Thank you all for another incredible year at Burr School.  I am so very grateful for the support you've offered and the help you've given as we've worked together to provide the best educational experience possible for each child.

The last few weeks have been full of activities which bring Burr students, parents, and teachers together to close the school year.  We thank you for joining us in these celebratory events and for your vital partnership throughout the year.  It is a pleasure visiting the classrooms as children proudly share their accomplishments.  Looking beyond the obvious academic achievements, we must also notice the social and emotional growth that has occurred throughout the year.  We must recognize the process that has led to the completion of the presentations and projects that are shared. I want to give special recognition and thanks to the Burr teachers for providing an excellent education for our students; our skillful and dedicated teachers have made this a very successful school year.

Teacher dedication and determination also made this year's Color Day happen. I cannot thank Jodi Michna enough for planning the event from home. Jodi worked closely with Jessie Coleman (substitute P.E. teacher) and Carey Ranta (parent and trusty Color Day assistant) to organize everything. I think she even made the sun come out for the day! The children had a great time. Teamwork and cooperation were clearly modeled and reinforced by the parent volunteers and staff. I know it took a lot of work and I'd like to thank Jodi and the parents who helped out for devoting their time to this special day. I know that you were all rewarded by the smiles on the children's faces.

Staffing Changes for Next Year:
I am happy to announce that we have hired a fifth grade special education teacher for our co-taught classroom. Carrie O'Donnell will partner with Robin Cooley next year. Carrie graduated from Providence College with a degree in Elementary and Special Education. She worked for two years in the Norwell Public Schools as a special education teacher at the elementary and middle school levels. Carrie is currently working as a Financial Aid Advisor at Boston University while taking course to complete a Masters in Education. We are looking forward to having Carrie join the Burr faculty.

The Curriculum Coordinators and Joe Russo, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education, have been working hard to finalize the specialist assignments for the coming year. Along with some good news of increase allocations comes some sad new that Diane Jaquith, our talented and beloved art teacher will be moving to Franklin School. Diane has been the art teacher at Burr for 16 years and her unique choice based art program is a model program that Burr children have benefitted from over the years. Unlike Burr, Franklin is allocated a full time art teacher because they have 19 classrooms. At Burr, where we have 18 classes, there will be 4 days of art instruction. We will have two art teachers assigned to Burr next year. Although, sad about leaving a school that she loves, Diane is excited about establishing a strong art program at Franklin School where she has worked two days of the week this year. I thank Diane for her investment in the students and families at Burr and wish her the best at Franklin.

I'd like to welcome the two art teachers who have been assigned to Burr: Erin Straight and Amy Broder. Erin will be with us three days a week and Amy will be with us on Fridays. Both teachers come with glowing recommendations from their current schools. Erin comes to us from Cabot and Amy comes from Ward.

Music teachers Kate Ingram and Anne Scigliano will not be returning to Burr next year. After the birth of their second child, Kate and her husband decided to move back to Connecticut to be closer to their family. Anne has been assigned to Horace Mann School next year. I wish both of them luck and thank them for their work at Burr. Next year at Burr we will have one general music teacher. This will be a new hire and I am in the process of interviewing music teachers and hope to fill the position soon.

Erin Broderick who was our librarian on Mondays this year has been reassigned to another school. Thank you, Erin, for your wonderful work this year with our students. Erin also presented information about cyber safety at a PTO meeting and regularly consulted with teachers to provide curriculum resources. Our library allocation has increased slightly for next year. Laura Mayer will be at Burr four full days a week and we will have Diane Holzheimer for ½ a day on Fridays. Diane is the librarian at Memorial Spaulding School.

We will also have a change in our Nurses' Office for the fall. Marie Phillips is currently enrolled in a graduate program for teaching. To complete the program, Marie will be student teaching part time at another school. We will have Nurse Julie MacDonald at Burr on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. The Newton Health Department has tried to standardize care across the schools so they will both follow the same policies and procedures. Marie will be back as our full time nurse in January.

Baby News!
We have two more teachers expecting babies! Fourth grade teacher, Melyssa Taylor, just shared that she is expecting her second child in December and our math coach, Jen Ortega is expecting her third child in the November. Congratulations to both of them.

Last Week Events:
On Wednesday, June 13th, the K-4 students will have a "Step-up Day" where they will meet the next year's teaching team. We realized the anxiety that goes along with making the transition to another grade level and hope that meeting the whole team of teacher will alleviate some of it. The teachers will share some highlights for the coming year that the children can look forward to and answer some of their questions. Class lists for all Newton's elementary students will be emailed on August 24th. Each grade level has a list of supplies which you will find posted on the school website shortly.

Student report cards will be available on June 13th.  Parents will receive an email with their individual login information and directions for downloading the report card.  Paper copies will not be sent home unless requested. I hope you will put some summer routines in place that will support the retention of the skills your child has acquired during the school year. When my children were in elementary school we always kicked off the summer with a trip to the library and went shopping for a summer writing journal.
On Thursday, June 14th, we celebrate our fifth graders with a Moving On Ceremony. The ceremony will begin at 9 AM and will be followed by refreshments for families and friends of the fifth graders. This year we say goodbye to more than 40 families who are leaving Burr and moving on to middle school because their fifth grader is either an only child or the youngest. These families will be greatly missed.

We will have an All School Meeting on the last day of school to bring the school community together one last time before the summer. Tricia Bombara has kindly offered to put together a short Color Day slide show for us to enjoy and the fifth grade will perform their Moving On Ceremony song. This ASM will also be a time for us to reflect on the year, say goodbye to students and staff who will not be with us next year, and encourage students to keep their math and literacy skills sharp over the summer months. A few parents will be helping with the set, but please know that this time is only for students and staff. I respectfully ask that parent not attend because the cafetorium will become very crowded and unsafe.  
Finally, to end the school year and acknowledge the fifth graders moving on to middle school, we will have a Fifth Grade Clap Out. At 11:45 AM students in grades K-4 will line the upstairs hallway and cheer and clap as the fifth graders walk out of the school for the last time as Burr students. Parents should wait outside the school for their children to join them as the hallway will be crowded.

Dismissal on Friday, June 15th is at 12:00 PM.
It's very important for you to pick up your child on time as it is also early release for staff.

In Reflection:
I would like to acknowledge all of the many parents, relatives and grandparents who have given us so much support, time and assistance throughout the school year.  We needed you and appreciate your time. Your volunteering in both big and small ways not only moves the school forward, but it gives your children the message that school is an important place and that you and the teachers are working together for their benefit.
 
This year cannot end without heartfelt thanks to Tracy Carter and Ted Vahey. Tracy and Ted have worked closely with me this year as the PTO Co-Presidents. It has been my pleasure and privilege to have the opportunity to get to know them. They have committed countless hours to ensure that the Burr School experience is an exceptional one for all of our children.  Tracy ends her two year term this year, but I am sure the PTO Board members are already recruiting her for other projects. I would like to welcome Jason Wong as he joins Tracy as next year's Co-President. Many thank also to this year's board members who are stepping down and to those newly elected to serve for the coming year. We have a strong foundation to build upon and a community dedicated to continued improvement. I look forward to working with you all.
I'm proud of the good work we have done and the relationships we've built this year. Burr is a special place because of our tremendous kids and families, and our dedicated and talented staff! I'm looking forward to what next year will bring. Have a fabulous summer - relax, connect, and re-energize.

With Warm Regards,
Mindy