"Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it." -Ralph Marston

Each November we revisit this quote from Marston as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday. As a school community, we have so much to be thankful and appreciative for.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to our school community. We are thankful for the support of our parents, whose partnership enriches our students' learning experiences every day.

We are grateful for our dedicated teachers and staff, whose commitment to nurturing and inspiring our children is truly remarkable.

And, most of all, we are thankful for our students—their curiosity, kindness, and resilience bring joy and purpose to our school.

Thank you for being an essential part of this special community. We wish you a November filled with warmth, gratitude, and togetherness.

Our November newsletter highlights the exciting things we have engaged in and also look forward to in the month ahead.

With appreciation,

Ryan Gleason, YES Principal & Molly Kilpatrick, YES Assistant Principal

On Tuesday morning, October 28, we held our monthly community meeting! Led by the third grade, we celebrated fall and shared the “Pumpkin Book Characters” created by each classroom.

This is a well-loved tradition at YES that students engage in to celebrate their favorite book characters. Check out all of the pumpkin creations by each classroom in this short video!

Thank you for actively participating in your child’s education by attending the fall conferences. Individual conferences will continue to take place over the coming week.  Our teachers appreciate your support and look forward to working closely with you throughout this year.

For those of you who would like to get the excess candy out of the house next week, we have some fourth graders who are leading our traditional donation to “Treats For Troops” . Emma Andersson, Winslow Birchby, Isla Cox, Sagan Gunther Clarke, Abby Kennedy and Ainsley Soelberg are organizing and leading the effort this year. 

Soldiers’ Angels Treats for Troops is a Halloween Candy collection program where businesses and organizations register to collect excess Halloween candy and send it to our military troops who are overseas. There is a collection box in the main office and it will be there until Monday, November 10.

The NWEA (Gr. 2 Math) and Maine Through Year (Grades 3, 4, 5, Reading and Math) results are going to be available for you soon. Once the fall testing window is complete for the state of Maine, we will post these to the parent PowerSchool portal.

With cooler fall days upon us, we will begin to transition into winter weather as December approaches. We will NOT go outside if the temperature is 5 degrees or below. Wind chill plays into this, but fluctuates within seconds. The effect of a consistent wind chill may also cause us to stay inside even if the temperature is above 5 degrees.

It is important that students come to school dressed for cold winter weather when appropriate. Students who want to play in the snow and on snow banks must wear winter jackets, boots, and snow pants. If the temperature is below 40 degrees it is too cold for shorts, tee shirts, and no coats.

If you are in need of winter weather clothing, please reach out to Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Beckett, or Mrs. Lokken in the counselors' office, as we do have resources available for those in need to make sure that all students have the proper gear.

Each month, we’ll be shining a spotlight on two of our Unified Arts programs to share the exciting learning and creativity happening beyond the classroom. This month, we’re featuring Art and Music!

From colorful creations to joyful sounds, our students have been exploring, expressing, and discovering in so many wonderful ways. Check out the updates below to see what’s been happening in these vibrant spaces!

2nd grade artists have begun the year getting to know the YES art studio and its media centers. Our lessons have explored drawing, paper sculpture and collage. These young artists have shown their confidence and creativity as artists, learning how to independently access art materials and tools and to trust their creative instincts. 
Some questions to ask your 2nd grade artist: 
How can you tell if someone is an artist?  
Tell you more about Beautiful Oops’ in art. 
Show me how you can turn flat paper into 3D works of art.

3rd grade artists began the year learning about local Maine artists Ryan and Rachel Gloria Adams and their murals with positive messages. We used text, color and shapes to design our own mini mural plans with positive messages for our school community. We are now moving on to explore the exciting world of printmaking, beginning with Collagraph prints. 

Some questions to ask you're 2nd grade artist:
Tell me what you know about how murals can transform a community for the better?
What’s an Exquisite Corpse and how can we create one?
How is a collagraph print similar to a collage? How is it different?

4th and 5th grade artists have spent the first half of the year exploring drawing and sculpture. Artists used a drawing activity by artist Lynda Barry to create a collection of unique characters and then created a realistic portrait of their favorite one using shading techniques. We are now completing paper masks inspired by the vibrant papercraft work of artist Michael Velliquette. 

Questions to ask your 4th or 5th grade artist:                                                                        How do drawings change when you add shadows and highlights ?                                      Tell me about the artwork of Michael Velliquette. What is unique about it?                        What does contrast mean in art?

YES musicians are off to a strong start!  Through singing, playing instruments, listening activities, and even creating their own music, second and third graders are developing the self-awareness, self-control, and teamwork skills that help them thrive as part of a musical community. They’re also building music literacy skills that will allow them to communicate with other musicians around the world.

