Spring Fair Ticket Sales!
Spring Fair Tickets and Bracelets on sale now! Don’t miss out on the action standing in line the day of the Fair!Visit our pre-Fair ticket table outside the Main Office before or after school on Friday, May 18, Monday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 22. Main Office table will be open before school only the day of the Fair!Bracelets are $35 and include all rides, games and most activities. Tickets are $1 each and can be used to purchase food, individual rides and activities. (Dunk Tank is not included in bracelet price).
What’s Growing On?
What’s Growing On?Last week, 2G explored soil in the garden as an extension of their spring science unit. They especially enjoyed meeting Misters Squiggles, the red wriggler composting worms. This week we plan to host 2Har and 2S for the same extension activity. Also this week, we will host the 4th grade Girl Scouts as they tour the garden and help construct a potato tower.The after school garden class planted some more seeds last week. They planted the “seed tape” they made the previous week - a method of insuring proper spacing of small seeds. They also planted seeds for a flower border, and constructed some temporary fencing to protect these new seedlings. They always enjoy using tools.The garden program will be taking part in the Spring Fair - stop by our table for a garden activity, salad samples to supplement your cotton candy, horticultural advice, and information on the Driscoll School Garden Program. It will also be a good opportunity to sign up for slots on the summer maintenance calendar, so your family can help sustain (and consume!) this season’s crops. No experience is necessary, as an orientation class and on-call horticultural help will be available.There was a small, but productive, Garden Committee meeting last Wednesday. We are making progress filling administrative rolls, but need as much help as we can get. Contact us to get involved: driscollschoolgarden@gmail.com
Writer Melissa Sweet Visits K-5th Graders
With generous support of the 2017 Family Giving Campaign K-5th Graders were able to spend Tuesday, May 8 with children’s book writer and illustrator, Melissa Sweet. Learn more about Melissa’s books here, and be sure to ask your child about Melissa’s visit. http://melissasweet.net/. Thanks again for your support of the Family Giving Campaign, and the Library!
Teacher Appreciation Week
NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK starts today, May 7 until the 11th, and Driscoll will be celebrating our teachers and staff in grand style! We have events and goodies planned for each day of the week, with the festivities culminating in our traditional breakfast which willl be held Friday, May 11.Be sure to thank teachers and staff this week!
VOTE TUESDAY, MAY 8
TWO IMPORTANT BALLOT QUESTIONS ON MAY 8: these relate to the operation of Brookline Schools and we encourage you to take the time to vote. It is our hope that this information on the ballot questions will support you in deciding how you want to vote on them. Regardless of how you decide to vote – we urge you to vote and show your children how to participate in civic life! This is a long but important – please read!
The two questions are both related to overriding the property tax laws of the state which limit increases in property tax increases to 2 1/2 percent annually. The Select Board of Brookline voted to place two questions on the ballot on May 8th (the full text of the questions is at the bottom of this email):The first question asks voters if they want to permanently increase the Town’s tax levy limit by $6,575,425 in order to fund costs in Brookline Schools ($5,873,642) and in municipal departments ($701,783).A Yes vote will fund the current school budget plus:
- increased school staff to maintain class size and services to keep up with enrollment growth (20%);
- Contractual increases in teacher salaries (56%),
- services for special education (9%);
- classroom supplies, intervention support for struggling learners, transportation, and equity professional development (26%)
A No vote will require the School District to make cuts in current operations to fund contractual obligations. Superintendent Bott projected these in a January School Committee Board presentation which include:
- Eliminating 20 positions across the district which would reduce teachers in several schools, reduce paraprofessional support, and reduce professional development for teachers;
- Eliminating transportation from South Brookline to the high school, new funding for basic supplies classrooms, and limiting the district’s ability to use new strategies to resolve conflicts;
- Reducing student support in mental health, behavior, and decreasing support for struggling students; and
- Reducing professional development for teachers, limiting curriculum coordination and improvements, and delaying technology purchases.
