| Mark your Calendar |
May 2
Walk to School Day
May 2
1st Grade Creative Arts & Sciences: Bugworks
May 3
Early Release
Burr Ladies Night Out
May 7-11
Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week
May 7 and 9
5th grade Math MCAS May 14 and 16
3rd & 4th Grades Math MCAS May 18 and 21
5th Grade Science MCAS |
|
|
| From Ms. Johal's Desk | | |
 Dear Families,
We are in the final segment of the school year. Like me, you are probably amazed at how
quickly this school year has gone by. The coming weeks are packed with great units, field trips, presentations, celebrations, and community events. The school calendar is filling up quickly and it seems almost impossible to get everything done before the year ends, but we know we will do it and do it well.
The week before vacation was a difficult one for our community and as usual school staff and Burr families came together to support each other. My deepest condolences go the Garcia family during this unimaginably painful time. Julie Canning, Principal-in-Charge
during my absence, did an excellent job ensuring that families were well informed and appropriate supports were in place for the students and staff. Julie got to see first hand the kindness and compassion that makes this such a special community.
Book Swap: The annual Burr School Book Swap was a great success. I would like to thank Maren Oslund, Deanna Salemme, Valerie Wastcoat and Sarah Sian for their hard work planning and organizing it all. This is quite an undertaking, but well worth the effort. It is so wonderful to see the students' excitement as they selected books and the realized that they could take a nice collection home.
Teacher Appreciation Week: The week of May 7th is Teacher Appreciation Week. The PTO and room parents are organizing events for the week. Children and families are encouraged to make cards and drawings or to write notes or poems for their teachers as a way to thank and acknowledge them; teachers truly appreciate these words of thanks. The Burr School is fortunate to have such a skilled and dedicated staff.
Biking to School: It is great to see that some of our students are biking to school each day. Some are riding with their parents and others are coming alone or with friends. I recommend that only 4th and 5th graders ride their bikes to school unsupervised. Most
students are not developmentally ready for this step until ten years of age. Of course, individual maturity levels of children must be taken into account, and as parents, you are the best judge of your child's ability to navigate the traffic. Some students may not be ready until middle school, and you need to take your route to school into consideration. Each child is asked to review the Burr School Bike Riding Guidelines and sign them if they want to ride their bikes to school alone. A copy of the guidelines can be found here. Please remember that all children must wear a helmet when riding their bikes. The following link is very useful and will help you reinforce bike safety rules: http://www.massbike.org/wp-content/
uploads/2010/05/ALRC-MB-SRTS-DOT%20parents.pdf
Student Placement: Before vacation we sent an "Optional Parent Information Form" home to invite you to provide information that may help us with your child's class placement for next year. The due date for this form is May 4th; however, if you are a parent of a current first grader, it would be helpful if you could send your form in by tomorrow, May 1st because we will begin thinking about their placement on Tuesday afternoon. The process takes several meetings and hours of thoughtful planning. At the next Parent-Principal coffee on Friday, May 11th, I will review the process that we follow as we do placement. Please be aware that class placement will be emailed to you in late August. This was successful for most people last year. It is essential that we have an updated email address for you. If you are not receiving email notifications from the school, we most likely do not have your correct email address on file. If you prefer to have the list mailed to you, please let us know before the end of the school year.
Last Day of School: The School Committee determined that the last day of school for students for this year will be Friday, June 15. The last day is a half-day; dismissal will be at 12:00 noon for elementary schools.
I hope to see many of you at the Principal/Parent Coffee on Friday, May 11 or at other end-of-the-year events and community celebrations.
Have a wonderful week,
Mindy
MCAS Dates Reminder:
Grade 3: May 14, May 16
Grade 4: May 14, May 16
Grade 5: May 7, May 9, May 18, May 21
|
|
Massachusetts Walk to School Day - Wednesday, May 2 | |
 This Wednesday, May 2, Burr is joining schools across Newton and around the state to participate in Massachusetts Walk to School Day. Join kids and parents around the state to celebrate the benefits of walking and biking*! The celebration is based on a simple idea - a day when children and parents, school and local officials get out of their cars and walk or bike to school together. It is an energizing event, reminding everyone of the simple joy of walking to school, the health benefits of regular daily activity, the need for safe places to walk and bike, and the environmental and safety benefits of fewer cars on our roads and around our schools.
