| Mark your Calendar |
Nov 11:
No School -Veteran's Day
Nov 25:
School out at noon
Nov 26-27:
Thanksgiving Recess |
Volunteer
Opportunities |
Juice Pouch Recycling
Burr Bulletin Editors
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| From Ms. Bencal's Desk |
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 Dear Families,
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Our fall parent-teacher conferences will take place between October 26 and November 20 this year. Please look for a notice from your child's teacher about the specific days and times that he or she will have conferences, and sign up right away. This conference period is, again this year, a few weeks earlier than it has been in the recent past. In an effort to provide parents with four well-spaced out points of communication about students' progress, all fifteen elementary schools are holding fall conferences during this October-November time period. We will send report cards home on January 29; we will hold spring conferences between March 15 and April 9; and we will send home final report cards several days before the last day of school in June.
At Curriculum Night in September, you received a grade level curriculum overview pamphlet that outlined Newton's goals and courses of study in each of the curriculum areas. That document, as well as newsletters from classroom teachers and teachers' websites, will give you background information about your child's curriculum as you enter into these conferences. Below are some suggestions for you to think about as you prepare to confer with your child's teacher. I have taken these from publications of the National PTA and National Education Association. Please save these and read them over in preparation for your October-November parent-teacher conferences.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Ideas for Parents
Getting Ready: Talk to your children before the conference. Find out what they think they are doing well; find out what they think are their areas for improvement, and why. Ask your children if there is anything they would like you to talk about with their teachers. Make sure your children don't worry about the meeting. Help them to understand that you and their teacher(s) are meeting together in order to help them. Before you come to school, write notes to yourself about:
- your child's life at home, any significant changes or information you feel is important for the teacher to know
- your observations and question about this year's curriculum
- questions about your child's progress
ways that you and the school can work together to help your child
The Conference: Some good questions to ask are these:
- What are my child's strengths and weaknesses as a learner?
- Is my child working up to his or her ability? How is his/her effort?
- Does my child participate successfully in class discussions and activities?
- How well does my child get along with others?
- How do you evaluate my child's progress? What standards will he/she be evaluated on for the January report card? What assessments do you use?
If the teacher says something you don't quite understand, don't be shy about asking for an explanation. Be sure to ask the teacher for specific suggestions for ways to help your child do better. This is the most important part of the meeting. It will become your action plan. It's a good idea to end the conference by summing up decisions you have made together. If needed, ask to meet again.
After the Conference: Start immediately on the action plan you and the teacher have worked out together. Discuss the plan with your child; make sure that he or she knows that you and the teacher care. To see if the action plan is working, watch your child's behavior and check your child's class work and homework. (Young children need an adult to oversee their homework. It's important to look in that backpack every night!) Stay in regular touch with the teacher to discuss the progress your child is making. Meeting with your child's teacher should help build strong parent-teacher partnerships - partnerships that are needed if you and your child's teachers are to reach your common goal: helping your child get the best education possible.
Sincerely, Cindy Bencal |
Have You Made Your Gift for Burr?
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Do you know what:
 ... your helpful new Burr School Directory,
... this week's Tanglewood Marionette performance of "The Dragon King," and
... the fabulous Halloween Family Fun Night
all have in common?
They are all fully funded by the Burr PTO!
Help us take the fright out of fundraising and put your Gift for Burr in your child's backpack today. Or even easier, just click Gift for Burr icon above to make a secure online donation. Many thanks to those who have donated already, and happy Halloween!
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| Burr now has an Automatic External Difibrillator (AED) |
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This message is to announce a life saving device we now have available in our school building: an automatic external defibrillator - AED. It is a device that, when used in conjunction with CPR, can save a life.
An AED is used when a person suffers from a condition called sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart stops beating suddenly and unexpectantly due to a malfunctioning in the heart's electrical system. The malfunction can cause a life-threatening abnormal rhythm that is so chaotic that the heart merely quivers and is unable to pump blood to the body and brain.
A victim in sudden cardiac arrest first loses his or her pulse, collapses and is unable to breathe. All of this happens in a matter of seconds. The only effective treatment for this is to deliver an electric shock using the AED device, which stops the chaotic rhythm and gives the heart a chance to restart with a normal rhythm.
AED's are being placed in many public buildings. At Burr School, we now have an AED device for use by trained individuals. The AED is purposely placed in a highly visible location so that the public has access to it in case of an emergency after school hours. The devices are placed in cabinets on the wall. These cabinets are alarmed so that no one will tamper with the device. At Burr School, the AED is located in the main lobby, mounted on the wall on the right side of the elevator.
