Fine Arts Department 

Spring 2020 Virtual Showcase

During this unprecedented spring of 2020 when our students were away from the music, drama, and visual art classrooms, many Newton Public Schools students were able to stay engaged in their artistic pursuits.

Here are some examples of how K-12 students were able to stay engaged in their creative and expressive endeavors this spring.

In addition to the budding talents of our students, these slideshows and performance videos were created by a few very capable teachers, staff, students, and volunteers. We are grateful for their contributions to making this virtual showcase happen. 

Check back through June 19th for the latest additions to our showcase. The virtual showcase will remain on the NPS website into the 2020-21 school year.

View the Virtual Showcase Here

Principal's Newsletter—6-9-20

June 9, 2020

Dear Burr Families,

Thank you so much for stopping by to pick up your child(ren)'s belongings today. It was so lovely to see some of the children and wave to them in their cars. It brightened the day! The staff and I distributed 345 bags and there are only a few left that need to be picked up before June 18. If you didn't make it today, please send me an email to make alternative arrangements. 

I want to thank the wonderful staff members who helped today. It was not easy lugging some very heavy bags from the gym to cars. A very special thank you goes to Ginny Studley, our building aide, who helped to organize all the bags and get them ready for today and to Anne Costello, literacy aide, who made most of the festive signs. I'm forever thankful for the amazing staff members we have at Burr, who go the extra mile.  

As we approach the end of the school year, I'm writing to share some updates. Included in this letter is staffing information for next year, a reminder about our Incoming Kindergarten Parents' Information Session, and information about the last week of school. 

Although the past few months have been unexpected, one thing that has stayed the same is that again this year; we will say farewell to some beloved staff members and make some staffing adjustments. 

Staff Retiring

Behavior therapist Deb Christopher, who has been at Burr for the past 12 years, will be retiring this June. Deb has worked with many children and teachers during her time with us and has developed such wonderful, caring relationships. Her compassion and caring for the children in her care make her an exceptional behavior therapist. Deb is one of those people who will always step up to help around the building in any capacity needed. We will miss her cheerful smile and positive attitude at Burr. Deb's retirement plan was to travel, so I hope the world gets back to 'normal' soon, so she can take some exciting trips.

Staff Leaving

Mike Cadman has been the math intervention aide at Burr for the past four years. He's supported many students throughout the building. Mike has enrolled in a graduate program and will be completing a School Counseling internship at Newton North High School. We've been fortunate to have Mike at Burr for several years and wish him well as he prepares for a career in counseling. 

Jen Tambacia has worked at Burr as a substitute teacher and as an inclusion aide. Jen is wonderfully flexible and has filled in wherever we've needed her help at Burr. Most recently, Jen has supported children in the first grade. Jen is always calm and patient and enjoyed by staff and students alike. With students moving onto the middle school and a reduced need for inclusion staff, we do not have a position for Jen for next year. I wish Jen well and hope that we can invite her back to join us in the future. 

Samantha Rizzo has been a kindergarten aide in Ms. Russo's class for the second half of the school year. She stepped in seamlessly to cover for Michelle Magno when Michelle took over in Nicole Golden's first-grade classroom. Samantha is now looking for a full-time teaching position, and we wish her much luck.

Sheila Hanley started at Burr in September as the literacy specialist covering Alice Wong-Tucker's maternity leave and agreed to stay on as a literacy aide when Alice returned. Sheila has supported students across the grades at Burr with their reading and writing and helped develop distance learning plans at the district level in the last few months. 

Haley Lyons has been a substitute teacher at Burr. Even during school closing, Haley has joined classroom teachers for Zoom meetings to support students and has helped the third-grade team with some online tasks. She's been very helpful as we've packed students' belongings and organized them for pick up. Haley has developed some lovely relationships in our community, and we will miss her next year. 

Each year we are fortunate to have student teachers and interns at Burr. This year we say goodbye Lauren Trzasko, Ioana Neagu, and Rachel Stutman, who taught in grades 3, 4 & 5, and Josh Limbert, who completed a psychology internship with Dr. Juarez. Each of them has made valuable contributions to the Burr community this year, and we wish them well as they continue to pursue their career objectives. 

