We are incredibly grateful to the First Lutheran Church of West Barnstable for their extraordinary generosity. Through their fall clothing drive, the congregation donated more than 130 winter clothing items to support Forestdale students in Preschool through Grade 2. These donations include over 50 winter coats, 16 pairs of winter boots, snow pants, and an abundance of hats, gloves, mittens, and other cold-weather essentials that will help keep our students warm, safe, and ready to learn throughout the winter months.

This outpouring of support reflects a true commitment to caring for children and families in our community. We extend our sincere thanks to the First Lutheran Church congregation for their kindness and partnership in meeting the needs of our students.

If your child is in need of any winter clothing items, please do not hesitate to contact our school social workers, Mrs. Pestilli (apestilli@sandwich.k12.ma.us) or Ms. Poole (cpoole@sandwich.k12.ma.us). We are here to support our families in any way we can.

Last Sunday’s unexpected snowfall brought excitement and pure joy to Forestdale, as students eagerly spent the early part of last week’s recess exploring and playing in the snow. Laughter, movement, and shared experiences filled the exterior grounds as children embraced this special winter moment.

Playing in the snow during recess is a cherished Forestdale rite of passage. For our Grade 2 students, this experience is taken a step further with the opportunity to sled on the back hills, creating lasting memories and fostering positive social connections with their peers. These moments of outdoor play are not only fun, but also build community, cooperation, and joy.

Snow recess is consistently one of the most engaging and positive recess experiences of the entire school year, with students fully immersed in safe, active play alongside friends.

To participate, students must be dressed appropriately for winter weather, including boots, hats, gloves, a warm jacket, and snow pants. If your child is in need of any winter clothing items, please contact our school social workers, Mrs. Pestilli or Ms. Poole, who are happy to support our families.

Please enjoy the photos of our students playing in the snow: Sledding Fun!

Tuesday, December 23rd will be a half day of school and will feature one of Forestdale’s most anticipated traditions—our annual Jingle Jog Run/Walk, a festive and fun event similar to our November Turkey Trot.

Families are warmly encouraged to attend and participate alongside their student(s) as we celebrate school spirit, wellness, and community. The Jingle Jog will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. in the bus loop, opening with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mrs.

Morgan/Tarantino’s 1st Grade classroom.

Families who wish to dismiss their child following the event may do so by signing out their student outside the red and yellow placard exterior doors of their child’s classroom. Please indicate this in Pick-Up Patrol. We look forward to celebrating this joyful holiday tradition together.

The remainder of the day will spent with students and staff participating in Wellness Day activities.