The BPS Transportation Department is holding a series of community meetings across Boston.

The community meetings announcement explains the meetings “will provide BPS families, school staff and the community with an opportunity to dialogue in an open forum about transportation improvements, reliability, safety, and customer service. These meetings will also be a space to express overarching concerns and ideas as well as document specific issues that can be resolved in an expedited fashion.”

Topics of discussion will include:

• Improved performance
• New changes and ongoing efforts
• The RFP Process
• Meeting with Transportation Customer Service Representatives

Forthcoming meetings are as follows:

• Monday, November 5
  5 – 7 pm
  Maverick Landing Community Center, 31 Liverpool Street, East Boston
• Thursday, November 8
  5 – 7 pm
  Roche Family Community Center, 1716 Centre Street, West Roxbury
• Saturday, November 10
  10 am – 1 pm
  Edison K-8 School, 60 Glenmont Road, Brighton
• Saturday, November 17
  8 am – 2 pm
  Parent University Learning Session, Northeastern University,
  Curry Student Center – 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston

For further details, call 617-635-9520, or email schoolbus@bostonpublicschools.org

The flyer for the meetings is here.

Election Day is next Tuesday, November 6th, and that’s only 5 days away! We still need a few more volunteers to help run our Polling Place Bake Sale.

There are still many slots open for the afternoon and evening shifts, so please click the link below to sign up for a shift and/or donate a delicious treat:

http://doodle.com/gmmcxtnmppkrz2gk – make sure you click on the graphic that looks like an accordion to expand the table.

Bake Sale shifts are in 2 hour intervals beginning at 6:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. The Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Bake Sale food donations can be dropped off on Monday, November 5th in the lower school office during school hours and Tuesday, November 6th at 6:30 a.m. at the poll entrance near the bridge parking lot on Pershing Rd.

Please include an ingredient list with donated baked items (written on a piece of paper is fine) and individually wrap items if possible.

Questions? Contact Sara Mallach at mallachs@gmail.com.

Your help is very appreciated!

Due to Hurricane Sandy, BPS has announced that school will be closed on Monday, October 29. No school transportation will run on Monday, and all non-essential BPS and Boston city employees have been asked to stay home.

According to The Boston Metro, “The Boston Centers for Youth & Families’ Curtis Hall, Hyde Park, Paris Street and Tobin Community Centers will be open tomorrow from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. to provide a safe and secure location for parents to bring their children in light of the BPS closure. Other BCYF centers will open only in the event of an emergency that necessitates it.” The City of Boston’s website also states that all Boston Public Libraries will be closed on Monday.

Mayor Menino advises Boston residents to take several safety precautions prior to the arrival of the storm. They include:

• Put together an emergency supply kit, which should include food, water, medical supplies, and any other necessities for during and after the storm, if needed.
• Keep batteries and flashlights on hand in case of power outage.
• Stay indoors and away from windows.
• Do not drive or go outside during the storm to help keep roads clear for emergency vehicles.
• Immediately after a storm, use caution going outdoors. Be alert for hazards such as broken glass, down power lines, and damage to buildings.
• Secure patio furniture, grills, window boxes, air conditioners, or anything else that may become a projectile in high winds.

Please see the Mayor’s Press Release for further details about the City’s other services and other storm related information.

Have a safe, indoor, warm and dry day on Monday. Our household plans to enjoy watching Winnie the Pooh have a blustery day.

