02.03.2016
PTO CORNER  
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org
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FIRST SPRING FUNDRAISER PLANNING MEETING
Fri., 2/26th, 8am @ cafeteria
Pierce's annual spring fundraiser will take place on Saturday May, 14th, and we need help planning both the fundraiser and the event. Please come to our first planning meeting to help make this event a success! Coffee provided! Questions? Please contact [email protected].
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BOOGIE FEVER: PTO KID'S DANCE NIGHT 
Thurs., 2/25, 5:30-7:30pm
Come out and dance away the winter blahs! This dance night is meant to get kids moving in the middle of winter. We'll have a DJ playing fun music and engaging the kids in hula hoop battles and conga lines! Pizza will be available for the first � hour. Dance Night is intended for kids in grades 1-5 and is not a drop-off event. More details to come. Interested in helping or have ideas to make it an amazing event? Please contact us at [email protected].
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WANTED: YOUR USED BOOKS
Now through April @ Pierce main entrance
Pierce's annual book fair will be held 4/11-4/14. Please consider donating your gently used books for kids and adults in the gray bin outside of the front office. Thanks so much for the book donations so far!
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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. Each time you shop at Amazon, remember to go to the Pierce homepage first, and click on the icon below: 

 
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SCHOOL CORNER   
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org
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PIERCE PICKS CALDECOTT AWARD WINNERS!
Our 3rd Annual Pierce School Caldecott Night took place on Thursday, January 28. Students in grades K-3 and their families had an opportunity to browse through the one hundred best books of 2015 and vote for their favorite. Before the night was over, more than 200 votes were collected and the winners of the 2016 Pierce Caldecott Award are...

1st Place - Finding Winnie illustrated by Sophie Blackall and written by Lindsey Mattick
2nd Place - Meet the Dullards illustrated by Daniel Salmieri and written by Sara Pennypacker
3rd Place Tie - The Bear Ate Your Sandwich illustrated and written by Julia Sarcone-Roach

The official 2016 Caldecott Award was also announced by the American Library Association last week and the winners are...

1st Place - Finding Winnie written by Lindsey Mattick and illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Honor Books 

- Trombone Shorty illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Troy Andrews
- Waiting illustrated and written by Kevin Henkes
- Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement illustrated by Ekua Holmes and written by Carole Boston Weatherford
- Last Stop on Market Street illustrated by Christian Robinson and written by Matt de le Pe�a

A very special thank you to our Pierce Caldecott Night volunteers who helped make this event possible: Lise Nigrovic, Biliana Mateva, Nargiz Isaeva, Isabelle Desbiens, Ann Kamensky, Rebecca Tolkoff, Dierdre Buckley, Jennifer Casas Rajpar, Mini Elizabeth Jacob, Crystal Johnson, Leslie Ford Gabryelski, Lisa Wegner de Wykerslooth, Priscilla O'Reilly, Nina Bakum and Nathan Taub.

Another special thank you to the faculty and staff who helped before, during, and after our event: Ms. Herard, Ms. Regan, Ms. Muldoon, Ms. Roylene Hunte, Ms. Amie Buchman, Mr. Winston, Ms. O'Shaunessey, Ms. Yee, Ms. Gramigna, Ms. Kelly and Ms. Newell.

We look forward to celebrating another year of wonderful books. Happy Reading!

Amanda Kretschmar
Pierce Librarian
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
Thurs., 2/4, 6pm @ 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].

For more information on Teacher Contract Sheet please visit: http://brookline.massteacher.org/2016/01/26/bulletin-from-the-beu-still-without-a-contract/
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PIERCE SCHOOL SKATE NIGHT
Fri., 2/5, 5-7:45pm @ Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink, Larz Anderson Park 
Come join in this FREE fun family event, a Pierce favorite! The rink is outdoors, so dress warmly. Food and beverage concessions are available, as are skate rentals, but because of the size of the Pierce community, supplies of both are limited. Carpooling encouraged, as parking is limited as well. Beginners and experts alike are welcome! Helmets are not required but are encouraged!! Admission is free for all Pierce families, teachers, and staff. This event is made possible by your contributions to the Pierce PTO. PTO will be selling sweatshirts and other Piercewear. Please contact [email protected] with questions.
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CHARITY BINGO TO BENEFIT BROOKLINE EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Sat., 2/6, 4-6pm @ Pierce cafeteria
Come with your family for a fun bingo fundraiser, with all proceeds go to the Brookline Education Foundation. There are over $1000 of great prizes to win and a fabulous raffle as well. Pizza/soda/snacks will be available for purchase. Tickets available for purchase outside of the Historic Building Tuesday and Thursday before school from 7:45-8.15, Wednesday from 2.20-2.50 and Friday 1.30-2:00. Tickets are $20 each or $65 for a family of four. All children under 4 years are free without a game card. To book tickets please email [email protected].
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TALK: INTRODUCING INNOVATION AT BROOKLINE HIGH SCHOOL
Mon., 2/29 @ the VineRipe Grill
Parents are invited to join BHS teacher Sam Dickerman at the VineRipe Grill to hear him talk about his special projects as the 21st Century Fund's first ever Innovation Fellow. He will then lead a workshop on how parents can use technology tools like Naviance and Canvas to help interface with the high school. Visit www.bhs21stcenturyfund.org for more information, or contact Stacey Zelbow ([email protected]). 

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YOUTH CLIMATE ADAPTATION CHALLENGE 
Sat., 4/2, 11-2pm @ Pierce School Cafeteria
In celebration of Brookline Climate Week March 28 - April 4, participate in this unique environmental science fair! Examine an environmental issue and present your solution! Think BIG! Be creative, practical or outrageous! Judging starts at 11:30 am. Certificates awarded 1:30 pm.
 
