Albert F. Argenziano 

Site Director: Elizabeth Bell

Assistant Site Director; Brianna Arevalo 

Ileana Perlera, Etta Resnick, Ana Cortez, Sana Kazemi, Gianna Bottiglio, Jennalyse Charles, Brandy Ellis, Shruti Sood, Mary Bready, Zaita Antonio, Sophia Ortega, JAred Perovic, 

andrea cardoza

Happy November Argenziano families- we are almost at the end of session 1, can you believe it?! The chilly weather is here, and it is darker, but we are still spending time outside as much as possible. In Veggie Circus for all age groups, students have been learning new circus tricks using stilts, juggling sticks, and spinning plates. Another highlight of this month was our field trip on election day to the zoo!

This month, in pre-k, students learned about transportation by folding and flying paper airplanes! The pre-k kids have also started working on making and creating their own cars out of cardboard. They are really excited to decorate their cars in their own unique way with materials like buttons, foam shapes & stickers, and with markers! They have learned a lot about transportation and different types of vehicles.

In K-2nd grade, the kids are having fun in clubs like gym games, Buildwave, STEM club & fall fun art, going outside to the playground or Lincoln park, and some 1st & 2nd graders started reading for a short time before or after going outside. A lot of the younger students are just learning how to read and really enjoy reading the leveled books, chapter books, and are also excited to take out and show us their library books! 

We would like to introduce and give a warm welcome to Mr. P, our new K-2nd lead teacher for Group 2. Some fun facts about Mr P are that he used to work in a public library, specifically mostly in the children’s section, is new to the Somerville area from Illinois, and outside of work is a musician who enjoys playing guitar and drums. We are happy to have him join the Argenziano team!

In 3rd-5th grade, the students have been participating in a variety of clubs designed to build skills, encourage creativity, promote teamwork, and have fun! Ms. Ileana and Ms. Ana implement hands-on learning in a fun and supportive environment. Some of their clubs include: Crafty Kids, Passport Adventures, Minute to Win It, Ball Games & Brain Games, and Latin Dance. This variety of clubs teaches students skills like sportsmanship, problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, and even cultural awareness. We would like to introduce Zaita, an assistant teacher who has been working with Group 5 alongside Ms. Ana. She has fun playing soccer with the kids, and the kids love her energy & enthusiasm! We would also like to welcome a new assistant teacher, Andrea, to the Argenziano team! She will be primarily working with 3rd-5th graders in group 6 alongside Ms. Ileana. Help us welcome all of our new staff!

*Parents/Guardians: Reminder *NO AFTERSCHOOL on Wednesday 11/26* With the colder weather, please make sure your children’s jackets & belongings are labeled.  Thanks!

Arthur D. Healey School

Site Director: Amanda Oppman

Assistant Site Director: Alexander Walters 

Nicholas Triant, Suri Gonzalez, Christopher Thompson, Samuel Macmillan, Delmis Aviles, Rafael Santos,

 Miriam Borges, Ryan Ribeiro-Bisetti, Maria Lima Da SIlva, ALEXA RYAN, 

Hello families, wishing you a month of gratitude and thanks! Our staff are grateful every day to get to work alongside such an amazing group of students who help to challenge us to be better educators and humans. This month, we have participated in so many wonderful learning opportunities, and we’re so excited to share them with you. Our littlest friends in PreK have been doing all sorts of activities related to Fall this month. We learned why the leaves change colors and talked about popular fall foods like pumpkins and apples. We recently started learning more about shapes and practicing our fine motor skills with some tracing! Clubs for K-2nd-grade students have been so full of creativity. The recycled crafts club worked together to create a huge, beautiful turkey using materials like cardboard and markers. Students in Comic Book Masters have been working so hard on their comic book stories each week, telling awesome tales through pictures. World Travellers have added passport stops in China, Australia, and India, learning about various foods that are enjoyed in each area and different traditions that are honored. Our puzzle club has continued to help students work on teamwork as they are challenged each week to complete a puzzle by working together. Switching over to our older grade clubs, 3rd-7th, have been enjoying a lot of hands-on activities. The Minute to Win It club has set up challenges such as cup towers, marshmallow toss, and a game of save the city. Students' competitive sides can come out but we have been pleased by the encouragement they show their peers when it is time to take on the different challenges. Our Spanish club had a special visitor this month in the form of Mr.T’s own wife, who shared about her home country of Argentina. Students enjoyed locally made empanadas. They also learned about the Mexican celebration of “Dia de Los Muertos” or “Day of the Dead”, a celebration at the start of November by watching clips from the Disney movie “Coco.” Our Around the World club has travelled to and learned about places like Thailand, Brazil and Costa Rica. Students got to make Carnival masks, a huge Brazilian celebration typically celebrated in February. Our teachers are finding creative ways to keep students engaged and have already begun planning their next round of clubs starting in January. We can’t wait to see what these last few weeks of session 1 look like!

