Monday, October 15

Families,

On Friday, we held our first Burton Bash (Town Hall) of the year! Burton Bashes bring our school community together around our shared values, the 7 Habits, and the celebration of student leaders.

This year, our Burton Bashes and Birdhouses will focus on Habit 8: Find Your Voice. We kicked off our first Bash with a video showing how Burton students are discovering and expressing their voices. Have a look below to see our Blue Jays in action.

A big thank you to Ms. Smith, Burton’s media specialist, who served as our Burton Bash MC!

Classroom teachers, along with our Burton staff members (Ms. Stinebaugh, Mr. Roberto, Ms. Ladomer, and Ms. Brooks), recognized student leaders with our Blue Jay Way Awards for leading with kindness, respect, and empathy. New this year, we also introduced the Principal Award to recognize a student who made an impact on others, especially when nobody was looking.

Congratulations to all of our recognized student leaders and to every Blue Jay who lives the Blue Jay Way each and every day!

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Burton Trunk or Treat on Tuesday and the Burton Halloween parade on Friday. Please see details below.

Go Blue Jays!

Lauren Fragomeni

October

Tuesday, October 27

• Burton Trunk or Treat from 6pm-7pm at Huntington Woods City Hall

Friday, October 30

• Halloween Parade at 9:00am

November
Monday, November 2 & Tuesday, November 3

• No school for students

Tuesday, November 10

• PTA Meeting

Tuesday, November 17

• Music concerts for grades 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

Monday, November 23

• Evening Parent Teacher Conferences from 5-8pm (in-person)

Tuesday, November 24

• No School for students
• Parent Teacher Conferences from 8am-4pm (in-person)

Wednesday, November 25-Friday, November 27

• No School (Thanksgiving Break)

Monday, November 30

• School resumes

Burton Trunk or Treat - Tuesday, October 27

Join us on Tuesday, October 27 from 6:00pm-7:00pm at Huntington Woods City Hall for a spooktacular evening of costumes, candy, and Burton fun!

• Decorate a Trunk? Sign up to decorate your car and pass out candy to our Blue Jays!
• Planning to Attend? Please RSVP so we can get an approximate headcount!
  • Nut-Free Candy Donations Welcome! If you’re able, please consider donating a bag of nut-free candy to help us keep our trunks stocked! Donations can be dropped off in the school vestibule near the office.
    

Burton Halloween Parade - Friday, October 30

• The Halloween Parade is an exciting tradition at Burton. All families are invited to watch as our Blue Jays, BHS Marching Band, and the Huntington Woods Public Safety parade around the neighborhood. Weather permitting, the parade will take place outdoors.The parade will begin promptly at 9:00am. Students will exit the Nadine Doors and parade East on Nadine, left onto Newport, left onto Hart. The parade will end at the Plaza Door Entrance. In the event of rain, the parade will be held indoors, and unfortunately, parents will not be able to attend.

Costume Expectations

We want the day to be fun, safe, and age-appropriate for all of our Blue Jays. Please review these expectations with your child:

• Age-appropriate and respectful. Costumes should be suitable for elementary students and follow the Blue Jay Way: kindness, respect, and empathy. Costumes should not make fun of real people, human traits, or cultures.
• No horror or violence themes. Costumes with scary, gory, or violent elements are not allowed.
• No weapons or sports equipment. Students may not bring toy guns, knives, swords, bats, hockey sticks, or similar items as part of their costume.
• No masks or extreme makeup. Full masks and face paint that hide a student's identity are not allowed. Please also skip the fake blood.
• Comfort and safety. Costumes should let students move safely, sit comfortably, and use the restroom on their own.
• Please keep extra accessories at home

When to Wear Costumes:

• Students should wear their costumes to school on Friday, October 30th. After the parade and classroom celebrations, teachers will let students know if they may change out of their costumes.
  
