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Teacher Appreciation Week May 5th - 9th
The PTO will be sponsoring a lunch and parent volunteers will be covering the classrooms so all of the teachers and staff can enjoy lunch together. The luncheon will be held on Monday, May 5th from 1:00-2:00pm. Volunteers will be setting up in the cafeteria after the students are finished with lunch.
In order to pull off this event we will need classroom coverage for each class from 1:00-2:00pm. We will need at least 2 parent volunteers for each classroom on Monday, May 5th from 12:50-2:00pm. Some classrooms may need 3 volunteers. Teachers will return to their classrooms to dismiss the students at the end of the day. There will be no specialists from 1-2pm, so all students will be in their classrooms.
If we receive many interested parents and the slots fill up, please let us know if you are willing to help out in other classrooms if needed. Volunteers will check in with the teachers for specifics. Last year, many volunteers did a project, made an appreciation card for the teacher, played outside on the playground or were given instructions from their teachers.
We know that the teachers/staff really enjoy having an hour to eat together since they don't normally overlap their lunchtimes as a group. It is a great gift to give our Brackett staff during Teacher Appreciation Week!
Here is the link for classroom coverage sign-ups:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4EAFAC2AAB9-2014
Here is the link for luncheon sign up help:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4EAFAC2AAB9-20141
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Art Café Bakers Musicians & Servers Needed
Thursday, May 8th
Calling All Bakers, Musicians & Singers!
On Thursday, May 8th the Brackett cafeteria will once againbe transformed into a Parisian Cafe and Italian Pizzaria with Live Music during the Brackett Art Show.Needed: Bakers, Cafe servers and Musicians
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4EAFAC2AAB9-artshow2
Thank you!
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OOPS! BASP registration is delayed but will begin April 21!
Registration for the Brackett After-School Program for the 2014-15 school year will open on April 21. Registration will be on-line this year, and should be completed on or before April 30.
Currently enrolled or wait-listed BASP families will receive an email with a link to the registration site. Anyone else who would like to request a link to the registration site should contact Kimberly Burnett at basp.enroll@gmail.com.
All families interested in a space in BASP for the 2014-15 school year must complete a registration form -- to join or retain a space on the wait list, or to retain a space in the program. An annual registration process is necessary to meet state requirements.
We expect to assign spaces in the after-school program by May 31, 2014, and each child's status for the fall (on the wait list or enrolled) will be emailed to registrants. Families should be aware that the wait list is very lengthy, and it typically takes 18-24 months for a child to get a spot in the
program, so please plan accordingly.
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Wondering how technology is being used in Arlington Schools and what is planned for the future?
Join the Arlington Education Foundation and the Arlington Public Schools for an:
Education Technology Showcase
May 5
6-8pm
Arlington High School Media Center
Learn about the current and future role of technology in Arlington’s schools. The event will include student demonstrations of current K-12 technology applications in the Arlington Public Schools and a 3 Year Technology Vision presentation by Dr. Laura Chesson, Assistant Superintendent of Arlington Public Schools. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information: www.arlingtoneducationfoundationma.org
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To all 5th Grade Parents: A reminder for yearbook and graduation
A reminder we need photos for the yearbook – by April 28th: A toddler picture of your child alone, this photo can be candid (but should be a good face shot) and a 5th grade picture of your child alone, should be a good face shot.
Please email these 2 photos (jpeg files) to kami_hess@hotmail.com. Please include the name of your child (first and last) with the photos.
Also, please watch your child’s school folder for a notice about how you would like their name to be printed on their diploma and some information about t-shirts – please fill that out and send it back to class with your child if you haven't already.
We really need full participation from everyone, obviously!
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Stories from Teosinte, El Salvador: Two communities, one family
Join us as two Arlington families share photos and stories from the first-ever family delegation to Teosinte, the rural village in El Salvador that has been Arlington's sister city for 25 years.
When: Sunday, May 4th at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Fox Library, 175 Mass Ave
Handsewn textiles from the Teosinte's women's sewing cooperative will be available for sale – just in time for Mother's Day!
For information contact Elizabeth Dray at 781-643-0769 or arlingtonteosinte@gmail.com.
