8/19/10

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Aug. 20:  Meet the Teacher Open House, 2-4 pm.

Aug. 23:  First day of school!

Sept. 1:  Back to School Night for grades 3, 4 and 5

Sept. 2:  Back to School Night for grades K, 1 and 2

Sept. 3:  Iced coffee with Thunderbird Coffee, in front of school

Sept. 6:  Labor Day Holiday

Sept. 10:  Coffee Talk with the Principal

Sept. 15:  Community Advisory Council (CAC) meeting, 5:30

Sept. 16:  Chick-N-Chat and first PTA meeting, 6:30

Sept. 17:  Fall picture day

MEET THE TEACHER DAY IS TOMORROW

Find out who your child’s teacher is and drop off your school supplies at the Meet the Teacher Open House from 2 to 4 pm.  Class lists will be posted in the hallway outside the café.

SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE

A current, revised school supply list for 2010-2011 can be found in the “Files” section on the Yahoo Bark page.  Look on the left side of the home page:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary/

TAX-FREE SHOPPING IS THIS WEEKEND

From August 20 – 22, Texas shoppers get a break from state and local sales taxes on many back-to-school items such as school supplies, clothing, footwear and backpacks priced under $100.  For more info, go to http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/taxpubs/tx98_490/tx98_490.html

JOIN US FOR A BOO HOO BREAKFAST FOR NEW BRENTWOOD PARENTS

We’ll get together after drop off on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 23, in the school library.  New kindergarten parents: Come and meet one another for a quick chat, coffee and complimentary tissues!  Returning parents: Show your support to the incoming parents by dropping off pastries or other goodies by 7:45 am or just drop in to share your experiences with our new families.  For more information, contact Jennifer Hildebrandt at hildebrandt_jennifer@yahoo.com.

CAN YOU HELP THE LIBRARY PROVIDE MAGAZINES FOR OUR STUDENTS?

Please help us buy three-year subscriptions of seven titles, including Kids Discover, National Geographic Kids, Sports Illustrated Kids, American Girl, Your Big Backyard, Highlights for Children and Cobblestone.  You can donate any amount by visiting this website:  www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=403808&sharebar=true .  Thank you!

THE GIRL SCOUTS ARE LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD LEADERS

Brentwood Girl Scout organizers are looking for a troop leader or co-leader for the 2nd grade Brownie troop and the 4th/5th grade Junior troops.  Have fun and make a difference in a girl’s life!  Contact Lesley Guerrero at 507-8725 to learn more.

BOLTAGE IS COMING

Exciting news! Bicycle Sports Shop has chosen Brentwood Elementary as the recipient of a $5,000 grant to initiate a Boltage Program at our school, including the installation of a Zap Unit on the Brentwood campus. The Zap Unit will tally and identify children who choose alternative transportation choices, such as riding their bikes, as they arrive at school each day. Bicycle Sports Shop will provide bike safety curriculum as well as bike giveaways and free helmets. Look for more information in your child’s Wednesday Folder beginning in September! Questions? Contact Christiane Erwin at christiane.erwin@gmail.com

To kick off this great program, Thunderbird Coffee will be treating us to iced coffee in front of the school on the morning of Sept. 3!

BRENTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP WANTS TO ADD CROSSWALK, LIGHT

The Brentwood Neighborhood Association reports that the city will be counting car and pedestrian crossings at Koenig Lane and Arroyo Seco from Monday, Aug. 23, through Friday, Aug. 27 (the first week of school).  BNA would like to get a crosswalk and signal light installed to provide a safe route across Koenig for access to Brentwood Elementary and McCallum High School.  They are asking neighbors to walk and drive this intersection often during the review time to increase visibility on this important safety issue.

GET THE INSIDE SCOOP ON BRENTWOOD

The PTA’s Insider’s Guide to Brentwood includes information on how to have lunch with your child, our school song and many other things parents need to know.  Check it out at http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com/ptas-insiders-guide-to-brentwood/

MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD’S BACKPACK ISN’T A PROBLEM

The American Chiropractic Association has a list of backpack safety tips and information on how to make sure your child’s backpack isn’t too heavy.  You can download their tip sheet from the “Files” section on the left side of the Bark homepage at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary/

HELP SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE BULLDOG BARK

The Bark is an important way to keep on top of what’s happening at Brentwood.  If you know of a Brentwood parent who hasn’t signed up for these weekly emails, please forward a copy of this message.  The link to subscribe is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary

Welcome to a great year at Brentwood!

Heather Gardner:  hokgardner@grandecom.net

Lisa Roe: lwroe@grandecom.net

Bulldog Bark Editors

Brentwood Elementary PTA

6700 Arroyo Seco

Austin, TX 78757

512-414-2039 (front office)

PTA website:  http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com/

PLEASE NOTE: The Open House to meet teachers at Brentwood is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 20 from 2-4 p.m. The date from the last Bark and blue flier that went home on the last day of school was incorrect.

SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST
There is a current, revised school supply list for the 2010-2011 school year in the files section for the Bark. You can also follow this link:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary/files/

INCOMING KINDER FAMILIES – EAT AND MEET PLAYDATE
There will be an Eat and Meet Playdate for the families of incoming kindergarteners to Brentwood on Aug. 8 at 6 p.m., at Phil’s Ice House/Amy’s Ice Cream, 5620 Burnet Rd. Please contact Melanie Haupt if you have any questions: mkhaupt@gmail.com

IN THE COMMUNITY

ZILKER SUMMER MUSICAL – ANNIE
Summer is not summer in Austin without a free musical at Zilker Hillside Theater. Bring a blanket, some chairs, a picnic and get ready to enjoy an evening of free theatre under the stars. Annie opens on Friday, July 9 at approximately 8:30 p.m. (dusk). It will run Thursdays through Sundays until August 14. Admission to the play is free but parking is $3. http://www.zilker.org/showinfo.html

TEXAS MEMORIAL MUSEUM IDENTIFICATION DAY
Sunday, August 29th, 2010, 1:00 p.m.– 4:45 p.m.
Texas Memorial Museum , 2400 Trinity St. (2 blocks north of the UT football stadium)

Bring your natural objects! UT scientists and other experts will identify
natural objects you have found (fossils, rocks, arrowheads, etc.) and give you
more information about them.
NOTE: Scientists from Texas Natural Science Center’s Non-vertebrate Paleontology Lab, Vertebrate Paleontology Lab, and Texas Natural History Collections are present at each ID Day, along with a variety of special guest experts from UT-Austin and the Austin area. Contact Susan Romberg for more information — 232-5654 or sromberg@mail.utexas.edu

AND REMEMBER, THE TEXAS MEMORIAL MUSEUM IS FREE!
Regular hours: Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Location: 2400 Trinity Street (2 blocks north of the UT stadium)
FREE ADMISSION!
For more information, visit www.texasmemorialmuseum.org or www.TexasNaturalScienceCenter.org.

