Briarlake Elementary School PTA
February 18, 2010
Seventh Week of School
|
| Greetings Briarlake
Families |
Wasn't the
snow beautiful?! Hope you all were able to throw a few
snow balls and build a snowman!
Remember to
register for Camp Invention. Briarlake dates
are June 7-11. Space is limited, register today at
www.campinvention.org or call 800-968-4332.
February Beaver
Bulletin is available here. Thank you Melissa
Beaupierre!
Our FUN RUN is fast
approaching--only 2 weeks left. Register today!
Details below.
Mark your calendars NOW for our
biggest fund raiser of the year-- The Spring
Gala-- March
27
Morning Walking
Club back by popular demand. Details follow
below.
DCSS Budget -
Time to speak up...Please forward any suggestions or ideas you
may have regarding the budget that may serve as workable
solutions. Email your suggestions or ideas to:
budget-suggestions@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us. In addition,
you can learn more about the budget planning process and view
4 proposed budgets for the 2010-2011 school year if you click
here. Public meetings will be held April 21 and 28, 6PM at
the Bryant Center on Lawrenceville
Hwy.
|
| Fun
Run |
Get Ready, Get Set, GO!
Welcome Back! to the 2nd Annual
Briarlake Beaver Healthy Habit 5K and 1Mile
Fun Run. Race Registrations went home
last week with your students. If you require more
registrations, please visit the front office, click
here or email deckerm1@bellsouth.net for a pdf
you can print at home. Registration Forms should be
dropped off in the front office. You can also
visit www.briarlakepta.org
and click on the 5k Race. You will be directed
to www.active.com where
you can easily register online. Make checks
payable to the Briarlake PTA. The awards
will be held after the 1 Mile Fun Run is over. So plan to
stay and celebrate all the
finishers. Please thank our
sponsors while you are on your travels about
town:. The American Boot Camp Company, Berman Fink
Van Horn, Rocketscience, U H'care, Joe's Catering, Bagel
Palace, Ladies Workout express, Whole Foods.
When: Saturday, March
6
Time:
5K-
8:30
Fun
Run: 9:30
Thanks to Michelle Decker,
Chuck Van Horn and their
team! | |
|
PTA
Officers
|
Co-Presidents: Sarah Rigby & Laurie Hobbs VP
Programs: Heidi Carpenter & Lisa Moore
VP Fundraising: Irenea Seufert & Michelle
Linder
Treasurer: Micki Gulley
Secretary: Jessica
White |
| Dates to
Remember |
HMS rising 6th grade tour -
10am
Thurs. 2/25
Terrific Thursday
Spirit Night-Chick-fil-A -
5pm
Fri. 2/26
Kindergarten Round-up - 9am
March
Tues., March 2
Spring Picture Day
Saturday, March 6
Annual Fun Run
Tuesday, March 16
PTA Meeting
Math Night
Thursday, March 25
Chick-fil-A Spirit Night
Terrific Thursday
School Council meeting
Saturday, March 27
Annual Spring
Gala |
| Reminders |
|
Continue clipping Box Tops.
Look for Box Tops on many different products, not
just food.
School Store Hours
Open
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays before
school--7:35-8:00 a.m. Volunteers
needed! Contact Ellen Kersh to help.
School Tours
Available:
Mondays: Mar. 1, April 12th at
9 am
Tuesdays: Feb. 23, Mar. 30, April 27 at 1
pm
PTA Meeting
Dates
March 16 - 6pm
April 20 - 6 pm
May 11- 6
pm | |
|
| Quote of the
Week |
|
"You don't get harmony when
everyone sings the same note."
--Doug
Floyd |
| Spirit
Night |
Briarlake
Spirit Night at
Chick-fil-A
(corner of Briarcliff and N. Druid
Hills)
Thursday, February 25
5:00 - 8:00 PM
Join us at Chick-fil-A for great food and
disco music
Disco Bingo
6:00-6:30
Dance Contest
6:45
A percentage of all food
purchases benefit Briarlake. Hope to see you
there!
Thank you Michelle and
Irenea! |
| Spring Gala--March
27 |
It may still feel like winter but
the Spring Gala is just around the
corner!
Mark your calendars for March
27th and help make this Gala the best one
yet!
We are collecting donations now for
the Gala auction. Items such as gift certificates
(to restaurants, retail stores, spa services, etc),
tickets (to sporting events, theater, local attractions,
etc), art, and gift items are very popular for the
auction.
If you have any that you don't
intend to use or know someone who might be interested in
donating an item or service, let us know!
Facts for new families
1. Fun evening out--just
adults
2. Dress up or come in
jeans--just come!
