The Brickton Weekly, March 31, 2011

Teacher of the Month – Cheryl LaCost
Each month, we will highlight a different teacher at Brickton.  It’s a chance for you to get to know the teachers better.  At Brickton, we pride ourselves on building the relationship between teacher, student, and parent.  We feel this is important to the strength of our community.

We hope you enjoy getting to know Cheryl!

Summer at Brickton
Summers at Brickton are full of fun, field trips, and friendships.  Join us this summer for awesome programs.  All the information you need is online at brickton.org/summer.

Dates:  Wednesday, June 8th, through Friday, August 19th  (Closed Friday, July 1st, and Monday, July 4th)
Programs:  Toddler, Children’s House, Elementary (1st – 6th grade), and Discover Chicago (6th – 8th grade)

You can sign up for the whole summer or by-the-week.  Applications are due Tuesday, May 3rd.

Enrollment Form for Current Brickton Students

Enrollment Form for Non-Brickton Students

The Brickton Weekly, March 24, 2011

Contracts Due Tomorrow
Re-Enrollment is going strong.  Make sure to turn in your contracts by Friday, March 25th, so that you avoid a late fee!

Spring Break
Spring Break is Monday, March 28 – Friday, April 1.  All full day students and students who are pre-registered and pre-paid in the amount of $50 are welcome to attend the club days.  Please contact Sara Gregory in the main office to let her know if you are planning to attend.  Thank you!  (sara.gregory@brickton.org)

Alumni News
Our very own Sydney Delin (Class of 2010) was recently awarded the highest academic honor at Loyola Academy for her first semester of work.  This is awarded to those with a weighted average of 93% or better.  Congratulations, Sydney!

Spring Extracurricular Classes
Sign up for the second session of Spring Extracurricular Classes!  Fill out this form.  (You will have to sign in to the family website.)

National Poetry Day
In honor of National Poetry Day, the Middle School students were challenged to write “Tweet Poems” of exactly 140 characters.  Here is a brief sample of their work.

The Princess
Far away a princess lived,
In her castle up on a hill,
How funny, she thought,
I will never be free.

How funny, she thought,
And drank tea.

Him
I remember him,
As I remember summer,
His faint calls as he chased another.

His nose so small,
And his frame so thin,
But I remember,
That he would most likely win.

~Lily and Susanne (Class of 2011)

Bowling Bash
The Bowling Bash is Saturday, April 9th, from 12 to 2 p.m.  Fill out the form to RSVP and turn it in to the main office.

The Brickton Weekly, March 17, 2011

A Peek Into a Lower Elementary Classroom (Room 102)
Each month, we are going to give parents a peek into one of our amazing classrooms with a slideshow of pictures and short videos.  It’s a chance for you to see what’s going on around Brickton.

Trinity Irish Dancers are here! 
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  The world traveling, award winning, Trinity Irish Dancers performed at Brickton in honor of St. Patrick’s day.  Check out the highlights in the video below!


One Page Calendar Update
You may have noticed that Spring Break was missing on the one page calendar that was sent out with your Re-Enrollment forms on February 28th.  Don’t worry, Spring Break isn’t cancelled; it just didn’t make it on that calendar.  Check it out here (you will have to sign in to the parent website).
World’s Finest Chocolate Sale
The World's Finest Chocolate sale is underway!  Don't miss out on getting your favorites  just in time for Spring.  We have chocolate bunnies, Mint Meltaways, Caramel Whirls, and more!  Return your orders to the office by Friday, March 25th.
The Big Leap!
The Big Leap was a huge success!  Check out the pictures on the family website (you will have to sign in to the parent website). If you have more pictures, please send them along!
Meet Olympic Athlete and Author, Kristi Yamaguchi
Who hasn’t dreamed of meeting a celebrity?  Well, now is your chance to meet Olympic and World Champion figure skater, Dancing with the Stars champion, philanthropist, and now children’s book author, Kristi Yamaguchi.  Kristi will be at the John Hancock Observatory on Monday March 28^th, at 6 pm, sharing her inspiring message and signing copies of her first picture book, Dream Big Little Pig.
Poppy is a little pig with big dreams!  And with the support of her family and friends she will chase down those dreams until they come true. This message of always dreaming and always pursing your dreams is the heart of Kristi’s message and her Always Dream Foundation, which raises money for children’s charities in the San Francisco Bay Area.
So if you are looking for activities to fill your spring break, please join Kristi at the Hancock Observatory!  Dream Big Little Pig is being published by Sourcebooks, a trade publisher located in Naperville, IL
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!
The large green bins in the east and west parking lots are waiting for your recyclable paper.  Thank you to everyone who has tossed in their paper.  Your contributions helped us earn a check for $20.16 from the Abitibi Corporation.  That’s free money!  We also saved 6.65 cubic yards of landfill space.  Thank you for all your help.
Dr. Betsy Coe Speaking Engagement Next Week
Race to Somewhere: Following the Montessori Journey
Tuesday, March 22nd, 7:00 PM
St. Scholastica Auditorium, 7416 N. Ridge Blvd
RSVP here
Preeminent Montessori educator, Betsy Coe, will join us for an evening guest lecture. Ms. Coe will share her lifelong experiences ‘teaching teachers’, founding a Montessori High School, and explaining how Montessori education is relevant in developing knowledge and skills for a 21st century education. The presentation will be at St. Scholastica and hosted by Rogers Park Montessori and Chiaravalle.
 Spring Break Club Days
Spring Break is coming up: Monday, March 28th, through Friday, April 1.  Brickton will have Club Days that week, so all full day students and those who are pre-registered and pre-paid in the amount of $50 may attend.  Please contact Sara Gregory in the main office if you would like to sign up for Spring Break Club Days.  Email her at sara.gregory@brickton.org.

