Hello Brinker Families!

 

I hope this summer edition of the Bear Facts finds you enjoying your time away from the school year routine and spending extra time with family and friends.  

 

I am very pleased and honored to be serving as the Brinker PTA President for a second year. This year marks my 11th year as a Brinker parent. I have observed many changes at Brinker over the years, and I'm especially excited about some changes that will take place this year!

 

Renovations to Brinker will begin in the late spring of 2013. Flexibility and patience will be key, and the results of the renovations will greatly benefit our children and the Brinker staff! More news to come!

 

In order for these renovation plans to have as little effect on our students and staff as possible, our calendar of events will change somewhat. Since we can't be certain of the exact start and completion dates of each stage of our renovation, many of the activities that historically take place in the spring will be redistributed throughout the school year. I want you all to be aware of this and know that there is a logical reason why some event dates have been adjusted.

 

We will once again use Membership Toolkit to complete various registration forms for the 2012-13 school year. You will receive an envelope in the mail with detailed instructions for completing your registration, but in a nutshell there are 3 Steps for Back to School Success:

• Complete the Emergency Contact form on PISD's parent portal  
• Complete the PTA Consent Form and other registrations through Membership Toolkit pages  
• Complete the Volunteer Application on PISD website

All of the sites needed for the "3 Steps for Back to School Success" are linked from our Membership Toolkit pages for your convenience.

 

We're looking forward to seeing returning families in August, and welcoming all of our new families joining us this year! Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help make your transition to Brinker easier.

 

Meet the Teacher (11am-noon) and Back to Brinker (11:45am-1pm) are on Friday, August 24th, and our first General PTA meeting of the year will be held in the Brinker library after classes begin at 7:45 am on Monday, August 27.

 

Thank you for your continued support of the Brinker PTA.

 

Kelli Moore

Brinker PTA President 

president@brinkerpta.org   

Letter from the Principal

Dear Brinker Families, 

I hope you are having a wonderful summer! We have been working hard to get ready to see everyone again, and to have a fantastic school year! I want to welcome returning friends as well as our new families. I think you will find Brinker to be a wonderful place for your children to grow academically, emotionally and socially.

If you can't already tell, we are very proud of our school and our community. I look forward to working along side you this year as we move along this journey of education for your children. We are planning great things for the upcoming school year. I hope you will be joining us for the coffee in the library on the first day of school. The PTA will be introducing themselves to you and you can meet some new friends, as well. Also, the Parent Information Nights will be scheduled for the first week of school this year. Please make plans to attend so that you can learn all about your child's grade level. 

Best regards,

Principal, Brinker Elementary 

Please join us for Parent Info Nights during the first week of school! At these meetings, you will receive important information from your child's teachers about what to expect this school year. You will also have the opportunity to sign-up as a volunteer for our two classroom parties. These volunteer sign-ups will take the place of back-to-school coffees for 1st through 5th grades. Kindergarten is the only grade level that will also have a back-to-school coffee.

In an effort to make your back to school experience a little less stressful, the Brinker PTA is offering you the opportunity to purchase your child's school supplies online for the 2012-13 school year.

  

School supplies packets are available NOW through Wednesday, August 22^nd.  No need to pick up anything!  Orders will be delivered directly to the students' classrooms. If you placed an online order on or before June 15th, your school supplies will be on your student's desk at meet the teacher. Any orders after that date will be delivered to the teachers by the end of the first week of school. 

 

To place your online order for school supplies packets:

 

• Visit www.epipacks.com
• Enter the Brinker PTA school code:  B R I (3 letters) 003 (3 numbers)
• Select the appropriate packet for the grade level your child will be entering in the Fall 2012.
• Be sure to include the student's name and enter "NA" the box provided for teacher's name.
• Enter your credit/debit card information for payment.
• Be sure to print a copy of your order confirmation as your receipt.

** Applicable sales tax will be added.**

** There will be no refunds - all sales are final. **

 

A student agenda will be provided to every student free of charge this year courtesy of the Brinker PTA and Brinker Elementary.

 

Purchasing school supplies through this website is an OPTIONAL service provided by the Brinker PTA. Click here for a list of required supplies for each grade level (for parents who chose to purchase their child's supplies themselves).

 

The Texas Back-to-School Tax-Free Weeekend is Friday, August 17 - Sunday August 19. Any school supplies purchased on the www.epipacks.com website will also be tax-free!

 

If you have any questions regarding school supplies orders, please contact Julie Pascuzzi at jpascuzzi@brinkerpta.org.