As a reminder, we want to make sure that, with the colder weather approaching, families are sending their students with appropriate clothing for participating in outdoor activities. We try our best to get a little time outdoors each day, weather permitting, so students should be prepared with jackets, hats, and gloves. In addition, please make sure you are paying your weekly fees on EZChildtrack. Thank you all for another great month of programming! 

Benjamin G. Brown School

Site Director: Kelsey Kent 

Assistant Site Director: Justin Penezic

Ashley Marks, Jessica Alvarenga Lazo, Marie Cheney, Grace Barton, 

El Ark, Jesus Castro, Ryleigh Martell, Vijayalaxmi

Happy November everyone!! We want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the exciting things that have been taking place in afterschool for this month! 

November 4th, we started off the month with a special PD day for those who attended. Our group spent the day enjoying bowling and pizza at Flatbreads!

With the weather getting colder we have been enjoying many indoor activities with the students allowing them to showcase their creativity and imagination while staying warm, along with dismissal being indoors. 

We also were able to welcome students from Tufts University, who presented to our 1st and 2nd graders on healthy foods, a balanced diet and how food fuels their growing bodies. To cap it off, they created ants on a log (sun butter, celery, raisins) in an interactive activity with the students!

Our afterschool team is grateful for the wonderful students and families we get to work with each day. Thank you for your support, your kindness, and the joy your children bring to our program. Wishing you a restful, happy holiday filled with warmth, good food, and time with loved ones! 

East Somerville Community School

Site Director: Yolanda Andrade

Assistant Site Director: ali tammaro

Raymond Corsini Joanne Simon, Sonia Barahona, Mario Quiroz, Sharon Castellon, Ashley Castro, Michael Chiaravalloti, Jaime Albayeros, Taylin Smith, Olivia Oliveira, Devin Andrade, Bryan Rodriguez, Luzmila Magana, Bryan Rodriguez, Kayla Lopez, Virgilio Garcia, Jessy Munos-Palacios, Emily Posada, Angie Montealegre

November has been a wonderful month for our East Somerville Community School Afterschool Program! There is so much to be grateful for this year, from exciting clubs and new friendships to all the creative and fun experiences we’ve shared. As the season changes, we’re beginning to transition to more indoor activities while continuing to make each day full of learning and laughter.

One of our biggest highlights this month was our first field trip to Chunky’s Movie! Students had a fantastic time enjoying the outdoor games and spending the day together on Election Day. The smiles and excitement truly made the day unforgettable.

Our students have been busy exploring new activities, taking part in creative projects, and reading stories that celebrate the season. They continue to grow, learn, and surprise us with their enthusiasm and positive energy each day. From sports and science to art and leadership clubs, it’s inspiring to see everyone engaged and eager to try something new.

Session One has exceeded our expectations, filled with teamwork, learning, and fun. We can’t wait to see what Session Two will bring! Club handouts for the next session will go home in early December. 

As we head into the season of gratitude, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to our amazing staff and families. Your support and partnership mean the world to us. From all of us at the East Somerville Afterschool Program, we wish you a joyful and relaxing Thanksgiving break with your loved ones! 

Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center

Site Director: Michael Horowitz

Assistant Site Director: Sarthak Khamal

Bryan Convey, Ana Treska, Neelam Sehil, Mei Idri, Joao Detoledo, Yesenia Real, Mamata Chalise, Latifa Mortady, Devin Baxter, Fanta Diawara, Rute Zephyr, Gabriela Miranda

After-school at the Capuano has been exploring and having lots of fun with pumpkins, Outer Space, and Emotions, among other subjects. As always, we play indoors with toys, games, puzzles, and manipulatives of all kinds. We play in the gym in inclement weather, but we also try to get out to the playground as often as possible and will continue to go outside, so pack warm clothes!!

To give an idea of the activities that we have been doing aside from playing, we read Pumpkin Head by Eric Kimmel, in which beings with pumpkins for heads think that the world is only full of people just like them. They aren’t exactly sure, but they are open-minded. One pumpkin boy decides to try to explore the world to find out, and has a crazy adventure with squirrels. After reading Pumpkin Head, we made torn paper pumpkins. The children were fascinated by the outer space theme and made things like rocket ships and models of the Sun, Earth, and Moon. One class devoted the entire month to emotions, made things like emotion wheels, and shared how they were feeling each day.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Just an additional reminder, on Wednesday, November 26th, there is no after-school program. The pick-up time for Pre-K is 11:30 AM and for Kindergarten is 12 noon.