  

Dear Burton and Berkley Schools Community,

I am so pleased to share some exciting news! Thanks to the funds raised through last year’s Art to Remember fundraiser, I was able to purchase two additional pairs of EnChroma glasses this year for our new Blue Jays who are color blind. Even better, I received a generous discount that allowed me to purchase four additional pairs of glasses for other children in our community who are color blind!

These glasses are now available to be checked out just like a library book through our district’s library system at Burton Elementary! We are also officially listed on EnChroma’s Color Accessibility Program (CAP) map! Check it out here.

A few years ago, I established the following goals at Burton to help support our color blind Burton Blue Jays. If you would like to learn more or get involved, please read below.

1. Raise awareness about colorblindness.

Understanding color blindness is an important first step in supporting our students. Please visit the links below to learn more:

• Video about color blindness

• Additional information about color blindness

2. Identify Burton Blue Jays who may be color blind.

Families are encouraged to try EnChroma’s free, one-minute online color blindness test at home. You can also test other family members!

• Color blindness test for children and adults who can identify numbers

• Color blindness test for young children who recognize shapes but cannot yet identify numbers

3. Provide EnChroma glasses to help our color blind Blue Jays experience color at school.

My goal is to help our color blind students experience and explore color in new ways. I am working with EnChroma, a company that supports our efforts by matching our purchases and donating additional glasses to us.

Thank you for helping us make Burton and our BSD community more inclusive and color-accessible for all students! I am so grateful for the support that makes these opportunities possible.

Warmly,

Dorota Jakuc, Burton Art Studio

Hello Burton K–3 Families,

We’re excited to share that Fuel Up with Friends after-school program is returning to

Burton for its 5th year starting in January!

This free, six-week after-school program combines nutrition education and yoga in a

fun, hands-on way. Led by a Registered Dietitian and Yoga Instructor, students will:

• Taste-test foods from each of the five food groups

• Blend smoothies using our blender bike!

• Create snacks and explore food science through hands-on activities

• Build strength, balance, confidence, and mindfulness through yoga

Classes are limited to 12 students per session and spots fill quickly.

Please register your child for one session only (Monday or Wednesday). If both

sessions are full, please join the waitlist.

To register, click on a session below or scan the QR code on the attached flyer:

Monday Session

Wednesday Session

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/waitlist-fuel-up-with-friends-afterschool-program-mondaywednesday--2027Waitlist

This program is sponsored by Burton Elementary and the Berkely Education

Foundation. We look forward to another fun-filled session of Fuel Up with Friends at

Burton!

This week, we’re spotlighting Habit 3: Put First Things First, which means “I spend my time on what’s important.” On our Habit Tree, it’s “Work First, Then Play.”

Habit 3 is focusing on priorities and eliminating the unimportant, planning every week, and staying true in the moment of choice. Students practice making a schedule, staying organized and focused, minimizing distractions, and regrouping when they get off task.

Leader in Me teaches this with Big Rocks. Big Rocks are the most important things in our lives, like family, learning, and taking care of our responsibilities. Little rocks are the things that are fine in small amounts but can crowd out the big stuff, like too much screen time. A Blue Jay who puts first things first stops to ask, “What’s the most important thing for me to do right now?”

You can see this habit all around Burton:

• In the classroom, students stay focused during lessons and using their time wisely.
• In the cafeteria, students follow directions and wait patiently in the hot lunch line so it goes quickly for everyone.
• In the restroom, students take care of their needs and return to class quickly.
• In the upper grades, filling out their planner with readable handwriting and double checking so their assignments match their teachers.
  
  

This habit connects to the Blue Jay Way, too. When students put first things first, they show respect for their own learning and for the people around them.

At home: Habit 3 is a great one to practice as a family.

