Driscoll News
TISSUES & DISINFECTANT WIPES NEEDED: Many classrooms are out of tissues and disinfectant wipes. Please check in with your teacher and bring in a couple of boxes or containers!
Community News
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING on Thursday, April 28, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 7:55 PM in the James F. Walsh School Committee Room, 5th Floor, Town Hall
Unplug for Children's Hospital on Saturday, April 30. Spend some face-to-face time with your family members and help support the Center on Media and Children's Health. Challenge your family and friends and pledge a donation. You can learn more here:
http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/site/TR/Walk/Walk?pg=entry&fr_id=1420 and here:
https://youtu.be/cLYRytPQWQA
All Driscoll families and staff are invited to attend the “World Café” on Thursday, May 4th at 7 pm at Brookline High Gym. The World Café is an opportunity to think together about issues of race and racism in Brookline. It will be an opportunity for a diverse group of residents, from high school students to senior citizens, to come together to listen, think, share ideas and try to come up with solutions together. The world Café is rooted in confidence that we have the wisdom and creativity to confront even the most difficult challenges like racism. The evening will provide a forum for the community to sit down and approach issues of race in town in a way that is constructive and positive, not by struggling against each other, but by listening to each other and trying to think through real world approaches to problems we are grappling with. The Word Café is sponsored by some key Brookline organizations, such as the BHS 21st Century Fund and PTO, in partnership with Brookline METCO, Brookline Interactive Group, and Steps to Success and the Brookline Committee on Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement. For more information, contact Stacey Zelbow,
stacey_zelbow@brookline.k12.ma.us
The Brookline School Committee, through its Subcommittee on Policy Review, regularly reviews and, when necessary, revises or creates written policies governing the Public Schools of Brookline. In an effort to improve public feedback on policy revisions, the proposed draft of any policy under review is posted on the Public Schools website when it is approved for a First Reading by the full School Committee.
The Brookline School Committee currently has two policies under review and welcomes your feedback:
1) Physical Restraint Policy
2) Earned Sick Time Policy for Less than Half-time, Temporary, and Certified Seasonal Workers.
Additional information and copies of the proposed policies can be found on the School Website.
http://www.brookline.k12.ma.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=971
COMMUNITY CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSION- Do you want to celebrate Earth Day by working to Live Small (as in small carbon footprint)? Are you curious about the small yellow flags you have seen around town with a nose on them? Come and discuss these and other issues with Brookline Mothers Out Front, Friday, April 29th in Brookline Village, KooKoo Cafe. 8am-9:30am.Learn how you can have an impact.
Benefit Dance to End Gun Violence, co-hosted by Brookline residents Lynne Layton, Jody Leader, and Susan Phillips. Proceeds will go to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence (recently merged with Gabrielle Giffords' Americans for Responsible Solutions). The gala will feature hors d'oeuvres, drink, and the all too rare reunion of the fabulous 7 piece rock band, Girls Night Out. We promise a rocking good time for an urgent and crucial cause. So please join us at Willett Hall, United Parish Church of Brookline, 210 Harvard St, May 7, 7pm-11pm, 21+. Space is limited so buy tickets now to guarantee entry. To buy tickets (non tax-deductible) and make a tax-deductible donation, go to
https://lcav.givezooks.com/events/dance-to-end-gun-violence or find us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/DanceToEndGunViolence
SAVE THE DATE: 8TH GRADE BASH!! Sat, May 14th 7:30pm-10:30pm. $3.00 entry per person. Brookline Teen Center. This party has been planned by a group of 8th graders and BHS students and is for all 8th graders who live in and/or attend school in Brookline.
CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT TODAY’S BROOKLINE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS ARE UP TO?
What the New Student Health Survey Tells Us and Where We Should Go From Here
April 26, 7-8:30 p.m. Upper Devotion @ Old Lincoln School, 194 Boylston St. Did you know that 79% of Brookline 7th-8th graders report overwhelming stress and anxiety? That a third of 7
th-8
th graders use technology for recreational purposes more than three hours a day? These are just some of the findings of Brookline’s latest
Student Health Survey, which reveals behavior and attitudes on issues ranging from substance use to relationships and sexual activity to mental health. This B-PEN event highlights some of the survey’s key findings, current initiatives to address issues, and includes a Q&A with AWARE and Prevention/Intervention representatives, B-PEN’s Family Resource Advocate, and Brookline High School Peer Leaders. Come find out what Brookline middle schoolers are really up to these days and why parental involvement is so important! Free, but please RSVP at
https://426curious.eventbrite.com
The Children's Center of Brookline community invites you to Springfest 2016! FEATURING: Performance by award-winning children's musician Wayne Potash! Balloon animals, face painting, games, silent auction, bake sale, sno cones, and more! The Children's Center of Brookline, located at 69 Cypress Street in Brookline Village, provides high-quality early education and care for toddlers and preschoolers ages 15 months to 5 years. All proceeds will benefit our school's scholarship fund. Learn more about our school at tccbrookline.org. WHEN: Saturday, April 30, 2016 from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM (EDT). WHERE: First Parish Unitarian Church in Brookline - 382 Walnut Street, Brookline, MA 02445. https://tinyurl.com/tccspringfest
“Hamletta” - Shakespeare Goes Rock ‘n Roll! Something’s rotten in the state of Denmark! Rock ‘n roll super star “Hamilton King” has suddenly been put out of commission and his teen age daughter, Hamletta, is freaking out. With a rock score by one of Boston’s best and brightest singer-songwriters,
Faith Soloway, Hamletta is being presented by the Freelance Players. The original musical features a cast of 31 actors, ages 12 to 16, who attend 12 different schools in 11 metropolitan Boston communities.
