The Brickton Weekly, January 26, 2012

Alumni Interview Series
This month, Brickton is celebrating its outstanding alumni. We are featuring short video interviews with recent alumni. These young adults are doing amazing things and have gained a lot from their strong Brickton foundation.

Don’t forget to check out our Alumni profiles on the bulletin board in the lobby. It’s a great opportunity to see the outcomes of a Brickton education.

Parent Education Event
Dr. Felix, licensed Clinical Psychologist, will present: Mad is Not Bad – Parenting tips for managing anger
Do you or your child need to develop anger management skills for personal growth and/or to enhance your relationships? Perhaps anger is interfering with your child’s academic performance? In this seminar, you will learn about the different types of anger and that anger is not necessarily a bad thing.  Anger actually has a purpose and can be helpful if used correctly. You will also learn anger reduction techniques, as well as about the rules of fair fighting and how to reduce the anger expression of your children, diffuse conflict, and use strategies for reducing tension at home and at school. Please join us!

Thursday, February 9th, at 6:45 p.m. at Brickton
RSVP to sara.gregory@brickton.org
Care will not be available for this parent only event.

January Scholastic Book Club Orders
Scholastic book club orders are due today, Thursday, January 26th. The online deadline is midnight, so hurry and get your order in today! Thank you for your support!

 

Lice Update
We are diligently working to battle the lice outbreak and we need your help! Please take all of your child’s clothing, bedding, and winter gear home over the weekend and wash in HOT water. Please check your child’s head for lice and/or nits. If you find lice or nits, please let us know and immediately treat your child. We will take extra care in washing and vacuuming the classrooms and checking heads on Monday. If a child is found to have a case of lice, he or she will be sent home and allowed to return after treatment. If a child is found to have nits (nits are the tiny eggs that can be found on the hair shaft, very close to the scalp), he or she will be allowed to stay at school, but will need to be treated before returning to school the next day. In order for a student to return to school, he or she will be required to provide a doctor’s note, or the packaging from the treatment used. Thank you for your help!

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/epi/html

Lice Advice from a Parent
written by Louise, mom in Room 103
After the lice outbreak at Brickton this week, I wanted to tell you about the Rosemary Repel products by Fairy Tales Hair Care. The Rosemary Repel Shampoo, Creme Conditioner, Leave-in Conditioning Spray, Spray and Shield Hair Spray, and Styling Gel are an organic and natural way to prevent head lice and this has been proven nearly 100% effective when used together in independent tests. The products work by using organic rosemary, citronella, tea tree, anise, lavender, and geranium oils to help repel lice and other insects from the hair.

I use the Rosemary Repel Shampoo and Conditioner every two or three days (lice don’t like dirty hair) and the Rosemary Repel Leave-in Conditioning Spray every morning. The conditioning spray is not only a fantastic detangler, it also seals and protects the hair from lice. I have used these products for the last three years with success and I feel very confident my children are protected whenever there is a lice outbreak.

Fairy Tales also has a lice removing product – this is a nontoxic, pesticide free, enzyme based mousse that has been proven safe and effective (although I have never had to use it).

For more information, visit fairytaleshaircare.com

Reminder about Parking Lot Safety
Parents and other drivers are cautioned to drive slowly and to exercise extreme caution when entering our parking lot.

All large vans, SUVs, and trucks may not use the main parking lot during peak traffic times of 8:15 – 8:45 a.m. and 2:45 – 3:15 p.m.

The areas immediately in front of the entrance doors shall be designated NO PARKING ZONES, and are marked as such.

Manna Orders
Manna orders are due tomorrow, Friday, January 27th, with card pick up next Wednesday, February 1st. Order online or in the business office. The Middle School benefits from your participation, and Manna helps pay your tuition.

The Brickton Weekly, January 19, 2012

Alumni Interview SeriesThis month, Brickton is celebrating its outstanding alumni. We will be featuring short video interviews with recent alumni. These young adults are doing amazing things and have gained a lot from their strong Brickton foundation. The Middle School students conducted the interview below.
Don’t forget to check out our Alumni profiles on the bulletin board in the lobby. It’s a great opportunity to see the outcomes of a Brickton education.

