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01.23.2013

TheBridge
WHAT'S HAPPENING THIS WEEK 

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PTO CORNER PTOCORNER
Stay connected! Visit pierceschoolbrookline.org
 
PTO EVENING MEETING ON 1/24 POSTPONED UNTIL 5/9
The Thursday, 1/24 PTO evening meeting has been postponed until Thursday, 5/9. Please watch The Bridge for announcements about grade group breakfasts.
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8th GRADE PARENTS' POTLUCK

Friday, 1/25, 7:00pm @ 32 Davis Ave (home of Patty Correa and Martin Pollak, a.k.a. Sam's parents)

Time for the 8th grade parents to have some fun! Let's get together for a potluck dinner.

Topic: Parents' Choice. At some point during the night, we'll break for a short discussion about questions/concerns on the minds of 8th grade parents! Feel free to submit your questions or topics in advance.

  

Please bring a dish to share (appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts)

7:00 - 7:45   p.m.   Potluck and chatting

7:45 - 8:30   p.m.   Discussion

8:30- 9:15 p.m.      Dessert

  

Please RSVP to Eka Mareneli (a.k.a. Nana's mother) at ekabatu@msn.com.
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PIERCE TRIVIA NIGHT: PLANNING MEETING FRIDAY, 2/8

Save the Date and Call for Volunteers!

Mark your calendars! This year's adults-onlyTrivia Night will be held the evening of Saturday, 4/27. Are you interested in helping out? Do you have ideas on how to improve upon last year's event? Come to our planning meeting on Friday, February 8th at 8am in the cafeteria. If you'd like to volunteer or have questions but can't make the meeting, please contact Michele Mendoza at mlynmendoza@gmail.com  


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PIERCE BOOK FAIR - DONATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED

Gather your gently-used book donations for the annual Book Fair coming in May. Donation bins are located outside the main office and in the north entrance to the historical building. 

The Book Fair depends on donations from the community to make the event a success. Donations of most used books for all ages are welcome, especially for school-aged children.
Visit the Book Fair page on the school website for more information: http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/book-fair.html. Questions? Email Carin Aquiline caquiline@mindspring.com 

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ANNUAL MARCH MADNESS - VOLUNTEER(S) NEEDED

Last call for a volunteer to coordinate March Madness. This weekday, evening event includes sports and other activities. As of right now we will have to cancel this event if there is no coodinator. If you have time to give for this event, please contact pierce.pto@gmail.com
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SCHOOL CORNER >SCHOOLCORNER
  
UNDERSTANDING DISABILITIES AT PIERCE - VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED

This month, 4th graders will begin attending the Understanding Disabilities Program. The program aims to raise the awareness of children and adults to the issues facing people with disabilities as they try to live in a world designed by and for able-bodied people.

 

This parent-run program has four sessions, each running 8:30-10:30am on different days. Many thanks to the parent volunteers who are giving their time to help with these sessions. Volunteers are still needed for the Hearing Loss session on Wednesday, 2/27:

 

Friday 1/25: Visual Impairments (contact Silvia Lee, silviawlee@gmail.com)

Wednesday 2/27: Hearing Loss (contact Liz Erdman, lizabethe505@yahoo.com)

Thursday 3/7: Physical Impairments (contact Rebecca Tolkoff, rtolkoff@gmail.com)

Thursday 4/11: Autism (contact Rachna Balakrishna, rachnadhanda@verizon.net)

Time commitment: two hours the morning of, plus possible pre-program training session

 

Though the sessions address 4th Graders, parents from ALL grades are welcome. It's more fun than field trips, AND we'll bake you homemade cookies - honest! Please contact the parent volunteers listed above if you're interested in volunteering or have questions. 

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MADESE 2012-2013 PARENT INVOLVEMENT SURVEY

Please participate in the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MADESE) 2012-2013 Parent Involvement Survey: http://www.MAparent1.com. This anonymous, online survey should take about 10 minutes to complete. MADESE surveys school districts to evaluate how well schools are partnering with parents to promote your involvement in your child's education. Brookline parents are being surveyed by MADESE this year.

