Letter from Ms. Johal

February 28, 2017

Dear Families,

I hope you all had a restful vacation week. The teachers and I have come back recharged and ready for a busy few months of school as we prepare for some exciting whole school events and grade level curriculum units. I hope you too are recharged and ready to partner with us to support these efforts.  Here area a few updates and important information:

Talent Shows

We have two Talent Shows again this year on March 3. With so many talented students wanting to participate and limited seating in our cafetorium, we have found that having two shows allow us to accommodate a larger audience.  Please be sure to purchase your tickets by tomorrow, Thursday, March 2 if you have not done so already. Two tickets will be reserved for family members of students who are performing in the show. The audience for the first show will be asked to exit the building using the doors to the playground so we can efficiently bring in the audience for the 3-5 graders.

Conferences

Next week teachers will begin the spring conferences. It is a great time to review your child’s progress and set goals for the coming months.  Please be sure to sign up for a conference time that is convenient for you.

Kindergarten Screening

On March 1 and March 8, we will have screening and registration for next year’s kindergarteners.  Yes – it’s already that time of year! It is such a fun time for us as we prepare to bring in another group of students and families into the Burr community.  We also love seeing the younger siblings of current students who are now ready to enroll.

Staff News

A couple of our teachers have new additions to their families and are out on maternity leave. Fourth grade teacher, Katie Collins, is now the proud mother of a baby girl, Willa. Willa was born on February 2.  Both mother and baby are doing well. We have an excellent substitute, Kelly Young, covering during Ms. Collins’ leave.  Kelly completed her Bachelors degree at Bridgewater State University and was a student teacher in Ms. Canning’s third grade classroom in the fall.  Kelly stood out during her practicum as a strong and dedicated educator.

Burr literacy specialist, Alice Wong-Tucker, gave birth to her son, Nathaniel, on February 16.  Alice and her baby are also doing well.  I have hired a substitute literacy specialist, Sarah Churchill Silberman, to cover during Alice’s leave.  Sarah comes to Burr after completing a similar position in the Lexington Public Schools in the fall. She is well versed and experienced in literacy education.  Both Kelly and Sarah are great additions to our staff.

MCAS 2017 Testing Dates

If you have a child in grades 3, 4, or 5, please put the following dates on your calendar.  Most children perform better on these tests when they are able to take them at the same time as their peers, so I ask that you avoid taking your child out of school during scheduled testing times.

English Language Arts

Grade 3: April 26, 27 & 28

Grade 4: April 3, 4, & 5

Grade 5: April 5, 6, & 10

Mathematics

Grade 3: May 3 & 4

Grade 4: May 8 & 9

Grade 5: May 1 & 2

Science, Technology & Engineering

Grade 5: May 17 & 19

I look forward to seeing many of you at the events planned for coming months and as always, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Best,

Mindy

 

Reminder: Early Release Thursday, March 9

Thursday, March 9 will be an all school early release at 12:30pm for parent-teacher conferences.

Burr Online Auction Begins March 10

Let the Bidding Begin!

Burr Online Auction 

March 10^th–18^th

https://www.biddingforgood.com/burrelementary

 ~ Auction Items Include: Summer Camps, Birthday Parties, Restaurants, Entertainment Tickets, Vacations, Retail and more.

~ Preview Online: Starting March 3^rd

~ Register to Bid: Complete the registration process online so you will be ready to bid when the auction opens on March 10th.

~ Refer Family and Friends: Do you know people (colleagues, friends, family) who would be interested in our auction? Send them an email and help us build our community.

Support Burr Elementary School

Event proceeds will go directly to:

The Burr Elementary School PTO

2017 Spring Burr Basketball Clinics

2017 Spring Burr Basketball Clinics (9 Tuesdays)

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Burr K-5 Youth Basketball Academy by a professional coach is ending its winter session and having a new spring session open to Burr School students!

Spaces are limited! Sign up at bit.ly/burrschool for 9 professional one-hour training sessions on Tuesday evenings @ Burr gym!

Varsity coach runs this basketball academy.  Pay $150/each player for 9 training sessions. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BURR SCHOOL SOCCER GOAL FUND.

Dates:
April 4th, April 11th, April 25th; May 2nd, May 9th, May 16th, May
23rd, May 30th; June 6th (2017)
Times:
Group 1: Tuesday 6:15-7:15pm for K, 1 and 2 boys and girls
Group 2: Tuesday 7:15-8:30pm for 2, 3 & above boys and girls

Newton Chinese Cultural Festival March 11

The Newton Chinese Cultural Festival will be at City Hall on Saturday, March 11, from 10 am-2 pm, hosted by the Chinese American Association of Newton (CAAN), the Newton Chinese Language School (NCLS) and the Greater Boston Chinese Association (GBCCA). This event is supported by the Mayor's Office for Cultural Affairs, and it is the 3rd consecutive year the event will take place at city hall.

