National GeoBee

The National Geographic Bee is coming to Bowman for 4th and 5th grade students. Preliminary Round is December 4, 2018 from 8:45-9:45 in a Bowman classroom and Final Round is December 13, 2018 from 3:30-4:30 in the Bowman Library. We are seeking volunteers to help with the event. Please read the descriptions below and contact [email protected] if you are interested and available to help with timekeeping at the Preliminary and Final Rounds.

Scorekeeper/Timekeeper (2-3 people): Your role is assist Alex Kuschel or a school staff member during the actual competition. Alex or a school staff member will read the questions to the students. You will keep track of correct responses and the 15-second time limit each student has to respond. You need to arrive 15 minutes early to the event. You cannot have a child participating in the Bee to fulfill this role..

Bowman Flyer

 

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Family Math Nights Return to Bowman This Winter

Mark your calendars for the return of Family Math Nights! Family Math Nights are a great way for parents and students of all ability levels to experience the fun of math together. We’ll have games, puzzles, brain teasers, and lots of hands-on activities. Challenge your student to a logic game, build a symmetrical pattern, or investigate the volume of 3-D shapes. It’s your choice at Family Math Night!

Plan to attend a Family Math Night with your student this winter. Save the date for an upcoming Family Math Nights:

January 28 – Grades 4-5

February 25 – Grades 2-3

March 17 – Grades K-1

We kick off with Grade 4-5 Family Math Night on Thursday, January 28 from 6:30–8:00pm in the Bowman cafeteria. Look for more grade level specific details on the Bowman PTO website, listserv, and through your room parents in the new year. Questions? Contact [email protected].

 

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Families in Need Holiday Gift Drive

Are you and your family looking for a way to help those less fortunate this holiday season? If so, please consider participating in the PTA’s Families in Need Holiday Gift Drive. This year the Bowman community is once again partnering with The Second Step Organization, a non-profit based in Newton, MA (www.thesecondstep.org). The Second Step Organization partners with women and child survivors of domestic violence to foster a supportive community and identify pathways to physical and emotional healing, housing, and financial security. For survivors who have left their homes and remain separated from their familiar neighborhoods, families and friends, the holidays can be a particularly stressful and bittersweet time. The Holiday Gift Drive is a terrific opportunity to meet the immediate needs of these women and children and help make their holidays a little brighter.

The Holiday Gift Drive will be held from November 25th through December 7th. Last year the Bowman community fulfilled over 150 “Wishes” which included kitchen items, comforters, clothing, toys, and gift cards. Each year The Second Step is amazed by the generosity of the Bowman community. Bowman Families can access the Holiday Gift Drive sign-up using this link.

Thanks for making this holiday season a little brighter for these families!

Questions? Email [email protected]

 

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Bowman Science Fair

Attention young Bowman scientists! Registration for the 2020 Bowman Science Fair opens on December 16th! In response to the large number of Bowman students who participated in last year’s Science Fair, the PTA is hosting the Science Fair over two consecutive nights this year.  Science Fair Nights:

• Wednesday, February 5th, Grades 3-5, from 7:00-8:15pm
• Thursday, February 6th, Grades k-2, from 7:00-8:15pm

Also new this year, Bowman student scientists are invited to display their Science Fair projects during the school day following their night, so that all students can view and learn about their classmates’ projects. Please visit the PTA Science Fair website starting on December 16 for important information which will include: Registration link and additional information about the new changes to the Science Fair.

 

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“Stories Under the Stars” at Bowman – Mark Your Calendars!

This year’s Book Swap event theme is Stories Under the Stars! 

WHEN: Thursday, January 16th, 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm

WHERE: Bowman Gym

More info to come in January

 

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Volunteering and CORI Checks

Please remember that it is district policy that anyone who volunteers (Big Back Yard, field trips, library, PTA events, etc) school must have a CORI check that has been processed by Lexington Public Schools. CORIs are valid for 3 years. If you‘ve had one previously and aren’t sure if it is still valid OR you need to have one done; Mrs. Ashness ([email protected]) or Mrs. Barnes ([email protected]) in our Main Office are happy to assist you. Please do not wait, it can take up to a month for a “check” to come back which may prevent you from joining in the fun.

 

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Volunteers Needed!

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PTA Open Positions

Please consider volunteering for one of the open PTA positions this school year.