We are so pleased to have this life saving devices in our school building.
-- Marie Phillips, RN |
| Join the New Burr School Eco-Team
to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint |
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 You've probably heard a lot about climate change, and perhaps you've thought about how your household might become more sustainable. Across Newton, groups from different schools are forming to help each other become more sustainable. Please consider joining a group forming at Burr school. Our carbon reduction will be accomplished by the actions of a group of 5-8 households (Eco-Team) that meet a total of four times each. Working systematically through a workbook, in coordination with help from Newton's Green Decade Coalition, the team will take steps to monitor and reduce their energy consumption, which will also reduce their energy bills as well! If your interested in finding out more, please contact Michael Gevelber who is helping to coordinate this activity at Burr. We will form our first group this fall. |
| Walk to School Day
This Friday, October 30th |
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 Friday October 30 is the last Friday of the month and Safe Routes has designated it a Walk to School day. Grab your neighbors, plan to meet up with friends along your walking route or meet new walkers. Just get out and walk and as an added tidbit wear a little green or just know you are being "green". Can't walk to school, well just hop on the biggest carpool, the bus, or form a carpool with others. |
| Boxtops Reminder
please submit by Tuesday Oct 27 |
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 If you have been collecting Boxtops for Education, please send them in to school by Tuesday 10/27 for our next check. Thanks!!!
Box tops Coordinator |
| Blue Zone Buzz
Thanks again! |
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Thanks again to all the parents who gave up their time a few weeks ago to volunteer for Blue Zone Safety Week. We inadvertently missed a few names in the last bulletin, so we'd like to thank everyone again: Steve DeJesus, Andrea Flint, Mary Lewis, Allison Sharma, Diana Fisher-Gomberg, Kelly Brown, Dana Hanson, Lizbeth Heyer, Bill McDonald, Amanda Loftus, and Weiqun Shi. And thanks to all the parents who are doing their part to help keep all our children safe, by walking to school more often and reducing the number of vehicles around the school, and by driving carefully and patiently when they have to drive. |
| You look BOOtiful! |
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 Check out the Photos from Halloween Family Fun night at www.photobucket.com. Download photos, order prints, or upload some of your own to share with us. To sign in, use:
User name: burrschool
Password: 171pine
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| Update on Juice Pouch Recycling
Juice pouch recycling is going full force! |
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 Thanks to all those who participate. We're doing a great job helping the environment and helping our school. Burr School earns up to two cents for each pouch recycled from Terracycle, Inc.. Terracycle takes our waste and creates new things such as backpacks, pencil cases, etc. We've collected more than two hundred already! All juice pouches (i.e.silvery foil-like pouches, not boxes) that are by Capri-Sun, Kool-Aid, Honest Kids, Minute Maid 10, Hi-C Blast, Hansen Juice Slam are eligible. Please remember to completely empty out and flatten your pouches before placing them in the two recycling bins in the classroom hallway and remember to remove the straws. Anyone who wants to learn more about Terracycle, just log onto www.terracycle.net. We're always looking for parent volunteers. If anyone wants to learn more about the program or wants to assist with pick up, please contact Louisa Hunt by phone (617) 678-1188 or at holly1819@yahoo.com or contact 5th grade teacher Elizabeth Moran. More help is definitely needed so please contact them if you have an interest in this great program. |
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Creative Arts and Sciences
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The Dragon King, A Tanglewood Marionettes Production
Wednesday, October 28th in the Cafetorium |
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Grades K-2 will begin at 8:45 Grades 3-5 will begin at 10:15 A terrible drought has overtaken the land and all the world has turned brown and lifeless. The Dragon King is ruler of the waters and the people are beginning to wonder why he has not brought the precious rains in such a very long time. An underwater fantasy based on a Chinese folklore, Tanglewood Marionettes' latest production tells the tale of wise Grandmother who journeys to the bottom of the sea to seek the Dragon King, and the answers to why he has forsaken the land above. Don't miss this heart-warming tale that has been known to thrill young and old alike. Creative Arts and Sciences Programs are fully funded by the Burr PTO and are made possible by your generous donations. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact:Mary Sava jmsava@rcn.com Felicia Falchuk feliciafalchuk@yahoo.com Beth Tierney bethtierney@comcast.net |
| Halloween Party, this Tuesday
at the Auburndale Community Library |
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 Calling all ghost, goblins, and book worms! The Auburndale Community Library (ACL) announces its 1st Annual Halloween Party! Come over to the ACL on Tuesday October 27th from 1 - 2:30 for some (not too) spooky stories, crafts, and treats. Appropriate for toddlers on up to big kids. Costumes welcome! For more information, please check out our ACL website.
