| Mark your Calendar | Sept. 13
All School Meeting
Sept. 13
Back to School Picnic
Tonight, 5-7pm
PTO Meeting, 7pm
Informal orientation meeting for newcomers at 6:30pm
Sept. 17
School Picture Day
Sept. 22
Curriculum Night
7-9pm
Sept. 30
Early Release Thursday
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 Volunteer
Opportunities |
The Burr Bulletin Needs YOU !!!Think it would be cool to know how to create these snazzy emails? Join the Burr Bulletin editor team and you can do just that! Volunteers will be responsible for creating the bulletin about once a month, and the work can be done at home at whatever time is convenient for you. If you are interested and/or would like more information, please contact us at bulletin@burrpto.org |
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From Ms. Johal's Desk
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 Dear Families,
Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year! I am excited to begin this journey with you towards an invigorating and rewarding school year. I am truly looking forward to collaborating with the faculty, families, and students to create a engaging, safe, supportive, and inclusive educational environment.
Our first few days have been wonderful. The staff and several PTO members have worked over the summer months to ensure a smooth school opening. Thanks to Jack Tobin, our head custodian, the building looks fabulous. Countless hours were spent cleaning, updating and decorating the building in preparation. Teachers have been coming in for a couple of weeks now getting their classrooms ready. Each room was artfully set up to welcome its new inhabitants and help ease them into the new school year. I can only imagine how the children felt coming into brightly decorated classrooms with their names on cubbies and bulletin boards, and special messages from their teachers posted around the room.
A big thank you goes to Maura Albano, my executive assistant, and to the parents who have helped to prepare for our school opening. So many of you have worked diligently behind the scenes by sending out the summer mailing, helping me host my first Principal/Parent Coffee, arranging play dates for our incoming kindergarteners, getting out time sensitive information to the community, providing a delicious "Back to School" luncheon for the staff, helping kick off our Green Wednesday's during lunch, and planning the school picnic. Of course, this is just a sampling of all the hard work that you have done to ensure the start of school is organized and that families feel welcomed.
I have spent these first few days of school popping into classrooms and getting a feel for how everyone is settling in. Students have been involved in assorted activities ranging from scavenger hunts to learn about their classmates and teachers, to writing and/or drawing about their hopes and dreams for the new school year. It is so wonderful to see their assorted responses. Some made me chuckle and some could rival my own goals for the year.
I am looking forward to spending as much time as possible in the classrooms with students and teachers supporting and improving teaching and learning for the adults (myself included) and the children at our school. The commitment and expertise of the Burr staff is second to none. I am already so impressed with the way that so many of them have stepped up to quietly take on projects for the good of the group. Leadership committees have been formed and teachers are looking at student data from last year and preparing for the fall assessments. This work will help us determine how to best meet the need of each student.
This school year brings several new and talented staff members to the Burr community and we still have a few more support positions to fill. A complete staff listing will be posted in the next Burr Bulletin and new staff members will all be introduced on Curriculum Night on September 22, 7:00 - 9:00pm. I hope to see many of you at the school picnic and at our first PTO meeting on September 16, at 7:00pm (kindergarten parents please arrive at 6:30pm). Have a wonderful week.
Sincerely,
Mindy Johal
A Few Reminders: Please remember that Newton's Life Threatening Food Allergies policy calls for reducing/eliminating food in schools for birthday and holiday celebrations. For the past five years, the teachers and parents have thought of creative alternative ways to acknowledge and celebrate students' birthdays in class.
Please remember to return the yellow Student Contact Information sheets to school, if you haven't already done so. As you know, it is crucial that the school has correct and updated student/parent contact information throughout the year. If you change your address or phone number(s) during the year, please let us know!
If your child will be tardy or absent on a given day, please call the "call back" number to leave a message: 617-559-9380. Please do not call the main number.
Please do NOT call the office to have us give messages to your child unless it is an emergency. With 390+ students in the building, taking and delivering messages overwhelms the office and disrupts classrooms. Please make after school arrangements and tell your child what these are, before sending your child to school. We appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
Photo of Mindy Johal courtesy of Steve Annear of the Newton Tab
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Back to School Picnic TONIGHT 5 -7pm
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Come make new friends and meet old ones at the Burr Back to School picnic
TONIGHT from 5-7 pm! The picnic will be on the Burr fields behind school,
and is open to all Burr families and staff. Bring your own picnic dinner,
or purchase food from local vendor Dogs on the Run. Note that there are
several vegetarian options. The picnic is Rain or Shine. We'll see
you there!