3. Biggest fund raiser of the
year
4. Invitation with details to
follow
soon |
| Braves Game
Tickets |
The
signing choir will be performing at the Braves' game on
Sunday, May 16th at 1 pm. Tickets are $8.00
each. Order forms went home last Friday. Checks
can be made payable to the Briarlake PTA. If
you have any questions, please contact Kristi
Steed. |
| Puppet Show and PTA
meeting |
Thanks to Lisa Moore and
Heidi Carpenter for planning Tuesday night's Puppet Show
by Peter Hart. We enjoyed a large turn-out and the
evening was full of laughter from the audience.
Our PTA meeting before
the Puppet Show was enjoyed by a large number of active
parents and teachers. Thank you to everyone who
skipped dinner, paid a babysitter, rushed home from
work, passed their spouse in the driveway, or worked a
12 hour day at Briarlake Elementary School to join our
meeting and participated in making our school great!
Minutes from the
meeting will be available in next week's
blast.
|
| Discovery
information |
| Greetings from Gifted!
At
this time we are currently testing students who need
additional testing for the gifted program. Letters of
Eligibility for those students who qualify, will be
sent home once all additional testing is
completed. Thank you.
Melissa
A. McMillan
Discovery
Teacher | | |
|
| Yearbooks |
It's time to
order your Briarlake YEARBOOK!
Yearbooks are
$30.
Don't miss out on your child's
school-year memories in this lasting keepsake.
We did NOT collect money during
registration this year. This is your first opportunity
to order yearbooks, so order away!
Look for order forms in your
child's folder this afternoon. Extra copies will
be in the office.
Deadline to order is Friday,
February 26.
YEARBOOK ANNOUNCEMENT
ADS
What a great way to use those baby
pictures? Send your child a message of congratulations,
or encouragement that he/she will always remember.
Order forms will be in your child's
folder today. Extra forms will be in the office.
Announcement
prices:
1/8 sheet-$20
1/4 sheet-$40
1/2 sheet-$60
full sheet-$100
Deadline to order
ads-Friday, February
26. |
| Spring
Pictures--March 2 |
Spring
Picture Day is coming Tuesday, March 2nd!!
Please dress in bright, spring colors
or students may dress in sports attire, uniform, fancy or
themed. Please no costumes. All students will have the
same backdrop; a realistic garden scene, mostly green with a
little color. Students may bring a small prop item
for the picture such as a small trophy, award or prized
possession. Please limit the item to about 12 inches
tall.
Sitting for pictures
will be optional; if you do not want your child to sit for the
photographer, please send a note to their teacher. There
will be no before-hand paperwork for these pictures like there
was in the fall. We'll photograph your child on March 2nd,
unless you send a note, and in a few weeks you will
receive an order envelope with your child's proof
attached. There is no obligation to order.
If you would like to volunteer
to help with this event, please let me know.
Nicole Spiro
Pictures Chair thespiros@bellsouth.net
770-496-0723
|
| PTA
Council Dinner |
Last week Dr. Culbreath and your PTA
co-president attended the PTA Council Dinner. This is a
quarterly dinner meeting attended by all principals, area
superintendents, County level administration, Dr.
Lewis and all PTA presidents in Dekalb
County. The dinner was held at Chamblee High
School, and it was obvious the time and energy it took to
orchestrate this event. It was amazing to see the
dedication to Dekalb County children all in one room.
Briarlake earned several distinguished awards for PTA
membership. See the plaques and pins in the front
office.
Thanks to Christy Van Horn for her efforts
to help us achieve these awards. You made us
proud! |
| PBS
Teachers Innovation Awards |
GPB invites you to be a part of the PBS Teachers
Innovation Awards. We know Georgia Educators innovate
every day...and we want to celebrate, recognize, and
thank you!
|
| Fish
Tank volunteer needed--no experience
necessary |
Our fish tank
is a much loved asset to our school. Many a child has
been captivated watching our swimming friends. To
preserve our fish-friends we need additional tank
volunteers. Please email briarlakepta@gmail.org
if you'd like to help.
Remember, you get what you give in
life... |
Morning Walking
Club
|
|
Morning
Walking Club kicks off!
Back by popular demand,
the Morning Walking Club begins next Thursday, February 18th
in the gym. Each Thursday for 10 weeks from 7:30 to 7:45
a.m. students and parents can start the morning on the move
with Mr. Cocks and parent volunteers, as part of Briarlake's
Healthy Habits program. Please support the effort by
joining in the morning walks each Thursday. Kids track
their participation for 10 weeks, with chances for health- and
fitness-encouraging prizes for participants. It's a
great way to start the
day! |
| Monarchs Across
Georgia |
Students in Mrs. Spencer's class have been
following her travels by contacting the blog below. They
have sent her messages and have asked her to hurry back
because they miss her!
We hear she is having the time of her life
and doing what she loves best-- helping children to read and
playing in the outdoors!
