Thank you for participation so far! | Groton Community School

On Board Newsletter, Spring 2026

Happy Spring!

Thank you for your participation in our events so far this year. Our November online auction, “A Chapter of Giving,” was a great success, raising over $16,000 for Groton Community School. We also enjoyed seeing many of you in March at the Hairstyling Workshop with Koukla Salon, the school-wide playdate at The Mill Works, and at the WooSox Game.

Our calendar for the coming months is filling up quickly:

Book Club: Our next meeting is Thursday, May 7th, at GCS to discuss Wild Dark Shore. You are welcome to attend even if you haven’t finished the book.
Spring Spruce Up: This event will take place in May; please see the details below.
GCS Family Picnic: The annual picnic is June 5th by the Gazebo at town field.

Looking further ahead, please save the date for the return of the Home Tour on November 21, 2026. We are currently in the early planning stages. If you know of a potential home, sponsor, vendor, or donor, please ask them to contact Hometour@grotoncommunityschool.org.

Finally, please follow GCS and the GCS Parent Corner on social media for regular updates. The Board of Directors is here to support you and represent our families, so please reach out if we can be of assistance.

Warmly,

Kaitlyn Brokaw

President, GCS Board of Directors

boardofdirectors@grotoncommunityschool.org

Buildings and Grounds Update:

Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered as part of the Fall Fix Up, and those that

have contributed their own time during the year. The playground is looking great! Volunteering for these events is a nice way to meet other GCS parents and helps us keep the wonderful playground in tip-top shape for our children to enjoy. Spring has sprung and the Building & Grounds committee is gearing up for Spring Spruce scheduled for Saturday May 9th 9am-1pm.

This spring we have some special carpentry and repair projects in the greenhouse that could use your help! If you love to build and fix, please reach out to Jesi Clinton at: buildingandgrounds@grotoncommunityschool.org

Parent Representative Update

The 2025–2026 Room Parents at GCS have been an incredible force behind so many of the moments that made this year special. From getting creative alongside students to produce meaningful artwork for the auction, to bringing extra joy to the staff with “Fun Fridays,” their dedication has been felt by every child and teacher.

Beyond the classroom, we would also like to thank the many families who enjoyed a school-wide play date at The Mill Works and parent volunteers for “Stocking the Staffroom” with snacks to brighten busy days.

Thank you to all – GCS is a stronger and warmer place because of you!

Questions? Contact Luella Simakauskas and Samatha Wall at:

parentrepresentatives@grotoncommunityschool.org

Fall Fundraising Recap

Thank you to all of the families and friends of GCS who participated in our Fall and Winter Fundraisers, especially the Groton Community School “A Chapter of Giving” Online Auction, the Apparel Sale, and our RaiseRight Gift Card Sale. They were so successful! Here is a summary of the funds raised:

Upcoming Events this Spring:

There are more fundraising opportunities to continue supporting GCS this Spring. Be sure to check the weekly email updates and newsletters for important information and deadlines on your favorite fundraisers!

Spring Family Photo Mini Sessions with Ryan Murphy Photography: Some spaces are still available for a 20 minute photo session on May 16th. A share of proceeds will generously benefit GCS! Sessions are $225 and you can expect a blend of candid and lightly posed photos, with a minimum of 15 edited digital images in a gallery for download. Sign up here!

Class and Kindergarten Photos: Stay tuned in the coming weeks for details to order prints.

Square 1 Art: Thank you for ordering your child’s artwork and supporting this fundraiser!

Spring Apparel Sale: Thank you to families who purchased apparel during our spring sale. Orders are expected in the next few weeks and you will receive an email when ready. Missed the sale? There are still a variety of GCS child and adult shirts and sweatshirts available for purchase in the lobby at any time!

RaiseRight Gift Card Fundraiser: Purchase gift cards through RaiseRight at any time throughout the year and GCS will receive a rebate on every card purchased with no extra cost to you! This May we will be offering another round of free shipping to the school for physical gift cards just in time for end-of-year teacher, graduation, and Father’s Day gifts.

Hannaford Helps Schools Fundraiser: From April 5th through May 30th, our community can support GCS by shopping for specially marked items at any Hannaford store. For every 4 participating products purchased, shoppers earn 3 School Dollars. At checkout, customers receive a School Dollar printout that they can redeem online and direct funds to our school.

Mabel’s Labels: Making summer camp plans? One of the best ways to get ready for camp is to label your stuff! Select GCS on the Fundraising Support page, and place an order any time.

Box Tops: Buy participating products and use the Box Tops app to scan your store receipt. The app identifies eligible products and earnings are credited to GCS once designated online. Even if you’re shopping online or doing grocery pickup, you can still submit your digital or email receipt with the Box Tops app and earn.

All funds raised go directly back into the non-profit budget to help close the gap between tuition and actual costs. Thanks so much for your support of GCS Fundraising!

Questions? Email Fundraising Chairs, Catherine West and Danielle Recco at Fundraising@grotoncommunityschool.org