The second question asks voters if they will temporarily increase property taxes to fund some of the costs of the High School expansion through a debt exclusion.A Yes vote will fund the expansion of the High School to accommodate increasing high school enrollment.A No vote will cancel the expansion of the High School, which will result in more students in the current BHS building, increased class sizes and insufficient space for the library, cafeteria, performances, and out of date science facilities.The estimated tax impact of passing both overrides for a median value property in Brookline over a four year period is $1,039 for a single family, $344 for a condo, and $2,263 for commercial.Please read carefully and decide! And please vote on May 8th!
The Spring Fair Needs You!
SPRING FAIR ON MAY 23rd: The Spring Fair needs YOU! This beloved community event revolves around volunteer support. It takes around 200 volunteer hours to make this event run smoothly. We will need volunteer support from 9:00am-9:00pm the day of the fair. Please consider donating your time and energy to this fabulous end of year event! Sign up sheet HERE. Contact driscollspringfair@
What's Growing in the Driscoll Garden
WHAT'S GROWING ON? Our carrot, snap pea and lettuce seeds have sprouted outside - see if you can spot them. The after school garden class has been learning all about seeds, as we get the raised beds going for the season. Honestly, I’m geeking out about some amazing seed facts. We learned two-thirds of all calories consumed by humans come from the endosperm within seeds. The students enjoyed eating the illustrative sample endosperm (popcorn). And that power-packed sack-lunch a mother plant puts in every tiny pebble-baby-spaceship (a.k.a. seed), is what makes it possible for the embryo to travel great distances of space and time - like the 32,000 year old Silene embryo from Siberia that was germinated in 2012, and then grew to produce it’s own seed. But time isn’t as kind to humans, so we must move on next week, past germination to growth and nutrient cycles, as we nurture our growing voyagers/vegetables.
Let’s all nurture our other voyagers, our students. There is so much potential at Driscoll, to create an awesome outdoor experiential learning environment for the entire school community. But, a lone turd does not a compost pile make. WE NEED YOUR HELP! to make it happen. Become a garden committee member, and share the green glory, and corny humor. Corn!All kidding aside, there are many ways to help, and most of them don’t involve gardening. Creating and maintaining a successful school garden program requires an organized leadership committee to apportion the many tasks involved. It’s a lot of work for a simple gardener, but pieces of cake for a skilled team. You have the skills - bring them. YOU! CAKE!The next Driscoll Garden committee meeting will be Wednesday May 9th, 8:00 am (location TBD). Contact us to get involved: driscollschoolgarden@gmail.com
POPSICLES ON THE PLAYGROUND
POPSICLES ON THE PLAYGROUND: Join the PTO as we congratulate and celebrate Dr. Talukdar on being officially named as Principal of Driscoll School. This Friday, April 13, at 1:40pm.
From the Amy Neale Library
From the Amy Neale LibraryOn May 8, Caldecott Honor winning author/illustrator Melissa Sweet will visit Driscoll for a full day, speaking to students in grades K-5. Driscoll students are in for a treat! Melissa Sweet is a highly sought after speaker and an incredibly talented illustrator. Her presentations for K-3 will focus on her picture books (You Nest Here with Me for K &1, Balloons Over Broadway for grades 2 & 3). Grades 4 and 5 will learn about Driscoll Student Book Award nominee Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White. This is a must read for fans of Charlotte’s Web! If you would like to order a book for Ms. Sweet to sign when she is at Driscoll, please print and fill out the form in your child's folder (or on the library's upcoming author visit page) and return by Thursday, April 12.
This program is made possible by the Family Giving Campaign and annual book fair.
Questions? Contact Ms. Reid, librarian, at anne_reid@psbma.org
The Driscoll Garden Team is Growing
What’s Growing On?The Driscoll Garden team is growing. We had a good turn out Wednesday, for our (re)kick off meeting. We are laying the groundwork for the next phase of garden program development. We are organizing a formal leadership committee to apportion the many tasks involved. We also discussed: articulating a focused mission and goals; utilizing an incremental approach to curriculum integration; ideas for fundraising and community events; and the new after school gardening class.The new parent-lead after school garden class begins this week, and has several students registered. We will be amending the soil, planting the beds, and taking stock of maintenance needs as we make observations in the garden. We will discuss the needs of plants, the differences between native/natural and domestic/cultivated, and relate that to what we know about expected behavior in our community in order to agree on rules for our class and visitors to the garden.Parents have already stepped up to fill some garden committee positions, but there are still opportunities for those willing to help on the committee or to take on specific tasks. Please help us to create an awesome outdoor experiential learning environment for the whole school. Contact us to get involved: driscollschoolgarden@gmail.comSAY YES.....PTO SECRETARY!
