THE BURR BUZZ: January 2020

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Save the Date - Sleep Under Party!!

Save the date for the Sleep Under on Friday, February 7th!

Join the Burr Teachers for a Sleep Under Party
No Parents Allowed!!!

What? The Burr Teachers are volunteering their time to give parents a night out and to raise $$$ for the Burr PTO! Students can wear their pajamas, bring a blanket or sleeping bag and join the Burr Teachers for pizza dinner and a movie party featuring (MOVIE TBD!)

When? Friday, February 7th 6:00-8:30pm

Who? Burr students only. No younger siblings and NO Parents!!!

RSVP by Thursday February 6th - Sign up now! A flyer will also be sent home with pay-by-check option.

You must RSVP for this event. Tickets will not be available at the door.

Admission
$20 for first child
$10 for each additional child
$5 optional dinner (includes cheese pizza, side item, and water)

http://bit.ly/burrsleepunder2020

Lunar New Year Celebration Cancelled

In solidarity with our families and friends in China, we won't be celebrating Lunar New Year at Burr this year as previously scheduled on Feb. 1. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak in China, there are widespread travel bans disrupting families and friends from gathering for the holiday.

We are hopeful to bring this event back in 2021.

Thank you for your understanding!

Kindergarten Registration Information

Kindergarten Information Night:

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at 7pm
Brown Middle School Auditorium
125 Meadowbrook Road, Newton
Snow Date: March 5, 2020
Registration Deadline: February 24, 2020

Please register for the session online by visiting www.newton.k12.ma.us

Kindergarten Screening & Registration Appointments (parent & child):

Kindergarten screening and registration will take place at Burr on Monday March 9 and Friday March 13 from 9am-12pm. The entire process takes about 30 minutes. Please call Mrs. Albano, our administrative assistant (617-559-9360) at your earliest convenience to make an appointment for your child's screening.

Please spread the word to friends and neighbors!

Winter Illness: January 2020 School Health Newsletter

Even though the temperatures have been spring-like lately, it is still winter when clusters of respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) illness occur in our schools and communities.

Newton school nurses monitor illness among students in the schools and have recently received reports of confirmed influenza.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health posts a weekly flu update most Fridays with the latest information about influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) in the state: https://www.mass.gov/report/2019-2020-season-weekly-flu-reports

Here are a few highlights from the latest report (1/17/20):

The percentage of influenza-like illness visits to health care facilities for Massachusetts has increased and is higher than the previous two years in the same week.
Overall influenza-like illness activity for Massachusetts is high this week. The region that includes Newton (Inner Metro Boston) is reporting moderate ILI activity.
Nationally, influenza-like illness activity remains elevated and influenza B is most common.

Flu vaccination for all people age 6 months and older continues to be recommended. It’s not too late to get a flu shot. For people who get vaccinated but still get sick, the severity of illness is reduced, according to the CDC.

Anyone can make an appointment with the public health nurse at City Hall for a no-cost flu vaccine by calling 617-796-1420.

Help the school nurses monitor illness in the schools. Report diagnosed strep infection, influenza or other respiratory infections to the school nurse.

It may seem elementary, but in conjunction with a flu vaccine, thorough hand-washing is the best way to prevent all kinds of illness including the flu.

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of germs and might not remove harmful chemicals.

It is important for families to keep sick children at home, in accordance with school policy outlined below. These guidelines are also good common sense for adults in the workplace.

Keep your children home from school when they are ill, following the school exclusion policy.

A student will be excluded from school if they have:

A fever of 100°F or greater in the past 24 hours (must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication to return)
A communicable disease diagnosis
A cold in the active stages – coughing, sneezing, nasal drainage
A sore throat and/or swollen neck glands
Vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
Acute pain that requires relief by narcotic medication

Thank you!

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Lunar New Year at Burr!

February 1st (SAT) 6:00-8:00 pm @ Burr Cafeteria

Please join us to celebrate Lunar New Year (Spring Festival or Chinese New Year). There will be Asian food, performance and games. All Burr family members and friends are welcome to attend. Please bring your favorite dish to share.

The signup link for food and performance is below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0844afa629a0f94-burr1

If you want to be involved in organizing the event, please contact zizizhang2012@gmail.com,

If you have any questions about the performance, please contact sallyron@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing all of our Burr community friends!

Happy 2020 the year of RAT! 

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Burr School Auction

Burr Auction is in high gear!!

The Burr Online Auction bidding closes Sunday 1/26 at 5 pm!!
We are so excited about the generous donations that have come in!

http://bit.ly/burrauction2020

If you have not yet, please register on the site (32Auctions) to bid

PLEASE FORWARD/POST THE AUCTION LINK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY –
WHEREVER THEY LIVE!

All of the proceeds benefit the Burr PTO and our initiatives.
32 Teacher Experiences, Camps, Restaurants, Classes and more!

HAPPY BIDDING!!

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

SEPAC Panel

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Burr Auction!

