BRIARWOOD ELEMENTARY pta newsletter
April 12, 2023 www.briarwoodpta.org
MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LASH
Kindergarten Enrollment
Calling all future kindergartners! Now is the time to enroll for the coming school year. If you haven’t already enrolled, please do so now as we need your student in our count. Our projected staffing is based on the enrollment numbers. If you know that you will be attending Briarwood next school year, please enroll today. You don’t have to wait to submit enrollment until after your student's physical. Upload the current immunizations and we can update the immunizations and physical later.
To enroll your student, go to www.smsd.org and look for the Families tab and then click on Enrollment and follow the directions listed there. If you already have a student in SMSD, go to Skyward and look for the new enrollment tab on the left side. Kindergarten Kick-Off will be April 20, 2023. More information has been sent out to all enrolled families. We are looking forward to meeting all of our incoming Kindergartners soon!
Save the Date: Open House, May 4th - Last Name A-L, 6:00-6:45 & Last Name M-Z, 7:00-7:45
The staff and I are looking forward to Open House, and hope you will be able to attend so you can see your student's classroom and see some of their amazing work. If your last name begins with the letters A-L, you will attend from 6:00-6:45, and, if your last name begins with M-Z, you will attend from 7:00-7:45.
IMPORTANT DATES & DEADLINES @ BRIARWOOD
Wednesday, April 19
Dining Partners - Panera (8300 Mission Road)
*
Saturday, April 22
Progressive Dinner
*
Wednesday, April 26-Friday, April 28
Used Book Fair
*
Thursday, May 4
Open House
Last Names A-L, 6:00-6:45pm
Last Names M-Z, 7:00-7:45pm
*
Friday, May 5
Bike Rodeo (2nd Grade ONLY)
*
Friday, May 12
Briarwood Carnival
Volunteers and donations needed- see flyer below for details and sign-up
*
Full BW PTA Calendar is available here
Briarwood Parent/Caregiver Survey
Every April, PTA compiles a brief survey about all the PTA programs/events from the year to learn how you think we did -- and what we can do better. It will just take a few minutes to share your invaluable feedback!
Here is the Survey Link- https://forms.gle/p2P3nvjtTfnLU3RA8
The Briarwood carnival is FREE for ALL! Thank you to our generous community!
Used Book Fair- Volunteers needed!
School Supplies
Briarwood has once again partnered with 1st Day School Supplies for the 2023-2024 school year. Ordering your supplies through 1st Day can save you up to 30% over shopping online or at stores like Target, Walmart and Amazon. Better yet, you get to skip the shopping trip and supplies are delivered directly to your student's classroom! (Briarwood teachers selected all the items that will be included the 1st Day School Supply kits to ensure students will have just what they need for the school year.)
Order today: https://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=40506
A SPACE FOR EVERY BULLDOG - DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION AT BRIARWOOD
CELEBRATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS IN APRIL
Autism Acceptance Month is observed in April. Acceptance means more than a designation for the month; it is an act of embracing the different, diverse and unique experiences across the Autism community. Acceptance is the understanding that one size does not fit all. The #CelebrateDifferences campaign is a way to highlight and honor the infinite way in which people experience life. Throughout the month, we focus on coming together in unity and collaboration by fostering worldwide support, sharing stories and connecting to create a more inclusive world.
April is also Arab American Heritage Month, which celebrates the Arab American heritage and culture, and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans.
April 14 is Vaisakhi (also spelled Baisakhi), a festival that celebrates the founding of the Sikh community as the Khalsa (community of the initiated). On this day, Sikhs gather and celebrate Vaisakhi at their local Gurdwaras (Sikh house of worship) by remembering this day as the birth of the Khalsa.
On April 18, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Hashoah in Hebrew) memorializes the heroic martyrdom of six million Jews who perished in the Nazi Holocaust.
April 21 is Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic “Feast of the Breaking of the Fast,” which marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting from dawn until dusk.
THINGS TO DO RELEVANT TO RECOGNITIONS IN APRIL
Watch this video about one Muslim- American student’s Ramadan experience
Autism Society - Heartland's 6th annual 5K/1K Fun Run - Saturday, April 29
Children's Mercy Annual Autism Caregiver Conference- Monday, April 24
JOIN THE 2024 AUCTION COMMITTEE!
We are looking for the next auction leadership team and volunteers to make the March 2024 Briarwood Auction a huge success! The auction is Briarwood's largest fundraiser and funds most of our PTA budget for two years. Do you have a special talent or skill? Are you looking for a way to get involved and give back? We'd love to talk with you and answer any questions you may have. Please reach out to Katie Enger (katieenger@hotmail.com , (913-972-7091) and Clarissa McMillan (mcmillan.clarissa@gmail.com).
Thank you for helping make our 2024 auction a great success!