Staff in New Roles

As some of you know, next year we only have two sections of rising fourth graders which means that we have to make some staffing adjustments. To accommodate the change, Kara MacNeill, current second-grade teacher, will be moving back to third grade, and fourth-grade teacher, Vanisha Bapat, will move to second grade. Before coming to Burr, Vanisha taught second grade in Baltimore County. She's disappointed to leave her current team but is excited to partner with Sarah Field and Amy Roberts in second grade. 

Classroom staffing for 2020-2021 is as follows:

                Kindergarten: Catalina Frail, Vanessa Mc Mahon, Briana Russo

                Grade 1: Nancy Fitch, Natalia Espinal, Nicole Golden

                Grade 2: Vanisha Bapat, Sarah Field, Amy Roberts

                Grade 3: Julie Canning, Helen Oh, Kara MacNeill 

                Grade 4: Sydney Tice, Claudia Li

                Grade 5: Robin Cooley, Annalee Harris, Sonja Robinson

Incoming Kindergartners Parents/Guardians Information Zoom 

We will be hosting an information session for parents of incoming kindergartners on Thursday, June 11th, at 4:00 pm. While we don't yet know what the Fall will look like, this will be an opportunity to meet Burr staff and hear a little about kindergarten. If you are the parent/guardian of an incoming kindergartner and haven't yet received an invitation, please email Maura Albano at albanom@newton.k12.ma.

Last Week of School

The last week of school is traditionally filled with fun and excitement as we reflect on the year we've had together and look forward to summertime and the year ahead. This year will obviously feel different, but we still plan to have some fun during the last week! Below please find a tentative schedule - more details to follow from your children's teachers. 

Monday, June 15th - Step Up Day

Each June, the students in grades K-4 have Step-Up Day at Burr. The children have an opportunity to meet the teaching team from the next grade level. Current classroom teachers will be in touch with specifics, but for now, I wanted you to have the schedule for your planning purposes:

9:00 am Kindergarteners rising to Grade 1 

9:15 am 4th graders rising to grade 5 

9:30 am 2nd graders rising to grade 3  

9:45 am 1st graders rising to grade 2  

10:00 am 3rd graders rising to grade 4

Tuesday, June 16th - Color Day

Although we won't be able to hold our traditional Color Day at school, Ms. Michna has worked with the NPS Physical Education department to plan a virtual Color Day for Tuesday, June 16th! The slideshow of activities has been shared with students in this week's learning log, and you can check it out here. The activities are fun and can be done with everyday items at home. Your family can decide to do a few or all of them. You can spread them out over the week, or you can do most of them on June 16th. Ms. Michna and I will have a Color Day Kick-Off Zoom at 9:30 am on Color Day. The link to the Zoom meeting will be sent out in next week's learning plans. We hope to see children in their Color Day attire, ready to have a fun day! Just like Color Day at school, there will be no classes that day. 

Wednesday, June 17th - Fifth Grade Moving On Ceremony

We will celebrate our fifth graders in a Virtual Moving On Ceremony at 10:00 am. Fifth graders are currently preparing for this event. Families will get details from the classroom teachers. 

Thursday, June 18th - Last Day 

Each class will have a final closing meeting with their classroom teacher. 

I know this was a lot and I thank you for reading. I will do my best to keep everyone informed about the fall as plans evolve over the summer. 

On a personal note, I want to thank you all for your support and understanding during this most unusual year! When this school year started, I could never have imagined how it would unfold. It is an experience to remember, and I feel blessed to be navigating it with our amazing Burr community. 

With gratitude and best wishes,

Mindy

Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) News

Dear All,

Hoping everyone is as well as can be. Sending much positivity out into the world right now!

I wanted to reach out to share a few updates:

SEPAC Special Educator Virtual Awards
Nominations are open for the 2020 Newton SEPAC Special Educator Virtual Awards! For those who may be unfamiliar with the end-of-the-year SEPAC Awards, they are an opportunity to recognize and celebrate any NPS or Out of District staff member who you felt went above and beyond for your child with special needs. We hope you will join us in recognizing and celebrating our wonderful educators and staff members by submitting your nomination by June 17, 2020.

