Bridge School news published by PTA volunteers                                     
January 2016

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In This Issue

Principal's Corner
50th Anniversary Evening Out
Dogs On School Property
Library Volunteers
Literacy Nights
Library News
International Night
Safe Routes To School
Box Tops
Principal's CornerPrincipalCorner
Principal Colella
  Happy New Year!  I hope you had a restful and relaxing vacation.  As the students and faculty gear up for the second half of the year many exciting activities and milestones will occur. 
During the month of January, the teachers spend a portion of their time reassessing students in order to differentiate curriculum to meet students' needs.  Literacy assessments such as the Developmental Reading Assessment and Aimsweb are completed system wide.  This data allows teachers to further understand where students are in their understanding of concepts and are thus able to plan accordingly.
  MCAS assessments will begin in March for grades 3-5.  A letter specifying the exact dates for each assessment will be provided.  People often ask, "Are you teaching to the test?"  The answer is "no".  Our philosophy is that we provide students with a well-rounded education that prepares them for such an assessment.  However, the assessment does not drive our instruction, student need does.  Lexington has a comprehensive curriculum that enables our students to achieve at high levels on the MCAS, and other assessments, and prepares them for future success in school and in the world. 
  Finally, students will be engaged in many exciting classroom activities from the fourth grade Mexican Fiesta in the spring, to the first grade science unit of balls and ramps, to the fifth grade environmental camp experience. 
There is much to look forward to this year and we are excited to be back and in the swing of things again. 
 
REMINDERS
  Thank you to everyone who has been signing in at the office before entering the school building.  Things seem to be working smoothly with our new procedures and the safety of our students and staff is more secure. 
  I do want to remind everyone that teachers and staff are working with kids or planning once the day begins.  If you would like to meet with a staff member, they are more than happy to find a mutually agreed upon time to convene.  However, we cannot allow you into their rooms or offices unless you already have an appointment as it is disruptive to the learning of others.  Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Meg Colella
Principal
50th Anniversary Event: An Evening Out
Save the Date: Friday, January 29, 2016
toast-confetti.jpg
Tickets are now available for our January event! As part of our 50th Anniversary, Bridge will be hosting "An Evening Out" for parents, Bridge alum, and staff members at the Burlington Marriott including appetizers, a DJ, trivia, cash bar, and a silent and live auction! Be on the lookout for times and ticket information in early November. We can't wait to see you there!

Registration & Cocktails: 6:00
Appetizers and Music: 6:30

For tickets and auction items please follow the link here: https://www.biddingforgood.com/bridge50th

For more information about the event, visit the Bridge Website

For questions, please contact  Kristen Gray  or  Lindsay Wedell.
We know you love your dog! However, it is against policy to have dogs, leashed or not, on school property.  

So please, leave your dog at home during school drop off and pick up!

Bridge Library: Volunteers Still Needed!LibraryVolunteers
Did you consider volunteering in the library in September and didn't get around to signing up?  Good news--the Bridge library still needs volunteers!  Many parents enjoy volunteering in the library; it is a great way to become active in the Bridge School community, meet your child's classmates, and become familiar with the school's collection of children's literature.  Volunteer duties include checking out books, returning books, and shelving.  Shifts are one hour every other week.

If you are a brand new volunteer, or volunteered in the past and would like to return, we can get you trained and ready to volunteer in January.   

We need volunteers for the slots listed below.  Please consider volunteering for the busy 8:30-9:30AM slot when many children from all grades come in to return and select books.

Monday 8:30-9:30AM  Book selection / shelving
Tuesday 8:30-9:50AM  Book selection / Michael / Bean (Grade 4)
Wednesday 2-3:05PM  Kindergarten Correia
Thursday 8:30-9:30AM  Book selection / shelving

Contact Darlene McAvoy

Mark your calendars for this year's Bridge School Literacy Nights! Grades K-2--Wednesday, March 9th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. and Grades 3-5--Wednesday, March 16th from 6-7:30 p.m.. 

Come live, laugh, learn, and love literacy during these special evenings designed to bring joy and adoration into your family's interaction with letters, words, and books. Share in this unique opportunity to partner up with your child as you visit our gym transformed into a space for readers, writers, creators, and dreamers! Children are welcome to come dressed in their pajamas and to bring along their most favorite books to read and share.

Volunteers Still Needed!