With a book by artist Tom Evans, directed by
Kippy Dewey, and music direction by Narcissa Campion, “Hamletta” will be performed on
Friday April 29th and Saturday April 30th at 7:30 pm, and Sunday May 1st at 2:00 pm, the Park School, 171 Goddard Ave., Brookline. Tickets at the door only: $10 adults, $5 children. For more information call
617-274-6065 or visit
www.freelanceplayers.org
PTO Spotlight:
PTO Spotlight with parent Mary Schlaff
(with photos on
driscollpto.org)
Q: Tell us about your family.
A: We moved from Auburndale to Brookline about 10 years ago - we just fell in love with the community here. Ben has two older siblings, Dan and Rachel, who are in their twenties and thirties. They live in DC so we visit as much as well can. Dan married this past summer in New Orleans and Ben was his best man and wrote a "spontaneous" hiku in addition to his best man’s speech. It was a pretty special time as a family and we are living off the glow of those days together. As a family we enjoy movies, reading and rousing political discussions and jokes at dinner. Tony’s life’s work is in pubIic health although sailing is his passion. I am an event planner at Northeastern. We love to cook and entertain and the guys love to eat so it is a win-win. Sports-wise we love the Celtics, the Giants and the Patriots - we are New Yorkers but Ben is a Bostonian and loyal to the home teams!
Q: Tell us how you've been involved at Driscoll?
A: I became involved in the Auction when Ben was in Kindergarten - Mary McConnell’s class. The Lazowski’s pulled me in when they heard that I was an event planner and together we redesigned it and moved it to the gym, turning it into a larger revenue producing event. It was lots of fun to do and more importantly at one time it was a great community builder. I was a room parent for a few years as well. As the kids became older and we weren’t encouraged to come into the school I just naturally became less involved. I miss those younger years.
Q: Do your kids have a favorite PTO program?
A: I would have to say that the Spring Fair is probably the most fun event for Ben - do you blame him?!
Q: Fun Fact: What's something we should know about you that we don't? OR What do you like doing in your free time?
A: As a couple, Tony and I love to sail - Ben does not unfortunately although we will drag him this summer to the Vineyard. I love history - reading it, visiting historic sites, researching it. I joined
Ancestry.com recently and I must admit I probably need an intervention! Ben has acquired that interest in history as well. As a family we just enjoy hanging out together - it is very easy and we enjoy each other’s company.
Classifieds:
Be a summer star! Join the Brookline SmartSummers Theater Arts Program at the Lincoln School in Brookline, Summer 2016! Half day introductory program for young children, ages 5-7 is available through our Playful Performances Program. Older children, ages 7-13, can join us for a full day of theater and work on an original musical production. All students take developmentally appropriate classes in acting, music, dance, and art. Time for snack, lunch, and indoor/outdoor free time is also provided. Our Playful Performances sessions end with a family sing a long. Our Theater Arts Program sessions culminate in an original musical production. For more information, visit us on Facebook at Brookline SmartSummers Theater Arts Program or on twitter at twitter.com/theaterartscamp or www.brooklineadulted.org and email theaterartscamp@aol.com with any questions. You can register by calling Brookline Adult & Community Education at 617-730-2700 or at http://www.campusce.net/brooklinesmartprograms/course/course.aspx?catId=125. We are excited to offer your child a fun, educational experience in the arts and hope to see you soon!! Join us for 1-6 weeks, starting June 27th!!
THE HOUSE OF COLORS has a summer program for kids & teens starting at age 8-18. Check out or website thehouseofcolors.com or call Michelle at 617 365-5625, muhlbaum@mac.com
PIANO INSTRUCTION - 3 blocks from Driscoll. Learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, sightreading from a Berklee & New England Conservatory graduate with 30+ years teaching experience. Build a high quality musical foundation with a patient, upbeat, and caring instructor. Beginners especially welcome. Have a positive and successful learning experience. Gloria Jasinski, phone:
617.566.9704, email:
piano566@comcast.net
Brookline Warriors Girls Summer Clinic: Led by head coach Allyson Toney and the rest of the Brookline Girls basketball coaching staff, we are excited to offer our 3rd annual Brookline Warriors Basketball Clinic for girls currently in grades 2-8. Current and former BHS players will assist at the clinic. The clinic will focus on skill development such as dribbling, passing, and proper shooting. Dates: June 21 - 24. Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Location: Brookline High School Schluntz Gym. Contact: Mark Wheeler for more information: mark_wheeler@brookline.k12.ma.us Brochure: www.brooklinebasketball.com
ATTENTION TUTORING: is a non pharmacological approach for students with ADHD/ADD, attention and executive function difficulties. This program trains the brain -1- through neurofeedback computerized attention training, -2- executive function/organization skills training, and -3- relaxation breathing. It was developed by Dr. Naomi Steiner, who is a developmental behavioral pediatrician, clinician and researcher, expert in ADHD and attention difficulties. Her research focuses on computer attention training, including neurofeedback. Lessons are delivered at home by Attention Tutoring certified tutors. For more information please email info@attentiontutoring.com or visitwww.attentiontutoring.com
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's A Midsummer Night's Dream
Tue 4/19 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM at Main Library
From the company that brings you Shakespeare on the Common, join us for a live performance of scenes from Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream followed by a lively discussion of the play, the roles, and Shakespeare's legacy after 400 years. Link:
http://www.brooklinelibrary.org/programs/special-events/041916-midsummers-night-dream
