October 16, 2024 Newsletter
October 16, 2024
Briarwood Families,
As we begin the second quarter, I want to thank Bulldog Nation for your continued support at home. Working together, we had an amazing first quarter. Let’s stay ridiculously positive and keep that beginning of the school year excitement going all the way to 2025! We are looking forward to parent teacher conferences. Please make sure you have scheduled a time with your child’s teacher. These conferences are a great way to collaborate as we work together to help our students reach their full potential.
Get your books out and your library cards ready! Read-A-Thon is coming the week of November 11th, and we’ll be reading to raise money for the Briarwood PTA!
Our theme this year is CELEBRATING DIVERSE READERS, and we’ll be reading books honoring different backgrounds and experiences. Students will participate in daily dedicated classroom reading time and lots of other fun activities throughout the week.
Students will receive a bookmark featuring original artwork. Students had the opportunity to submit designs through art class and the winner was voted on by the students. Congratulations to all of the student artists.
Stay tuned for more information about Read-A-Thon in future newsletters!
When you join the Briarwood PTA, you're not committing your time to volunteer or attend meetings. You’re providing a one-time donation for PTA-organized activities and programs for our students, and you’re gaining access to the school directory (hello, playdates!) while allowing us to communicate directly with you about upcoming events and initiatives. If volunteering is your thing, we’d absolutely love to have you!
Ready to knock out some first-of-the-year steps?
Complete or update your school directory information
Connect with the PTA
Purchase your Yearbook(s)
Questions? Contact Karen Moore: karen.jeanne.moore@gmail.com
By supporting our foundation, you’re not just contributing to a single event; you’re joining us in creating a lasting legacy.
For any questions or further information, feel free to reach out to Valerie Moeder at valeriemoeder@gmail.com. She is ready to assist you with any inquiries and provide you with any further details you might need.
October Celebrations and Recognitions
Cooking With Kitty
Chef Kitty is a teenage girl who has a dual diagnosis of down syndrome and autism. Follow along with her and her dad as they make simple and easy to make food at home.
October Themes
- Responsibility
- Be Strong
October Descriptions and Skills
- Taking action and understanding the impact of our choices
- Focusing
- Organizing
- Goal setting
Any questions please contact Briarwood's Social Worker Cassie Horn via email at casiehorn@smsd.org
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!
Benita loves to read in bed but keeps getting interrupted by a whistling Tunche, a scary Supay and other spooky creatures from Peruvian lore. To the creatures’ disbelief, Benita is so absorbed by her book that she’s not the least bit scared of them. This humorous celebration of bedtime reading puts a global twist on taking the “scary” out of monsters.