BRIARWOOD ELEMENTARY pta newsletter

May 1st, 2024 www.briarwoodpta.org

MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LASH

S.M. East Area Band and Orchestra Festivals

Thank you to Maddie Smith, East Area Orchestra Teacher, and Eric Starnes, East Area Band Teacher, for preparing our students to shine bright at the S.M. East Area Orchestra and Band Festivals. We had two great nights of music! You can check out highlights (pictures and videos) by clicking the link below.

https://twitter.com/Bulldogs512

Talent Show, 3-6 Grade

We are so excited to announce the 2024 talent show! Please see the attached flyer to sign up and for more information. As students consider their act, please keep in mind that there is a two-minute time limit. Your act and attire must be school appropriate. Talent Show acts will be screened during specials on Monday, May 20th for appropriateness and preparedness. If a rain date is needed for field day, talent show screenings will be on Tuesday, May 21st.

Traffic Update

Vehicles waiting to pick up in the big circle drive will use Juniper Lane as the preferred waiting queue for vehicles. Vehicles may be stacked only on the west side of Juniper.
If you would like for your child to walk from school to a designated location for pickup, do not park or wait for them on Juniper.
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 surroundings, and paying attention to the crossing guard. Our number one priority is the safety of our students, staff, parents and patrons.

Safe Walking Routes /Crossing Guards

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.
Crossing Guard on Nall between 85th Terr & 86th St.

ALL students and patrons who need to cross Nall to get to the West side should use the cross walk with the crossing guard. This is the safest way for all pedestrians.
Students or patrons should NEVER cross in the middle of Nall unless at a light. As you head south bound on Nall from Briarwood there is an incline and difficult to see oncoming traffic and it is extremely dangerous for students or patrons to cross.

Crossing Guard on 86th

ALL students who need to cross to 86th Street in front of the school to get to the south side must cross at the crossing guard.
Students or patrons should NEVER cross in the middle of the street.

87th and Woodson

Students who cross at 87th and Woodson should stay along the south side of 87th Street and then use the signal at Nall to get to the crossing guard near 86th Street.

zoom_out_map

IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES @ BRIARWOOD

Friday, May 3rd

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

*

Monday, May 6th-Friday, May 10th

Teacher Appreciation week- see details below!

*

Friday, May 10th

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

*

Wednesday, May 15th

Landscape work day

*

Thursday, May 23rd

Talent Show 8:45 (3rd & 5th Grade)

*

Friday, May 24th

Talent Show 8:45 (4th & 6th Grade)

*

Tuesday, May 28th

Yearbook signing

*

Wednesday, May 29th

Last Day of School- early dismissal 12:30

*

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

zoom_out_map

Thank you PTA!

Big thank you to our Used Book Fair team, Joy Moeller, Christin Howard & Courtney Higgins, for another amazing UBF!

Another big thank you to Aubree Keck who has organized all of our Dinning Partners & Skate Parties this year!

Thanks for all you do to support Briarwood!

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

Briarwood Orchard

Our amazing landscape team along with the Kindergarteners planted 6 fruit trees at Briarwood! In roughly 3 years the trees will be strong enough to bear fruit! They planted 2 apple, 2 European pear and 2 Asian pear trees!

open_in_new zoom_out_map

zoom_out_map

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

zoom_out_map

School Supplies

Do you know what's on your child's school supply list for next year?

1st Day School Supplies does!

We have worked meticulously to ensure 1st Day School Supplies provides Briarwood students the exact supplies requested by teachers in the brand names that you know and trust. Plus, the supplies are delivered right to your child's classroom. There’s no doubt 1st Day School Supplies is the BEST way to do your back-to-school shopping!

So, what are you waiting for? Order today!

http://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=40506

PTA Highlights

zoom_out_map

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

zoom_out_map

May Celebrations & Recognitions

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Jewish American Heritage Month

May 1st – Beltane / May Day and Mother Goose Day

May 2nd – National Day of Prayer

May 5th – Cinco de Mayo and Orthodox Easter

May 12th – Mother’s Day

May 18th – 19th - Lag BaOmer

May 27th – Buddha Day

May 30th - Memorial Day

BRIARWOOD CORNERSTONE STANDARD’S MONTHLY THEME

Self-Awareness - End of year review. Student self-reflection: Where are you succeeding? What are your biggest areas of growth?

zoom_out_map

Recipes for Cindo De Mayo!

29 Recipes That Are Perfect For Any Cinco De Mayo Party

Cinco de Mayo commemorates a regional Mexican military battle, but it has evolved to become an important celebration of Mexican culture in the United States. Food Networks has rounded up some of their favorite Cinco de Mayo party recipes—from queso and guacamole to mango cake and sopapillas.

zoom_out_map

Ways to get Involved in May

National WW1 Museum and Memorial

Volunteers play a vital role in the operation of the National WWI Museum and Memorial. The Museum and Memorial relies on the dedication and commitment of more than 500 volunteers each year. Volunteers contribute more than 57,000 hours of service each year, sharing their knowledge, skills and talents.

zoom_out_map

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

zoom_out_map

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

zoom_out_map

Elementary

“How to Write a Poem”

By Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido

Click here to learn more.

zoom_out_map

Middle Grade

“Moonwalking”

By Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Click here to learn more.

zoom_out_map

Young Adult

“Abuela, Don’t Forget Me”

By Rex Ogle

Click here to learn more.

zoom_out_map

NOW AVAILABLE: SMORE TRANSLATION

Here are instructions to change the language of your newsletter...

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 Connected