Mark your Calendar
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May 9 - 15:
Library Gift Book Sale
May 11:
Guys Read Book Group, Mr. Gaita's classroom
May 14:
Burr "Green Team" Update
Ms. Moran's classroom
3:05pm
May 12,13,15 and 19:
MCAS Grade 5
May 18 and 20:
MCAS Grades
3 and 4
May 18:
Creative Arts and Sciences, 2nd Grade
Artquest presents the Art of Mexico
May 19:
PTO Meeting
7:00pm
June 2:
Color Day
June 3:
Color Day Raindate
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Volunteer
Opportunities |
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Color Day needs volunteers!
To help set up the Color Day lunch, please contact Michelle Fineblum. |
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| PTO Letter |
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Greetings Friends,
WOW! What a week at Burr. It was busy busy busy, but also so exciting to see how our community pulled together to celebrate our teachers, our budding young artists, our environmentally conscious walkers, our Red Sox fans, our mamas in need of a "night out", and our May Fair "fun-timers"! I don't think that it can be said enough: this is a thriving community of dedicated people and we are so fortunate to have so many participants in our school culture. From showing up to play at the May Fair, to bringing in a flower or card to a teacher, to baking goods for the Art Show, to organizing one of these events, each and every person makes our PTO work, no matter how big or small the contribution. Thank you!
As always, there are some specific thank yous for our teammates:
Teacher Appreciation: Many thanks to all of our families and room parents who brought in flowers, cards, food, and warm wishes of appreciation to our Burr staff. Pam McVey coordinated our room parent team and Tracy Carter and Amanda Loftus handled the teachers' breakfast. Our breakfast set-up and clean-up crew of Johanne Campbell, Susan Cassidy (and Kate!), Youngok Lim, Stephanie Mamis, and Beth Viveiros helped to lighten the load as well. (If you donated food to the breakfast, please pick up your washed dishes and utensils from the Teacher's Lounge--thanks!)
Red Sox Game: We hope everyone had a terrific time at the ballgame! Many thanks to Jay Baronowski and Joanmarie Lee for coordinating this event. Our graditude also goes to Marc Lutwack for helping us with parking arrangements!
Walk to School: Many thanks to all who endured the drizzle to make our Massachusetts Walk to School Day a great success! Tricia Bombara created a festive atmosphere for all our walkers, kids and adults alike. Many thanks to Tricia and all the families who supported the walk.
Art Show: Once again, the Burr Art Show was a glorious success. There are a lot of talented artists at Burr! There are not enough words to thank our Burr art teacher, Diane Jaquith, for her work with our children to transform the gym into a top notch art gallery each spring! Many thanks to all the parents who helped in class with artists' statements, set-up and took down the show, and provided snacks for the reception. Many thanks to Ellen Regan and Stephanie Mamis for setting up the refreshments at the reception itself.
Mom's Night Out: It was terrific to see such a large group of gals come out to support the 5th grade fundraiser. After a busy week for all, the moms enjoyed the opportunity to kick back and spend a little time together! Many thanks to our hosts Tracy Regan and Marie Keyes for putting together such a lovely gathering.
May Fair: Once again, the May Fair was a smashing success! A large school-wide event like this involves MANY hands! Thanks to everyone who attended the event and a heartfelt thanks to the mighty team of May Fair volunteers who pulled the event off in style. We'll look forward to a full run-down of the entire squad in next week's Bulletin, but for the time being we'd like to thank Diana Fisher Gomberg and Jaye Scheider for being at the helm of the event as our co-chairs.
Okay--this all happened in ONE WEEK at Burr! What an amazing community! These are exciting times for our PTO and we invite you all to join us at our upcoming May PTO meeting on Tuesday May 19 at 7:00 pm. It'll be a great time for all of us to come together to celebrate our accomplishments for this year as well as start our planning for next.
Thanks again for EVERYONE'S hard work last week! It's a joy working with this community of parents.
See you around school! Dana Hanson & Susan CassidyPTO Co-Presidents |
| Important Safety Reminders |
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Spring is finally here, and with the nice weather comes lots of kids walking (and running, skipping, hopping, and darting) to and from school! This is great for the kids and great for the environment, but we need to make sure they are safe! The Newton Police will be increasing their presence at pick-up and drop-off at all the elementary schools this spring, so we're going to have a "Blue Zone Safety Week" soon, with volunteers helping to keep the Blue Zone safe and efficient.
Following these important safety rules, as well as all City of Newton "Blue Zone" and traffic regulations, will make pick-up and drop-off safer and easier for everyone!
- Walk more often! It's a great way to start the day! Remind your kids to be safe when walking - stay on the sidewalk, only cross at crosswalks, check driveways for cars pulling out, and don't wear headphones!
- If you drive, slow down and pay attention - kids are everywhere, and they are unpredictable!
- Kids must always use crosswalks - even with an adult!