This week’s Paw Prints from principal Jeff Slater:

• Several of our amazing Curley teachers helped to facilitate learning sessions for our staff at Tuesday afternoon’s professional development session. Kim Daly did a session on “Number Talks,” Danielle Moran shared information about how to access and use predictive data from the online web site, Caitlyn Gable facilitated a session on grade level literacy resources, and Jaime Staraitis assisted district literacy coach Michele Carpinteri with the Secondary Core Model for English Language Arts and shifts in the Common Core Standards.
• I had a great time hearing Craig Melzer reading “The Pearl” with his 8th graders. They were doing a great job finding evidence from the text and identifying figurative language, metaphors, and similes.
• I was humbled by the dedication and sheer amount of hours given by Boston Cares volunteers. I was honored to accept Boston Cares Community Partnership Award on behalf of the school along with Curley parents Julie Smith-Bartoloni, Liza Sterns, and Rebecca Nieto.
• One of our school priorities this year is Common Core Shifts: Rigorous Standards-Based Lesson Design. According to the new teacher evaluation rubric, a teacher who is proficient at curriculum and planning “Designs units of instruction with measurable outcomes and challenging tasks requiring higher-order thinking skills that enable students to earn the knowledge and skills defined in state standards/local curricula.”
• I’m excited to be welcoming “Sole Train: Boston Runs Together” to our after school programming! This running and mentoring program will have our students running around Jamaica Pond twice a week as they train for half marathon in the spring. I’m looking forward to logging some miles with them! Learn more here: http://www.trinityinspires.org/soletrain/
• I’m looking forward to ending the week with no embellished animal-related news stories!

The Boston Tree Party comes to the Curley Orchard! The Curley K-8 is lucky to have been chosen as a site for two new apples trees from The Boston Tree Party, graciously donated by two Jamaica Plain groups, The Nehar Shalom Community Synagogue and The Christian Science Society of Jamaica Plain, who have joined hands to fund the plantings. The Curley K-8 was chosen by these two community groups because of it’s existing orchard and location in the heart of Jamaica Plain.

Please join us on Sunday, October 28 at 2 pm, as we set our trees in the ground and have a small dedication ceremony. We will also be harvesting the last of our apples that afternoon, so come by to join in and bring home some school yard apples! We won’t say no to anyone who wants to dig a hole, either!

To learn more about the Boston Tree Party and what it stands for, please visit www.bostontreeparty.org. We are excited for the Curley Orchard to be on the Boston Tree Party map, and are so grateful to have such a supportive community in Jamaica Plain, even beyond our schoolyard walls.

Flo Zimmerman
Orchard Steward and Curley Parent

Welcome (back)!

Now that enrollment has settled down for the year, we have been able to include a number of new parents on our mailing list. Special thanks to parents Carrie Fletcher and Sara Mallach for their effort! So if you’re new to the site, welcome! You’ll find the all important Curley Calendar, news and events updates, our growing list of teacher pages,  and sections where you can find information on parent involvement, useful contact numbers, and the school. You can also order Curley gear too.

We may have inadvertently re-included one or two of you in the list again after you have already unsubscribed. If this is so, we apologize. Email Heshan Berents-Weeramuni to unsubscribe.

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Upcoming Dates

There are a number of upcoming events:

• Principal’s Breakfast – meet Principal Slater and listen to his aims for the coming year.
  Thursday, October 25, 9 am – 10 am
  Family Center (Upper School rm #102)
• MFABS for Curley moms
  Thursday, October 25, 7:30 pm
  Bella Luna/Milky Way
• Buy Flower Bulbs, Help Curley Science
  Friday, October 26 – last day to help!
• Boston Tree Party Planting and Dedication
  Sunday, October 28, 2 pm
  Curley Orchard, Centre Street
• Polling Place Bake Sale
  Tuesday, November 6, 6:30 am – 8:30 pm
• School Parents’ Council Meeting
  Wednesday, November 7, 6 pm – 8pm,
  Upper School Library
  Dinner, childcare, and Spanish interpretation will be provided.

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Work for the Red Sox!

Ever wanted to work for the Boston Red Sox? Here’s your chance. Red Sox employee Marcita Thompson, the parent of two Curley students, wants the Curley community to know the Red Sox are looking to hire part-time/hourly positions in the Tour Department at Fenway Park. She writes, “Many of the staff are in education, as it does not conflict with their daily teaching responsibilities. I would love to recruit more. Parents, Grandparents and those retired are also wonderful candidates.”

