
BRIARWOOD ELEMENTARY pta newsletter
August 21, 2023 www.briarwoodpta.org
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LASH
Thank you Bulldog Nation for all your help and support to get the school year off to an amazing start! The students have been doing a fantastic job following the B.A.R.K. (Be Safe, Act Responsibly, Respect Self and Others, Kindness to All) expectations! I am proud of our Bulldog students. We are looking froward to welcoming parents to Back to School Night this week. The key to our success starts with the relationships we build with our students and families. Thank you for partnering with us as we work together to help each and every child reach their full potential. I encourage you to check out some of the beginning of the school year highlights on my twitter account, https://twitter.com/Bulldogs512. B.A.R.K. On Bulldog Nation!
Back to School Night
At this event, classroom teachers will will introduce themselves, review important class procedures, review priority standards, and hold a question and answer session. You will be receiving more information about this event from your students teacher. Back to School night is organized for adults only.
*** This is a parent/guardian event, but if you are unable to find childcare please bring them with you so you can attend.
Tuesday, August 22
● 5:00pm 1st Grade
● 6:15pm 2nd Grade
● 7:00pm 3rd Grade
Wednesday, August 23
● 5:00pm 4th Grade
● 6:15pm 5th Grade
● 7:00pm 6th Grade
Parent Visitors At Lunch
We are excited to welcome back visitors at lunch. With the return to normal seating in the lunchroom we do not have a lot of extra space for visitors to sit. Guardians and parents are only allowed to eat with their child. To help manage the number of people in the lunchroom at one time we have created a sign up link for each grade level so parents and guardians can sign up in advance and we can monitor the number of visitors. When you arrive to Briarwood you will check in at the office and receive a visitor sticker. You will then meet up with your child only in the lunchroom and go to the designated guest area. The guest area can include a separate table in the lunchroom/hallway or going outside on nice days.
● https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E49ACAE2AA3F94-briarwood
Safety First/Traffic Update
● Thank you for helping to make arrival and dismissal run smoothly. To make for a safe and relaxing drop-off and pick-up of students, please be patient and use extreme caution when you are near the school and in the school parking lot. This would include driving slowly, staying off your cell phone, paying attention to your surrounding, and paying attention to the crossing guard. Our number one priority is the safety of our students, staff, parents, and patrons.
● Students, parents, and family members should cross at the designated cross walks. We have two designated cross walks and there is a staff member that helps cross walkers at the entrance to the car drop-off and pick up lane. Students or patrons should NEVER cross
in the middle of the street even if a student has a parent or guardian with them. Please take the extra time to go to a cross walk so you can cross safely and set a good example.
● Please be good neighbors while stopped on 86th and other sides streets. Pay attention to traffic signs such as no parking or do not turn signs. Do not block the driveways to homes. Our neighbors need to be able to enter/exit the driveways to their homes. The cooperation of all drivers is appreciated.
● If your child walks or rides their bike please review safety expectations such as staying on the sidewalk and crossing at the designated cross walks. Bike riders will walk their bike once on school property to the bike rack. Bike riders should wear a helmet and buckle the strap. Bike riders should be in 3rd grade or older unless they have a parent with them to and from school.
Dogs
While many children and adults love dogs, some find them intimidating and they can be unpredictable when around large numbers of people. For the safety of our students, staff, and parents, dogs are not allowed on school property during the school day. This would include arrival and dismissal. Please share this information with relatives and friends who may be dropping off or picking up students.
MVP TRAININGS FOR VOLUNTEERS SUPERVISING STUDENTS
The My Volunteer Pal (MVP) program is the volunteer program for all Shawnee Mission Schools. The program connects adult volunteers with students ages Pre-K to age 18. All activities take place on school grounds during school hours with the exception of field trips. Only those who will be alone or in a small group without teacher supervision need to go through the training.
Volunteer Pals are utilized for a variety of in-school activities including:
● Classroom or school volunteering
● Sharing career interests or special talents with students
● Tutoring
● Chaperones for Shawnee Mission School District approved field trips
TWO-STEP SCREENING PROCESS for NEW VOLUNTEERS:
1. Attend a MVP training session (see dates below) at either the District office (Center for Academic Achievement) or at any SMSD school. Training sessions will last about an hour.
2. Complete the online background screening process. Volunteers will be given the link for background screening at the conclusion of the training.
3. No need to attend if you have gone through the training in the past 3 years.
Trainings
To learn more about the MVP program and see when upcoming trainings are scheduled, click on the link below.
● https://www.smsd.org/families/volunteer-mvp
● We are hosting a training at Briarwood on August 31, 2023 at 7:15PM in the cafeteria.
Panorama Social-Emotional Survey
● The first Panorama Social-Emotional Survey will be given in grades 3-12 between October 16 and November 10, 2023. Only those students whose parent/guardian consented during the registration process will be allowed to participate.