The Brickton Weekly, March 10, 2011

Huge Success at the Big Leap!
A big BIG thank you to all of the Big Leap supporters! The event was a huge success thanks to the countless volunteers and so many generous donors.  All of us at Brickton thank you and the children thank you – just watch the video below:

 
Re-Enrollment Forms Due Friday
Make sure to secure your spot at Brickton by turning in your Re-Enrollment form and $165 Re-Enrollment fee this Friday, March 11.

World’s Finest Chocolate
Order forms for World’s Finest Chocolate (including chocolate bunnies!) were placed in your parent folder this week.  This is a great fundraiser for the school, and you get to eat some excellent chocolate!  Order forms are due Friday, March 25th with payments.

Bowling Bash
Mark your calendars for the Bowling Bash! 
When: Saturday, April 9th from 12-2

Trinity Irish Dancers Performing at Brickton
The World Famous Trinity Irish Dancers will be performing at Brickton in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th, at 9 am.  Parents, friends, neighbors, and families are welcome to attend this free performance in the Great Room.  All the Brickton students will be watching, too!

Don’t Forget to Set Your Clock Back!
Daylight savings is back!  Set your clocks ahead one hour this weekend.

The Brickton Weekly, March 3, 2011

The Benefit is Almost Here
This Saturday, March 5th, is Brickton’s Annual Benefit.  If you haven’t had a chance to turn in your RSVP card, it’s not too late.  You can even pay at the door!  Tickets are $85 each. 

Check out the Classroom Art Projects on display in the lobby outside the main office.  The students did a great job creating beautiful work. 

Check out some of the other items in our live auction:

 
-- Four 3-day Passes to Lollapalooza 2011 (It’s the 20th anniversary, so you know it’s going to be AWESOME.)
-- Four Cubs tickets – Dugout seats, next to the owners (You can’t get a  better view of the game.)
-- Choose your own Olympic Adventure: you win a two night stay for two people at one of the Olympic training centers (Lake Placid, NY, or Colorado Springs, CO) and you stay in the athletes’ dorms where athletes are currently training.  Included in this package: three meals a day, a private tour of the facilities, and sport experience.
-- Two tickets to the Blackhawks ON THE GLASS (You can’t even buy these tickets!)

 

It’s Re-Enrollment Time!
On Monday, the Development Office sent out Re-Enrollment Forms via email.  Those forms are due Friday, March 11th.  There will be a $50 late fee for forms turned in after that date.  If you did not receive a form, please contact Erika Bolte at erika.bolte@brickton.org.

 

Manna Orders Due this Friday
Manna orders are due this Friday, March 4, with card pick-up Wedbesday, March 9.  Questions about ordering online?  Contact kathleen.kasser@brickton.org.

You can also pick up an order form outside the business office, and the Manna Committee will do the ordering for you when you turn in your completed form and payment.

The next Manna orders will be due Friday, March 18.

 

Scholastic Book Club
Be sure to place your March Scholastic Book Club orders by Thursday, March 3^rd. Online orders will be accepted until midnight!

Scholastic Book Clubs are a convenient and affordable way to strengthen your child’s love for reading while supporting Brickton. Every catalog has an exciting $1 book pick along with numerous books priced under $3. Books will arrive in time for Spring Break!

Thank you for your support!

 

Montessori High School Interest Survey Update
Dear Parents,

Last month, we collaborated with seven other Chicago area Montessori schools to survey parents on their interest in continuing a Montessori educational environment for their children through the high school years.

948 of you responded! Thank you for taking the time to help us develop this initiative and help to guide the design of a Montessori High School. It is our collective goal to design an exceptional learning environment/program which will not only meet the developing needs of the adolescents, but respond to factors that you as parents consider important to your children’s high school experience.

In the next month we will establish a Board of Directors to guide this project from the initial idea to a functioning Montessori High School. This group will consist of parents and educators who have the specific skill sets that will enable us to move this project forward. In addition, a group of Montessori practitioners and innovative thinkers will undertake the work of curriculum development.

Many of you offered your support and are willing to be involved in this process. Before long, the Board will begin to establish committees on which some of you may be asked to serve. Our project to establish a Montessori High School is underway !

Thank you again for your time in helping us forward our mission to develop a Chicago-area school that supports the natural continuum for a Montessori Education.

Sincerely,
Debbie Kelley