Guidelines:
* Address current climate change adaptation challenges.
* Present a new idea, concept, theory, experiment or drawing that addresses a topic such as energy, transportation, air, water, ocean, land, waste, biodiversity, food supply, eco-friendly fashion, or other environmental issue you are passionate about. 
* For beginners, intermediate and advanced science students.
* Spend less than $20 on materials.
* Grade categories: K/1st, 2nd/3rd , 4th/5th, 6th - 8th, and 9th - 12th.
 
Register as an individual, group (with friends), class or school. Registration is free and open until March 1, 2016. Limited space.
 
To register, email the following to [email protected]
* Youth name(s)
* Grade and school
* Brief description of the project idea
* Individual, group, class or school entry
Sponsored by the Town of Brookline Department of Public Health and Climate Action Brookline.
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PROBLEM OF THE WEEK 
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PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #10: PAINTED FACES
Due Thurs., 02/11
Ron and Rebecca work in a cube factory. Each cube has six faces. Ron lines 6 cubes in a row and pushes them along a table and Rebecca sprays paint on the cubes. The faces of the cubes that are touching the table and each other won't get painted. What is the total number of faces that will get painted? 
Look for POW#10 on the board this Thursday and visit the POW page on the Pierce website.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #9: STARTING TO SAVE
James will have enough money by May.
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MATHLETES PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #10: STAIR MASTER
Due Thurs., 02/11
Every day at school, Jo has to go up a staircase with 7 steps. As she is going up the staircase, she can take the steps 1 or 2 at a time. How many different ways are there for Jo to climb the stairs?
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. 

SOLUTION TO MATHLETES PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #9: TOM AND GEORGE
The sum of Tom and George's ages in 1995 was 25. This problem was based on Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. George was born 11 years before Tom.
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SPECIALIST CORNER
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Click on over to Specialist Corner for the latest from the Spanish teachers about what your little estudiantes are up to!
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COMMUNITY CORNER
Occasionally, the Bridge 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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LAST CALL: CARRY THE FUTURE BABY CARRIER DRIVE
Donation bins @ Pierce Main Office and Cafeteria
Carry the Future is a global effort to collect and distribute baby carriers to refugee families fleeing war in Syria and Iraq. On the ground, CTF volunteers meet families at port in Athens, and outfit mothers/fathers with donated baby carriers so that parents don't have to carry their babies in arms. Each carrier makes a tremendous difference, rendering the family's difficult journey a little easier. This campaign went viral in November, with more than 6,000 moms collecting carriers in their communities. 
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NETWORK GROUP FOR PARENTS OF TEENS WITH SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL ISSUES
Tues., 2/23 7-8:30 p.m. @ Winthrop House, 490 Heath Street
Join B-PEN and family advocate Hope Schroy in a Parent Network for those whose 6th-12th grade students are having social/emotional issues. This initial meeting is just to give parents an opportunity to connect with one another, learn about available resources, and discuss what might be helpful going forward, such as additional services, speakers, advocacy, etc. What do you need, and how can we help? Join us for this confidential, non-judgmental Parent Network gathering. For more information, contact Hope Schroy ([email protected]).
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VOLUNTEER CORNER
Want to get involved? Here is a sampling of the ways that you can help the Pierce community. 
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UNDERSTANDING OUR DIFFERENCES (& SIMILARITIES) BEGINS FEB 11th!
A CALL FOR PARENT VOLUNTEERS
Brookline schools have a long tradition of offering an annual parent-run disability & inclusion awareness program, using curriculum provided by Understanding Our Differences in Newton, MA. Every year at Pierce, 4th graders are introduced to four units using interactive materials, small group workshops, engaging guest speakers and organized group discussion. We do this in collaboration with the 4th grade teachers and with the essential support of parent volunteers, as well as our school and town administrators. 

Our Pierce 2016 UOD program begins next week. We cannot continue this important program without more parent volunteers to help lead our workshops! 

Pierce 2016 UOD dates and units are:
Thurs., 2/11 -- Deafness and Hard of Hearing (Training 2/10 @ 7pm)
Thurs., 3/17 -- Blindness and Low Vision (Training 3/15 @ 7pm)
Wed., 4/13 -- Physical Disabilities (Training 4/11th @ 7pm)
Thurs., June TBD -- Intellectual Disabilities (Training 6/6 @ 7pm)

Volunteers are needed for 8:00 - 10:30 AM. the day of each unit. We schedule a training meeting at 7pm one evening the week of each unit. (If you cannot make the training meeting, there is a brief on-line training video that you may use.)
To volunteer, please follow the link below to a Google document to sign-up:
If you have volunteered in the past or have knowledge of/experience with a disability, we would especially appreciate your help. Please e-mail or call Ann with any questions: [email protected] or (617) 835-9586.
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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. -- THANK YOU FOR THE DONATIONS SO FAR! Please include your name with the books so we can send you a thank you card!

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 [email protected] if you can help, or visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/141F0I7jIafPLq_mtXUO5aXov04lkTzTliK1CVb6GDUk/edit?pli=1#gid=2 
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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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CLASSIFIEDS
Want to see your ad here? Send an email to [email protected].

APARTMENT FOR RENT
Apartment for rent starting March 1st. 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, LR-DR, modern kitchen, play room or studio, 1 car parking central A/C, W/D in unit. Pierce school district, $3500 no utilities, email [email protected] or 617-470-9493
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phone: (617) 730-2580