To submit a nomination, please complete the following form:
https://forms.gle/G8UthXqH77y1oVQ88 

Here's how the "Virtual" Awards will work:

• Families will submit nominations using a Google Form, as before
• Each nominee will receive the text of the nomination in an email
• The email to each nominee will also include messages of thanks from Mayor Fuller, the School Committee, Superintendent Fleishman, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Beth Fitzmaurice, and the SEPAC Board
• We will send each Principal a list of the nominees from their schools

2020-2021 SEPAC Board
Nominations are open for the 2020-2021 SEPAC Board. The SEPAC Board is an all-volunteer organization of parents of children with disabilities in the preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school, and in private schools, who meet to stay informed and learn more about special education programs, issues, policies, regulations, and resources. We sponsor monthly informational meetings, maintain an online discussion group, and work with the school administration regarding our children’s education.

The positions are:
Co-Chairs (up to 3)
Secretary
Treasurer 
Board Member At Large (up to 5)

For more details on the SEPAC by-laws that require us to hold an annual election and the positions please Click Here

Please consider nominating yourself or someone else for one of the above roles. 

NOMINATION FORM

2020-2021 SEPAC Liaison to the Burr School
It has been a pleasure to be the SEPAC Liaison to the Burr School this past school year, and I would be happy to serve again next year. I also would be very happy to have someone else replace or join me to give others the opportunity! SEPAC Liaisons disseminate information from the SEPAC to their local school communities, serve as a resource to parents of children with special needs, bring issues raised at their schools to the SEPAC, and often more, depending on the liaison’s availability. 

If you’re interested in knowing more about this role, or becoming a SEPAC Liaison, please reach out to me at: elizaspaulding@gmail.com.

Questions about any of the above? Please reach out to me. Many thanks, and wishing everyone a good start to the week!

Warmly, Eliza
2019-2020 SEPAC Liaison to the Burr School and SEPAC Board Member at Large
elizaspaulding@gmail.com 

Color Day Update!

Hello Everybody-

As the end of the school year gets closer & closer I wanted to email you information on our Newton Public Schools Virtual Color Day event - which will be held by all elementary schools on Tuesday, June 16th.  Below is an information video on how you can plan for your virutal color day at your own home.  Parents & guardians - please take a moment to watch the video below - it will help you and your student start to think about and plan for the event together.  It will be especially fun if many family members can participate in this event if possible.  This video is also located in the PE section of the weekly lesson plan that your student receives each week from their classroom teacher.

Color Day Information Video

Next week - the week of June 8th - you will be receiving a Color Day activity packet from me.  This activity packet will be emailed out to you and it will also be listed in the PE section of the weekly lesson plan.  It is NOT expected that you plan for all of the activities - please choose the activities that you feel most comfortable planning for, setting up & participating in at your own home.

Although we are unable to have Color Day at Burr like we normally would I do hope that this planning information and these activities will be able to allow all of our students a chance to celebrate Color Day and show off their Color Day spirit!

Thanks,

Ms. Michna

Burr PE Teacher

 THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 

Burr Food Table Update

We sent out an important update on the Burr Food Table earlier today  - to keep the length of this email down, please use this link to access.  Thanks again for your generosity! We are all extremely lucky to be part of such a generous and thoughtful community!

Reminder - Retrieving Student Belongings

June 7, 2020

Dear Burr Families;

This is a reminder to pick up your child(ren)’s belongings on Tuesday, June 9th.  We ask that you follow the schedule and directions below:

Picking Up Student Belongings 

The Burr Blue Zone (school side) including the bus parking area will be used for picking up student belongings. A schedule organized by  last name will be used.  In this way, families with students in multiple grades will be able to retrieve everything at once.  Belongings will be organized in the gym and the cafeteria.  Please pull your vehicle all the way to the end of the building by the dumpsters.

Families are asked to have a clearly labeled sign taped to the front passenger window of their vehicle that lists all students’ names - first initial and last name (M. Johal),  prominently. 

