Welcome back new and returning families! We hope you are ready for a great school year!

What does the PTF do?

• Curriculum enrichment. The primary focus of the Blanchard PTF is to raise funds and conduct activities in cooperation with the school administration to enrich our children’s education. Your child will benefit from programs chosen to reinforce specific curriculum goals and school wide programs targeting the whole community. See the Blanchard Program and Fundraising Overview 2010-2011 for a more comprehensive list of activities.
• Community enrichment. PTF volunteers run activities throughout the year geared toward promoting a sense of community within the Blanchard school. Bingo Night, Movie Night, and the Pumpkin Walk are just some of the activities that run each year.
• Funding Innovation. The PTF Grants committee solicits ideas from the Blanchard Community (teachers, staff and parents) to help fund new programs, equipment, or events that help keep Blanchard moving forward in the fast-paced field of education.

How do we do it?

With your help and participation.

• Complete the volunteer form. Don’t be afraid - you can volunteer for as little or as much time as you have available. Many jobs take only a few hours, so please consider joining one of our committees. Joining a committee is a great way for new Blanchard families to get to know the school and its people.
• Look for our online family donation form. Family donations take only a few minutes of your time and are welcome in any amount. You can make a donation and have 100% of what you give go to the Blanchard PTF’s educational and enrichment programs that you care about!
• Participate in fundraising activities. We will continue to try and find the right balance between family donations and other fundraisers. This year, in addition to family donations and Boxtops, we would like to bring back the wrapping paper sale and have an auction in the spring. We will need your help organizing, participating and/or attending.
• Keep us on your radar. We know things are hectic, so we will continue to reach out to you in as many ways as possible. Throughout the year you will see the Bits, our monthly newsletter, electronically. Consider liking the Blanchard PTF page on Facebook to stay informed. As always, visit blanchardptf.org to find forms and other information.
• Give us your feedback. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please contact a board member at any time. Consider attending a general meeting – our first will be September 28, 2011 at 7:30in the Blanchard Library. We welcome your input. You can reach us via e-mail at PTFboard@blanchardptf.org.

Please contact Molly Wong, (978) 263-5302, or any PTF board member with questions. Thank you once again for your generation contributions of time, money, and ideas!

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Each year the Blanchard PTF Grants Committee awards grants for projects that enrich the learning environment for the Blanchard School community. In the past, the Grants Committee funded a traveling map of Asia, an artist in residence, an archaeologist presentation for 6th Grade, Eno and Smart Boards, an illustrator for the 1st Grade, Raz-Kids reading program, headsets for the computer lab, flip video cameras, iPads and iPad workshops, and numerous other projects.

The Committee consists of two PTF Board members, two teachers and three parent representatives. Parent representatives are expected to review grant proposals during the three grant cycles and attend three meetings over the course of the school year. If you are interested in serving on the Grants Committee as a parent representative, please contact Christie Smith (christiesmith5@gmail.com) by September 21, 2011.

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The deadline for the first cycle of PTF Grant Applications is October 20, 2011. Grant applications may be submitted for any educational purpose, such as enrichment activities in the classrooms, special equipment or supplies not funded by the school operating budget, or professional development. The PTF is particularly interested in projects that have a long-term impact, benefit a large number of students, and involve multiple classrooms, teachers or disciplines. Grant applications are welcome from teachers, parents, and all members of the community.

When writing your grant request, please submit eight copies of the PTF Grant Application and follow the PTF Grant Checklist. The Application and Checklist can be found on the PTF website (BlanchardPTF.org) or on the PTF bulletin board outside the library. Eight copies of the completed application must be placed in the PTF mailbox in the school office by 3:00 p.m. on October 20, 2011.

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Welcome Back, and hope you have been collecting those BoxTops throughout the Summer!!! This year, we're adding the Tyson Project A+ program (frozen chicken products) to the collection. Each Tyson label collected is worth 24 cents and will be counted towards the annual goal. So, please bring in the collected BoxTops and Tyson labels to your classroom and your teacher will have a bag awaiting their deposit.

Please note that the money earned benefits our students in many ways and includes class parties for the top winners. If interested, please visit www.boxtops4education.com and http://projectaplus.tyson.com.

