, talent, and money.
Because of you we are able to provide:
Teacher & Staff Back to School Breakfast & Appreciation Week events
Provide essential PTO programs such as teacher grants and reimbursements, the Ski Club, school dances, Classroom Coordinators, Parent/Caregiver Education, Culture Connection
HHS Senior All Night Grad Party
Host our first Elementary School Color Run!
Annual High School Scholarship (*seniors apply)
End of year celebration for 8th Graders
Support initiatives like the “Outdoor Learning Alliance”, a sub-committee that is reinvigorating the Placentino courtyard and other school outdoor spaces
Pre-K/K carnival
Socials
Book Fairs
Your good idea - we can help bring it to fruition!
And much more…
With your commitment we will accomplish all of these fun events and more including recognizing and providing resources to such a deserving team of professionals!
There is no time commitment required to join. In addition to our fundraising efforts and enrichment programs, we depend on annual memberships to help fund insurance that makes all of our family events possible. This allows us to build a strong school and community.
Make your contribution today by renewing a membership or consider becoming a new member.
Thank you for renewing and / or considering joining us!
The PTO Team
Please contact hollistonpto.exectreasurer@gmail.com if your desire to become a member or to renew membership is complicated by the fee - we are here to help and our goal is to have as many people participate as possible.
