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PTO CORNER
SAVE THE DATE: PTO COFFEE
Fri., 4/10 @Cafeteria
Please join us to meet new people and catch up with familiar faces after a very long winter. Coffee will be provided.
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OVERRIDE UPDATE: YES! FOR BROOKLINE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
On Tuesday, 2/10/15, Brookline's Board of selectmen voted unanimously to put two "override" questions on the May 5th local election ballot that will have a critical impact on the Pierce community and Brookline's schools in general. The ballot questions will call for voters to approve or disapprove property tax increases designed to fund a $7.665 million operating budget "override" and a $49.876 million "debt exclusion."
In announcing the ballot questions, the selectmen expressed a desire to balance adequate funding to sustain excellence in our schools and sensitivity to the demands on the town's taxpayers. The approved numbers are lower than many school advocates requested - particularly in light of the dramatic increases in school enrollment and associated overcrowding - but approval of the additional funds would still provide a significant boost to the schools and help address critical needs and structural deficits in key areas of teaching and learning.
Groups have formed to oppose and support the override, and the vote is likely to be closely contested. The pro-override group Yes! for Brookline has launched a website, www.yesforbrookline.com, that has helpful information and is a place to sign up to receive updates and/or to get involved. A group of Pierce parents will be working to encourage the Pierce community to vote on May 5th.
You can visit www.yesforbrookline.com or contact Pierce parents Brian Hochleutner (briahochleutner@gmail.com) or Mariah Nobrega (mariah.nobrega@gmail.com) with questions or to get involved.
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SHOP AMAZON AND BENEFIT PIERCE SCHOOL
When you shop Amazon through the school website, Pierce PTO receives a percentage of your purchases at no extra cost to you. Remember "Go to School" before you shop online at Amazon! To shop, go to the school website homepage and look for this icon:
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SCHOOL CORNER
PIERCE MATH GAME NIGHT
Wed., 4/8, 3:30-5pm @ Pierce Auditorium
An afternoon of fun, with plenty of games for all! Families and students in grades 3, 4 & 5 are invited to drop by and play math games with parents, friends, and favorite teachers. Plus, you'll go home with your own math game to keep! Questions? Email alison_hansel@brookline.k12.ma.us or tara_washburn@brookline.k12.ma.us.
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PIERCE SCHOOL YEARBOOK ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS
Deadline for ordering: Wed., 4/22
It's that time of year! The Pierce School Yearbook is again on sale through online ordering only. For the 10th year in a row, the yearbook will cost $25, and will feature individual class pictures, play pictures, pictures of fun around school, and so much more! Please follow the directions below to reserve your copy today:
- Go to www.coffeepond.com
- Click on "Order Yearbooks" (large gray box on lower right side of the page)
- Enter the password: pierce
- Select "on-line order" or "mail-in order"
- Follow the rest of the directions to complete your order.
- To check on your order status, you can go back to www.coffeepond.com
Yearbooks will be handed out in individual classrooms during the last week of school. Any extras will go on sale on a first-come, first-serve basis during that week. Thanks for your support - Reed Rathgeber, reed_rathgeber@brookline.k12.ma.us.
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FIND THE GOLDEN SHOES
Fri., 5/1 - Sun., 5/31
During May, 100 Golden Shoes will be hidden throughout the neighborhoods surrounding Pierce - on sidewalks, in parks, and in or near neighborhood businesses, i.e. any safe place that people generally walk. Each Shoe will be specially marked with a certificate instructing winners how to enter the Grand Prize Drawing, to be held 6/9 at Pierce Family Picnic. Golden Shoes is sponsored by Pierce Walks (encouraging children to be active to the best of their abilities), Brookline Public Health Department, Pierce PTO, and PUMA. To learn more visit:www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/golden-shoes.html. First prize: A walking-shopping spree through Brookline, plus Puma footwear signed by Usain Bolt. Additional Prizes: 30+ PUMA gift cards between $20 and $100.
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UNDERSTANDING OUR DIFFERENCES BEGINS... AND A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Brookline schools participate in an annual Disability Awareness program, Understanding Our Differences (UOD). At Pierce, the fourth-graders participate, in collaboration with the 4th-grade teachers and with the essential support of parent volunteers and school and town administrators.
