In this Issue
|
 Upcoming Science Module
Join our trip around the planet in search of the wonders or the world. Understand the science behind each wonder and create a model of it. Make the Giza pyramid from Egypt, Taj Mahal from India among other wonders. Each session combines science concepts, history, geography facts and some geometry. Kids make a project to take home in each class.
This module begins on the following dates for the grades indicated:
Tues Nov 6: K-2nd grades Thurs Nov. 8: 3rd-5th gradesTo register, click here to fill out the form or contact Rachel Pearlman at
|
Plano Symphony presents
Disney in Concert
THIS Sunday!
In partnership with Plano ISD Council PTA, Plano Symphony Orchestra presents Disney in Concert - Magical Music from the Movies on Sunday, October 21st at 3pm at the Eisemann Center. Click here for details.
|
Where's Your
Did you miss it? Are you feeling left out? Have you seen the "rainbow" on Fridays? You can get one! The TIE DYES are back! Just log into the Membership Toolkit to order. Limited quantities of all spirit wear also available! It's only for a limited time, so get yours NOW!
Carson and Griffin Rae took their Brinker shirts to see Big Tex celebrate his 60th birthday this year! Can you guess where?
 Send us your photos of Where's Your Brinker Been to spiritwear@brinkerpta.org and you may be our next feature! Last week's photo featured Vini Stucker rock and rolling in his spirit wear with his Brinker Y-Guides group at Camp Classen.
|
BOO Bash!
Tom Muehlenbeck Center's 1st Annual Trick or Treat Carnival
Tues, Oct 30, 5-8pm FREE EVENT
Click here for details
|
What is Destination Imagination??
Destination Imagination is an amazing educational experience for kids in kindergarten through college. Teams of 2-7 kids solve challenges in engineering, fine arts, science, community service and more! Grades 3 and up compete in local tournaments - and can even move up to state and global competition! Click here for details or email Sandra Colston at sage@planopta.org.
|
Shop Tom Thumb and Earn $$ for Brinker!
It's easy to earn money for the Brinker PTA by shopping at your local Tom Thumb. Just stop by Customer Service and ask them to link your Rewards card with Charity #4857 and a portion of all of your purchases will come back to your school! Click here for a form that you can complete and drop off.
|
White Rock Creek Community Park
Plano Parks and Recreation is hosting a second community meeting to present a conceptual master plan for the White Rock Creek Community Park site on October 25 from 6:30pm to 9pm at Tom Muhlenbeck Center in Conference Room B. Click here for a copy of the invitation, map and a survey for the residents.
|
|
2012-2013 Exec Board and Chair Members
Click here to see a full listing of the names and contact info of the 2012-2013 Executive Board and Chair Members.
|
Questions regarding the Bear Facts Newsletter? If so, please contact:
Julie Wax
1st VP Communications
Brinker Elementary PTA
communication@brinkerpta.org
|
Quick Links
|
|
|
|
Mark Your Calendar!
| |
|
Oct 18-21
|
| |
Oct 19
| Parent/Teacher Conference Day | |
Oct 22
| Fall Break, Student/Teacher Holiday | |
Oct 23-26
|
| |
Oct 26
|
| |
Nov 2
|
| |
Nov 5-9
|
| |
Nov 7
| Early Release at Noon | |
Nov 12-16
|
Quiggly's Clayhouse
| |
Nov 13
|
| |
Nov 21-23
|
Thanksgiving Break
| |
Dec 24-Jan 7
|
Winter Break
|
|
|
|
Haley's Gift Weekend, October 18-21
| | |
In January 2012, 34-year-old Haley Son Kim, a Brinker 4th Grade teacher, discovered a lump on top of her left breast. By the end of February, her breast cancer was confirmed by an oncologist. With the very real goal of wanting to see her young daughter Taylor grow up and have kids of her own someday, Haley opted to start aggressive treatment immediately in March which included telling
her 4th grade class at Brinker Elementary that
completing a double mastectomy, and shaving her head rather than have to lose her hair to the chemotherapy that would start shortly after her surgery.
 Haley's Gift is a not-for-profit organization formed to create a community of hope for young women with breast cancer by providing financial assistance toward their treatment and recovery. While there are many efforts to diagnose breast cancer early through screening and education or eradicate breast cancer altogether through research and development, the purpose of Haley's Gift is to help the individual today. All funds raised by Haley's Gift will pay expenses associated with the cost of breast cancer treatment aged 40 and under who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and who reside in the United States.
