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Philip R. Smith School

Dream. Achieve. Inspire.

Weekly Update September 19, 2025

Posted Date: 9/19/25 (4:30 PM)

Philip R. Smith Elementary School-Weekly News

September 19, 2025

The U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School seal, featuring an eagle and stars.

PRS Open House

We had such a great turnout for our Open House on Wednesday evening! Thank you for your participation. Here's the link to all of the slides and FAQs from grade levels and various departments. If you have any questions, never hesitate to reach out and ask!

Bike Riders

At PRS, students may be dismissed as bike riders without a parent present, as long as we receive an email communication from you confirming that your child will be a bike rider today and has permission to leave independently.

PTO News

Our Tiger Tracks Jog-a-thon is almost here! This event has two parts:
  1. Fundraising – This is our school’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Our goal is $25,000, which will support field trips, books, classroom resources, and fun community events like Bingo Night, Movie Night, and Donuts with Grownups. Please help by asking friends and family to sponsor your student. Details can be found below. You can also check our fundraising progress on the school bulletin board!
  2. Jog-a-thon Event – On Friday, October 3rd during recess, students will run (or walk, skip, dance—any movement counts!) while dressed in school colors and sneakers. Afterward, we’ll celebrate with popsicles, medals, and prizes.
Thank you for supporting our school and cheering on our students! 



Cook’s Night Off is Back — With Old Favorites & New Flavors!
No need to cook—just dine out and help our school! This year’s Cook’s Night Off lineup is filled with exciting stops like Dave & Buster’s, Friendly’s, Panera, Red Robin, Bears BBQ, Craft Pizza, Hot Table, and even a sweet night at Ben & Jerry’s.
Each month, you’ll have a chance to enjoy a meal with family and friends while supporting the PTO’s efforts to fund the popular  Math Mobile and Book Vending Machine.

 Mark your calendars now for the whole school year, and keep an eye out for flyers at the beginning of each month with details. Every bite makes a difference—thank you for helping our students grow and learn!

Cultural Celebration Survey

One of our school-based committees developed this family survey last year and we pushed it out to get familily responses. We then shared the responses with staff so they could utilize the information. Now that we have started a new school year, we'd like to give our new and returning families an opportunity to provide input through this survey. If you didn't complete the survey last year and you would like to, here's the link. We will share responses with staff in a couple of weeks.

Parent Square


See two Parent Square resources below...

Also, we are kindly asking our parents who receive videos and pictures from PRS through Parent Square, to not post those photos or videos on your personal social media accounts.

Instrumental Music Open House

A special open house just for instrumental music students. Learn more here.

New Feedback Form

PRS Feedback Form A new method for our families and staff to provide feedback throughout the school year!

CHET Contest

Dear Connecticut School Superintendent,
The end of the school year is almost here, and we have some exciting news – the CHET Dream Big! Competition will return on August 18, 2025 and run through November 5, 2025! This Competition is brought to you by the Connecticut State Treasurer’s Office as Trustee of the Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET). Dream Big! is open to all Connecticut students in grades K-12.
This is where you come in - we need your help to make sure your students and families know about this opportunity to win contributions to their CHET 529 college savings plans!
This year we will be awarding $350,000 in CHET 529 College Savings Plan – Direct Plan (“CHET 529 Direct Plan”) account contributions to over 250 students in grades K-12. Younger students will be asked to answer a question focusing on their future plans or a time they were inspired to do good, and older students will be asked about an experience or person that has impacted them and how that will influence their future goals.
This year we will be awarding the following in CHET 529 account contributions:
  • Three prizes of $20,000
  • 24 prizes of $5,000
  • 240 prizes of $500
A school in your district could win a prize too! Each school that is represented by at least one student’s entry will be eligible for a random drawing for a technology prize worth $5,000 (a total of 10 schools will win a technology prize).
We will be following up in late summer with more details, including Official Rules and information on how to enter.
I look forward to working with you to encourage students in your district to Dream Big!
Thank you for your support!
Amanda Savio
The CHET Dream Big! Competition Team

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void outside CT and where prohibited. Open to legal U.S. residents residing in Connecticut who are at least 18 years old and are the parents or legal guardians of a student or students currently enrolled in a Connecticut school, grades K-12 as of 8/18/25. Begins 9:00 a.m. ET on 8/18/25; ends 11:59 p.m. ET on 11/05/25. Prizes will be a contribution to an eligible CHET 529 Direct Plan Account established for the benefit of the child whose parent or legal guardian submitted a winning entry for the child. CHET Advisor 529 Accounts are not permitted for receipt of a prize. For Official Rules and eligibility, visit chetdreambig.com. Sponsor: Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Member NYSE, SIPC, 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917.

Important Dates


September 23 No School Rosh Hashanah
September 30 7:00 PTO Meeting

October 2 No School Yom Kippur
October 3 Tiger Tracks (rain date Oct. 10)
October 13 No School  Indigenous Peoples’ Day
October 20 No School Diwali
October 21-23 Scholastic Book Fair
October 22 Book Fair Family Night
October 23 8:00  Book Fair Donuts with Grown ups 
October 24 Trunk or Treat

Helpful Links