School Directory

We need two more parents volunteers to help with our online and print directory. If you’re interested please email [email protected].

Big Back Yard – Two More Big Back Yard Volunteer Coordinators Needed at Bowman

The BBY group is looking for two more coordinators to help ensure this amazing program runs easily this year. The coordinator would assist in training other parents during the school day periodically throughout the year or helping to schedule walks which takes place anytime online. Please contact us ASAP at [email protected]. 

PTA Membership – Shadow

We encourage every Bowman family to become a member of the PTA so that we can continue delivering programs and services vital to our students, parents and teachers. You would work with the current VP Membership to learn more about the role. If you’re interested please email [email protected].

Disco Bingo – Shadow

Bingo Night is a fun filled night for the whole family with teacher and student Bingo callers. Volunteers focus on publicizing the annual event (usually in Winter), obtaining prizes and recruiting Bingo callers. If you’re interested please email [email protected].

Community Service

We need one or two parent volunteers to help coordinate community service events at Bowman this year. If you’re interested please email [email protected].

 

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So Far, So Green

Not sure how to start a conversation of the whys and hows of composting with your child? Start with this video. 

If you’re interested in composting, helping the environment, or just seeing what really goes on in the cafeteria, help out with the lunchtime composting program!

Parent volunteers help direct students throughout the lunch period to the compost, recycling, and trash receptacles. All of Bowman’s food waste is now diverted from the trash to our partner, Black Earth Compost. No experience needed – it’s very simple, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know. You can sign up for as few – or as many! – shifts as you would like, or even just come in occasionally as a substitute.

Want to see it in action and have an hour/week or an hour/month to spare at lunchtime? Then volunteer to help our students become even better stewards of the environment! Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to be added to the volunteer list (you will NOT be automatically added to the schedule!).

 

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Thank You!

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Picture Day

Thank you to the parent volunteers who made this year’s Picture Day a success. A special shout out to Michelle Andronaco for bringing Picture Day to Bowman four years and counting, and to Brandy Hartford and Stephanie Ryan for coordinating all the volunteers during picture day and retake day. This annual event couldn’t happen without volunteers like you!

 

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Book Fair

Thank you to everyone who came to the Bowman Book Fair! We raised almost $4,285 for the PTA and 314 books were donated to the school from parents and students! The Book Fair could not have been as successful without the help of the teachers and staff who brought the students in and allowed us to take over half of the gym for so much time and the volunteers who helped set up, made class wish lists, sold books and packed up. Thank you all so much! An extra special thanks goes to Katie Quick for an excellent job organizing and running the Book Fair. Until next year, keep reading.

 

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Spirit Wear

Our Spirit Wear sale was another hit this fall. The online sale generated $640, and a pop-up sample sale also generated $250, for a total of $890 in Spirit Wear sales in support of Bowman School so far this year. Thanks to everyone who purchased Spirit Wear and helped with the sale this year. An extra thank you to Tish Apstein, Susie Hammond, and Courtney Jones and the rest of the Spirit Wear team for running this year’s sale, and Tricon Sports for their support. This once-a-year sale will be back next fall, but in the meantime, if you have any suggestions for new items, please don’t hesitate to send them to [email protected]. 

Look out for Spirit Wear distribution in early December. And don’t forget to show your support and Bowman pride by wearing your new Spirit Wear! 

p.s. Follow our facebook page for another possible Spirit Wear pop-up sample sale sometime this year! We still have some samples left!

 

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BOKS

Huge thanks to Jess and Paul Quattrocchi and all the other BOKS Coach volunteers. Without all your time, help and support BOKS would not be possible!

 

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Teacher Experiences

Thank you to the First Grade Team (Mrs. Gonsalves, Ms. Dreyer, Ms. D’Abreu, and Mrs. Garcia) for taking 1st Grader, Ronan Patel, and his guests to the Museum of Science as part of the PTA School Experiences Auction. It was a wonderful day of fun and learning that they will always remember!

Thank you to Ms. Loof who hosting 5th Grader, Bennett Webster as Guest Librarian. Bennett got to help out and learn what it takes to be a school librarian.

Thank you to Principal Corduck for hosting 1st Grader, Sophie Dawson as Principal for a Day. Sophie learned had a wonderful day learning about being school principal, and she also helped host an all school meeting.

Many many thanks to all the families who won silent auction items for your donations to the Bowman PTO.

Thank you!

 

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