We’ve been sent a couple of Thank You notes to pass along to the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club related to grants awarded to programs within the Wellesley Public School system. Here they are:

Dear Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club,

On behalf of the Wellesley Public Schools Central Council, we thank you for awarding us a grant in the amount of $6,650 to offer The Brain Show program to all Wellesley public elementary schools for the 2015-16 school year. This interactive, educational assembly will delight and inspire our elementary school students across the district and directly benefit over 2,300 students. The PTO budgets vary from school to school and we cannot thank you enough for helping us offer each school the opportunity to participate in the educational and engaging Brain Show program.

Sincerely,

Amanda Kennedy, Schofield PTO President

Pamela Martin, Co Chair Creative Arts Central Council

And….

The entire PAWS (Preschool at Wellesley Schools) community and PTO would like to thank the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club (WHJWC) for its generous grant of $1,500.

PAWS is an integrated preschool program that provides high quality education and services to typically developing children and children with special needs. The mission of PAWS is to provide a stimulating learning environment that is safe and healthy and supports every child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. The PAWS Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) enhances the learning experience of all students at PAWS by funding the music and science programs, as well as needed items inside and outside of the classroom. It is through generous donations from families and grants from local organizations like the WHJWC that makes this possible.

One example of how PAWS uses these funds is the music enrichment program, which is a combination of music therapy and education for preschoolers age 2.9-5. While music is important for all learners, it is particularly important for special needs students (some of whom are nonverbal), which comprises 50%+ of the PAWS student population. The program is run by Ken DeRosario, a.k.a. “Ken the Music Man”. He is beloved by PAWS students, faculty/staff and parents. Ken visits the classrooms on a bi-weekly basis and lights up the room through music and dance.

One hundred percent of the funds raised through the WHJWC grant will go toward this music program, allowing PAWS to continue the program for the 2015-16 school year. Due to an increase in enrollment of both special needs and typically developing students, PAWS added an additional classroom in 2014-15 and is doing so again in 2015-16. The grant money will help PAWS defray a portion of the costs for the music enrichment program and ensure that the new classrooms can take part.

“We thank the WHJWC for their ongoing support of PAWS. This grant will benefit a program that is vital to the early education standards of our community and the foundation of successful lifelong learning,” said Melissa Coyle, 2014-15 Vice President and Fundraising Chair, PAWS PTO.