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Have news or events to share? Email us at driscollbulletin@gmail.com by Thursday at 5pm to submit.
Important This Week:
From the BEU and Driscoll Teachers:
Come to the School Committee Meeting- This Thursday February 4th at 6PM, School Committee Room, 5th floor of Town Hall!
Driscoll teachers and all Brookline educators have been working under an expired contract since September 1. We've made several proposals and yet have been frustrated by lack of a significant counterproposal from the Brookline School Committee
The BEU has made contract proposals that will:
Prioritize individual attention for every child:
- Limit the number of class sections per teacher in grades 6-12 to open up time for meeting the targeted needs of specific children.
- Support co-teaching with necessary prep time.
- Limit non-instructional tasks such as data collection & paperwork.
- Eliminate non-instructional duties for teachers.
- Guarantee every educator sufficient and equitable time to prepare to teach every day.
Enhance the safety of our students and staff:
- Assess specialists’ caseloads according to the intensity of needs.
- Require building aides who can step in where needed.
- Assign more than one educator to rooms with 65 or more children.
- Increase classroom safety with appropriate staffing and equipment.
Respect the professionalism of our educators:
- Reserve time in staff meetings to discuss educators’ individual or collective concerns.
- Strengthen the voice of teachers in the evaluation system.
- Agree to prep periods and paid lunch for paraprofessionals.
- Guarantee fair compensation for all, including a living wage & fair scheduling for paraprofessionals.
Negotiations scheduled for January 28, February 1, and February 22.
We ask that members of the Driscoll community join us in calling on the School Committee to come to an agreement concerning the many important problems we have addressed.
You can show your support by joining us at the next School Committee on Thursday, February 4.
Driscoll Events
ROOM PARENT COFFEE: Thursday 2/4 at 8am in the Driscoll cafeteria.
CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION:
Thursday February 11th in the Driscoll Theater
Grades K, 2, 4, 6, 8 at 8:30-9:15AM
Grades 1,3,5,7 at 9:45-10:30AM
Driscoll News
HELP DRISCOLL WIN: Check out, share and Like this short video on Facebook staring Mr. Youkilis. Driscoll school would like to expand our science curriculum and the minds of our students with a Grove Aquaponics system. Please help us win by visiting Facebook and searching for #GrovesinSchools, watch, share and Like the Driscoll video. http://on.fb.me/1nXq6UM
Driscoll School is now a donation site for the Brookline Food Pantry! As food insecurities are on the rise in Brookline, the pantry has had more visitors than ever and needs help from the community. Please consider picking up a few non-perishable items or toiletries the next time you are at the store and drop them off in the designated bin by the Driscoll office. A volunteer will collect the items and deliver them to the Brookline Food Pantry. Thank you so much to all the Driscoll community members who have donated so generously already. We have collected over 350 items already! Thank you!! For more information about our donation site, please email debbiekleiner@yahoo.com. For more information about the Brookline Food Pantry, please visit brooklinefoodpantry.org.
TRUMPET MISSING - serial number V86213 (found on the back of the instrument) please check your child's trumpet to make sure he/she has correct one. Send any leads/information to Ryan.katie@comcast.net. Thank you.
Community News
INTRODUCING INNOVATION AT BROOKLINE HIGH SCHOOL
Parents are invited to join BHS teacher Sam Dickerman at the VineRipe Grill the evening of Monday, February 29th. Sam will talk about his special projects as the 21st Century Fund's first ever Innovation Fellow, and then he will lead a workshop on how parents can use technology tools like Naviance and Canvas to help interface with the high school. Visit www.bhs21stcenturyfund.org for more information, or contact Stacey Zelbow ( stacey_zelbow@brookline.k12.ma.us)
PARENT NETWORK GROUP FOR PARENTS OF TEENS WITH SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL ISSUES
On Feb. 23, 7-8:30 p.m. at Winthrop House (Baldwin School Building, 490 Heath Street) B-PEN and Family Advocate Hope Schroy are initiating a Parent Network for parents whose 6th-12th grade students are having social/emotional issues. This initial meeting is just to give parents an opportunity to connect with one another, learn about available resources, and discuss what might be helpful going forward, such as additional services, speakers, advocacy, etc. What do you need, and how can we help? Join us for this confidential, non-judgmental Parent Network gathering. For more information, contact Hope Schroy ( hope_schroy@brookline.k12.ma.us )
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING will be meeting on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at 6:00 PM in the James F. Walsh School Committee Room, 5th Floor, Town Hall. The docket for the meeting is attached can be found here: http://bit.ly/1jkLf8G
School Food & Nutrition Policy Community Forums Feb. 4 & 9.