Second graders recently completed a deep dive into the world of dynamics, exploring how composers use volume to create intensity and surprise in their music. Third graders are preparing to read notes on the musical staff, focusing first on the essential pre-reading skill of recognizing melodic direction—both aurally and visually.

Our fourth and fifth graders are building on these same skills with the goal of becoming more independent musicians. They are learning how to practice with purpose, break down tricky tasks into manageable chunks, and reflect on their progress. Students are also exploring how music connects people, places, and ideas across the globe—deepening their understanding not only of the role music plays in their own lives, but also how it shapes culture and community.

Fourth graders have just begun their work with recorders, putting their music literacy, practice, and performance skills into action. Fifth graders have been exploring how composers use musical elements to express emotion. After learning about fanfares and composing their own “Fanfare for Queen Troy,” they’ll step into the role of film composers, creating original music to bring an animated short to life.

YES Chorus, Band and Orff Ensemble are working hard to prepare for their winter concerts. Mark your calendars - December 10 (Grade 5) and December 11 (Grade 4) at 6pm in the YES gym. I hope to see many of you there!

Check out the pictures of YES music in action!

Freja working hard to learn her part during Orff Ensemble rehearsal

YES Chorus cheering on the YHS Football team before singing the National Anthem

The Lost and Found area is located in the gym lobby and it is beginning to overflow with coats and sweatshirts. If your child is missing an item please direct them to look for it there. It is always a good idea to write their name on these articles of clothing in the event that they are forgotten. We will be making a donation for any unclaimed items as we get into December!

We are reaching out to share about some programs that are in place in Yarmouth to support any families who may be in need of additional financial assistance during this holiday season. We are also aware of the impact that the government shutdown has had on SNAP benefits, and how this may be impacting families financially in the coming weeks. Please read through these resources and contact us with any questions at all.

1. Project Holiday

Project Holiday is a program that provides food baskets and holiday gifts to children under 18. You can apply using theattached form, and the deadline is November 5th. You may return this to YES (care of one of us) OR drop it off directly to Yarmouth Community Services. If you would like a paper copy sent home with your student, let us know.

2. Thanksgiving Meal Request

The Yarmouth Food pantry provides Thanksgiving meals for pick up or delivery to Yarmouth families. You may fill out the form attached to this email and return it to us or email it to the email address on the form. The deadline for this is Friday November 14th.

3. Additional Financial Support

If your family is impacted by the lack of SNAP funds this month, and your family needs additional support to purchase food in the coming weeks, please reach out to Lindsey Lokken directly, and I will coordinate with you. We have additional resources through YCAN and would love to help. See this attached link for more information. 

Sincerely,

YES School Counseling Team - Lindsey Lokken, Laura Murray & Chelsea Beckett 

Happy November from the PTO! With fall in full swing, we’re looking forward to a festive and fulfilling stretch of the year. We hope to see you at an event soon! 

Staff Appreciation

We are extremely fortunate to have wonderful staff at our schools working hard every day for our kids. To show our immense gratitude, we're preparing to celebrate Fall Staff Appreciation Day at YES on November 5th, when we'll host a lunch for the staff with help from the community. 

If you are able to bring in a homemade or store-bought item to donate, please click here to sign up.

We know there are many ways to show appreciation for our teachers and staff, and we encourage you to make our teachers feel the love on November 5th, however you can!

If a financial contribution makes sense for your family, please consider clicking here to donate. Direct donations are always appreciated and are crucial in funding PTO programming.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com

Thank you for your support!

2025-2026 Directory Now Available!

Membership Toolkit has been updated with directory information of Pre-K through 8th Grade families who have opted in to participate in the Yarmouth PTO Directory. If you have opted in, please check your information, as this is what will be included in the printed booklet.

You can access the directory information in one of three ways:

1) Online through Membership Toolkit. Use the same email address you provided to PowerSchool to create or log into your account.

2) On your Apple or Google phone or device through the Membership Toolkit app (respective app stores linked). You can log in once you have created an account.

3) Order a printed booklet to have on hand for $10 each here. Orders for printed booklets are due by November 20, 2025. We will only have one print run this year, so please plan accordingly.

Have a question? See the FAQ sheet here.

Make-It Take-It Save the Date

We are so excited to announce that the beloved annual Make It & Take It craft event and Bake Sale will be happening this year on Sunday, December 7th from 11 am to 2 pm in the cafe at YES!

The PTO is looking for volunteers to lead and help at craft tables. We need many volunteers to make this fun event happen. We welcome folks who want to lead a table with a buddy, with their kiddos as helpers, high school volunteers, and/or grandparents.  

Sign up to volunteer here

Images of available crafts here

And a quick reminder that for this event and all others, you must fill out this quick Yarmouth School District Form EVERY YEAR to volunteer.

Come out and craft with us! The final products make wonderful gifts for family and loved ones, and the event is so much fun! 