NEED MORE IDEAS FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER?
Here is another site to check for FREE things to do: http://www.freefuninaustin.com/

Look for more info at the beginning of August. Stay cool!

Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Bulldog Bark Editor

Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com/

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary/ to join the Bulldog Bark.

2010-2011 AISD SCHOOL CALENDAR

http://www.austinisd.org/academics/docs/calendar_2010_2011_20091202.pdf

NEW BOOSTER SEAT LAW IN EFFECT
In Texas, children who are younger that 8 years and shorter that 4’9” must be in a booster seat when riding in a vehicle. Here is the DPS press release: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/pr060209.pdf

A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM
Friends and neighbors! Violet Crown Community Theater invites you to participate in a reading of A Midsummer’s Night Dream (abridged) on Saturday, June 19th at the Brentwood Elementary amphitheater, 7 PM. Upon arrival, participants will draw parts from a hat; depending on the number of interested persons, we may switch parts/redraw about halfway through. This activity is very informal: no acting/moving around required – just hanging out and enjoying the words of William Shakespeare together.
Please feel free to brings friends, family members, blankets, food, etc. If you have any questions, give me a call at 914-2917 or email at violetcrownct@gmail.com. – NANCY MOHN BARNARD

ORIENTATION & E-NEWS FOR LAMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL
Your student entering 6th grade in the Fall? Come get acquainted with Lamar; the routine, the layout and make some friends during the . . .
INCOMING 6TH GRADE TRANSITION CAMP
FOR LAMAR SCOTTIES!
July 26 – August 6
Check with your elementary school counselor for a registration form or
come by the Lamar MS office, 6201 Wynona, Austin, TX 78757
Lamar Middle School families stay informed! If you have a
student that will be attending Lamar in the Fall you should join
the Lamar Yahoo Group and receive e-mail updates on school information.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LamarWAAG

SUMMER ACTIVITIES
Hope your summer vacation is off to a good start!! Here are some ideas to keep you busy this summer. Please feel free to send me more ideas or events.

Reading Programs:

http://www.halfpricebooks.com/feed_your_brain.html

http://www.murgenthosting.com/users/4453/EC/100603-00/EZReadersClub.html

http://www.murgenthosting.com/users/4453/EC/100603-00/mileagelog.html

http://www.austinsummerreading.org/index.cfm?action=srp

In the ‘hood or surrounding areas:

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/pools_schedule.htm#Brentwood

http://www.playlandskatecenter.com/

http://www.dartbowl.com/

http://www.urbanpatchwork.org/ – Paige came to our last PTA meeting to give us info!
http://www.centralmarket.com/Stores/Austin-Central.aspx – scroll down on the events calendar to see music and events
www.cafemonet.org – paint your pottery in the Triangle

Free!

http://www.originalalamo.com/Signature.aspx?id=10

http://www.regmovies.com/nowshowing/familyfilmfestivalschedule.aspx?state=TX

UT Creative Research Lab, 2832 E. MLK Blvd, http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~crlab/
http://www.blantonmuseum.org/ – free on Thursdays

Cool things around Austin:
http://www.kidzaustin.com/index.asp – this site lists LOTS of activities

http://www.kidevents.com/

http://www.austinkidsguide.com/

http://wildbasin.org/index.lasso

http://www.myec.net/

http://www.scottishritetheatre.org/

http://www.veloway.com/

http://www.wildflower.org/about/

www.austinsymphony.org
Congress Ave Bridge – BATS! Bat hotline – 416-5700, ext 3636
www.johnsonsbackyardgarden.com – harvest veggies 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Wed. – Fri.

On the web:

http://www.duckbrand.com/Duck%20Tape%20Club.aspx

http://www.howstuffworks.com/

http://www.ted.com/

http://sparetherock.com/wordpress/

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/ – great resource for parents for movies, TV, & video games

http://www.kaboose.com/

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/

http://www.learningmeditation.com/children.htm

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/

WHAT TO DO WHEN IT IS 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE?
Bake cookies in your car, of course!! On a 100 degree day, put cookie dough on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet, pop it on your car’s dashboard and wait about 3 ½ hours. Voila! The cookies should be soft in the middle and crispy around the edges. Source – Austin Magazine, May 2010

THANK YOU, CAROLYN!
A big thank you to Carolyn Lindell for her work on the Bulldog Bark for the past two years! She is going back to school in the fall and we wish her the best! Heather Gardner and Lisa Roe will take over writing the Bark in the fall, and I will fill in some of the time.

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! You will get more Bark installments in later July or the beginning of August, or earlier if you send in great summer ideas.

Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Bulldog Bark Editor

Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com/

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary/ to join the Bulldog Bark.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
May 27 – Pre-K Water Day
May 28 – 5th grade Promotion Ceremony, 8:30 – 10 a.m.
May 28 – Classroom picnics
May 31 – No School, Memorial Day
June 2 – Last Day of School!!!
VOLUNTEER OR DONATE
Mr. Reese needs a volunteer to bind and laminate his end-of-year student autograph books. If you can help, please contact Mr. Reese at 841-5979, jreese@austinisd.org
Also, do you have any old bedsheets? Please donate them to the Brentwood computer lab to cover the computers over the summer. Donations can be left in the office or brought to room 307. Thank you!

GIRL SCOUTS
There are currently 3 Girl Scout troops at Brentwood. But Brentwood needs a 2nd grade Brownie leader for next year. If you have a daughter entering 2nd grade and are interested in leading a troop please contact Lesley Guerrero, 1st grade Daisy leader, lesleyguerrero@yahoo.com or Donna Beckett, 3rd grade Brownie leader, donnaabeckett@gmail.com. We can answer your questions and help you get started. You don’t have to do it alone!

