05.11.2016
PTO CORNER  
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org
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PUBLIC MEETING ON THE 9TH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Wed., 5/18, 7pm @ Pierce School Auditorium
All parents, guardians, and community members are invited to attend a public meeting about the site selection process for a new K-8 elementary school. The presentation will cover the current timeline for site selection and construction of a 9th K-8 elementary school, an update on the site studies that will be conducted on three sites, and an update on the Village School site that is under consideration. There will also be time for questions and answers. 
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FINAL "BROOKLINE TALKS" SPRING SPEAKER EVENT
Wed., 5/11, 7pm @ Pierce School
Come out and hear Rachel Simmons, author of "Odd Girl Out: Coping with Best Friends, Worst Enemies and Everything in Between," as she delivers the last of the "Brookline Talks" speaker series, sponsored by Brookline K-8 PTOs, the Brookline Education Foundation, and the Brookline Community Mental Health Center. Register for this free event at 
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SPRING FUNDRAISER: TREASURE OUR TEACHERS
Sat., 5/14, 7-10:30pm @ Pierce School Cafeteria
If you haven't already, book that babysitter for this year's adult-only PTO fundraiser. Mingle with other Pierce parents. Bid on fabulous items in the raffle and silent auction. Enjoy music, cocktails and light catered fare. Most of all, appreciate the wonderful Pierce teaching staff, while raising funds for the PTO. Tickets $35 in advance and $45 at the door. Get your tickets outside the Historical Building and online at http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/spring-fundraiser.html.

The Treasure our Teachers team is also looking for people to:
  • donate goods and services. Have a summer home? Extra gift cards you can't use? Tickets to sporting events? A business that could make a donation? We would love any and all donations to help us reach our fundraising goal. To make a donation, please email pierce.pto@gmail.com. 
  • volunteer. Please consider helping out on the day of the event. There are lots (and lots) of ways to help! Sign up for a shift or two at  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0c49a5a92aab9-pierce.
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BROOKLINE EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S "CELEBRATING TEACHERS"
Tues., 5/17, 3:30 pm @ Newbury College Student Center (129 Fisher Avenue)
Please join us for Brookline Education Foundation's "Celebrating Teachers" event, an annual opportunity to thank all Brookline educators for their enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism in the Public Schools of Brookline. Learn about the BEF grants awarded for the 2016-2017 school year and listen to amazing speeches by this year's recipients of the Ernest R. Caverly Award for Excellence in Teaching, Janice Gaudette (Devotion K-2 Therapeutic Learning Center) and Jill Sifantus (BHS Biology). Free and open to all.
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CELEBRATING DR. PIPIER SMITH-MUMFORD
Wed., 5/25, 7pm @ Pierce Auditorium
Please join the Pierce community, past and present, to celebrate Dr. Smith-Mumford's wonderful career at the Pierce School. Drinks, light fare and lots of memories. Adults only. Contact charlie@bostonsoftware.com to help with the event. 
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SAVE THE DATE: DAVID WEINSTEIN RETIREMENT PARTY
Fri., 6/10, 1:50-2:30pm @ Pierce Auditorium 
Come celebrate (mourn?) the retirement of First Grade teacher extraordinaire, David Weinstein, a.k.a. BMT.
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A BIG THANK YOU FOR THE CHINESE CULTURAL NIGHT VOLUNTEERS!
Chinese Cultural Night was an incredible success! Thanks to everyone who volunteered and came out to the event. Special thanks to Yan Zhang and Chummei Fu for planning and taking the lead on this new educational and fun event!

Additional thanks to our Chinese members of our community: Yongzhe Zhao, Man Ding, Peizhu Qi, Yonghui Nie, Mangu Tian, Xiaoli Liu, Enlin Du, QiFei, JiZhi Zhang,Yufei Wang, Zhongnan Li , Haofen Li, Kaile  Zhang, Mi Yang, Hanwen Mu, Bingsen Luo,Cuiping Zhang, Yuhan Chen, Yongjian Zhou, Yan Xu, Tianyi Liu, Xin Zhou, Zhetong Cao, Yijia Ma, Hong Ma, Jason Geng ,Wang Ruike, Aiying Wang, Ye Pan, Alice Zhang, Yanhua Li, Zhangying, Xiaoying Wang, Chenxi Luo, Jing Yan, Weiheng Qin, Yang'e Xu, Lily Miao, Liujun Chen, Chen Xiao,Ying Ying, Shibo Huang, Yilin Huang, Jianfang Fu, Moshan Tu, Rui Liu, Feilian Peng, Peiliang Yu, Jingfei Huang, Fupeng Lu, Yuxun Zhang, Lei Zhang, Shaoyun Jiang, Duo Hua, Yinbo Zhang, Zhenyu Du(Daniel), Wang Ruike for great planning and running the event.

