PTO
Newsletter
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| 125 Meadowbrook Rd., Newton, MA 02459 | Vol. III, No. 1 - September 16, 2002 |
| Telephone 617-552-7409, Call Back: 617-552-7524 | http://www.newton.mec.edu/brown/ |
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Dear Parents and Guardians, Welcome back to the new school year and thank you for a wonderful school opening! We are into the second week of school and I have been most impressed by how quickly our 759 students have settled into the daily routines of middle school, focused on learning. As I visit classes, I am delighted and inspired by the hard work and efforts of both students and teachers engaged in exciting and meaningful learning experiences. On September 11, we began our school day with an opportunity for students to share their thoughts and feelings in a developmentally appropriate structure. We asked students and teachers to move into the corridor outside their classrooms and to join hands, creating a circle around our school. Three students from eighth grade recited a poem over our public address system, we observed a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. and concluded with music from a Bruce Springsteen song, Earlier in the week, students and teachers made paper memorial candles. During the morning of September 11, students came to the front foyer to place their candles on the school-wide display. We resumed the regular schedule at 9:00 a.m., providing students with an opportunity to share information, feelings or questions if they chose to do so. I am thankful for your support and that of our teachers in maintaining a calm, respectful, reassuring and safe environment for students. To this end, I ask that you continue to share any important and/or relevant information with your child’s teachers and me, so that we can best meet their needs. It was great to see so many of you at our Back-to-School Picnic. For me, that evening provided an opportunity to meet many of you and to strengthen our sense of connectedness as a school community. I want to thank Elinor Nelson and Steve Hamilton, Brown PTO co-presidents for the work they have already done to help welcome everyone back to school. Additionally, I would like to thank Jeanie Gruber and her committee for the delicious luncheon provided to welcome back teachers and staff on September 4. Please plan to join us for "Brown Back-to-School Night" on Tuesday, October 8 from 7:00 at 9:15 p.m. We look forward to sharing with you the many and varied opportunities that your child(ren) experience here at school. On that evening, teachers will share with you their goals, information on their program and an overview of the curriculum. Please note that the schedule for the evening does not provide time to discuss the progress of individual students. It is our hope that all parents will plan to attend this important evening event and become better acquainted with the teachers and programs at Brown Middle School. Your active support and involvement are a vital part of Brown Middle School! John Jordan
To our Fellow Brown Community Members: Welcome to Brown! Welcome back our returning families, to our new students and families, and to our new principal, John Jordan. Mr. Jordan has started the year with tremendous warmth, enthusiasm, and expertise, and we look forward to working with him. We wish our former principal, Dr. Judith Malone-Neville, all the best in her new job as Assistant Superintendent of Newton Schools. Since we are in the process of entering your email information, this first Brown newsletter is being emailed to those already on our email list, and mailed to the remainder of our families. We save significant money in printing and postage by using email, and we encourage everyone to provide their emails, either by using the form we mailed to you, or by emailing us at brown.pto@nxp.com, with your child's name, team, and grade, your name, and email address. (Our email address will be changing sometime in the near future, and we will be advising you of the new address. For now, use the current address.) Our newsletters are published about twice a month, and we welcome submissions for the newsletter from all members of the Brown community. The PTO reserves the right to withhold publication of any submission. In addition to the PTO newsletter, our principal, John Jordan, writes a "First Friday Letter" to all parents, which is sent home with our kids the first Friday of each month. Both the First Friday Letters and PTO newsletters are posted on the school's web site; www.newton.mec.edu/brown. Many thanks to our new editor, Kay Johannes, and our new email coordinator, Eric Bender, for making the process work. This year, instead of placing them in the Blue Book mailed over the summer by the school, the PTO sent you a separate mailing with our dues, volunteer, email, and directory forms, as well as our School Store list and volunteer form. Our goal was to capture your attention and generate a better early return rate. So many of you have already responded, and we thank you; we urge the rest of you to mail us your completed forms and dues checks. Anyone with financial need may speak in confidence with Mr. Jordan. Working on the mailing was a monumental task, and we extend\ heartfelt thanks to Lisa Hines, Barbara Couturier, Christine Couturier, Julia Lewis, Mimi Zielinski, Tim Zielinski, Eric Tobias, and Beverly Biller. As you could see from the School Store list, we carry all of the supplies your children need, and at highly competitive prices. Plan to have your child shop at the Brown School Store, and if you have time to volunteer at the store (a great way to familiarize yourself with the school), call Liz Richardson at 617-969-6267. Many thanks to Jeanie Gruber and her helpers for arranging the Staff Appreciation Lunch -- the reviews were fantastic! And thanks to Cathy Fulton and her volunteers for organizing the school pictures, and to Liz Gallagher for organizing the Back to School Picnic last week. The weather cooperated and all had a delightful time. Keep in mind the following important upcoming events and dates: An important PTO position still unfilled is Chief of Fundraising. We already have parents who will chair the individual fundraisers (magazine sales, pretzel sales, and Faculty Foul-Ups), so the Chief will be responsible only for supervising those events, as well as for strategizing new fundraising opportunities. We encourage interested parents to contact us. Thanks, and have a great year. We're here to respond to your questions and concerns, so please feel free to call us.
