Get ready to bring your favorite stories to life — Friday, March 20 is Dress Like Book Heroes and Villains Day!

Students are invited to wrap up Literacy Week by stepping into the pages of their favorite books by dressing up as beloved heroes or mischievous villains.

Will we see brave adventurers, clever detectives, magical wizards, or sneaky storybook troublemakers roaming the halls? We can’t wait to find out!

Great work with all your reading, Brackett students!

You’ve read 23,158 minutes so far towards our school-wide goal of 200,000 minutes!

Don’t forget to log your minutes online on your Booster page so that your minutes can be added to our school total and added to our bookshelf thermometer outside Brackett.  Last year we read 323,889 minutes, let’s try and beat our record!

We’re also almost halfway to our fundraising goal of $20,000!  So far, $9,035 has been donated to help fund field trips, student enrichment activities, teacher support, and community events.  Donations can be made through your Booster page. 

The Brackett PTO Read-a-Thon is underway — register your student on Booster today!

Join the Brackett community as we celebrate the joy of reading together as we read, give, and support the programs that make our school special.  

We’re aiming for a school-wide goal of 200,000 minutes! If we reach it, every student earns a prize and the whole school celebrates with a hallway dance party.

Our fundraising goal is $20,000, supporting fully funded field trips, enrichment programs like author visits and STEM Night, community events, teacher appreciation, and classroom stipends. Every contribution makes a meaningful impact.

Join in the fun — Brackett’s first and second floors will be filled with amazing STEM activities designed to engage students’ minds and inspire curiosity about the world around them.

This year’s STEM Night promises new activities as well as annual favorites, including:
Touch a Brain, Balloon Car Blitz, Dry Ice Fun, Make Your Own LED Mini Lightsaber, the 5th Grade Bake Sale, and so much more!

We need parent/caregiver volunteers to make the magic happen! Fifth graders, we need you too – sign up to contribute to the bake sale or to help with STEM Night!

Click “read more” to sign up!

Kick off STEM Week by volunteering at one of our STEM events on Tuesday, March 10.  

The 4th and 5th Grade Science Fair, Scholastic STEAM Discovery Book Fair, and Brackett LEGO Expo are all happening at Brackett on one fun-filled night!  

Help these events come to life and see what our own Brackett scientists and engineers have come up with!  

Click “read more” to sign up!

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED:

The original APS Budget Scenarios Info Session & Conversation at Brackett that was scheduled for Wednesday, March 4th has been CANCELLED due to a newly added School Committee meeting on the same date.  

Brackett caregivers are now invited to join with Stratton community members for a budget Q&A with Dr. Homan on Tuesday, March 3, 6:30 p.m. Join in person at the Stratton Cafeteria, child care provided, OR attend via Zoom option.

On Tuesday, March 10, 5:00-8:00 p.m.: Get ready to explore, experiment, and discover!

The Scholastic Discovery Fair is a STEAM-powered Book Fair designed to spark curiosity and excitement around science, technology, engineering, art, nature, and reading.

At the Discovery Fair, students will find engaging books, hands-on kits, and interactive learning tools that encourage them to ask questions, try new ideas, and dive deeper into topics they love. From building and experimenting to creating and imagining, there’s something to captivate every curious mind.

Showcase your Lego creations!

The PTO STEM Committee is hosting a Lego Exposition in the Brackett cafeteria to celebrate our students’ creativity. We can’t wait to see what they’ve built!

All grades are welcome to participate, please bring your creations ready to display on a cookie-sheet.

Click “read more” to learn more about the event and pre-register.

The 5th Grade Student Council has designated Friday, February 13 as the next Brackett Spirit Day.

Join other Crickets as we celebrate Sports Day by wearing anything sports related.

Jerseys from their own sports teams, apparel from professional sports teams, team caps and hats — anything sports-related!

Fourth and Fifth Grade Students: The 4th and 5th Grade Science Fair is coming to Brackett on Tuesday, March 10, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

This is a great opportunity for budding scientists to design, run, and present their findings — share your ideas and your results with your friends, families, and the Brackett community!

