Brackett PTO

February

• 02/03-02/07 - Hour of Code
• 02/07 - Glow Dance (6:30-8:30pm)
• 02/13 - Andrina's Fundraiser (mention "Brackett" at checkout)
• 02/24-03/07 - Read-a-thon
• 03/20 - 4th and 5th Grade Science Fair
• 03/21 - STEM Night
• TBD - Coffee with Dr. Vice

Friday Math Mornings - every Friday at 7:20am for 3rd (Brackett Library), 4th (Room 312), 5th (Room 201)

A few key details (more info can be found here):

• Friday, February 7, 6:30-8:30pm
• Entry is FREE and open to all students, their families and Brackett faculty
• Everyone will get one free glow bracelet - more items, plus food and drinks (bring a reusable water bottle!) will be available for purchase
• Please note that this is NOT a drop off event - all students must be supervised by an adult and no students will be allowed to leave the building without an adult

There is still time to volunteer to help - there are multiple ways to volunteer and every bit helps (sign up here):

• Donate food and drinks
• Help with setup and cleanup
• Sell food and drinks or glow items at the dance (shifts are split so you can volunteer AND enjoy the dance)
• 5th Graders - there are lots of opportunities to help out and you can sign up for multiple slots!

Arlington EATS is a vital organization in supporting the Arlington community, and it also supports Brackett Elementary’s snack program. Beats for EATS, Arlington EATS’ annual fundraiser, is on March 22. Brackett is putting together a “Cookies and Crafts” themed basket for their auction, and we would love your help!

Please consider purchasing an item off of the Amazon wish list for the basket

All donations must be received by February 24.

Thank you for your help and support!

News from the 5th Grade Committee, including updates on fundraising, t-shirts, the yearbook, volunteer opportunities, and more, can be found in their newsletter.

Additionally - the Yearbook Committee needs your pictures and your 5th grader's survey responses! Instructions can be found here.

The Brackett Science Fair will be held separately from our annual STEM night event this year. Our Brackett junior scientists will have the chance to present their work and findings from their awesome science to attendees at the Science Fair. We'll be conducting in-class science demos this coming week (Feb 10-14) and we're still in need of a couple parent volunteers to conduct the in-class sessions. If you're interested or want more information, please email STEM@brackettpto.org

Our annual Brackett STEM night event planning has begun! This is a major undertaking for the STEM committee and we'll need all the support we can get. If you're interested in helping plan this year's event, we'll be having our in-person kickoff meeting this coming Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 7pm. Please email STEM@brackettpto.org if you'd like to attend or want more information.

Get your books ready - the Read-a-thon will start right after February break! Keep an eye out for more information in the coming weeks.

Planning to bring back June Fair this year is underway! There is a need for volunteers to help make the June Fair the best it can be. For more information or if you'd like to volunteer, please email Kelly at kellyjd@gmail.com.

We're looking for a few people to help out with the following:

• Brackett Bank Lead - coordinate student deposits and volunteers
• Read-a-thon - help out with planning before and/or events during Read-a-thon (02/24-03/07)

For more information about any of these opportunities or if you'd like to learn how to get involved in other ways, email info@brackettpto.org

Thank you to everyone who generously donated tissues, wipes and hand sanitizer to help fight winter germs at school!

The annual APS Pride Logo Competition is happening now. The competition is open to all students and logos can be submitted here until March 28. The logo will be selected April 11 and displayed at the May 10 District-Wide Pride Parade. More info can be found here.

A slack group has been created by Brackett parents as another way to connect - you can log on to Slack here and search by #elementary-brackett. There are also other channels discussing camps, buy-sell-borrow and more.

The next monthly SEPAC meeting is coming up on February 11 (7:30-8:30pm) via zoom. Details about the meeting and more can be found in the newsletter here.

• Enrollment details for BASP can be found here. The deadline for returning families is Feb 16; deadline for new families is March 24.
• Enrollment for AASP (Spanish Immersion) can be found here. The deadline to be placed into a lottery for enrollment is March 24.

Girls’ self-confidence begins to drop by age 9 and their physical activity levels decline beginning at age 10. Girls on the Run is changing that.

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a nonprofit after-school program designed to inspire and empower young girls*. Our fall and spring seasons run for 8–9 weeks, with teams meeting 2x/week for 90-minute sessions led by dedicated volunteer coaches. The program’s curriculum emphasizes social-emotional learning, building self-confidence, promoting physical activity, and encouraging healthy habits. This spring, we’re excited to welcome Arlington girls as part of the 2,500+ participants joining us across Eastern Massachusetts!

*Open to 3rd-5th grade female-identifying, non-binary, and gender non-conforming students.

Spring '25 Details:

• Practice Schedule: Practices will take place throughout April & May on Mondays & Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00pm. (The first practice will be Monday, 3/31.) There will be no practices the week of April vacation.
• End-of-Season (Regional) 5K: Sat. 5/31 or Sun 6/1 (TBD)
• Location: Based at Calvary Church, 300 Mass Ave.
• Cost: $225 with financial assistance available.
• Registration Opens: Monday, Feb 3rd (Team Max = 20 girls)

Learn more at www.girlsontherunboston.org and/or reach out to Steph Gendron, Stratton/Ottoson mom and GOTR Greater Boston Program Director at steph.gendron@girlsontherun.org.