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Welcome Brackett Families to the 2018-2019 school year. If you have news to share with the community, please email your update to Brackettnews@gmail.com.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Save the Dates
Fifth Grade Math Mornings Begin This Week
Culture and Creativity Night
Thanksgiving Food Drive
New Colors of STEM
PTO's November Drive
PTO Meeting
Volunteer Spotlight: Online Auction
Third and Fourth Grade Math Mornings
Great Pumpkin Rescue Success
Coats for Kids
Community News:
Kids Night Out
Family Folk Chorale
SEPAC Meeting & Workshop
Parent Forum: Raising Ethical, Thoughtful Children
AEF Fundraising Celebration
Arlington Pop Warner Cheer
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Save the Date:
11/12 - No School
11/13 - Early Release at 1 PM (Lunch will be served)
11/15 - Culture & Creativity Night
11/20 - Early Release at 1 PM (Lunch will be served)
11/22-23 - Thanksgiving Break (no school)
11/27 - Early Release at 1 PM (Lunch will be served)
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Fifth Grade Math Mornings Begin Tomorrow! 
Attention all fifth graders! Join us Friday mornings at 7:30 am in Ms. Pires' classroom to see how numbers rule your world!
We'll explore risk and probability, how to think like a computer, and much much more as part of Fifth Grade Math Mornings.
Parents: if you have any questions about this program, please do not hesitate to contact Karen O'Hagan (kae.ohagan@gmail.com).
- Mark Schifferli and Karen O'Hagan
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Sign Up Today for Brackett's Culture and Creativity Night 
When: Thursday, November 15th
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Please join us for an evening to celebrate the diversity of our community through “museum tables,” arts and crafts, music, STEM related activities, and a sampling of diverse cuisines from around the world!
Grandparents, older siblings, aunts/uncles are encouraged to participate too!
Please sign up HERE to host a "museum" (aka table) or a craft station, musical contribution, to bring a food dish to share, or to help with set up or clean up.
Keep in mind that there are many sources of culture. You may choose to share the culture of your family's countries of origin, but you could also teach us about another group, language or shared history that is meaningful to you.
If you are interested in sharing any part of your cultural identity please do! All are welcome! Please contact Caitlin Sweeney (caitlin.sweeney@gmail.com) or Nicole Schwartz (nschwartz@arlington.k12.ma.us) with any questions.
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Our Thanksgiving Food Drive has Begun! 
Every year we join the Board of Youth Services in a Thanksgiving food drive for families who need community support.
Each grade is assigned a food item. $20 Gift cards to Stop & Shop and Market Basket are also needed. Please leave those in the school office. Food donation bins are in the lobby.
PLEASE DONATE REGULAR SIZED ITEMS.
K - Rice and Rice Noodles
1st Canned Fruit in its own juices
2nd Cranberry sauce and Canned Gravy
3rd Boxed Potato Mixes and Boxed Pie Crusts
4th Canned Tomatoes and Mixed Nuts
5th Stuffing Mixes and Crackers
Thank you so much! This is our biggest drive of the year so lets FILL THE BINS! Our last day of this drive is November 15th.
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New Colors of STEM Poster Featuring Katherine Johnson!
Mathematician Katherine Johnson is our third portrait in the series of posters highlighting the contributions of STEM individuals of color.
Born in 1918, Katherine excelled at math as a child in the South during the segregation era. She graduated college at the age of 18, and began her career as a ‘computer’ in NASA during the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Her calculations used geometry to compute the trajectories of spacecrafts which helped American astronauts safely travel to the moon and back in 1969. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was featured in the movie “Hidden Figures.”
Check out this new poster across from the Brackett Library to learn about Katherine’s love of math, and how her work helped the US win the Space Race!
For more information on the Colors of STEM contact Nancy Chew (nancychew@verizon.net) or Atwood Cheung (atwoodcheung@verizon.net).
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Brackett PTO's November Drive!
Do you know everything your PTO does???
Make a donation via PayPal on the Brackett website at http://brackettelementary.org/ or make a check out to Brackett School PTO and send it in to your child's teacher. Thank you!
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PTO Meeting - Monday, November 26th at 7pm
Please save the date for our next PTO meeting, Monday, 11/26 at 7pm in the Brackett cafeteria. Come meeting fellow parents and committee members and learn about what's going on at school.
Hope to see you there!
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Volunteer Spotlight: Online Auction
This is THE perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to make a measurable contribution without being at the school. The Brackett Auction is annual event that raises much needed funds to improve our school. Last year's auction raised over $14,000!
The Auction takes place online over one week in late January and early February, but preparation starts now. Help is needed to solicit items to auction, collect donated gifts, populate the auction website, promote the auction, and distribute gifts to the winning bidders. Much of the work is done online through the auction website and email.
Please contact Christina Ahmad (christina.bates@gmail.com) to volunteer!