ONWARD TO MIDDLE SCHOOL
Lamar Middle School families stay informed! If you have a student that will be attending Lamar in the Fall you should join the Lamar Yahoo Group and receive e-mail updates on school information.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LamarWAAG

IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND
By texting “wildlife” to 20222, you can donate $10 to help the National Wildlife Federation clean up and care for birds and wildlife that are impacted by the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The $10 donation will be added to your cell phone bill.

Info here:

http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Threats-to-Wildlife/Oil-Spill/Mobile-Giving.aspx

You can also donate online:

https://online.nwf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=16706&16706.donation=form1

Have a great week!!
Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors
Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.
BULLDOG BARK
MAY 27, 2010

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
May 27 – Pre-K Water Day
May 28 – 5th grade Promotion Ceremony, 8:30 – 10 a.m.
May 28 – Classroom picnics
May 31 – No School, Memorial Day
June 2 – Last Day of School!!!
VOLUNTEER OR DONATE
Mr. Reese needs a volunteer to bind and laminate his end-of-year student autograph books. If you can help, please contact Mr. Reese at 841-5979, jreese@austinisd.org
Also, do you have any old bedsheets? Please donate them to the Brentwood computer lab to cover the computers over the summer. Donations can be left in the office or brought to room 307. Thank you!

GIRL SCOUTS
There are currently 3 Girl Scout troops at Brentwood. But Brentwood needs a 2nd grade Brownie leader for next year. If you have a daughter entering 2nd grade and are interested in leading a troop please contact Lesley Guerrero, 1st grade Daisy leader, lesleyguerrero@yahoo.com or Donna Beckett, 3rd grade Brownie leader, donnaabeckett@gmail.com. We can answer your questions and help you get started. You don’t have to do it alone!

ONWARD TO MIDDLE SCHOOL
Lamar Middle School families stay informed! If you have a student that will be attending Lamar in the Fall you should join the Lamar Yahoo Group and receive e-mail updates on school information.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LamarWAAG

IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND
By texting “wildlife” to 20222, you can donate $10 to help the National Wildlife Federation clean up and care for birds and wildlife that are impacted by the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The $10 donation will be added to your cell phone bill.

Info here:

http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Threats-to-Wildlife/Oil-Spill/Mobile-Giving.aspx

You can also donate online:

https://online.nwf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=16706&16706.donation=form1

Have a great week!!
Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors
Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.
BULLDOG BARK
MAY 27, 2010

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
May 27 – Pre-K Water Day
May 28 – 5th grade Promotion Ceremony, 8:30 – 10 a.m.
May 28 – Classroom picnics
May 31 – No School, Memorial Day
June 2 – Last Day of School!!!
VOLUNTEER OR DONATE
Mr. Reese needs a volunteer to bind and laminate his end-of-year student autograph books. If you can help, please contact Mr. Reese at 841-5979, jreese@austinisd.org
Also, do you have any old bedsheets? Please donate them to the Brentwood computer lab to cover the computers over the summer. Donations can be left in the office or brought to room 307. Thank you!

GIRL SCOUTS
There are currently 3 Girl Scout troops at Brentwood. But Brentwood needs a 2nd grade Brownie leader for next year. If you have a daughter entering 2nd grade and are interested in leading a troop please contact Lesley Guerrero, 1st grade Daisy leader, lesleyguerrero@yahoo.com or Donna Beckett, 3rd grade Brownie leader, donnaabeckett@gmail.com. We can answer your questions and help you get started. You don’t have to do it alone!

ONWARD TO MIDDLE SCHOOL
Lamar Middle School families stay informed! If you have a student that will be attending Lamar in the Fall you should join the Lamar Yahoo Group and receive e-mail updates on school information.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LamarWAAG

IN THE COMMUNITY AND BEYOND
By texting “wildlife” to 20222, you can donate $10 to help the National Wildlife Federation clean up and care for birds and wildlife that are impacted by the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The $10 donation will be added to your cell phone bill.

Info here:

http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Conservation/Threats-to-Wildlife/Oil-Spill/Mobile-Giving.aspx

You can also donate online:

https://online.nwf.org/site/Donation2?df_id=16706&16706.donation=form1

Have a great week!!
Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors
Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.

COME TO THE LAST PTA MEETING TONIGHT!!!
6:30 P.M. IN THE CAFÉ – dinner included
Want to be even more GREEN? Then come to this week’s PTA meeting! Dinner is on us! We will be serving Stone Soup and salad with veggies from the Brentwood gardens and the neighborhood farm network, Urban Patchwork. Come see a short skit from Environmental Club students. Hear Crestview neighbor, Paige Hill talk about how Urban Patchwork is dedicated to providing safe, accessible foods grown close to home while offering farmers job opportunities that help their families and our local economy thrive. Bring your own bowls, plates, cups & utensils for an even greener dinner! You won’t want to miss this fun, informative, healthy and delicious last meeting!
You can come a little early to shop at the Scholastic Book Fair in the library too!

TRACK AND FIELD DAY IS TOMORROW!
Brentwood’s Track and Field Day is Friday, May 21! Make sure your child wears shorts and a t-shirt, tennis shoes, and brings a water bottle. They can also bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Events include: parachutes, relays/sacks, scooters, jump rope, sponge relay, football toss, and a competitive run. Ms. Valdez can still use help, so if you can volunteer contact her at kvaldez@austinisd.org or 841-5975. Or, you can just show up! Here are the class times:
Pre-K & K – 8:30-9:15 a.m.
K& 1st – 9:15 – 10:00 a.m.
2nd – 10:05 – 10:50 a.m.
3rd – 10:50-11:40 a.m.
4th & 5th – 12:30-1:45 p.m.

AISD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
Use the Power of Your Voice to Create a New Generation of Schools
Community Dialogue about Austin ISD School Facilities
Discuss issues that directly impact our public school facilities with educators, parents, students, civic and business leaders, and other engaged community members.
Your insights and opinions will help shape the future of public education in Austin. Please attend, listen, and speak up. Bring your neighbors and friends.
Thursday, May 20, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Travis High School, Cafeteria
1211 E. Oltorf St.

