12.02.2015
PTO CORNER  
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org
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PTO ANNUAL APPEAL: WEEK SIX UPDATE 
Raised to date: $48,422/$65,000 goal (74%)
Participation: 211/608 families (35%) 
All of our children benefit from the work of the Pierce Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) every day in their classrooms and throughout the year. All Pierce parents are PTO members, and, once a year, during this Annual Appeal, we ask families to be as generous as they can.  

While 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. We're aiming for 100% family participation. 

Curious about where your money goes? Click here to see a simple breakdown from the PTO treasurer. 

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. 

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 #WeLovePierce. We will make you a star! Questions? Email us at pierce.pto@gmail.com.
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NEW PIERCE PRINCIPAL SEARCH PROCESS
With the departure of Dr. Smith-Mumford at the end of the school year, the school system central administration is beginning the search for a new principal. The Interim Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Joe Connelly, is leading the process. The hope is to have a new principal selected by the end of March and that s/he will start in July 2016. 

There are multiple opportunities for the Pierce community to provide input about the leadership qualities we'd like to see in the new principal. The PTO and the School Council hope that you'll take time to participate in one or more of the following opportunities to have your voice heard. 

PTO COFFEE WITH INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, DR. JOE CONNELLY
Fri., 12/3 8am @ Pierce Cafeteria
Join the PTO and Dr. Connelly for a chance to hear about the principal search process. Bring your questions and thoughts about what Pierce needs in our next principal. 

PARENT-TEACHER ONLINE SURVEY
Late December/early January
Watch your inbox for a notice about a survey to give your input about the leadership qualities needed in the next Pierce principal.

PARENT FOCUS GROUPS AT PIERCE
Week of 1/11 -- exact date to be determined
Participate in a focus group facilitated by the Superintendent's office to share your thoughts about the leadership qualities needed in the next Pierce principal. Watch your inbox to sign-up to participate.

PRINCIPAL SEARCH PROCESS UPDATE MEETING
Wed., 1/27 6pm @ Pierce Cafeteria
Learn about the themes that emerged from the surveys and focus groups from the whole community. Share your input with the parents participating on the search committee.

PUBLIC INTERVIEW FORUM
March-exact date and location to be determined
Come to the public interview forum for the final candidates.
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DONATE YOUR USED BOOKS 
Now through April @ Pierce main entrance
Every spring, Pierce holds a used book fair. The Pierce community donates gently used books for kids and adults throughout the year, which go on sale for a modest price to raise funds for the PTO. We look forward to continuing the tradition this coming April. Look for an announcement for a volunteer meeting after the start of the new year. 
In the meantime, we will start collecting books for all ages starting the week after Thanksgiving. Please remember to bring your books to the gray donation bin in the front hallway (outside of the main office), starting in December.
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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 to "Go to School website homepage" EACH TIME you shop online at Amazon! To shop, look for this icon below:

 
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SCHOOL CORNER   
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org 

THE 2016 GRADE 3-6 MUSICAL IS COMING! 
Friday is the big reveal of the show - is it Alice in Wonderland? No! Is it The Little Mermaid? No! Registration for the 2016 Pierce Grade 3-6 Musical opens Sunday December 6 at 4PM and your actor, singer, dancer and crew-kid won't want you to miss it. Space is limited! For all kinds of information, including schedules and ways to volunteer, please visit http://www.pierceschoolmusical.com.
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BROOKLINE SCHOOL COMMITTEE SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT 
The Brookline School Committee, through its Subcommittee on Policy Review, regularly reviews and, when necessary, revises or creates written policies governing the Public Schools of Brookline. In an effort to improve public feedback on policy revisions, the proposed draft of any policy under review is posted on the Public Schools website.
The Brookline School Committee currently has one policy under review and welcomes your feedback: 1) Policy on Student Admissions (Residency)
Additional information and a copy of the policy can be found on the School Website.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING AND HEARING ON 9TH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 
Thurs., 12/3 5-9:30pm @ Town Hall
The School Committee will meet from 5-7:30pm in the James F. Walsh School Committee Room on the 5th floor, followed by Board of Selectmen Public Hearing on 9th Elementary School Options beginning at 7:30pm in the Selectmen's Hearing Room on the 6th Floor. The agenda can be found here.
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TWO WAYS TO SUPPORT THE PIERCE LIBRARY
Donate a book from Ms. Kretschmar's Amazon Wish List
There are two ways you can help support the wonderful Pierce Library and our great librarian, Amanda Krestschmar. Ms. Kretschmar uses money from the Town and the Pierce PTO to keep the shelves stocked with lots of great books. She does not have money to buy all the books she knows the kids will love, so she has created an Amazon "wish list" of books she would like to purchase. Click here to see the wish list and order as many books as you like. The books will be shipped to the school and available to students right away. 

