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January 23, 2020
Welcome Brackett Families. If you have news to share with the community, please email your update to Brackettnews@gmail.com. Please see guidelines at the end of this newsletter.
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SAVE THE DATES:
1/28 - Early release at 1PM (Lunch will be served)
2/4 - Early release at 1PM (Lunch will be served)
2/11 - Early release at 1PM (Lunch will be served)
2/17-2/21 NO SCHOOL
2/25 - Early release at 1PM (Lunch will be served)
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Brackett News
NEW Brackett Movie Night
NEW Brackett Hour of Code
NEW Winter STEM Committee Meeting and STEM Night Planning, January 23!
NEW Brackett Parent Offering Summer Camp Opportunity
NEW Math Mornings: 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
Call for co-chairs and volunteers for the new Brackett Welcome Committee and Buddy Family Program
Brackett PTO Activities
Box Tops
Brackett PTO Meetings
Brackett Facebook Page
Arlington Public Schools & Community News
NEW Diversity and Inclusion (DIG) event
NEW Parenting Support Group at Arlington Youth Counseling Center
NEW Forum: Angst
NEW Arlington Youth Baseball and Softball Spring 2020 registration is open.
NEW Feb. 4 AHS Project Forum: Site Work Begins
SEPAC Meeting Schedule
(Events appearing in Enews for the first time are preceded by NEW)
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NEW Brackett Movie Night
Our next Family Movie date is schedule for FRIDAY, JANUARY 24th! Hope to see you there!
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NEW Brackett Hour of Code
We are looking for your help with the 2019-2020 Brackett Hour of Code, taking place January 27 - January 31.
This is a parent volunteer run event! It's a great way to get in the classroom and do something different with the kids while helping expose them to computer programming. It isn't too difficult and you can play the games before you volunteer so you're prepared to help. The games are usually self paced but the kids often have questions or run into issues. You do not need to be a computer programmer to
volunteer - it’s fine if you have no prior coding experience. We'll ask one parent to volunteer as lead in each session which means they'll be responsible for knowing how to set things up, but we highly
recommend all parent volunteers read the instructions and try the game before their session.
*** Please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040E4BABAD22AA8-hour to sign up now! You are welcome (and encouraged) to sign up for multiple slots - the more volunteers we have, the better, especially for the younger grades! ***
Instructions and activities for each grade will be emailed out by 12/23. For more information about the Hour of Code in general you can visit https://hourofcode.com/us.
Warmly,
Jen Prior, 2020 Hour of Code Chair and mom to Cara, 1st grade, and Abby, 4th grade
PLEASE NOTE: If you have not already completed one, please either fill out a CORI form from the office or get one from
http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/eforms/payroll_forms/CORI_Check.pdf and drop it off in the office.
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NEW Winter STEM Committee Meeting and STEM Night Planning, January 23!
Please join the STEM Committee for our winter meeting, and to help us begin planning our biggest event of the year: STEM NIGHT! This has been a resounding success these past years, and we're looking forward to a fun, successful event this year. We aim to hold STEM Night in mid-March, so please join us to begin planning.
Thursday, January 23, 7:00-8:30pm
241 Gray Street (Scott Uebelhart's home)
Kindly RSVP to Scott Uebelhart (scott.uebelhart@gmail.com).
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NEW Brackett Parent Offering Summer Camp Opportunity
Letizia Allais, a Brackett parent, offers a summer camp program, Atelier Apollo, and registration for the Summer program is now open! This year, the program will run the weeks of 7/6, 7/13, and 7/20, 9am-4pm, with an option for early drop-off. For more information, click here, or contact Letizia directly at letizia@atelierapollo.com.
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NEW Math Mornings: 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades
On behalf of the STEM Committee, teams of parents are running Math Mornings, an extracurricular, supplemental math program intended to inspire and energize students about interesting math topics. Each session typically includes a brief slide presentation on the topic, followed by worksheets with fun exercises. Parents are invited and encouraged to stay and assist their child with the worksheets, and are very welcome to join the teams.