HELP OUT MR. REESE
Mr. Reese needs a volunteer to laminate and bind (in the teacher workroom) his end-of-year autograph books before May 28th. Thanks! jreese@austinisd.org

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
Teacher Appreciation Week was a huge success thanks to YOU! All the teachers felt our love and admiration last week. They were showered with compliments, little goodies, a breakfast buffet and a lunch out. Thank you for all the lunch money donations! We were able to send all the special area and special ed teachers out to lunch. Thank you homeroom parents, you were such a great help! Thanks for all the delicious breakfast donations! – Andrea Roberts
Thanks to the following businesses who donated items for the teachers:
Thunderbird Coffee – http://www.thunderbirdcoffee.com/
La Casita – www.lacasitatx.com
HEB Allendale – www.heb.com
Genuine Joe’s – www.genuinejoecoffee.com
Casa Verde Florists – www.casaverdeflorist.com
Dart Bowl – www.dartbowl.com
Cleopatra’s Salon/Spa – www.cleosalon.com
Sacred Streams Yoga – www.sacredstreamsyoga.com
Conan’s Pizza – www.conanspizza.com
Expo Salon – 451-0127
Tacodeli – www.tacodeli.com
Hey Cupcake – www.heycupcake.com
Café Canela – 323-2228
Lick It Bite It Or Both – www.lickitbiteitorboth.com
Hey Cupcake – www.heycupcake.com
Office Max – www.officemax.com

A VISIT FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
Dr. Carstarphen, the AISD Superintendent, visited Brentwood on Tuesday. Read about her visit in her blog. Page down, it is after the Doss visit.

http://carstarphenschoolvisits.blogspot.com/

SUMMER TUTORING
Natalie Svrcek, 2nd/3rd grade multiage teacher at Brentwood Elementary, is offering tutoring services this summer. She will be able to help students in grade levels kindergarten through 5th in all subject areas. She is flexible on location and willing to travel to your home or a local library.

Whether your child needs extra help in a particular subject area or summer enrichment, tutoring will be individualized to your child’s needs. Tutoring will be one-on-one. If you are interested please contact her for more information. Natalie Sue Svrcek
brentwoodbulldogtutor@gmail.com, (512) 249-5228

Have a great week!!

Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors

Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
May 10-14 – Teacher Appreciation Week continues
May 11 – Kinder Program, 7 p.m., café
May 14 – Storybook Character Parade
May 17-21 – Scholastic Book Fair, library
May 19 – Parent Transition Program for Incoming 6th Graders, Lamar Middle School, 6:30 p.m.
May 20 – All library books due to Brentwood library
May 20 – PTA Meeting, 6:30 p.m., café – Go Green Theme
May 21 – Track and Field Day
May 25 – Kinder Water Day
May 27 – Pre-K Water Day
May 28 – 5th grade Promotion Ceremony, 8:30 – 10 a.m.
May 28 – Classroom picnics
May 31 – No School, Memorial Day
June 2 – Last Day of School!!!

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK GOING STRONG
The teachers are having a great week! They got to go out to lunch and they have you to thank for that! Thanks to all the parent volunteers for watching students so that the teachers got a longer lunch. We just have a couple more ways to show our appreciation for Friday.
Students are encouraged to bring in small handmade gifts or flowers to their teachers on Friday morning. As a courtesy, the PTA will have flowers for sale for 25 cents each, or 3 box tops. Limit 4 flowers per student please. Come early! The sale is from 7:15-7:45 a.m. Friday.

Send in those teacher appreciation notes!! Extras are in the front office.

We need volunteers to sell flowers Friday morning, May 14, from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m. Can you help out for 30 minutes? If you can, please contact Andrea Roberts at roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net or 323-6974.
Don’t forget the teacher breakfast on Friday morning too! Please bring breakfast goodies to the library between 7:15-7:30 a.m. Thanks so much!!

ART HELP
Anyone interested in helping with another layer of “COB” on the caterpillar outdoor bench? We are going to be working on it TODAY, May 13, at 3 p.m. Contact lindartist@gmail.com if you’d like to get on the cob crew list for future sessions.

REQUEST FOR HELP
Mr. Reese needs a volunteer to laminate and bind (in the teacher workroom) his end-of-year autograph books before May 28. Thank you! He can be reached at jreese@austinisd.org.

CRAIGO’S NIGHTS
Now, every night is Brentwood Night at CraigO’s Pizza and Pastaria! Anytime you and your family eat at CraigO’s or get delivery, just drop your receipt into the Brentwood box at the restaurant and they will donate 10% of your bill to Brentwood Elementary. Our school has received hundreds of dollars from this generous program. CraigO’s makes all of their sauces and dough from scratch and offers many specials. CraigO’s is located at 2222 and MoPac in the Randall’s Center. For more info, check http://www.craigospizzaandpasta.com/

BOX TOPS
This Friday is the last day this school year for children to buy items at the Box Top store. For next year, the Box Tops store could use your help. Karrie Mannella would happily train a parent to run the store. It’s a modest time commitment, with lots of benefits for the kids and the school. The kids love the Box Top store, and it brings in lots of money for Brentwood. Anyone interested can contact Karrie at karriemannella@aol.com

SUMMER TUTORING
Natalie Svrcek, 2nd/3rd grade multiage teacher at Brentwood Elementary, is offering tutoring services this summer. She will be able to help students in grade levels kindergarten through 5th in all subject areas. She is flexible on location and willing to travel to your home or a local library.

Whether your child needs extra help in a particular subject area or summer enrichment, tutoring will be individualized to your child’s needs. Tutoring will be one-on-one. For more information, contact Natalie Sue Svrcek
brentwoodbulldogtutor@gmail.com, (512) 249-5228.

TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL
Are your fifth-graders ready for middle school? You can attend the workshop “Elementary to Middle School Transition: Are You & Your Child Ready?” on Wednesday, May 19, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Lamar Middle School Cafeteria. Rodney Jones, assistant principal for 6th grade, and Bernadette Dodd, counselor for incoming 6th grade, will share insights. Topics include academic skills requirement, socio-emotional readiness and success strategies.

Have a great week!!
Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors
Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.

