Welcome

As Co-Presidents of the Hunnewell School PTO, we are excited to support the entire Hunnewell community, faculty and staff throughout the 2023-2024 school year. Whether your family is new to Hunnewell or you are a Hunnewell veteran, we hope you all feel a sense of enthusiasm and fellowship as we journey through another non-traditional school year together and excitement about moving into our brand new school this coming February! 

For the first 6 months of the school year, our students will be at host schools. Bates is hosting Kindergarten and 1st grade, Sprague is hosting 3rd and 5th grade, Hardy is hosting 4th grade and Upham is hosting 2nd grade. Our students were embraced last year by our gracious host schools and we are hopeful it will be a smooth start this year as well, with less unknowns on the first day.  We also look forward to them continuing to develop the friendships they started last year with their new host school peers.

PTO activities and efforts throughout the year will be designed to further the PTO’s long-standing mission:

• Enriching the educational experience of all our children;

• Providing financial and volunteer support for the activities and needs of the school; and

• Enhancing communication between home, school, and community groups.

Our PTO meets formally five times per year. Traditionally, we send out the PTO newsletter, Hunnewell Happenings, each Sunday evening. While students are still in host schools your main source of communication will come from your host school(s).  All host schools send out weekly communications.  In an effort not to over communicate, we will send Sunday newsletters & e-blasts out as needed to communicate Hunnewell-specific news.  

Our school community is strengthened when we share our talents and work together toward the common goal of bettering our children’s educational experience. As a parent of a Hunnewell student(s), you are automatically a member of the PTO and we encourage you to get involved.  Please follow us on social media, Facebook & Instagram @HunnewellPTO, to stay up-to-date on the latest events & happenings. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions, comments or suggestions.  We can be reached at info@hunnewellpto.org.​

Warm regards,

Heather Conway and Lillian Lau

Co-Presidents, Hunnewell School PTO

PTO Board

Co-Presidents

Provide strategic oversight of all PTO programming and budgeting, liaison between Principal and PTO volunteers, facilitate PTO board meetings, and represent Hunnewell at town-wide meetings including Central Council and meetings with WPS Superintendent. 

• Heather Conway

• Lillian Lau

Co-Vice Presidents

Support the PTO and Co-Presidents as needed. Main responsibilities include recruiting and managing room parents for each classroom, coordinating thank you note correspondence, managing school supply program, and helping to recruit volunteers for various events.

• Dara Brigham

• Lilla Nelson

Co-Treasurers

Oversee all Hunnewell PTO finances, including vendor payments, volunteer reimbursements, tax preparation, updates to the PTO board, annual fund, and budget support.

• Becky Flanagan

• Nicole Hodgdon

Co-Secretaries

Publish and manage the online and paper versions of the Hunnewell directory and maintain PTO board meeting minutes.

• Lisa Richardson

• Caroline White

Fundraising

Lead a committee to plan and execute fundraising events and programs throughout the year to meet PTO fundraising goals (excluding the annual appeal and auction/parent party).

• Mary Lawton

Communications

Produce PTO’s weekly newsletter, Hunnewell Happenings, and PTO e-blasts. Work with website coordinator to ensure content is up to date.

• Kathleen Grandin

• Jess Madon

Social 

Lead a committee to plan and throw Hunnewell’s social events throughout the year, as listed below. Solicit volunteers from community to staff the events. 

• Lindsay Jeanloz

• Jen Lord

Creative Arts & Sciences

Lead a committee to plan school-wide and grade-level programming such as assemblies, workshops and in-house residencies that support the curriculum including performers, scientists, authors, and artists. 

• Cara Whiting

• Cristina Hoff

Grade Liaison Role

Provide support between our Hunnewell PTO and our host school's PTO.  Will work with host schools to assist in grade level Creative, Arts and Sciences programs, community events and staff appreciation.

• Kindergarten (Bates): Anna Ballard

• 1st Grade (Bates): OPEN

• 2nd Grade (Upham): Niki Ofenloch

• 3rd Grade (Sprague): Molly Bruni

• 4th Grade (Hardy): Jen Mock

• 5th Grade (Sprague): Amy Sussman

Community Coordinators

Kindergarten

Help welcome the incoming kindergarten class at the parent orientation and student screening in the spring. Organize back-to school popsicle party and parent coffee in the fall. 

• Lindsay Gibson

5th Grade

Plan and coordinate a class gift to the school, organize graduation celebrations, and work with yearbook committee on fifth grade section. 

• Lisa Richardson

• Amy Sussman

• Casey Bechtel (5th grade treasurer)

New Family Program

Help welcome new families by matching them with a host family mentor and organizing back-to-school new family activities. 

• Hannah Carlozzi

• Brooke Salasovich

Website

Provide ongoing support and maintenance of Hunnewell PTO website.

• Angela Orfanos

Enrichment Programming

BOKS (Build our Kids' Success)

Coordinate before-school activity and exercise program.

• For the 2023-24 school year this position will be on hold.