So leave the car at home, wear green, and walk or bike with friends and neighbors! If you can't walk with your kids, arrange for them to walk with another family in your neighborhood, or to be dropped off with a friend who is walking. And taking the bus is a great green option because it reduces the number of cars on the road and in the Blue Zone! Parents and staff will be on hand to welcome the walkers and riders and hand out information and mementos. Brought to you by the Burr Safe Routes to School and Green Teams.
(*for information on Burr's Bike to School Guidelines, please visit: Biking to School) |
|
Burr Ladies Night Out | |
 The Burr School 5th grade invite all Burr moms to a relaxed evening of socializing, appetizers, desserts and drinks. Thursday, May 3 from 7:00 - 9:30 pm at Allison Sharma's house, 46 Kingswood Rd. in Auburndale. Suggested donation $10, with proceeds benefiting the 5th grade end-of-year activities and class gift to Burr.
RSVP via the Evite sent out last week, or directly to Allison Sharma. Hope to see many of you there! |
|
Book Swap Thanks | |
This year's Book Swap was a tremendous success! On behalf of the Book Swap Organizing Team, we hope all of your children are enjoying their new books and practicing all of the literacy skills they've learned at Burr School! Please join us in thanking all of the teachers, staff, administrators and parents at Burr for their help and support in making the Book Swap a success.
Mindy Johal for her support and generous access to space and materials. Maura Albano for letting us borrow her scissors on a daily basis. Jack Tobin for boxes, tape, space, help moving books around and assistance with the space. Eileen Keane for help with a laptop computer for logging in over a thousand donated books! All staff and programs that tolerated all the books on the stage in the cafetorium for three weeks! All the teachers for encouraging donations and putting up with our occasional disruptions as we tried to solve a few "donation mysteries." All of the children and families for donating books! We would especially like to acknowledge the following parent volunteers for their incredible hard work carrying, sorting and setting up books so that everyone could find something wonderful to take home: Jessica Avery, Marlene Gibson, Pam McVey, Dana Hanson, Nancy Caulfield, Jodi Schaefer, Sarah O'Neil, Jenny McKee-Heinstein, Tracy Carter, Julie Asfahl, Erika Drezner, Rachael McCarthy, Megan Ulland, Sloane Goldhagen, Florence Nephtali,
Rose Dieffenbach, Emma Woodward, Sonja Pleynet, Indi Talwani, Dan Finkelstein, Ted Vahey, and Lisa Pagana.
Thank you, thank you, thank you,
Maren Oslund, Deanna Salemme, Valerie Wastcoat and Sarah Sian
|
|
Please Help the Teacher and Staff Appreciation Breakfast
| |
We are busy planning for the Teacher and Staff Appreciation Breakfast to be held on Thursday May 3rd. 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, baked goods or flowers). 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
Andrea Flint, Johanne Campbell and the
Burr Hospitality Committee
|
|
April Showers Bring May Flowers! Teacher - Staff Appreciation Week is May 7th -11th
| |
 Burr School's annual tradition returns!
What's the 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. Room Parents will place vases in the classrooms for the flowers and will be contacting the classes with their assigned staff this week. So stay tuned!
No Gift Policy: Newton Schools has a "no gift policy" but other ways to show staff appreciation can include cards, drawings, making a donation to the Burr Classroom Literature Fund (due by May 4th) or a donation to Honor Thy Teacher through Newton Schools Foundation, or buying/dedicating a special Burr Library book (information coming this week).
Room Parents will be getting in touch with their classrooms later this week with more details on the classroom staff flower assignments.
Questions? Contact Pam McVey at s.richard@verizon.net
|
|
It's Time for Friday Pretzels Again!
| |
 For sale EVERY Friday after school near the flag pole.
Just $1.
RAIN OR SHINE!
