| Mark your Calendar |
June 19:
Last day for pretzels
June 22:
5th grade
Step-Up Day
June 23:
Last Day Of School -Half Day
June 24:
Teacher luncheon
Food drop-off between 8-11am |
Volunteer
Opportunities |
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Back to School Picnic This Fall
We need one or two people to coordinate the Back to School Picnic in September. It is very time-limited and not complicated. Anyone interested can contact
Diana Fisher-Gomberg.
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End-of-year Wrap Up |
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With the final Creative Arts programs occurring last week, Creative Arts co-chairs have begun scheduling programs for the '09-'10 school year, including a wonderful Tanglewood Marionettes presentation of "The Dragon King."
This year Creative Arts and Sciences brought a mix of favorite programs; authors Irene Small, Emilie Boon, and Barbara O'Connor, Chinese Ribbon Dancer Chiao Bin Huang, as well as new programs such as Bugworks and the Museum of Science's "Motion: Forces and Work." Storyteller Valerie Tutson and dance troupe "Prometheus Dance" enriched students during the two All School Concert Series programs.
Thank you to the volunteers who helped coordinate programs this year: Bijal Dalal, Yiling Fang, Laurie Friedell, Helen Kwong, Lisa Li, Pam McVey, Stephanie Mamis, Sarah DeSimone Scott and Beth Tierney.
A special thank you to Maura Albano, Tony Marrazzo, and Jack Tobin for greeting presenters, helping them move equipment and setting up spaces for many of the programs. Without the input, flexibility, and guidance of Cynthia Bencal, Burr teachers, and staff, Creative Arts would not be possible. Many thanks to everyone who took part in making this program a success.
In all, eighteen programs were welcomed at Burr due to the generous support of the PTO's fundraising efforts. Many, many thanks to our PTO and to the parents who generously supported these efforts throughout the year.
If you are interested in becoming part of the Creative Arts and Sciences team next year, please contact Felicia Falchuk (feliciafalchuk@yahoo.com) or Mary Sava (jmsava@rcn.com) co-chairs for Creative Arts and Sciences for the '09-'10 school year. |
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Recent Creative Arts Programs |
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Paul Revere House visits Burr's fifth grade classes
On Monday, June 8th, there was a CASC presentation of The Paul Revere House for the 5th grade classes. The presenter discussed the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and events leading up to it. She asked questions to the students relating to the historic event. The 5th graders played mystery detectives to discover Paul Revere's personality, family, work, life, etc. The students were broken into small groups to research specific documents such as bills, advertisements and letters which were connected to Paul Revere's life in the 1770's. The groups then shared their findings with the class. It was a very informative and educational experience for the students.
Ellen Goethel brings "Explore the Ocean World" to Kindergarteners
Ellen D. Goethel is a marine biologist. She brought many different live creatures in sea water to the school on Friday, June 12. The students learned that sea star can have as many as almost 100 arms, and their arms can regenerate. They like eating bivalves, i.e. clams, mussels, oysters. Sea urchin is the cousin of sea star although they look so different. In a lovely, low-key approach, Ellen explained her ground rules, emphasizing respect and gentleness when handling the live animals that she presents. She also brought MANY dried samples, tooth of a sperm whale, fin of a big tuna, sword fish, all kinds of shells. The most fun part of the presentation was when the students got their hands wet and handled everything from sea star, sea urchin, crab, clam, to lobster! |
| Check Lost & Found before it's too late |
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 The Burr Lost & Found is still overflowing. Anything unclaimed by the end of the school year will be taken to Goodwill, so stop by and take a look NOW! The Lost & Found is primarily located in the hall outside of the teacher's lounge (ask at the office if you need help finding it), with some newly 'found' items collected on the stage in the cafeteria. |
| Teacher Luncheons |
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 This is the last day to contribute to the teacher luncheons! Please submit your contribution (suggested donation $5) to the Hospitality PTO committee asap if you would like to participate. Alternately consider bringing a dessert. The Wednesday June 24th theme is "A Taste of Italy"- and dessert drop offs can be made from 8am to 11am on the 24th- at the main desk. Thank you! |
| SOS *** Library Re-Shelving *** SOS |
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 If you haven't been able to help out in the library and have always wanted to here is your chance ! (Those who have been helping out are of course needed, also.) Please join us for the end of the year organizing and re-shelving the library! Librarian Laura Mayer has given us 3 dates and times to accomplish this: Friday June 19th at 8:30 Monday June 22nd at 1:00 Tuesday June 23rd at 8:30 Please feel free to come for 1 or all of these times. I would appreciate if you could let me know you are planning to come by e-mailing me, Jan Shoyer, at rickfjans@yahoo.com.
Thanks so much for your help!
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School Committee Primary Debate at Bigelow
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE PRIMARY DEBATE AT BIGELOW on Thursday evening, June 18, 6:30-9 p.m.