Parking tonight - please read carefully
Because this is such a beloved annual Burr event, we expect a large
crowd. Please walk or carpool if at all possible. Because this is
an after-school event, the Faculty/Staff parking lot is available and we
encourage parents to park there. (The small driveway at the BCAP entrance
is NOT available.) If you park on the street, please check all parking signs
carefully and be sure to park legally and in a way that does not obstruct the
flow of traffic or our neighbors' driveways. You MAY park in the Blue
Zones and Bus Zones, but please do not park in the "No Parking 8am to
4pm" zones on Washburn Ave and on Pine St. (between the Faculty/Staff
parking lot and Pine Meadow Dr.) Even though it is technically legal
after 4pm, these stretches are very narrow and when cars line both sides of the
street it creates a dangerous and frustrating situation for everyone. Your
cooperation will ensure that our neighbors are able to get to and from their
homes safely, and that emergency vehicles are able to respond in case of an
emergency. These rules are a little confusing at the beginning of
the year, but before you know it, everyone will be a vehicular pro at Burr!
Finally, since this is an all school event, please
make sure to watch your child on the playground, as it gets very crowded. THANKS!
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PTO Meeting Thursday, September 16
7pm in the Cafetorium at Burr
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Please join us this coming Thursday night at 7pm for the first PTO meeting of the 2010-2011 school year.
If
you have a child attending Burr School, then you are already a member
of the PTO, so just stop by to see what is going on. Babysitting
services will be provided by Burr alumni in the Music Room. A small
donation to defray the cost of the sitters is requested.
If you
are new to Burr and want to know more about the PTO in an informal
setting please come at 6:30. There will be an informal intro given
by our Co-Presidents Tracy Carter and Steve DeJesus. The General
Meeting starts at 7:00.
Meeting Agenda:
The 2010-2011 Burr PTO budget will be reviewed and voted on.
Our new principal, Ms. Mindy Johal, will say a
few words and answer questions. Upcoming PTO events will be discussed as well as ways for everyone to get involved.
Refreshments will be provided by our wonderful hospitality team.
Hope to see you there!
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School Picture Order Forms
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 By now you should have received the order forms for school picture day in your child's folder. Please return in folders by photo day, Friday, September 17th. Questions? Please contact Johanne Campbell: johanne.campbell@gmail.com |
Volunteer Opportunities and Thanks
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| Thank
you Envelope Stuffers!
Thanks
to folks who came to school in August to help stuff envelopes for the
summer principal/PTO mailing: Ms. Johal, Tricia Bombara, Tracy
Carter, Dana Hanson, and Carrie Ranta.
Please
help welcome new Burr families
Are
you a friendly person willing to write a welcoming note to a new
family who has a student in your child's grade? If so, please
participate in our small buddy program to welcome families who are
new to Burr. We need families with children in grades 1-5 (not
Kindergarten). If you are interested, please contact Diana
Fisher Gomberg dfgomberg@gmail.com
Are
you, like, soooo "over" Burr School?
This
is the time of year when we say farewell to families of last spring's
graduated 5th grade class. (Sniff)
If your child
has graduated from Burr and you no longer wish to receive Burr PTO
emails, please click the "SafeUnsubscribe" link at the bottom of this email. No hard feelings...we know you
will always reflect fondly on your days of membership in the Burr
PTO. We will miss YOU, as well. Naturally, if you would like
to stay on our email list, we would love to have you!
Volunteer
in the Burr Library
Volunteering
in the Burr Library is a wonderful way to participate in the school
and in your child's education! It's easy! It's a great opportunity to
get to know the children in your child's class and meet some other
Burr parents.
What is involved?
Spend 30-45 minutes
in the library (every week or every other week) helping your child's
class checking books in and out and putting books back on the
shelves. (Training is provided). That's all there is to it! Training sessions will be Monday 9/20 at 8:30am and Wednesday 9/22
at 2:00pm
Your participation allows our librarian to
focus on teaching the class and helping our children select books.