• Ask your child, “What are your Big Rocks this week?” Talk about their most important jobs and responsibilities.
• Try doing the hardest part of homework or chores first. If your child has been putting something off, this is a good time to talk about the word “procrastinate.”
• Pick a regular family time each week, like a family meal, game night, or a walk, and put it on the calendar so it stays a Big Rock.
• Plan some one-on-one time with each family member, and let your child help choose the activity.
• Start a family tradition, or talk about the ones you already have.

Attached to this week’s email: the Habit 3 family sheets for planning your weekly family time and one-on-one time, and My Big Rocks for the Week, where your child can list their roles, their most important goal in each, and when they’ll do it.

Hello, Burton Community,

I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself! I am Christina Schlenker, Burton Elementary’s new school counselor! This is my ninth year as a school counselor, and I am excited to join the Burton Elementary community. I earned my undergraduate degree from MSU and my master's degree from Oakland University, and I am also a Licensed Professional Counselor. Throughout my career, I have worked with students of all ages, from infants to adults pursuing their GED or high school diploma. This experience gives me insight into how to support your students now so they can excel in the future.

My primary goal for the first few months is to ensure that all children feel welcomed and supported. I have presented a “Meet the Counselor” presentation in every classroom. I have also been meeting with every student 1:1 in brief meetings. This way, I know I have spoken to every student. It helps them feel comfortable and see me meeting with all students. I will start classroom lessons in the next few months to help students navigate social and emotional challenges. I will be joining Mrs. Fragomeni at the November PTA meeting to answer questions and talk more about my role.

A school counselor’s role differs from a social worker’s. My caseload includes all 470+ Burton students. Access to a school counselor is a Tier 1 intervention. Students have access to me during grade-level and school-wide classroom SEL and career exploration lessons. I might also push in to classrooms to work with a teacher or individual student. Some students will need more intervention than others, such as small groups and individual meetings.

School counselors help every student apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions and interpersonal skills, and explore and plan for future careers. School counselors also collaborate with teachers, support staff, administration, parents, and students to find the best way to help students thrive! I am looking forward to building meaningful connections with students, families, and staff as I support the social and emotional growth of every child at Burton Elementary.

Hello and happy fall season! The fifth grade has been asked to stock the lounge with treats and goodies for November. Please read below for all the ways you can send a snack or donate to stock the lounge.

Make a monetary donation

Families can make a monetary donation to our Stock the Lounge campaign. We will use the funds to purchase whatever is needed and restock the lounges throughout the month.

Monetary contributions will also allow us to provide fresh items such as fruits, vegetables, cheese, yogurt, and other refrigerated foods that aren't practical to include on the Signup Genius. We’ll "price shop" to make the donations go as far as possible! Click here to donate to Stock the Lounge.

Signup Genius

Take a moment to sign-up for an item here. We ask you bring in your items on Wednesday, November 4th at the morning drop-off time. Annmarie will be at the front door with a cart.

Please note: Snacks do not need to be peanut-free.

Feel free to contact us should you have any questions or concerns and THANK YOU!

Melissa and Annmarie

mostasze@hotmail.com and alsanderson@icloud.com

The October Inclusion Initiative focuses on mental health, reducing stigma, and promoting well-being. It encourages open conversations, compassionate language, checking in on others, and creating supportive environments where everyone feels safe asking for help.

Did you know? More than 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, yet only 52.1% of them received treatment in 2024, according to NAMI.

Questions, Ideas, Feedback

Please contact Dr. Renee Allen PTA DEI co-chair

reneeallenphd@gmail.com

Join us for two casual coffee meetups to connect with other Burton parents and caregivers, share experiences, ask questions, and build community. Whether you're new to Burton or have been part of the community for years, we'd love to see you!

QUEER CONNECT PTA MEETUP

Friday, November 20 | 8:15 AM

Das Velo Coffee – Oak Park

A welcoming space for LGBTQ+ parents, caregivers, and allies to connect, share experiences, and build community.

ALL BURTON FAMILIES ARE WELCOME!

Come as you are, stay as long as you can!

