September 20, 2022

Call for Entries! Do you have the cutest pet at Brooks?

All pet friends (furry and otherwise) are welcome to enter the CUTEST PETS OF BROOKS PHOTO CONTEST, as part of the Brooks County Fair Fall Festival.

Photos will be judged by a panel of Brooks teachers and the Fall festival attendees. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. In addition, winning pets will have their photos featured at the Brooks County Fair AND in an upcoming school calendar. 1st place winner will win pizza lunch with Ms. Hess & Ms. Carrico!

RULES:

1. Pet must belong to a Brooks Family
2. Photos must be emailed to pets@brookspta.org with the pet’s name and the student’s name in the subject line: (Example: Rascal – Ollie Smith’s Family)
3. Photos must be received no later than September 20, 5pm.
4. All top entrants agree to let Brooks PTA use photos in printed school calendar.

ALL ENTRIES ARE DUE BY SEPT. 20 – 5PM!

Naomi L. Brooks Book Fair, in partnership with Hooray for Books

• Tuesday through Friday, 9/19 - 9/23 from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. in the Brooks Library
• Saturday, 9/24 from 10 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the Brooks Library (open during the Brooks County Fair)

Shop from a specially curated selection of titles for all the children in your life!

Purchase books off teachers' wish lists for use in their classrooms.

Stock up now for holiday gifts!

We are looking for volunteers to assist! Interested? There are still some book fair volunteer slots available!

Please join us as we celebrate National IT Professionals Day. This is a time to celebrate the Information Technology professionals who make an impact on our children’s lives every day. We would like to take the time to recognize the enormous contributions that Ms. Adler and Ms. King make for our school. Thank you for creating an environment of enthusiasm for learning, appreciation for growing, and room for making mistakes along the way. The PTA is providing a small gesture of appreciation to both Ms. Adler and Ms. King.  Please feel free to send a note or token of thanks from your student or family as well.

From creative coding to group guitar, there is something for every student, afterschool at Brooks this fall. 

Registration is now OPEN for Baroody activities. Sign up today!

These Brooks bees are loving the Brooks Garden.

Getting greens this good takes a little trowel and error.

Herb your enthusiasm!

Thank you Samantha Strauss and volunteers for all your work!

Support Brooks just by shopping at Harris Teeter. Link your VIC card to Brooks and a % of your shopping goes to support the school.

You may need to setup an account at Harris Teeter to tie to your VIC card if you haven't already.

The school made nearly $280 with just 12 participants last year. Let's see if we can blow past that amount in the new school year.

Brooks is school number 5238 but still listed under Maury Elementary (changing soon). 

Support Brooks at Harris Teeter and link your VIC card today!

We are compiling the 2022-2023 Brooks Directory to help families connect. This year's edition will be entirely online, password-protected and continuously updated. Interested in being a part of it? Submit your contact information here.

Girl Scout Troops are forming at

Naomi L. Brooks!

Interested in learning more?

Contact Carrie Zager,

clhami78@gmail.com or 703-598-8569

Interested in learning more about joining Cub Scouts?

 Contact Carlisle Campbell for more information.

Calling all junior bakers! Bring your best dessert to the Brooks County Fair on September 24 at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary. Junior Bakers of all grade levels are welcome to enter their tastiest dessert creation.

Rules for Entry:

• Dessert must have a fall theme.
• All bakers must complete an entry form at the fair. Entry forms will be available at the judge’s table at the festival.
• If bringing a special cake plate or pie dish, make sure your name is placed somewhere so it doesn’t get lost.
• After judging, desserts will be sold to benefit the Brooks PTA. Cakes and pies will be sold by the slice ($2 each) / Cookies, brownies, individual desserts ($1 each).

Parents are welcome to assist their bakers but the junior bakers are the big baker bosses. There will be a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner. Desserts will be judged on taste, appearance, adherance to theme and presentation. 1st Place winner will win pizza lunch at Brooks with Ms. Hess and Ms. Carrico!

Brooks County Fair Items currently needed:

Old dishes - clean out your cupboard of old glass or ceramic plates, dishes, cups, and bowls. 

Socks - as part of one of our Guinness Kids Events we need a lot of unneeded (and clean) socks!

Gently used Books - Donate your gently used books for our event!

Gently used games - From board games to card games - games of any kind, please donate your gently used games

Donations can be dropped off at 27 E Walnut Street

As always, we can't host amazing events for our kids without amazing parent volunteers like you. Interested in volunteering? Contact us!

This special event is a time for all of us to come together to share our cultural backgrounds and experiences with other members of the Brooks Community. We are so excited to welcome you back in person. This year, the event will be held outside on the playground.

Anyone can participate! You may want to represent the country your family is from, a country where you've lived, or one that you have a special interest in. Each country will be asked to set up a table and/or tent. We encourage families to work together. Some suggestions for displays and activities are: traditional food, dress, games, artifacts, pictures, stories, and/or music.

If you are not able to host a table, but would like to contribute materials or supplies, please let us know. We are in need of tables and tents. If you need additional information or have questions, please feel free to contact Katie Knowles at kathleen.knowles@acps.k12.va.us

Please fill out the online form BY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 if you are interested in representing a country - if you are only attending, no need to complete the form

https://forms.gle/bxKSTAoP4yJmerbYA

We want you to BEE involved this year! We need your help to bring back your favorite PTA programs and ensure we are able to continue investing in our students and teachers as the PTA has done for many years.

There are many different ways to help -- including by writing grant applications, sign-up geniuses, helping setup evening or weekend events, emailing ACPS and the city, or simply ordering supplies. We will need help coordinating programs and events for students and teachers.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can give back to the school next year, please see our volunteer opportunities page or contact Armita Cohen, PTA President for 2022-2023, or Maya Mahoney, President Elect (PTA President for 2023-2024). 

• September 20-24: Brooks Book Fair
• September 24: Brooks County Fair (Fall Festival)
• September 26: Rosh Hashanah Observed (NO SCHOOL)
• October 5: Yom Kippur Observed (NO SCHOOL)
• October 13: Multicultural Festival



STAY CONNECTED

• Make sure you’ve subscribed to Ms. Hess' weekly emails and ACPS updates.
• Get PTA announcements on your phone via GroupMe (New for 2022-2023)
• Email brooks-bees+subscribe@googlegroups.com to receive emails. Like our Facebook page and follow Brooks PTA on Twitter.
• Miss an email? Looking for PTA meeting minutes? Catch up on our website at brookspta.org
• Need internet access? Submit an Internet Access request.
• Need to add school closings to your calendar? Import the Brooks PTA calendar!