2021 Respect, Responsibility, and Regard

5.27.21

Dates for the Calendar

- Monday, May 31st - Memorial Day, No School
- Wednesday, June 2nd - Field Day for Grades K-2
- Wednesday, June 2nd - Bishop Spirit Day
- Wednesday, June 9th - Kindergarten Screenings
- Wednesday, June 9th - Community PTO Meeting @7PM
- Wednesday, June 16th - Kindergarten Screenings
- Wednesday, June 16th - Field Day for Grades 3-5
- Thursday, June 17th - 5th Grade Recognition Ceremony @1:30pm

Hello Bishop Families!

On Monday, May 31st, we celebrate Memorial Day. As we enjoy time with family, let us also
take the opportunity to remember and express our gratitude to all the individuals who have
served and sacrificed for our country. That includes our own family members, friends, and
ancestors who served our nation.
This Memorial Day, I ask that we also remember all those who have died from COVID-19 and
that we thank all the heroes who have served on the front lines during the pandemic.
May their commitment continue to inspire us as citizens to se rve in ways that we can and to
always extend our appreciation to those who selflessly protect and care for others.
Best wishes to you and your family. I hope you have a safe and healthy Memorial Day .
Mark

Nurse Martin’s Health and Safety Update

Hello Bishop Community,

Last week was definitely an exciting week with the lifting of outdoor mask restrictions
followed by the report of the positive test rate for MA falling below 1% for the first time since
last October. It is so wonderful to see the kids outside playing without masks. We are finally
seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!

Dr. Bodie’s email last week to announce the lifting of mask restrictions during outside time
included the DESE FAQ which also contains guidance about shared materials and cleaning.
Our pool tests, again this week, were ALL NEGATIVE! We will be doing pool testing on
Tuesday 6/1 next week due to the holiday.

Vaccination information for those families that have children 12 years or older- there are
clinics available for children to receive their COVID-19 vaccination. Please see the
information page at the Arlington Board of Health for clinic information and vaccine safety
information. Additionally, BEth Israel Lahey Health has a walk-in vaccination clinic at 2500
Mass Ave. in Cambridge. Please click HERE for more information about hours

Thank you so much for your generosity in helping to restock our snack pantry. At this point,
we should be all set through the end of the year and do not require any additional food. The
Bishop community is the BEST!!

Now that the weather is getting warmer, and sunnier, please don’t forget to send water
bottles to school with your child and also to apply sunscreen before they leave the house.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful and fun Memorial Day weekend!

With Kind Regards,

Katie

5th Grade Recognition

5th Grade Recognition Ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 17th at 1:30pm in the
back of Bishop field. 5th Grade families can look for a save-the-date with more information
coming from their room parents this week.

We are looking for a volunteer photographer for this event. If you are interested, please
contact Amanda Maltais (aemaltais@gmail.com) or Katie Stencik (kastencik@gmail.com).

BISHOP PTO NEWS AND UPDATES

Bishop Used Goods Sale

Thank you to all who donated goods, volunteered their time, supported, and came to shop
at the Bishop Used Goods Sale this past Saturday. It was a beautiful day, and so fun to have a
modified Spring community event. We raised over $2,000 to support our teachers and
students! A very special thank you to Amy Moyer and Tricia See for all their hard work in
making the Used Goods Sale a great success!

PTO Board Member Nominations and Election--Last Chance to Vote!

End of the day, Friday, May 28th
Several PTO board positions will be vacated at the end of the AY2020-21 school year, as the
current officers will have completed their two-year term commitments.

We have received the following nominations for the positions listed below. If elected, these
individuals will serve a two-year term, beginning in AY2021-22:

Board Position Nominee

Co-President Anna Pisania

Co-Treasurer Lindsay Pacheco

Recording Secretary Jessica Nordgren

Please vote online to approve the nominees, or to write in a candidate using the link below:
https://forms.gle/Ln487LxL5rEDLsZC8

End-of-Year PTO Community Meeting

Wednesday, June 9th at 7PM
Please join us on Zoom for the final PTO meeting of the year where we will wrap up the
AY2020-2021 school year, and meet the newly elected Board Members for AY2021-2022.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/95014765408?pwd=Q3d1d3BMcVVQRktaZU5TNXZvV0crdz09

Meeting ID: 950 1476 5408

Password: 912739

Bishop Spirit Wear Sale

Just in time for our last Spirit Day of the school year on Wednesday, June 2nd, the PTO is
having a Bishop Spirit Wear Sale! Many of our items are greatly reduced in price, with limited
availability in some styles and sizes. Get your discounted Bishop Bear merchandise here.