If you’re interested, email Marcita at mthompson@redsox.com, or call her at 617-226-6423. Thanks Marcita!

This week’s Paw Prints from principal Jeff Slater:

• On Thursday, our 8th graders had the opportunity to participate in a high school awareness opportunity with Boston Arts Academy. We have so many talented students, and BAA is a great high school option for students who have an interest in the arts. Thank you to Sue Trotz for heading up this event!
• Be on the lookout for MCAS Parent Reports that will come home next week!
• I’m looking forward to doing some storytelling in Laura Shea’s K1 classroom on Friday morning!
• We’re so excited to be able to offer BEFORE SCHOOL programming for our Curley families! Forms for parents to fill out to express interest in the program went home with students this week. If you missed yours, additional forms are available both the upper and lower school offices.
• It was great to see document camera technology in place in two of our Curley classrooms this week. Document cameras are basically a mounted camera attached to a digital projector that allows you to project documents and other objects onto the board for your class to see. Maria Amy Moreno uses this projection technology in her ESL classes and Craig Melzer uses his with 8th grade ELA students. Check in with those teachers to see how they are using this technology in their classrooms to support student learning!

Four updates concerning Health and Wellness, a Science fundraiser, the chance to nominate an inspirational teacher, and a word about more teacher web sites that have been set up.

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Health and Wellness Policy Revisions

The Health and Wellness Committee led by Science teacher Stephanie Selznick and the Curley’s Guidance Counselor Sue Trotz, are helping to revise the District’s Wellness Policy.

Though the scheduled feedback session has unfortunately passed, you may nonetheless submit your contact details so that BPS can contact you regarding your thoughts on the policy.

If you have feedback on the Policy, you may also email Caitlin Westfall Howe at cwestfall@boston.k12.ma.us or call her at 617-635-7926.

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Buy Flower Bulbs, Help Curley Scientists!

Curley Science teacher Jennifer Felicetti-Magsino is looking for your help in raising money for the Science Program and outdoor classroom at the Curley.

The Science Program is asking you to pass on this link to friends and family.  That’s it!

http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/campaign?campaign_id=12925&user_campaign_id=309418

Should your friends and family (or you!) buy flowering bulbs from the site, the Curley gets 50% of the sale. Since we are selling flowering bulbs, this campaign ends the last week in October.

Any questions should be directed to Ms. Selznick, Ms. Felicetti, and Ms. Murphy.

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Nominate The Curley Teachers Who Inspire!

News from Facing History and Ourselves, a Curley partner and an innovative organization that uses education to combat bigotry and nurture democracy. You will remember they organized the lecture by Dr. Terrence Roberts, one of the Little Rock Nine, at the Curley last year. They want you to nominate inspiring educators for a contest they are running.

If an educator at the Curley has inspired you or your child to speak against bigotry and stand against injustice, nominate them as an Upstander today.

From your nominations, Facing History and Ourselves will select 20 semifinalists, and then give you and the Curley community the opportunity to vote on the educator who inspires you the most. The educator who receives the most votes will be honored with a $5,000 grant to help them continue their work as an Upstander.

Hurry though, the closing date is October 22nd.

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More Curley Teacher Websites

The list of Curley teachers who have websites of their own to promote learning in their classes continues to grow. They are listed on our Teacher Page.

If you are a teacher with a site you would like to share with Curley parents, email Heshan to list it. Teacher sub-sites through the Curley site itself are actually on the docket in the near future, so watch this space…

Picture Day is fast approaching!  Read on for details about returning your forms, getting sibling photos, what kids can wear, and more.  Also, please consider volunteering – we especially need parents to help out in the morning, when the younger children have their pictures taken.

Details: Pictures will be taken on Monday, October 22 (Grades K-5) and Wednesday, October 24 (Grades 6-8). The rain date for both groups is Thursday, October 25. Order forms were sent home in the backpacks; if you need another form, you can download it here.

You must return the order forms on or before picture day! If a child does not return a form, he or she will not be able to have a picture taken.

