Welcome Back to School! We are happy to see all of our returning families and we’re enjoying getting to know all of the new families joining our community this year. The PTO Weekly Notes are sent out at the beginning of each week, and contain important information and announcements about our school and community.

In this issue:

School Announcements

• Welcome Back Breakfast , Tuesday, September 7
• 1st Day Packets
• Curriculum Night, Tuesday, September 14 6:00-8:00 pm
• Fourth Grade Camp 1st Meeting, September 14, 8:00-8:30 pm
• Fall Festival, Wednesday, September 22, 5:30 pm
• PTO Meeting, Thursday, September 23, 7:00pm
• Movie Night, September 24, 6:30pm
• School Pictures, October 8 and October 19, make-up day
• Lost and Found

• School Safety

Community Announcements

• Burns Park Players meeting, Tuesday, September 28, 7:30 pm

• Girls on the Run, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:00-5:30

If you are a PTO committee member and want to announce something about your committee, or anyone that has something to share with the school community, please send it to Wendy Burke (wendy.burke at mac dot com) by Sunday at noon of each week. The following are the Weekly Notes for this week:

School Announcements:

• Welcome Back Breakfast – Tuesday, September 7th at 8:45am and at noon for families with afternoon kindergartners. Please join the PTO in welcoming all of the new families who are joining the Burns Park school community this year and enjoy a breakfast treat. An additional welcome will be held at noon for those families of kindergartners attending in the afternoon session.

• 1st Day Packets – Your child/children should have come home with a very important envelope on the first day of school…the 1st Day Packet! This contains MANY important forms that need to be filled out and returned to school, as well as flyers with information about various events, activities, and general information. PLEASE take time to read through all of the items in the packet! There are emergency cards (green) and forms that need to be returned to school on Wednesday, and other forms that are due on September 17th. One important form is the Family Contact Information Form (purple)...we use this information to compile the school directory, so please help us by making sure it is accurate and complete. Forms can be sent back to school with your child, and their teacher will turn them in to the school office. Please contact Wendy Burke if you have any questions (contact info is at bottom of this message).

• Curriculum Night – Tuesday, September 14th is Curriculum Night. This is a chance for you to meet your child’s teacher, learn about what will be taught this year and sign up for a parent/teacher conference. You will also hear about the school’s Annual Report and meet the P.E., Music, Art and Media teachers. Given the focus of this important evening on learning about your child’s teacher’s philosophy and vision of his or her classroom, the year’s curriculum, and specific ways that you can help your child be successful, this is an adult only event, so please plan accordingly. The schedule for the evening is as follows:

6:00 – 6:45 – K – 2nd families meet in classroom w/ teachers
6:30 – 7:00 – 3rd – 5th families meet in auditorium
7:00 – 7:30 – K – 2nd families meet in auditorium
7:00 – 7:45 – 3rd – 5th families meet in classroom w/ teachers

• Fourth Grade Camp Meeting, September 14th 8:00-8:30pm A brief meeting has been scheduled for parents and families of 4th graders immediately following the Curriculum night events in order to learn more about this exciting experience for all fourth graders.

• Fall Festival – Mark your calendars for Wednesday, September 22nd Bring a blanket, a picnic dinner and a dessert to share! Drinks will be available for purchase, and music will be provided for free! This is another Burns Park annual event.

• PTO Meeting – The first PTO meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, September 23rd from 7:00-8:00 pm in the Media Center (Library). Fun, FREE child care is provided in the gym, so you can bring you kids along! This is a great way to participate in our PTO and learn more about our school.

• Movie Night, September 24 6:30pm-8:30pm Save the Date! Last year, Burns Park began hosting movie nights to the great delight of the students and their families! The kids love to hang out with their friends and watch a fun, age appropriate movie! Parents enjoy two kid-free hours! $5 ticket donation includes popcorn. Interested in helping out? Look for volunteer details on the back of the flyer that will be coming home with your child in several weeks. Choice of movie still to be determined.

• Lost and Found – If your child loses a sweater, jacket, or as the weather gets colder, hat or mittens…or anything else, please check the Lost and Found Box located on the 2nd floor, outside of the Media Center (Library). The box will be emptied periodically, and unclaimed items are donated to a local charity.

• School Safety – A reminder that we have lots of students who walk to school so please slow down when driving around the school and remember to come to a full stop at all stop signs.

Community Announcements:

• Burns Park Players – The Fall Meeting of the Burns Park Players will be held on Tuesday, September 28th at 7:30 in the Tappan Auditorium. The Burns Park Players is an active community theater company that puts on a different play every year. This year’s production will be the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. If you live within the Burns Park school boundaries, and would like to meet new people in your community, have fun and liven up your winter evenings, be sure to attend this meeting! NO theater experience is required! If you can’t attend, but would like to be involved or want more information, please visit our website: http://www.burnsparkplayers.org

• Girls on the Run. Burns Park GOTR meets on Tues and Thursdays from 4-5:30 until the Big House Big Heart 5K on Oct 3. It is a program that uses running as a medium to explore who they are as people, and to build self-esteem, self-efficacy, confidence and friendships. Registration is through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. People can learn more about it through their website http://www.girlsontherunsemi.org/ Girls on the Run® is a non-profit prevention program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. Our curricula address all aspects of girls’ development – their physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual well-being. Our mission is to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. For more information, contact Jackie Katz at jbk22 at att dot net

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Wendy Burke, President
wendy.burke at mac dot com or (734) 585-5570