Proceeds from the Pretzel sales support Fifth Grade special events to celebrate the last year of elementary school, including Graduation, an end of the year party and a Class Gift to Burr.
|
|
Outreach Tour: School Committee and NPS Leadership to Visit Burr: May 22, 7pm
| |
Members of the School Committee and Superintendent's office are reaching out to meet with PTO's and School Councils at every school in the Newton Public Schools this Spring and Fall. The goal of these meetings is to hear about concerns and answer any questions that parents might have about the most pressing issues facing the Newton Public Schools, including budget and space issues. Please feel free to submit any questions in advance. There will be a short presentation and handouts that outline budget and enrollment trends as well as answers to frequently asked questions.
|
Honor Thy Teacher Campaign
| |
It's that time of year again to honor exceptional Newton teachers and staff who have touched your child's life. The suggested donation is $25 per teacher/staff member.
We celebrate Newton Public Schools teachers and staff by:
· Notifying honored teachers and staff of your gift
· Listing all honored teachers and staff in the Newton TAB
· Sharing honoree names with the Superintendent and Principals
· Ensuring your donations go to support teaching & learning in Newton schools.
To honor a teacher or staff person, please go to www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org
|
Brainstorming NewtonPAC Goals for 2012-2013 & New PAC Leadership: Thurs., May 3, 7:30pm
| |
NewtonPAC needs YOU! NewtonPAC only exists when parents join together to create it!
Do you have topics you want to hear about? People you want to hear from? Do you want different types of meetings? Mornings? Evening? Small Groups? Plan to attend on May 3rd to brainstorm goals for 2012-2013! Room 210 at The Education Center, 100 Walnut Street, Newtonville. Networking and light refreshments beginning at 7:15 pm. Questions? Contact Sandy and Jo-Louise at info@newtonpac.org.
Newton Parent Advisory Council (NewtonPAC) for Special Education meetings are free and open to all people interested in learning more about special education in Newton.
|
|
Dennis Lehane and Mitchell Zuckoff - Book & Author Luncheon: Friday, May 11
|
|
 The Friends of the Newton Free Library invite you to attend The 28th Annual Book and Author Luncheon on Friday, May 11, 2012.Cash Bar 11:00 am
Luncheon 12:00 pm
Speakers and Book Signing will follow the luncheon at:
Newton Marriott Hotel Ballroom
2345 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA
For more information or a reservation form:
To join these authors on May 11, please send your check for $40 per person made payable to the Friends of the Newton Free Library. Early reservations are recommended.
|
|
F.A. Day Book Fair: May 8-11
|
|
 The F.A. Day Book Fair is coming May 8-11 and will feature something for everyone; fiction, nonfiction, new books, as well as all time favorites, so mark your calendars!
This year we would like to extend a special invitation to parents of 5th graders. This is a great chance to visit Day and check out the library before your child is a student here next year. Opening Day is Tuesday, May 8 with a Parent Coffee beginning at 7:30 am. Day Principal Brian Turner, Day Librarian Randy Meyer and Jane Malmberg from the Newton Free Library will be on hand to welcome parents and make personal recommendations. This is a great opportunity to
buy birthday presents and stock up on summer reading, while helping our school. We hope to see you there!
Hours and Events:
Tuesday May 8: 7:30 am Parent Coffee. Book fair open 7:30 am - 2:30 pm.
Wednesday May 9: 7:30 am - 3:00 pm. Thursday May 10: 7:30 am - 3:00 pm.
Friday May 11: 7:30 am - 9:30 am.
|
|
Newton/Brookline Relay for Life Fundraising Event
|
|
This year the Newton/Brookline Relay for Life fundraising event will be held at Forte Park in Nonantum on Saturday-Sunday, May 19-20 2012. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the Relay for Life is an active and meaningful event for children and their families as we try to raise funds to support cancer patients, caregivers and doctors striving to cure this disease.
If you are interested in finding out more about Relay for Life, please visit http://www.relayforlife.org If you would like to talk with a member of the Mason-Rice Relay for Life team or me about establishing a team, please send a message to mark_springer@newton.k12.ma.us Thank you very much.
|
|
|
|
|