- In the morning, pull as far forward as possible before letting your children out of the car. This is especially critical in the "little" Blue Zone on the opposite side of Pine St. This allows more cars into the Blue Zone, and keeps the line moving and safe for everyone.
- After your children get out of the car, pull forward and exit the Blue Zone. Parents who remain parked to watch their children walk into school are creating an unsafe situation. The cars behind them cannot enter or exit the Blue Zone, and have to pull around them into oncoming traffic.
- In the afternoon, while you are waiting for your children, please move forward as the line moves (and be considerate of our neighbors - do not block driveways.) Do not get out of your car to get your child - they will come to you.
- Teach your children to buckle their own seatbelts - even kids in booster seats can do this! It's a great thing to practice on the weekends, and it will give your child a sense of accomplishment and independence.
- If you park, please park legally. If the sign says "No Parking", or "Live Parking Only", or if there is a yellow curb - you can't park there.
- There is NO PARKING on either side at the end of Pine St. (where it meets Washburn.) When cars park in the "No Parking Here to Corner" area they block visibility of kids crossing the street, and make it very difficult for the buses to turn left up Washburn St.
- NO U-turns and NO turning around in driveways on Pine St. You won't be able to see kids running down the sidewalk, and they won't always remember to look for you! It may add 5 minutes to your trip, but it could save a child's life.
- Do not park in or turn around in the Faculty/Staff Parking or the BCAP lot- it creates a dangerous situation for kids on the sidewalk and in the crosswalk near the driveways.
- Cars must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights. Do not try to pass the bus when it is loading or unloading kids at the school.
If you have any questions, or would like to get involved with the Burr Traffic Safety/Safe Routes Committee, please email Tricia Bombara. |
Respect for Human Differences
Final Meeting of the Year |
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Tuesday, May 12
7:00 to 8:30 pm in the library
All are Welcome! (Note: The RHD Committee alternates meeting times between afternoons and evenings to accommodate as many schedules as possible.) The Burr Respect for Human Differences (RHD) Committee is a group of parents and teachers who work on our school community's growth toward respect for human differences, one of the core values of our Newton Public Schools. Anne Douglass: aldouglass@msn.comDana Hanson: danakhanson@gmail.comGina Scaramella: gscaramella@barcc.org |
| Library Gift Book Sale
May 9 - May 15 |
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Don't miss a great opportunity to honor a teacher, thank a staff member, or acknowledge a friend, student or neighbor . A wide variety of pre-selected books are still available at $15.00 each. This is a wonderful way to honor a teacher and comply with Newton's "No Gift Policy." The sale ends Friday, May 15th, so remember to stop by the library corridor before and after school for the remainder of this week, to make your selection and help purchase more new books for the Burr School library. If you are unable to visit the sale in person, you can send in your order in your child's folder, or you can place an order on-line from the Library Gift Book Sale link on the Burr School PTO website at http://www.burrpto.org. |
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Guys Read Book Group |
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The next meeting of the Guys Read book group will be on Monday, May 11, from 6-7 p.m. in Mr. Gaita's room. Boys and their dads/uncles/grandfathers are invited to join in this fun group. The next title is: "Adventures of the Greek Heroes" by Mollie McLean and Anne Wiseman. The book is a great introduction to stories about heroes like Hercules, Theseus and Orpheus. Books will be held for us at New England Mobile Book Fair, paperback copies are around $6.
Please RSVP to Mr. Gaita so we have an idea of how many people we should expect. |
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Burr to help meet urgent need for toiletries at Newton Food Pantry |
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Burr School 2nd Graders are continuing to sponsor a drive to collect donations of toiletries for the Newton Food Pantry. Our first donation was dropped off during April vacation--and enthusiastically received by the pantry volunteers.
The pantry serves approximately 120 families per month and is currently in dire need of donations. All schools in Newton have been asked to help collect donations and Burr School is responsible for collecting toiletries: shampoo, toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, dish liquid. Please bring your donations to the boxes in the front hallway and parent volunteers will deliver them to the Newton Food Pantry. Please contact Jeff Zabel or Dana Hanson if you have questions about the drive. Thanks! |
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The School Store is...OPEN |
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The school store is open AGAIN this Tuesday between 8:20 and 8:35. Plush dice, pencils, sharpeners, notepads, and more are all available at fantastic prices. |
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Pretzels for sale |
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Fifth grade moms will be selling pretzels on Friday after school. They're big, soft and delicious and they cost only $1. Pick one up and take it along for a great afternoon snack. |
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Burr Community Quilt |
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Parent volunteers have been busy in the school lobby sprucing up the BURR COMMUNITY QUILT. Squares of families new to Burr have been added and it is shaping up to look pretty good! The goal is to have each Burr family represented. If your family hasn't submitted their square yet, IT IS NOT TOO LATE. Everyone is invited to take part in this fun community building project. Have fun decorating your square in a way that represents your family - get creative, hand draw pictures, glue on photographs, create a collage or fashion your own unique idea! The only RULE is to somehow include your family name on the front of your square - make it part of the design or write it in the corner - the choice is yours! Your family's square will remain part of the quilt until your child(ren) leave Burr. The quilt provides a wonderful way to share family traditions and special moments with the Burr community. Pre-cut squares are available in the Quilt Box on the counter in the main office. Completed squares can be sent back to school via your child's backpack. Questions? Contact Sara DeSimone Scott at gsna@comcast.net. |
| Burr "Green Team" Update |
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Ms Moran and the 5th graders are off to a great start in bringing some expanded recycling options to Burr. The Green Team is getting together this week to see how the recycling is going so far and to look at all things green going forward.
