the runkle news - john d. runkle · pdf fileschool committee office hours: thurs, jan 8, 5:00...

The Runkle NewsNewsletter published weekly by the Runkle PTOSubmissions by Wednesday, 12:00 pm to [email protected] main phone number: (617) 879-4650 Absence line: (617) 879-4249 Website: www.runkle.orgNewsletter Editors: Amy Bacon, Nafeeza Hafeez, Michèle Petryk

Issue: #18-15 January 4, 2015

Happy New Year and thank you to the eighty-five (85) Runkle families that have contributed approximately $25,000to the 2014-2015 PTO Annual Fund. Our current participation rate is 21% but we need your support to reach ourgoal of 55%.

Without your contributions, upcoming enrichment activities like Birds of Prey for 5th Grade onJanuary 7th and community building events like Runkle's Ice Skating Night on February 28thwould not be possible.

Remember that your support of any amount will help us meet our goals!

You can donate securely on-line at www.runkle.org/ptoannualfund or by leaving your donationin the secured PTO Annual Fund box located in the main office. Don't forget about PTOAnnual Fund corporate matching programs! Ask your Human Resources Department for amatching gift form. All donations are tax-deductible. Thank you for your support! Your PTO Annual Fund Co-Chairs: Kirsten Lockwood and Jen Reed

PTO MESSAGE: Thurs: K-2 Morning Meeting at 8:05 am, 7th/8th Gr Feedback Session with Dr. Beauchaine at 7:00PM followed by 8th Gr NYC Trip Info Session 8:00 PM.

From the PTO

Dear Runkle Community, Welcome back! We hope you had a good vacation!

We are looking forward to many upcoming PTO sponsored events beginning withBirds of Prey this Wednesday for all 5th grade students.

As mentioned at the end of December, the annual PTO Book Swap isscheduled for January 29. Please begin saving your books. See below formore details.

This Week's Events

K-2 Morning Meeting(Kindergarten Leads)Thurs Jan 88:05 am (1 hour)Multipurpose Room

Grades 7/8 Feedback Sessionwith Dr. BeauchaineThurs Jan 8

Runkle News Issue #18-15, Jan. 4, 2015 https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_previe...

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The winter Feedback Sessions with Dr. Beauchaine begin this week. You allshould have received an email from Dr. Beauchaine, through your room parents,with the exact date(s) for your grade(s). Also, please see below for more information about a special offer for freetickets to a BU men's basketball game. The deadline to reserve tickets isthis Monday, January 5. Have a good week. Trish Blais, 617-232-2502, [email protected] Catherine Burke, 617-738-8844, [email protected] Runkle PTO co-chairs

Bingo NightCoordinator(s) needed tomake event happen!

The PTO's annual Bingo Night isscheduled for February 6. To makethis event happen we need one, two, or more people to volunteer ascoordinators. If you've been thinking about getting more involved atRunkle, this is a great opportunity to organize a fun night forfamilies. We have supplies, budget and support, but withoutvolunteers this event will not happen.

Responsiblities include:

ordering and organizing prizesrecruiting volunteers and creating a schedule for themordering pizza/drinks/paper suppliespreparing for the evening (tables, bingo machine, cards, etc.)booking rooms and arranging for a custodian renting microphonesset up and clean up

The PTO covers all costs of the event.

Please contact [email protected] by Friday, January 9 if you like to talkmore about Bingo Night.

Free Tickets to BU Men's BasketballJoin other Runkle and Brookline Families

7:00pm (1 hour)Library

Grade 8 NYC Trip Info SessionThurs Jan 88:00pm (30 minutes)Library

Book Swap Collection BeginsJan 5 - Jan 29Labeled Donations to Front Lobby

Save the Date! Teacher Presentation

Thurs Feb 5,7:00 - 8:30pmRunkle Library

Helping your children be better plannersand organizers

Join us for dessert and coffee while teachers tell us how they are helpingimprove our children's executive functioningskills, such as organization, planning, timemanagement, and self-regulation

Town Meetings: Board of SelectmenTues Jan 6 5:30 - 10:00 pmSelectmen's Hearing RoomTown Hall, 6th FloorClick here for agenda. School Committee Office Hours:Thurs, Jan 8, 5:00 - 6:00pm, Committee RoomTown Hall 5th FloorThis is an open discussion with the Brookline SchoolCommittee and the public, with topics to be determined


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Boston University Men's Basketball wants YOU at their game!

