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IN THIS ISSUE:
- Save the Dates
- Closebuy Catalogue order forms due 10/14 (online through 10/19) - help Brackett PTO!
- Calling all Creators: Tomorrow is Art Friday!
- STEM Enrichment invites you to Bottle Rockets Event, Sat. 10/15
- Brackett Directory- Calling all parents: deadline extended to Mon. 10/17!
- "Fall" in Love with Reading- next early-morning reading Thur., 10/20
- Please Donate: Coats for Kids (and Adults)! Through 1/06
- NEW: Brackett PTO Facebook Page & PTO Volunteer spots
- Seeking Candidate: 2016-18 School Council Parent Representative/ recording secretary.
- Community news: Field Hockey Clinic 10/22 & Spooky Walk 10/29
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SAVE THE DATES
10/14/16 - Closebuy Catalogue order forms due Friday
10/14/16 - Art Friday after school event
10/15/16 - Bottle Rocket Launch at Robbins Farm Park
10/17/16 - Brackett Directory Sign-ups due
10/18- 10/22-16 - National Chemistry Week! Join our STEM Activities
10/20/16 - Early-Morning Reading Time at Brackett Library
11/08/16 - No School - Presidential Election Day & Teacher Professional Day (Tues.)
11/11/16 - No School - Veteran's Day (Fri.)
11/15- 11/18/16 - 5th Grade Science Camp
11/23/16 - Early dismissal at 12noon, no lunch served (Weds.)
11/24- 11/25/16 - No School Thanksgiving Holiday (Thurs. & Fri.)
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Closebuy Catalog Order Form Deadline: FRIDAY, 10/14- Support our PTO!
Don't miss out on creative and cool locally sourced gifts in the Closebuy Catalog. And the best part is you'll feel good doing your holiday shopping knowing you are supporting Brackett at the same time!
The deadline is this Friday 10/14 for order forms, so hurry! Be sure to use code #3489 so we can put the proceeds from this fundraiser right back into our school. Online orders are strongly encouraged and can be placed thru Wednesday, 10/19, while supplies last. Shop at www.closebuycatalog.com.
Order forms must be turned in by Friday, 10/14 in the main office or with your child’s teacher.
Please contact juliehall73@verizon.net with any questions.
  
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 Calling all creators: next Art Friday is 10/14!
Art Squad hopes to see you at our October Art Friday, tomorrow, 10/14 starting at 2:30 in the Art Room, 3rd Floor. We will be creating mobiles with a variety of materials.
Art Days are open to everyone at Brackett. Younger students should be accompanied by a parent or care giver. We are not a drop-off program, instead student are free to come and go as they finish their projects. If your student is in BASP, please contact them about how your child can attend Art Days this year.
If you have any questions or are interested the PTO Art Squad, please let us know!
- Carolynn Vincent (and the Art Squad team)
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WATER BOTTLE ROCKETS AT ROBBINS FARM PARK!
WHEN: Saturday, October 15th from 10 am -12 pm
WHERE: Robbins Farm Park
The STEM Enrichment committee would like to announce the annual launch of water bottle rockets in Robbins Farm Park. We will be using our new rocket launchers, which were purchased for the school by Brackett parents Sanjay Vakil and Naoka Carey. Next time you see Sanjay or Naoka, please thank them for this awesome donation!
You can make your own water bottle rocket ahead of time (see attachment for instructions) or bring your supplies and make it on site. Don't forget to bring some water to use as fuel. We also recommend you consider wearing a bicycle or other helmet in case your rocket (or someone else's) homes in too closely on its way back to earth.
Check out these videos from a previous launch - from the  perspective of a camera attached in various strategic places, including on a rocket itself!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z1xt8PBMFI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XV7BZsxnczE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IbIzn3uw_Y
https://youtu.be/AOQNqpgOlZM
For more info, contact the STEM committee co-chairs:
Karen O’Hagan at kae.ohagan@gmail.com
Atwood Cheung at atwoodcheung@verizon.net
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Brackett Directory Deadline is Coming! Sign Up By Monday, October 17th!
The Brackett School Directory helps you connect with other families and other families connect with you! If you haven’t signed up THIS YEAR please do so by Monday, October 17th so that your family is included.
How to Sign Up:
Visit https://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/pto_directory/ and follow the login instructions.
To be included in the directory you must enter Brackett, your child’s grade & teacher. Please update:
1. Parent and guardian information: make any changes and click save at the bottom.
2. Children information: make a selection for school, grade, and teacher for each student. Click save when you are done. Use the orange menu at the top of the page to navigate.
You will receive a confirmation email after you have completed these steps, which will indicate that you are connected to your student's corresponding school, grade, and classroom email lists.
Thank you for taking a few minutes to ensure your student is included in the Brackett School Directory!
