The Fall Davis Hospitality Luncheon is Tuesday!
Can you donate a salad, some sandwiches, or $10?
Can you help with clean up at 2 PM?
Click Below to Sign Up!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c4caaa92cab9-ahalloween

Week of October 28, 2016

In This Issue

Calendar of This Week's Events

Save the Dates

Volunteer Opportunities

Davis Hospitality Committee Luncheon, 11/1
Davis Garden Cleanup 11/6
Davis Library REALLY Needs more help!
BEST/PTO Online Volunteer Packet! Your key to volunteering in the schools!

Announcements

Buddy Benches at Davis and Lane
Celebrating Differences Article in The Bedford Citizen
BEST/PTO Annual Budget Approval

Community Announcements

First Parish Haunted House 10/28-10/29
Gratitude Workshop 11/5
Matthew Marchand 11/13
BHS Presents Peter and the Starcatcher 11/18 -11/20

Matty's Monster Dash- 10/29
BFC Annual Halloween Party- 10/29
Join Cub Scouts!
Bedford Unplugged
Fenn Sports Sale- 11/5
Family Fitness Week for Bedford UNPLUGGED- 11/8, 11/12
Screenagers- 11/10
Coping with Stress and Depression Webinar- 11/14
Maine Summer Camp Fair- 11/16
Zumba Kids Party to benefit Comfort Zone Camp- 11/18
Womenade Save the Date- 11/18
Mt. Michael Parish Holiday Fair- 11/19
BEF Bash Save the Date- 1/21/17

Welcome to our
weekly newsletter
from the BEST/PTO!

We serve the staff and families of the children in grades K-5
at the Davis and Lane Elementary Schools,
Bedford, MA.

Click Here to fill out our Online Volunteer Survey!

Visit bestpto.org
to learn more!
Like us on Facebook!

If you have a community announcement that you would like to see in a future Bits from BEST,
email us!

Thank you for your support!

Dawn Kociubes
BEST/PTO President
Newsletter Editor
Holly Munsie
VP, Davis School
Sandy Morvillo
VP, Lane School
Audrey Gould,
Treasurer
Nina Tate
Secretary

Calendar of This Week's Events

October 28- Trunk or Treat, 4-6 PM, Whole Foods Parking Lot
October 31- Last day to bring '16-'17 BEST Budget concerns to the BEST Board
November 1- Davis Hospitality Luncheon

Save the Dates

November 7- Lane School Election Day
November 8- No School, Election Day (Early voting available at Town Hall)
November 8- JGMS Parent Association Election Day Bake Sale (in the JGMS parking lot)
November 10, 9:30 AM- Veterans Day Assembly at Lane (contact Karen Lua or Rob Ackerman if you would like a veteran in your family to participate)

November 11- No School, Veterans Day
November 18-20- BHS Peter and the Starcatcher performances
November 20- Spirit Wear Orders Due
November 23- Early Release Day
November 24-25- No School, Happy Thanksgiving!
December 20- BEST/PTO Fundraiser at Flatbread Company

Upcoming Davis Hospitality Luncheon Dates: 2/14 and 5/2
Click for 2016-2017 District Calendar, Davis School Calendar, & Lane School Calendar

Volunteer Opportunities

Davis Hospitality Committee
Fall Luncheon

Tuesday, November 1, 10:30 AM

A few things...

Please drop off your contributions by Tuesday morning by 10am. You may use both the lounge and nurse's refrigerator. Please label it "BEST Luncheon."

We ask, as always, to plate what you're bringing as if you're bringing your contribution to a party. Please also supply utensils when necessary. Please pick your platters up by the end of the week at the latest (they will be under the table against the wall in the teacher's lounge).

Please always feel free to stop by the luncheons to say hello to the teachers and introduce yourselves. We are always in need of volunteers to clean up- even if you can only stay for 10 minutes between 2 and 3, that's fine!

Please follow the link below to sign up for our Tuesday 11/1 luncheon
by Friday, 10/28.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0c4caaa92cab9-ahalloween

Davis Garden Clean Up!

The Davis School Gardens Committee (chaired by Anuja Rotella and Kate Ford) are helping the Davis school in organizing some garden and flower bed clean up in time for Fall bulb planting and also other planned work on the rear vegetable garden.

What we need immediately:

(1) Volunteers for weeding beds in the main garden in the back of the school

(2) Volunteers to weed and prep the flower beds at the front at the school entrance

We will be weeding during the following time:

Sunday, November 6, 8-11 am

Please RSVP to Kate katharineford@me.com and Anuja anujanair@gmail.com.

Hope to see you there next weekend. It could be good for your health!
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/08/why.gardening.good/

Don't Forget About These
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities in the Davis School!

Davis Library Volunteers
Mr. Royds and Ms. Sullivan REALLY need more help in the Davis School Library! To sign up for a shift or two, click on the links below!

Davis Library Schedule: https://bestptoma.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/davis-school-library-schedule-2016-17.pdf
November Sign Up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d4eaeaf2fab9-davis1

Davis Lunch and Recess Volunteers
Assist during your choice of one hour shifts during the four lunch or recess periods to ensure that students move efficiently throughout the Cafeteria and to the rest rooms.
Lunch: 11:05 – 12:10 or 12:05 – 1:10, daily
Recess: 11:30 AM – 12:35 or 12:30 – 1:35, daily
Questions? Email Gretchen Heid at gretchenela@yahoo.com

To see the Davis Lunch and Recess Schedule, click here: https://bestptoma.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/davis-lunch-and-recess-schedule-16-171.pdf

Davis Lunch November Sign Up Link:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c094fa5af23abf49-november
Davis Recess November Sign Up Link:
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c094fa5af23abf49-november1

Announcements

Have you seen this cute video about the new
Buddy Bench at Davis School?