Saturday, January 10th @ 1:00 pm Agganis Arena - 925 Commonwealth

Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

The Terriers are offering FREE tickets to Brookline students, faculty, staff,and their families. Join them at Agganis Arena when they play host to the

Lafayette Leopards on Saturday, January 10th at 1:00 p.m.

RSVP: E-mail [email protected] by JANUARY 5th with the number of tickets requested, school name,and the name of the person who will pick them up at will-call on game

day (ID required).

*This year the team is also offering post-game photos on the court and willhave several players on hand for photo opportunities as well.

Runkle Annual Book SwapJan 29 & 30

The Runkle Annual Book Swap is almosthere!

We will begin collecting your donations ofgently-loved books this week. Please leaveyour bagged donations in the front lobbyoutside of the PTO Welcome Center, labeled with a book count and yourchildren's names.

Books should be in like-new or gently used condition and should beappropriate for elementary-aged children. Please no baby/board books oradult novels.

More specific information will follow in the coming weeks. For now, startcollecting those books!

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Dyan Bhatia at617-905-3835 or [email protected].

Save the Date

by the participants. School Committee Meeting:Thurs Jan 86:00 - 8:25pmCommittee RoomTown Hall 5th FloorClick here for more information. Click here for all town meetings.

Unless otherwise posted, the public iswelcome to attend all meetings.

CLASSIFIEDSPlease note: The Runkle News and PTO have not researched and are not responsiblefor the services, products, and/or requests made inthese ads. Call Y3K TUTOR IN YOUR HOME today. Whenschoolwork goes the wrong way! Our manyyears of experience in teaching and educationalconsulting has developed the right way tomotivate, the right way to teach, be understood,and be remembered. We tutor special ed. suchas ADD, ADHD, Asperger's, Autism, ExecutiveFunction, and gifted. We also tutor regular ed.and test preparation. In addition to academicsubjects, we teach children organizational skills,homework coaching, study skills, and timemanagement. All subjects and ages aretaught. Parents can now receive 25% off the firstlesson. Call 781-492-8700 or log on to

http://www.Y3KTutorInYourHome.com Runkle parent seeking after-school helpduring weekdays with homework, reading,and structured activities for 6 yr old.Flexibility around timings/schedule. Ifinterested, please send details [email protected]"

Babysitter available after schoolI am a Runkle School graduate, now a


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Parent Information Session:Technology at Runkle

Thursday, January 29th8:05 - 9:00 amRunkle Cafeteria

From the Principal Dear Runkle Families, Happy New Year! Goal Setting...As we usher in 2015 and set some New Year's Resolutions, it is a natural timefor students to engage in goal setting processes as well. After the fallconferences and progress reports, you may have spoken with our childrento develop goals as they continue to learn throughout this year. Reviewingthose goals or setting small, measurable goals now for short periods of timewill help students to see how they can indeed accomplish what they setout to do. As students see each goal that they set can be achieved, theybuild their self-confidence and it can increase determination, and,ultimately, achievement. As you speak with your children about somegoals that they wish to set, encourage them to put their goals in positiveterms, such as "I will share at least one idea in class each day," or "I will takecare to write neatly on homework assignments," as opposed to listing whatthey will not do such as, "I will not turn in messy assignments." I, too, am setting short-term goals for the period before February vacationto visit at least three classrooms each day. While it has been difficult to visitas many classrooms as I would like on a given day, I believe that this is anattainable goal. The more frequent visits I can make into the classroom, themore conversations about teaching and learning I will be able to engagein. The time in classrooms with teachers and students is the most valuablefor principals and I am continuing to work on balancing the need to be inclassrooms while still being available when students, teachers, and familiesneed to speak with me individually. I plan on reporting out how well I amable to meet this new goal when we return from the February break. Goldin Award Nomination Deadline is January 16, 2015...Brookline is participating in this program through the Goldin Foundation forExcellence in Education. There are six (6) annual awards of $500. each andto be eligible, the person nominated must work directly with students,teachers, and other support staff within the school setting or in thecommunity. Participants may include classroom teachers, administrators,guidance counselors, school specialists, school nurses, part-time orsubstitute teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, and representatives of thecommunity. If you would like more information including how to nominatesomeone, please visit www.goldinfoundation.org.

sophomore at BHS. I live in Cleveland Circle,and am available as a babysitter Monday,Wednesday and Thursday afternoons afterschool. Please contact Anyaat [email protected], or617-775-5602. References available.