Many parents alternate weeks with another parent. If your
child's class time is inconvenient, you are welcome to volunteer for
another class. For more information please contact: Jan
Shoyer, PTO Library Volunteer Coordinator
rickfjans@yahoo.com,
617-969-8332
Kindergarten
Literacy Volunteers
We
are looking for volunteers to work with Kindergartners on early
literacy. Volunteers would need to commit to 30 minutes once a
week, from 8:30-9:00 or from 11:30-12:00. You would work with
the same 5-6 students each week, helping them at the Sound Table,
working with sandpaper letters helping students to match sound to
symbol. Later in the year you will work with phonics and sight
words. This is a very rewarding volunteer job, as you get to
see the growth in each student through the school year, and the
parents who did it last year said they loved it. We have some
Kindergarten parents who have volunteered already, but we need a few
more volunteers for each class. You need not be a Kindergarten
parent to volunteer. Ms. Gutman, the Literacy Specialist will
schedule a training session in the next couple of weeks for all
Kindergarten literacy volunteers. Please contact:
kalpana_guttman@newton.k12.ma.us
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Back by Popular Demand - Family Photo Day!
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Looking for a great holiday photo of your entire family? Put off
by the high sitting fees of professional photographers? Here is your
chance to get a beautiful family picture at a reduced cost and benefit
Burr as well.
Coffee Pond Photography will be holding a Family Photo Day this Saturday, September 18th at the Auburndale Cove.
Their regular sitting fee has been reduced to $50 for this occasion (a
more than 30% savings), plus a portion of each payment goes to our
school. Interested families must sign up by Wednesday, September 15th at 3pm
in order to participate. And fear not, if you have a conflict this
Saturday, they are planning a second session on October 23rd. Just call 800-632-2323 to make an appointment.
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Burr Blue Zone Buzz
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| The Burr Safe Routes to School
team wishes everyone a warm welcome to a new year at Burr! A big "thank you"
to the many families doing their part to make the trip to and from school safer
for everyone by walking whenever possible
and by following the Blue Zone regulations
when driving.
Please take a minute right now to
visit the Burr Safe Routes to School website, it is packed
with information on the Safe Routes program, walk to school initiatives,
traffic safety and Blue Zone regulations. Be sure to view and download a
copy of the Burr School Zone Map, a color-coded map
that shows the locations of the No Parking, Live Parking Only, and Blue Zones,
along with an explanation of each. This is a great resource for anyone
who drives to Burr, so please print one out
for yourself and give a copy to
grandparents, babysitters, and friends, anyone who drops off or
picks up your child.
If you have any questions or concerns about the Blue Zone, traffic
safety, or walking to school, or if you would like to join the Burr Safe
Routes Committee to help increase the number of families who walk to school and
improve the traffic safety around Burr, please
email us at burrsaferoutes@gmail.com
QUICK REMINDERS
Always use the crosswalk, especially with children! Adults need to model safe behavior so children will know what to do when you're
not with them.
Never park along the yellow curb on Pine St. Vehicles parked (or stopped) here
create gridlock which leads to frustration and unsafe conditions.
This is a No Parking zone from 8am to 4pm on school days and the Newton
Police will ticket cars in this area.
If you need to get out of your car at drop-off or
pick-up, please leave
yourself enough time to find a legal parking space. Drivers cannot
leave cars in the Blue Zone, No Parking, or Live Parking Only areas.
These may seem like little things ("It's OK, I'm holding his hand" or "I'll
only be a few minutes") and they may be - when only ONE person does
them. But imagine what
Pine Street
would look like if EVERYONE did them. YOU are EVERYONE.
COMING SOON
Blue Zone Safety Week!
We need
parent volunteers at drop-off and pick-up for quick shifts in the Blue Zones
and "No Parking" areas to help keep the Blue Zone moving and the
"No Parking" areas clear. Can
you help?
International
Walk to School Day - October 6
We need
parent volunteers to organize "Walking Parties" from their
neighborhoods. And we need walkers - lots and lots of walkers!
Want to get involved? Please send an email to the Burr Safe Routes team!
