• SAVE THE DATES
• The Rock Wall is Up! Check it Out!
• Read-a-thon Update
• Early Morning Reading Time 3/9 & 3/23
• Reminder: Brackett Bank Fridays
• GIG “Green Our School” continues this Friday
• Math Mondays is Fun
• Last Call: Lost and Found
• Attention 3rd Grade Parents - Colonial Day meeting next week, 3/8
• STEM Announcements
• First Graders love Mexican cultural assembly
• Fourth Graders' January field trip 'Bale to Bolt'

• Chess Night at Dallin 3/9
• Margot Fox - Family Rock Concert 3/11 at Regent
• SEPAC Meeting 3/14 with 504 Plan Administrator
• Arlington Trivia Bee 3/26 - Registration Extended

Read-a-thon Update!

Congratulations Brackett students! As of this eNews distribution, we have 341 readers participating in our Read-a-thon and 385 donors supporting the library renovation! Reminder packages are going out this week, so please be on the look out. Also, students should go to the Online Store (from their personal web page) to shop for prizes with RAT bucks they've earned!  The Read-a-thon runs through Friday, 3/10.  Contact friendsofbrackettlibrary@gmail.com with questions.

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

Early Morning Reading time 3/9 & 3/23

Spring has sprung (at least weather-wise), and we're growing readers at the Brackett library! Please join us for early morning reading in March on 3/9 and 3/23 starting at 7:30am. Remember to bring those library passports to get your stamps!  Thank you, -FoBL

GIG “Green Our School” continues this Friday

This Friday, March 3rd, 2:30-3:30pm join us in the Music Room for Lights, Camera, Action! The Green Team will continue filming our Recycling Video! Join us in front or behind the camera. 

Parents of Green Team members, please complete the video/photo permission form here:

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

Attention 3rd Grade Parents - Colonial Day meeting next week, 3/8

Wednesday, March 8th
6:30pm-7:30pm
Music Room - First Floor

This will be our first meeting to discuss what activities we would like to do for this very special 3rd grade event. For those that have not participated in this event before, Colonial Day is an entire day dedicated to learning and participating in activities from the Colonial period - from making butter, candle making, learning about medicine, law and education the kids will dress the part and experience the day as a Colonial child.

Mark your calendar - Colonial Day will be held on Friday, June 8th.  Looking forward to seeing you all next Wednesday!

Kerri Soto (kerrigrey@hotmail.com) and Molly Sanford (mollyshsanford@hotmail.com), Colonial Day Co-Chairs

STEM Announcements!

JOIN US:  Brackett STEM Night 3/10

Please join us next Friday, March 10^th at 6 pm for a night of amazing demonstrations, fun games, and hands on science and math!  Our favorite activities like the Scavenger Hunt, and Big Dice Bingo will be joined by exciting new activities, including paper engineering, acoustics and sound, pinhole camera, Win a Pi(e)! and many more.  Also on display will be our 4^th and 5^th graders super science projects.
 
STEM Night volunteers needed! 
To make this an unforgettable night of science, please volunteer your time for STEM Night.  We need folks for setting up, leading the activities, and shutting out the lights.  Follow this link. Brackett STEM Night 2017
 
For more info contact your STEM Night organizers, Swati Kukade (kukades@gmail.com) and Atwood Cheung (atwoodcheung@verizon.net).

Science Fair Reminder:  Completed Science Fair projects should be turned into your son's/daughter's classroom teacher on March 7th!!
 
This is not a firm deadline, so if more time is required to complete the experiment, please contact the classroom teacher and Karen O'Hagan to notify them of the new submission date prior to March 10th.
 
Happy experimenting!!
 
Karen O'Hagan and Atwood Cheung
Co-chairs of the Brackett STEM Committee
 

First Graders loved Mexican Cultural Assembly

On February 27 Veronica Robles returned to Brackett to perform "Celebrations of Mexican Song and Dance" for first graders. This cultural enrichment event complements the study of Mexico in the first grade curriculum. Ms. Robles performed stories and dance from Aztec history; the famous El Jarabe Tapitio (Mexican Hat Dance), and taught traditional Mexican dance and salsa moves to all of the students.

All cultural enrichment programs are fully funded by the Brackett PTO.
 

Fourth Graders' January field trip 'Bale to Bolt'

In January, our fourth graders enjoyed their field trip to Lowell Mills/Tsongas Industrial History Center to participate in the "Bale-to-Bolt" program.  

Students were able to study the time-consuming process of making cloth by hand (and weave their own), then inspect a cotton gin and power loom to compare technology's impact. They learned how connections between mill owners and cotton planters affected mill workers and enslaved people.  Finally, our group toured a boardinghouse to find out how Lowell's "mill girls" spent their leisure time and what their "home" life was like.  The field trip focused on giving students a look at life in the early 19th century when textile-making shifted from homes to mills, and the tour offered a better understanding on how the mills impacted the lives of enslaved people on Southern plantations.

Chess Night at Dallin 3/9

Do you like playing chess?  Come to Chess Night at Dallin:
Thurs. 3/9, 6:00- 8:00pm, Dallin Cafeteria

We will have an informal, non-competitive chess meet between the  Dallin and other Arlington elementary schools.  Everyone of any skill level is invited to join in.  You don't have to be a chess club member to attend; you just have to want to play some chess.  Come on Thursday evening, March 9th, to find a partner and play a game. 

If you are interested, send e-mail to gil@conoa.com so we can get a head count.  See you there!  -Gil

Margot Fox Family Folk-Rock Concert 3/11 at Regent

Former Brackett mom, Margot Fox, will be jamming with former Brackett dad, drummer Pat Tambor - playing folk-rock tunes for the whole family.  Hope to see you there, here's the link: http://www.regenttheatre.com/details/margot_fox1

SEPAC Meeting 3/14 with 504 Plan Administrator

Please Join us for an Arlington Special Education Parent Advisory Counsel (SEPAC) Meeting at the Jefferson Cutter House on Tuesday, March 14th at 8:30 am.  *NOTE: All Families, 504 Plan Administrator, Dr. Laura Chesson will be attending.

Arlington Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is a parent group that acts as a resource for parents and advises the district regarding meeting the needs of students with special needs.  We provide support and networking opportunities for parents and guardians of children with special educational needs, offer workshops and guest speakers to help parents become better informed about special education issues and meet regularly with school officials to participate in the planning, development and evaluation of special education programs in town.

Arlington Trivia Bee 3/26 - registration extended

Put your deep knowledge and random facts to the test:  Form a team for the 22nd annual Arlington Trivia Bee!  Team registration deadline has been extended to March 10th!

Teams consist of three adults or three 5^th grade students. Teams can register at:
http://www.arlingtoneducationfoundationma.org/wp/triviabee  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!

The Arlington Trivia Bee is a free, family-friendly, community event that celebrates a love of knowledge (even if some of it is “useless”).  Arlington Education Foundation is pleased to host this event 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
 

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