Are you aware that the school wellness policy for the Brookline Schools is being updated? Are you interested in shaping the food culture in the Brookline schools? Parents, students, and faculty and staff are invited to:
· Learn the results of the 2015 Brookline schools food and nutrition environment survey
· Contribute to the vision of a healthful school culture including school meals, foods throughout school, and food literacy
Community meetings will focus on the nutrition and food culture portion of the wellness policy.
Please join members of the Brookline Schools Wellness Committee and participate in this important discussion!
February 4, 2016 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm John D. Runkle School Library 50 Druce St.
February 9, 2016 8:30 am – 10:00 am Brookline High School MLK Room 115 Greenough St.
Classifieds:
February Vacation: Look for enriching classes and programs for children at Brookline SmartPrograms, hosted by Brookline Adult & Community Education. Classes range in topic and length and meet evenings, weekends, and during vacations. Classes are open to everyone. http://www.brooklineadulted.org/smartprograms/
PHOTOGRAPHER NEEDED for an event on March 12: excellent amateur or professional. Please get in touch if you are a photographer and are interested, or if you have a recommendation. Bette Phimister: bphimister@comcast.net, or (617) 817-8743.
EXPLORE JAPAN BRINGS JAPAN TO YOUR HOME THIS SUMMER: The Explore Japan Program is a unique opportunity for your entire family to learn about another culture and have a fun and free activity this summer. During Explore Japan local families host visiting Japanese students while their children attend daily Japanese culture workshops and go on exciting Boston area fieldtrips. For families who host a Japanese visitor during the program one child can attend Explore Japan for FREE! That is a two-and-a-half-week program, 9AM - 4:00PM, Monday - Friday, including admission and supervision on afternoon field trips – for free. The Explore Japan Program welcomes students ages 8-18 from all Eastern MA communities. Space is limited so apply today! Learn more at www.americanlearning.com or by emailing explorejapan@americanlearning.com.
Corner Co-op Nursery School – Celebrating our 44th year! A unique opportunity to participate in your child's formative years and create an extended family with others. OPEN HOUSE: 7-9PM, February 23 & March 31. Meet staff and parents. Slideshow and discussion (7:30-8PMM) 1773 Beacon Street, Brookline
(Corner of Beacon and Dean Rd, entrance on Dean Rd We nurture children's natural need to learn and grow through a dialogue-centered process. We regard play as an essential medium of learning. Ages 2 years 9 months to 5 years. Flexible schedule options. Devoted staff. Nut-free school. Contact us for more information at 617-738-4631 or visit us online: www.cornercoop.org and check us out on Facebook.
WINTER CAMP RECOMMENDATION: I want to recommend a camp my son, Robert Pearson (8-3) did last year ; it is a real gem. It is the Brookline Recreation Winter Adventurers camp which is during February vacation for 13-16 years old and is organised by Stephanie Springer, Environmental Educator . The kids are brought to the White mountains in New Hampshire for 4 days , staying in one of the AMC lodges for two nights ( this year it is Joe Dodge lodge near Jackson). They get to experience snow shoeing, cross country skiing at Glen trails and the third night they will stay in Carter Notch hut. No previous experience required. All gear including skis, snowshoes, backpacks, and some clothing is provided. It is advertised in the Winter Brookline brochure (page 10). $230 for residents. Robert and I are happy to answer any questions you may have about it . Email: lynda.parke@me.com or 617-4078315 ( after6pm) . Registration opened this week. You can also contact Stephanie : Brookline Recreation Department; Phone: 617.730.2076; Fax: 617.879.0774; sspringer@brooklinema.gov
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