  

The survey data will serve to strengthen and improve our parent involvement efforts, so your participation in the survey is important. We thank you in advance for your time. If you don't have a computer at home, please stop at the school office for assistance in using a school computer. Your local public library also has free, public computer access.

  

An informative letter from MADESE and some additional details about the survey have been posted on the district's website: www.brookline.k12.ma.us in the District Announcements section.
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FIRST ANNUAL CALDECOTT NIGHT
Thursday, 1/31, 5-7pm @ Pierce School Library

Each year, the American Library Association nominates and awards the prestigious Caldecott medal to the best picture book of the year. As part of our library program, Pierce students in grades K-3 will be learning about the evaluation process and reviewing and analyzing the top contenders. Students, teachers, and families are encouraged to read as many of our "Caldecott Contenders" as possible before the event. See the list here:

 

On Caldecott Night, students and families in grades K-3 are invited to take one last look at the "Caldecott Contenders" and place their vote. Students unable to attend may vote at school the following day. We look forward to seeing you at our Pierce Caldecott Night! Happy Reading!!! Visit http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/library.html, then click on monthly announcements.

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AFTER SCHOOL MATH TUTORING FOR GRADES 3-5 

After School Math Tutoring for Gr. 3-5 continues to meet at 4:00pm on Wednesdays after play rehearsals. We have room for a few new students. The remaining sessions until spring break will focus on the types of multiple choice and open response questions that students encounter on the MCAS. This will build confidence as well as review the math skills required. Enrollment forms are still available in the office. Contact Jeanne Wilson at jeanne_wilson@brookline.k12.ma.us with questions.  

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PIERCE PARENT TO RUN BOSTON MARATHON FOR TEAM BROOKLINE!

This spring, the Brookline Education Foundation (BEF) is sponsoring five runners for the Boston Marathon who will be dedicating their fundraising efforts for the BEF as part of Team Brookline, Brookline's Official Boston Marathon Team. Support Pierce School Parent Sidhu Gangadharan as a member of Team Brookline. Visit his fundraising page at:

 
The BEF supports innovation and excellence in all Brookline classrooms by raising funds that are critical to keeping our schools at the leading edge of public education.

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NOTES FROM MEETING WITH SUPERINTENDENT LUPINI 

At the recent meeting, the superintendent provided updates on the FY2013 budget deficit, enrollment growth, state aid expectations, and school program improvements. Check the Pierce school website for details.

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NURSE NOTES FOR JANUARY 
Please visit the Health Services page on the school website for information about 
scoliosis screening (beginning this month), talking to children about loss and grief, keeping your children home from school, and more: 
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SPECIALISTS' CORNER>SPECIALISTCORNER

 

MUSIC

 

(From Alison Manion) K, 1, & 2 music students sang songs of peace and learned about Martin Luther King Jr. for our school assembly.  I was so proud of the students singing together and listening to each other.
 
In music class, kindergarten students read and listened to Ferdinand, danced to Willowbee and listened to "Aquarium" by Saint-Saens.

Grade 1 read Robert Frost's "Stopping by a Snowy Woods" and "Froggy" plays in A Band." We discussed the different moods of the books and named opposites.  Grade one students are now learning about the instruments of the orchestra, Carnival of the Animals, and thinking about how the instruments tell a story with sound.

Grade 2 music students are focused on learning games and music from Ghana.  They are learning to dance, drum, and sing Kpanlogo together and layer the percussion parts.  They will also study 2nd line drumming from New Orleans in connection with the music curriculum and February Mardi Gras.
  

http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/music.html  ________________________________________    

PROBLEM OF THE WEEK >POW

 

POW #10 - HOW MANY COINS?

Solutions are due Tuesday, 2/5 at 8:00am. Please visit the POW page on the school website for details:

http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/problem-of-the-week.html 


SOLUTION FOR POW #9 - RECTANGLES 
There are 30 possible rectangles
8 1x1 rectangles
10 1x2 rectangles
4 1x3 rectangles
2 1x4 rectangles
3 2x2 rectangles
2 2x3 rectangles
1 2x4 rectangle
Total: 30 rectangles

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COMMUNITY CORNER >COMMUNITYCORNER 

  

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO PROTECT AGAINST THE FLU
Appointments are available for the 2013 Brookline Seasonal Flu Vaccine. Open to all adults, seniors, and children 6 months or older. Please call Barbara Westley, Public Health Nurse, at 617-730-2320 to make an appointment.
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CELEBRITY SERIES OF BOSTON TICKETS
World-class performances presented by Celebrity Series of Boston through the "Take Your Seat" program for schools. Many of these exciting performances are just $10 per ticket. World-renowned artists include favorites Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and What Makes it Great? with Rob Kapilow, as well as Itzhak Perlman, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Barbara Cook, Bobby McFerrin, and many more. 

