• SAVE THE DATES
• Brackett's Spring Concert and Art Exhibit is this FRIDAY, 9am!
• Reminder: Arl EATS food collection and Just Added Book Drive!
• Brackett Green Team announces all-school T-shirt Drive & Textile Recovery Challenge!
• Note: Brackett Bank closed this Friday
• Register for Brackett After School Program (BASP) Due 3/31
• Amazing STEM/Science Night!
• Read-A-Thon is a Runaway Success  

• This Saturday, Daddy/Daughter Dance and Special Mom/Son Activity
• Chess Night at Dallin had huge turn-out-  Join the upcoming NE K-12 Chess Challenge!
• Arlington Girls Basketball March-April 2017!
• Arlington Trivia Bee, Sunday, 3/26

Brackett's Spring Concert and Art Exhibit is this FRIDAY, 9am!     

Please join the school community this Friday, March 17th at 9am in the gymnasium for the Annual Concert and Art Exhibit, Roots of the American Beat: Origins of American Popular Music.  

Students have been working hard on their songs so please come enjoy the music. In addition, student art projects will be on display in the school lobby.   The front of the school has been embellished with recycled CDs painted by students at Art Day.

The PTO will make DVDs of the concert available for sale in the coming weeks. 

We hope to see everyone there!

Reminder: Arl EATS Food Collection & Just Added Book Drive!     

Calling all Parents/Caregivers!  While you are arriving at the school Friday for the concert, why not contribute to our ongoing food drive for Arlington EATS?  We are stocking up for our program to provide lunches to those in need throughout the April Vacation Week and have just added a Book Drive!  Items in need include: cereal, oatmeal, pancake mix, soup, jelly (plastic jars please), canned goods, pasta sauce, condiments, crackers, cookies, meal kits (taco, etc.), (and toiletries, laundry/ dish soap).

Just Added: Brackett Book Drive For Arlington EATS
Thanks to AHS Sophomore, Henry Fox-Jurkowitz, we are also hosting a book drive!  We are looking for K-8 books in great condition to distribute during Arlington EATS's April Vacation Lunches!  There will be a collection box in the Brackett lobby until Mon., 4/3.  Please email Henry henryfoxj10@gmail.com with any questions. Thanks for cleaning out your closets and pantries for a good cause!!

What is Arlington EATS?   APS offers free and reduced-price lunches that feed more than 500 students each school day, however, when school is not in session, family food resources are often stretched. Arlington EATS’ mission is to make sure that our students have healthy, nutritious food over the long summer vacation, February and April vacation and over the weekends.  Arlington EATS helps our students Eat All Through Summer and the school year!

Brackett Green Team announces all-school T-shirt Drive & Textile Recovery Challenge!

This Week: T-Shirt Collection for Civics Day! Bring in your clean but well worn t-shirts through this Friday. T-shirts will be used for a textile reuse project at Civics Day (see details below). Drop-off bin is in the front lobby!

* GIG Friday, 2:30-3:30pm, Art Room: Join the Brackett Green Team for T-shirt Transformation! We will be turning old t-shirts into reusable grocery bags! Make one and take one home! Hope to see you there! 

* Sat. 3/18, Civics Day & T-shirt Hackathon! 10am-2pm, Arlington Town Hall:   School Green Teams/Clubs will help run the T-shirt Hackathon project, turning old t-shirts (that Brackett is helping to collect!) into a reusable grocery bag. If you come to Green Team Friday, you’ll be an expert and can help teach everyone!

* Mon. 3/20- 4/7: All-Schools Textile Recovery Challenge
All Schools will be competing to collect the most textiles (all old, worn, torn clothes, bedding, stuffed animals, etc)! Receive prizes and town recognition!  Brackett’s Collection Week is MONDAY, MARCH 20TH - FRIDAY, MARCH 24th

Curious why textile donation and recycling is important? Check out these posters to learn more!
* http://www.smartasn.org/educators-kids/SMARTInfographTextileRecycling.pdf
* http://www.smartasn.org/educators-kids/SMARTDoubleLifeofRecycledTextiles.pdf

For more information or to join us, contact GIG Co-Chairs:  
Rachel Oliveri (rachelboliveri@gmail.com) & Hilary Graham (hilgraham@aol.com)

Registration for BASP 2017-18 due 3/31

Brackett After School Program (BASP) registration for 2017-2018 is now open. Brackett parents, please go to the portal to register or re-register your child before 3/31.   https://register.asapconnected.com/default.aspx?org=4108

Please note that registration does not guarantee enrollment. Families will be notified in April about enrollment status for 2017-2018.