Donate an hour of your time
Can you spare one hour of your time per week? With so many students taking out so many books, we need parents to help with reshelving! After a short orientation to the library, you will be on your way to helping keep the shelves stocked and neat.  Volunteer hours are between 8-9am, and an hour before school ends all they way up until 8pm! Please contact Carol Jennings at carol.jennings@gmx.com if you can help, or click here to sign up. 
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SEEKING PARENT VOLUNTEERS TO SUPERVISE K-4 RECESS AND LUNCH
Be an additional supportive adult in the playground to foster a safe, inclusive, and fun recess for our students. Walk around, play games and music, hula hoop, jump rope, throw a frisbee and generally help us supervise the kids. Commitment is a small as one 20-minute session per month. Sign up here. Volunteers need to meet with a staff member for guidelines before their first session, and should register for a different time than their own children's recess. Questions? Please email The Recess Revamp Team.
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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 alison_hansel@brookline.k12.ma.us. 
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PROBLEM OF THE WEEK 
 
PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #7: SUMS ON A CLOCK
Due Thurs., 12/17
Antonia likes calculating the sum of the digits that she sees on her digital clock. For example, if the time were 11:47, the sum would be equal to 13 (1+1+4+7). What is the largest sum she can get on a 12-hour digital clock?
Look for POW#7 on the board this Thursday and visit the POW page on the Pierce website.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM OF THE WEEK#6: TANGRAM MONEY
4 dollars
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SPECIALISTS CORNER

Click on over to Specialists' Corner for the latest from the Spanish teachers about your little estudiantes! 
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COMMUNITY CORNER

BAKE SALE FOR BROOKLINE EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Sat. 12/5 10-2 outside Trader Joes on Beacon St, Coolidge Corner
Please help support our own Pierce parent Chris Hope and come to a bake sale in Coolidge Corner. All money raised goes to the BEF! Chris is running for Team Brookline in the 2016 Boston Marathon - so let's dig deep for some treats and help make this a sweet success.
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SUPPORT PIERCE PARENT'S RUN FOR BEF!
Our very own Pierce parent Chris Hope has been selected to run for Team Brookline for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Chris will be running on behalf of the Brookline Education Foundation and hopes to raise a whopping $10,000 for this important charity. Please help support him and give generously to help achieve this big target and motivate Chris through the long winter months of training and every step of the 26.2 miles to the finish line! Donate today at https://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/christopher-hope-1/TeamBrookline2016. 
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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 piercebridge@gmail.com.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS PIERCE SCHOOL!
Unleash your gratitude and make someone's day, everyday by sending them a thoughtful Gush. Free WeGush iPhone & Android apps. New Hanukkah Gushes are available. Check out WeGush Group for great teacher appreciation from the entire class. Thank you, Martha Huntley, WeGush Founder & former Pierce family. We love Pierce!  

HELPING KIDS COMMUNICATE! IN-HOME SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY
HELPING KIDS COMMUNICATE! IN-HOME SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY is provided by Meryl Heller Schram, M.S., CCC-SLP, a seasoned and respected pediatric speech-language pathologist. Effective strategies yield success and progress for youngsters with speech-language disorders (including articulation/phonological disorders, apraxia, language-learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders). 
Contact information: Phone: 617-733-1995; email: mhschram@comcast.net

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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