First Grade Pawsitive "Lunch With the Principal!"

Dear Burbank Families,

What a weekend! Our first snow day of the year brought nearly two feet of snow and extremely cold temperatures. I hope everyone was able to enjoy a little downtime and some special time together.

It’s hard to believe we have already reached the halfway point of the school year - tomorrow marks our 90th day of school! It has been incredibly rewarding to watch our students grow, both academically and socially. Our classrooms truly feel like families, with students eager to share their learning with their teachers, classmates, and with you. The sense of connection and pride in their progress is truly heartwarming.

In the coming weeks, you will have the opportunity to learn more about your child’s growth through report cards, which will be available in early February. March conferences will also provide time to discuss progress in greater depth and continue these important conversations.

At our most recent All-School Meeting, we talked with students about collaboration and what it means to care for and support our community, while reflecting on the lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. We also introduced our Cradles to Crayons Pajama Drive, inviting students and families to come together and help others in need.

Looking ahead, we are excited for the many special events on the horizon, including the Hundredth Day of School, Kindness Week (which includes Valentine’s Day), and Black History Month in February. We are also looking forward to Multicultural Night, as well as Library Night and our Retiree Dedication. These events are wonderful opportunities for students and families to come together, celebrate learning, and strengthen the community we’re so proud of at Burbank.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making this school year such a meaningful one for our students.

Warm regards,
Lisa

Burbank will be celebrating Kindness Week from February 9-13, coinciding with Valentine’s Day. During this week, students will engage in a variety of activities that promote kindness and caring, such as creating cards for classmates and loved ones, making kindness crafts, and participating in random acts of kindness.

To ensure that all students feel included and comfortable, we are once again offering flexibility in how Valentine cards are made this year. Students can choose to create cards at home or in school, or they may opt not to make cards at all. Your child’s teacher will request and honor your preference.

We would greatly appreciate any donations of card-decorating materials (such as stickers or doilies). If you’d like to contribute, please send your donations to your child’s teacher. Thank you for helping make this celebration special!

After considerable thought and discussion, we’ve decided that, should it continue, the Geography Challenge will take place outside of the regular school day. In prior years, students and families were asked to form teams and study together outside of school, with the expectation that all students participate since the event was held during the school day. This practice can create stress and barriers for participation. Moving the event outside of school ensures it remains fun, optional, and accessible for everyone.

We are deeply grateful to the PTA for the time, care, and energy they put into creating meaningful opportunities for our students and supporting our entire school community. The PTA board will consider whether hosting the event outside of school is manageable, given the many wonderful events already on the calendar. If you are interested in helping to coordinate the Geography Challenge, please email MaryleeburbankPTA@gmail.com or send a message to Lisa Williams through Talking Points. Otherwise, we’ll await the next steps from our fabulous PTA.

Burbank is holding a pajama drive for Cradles to Crayons, a local organization dedicated to fighting Children’s Clothing Insecurity. We invite families to participate by donating a new set of pajamas or $1 (or more!) to help children in need. Both monetary contributions and new pajama donations are greatly appreciated.

On Tuesday, February 10, students are encouraged to wear their pajamas or cozy clothes to school as we come together to celebrate our efforts. During our All-School Burbank Community Meeting, we will gather and present our collected donations to support Cradles to Crayons. Thank you for your generosity and support in making a difference! 

Third grade is an important year as students take part in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) for the first time. During this assessment, students will complete two sessions in English Language Arts (ELA) and two sessions in Math. The data collected from these assessments our school and district evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum and instruction, and identify areas for improvement.

While more details will be shared later this winter and spring, we kindly ask that you mark your calendars for the following MCAS dates to ensure your child is present (please note that the Math dates have been changed):   

ELA: March 31 & April 2

Math: May 14 & 15 

Please remember to take a look at our Lost and Found across from the Gym doors prior to February break. All remaining items will be donated. Thank you!

Message from the Belmont High School Student Government:

Dear students, families, and staff,

Did you know that more than 1 in 3 children in Massachusetts aged 12 and younger live in low-income or homeless situations and are at risk of clothing insecurity?

To help combat this, the Belmont High School student government is hosting a town-wide Clothing Drive in support of Cradles to Crayons, a non-profit that supplies clothing and school supplies to families across Massachusetts. The drive will run from February 2nd to 6th, and we hope to raise 2,000 items to support local communities. Please find information about acceptable items and donation drop-off down below.

All donations are appreciated, but Cradles to Crayons has expressed that their most needed items are clothing and shoes! 

They accept used or new clothing of all sizes (bottoms, tops, outerwear, accessories), as well as new socks and underwear, new pajamas, shoes, boots, sneakers, and more in toddler size 5 to adult size 10 sizes (please attach matched pairs with rubber bands), new school supplies, and new hygiene + baby items. Please find a comprehensive list of donation guidelines attached HERE. Donations should be in a paper or plastic bag and be dropped off in the bin outside the main office.

Thank you Belmont for your kindness and let’s make a difference!