Thank you
Briarlake parents for your generous donations to The Monarchs
Across Georgia Book Project. We were able to purchase 30
books in Spanish for the children in the rural area
surrounding the Monarch Butterfly Overwintering
Sanctuaries. I am honored and excited to present
thesebooks to the children
personally at the Primero Vicente Guerrero
School. You can follow our trip at this blog site:
http://monarchsinmexico2010.blogspot.com/
Trecia Neal from the Fernbank Science Center will be managing
the site.
Sincerely, Mrs.
Spencer |
| Pre-K
Lottery -Important new info |
|
The
participation of the DeKalb County School System in the
state-funded Pre-K Program for 2010-2011 is contingent upon
receipt of adequate state funding and final approval of
the budget by the DCSS Board of Education.
Registration
time: 8:30 am - 1:00
pm
Drawing:
1:15 pm
You
MUST bring the following:
Original Birth
Certificate
Current Proof of
Residency
*Parent Photo
ID
*Child's Social
Security Card
*new this
year |
| Prospective Kindergarten
Parents |
| Briarlake
Elementary will have an Informational Meeting to be held
February 26th, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. in our art room for all
prospective Kindergarten parents. Please plan to attend this
very informative meeting. |
| Afternoon
Reminders |
Briarlake has
many afternoon activities and during carpool/dismissal there
is quite a bit of confusion regarding these afternoon events.
It would be helpful if parents would make note in the student
planner if there are activities for the day. Hopefully,
it will remind the student as well as the parent. Please
remember school is over at 2:30 and the carpool line is
usually cleared out by 2:40ish. So don't delay, come and
get your children by 2:45. Thank you for helping the carpool
crew get our children dismissed quickly and
safely. |
| Nominating
Committee |
It is that time of year again!
The nominating committee was chosen at the last PTA
meeting and includes:
Dr. Culbreath, Loretta Salzano-Vanni, Diana Berry, Trish
McElfresh, Alexi Smith with Deb Wise and Sally Elliott as
alternates.
Board positions include
Co-Presidents (2), Vice Presidents for Programs (2), Vice
Presidents for Fundraising (2) , Treasurer and Secretary.
Officers normally serve for a 2 year term and the goal for
Co-Presidents and VP positions is to have a returning officer
serve with a "new" officer.
Several positions
will be open for the 2010 - 2011 year, so if you are
interested in serving on the PTA board, please contact Loretta for more information.
|
| ServeHaiti
|
The tragedy in
Haiti has affected the lives of so many across the globe.
DeKalb County, one of the south's most diverse
counties, is home to many Haitian-Americans and members
of our own community have lost loved ones in the
devastation. The DeKalb County
School System has teamed up with a local non-profit called
ServeHAITI* to provide assistance to the people of Haiti as
they rebuild. DCSS will collect much-needed items that
ServeHAITI needs for its relief efforts through next Friday,
February 26. Each DCSS school and administrative
building will serve as a collection site.
|
| Green
Team News |
Our team is so excited about
Arbor Day, which is celebrated on February 19th in the
state of Georgia. Since Briarlake wants to get in
on the action, we are going to have our PreK class plant
another tree on that day. We will also start a compost
bin, with worms!
Please visit our Tree of Knowledge by the
cafeteria doors. Everyone is invited to help it grow, by
writing a tree fact or quote on a leaf and attaching it to a
branch.
Happy Arbor
Day! |
| Flag
Football |
Boys and girls
ages 4-14 flag football league. Getting back to the
fun and sportsmanship of sports. No tryouts.
No drafts. No fundraisers. EVERYONE plays.
Sunday afternoons at Keswick Park starting April
11. "Helping Kids Succeed in Life Through
Sports." Register Online:
www.i9sports.com or Call:
404-551-2036 |
| CSIP |
All DeKalb County Schools
have written a Consolidated School Improvement Plan (CSIP) to
guide instruction and school improvement efforts. Each
school's CSIP is available at the school and can be viewed
online at the CSIP
website. Feedback is needed from our parents to
facilitate the school improvement process for our schools.
Please provide your feedback by completing the survey
below. All responses are completely confidential. Your
assistance is sincerely appreciated. PARENTS: You may
complete the survey online by clicking on the link below:
School
Improvement Parent SurveySTUDENTS: You may access
the survey online by clicking on the link below: School
Improvement Student
Survey |
| Educating Georgia's Future
Scientists and Engineers |
Free Parent/ High-School Student Workshop at
Fernbank on Saturday, Feb. 20, 9 - 12 pm.
Call Joyce Gamble for additional information at
678-874-7102 | |
|
Sarah Rigby and Laurie Hobbs, PTA
Co-Presidents
Briarlake Elementary
PTA | |
| |
