Flynn PTO Update 2/20/12

Hey There Flynn Families - We're on the homestretch to Winter break - Have a great week and a relaxing break!

Jeh Kulu--Traditional West African Music and Dance Flynn school came alive last week with the pulsing sound of West African drumming and excited primary children dancing.  Kids got a healthy cardiovascular work-out daily as they learned dance steps from Guinea, Mali, and Senegal from master artists.  Students danced with “smiles a mile wide”, according to principal Graham Clarke.

All K-2 students learned dance from Jeh Kulu artists and experienced the joy of vigorous daily exercise.  Sponsored by the PTO, the week-long artist-in-residency program was led by Jeh Kulu artists who also danced at two student performances on Friday, February 10.  This community-building event ended with parents, students, and teachers dancing to traditional rhythms together.  It was a fabulous evening for Flynn School!

Staff Appreciation for February is underway this week.  Thank you 2nd grade room parents for organizing.  Students will be creating thank you notes and cards while parents will be sending in a variety of breakfast/brunch type treats.  I often hear feedback from teachers about how much they enjoy our monthly celebrations.  Our teachers put great time and energy into our kiddoes - how nice that we can fete them regularly!

Narnia Update: We're all working hard, learning songs and lines, dance moves, organizing volunteer labor, selling ads/preparing the playbill and sewing costumes.  So far so good - we seem to be on a path towards producing a stellar show!  If you have a child in the show, ask them to show you some acting or singing techniques they are learning from Don and Ashley.  More than half the parents have already pledged to volunteer their time to help make the play a success.  There will be many opportunities during Production week to help afterschool and many roles to be filled in the greenroom helping the kids with costumes, make-up and general kid herding.  We need you too!  We will be reaching out to parents - if you have not yet volunteered for a task, we encourage you to contact us and we will help you find a job that fits your schedule and skills.  Email us at flynnschoolpto@gmail.com

Mark your calendars to come help at the Set Building day on March 17th  8:30am -?????  We will be at school all day painting, putting up the stage and preparing props - join us for a few hours or for the whole day - we will keep you fed and if it is anything like last year, we will have a great time!

Town Meeting Day is Tuesday, March 6th, but you don't have to wait for Election Day to vote! Please exercise your right and privilege to vote!

Vote Early at City Hall:

8am-4:30pm Mon-Fri (closed Monday, January 20th).
9 am-noon on Saturday, March 3rd
8am-7:30pm on Monday, March 5th

If you are a registered voter in Burlington, you can walk into the Clerk's office and vote--no ID required.

If want to register to vote in the March 6th election, the deadline is Wednesday, February 29th. City Hall Clerk's Office

Vote by Mail:

Absentee ballot request form can be found at http://www.burlingtonvt.gov/CT/Elections/Information/.

Request must be in to City Hall by Friday, March 2nd.

Vote on Town Meeting Day--Tuesday, March 6th:   Polls are open 7am-7pm.

These are some great options for busy families. A sick kid, a snowstorm, a trip to see relatives--there are lots of things that can keep you from getting to the polls on March 6th. Avoid the unavoidable and vote early or absentee.

Check your Calendar...

• February 20 - Parent PBIS meeting at Flynn - 6:30, childcare provided
• February 21 - PTO Pizza Pick up 4:30-6pm
• February 27 - March 6 - Winter Break
• March 7 - Narnia Costume Check
• March 9 - Flynn Skate Night at Leddy Arena 6-8pm
• March 17 - Narnia Set/stage building day - 8am - 5pm
• March 17 - Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction at Hunt Middle School - Eat, check out the auction and connect with friends at the middle school!
• March 18-24 - Narnia production week - clear your calendars!
• March 18 - Narnia tech dress rehearsal 11:30-4:30 - ALL CAST
• March 19 - Chess Club
• March 22-24 – School Play
• March 29/30 - Joseph Bruchac 2 day Artist in Residence
• April 2 - Chess Club
• April 6 - Flynn Talent Show and bake sale to benefit the 3rd grade overnight trip to Camp Abenaki

Flynn PTO update 2/14/12

Hey There Flynn Familes - Looks like the students and families had a ball at the Jeh Kulu extravaganza.  Hope families had a chance to see their kiddoes in action.  More info on this coming from 1st grade teacher, Claire Noble.  Have a great week.  Kate B.