Parent volunteers came into classrooms earlier this month to introduce the fair and handout instructions to students.  All the information for 4th and 5th grade students can be found at www.brackettpto.org/sciencefair. 

Students: be sure to submit your project proposal to your teacher by Wednesday, February 25 and SIGN UP for the event here.  

Join the APS Rainbow Task Force for a Community Conversation on Tuesday, February 10th, 5:15 p.m. at Brackett.

Upper elementary students will host a read-aloud for lower elementary students.

This month’s Community Conversation also will feature hot chocolate, arts and crafts, and a visit from APD Chief Julie Flaherty and School Resource Officer Bryan White.

Also, learn about the elementary Rainbow Alliances with a short Q & A session.

Please register for planning purposes: https://bit.ly/4k9RD2q

Help Brackett STEM Night come to life!  

Join us for a Zoom planning meeting on Monday, Feb 9, 7:00 p.m. 

The PTO STEM Committee will be planning activities for our STEM Night (Friday, March 13).  The event is a Brackett favorite where parents/caregivers take over the first and second floors of Brackett and host tables with activities focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.

All are welcome to join!  Email stem@brackettpto.org for an invite link.  

Join the PTO STEM Committee on Tuesday, February 3, 7:00 p.m. as we plan our many March events: the 4th and 5th Science Fair, STEAM Book Fair, and LEGO Expo (which all take place on Tuesday, March 10) and our annual Brackett STEM Night (Friday, March 13).

All are welcome to come and learn more about and help plan our March events — no STEM background is necessary, just bring your enthusiasm for joining in the fun!

Please RSVP to stem@brackettpto.org for more information. Hope to see you there!

The PTO STEM Committee is excited to continue our tradition of bringing the Hour of Code program into Brackett classrooms.

Brackett has participated in the Hour of Code for several years. The tutorials, arranged as a series of games, are easy to explain to the students and work well to expose them to coding fundamentals.

Parent/caregiver volunteers run a 40-minute coding activity during school hours. This is a great opportunity to see your child in action and meet their classmates! Absolutely no coding experience is necessary — all materials and instructions will be provided.

Click “read more” to sign up and join in the fun!

Come join other Brackett parents and caregivers at our January PTO Community Meeting.  We’ll be having coffee after drop-off on Friday, January 30, 8:00-9:00 a.m. in the Brackett Cafeteria.

All members of the Brackett Community are invited.

Stop by and have a cup of coffee, hear more about what’s going on with the PTO, ask questions, share suggestions, and meet and socialize with other parents and caregivers.

Hope to see you there!

Help Support the 5th Grade Fund!

Warm up from the cold with some tasty barbecue from Blue Ribbon BBQ! 

The 5th graders are fundraising for their fifth-grade activities, yearbook, and class t-shirt by partnering with Blue Ribbon Barbecue.  

Mention “Brackett Elementary” when placing your order and 20% will be donated to the Brackett Barracudas 5th Grade Fund!

Ready to get your GLOW on?

The Glow Dance, one of Brackett’s most popular traditions, is BACK on Friday, February 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Entry is FREE and open to all students, their families and Brackett faculty. Everyone will get one free glow bracelet – more glow items, plus food and drinks (bring a reusable water bottle!) will be available for purchase.

Volunteers are needed to bring this dance to life! Click “read more” for more details and to sign up.

We are excited to have New York Times bestselling author Judd Winick at Brackett on February 6 to present Hilo Presents: The Mighty!

All 3-5 graders will get to attend this author’s visit during the school day.  Judd is offering signed pre-orders of his new book — if you would like to order one for your child, click “read more” for more details (orders due by February 4).  

Starting in February, the PTO Green Team will be winter sowing with Brackett students (stay tuned for volunteer opportunities to help with the seed sowing!)

We need milk or water jugs for the winter sowing! The jugs need to be rinsed and transparent/transluscent.

We’ll have a bin out front for drop-off and pick-up during the month of January for donated jugs.

Thanks for helping build our school garden!