The Buddy Bench was funded by
The Bedford Education Foundation!
To learn more about BEF, visit their website at http://bedfordeducation.org/

Lane School also has a new Buddy Bench funded by BEST.
No cute video, though. Your move, Rob Ackerman!

Check out this great article in The Bedford Citizen
about Celebrating Differences held at Lane School!
http://www.thebedfordcitizen.org/2016/10/lane-school-celebrates-differences/
Thank you to our co-chairs Erica Colbath and Sheila Mehta-Green and their amazing group of parent volunteers!

BEST/PTO
Annual Budget Approval

Thank you to everyone who came to our
BEST/PTO General Meeting!

We invite all families of Davis and Lane students to review our BEST/PTO 2016-2017 Budget Presentation shown at our BEST/PTO General Meeting held on October 5, 2016.

If you have any questions or comments about the proposed budget, you can direct them to Audrey Gould, BEST Treasurer at audreygould@yahoo.com.

Barring any concerns, the budget will pass on October 31 as presented in the
General Meeting slideshow below!

Thank you for your time!

General meeting slideshow:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2pIefh9TYPHRi1pWHlDQWprQjBWWmxkbHpDSXhjNDZWMUtz/view

Minutes from the General Meeting:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11hdRpB5Wi1NUhY2CzyGsiftypMYYbTYArVmXPwxVfAQ/edit?usp=sharing

New Community Announcements

See your Community Announcement Here!
Email best.pto.bedford@gmail.com
Deadline: Thursday evening of each week

Repeat Community Announcements

To register or for more information:
www.lightboxreg.com/mattys-monster-dash
or
friendsformatty.org/race.aspx

Join Cub Scouts!

Cub Scout Pack 194 is welcoming new members, from first through fifth grade, for the 2016-2017 program year.

Cub Scouting is about building character while having fun. We help boys learn to be responsible citizens, good sportsmen, inquisitive outdoorsmen, resourceful craftsmen, and friends to everyone. Cub Scouting emphasizes participation and diligence, encouraging boys to live out the Cub Scout motto—“Do Your Best”—whether in the classroom, at home, on the playing field, on stage, or out in our community.

For more information about Cub Scouts, please visit beascout.scouting.org.
For more about Pack 194, visit www.pack194.net or email info@pack194.net.

A Press Release from Sue Baldauf, Bedford Youth and Family Services

Remember to Unplug Regularly!

While there is no official Bedford Unplugged Day this November, families are still encouraged to plan activities together just as they did with the original Unplugged day in November and the second spring one, the goal being to build activities like the Unplugged activities into their daily lives, whether the Town or the Schools declare “Unplugged” or not. To read more about the history of Bedford Unplugged, and for a list of suggestions for fun ways to unplug, click here: https://bestptoma.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/unpluggedprfall16-1.pdf

48^TH ANNUAL SPORTS SALE AT THE FENN SCHOOL

Don’t miss the 48^th Annual Sports Sale at The Fenn School on
Saturday, November 5^th from 9am to noon
in the Fenn New Gym, 516 Monument Street, Concord MA.

We will have a wide selection of gently used sports equipment for boys and girls including hockey, soccer, basketball, lacrosse and baseball gear as well as other great gear available at low prices. Representatives from Hardy’s Ski Emporium will be on hand to offer an assortment of brand new skis, boots and poles at great pre-season prices. Gym doors will open at 9am and close promptly at noon. Come early for the best selection.Donations of gently used sports equipment are welcome: hockey skates, helmets and pads, baseball bats, baseball gloves, tennis racquets, exercise equipment, bicycles, scooters, etc. Please drop your items off at The Fenn School, 516 Monument Street, Concord, MA on Thursday November 5^3rd from 3pm to 6pm and Friday, November 4^th from 8am – 6pm. Fenn volunteers will be there to collect your items curbside during these hours.For more information please contact Kat Hudson katmhudson@comcast.net

As seen on Good Morning America, SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in The Digital Age is selling out audiences around the country. It is the first feature documentary to explore the impact of screen technology on kids and to offer parents proven solutions that work.

Physician and filmmaker, Delaney Ruston decided to make SCREENAGERS when she found herself constantly struggling with her two kids about screen time. Ruston felt guilty and confused, not sure what limits were best, especially around mobile phones, social media, gaming, and how to monitor online homework. Hearing repeatability how other parents were equally overwhelmed, she realized this is one of the biggest, unexplored parenting issues of our time.

Included in the film are Dr. Rushton’s stories, as well as cutting edge science and insights from thought leaders such as Peggy Orenstein, Sherry Turkle, Simon Sinek, as well as leading brain scientists who present evidence on real changes happening in the brain. SCREENAGERS goes far beyond exposing the risks of screen time, but reveals multiple approaches on how parents and educators can work with kids to help them achieve a healthy amount of screen time.

SCREENAGERS is blazing a new model of distribution, known as a community viewing model, in hopes that parents and educators can start a conversation nationwide about how screen timeimpacts our lives.

Movie Themes:

Use of screens in school
Boys and video games
Girls and social media
Risk of addiction

Stats:

Kids spend on average 6.5 hours a day on screens and that doesn’t include classroom or homework screen time.
Boys spend on average the equivalent of 1.5 days on video games every week
Some recent studies show us that screen time increases dopamine production and causes behavior that mimics addiction.

Chris Zellner (617)821-3139 christopher_zellner@bedford.k12.ma.us