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3.28.2012

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WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW > 
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PTO CORNER
   Trivia night


Trivia night is this Friday, March 30, at 7 pm!

  

What is Tiger Woods real first name? (Eldrick) 
In Scrabble, how much is "W" worth? (4) 
Name the singer of "I Will Survive." (Gloria Gaynor) 
What is a fun thing to do with friends this Friday night and raise money for Pierce at the same time? 
  
Pierce Trivia Night, of course! 
  
Sign up with a full team, a partial team, or just yourself and we will match you up. Or just come by to cheer! 
 

Between rounds, check out the Teacher's Treasure silent auction that includes over 20 amazing donations, including: 

 
--Swan boats and ice cream 
--Bowling 
--A jam session 
--Mini golf, and more! 
 
Check them all out on the bulletin board in the cafeteria!
 
What:    Pierce Trivia Night 
 
When:    Friday, March 30 at 7pm 
 
Where:   Pierce School 
 
Tickets:   $25 pp in advance; $30 pp at the door 
Pizza and snacks/Cash bar 

 

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 Bingo
 
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 Bingo
BINGO FOR BOOKS - GRADES 1-3!
Thursday, March 29, 5:30-7pm @ Pierce Cafeteria
All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Bingo for books is a fun Pierce tradition. We'll play games using sight words. Everyone will go home with a book! 
Bring a drink or a no-nut snack to share.
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PrincipalsForum 

Principal's Forum: How Pierce Students use Digital Technologies to Learn

Wednesday, April 11, 7:00- 8:15pm @ Pierce School Library

  

What digital technologies are my children using in their classrooms now?

What kinds of work do they create using these technologies?

How do Pierce teachers use digital technology to help my children learn?

  

The upcoming Principal's Forum can help answer these questions. At the Forum we will:

  • Hear about the curriculum resources available on the PiercePTO website
  • Look at student work produced with digital technologies in Pierce classrooms across the grade levels
  • Share ideas about where Pierce should go next with its use of instructional technology
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SHOP AMAZON.COM FOR PIERCE!
 Looking for an easy way to help support the Pierce PTO?  Shop Amazon!
Go to pierceschoolbrookline.org and hit the link to Amazon. Pierce PTO will receive between 6-8% of your total order.  
 
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STUDENT'S CORNER >

  StudentsCorner 

 

BULLY BUSTERS HOST A BAKE SALE!!!
Thursday, April 5, 2:30-3:30 @ Pierce cafeteria

  

Frances 6G, Baylee 6F, Carolin 6S, Lyra 6F, and Hannah 6G (Bully Busters) will be selling baked treats for $1 apiece on April 5 to raise money for our special project.  Money we raise will be used to fund prizes to motivate fifth grade students to participate in our anti-bullying poster contest.   
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SIXTH GRADERS SHINE AT BROOKLINE SCIENCE FAIR

A number of Pierce 6th graders participated in the town-wide science fair, hosted at Devotion School March 17. Students worked in teams, exploring various scientific questions.  All four Pierce teams were invited to take their projects to the next round, the Regional Science Fair. The team including Liam (6F), Spencer (6F), and Dashiell (6G) won top prize for Exploring the Angle of a Basketball Shot. Congratulations!

  

Other participating teams included:
Carolin, Miles, Paul (all 6S) - Exploring Wet Cell Batteries
Aiden  (6G), Henry (6F), Maxime (6S)- Exploring Electromagnets
Quinn (6L), Max (6G) - Exploring Alternative Energy
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PIERCE STUDENTS EXCEL AT ESSAY CONTEST

Over 350 Brookline students submitted essays to the annual "Women Who Inspire Us" contest, sponsored by the Brookline Commission for Women.

Pierce students who distinguished themselves include: 
2nd Prize for 5th Grade Students -- Carter, 5K
2nd Prize for 6th Grade Students -- Timothy, 6S
1st Prize for 6th Grade Students - Marcella, 6G
Well done! The annual awards ceremony will be held Thurs., March 29th, at 5:30pm at Hunneman Hall in the Main Library, 361 Washington Street. 