Ellie Nelson (617-527-5225) Steve Hamilton (617-527-2954)
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Note from the Nurse
Attention 6th grade parents: Welcome back to school! 6th Grade parents please be aware that we are not giving Hepatitis B series in school this year. This means you will need to get it at your pediatricians. Since this is required to enter 7th Grade I wanted to let you know early in the year. Thank youMaureen Bisaga, R.N.
Sewing Machines needed
The Family & Consumer Science department at Brown is in need of four good working sewing machines. Any make will do. Our students in FACS are learning how to make and repair their own clothes. Contact: Lauren B. Infantino. Voice mail 617-552-7524 #1389. Thank you!Newton METCO Parent's Council Meeting Times
Newton METCO meetings schedule is as follows: Monday, September 30, 2002 Monday, October 21, 2002 Monday, November 18, 2002 Monday, January 27, 2003 (Snow date: Monday, February 3, 2003) Monday, March 24, 2003 (Snow date: Monday, March 31, 2003) Monday, May 19, 2003 Scholarships: Sunday, May 18, 2003 Annual Awards: Friday, June 18, 2003All meetings are from 7 to 9 PM at Roxbury Community College
Triple E Sign Up
Triple E activities are a combination of intramural sports and other special interest clubs at Brown. Students are encouraged to participate. Some activities will begin on September 23rd although there will be additions throughout the year. Some fall options include Girls Soccer, Chess Club, Math Team, etc. Please look for a complete list to be sent home with your child in the principal's "First Friday" letter. If you have any questions or suggestions, you may contact Beth Sampson at beth_sampson@newton.mec.edu or (617) 552-7409 x1469.Music Lesson Extension Program
The Fine Arts Department is currently signing students up for 2002-2003 school year instrumental and vocal music lessons under our Music Lesson Extension Program. This is the program that matches our instrumental and advanced vocal students in grades 5-12 with out standing professional instrumental music and vocal teachers. Each teacher works only in the areas of their performance expertise. Lessons are taught at mutually agreed upon times in our secondary schools. Given space restrictions and security issues, lessons may not be taught in a student's school but rather at a nearby school. The yearly charge for the lessons is $620.00, which includes 28 lessons. For information call the Fine Arts Department, (617) 559-6147 or check your school music teacher or office for applications.
| Community News |
Newton Center Stage Children's Theatre. Register now for Newton's Center Stage Theatre's 16th season.
Classes for all grades in acting, speech, musical theatre, public speaking, audition training, stage movement, manners
and etiquette. They offer confidence building for shy children and public performances for all. Middle school
Actors/singers/Dancers needed for Community Service Project Touring Show. 10 to 12 weeks training (once a week)
to perform at three local elementary schools. You can record your singing for the show in a professional recording studio.
For more information call Colleen Segal at Centre Stage (617) 969-6196.
Newton Guidance Advisory Council. The Guidance Advisory Committee is a forum for parent representatives
and Guidance staff from Newton's high schools and middle schools. It meets once a month at the Education Center,
currently on a Tuesday evening from 7:30 to 9 PM. The committee shares news about issues and program initiatives
pertaining to the social, emotional and academic needs of students. Parent reps support the Guidance Department by
advocacy at budget time, and by a year-end social gathering. We need one or two parent reps from each school for
the committee. It's a great way to keep up with and contribute to consideration of how the needs of our kids are
being addressed. Contact Bob Barnes, Chair (617) 332-1012 or at bobarnes1@cs.com.
Adult Volunteers Wanted With Their Well Mannered Dogs. Participate with your dog in Pet Therapy
Program team visits to adult day care programs, assisted living faculties, nursing homes, and hospitals in the
greater Boston area. For more information about the Pet Therapy Program visit their Web site at www.caringcanines.net
or call (781) 729-8285.
Allegra Girls Chorus. A small girls chorus, called ALLEGRA, is beginning after school this fall.
There are a few openings left for girls who love to sing. We will meet in Newton on Tuesdays from 6 to 7 PM, starting
in October. Call Joyce Friedman (617) 244-9156 or Martha Holmes (617) 965-7573 for more information and audition time.
| BROWN PTO NEWSLETTER. The newsletter will publish, at the sole discretion of the PTO, articles and other information of interest to the Brown Middle School Community. SUBMISSIONS: by email to brown.editor@nxp.com, by US mail to Brown Middle School PTO, Newsletter Editor, 125 Meadowbrook Road, Newton, MA 02459, or by drop off in the Brown Office Mailroom. Deadline Saturdays evening. |