PTO PIZZA REMINDER!!  PIZZA ORDERS ARE DUE Today! TUES. FEB. 14!!  YIKES!  Did you forget?  No worries, send it in tomorrow to the office....only because we love you...

Please vote on March 6th!  The following is posted on behalf of "Burlington Friends of Education"...

Investment in Burlington Schools is paying off!
80% of 2011 graduates have gone on to higher education;
Over the last ten years, the drop-out rate has decreased to 2.8%
66% energy cost reduction at renovated schools: Smith and Sustainability Academy;
Meeting the needs of all students, from Advanced Placement to foundational skills.

Families are attracted to Burlington for its quality of life and excellent school system. Enrollment in Burlington schools continues to increase. Over the the last year, enrollment has grown 3%, in contrast to the decline in student population statewide.

Our students need technology skills for future success in a global, technology-rich workforce.
Through a competitive process, BHS was recently awarded a grant from the Nellie Mae Foundation.
A portion of the grant will pay for 50% of the 1-1 technology initiative, including resources to make BHS a wireless school.
This initiative provides an opportunity for all students to access technology required in the modern world.
The video http://www.champlaininitiative.com/technology-stories/ provides examples of how technology is being integrated into Burlington classrooms.

For more detailed budget information visit http://bsdweb.bsdvt.org/Board/BoardBudget.php

Burlington Friends Of Education is sponsoring a contest that celebrates our great schools!

Contest Name: Success in Burlington’s Public Schools!
Guidelines: Post great Burlington public schools school stories to your front porch forum and email us your posting at bfoevt@gmail.com.
Contest open until March 5, 2012
Prize: A donated $50 gift certificate to August First

For more information about the budget and Burlington Friends of Education, go to http://burlingtonfriendsofeducation.wordpress.com/

Fourth Annual IAA (Integrated Art Academy )Silent Auction:  Sunday, Feb 19. from 2:00 to 4:00 at the IAA. Kids welcome.-- Sweets, beverages, and incredible auction items.

They have live music, a wonderful bake sale and over a hundred amazing items to bid on.  Any budget, any interest, lots of bargains to be had. 
Come Bid: Bonnie Acker Art, Home Made Jam, Mad Men Cocktail Party Tickets,  Kids' Books, Lakefront Vacation Rentals, Autographed personalized Johnny Boo drawing, an oil change, Limited Edition Burton Snowboard signed by Shaun White, a Family Photo Session with Sam Simon, Jewelry, a Chocolate Raspberry Torte, Lake Monsters Tickets, Judy Klima's Chicken Prints, and about 100 other items.

Bid Online: Visit us at Bidding at BiddingforGood.com/IAA.  At this site you can bid in advance on some pricier and more choice items.  Anyone can bid on these ahead of time from anywhere!  Autographed baseball bat.     Bite Me Organic Pizza Party     Jewelry     Bonnie Acker Paintings     4-BR Isle La Motte Vacation Rental

This is IAA's fundraiser, and all proceeds will benefit the school by funding classroom grants, community building, field trips, artist residences and a clay studio.  A great way to beat the midwinter blues!
We hope to see you there

Check your Calendar...