Creative Arts & Sciences

Manage all CAS programming for a grade-level. 

•  Along with Cristina Hoff & Cara Whiting, grade liaison's will work with their host school to assist with this program. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Plan and execute events to support diversity, equity, and inclusion at Hunnewell, through cultural programming such as assemblies, heritage celebrations, and performances.

• For the 2023-24 school year this position will be on hold.

Hunnewell Helps

Plan and lead community service programs at Hunnewell and in our broader community throughout the school year (e.g. grounds clean-up, food/toy drives, Spread the Bread).

• Andrea Gardos

• Jeannie Liou

Hunnewell Cares

Raise funds and provide/gather support and assistance to Hunnewell families during times of crisis or extraordinary events. Assistance might include meal trains, playdates, rides, or financial support with gift cards.

• Andrea Gardos

• Jeannie Liou

Hunnewell Hive

• Oversee 4th and 5th graders in developing and publishing the school newspaper to enhance literacy, communication, and media knowledge (resuming in Spring).

• OPEN

Book Fair

• OPEN​

Green Team 

Plan and lead activities to encourage environmentally sound practices at Hunnewell (e.g. litter-less lunches, green certified classrooms, recycling); liaise with town-wide green team.

• Dara Brigham

• Lillian Lau

• OPEN 2-3 committee members

Walk to School

Help PE teacher set up for monthly walk to school days by staffing the walker sign in table, greeting students, and collecting signatures (resuming in Spring).

• OPEN

Yearbook

Plan and lead production of annual Hunnewell yearbook by working with the yearbook vendor, 5th grade coordinators, and photographers, among others.

• Jenny Kim

• Niki Ofenloch

• Kristen Coogan

Fundraising

Auction

Lead a committee to plan and throw an adult-only party and Hunnewell’s largest single fundraiser. All money raised supports PTO programming at Hunnewell. 

• For the 2023-24 school year this position will be on hold.

Fun Fair

Lead a committee to plan and throw a child-friendly carnival for both the school community and town offering food, rides, and games on the Hunnewell grounds.

• OPEN

Merchandise

Support fundraising chairs in procuring and selling Hunnewell gear.

• Joanna Troy

Original Works

Work with art teacher to help coordinate orders of student art creations and gifts.

• For the 2023-24 school year this position will be on hold.

Teacher/Staff Raffle

Lead and execute annual raffle where teachers and staff offer their own personal time and resources to students to raise money for Hunnewell.

• OPEN

Other fundrasiers

Help fundraising chair raise funds for the PTO.

• OPEN 3-5 committee members

Room Parents

We are in need of two room parents per classroom. Volunteering as a room parent is a great way to get involved at Hunnewell! 

Responsibilities include:

• Support the classroom teacher as needed. You may be called upon occasionally to organize classroom readers or volunteers. Check in with teachers a few times a year to see if they need anything.

• Organize grade-level parent volunteers for PTO social and community events.

• Organize a year-end class gift for the classroom teacher, teaching assistants and specialists. Please note that room parents are not responsible for organizing a holiday class gift in December.

• Serve as a liaison between the PTO and the classroom parents. You will primarily be asked to forward emails from the PTO to your class.

• Attend (ideally, two) PTO meetings. We encourage room parents to attend PTO Meetings, which occur every other month throughout the school year, to represent the interests of your grade and participate in planning discussions.

Kindergarten

• KM:

• KL: Lauren Rosenberg & Marla Genter

1st Grade

• 1GM: 

• 1JM: 

2nd Grade

• 2LC: 

• 2MC: 

3rd Grade

• 3D: 

• 3M:  

4th Grade

• 4C: 

• 4P: 

5th Grade

• 5H: 

• 5S: 

Social Committee

•  OPEN – 3-5 committee members 

Staff and Grounds

Gardening

Coordinate with Hunnewell staff and outside vendor to help maintain gardens and planters around the school. Solicit volunteers and lead Hunnewell Beautification Day in the fall, and provide ongoing support and maintenance throughout the year. 

• For the 2023-24 school year this position will be on hold.

Staff Appreciation

Plan and provide food for Hunnewell teachers and staff at various times during the year including back to school lunch/dinner, last day of school lunch, and teacher appreciation snacks. 

• Sarah Mitchell

• Susannah Perry

Town-Wide Programming

Hunnewell Building Project Liaison

• Niki Ofenloch

METCO

Serve as liaison to the METCO Family Friends Council and foster strong relationships between Boston and Wellesley families by communicating events and promoting monthly playdates with family friends. Match family friends to new incoming METCO students and oversee previous matchings.

• Joanna Troy

POPS (Parents of Performing Students) Representative

• For the 2023-2024 school year this position will be on hold.

WEF Spelling Bee Hunnewell Team

Represent Hunnewell at the annual Wellesley Education Foundation spelling bee fundraiser. 

• OPEN

• OPEN

• OPEN

Wellesley Wonderful Weekend Parade Float

Build the Hunnewell School float for the town parade.

• OPEN