10.28.2015
PTO CORNER  
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org

IT'S PIERCE SCHOOL PTO ANNUAL APPEAL TIME -- DONATE TODAY! 
All of our children benefit from the work of the Pierce Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) every day in their classrooms and throughout the year. We've kicked off the Pierce PTO Annual Appeal to raise money to support academic, cultural, and community enrichment activities for Pierce students, teachers, and families. All Pierce parents are PTO members, and, once a year, during this Annual Appeal, we ask families to be as generous as they can be.  

No donation is too small! The PTO will spend more than $160 per student for the 2015-2016 school year. Any amount you can give is appreciated -- truly. We want our students to know that all Pierce families care about them and their school. If your family is able to give a bit more, we are delighted to use that extra amount to help subsidize other families. We're aiming for 100% family participation. 

Please help us continue to offer our students all that we can by making a donation today. Checks can be made out to "Pierce PTO" and returned to the PTO mailboxes near the main office and cafeteria (look for the giant penguins!) or look for volunteers collecting donations at drop-off and pick-up. You can also make a secure donation online at http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org. 

Note: Pierce pays a 3% fee to process online donations. All contributions to the Pierce PTO are tax deductible and will be acknowledged with a receipt for tax purposes. The PTO's tax ID number is 35-2197562. Please also consider using your employer's matching grant program.

Tell us on Twitter and Facebook why you love Pierce and why you give. Tweet us at
@PierceSchoolPTO with hashtag #WeLovePierceWe will make you a star! Questions? Email us at [email protected].
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'WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?' PTO EDITION 
[Watch this space for a monthly report from the PTO treasurer on how your donations make a difference in children and teachers' days.]

September is one of the busiest months for PTO spending, when it spends about 25% of its annual budget to support teacher purchases of classroom supplies. This year the PTO provided new teachers with extra funds that are specifically earmarked for building out their classroom libraries. Teachers are extremely grateful for the support, and kids and classrooms benefit! The PTO also provided funds for the full-year 6th grade drama program, and purchased new basketball hoops for the kindergarten playground. 
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SCHOOL CORNER   
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING TOMORROW
Thurs., 10/29, 6:00pm @ James F. Walsh Committee Room, 5th Floor, Town Hall
This is an open discussion with the Brookline School Committee and the public, with topics to be determined by participants. Please see the full meeting docket here. Contact Robin Coyne with questions at 617-730-2430 or [email protected].
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6TH, 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS -- JOIN MATHCOUNTS!
Fridays, 7:15-7:55 @ Math Center (behind the Pit)
Be a part of Pierce's MATHCOUNTS team, a national math competition open to middle school students. Students practice each week by solving challenging problems together, sharing their solutions, and learning new strategies. A regional competition takes place in February. The top teams and individuals continue on to state and national competitions, where they compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships. Practices take place every Friday morning. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Hansel at [email protected]
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4/5/6 GRADE MATH LEAGUE: STUDENTS AND COACHES WANTED!
Information session Tues., 11/10 8am @ Auditorium
Math League is a challenging way to expand your mathematical horizons. It is open to all 4th, 5th and 6th graders and it involves three town-wide math competitions. Interested students should attend the informational meeting on Tues., 11/10, immediately following morning announcements in the Auditorium. Regular Math League practice sessions will take place before school, from 7:20-7:55, and will begin the week of November 30th and continue until mid-March.

Parents - are you interested in becoming a Math League coach?
As we gear up for Math League, we're looking for more parent volunteers to coach one morning per week before school. During the practice sessions, 2-3 coaches help the children work through sample Math League problems. Each morning of the week will be assigned a topic: Operations, Geometry, Bases, Patterns, and Problem Solving. We will provide coaches with plenty of practice problems from previous years' meets, and each topic will have an experienced coach to support you. If you have coached or are interested in coaching, please contact Tara Washburn or Dave Carter at [email protected].

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PROBLEM OF THE WEEK 
 
POW #4: UNICEF: HOW MUCH MONEY DID PIERCE COLLECT IN 2014? 
Due Fri., 10/30
In 2014, Pierce students collected change for UNICEF on Halloween. When the boxes were emptied by 1W students and the money was sorted there were:
*8,683 pennies
*1,650 nickels
*2,672 dimes
*1,661 quarters
*5 half dollars
*654 dollars
What is the total amount of money Pierce collected? Look for POW #4 on the board this Thursday and visit the POW page on the Pierce website.
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MATHLETES PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #4: HOW MANY RECTANGLES DO YOU SEE?
Due Fri., 10/30
The first figure contains one rectangle (remember that a square is a rectangle!). The second figure above contains three rectangles (each of the two squares and then a rectangle containing both squares). How many rectangles are in the third figure above?
Copies of the Mathletes Problem of the Week are available in the front lobby and on the Pierce website. Please put solutions in the green Solution box next to the first floor library entrance. 
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COMMUNITY CORNER
 
MISTRAL: VOICES OF INNOCENCE
Sat., 11/7 5pm @ St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Brookline-based chamber ensemble Mistral invites families with school-aged children to its family concert, Voices of Innocence. On the menu are pieces by Debussy, Mullikin, Rossini and Sondheim. Selections performed by Broadway stars Nat Chandler, Sarah Pfisterer, and Rick Hilsabeth. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Tickets $30 adults/$25 seniors. Free for students. Group rates available. Visit http://www.MistralMusic.org for more information.
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A SURVIVAL GUIDE TO PARENTING TEENS AND TWEENS
Wed., 11/18 7-9pm @ Driscoll School Theater
Join us for an evening with author, speaker, and parenting expert Joani Geltman. Second in a series from Brookline Talks, a new speaker series for parents, this talk is sponsored by Brookline K-8 PTOs, the Brookline Education Foundation and the Brookline Community Mental Health Center. 
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PARENTS AND EDUCATORS RUN FOR BROOKLINE EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Brookline Education Foundation is thrilled to announce the BEF-Team Brookline runners for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Our very local runners are:
 
Devotion Principal Jen Buller
Baker teacher Nicole Poutasse
Heath parent Amanda Walker
Lincoln parents Seth Kalvert and Ken Juster
***Pierce parent Chris Hope***
 
If you see them in or around school, please be sure to wish them well and thank them for supporting the Brookline Education Foundation.
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Occasionally, Community Corner features a selection of community news and events in the weekly PTO newsletter. For a full listing, click on over to Community Corner
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CLASSIFIEDS
Want to see your ad here? Send an email to [email protected].

PIANO LESSONS: GLORIA JASINSKI 
Bachelor of Music in Composition from Berklee College of Music, Master of Music in Jazz Studies from New England Conservatory. 30+ years teaching experience. Learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, sightreading. Build a high quality musical foundation with a patient, upbeat, and caring instructor. Beginners especially welcome. Have a positive and successful learning experience. 

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