| Mark your Calendar |
Nov. 30, 5-8 pm
Book Fair Night & PTO Meeting
Nov. 30, Dec. 1 & 3School Book Fair
Dec. 4 Burr FriendTrip: Ice Skating at Frog Pond
1-3pm
Dec. 7, 7 pm
NPS Bullying Presentation
|
 Volunteer
Opportunities |
Science & Engineering Week
Does your career or hobby involve science, engineering or math? How about the environment or sustainability? Would you be willing to share your excitement about one of these topics with a class of Burr students for 30 minutes? Email us with questions or for more information. Newsletter Editors
Ever been at a cocktail party and wanted to tell people, "Me? Oh, I'm an editor." Well here's your chance! For only a few hours a month, you could be in-the-know about all things Burr. It's interesting work, and all the content's provided. Think about it - if we get enough staff, we could start having mixers! For more information, e-mail Ellen Chu or Jeffrey Yerkes
|
|
|
Gift for Burr - There's still time to donate!
| | |
 We are very thankful to the 122 (40%) Burr families that have donated to the Gift for Burr. There's still time to make a tax-deductible donation before the end of the year. Does your company have a matching gift program? If so, you can double your gift! Get your matching gift forms in before December 31. Our Tax ID # is 043574938. Please send in your check today or click here to donate by credit card online. Remember: This is the school year's only big fundraiser. Every child benefits from all that the Gift for Burr makes possible. We need every family to contribute to make this campaign a success. Thank you, Nancy Caulfield & Margaret Crook
|
| Burr 7th Annual Science & Engineering Week January 10-14, 2011 | | |
 Does your career or hobby involve science, engineering or math? How about the environment or sustainability? Would you be willing to share your excitement about one of these topics with a class of Burr students for 30 minutes?
We're organizing Burr's 7th Annual Science & Engineering Week, which brings parents into the classroom to provide our children with an exciting and accessible view of science and engineering. The kids love these presentations and they're easy and rewarding for the presenter.
We hope you'll participate by giving a 30-minute presentation to one or more classes during the week of January 10-14. If you're interested, please use the link below to provide us with the necessary information for scheduling by Friday December 3rd.
Email us at BurrScienceWeek@gmail.com with any questions or for more information.
Joanne Kotz and Ted Vahey
Click here to fill out the Presenter Questionnaire.
|
| Burr "FriendTrip" Annual Frog Pond Ice Skating Party - Saturday, Dec. 4, 1-3pm | | |
 Looking for family-oriented adventures with other Burr families? Join us for FriendTrips, family-oriented daytrips in the Boston area, organized by the PTO. FriendTrips is a way for YOUR family to get to know other Burr families from both Boston and Newton. Together, our families go on outings, get to know each other on a first-name basis, and have fun!
Details For Ice Skating at Frog Pond,
Saturday, December 4 from 1-3 pm
Bring your own skates or rent them there. There is a snack bar on site with a full array of hot and cold treats, you may want to bring a little extra money for snacks. We'll try to meet in the same area as last year (tables in the back left corner beyond the main building). Although the PTO organizes the event, families are responsible for supervising their own kids at the rink. The line to get in to Frog Pond can be a little nutty...try to show as close to 1pm as you can if you want to socialize with other Burr Families as we wait to get into the rink!
Admission: Free for ages 13 and under; $4 for 14 and over.
Ice Skates: Rental is $5 for 13 and under. $8 for 14 and over. Or bring your own skates.
You can just show up for this event--no prior RSVP necessary--though, it is helpful for us to know if you think that you might join us so we can find you at the rink when you arrive. Email Dana Hanson in advance or call her cell at the event (617) 515-0287 so we can all connect. See you there!
|
| The Pretzels' Last Stand | | |
 This Friday will be the last opportunity to get those warm, chewy pretzels right after school at the flagpole - Just $1.00! Thank you to everyone who has been buying pretzels this fall to support the 5th grade. We appreciate it!
We'll be back in the spring!!
|
Burr Literature Fund
| | |
Does the Newton School Committee's "no gifts" policy leave you wondering how to recognize your child's teachers at this time of year? A donation to the Classroom Literature Fund is a great way to say thank you! It also supports your child's education by providing books for his or her classroom.
Fund donations are pooled and divided equally among all Burr teachers in the form of gift certificates to the New England Mobile Book Fair, where teachers can purchase books for their classrooms. Along with the gift certificate, each teacher or specialist receives a note with the names of the families who have donated to the Fund in their honor.
If you'd like to make a donation to the Classroom Literature Fund, please send your child's name and the teachers he or she wishes to honor, along with a check payable to the Burr School PTO, to the Classroom Literature Fund by December 17th via the folder in your child's backpack. Questions? Contact Marni Goldstein Caputo at 617-785-8690 or at mgolds2@yahoo.com. And thank YOU!
|
|
Burr Book Fair 2010!
This Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday
| |
 An annual Burr School tradition! The cafeteria will be converted to a top-notch bookstore for three days the week after Thanksgiving. It's a convenient, low stress way to get an early jump on your holiday shopping...and all purchases support the Burr PTO. Book prices are typical for paperbacks and hardcovers, though there are some discounted selections starting at $2-$3.
SCHOOL DAY BOOK FAIR HOURS
Tuesday November 30, Wednesday December 1 and
Friday December 3
All Days - 8-11 am
Burr parents are welcome to shop and browse before school each day...or visit when their child's class is scheduled (see below)...or really ANYTIME we're open!
FAMILY BOOK FAIR NIGHT & PTO MEETING
Tuesday, November 30, 5-8 pm
Parents, children, grandparents, neighbors, and friends are welcome-the more the merrier! Pizza will be available for purchase at 5:30 pm at the "Family Book Fair Night". Childcare provided while parents shop and take in the PTO meeting at 7 pm.
Beloved Burr Literacy Specialist Kalpana Guttman will give a presentation during the meeting about literacy at Burr Elementary. She will also be available to assist families with book choices.
CLASS BOOK FAIR SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, November 30th
8:30-8:55 4-Taylor
8:55-9:20 K- McMahon
9:20-9:45 4-Robinson
9:45-10:05 K-Frail
10:05-10:30 4-Cohen
10:30-10:55 1-Espinal
Wednesday, December 1st
8:30-8:55 2-Field
8:40-9:05 2-Roberts
8:55-9:20 2-Creeden
3-Silva (MOVED TO FRIDAY)
9:45-10:05 1-Gaita
10:05-10:30 K-Fitch
10:30-10:55 1-Golden
Friday, December 3rd
8:30-8:55 3-Lawton
8:55-9:20 5-Cooley
9:45-10:05 5-Moran
10:05-10:30 3-Silva (NOTE: New Time)
10:30-10:55 3-Canning
During the book fair, please be sure to look for classroom teacher "wish list" book selections at the register area. Teachers will identify books they would like to add to their classroom libraries and then families may purchase them. This is a great opportunity to build classroom libraries for all Burr children to enjoy collectively.
Questions about the Book Fair? Contact Dana Hanson or Nancy Caulfield.
|
| Are You Wondering What is Being Done to Address Bullying in Your Child's School? | | |
Come and learn one of the ways in which the Newton Public Schools are addressing the problem. What Can Parents Do to Stop Bullying? The Steps to Respect Curriculum for Elementary Students in Newton will be presented Tuesday, December 7th, 7:00 - 8:30pm at Bowen Elementary School, 280 Cypress Street, Newton 02459.
This presentation targets parents of children in grades 3, 4, and 5. The focus of this evening is to introduce Steps to Respect, the anti-bullying curriculum, that is being implemented across the district. This curriculum employs a school-wide approach to teach students to prevent and stop bullying. It also teaches students to improve their empathy and friendship-making skills. Parents can play an important role in supporting their children's skills by learning about the curriculum and reinforcing these lessons at home.
Presenters are Gwendolyn J. Smith, K-8 Wellness Curriculum Coordinator and Iris G. Leigh, Curriculum Specialist, both of the Newton Public Schools.
Co-sponsored by the Newton Public Schools and The Newton Partnership. |
Parent Advisory Committee - Information
| | Hello from your new PAC Liaisons, Hadar Agam and Tracy Carter (and you, if you would like to join us). First of all, we would like to thank Erika Drezner for all her hard work in the past few years as the Burr PAC Liaison. Thank you!
For those of you who don't know what the PAC is, it is the Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education and we serve as a liaison between parents of students with special needs and school district administrators. The PAC offers information to the community on a range of disabilities, resources, remediation approaches, and education issues. The Newton PAC runs the Newton PAC online discussion group as a forum for parents to exchange information and share suggestions for community resources. For more information, contact them at info@newtonpac.org or click HERE to view their brochure.
We have some very exciting events coming up and they include:
Inclusive School's week- "Awareness to Action", December 6th-10th: Inclusive Schools Week is an annual event held each year during the first week in December. Since its inception in 2001, Inclusive Schools Week has celebrated the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students who are marginalized due to disability, gender, socio-economic status, cultural heritage, language preference and other factors. The Week also provides an important opportunity for educators, students and parents to discuss what else needs to be done in order to ensure that their schools continue to improve their ability to successfully educate all children. Look for special activities coming home and in the Bulletin. Talk to your kids about what they are doing in school that help remind us all how to be a more inclusive community.
Upcoming PAC meetings, held at 7:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 100 Walnut Street, Newtonville, in Room 210 and with light refreshments and networking that start at 7:15.
