Burr News 

Dear Families,

The Burr World Cultures Festival was such a wonderful event. It was truly a labor of love as so many of you worked for weeks in preparation for the big day. Each of the classrooms was artfully transformed to represent the wonderful diversity that is prevalent in our school community. The hosts for each country shared a part of themselves that we do not normally get to see as we go through our busy daily school routines. Children and adults learned about unique traditions which are a vital part of people's lives. It was great to see that so many children were involved in the preparations as they built models, made factual posters, led craft activities, and demonstrated musical and dancing talents. Many  thanks to all of you for your contributions towards making the day such a success. Event coordinators, Ann Langenfeld, Dana Hanson, Jackie Gelb, Bijal Dalal, Sloane Goldhagen, and Kelly Brown, did such a fabulous job of organizing everything and troubleshooting on the spot to ensure that everything ran smoothly. It is so rewarding to be part of a community of teachers and parents who are committed to ensuring that all the children at Burr School have rich and vibrant childhood experiences.

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the kindergarten classrooms for their Family Breakfasts. I loved looking through projects children had done representing their families and reading the wonderful stories that they had written. It is amazing how much they have grown in so many areas. Not only are they sounding out words to write, but they can read back their own stories. The teachers have done a wonderful job of weaving concepts and skills into a unit that is important to the children. This thematic approach allows children to learn in a way that is most natural and meaningful to them. They were all so proud to share their accomplishments.

MCAS Testing

Burr students took the last of the ELA MCAS tests on Friday. We will use today, Monday, April 2, to make up any missed tests and then send the completed tests off to the Department of Education tomorrow. The children worked hard and put forth their best efforts. Our next testing block, in May, will be for math and science. Third and fourth graders will have two math sessions, and fifth graders will have two math and two science sessions. Please make ever effort to ensure that your child is in school for the scheduled sessions. Each time we schedule a make up session we have to free up a testing space and a staff member to proctor the test. The testing dates are:

Grade 3:  May 14, May 16
Grade 4:  May 14, May 16
Grade 5:  May 7, May 9, May 18, May 21

Appropriate School Dress

Each year when the weather warms up we have to remind the students about appropriate school dress requirements. I have asked all the teachers to remind the students and ask that you also reinforce this at home. Children should not come to school wearing spaghetti strap tops, bare midriffs, low cut or low riding pants, or very short skirts. We also ask that they not wear flip flops. Even some sandals can be dangerous on the playground. If your child is not dressed appropriately, please know that we will contact you to bring in a change of clothing.

 Looking Towards Next Year

April has really crept up on us this year! When we return from April vacation, we will be in the last segment of our school year; we look forward to this period of sustained learning time for students and prepare for the next school year. We have already completed most of our kindergarten screening and have started scheduling transition meetings for our graduating fifth graders.  It is a busy and exciting time of year. As we plan ahead, we need an accurate account of the students who will be in each grade.  If your children are currently in grades K-4, please let us know if your children will NOT be returning to Burr School next year.  Please call our office or write/email a brief note letting us know of your plans.
  
In May, we will begin working on class placement of our K-4 students.  I would like to share with you the placement process that we will follow.  Teachers at each grade level will meet together with special subject teachers, support staff and me to make specific recommendations for each student's placement.  This team already has a wealth of information about each child's learning style, interests and needs, yet we welcome any new information that you have regarding your child's exceptional strengths or needs, peers with whom your child performs well or poorly, or family issues that impact learning. 
 
If you have information you would like the team to consider, please write it on the "Optional Parent Information Sheet Regarding Placement" that we will send home next week.  The form must be returned to the office by May 4.  This will give you two weeks to fill out this form and return it to school. Even if you have already shared placement information with your child's teacher, you will still need to include it on this form. Please note that if you return the form after May 4, it will be too late for us to include your information in our process.  We begin our placement meetings in early May; when we receive information after the process has begun, it is very disruptive, so please adhere to the May 4 deadline. Please do not feel that you need to fill out a sheet to insure that your child receives careful consideration. On the other hand, do not assume that the teachers and I know about all of the peers with whom your child works well or poorly. 
 
Our goal throughout the placement process is to build balanced classes in which all children can succeed academically, emotionally, and socially.  Please remember that requests for a specific teacher, whether named or described, will not be accommodated, as this would make it impossible to create balanced classes.  Teachers will create balanced classes first and then teacher assignments to each class will be made.

 
The process of placing students is a long and complex one.  The time and effort we spend weighing all of the factors reflect the importance we place on creating an optimal learning environment for each student.  We ask that you respect the staff's professional judgment about the best class for your child next year.  We will let you know of your child's placement in mid-late August. The class lists will be emailed unless you request a paper copy be mailed to you. If your email address changes between now and August, please let us know.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions. Have a wonderful week.

Mindy

The first grade classes have participated in this year's Pennies for Patients fund-raising campaign. This is an annual event sponsored by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is specifically structured for school age children, aimed at increasing funds for research by collecting spare change over a three week period.

It has been more than ten years since Burr School participated in this campaign. All three first grades worked hard at collecting money and making a difference. The grand total is $600.00.

Great job first graders and thank you Ms. Phillips, our school nurse for helping to organize this event.

Community News 

Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive

Robotics Camp at Mathnasium - April Vacation Week 

Tee-Ball and Farm Clinic

Summer Programs at Brookline Music School

Newton Family Singers