Dear Brown MS Community,
I am amazed at how quickly the month of May is going! There is so much happening. I am sure you are also feeling like you are “drinking from a firehose” with all the information you are receiving. I am hopeful that this newsletter will be one-stop shopping for you with regard to upcoming events and information. Please be sure to scroll through the titles below as there are many items that pertain to a variety of community members here.
Today as I walked around the building, I stopped by one of our classrooms during our silent reading block – or “relax and read” time. This is a daily block of 30 minutes in the middle of the day at Brown MS that we dedicate to independent reading for all students. The love of reading is something that we hope to nurture in students as they learn to find books of their own choosing about topics that interest them. Our ELA teachers and librarian are always ready to help students who can’t find that “just right book”. If your child does not enjoy reading, please reach out to a teacher for recommendations. We have classroom libraries as well as our big library with 100’s of titles to choose from.
Speaking of reading, at the end of this month we will hold our Scholastic Book Fair on May 28-30. Thank you to PTO members Christina Grace and Amanda Wong for their leadership in organizing this event. Students will be able to purchase books they find interesting during the school day. More information to follow!
I have always found the summer to be the best time for me to read – sitting on the beach or on my couch. It is the ideal time to really dive into a book without the fast pace of the school year. This is something that we hope our students will enjoy as well. Following that theme, we have specific summer reading for our students. Below in this newsletter is our list of books selected for summer 2025 for each grade level. Please help your child to acquire this book – you can use free apps such as Sora or Libby as well as the Newton Public Library to get these titles.
On the homefront, my husband and I are no longer empty nesters. My oldest is back home after graduation and is currently on the job search. My youngest comes home on Sunday making us a full house again. I know the dog is excited that there will now be four people to give him treats. I continue to dream that my kids will be inspired to clean the house and have dinner on the table when I get home from work. Maybe this is the summer my dreams come true…
Wishing you an excellent weekend,
Kim Lysaght
P.S. As the days get warmer, the need to keep hydrated increases. Please be sure to send your child to school with a water bottle. They can refill them at our water foutains throughout the day.