Dr. Sonya Elder, Director of Food Services for Brookline Public Schools, will be honored as the 2012 Woman of the Year, and student essay winners from the 5th-8th grade will read their winning essays.
  Come support these young writers and get inspired!
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We proudly announce that two sixth grade Pierce students
Sascha W.S. and Dania B., were on the GU12 Brookline travel team that won the championship in their division! Their team went into the playoffs as underdogs and played wonderful, exciting, team-oriented, tough-defense basketball. 
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MATH CORNER > MathCorner

 

PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #14  - Meet Me in the Middle

pierceschoolbrookline.org/problem-of-the-week  

 

Due April 5th.

 
A man can walk 4 km in 1 hour and his wife can walk 5 km in 1 hour. What

time will they meet, if they begin walking at 2:00 pm from opposite ends
of a 12 km road, and have agreed to meet at the half-way point?

Show your work using numbers, pictures, a table, and/or words.

Challenge: How long will the wife have to wait for her husband? 

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Solution to POW #13 - 'PIZZA PARTY'
Last week we had nearly 120 students submit solutions to the "Pizza
Party" problem.  To solve the problem, you need to divide the 7 pizzas
among 4 people (3 friends plus yourself).  

Congratulations to all Pierce mathematicians!  Several classes should be
recognized for outstanding participation: 3Ga, 3B and 1W. Stop by the
Problem of the Week bulletin board by the front office to see the list of
names, as well as a variety of solutions.  

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MATH LEAGUE CORNER > MathCorner

 

 

Math League breakfast tomorrow 3/29 in the auditorium - 7:20am. 

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Post-season Math League practices and meets!  

"Post-season" Math League practice will be held every Thursday until May 31 from 7:20-7:55pm in the PSED/Spanish space (next to the gym).  

 

Sessions will include problems from all five topics (bases, geometry, operations,
patterns and problem solving) and are open to any interested 4th, 5th or
6th grader. Questions? Please contact Brendan Downey at downeysb@verizon.net 

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PHYS ED CORNER 
 

Hello and Happy Spring!  

 

I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to share with you a brief summary of our Physical Education and Health programs, along with a snippet about our work related to the effects of aeorbic exercise and academic performance.

Our students engage in Physical Education class for two sessions per week throughout the year. At the K-2 level, they are learning through the Skill Themes Approach, working on fundamental skills to create a sound foundation for future movement opportunities. This approach uses language such as pathways (straight, curve, zig zag), levels (low, medium, high), and force (easy, medium, hard), as students work (and play!) through skill sequences.  

 

Our students in Gr. 3-5 (and beyond) learn sport-related skills through the Tactical Games Approach, which allows them to quickly engage in small-sided game play while acquiring new skills.  

 

"What are we doing in gym today?" used to be the student mantra. This approach helps alleviate the question because students know that they are playing a game and we know they are highly active while acquiring skills. In Grades 6-8, students continue to build skills and increase focus on physical fitness and lifetime activities so that they will engage in and enjoy activity throughout their life.

 

All grade levels work to increase skill acquisition, physical fitness, and social/emotional growth.

Students receive Health Education for 2 sessions per week in Grades 7 and 8. They learn a wide variety of content and skills. Examples of skills learned include communication, assertiveness, listening, coping, media literacy, conflict resolution, media literacy, and goal setting. These skills are woven into our content units, allowing continued practice and therefore skill acquisition.  

 

In Grade 6, our community police officers join teachers to present several AWARE lessons (substance awareness, violence prevention, and internet safety). Pierce students in Grades 5-8 recently had the opportunity to participate in a competition with
DanceDanceRevolution (DDR), thanks to our national physical education organization known as AAHPERD.  

 

It was amazing to see the DDR screens and pads set up in the Pierce gym and so many kids having fun and trying hard (and raising those heart rates!) CONGRATULATIONS to Grade 8 students, Priscilla C. and Tavian D., who went to the finals to compete at the AAHPERD National Convention in Boston. There were only 22 finalists from the State!

Did you know that increased aerobic activity throughout the school day results in improved learning readiness and school performance? Our district has engaged in learning about exciting new research as described in Spark, by Dr. John J. Ratey, and is implementing these concepts into our schools.  

 

Pierce School has taken the lead, working to encourage cardiovascular activity throughout the school day whether in short intervals of exercises during transition times or by increasing activity within classroom lessons.  

 

Activating the brain in this way prepares the learner for increased focus and attention, decreased behavior issues, and overall enhanced brain performance. Ask us for more information about this exciting work!

Thank you for your support and interest in our programs!