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Thank You From The
Hospitality Committee
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Hospitality Committee is happy to report that Burr teachers and staff
enjoyed both the End of the Year Luncheon and the Back to School
Luncheon sponsored by the Burr parents! Thanks to your monetary
contributions we were able to purchase delicious food and cold drinks
to serve at the luncheons. We added some bright flowers, homemade side
dishes and a variety of desserts, all of which were donated by
parents. We want to thank the following people for donating an item or
helping with set up or clean up at the luncheon: Tracy Carter, Amanda
Loftus, Stephanie Mamis, Dana Hanson, Tricia Bombara, Maren Osland, Beth
Viveiros, Kelly Brown, Mary Lewis, Jill Greblick, Ann Marie Regan, Pam
McVey, Rob Heinstein, Jenny McKee-Heinstein, Ellen Regan, Junko Shibuya,
English Levin, Diane Miccalizzi, Carey Ranta and Lin Themelis.
If you would like to join the PTO's hospitality team let us know! We
help organize food and drinks for the Parent Principal Coffees, PTO
Meetings, Teacher Appreciation Breakfast and the two Luncheons
mentioned. We welcome Newcomers!
Your Hospitality Committee,
Andrea Flint, Johanne Campbell, Yumi Svedloff, Kristin Frohn and Judy Greenblatt
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Welcome to the 2010-11 School Year
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Please click http://www3.newton.k12.ma.us/ to see a welcome video from Superintendent Dr. David A. Fleishman.
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The Child Assault Prevention (CAP) Program
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| The Child Assault Prevention (CAP) program in Newton is looking for committed and dedicated child advocates to present its personal safety curriculum in local elementary schools.
Join up with current and experienced volunteer Prevention Specialists to teach children to recognize and respond to verbal, physical and sexual assault and abuse. Potential volunteers are community members who believe that children have the right to information, skills and the support of adults. We offer a flexible schedule to volunteers who enjoy teamwork and can make a yearlong commitment of three or four mornings a month. The 3-day training will be held in Newton on Oct. 22, 23 and 24, 8:45-4pm
For information or to set up an interview call Gail Sommer, 617-969-5906, x143 or email, gsommer@ncscweb.org Newton CAP is a program of Newton Community Service Center. Visit our webpage at www.ncscweb.org for a description of the program and of the volunteer Prevention Specialist position.
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Project INTERFACE
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Project INTERFACE
(PI), an initiative of the Freedman Center at The Massachusetts School of
Professional Psychology (MSPP), provides mental health resource and referral
services for children and families. Its mission is to
increase access to mental health and wellness resources within the communities
it serves. The Newton Schools have contracted with MSPP/Freedman Center through
the Newton Partnership to provide professional, personalized
counseling referrals matched for location, specialty and insurance or fee
requirements. The Newton community can call the PI HELPLINE at 617-332-3666 x 411, Monday-Friday from 9-5
pm, to consult with a Resource and Referral Counselor. A community web page has
also been developed at www.projectinterface.org This web page includes categorized
resources about a wide variety of mental health and wellness topics. In
addition, the site lists related upcoming events, such as lectures, training
sessions, and out of school time resources.
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LOST: Car/House Keys!
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Honda
key and remote on turqouise elastic ring. Lost at Burr School on Friday
afternoon (9/10). If found, please leave at front desk of Burr
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Moody Street Circus After-School
Circus Arts Program Tuesdays 2-3:30pm or Thursdays 3:30 - 5:00pm
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Calling
girls and boys aged 7 - 12! Run away with the circus (but do it after
school without actually having to leave home for good!) Circus stars
Sacha and Melinda Pavlata are hosting Fall 2010 after-school programs
on either Tuesdays (specially organized to accommodate Newton's early
release time) or Thursdays in their Waltham, MA headquarters, Moody
Street Circus. MSC is located very near to Burr School at 397 Moody
Street on the 2nd floor www.moodystreetcircus.com Limited class size. Joyful results guaranteed!
Students
in our Circus Afterschool Program will practice tumbling, pyramid
formation, rola bola, rolling globe, tightrope walking, juggling and
clowning skills and mini trampoline. They will also learn the basics
in circus aerial arts including cloud swing, static trapeze, rings,
web, lyra and silks. Email melinda@cirquepassion.com with questions. |
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