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To Precincts 10, 12, and 14 Residents: Community Meeting on upcoming Town Meeting Warrant Articles
Sunday, April 27, 2014 from 2 to 4 pm (12, 14 & 21) and 4 to 6 pm (8 & 10)
Arlington Senior Center, Main Room; Maple Street, Arlington MA
As many of you know, Arlington Town Meeting will begin on Monday, April 28 and your elected Town Meeting Members, will be voting on town budgets as well as many other issues that affect all of us. The agenda for Town Meeting is described in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant:
http://www.arlingtonma.gov/public_documents/ArlingtonMA_TownMeet/2014ATM/2014Warrant.pdf
Issues on the Warrant include:
Please join us for a community meeting to review the Warrant. This will be a good opportunity for you to give us feedback on how you feel about any of the issues before Town Meeting this year, and to have your questions addressed. Also, it’s a good chance to raise other neighborhood or town-wide concerns you may have.
This meeting is being hosted together by Precincts 12, 14, and 21 from 2-4 pm and for Precincts 8 & 10 from 4-6 pm. Constituents of all precincts as well as other interested residents are welcome to attend. We will provide light refreshments.
If you are not sure where you are supposed to vote, check out this link for polling places:
Or this link for the precinct map of Arlington:
Or this link for a street by street listing to easier see which precinct you fall into (which doesn't seem to be working now, but hopefully will be fixed):
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Dear Parents or Guardians of an Incoming Sixth-Grade Student:
I am pleased to announce a formal procedure for incoming sixth-grade students to enroll in the Math 7 Advanced course.
Before the specific details for qualification are listed, I have several requests and parameters for the process:
• Please direct all inquiries to Matt Coleman, the Director of Mathematics. mcoleman@arlington.k12.ma.us
• The process will be open and transparent. Decisions will be final. The opportunity is meant for students that display evidence of mastery of the content of Math 6 as well as the reasoning of Math 6. Please note, the decisions will err on the side of caution.
• The cohort size is undetermined. Students will be accepted base on the established criteria.
• While I recognize that the fifth grade teacher is a valuable resource, it is not the expectation that the teacher prepare students specifically for this opportunity. They are asked to focus on the standard curriculum and to enhance the curriculum when appropriate. My dependence on the input of the teacher will be towards the latter stages of the process. They too have been requested to send all inquiries to the
director of mathematics.
Identification Process
The identification process will occur in phases. The first phase will consist of screenings to assess content knowledge and reasoning strategies. The following three measures will be considered:
1. Consistent, advanced MCAS scores. The defined cutoff will be at most 2 incorrect on the third grade MCAS and at most 3 incorrect on each of the fourth and fifth grade MCAS. These scores consistently translate to scaled scores of 268 or higher.
2. Mastery of the standards of Math 6, including reasoning strategies. All students will be required to sit for a Math 6 final exam. The assessment will be graded quantitatively and assessed qualitatively. Quantitatively, the students must score 95% or higher. Qualitatively, the students must demonstrate reasoning that is consistent with the Math 6 standards.
3. High achievement on Continental Math League 10 question test. This assessment is to gauge creativity and reasoning through the solution of non-standard mathematics problems. This assessment will also be graded quantitatively and assessed qualitatively.
The second phase will consist of determining the social and emotional ramifications of the jump to Math 7A. The phase will consist of two components:
1. Feedback from the fifth grade teacher. Please note that the conversation with the teacher will focus on social and emotional components as well as work habits and maturity. The input from the teacher will be during the conclusion of the process, therefore I would ask that questions regarding the preparation for this opportunity be directed towards the director of mathematics.
2. Interview with Director of Mathematics. This will be the final step in the process. The meeting is meant to fully discuss all ramifications of the decision as well as discuss the positives and negatives of bypassing Math 6. The meeting will be face-to-face and I ask that the student be present as well. The final decision will be made after the meeting and will be conveyed through a phone conversation.
For more information about the dates of exams, insights into the Math 6 content and reasoning expectations, and overall process, please attend an informational meeting on Wednesday, April 30th. The meeting will take place at the Ottoson Middle School cafeteria from 6-7 pm.
Thank you,
Matthew Coleman
Director of Mathematics
mcoleman@arlington.k12.ma.us
781.316.3587
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Save the Date
- Friday, April 18th - No School
- Monday, April 21st- Friday, April 25- April Vacation
- Monday, May 5th - Teacher and Staff Appreciation Lunch
- Thursday, May 8th - Brackett Community Art Show
- Tuesday, May 20th - Early Release 1pm
- Monday, May 26th - No School
- Wednesday, May 28th- "Glee, Brackett Style" 5th Grade Fundraiser performed at Arlington High School Auditorium
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For daily updated calendar and event information, please check the Brackett Website at http://brackettelementary.org/
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