SAY YES.....PTO SECRETARY: The PTO Executive Committee is seeking a Secretary for the start of the 2018-2019 school year. The Secretary is a 3 year term and the position includes both record keeping and communication. The Secretary records the meeting minutes at the Executive Committee meeting each Monday, and records and distributes the minutes at general PTO Board meetings. The Secretary also helps recruit committee chairpersons, and help keep the calendar of events for the PTO. If you think this may be the right fit for you, please email the pto: driscollpto@gmail.com. It's not as hard as you may think it is. Let Alice or Patricia take you out for a coffee and give you the details--it's a fun position--we promise!
Last Day of School Announced!
Dear Parents, Guardians and Staff,We write to confirm that the last day of school for the 2017-2018 school year will be Tuesday, June 26, 2018. As you will recall, we had five snow days this winter.Students will be dismissed at 12:00 noon on June 26 and no lunch will be served.Thank you.Office of the Superintendent
Join the Driscoll Garden Team!
DRISCOLL GARDEN UPDATE: CALLING ALL PARENTS & TEACHERS! Spring is here! (No fooling.) Time to dig in and get growing. THIS WEDNESDAY (April 4th), 8:00am in the library, please join us for the garden committee (re)kick-off meeting. Share your ideas and hear how any skill or passion can help grow the ideal setting for experiential learning. The agenda includes the organization of the committee, goal setting, this spring's garden class and spring fundraising. Have questions? Email: Driscollschoolgarden@gmail.com
Thank You: Arts Equinox
THANK YOU ARTS EQUINOX TEAM: With 2018 Arts Equinox in the books, we are grateful to Corinna Pringle and Shannon Hedrick (event Chairs) and Meenakshi Garodia (Music to My Ears) for their dedication and awesomeness in pulling off this amazing two day event. We are also grateful to our art teachers Mrs. Reyelt, and Ms. Taylor, teachers and paras in all grades, our custodians, guidance counselors, parent volunteers, and Mr. Youkilis, and Dr. Talukdar! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This event is made possible through the generosity of our parents who gave during our annual Family Giving Campaign.
Sign up for DASA
New Tuesdays Minecraft Class Available!Due to popular demand, we have the opportunity to have a second class for our Minecrafters. NOW TAKING REGISTRATIONS!Please visit: http://
Upcoming Author Visits
From the Amy Neale Library
Thanks to the generosity of Driscoll Families through the annual book fair and the Family Giving Campaign, we have three authors scheduled to visit Driscoll!
On April 25, children’s book author and expert Anita Silvey will speak to the 4th grade about her research for her book Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall. Her visit will give 4th graders an opportunity to see the real world application of the research skills they learn through their explorer’s project.
On May 8, Caldecott Honor winning author/illustrator Melissa Sweet will visit Driscoll for a full day, speaking to students in grades K-5. Driscoll students are in for a treat! Melissa Sweet is a highly sought after speaker and an incredibly talented illustrator. Her presentations for K-3 will focus on her picture books (You Nest Here with Me for K &1, Balloons Over Broadway for grades 2 & 3). Grades 4 and 5 will learn about Driscoll Student Book Award nominee Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White. This is a must read for fans of Charlotte’s Web!
And finally, in November 2018, Alan Gratz will visit students in grades 6-8. Many sixth graders this year read Refugee, his most recent novel, and middle school students will learn more about him in the fall through their ELA classes. Watch for more details closer to the date!
Author visits inspire students to read, write, and understand the creative process. Thank you Driscoll Families for making these visits possible!
PTO Meeting
PTO FULL BOARD MEETING: Join us for our upcoming PTO full board meeting on Monday, March 19, at 8:00 am in the Driscoll Library. It's a great way to learn about what's happening at Driscoll, and how you can be involved. Only Board members can vote, all parents are encouraged to attend. Email driscollpto@gmail.com for questions.