Eliminate paper coffee filters by using a reusable filter (available at natural food stores & elsewhere). White (bleached) paper filters pollute water with harmful chemicals. Unbleached filters are better, but still waste paper. If you buy your coffee by the cup, bring your own reusable cup with you to reduce your contribution to landfills. Look for shade-grown organic coffee, which preserves land for birds & avoids pesticides & other chemicals.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BREAKFAST
The volunteer appreciation breakfast location has changed from the café to the library on Friday, May 7 from 8-9 a.m.

IT’S A BOY!!!
Ms. Berry had a bouncing baby boy Friday, April 30th. Everson James weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces, and he is precious! Mom, Dad, and baby are all doing fine. Congratulations Ms. Berry!

TALENT SHOW THIS FRIDAY! BRING IN THE GOODIES!
Prepare to be awestruck by Brentwood’s artistic and creative children at the annual Talent Show at 6 p.m. Friday, May 7, at the outdoor stage. Tacodeli will be providing food to raise funds, and Joanna Fried is looking for volunteers to help pour lemonade, take orders and make tacos. Please contact her at 17redtruckbetty@gmail.com if interested. Also, please bring individually wrapped baked goods to the taco stand to sell during the fundraiser. Proceeds for the Talent Show are for the Primary Grades Tutoring (1st and 2nd) and the Garden Fund.

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK NEXT WEEK!
Even though most of AISD had teacher appreciation week this week, we decided that we wanted nothing to stand in the way of giving love to our teachers, so we postponed it to next week, May 10-14. Here are the ways you can help:
- Remember to have your child fill out their teacher appreciation sheets and bring them in to the teachers all week. They will go home on Friday.
- Homeroom parents are looking for volunteers to watch the class for a 30 min. to an hour while the teachers go out to lunch. Refer to the letter that went home last week for the specifics.
- Donate $1-$2 for your child’s teacher or the special area and special ed teachers to go out to eat. For special area and special ed teachers, you can give the money to Jennifer Dias in the office.
- Students bring in a small gift (preferably handmade) or a flower to their teachers on Friday, May 14. Flowers will be sold at the Box Top Store Friday morning.
- Bring a breakfast goodie to the library on Friday morning by 7:25 a.m. for the teacher breakfast.
Questions? Want to volunteer? Contact Andrea Roberts (323-6974 or roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net) or your child’s homeroom parent for more information.

THE EARTH DAY FAIR WAS A HUGE SUCCESS
The Earth Day planning committee would like to thank all of the parent volunteers (over 30 of them!), along with the specials teachers, the real tree person from Treefolks, the Brentwood PTA, and, of course, Evil Trash Man for making this day so special and fun for our students. Students learned about solar cooking, beneficial bugs, making art with Earth materials, and carbon sequestration (just to name a few!) during our day-long event. Also a special thank you to Mrs. Anderson and her volunteers for creating the cob caterpillar bench that will be used and admired by future Brentwood bulldogs! The finishing touches will be made this summer and it should be ready for unveiling at the beginning of the next school year. Check out Brentwood’s Earth Day Fair on the front page of Saturday’s Austin-American Statesman Metro section or at http://galleries.statesman.com/gallery/earth-day-fair-043010/ .
Your Earth Day planning committee,
Amy Cox, Linda Anderson, Kate Slaten, Vicky Sluyter, Dalena Salo, and Lisa Boone

GARDEN TOUR A SUCCESS AS WELL
Thanks to all who came out for the garden tour a couple of weeks ago. We raised money for the garden fund, and got to show off the beautiful gardens at Brentwood. The Statesman featured the tour in the their gardening blog. That is good press for Brentwood!

PARENT TRANSITION PROGRAM FOR INCOMING 6TH GRADERS
LAMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL, MAY 19TH, 6:30-8:00 P.M., CAFETERIA
Join us on Wednesday, May 19th and get insight in academic skill
requirements, social-emotional readiness, and success strategies. Rodney Jones, Assistant Principal for incoming 6th graders and Bernadette Dodd, Counselor will be joined by WEB students for this presentation.
If you have specific questions you would like to make sure are answered, go
to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DFYZ935_
(http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DFYZ935). We will have these questions addressed in the opening remarks.

IN THE COMMUNITY

DON’T FORGET THE VIOLET CROWN FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY
Come to Brentwood Park from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, to enjoy the neighborhood Violet Crown Festival. There will be live music, great food, vendors, and great raffle items. The Brentwood Environmental Club will be making solar oven s’mores for donations to support the endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros. Come out and support the club and this special species – yum!

PLAYGROUP FOR INCOMING BRENTWOOD KINDERGARTENERS
I created a Brentwood playgroup list with the intention of having playdates for our soon-to-be Brentwood kindergarteners to get to know each other over the summer. I imagine this list might also be of interest to those whose kiddoes will enter B’wood in fall 2011. Join up here: brentwoodkinder10-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
-Melanie Haupt, mkhaupt@gmail.com

Have a great week!!

Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors

Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.

APRIL 29, 2010
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Apr. 30 – Earth Day Fair, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
May 4 – Kindergarten Round-Up, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
May 7 — Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, 8-9 a.m., café
May 7 – Talent Show, 6 p.m., Outdoor Stage
May8 – Violet Crown Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Brentwood Park
May 10-14 – Teacher Appreciation Week
May 14 – Storybook Character Parade
May 21 – Track and Field Day
EARTH DAY FAIR ON FRIDAY
Join Mother Earth, a real tree person and EvilTrashMan for Brentwood’s own Earth Day celebration this Friday, April 30.

Agenda:
9 a.m.-11 a.m. Environmental Learning Stations in the back of the school for grades prek-1st, Solar Fountain presentations for grades 3rd-5th by Lighthouse Solar
11 a.m. – noon School-wide picnic & Mr. Pancake concert near the outdoor amphitheater
Noon -2 p.m. Environmental Learning Stations in the back of the school for grades 2nd-5th
2 p.m. Least-Waste Lunch Contest winners announced on the play slab

Please prepare your child for the day:
Make sure your child wears his/her class tie-dye shirt and comfortable shorts & shoes.
Apply sunscreen before school and send a hat, visor or sunglasses.
Send a water bottle, a cloth bag (for crafts & goodies) and a picnic blanket to share.
If you did not order a cafeteria sack lunch, pack a no-waste lunch. It’s easy! Use reusable containers for food & drink, send a cloth napkin & silverware, and pack it in a lunchbox or reusable bag.