The Brackett Fifth Grade Student Council and Rainbow Alliance are co-sponsoring No Name Calling Week from January 20-23.

During No Name Calling Week, students will be asking each other to make a pledge that they know that bullying and calling others hurtful names is wrong.

Messages about kindness and the impacts of name calling will be shared during our school wide announcements as well.

Kindergarteners and first graders and their parents/guardians are invited to a free, hands-on evening of mathematical exploration!

Enjoy dozens of engaging, logic-based puzzles, games, and activities designed to be fun for everyone, no matter their math background.

No sign-up is required—just come and enjoy between 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Brackett Cafeteria!

Click “read more” for appetizer brainteasers!

The first Spirit Day of 2026 is happening on Friday, January 9 with Backwards Day!

Show your Brackett spirit by being backwards!  Wear your clothes backwards, write your name backwards — use your creativity to think of all things backwards!

Thanks to the the Brackett 5th Grade Student Council for coming up with this awesome theme!

Help Clean up Trash in a Flash!

Join the Brackett PTO Green Team on Thursday, December 18 at 2:30 p.m. school pickup and help pick up trash on the Brackett schoolground.

The Green Team will provide grabbers, gloves, and bags — you just bring your Pick-up Pep.

We’ll be playing music and having a blast — let’s see how much we can clean up in just 10 minutes!

Brackett students: Show your Brackett Spirit on Friday, December 12 by dressing like a teacher!  Brackett teachers will show their spirit too by dressing like a student.

Thank you to the Brackett Student Council for choosing this fun theme!

Calling all LEGO Enthusiasts!

The Brackett PTO is considering having a one-night LEGO exhibition in the spring.  We are trying to gauge interest in the Brackett Community in participating in this new event.

What is a LEGO exhibition? A LEGO exhibition is an opportunity for Brackett students to display their custom LEGO builds, to participate in LEGO building (both individual & collaborative), and play LEGO-based games.

Interested? Click “read more” to learn more and answer our poll!

Jerry Pallotta, author of the popular “Who Would Win” series is coming to Brackett for an author’s visit assembly on Tuesday, February 10!

Students have the opportunity to order books signed by Jerry; an order form will be sent home with students on their library class day during the week of December 1-5. 

Orders must be placed in advance and are due by Friday, January 16.

The Brackett Book Fair will be Monday, December 1 – Friday, December 5.  (That’s the week right after Thanksgiving Break!)

Students will have an opportunity to visit the Book Fair:

–During their normal library class time
–Before School — 7:30-8:00 a.m (M-F)
–After School —  2:30-3:00 p.m. (M, T, Th, F)/1:00-1:30 p.m. (W)
–Family Night on Thursday, December 4th from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Click “read more” to contribute to your teacher’s Book Fund or volunteer to help the Book Fair come to life!

Proceeds of the Book Fair benefit the Brackett Library.

Show your Brackett Spirit by wearing your favorite hat!

The Student Council has announced this Friday, November 21 is HAT DAY. 

Baseball caps, winter hats, visors, cowboy hats, and more — the sky’s the limit — let your imagination run wild!

Sign your student up for a garden mural project! Happening this Friday, Nov. 21st, after-school in the Music Room. Students will use the graph and information we know about our garden to collaboratively make a mural about what our garden will bring. The mural will be displayed in Brackett’s entryway for all students to see and learn from after it’s complete!

Leading up to the mural project, stop by the garden after school any day this week (November 18-21) to share your guess about what will our new garden bring.

Click “read more” for sign up link!

Volunteers Needed:  Help Arlington families gear up for winter by helping the APS Welcome Center’s Ponder Threads Closet organize and hold their Warm up for Winter event. 

Volunteers are needed to help sort/hang/organize donations Tuesday, November 18-Monday, November 24 and then to help set up and run the event on Tuesday, November 25.  

APS families in need of warm coats, boots, and other winter essentials can stop by the Warm Up for Winter Event on Tuesday, November 25, 1:00-6:00 p.m. at the Welcome Center Ponder Threads Closet (14 Mill Brook Drive, Arlington).