Teddi Jacobs
K-12 Coordinator of Physical Education & Health

 

PSED CORNER >PSED

BROOKLINE ROTARY PANCAKE BREAKFAST
Saturday, March 31, 8am
Brookline High School Cafeteria, 115 Greenough Street, Brookline. 
Tickets are $6/person; children under 5 FREE  

ALL YOU CAN EAT pancakes, ham, sausage and more. Children's entertainment includes music, clowns, balloons, fire engines and all kinds of FUN. 

 

The Pierce School Extended Day (PSED) will be selling tickets to the Rotary's Annual Brookline Pancake Breakfast. This is a fundraiser for PSED. Our program is guaranteed to make 50% of the ticket price for each ticket sold. Enjoy a fun-filled breakfast while helping to support PSED. Please purchase tickets at the PSED office weekdays from 2:30- 6:00pm. 
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 COMMUNITY CORNER >Community

   

For complete community news please click: pierceschoolbrookline.org/news  

 

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCUSSION BASELINE SCREENING PROGRAM

3/28, 4/3 and 4/5, 6:30-8 pm @ Brookline High School

 

  

The town is holding a FREE concussion screening program session using ImPACT software to assess our middle-school athletes.  

 

This is open to all Brookline children ages 11 years old to high school and aims to service the children who are old enough to take the test but are still too young to qualify through the high school screening program.  The baseline testing can be used to monitor their recovery and help guide the return-to-play decision in the event that they sustain a concussion.   

  

 

Sign up at Brookline Recreation brooklinerec.com> register online > click the browse activities icon and perform a keyword search for "concussion." 
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING 
Thursday, 3/29,  7pm @ Town Hall
James F. Walsh School Committee Room, 5th floor 
Statutory notice of this meeting has been filed with the town clerk. 
Docket for this meeting can be found at www.brookline.k12.ma.us. 
The public is invited to attend.
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Join Dan Levine and Louisa Pitt of Engaging Minds on Thursday, March 29, 7pm @ Driscoll Theater for a discussion about executive function skills: organization, planning and time management, large school projects, and how you can help your child strengthen these important skills and strategies at home.   

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BHS Camerata Choir Auditions:

8th graders interested in singing at the High School should plan on
auditioning for Camerata Choir. Students do not need to prepare anything.
Audition Times: 3/29, 3/30Contact Mr. Driscoll to set up an audition time at 617-713-5322 or mike_driscoll@brookline.k12.ma.us
Auditions will take place at BHS, room 324 (chorus room) 

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SEPAC hosts: Transitioning To Brookline High School, Fall 2012 
A meeting for parents of 8th grade students with IEPs. 
Thursday, March 29th 7-9 p.m. MLK Room, Brookline High School 
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COME PLAY MINI GOLF AT THE BROOKLINE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Saturday, 3/31 doors open @ 7:30pm for teens ($5), and 
Sunday, 4/1 @ 8:30am for kids and families ($10 for family of 4).
 
Register online: http://www.brooklinerec.com or call 617-730-2069 to guarantee a tee time.     
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HEALTHY EATING FOR A LONG LIFE
4/2, 1pm @ Brookline Senior Center, 93 Winchester St. Brookline 
Free and open to the public 
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National Public Health Week Celebration in Brookline, 2012 highlights:

 

"Why Not Pot" Marijuana and the Teen Brain, MLK Room, BHS, 

Tuesday, March 27, 7pm @ Brookline High School, MLK Room

 

Relationship between diet and diseases (cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's) Monday, April 2, 1pm @ Brookline Senior Center 

  

Free workshop on Emergency Preparedness 

Tuesday, April 3, 6:30pm @ Brookline Department of Public Health

 

9th annual Hunger Banquet

Tuesday, April 3, 6:30 pm @ Brookline High School

 

Rabies Clinic. A chance to bring your dog or cat to be vaccinated against rabies. All pets must be brought on a leash or in a cage by a person at least 14 years old.

Fee:$10. Saturday, April 7, 9-12noon. Town Hall, 333 Washington St.
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Brookline SmartSummers! Summer enrichment programs for children 5-13.

 

Registration form at www.brooklineadulted.org 
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SEPAC presents: Superintendent Lupini, an open forum focusing on special education in the Brookline schools
Tuesday, 4/10, 6pm @ Edward Devotion Elementary School , 345 Harvard Street, 2nd floor Auditorium. Visit www.brooklinesepac.org 
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