 

"Take Your Seat" serves urban K-12 schools and community groups to make a wide range of artistic performances available to students who might not otherwise be able to attend.

A link to the schedule and order form is posted here on the school website on the right-hand side of the page: http://www.pierceschoolbrookline.org/news-and-bridge.html. Please return your order form and payment to the PTO mailbox slot marked "Celebrity Series" asap so we can accommodate as many requests as possible. For more information, please contact Pierce parent Mara Littman at maralittman@yahoo.com
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BROOKLINE CLIMATE WEEK 2013 
"Choose It! Steps to A Greener Future: Food, Transportation & Home Energy"

Saturday, 1/26 - Sunday, 2/3

Climate Action Brookline is pleased to present our third annual Brookline Climate Week, produced in collaboration with dozens of partners, sponsors, and volunteers, and featuring lots of events for families and children to enjoy. 

 

Climate Week will feature indoor and outdoor displays along a designated Harvard Street Walking Tour, running from 1/10 and continuing beyond Climate Week. Brookline Public School students assisted in creating four displays. Highlights include Be A-MAZEd, a 70' x 40' outdoor installation between Town Hall and the Main Library, and the Farm2Table2Farm cyclorama at the Main Library's Hunneman Hall. Other sites include the Walgreen's storefront and the Brookline Town Hall Selectmen's Hearing Room.

 

For a complete Brookline Reads/Climate Week schedule and downloadable map, visit www.brooklineclimateweek.orgwww.climateactionbrookline.org, or www.brooklinelibrary.org. Contact info@climateactionbrookline.org with questions.

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CLIMATE WEEK KICK-OFF!

Saturday, 1/26, 10am-2pm @ Brookline Town Hall

Visit Brookline's first-of-its-kind 3R Depot: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Extravaganza. The Depot will feature eleven stations, including a Youth Sports Equipment Exchange (see below), Youth Formalwear Collection/Swap (see below), and drop-offs for Youth Clothing, Styrofoam, and Building Materials. Want to learn how to green your life? Four separate 45-minute information sessions and home energy/transportation stations will show you how.  
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WEAR IT FORWARD: FORMALWEAR EXCHANGE & COLLECTION 
Saturday, 1/26, 10am-2pm, Brookline Town Hall

As part of Climate Week, the Brookline Commission for Women will host a youth formalwear collection and exchange. Bring your outgrown or underused toddler-to-teen formalwear to donate, or to swap for a new size. Leftover clothing will go to Eastern Service Workers, supporting families in Brookline and Greater Boston. Suggested items: prom gowns, wedding attire, special occasion dresses, suits, and dress shoes. Wear it Forward will run alongside the Sports Gear Exchange and Styrofoam Collection at the Climate Change Brookline's 3R Depot Station. For more information, please email BCW@brooklinema.gov. 

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NEED SPORTS GEAR?
Saturday, 1/26 @ Brookline Town Hall
Buy used sports gear at a reasonable price. Visit www.brooklinerec.com for more information, or call Elizabeth at 617-730-2082.
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BROOKLINE'S ANNUAL K.I.D.S. SUMMER CAMP FAIR 
Sunday, 1/27, 12-3pm @ Tappan Street Gym, 66 Tappan St., Brookline

K.I.D.S. 2013 Steps to Success annual summer camp fair features over 60 camp booths showcasing summer opportunities for youth, including day & overnight camps; arts-, sports-, music-, and computer-focused camps; and academic enrichment programs. Email Jessica Hudon at kidsfaircoordinator@gmail.com with questions.