Wearing masks and practicing physical distancing, staff will bring student belongings to the trunk of each vehicle. Families are asked to please remain inside their vehicles.

Based on an approximate estimate of student numbers, the schedule for families is as follows:

Time

Blue Zone

9:00-9:45

Last Names A-C

9:45-10:30

Last Names D-I

10:30-11:15

Last Names J-M

11:15-12:00

Last Names N-R

12:30 -1:45

Last Names S-U

1:45 -2:30

Last Names V-Z

If you have not been able to stop by Burr to drop off library books, you can put them in the trunk of your vehicle, clearly labeled, LIBRARY BOOKS, and we will retrieve them as we load the bags.  

Belongings of families that do not come at the designated time will be stored.  Families can email me to arrange an alternate time, though you are strongly encouraged to adhere to the given schedule. Thank you for making every effort to do so. 

A Unifying Burr School Project for Fall 2020

Over the summer, we are asking students and staff to help us create a Burr Community Mural focused on the Burr Core Values or Fab Four - Compassion, Respect, Teamwork, Perseverance. This project will unite us as we work at home on something which will be prominently displayed in our school building when we return. 

Each student will receive a packet of materials for this project on Tuesday, June 9. Each grade level will focus on one Burr Core Value. Check out Ms. Ellis' video for directions and to learn the core value each grade is assigned.  

Each student will also receive a Burr Kindness bracelet. These bracelets were ordered by the Burr Student Council to remind us all that Burr students and staff are kind to each other, their family and friends, and to the environment.  

I look forward to seeing you through your car windows and giving you a wave on Tuesday. 

Best,

Mindy

Principal's Newsletter - June 1, 2020

Dear Burr Community;

I'm writing to acknowledge the horrific racist events that have affected the African-American community and our country over the past weeks. The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have left the country in turmoil and have shaken so many of us to the very core. We are sad, angry, and hurting. 

I applaud those of you who were able to join the Auburndale Family Walk to show solidarity with the protestors across the country. It is important to model to our children that there is power in collective action. Regrettably, there are voices in America that have been unheard for so long that it has resulted in violence and destruction in some cities. 

I fear that the spread of COVID 19, which has disproportionately impacted Black and Brown communities, will continue to spread because of these large gatherings. Unfortunately, it's hard to be heard when you're social distancing, and the outrage felt throughout the country eclipses the dangers posed by the pandemic. 

I know that many of you, like me, are grappling with the question: What can I do at this moment? How do we take care of each other and our children? Burr staff members and parents have reached out to me or each other for support. I don't know anyone who has all the answers - I certainly do not, but I do know I must continue to work towards positive change within my sphere of influence. Each of us has a responsibility to look deep within ourselves and ask what we are doing to ensure that all people feel equally valued in our world. As humans, we are all capable of racism and must actively work to be anti-racist.  

Burr students, no matter how young, are not too young to talk about race and equity. Indeed, our silence about race and racism perpetuates the cycle of inequity and misinformation. These conversations need to be ongoing and revisited often. For your reference, there are several resources on this topic:

• They're Not Too Young to Young to Talk About Race 
• Embrace Race 
• Wee The People: A social justice project for kids | Boston
• Your Kids Aren't Too Young to Talk About Race: Resource Roundup
• National Museum of African American History and Culture Releases "Talking About Race" Web Portal

There are no easy answers or guidebooks, and each of us has a responsibility to seek ways to make a difference, beginning with educating ourselves. The equity work at Burr has focused heavily on helping staff members confront their own biases so they can adjust their practice to be responsive to all the children and families they serve. Even remotely, we will continue this work, and I invite you to join us by participating in events highlighted by FORJ (Families Organizing for Racial Justice).  

I hope people are also aware that Asians of Chinese descent are experiencing increased racism as people blame them for the pandemic. I am sure that many families in our community will also tell you that they are feeling vulnerable. I know the above resources will support you in your conversations about this as well. 

In closing, I want to remind you all that the Burr staff and I are here to provide whatever support we can. Please do not hesitate to reach out. Meanwhile, I know that the Burr community cares about each other and will wrap their arms around those in need of understanding, comfort, and strength. 

Take care, 

Mindy