Flynn PTO Update 1/21/13

_{Hey There Flynn Families -}

Family Traditions Dinner this Friday!!!!

 

If you remember back to last January, our annual potluck was so well attended that we had folks lined up around the cafeteria waiting to sample the buffet.  We are trying to make things more comfortable for families by having two seatings this year.   Seating will be at long tables with folding chairs to maximize seating.  We have made provisions to seat 200 per seating.  If you have kids overlapping the seating times just choose whatever works best for your family - there will be nobody to stop you!   However, the bulk of the 3/4/5 performances will be starting at 6pm and eating at 6 means you will miss them.  There will be African drumming for all to enjoy after the student performances.

Mr. Clarke plans to release a schedule of performances mid to end of the week - if he gets me the info, I will send out an email blast to families.  There will be an all school assembly on Friday at 1:15pm and 3/4/5 students will share their learning with the entire school. There will be limited standing room for parents who cannot make the dinner and would like to see their child perform.  Come in through the front doors, sign in and head to the stage gym.

Frankenstein Update: Auditions for grades 4/5 are this week.  Your child must have a signed permission slip to audition.  Contact the Production Manager, Sarah Smith if you have any issues or questions. sarah@esptrans.com

Planning Meeting: Thursday, 1/31 at 6:30pm in the Flynn library-  All parents of participating kids are invited - lots of tasks, big and small to be divided.  All parents are being asked to participate in some fashion - come to this meeting and have your first choice of how you can help make Frankenstein a raging success

Chorus: In the next few weeks, we will be having sign-ups for the 3rd graders to join the Frankenstein chorus.  In past years this has been wildly popular with about 2 out of every 3 students joining the chorus.  We are looking for a few 3rd grade parents to get involved.  We will need help at weekly chorus practices (~45min, 1x week) This chorus assistant help with kid herding, follows the lead of the chorus leader/choreographer and escorts kids from lunch to library and back to the classroom.  It would be great to have 2 parents sign on for this so that there is at least 1 parent helper per practice.  Other parents will be needed to help pull together costuming/make-up and help on production days. 

Important Dates:
1/29 - Play rehearsals begin
3/5 - Optional 5th grade only rehearsal
3/16 - Set Building/painting Day - all day - Great fun!
3/17 - Technical dress rehearsal  -full costume and make-up,  12-6
3/18- Dress Rehearsal - Dress, no make-up - 11:30-2:30
3/20 - Dress rehearsal - Dress and make-up - 2:45-6
3/21 - In School Show - 12ish
3/22 - Evening Performance - 7pm
3/23 - Matinee/final performance - 4pm

 
Playbills: Preparations for a playbill are already in full swing.  HUGE thank you to Bren Alvarez for her on-going leadership in helping us provide this great memento (and $$ generator) for the play. A link to the Ad sheet is below if you would like to print it and purchase and/or sell an ad:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/1VAZB13CEQ8AsV24sN8RoxBkmrAN6tJea8vxBneQXuQYZA0tDCXkJiqvPwCS5/edit

Program Ad Sizes and Rates for Frankenstein  JJ Flynn Elementary School Production  Thursday, March 21, 2013 Friday, March 22, 2013 Saturday, March 23, 2013  DIRECTOR: Don Wright Very Merry Theatre 863-6802, donwrightvt@yahoo.com AD SALES: Sarah Smith sarah@esptrans.com FILE REQUIREMENTS: Request(Request/Demand) a jpg or psd type file  at 300 dpi at the print size of the ad EMAIL ARTWORK TO: Bren Alvarez bren@flynndog.net *We can help with your ad layout. Call or email Bren. *Three playbill ads at Flynn, Smith, Hunt Schools for price of two Contact Shireen Hart. Shirin@shirin.com Deadline: content delivered by Monday, February 25 for Flynn (February 1 for Smith school)   FULL-PAGE AD OPTIONS INTERIOR, Black & White or color,  $125 INSIDE FRONT COVER, Color,  $150 INSIDE BACK COVER, Color, $150 BACK COVER, Color,  $200 ½ PAGE AD  Half Page is 6 by 4.5 inches (4.5 inches vertical) , $75 ¼ PAGE AD   Qtr Page is  3 by 4.5 inches (4.5 inches vertical), $40   Chess club at Flynn will meet the last 2 Thursday mornings of January.   Then , starting in February, it will switch to Mondays after school until 3:45pm.  If your child regularly participates in Chess, we would love help with snacks or help during chess play. Burlington Schools Safety Survey Following the recent shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, Burlington Schools met with the Burlington Police and Fire Departments to revisit our safety protocols and conduct a security audit of our school facilities. In addition to these proactive plans, we are assessing our physical plants and determining necessary changes. We are working to develop a plan for Board consideration. That is where we would appreciate your help. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey (link below) about the safety and security at your child’s school. Your feedback will help us develop a list of recommendations and improvements in the current school year, along with budgeting for other changes going forward. The survey will remain open until February 1st. Nothing is more important than our students' safety. Please know that we will do everything we can to ensure their well-being.http://research.zarca.com/k/RQsQPPWUsQUsPsPsP