Parent Volunteers Needed: As in the past, our fabulous photographer will be Curley parent Jenny Connelly of Photo Charm – and she needs parent volunteers to assist with the pictures starting on Monday at 8:45a.m. There are many ways to help out, and it’s lots of fun to see all the children dressed up and smiling! If would like to help out on picture day, please contact Jenny directly via email or telephone at 781-696-1138.

Additional Info:

• All students in K-5th will be in a class photo.
• Grades 6-8 will not have a class photo taken.
• All children must have an order form to have their individual photos taken.
• Photo Charm would love to photograph children together. For sibling photos, parents should fill out a separate order form for siblings (in addition to any individual order forms). Parents should let teachers know if a child will be in a sibling photo.
• Children do not have to wear uniforms on picture day.

Whether you’re a Red or Blue State-er, we can all agree on pitching in to help the Curley K-8 School. On Election Day- Tuesday, November 6th– the Curley Parent Council will host a Polling Place Bake Sale.

Please click the link below to sign up for a shift and/or donate a delicious treat. Bake Sale shifts are in 2 hour intervals beginning at 6:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. The Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

http://doodle.com/gmmcxtnmppkrz2gk

In 2008, we made $2000 at the Election Day Bake Sale, which is a LOT of coffee and baked items sold, so please sign up to donate your time and favorite treats to help make this event a success!

Bake Sale food donations can be dropped off on Monday, November 5th in the lower school office during school hours and Tuesday, November 6th at 6:30 a.m. at the poll entrance near the bridge parking lot on Pershing Rd.

Please include an ingredient list with donated baked items (written on a piece of paper is fine) and individually wrap items if possible. Questions? Contact Sara Mallach at mallachs@gmail.com.

Another successful Fall Fling – thank you!

Looking at the preliminary numbers after last Friday’s event, SPC co-treasurer Kimberly Rand writes, “We have netted around $8,500!”

The large turnout of parents, staff, teachers, and community members, was entertained by a variety of different activities. Party Excitement provided the music scores of kids and adults alike danced to and was organized by parent Katie Fitch. Ms. Taylor-Knight’s Curley Ambassadors of Dance group was joined on stage by Little Swan Dance Troupe, and the Curley art teachers, coordinated by Ms. Youman, provided some wonderful art activities for kids. The gym was also wonderfully decorated by Flo Zimmerman and her team – well done all!

Thanks also to all those who provided items for the bake sale, and for running the tables for the food (organized by Kristin Jurkoic), and the raffles, bouncy house, and the Curley shirts. A special thanks is also due to the face painters who were upper school students, coordinated by Maria Monteiro-Roby.

iPad winner Spencer Klein

Jamaica Plain resident Crystal with the Wii she won

The three grand raffle prizes of an iPad, a Nintendo Wii, and a kid’s bike, as usual drew a great deal of interest. The winners were all local Bostonians, and all were very excited to receive the phone call with the happy news.

The iPad was won by Spencer Klein, a Jamaica Plain resident who bought tickets through one of the kindergarden families who were selling tickets to their friends and neighbors. These raffle sales were organized by Kristin Brennan Shapiro, Pam Yosca and Arusha Hollister. The Wii went to Crystal, another Jamaica Plain resident, who was walking by JP Licks while Curley families were selling tickets and bought a ticket to be supportive. The kid’s Fuji bike was won by a Dorchester resident who was also walking by the table outside JP Licks and wanted to show her support to the Curley community.

Everyone was very surprised to win, especially Spencer who said he was quite sure he wasn’t going to win.

The large assortment of raffle baskets also attracted a lot of ticket sales, and included Beyblades, science, Boing! toys, and chocolate-themed offerings. Thank you everyone for donating baskets to the Fall Fling, you are very generous. Thanks also to Jennifer Taub for coordinating the baskets, achieving a great haul in the process!

Thanks also to all the people who stayed to clean up, in particular John McLoughlin who was so generous in ferrying the tables and chairs to and from Interstate Rentals.