Are you interested in volunteering for an after school event? Do you have a love of books and words? Are you a fan of twinkling string lights? Then these events are for you! Amy Kvaal and Kristen Gray are chairing this year's third annual Literacy Night. We are looking for volunteers to help with planning and executing a beautiful night celebrating a love of literacy. Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering. We can't do it without you!

Contact Amy Kvaal  or Kristen Gray if you are interested. Thank you!

Library NewsLibraryNews
Bookmark Contest - The bookmark contest is in full swing. Information went home before the break, but if you've lost your sheet you can access it on the library webpage. Entry forms are available on the website or in the library. All entries are due January 19.
 
Massachusetts Children's Book Award (MCBA) - 5th graders are invited to participate in the  Massachusetts Children's Book Award (MCBA) program run by Salem State University. This is one of the few book award programs where students actually get to choose the winners! We looked at the 25 nominated books in December and the response sheet has been posted online. For more information see the MCBA link on the library webpage. The deadline to read and respond is March 4.
 
Book Fair - Mark your calendars - the book fair is coming March 14-18. Watch for more information coming soon.
 
Reminder - Our databases and online catalog are accessible from home. Check out the library web page.
                                                                                               
Mrs. AllenBridge Library Teacher       
Sign up for the International Night Committee!InternationalNight
Dear Bridge Families, it's the time to start planning for one of the Bridge community's most popular events, International Night!  This year's International Night will be held on Friday, March 4th.  The committee will meet bi-weekly just after the holidays to plan this wonderful event.  Committee members will help recruit volunteers for country tables and performances, plan craft activities, perform some administrative tasks and/ or helping out on the night of the event.

This unique and troditional event is only at Bridge! Come to join the committee and help with it. If you are interested, please contact Sharon Liu and Carrie Wu
Together we donated gifts to over 244 children and adults in need and helped make their holidays a little brighter!  Thank you for your contributions and incredible generosity.  You donations went direct to low income recipients in the Greater Lowell area. 

- Bridge School Community Service Committee
As the days get colder and more people choose to drive their children to school, the Safe Routes to School Committee would like you to consider carpooling with neighbors to decrease congestion around the school, increase safety for everyone, and improve the environment.  To help you find a carpool match, we have created a map of Bridge households using our PTA addresses.  

You can access the map using this link (you must sign into a google account to access).

Zoom in to find your house.  If you click on any "pin" on the map, contact information for an adult in the household will appear.  Please consider reaching out to those near you to establish either a regular carpool or a less regular carpool for days with really bad weather. 

There are now many apps that make organizing a carpool easy.  You can find a review of six of the most popular here.

If every child in a car came with a friend, we'd have half as many cars in the pickup and drop off lines, half the emissions, and twice the friends!

Also, if you're up for the challenge, join us as we defy the elements during the next Walking Wednesday- Wednesday January 13th-rain, shine, snow, sleet, or wind!

The Safe Routes to School Committee (Melanie Alexander, Mary Alice Haddad, and Nancy Tentindo)
Collect Box TopsBoxTops
Boxtops
Did you know BRIDGE school gets 10¢ for every box top!

FEBRUARY 25 th   last collection day for the school year! Cut the box tops off your favorite products at home - even ask your grandparents for theirs!! Help support B ridge school. A collection box will be in the entry way of the school.
Deadline for Next Bridge to Home Issue
NEXT MONTHLY DEADLINE:  Friday, January 22nd

Please submit by email to Marina Levit. Articles must be reviewed and approved by Bridge PTA Co-Presidents and/or Bridge Principal Meg Colella before publication.  Please note that submissions to the weekly will be from the PTA Executive Committee or with EC approval only.  All others should submit items to the monthly version in a timely manner.

Please see the B2H webpage for submission guidelines and future deadlines.
Quick Links

2015-16 PTA Executive Committee Members
Bridge School Office Staff
CO-PRESIDENTS
PRINCIPAL
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
TREASURER
Erin Maguire
Tricia Weisberg
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
SECRETARY
Kerry Daley
Christie King
GUIDANCE
CO-VICE PRESIDENTS
Jonathan Cunha, Heather O'Rourke, Charlene Haouillya
Angela Chang
NURSE
Lilliam Gomez-Martinez
Diane Celi
Marina Levit

Sharon Liu

Beth Murnaghan

Heather Tashjian

Nancy Tentindo