Click here to read more about Haley's Gift and the upcoming Haley's Gift Weekend October 18 - 21 in which you can make a difference!
|
Box Tops due Friday, October 26
| |
Hope you have been busy clipping box tops! The fall deadline is Friday, October 26. Drop your box tops off at school and our school earns money. It's as simple as that! Be sure to put your name on the envelope since there will be some small prizes (and bragging rights!) for the families who collect the most.
Thanks for helping to support the school by collecting Box Tops!
|
Red Ribbon Week
| |
D.A.D.S.
Dudes Against Dangerous Stuff
October 23-25
Calling Brinker Dads or Father Figures!! You have a special opportunity to see what goes on during your child's day! Come volunteer during lunch to show support for Red Ribbon Week. This is a time to teach our children about making the right choices. You'll get a t-shirt to wear so all students will see your commitment.
We are in need a few more 5th grade dads!! Sign up by emailing your name, day and time you prefer to Wendi Klatsky at wklatsky@brinkerpta.org. You MUST have security clearance!
Here is the lunch schedule for the grades:
Kindergarten Noon-12:30pm
1st Grade 10:45-11:15am
2nd Grade 11:15-11:45am
3rd Grade 11:00-11:30am
4th Grade 11:45-12:15pm
5th Grade 11:30am-Noon
Thanks for your support!
|
Field Day
| | |
Friday, October 26, 2012! (Rain make-up day is October 29th)
8-11am (Kindergarten-2nd grade)
11-2 pm (3rd grade-5th grade)
We are still in need of volunteers! If you are security-cleared, please consider enjoying us for a day of fun. Visit our Brinker PTA Membership Toolkit for shift sign-up. PARENTS: - Each grade level will wear a special color t-shirt:
- Kindergarten - BLUE
- 1st grade - YELLOW
-
2nd grade - GREEN
-
3rd grade - GREEN
-
4th grade - YELLOW
- Students will be outside. Dress them in weather-appropriate clothing.
- Be sure to have your child bring a water bottle (with their name on it), sunscreen, and TENNIS SHOES only.
- If it has rained, it would be a good idea to wear old tennis shoes that can get muddy and a plastic bag to put them in afterwards.
- Parent volunteers must wear a RED shirt for easy identification.
If you have any questions please contact us at fieldday@brinkerpta.org.
Kisha Mize
Sandy Goodman-Cohn
|
| Scholastic Book Fair | | |
Scholastic
Book Fair
November 5 - 9
Our Scholastic Book Fair will be held November 5 - 9 to benefit the Brinker School Library. Book sales will be open on:
- Monday and Tuesday, Nov 5 & 6, 2:45pm-4pm
- Wednesday, Nov 7, 8:30am-3:30pm and 6-8pm (Family Pajama Party, Read Aloud Event)
- Thursday, Nov 8, 8:30am-4 pm
- Friday, Nov 9, 8:30am-noon
Children will have a chance to preview the books on Monday and Tuesday of that week and create their "wish lists". Order forms and wish lists will be sent home to parents. The Brinker library earns approximately 10% of sales in Scholastic dollars from our book fair which enables our library staff to add to the amount of books in circulation. In past years, we have been able to add multiple copies of the designated Texas Blue Bonnet books and much more.
Volunteers will be needed throughout the week, as well as on Friday, November 2 to help set up. To volunteer, please email one of the Book Fair Co-Chairs:
Felicia Giambalvo, fgiambalvo@brinkerpta.org
Shelley Lowe, slowe@brinkerpta.org
|
Kindergarten Reading Buddies
| | |
Reading Buddies is always a favorite volunteer opportunity at Brinker! This program allows volunteers to spend time working with the Kindergarteners as they excitedly learn to read! They love to read to you!!
A short training session for Kindergarten Reading Buddies volunteers is scheduled for Tuesday, November 13 at 8:55 am in Mrs. Cherry's classroom. If you are interested in signing up to be a Kindergarten Reading Buddy or have any questions, please contact Julie Pascuzzi at jpascuzzi@brinkerpta.org.
|
Workroom Volunteers
| | |
Workroom Volunteers needed for Spring!
If you can count to 28, staple & cut, then the Brinker Workroom needs YOU! We need 4-5 volunteers each week to help our teachers prepare assignments for the following week. All instructions and supplies are provided.
The Brinker Workroom is located in the back of the school office and is open Tuesday through Thursday, between 7:30am and 2:45pm. This is a great opportunity for you to see what your children are working on and give a helping hand to our amazing & wonderful teachers!