This year's theme is Chinese painting, which is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. At the festival, you will learn the history and different styles of Chinese paintings. You will have a rare opportunity to watch Chinese artists painting close up and learn some basic painting techniques from Chinese painting masters.

You and your family can also enjoy traditional Chinese folk dancing, listen to Chinese folk songs and taste traditional Chinese food. For children, there will be many other activities like art crafting, face painting and games. We hope this will be a wonderful celebration of the Chinese culture with the Newton community. Please bring your family and friends along.

PTO Meeting March 14 with Nicki Eastburn

The next PTO meeting is on Tuesday, March 14 at 7 pm.

The PTO is excited to have Nicki Eastburn, Burr School Special Education Team Chair and Social Worker, speak about incorporating mindfulness at home and in school.

This is a great opportunity to hear about all the great things that Nicki and her team have done at Burr School to encourage mindfulness and learn about ways to incorporate these strategies with the kids at home. 

 

Burr Family Ice Skating at Daly Rink on Sunday, March 26

Please join us Sunday, March 26th for Burr Family Ice Skating at Daly Rink!

WHEN: Sunday, March 26^th from 5:00 – 5:50pm

WHERE:  Daly Ice Skating Rink
(4 Nonantum Road Newton, MA)

WHO: Everyone is welcome – bring the entire family!

COST: FREE! (Skate Rentals Available:  $6.00 per person.)

WHY: Why not? Just a fun community-building event on a Sunday afternoon! And did we mention – it’s FREE!

QUESTIONS:  Contact Stacey Richard (svrichard@gmail.com).

Please note that this is a family event.  It is not a drop-off activity.

2017 Spring Soccer PreSeason Clinic April 1

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A PRO-COACH SOCCER TRAINING SESSION (ONE TIME ONLY) TO RAISE FUNDS FOR YOUTH SOCCER GOALS DEDICATED TO BURR SCHOOL STUDENTS! SIGN UP AT bit.ly/burrschool
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This youth soccer clinic will be a great opportunity to learn through fun-based drills, small-sized games, and scrimmages; or just to meet schoolmates/friends in a “no pressure” setting. All games and drills will be age appropriate and are set to improve skills. It is skills based, with small elements of game play. This is a great opportunity and training environment for soccer players looking to condition their skills before the spring soccer season!
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A professional coach runs this preseason training. Sign up at bit.ly/burrschool for this preseason training session on April 1st@ Burr School yard!

Location: Burr School yard
Date:  April 1, 2017

Times:
Group 1: Saturday 3:00pm-4:30pm for K- 2 boys and girls;
Group 2: Saturday 4:30pm-6:00pm for G2-5 boys and girls;
2nd graders could go either way depending on his/her physique and skills.

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BURR SCHOOL SOCCER GOAL FUND. Pay $15/each player for this clinic. Donate extra for funding soccer goals!  

Please direct all questions to Burr PTO contact Alex (guolinwen@gmail.com) or John (jvmcauliffe@gmail.com)

Please always have shin guards, cleats, bottled water and comfortable clothing ready for participating in this OUTDOOR soccer training session.

Letter from the Superintendent

February 28, 2017

Dear Newton Community:

Over the past few days and weeks, I have received questions from community members about how recent federal actions on immigration and transgender guidelines impact our school community. These messages have expressed anxiety and uncertainty, as well as a desire to know where the Newton Public Schools stands in light of these events.

Regardless of federal actions, the Newton Public Schools strongly reaffirms our commitment to create welcoming, supportive, and safe school communities for all students and staff, no matter their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or immigration status.

Last week, the Newton City Council voted to become a “Welcoming City,” a city that protects all residents, regardless of legal status. In the same spirit, the Newton Public Schools welcomes all students, no matter where they were born or how they arrived in Newton.

As I visit our schools, I find students from all over the world who are learning and thriving in our classrooms. It is this diversity that gives all of our students such a rich and powerful student experience. The global community in our schools is preparing our students to thrive and succeed in a global world.

Diversity is not solely defined by race or ethnicity; it is multi-faceted, affording us the opportunity to teach acceptance, appreciation, and respect for each and every individual. To this end, I am proud of the real progress we have made in creating welcoming and safe spaces for our transgender students at all levels. Just recently, I had the privilege of listening to a transgender student speak about his experience. It was gratifying to hear about the comfort and acceptance he feels among his peers and within his school community. This reflects the commitment of our staff, our students, and our families.

We are fortunate in Massachusetts to be backed by state statute that ensures protections for all students and prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity. Our NPS non-discrimination policy also specifies the rights and protections for gender identity and we have created the appropriate spaces in schools so that transgender students feel safe and comfortable.

We will continue to work hard every day to create school communities in which all students and adults feel safe and supported. Thank you for your partnership and for your ongoing support.

Sincerely,

David Fleishman
Superintendent of Schools