We are growing! Our enrollment is now well over 700 and more famailies are being registered as I write this message. This is truly a testament to the great reputation of Brookline's schools and Pierce in particular as many families choose the Pierce district.

The PTO Welcome Breakfast for New Families was standing room only! Thank you all for attending and to those who helped to make that first event and the opening of school such a smooth and successful one.

Facilities Update

Our new classroom spaces were ready to welcome students, and this was no easy feat. Thank you to the building department and their efforts, along with our custodian crew lead by head custodian, Jack McCarthy, for completing this huge task in a short time frame. If you haven't had a chance please check out the new music rooms, rm. 113 and 113A (its the old music room for grades 3-8 divided into 2 rooms) and the new 1st grade classroom, rm. 214, (former the Upper Learning Center) the new 6th grade classroom, rm.134 (formerly the Spanish/Mandarin room), the new Upper Learning Center, rm. 211 (formerly the Home Ec. room) and the Spanish room for grades 3-6 in rm. 120 (formerly the K-2 music room). There are maps if you need one or ask any of our students in grade 3 and above.

The Amphitheater is moving along, although delayed by our rainy weather.  The project should be complete by November. The finished looked is displayed on posters in the main entryway, the cafeteria and on the website. We are excited about this additional upgrade to our school.  Teachers are hoping there will be opportunities to use the outdoor classroom space before the really cold weather arrives.

The Auditorium renovation is on track as the architects are working on design development. This means they are creating documents with more details of the schematic design which will include specific demensions and technical specifications. These design documents provide the information that general contractors will use to make their bids on the project. The documents will be sent out in November for bids.  A contractor will be selected from the bids. We are slated to have construction start at the close of this school year. Projected completion is for late fall of 2012.

Please check the website and the Bridge for periodic updates on these renovation projects.

Pipier Smith-Mumford

PTO Corner
Did you know that the Pierce PTO provides stipends to teachers to reimburse them for classroom supplies? Yes we do! These funds provide important supplies in your child's classroom as well as support the "T" in PTO.

 

See this interesting link to a Boston Globe article about teachers paying out of pocket for classroom supplies.

  

We Need YOU!

  

The PTO recognizes how busy we all are and that many hands make light work. Based on that philosophy we are asking you to volunteer and help where you can. There is always a place for you no matter how much time you have to give and when you have to give it! Below are a few of our needs in order to continue to offer the same kinds of activities for our kids this year. We are very open to your ideas on how to improve things and how to build teams that can work together to make the work manageable! 

 

Please respond to pierce.pto@gmail.com or stop one of the Co-Chairs if you are interested.

 

Outreach: Outreach is the hospitality wing of the PTO. It helps welcome new families and organizes some of our informal parent get togethers. Outreach needs a few people to keep it going! Specifically, we need someone to help organize the community breakfasts and evening meetings.

 

Communications: The PTO is responsible for the Pierce website, the Bridge, aBridged and all the flyers about PTO events throughout the year. We keep communication flowing among our 450 families and are always looking for ways to improve. We are seeking helpers to assist with communications strategy, web design, editing and other small tasks to help our team.

 

7th and 8th Grade Parent Rep: We all know that as our kids get older it is harder to stay in touch through the Thursday folders and things do get lost in the vortex of their backpacks!  We are introducing a new parent role to the PTO to help keep communication open with the 7th and 8th grade parent community.  Details are not yet refined, but the idea is to have this 7th and 8th grade rep attend the PTO meetings a few times a year and be a conduit for information between those parents and the PTO.

 

Fundraising: The PTO needs to raise approximately $50,000 annually to maintain our current programs (teacher reimbursements for supplies, in school assemblies, academic enrichments, field trips, events such as Skate Night.) We are seeking a few parents to help strategize creative ways to raise these funds. This group's first meeting is Thursday 9/15 at 8 am in the cafeteria. Please join us to learn more.

 

PierceWear: Robbyn Issner, the current organizer of PierceWear, is in need of some assistance. This can be a light piece of work helping with PierceWear sales and/or helping design and order new PierceWear. 

Cole Porter's Anything Goes  

Director: Ryan Bailey   

 

Great music! Amazing Pierce Talent! It's going to be a great ride!

 

 

 

Chuck Silverston
Stacey Downey
Gioia Perugini

Pierce PTO Web Site
Pierce School Facebook Page
FitFest