| Mark your Calendar |
April 29
Creative Arts and Sciences (K)
Emilie Boone
May 2-6
Teacher Appreciation Week
May 2-8
Library Gift Book Sale
May 4
Mass Walk to School Day
May 4
Burr at the Red Sox
May 5
Staff Appreciation Breakfast
May 8
May Fair 12-3
May 15
Newton Serves at Burr |
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| Upcoming Creative Arts and Sciences Programs | | |
Kindergarten
Emilie Boone, Author and Illustrator, Friday, April 29th in the Classrooms
How is a book born? Emilie Boon, the talented author and illustrator of many books such as Peterkin Meets a Star, Belinda's Balloon and No Kiss for Grandpa by Harriet Ziefert, will be offering the Kindergartners a sneak peek into the world of the author/illustrator.
Her presentation will include a drawing demonstration as well as a discussion of her beautifully crafted book, Peterkin Meets a Star. In this story, Peterkin plucks a star from the sky and takes it home for his own; but the star is not happy in its new environment. She will then conclude with an interactive workshop during which the students will create their own simple accordion book to illustrate. The schedule will be as follows:
8:45-9:45 Ms. Fitch's class
10-11:00 Ms. McMahon's class
11:15-12:15 Ms. Frail's class
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:
Felicia Falchuk felicia.falchuk@gmail.com; Beth Tierney bethtierney@comcast.net; Pam McVey s.richard@verizon.net
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| Burr Red Sox Tickets for May 4 Game | | |
 Burr Red Sox Tickets - Get 'Em Before They're Gone!
Join the crowd on Wednesday May 4th at 7:10pm to see the Red Sox take on the Angels at Fenway Park. This is your chance to see the Red Sox, hang out with friends, and help raise money for Burr at the same time! We have our very own section this year - the Right Field Roof Box Terrace B will become our very own Burrpen! This section combines seating and standing areas so we can watch the game while mixing and mingling in a relaxed atmosphere. We have the entire block of 85 tickets - 35 Tickets for Reserved Seats at $50 each and 50 Standing Room Only Tickets at $30 each - but they're going fast. Parking Passes are also available for LAZ Parking at the Landmark Center for just $15!
For more information or if you need an order form Click Here. Questions? Contact Joanmarie Lee at joanmarie@ad-vantageinc.com
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Massachusetts Walk to School Day May 4th
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Massachusetts Walk to School Day - Wednesday, May 4th
Next Wednesday May 4th will be a great day to walk to school! Burr is joining with other schools across Newton and across the state to participate in Massachusetts Walk to School Day, so make plans to leave the car at home and walk with friends and neighbors. If you can't walk with your kids, maybe they can walk with other families in your neighborhood or be dropped off at the house of a friend who is walking. Taking the bus also reduces the number of cars on the road and in the Blue Zone and is a great GREEN option. Questions? Want to get involved? Email us at: BurrSafeRoutes@gmail.com
Coordinated by The Newton Safe Routes to School Task Force |
| Join Newton Serves at Burr on May 15! | | |
 Burr School Needs You!!
Sunday May 15
Noon to 3:30
Meet us in the garden! Please wear old clothes,bring gloves & garden tools. We have tons of yard work and a few painting and fix up jobs on the list this year
ALL are welcome and encouraged to HELP
To register, go to:
http://www.newtoncommunitypride.org/NewtonSERVES-volunteer.php
To get more info contact : kellyebrown@verizon.net or bill.hoch@hotmail.com. |
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Breakfast
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We are busy planning for the Teacher and Staff Appreciation Breakfast to be held on Thursday May 5th. Thank you for your monetary donations and offers to help with set-up and clean up! We could still use a few offers of homemade goodies for the breakfast (fruit or baked goods). There is still time to donate an item for the breakfast or send in your donation in the PTO Hospitality envelope. We thank you so much for helping to celebrate and thank our teachers and staff at Burr.
Please call or email Andrea Flint with any questions: 617-559-0128 or flintandrea@aol.com
Burr Hospitality Committee |
| April Showers bring May Flowers | | |
 Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2nd-May 6th, and Burr School's annual tradition returns!
What's this tradition? Every year during Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week, Burr School students bring in a flower to their teachers, teacher aides, specialists and other staff to show their appreciation.
Since we have so many great teachers and staff at our school, each classroom will be assigned names of teachers/staff to remember and to thank with flowers.
Flowers can be from your garden or store bought; or, if flowers aren't your thing, a drawing, or special card is a great way to show thanks too!
Room Parents will be getting in touch with their classrooms later this week with more details.