Briarwood's PTA Committee, 2023-2024
Congratulations to the incoming PTA Committee, who will be planning all the terrific PTA-sponsored activities, events and programs next year! THANK YOU to all our generous incoming and outgoing committee volunteers!
PTA NEWS!
PTA MEMBERSHIP
PTA Memberships are for sale year round in the Briarwood School Store. Individual memberships are $12 and Joint memberships are $24. The Briarwood PTA works to support every student and teacher in our building and our goal is to have 100% participation from our families/caregivers and teachers. PTA memberships are also a fundraiser for Briarwood PTA. PTA members receive exclusive access to the online directory.
To join PTA and pay online now, please visit our PTA website at: briarwoodpta.org/join_pta
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2022 - TAX INFORMATION
Your support of the PTA in 2022 is appreciated. Donation letters have been sent, as required, to donors who made donations of $250 or more. If you would like a tax donation letter and did not receive one, please contact Michelle Wiens - mwiens678@gmail.com.
CREATE/UPDATE YOUR ONLINE DIRECTORY PROFILE
Get started today by visiting https://www.briarwoodpta.org, select “Directory”
- Update or create an account through Membership Toolkit. Once you update/create your account, you can decide what information is shared in the online directory, which is ONLY accessible to other BW registrants.
- Our directory will only be as useful as YOU make it. Please register to help us build a stronger community network for parents/caregivers and students.
- Download the Membership Toolkit app from the App Store or Google Play for on-the-go access.
Questions? Contact Karen Moore: karen.jeanne.moore@gmail.com
ELEMENTARY
“Kiyoshi’s Walk” by Mark Karlins and Illustrated by Nicole Wong.
MIDDLE
“Finding Junie Kim” by Ellen Oh
YOUNG ADULT
“Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo
April 2023 Additional Resources
Elementary
"Outside In" by Deborah Underwood
"Talk Like a River" by Jordan Scott
"The Invisible Boy" by Trudy Ludwig
"Can I Touch Your Hair" by Irene Latham
"Emmanuel’s Dream" by Laurie Ann Thompson
"All Are Welcome" by Alexandra Penfold
"Circles All Around Us" by Brad Montague
"I am Every Good Thing" by Derrick Barnes
Middle Grade
"Other Words for Home" by Jasmine Warga
"Starfish" by Lisa Fipps
VOLUNTEER CROSSING GUARDS NEEDED
Please help us keep our students safe by volunteering to serve as a crossing guard at 86th and Juniper.
- Remind children to walk themselves and/or their bikes/scooters across the crosswalk.
- Help direct the before/after-school traffic and remind drivers that cars are not permitted to turn left off of 86th Street.
- Crosswalk volunteer shifts are 7:50-8:10am and 3:05-3:20pm (12:25pm-12:40pm on half days).
NOW AVAILABLE: SMORE TRANSLATION
- On the right side of the newsletter, a bar will appear with the Translation feature.
- Click on the Translation bar then click on the Select Language button.
- Choose your language of choice from the drop-down menu of languages and click close. The newsletter will now be translated.
En el lado derecho de la pagina, aparecerá una barra con la función de traducción. Haga clic en la barra de traducción y luego haga clic en el botón Seleccionar idioma. Elija español en el menú desplegable de idiomas y haga clic en cerrar. El boletín ahora se traducirá.
GET SOCIAL - Connect With Us Online!
Website: https://www.briarwoodpta.org/
Twitter: @BriarwoodElem
Instagram: @BriarwoodBulldogs
Facebook: facebook.com/BriarwoodBulldogs
Grade-level Facebook Groups (private):
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2029 (6th grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2030 (5th grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2031 (4rd grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2032 (3nd grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2033 (2st grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2034 (1st Grade)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2035 (K)
Briarwood Elementary Class of 2036 (NEW GROUP!)
2022-23 PTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Co-Presidents:
Mary Boomer • maryseltzerboomer@gmail.com
Deana Curtin • deanacurtin@gmail.com
President-Elect:
Ashley Hunt • ashleyhunt910@gmail.com
VP Administration:
Rachel Wymore • rla08@hotmail.com
VP Communications:
Terra Snyder • walker_terra@hotmail.com
VP Community Events:
Kristin McClasky • Kdp1202@gmail.com
VP Student Services:
Susan Jarrold • susan.jarrold@gmail.com
VP Funding:
Jessica Becker • jessica.becker85@gmail.com
VP Finance:
Denise Wheeler • denisetompkins@mac.com
Treasurer:
Michelle Wiens mwiens678@gmail.com
Secretary:
Diana Beckman • dianalbeckman@gmail.com
Briarwood Foundation:
Wendy Hill • Wendyhill329@gmail.com
Diversity & Inclusion Chair:
Jessica Bryon • bryonfamkc@gmail.com