If you signed up to volunteer, please be sure to check-in at the main office and get a volunteer hand-out. Then come to room 308 if you’re helping with set-up or find your station on the hand-out map and head there.

We are looking forward to a fun and Earth-friendly day!

SHOE ART
Earth Day KIDS: Don’t forget to bring your recycled Shoe Art on Friday morning before school to the outdoor art gallery, at the back of the school near the small playground. There will also be a cart in the gym and in the cafe if you come in the front door Friday morning. DO NOT bring before Friday!
COWBOY KUDOS
A big thank you to all the parents and grandparents who helped make the Kindergarten “Cowboy Celebration” so sucessful. It takes wonderful volunteers like you to make it work. A huge thank you to Dave’s Ultimate Automotive for underwriting the stagecoach rides! The children loved it.
KINDER ROUND-UP COMING SOON
For Children Age 5 by Sept. 1, 2010: Kindergarten Roundup will be Tuesday, May 4, 9 a.m to 10:30 a.m. All incoming kindergarten parents are encouraged to attend! Meet the principal, kindergarten teachers, and get a tour of the school. You will also fill out the paperwork to enroll your child for the 2010-2011 school year.
Please bring the following documentation:
Proof of Address – lease or City of Austin Electric/Water Bill,
Child’s Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, Immunization Records
Parents’ ID
Any transfer paperwork you have received
TALENT SHOW
Prepare to be awestruck by Brentwood’s artistic and creative children at the annual Talent Show at 6 p.m. Friday, May 7, at the outdoor stage. Tacodeli will be providing food to raise funds, and Joanna Fried is looking for volunteers to help pour lemonade, take orders and make tacos. Please contact her at 17redtruckbetty@gmail.com if interested. Also, please bring individually wrapped baked goods to the taco stand to sell during the fundraiser. Proceeds for the Talent Show are for the Primary Grades Tutoring (1st and 2nd) and the Garden Fund.
SHOW THE TEACHERS SOME LOVE
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 10-14! We want to make our teachers at Brentwood feel special! Information about this week went home in this week’s Wednesday folder. You will receive appreciation notes for your child to fill out and give to his/her teacher. The teachers will take turns going out to lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please send in $1 or $2 for their lunch. We need volunteers to watch the classes for 30 minutes so the teachers get an hour for lunch. Students should bring a small gift (preferably homemade) or a flower to their teacher on Friday. We also need parents to bring in breakfast items for a breakfast buffet Friday morning. Look for a volunteer sign-up sheet next week. Questions? Contact Andrea Roberts at roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
DINNER PLANS?
Now, every night is Brentwood Night at CraigO’s Pizza and Pastaria! Anytime you and your family eat at CraigO’s or get delivery, just drop your receipt into the Brentwood box at the restaurant and they will donate 10% of your total bill to Brentwood Elementary. Our school has received hundreds of dollars from this generous program. CraigO’s makes all of their sauces and dough from scratch and offers weekly and Family Pack specials as well as fresh salads, hot subs and pastas. CraigO’s is located at 2222 and Mopac in the Randall’s Center. Check here for more info: http://www.craigospizzaandpasta.com/
BOX TOPS
The Box Tops store is seeking new management. Karrie Mannella has tirelessly worked the counter for nine years, and she’s ready to turn the keys to the store over to another parent. The kids love the Box Top store, and it brings in lots of money for our school. Anyone interested can contact Karrie at karriemannella@aol.com
IN THE COMMUNITY
SUMMER TUTORING

Natalie Svrcek, 2nd/3rd grade multiage teacher at Brentwood Elementary, is offering tutoring services this summer. She will be able to help students in grade levels kindergarten through 5th in all subject areas. She is flexible on location and willing to travel to your home or a local library.

Whether your child needs extra help in a particular subject area or summer enrichment, tutoring will be individualized to your child’s needs. Tutoring will be one-on-one. If you are interested please contact her for more information. Natalie Sue Svrcek
brentwoodbulldogtutor@gmail.com, (512) 249-5228

TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL
Are your fifth-graders ready for middle school. You can attend the workshop “Elementary to Middle School Transition: Are You & Your Child Ready?” on Wednesday, May 19, 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Lamar Middle School Cafeteria. Rodney Jones, assistant principal for 6th grade, and Bernadette Dodd, counselor for incoming 6th grade, will share insights. Topics include academic skills requirement, socio-emotional readiness and success strategies.
INPUT ON AISD CALENDAR

AISD reminds parents and staff that the last day to comment on four draft calendars for the 2011-2012 school calendar is Friday, April 30. An online survey on the draft calendars is available on the AISD website, http://www.austinisd.org . Responses may also be submitted by telephone to 414-2171. (Note: This survey pertains to the 2011-2012 school calendar. Next year’s calendar — 2010-2011 — has already been adopted by the AISD Board of Trustees.)
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors
Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Apr. 23 – Kindergarten Cowhand Celebration, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Apr. 24 – Spring Garden Tour, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., outdoor gardens
Apr. 27-28 – 3rd & 4th grade TAKS reading and math, campus closed to volunteers & visitors
Apr. 29 – 5th grade TAKS science, campus closed to volunteers and visitors
Apr. 30 – Earth Day Fair, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
May 4 – Kindergarten Round-Up, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
May 7 — Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, 8-9 a.m., café
May 7 – Talent Show, 6 p.m., Outdoor Stage
May8 – Violet Crown Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Brentwood Park
May 10-14 – Teacher Appreciation Week
May 14 – Storybook Character Parade
May 21 – Track and Field Day

CAN YOU BE A COWHAND TOMORROW?
The Kindergarten Cowhand Celebration is tomorrow from 9:30-11:30 a.m. The teachers are still looking for volunteers to help with the cowhand stations. Remember when your child did this? It’s so cute and fun for the kids! Please come at 9:00 a.m. to get assigned a job and help with the final set-up.

