Browning PTA

Browning’s 1st PTA Sponsored Kona Ice Social

On Thursday, Sept. 2nd from 4-6pm, children received 1 free Kona Ice (courtesy of your Browning PTA) to enjoy as they checked out their classroom assignments & visited with friends.

We look forward to seeing all of you again on Tuesday!  Have a safe & enjoyable holiday weekend!

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Thanks to everyone who attended the 2010/2011 PTA kick-off meeting!  Students enjoyed FREE childcare & fitness activities in the gym while parents learned more about our plans for year & volunteer opportunities. 

Browning parents, students, & staff are encouraged to embrace our “Healthy Habits/Healthy Minds” theme to further strengthen the ties between school & community. By promoting good eating habits & encouraging physical activity, we can help emphasize the important roles we all play in keeping our children healthy and ready to learn.

Please check out our calendar for listing of our upcoming events & initiatives!  It’s going to be a great year!

Hope to see you at our next meeting on Nov. 30th!

Thanks to everyone who came to our 1st “Back to School Family Picnic” on Thursday, Sept. 9th from 5:30-7:30pm.  Approximately 80 people enjoyed music provided by DJ Tony Tocco (we had some awesome dancers), facepainting, &/or running around the playground with friends!   We greatly appreciate Chris Washeleski organizing this family fun event.

 The National PTA & Nickelodeon have partnered to designate Sept. 25th as Worldwide Day of Play and encourage families to TURN OFF THE TV & GET UP, GET OUT, & GO PLAY!   For more information, please visit http://pro-social.nick.com/world-wide-day-of-play/

Worldwide Day of Play Ideas

• Walk, run, skip a mile
• Play a game of football, soccer or your favorite sport
• Host a family charity run/walk event
• Hold a jump-rope contest
• Tackle a ropes course
• Compete in a dance-off
• Play on the jungle gym
• Roller skate at a local rink
• Organize a bike-a-thon
• Take a martial arts lesson
• Climb a rock climbing wall
• Take your dog & family on a nature walk

Are your ready for “Ford Thunderquest 2010”?

FIRST Lego League (FLL) will be entering its ninth year in Utica Community Schools and we hope to have Team Browning represented!  If you are interested in coaching or volunteering to help, please contact Mrs. Hassell at 797-4000 to learn more about this exciting educational event.

This program is mentored by the 2006 and 2008 World Champion Thunder Chickens which means we’ll have world class support!  For more information, you can also visit http://www.firstlegoleague.org or contact Jacob Palmer at 586-797-6400.

The Browning PTA is excited to offer our families and friends a new event -“Browning Day” at Blake’s Orchard & Cider Mill!  On Saturday, October 9th from 10am –5pm, Browning families will receive the special price of $6.95 (a $2 per person savings off the regular price of $8.95) for the Cidermill Barnyard Funland All Day Pass which includes:

New Straw
MountainBarnyard 500 Tricycle Track
Animal Petting Farm
Giant straw maze and jump
Cornfield Maze
Storybook Barn
Bunnyville
Mr. Bone’s ™ Outhouse
Scarecrow band
Le Roy’s ™ Apple Picking Truck
Haunted Village & Black Hole
Train Ride
Pumpkin Jump
Hayride to the Pumpkin Patch

Please print and bring this flyer… Blake’s will donate 10% of all admissions & purchases to Browning PTA!!  Many thanks to Roni Sorgi for coordinating this family fun event!

As the school year has ended and summer is well under way, please accept our sincere thanks for all you have done this year for our school, students, staff, and families!

Volunteering can be frustrating and sometimes thankless and time-consuming but our school is a better place because of the wonderful people like you! Great teachers teach in a better environment thanks to you! Students find their school more welcoming and home-like because of you! Families have connections with school that they wouldn’t have without you!

Research indicates that schools with higher levels of parental involvement serve students better.  While well-run schools with talented teachers are great, schools with amazing volunteers like you are what makes Browning the icing on the cake.  This year’s MEAP scores & our PTA sponsored events are a testament to that!

Thanks again for giving your time, talents, & enthusiasm for everyone at “Browning the Best!”  Together, we are making a difference!  Please visit our website (www.browningpta.org) periodically for updates on Back to School events, etc.

Here’s hoping the remainder of your summer is filled with lots of family fun time, much deserved rest & relaxation, and parents upset about how you ran an event!  Enjoy!

Best Regards,

Your Browning PTA

Please consider these important actions as you begin your summer vacation:

1. Rep. Terry Brown (D-Pigeon), the chairman of the appropriations subcommittee that has oversight over the K-12 budget, composed a letter to Gov. Granholm opposing using school aid dollars for anything but K-12 funding. Legislators from both sides of the aisle have signed this letter. Please encourage your state legislators to do the same.

“Michigan’s schools are the cornerstones of our communities and the building blocks of our future. Although safeguarding funding may require difficult decisions, diverting resources away from educating our children in order to fund other programs in the state budget is irresponsible. As such, we the undersigned oppose any transfer or appropriation of School Aid Fund dollars away from K-12 public schools.“

2.  Attend candidate forums this summer before the primary and ask candidates how they intend to fund public education.  Ask if they support restoring funding to our public schools to the 2008-09 level.

Sample Questions

• Many people feel that our elected leaders in Lansing have let partisan differences get in the way of working together when it’s really needed.  What would you do to help promote problem solving over politics?
  
• Does Michigan need to change how it currently funds schools?  Why or Why not?
  
• In the past few years Michigan reduced funding for pre-school education.  Would you support increasing state funding for public pre-schools for at-risk children?
  
• What specific measures would you support to help create jobs in Michigan?  What role do you believe education can play in addressing the employment problems in Michigan?
  
• Do you believe that Michigan is facing an education funding crisis?
  
• What is your number one funding priority and why?
  
• What specific proposals do you have to fund education in Michigan?  Should the state raise more revenue?  If so, what measures would you support to raise that revenue?  (For example, new taxes and which ones, eliminating tax credits, which ones, etc.)
  
• What roles do you see charter schools and private schools playing in Michigan’s education system in the future?  Do you support charter schools?  Do you support private school vouchers?

3.  Contact your United States Congressman and ask him or her to sign on to the Family Engagement in Education Act (H.R. 5211).  The Family Engagement in Education Act ensures shared responsibility between families, communities and educators for closing the achievement gap.

4.  Share this info with someone else!

With all of these actions, identify yourself as a concerned parent, educator, voter, & public education supporter!  For more information on how this affects UCS, please visit www.uticak12.org !

Your action does make a difference!!