• February 13 - Chess Club
• February 15 - Early Release day - 11:30!
• February 20 - Parent PBIS meeting at Flynn - 6:30, childcare provided
• February 21 - PTO Pizza Pick up 4:30-6pm
• February 27 - March 6 - Winter Break
• March 7 - Narnia Costume Check
• March 9 - Flynn Skate Night at Leddy Arena 6-8pm
• March 17 - Narnia Set/stage building day - 8am - 5pm
• March 17 - Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction at Hunt Middle School - Eat, check out the auction and connect with friends at the middle school!
• March 18-24 - Narnia production week - clear your calendars!
• March 19 - Chess Club
• March 22-24 – School Play
• March 29/30 - Joseph Bruchac 2 day Artist in Residence
• April 2 - Chess Club
• April 6 - Flynn Talent Show and bake sale to benefit the 3rd grade overnight trip to Camp Abenaki

Hey There Flynn Families - Hope everyone has recovered from Superbowl madness...  Our fundraising team has been in overdrive this past week - check out all their/our success!  Thank you Tammy Kuypers for leading the charge!

PTO PIZZA NIGHT A FABULOUS SUCCESS!!  Thanks so much to Ramuntos Pizza in Williston and to the wonderful parent volunteers (especially Sarah Deshaw and Tammy Kuypers) who made the first PTO Pizza Night such a roaring success!  We raised $290!  All that money goes right back into enriching the lives of our students right here at Flynn.  How awesome is that?   The best part is that the PTO is doing a pizza night every month, so you can look forward to a non-cooking night and help your school at the same time!!!

The next Pick Up Dates are:
Feb. 21           
March 27
April 17
May 29- this will be the last one for the year and we will start again in Sept. :)

***Order forms are always due on Tuesday, one week, before the pick up date.*****

So grab your friends, neighbors, co-workers, family and yourselves and take a night off from cooking, raise $$ for Flynn School and enjoy a yummy Ramuntos pizza!!  Order Forms come home in the Flynn Flyer and there are always extras in the office.  Feel free to put in your orders early if you think you might forget! THANKS SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING FLYNN SCHOOL!!!!


The February Treasurer's Report can be accessed by clicking on the link below.  Our balance is currently around $24,000.  We will be debiting our account in the next two months for  payments to Jeh Kulu, Verry Merry Theatre and bills associated with putting on a school play. Thanks for all your support!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag-zi-SCj-zndGRSQ3lOM3hqbUkwZFY1cGxrUVd0Smc

ZUMBA is offered every Saturday morning 9-10:15 at the Miller Center.  This past Saturday, instructor (and Flynn parent) Shannon Stem offered her class as a fundraiser for Flynn school.She had a packed class of regulars and another half dozen Flynn parents.  Shannon raised ~$150 for Flynn school and gave us a great workout to boot.   Give it a try - you just might like it!  Thank you Shannon for your enthusiasm and generosity!  
  
The February PTO meeting was productive and well-attended - the only thing missing was YOU!  Consider putting this on your bucket list!  I can't believe there is any TV programming on Thursday night that could trump the drama and intrigue of a PTO meeting - do come next month on March 8th!  Minutes are at the end of this post - thank you Sarah D.

Box Tops are collected year round for Flynn school - FREE, FREE money that we can access just by clipping off those pesky pieces of cardboard!  Denise will be sending in another batch in a few weeks - it will be the last submission until next Fall.   Send tops to the office or drop them yourself in the yellow bins located just inside the library.  But please, collect all summer and ask your friends and family to pass them to you as well - after all, who doesn't like/need FREE money?  Thanks you Denise for organizing!

Dr Frankowski spoke to parents about Adolescent Sexuality last Monday night at Hunt Middle School.  Unfortunately, there were very few 4th and 5th grade parents in attendance.  Despite what you think, it's coming....

Narnia is off to a great start.  There are daily rehearsals during lunch/recess and the 3rd grade chorus had their first session last week.  All cast will be getting CD's of the songs so they can sing along and get to know the tunes at home.  Parents will be pleased to hear a bunch of famous oldies that have been re-worded to fit Narnia.  Costume letters went home last week and families will be contacted by their costume leaders.  Costume donations should be pouring into the office to help off-set all the costume pieces being constructed.