Questions? Contact Pam McVey at s.richard@verizon.net
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| Library Gift Book Sale May 2 - 8 | |  Do you want a good way to show your appreciation for our great Burr Faculty but still adhere to Newton 's No Gift policy?
With the Library Gift Book Sale you can! And you can make a gift that will benefit the children at the same time.
Here's how it works; You and your child select from recent library acquisitions, write a short dedication and pay the library's purchase price. A unique, personalized book plate is printed, inserted in the book, and delivered to the teacher you are honoring. It is a win-win situation - for you, your children's teachers, and the school library! Be on the lookout for the book list and order form in your child's folder later this week. We will also be selling before and after school during the week of May 2nd and we will have a table at the May Fair on May 8.
Volunteers are needed to help staff the library gift book sale, help students and parents select books, complete order forms and collect payments. Shifts are approximately 30 minutes long; 8:15 - 8:45 am, Monday through Friday morning, 2:45 - 3:15 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and 12;15 - 12:45 on Tuesday afternoon. This is a wonderful way to volunteer a small portion of your time at the end of the year. If you are interested, please contact Gretchen Becker at gretchenbecker@verizon.net or (781) 443-5909. |
| 5th Grade Raffle Results | |  The 2 Burr School raffle baskets were raffled off at the All School Meeting on Monday, April 11th.
Isabel Montalvan (1-Espinal) won the "Fun & Games" basket!
Mia Heyer-Fogelberg (5-Cooley) won the "Take me out to the ballgame" basket!
Congratulations to the winners!
Thank you to EVERYONE who bought tickets! Your support of the 5th grade is VERY MUCH appreciated! |
| School Store | | |
Stop by this week to check out what's new at the Burr School Store!!! We are open every Tuesday before school from 8:20-8:35. Shop early for the best selection and to make sure you are not late for class. |
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Found at Burr: HARRY POTTER DS GAME! | |  This game is too small and too expensive to put in the general lost and found. Wil Brown found it the other day and wants to get it back to its rightful owner.
Please email Wil Brown c/o Kellyebrown@verizon.net |
| Summer Speech and Language Program | | |
Emerson College's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders will be offering a 6-week speech and language therapy program to students in the City of Newton with documented need for services. Supervised graduate students in speech-language pathology will provide individual, one-on-one therapy, twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from July 5th through August 11th at the Newton Educational Center. The fee is $325.00 for 12 one-hour sessions. Spaces are limited but still available. Applications are available from the school speech-language pathologists or by contacting Laura Glufling-Tham at laura_glufling_tham@emerson.edu or via phone at 617-824-8318. |
Connecting Matters Cross-Community Action | |
Connecting Matters Cross-Community ActionApril 28, 7:30-9 p.m.Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Rd., WellesleyConnecting Matters is the message of Growing Up Healthy, a collaboration of more than 20 school-based, faith-based, and community-based organizations across Newton, Needham and Wellesley working to put the social and emotional well being of our youth at the forefront of our commuties' agenda. On April 28, we'll gather for a community action--parents, youth, school administrators educators, clergy, pediatricians, counselors, sports leaders and community leaders--to identify specific ways that we can make a difference together. We will share stories and best practices, learn how we can support each other, forge new partnerships and leave with a plan for continuing this important work in the future, ensuring that all kids grow up healthy on all fronts. Please join us. Newton Partnership and PTO Council are collaborators for this event. For more information, contact Neil Silverston at neil.silverston@gmail.com |
Happy 20th Anniversary to CAP! | | |
CAP (Child Assault Prevention Program) is celebrating 20 years of teaching Newton children to stay Safe, Strong and Free. Since 1991, CAP's volunteers have been dedicated to building a community where children are empowered by knowledge and strengthened by skills, together with the support and protection of caring adults.
CAP will host a 20th Anniversary celebration on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 4:00-5:30 at the Newton Free Library. Please join CAP and keynote speaker Martha Coakley, Massachusetts Attorney General in honoring the volunteers, teachers, principals and others who have supported CAP through the years. For more information, please contact Gail Sommer at 617-969-5906 x143. Visit Child Assault Prevention at www.ncscweb.org/ |
| Let's Sing a Song for Japan! | | Thursday 4/28 5:30-6:30PM
Auburndale Community Library (374 Auburndale St)
Please lend us your hands by sending your voices to Japan. Warm-hearted musicians, A2C & Yuki, in Boston have composed a beautiful song, "B2J", to convey our messages and wishes to Japan. A part of the song is comprised of four phrases where thousands of people can sing in chorus. We would love you to join this chorus. You may recall the great song "We are the World" and its strong power.
It will take about an hour for the recording of the four phrase chorus in your voice and taking your pictures. The song with your images will be distributed in Japan and broadcasted through YouTube, all over the world.
