We hope everyone had a great first week of school! The PTO Weekly Notes are sent out at the beginning of each week, and contain important information and announcements about our school and community. 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 Elizabeth DeRose at ederose (at) comcast (dot) net by Sunday at noon of each week. The following are the Weekly Notes for this week:

School Announcements:

• 1st Day Packet Forms- Thanks to those of you who have sent in the many forms that were in your 1st Day Packet! We know it’s a lot to go through, and we appreciate your help in getting this important paperwork filled out and returned to school. Some of the forms (green cards, Emergency Plan, Permission to Publish) were due last week…if you haven’t turned them in yet, please do so ASAP! Other forms (Family Contact Information Form, Classroom Volunteer Form, Committee Volunteer Forms, Burns Press Opt In) are due on Tuesday, Sept. 16th. The Family Contact Information Form (purple) is used to compile the database for class email lists and the school directory, so please help us by making sure it is accurate and complete. All forms can be sent back to school with your child, and their teacher will turn them in to the school office. Please contact Elizabeth DeRose or Lynda Norton if you have any questions (contact info is at bottom of this message).

• Curriculum Night – Tuesday, September 9th 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. Please plan to attend this very important event. 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
8:05 – 8:35 – 4th grade families ONLY! 4th Grade Camp 1st Meeting in auditorium

• Summer Learning Workbooks – Please turn in your student’s workbook by Friday, September 12; workbooks can be handed into the classroom teacher or placed in the Summer Learning Workbook box in the office. To receive the academic medal the workbook needs to be handed in by this date. Questions? Helen Starman (hstarman [at] comcast [dot] net or 994-8553)

• Native Plant Garden Project – The grassy area next to the school near the A-wing entrance has been weeded in preparation for a beautiful garden. The garden will include only plants that are native to Michigan. This will make the garden hearty and easy to maintain. Details about the garden project and the donations needed can be found at: http://groups.google.com/group/burns-park-penguins-care-club/edit/native...

If you don’t have plants to donate, simple cash donations of $5 will purchase a typical native plant. Details for online cash donations for the garden can be found at the link above – or you can give a check made out to Jackie Dalton to the Daltons in person or by mail, or deliver to 1302 Henry St., 48104.

• Walk & Talk – Walk and Talk is an activity where the students gather at recess to walk or run with each other around a specified loop at Burns Park. The kids earn “toe tags” for a certain number of loops around the park and really are motivated by the fresh air, their friends and the encouragement of the parent volunteers. We are hoping to start up the week of Sept. 15th if we can get our parent volunteers in place by then. If you can help out on Monday, Wednesday or Friday during lunch time (approximately from 11:15 – 1:10 or any part thereof), please contact our Volunteer Coordinators, Janice Lieberman (liebermanjanice (at) yahoo.com) or Helen Starman (hstarman (at) comcast.net) if you have not already signed up through the Committee Volunteer form. We would also like to encourage parents to come and walk and talk with the kids – enjoy each other plus the added bonus of modeling/inspiring physical fitness too! There is a fantastic opportunity for the kids to run in the Big House Big Heart 5k on Sept. 28th (finish line is on the 50 yard line) to raise money for Burns Park School and Walk and Talk. We’ll help get them ready!

• Lunches With Love – This is a service learning program to help combat hunger locally that all classes will participate in. The program will begin on Tuesday, September 16th and will continue every Tuesday thereafter. Two teachers sign up per week and students in those classes will help prepare bag lunches, which are donated to a local homeless shelter. Volunteers are needed in the cafeteria Tuesday mornings from the first bell until around 9:30 to help set up, assist students and clean up. If you are interested in helping out, please contact our Volunteer Coordinators, Janice Lieberman (liebermanjanice (at) yahoo.com) or Helen Starman (hstarman (at) comcast.net) if you have not already signed up through the Committee Volunteer form.

• 1st PTO Meeting – The first PTO meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, September 18th in the Media Center (Library). Fun, FREE child care is provided in the gym, so you can bring your kids along! This is a great way to participate in our PTO and learn more about our school.

• 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 – Burns Park Players informational meeting: Tuesday, September 16, 7:00 pm in the Burns Park School Auditorium. Please join us to learn more about our 2009 musical, Annie Get Your Gun, to be performed the weekends of February 7th and 14th. The Burns Park Players are open to anyone living within the Burns Park elementary school bounds; elementary aged children of parents who are in the cast or crew are eligible for a small part in the production (no tryouts, practices held at school during lunchtime). For more information visit our website, http://www.burnsparkplayers.org or email us producers (at) burnsparkplayers.org.

• Harvest Dinner for AAPSEF – Come help our schools, but first help yourself! Join us for the Harvest Dinner at Zingerman’s Roadhouse to support the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation. Chef Alex Young will prepare a Harvest Dinner inspired by the crops at his Dexter Farm. Enjoy food, drinks and good company All proceeds will support the AAPSEF’s Village Fund, created to fund social inclusion across the district. For more information about the AAPSEF, the Village Fund Initiative and to buy tickets visit our website http://www.supportannarborschools.org or contact Helen Starman (hstarman (at) comcast.net or 994-8553).

• Farm Fresh Fridays – The Ann Arbor Public Schools is happy to announce that Farm Fresh Fridays are back again this Fall, providing our students with fresh Southeastern Michigan-grown produce every Friday in September and October.

Fall 2008 Farm Fresh Friday Schedule:
Watermelons on 9/5, Blueberries or Peaches on 9/12, Corn on the Cob on 9/19, Cucumbers on 9/26, Grape Tomatoes on 10/3, Beans on 10/10, Carrots on 10/17, Cabbage on 10/24, Acorn Squash on 10/31
The above items will be available on the fruit and veggie bars at the elementary school, and on the lines at the secondary schools. New this year: Cooked local produce item on Wednesdays, served with the school lunch. The list includes zucchini, cauliflower, baked potatoes, and turnips.
Farm Fresh Fridays are a project of the Ann Arbor Farm to School Collaboration whose members are:
* Ann Arbor Public School * Chartwells Dining Services * Project Healthy Schools * The Agrarian Adventure * Food System Economic Partnership * Washtenaw County Health Department
The Farm to School Collaboration embraces local and regionally grown produce as not only a healthy choice for students but as a way to educate students on the availability of fresh foods in their area as well as supporting local and regional farms in their efforts to be sustaining contributors to our local economy.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Elizabeth DeRose, President
ederose (at) comcast (dot) net or 677-0882
Lynda Norton, President-Elect
llnorton (at) okno (dot) com or 761-1478

Check out our PTO website: http://www.burnsparkpto.org & our school website: http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/burnspark.home .