We cannot continue this important program without parent volunteers. Thank you to those who have already volunteered! If you'd like to volunteer for future units, the commitment is for 8-10:30am the day of. In a short training meeting, in the evening 2 days before each unit, we'll walk you through what's happening. (If you can't make the training, our brief on-line training video may be helpful.) Dates and units:
Thurs. 4/30 -- Vision Impairment
Tues. 6/2 -- Physical Disabilities
Thurs. 6/11 -- Intellectual Disabilities
To volunteer, please sign up here:
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WANTED: PIERCE AUTHORS!
Calling all members of the Pierce community who are published authors: the Pierce Book Fair will take place at the end of May, and we'd love it if you'd consider donating 1-5 books for the sale. We'll have a specific table for authors, along with any contact and ordering info you'd like to publicize. Contact Juliet Eastland, callalily1@gmail.com, if interested. Thanks!
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PIERCE BOOK FAIR
Tue., 5/26 - Thurs., 5/28 @Pierce Auditorium
Spring is around the corner, and with it, the Pierce book fair! Thanks so much for your book donations so far and please keep them coming! There is a donation bin in the front hallway by the office and we are organizing some neighborhood book drives. Please let us know if you are interested in coordinating a neighborhood drive, or would like to arrange a pick up, at piercebookfair2015@gmail.com.
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SPECIALIST'S CORNER
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Visit the Physical Education page on the school website to see what your little athletes are "actively learning."
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PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
POW #14: "ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT"
Due Tues., 4/14
Look for POW #14 on the board this Friday. Visit the POW page on the school website:
http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/problem-of-the-week.html.
SOLUTION TO POW #13
FOLDED SQUARE: the perimeter of the original square is 48 inches.
CHALLENGE ANSWER: The difference between the area of the original square and the new rectangle is 72 square inches.
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MATHLETES PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #10: ALLI TAKES A SWIM
Due Tues., 4/14
Wanting some exercise, Alli decides to swim from the tree to the boulder and back. The distance between the tree and the boulder is 0.5 miles. When swimming from the tree to the boulder, Alli is swimming with the current. When swimming back from point the boulder to the tree, Alli is swimming against the current. The current is moving at a rate of 2 miles per hour. If Alli's normal swimming speed (in still water) is 3 miles per hour, how many minutes will the entire trip take Alli?
Copies of the problem will be available in the rack in the front lobby and on the pierce website. Please put your solution sin the green box by the Mathletes bulletin board. Have fun doing the math!
SOLUTION TO MATHLETES POW #9 NOT FROM AROUND HERE: 74 of Goodnight Middle School's non-native students have lived in Texas for at least 1 year but not more than 10 years. ___________________________________
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COMMUNITY CORNER
Coming up: Brookline celebrates National Public Health week. Plus, Early-Release-Day Activities... Futbal... Basketball... Arts activities... and more. Visit Community Corner on the right-hand side of the "News & Bridge" page on the school website.
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SPRING INTO READING
"Reading is Amazing!" is a Brookline Village-based tutoring service supporting students from pre-K through grade 5 in reading enrichment and intervention. Certifications and experience: Reading, Reading Recovery and Elementary Education. Website: www.literacycoach.net E-mail: harriet@literacycoach.net
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ENROLLING NOW: BROOKLINE PRE-KARE
Enrolling now for 2015-2016. Home based preschool, Brookline Pre-Kare located in Brookline Village has a few openings for three and four year olds. A licensed program, run by an experienced early childhood teacher. Several Brookline Pre-Kare graduates are now roaming the halls of Pierce. Explore, discover, create: more about the program and philosophy at http://brooklineprekare.weebly.com/, or contact Kimberly Murphy directly at brooklineprekare@gmail.com
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GALOOP-CHILD DEVELOPMENT CLASSES OPEN FOR REGISTRTATION!
Are you a parent of a baby or a toddler? Do you have friends in Brookline who are? Galoop-Child Development and Spanish Immersion Classes for ages 5-36+ months is open for registration! Spring Session starts on April 6. Classes are held at the lovely nursery of The United Parish, 15 Marion Street, Coolidge Corner. For more information, visit Galoop www.galoopclasses.com, or contact Cecilia Matson @ cmatson@galoopclasses.com or at 781-956-8226.
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PIERCE FAMILY SEEKS TO RENT
Pierce middle school family seeks to rent a two or three bedroom apartment in multifamily home. Parking required. Flexible move in between 6/1 and 9/1. Please email Denice at denicesakakeeny@gmail.com if you may know of a match. Responses from property owners and referrals to the same would be appreciated. No realtors, please.
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Contact Information
phone: (617) 730-2580 |
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