Where: Ms Moran's room
When: Thursday May 14th
At : 3:05 pm
We are also looking for volunteers to help clean up and take returnable in for cash for the 5th grade graduation fund--please let us know if you'd like to help out with this even if you can't make our meeting.
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| Online Survey Update |
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Many thanks to everyone who completed an online career survey in March/April. This fundraiser made nearly $3000 for Burr--and all we had to do was click around on our computers to bring in the big bucks! In particular, many thanks to L.J. Urbano and Erika Drezner for coordinating this fundraiser. If anyone would still like to fill out a survey, it's still open and the PTO will still receive $25 per survey. Click here to fill out your survey today! |
| Thank You |
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My sincere thanks to the parents and students at Burr School for the many, many expressions of appreciation I received this week, so many that individual thanks are not possible. The parents and students at Burr School are always a pleasure to work with - I appreciate this every day.
Marie Phillips, RN |
| Rove the Cove - June 13th |
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The third annual Rove the Cove 5k (3.1mile) road race will be held Saturday, June 13. The race is sponsored by the Auburndale Community Association with financial support from many of our local businesses. The race starts and finishes at The Cove in the Auburndale Playground. Check-in time starts at 8:45AM, race starts at 9:30AM. It's a fun and casual race on trails and local neighborhood streets. For more information and an entry form visit www.auburndalecommunity.org. |
| Mayoral Candidates Forum in Auburndale |
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| The Auburndale Community Association is hosting a Mayoral Candidates forum on June 4, 2009 at 7:30pm at the Auburndale Library. This is an opportunity to hear the candidates make their case and for residents to highlight their neighborhood issues to the candidates. Ruth Balser, Paul Coletti, Ken Parker and Setti Warren will be attending. Moderated town meeting format. Mark your calendars! |
| BC Lady Eagles Soccer School |
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The BC Lady Eagles Soccer School will be holding two sessions of summer clinics. Dates are June 29-July 2 and July 20-23. Cost is $295 for each session and they will be held at the Newton Campus Soccer Complex from 9am-3pm each day. To register please go to: http://bceagles.cstv.com/camps/bc-w-soccer-camps2.html. For questions you may contact Assistant Coach, Neel Bhattacharjee, at (617) 552-0982 or bhattacn@bc.edu |
| 23rd Annual Newton METCO Community Scholarship Celebration/Fundraiser |
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Since 2000 over $165,000 in scholarships have been granted to over 145 deserving students in Newton. Friends and Supporters are invited as this year's high school graduates are awarded their scholarships. Sunday May 17 from 4-6PM at Myrtle Baptist Church, 21 Curve Street, West Newton. To donate to the scholarship fund, please send checks payable to: "Newton METCO Community Scholarship Fund", P.O. Box 600053, Newtonville, MA 02460. |
| SPACE 2009: Exploring Cities and Towns |
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SPACE is a four-week summer enrichment program for students entering Kindergarten through students entering ninth grade. SPACE is a terrific opportunity for students. We offer two programs; an upper school (entering grade 5 through entering grade 9) and a lower school (entering kindergarten through entering grade four). During the upper school program, students are given the opportunity to become involved in program courses of their own choosing. During the lower school program, students are assigned to age appropriate groups. They will work with staff members in art, music, science, movement, games, recreation, drama, and other enrichment activities.
Date:
Monday, July 6, 2009 through Friday, July 31, 2009
Location:
Bigelow Middle School, 42 Vernon Street, Newton Corner
Time & Tuition:
Extended Day A.M. 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Extended Day A.M. Program $260.00
Morning Program: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Morning Program ONLY $1,100.00
Full Day Program: 9:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. Full Day Program $1,550.00
Extended Day P.M. 3:45 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Extended Day P.M. Program $450.00
There is a family discount ($100.00 per student).
A $100.00 deposit per student with the completed registration form(s) is necessary for the registration to be complete. (Deposit is non-refundable after April 15, 2009.)
You may pick up an application at your local Newton Public Elementary or Middle School, call for an application (617-559-6150 or 617-559-6105), email SPACE@newton.k12.ma.us, or download an application from the Newton Public Schools website www.newton.k12.ma.us .
REGISTER NOW!! | |
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