 

• Author Visits
• Student Assemblies
• Classroom Academic Programs
• National PTA Reflections Program
• Classroom Parties
• Field Day
• Tuesday Tunes
• Brinker Bash
• Field Trips
• Science Enrichment
• Chess Enrichment
• Literacy Enrichment

Our Parents and Families:

• Fall Family Picnic
• Wipe Out Kids Cancer Fun Run
• Blood Drive
• Cultural Diversity Program
• Practical Parent Education
• 5th Grade End of Year Celebration
• Family Social Event
• Legislative Updates

Our School Community:

• Scholastic Book Fair
• Science Fair
• VIP Tutoring
• Youth Protection & Safety Awareness
• Experience the Awareness Day
• Environmental Education
• School Beautification Projects

Teachers and Staff:

• Provide Office & Library Assistance
• Provide Funding for Classroom Supplies
• Staff Appreciation Events
• Fulfill Teacher Wish Lists
• TLC - Totally Luscious Cakes  

If you can count to 28, use a paper cutter and tear out pages from  workbooks, then the Brinker Workroom needs you!  We need 4-5 volunteers each week to help our teachers with behind the scenes work.  This time will be spent on work for all grades, including Special Education, PACE and various other projects.
 
All instructions and supplies are provided.  The Brinker Workroom is located in the back of the school office and is available Tuesday through Friday each week, between 7:30 am and 2:45 pm.  Look for this volunteer opportunity when completing your online registration in the Membership Toolkit for Back to Brinker. This is a great opportunity to see what our children are learning and give a helping hand to our wonderful teachers! 

The teachers really appreciate this help!

If you have any questions, please contact Nikki Moulinet at workroom@brinkerpta.org.  

Brinker's PTA is proud to announce Reflections 2012 - 2013 Theme,"The Magic of a Moment".    

 

Tuesday Tunes

 

Music speaks when there are no words

  

Musicians practice, practice, practice so that they can perfect and perform. TUESDAY TUNES allows Brinker student-musicians the opportunity to showcase their talent (and hard work) in a unique setting! Unlike recitals and stage productions, TUESDAY TUNES takes place in a casual, relaxed environment.

 

Every Tuesday morning a Brinker student performs in the lobby for students and teachers as they enter the building to start the school day. The student plays his/her instrument continuously from 7:30 am to 7:45 am. Immediately following, the student is introduced as the musician of the day on the "Good Morning Brinker" broadcast!

 

Please stop by our booth at "Back to Brinker" for more information and to sign up.

 

TUESDAY TUNES...because every performance counts!

 

If you have any questions regarding Tuesday Tunes, please contact Katrina Parker at kparker@brinkerpta.org.  

Keep up the reading this Summer and join in the fun during the 2012-2013 school year. To encourage reading, we invite you and your child to read from the Texas 2x2 and Bluebonnet reading lists. The 2x2 reading list is appropriate for K-2nd grade, and the Texas Bluebonnet reading list is for 3-5th graders. Check your local library for the lists, or click here for the online Reading Lists page at the Texas Library Association website.

As a reward, when your child reads a certain number of books by the specified deadline, they will be invited to an ice cream party and then  a pizza party after school!!! Reading logs will be handed out early in the school year for the children to fill out with parent signatures, and invitations will be sent out when the events approach. Information will follow in the Brinker e-newsletters, through classroom teachers, and the Brinker Librarian, Kelly Palmer.

Also, parent volunteers will be needed at the events the help serve the treats and supervise the fun. So, keep this in mind that we'll need your help!

The Brinker PTA will also sponsor a visit(s) by a children's book author/illustrator during the school year. So, watch for details to be announced.

Enjoy your Summer, and see you in the Fall!

Literary Enrichment Support Chair

The VIP Program needs YOU! We have students who enter Brinker's doors from all back-grounds and a wide variety of educational experiences. We offer many programs to meet the various needs of all of our children. One of our most crucial and successful programs is our VIP "Very Important Partner" program. The VIP program reaches out to our students who are struggling because they need a little extra time and attention, or need help grasping one or more concepts in the classroom. However the VIP program relies 100% on parent or community volunteers to mentor and tutor these particular students.

GOALS OF THE VIP PROGRAM

Did you know that chess is not only FUN to the kids playing, but there are many BRAINY BENEFITS of chess too? A simple Google search of chess will lead you to numerous articles and research that show that chess teaches children important life skills. 

For example, chess: 

Whether your child is new to chess or has been playing for several years, they are invited to join Chess Club on Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:15. Coach Bobby Hillman is a staff member at Plano West Senior High and has been teaching chess to Brinker students for years. He is a USCF certified chess instructor and would love to teach your child! Each session runs for 6 weeks and culminates with a Brinker Chess Club chess tournament. 

For more information, please contact Christine Kane at ckane@brinkerpta.org or visit www.brinkerpta.org.