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Third & Fourth Grade Math Mornings! 
On behalf of the STEM Committee, a team of parents is holding 3rd Grade and Fourth Grade Math Mornings!
Math Morning is an extracurricular, supplemental math program intended to inspire and energize students about interesting math topics. Each session typically includes a brief slide presentation on a topic, followed by worksheets with fun exercises. Parents are invited to stay and assist their child with the worksheets.
Third Graders will meet Friday mornings in the Cafe.
Fourth Graders will meet Friday mornings at 7:30am in the Library.
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Great Pumpkin Rescue Success!
Thanks to everyone who brought their pumpkins to Brackett and a big thank you to our Green Team who composted them!
 
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Coats for Kids Drive! 
The 24th annual coat drive has begun! Cold weather is on its way: lets help needy families stay warm!
Between now and January 8, please donate your too-small or unused coats by placing them in the bins in the Brackett lobby. All sizes: baby to adult are needed. We'll deliver them to Anton's Cleaners, which cleans them free of charge and coordinates the distribution to needy local families.
*Please, donate coats that you would give a friend to wear! No sweatshirts, vests, spring coats, rips or broken zippers! Contact maya.vayner@gmail.com with questions. Thank you!!!
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Brackett has a 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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Kids Night Out - November 10th
The Arlington High School Student Council is sponsoring a kids night out. Dinner, Crafts, Music, Movies and Games will be provided.
When: Saturday, November 10th from 5:30pm - 8:30pm!
Where: Arlington High School Blue Gym, 869 Mass Ave.
Cost: $20 for one child, $10 per each additional sibling
RSVP: trosen2020@spyponders.com
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Family Folk Chorale concert Sunday November 11th
Come sing and dance along at the next Family Folk Chorale concert Sunday November 11th at 3pm at Arlington Town Hall! We will be singing music from two great bands: the Indigo Girls and R.E.M. It's going to be a really fun and uplifting afternoon that your whole family will enjoy. More info on Facebook, the FFC website.
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SEPAC MEETING & BASIC RIGHTS IEP WORKSHOP - November 13th
When: Tuesday, November 13th, 7pm - 9:30pm
(7pm - 7:30pm Meeting; 7:30pm - 9:30pm Workshop)
Where: Gibbs School Media Center, 41 Foster Street
What are your basic rights in the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process? Come hear speaker Elizabeth Bostic present those rights and answer some questions about this process.
Elizabeth is President of SPaN (Special Needs Advocacy Network), a net- work of special needs advocates in Massachusetts, as well as a member of the IMPACT: Ability Steering Committee, COPAA (Council for Parent Attorneys and Advocates) and P.I.C.K. (Parents of Infants and Children with Kernicterus). She was previously a member of the ArcMass board and the Reading Special Education Parent Advisory Council.
Learn more about our speaker here: http://theparentcoachllc.com/about-us.html
Be sure to check the SEPAC website for upcoming workshops and meetings. Dates and times are subject to change. www.arlington.k12.ma.us/SEPAC
JOIN US!
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PARENT FORUM: How to Raise Ethical/Thoughtful Children in the Age of Me Too
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Ottoson MS 7-8:30pm
As we are bombarded by the wave of unethical, criminal, and sordid behaviors of political, educational, entertainment, and sports figures, how do we help our children develop a moral compass and make decisions that are grounded, appropriate and compassionate
This dialogue is suitable for all parents who are invested in raising their children.
PRESENTER: Damon Blank is a Licensed Marriage/Family Therapist. He has been in private practice for over 35 years. He works with individuals, couples, families and groups.
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Arlington Education Foundation Fundraising Celebration
Monday November 19, 6-8pm, at Tryst
689 Mass Ave
Please join us to learn about innovative initiatives in Arlington Public Schools that are funded by AEF, and to hear from the new Gibbs and Ottoson School Principals, Kristin DeFrancisco and Brian Meringer, respectfully.
Hors d'oeuvres and cash bar.
Please RSVP by November 12th
Suggested donation $100 per person or $150 per couple.
http://aefma.org/wp/annual-fall-event
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Calling All Arlingtonians and Spy Ponders Fans
Show your Ponder Pride while supporting Arlington Pop Warner Cheer!
Arlington Pop Warner Cheer B Team are the Regional Champs and are competing in the Pop Warner National Cheer Competition in December. To help fundraise for their trip, the B Team is selling Spy Ponders smartphone wallets (see attached picture) for $5.00
To purchase your wallet, please send $5.00 via paypal to Kiela@comcast.net
Please be sure to include your full name and address, and your wallet will be delivered to your home. Any questions? Email Kiela Lyons at Kiela@comcast.net
Thank you for supporting Arlington Pop Warner Cheer!
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For daily updated calendar and event information, please check the Brackett Website at http://brackettelementary.org/
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