Contact Christina Marko to order, or if you have any questions.

Teacher & Staff Tea - An Elegant Tradition
On Thursday, June 3, the Bishop PTO will host an elegant Teacher & Staff Tea after school.
This is a cherished annual event to give the school staff a chance to socialize before
summer. Retirements (if any) and milestones are also acknowledged. We are excited to be
able to host this event outside in the Bishop front garden this year. The tables will be set with
tablecloths, china, silverware, and flowers. Please note, this event is for teachers and staff
only - no students or parents!

Due to COVID restrictions, we are asking for minimal help from volunteers. We could,
however, use assistance with setup and clean up, as well as a few tents for shade. If you are
interested in helping out please sign up here.
What we need:
● Setup assistance (12:00 - 1:30 or 1:45 - 2:45. It is okay to leave at 2:25 for student
pickup)
● Clean up assistance (3:50 - 4:45)
● Pop Up Tents. Since this event will be outdoors, we would love to borrow a few easy
to put up tents. If you have a tent we can use, please bring it to school and set it up at
12:00 on Thursday, June 3.

PTO Dollars at Work

Thanks to the generosity of the Bishop community, we were able to fund two grants for field
day! We purchased 15 5-gallon buckets and Water Bomb Splash Balls for all the water fun
the students are going to have.

Next week, the Bishop 3rd graders will have an enrichment program from the Plimoth
Patuxet Museum called "People of the Dawn." In this program, students will learn about the
Wampagnoug culture and traditions in the 17th Centuries and the ways they continue to
carry on their traditions today.

Community News:
Interested in getting information to the Bishop community? Information that you’d like to share
with the Bishop community can be included in the weekly Principal’s Update. Please email the
relevant information to Amanda Maltais (Communications Coordinator, Bishop PTO) at
aemaltais@gmail.com.

Arlington EATS Market

Unfortunately, hunger is part of life in Arlington. Arlington EATS relies upon people like you
to ensure there is food for all Arlington residents. The best way to support our local food
pantry is by donating directly here.

If you would rather donate non perishable items, you can leave them in the marked bins in
the front entrance to Bishop School or Donation Drop-Off Hours at Saint John's Church, 74
Pleasant St. There will be a donation table set up on Lombard Terrace on Tuesdays from
1-4pm.

At this time, it is most helpful if you stick to requests from the following list:
● Cereal (especially Cheerios!)
● Shelf stable soup
● Peanut butter alternatives (ie Sunbutter or Almond butter)
● Snacks (regular sizes, please)
● Soy Sauce
● Shelf Stable Soy Milk or Almond Milk
● Dish soap and laundry detergent
● Personal care items such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush
● Incontinence products & diapers (larger sizes are more in demand)

Please do not donate: soda, sports drinks, medications, jumbo or single serving sizes.
Arlington EATS' mission is to eliminate food insecurity by providing nutritious and culturally
appropriate food in a respectful and compassionate manner to any Arlington resident in
need. Arlington EATS estimates there are 4,350 food insecure neighbors here in Arlington.
Please help your neighbors if you are able by helping to fill the shelves at the EATS MARKET.
You can either bring donations to the collection bins in the Bishop front entrance or by
donating directly to the Market on Tuesdays 1-4 PM. You can also make a monetary
donation directly to the Market here.

Arlington Eats Market Coordinators: Sarah Popper at sarahepopper@gmail.com and Julie

Kahn-Schaye at jkschaye@gmail.com. Please contact us with any questions or to volunteer
to help!

Arlington Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meeting Schedule

Members of the Bishop community are invited to join any of the upcoming SEPAC meetings
for the year. Please see the meeting schedule and Zoom link below:

● June 8th: Evening Meeting (7-8pm)

Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86234778319?pwd=ZDFPdDNZZjZxbXVwNUYyZDR1Vj
JsUT09

Meeting ID: 862 3477 8319

Passcode: 043991

Varallo Orthodontics Partners in Education Program

Over the past several years, budget cuts have affected our local schools. To offset some of
those cuts, Varallo Orthodontics has started the Partners in Education Program, or P.I.E.
For every patient in grades K-8 who starts orthodontic treatment with them, they will donate
$25 to the patient's school PTO. This program runs until 12/31/21. To schedule a free
consultation or find out more, visit them at varalloortho.com.

Stay Up to Date

Bishop PTO Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BishopPTO/

Websites:
Bishop School (general info, links to the school system):
http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/bishop/
Bishop School (news and events): https://bishopschool.net/
Bishop PTO: http://www.bishopschoolpto.com/
DIG website: https://bishopdig.weebly.com/. To join our mailing list, please email
bishopdig@gmail.com

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