SMSD Bilingual Back-to-School
The Shawnee Mission School District will host our Third Bilingual Back-to-School Community Event on Wednesday, September 6 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the CAA. All students and families are welcome! The flyer is here.
SMSD FOOD SERVICE INFORMATION
IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES @ BRIARWOOD
Tuesday, August 22nd
Back to School Night Grades 1-3
Parents/Guardians Only
*
Wednesday, August 23rd
Back to School Night Grades 4-6
Parents/Guardians Only
*
Thursday, August 24th
Dinning Partners- Culvers Night
*
Monday, August 28th
General PTA Meeting, 7:00 pm (via Zoom)- see details below
*
Thursday, August 31st
Room Parent Meeting, 6:00 pm @ BW cafeteria
*
Thursday, August 31st
PTA All Chair Meeting 6:30-7:15 pm @ BW cafeteria
*
Friday, September 8th
Briarwood Auction Kickoff Party 7-10:30 pm @ The Smith/Ormsby Home
*
Thursday, September 21st
Picture Day
*
Friday, September 22nd
Family Movie Night @ Briarwood- see flyer below for details
*
Saturday, September 30
Bulldog Jog - more details to come in the following weeks
*
Full BW PTA Calendar is available here
THANK YOU!!
Thank you to Cheryll Pacey for managing the school supply orders and for all of the volunteers who helped distribute them to classrooms!
Thank you to our Popsicle Pop in chairs, Jodie Hayes & Kara Griswold, and volunteers Bethany Parks & Lauren Mahoney for the yummy treats!
And thank you to Heather Rowe, Emily Luea & Jessica Becker for organizing Boo Hoo coffee for our Kindergarten parents/guardians!
JOIN THE BRIARWOOD PTA!
The simple act of joining PTA provides instant financial support for our students! The PTA provides additional activities, programs, and financial assistance not covered by the Shawnee Mission School District. It's also a great way to stay informed about what's happening at school and connect in meaningful ways with other parents.
Together we can do a lot of good. Join now by clicking here!
*Join by Oct 1st and you will be entered to win 1 of 10 $50 gift cards*
DONT FORGET TO CREATE/UPDATE YOUR ONLINE DIRECTORY PROFILE
Get started today by visiting https://www.briarwoodpta.org, select “Directory”
- Update or create an account through Membership Toolkit. Once you update/create your account, you can decide what information is shared in the online directory, which is ONLY accessible to other BW registrants.
- Our directory will only be as useful as YOU make it. Please register to help us build a stronger community network for parents/caregivers and students.
- Download the Membership Toolkit app from the App Store or Google Play for on-the-go access.
Questions? Contact Karen Moore: karen.jeanne.moore@gmail.com
PTA General Membership Meeting
Please join us on Monday, August 28 at 7:00 p.m. for our first General PTA Membership Meeting of the school year (via Zoom):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9134816375?pwd=NGw2ekR4bitzMFlRMEEwTy9PZFJ2dz09
Meeting ID: 913 481 6375
Passcode: 5300
During this meeting, learn about upcoming PTA events, fundraisers, how to get involved – and vote on the 2023-2024 budget. For your reference, the proposed budget can be accessed here.
We will also review a tweak to our standing rules regarding the increase for PTA membership:
Briarwood PTA will collect annual dues from its members. Each individual membership will submit $15.00 as a membership fee. The breakdown of this fee is as follows: $4.00 to National PTA dues, $2.50 to KS PTA dues, $8.50 to Briarwood PTA dues.
Join us for a Briarwood community movie night on Friday, September 22
Bring a picnic dinner, blankets and/or lawn chairs and enjoy the Super Mario Bros. movie with your family and friends!
Families may start arriving to set up at 6:45 pm. The movie will begin at dusk (approx. 7:15 pm). Please arrange blankets/chairs on the soccer field with blankets up front and chairs towards the back.
Parking will be available in the Briarwood parking lot and adjacent neighborhood streets. Families that live in nearby are encouraged to walk to ensure parking is available for families who live further away.
Last day to order your spirit wear is Friday, August 25th
Auction Kick Off Party
You're invited to help us start this year's auction fundraising at our Kick-off Party!
Please bring cash/check/credit donation or an item/good/service for the silent or live auction as your "ticket" to the party.
Then mark your calendar for March 2, 2024 for Briarwood Night at the Masquerade!
Visit Briarwoodauction.com for more info
JOIN THE 2024 AUCTION COMMITTEE!
We are looking for the next auction leadership team and volunteers to make the March 2024 Briarwood Auction a huge success! The auction is Briarwood's largest fundraiser and funds most of our PTA budget for two years. Do you have a special talent or skill? Are you looking for a way to get involved and give back? We'd love to talk with you and answer any questions you may have. Please reach out to Katie Enger (katieenger@hotmail.com , (913-972-7091) and Clarissa McMillan (mcmillan.clarissa@gmail.com).
Thank you for helping make our 2024 auction a great success!
Briarwood Foundation
The Briarwood Foundation provides that little extra for our students. Directed by a board of parent/guardian volunteers, our primary purpose is to fund programs and supplies not provided by federal, state, school district or PTA budgets.
FRIENDS & FAMILY SIGN
When you purchase a Friends & Family sign for $100, your donation will go directly to the Briarwood Foundation. Your sign will be displayed at Briarwood events such as the Bulldog Jog, Veterans Day, Open House and the Carnival. Please complete and return the form by September 15th.
For more information visit: https://www.briarwoodfoundation.org/
Watering and Weeding through September 29
Our landscape committee has made so many improvements to beautify our school, but we need your help to keep it that way over the summer!
Please sign up to help water and weed each week, through September 29. You can either sign up for the beds in the front of the school, or the pollinator and raised beds in the back.
We've made improvements to our watering system, so it will be easier this year. We will send an email to all volunteers with more detailed instructions by the last day of school.
If you need to cancel your time slot, please be sure to call Katie Stramel 479-409-4400 to make other arrangements!
Sign-up here to help keep our school beautiful!
Great Reads & Recipes
Great Reads
Many kids might be feeling anxious about going back to school after a long summer break. Others may feel nervous about starting school for the first time. Parents/guardians can help ease the transition back to school by being able to recognize the symptoms of stress and anxiety and implementing some creative strategies.
• How to Ease Back to School Anxiety and Stress
Around the World Recipes
Featured Volunteer Opportunity/Organization
Get ready to sink your teeth into this volunteer opportunity! Operation BBQ Relief is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that started in 2011 when pitmasters from nine states came together to cook up a storm and feed those affected by a tornado in Joplin, Missouri. Since then, they’ve served over 10 million mouth-watering meals to people impacted by natural disasters, COVID-19, and even to those in need through The Always Serving Project. Now that’s what we call BBQ with heart! They have many ways to volunteer and/or donate time and treasure. They even have an app, for iPhone and android, where you can sign up and get notified when they have a need.
VOLUNTEER CROSSING GUARDS NEEDED
Please help Briarwood students get to school safely! The intersection at 86th and Juniper does not have a SMSD-staffed crossing guard; the school relies on volunteers. All volunteers are welcome, but if your student uses this intersection, please consider signing up once per month.
SHIFTS:
- 7:50 - 8:10 am (school starts at 8:10 a.m. for all grades)
- 3:05 - 3:20 (dismissal at 3:10 p.m. for all grades)
- 12:25 - 12:40 p.m. on half days (half-day dismissal is at 12:30 for all grades; half days are indicated on the sign-up calendar)
CROSSWALK RULES:
- Cars are not permitted to turn LEFT off 86th Street onto Juniper (you may have to remind drivers)
- Students must walk themselves and/or their bikes/scooters across the crosswalk
CROSSING GUARD DUTIES:
- Manage pedestrian and vehicle traffic for safe street crossing
- Remind students to follow street crossing rules
- Help control car and pedestrian traffic conditions
Thank you!
NOW AVAILABLE: SMORE TRANSLATION
- On the right side of the newsletter, a bar will appear with the Translation feature.
- Click on the Translation bar then click on the Select Language button.
- Choose your language of choice from the drop-down menu of languages and click close. The newsletter will now be translated.
En el lado derecho de la pagina, aparecerá una barra con la función de traducción. Haga clic en la barra de traducción y luego haga clic en el botón Seleccionar idioma. Elija español en el menú desplegable de idiomas y haga clic en cerrar. El boletín ahora se traducirá.
GET SOCIAL - Connect With Us Online!
Website: https://www.briarwoodpta.org/
Twitter: @BriarwoodElem
Instagram: @BriarwoodBulldogs
Facebook: facebook.com/BriarwoodBulldogs
Grade-level Facebook Groups (private):
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2030 (6th grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2031 (5th grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2032 (4th grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2033 (3rd grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2034 (2nd Grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2035 (1st Grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2036 (Kindergarten)
2023-24 PTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Co-Presidents:
Deana Curtin • deanacurtin@gmail.com
Ashley Hunt • ashleyhunt910@gmail.com
President-Elect:
Rachel Wymore • rla08@hotmail.com
VP Administration:
Heather Rowe • hgreenlaw_01@yahoo.com
VP Communications:
Terra Snyder • walker_terra@hotmail.com
VP Community Events:
Kristin McClasky • Kdp1202@gmail.com
VP Student Services:
Susan Jarrold • susan.jarrold@gmail.com
VP Funding:
Jessica Becker • jessica.becker85@gmail.com
VP Finance:
Denise Wheeler • denisetompkins@mac.com
Treasurer:
Michelle Wiens mwiens678@gmail.com
Secretary:
Diana Beckman • dianalbeckman@gmail.com
Briarwood Foundation:
Valerie Moeder • ValerieLMoeder@gmail.com
Diversity & Inclusion Chair:
Craig Dawson • craigdawson@icloud.com