Also, thanks to Ms. Li Xu and her Mandarin students, Vlad Pawlowsky Caubet, Solomon Sakakeeny-Smith, and Troy Barrett for helping out running the event, and to Jeff Walker for making beautiful flyers and posters. We appreciate all your help! 
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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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BE A SCHOOL COUNCIL PARENT REPRESENTATIVE
Deadline Fri., 5/20
Would you like to participate more directly in Pierce's improvement efforts? Run for a seat on the Pierce School Council! Comprising parents, teachers, community members and the Principal, the School Council helps identify students' educational needs and school goals. The Council: 
*  makes recommendations to the principal about curriculum development, implementation, and assessment;
*  helps review school budget priorities; and
*  helps formulate an annual school improvement plan to boost student performance and meet designated goals.
School Council meets once monthly during the school year, and requires a couple of hours per month of preparation. Representatives serve a two-year term. Three parent seats are vacant for the upcoming term. To run, please contact the PTO at pierce.pto@gmail.com, and provide your name, email address, the grade(s) of your child(ren) at Pierce, and a brief statement about your background and your interest in serving on School Council that will be used on the ballot. For more information about School Council, including a list of current members who can be reached for questions, go to http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/school-council.html. Questions? Please contact School Council Co-Chair, Naomi Sweitzer at justicedoit@yahoo.com.
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8TH GRADE BASH 
Sat., 5/14, 7:30-10:30pm @ Brookline Teen Center
This party has been planned by a group of 8th graders and BHS students and is for all 8th graders who live in and/or attend school in Brookline. $3 entry per person.
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FIND THE GOLDEN SHOES
Sunday., 5/1 - Tuesday, 5/31
Celebrate our walkable neighborhood! 100 golden shoes have been hidden throughout the neighborhood surrounding  Pierce -- on sidewalks, in parks, or around local businesses. Each shoe is specially marked with a certificate with instructions on how to enter the grand prize drawing, to be held at the Pierce Family Picnic. Golden Shoes is sponsored by Pierce Walks, encouraging children to be active, Brookline Public Health Department, and Pierce PTO. To learn more visit www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/golden-shoes.html. Grand prize: A walking-shopping spree through Brookline and PUMA footwear signed by Usain Bolt. 
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SAVE THE DATE: PIERCE PICNIC
Thurs., 6/9, 5:30pm @ Pierce Park 
It's that time of year again -- PIERCE PICNIC TIME! Bring a blanket and some food while kids play and dance and celebrate another terrific year. Planning is underway and volunteers are needed. Email Nora O'Farrell noraofarrell3@gmail.com and Tamisha Atkins tamisha31@msn.com if you can help. Rain date Fri., 6/10.
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SUMMER SCHOOL FOR RISING 6TH-9TH GRADERS
6/29 - 8/5., 9-11am and 11am-1pm @ Brookline High School
BHS Summer School offers many review and enrichment courses that are available to rising 6th-9th graders, as well as credit-earning electives for rising 9th graders! Courses are offered to all Brookline students and non-residents. Take a class with a friend from another school, including:
  • BHS Transition: One Up, a week-long intensive program to help students to gain a better understanding of the culture of Brookline High School and smooth the transition from 8th grade to freshman year.
  • Enrichment/Review classes:  Reading, Writing, Math, and Science, Geometry Honors Preview
  • ELL classes: Beginner and Intermediate
  • Elective Classes: World Cuisine, Digital Arts/Computer Design, Photography, Drawing, Art Studio, World of Money, Spanish Independent Study, and Life-Time Activities.
  • Original Credit Courses:  Physics, Chemistry, Biology, US History, Spanish
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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BE A SPECIAL GUEST INVITE ON "THE GAIA REPORT"
Building upon the success of the premier annual Brookline Youth Climate Adaptation Challenge, The Gaia Report will launch this May on BIG Brookline Local/Community Cable Channel. The monthly TV series will focus on environmental news, green living insights and inspirational people making positive impact. Hosted by Aspen and Crystal Johnson. Monthly Air Schedule TBA.