- December 9 - Awareness to Action: What it means to be an inclusive community
- January 19 - Newton's Anti-Bullying Policy - A discussion for parents of children with special needs
- February 10 - TBD
- March 23 - Mock IEP Meeting in a Fishbowl (Abby Hanscom)
- April 14 - Social Thinking (Tracey Stoll, M.Ed.)
- May 18 - TBD
- June 2 - 2nd Annual Awards Celebrarion
If you have any comments or questions contact us at,
Tracy Carter, tgunrud@hotmail.com, or Hadar Agam, hadar_agam@hotmail.com
|
Flu Vaccine Clinic - December 7
| | |
 We A free flu vaccine clinic will be held on TUESDAY, Dec. 7 from 4 to 6 p.m. at Our Lady's Church, 573 Washington St., Newton. Both flu shots and the nasal spray flu vaccine will be available. People age 6 months and older may be vaccinated at this clinic. The clinic is free and open to all people, but please bring your insurance cards if possible. Forms will be available in advance at www.newtonma.gov/flu or get them at the clinic.
For questions or additional information, call the Health Department at (617) 796-1420.
|
Indoor Lacrosse at Newton North H.S.
| | |
 MINOR GROUP - 3 - 5 pm Grades 3-6
JUNIOR GROUP 5 - 7 pm Grades 7-9
Sessions are on Sundays from January 2nd through March 6th
Inexperienced players are welcome and encouraged to participate!!
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM - 7 - 9:45 pm - Grades 10th-12th
Sessions are on Thursdays from January 6th through March 3rd.
There are limited spots available for senior program sign ups,
prior registration is a requirement.
Equipment Needed: Sticks, helmets, gloves, sneakers, pads, and mouthpieces are required.
Registration Fee: $130/player ($200/family); $135 Non-Resident
Application and Information is available at:
www.ci.newton.ma.us/parks
www.newtonlacrosse.com
Any Questions e-mail: Bussy Adam tigerlax34@verizon.net
|
Fiddler on the Roof - FREE Performance
| | |
Kesher Newton invites the community to a free children's performance of "Fiddler on the Roof" on Tuesday December 7 at 5:15 pm.
The 45-minute musical will be performed by the elementary school students of Kesher Newton, ages 6 through 11. Watch Tevye marry off his daughters, and enjoy favorite songs in English and Hebrew. The performance will be held at Kesher Newton, which is located in the Trinity Episcopal Church Parish House on Furber Lane (adjacent to 11 Homer Street) in Newton Center.
Kesher Newton is a nationally-recognized alternative to traditional Hebrew School, where children learn Jewish culture and Hebrew language in a spirited, camp-like environment For more information, contact Executive Director Dan Brosgol at dan@keshernewton.org or (617) 244-5390.
|
Christmas Reflections at Boston College
| | |
Christmas Reflections beautifully blends the spirituality of the Christmas season with a performance of music, story and dance that is heartwarming, entertaining and a wonderful reminder of the "true meaning of Christmas".
PERFORMANCE DATES:
December 17 (Friday) at 7:30pm and
December 18 & 19 (Saturday and Sunday) at 3:00pm
Tickets $15.00
Running Time: 1 hr 30 mins
With a cast of professional dancers from NY and Boston, students and
alumni of Boston College, the O'Dwyer School of Irish Dancing and a host of children of all ages, Christmas Reflections narrates, sings and dances the story of Christmas according to Luke, an Irish Christmas according to Seamus, and a contemporary Christmas in Boston according to Father Bob, Pastor of St. Ignatius and Choreographer of the show.
Beyond its spiritual and celebratory value, Christmas Relfections is an economic value as well. At $15 general admission, it is within the reach of many families looking to do something special this Holiday season.
For Tickets and Information, call the box office at 617-552-4002
Robsham Theater Arts Center, Boston College. Last stop on the
Boston College Green Line. Handicapped accessible. Free parking.
|
Storytelling Event
| | |
Bear's Tail and other Animal Tales
All Ages Story Swap and Performance
Sunday, Dec 5th at 3:00 - 5:00pm
at Gorse Mill Open Studios
31 Thorpe Road, Needham, MA
Cindy Rivka Marshall celebrates the release of her new recording,
Bear's Tail and other Animal Tales, recipient of a Parents' Choice Award and a Storytelling World Award. Come hear folktales from around the world. All ages will also be invited to swap stories (5 minutes maximum.) Come share your story about animals - amusing pet adventures... an encounter with a wild animal...a favorite legend... squirrels in the attic...everyone has an Animal Tale!
There will be lots of wonderful art and crafts on display and for sale during the Open Studios, including painting, photography, pottery, glassblowing demonstrations, and more.
Open Studio Hours: Saturday, December 4, 11 am -5 pm and
Sunday, December 5, 12 - 5 pm. Come visit!
|
|
|
|
|