PTO Pizza MID WINTER SALE!   All Pizzas are $3 off!  Only $12!  Get your orders in by Feb. 12 (either hand in your form from the flyer into the office or email Tammy at Kuypers5@yahoo.com)

Pick up your pizzas on Feb. 19^th and Enjoy a yummy Ramuntos Pizza for a non-cook night!!

Partnership For Change needs YOUR Input.  It might feel like high school is a long time off for your child, but as you know by now, it goes fast and when you blink your eyes, your sweet munchkin will have graduated from Flynn school and be on their way to BHS.  We are so fortunate that our kids will be the BHS students benefiting from this opportunity for school transformation.  Maybe you don't have the time to join one of the planning committees that meet monthly, but this opportunity let's you be part of the solution by talking with other families about the 21st century skills out kids need to be successful.  See the invite below and take a look at the links.

Hello Everyone!

Will your child have the resources they need to succeed?? We need your input!! Our friend Sarah Bertucci is currently working with the Partnership for Change. We have agreed to host a Learning Conversation and hope you can come!

Where: Flynn Elementary School
When: Tuesday, January 29 from 6:00-7:30
Why: For an opportunity to participate in our Learning Conversation.

Do you know that the Burlington-Winooski Partnership for Change is actively working to build better relationships with community members and to solicit insight about the future of our high school? One way that the Partnership is currently doing this is by meeting with small groups of community members in their own schools or neighborhoods in the form of Learning Conversations.
There are a few specific goals for this Learning Conversation.
First, the Partnership hopes to gather feedback from us about what we feel are the essential skills, knowledge, and character traits for our BHS graduates. This information will be used to help frame the ongoing work of the Partnership and to identify points of consensus regarding graduation requirements. Second, is to ensure that, as community members, we are informed about the vision and the work of the Partnership.
Lastly, is to share the many opportunities for us to become actively involved with the Partnership - including the February 2nd Community Learning Conversation at BHS.
Also, if you need childcare, let us know, and we will make sure we have child care available.


If you are unable to attend, but are interested in being involved, please contact Jill Jacobelli at jjacobel@bsdvt.org, and she will link you up with another conversation happening in our community. Please feel free to share this with a neighbor not on the list.

In preparation for the conversation, if possible, please watch this short welcome video.

Then, in order to best participate in the discussion, I encourage you to watch one more video and do one or two more readings:Tony Wagner's Ted Talk
What Does Proficiency-Based Learning Look Like?
What is a Proficiency-Based Diploma?

We look forward to seeing you there! Thanks so much!

Tammy and Jon Kuypers
For any questions and/or to R.S.V.P. write- Kuypers5@yahoo.com
 
_{SAVE THE DATE
January 21 - No School- MLK Day 
January 23 - Knit 2gether, drop in knitting bee, 6:30-8, Library}
January 24 - Chess club - 7:30am 
_{January 25 -Annual Family FREE!!! 7-9pm, stage gym.  Monsters Inc!!! 
January 31 - Chess Club -7:30am
January 31 - Frankenstein Planning Meeting - 6:30 in the library
February 7 - Chess Club - 2:45pm-3:25pm
February 7 - School Safety Protocols Q&A with Mr. Clarke - pizza provided
February 7- February PTO meeting 6:30-8, library - childcare provided 
February 11 - Chess Club 2:45pm
February 12 - PTO Pizza Order Forms due
February 19 - PTO Pizza pick-up}