ActiveMinds Tutoring, LLC: Your source for in-home tutoring. Effective,Personalized and Convenient. All grades/allsubjects, including test preparation. Signyour child up today for academicsuccess! Call: (617) 663-5700 duringbusiness hours, or (617) 227-2225Eve/Wknds. Please visit our web siteat www.activemindstutoring.com. BCF is currently seeking a Coordinator To lead the 2015 Brookline TeenGrantmakers Program. This is a part-time,temporary staff or consultant position. Theposition starts in January and runs throughthe beginning of June. The program itself willrun Tuesday evenings starting January 13through June 3.www.brooklinecommunity.org

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I hope that you all have a wonderful week as we resume our typicalschedules. Sincerely, Vanessa C. Beauchaine, Ed.D.Principal

From the Nurse

Healthy families are the greatest asset any school can have

I have been completing hearing and vision tests on students for the pastfew weeks. For those parents that are new to Runkle and as a reminderfor those that are not, I test hearing and vision in K-3 and 6th grade. I testonly vision in 4th and 5th grades. If your student does not pass thescreening, I will send a note home asking you to follow up with yourpediatrician. Certainly, if you think your child may have an issue in one ofthe grades I don't test, please contact me and I will be more than happy toscreen them.

As the weather gets cold and students are clustered inside more, I amseeing an increase in respiratory infections (common cold) and strepthroat. If your child is diagnosed with strep or any other contagiousdisease, please let me know so I can send a note home to the parents inthe classroom alerting them of the illness. Again, please contact me withany questions or concerns. Janet CampbellMSN, RN, NCSN, CEN, PNP-BC

From the CommunityK.I.D.S. Fair 2015Sun, Jan 11. 11:00am - 3:00pmJoin Steps to Success at our annual Kids Involved During Summer(K.I.D.S.) Fair and find the perfect summer camp for your child! This year'scamps provide fun and enriching experiences for a variety of interests,including: Academics, Arts, Computers and Technology, OutdoorActivities, Sports...and more! Need more information? Check out our eventpage onStepstoSuccessBrookline.org (under "Support") Or email ourK.I.D.S. Fair Coordinator, Samantha Kurtz-Seif,at [email protected]


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First SADD meeting Jan 148th Grade Parents6:30 pm- 7;30 pmBHS Room 385 A Led by Brookline High School Peer Leaders, 8th grade SADD (StudentsAgainst Destructive Decisions) is a peer-to-peer education, prevention andactivism program dedicated to teaching students how to make healthydecisions around issues such as relationships, peer pressure, underagedrinking, and drug/marijuana use. SADD's four upcoming one-hour

get-togethers offer 8th grade students an informal introduction to BrooklineHigh School. Meetings provide opportunities to become familiar with thebuilding and meet current BHS students who are choosing to make gooddecisions. It is also an excellent opportunity to meet other 8th graders fromall the Brookline schools. These one-hour club meetings include games,group discussions, and a BHS scavenger hunt, and some healthteachers give extra credit for attending. Pizza is served at allmeetings.

Empower's Studios MLK Jr. Day Nanocamp Mon, Jan 19$95/day per camper (grades 2-8)Register by Thurs, Jan 15We've taken the Empow Summer Camp experience so loved by kids andparents alike, and we've SHRUNK IT into a single DAY! Empow NanoCampoffers our most popular project types: Video GameDesign, Animation, LEGO Robotics. Kids create a project from start to finish.Our talented staff work with NanoCampers to develop their video gamelevels, script short animation films, or build and program interactive robots! Of course, breaks, snacks, and physical activities are part of the day too.(Kids bring their own lunch and snacks.) Location: 1776 Massachusetts Ave,2nd Floor, Lexington MARegistration: http://www.ultracamp.com/info/sessiondetail.aspx?idCamp=396&campCode=epc&idSession=80863 Brookline Adult & Community Education's Thursday Evening LectureSeries: Understanding and Parenting Challenging KidsThurs, Jan. 29, 7-8:30pm, Brookline High SchoolDo you ever feel frustrated with your child? Find yourself shouting oftenand imposing punishments or rewards in reaction to challenging behavior?Do you wish you had a more effective parenting approach that also helpsto build a better relationship between you and your child? Think:KidsCollaborative Problem Solving parenting model is a strength-based,neurologically-grounded approach created by MGH's Department ofPsychiatry that provides parents with concrete tools to better understandand help children (ages 3-18) with challenging behavior - from ordinary,day-to-day challenges like bedtime and homework, to more serious