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| Craft Sale to Benefit Second Step
Wednesday 3:00 - 8:00 pm |
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Please join our community in "An Evening of Gifts", Second Annual Craft Sale to benefit The Second Step on Wednesday, October 28 from 3:00-8:00 PM at The Newton Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street, Newtonville. |
| Helping Children Cope with Divorce
Free Parent Workshop, Weds Oct 28th 7 - 8:30 |
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Wednesday, October 28th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Newton Community Service Center, 492 Waltham St. Susan Sklan, LICSW, will address the social and emotional developmental needs of children of divorcing and divorced parents. Co-sponsored by The Newton Partnership and Newton Community Service Center. Preregistration required by emailing ssklan@ncscweb.org or by calling 617.969.5906 x 125. Child care is available. |
Free Children's Opera Performance
Sunday, Nov 1 at Boston College |
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BRUNDIBAR by Hans Krasa, a touching children's opera, famous for its over 50 performances during WWII in Terezin, will be presented at Boston College on SUNDAY 11/1/2009 at 3pm in Gasson Hall. Free. For more details please call 617-552-2514. |
Music Lessons @ $30/hr
Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano |
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 Lessons conducted by Harvard undergraduate musicians. For more information, contact Ryan Fitzgerald at fitzger2@fas.harvard.edu.
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| Burr Cooperative Nursery School
Open House |
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Please join Burr Cooperative Nursery School
for our annual Open House, where parents and children can meet our
teachers, talk to current families, and enjoy a craft and a snack! We
are now enrolling for the 2010-2011 school year.
Wednesday, October 28, 4-7pm
64 Hancock Street, Newton, MA 02466
www.burrcoop.org |
| Community Preservation Committee
Public hearing for new funding proposals Nov 18 |
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The CPC will hold a public hearing for new funding proposals on 18 November 2009 starting at 6:30 pm in the City Hall Cafeteria (basement). With the exact order to be determined, the proposals being presented are: Angino Farm Barn Rehabilitation ($568,000); City Archives - Combined ($36,545); City Hall Historic Art ($5,200); Historic Preservation Guidelines ($55,000); Museum Collections Storage ($30,000); Veteran House (community housing at 2148-50 Commonwealth Avenue, Auburndale, $360,000). The new proposals are now available in the Newton Free Library on Homer Street; ask reference staff for help in finding this material. All proposals will also be posted online before the November 18 public hearing. For details, contact Alice Ingerson at aingerson@newtonma.gov, 617.796.1144, or check the webpage at www.ci.newton.ma.us/cpa. |
| Free workshops for middle school parents |
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" The Middle School Years...The Pressure to Fit In", a Special 2-part workshop in November, sponsored by all Four Newton Middle School PTOs and "The Newton Partnership" - These two workshops will provide Middle School parents with suggestions on how to support their children during these transition years. Parents will explore techniques that encourage positive teen friendships, help deal with cliques, build a middle-schooler's confidence and help find ways to balance demands. Attendance at both workshops is encouraged but not required. Facilitators: Amy Comeau, M.Ed and Rolanda Prophete, LICSW. Amy is currently the Middle School Prevention and Intervention Counselor at Day and Bigelow Middle Schools. Rolanda is the Prevention and Intervention Counselor at Brown and Oak Hill Middle Schools. Part 1: Thurs. Nov. 12th 7-8:30pm at Bigelow Middle School; Part 2: Wed. Nov. 18th 7-8:30pm at Brown Middle School. Pre-registration is requested, but all are welcome to come: ann_picariello@newton.k12.ma.us or 617-559-9060. "How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride": Are you worried about your kids getting involved in risky behavior? Have you and your preteen/teen stopped communicating? What do you need to understand about adolescent development to minimize your own stress? Sue Blaney, author of Please Stop the Rollercoaster! How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride", the acclaimed guide for parents and parent discussion groups, will be speaking at the Newton Free Library Thurs. Nov. 5th from 7-8:30 pm. Parents attending will gain an understanding of how parenting preteens/teenagers is so different from parenting younger children. Blaney has spoken widely and has presented for the U.S. Department of Education. She advises parents of teenagers and secondary school educators to increase parent engagement and improve communication. She has been interviewed in the national and regional media as a Certified Professional Behavior Analyst and a communications expert. (Co-sponsored by Newton's PTO Council, the Newton Free Library, Project INTERFACE and The Newton Partnership.) | |
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