The Ward 2 and Ward 8 seats are the only ones with a primary runoff.
All Newton voters vote for all seats. Event sponsored by the Bigelow
and Underwood PTOs, and is open to all Newton voters. All Newton
candidates are welcome at the meet n greet, so you may also meet you
next aldermen and mayor, as well as candidates for other school
committee races! Come shape the conversation about where our schools
are going.
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Mayoral Candidate Forum on Education |
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On Tuesday, June 23 at 7PM, the Newton PTO Council will host a forum for all four Mayoral candidates to address questions on education. The forum will be held in Room 210 of the Education Center, 100 Walnut Street - where the School Committee meets. NewTV will record the forum for later broadcast. Please come to the forum with questions you want addressed.
Candidates Ruth Balser, Paul Coletti, Ken Parker, and Setti Warren will address questions from a live audience as well as questions collected by member PTOs beforehand.
The upcoming Mayoral election promises to be extremely important for education in Newton. Newton is facing major issues and potential changes in education, and the next Mayor will have a huge impact on them - through a seat on the School Committee as well as in the Mayor's office. |
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Refunds from Lunch Cards |
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| Attention Those No Longer in Need of their Lunch Cards: (Graduating Seniors, those moving away, those not intending to continue taking part in the lunch service at school). Here is the policy on refunding money left on your child's lunch card: You must put your request for a refund in writing and send it care of the Newton Public Schools Food Service, 100 Walnut Street, Newton, Ma. 02460. Be sure to include your child's name and grade, and the school s/he attends, as well as your name and address. Refunds will be mailed to you within 4 to 6 weeks. |
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School Store Liquidation Sale - tomorrow! |
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 Everything must go!! Every pencil, eraser, sharpener, sticker, note pad, crayon pack, gloves, t-shirts, sweatshirts, stuffed dice, and squishy whatever will be on sale! See below for special hours, tomorrow, Tuesday June 16.
Regular before school hours:
8:20 and 8:35 across from the Library.
Special afternoon hours:
After school - 1 and 1:15 at BCAP.
A huge, huge, bigger than huge thank you to the fifth graders who helped set up, and sell merchandise at the school store all year long. They made this store one of the most successful ever at Burr. And to all of the students and parents who "shopped 'til they dropped". THANK YOU so much for your support! |
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Last Chance for Pretzels - this Friday! |
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 Friday, June 19th will be the last day for pretzel sales this year. Look for the pretzel sellers by the flagpole after school and inside for bus riders and BCAP-ers. Pretzels are just $1 and will help fund the fifth grade "Gift to Burr".
To everyone who purchased pretzels this year, thank you. And a big thank you to the fifth grade moms who sold pretzels throughout the year. |
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Garden City Kindergarten Soccer (at Burr) |
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Garden City Kindergarten Soccer has two co-ed soccer programs, both playing at the Burr School. The K Soccer League is for children enrolled in Kindergarten during the 2009-2010 school year. The Pre-K Soccer League is ideal for children between the ages of 4 and 5 years old. GCKS is a joint venture of Franklin's & Lincoln-Eliot's Parent Teacher Organizations. Proceeds benefit both schools' PTO programs.
Program Schedule: Saturdays, September 12 to November 7, 2009. No game on October 19th, Columbus Day Weekend:
· 9:30am-10:30am for K Soccer League
· 10:45am-11:45am for Pre-K Soccer League.
Please complete this registration form and mail it, with your check, to: Melanie Varady, 43 Carleton Street Newton, MA 02458, no later than Friday, August 14th. Contact Beth Rooney at bmrooney95@aol.com for more info. |
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NewKids Fall Classes at Burr |
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| Plan ahead! Newton Community Ed will offer the following classes at Burr next fall: Chess and Drama on Mondays, Painting on Tuesdays, Mad Science on Wednesdays, Knitting on Thursdays, and Manga (Japanese cartooning) on Fridays. In addition we'll have Sewing, Bio Lab, Baking and Lego Robotics on weekday afternoons at South, Saturday science programs at North, and Saturday soccer at Mason Rice. Plus lots more afternoon classes at schools throughout Newton. Still planning for summer? We have openings in several of our programs. For more information, call us at 617-559-6999, or visit our website at www.newtoncommunityed.org. |
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Boston College Summer Soccer Clinics |
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| Boston College Summer Soccer Clinic: BOYS Ages 6-12. Boston College Newton Campus July 27-30, 9:00am-3:00pm. For registration visit us at www.EaglesSoccerProgram.com or contact us at msoccer@bc.edu.
Summer Soccer Clinics for GIRLS age 6-14 at Boston College: Offered by BC Women's soccer coaches on two dates: June 29-July 2 and July 20-July 23, 9am-3pm daily at the BC newton Campus soccer Complex. For info or to register: www.bceagles.com/camps or call 617-552-0982. | |
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