Featured BlogEach month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring the Children’s House Room 107 Blog.
childrenshouse107.posterous.com (password: brickton)

Bring a Friend to Brickton – Help Us Spread the Word!For Children’s House and Lower Elementary StudentsThis week your child received a “coupon” to be used as an invitation to bring a friend of a similar age to visit his or her classroom. Please help your child by inviting a neighbor, cousin, teammate, or family friend to visit Brickton!
Visits will take place on:Tuesdays in February
Thursdays in March
Wednesdays in April
Reservations must be made in advance and the visitor’s parent must be present for the entirety of the visit.
Open HouseTell your friends, family, and neighbors. Brickton will be hosting an Open House for prospective families Sunday, January 22nd, from 12:30 – 3:00 pm. It’s a chance to meet directresses, tour the school, and learn more about the Montessori philosophy and our school.
The Big Leap is SIX WEEKS AWAY! The 2012 Big Leap is only 6 weeks away! Please help us make Brickton’s 25th Anniversary Annual Benefit a success! Join us for the final planning meeting on Tuesday, January 24th, at 6:30 pm. For more details, contact Kelly McDermott at kelly.mcdermott@brickton.org.
Parent Education OpportunityDr. Felix, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, will present:
Mad is Not Bad – Parenting tips for managing angerDo you or your child need to develop anger management skills for personal growth and/or to enhance your relationships? Perhaps anger is interfering with your child’s academic performance? In this seminar, participants will learn about the different types of anger and that anger is not necessarily a bad thing. Anger actually has a purpose and can be helpful if used correctly. They will also learn anger reduction techniques, as well as about the rules of fair fighting and learn how to reduce the anger expression of their children, diffuse conflict, and use strategies for reducing tension at home and at school.
Please join us!

Thursday, February 9th at 6:45 p.m. at Brickton
RSVP to sara.gregory@brickton.org
Care will not be available for this parent only event.
Montessori Conference Chicago: February 24th-25thYou are invited to attend the Association of Illinois Montessori Schools’ (AIMS)Winter Conference Friday, February 24th, through Saturday, February 25th. Trevor Eissler, author of Montessori Madness and a Montessori parent, will speak about Montessori from a parent’s perspective; Pam Dunbar, Commissioner for the AMS School Accreditation Commission, will present the tangible outcomes of a Montessori education; Joyce Pickering, Executive Director Emeritus of the Shelton School in Dallas, will discuss parenting the learning different child; and more! Parents who register by January 30, 2012, will pay only $49 for Saturday (which includes breakfast and lunch).
Learn more here. Register here.
Free Money for BricktonThere are two large green paper recycling bins in Brickton’s parking lot (one in the west lot and one in the east lot). Each month, the paper in these bins is picked up and processed, and Brickton receives a check. Free money! This month, we received a check for $23.81 and saved 8.08 cubic yards of landfill space. Thank you to everyone who has dropped off paper.
Brickton’s Latest “Green” Initiative - “Bricktoncycle”Old skates? Children’s books (bundled by age or interest)? Bicycles?
Do you have items you’d like to clear out of your home or garage? Do you have something that might be headed for the trash that could be someone else’s treasure? “Bricktoncycle” is a program to help Brickton families find new uses for old things rather than throwing them out, which will help to reduce the amount of waste going into our landfills.
The process is simple:
1. Fill out the forms – one waiver form per family, one offer form per item. Feel free to include photos. Give your forms and photos to Sara in the main office.
2. A member of Brickton’s Community Committee will post your offer forms and photos on the bulletin board near the main entrance to the school.
3. Wait for an email or phone call from a Brickton family who would like your treasure. Please make arrangements to make your exchanges outside of the school building. NOTE: Families who receive items should also complete the waiver form.
4. Feel good about helping the environment while helping a fellow member of the Brickton community. You’ll also have less clutter!
This session of “Bricktoncycle” will end on March 2nd, so hurry to get your items posted soon!
Sponsored by the Brickton Community Committee
Scholastic Book Club Start the New Year off with a Scholastic book order that will help to foster your child’s love of reading while benefiting Brickton. This is also the perfect opportunity to do convenient shopping for Valentine’s Day.

January Scholastic Book Club orders are due on Thursday, January 26^th. Fliers will be placed in your parent folders on 1/20/12. As a result of your orders, teachers will earn free money to spend (for the next four months!) plus bonus points to order classroom materials.
Thank you for your support!

The Brickton Weekly, January 12, 2012

Alumni Interview Series
This month, Brickton is celebrating its outstanding alumni. We will be featuring short video interviews with recent alumni in the next three Weeklys. These young adults are doing amazing things and have gained a lot from their strong Brickton foundation.

Don’t forget to check out our Alumni profiles on the bulletin board in the lobby. It’s a great opportunity to see the outcomes of a Brickton education.

 

Alumni News
Ava Carney, Brickton class of 2009, is currently a junior at Northside College Prep. She has qualified for the National Merit Scholarship, is in the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society, and the Arts editor for the school literary magazine, Verve. Busy girl! Congratulations on all your successes, Ava. Keep up the hard work.

