In this Issue
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 Where's Your
Did you miss it? Are you feeling left out? Have you seen the "rainbow" on Fridays? You can get one! The TIE DYES are back! Just log into the Membership Toolkit to order. Limited quantities of all spirit wear also available! It's only for a limited time, so get yours NOW!
Vini Stucker was rock and rolling in his spirit wear, can you guess where he was with his Brinker Y-Guides group?
 Send us your photos of Where's Your Brinker Been to spiritwear@brinkerpta.org and you may be our next feature! Last week's photo featured Olivia Kious was glowing in spirit wear at the Plano Balloon Festival.
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Shop Tom Thumb and Earn $$ for Brinker!
It's easy to earn money for the Brinker PTA by shopping at your local Tom Thumb. Just stop by Customer Service and ask them to link your Rewards card with Charity #4857 and a portion of all of your purchases will come back to your school! Click here for a form that you can complete and drop off.
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2012-2013 Exec Board and Chair Members
Click here to see a full listing of the names and contact info of the 2012-2013 Executive Board and Chair Members.
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Questions regarding the Bear Facts Newsletter? If so, please contact:
Julie Wax
1st VP Communications
Brinker Elementary PTA
communication@brinkerpta.org
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Quick Links
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Mark Your Calendar!
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Oct 12
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Every Friday is Spirit Wear Day!
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Oct 15-17
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5th Grade Adventure Camp
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Oct 18
| Early Release at Noon | |
Oct 18-21
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Oct 19
| Parent/Teacher Conference Day | |
Oct 22
| Fall Break, Student/Teacher Holiday | |
Oct 23-26
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Oct 26
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Nov 2
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Nov 5-9
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Nov 7
| Early Release at Noon | |
Nov 12-16
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Quiggly's Clayhouse
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Nov 21-23
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Thanksgiving Break
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Haley's Gift Weekend, October 18-21
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In January 2012, 34-year-old Haley Son Kim, a Brinker 4th Grade teacher, discovered a lump on top of her left breast. By the end of February, her breast cancer was confirmed by an oncologist. With the very real goal of wanting to see her young daughter Taylor grow up and have kids of her own someday, Haley opted to start aggressive treatment immediately in March which included telling
her 4th grade class at Brinker Elementary that
completing a double mastectomy, and shaving her head rather than have to lose her hair to the chemotherapy that would start shortly after her surgery.
 Haley's Gift is a not-for-profit organization formed to create a community of hope for young women with breast cancer by providing financial assistance toward their treatment and recovery. While there are many efforts to diagnose breast cancer early through screening and education or eradicate breast cancer altogether through research and development, the purpose of Haley's Gift is to help the individual today. All funds raised by Haley's Gift will pay expenses associated with the cost of breast cancer treatment aged 40 and under who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and who reside in the United States.
Click here to read more about Haley's Gift and the upcoming Haley's Gift Weekend October 18 - 21 in which you can make a difference!
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Box Tops due Friday, October 26
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Hope you have been busy clipping box tops! The fall deadline is Friday, October 26. Drop your box tops off at school and our school earns money. It's as simple as that! Be sure to put your name on the envelope since there will be some small prizes (and bragging rights!) for the families who collect the most.
Thanks for helping to support the school by collecting Box Tops!
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Red Ribbon Week
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D.A.D.S.
Dudes Against Dangerous Stuff
October 23-25
Calling all Brinker Dads or Father Figures!! You have a special opportunity to see what goes on during your child's day! Come volunteer during lunch to show support for Red Ribbon Week. This is a time to teach our children about making the right choices. You'll get a t-shirt to wear so all students will see your commitment.
Sign up by October 10th by emailing your name, day and time you prefer to Wendi Klatsky at wklatsky@brinkerpta.org.
Here is the lunch schedule for the grades:
Kindergarten Noon-12:30pm
1st Grade 10:45-11:15am
2nd Grade 11:15-11:45am
3rd Grade 11:00-11:30am
4th Grade 11:45-12:15pm
5th Grade 11:30am-Noon
Only a few spots left, so signup ASAP! Only 6 D.A.D.s per grade level. You MUST have security clearance!
Thanks for your support!
