Dear Burr School Parents,

What an exciting school year it's been already! The PTO has been busy in the first couple of weeks with our Kindergarten and Back-to-School Picnics, Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, and Back-to-School Coffee.  We welcomed a number of Kindergarten families over the summer with our Kindergarten play-dates.  Please look for future events listed on the PTO website. Mark your calendars for these important upcoming dates:

Sept. 22: Curriculum Night 6:30 PM Start
Sept. 23: School Pictures
Sept. 27: First PTO Meeting, 7 PM Start (6:30 for New Families)

The Blue Zone was certainly wet during the first week of school.  Thank you to all the parents who followed the rules during what always turns out to be a busy time. Please check out Safe Routes to School for more ideas on how to keep our children safe and our Blue Zone working efficiently.

We know everyone is looking forward to the 2011-2012 version of the Burr School Directory. The information form is now online.  Even if your information hasn't changed, please check this to ensure your information is up-to-date. Hard copies of the directory are due out in October.  

There is progress on the classroom modular project. According to the most recent Newton facilities report, the second round of bidding resulted in two competitive bids and a vendor has been selected to execute the contract for the four modulars at the three elementary school sites (two at Zervas, one at Burr and at Horace-Mann).  According to current timelines, the new classrooms should be ready for occupancy by December break and outfitted with all final furnishings by January 2012. The facilities report can be referenced here. We'll keep you posted on any updates as information becomes available.

We would like to take a brief moment to introduce ourselves.  Our new board members this year include incoming Co-President Ted Vahey, Treasurer Rachael McCarthy, Fund Raising Coordinator, Jessica Avery, and Secretary Kim Susko. They join standing members Tracy Carter (Co-President), Jason Wong (Education Coordinator), Maren Oslund (Community Coordinator) and Collette Burke (Communications Coordinator).

We all share an interest in making the Burr community a vibrant and inclusive place for parents and students. We want everyone to support the school's goals for development and enrichment while developing camaraderie amongst Burr families. You can lend a helping hand, whether you stay at home or work full time.  There are over 300 volunteer opportunities over the course of the year.  One can contribute at school or remotely. While some events are during school, other events and event preparation can be done in the evenings and on the weekends. Contact a board member to find out how you can help.

Lastly, thank you to Vicky and the many volunteers who helped make the Back-to-School Picnic a success! Johanne Campbell and Andrea Flint and the rest of the hospitality crew hosted a lovely Fall Teacher Appreciation luncheon. Nicely done!

We look forward to seeing you on September 27th!  

C U @ Burr!
Ted & Tracy 

School Picture Day - This Friday - September 23
Order Forms Needed 

By now you should have received the Coffee Pond order forms for School Picture Day in your child's folder. Please return these completed forms in your child's folder by photo day, Friday, September 23. If you prefer to order and pay by credit card online, please follow the instructions and print a receipt to send in with your child. The photographer takes the form from your child on Picture Day, so please send it in! Questions? Please contact Valerie Wastcoat at valerie.wastcoat@nemoves.com.  

Halloween Volunteers Needed 

Q: What group of volunteers prefer the graveyard shift?
A: The Skeleton Crew

Does the thought of joining a planning committee make you want to jump back into your broom closet? Don't be spooked, we are looking for a few mummies and deadies to join the Boo Crew's special task force: The Skeleton Crew. If you are interested in a behind-the-scenes or task-oriented role in helping one of Burr's most spellbinding parties come to life-then give us a scream. Tasks can range depending on your interest and available time and energy. You could cut out bats and rats, prep for crafts, make confirmation calls to volunteers, be part of the transformation team the night before, or take over a whole attraction such as the Dragon Oracle Lair. Opportunities to volunteer for special roles, or to run games and crafts on the 22nd will come later.

If you are ready to carve out a little time for this eerie party contact Stephanie Mamis at stephanie.mamis@verizon.net.  

Burr Flu Clinic
Coming October 5 

Get the flu vaccine at school, not the flu!

Seasonal flu vaccination clinics will be held during the school day at the Newton Public Schools in October and November.

The Burr School Flu Clinic will be on Wednesday, October 5. Each student to be vaccinated must have a parent/guardian complete two forms: a consent/screening form and an insurance/administration record. Forms are available in the school nurse's office, or may be downloaded at www.newtonma.gov/flu Forms are due to the School Nurse by Sept. 30.

Parents may choose the flu shot or the nasal spray flu vaccine for their child. Parents must indicate the type of vaccine they wish their child to receive by circling it on the form. There is no cost to receive the vaccine, but insurance information is requested.

Seasonal flu vaccine is offered at no cost to families because the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is providing vaccine to communities who choose to vaccinate school-age children. The City of Newton Health & Human Services Department is providing the vaccination supplies and staff time to run the program, with the help of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers. Some costs will be recouped through insurance billing. All students, regardless of insurance status, are invited to receive vaccine with parent permission.