The Big Leap is coming!
Happy New Year! The Big Leap is our annual dinner, dance, and fundraiser. There will be a silent and live auction, raffles and a good time with the adults of the Brickton community. The event will be held at Victoria Rosemont atop the Holiday Inn Express (6600 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont, IL, 60018). The Holiday Inn Express has offered us a special room rate of $84 for a king or $94 for a double room. Use the code BKT when making your reservation (847-544-7500). Mark you calendars for Saturday, March 3, 2012.

Back by popular demand: Express Checkout – no lines, no waiting! Prior to the event, you’ll have the opportunity to provide the Brickton Business Office with your credit card information for a one time authorization of the evening’s charges.

Welcome!
Our Children’s House and Lower Elementary students have a new Spanish teacher, Evelyn Chavez. Evelyn is a certified Elementary teacher and native Spanish speaker. She spent four years in Mexico where she learned to read and write fluently in Spanish. After graduating from Loyola University, Evelyn worked for four years as a Spanish Dual Language teacher in Mundelein. Currently, Evelyn is also teaching Spanish at the Glenview School District in an after school/before school program called Global Language Program. Evelyn enjoys greatly teaching her culture and language to her students.

It’s Not Too Late
Thank you to everyone who has already participated in the 2012 Annual Fund. We are very close to meeting our goal, but we need your help. And guess what? If you have not yet made a donation, you will still receive a 2011 tax deduction if you turn in your donation by January 18th.

Thank you so much for your generosity and support of Brickton’s 25th Anniversary Annual Fund.

Open House
Tell your friends, family, and neighbors. Brickton will be hosting an Open House for prospective families Sunday, January 22nd, from 12:30 – 3:00 pm. It’s a chance to meet directresses, tour the school, and learn more about the Montessori philosophy.

Club Day
Monday, January 16th, is Martin Luther King Day and a Club Day at Brickton. All full day students and those pre-registered and pre-paid in the amount of $50 are welcome to attend.

Important Note for Toddler and Children’s House Families
A team of early childhood experts will visit Brickton this month. Operation Childfind offers vision and hearing screening; large and small motor assessment; speech and language, and cognitive screenings for children ages two to six years. This free service is optional and your signature is required for your child’s participation. The permission forms have been placed in parent folders. Please sign and return yours to your child’s directress.

Winter Extracurricular Classes
Sign your child(ren) up now for winter extracurricular classes. Read the descriptions, fill out the registration form, and return the form with payment to the main office to secure a spot for your child.

Congratulations, Kathy Hummel
Kathy Hummel, Brickton’s Music Teacher, graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Master of Music degree on December 10, 2011. After taking a break from her studies to care for her father, she finished her thesis, Music Education in AMS Accredited Montessori Schools, this past summer and fall. Her coursework included classes in Music History, Music Theory, World Music, and Music Education.

Manna Update
During 2011, Brickton achieved a record amount in Manna sales: $12,997! Last year, participating families enjoyed considerable tuition credits, as well as providing real support to the Middle School program. This Friday, January 13th, is the next Manna order due date, so remember to place your order online or in the business office.

The Brickton Weekly, January 5, 2012

WELCOME BACK!

Featured Blog
Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring Debbie Kelley’s blog, Revisiting Montessori Education.

revisitingmontessorieducation.posterous.com

 

Brickton’s Annual Alumni Event
Brickton’s Annual Alumni Event will be Friday, January 6th, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Whirlyball Chicago (1880 W. Fullerton). All former students (ages 12 and up) and current 7th and 8th grade students are invited to attend. Please pass this message along to any Brickton alumni you know!

RSVP to Sara Gregory at 773-714-0646 or sara.gregory@brickton.org

Save the Date
Have you marked your calendar for this year’s Annual Benefit? Plan to attend  the 2012 Big Leap Saturday, March 3rd, 2012, from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The event is full of fun with great items to bid on, raffles for exciting prizes, dinner, dancing, and good company with the Brickton Community. See you there!

Parent Alliance Meeting
The first Parent Alliance meeting of 2012 will be Wednesday, January 11th, at 7:00 p.m. at Maggie Bauer Treppa’s house (6670 N. Octavia, Chicago, IL 60631). Plan to attend for tips on keeping your family safe, a talk given by Brickton parent, Janet Contursi. Light food fare and soft drinks will be provided. Please feel free to bring a bottle of wine to pass. It is a fun way to keep in touch with the community. In honor of Brickton’s 25th anniversary, we would love to see 25 new faces at the meeting!

Elementary Testing Week
Next week, January 9th-12th, is Elementary Testing Week. Brickton will be administering the Terra Nova tests for third through eighth year students, from 8:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., Monday through Thursday.

Club Day
Monday, January 16th, is a Club Day at Brickton. No regular classes will be held, but care is available for all Full Day students and those pre-registered and pre-paid in the amount of $50. Please contact the main office and let us know if your student will be attending this Club Day.