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THE MASSACHUSETTS AUTISM INSURANCE LAW (ARICA)

Wednesday, 1/30, 7-9pm, Runkle School, 50 Druce St., Multi Purpose Room

Speaker: Amy Weinstock, Director of Autism Insurance Resource Center

 

presents on what this new bill means for individuals with an autism diagnosis and how to access services using health insurance.
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CLIMATE WEEK SPECIAL EVENT: MEET KRISTIN KIMBALL

Thursday, 1/31, 7-9pm @ Hunneman Hall, Brookline Main Library

This year, the Trustees of The Public Library of Brookline invited Climate Action Brookline to partner and coproduce "Brookline Reads, a Community Reads Together." Please join our community in reading The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food and Love, by Kristin Kimball, which chronicles Kristin and husband Mark's visionary plan to grow all the food a local community might need. Then, meet the author!

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BROOKLINE YOUTH BASEBALL SPRING REGISTRATION NOW OPEN 

Brookline Youth Baseball offers programs for kids from kindergarten through age 15 who live in or attend school in Brookline. The season begins in mid-April when the Town opens the fields, and runs through the end of the school year. Everyone registered by March 10th will be guaranteed a spot (after that it is on a first-come, first-served basis). Tryouts (on March 9th and 10th) are required for kids in grades 3 and up to determine in which league they will be placed; you must register before tryouts. Scholarships available. To learn more and to register, visit www.brooklineyouthbaseball.org.

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BAAFN LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Saturday, 2/2, 3:30-5:30pm @ Korean Church, 32 Harvard St., Brookline

The Brookline Asian American Family Network (BAAFN) invites you to its Lunar New Year celebration. Performances & kid's activities; free admission; casual or traditional dress optional. For information or to RSVP, email BAAFN1@gmail.com. Check out BAAFN at http://www.brooklineasianamericanfamilynet.weebly.com/ or www.facebook.com/groups/baafn
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BHS MUSICAL: THE PAJAMA GAME

Wednesday, 2/6 - Saturday, 2/9 @ BHS, Roberts/Dubbs Auditorium

Admission: $7 for students, $10 for adults; 8th Graders Free!

The dangers of workplace romance are explored in this romantic comedy. Conditions at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory are anything but peaceful, as sparks fly between the new superintendent Sid Sorokin, and Babe Williams, leader of the union grievance committee. Showtimes: February 6 @ 3:30pm; February 7-9 @ 7:30pm

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13th ANNUAL DEVOTION SCIENCE FAIR

Saturday, 3/9 (must register by Friday, 2/22)

Information and the registration form are here:  www.devotionschool.org/curiosity. Visit 

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BROOKLINE YOUTH LACROSSE REGISTRATION 

Brookline Youth Lacrosse is holding registrations for the Spring 2013 season. All new and returning boys/girls from 1st-8th grade are welcome! No prior experience required, no tryouts, and everyone gets equal playing time. For more information, please visit www.brooklineyouthlacrosse.org or contact boys' director Will Goldthwait (William.Goldthwait@rbs.com) or girls' director George Vien (georgevien@gmail.com). To register, call the Rec Dept at 617-730-2069.

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SIX KEYS TO LEADING POSITIVE CHANGE
http://tedxbeaconstreet.com/rosabeth-moss-kanter/
From the power of presence to the power of voice, leadership expert and Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter discusses the process of making a difference in the world. Kanter uses the stories of great leaders and ordinary people to reveal the six success factors that are the keys to positive change, including lining up partnerships, managing the miserable middles of change, and sharing success with others. This uplifting talk from TEDxBeaconStreet will inspire you to lead and take action.
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CLASSIFIEDS >CLASSIFIEDS     

 

SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPY
Brookline Speech & Language Therapy is a private speech-language pathology practice that provides speech, language, and literacy services for children and adolescents. We are currently accepting new clients for evaluations and/or therapy. Please reference our website for further information, www.brooklinespeech.com, or contact us at zarah@brooklinespeech.com.
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ART WITH AMY

Make art in the new year! Artist Amy Solomon offers fun and creative after-school art classes and half-day workshops in her home on Brook Street. Pick up available at Pierce. Lots of painting, drawing, and building. For more details on programming, check out www.artwithamy.com or email solomonamy@yahoo.com.

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