Students are not required to receive flu vaccine, however the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends flu vaccine for all people age 6 months and up. There are many places to get a flu vaccine including at school, your primary health care provider or community clinics. For additional clinic dates for the whole family, visit www.newtonma.gov/flu.

In addition to vaccination, it is important to practice good hand hygiene and cough etiquette by washing hands often; covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the arm; and staying home when sick.

For more flu prevention tips, talk to the school nurse or check out these websites: www.newtonma.gov/flu and www.cdc.gov/flu 

Mosquito Safety

September means back-to-school activities, including the resumption of school-related outdoor sports and, while the weather is good, more barbecues and other outdoor recreational activities. However, September is also an active time for mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile virus (WNV) and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus infection.  The peak time for transmission of these viruses is generally in late summer and early fall.WNV was detected in Newton mosquitoes in late August, making it very important to take the recommended precautions to avoid human cases of what can be a serious disease in some people.

Avoid Outdoor Activity During Peak Mosquito Hours - from dusk to dawn.

Cover with Clothing to Reduce Mosquito Bites.

Apply Mosquito Repellent when You Go Outdoors. A wide variety of mosquito repellent products are available. The most effective repellents contain DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), Picaridin (KBR 3023) or Permethrin. Always follow the instructions on the product label - some repellants are not to be used on children.

More information on mosquito-borne diseases, on protecting yourself from bites by mosquitoes and on safe application of mosquito repellents can also be obtained by visiting the Massachusetts Department of Public Health web site on arboviral  (mosquito-transmitted) diseases http://www.mass.gov/dph/wnv or the City of Newton website at www.newtonma.gov

Buy Your Groceries and Give to Burr
Program Begins October 9 

The Stop & Shop A+ school rewards program begins October 9th!  The program allows a portion of every purchase at Stop & Shop to accumulate points that turn into CASH for Burr School when you use your rewards card, but we need to get people enrolled and matched with Burr asap!  Please note, this program requires that we register cards EVERY PROGRAM YEAR, so if you registered last year we will need to register you again this year.

There are 2 Stop & Shops nearby, one on Pleasant St (off North St.) and one on Watertown St. near Watertown Square.  But you can shop at *any* Stop & Shop to accumulate points!  

To join is simple: 1) request a Stop & Shop rewards card if you don't have one, and  2) e-mail your Stop & Shop rewards card number and the first 3 characters of the last name on the account to Margaret Crook at gmcrook@rcn.com and she can register your card. If you have a Stop & Shop rewards card number but don't know what it is, you can call the Stop & Shop hotline at 877-366-2668 and someone will help you.

Do your grandparents, parents, aunts, or uncles shop at Stop & Shop?  Send their rewards card number too!  Their purchases can also benefit Burr!  

*Note* the card number should be a 13 digit number. It usually begins with a 22 before the barcode and then a single digit after the barcode.  You need the number on your actual card and not the one on a store receipt.    

NPS News

Community News 

Registration is now underway for fall classes through Newton Community Education and we still have openings in the following classes: Drumming 101 on Mondays, Mixed Media and Chess on Tuesdays, and Mad Science on Wednesdays. We have many more weekday classes at schools throughout Newton, including Kids in the Kitchen, Fencing, Robotics, Brainatomy, Bridge, The Stockmarket Game, and the list goes on. We have many family classes, such as Cooking Wizardry, Chocolate with a Twist, Family Robotics Clinic, Family Night under the Stars, and more. We also have Saturday sports options for kids ages 2 and up, and weekday afternoon sports options such as Basketball, Archery, and Sports Jam. For more information or to register, call our office at 617-559-6999 or visit our website at newtoncommunityed.org. Be sure to check out our adult classes too!

Share your passion for cooking with Newton kids!

The Chestnut Street Teen Center and Mentor Connection are seeking 2 volunteers to lead an 8-week cooking group at the Chestnut Street Teen Center in Newton Upper Falls.  The volunteers would work with up to 10 kids, who are eager to learn how to cook fresh, healthy and delicious foods.  At the end of 8 weeks, the group will prepare a community meal to share their learnings and expertise with the larger community and their peers. The group will run from 6-8 pm on Monday evenings with an estimated start date of late Sept/early Oct. This program is modeled after a highly successful cooking program we ran this spring - which focused on Italian cuisine and engaged approximately 5 kids
 
We are seeking volunteers who are comfortable working with young people, able to give instructions, teach cooking and preparation techniques and plan menus for class. Staff will assist with buying and locating groceries and other supplies for the class.

Contact Debbie Tyson-Gottlieb at dtyson-gottlieb@ncscweb.org or call 617.916.5149 for more info.