October 10th is a half-day of school!
Students attending Ext. Day on the 10th, if you did NOT pre-order a lunch, please remember to bring your own!
Walk To School Day
Thank you to all of the parents/guardians, bus drivers, staff, and to the students for making today's Walk To School Day a great day. This year was flawless in terms of set-up, and the weather cooperated too! The connections with our Oakmont friends was something that our students kept talking about all morning.
Glow Night Final Update
“Thank you” to the students, families, sponsors and staff that came out to participate in Ready Set GLOW 2019! We had a wonderful evening. With your help and the help of our community sponsors we were able to raise $10,338.19 towards funding adaptive/inclusive playground equipment!
This project has a need for a large budget, and these events assist at chipping away the needed funding. Please reach out to Principal Nat North if you or your corporation/employer are aware of any grants or funding that can assist with the development or addition of adaptive playground equipment to JRB. We appreciate your ongoing support for this endeavor.
Please join us in thanking our community sponsors for their support with the event, our fundraising efforts, and their love for JRB!
Continue to let your light shine this school year! Keep Being Active and Keep Glowing!
-Mr. Berg
Parent Conferences Are October 10th and 17th
Parent conferences are the 10th and 17th of October. If you did not sign up for a conference but want to, please contact the front office at jrboffice@awrsd.org or (978)-827-5750.
5th-Grade Update
STEAM Night
What is STEAM Night?
STEAM Night is a community event inviting students and their families to Briggs for a night of creative problem solving and hands-on making. There will be a variety of activities to participate in based around Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM).
When is it?
Thursday, October 24th from 6:00 - 7:30.
What age are the activities geared towards?
The activities can be done by all age levels and we encourage Kindergarten through 5th grade to come. For younger students, they may need assistance from an adult or older sibling, but they would still be able to participate fully.
Do I have to stay the whole ninety minutes?
Nope! You can come in and try the activities you are interested in and leave or stick around the whole time and try out all the different activities. If you find one activity particularly interests you, feel free to stay at that the whole 90 minutes!
Do I need to be here with a parent?
Yes! This is a family event and we want parents to get involved as well. You can build alongside your child or help them with the activity but it is a great opportunity to get involved in their learning and have fun along the way.
If you think your family has an interest in attending, please fill out the Google Form below, so we can ensure we have enough supplies. If you fill out the form and can’t make it, no worries! For those of you with any questions, please contact Mr. Bell through email at abell@awrsd.org
Library and Book Fair News
BOOK FAIR BEGINS NEXT WEEK
The Arctic Adventure Book Fair comes to Briggs on Thursday, October 10 though Thursday, October 17. Students will visit the fair with their classes during school hours. The fair will also be open for family shopping during parent/teacher conferences. See the school website for details, or visit our fair homepage at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/briggselementaryschool2
We are still in need of volunteers to help students shop during the day. If you are interested, please sign up on the fair homepage or contact Ms. Rabeler at lrabeler@awrsd.org.
JRB Music Ensemble News
ATTENTION BEGINNER BAND STUDENTS: Beginner Band rehearsals will begin on Tuesday, October 22nd after school, from 3-4pm on the stage. If your child usually attends Extended Day on Tuesdays, they will report there first, then attend band rehearsal. If your child is usually a bus rider or pickup, please send a note into school indicating that they will be staying for band every Tuesday from 3-4pm. Pickup will occur in the lobby promptly at 4pm, and Extended Day students who are staying afterwards will report back to Extended Day. If you are picking up your child after rehearsal, please check out with Mrs. Lordan before leaving the building.
ADVANCED BAND musicians will be participating in the annual Marching Spartans Band Night on Friday, October 25th, during the Oakmont football game. Details and registration information are being emailed to Advanced Band parents today. If you do not receive this information and your child is in Advanced Band, or if you have any questions, please email Mrs. Lordan: mlordan@awrsd.org
JRB Music Room News
Grades K-2 have been practicing their “pizza rhythms” on rhythm sticks, which is putting their favorite pizza toppings to rhythms. Ask your child to perform their pizza rhythm for you, by patting their legs or clapping! Students have also been learning and using the Takadimi rhythm syllable system, which is beat-oriented and pattern based. The downbeat is always “Ta” regardless of notation, while the syllables help students learn common beat-length patterns. It can help in learning highly complex rhythms throughout high school, college, and beyond!
Grades 3-5 have been busy reviewing their Takadimi rhythms, in addition to learning half notes and rests, whole notes and rests, and dotted half and quarter notes. Some classes have played Rhythm Baseball or Rhythm Bingo as a review of the Takadimi rhythms. Ask your child about these games!
3rd grade students are also writing a 4-measure rhythm with a partner, while 4th & 5th graders are each writing their own rhythm. They’re all doing a great job!
Music Lessons
We offer lessons for students in grades K-5 for voice, piano, guitar, ukulele and violin. If your child is interested in lessons for any of these instruments, please email Mrs. Lordan at mlordan@awrsd.org, and she will put you in touch with an instructor who has openings for that instrument.
Wellness
PTA NEWS
Upcoming Events
Lost And Found
This is a quick look at our lost and found already! If you notice something is missing from your home, please ask your child to check here!
Community News
Parents and caregivers are invited to Basic Rights: Evaluation & Eligibility Workshop hosted by the Ash-West SEPAC on Wednesday, October 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Overlook Middle School Team Room. Chandler Creedon of the Federation for Children with Special Needs will provide an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Massachusetts laws, evaluations and referrals, the Team Meeting, IEPs and 504 Plans, effective progress, transition, important timelines, strategies for success and more. The workshop is organized in collaboration with the Special Education Department. No registration is required.
For more information, contact Ash-West SEPAC Co-Chairs:
Kendra Steucek (awrsdsepac2@gmail.com • 978-827-6355)
Kim Caisse (awrsdsepac3@gmail.com • 978-833-6163)
Continue to follow us through our social media outlets. We love trying to show you what is going on at school as much as we can. Look for the Good News Call Of The Day this year as well.
As always, please reach out to us if you need anything. We are readily available via email, so do not hesitate to click below.