Your voice will brighten the hearts of people suffering there. Anyone is really welcome to join. Please join us and get your voice together to send power and love to Japan. We appreciate it very much if you could forward this information to your friends and colleagues. If you have any question or you need more details, please contact Junko Shibuya, shibuya@me.com. |
| Historic Newton Upcoming Events | | |
Tuesday, April 26, 7 pm
ENCOUNTERING SLAVERY AND RACE IN NEW ENGLAND
Slavery in America's Birthplace: Rethinking the History of Concord, Massachusetts
Known as the birthplace of American liberty, Concord, Massachusetts, was also a slave town from its founding until after the Revolution. Elise Lemire, author of Black Walden: Slavery and Its Aftermath in Concord, Massachusetts (2009), will share how and why slaves were used by local elites, what living conditions Concord's slaves endured, and how they helped effect their own emancipation. Professor Lemire will also discuss the lives of the enslaved men, women, and children of Concord after they achieved their freedom. At Myrtle Baptist Church, 21 Curve Street, West Newton. Free.
Friday, April 29, 5:30-7:00 pm
NEWTON SALUTES EXHIBIT CELEBRATION
From Hearth to Horizons: 125 years of the Social Science Club of Newton
Join club members for a reception celebrating the publication of From Hearth to Horizons: 125 Years of the Social Science Club of Newton. See highlights from the writings of the women of Social Science on the club's history since 1886, Newton and the wider world, and women's issues. Take this opportunity to meet the members and consider joining them in this local paper-writing group.
Saturday and Sunday, May 7 and 8, noon-5 pm
NEWTON COMMUNITY WEEKEND
Bring a Newton mom you know to the Museum to celebrate Mother's Day! Newton residents are invited to enjoy free admission to the museum. |
| Recycle Your Cycle! | |  Do you have used, old or broken bikes and bike parts taking up space in your garage or basement? Donate them to Bikes Not Bombs.
Bring them to Temple Beth Avodah, 45 Puddingstone Lane, Newton.
When? Sunday May 1st, 9am to 12:30pm.
Look for the POD in the parking lot.
Mo tricycles, kids bikes or scooters, please!
Bikes Not Bombs promotes bicycle technology as a concrete alternative to war and environmental destruction. From the mission statement: "Lasting peace and social justice require equitable and sustainable use of resources. BNB provides community-based education and assists development projects with recycled bicycles, related technologies and technical assistance...Our organization is part of a worldwide movement for peace and responsible stewardship of the earth." BNB works in Africa, South America, Caribbean, and soon New Orleans. BNB has a youth program for teens to teach teens how to build and maintain bicycles, empowering them with technical and leadership skills. http://bikesnotbombs.org
$10 donation appreciated but not required to offset the cost of shipping the bikes, parts,and supplies overseas.
For more info: call Jody 617 965 2996.
A project of Temple Beth Avodah Social Action Committee |
| Newton Free Library Book and Author Luncheon | | |
The Friends of the Newton Free Library present Julia Glass, author of The Widower's Tale, and Marianne Leone, author of Jesse: A Mother's Story, at the 27th Book and Author Luncheon
Friday, May 13, 2011,
12:00-2:45pm,
Newton Marriott, 2345 Commonwealth Ave (at Route 128.)
For tickets and more information, please visit
http://bookandauthorluncheon.wordpress.com/, email bookandauthor@gmail.com or call: 617-807-0238. |
| 2nd Annual Plant Exchange May 22 | | |
 Sunday May 22nd 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
27 George Street just off Centre Street in Newton Corner
(Off of Centre Street, just one block north of the light where Sargent/Cabot Street crosses Centre Street. Watch for the signs.).
Let's do it again! Last year was lots of fun. Bring a Plant/Take a Plant: Ferns creeping out of bounds? Hostas growing like weeds? Lily of the Valley taking over your side yard? May is the month to divide and thin your garden plants. Why put those beautiful Iris divisions in the compost bin? Share them with your Newton neighbors at the 2nd Annual Plant Exchange. Now's the time to save old flower pots, milk cartons, coffee cans, large yoghurt containers, even plastic bags to pot up those divisions. If you can't dig them up just before the event, keep them moist and in the shade until The Exchange Date.
All exchanges are free, but please consider making a donation in any amount to the box marked 'METCO Community Scholarship Fund' which helps Newton METCO graduates attend college. Last year we raised over $150 for worthy students by "recycling" your extra plants. For more information, or for early drop-off, please email: BHoward617@aol.com.