Questions? Contact ellie.mosko@gmail.com

Join PTA Today! Each member is able to vote in our elections and budget meetings and will receive a copy of the 2026-2027 Burton Directory. Note: directories are printed 10/1.

Thank you, Mother Handsome! In addition to signing on as one of our Silver Fun Run Sponsors again this year, Mother Handsome is offering our Blue Jay community 20% off all online takeout orders! Just enter Burton20 at checkout. Code is valid 8/24/26 - 6/12/27.

Show your Blue Jay pride with Burton gear! Students can wear their Burton gear during Birdhouses, Burton Bashes, or any day! Tap the button below to shop! All items will be shipped directly to your home.

All parents/family members volunteering in the classroom or during school-sponsored functions or field trips must complete the Volunteer Release form prior to any activities.

Please keep in mind that the Volunteer Release Form is sent to the Berkley School District Administrative Offices and may take up to three weeks to process so we recommend you submit the required forms well in advance of your planned activity.

You will need to upload an image of your valid driver's license or state-issued ID when completing the Volunteer Release Form.

Office phone number:

• 248-837-8600
  
  

1. In the top right menu, select Report Absence.
2. Select "All Day" for a full day absence, or uncheck the "All Day" box and select the start and end date and time.
3. Select the Reason from the drop-down menu.
4. Click Submit.

*You may also report absences via phone 248-837-8630

Full Day:

• School begins at 8:00am and is dismissed at 3:15pm
• All students will be dismissed at the same location as they enter each morning.

Half Day of School:

• School begins at 8:00am and is dismissed at 11:20am

All medications should be dropped off at the office by a parent, please do not send the medication in with your student.

If your child has a medical condition that requires a prescription medication that needs to be kept at school (such as an asthma inhaler, epi-pen, etc.), each school must have a medication authorization form on file. The form must be filled out by both the parent and your child's doctor and be signed by your doctor. Please bring the medication in the original container.

If your child needs over-the-counter medication during the school day, we must also have a medication authorization form on file, but it does not require a doctor's signature. Medication (in its original package) should be brought to the office along with the completed form by a parent.

Berkley School District uses the Raptor Visitor Management System in all our buildings to strengthen the safety of our students and staff. Major components of the Raptor System:

• Screens visitors, contractors, and all volunteers in our schools.
• It keeps electronic record of who is in our building.
• All visitors will be required to check-in at the office.
• Visitors will be asked to present a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or state ID. The photo ID scan will happen the first time you visit the building. After the first visit, you will check in using the Raptor system, but will not have to scan your ID.
• Raptor will check the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a number of national databases to identify anyone on the database of registered sex offenders. No other data from the ID is gathered and the information will not be shared with any outside agency.
• Once approved, Raptor will issue a visitor ID badge that contains the visitor's photo, the date, and the purpose/location of the visit.
• When leaving the building, return to the office to be signed out.
• All parents that are volunteering in classrooms, field trips, mystery readers or plan to be with students at Burton are required to fill out the district required forms (note there is a 2 week turnaround time to complete the background checks.)

Volunteer Form will be available soon!

Please visit the Berkley School Website for more food service information including menus, allergen information, and student accounts.

Burton is a "nut sensitive" school. Please be aware of snacks and lunches to ensure they do not have nut products.

Ala Carte items available for an additional charge. Single milk is $0.75.

Breakfast:

• Students may enter the Multipurpose Doors (The Nest) starting at 7:40am for breakfast. Only families dropping off for breakfast may use the staff parking lot to drop off your child.
• At 8:00am students will arrive at their classrooms. Kindergarten and TK students will be walked to their classrooms.

Lunch Times:

• 11:15-12:00 TK & Kindergarten
• 11:25-12:10 5th Grade
• 11:35-12:20 3rd Grade
• 11:45-12:30 1st Grade
• 11:55-12:40 4th Grade
• 12:05-12:50 2nd Grade

Go Blue Jays!