Please be sure you have cleared security, you may sign up online at Membership Toolkit.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nikki Moulinet at nmoulinet@brinkerpta.org.
|
Bluebonnet and 2x2 Reading
| |
Time to Start Reading!!!
If you haven't started already, time to dive into this year's Bluebonnet and 2x2 book lists! The 2x2 list is for K-2nd grade, and the Texas Bluebonnet reading list is for 3rd-5th grade. The reading lists can be found online at Texas Library Association Reading Lists. The books are all available both at the Brinker and public libraries.
 As a reward, when your child reads a certain number of books by the specified deadline, they will be invited to attend a pizza/ice cream party after school! (Due to the upcoming school construction, we will not be having two parties for each age range as in years past). To participate, each child must read at least lucky number 13 books. Extra reading logs to track progress are available in the Brinker library. If you need a reading log, just ask the librarian, Kelly Palmer. They are due back to her by the deadlines below. K-2nd Grade Party (2x2 Reading List) - Tues, Feb 12th Deadline to turn in reading log - Fri, Feb 1st 3rd-5th Grade Party (Bluebonnet Reading List) - Tues, Feb 19th Deadline to turn in reading log - Fri, Feb 8th More details to follow as we get closer to the party dates. If you have any questions, please contact Heather Burchett, Literary Enrichment Chair, at hburchett@brinkerpta.org.
|
| Tuesday Tunes | |
Music speaks when there are no words 
Musicians practice, practice, practice so that they can perfect and perform. TUESDAY TUNES allows Brinker student-musicians the opportunity to showcase their talent (and hard work) in a unique setting! Unlike recitals and stage productions, TUESDAY TUNES takes place in a casual, relaxed environment.
Every Tuesday morning a Brinker student performs in the lobby for students and teachers as they enter the building to start the school day. The student plays his/her instrument continuously from 7:30 am to 7:45 am. Immediately following, the student is introduced as the musician of the day on the "Good Morning Brinker" broadcast!
TUESDAY TUNES...because every performance counts!
If you have any questions regarding Tuesday Tunes, please contact
Katrina Parker at kparker@brinkerpta.org.
|
Brinker Chess Program
| | |
 Did you know that chess is not only FUN to the kids playing, but there are many BRAINY BENEFITS of chess too?
NOW ENROLLING - Session II
(11/1 - 12/13)
A simple Google search of chess will lead you to numerous articles and research that show that chess teaches children important life skills.
For example, chess:
- improves logic and reasoning
- builds strategic thinking and problem solving skills
- teaches patience and discipline
- enhances competitive skills while encouraging development of good sportsmanship
- increases attention, focus, and concentration
Whether your child is new to chess or has been playing for several years, they are invited to join Chess Club on Thursdays from 4:00 - 5:15. Coach Bobby Hillman is a staff member at Plano West Senior High and has been teaching chess to Brinker students for years. He is a USCF certified chess instructor and would love to teach your child! Each session runs for 6 weeks and culminates with a Brinker Chess Club chess tournament.
|
Reflections Program
| | |
Brinker's PTA is proud to announce Reflections 2012 - 2013 Theme,"The Magic of a Moment".
It is never too early to start thinking about next year's Reflections program. Maybe you will see something or do something that makes you think of 'The Magic of the Moment'.
Reflections is a National PTA Program (not a contest) including:
- 6 art categories: Dance/Choreography, Music Composition, Film/Video, Literature, Photography & Visual Art
- 4 judging levels: Local, Council or Area, State & National
The Reflections theme for 2012 - 2013 is "The Magic of the Moment". Use your imagination to create a film, song, artwork, photograph, poem, short story or dance routine. You may enter as many times as you like in as many categories as you like. Each entry must be accompanied by an official entry form. Be sure to reflect the theme in your work.
Entries are due Friday, November 2nd
For more information, contact Kesha McLeod at kmcleod@brinkerpta.org or Kesha Fuller at kfuller@brinkerpta.org.
|
Girls Lacrosse!
| |
CALLING ALL BRINKER GIRLS!
PLANO UNITED GIRLS' LACROSSE is offering FREE CLINICS at every practice! Come join the fun! Teams forming now for girls in grades 1-8. No experien  ce necessary, new players always welcome. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the nation! We practice Tuesdays 6-7:30pm and most Saturdays 8:30-10:30am at Hoblitzelle Park, north of Legacy on Red River. We understand girls have many commitments, we will work with their schedules. For more information, see www.planounitedgirlslacrosse.com. To register for free clinics contact Liz Holmes at liz.holmes@swbell.net or 972-658-1224. |
|
|
|
|
