03.02.2016
PTO CORNER  
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org

THANK YOU TO DANCE NIGHT PARENT VOLUNTEERS
Thanks to all the parents that lent a hand at last week's Dance Night: Jen Amigone, Jen Rothstein, Deb Troderman, Ping Wang, Jodie Waldesbuhl, Eva Martin, Marianna Yang, Crystal Johnson, Megan Galaburda, Julie Smith, Elisa Albaghdadi, Kimberly Murphy, Lise Nigrovic, Joan Mahon, Jennifer Casas, Jennie Greene, Ludovica Mottura and Jessica Stokes. We couldn't have done it without you!
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SECOND SPRING FUNDRAISER PLANNING MEETING
Fri., 3/11, 8am @ cafeteria
Pierce's annual spring fundraiser is taking shape. This year's theme is Treasuring Our Teachers. It will take place on Saturday May, 14th, and we need help planning both the fundraiser and the event. Please come to our next planning meeting to help make this event a success! Coffee provided! Questions? Please contact pierce.pto@gmail.com.
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WANTED: YOUR USED BOOKS
Now through April @ Pierce main entrance
Pierce's annual book fair is coming our way 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

SUPPORT THE PENGUIN POST BAKE SALE 
TODAY Wed., 3/2
Stop by the bake sale after school today and sample a wide array of delicious pastries, including treats that are free of specific allergens. There's something for everyone to enjoy! All proceeds support production costs of the Penguin Post, the student newspaper created by 5th and 6th graders as an extracurricular activity. 
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PERFORMANCE: "BECOME YOUR DREAMS: HISTORY OF HIP HOP DANCE"
Thurs., 3/3 
This week, Pierce 8th graders will experience Ill style & Peace's presentation of "Become Your Dreams: History of Hip Hop Dance." This program celebrates the art and movement of hip hop, including a funky blend of locking, breaking, popping, tap and house dancing, vocal percussions, D.J.ing, and modern and traditional dance forms. The interactive performance demonstrates that by perseverance and focus, you can reach your highest goals. 

Programs such as these are made possible by the PTO and organized by the Pierce Arts Council, whose goal is to bring a variety of age-appropriate, high-quality arts performances to Pierce School to complement learning in the classroom about arts, science, history, and culture. 
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TOWN-WIDE FIFTH GRADE SPELLING BEE
Sun., 3/13, 1pm @ BHS auditorium
What's more amazing than a talking dog? A spelling bee! Support the town's 5th grade students as they spell their way victory at the annual 5th Grade Spelling Bee, hosted by the Brookline Education Foundation. 
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YOUTH CLIMATE ADAPTATION CHALLENGE 
Sat., 4/2, 11-2 @ Pierce School Cafeteria
Visit this extraordinary environmental science fair! Brookline youth representing grades K-12 will be presenting their innovative ideas for sustainable solutions. Come learn about Brookline youths' brilliant and diverse ideas regarding waste management, sustainable transportation, air quality, oceans rising, CA drought, trees, underwater power generation and other renewable energies, eco-fashion and lots more! Support the young environmental innovators who are advancing disruptive climate adaptation solutions. The Brookline Youth Climate Adaptation Challenge is a fun and free educational event for the whole family! For more information, contact CrystalJohnsonISES@gmail.com.
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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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BROOKLINE YOUTH BASEBALL REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Tryouts Sat., 3/8 and Sun., 3/13
Spring Baseball is here, and registration for all players grades K-8 is now open. Tryouts for players age 9 and up will take place on March 5 and 13. Tryouts are for placement only and all age eligible players who register before tryouts will be placed on a team. To register and for more information visit http://www.brooklineyouthbaseball.org. Play Ball!
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HELP AVAILABLE FOR APPLYING FOR MASSHEALTH, SNAP
Did you know that the Brookline Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Relations has Certified Application Counselors that can help Brookline residents apply for MassHealth, which offers benefits to a wide range of people who meet the eligibility rules? Staff can also assist residents in completing the application for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. For more information, reach out Katrina Lazarte at the Brookline Department of Public Health, hintern9@brooklinema.gov.
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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): 
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. 

Pierce 2016 UOD dates and units are:
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)

We cannot continue this important program without more parent volunteers to help lead our workshops! 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: annkamensky@gmail.com or (617) 835-9586.
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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
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phone: (617) 730-2580