PTA

Spring Week 15: Briarlake Blast: April



HAPPENING THIS WEEK: 

School Council Nominations Due, Georgia Milestones: End of Grade Testing Period Begins (4/19-5/4), Yearbook Orders Due (4/19), 

Earth Day at Briarlake Forest Park (4/22 - Free dinner!), Briarlake Litter Pick Up (4/23 - Free cookies!)

 

 Want Something Sent Out In the Weekly Briarlake PTA Blast? Email briarlakeblog@gmail.com by Thursday at 8 p.m. of each week to post information in the Sunday newsletter. 
End of Grade Testing - Parent Letter

 
This Saturday (4/22): Free Pizza and Briarlake STEM Water Bottles! Earth Day at Briarlake Forest Park, 3:30-5pm
Come out to the Briarlake Forest Park This Saturday at 3:30pm!

Earth Day is next Saturday and Briarlake is going to celebrate with a relaxing afternoon at the Briarlake Forest Park.

PTA is co-planning the afternoon with our new community partners, the Friends of Briarlake Forest Park! 

After a few words from the Friends of Briarlake Forest Park at 3:30pm, families and kids will venture off on a short forest scavenger hunt created just for Briarlake Elementary School. This scavenger hunt is developmentally appropriate for kids PreK-5th! 

Upon completing the scavenger hunt, kids and families will receive a Briarlake STEM/Friends of Briarlake Forest Park water bottle like the one shown below.

Free pizza and drinks will be available for all!

For the remainder of the afternoon, families can hang around the park for games of badminton, volleyball, and tug-of-war. Bubbles, jump ropes, hula hoops, and other park games will be available for the kids to play with at their leisure.

It should be a fun afternoon in the park (with free dinner!)! We need a few volunteers to help out if you can. Sign-up here to volunteer! 
  


  

 
Next Sunday (4/23): Go Green Team Litter Pick Up from 4-5pm - Free cookies! 
Pick up litter on Briarlake's Campus!

Join the Briarlake Go Green Team on Sunday, April 23rd from 4-5pm as we pick up litter around the campus. Bags and gloves will be provided. After we've rid the campus of litter, we'll celebrate with cookies! 

 
Deadline This Wednesday (4/19): Don't Forget to Edit and/or Order Your Yearbook!
Still Accepting Yearbook Orders!

We've extended the deadline to  Wed, 4/19, so there's still time to order your 2016-2017  yearbook!  Simply visit the TreeRing site and place your  order  using code  101282569270782

With your yearbook purchase, you will receive two, free customizable pages to upload your child's favorite Briarlake memories.  You can customize these pages up until the 4/19 deadline. Also, TreeRing plants a tree for every book purchased, so order today!

 
Next Tuesday (4/25): Briarlake Principal-Parent Forum & PTA General Membership Meeting at 6 pm

There will be a Principal-Parent Forum 
on Tuesday, April 25th from 6-7pm in the Briarlake cafetorium 
during which I will share what is currently going on at BES and what is coming up for the 2017-2018 school year. 

Child care will be provided. Please email  Margaret_Haratine@dekalbschoolsga.org by Friday, April 21st to request child care. 

If you have any current questions, comments, or concerns to share with me, please email them to  briarlakeone@gmail.com. 

Thank you, and I look forward to speaking with all of you.

Jamela Lewis

Note - This forum will take place immediately after the brief PTA General Membership meeting at 6pm on Tuesday, April 25th. At this brief PTA meeting, PTA will elect new officers and amend the by-laws. 

Proposed Amendment to the Briarlake PTA By-Laws
The Briarlake Elementary School PTA proposes to amend its  by - laws  to add a Co-Secretary position and an Assistant Treasurer position to the Executive Committee. These amendments will be voted on at the April 25, 2017 General Membership Meeting starting at 6pm in the cafetorium. The Principal-Parent Forum will immediately follow the brief PTA meeting. 
Announcing our 2017-2018 PTA Nominees
Our PTA Officer Nominees for 2017-18! Election on Tuesday, April 25th at
PTA Meeting & Principal-Parent Forum

The Briarlake PTA Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the following candidates for the 2017-18 school year:

Co-President: Jen Petrich

Co-VP Fundraising: Amanda Holt

Co-VP Programs: Erica Bland

Treasurer: Alexandra Schubert

Assistant Treasurer: Lakshmi Chennareddi

Co-Secretary: Melissa Perlman

Co-Secretary (1 year) : Katie Tankersley

We sincerely appreciate these individuals for offering to serve our Briarlake community. If elected, they will serve in these roles for the next two years (unless otherwise designated). Their election is not official until a quorum of PTA members has the opportunity to vote on Tuesday, April 25th  at 6pm at our General Membership meeting so please make plans to join us.

The returning PTA officers for next year are:

Co-President: Emily Graybill

Co-VP Fundraising:  Anjevon Smith

Co-VP Programs:  Angela Barnett 

We are grateful to this year's Nominating Committee for all the hard work and time they have put into finding our PTA officers for next year. When you see them around, please take a moment to thank them for their service: Melissa McConnell (chair), Angela Barnett, Gina Benedict, Anjevon Smith, and Ansley Smith.

We are also grateful for the following individuals who have offered to serve our Briarlake community in a chairperson role.  

Fall Festival Co-Chair: Karen Hutchinson

Open House Co-Chair: Justine Lyons 


  
Administrative Professionals Day, Wednesday, April 26th - All Day
Administrative Professionals Appreciation Day is  Wednesday, April 26th. Let's thank Ms. Haratine and Ms. Hamilton for keeping the Briarlake train on the tracks! 