November PTO Meeting

Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, November 20th at 7 PM in the YES library. Our meetings are open to everyone and we encourage you to attend. We hope to see you there! 

 PTO Gather & Greet 

Join us on Tuesday, November 4th for our monthly casual coffee hour at Fox & the Fiddle (inside 317 Main) any time after 8:45 am. If you're hoping to learn more about the organization or would just like to chat with some other parents and community members, we hope you'll join us. Drop in, grab a coffee from the cafe, and pull up a chair! 

Gather & Greet will be a recurring event on the first Tuesday of each month, so even if you can't make it this month, there will be another opportunity in December.

'Tis (almost) the season

If your family typically sends out holiday cards, we have exciting news to share! We are partnering with Minted this year to offer you a discount on your annual cards while also raising money for the PTO-- a win-win! 

Here's how it works: Use the promo code FUNDRAISEYARMOUTH at checkout and receive a 20% discount on your order. Minted will then donate 10% of the sales earned using the code back to us! 

Please feel free to share the code with friends and family to help us raise even more. The promo code will also remain active year-round, so you can use it for weddings, birth announcements, and so much more while continuing to support the PTO. 

Our code is specific to our organization, and we ask that you please don’t use coupon sites like Honey or RetailMeNot to share it, as that could affect our donations.

We hope you're as excited about this new opportunity as we are! Our personal favorite Minted feature is that it can even address all of your envelopes for you -- a valuable time-saver during an extremely busy season! 

Thanks, as always, for all of your support! 

Volunteer Information

Two forms!

If you'd like to volunteer with the PTO this year, please make sure to fill out the Yarmouth School District's 2025-2026 volunteer form. This must be completed every year. 

If you haven't already filled out the PTO-specific volunteer interest form, we'd love to hear from you! This form is for our reference in coordinating volunteers, but you will not be able to volunteer with the PTO until you've submitted the mandatory YSD form linked above.

Glow Run Volunteers Needed

Are you interested in serving on the committee for the Glow Run this year? 

If so, please fill out the PTO volunteer interest form above or send us a note at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com. This is our biggest fundraiser and it requires many hands to make it a success. It's also super fun-- join us! 

Mark your calendars! Get your Yarmouth Music swag for the holidays!

The online Yarmouth Music Spirit Store opens Monday Nov. 10 for 1 week only (last day is Monday Nov. 17).  Items can be shipped to your home or ordered to pick up (details of when and where in Yarmouth TBD).

All kinds of Yarmouth Music merch will be available to order, including short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, hoodies, pullover sweatshirts, shorts, sweatpants, flannel pants, jackets, baseball hats, beanies, totes, backpacks and blankets. 

The Yarmouth Music Boosters will use all the money raised to fund music-related needs and activities in the Yarmouth school system. This includes summer music camps for those in need, music scholarships for graduating seniors, and producing our signature event, Yarmouth’s Got Talent!

Yarmouth’s Got Talent is scheduled for 4pm and 7pm shows on Friday March 27 (snow date Saturday March 28). Auditions will take place on Monday March 23 (snow date Tuesday March 24). Tickets go on sale Wednesday March 25 at 7pm.

Join the YMB meetings on the first Monday of the month (no December meeting), 7pm, in the Yarmouth High School choir room. Please also consider a direct donation on our website,yarmouthsgottalent.org.

Thank you for your support!

Yarmouth Music Boosters

yboostersmusic@gmail.com

yarmouthsgottalent.org

Winter intramurals begin Thursday Nov. 5th!!! All 5th graders are welcome to participate in many sports and activities.
Who: 5th graders
What: Intramurals
When: Thursdays 7:45 am to 8:30 am
(Thursdays that school is in session November through February)
Where: YES Gym
Why: Exercise and Fun!!
Please spread the word!

We would like to take this opportunity to personally thank our community veterans for your dedicated service to the United States Armed Forces.  We will forever be grateful for your bravery and sacrifices to protect our country’s freedom.   

If your child was absent on school picture day or you would like to have a retake done, the Geskus photographers will be back at YES on Friday, November 14. Here is a message from Geskus about retake day:

Retake day is for new students and staff members, transfer students, or anyone who may have missed the initial picture day, OR for anyone who was unhappy with their original picture and would like to give it another try. If a student would like the retake photo to replace the original photo, please have the student return the original picture package to the photographer on picture day. We will replace the original package at no additional cost.

If this is the first time being photographed, just have the student/staff go to the camera and we’ll create a proof for them that will be sent to the school (and/or to their family email if we have that information). These proofs will be delivered approx. 4 weeks after picture day. An order code will be on the proof along with ordering instructions.

On behalf of everyone at Yarmouth Elementary School, we wish all of our families a happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful start to the Holiday Season!