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Field Day
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Friday, October 26, 2012! (Rain make-up day is October 29th)
8-11am (Kindergarten-2nd grade)
11-2 pm (3rd grade-5th grade)
Please consider volunteering for this fun outdoor day for our Brinker Bears! We will need over 100 volunteers to help run this fun event. ONLINE SHIFT SIGN-UP IS NOW OPEN on the Brinker PTA Membership Toolkit. If you are a returning user simply go to your existing account and sign-up for the shift(s) you are available to volunteer. If you are a first time user, signing up is quick and easy. Please note that your account is for your household so there is no need to set up a separate account for each adult. To keep our children safe, all volunteers will need to be SECURITY-CLEARED! If you have not already applied for security clearance, please apply NOW as it takes 2-4 weeks to process. Click here for more information on getting security-cleared. If you have any questions please contact us at fieldday@brinkerpta.org. Kisha Mize Sandy Goodman-Cohn
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| Scholastic Book Fair | | |
Scholastic
Book Fair
November 5 - 9
Our Scholastic Book Fair will be held November 5 - 9 to benefit the Brinker School Library. Book sales will be open on:
- Monday and Tuesday, Nov 5 & 6, 2:45pm-4pm
- Wednesday, Nov 7, 8:30am-3:30pm and 6-8pm (Family Pajama Party, Read Aloud Event)
- Thursday, Nov 8, 8:30am-4 pm
- Friday, Nov 9, 8:30am-noon
Children will have a chance to preview the books on Monday and Tuesday of that week and create their "wish lists". Order forms and wish lists will be sent home to parents. The Brinker library earns approximately 10% of sales in Scholastic dollars from our book fair which enables our library staff to add to the amount of books in circulation. In past years, we have been able to add multiple copies of the designated Texas Blue Bonnet books and much more.
Volunteers will be needed throughout the week, as well as on Friday, November 2 to help set up. To volunteer, please email one of the Book Fair Co-Chairs:
Felicia Giambalvo, fgiambalvo@brinkerpta.org
Shelley Lowe, slowe@brinkerpta.org
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| 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!
TUESDAY TUNES...because every performance counts!
If you have any questions regarding Tuesday Tunes, please contact
Katrina Parker at kparker@brinkerpta.org.
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Brinker Chess Program
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 Did you know that chess is not only FUN to the kids playing, but there are many BRAINY BENEFITS of chess too?
NOW ENROLLING - Session II
(11/1 - 12/13)
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:
- improves logic and reasoning
- builds strategic thinking and problem solving skills
- teaches patience and discipline
- enhances competitive skills while encouraging development of good sportsmanship
- increases attention, focus, and concentration
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.
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Reflections Program
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Brinker's PTA is proud to announce Reflections 2012 - 2013 Theme,"The Magic of a Moment".
It is never too early to start thinking about next year's Reflections program. Maybe you will see something or do something that makes you think of 'The Magic of the Moment'.
Reflections is a National PTA Program (not a contest) including:
- 6 art categories: Dance/Choreography, Music Composition, Film/Video, Literature, Photography & Visual Art
- 4 judging levels: Local, Council or Area, State & National
The Reflections theme for 2012 - 2013 is "The Magic of the Moment". Use your imagination to create a film, song, artwork, photograph, poem, short story or dance routine. You may enter as many times as you like in as many categories as you like. Each entry must be accompanied by an official entry form. Be sure to reflect the theme in your work.
Entries are due Friday, November 2nd
For more information, contact Kesha McLeod at kmcleod@brinkerpta.org or Kesha Fuller at kfuller@brinkerpta.org.
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Girls Lacrosse!
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CALLING ALL BRINKER GIRLS!
PLANO UNITED GIRLS' LACROSSE is offering FREE CLINICS at every practice! Come join the fun! Teams forming now for girls in grades 1-8. No experien  ce necessary, new players always welcome. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the nation! We practice Tuesdays 6-7:30pm and most Saturdays 8:30-10:30am at Hoblitzelle Park, north of Legacy on Red River. We understand girls have many commitments, we will work with their schedules. For more information, see www.planounitedgirlslacrosse.com. To register for free clinics contact Liz Holmes at liz.holmes@swbell.net or 972-658-1224. |
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