Save the Date:

4/15 - 4/19 SPRING BREAK
4/22 - Early Release at 1PM (Lunch will be served)
4/30 - Early Release at 1PM (Lunch will be served)

Brackett Bank Closed Friday

Brackett Bank will be closed this Friday, April 12th. It will reopen after break on Friday, April 26th. Thanks!

Brackett Green Team News

Meeting This Friday:
Green Team will meet this Friday, April 12th, 2:30-3:30pm in the 3rd floor greenhouse. We will check on our recently planted seeds, water them, and then make some signs to hold for our Green Team march in the Patriots Day Parade!

Community News:
The Brackett Green Team, along with students from other green teams in town, will march together for the third year in the Arlington Patriots Day Parade on Sunday, April 14th! If you are interested in joining us, please contact Rachel Oliveri at rachelboliveri@gmail.com.

Mark your calendar for Arlington EcoWeek April 22nd-April 26th! Learn, take action, and celebrate during this week of ecological inspiration, with something for everyone! Events are free and open to the public. Click herefor the full schedule of events!

Volunteer Spotlight: First Grade Chick Hatching!

One of the most memorable events students have at Brackett is keeping incubators in first grade classrooms and watching and waiting chick eggs hatch!

Sound fun and interesting? We're looking for a few volunteers to help coordinate the project. The STEM Committee has all of the supplies and instructions (including brand new incubators!) We just need some parents or caregivers to lend a hand.

Interested? Please contact Garret Van Dyke gvandyke@gmail.com

Upcoming DIG Events

More Courageous Conversations about Race with Our Children: Tuesday, April 30 from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm in Brackett Auditorium

Dr. Liza Talusan, a nationally recognized educator on issues of diversity and inclusion, is returning to lead us in a follow-up workshop that will further our learning about the challenges and opportunities in talking about race and racism with our families. Please join us whether or not you attended the first workshop! Here is an interview of Liza talking about the first event: https://acmi.tv/videos/talk-of-the-town-liza-talusan/

FB event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1808483885919928/

Introducing the new DIG website!

Please visit our new website at https://sites.google.com/view/brackettdig

At our website we have a variety of resources to support families and educators in reinforcing diversity, equity and inclusion as valued parts of the culture at Brackett. We also highlight the great successes that Brackett educators have had in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Visit our website to check out the Black History Month celebration in Ms. Pires' 5th grade classroom!

Monthly meeting

Please join us for our next Brackett Parents Diversity & Inclusion Group (DIG) meeting Tuesday, 4/23/19, Brackett School Library from 6:30-8:30 PM

Mini-topic for discussion: "How does equity play a role in Math"?

Parent resource: Mathematics Education through the Lens of Social Justice

Student resource: How to Learn Math

April Guest: Emily Veader, Brackett Elementary Math Coach

To find out more about DIG and ways you can help a little or a LOT, please join our mailing list: brackettdig@gmail.com or visit our sign-up genius for lots of one off ways you can support Diversity & Inclusion efforts at Brackett.

Brackett Textile Recycling Competition: April 22 - April 26

Brackett will be competing against all Arlington Public Schools to collect the most textiles during the competition week and to win a prize and town recognition.

Drop off your textiles (all old, worn, torn clothes, shoes, bedding, stuffed animals, etc) to the Bay State Textiles collection bin outside your school from April 22nd - April 26th.

Here is more information about textile recycling and why it's important:

https://www.mass.gov/guides/massdep-textile-recovery

https://www.smartasn.org/SMARTASN/assets/File/resources/SMARTInfographTextileRecycling.pdf

https://www.smartasn.org/SMARTASN/assets/File/resources/SMARTDoubleLifeofRecycledTextiles.pdf

For questions about the competition, you can contact Rachel Oliveri, School Sustainability Coordinator, at roliveri@arlington.k12.ma.us.

Brackett's Community Art Show: May 17th!

Join the Brackett Community for the annual Art Show. Students, Staff, Neighbors, Alumni and Friends are all invited to submit their artwork for the gallery display in the gym. Come participate in hands-on art activities and enjoy food at the Art Cafe. It's a fun night for all ages!

Save the Date for The June Fair: Sunday, June 9th

It’s (sort of) starting to feel like spring! Don’t forget to mark your calendars for Brackett's June Fair: Sunday, June 9th!

Clip BOX TOPS to Earn Money for Brackett!

Box tops can be turned into your child's teacher or in the main school office. To make counting easier, please tape or glue in groups of 10 or 25 on a sheet of paper. Don't forget to check the expiration date! Grandparents can clip them, too.

Questions: Christina.mamlouk@gmail.com
www.boxtops4education.com

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/

COMMUNITY NEWS

Soap Box Derby: June 8th

The 2019 Arlington Soap Box Derby will be held Saturday, June 8th on
Eastern Ave, right in front of Brackett! Interested children age 7
and up can build a car to race - the club has plenty of cars available
to rent. Please visit https://sites.google.com/view/arlingtonsoapboxderby/
or contact Brackett parent Chris Chiappa at chris@chiappa.net for more
information.

Arlington High School Upcoming Vote

Did you know that Arlington has an important vote coming up on Tuesday, June 11th? There are two questions on the ballot—a debt exclusion question and an operating override question.

The first vote relates to the rebuilding of Arlington High School with substantial aid from the state. As you may know, we must replace our old and substandard high school to accommodate growing enrollment and maintain the school's accreditation. The second vote replenishes the Town's stabilization fund, so we can adequately fund our teachers, police, and other critical town services. Through careful fiscal management, this is the first time the town has had to replenish the fund in 8 years.

One place to find out more about this election is at the Build Arlington's Future campaign www.buildarlingtonsfuture.com

Questions? Feel free to reach out to the following Brackett area precinct captains:
P10: Gabi Eisner gabriellakaplan@gmail.com. (mom to Danielle grade 2) or Danuta Forbes danutaf17@gmail.com
P12: Mary Wu marytibb@yahoo.com (mom to Henry grade 4 and Simon grade 2), Charlie Toulmin toulminc@gmail.com (dad to Hannah grade 3), or Kim Kapner kimberlykapner@mac.com
P14: Mike Stern massinvestor@gmail.com (dad to Hannah grade 5) or Carol Svenson svenson2@gmail.com

Interested in Playing Ice Hockey in Arlington?

Registration is opening April 15 for the Arlington Hockey Club's (AHC) 2019-2020 hockey programs. These programs are no-checking and practices are held at Ed Burns arena, while games are held at Ed Burns arena, and/or, in the greater Boston area, depending on the selected program. AHC’s focus is on providing a fun and safe environment to learn and play hockey for boys and girls at all ability levels. If you are interested please visit our web-site for more information and registration at: Arlingtonice.com.

AHC practices USA Hockey’s American Development Model in its program.

For daily updated calendar and event information, please check the Brackett Website at http://brackettelementary.org/