We had many local businesses and individuals who generously donated their resources and services to make the Fall Fling a success. Though not an exhaustive list, we want to thank the following: Interstate Rentals, Ferris Wheels, Mayor Thomas M. Menino, State Representative Jerey Sanchez, Councilor Matt O’Malley, Ace Hardware, Bella Luna, Bhukhara, Boing! JP’s Toy Store, City Feed and Supply, Costello’s, Doyle’s Cafe, El Oriental de Cuba, Ideal Pizza, JP Licks, JP Seafood, Lisa Foulger, Noreen Power, Penguin Pizza, Real Deal, Tres Gatos, Whole Foods and Zesto’s.

A special shutout to Heshan Berents-Weeramuni, Bill Elsbree, and Yasmina Alvarenga for all of the countless time spent working behind the scenes. All told, we counted upwards of 60 people who all pitched in, volunteered their time, and made this a success – great, great job everyone – it’s wonderful to be in this community!

– Molly Mariano and Jess Ormsby, SPC fundraising co-chairs

The Curley After School Program (CASP) is considering offering a before school program for Curley students K-8. The cost of the program is projected to be $5 per day per student.  The program’s hours will be 7:20am to 8:20 am Monday through Friday. Activities will include arts and crafts, jumbo and puzzle worksheets, and reading. A drop in service will be available although there may be an extra charge related to this.

Payments would need to be made monthly in advance. If you think that this program is something that you are interested in please fill out the form below:

• CASP Before School Investigation Form

This is NOT a registration form and should not be considered as such.  After pooling the responses we will be able to determine if the program is viable. We will contact each family that submits this form and inform them of the before school program status.

If you are interested in having your child attend the before school program please fill out this form and either email it to tcanada@boston.k12.ma.us or bring it to the main office of the Curley school. Please do not put the form in your child’s backpack.

Please be sure to return this form by 22 October 2012.

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Investigacion Programa CASP / Programa antes de horas de escuela

El programa de horario despues  de horas de la escuela Curley (CASP) esta considerando ofrecer un programa antes de las horas de escuela para los estudiantes de grados k-8 de la escuela Curley.  El costo del programa es de $5.00 por dia. El horario del programa es de 7:20 a.m. a 8:00 a.m. de Lunes a Viernes.  Las actividades incluidas en el mismo son artes manuales, rompe cabezas, trabajos en hojas sueltas y lectura.

Los pagos necesitan hacerse mensualmente antes de que el mes comienze. Si usted cree estar interesado/a en este programa, favor de completer esta forma:

• Investigacion Programa CASP / Programa antes de horas de escuela forma – Español

Esta no es una registracion. Despues de chequear las respuestas sabremos si el programa este disponible. Luego nos comunicaremos con las familias que sometan las formas para informarle acerca del estado del programa de Antes De Horas de Escuela.

Si usted esta interezado/a en este programa favor de completer la parte de abajo y traigala a la Oficina principal de la escuela o mande un correo electronico a tcanada@boston.k12.ma.us.

Por favor asegurese de enviar esta forma antes del 22 de octubre del 2012.

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Future Inventors, Engineers, and Scientists

In addition, CASP and Northeastern University are please announce “Future Inventors, Engineers, & Scientists” for 4th to 6th Grade Students, on Thursdays from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. starting October 18th. The program is supported by Northeastern University’s Center for STEM Education.

Please contact Northeastern’s Daniel Sullivan at 860-463-1334 or at da.sullivan@neu.edu.

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Cientificos, Inventores, y Ingenieros Futuros

Cientificos, Inventores, y Ingenieros Futuros
Curley After-School Program (CASP)
Los Jueves de Otoňo, 2012
Sustantivo October 18th, 2012
Cuarto a Seis Grado
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
con: Center for STEM Education, Northeastern University

Pueden ponerse en contacto con: Daniel Sullivan en 860-463-1334 o da.sullivan@neu.edu