We hope that everybody has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

John F. Kennedy Elementary School

Site Director: Allison Pelletier

Assistant Site Director: Kelly Lopez

Nicole Tolbert, Savannah Paul, Maureen Nichols, 

Liliam Borges, Christmary Orellana, Mary Lou Hodgdon, Laura Modhal, Silvana Dinka, Christopher Montejo, DAMARIS MENDEZ, JENISSA AYBAR

Hi Parents, Session 2 has been great and is already coming to an end! Our Pre-K students have been participating in fun fall activities, while Kindergarten has created beautiful memories within their clubs, such as making beads out of modeling clay. First grade has been hard at work on science experiments, learning how the scientific method is used in each experiment. Second graders have been participating in their clubs by always building and teaching each other new techniques. We even had a master build with Legos! Fifth and sixth graders have been creating fall decorations to bring home, teaching each other new techniques with origami skills they've learned. Session 2 has proven highly successful! Students have participated in project-based learning, including constructing egg drop contraptions, simulating volcanic eruptions, and collaboratively showcasing their artistic creations. Science club experiments, including color transferring, egg floating, and the bouncing egg demonstration, have sparked excitement and success for young learners. Their curiosity and enthusiasm transformed each experiment into a fun learning adventure, revealing the magic of science through hands-on exploration of ordinary materials and scientific principles. Even our youngest learners are instructing their peers in the craft of knitting, fostering a collaborative learning environment

Winter Hill Community Innovation School

Site Director: Diana Posada

Assistant Site Director: Maria Henriquez

Tanty Koita, Nehemie Simon, Luz Janampa, Roxana Alfaro, Alaa boutkhurst Ruolx Dorvilier, Olivia coleman, nancy nimako, aryanna peart, olivia prophete

Welcome back, Wildcats! November has been filled with lots of adventures, creativity, and fun. Some of us have been learning how to put a jacket on before going outside, and others are still asking why, but that's okay, we are all learning! As a reminder, please ensure to pack proper outerwear for your child(ren) as it is a bit chilly when we go outside or when we go to the East on half-day Wednesdays (weather permitting). 

We started November off with a nice adventure to Chunky's Movies on Election Day, where we had some pizza, ice cream, and lemonade. On the way back, some of us fell asleep! We also learned all about voting.

One of the biggest hits has been Buildwave, our hands-on building club where students experiment with creative construction challenges. They’ve been working with Legos, foam pieces, and a variety of unique materials to build imaginative structures while strengthening problem-solving skills. It has been inspiring to watch students encourage one another, try new ideas, and feel proud of their creations. 

Our Art Club continues to be a cozy and colorful space where students express themselves through weekly projects. This month, they’ve explored fall-themed paintings, gratitude crafts, and collaborative murals. Art Club has become a place where students wind down after the school day, support one another’s ideas, and take home projects they’re excited to share with their families.

We also have a dedicated Lego Club, a crowd favorite for students who love to build, invent, and collaborate. Students have been creating themed Lego challenges—from tallest towers to mini-world design—and working in small groups to share ideas and build together. The club has helped students strengthen teamwork, communication, and patience while having a great time.

In the gym, our Sports Club has kept students moving with high-energy rotations of basketball, soccer skills, cooperative games, and team challenges. Students have been practicing sportsmanship, learning new techniques, and cheering

As we continue through November, our focus remains on building community and giving students spaces where their interests can grow. Thank you for your continued support and for sharing your wonderful children with us each afternoon. We’re excited for another month filled with creativity, laughter, and learning from each other. It’s been wonderful to see new friendships forming as they play together.

West Somerville Neighborhood School

Site Director: Joshua Leibovitz

Assistant Site Director: Seana Read

 Jane Fabiano, Darly Pierre, Gianna Amari, Joseph Amari, Rodrigo Rodriguez, Katherine Yanes, Henry Duarte, Teodor Todorov, Valerie Perez

Hi everyone,

November is here, and October went out the door in a flash! We kicked off the month with a field trip to the movies alongside our afterschool friends from other Somerville schools for our own private showing of Zootopia, just in time to get everyone excited for the sequel coming out on Thanksgiving! Our Pre-K kiddos have been having a blast carving pumpkins, making leaf piles, and running around getting all their energy out. With Ms. Jane, every day is an adventure, from Yoga Club to soccer, she keeps everyone excited and active! Our Kindergarten through 2nd-grade friends have been having a blast in clubs, diving into new books, and creating the next big hit in Ms. Riley’s Mini Comic Makers Club; keep an eye out for their own Captain Underpants series at your local library! Meanwhile, our 3rd–6th graders have been bringing their creativity to life by reimagining the game Among Us with new, school-friendly rules. It’s been a blast, just be careful walking through the playground, you might find a few “teachers” lying down… the impostors may have struck again!

Reminders for Families

• Please see our WSNS Afterschool class on the TalkingPoints for Families app for the quickest updates. Email Josh or Seana if you have any questions about the app.

• As the weather cools, please remember to send your child with a warm jacket for outdoor play, we’ll be spending as much time outside as possible enjoying the crisp autumn air.

• Pack extra clothes for younger children in case of accidents or emergencies.

• Afterschool does not have its own Lost and Found. We use the Lost and Found located outside the main office. Please be sure to check it regularly!

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROGRAM