BRIARWOOD ELEMENTARY pta newsletter

April 17th, 2024 www.briarwoodpta.org

MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LASH

Solar Eclipse

Thank you for reinforcing safety tips at home before we viewed the solar eclipse on Monday, April 8th. It was a beautiful day with clear skies and the students and staff had a blast! Thank you for helping to make this a safe, fun, and meaningful learning experience for our students.

Open House, April 18

Last Name A-L, 6:00-6:45

Last Name M-Z, 7:00-7:45

The staff and I are looking forward to Open House and hope you will be able to attend so you can see your student's classroom and see some of their amazing work. If your last name begins with the letters A-L you will attend from 6:00-6:45 and if your last name begins with M-Z you will attend from 7:00-7:45. For any reason, you can always switch your time if needed. The purpose of this is to help reduce the number of people in the building at one time to make for a more enjoyable experience.

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IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES @ BRIARWOOD

Wednesday, April 17th-19th

Used Book Fair- see details below for volunteer sign-ups and more!

*

Thursday, April 18th

Open House

Last Name A-L 6:00-6:45pm

Last Name M-Z 7:00-7:45pm

*

Friday, May 3rd

Bike Rodeo- 2nd grade only- see flyer below for more details

*

Friday, May 10th

All-School Carnival- volunteer sign-up, donation request and more below

*

Wednesday, May 15th

Landscape work day

*

Full BW PTA Calendar is available here

PTA News

Briarwood Carnival Volunteer Signup

Help make the annual Briarwood Carnival (May 10th) a huge success! We have many volunteer spots to fill, including bakers for cake walk. Please review the available slots below and click on the button to signup! Questions? Contact Krissie Kiehne (816) 686-4942, krissiekiehne@gmail.com

Briarwood carnival is FREE to ALL, thanks to our generous community!! Please consider making a monetary donation so we can continue to offer this event for free for all! Briarwood Store

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Administrative Assistants, Paraprofessionals, and Instructional Aides appreciation week- week of April 22, 2024

We know that your child may not directly work with a Para or an Aide, but they are always there to lend a helping hand when needed. We are including a list of their favorite things in case you would like to send in a little something. This small gesture will allow us to show them how much we appreciate all their hard work. Please know this is all voluntary and you do not have to contribute, but it is so appreciated.

Please send items in no later than Monday, April 22. Items should be sent in a bag and labeled with the recipient’s name. All items can be given to Mrs. Roberts. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Roberts at autumnroberts@smsd.org.

Kindergarten gift to- Ms. Hocevar/Ms. Purcell/Ms. Romer

1st grade gift to- Ms. Hocevar/Ms. Purcell/ Mr. Droegemeier

2nd grade gift to- Mr. Ken/Ms. Valaika/ Ms. DeJong

3rd grade gift to- Mr. Ken/Ms. Horner/Ms. Valaika

4th grade gift to -Mr. Droegemeier/ Mr. Del

5th grade gift to - Mr. Mr. Del/Ms. DeJong

6th grade gift to - Ms. Romer/Ms. Horner

Ms. Romer (secretary)

Snack: cheese and crackers

Soda/Drink: diet coke

Restaurant: Conroy’s Irish Pub

Shopping/Gift Card: Target, Amazon, Dicks

Ms. Horner (office aide)

Snack: chocolate chip cookies

Soda/Drink: Earl Grey hot tea

Restaurant: Paulo and Bills

Shopping/Gift Card: Target, Starbucks, Quik Trip

Ms. Hocevar (para)

Snack: soft sugar cookies

Soda/Drink: Dr. Pepper, Iced Tea

Restaurant: Salty Iguana

Shopping/Gift Card: Target, Amazon, Hy-Vee

Ms. DeJong (para)

Snack: Twix, Kit Kat, any chips

Soda/Drink: diet coke

Restaurant: Chosun Korean BBQ

Shopping/Gift Card: Target, Amazon, Hy-Vee

Mr. Droegemeier (para)

Snack: Pretzel Crisps,

Soda/Drink: Red Bull Strawberry Apricot, Sambazon Acai Pomegranate

Restaurant: McDonalds,

Shopping/Gift Card: Aldi, McDonalds, Target

Ms. Valaika (para)

Snack: Dark Chocolate, Cheetos

Soda/Drink: Coffee

Restaurant: Mexican

Shopping/Gift Card: Amazon, Taco Bell, Quik Trip

Mr. Del. (instructional aide)