(This is a Bigelow Middle School Student's on-going Community Service Project) |
| Newton Community Farm Seedling Sale in May | | |
 Newton Community Farm's 2011 Seedling Sale is Coming Soon!
303 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459
Saturday May 14 and Sunday, May 15;
Noon - 1 p.m. Pre-Sale for Friends of Farm
1 - 3 p.m. General Public
Newton Community Farm's popular Seedling Sale is expanding! This year there will be 20,000 vegetable and herb seedlings for sale; twice as many as last year. The sale will take place on two afternoons this year to accommodate the large number of gardeners interested in the farm's hearty seedlings. Come select some plants for your backyard and talk to expert gardeners who will be on hand to answer your questions. We'll also have food and perennial flower plants available for purchase.
Bring your own boxes for carrying. Cash or check only. Help us spread the word about the seedling sale! All are welcome. For more information about the farm, go to http://www.newtoncommunityfarm.org/. |
| Community Preservation Committee Mtg | | |
Community Preservation Committee Public Meeting
May 18, 2011 7pm.
Newton Senior Center
345 Walnut Street, Newtonville
The agenda includes a public hearing and potential funding vote for Newton's updated Open Space Plan and for construction of archival storage and public access improvements at the Jackson Homestead (Newton History Museum). From the main webpage www.newtonma.gov/cpa, click on 'Committees & Meetings' for full agendas, or on 'Proposals & Projects' for project details. For assistance, contact Alice Ingerson at 617.796.1144 or aingerson@newtonma.gov. |
| Newton Historic City Directories Now Online | | |
CPA funds are helping to preserve Newton City Directories.
Those from 1868-1899 are now online, with more to come, from:
www.newtonma.gov/city%20clerk/genealogy.html
In addition to names & addresses, these directories list residents'
occupations and information about the City budget, schools, clubs,
religious institutions, and many other aspects of community life.
Starting in 1889 you can use the "house directory" to find out
who lived in your house, how they were related to each other,
and what they did for a living.
Don't miss the advertisements, either: In 1868 the drugstore at Centre and Elmwood announced that "Foreign leeches will always be kept on hand."
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| Volunteer Opportunity - Newton at Home | | |
Newton at Home is a new, non-profit, membership-based organization. Our mission is to enable Newton residents to age at home comfortably, safely, independently, and with peace of mind through a membership-based organization that offers access to comprehensive practical services and fosters social support and a sense of community. Please join us as a volunteer!
Time commitment can be very small. Volunteer trainings are held in the conference room near the Newton at Home office (206 Waltham Street, West Newton). The general volunteer training will include an introduction to the Village Movement, a review of the Newton at Home mission, and the roles and responsibilites of a volunteer. Questions will be answered and discussion is encouraged. Please email: volcoord@newtonathome.org or call 617-795-2560 to reserve a spot.
Upcoming trainings will be held on:
Friday, April 29, 10am-12noon;
Wednesday, May 4, 10am-12noon;
Friday, May 13, 10am-12noon;
Wednesday, May 18, 1:00-3:00pm;
Tuesday, May 31, 9:30-11:30am;
Friday, June 17, 10:00-12:00pm;
Wednesday, June 22, 10:00-12:00pm
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Newton Family Singers perform May 15 | | | The Newton Family Singers will perform their spring concert, "Sun, Moon and Stars," at 4pm on Sunday, May 15 at the auditorium of the Newton Highlands Congregational Church. Your whole family will enjoy this program of folk songs, old and new, inspired by the night, the day, and the skies above. The Newton Family Singers are an intergenerational music ensemble celebrating family, community and American folk music. Suggested donation of $5 per person. For more information, visit www.newtonfamilysingers.org |
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Brookline SmartSummers Theater Arts Program | | | Be a summer star! Join the Brookline SmartSummers Theater Arts Program. Opportunities for children ages 5-16! Part day and full day one week and two week programs available July 1- August 5. For more information, check out the websites www.brooklineadulted.org. Or contact theaterartscamp@aol.com for more information! |
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Summer Reading Program | | |
Summer Reading Program For Students Entering First Grade
Building Better Readers is a three week summer reading program for students entering first grade. This program is geared toward students who have had some difficulties with beginning reading skills in kindergarten or would benefit from a boost of confidence. The program features small group instruction by experienced reading specialists using the Lively Letters curriculum, a research-based multisensory approach. Students will develop long-lasting letter/sound associations and learn how to blend sounds more fluently. Students will also participate in engaging read-alouds and receive instruction in the areas of comprehension and vocabulary. Program will run from July 11-29th at the Fayerweather School in Cambridge, MA. Please visit our website www.webuildbetterreaders.com or call Fran Lunney (617)842-5227 for more information. |
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