The Burr Online Auction Launches THIS FRIDAY 1/17 at 3pm! It will

last until Sunday 1/26 at 5 pm and we are so excited about the

generous donations that have come in!

This includes: An African Safari, Free weeks at numerous camps

including Fessenden, Beaver, and more, Yoga & Mimosas for 20+ people,

Gourmet meals coked by Burr families, many gift certificates, and over

15 items donated by Burr teachers and administration!!! (Breakfast with a teacher and a ride to school, for example). All of the proceeds benefit the Burr PTO and our initiatives. Thank you in advance for bidding on all sorts of items and forwarding the auction

link to friends and family all over the country and world!

This link will be live at 3:00 pm on Friday 1/17 until Sunday 1/26 at

5pm!: - http://bit.ly/burrauction2020

Please register in advance on the site (32Auctions) to get your bids ready.

Thank you so much!

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

SEPAC Panel

Please join the Burr PTO and SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) for a discussion with Beth Fitzmaurice, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, Newton Public Schools and Eliza Spaulding, SEPAC Liaison for the Burr School and SEPAC Board Member. Beth assumed her role in August 2019, and oversees NPS’ special education program, among other responsibilities. The discussion will be an opportunity for the Burr, Franklin, and Williams School communities to meet with Beth and Eliza, to learn more about their roles, and how the Office of Student Services works together with SEPAC.

Thursday, January 23rd
7-8:30pm
Burr School, Library
171 Pine Street, Auburndale, MA

Questions? Please reach out to Lucy Galvan at lucyumass@hotmail.com or
Eliza Spaulding at elizaspaulding@gmail.com.

Please also note another SEPAC event:

Please join the Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) for

a presentation and discussion about
Basic Rights in Special Education with Tim Sindelar,

Newton lawyer specializing in representing children and adults with disabilities.
This event is geared towards parents new to special education,
and for those who would like to know more about their basic rights.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020
7:30-9:00pm
Newton Education Center
100 Walnut Street
Room 210
No RSVP necessary.

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Lunar New Year

February 1st (SAT) 6:00-8:00 pm @ Burr Cafeteria

Please join us to celebrate Lunar New Year (Spring Festival or Chinese New Year). There will be Asian food, performance and games. All Burr family members and friends are welcome to attend. Please bring your favorite dish to share.

The signup link for food and performance is below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0844afa629a0f94-burr1

If you want to be involved in organizing the event, please contact zizizhang2012@gmail.com,
If you have any questions about the performance, please contact sallyron@gmail.com
We look forward to seeing all of our Burr community friends!
Happy 2020 the year of RAT! 

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Creative Arts and Sciences Welcomes Artist Michael LaFosse: Origamadō (5th Grade)

ori from the root of the Japanese verb "to fold," oru
gami from the Japanese word for paper, kami
dō the word for "way" or "path"

Internationally renowned origami master Michael LaFosse teaches 5th grade students how to make three-dimensional geometric designs while discovering the math connections with this amazing art form. Michael has taught origami for over 30 years and is recognized as one of the top origami masters today with pieces in major museums throughout the world.

Monday, January 13, 2020
8:45-9:35 (Robinson)
9:45-10:35 (Cooley)
10:45-11:35 (Harris)

Creative Arts and Sciences programs are fully funded by the Burr School PTO.

Parents are welcome to attend, but no younger siblings please.

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Creative Arts and Sciences 3rd grade program

Jackson Homestead (January 14th)

How would your life be different if you were born in the 1800s?
Students will handle and examine 150-year old objects, photographs, textiles, tools, and other primary sources to piece together the story of daily life in 19th -century Newton.

Click Here to View the Jackson Homestead Flyer

Creative Arts and Sciences programs are fully funded by the Burr School PTO.

Parents are welcome to attend, but no younger siblings please.

SEPAC Presentation

January 15, 2020

Please join the Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) for a presentation and discussion about Basic Rights in Special Education with Tim Sindelar, a Newton lawyer specializing in representing children and adults with disabilities.
This event is geared towards parents new to special education, and for those who would like to know more about their basic rights.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020
7:30-9:00pm
Newton Education Center
100 Walnut Street
Room 210

No RSVP necessary. Questions? Please contact Newton SEPAC Board Member

Eliza Spaulding at spaulding@newtonsepac.org.

THE BURR PTO PRESENTS

Creative Arts & Sciences

1st Grade Program

WINGMASTERS!

Tuesday, January 7th!

On Tuesday January 7th Wingmasters will present North American Birds of Prey to the first grade.

North American birds of prey are also known as raptors, and their unique characteristics help them to hunt prey. Raptors also have the best eyesight and the sharpest hearing int he animal kingdom. Raptors include eagles, hawks, falcons and owls and this presentation will incorporate five live birds to teach about predation, the raptors' place at the top of the foodweb, their different hunting adaptations and their often endangered status in a rapidly changing world.

Parents/caregivers welcome, but no younger siblings please. Thank you for your cooperation.

Click Here to View the Wingmasters Flyer

Creative Arts and Sciences programs are fully funded by the Burr School PTO.