Welcome

As Co-Presidents of the Hunnewell School PTO, we are excited to support the entire Hunnewell faculty and staff throughout the 2020-21 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 community as we journey through this school year together.

Our 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.

We meet formally five times per year. Otherwise, we conduct most PTO business through our primary communication vehicle – Hunnewell Happenings – which is emailed weekly on Sunday evenings.

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, you are automatically a member of the PTO and we encourage you to get involved.

You can also reach us at any time at info@hunnewellpto.org.​

Warm regards,

Molly and Jen

Co-Presidents, Hunnewell 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.

• Jennifer Mock

• Molly Bruni

Vice President

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.

• Kelly Gay

Treasurer

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

• Casey Bechtel

Secretary

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

• Liza Maldari

Assistant Secretary

• Allison Shirley

Communications

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

• Dana Chaffee

• Trevor O'Reilly

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

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).

• Lisa Richardson

• Ricki Benjamin

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.

• Amy Sussman

• Britt Estwanik

Community Coordinators

Kindergarten

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

• Brooke O’Reilly

• Suzanne Manley

5th Grade

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

• Kim Reohr

• Megan Foley

New Family Host Program

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

• Liza Maldari

• Tina Gander

Website

Provide ongoing support and maintenance of Hunnewell PTO website.

• Trevor O'Reilly

Enrichment Programming

BOKS (Build our Kids' Success)

Coordinate before-school activity and exercise program.

• OPEN (2-3)

Creative Arts & Sciences

Manage all CAS programming for a grade-level.

• Kindergarten: Katherine Hala

• 1st Grade: Greta Finkle

• 2nd Grade: Miriam Gates

• 3rd Grade: Brittney Barber

• 4th Grade: Christine McMahon

• 5th Grade: Diane McCaffert

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.

• Janine Pires

• Katherine Hala

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).

• Jeannie Liou

• Kim Reohr

Hunnewell Hive

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

• Emily Taylor

• Kristen Coogan

Literacy

Plan and execute literacy events, including annual author visit, and activities to support literacy at Hunnewell (e.g. shared library) in support of district curriculum.

• Sue Mangiacotti

Author Visit

• Naz Hassanein

• Sue Mangiacotti

Book Fair

• Liz Licata​

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.

• Jon Mantak

• OPEN

Outdoor Club

Plan and lead 2-3 activities to encourage students to explore the outdoors.

• Emily Taylor

• OPEN

STEM

Plan and execute events to support STEM at Hunnewell (e.g. astronomy night, STEM museum).

• Miriam Gates

• OPEN

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.

• OPEN (2)

Yearbook

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

• Jenny Kim

• Kristen Coogan

• Niki Ofenloch

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.

• Andrea Barberian Gardos

• Jill Maher

Fun Fair

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

• Brittany Barber

• Christina Hoff

Merchandise

Support fundraising chairs in procuring and selling Hunnewell gear.

• Megan Ahonen

• Ricki Benjamin

Original Works

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

• Megan Ahonen

• Ricki Benjamin

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.

• Kevin Cropp

• Sarah Cropp

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

• KJM: Jeannie Liou and Suzanne Manley

• KLM: Heather Conway and Laura Smith Dziama

1st Grade

• 1B: Megan Foley and Megan Ahonen

• 1C/W: Gena Morris, Jenny Kim, and Mish Michaels

• 1M: Betsy Fisher and Cristina Hoff

2nd Grade

• 2MC: OPEN

• 2KC: Liz Licata and Nia Jacobs

3rd Grade

• 3H/D: Aimee Bellew and Heather Conway

• 3M: Jill Maher and Lisa Richardson

4th Grade

• 4C: Erinn Staley and Katherine Houle

• 4P: Betsy Fisher and Chrissy McMahon

5th Grade

• 5H: Kim Reohr and Megan Ahonen

• 5S: Chelsea Sebastian and Megan Foley

Social

Ice Cream Social

Plan and execute back-to-school ice cream event.

• Erica Brady

• OPEN

Ice Skating Party

Coordinate with Babson College to plan winter ice skating event.

• OPEN

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.

• Chelsea Sebastian

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.

• Heather Conway

• Nicole Nichols

• Tracy Rotella

Town-Wide Programming

Committee 21 Representative

Represent Hunnewell on the town-wide committee to support the goals and needs of Wellesley Public Schools. Majority of effort focused on town budgeting process.

• Kelly Gay

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.

• OPEN

POPS (Parents of Performing Students) Representative

• OPEN

UNICEF

Serve as the Hunnewell representative for the town-wide Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program.

• Amy Braz

WEF Spelling Bee Hunnewell Team

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

• Christen Deveney

• Kathleen Stevens

• Michelle Shaw

Wellesley Wonderful Weekend Parade Float

Build the Hunnewell School float for the town parade.

• OPEN