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Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council (ABCC)

Acton Boxboroug Cultural Council is looking for new members. Please visit their web page for more information.

P.O. Box 2291, Acton, MA 01720
Email: abccinformation@gmail.com
Website: www.actonboxboroughculturalcouncil.org

Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council Calendar

September 17, 2011: The Art of Recycling – a free sculpture workshop with William Turville, local sculptor and architect (www.brickbottomartists.com/artist/194), at NARA Park in Acton from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Open to adults and children over the age of 9 (those under the age of 13 MUST be accompanied by an adult) who wish to learn how to create their own sculptures or work on a group creation. Projects may be submitted for exhibition in Boxborough in October (see below). Tools and “junk” will be provided but you are encouraged to bring your own recycled treasures and creative elements to incorporate into your project.

October 15, to November 19, 2011: The Art of Recycling - an exhibition of outdoor sculptures and indoor wall hung art will be displayed at the Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough. The exhibition opening will be from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on October 15 , and feature a concert by Viktor Lois on instruments he has made from recycled materials. Creative participants are invited to exhibit their projects. The deadline for submissions is October 1, 2011. Entry forms will be available at the schools, libraries and Town Halls in Acton and Boxborough and on our website at www.actonboxboroughculturalcouncil.org . The ABCC reserves the right to select sculptures to be exhibited by criteria safety, public display, size or space availability.

October 15, 2011: The Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council is accepting applications for our Fiscal Year 2012 Grant Cycle. Individuals, non-profit groups, schools, libraries and religious organizations may apply for funding for arts projects. Applications should be mailed to P.O. Box 2291, Acton, MA, 01720 and must be postmarked on or before October 15, 2011. Grant application forms and guidelines are available at both Town Halls, all town libraries, or at www.actonboxboroughculturalcouncil.org or www.massculturalcouncil.org.

The Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council is supported by the towns of Acton and Boxborough, and by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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Half Day Movie@Sargent Memorial Library

The following movies will be shown on early release Thursdays. You may bring a pillow to watch the movie. Please call the library for more information.

Thursday, September 15 - Rio
Thursday, October 6 - Hoodwinked Too

Saturday Hours @ the Library

The Sargent Memorial Library resumes Saturday hours, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on September 10, 2011. The library is also open Mondays and Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Patrons may request and renew items by calling the library at 978-263-4680, or visiting the website at www.boxlib.org and clicking on “Your Library Account.”

Boxborough Library Closing, September 28

The Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough will be closed to the public on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 for a professional development day and staff training as the C/WMARS network prepares to transition to Evergreen Open Systems for library cataloging and circulation in October. Patrons are reminded to bring their library card for all future library visits. The new system locates patrons by library card number rather than name. The library will reopen Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

New Museum Passes at the Boxborough Library

The Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough is pleased to announce the addition of two new museum passes. Thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Boxborough Library, a pass to the Ecotarium: A Museum of Science and Nature in Worcester has recently been purchased. The USS Constitution Museum in Charlestown has also been added to our list of museum passes thanks to a gift from the museum.

The library’s list of New England museum passes has grown to 25, the majority purchased by the Friends of the Boxborough Library and local area businesses. Each museum sets its own policy, which determines the number of people admitted and the amount of the discount. Patrons may follow the link for “pass details” on the museum pass page of the library website www.boxlib.org for the entire list of passes and the most current information.

Our area has a wealth of cultural, historical, and entertainment venues. Library discount passes to these wonderful museums are a great way to save some money while enjoying some of New England’s treasures. A valid C/W MARS library card is needed to reserve these passes. Passes may be reserved online, or you may call the library for assistance with making a reservation at 978-263-4680.

New Genealogy Database Now Available to Boxborough Library Patrons

The Sargent Memorial Library in Boxborough now subscribes to Ancestry Library Edition, a database with over 6 billion names in which more than 4,000 databases (international in scope) are brought together and can be searched easily from one home page, such as: U.S. census, military and court records, directories and many more. Due to subscription constraints, Ancestry Library Edition, which differs in appearance from the home edition, is available for IN Library Use only.

This new electronic database is made possible by a generous donation from the Sargent Memorial Library Foundation.

These programs are possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Boxborough Library.

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