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challenges. It's based on the understanding that many kids lack the skill,not the will, to behave well - specifically skills related to problem solving,flexibility and frustration tolerance. Join us to learn the CollaborativeProblem Solving philosophy and an overview of the approach. To register,please email [email protected]. Course code is J518 ($6)

Bridges Together: Our SmartsCalling all 7th and 8th grade students!Jan 26 - April 6Mondays (10 weeks) from 3-4:30pm Would you like to get to know people your age - and people in a differentgeneration? Do you ever wonder if you're smart or what you're going to dowith your life? Join us for Bridges: Our Smarts. Each Monday afterschool we'll work in small groups with kids and older adults to do funactivities that help us learn about ourselves and nature. By the end, youwill realize just how smart you are and get great ideas on how to use yoursmarts at school or in a job and how to enjoy helping people in yourcommunity! For more information or to register, please contact Matt [email protected] or (617) 396-8349. Sponsored by theBrookline Teen Center, the Brookline Senior Center, and the BrooklineCommunity Foundation.

2015 Brookline Youth Fund Request for Proposals (RFP)The Brookline Youth Fund, the Brookline Community Foundation's largestdonor advised fund, was established in 1999 through the generosity ofThe Country Club (TCC). Grants from the Fund are made to ensure equalaccess to opportunities for all youth in Brookline and to support andenhance the well being of youth and their families. The Brookline YouthFund seeks to promote activities that are inclusive and representdiversity within the town, with a focus on youth whose families earn lessthan the town's median annual income, or are under served or consideredat risk.The submission deadline for proposals is January 16, 2015 andfunding decisions will be made by mid March. We encourage you tocirculate the RFP widely. The RFP and all guidelines and applicationmaterials can be found on [email protected]

Boston Lady Stars: AAU 2015 Spring Season Girls BasketballTryoutsSun Feb 1Emmanuel College- Jean Yawkey Center400 The Fenway, Boston3rd & 4th grade 4:00-5:00 pm5th & 6th grade 5:00-6:15 pm7th & 8th grade 6:15-7:30 pmFor more information, please visit bostongirlsbasketball.com


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Brookline's 5th Annual Climate WeekMon, Feb 2 to Tue, Feb 10Stand Up Now for Our FutureOur town-wide Climate Week 2015 is packed with events and anopportunity stand up now for climate action. Save your stuff now forthe family friendly 3R DEPOT, Sat. Feb 7th, 10am - 2pm, Brookline TownHall, to reduce, reuse and recycle for sustainable living. SAVE: specificathletic gear through the Recreation Department; wearable children'sclothing 0-5yrs; eye glasses; used bicycles; Styrofoam and more.

Save the Date: Sunday, Feb 8th, 5-7pm, Brookline Teen Center for the GREEN UPPARTY hosted by Mothers Out Front Brookline and Climate ActionBrookline. We are launching a Green Up Your House with the Click of aMouse campaign, an easy and effective renewable energy campaign withBoston based, Mass. Energy Consumer's Alliance. If all schools join in,we can meet the goal for 1,000 home owners and renters to sign up. Visit www.BrooklineClimateWeek.org for event details.Contact: [email protected]

Brookline Community Foundation Report on PovertyForum on Feb 26, 6:00pm - 8:30pmBrookline Teen CenterThe Brookline Community Foundation (BCF) is proud to announce thepublication of Understanding Brookline: A Report on Poverty. This report isa follow up to Understanding Brookline: Emerging Trends and ChangingNeeds. The finding that has garnered the most attention from the firstUnderstanding Brookline report is the 13% poverty rate (based on the2010 U.S. Census) in Brookline. Understanding Brookline: A Report onPoverty explains who makes up the 13%, what factors cause financialstress and highlights Brookline agencies already addressing poverty andthe resources they currently provide. To engage the community in adiscussion of the report's findings, BCF will host an UnderstandingBrookline forum this winter at the Brookline Teen Center - please save thedate for February 26, 2015, 6-8:30 p.m. Click here, or contact Reilly Zlabat [email protected] or 617-566-4442, to request copies ofUnderstanding Brookline: A Report on Poverty.

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the runkle news - john d. runkle · pdf fileschool committee office hours: thurs, jan 8, 5:00...

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