WE CAME, WE ROCKED
The 2nd Annual Brentwood Rocks! concert was a success thanks to all attendees who braved the questionable weather to dance the night away, the fantastic bands who donated their time and excellent musicianship, the delicious food donated by Zocalo Cafe, Curra’s Grill, Luscious Pastry, and Dalena Salo, our very hardworking custodian Dora, the Mr. Geiser sound machine, and most especially the wonderful Brentwood moms and dads who volunteered time before and during the concert, and without whom we wouldn’t have these events that help our great little school keep chugging along.

COME AND TOUR THE GARDENS SATURDAY
Please join us for the Brentwood Garden Tour, this Saturday, April 24th from 11 to 3. There will be kid’s activities like making a paper pot and a butterfly habitat, and you will get a chance to explore the gardens that the kids and teachers have been growing all year. Your donations will sow the seeds for next year’s gardening program, so come out and keep our kids gardening! (Still looking for donations of empty detergent bottles to recycle into watering cans and 2 liter clear soda bottles to become caterpillar habitats; please bring to Mr. Geiser’s classroom. Thanks!)
Thanks! Annie Hartnett, ahartnett@grandecom.net

EARTH DAY FAIR
Earth Day Fair – Friday, April 30th We are planning a fun day to learn about our Earth with solar energy s’mores, ladybugs, and a UT presentation about carbon sequestration! Come and join us for this special event on Friday, April 30th from 9am-12:00pm (prek-1st grade) or 11am-2pm (2nd-5th grades).

Some reminders: · Please let your child’s classroom teacher know by ASAP if he/she needs a sack lunch from the cafeteria (no hot lunches that day.) · Please contact your child’s teacher if you can give him/her a break during that day (no specials). · Thanks to a terrific response from parents, we are only looking for a few more people to help set-up (7-9am). Please contact Amy Cox at amyo69@hotmail.com if you are available. · We are collecting the following items for that day: used crocs, #6 plastic. Collection bins are across from the office and the cafeteria

Thank you! Your Earth Day Planning Committee, Linda Anderson, Lisa Boone, Vicky Sluyter, Kate Slaten, Dalena Salo & Amy Cox

KINDER ROUND-UP COMING SOON
For Children Age 5 by September 1, 2010:
Kindergarten Roundup will be Tuesday, May 4th, 9am to 10:30am.
All incoming kindergarten parents are encouraged to attend! Meet the principal, kindergarten teachers, and get a tour of the school.
You will also fill out the paperwork to enroll your child for the 2010-2011 school year.

Please bring the following documentation:
Proof of Address – lease or City of Austin Electric/Water Bill
Child’s Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, Immunization Records
Parents ID
Any transfer paperwork you have received
Besides filling out paperwork you can meet the Kindergarten teachers and the Principal
Tour Brentwood.

A REQUEST FROM OUR SCHOOL NURSE
Judy Roby, Brentwood’s nurse, needs donations of shorts, sweatpants, or pants for children of all ages – from age 3 to 150 lbs. This is for kids that need an emergency change of clothes at school. Donations can be dropped off in the office.

SHOW THE TEACHERS SOME LOVE
Teacher Appreciation Week is May 10-14! We want to make our teachers at Brentwood feel special! Information about this week went home in this week’s Wednesday folder. You will receive appreciation notes for your child to fill out and give to his/her teacher. The teachers will take turns going out to lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We need volunteers to watch the classes for 30 minutes and send in $1-2 so the teachers get an hour for lunch. Students should bring a small gift (preferably homemade) or a flower to their teacher on Friday. We also need parents to bring in breakfast items for a breakfast buffet Friday morning. Look for a volunteer sign-up sheet next week. Questions? Contact Andrea Roberts at roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net

IN THE COMMUNITY

SUMMER MUSIC CAMP AT BRENTWOOD
Attention next year’s 2nd- 4th graders! Come join us this summer at the MUSIC DISCOVERY CAMP, June 21-25, 2010, at Brentwood Elementary School. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, with extended hours available. Led by certified music specialists James Graham (Brentwood Elementary) and Wendy Moore (Houston Elementary), activities will include music making on percussion instruments, guided investigations and games, intro to keyboard playing, outdoor activities, instrument making, and an end of week exhibition. Price is $150 and includes t-shirt, snacks, and supplies. Only 40 campers will be accepted – so enroll now! Contact Mr. Graham at jgraham@austinisd.org to get a form or more information.

LAMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL NEEDS YOU!
The Lamar PTA still has several PTA board and committee slots available for the next school year, most importantly President and Vice-President. Contact Michelle Smith, current Lamar PTA President, for more information or to volunteer. michellesmith@mac.com

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net
Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net
Bulldog Bark Editors

Brentwood Elementary PTA
6700 Arroyo Seco
Austin, TX 78757
512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.

APRIL 15, 2010

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Apr. 16 – Dad’s Coffee Talk with Mrs. Carter, 8-9 a.m.

Apr. 17 – Brentwood Rocks! Concert, 5-7:30 p.m., outdoor stage

Apr. 21 – CAC meeting, 5:30-7 p.m., library

Apr. 23 – Kindergarten Cowhand Celebration

Apr. 24 – Spring Garden Tour, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., outdoor gardens

Apr. 27-28 – 3rd & 4th grade TAKS reading and math, campus closed to volunteers & visitors

Apr. 29 – 5th grade TAKS science, campus closed to volunteers and visitors

Apr. 30 – Earth Day Fair, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

May 7 — Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, 8-9 a.m., café

May 7 – Talent Show, 6 p.m., Outdoor Stage

May8 – Violet Crown Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Brentwood Park

May 10-14 – Teacher Appreciation Week

May 14 – Storybook Character Parade

May 21 – Track and Field Day

NEW PTA OFFICERS

 Brentwood Elementary’s new PTA officers for the 2010-11 school year were elected at the April PTA meeting this week. The new officers are:

President Christiane Erwin

Vice President Jennifer Dias

Recording Secretary Leslie Guerrero

Corresponding Secretary Jessica Valles

Treasurer Jennifer Husted

Parliamentarian Todd Gernert

Historian Hilary Hildebrand

CAC Liaison Amy Leftwich

Thanks to all these dedicated people for offering to serve in the coming year.