Science Fair Saturday @ Driscoll
Hi Everyone,
Thank you for participating in the Driscoll Science Fair! We are excited to learn more about your children's projects.Below is some important information for this Saturday:
Locations
Grades K-2: Cafeteria
Grades 3-8: Gymnasium
Schedule
9:00AM School Open for Scientist Setup
9:30AM Judging Begins
10:30AM K-2 Awards Ceremony in Cafeteria
3-8 students should remain at their posters for judging
11AM Science Presentation for all ages (thanks to Driscoll parent Tad Gallion!)
11:30AM 3-8 Awards Ceremony in Gymnasium
Please note that K-2 students will be presenting their posters to judges, but there will not be individual winners. In grades 3-8, the judges will use the state middle school scoring system and trophies will be awarded to the top project for each grade. While it is an excellent experience for the children to practice presenting their work, the goal here is for children to be excited about science and to learn the scientific method. All children will receive a participation award for their hard work.
Please let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday!
Melina Fan & Benjie Chen
(parents of Christopher, 4W, and Theo, KShea)P.S. If you are on a team that provided only a single email address, please share this information with the other members of your team. Thanks!
Help Wanted:
THE PTO NEEDS YOU: Some of these positions can be done from home, others require a bit more time, so please consider saying YES! MONDAY BULLETIN AND SOCIAL MEDIA: Do you love communication, social media, and have an eye for details? The PTO is looking for a parent to take over the role of how we communicate for the 2018-2019 school year and beyond. This can completely be done from home and includes knowing how to use Mailchimp, Facebook, and Twitter. If you're interested, please email driscollpto@gmail.com.PTO SECRETARY: The PTO Executive Committee is seeking a Secretary for the start of the 2018-2019 school year. The Secretary is a 3 year term and the position includes both record keeping and communication. The Secretary records the meeting minutes at the Executive Committee meeting each Monday, and records and distributes the minutes at general PTO Board meetings. The Secretary also helps recruit committee chairpersons, and help keep the calendar of events for the PTO. If you think this may be the right fit for you, please email the pto: driscollpto@gmail.com.PTO CO-CHAIR: The PTO is currently seeking a third co-chair for the 2018-2019 school year. Alice Speck is rolling off the Executive Committee at the end of the school year after 3 years of service. (Thanks Alice!) The new co-chair will work with Ryan Garms, and Patricia Salic as co-chairs, and Marina Burdenko as Treasurer. The co-chair position isn't as daunting as it may seem. The main details are: we meet every Monday of the school year from 8-9am, have a handful of general board meetings throughout the year, raise money during our annual Family Giving Campaign, give away money to teachers through our grant process twice per year, and make decision about our PTO run programs and events that happen throughout the year. The position of co-chair is a 3 year term. If you think this may be the right fit for you, please email the pto: driscollpto@gmail.com.IMMEDIATELY IN NEED OF A DASA COORDINATOR: We need someone to organize and manage DASA (Driscoll After School Activities)! We are looking for two people to work along side eachother to coordinate introductory after school programs and be the liaison between instructor, Driscoll parents and children. Some tasks would include web site input, spread sheets, and advertising. Our Spring DASA session is beginning very soon, and we'd like to get someone lined up to shadow the current DASA coordinator. If you think this may be the right fit for you, please email the pto: driscollpto@gmail.com.THE SPRING FAIR NEEDS YOU: The Spring Fair team is seeking an additional co-chair to join them! The Spring Fair co-chairs will be organizing a $25,000 single day event that hosts 800-1,200 people. They will need to coordinate with multiple vendors as well as city and school district agencies. They must plan for, order, and purchase supplies in advance. They will also need to organize and manage 400-500 volunteer hours before, during, and after the event. Close collaboration with school staff at multiple levels and the PTO board is a must. Some experience with fundraising and event planning is helpful, but not essential. The planning and organization starts in January each year, but can be managed by e-mail, phone calls, and a monthly planning board meeting until late April. May can get extremely busy. Keep in mind the co-chairs will need at least two full weekdays away from work the week of the fair - the event date and the rain date. Taking a third day off helps your sanity but isn’t totally critical. :) If you are heavily involved with coaching or managing a spring sport, this probably isn’t for you, but if you are really interested in doing both, we certainly wouldn’t say no! Say yes! driscollpto@gmail.com.