December 2017

LATEST NEWS

Lights, Camera, Action-Drama Club registration will begin after the Winter Break. Auditions will be held on January 24th. Rehearsals will be Wednesdays and Thursdays. The play will be held on March 22nd.

Our next restaurant night will be at Chipotle on January 11th. The info is on the PTO page, and flyers will be sent home as we get closer to the date.

The book fair was a huge success. Almost $8k in gross sales so far. Online fair results will be available after it closes.

We will be having a movie night - more details coming soon...

The Glencliff PTO will be sponsoring a Mindfulness for Parents workshop on January 10th at 7:00 pm at the Glencliff cafeteria.â€‹ Dr. Bashant has presented at Glencliff twice and has presented at several CASDA conferences.

The PTO has purchased 30 new canvas bags for the 1000 Book Club. We have also provided headphones for some of the classes using iPads.

Heritage Night: what an amazing event it was! We had nine countries representing our Birchwood School. Many thanks to the families who participated! We couldnâ€™t have done it without you.

Nature Park

Our butterfly arrived in Mexico!

Fourteen third grade students participated in Journey North's Symbolic Migration Project back in September. They made a butterfly that was delivered to a school near the sanctuaries where monarchs overwinter. Students in Mexico will keep the butterflies overwinter and send them back in the spring when Monarchs begin their migration back to the U.S. You can see the Birchwood butterfly in the link provided. First row, middle boy kneeling.

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/symbolic-migration/news/fall-2017/120417-ambassador-butterflies-reach-sanctuary-schools

Coming Up: Trim a Tree for Nature Program

Students will make treats for our bird and animal friends in the Nature Park after school. We'll hang our pinecone bird feeders and popcorn garland strands in the trees just outside the park so they are visible to the kindergarten classrooms. More information and sign up to come soon.

Friends of Music

Music begins at a young age and continues throughout our lives. The foundation of our music program starts with children. Niskayuna Friends of Music (FOM) is a volunteer organization that supports your childâ€™s musical journey. Please consider helping support the music program within Birchwood and all the schools within the Niskayuna School District. Your support of and membership in FOM helps to ensure that Niskayuna students have incredible opportunities and well-rounded experiences. Join today online or by mail at www.niskyfom.org

I will be holding a raffle for a chance to win 1 of 2 Amazon gift cards (valued at $50 each). If you, your child, or entire family joins FOM, you will be automatically entered to win one of these gift cards! It is that simple. Join by January 12^th, 2018. Visit the website at www.niskyfom.org . Select â€œMembershipâ€ and provide your information, with payment via credit card or PayPal. **Make sure to indicate Birchwood as the school when joining online to be considered for the raffle entry. Or to join by mail, download the completed PDF version of the form with check payable to: Niskayuna Friends of Music, 1626 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, NY, 12309. Many thanks to the Birchwood PTO for the donation of the gift cards!

Thank you for your continued musical support.

Laura Oâ€™Connor

Birchwood FOM Liaison

oconnkl@verizon.net

Box Tops Update

CONGRATULATIONS to Anna Either (3O) who was our lucky Collection Sheet drawing winner this month!! Keep collecting those little tops- those dimes add up!! Here is a new collection sheet- glue/tape them on and send it to the office.

Coming up at Birchwood...

12/15 - Popcorn Friday and School Banking

12/25-1/1 - Holiday Recess - No School

1/2 - Classes Resume

1/10 - PTO Meeting (6:30pm)

1/10- Mindfulness for Parents (7pm at Glencliff)

1/11 - Chipotle Fundraiser

ï»¿1/24 - Drama Club Auditions

Birchwood Elementary PTO
897 Birchwood Ln
Schenectady, NY 12309

SUBJECT: December Birchwood Beagle