3rd Grade Math Mornings are FRIDAYS 7:30am in Mrs. McHugo's room. We are working through math puzzles this month! All 3rd graders and their parents are welcome!! Contact Scott Uebelhart (scott.uebelhart@gmail.com) for more details.
4th Grade Math Mornings are FRIDAYS 7:30am in the Library. We are working through math puzzles this month! All 4th graders and their parents are welcome!! Contact Scott Uebelhart (scott.uebelhart@gmail.com) for more details.
5th Grade Math Mornings are Fridays at 7:30 in Mrs. Pires' room, Room 312. Our sessions until February break include Geometric Constructions 2, Clocks, Coded Digits, Coded Operations, and Coin Tricks. All are welcome! Email David Koelle (dmkoelle@gmail.com) with questions.
Have an hour on a Friday morning? We need volunteers to help lead the sessions. All materials are provided. If you can just lead one session it would help us out! Volunteers/Questions - Text or email Laura Leighton (415)867-2909 or Peter Rice pjrice04@gmail.com (703)389-7914
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Call for co-chairs and volunteers for the new Brackett Welcome Committee and Buddy Family Program
The Brackett PTO is establishing a committee that will welcome families to our school, especially those who enter in classes other than kindergarten, part way through the school year, have moved from elsewhere, or are currently at Brackett but would benefit from a mentor family that would be matched especially for their needs. We will use materials developed by volunteers at other Arlington elementary schools. Most of the preparatory work is done and volunteers can focus on the fun part- engaging with other families! Please email the PTO Board at brackettschoolpto@gmail.com to get involved!
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Brackett PTO Activities
The Brackett PTO was busy hosting, coordinating, and funding this Fall! See below for a recap of all that we accomplished. And there is more to come! See our plans for Spring 2020! Many thanks to all the volunteers who enrich our school!
Fall 2019
Organized by the PTO:
- Welcome Back Luncheon for teachers
- All-School Welcome Back Picnic
- Picture Day
- Book Fair
- Water bottle rockets (needs leader for next year!)
- Math Mornings for Grade 3, 4, and 5 (ongoing- volunteers needed!)
- Brackett Bank (ongoing- needs volunteers!)
- Pumpkin Recycling
- Culture and Creativity Night
- Thanksgiving Food Drive
- Annual Appeal (ongoing- fundraiser, volunteers needed!)
- Movie Night (fundraiser for 5th Grade Graduation)
- Holiday Helper
- School Council (ongoing)
- Lost and Found coordination (ongoing)
- Box Tops for Education registration and submissions (ongoing- fundraiser)
- Stop and Shop A+ School Rewards Program registration (ongoing- fundraiser)
- AmazonSmile registration (ongoing- fundraiser)
- Holiday gifts to the front office staff and crossing guard
Paid for by the PTO:
- Welcome Back Luncheon for teachers
- Teacher stipends
- Signs for morning line up
- Kindergarten sensory path
- Grade 1 - flexible seating for each classroom
- Music classroom rug and seating
- Food for Culture & Creativity Night
- Supplemented room parents’ funds for SLC classrooms
- School website (forthcoming)
- School directory (forthcoming)
Classroom tools and resources
- Scholastic News for all of Grade 1
- Grade 1 - Discovery Museum traveling workshop
- Grade 4 - Museum of Science traveling program
- RAZ kids accounts for all of Grade 2
- IXL accounts for all Grade 4 students
- Mailbox for Mrs. Taffel’s classroom
- Field Trips
- Kindergarten - Harvard Museum of Natural Science
- Grade 3 - paid for entire Plimoth Plantation field trip and buses
- Grade 4 - Stamp Museum, donation to Perkins School for the Blind, New England Aquarium, Tsongas Center
Other
- Coordination of room parents and teacher gifts
- Resolved missing email communication from the school
- Manages messages to families via email, school website, and Facebook page
- Ongoing payments, reimbursements, and bank deposits
- Streamlined system for reimbursements and budgeting
- Documentation of PTO practices and policies
- Communicates community-related events, such as Robbins Farm Park Field Day and Fall Clean Up
Spring 2020
Additional volunteers are appreciated for all initiatives.
- Cultural Performances (ongoing, during school day)
- Initiation of a (New) Family Welcome Committee (January- co-chairs needed!)