****If you have a business that you would like to advertise in the directory, please let us know. It's a wonderful opportunity to help out Brackett and our kids at the same time as promoting your business.
If you have any questions, please contact Danna Rosenberg: rosenberg.danna@gmail.com, Karen Yi: almostsundaydesigns@gmail.com, or Karen Gold: karen.gold@gmail.com
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Join STEM to celebrate National Chemistry Week, next week 10/18- 10/22
We will celebrate National Chemistry Week with chemistry demonstrations and experiments after school. This year's theme is "Solving Mysteries through Chemistry", and we will have activities including disappearing ink, color changing indicators, food chemistry, and chromatography.
Come join us next Tuesday through Friday after dismissal in front of the school or inside the lobby.
For more information or to volunteer to help, contact Atwood Cheung (atwoodcheung@verizon.net).
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"Fall" in Love with Reading- next Early-Morning Reading Time 10/20
Join us next Thursday for our 2nd Early-Morning Reading Time brought to you by The Friends of Brackett Library PTO Committee. Parents and kids can visit the Brackett library together before school to read, check out books, and see what's new in the library. Join us starting at 7:30am on Thursday 10/20!
If you have questions, would like to volunteer in the library, or are interested in joining The Friends of Brackett Library PTO Committee (FoBL) please contact Erin Hajduk at erin_hajduk@mac.com.
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PLEASE DONATE: COATS FOR KIDS (AND ADULTS)!
We're continuing a tradition of community service at Brackett by once again supporting Coats for Kids — collecting gently used winter coats for kids and adults throughout Massachusetts. Between now and January 6, please donate your too-small or unused coats by placing them in the bin in the Brackett lobby. We'll deliver them to Anton's Cleaners, which coordinates the distribution to needy families. Thank you!! (And please note: No sweatshirts, vests, spring coats, or broken zippers!)
Contact Bari Walsh (bariwalsh@gmail.com) with questions.
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NEW: Brackett PTO Facebook Page & Please check out open Volunteer roles!
Brackett PTO has a Facebook page! Find out all the latest school events and happenings on the new Brackett PTO Facebook page. You can find it at Brackett Elementary School PTO. Be sure to check out the school's website too for helpful links to the school calendar, committee meetings and more. Visit via this link and Like our page Brackett PTO Facebook Page
Volunteer: There are many openings on the PTO and we encourage everyone to volunteer. Please check out the current postings here:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0a45abad2caa8-brackett
Thank you,
Catherine Fenollosa (cfenollosa@gmail.com) and Karen Fuhrman (fuhrmank35@gmail.com)
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2016-2018 School Council Parent Representative
Request for Candidates
The School Council is looking for a Parent Representative for the 2016-2018 School Council season. This person will also act as the Recording Secretary.
What does the School Council do? School Council members meet once a month to discuss issues of policy, procedure, and improvement for our school. It is made up of the principal and voluntary teacher, parent, PTO, and community representatives. The School Council is a separate entity from the PTO.
Under Massachusetts state law, school councils assist principals in these four primary areas:
- Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards
- Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school
- Reviewing the annual school building budget
- Formulating a school improvement plan
If you are interested in submitting your name as a candidate for the School Council Parent Representative position, please email Karen Fuhrman (fuhrmank35@gmail.com) or Catherine Fenollosa (cfenollosa@gmail.com) with a brief bio. For more information, contact Karen or Catherine or visit:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/advisory/schoolcouncils/default.html.
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Youth Field Hockey Clinic 10/22 by Arlington High School's team
Ever wonder what it’s like to play Field Hockey? The Arlington High School Field Hockey Team wants to show you what it’s all about! Come join our Athletes and Coaches for a morning full of Field Hockey! The AHS Athletes will run an Elementary School and Middle School Group.
When: Saturday, October 22nd 10:30am -12:00pm
Where: AHS Pierce Turf
Cost: $10 per player.
If interested, please contact Brianne Mansfield at mansfield.brianne@gmail.com
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Get in the Halloween Spirit: Join us at Spooky Walk 10/29!
Please join us for Spooky Walk at Menotomy Rocks Park Saturday, 10/29 from 6:30-8:00pm. It’s a great way to get into the Halloween spirit and test drive those costumes! Hundreds of children, mummies and deadies attend and are delighted by Spooky Walk's creative and creepy displays, costumes and decorations each year. Flashlights/glow sticks recommended and the walk is usually okay for the less fearsome young students, too!
For those who have enjoyed it for years, please pay it forward. We’re looking for 4th-8th grade and adult volunteers to dress up or create a “spooky station” for the little ones to enjoy. For more information, email kelleydamoreferguson@gmail.com
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For daily updated calendar and event information and details about PTO and all of the great groups that make up our community, please visit the Brackett Website at http://brackettelementary.org/
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