GET READY TO ROCK

Saturday, April 17, is the 2nd annual Brentwood Rocks benefit concert. Music includes surf-rock awesomeness by the Thunderchiefs, gritty garage rock by The Band Next Door featuring Mr. Geiser, plus a performance by the School of Rock! The food also rocks! The yumminess from Galaxy Cafe, Zocalo Café and Curra’s includes tasty pork empanadas and veggie fajita tacos, plus gourmet dessert treats from Luscious Pastry. The concert is at 5p.m. at the Brentwood outdoor stage. If it rains, the concert will be inside the school at the café.

EARTH DAY FAIR IS COMING!

Brentwood’s Earth Day Fair is scheduled for Friday, April 30.  This is a free school-wide event during the school day. Come see our favorites like a real Treefolk, animals from Herpeton Exotic Pets and our own EvilTrashMan!  There has been a small change to the schedule:
 
9-11am    Environmental Learning Stations for Prek-1st
11-12pm  Picnic Lunch, Least-Waste Lunch Contest and Concert by Mr. Pancake
12-2pm    Environmental Learning Stations for 2nd-5th grades
 
Thank you to those who have volunteered to help out so far.  We are only looking for people to help with set-up from 7-9am and someone to take photos in the afternoon (12-2:15).  If you can help with either of these jobs, please contact
Amy Cox at amyo69@hotmail.com.  
 
Please be sure to get your sack lunch request for the day in to your child’s classroom teacher by this Friday, April 16. The form was sent home in this week’s Wednesday folder.
 
Also, since the specials teachers will be helping at the fair, we will not have specials that day.  Your child’s teacher would much appreciate a break during the day, which is another way for you to contribute to the fair.  This would not a successful
event without the many parents who volunteer to help out every year. If you are able to help with breaks, please contact your child’s teacher as soon as possible. 
 
Lastly, we continue to collect recycling in the white bins at the front of the school, but we especially need used crocs and #6 plastic (usually used for take-out containers) for the Fair.  Thank you!

EARTH DAY SCULPTURE
Mrs. Anderson is still looking for volunteers to help build the foundation (stone masonry, rubble trench) for our Earth Day caterpillar bench. Beginners OK! Work will be Saturday, April 17, 9 a.m. until whenever we finish!  Contact Linda Anderson: lindartist@gmail.com.

GARDEN TOUR

Our garden guru, Candice, needs clear 2-liter soda bottles for the Brentwood Garden tour coming April 24.  They will be transformed into butterfly habitats as one of the children’s fun activities that day.  She would also like large laundry detergent bottles with lids.  These will be turned into watering cans.  Please be sure to rinse the bottles before bringing them up to school.  You can give them to Mr. Geiser in room 201.

Then remember to come on out for Brentwood Elementary’s Spring Garden Tour on Saturday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This will be a fund-raiser for the gardening program at Brentwood so we hope you will come and bring all your friends! To make the tour successful, we need your help. Volunteers are needed on the day of the tour to help guide folks through our 13 vegetable, herb, scent and flower gardens. To volunteer, please contact Annie at ahartnett@grandecom.net. Thanks!

WANTED:  TRACK AND FIELD VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are still needed for Track and Field Day, May 21! There is a sign-up sheet on Ms. Valdez’s office door, or you can email Ms.Valdez, kvaldez@austinisd.org, to volunteer for a few hours or the whole day. Thanks so much for the help in making this day fun for the students!

CRAIG’Os

Now, every night is Brentwood Night at CraigO’s Pizza and Pastaria!  Anytime you and your family eat at CraigO’s or get delivery, just drop your receipt into our very own Brentwood box at the restaurant and they will donate 10% of your total bill to Brentwood Elementary.  Our school has received hundreds of dollars from this generous program. CraigO’s makes all of their sauces and dough from scratch and offers weekly and Family Pack specials as well as fresh salads, signature hot subs and pastas.  CraigO’s is located at 2222 and MoPac in the Randall’s Center.  Click here for more info:  http://www.craigospizzaandpasta.com/

GET AN INSIDE VIEW ON AISD

The Austin school district is still accepting applications for its UpClose program, which offers parents and community members an inside look at how the district operates.  The 2010-2011 class, which meets monthly, will start in August 2010. The deadline to apply is April 30. Application forms are available on the AISD website, http://www.austinisd.org.  For information, contact Pat Dabbert at 414-3991 or pdabbert@austinisd.org   Brentwood parent Lisa Roe is a member of the 2009-2010 class and would be happy to talk about her experience.  Email lwroe@grandecom.net if you’d like to chat.

IN THE COMMUNITY

VIOLET CROWN FESTIVAL COMING UP

The Violet Crown Spring Festival is Saturday, May 8, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., in Brentwood Park. Proceeds will help support projects of the Friends of Brentwood Park. The festival is coordinated by the nonprofit Violet Crown Community Works.

 For more information about getting involved, contact Mona Prater, 512-450-1167, beadornment@hotmail.com Check our new website, www.violetcrowncommunity.org , for updates!

LAMAR NEWS

Lamar PTA is seeking officers and committee chairs for 2010-2011. Below is a list of the positions that are available. Please contact current PTA President, Michelle Smith, at lamarptaprez@yahoo.com for additional information or to express your desire to serve in one of these positions. We will be forming a nominating committee soon to discuss applicants and officers are elected in May. Officers are nominated and elected; committee chairs are appointed. INCOMING 6^th-grade parents are welcome to apply!

Some of the available positions include: president, vice president, parliamentarian/historian, directory ad sales, lead parent program, newsletter layout, school dances chair, teacher appreciation, t-shirts, wellness committee and more.

MORE EARTH DAY NEWS

Check out what’s going on for Earth Week Austin, April 14-22, at www.austinearthday.com/.

GARAGE SALE

It’s time for the Crestview United Methodist Preschool Annual Multi-Family Garage Sale on Saturday, April 17, from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Come on out RAIN or SHINE. The garage sale has all sorts of goodies. It’s at Crestview United Methodist Preschool, 1300 Morrow, in the parking lot if it is sunny and in the Fellowship Hall if it is rainy

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Andrea Roberts roberts_andrea@sbcglobal.net

Carolyn Lindell clindell@grandecom.net

Bulldog Bark Editors

Brentwood Elementary PTA

6700 Arroyo Seco

Austin, TX 78757

512-414-2039 (front office)

http://brentwoodpta.wordpress.com

Want to receive these weekly newsletters as emails? Just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brentwood-elementary to join the Bulldog Bark.