Do you own a business and want to take out an ad in the Narnia playbill?  Take a look at our ad sheet - prices range from $25-$150 - very reasonable!  Becky Holt is leading the charge on ads, she can be contacted at beckster412@gmail.com.  
Ad Sheet:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UlM_c83Z5FF6S0hmZOGrJZfLOW3_up-sHlPhs3JVAyY/edit

Check your Calendar...

• February 6-10 - Jeh Kulu Dancing and Drumming Residence for grades K-2 (your PTO dollars at work)
• February 13 - Chess Club
• February 13 - Parent PBIS meeting at Flynn - 6:30, childcare provided
• February 15 - Early Release day - 11:30!
• February 17 - Flynn Talent Show and bake sale to benefit the 3rd grade overnight trip to Camp Abenaki
• February 27 - Chess Club
• March 9 - Flynn Skate Night at Leddy Arena 6-8pm
• March 17 - Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction at Hunt Middle School - Eat, check out the auction and connect with friends at the middle school!
• March 18-24 - Narnia production week - clear your calendars!
• March 22-24 – School Play
• March 29/30 - Joseph Bruchac 2 day Artist in Residence

P.T.O Meeting Minutes

February 2, 2012

Meeting was called to order at 6:30pm

Child care was offered in the stage gym

 School Budget Update- Bernie O’Rourke, A representative from the Burlington School Board, shared highlights from the 2012-2013 proposed budget.  Items mentioned, that were specific to Flynn, were the addition of permanent Para-Educators in all Kindergarten classrooms and the transferring of students during the phased construction to Flynn School- more information is available at:

http://burlingtonfriendsofeducation.wordpress.com/

Treasurer’s Report – reported by John Boone

•        Box tops brought in $267 dollars this period- Thank you to Denise Haggerty for continuing to coordinate this!

•        $800 added to the account from class photos

•        A motion was passed to grant $500 towards an upcoming Artist in Residence: Joseph Bruchac (an author of Abenaki descent who has published over 60 books) will be coming to Flynn and working with all grades over a 2 day period

Principal’s Corner – Graham Clarke

·        Successful professional development workshops were highlighted such as a recent workshop in classroom management that 14 Flynn teachers participated in and an ongoing math class that several teachers are taking with Sandy Stanhope from the Vermont Mathematics Institution

·        PBIS parent meeting on Monday, February 13th at 6:30pm

·        There will be conferences held in April this year (dates TBD)

·         There will be a picnic held at St. Josephs in May for families who will be moving to the new location during construction (dates TBD)

Enrichment Update– -Sarah Smith

•      Jeh Kulu will be coming this week (February 6-10).  There will be a daytime performance for K,1,2 families at 1:30 on the 10^th and an evening performance for 1,2 at (it was requested that families attend only 1 performance)

•      It was announced that there are still many volunteer opportunities for Narnia - more information available on the blog

Fundraising- Tammy Kuypers

•        PTO pizza kick-off raised $290- the plan is to continue this event on the last Tuesday of every month for the remainder of the school year

Room Parents/Staff Appreciation Update– Lisa Tulkop

•      February Teacher Appreciation will be a week full of breakfast foods

•      March will be provided by 1^st Grade and April by Kindergarten

School/Family Partnership Update– Shanta Eastman

•        Update was tabled until next month’s meeting

Open P.T.O Positions

•      Kate made another announcement about the need for a new 2012-13 President and provided job descriptions to the members present

Opportunities

•      Talent show help- contact Karen Carr

•      Family Nights – opportunities to help coordinate: Skate night (3/9) and Lego night (4/4)

•      Narnia volunteers needed: Selling Ads, Make-up, Front house, Volunteer coordinator

Open Forum

•      Heather Simmons shared an experience from the recent movie night where she had to stay with children who had been dropped off without supervision and alert police to a suspicious person on school grounds.  It was decided that a sign-in and further coordination of safety procedures should be enforced during family night events

•      Homework discussion was tabled until next month by Tammy Kuypers

Meeting was adjourned at 7:45pm

Next Meeting:  Thursday, 3/8/12,  6:30-7:30pm