- Winter Online Auction (January- fundraiser)
- New school website (February)
- New school-wide directory (February)
- Read-a-thon (February/March- fundraiser and community building)
- STEM Night (March)
- Menotomy Day (April)
- Chick hatching (Grade 1) (TBD)
- Brackett Community Art Show (April)
- June Fair (June)
- Fifth Grade Graduation (June)
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Box Tops
The Box Tops for Education program is changing the way we can earn cash for our school! Box tops can be turned into your child's teacher or in the main school office. To learn more BTFE.com. Questions: Christina.mamlouk@gmail.com
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Brackett PTO Meetings
Tuesday, February 4 at 8:15 am and 6:30 pm
Tuesday, April 7 at 8:15 am and 6:30 pm
Tuesday, May 12 at 8:15 am and 6:30 pm
We hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
The Brackett PTO
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Brackett Facebook Page
Please "like" our FaceBook page and stay up-to-date on school events and news. You can find us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/227346734350605/
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Arlington Public Schools & Community News
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NEW Diversity and Inclusion (DIG) event
Our next event will be Tuesday February 4th at Peirce Elementary with INAE HWANG from SEPAC and DEB SAVAGE from the Sped Alliance. For a complete listing of our upcoming monthly meetings for parents please see here. We look forward to your participation.
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NEW Parenting Support Group at Arlington Youth Counseling Center
Parenting Support Group for Parents and Caregivers of Elementary-Aged Children
Join us for parenting support and to share and receive new ideas for addressing the challenges of parenting.
Wednesdays 1pm-2pm, January 22-March 18 at Arlington Youth Counseling Center
Registration Fee: $50 (financial assistance available). Childcare available on an as-needed basis. For questions or to sign up, contact Deb Murry, MA, LMHC, djmurray@town.arlington.ma.us or 781-316-3251
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NEW Forum: Angst
Monday, January 27th, 2020
AHS Lowe Auditorium, 7-8:30.
The Arlington Public schools and Arlington Youth Counseling Center presents ANGST. A documentary project that looks at anxiety. Film to be followed by a panel discussion All parents k-12 are welcome, but students with their parent in grades 8-12 are also invited. Please see the attachment. There is no registration.
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NEW Arlington Youth Baseball and Softball Spring 2020 registration is open.
To be eligible, children must live in the town of Arlington. The baseball program includes boys and girls ages 4 through 12 years old on April 30. The softball program is open to girls ages 7 through 14 years of age on January 1st. We welcome players at all levels. More detailed program information can be found on the registration tab as well as the home page on the AYBSA site.
Go to the AYBSA website www.aybsaonline.org to register. If you have questions you will find the contact for each program on the website also.
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NEW Feb. 4 AHS Project Forum: Site Work Begins
7pm, AHS Auditorium (snow date Feb. 5)
Students, neighbors, and visitors will start to see and hear activity on the school grounds in late February. Learn more about what to expect in the first 3-6 months of work:
- Site work, fencing, construction, phasing plans
- Field closures, changes to the existing site
- Access changes for pedestrians, bikes, cars, parking
- Noise and dust control mitigation
For more information, visit www.ahsbuilding.org.
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SEPAC Meeting Schedule
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For daily updated calendar and event information, please check the Brackett Website at http://brackettelementary.org/
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Brackett Enews welcomes submissions about upcoming events relevant to Brackett elementary students. Here are our guidelines:
*Listings should be about pertinent upcoming events/programs/deadlines.
*We only include school events or town of Arlington events.
*Submissions should be geared towards Brackett elementary students and their families.
*Listings should be 125 words or less, if possible. We will condense as needed.
*Send your listing to brackettnews@gmail.com, and Include:
--Event Name and Date
--Brief summary/description, including any deadlines and/or registration links
--Contact information (email or website)
--If applicable, a picture that represents the event
The deadline for submissions is TUESDAY at 3 pm for the latest Enews. Items submitted after then may or may not be included in the newsletter. All listings are run at the discretion of the Brackett Enews editor and PTO Board. If you have questions about these guidelines, or want to run something by us for approval, please email brackettnews@gmail.com
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