Are you interested in being a special guest on The Gaia Report? Showcase an environmental/green living tip. Pose an environmental/green living inquiry. Discuss your relevant professional work and impact. Email TheGaiaReportTVseries@gmail.com or CrystalJohnsonISES@gmail.com.
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SAVE THE DATE: THE VILLAGE FAIR
Sun. 6/12 12-4pm @ Harvard St., Brookline
Come one, come all to the second annual Village Fair, a celebration of everything that makes this neighborhood a great place to live. Live music, balloons, face painting, vendor exhibits, health and wellness demonstrations, touch-a-truck, food, giant puppets, sidewalk chalk, a one-mile race, and much much more. For updated information visit http://thevillagefair.org or like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thevillagefair/.
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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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EDIT THE PENGUIN POST
The Penguin Post, the 5th and 6th grade newspaper is an entirely volunteer-run program, and seeks parent volunteers for 2016/2017 to manage and edit the student writing team weekly, during lunch/recess. For more information, please contact the current newspaper editors: Mara Littman, maralittman@yahoo.com or Milly Arbaje-Thomas, milagrosarbaje@yahoo.com.
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FINAL UNDERSTANDING OUR DIFFERENCES UNIT
Fri., 6/10 8:15-10:30am @ Pierce
The last remaining unit of the Understanding Our Differences program is Intellectual Disabilities. Volunteers needed on 6/10, in addition to training Mon., 6/6 at 7pm. To volunteer, please visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gN6R6Ker7Vo-AyVyOypWeygcEFwtnvX2KsxlqR-dk1Q/edit#gid=0. 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
Want to see your ad here? Send an email to piercebridge@gmail.com.
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RETURNING PIERCE FAMILY LOOKING TO RENT
Returning Pierce family looking for a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath rental in the Pierce school district. We are looking to move in this summer before the start of the school year in September. Contact: Milly Villafane @ miltonst77@gmail.com or call 917.992.6451.
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BOSTON PATIO PLAYHOUSE SUMMER OPERA & MUSICAL THEATER PROGRAMS
Boston Patio Playhouse announces summer programs in Coolidge Corner! Backyard Opera (Musical Theater & Opera Program) runs from July 5-15; Front Porch Players Musical Theater program runs from August 1-12. In both programs, students participate in acting, dance, voice, and backstage classes while working on a final performance in which everyone is a soloist! 
For more information or to register, visit www.bostonpatioplayhouse.com or contact Stephanie at stephanie@bostonpatioplayhouse.com.

THE HOUSE OF COLORS ART STUDIO/SCHOOL
The House of Colors Art Studio/School has an exciting summer program. 

DEEP BLUE BARBER SHOP
Deep Blue Barber Shop is now open! Conveniently located at 395 Washington Street Brookline, MA. Come check us out to get cleaned up for Spring. Walk-ins welcome! You can also book online at deepbluebarbershop.com or call 617-879-0185. New customers enjoy 10% off all services."

SMART KID LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE?
Lumos Debate offers a 2 week summer camp where your child will learn public speaking, critical thinking, and leadership skills. Gr 6-10. This month, we're offering a $300 discount for Pierce families, just use the promo code "BRIDGE" (code expires on May 30). Register at lumosdebate.com or call 617-901-4564 for more info.

FOR RENT BY PIERCE FAMILY
Two-Bedroom condo overlooking Linden Park, one block from Pierce School. 
This 2BR, 1 bath condo has living room, eat-in kitchen, separate dining room, private deck overlooking the park, storage, W/D in basement, one deeded parking spot included, a second is available. Available July 1. Please go to 4lindencourt2brooklinevillagema.wordpress.com/ for more information. Contact brooklinecondo123@gmail.com.

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phone: (617) 730-2580