Weekly Family Update

Posted Date: 04/22/2025

Weston Intermediate School

April 20, 2025

Dear WIS Families,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Spring Break! 

We have some fun events coming up soon. Below is information on our annual WIS Talent Show, a town-wide event to celebrate sustainability at Lachat Farm on May 4, parent opportunities, and more. Please take a minute to read below for more updates: 

Parent Volunteer Opportunity: Let's Inspire Our Future Leaders!

Parents, share your career journey! We're seeking volunteer presenters for the inaugural WIS Future Leaders Fair on Monday, April 28th. Whether your profession involves science, math, technology, the arts, reading, music, or any other field, your experience can help students connect their learning at WIS to exciting future possibilities. Interested in helping students envision their futures? Please sign up here to learn more about presenting. 

You're invited!

Please join us for the second session of our book club discussion on The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt. The second meeting will be Wednesday, April 23rd from 8:15 AM - 9 AM in the WIS Library, followed by the General PTO meeting in the WIS Cafetorium at 9 AM. This session will focus on Part II of the book, in which Haidt explores the decline of play-based childhoods.

ECOFEST

Join us for a fun-filled day celebrating sustainability at EcoFest 2025, a partnership between WPS Green Teams, Weston Sustainability Committee and Lachat Farm! Enjoy activities for the whole family, including:  

 RAFFLE ALERT: Bring your redeemable bottles/cans (1 entry per 25 items) and celebrate Weston’s One-Millionth Bottle/Can for a chance to win $250!  Will yours be Weston's Millionth Bottle or Can?  

 Kid Activities Include:  

- Energize CT Mobile Activity Van  

- Eco-Games, Crafts, Face Painting & more!  

- Owl Release from Wildlife in Crisis, Fly Casting Demos, A Live Animal show with Christine's Critters, Hive observations with the farm’s Beekeeper Ryan Griffeth, Earth Day story walk, & a Nature Scavenger Hunt

WIS Talent Show

We are so excited to announce that we will once again be having a Talent Show this year! The Show is open to all third, fourth and fifth grade students at WIS. The Talent Show will take place on Thursday evening, May 22. 

Auditions for the Talent Show will be held on April 28 and 29 from 3:15 - 4pm. Sign-up sheets will be available after Spring Break.

WIS Yearbooks

The yearbook committee encourages parents to continue to submit pictures to be included in this year’s

yearbook.

Please use this link for purchases and photo submissions:  https://wispto.membershiptoolkit.com/yearbook

Wait Until 8th

The Wait Until 8th pledge—in which families commit to delay giving smartphones to kids until the end of 8th grade—is active in Weston. Over the last year, families at HES and WIS have signed, including about 30% of the current 5th grade class. Parent-organizers would love to continue the effort as we head to WMS.

More information has surfaced about the impact of smartphones and social media on children's mental health and development—Jonathan Haidt's book "The Anxious Generation" has presented findings on depression, anxiety, bullying and suicide rates. The benefits of delaying smartphones can be especially powerful for our rising middle schoolers as they face the emotional rollercoaster of puberty, social pressures, etc.

This is, of course, a personal choice for each family, but organizers are sharing information to make parents aware and to build solidarity. 

To sign the pledge and learn more about WU8th, click here: https://www.waituntil8th.org/take-the-pledge

Communication Protocol Link to Website

Please remember we have a WIS Communication Protocol 2024-2025.pdf to help you navigate the common occurrences in the daily lives of students, families, and staff. For many of your concerns, this protocol will let you know how to proceed. 

Important Upcoming Dates:

April 21: Weston Board of Education meeting 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

April 23: 8:15am Parent Book Club, HES/WIS General PTO meeting 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. at WIS

May 2: School Spirit Day - students encouraged to wear blue & gold or WIS Wear

May 15: Art Jam 5:30 - 6:45 p.m.

May 16: 12:35 p.m. Early Dismissal - Professional Development

May 21: 4th and 5th Grade Chorus Concert, 7:00pm

May 22: WIS Talent Show

May 23-May 26: Memorial Day Fair

May 26: Memorial Day, No School

Please note the projected last day of school for the 24-25 school year is June 16. 

Warm Regards,

Patricia Falber

Principal