Amazing STEM Night/ Science Fair 2017! 

Wow!  STEM Night/ Science Fair this past Friday was awesome, and we want to thank all the volunteers, parents, teachers, Mrs. Z and most of all the students for making it happen! 

All of the events were huge hits.  We saw balloon powered cars, LED lights, quacking cups, rainbow colored paper disks, and engineering certificates everywhere. 

The Science Fair filled the gym, showcasing 74 Brackett 4^th & 5^th grade super science experiments and some truly novel science!

The entire school was packed and buzzing, and all of the kids were smiling and having a great time learning science, technology, engineering, and math, so truly a STEM event.
 
Special thanks to all our activity leaders and parent volunteers, Kambitz Vatan and the AHS STEAM team for demonstrating 3D printing, and to Whole Foods, The Book Rack, Stop & Shop and Play Time for donating fabulous prizes.
 
Thanks from your STEM Night and Science Fair organizers,
Atwood, Swati, and Karen

Read-A-Thon is a Runaway Success

Thanks to all who participated in our first Brackett Read-a-thon, it was wildly successful! We raised over $21,000 in library funds and student prizes. Not only did tons of students get really excited about reading (we had an 80% participation rate), but the school community contributed beyond our expectations.
 
In addition to the planned library renovations, we will be able to put the funds toward much needed library equipment, resources and curriculum. Stay tuned for exciting updates!

Remember to spend your RAT (Read-a-thon) Bucks this week.

Thank you!  
- The Friends of Brackett Library PTO Committee friendsofbrackettlibrary@gmail.com

This Saturday, Daddy/Daughter Dance and Special Mom/Son Activity

Moms & Sons - looking for something to do on the Daddy/Daughter Dance night? Come join us at the Ed Burns Skating Rink for a special Mother/Son Public Skate - Sat., 3/18 6-8pm. Special Rate: $3 per person for everyone! Although Mothers and Sons are encouraged to have their own unique outing -- ALL ARE WELCOMED!

Chess Night at Dallin had huge turn-out-  Join the upcoming NE K-12 Chess Challenge!

Chess Night at Dallin last week had a huge turn-out.  Organizer, Gil, invites all Brackett students to another fun event, the 1st New England K-12 Chess Challenge in Brookline, Sun., 3/26 featuring 2 world-class Chess Players.  $25 Entry Fee https://rsmfoundation.org/chess/

See you there!  -Gil, Dallin Chess Club, gil@conoa.com

Arlington Trivia Bee, Sunday 3/26

See you at the 2017 Arlington Trivia Bee is on Sunday, March 26th, from 3-5pm at Arlington’s historic Town Hall, families are encouraged to watch and hopefully we have a Brackett Team compete this year!  Teams consist of three adults or three 5^th grade students.  This free, family-friendly, community event is hosted by Arlington Education Foundation as part of our mission to support excellent public education within our town.  

For more information visit http://www.arlingtoneducationfoundationma.org/wp/ or contact AEF’s Brackett Representative Amy Horsburgh amyhorsb@gmail.com

Arlington Girls Basketball March-April 2017!
2 great basketball programs specifically for girls are starting:

ABGC Spring Girls Basketball League
An intramural league designed for fun and stressing the importance of individual and team sportsmanship. The most important concept in our program is that we play to have fun. Everyone Plays! Focus on fundamentals, cooperation, and respect for everyone. Games 5-6pm.  Ages: Girls 8-12  Dates: Tuesdays  3/14 - 5/9.  Cost:  $77 for members   Find out more or register at: www.abgclub.org or 781-648-1617

Arlington Recreation Girls Basketball Clinic
Amanda Mortelette, AHS Girls varsity coach and members of the AHS Varsity team are proud to offer the Arlington High School Girls Basketball Clinic. Fundamental instruction in small group sessions to improve the knowledge and skill of each player while providing an enjoyable learning experience, and providing life lessons in sportsmanship, leadership and self-awareness will be the emphasis.
Dates:   Sundays 3/19- 5/7 at AHS.  Cost $115.    Grades 1st - 3rd:  4- 5:30pm.  Grades 4th - 8th:   5:30 - 7:00pm.
Register at: www.arlingtonrec.com/info/activities/ or 781-316-3880

For up to the minute updates please visit the Brackett Website at http://brackettelementary.org/ 
and like the Brackett PTO Facebook Page  
Send your news to TheBrackettEnews@gmail.com