PTA will be presenting them with a special gift on behalf of our school community, but please feel free to organize a class gift or to thank them individually .

Here are some Pinterest ideas to get you started  http://bit.ly/2p1Xw9r
Briarlake Kindergarten Round-Up, Wednesday, April 26th, 9AM
Briarlake's kindergarten round-up has been rescheduled. The new date is  Wednesday, April 26th at 9AM. This program is for the parents and guardians of upcoming Briarlake Kindergarten students. Our goal is to give you "a peek" into the life of a kindergartner, share with you all of the great things going on at Briarlake, and to answer any questions you might have.

The morning will include a chance to meet and hear from the principal, the kindergarten teachers, and the Counseling and Gifted Departments. Parent leaders from Briarlake's PTA, Foundation, and School Council will also be on hand. The program includes time for questions and answers. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided by the Briarlake PTA. We hope to see you there!

 
School Council Updates - Academic Challenge Due Friday, May 5th; Still Accepting School Council Nominations!
 Academic Challenge and School Council Nominations

The 4th Academic Challenge is Due Friday, May 5th.  
 



    School Council Nominations for 2 parent positions (2 year terms)
    
 
  
SAVE THE DATE: CINCO DE MAYO FOUNDATION BASH, Friday, May 5th, 6-9pm
Briarlake Fiesta Bash!

CINCO DE MAYO 6:00 - 9:00 pm 
You and your family are invited to attend the 5th annual Briarlake Foundation Bash.  This year we will FIESTA!  Please join us for a Cinco de Mayo fiesta on FRIDAY, May 5th.  This is an awesome fun FAMILY event with dinner, music, dancing and more! If you are new to Briarlake, come be part of this fun family tradition. 

TICKET ORDERS
Reservations are required.  Please see the attached reservation form or  order your tickets online at   http://buytickets.at/briarlakefoundation/93495  before  May 1st.  There should also be a copy of the reservation form in your child's  Friday folder today.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We need many people to get this party started!  The setup and decorating can be as much fun as the Bash. Please feel free to sign up and bring your entire family. We even have afterschool volunteer opportunities for 4th and 5th graders to help create the decorations.  Please use the sign up genius to volunteer at the Bash by clicking here www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C084CADAB22A75-2017 .

See you at the Bash!  Adios!

Join the Briarlake Foundation

 
Important Dates to Remember in April
APRIL
Wednesday, April 19th- Georgia Milestones: EOG Testing begins; Yearbook orders/edits due

Saturday, April 22nd- Briarlake Forest and Briarlake Elementary School Partnership Earth Day Kick-off

Sunday, April 23rd- Go Green Team Litter Clean-Up 4-5pm

Tuesday, April 25th- Principal-Parent Forum, PTA General Membership Meeting, Voting on New Officers, ALL Briarlake parents are welcome at this meeting! 

Wednesday, April 26th- Administrative Professionals Day, Kindergarten Round-up, Progress Reports Sent Home
Yearbook Needs Your Photos!
Please send us your photos!  :)
Share your school event photos with the 2016-2017 yearbook editors! We're looking for your event photo submissions to add to the pages of the Briarlake Elementary yearbook. Simply email your photos to briarlake.yearbook@gmail.com.

Please include the event name. We are especially in need of pictures from Thanksgiving lunch, Family Service Night, Grandparents Day, Character Day, and Social Studies Fair, as well as any pictures of clubs or groups. You will be notified if any of your photos are selected for publication. Thanks in advance for helping us capture even more Briarlake memories for years to come!
 
Summer Camps
Camp Parent Needed for Camp Invention
Registration for Camp Invention is open! And Ms. Thomas is looking for a Camp Parent. As an incentive, the Camp Parent will receive free enrollment for the first child and $130 off each additional sibling (can you say AWESOME deal?). Click here for more information or contact Ms. Thomas if you are interested in learning more!

  
Lego STEM enrichment Summer Camp 2017
Where science, technology, engineering and math meet fun! 

For more info go to:  www.STEMenrichment.com

Or contact Debbie Miller at  dmiller@STEMenrichment.com
EcoArts Camp 2017
 

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ecoartsconnection/


Visit our website:  www.ecoartscamp.com

Sincerely,
 
Briarlake Elementary PTA
Quick Links
       2016-2017
     PTA Officers

Co-Presidents: Sonya Tinsley-Hook & Emily Graybill

VP Programs: Allyson Martin & Angela Barnett 

VP Fundraising: Ann 

Chahroudi & Anjevon Smith

 

Treasurer: Alexandra Schubert

 

Secretary: Dan Kelly

       2016-2017 
   School Council
Chair: Deborah Martin-Gerstle

Vice Chair: Anjevon Smith

 

Secretary: Ellyn Cochran

 

Parent Representative:Jennifer Petrich

 

Teacher Representatives: Ms. Wise and Ms. Law

 

Principal: Jamela Lewis

       2016-2017 
     Foundation      Board Members 
Co-Chairs: Ann Mancuso & Greg Brass

Treasurer: Amber Blanchard
 

Secretary: Vacancy

 

Members: Jacqueline Butler, Monica Cowles, Claire Foege, Paul Grant, Darryl Martin, Tim Martin, Emily Mason, Josh Newman, and Carolann Reiter

 

 

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Let's make our school even more spirited by encouraging our kids to wear Briarlake Spirit Wear each Friday.  Go Beavers!