Snack: skittles, starburst, popcorn, peanuts

Soda: coke, mt. dew

Restaurant: Chilis, Mongolian BBQ

Shopping/Gift Card: Chilis, Mongolian BBQ, Taco Bell

Ms. Purcell (instructional aide)

Snack: mint chocolate chip ice cream, Dots Southwest Pretzels

Soda/Drink: unsweetened iced tea

Restaurant: Chick-fil-a, Outback, Margaritas

Shopping/Gift Card: Target, Amazon

Mr. Ken (instructional aide)

Snack: cookies

Soda/Drink: mocha blender

Restaurant: Longhorns,

Shopping/Gift Card: Kohls, Amazon, Academy

Bike Rodeo- 2nd Grade ONLY- Friday, May 3rd

Hello 2nd grade parents!

Our annual Second Grade Bike Rodeo is coming up Friday, May 3rd from 12:30pm-3pm. We are offering this event during the school day in order to avoid weekend conflicts and allow more students to participate.

Briarwood's DARE officer, David Poindexter, will lead a bike safety talk, and then kids will get on their bikes to practice what they learned at several different stations. This is a great opportunity for kids to learn how to be safe on their bikes before summer is here.

Participation is optional. In order to participate, your child must have a working bike and helmet.

Please check over these items to make sure the tires are pumped (especially after the long winter inside), the brakes work, and the helmet fits properly. For tips on the proper helmet fit, please see the link below.

Parents can drop off bikes early Friday morning, May 5th (beginning at 7:45 AM) behind the gated area on the north loop of the carpool lane. Parent volunteers will secure the bikes in the gated area. A suggestion from previous years is to label your child's bike with his/her name and teacher's name.

Parents are responsible for getting the bikes home at the end of the school day. If your child goes to an after school program, please make sure the bike is locked up on the bike racks in front of the school.

***Volunteers needed*** https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA9A92EA3F9C25-49086385-brairwood

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Briarwood Parent/Caregiver Survey

The Briarwood PTA wants to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to tell us how we did this year and how we can improve for next year. Your feedback is important to us and we appreciate all your support this year.

Click here to take the survey

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Yearbook Order Extension Date- Friday, April 19th

We only have yearbook orders from 70% of Briarwood students. Get your yearbook order in to ensure your student gets a copy.

Not sure if you are in the 70% that have already ordered?

Here is how to check your online orders:

STEP 1 - Visit the Bulldog Store at www.briarwoodPTA.org

STEP 2 - Locate My Account and select Previous Orders

STEP 3 - Review previous orders for Yearbook purchase for this school year

Please reach out to Deana Curtin with any questions @ deanacurtin@gmail.com

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School Supplies

Briarwood has once again partnered with 1st Day School Supplies for the 2024-2025 school year. Ordering your supplies through 1st Day ensures your student starts the school year with the exact supplies your teacher requested and gives your child the confidence they need to conquer the next school year. Better yet, you get to skip the shopping trip and supplies are delivered directly to your student's classroom!

Order today: https://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=40506

PTA Highlights

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Volunteers needed- Comanche Mobile Food Pantry

2024 dates: May 11

Grad your family & friends and help our friends in the Comanche community. The Mobile Food Pantry distributes food primarily and is intended for families in need of emergency food assistance.

Comanche Mobility Food Pantry sign-up

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April Celebrations & Recognitions

National Autism Acceptance Month

National Donate Life

Eid al-Fitr

Passover- April 22-April 30

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Great Reads & Recipes

Autism books for children

Dishes for a Eid al-Fitr feast

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Ways to get Involved in April

7th Annual 5K/1K Fun Run- Saturday, April 15

Children's Mercy Parent/Caregiver Autism Conference- Monday, April 29

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Makerspace Donations

Ms Martens is in need of supplies for the Makerspace. Below are items we need. Donations can be sent in with your student.

Pipe cleaners

Colorful duct tape

Cotton balls

Q Tips

Beads

Scotch tape

Playdoh

Googly eyes

Markers-washable any size

Washi tape

Straws

Popsicle sticks

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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!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B44A5A822A64-briarwood

Read Across SMSD

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Elementary

“How to Write a Poem”

By Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido

Click here to learn more.

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Middle Grade

“Moonwalking”

By Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Click here to learn more.

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Young Adult

“Abuela, Don’t Forget Me”

By Rex Ogle

Click here to learn more.

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