BURNING TREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - burningtreepta

BURNING TREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PTA BACK TO SCHOOL UPDATE
September 2, 2011
SEPTEMBER CALENDAR:
2nd School Spirit Day 12th SAC Parent Get Together 7:00-8:30pm
5th No school - Labor Day 12th Dine Out - Ledo River Road
6th
Volunteer Fair and PTA Mtg 7:00pm 13th Dine Out - Ledo River Road
8th Committee Chair Training 9:30 am 13th Back to School Night Grades K-2
8th Room Parent Training 10:15 am 15th Back to School Night Grades 3-5
9th PTA New Parent Coffee 9:30 am 19th International Coffee 9:30am
9th Back to School Picnic (Rain date-9/16) 28th Early Release 12:55pm
MESSAGE FROM THE PTA PRESIDENT
Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year at Burning Tree! I hope you all had an enjoyable summer and found some
time to relax despite the record heat! It’s always hard to see the summer end, but it’s also nice to reconnect with the
staff and friends we haven’t seen over the summer.
We are so lucky to have such wonderful and dedicated staff and generous and involved parents at Burning Tree.
PTA President-elect Kristen Farren and I want to thank everyone for their generous support of the PTA this last year
through their countless volunteer hours and/or financial contributions. You should know that your PTA dollars were
responsible for continuing the technological upgrade in the classroom. The school purchased additional Promethean
White Boards to install in each K-2 classroom, which will help promote more interactive learning for our students.
This is in addition to the six Promethean boards and several ELMOS purchased last year. To learn more about
additional projects planned for the upcoming year, be sure to attend the first PTA meeting on Tuesday, September
6 th at 7:00pm (see the article below for more information on the first PTA meeting). We encourage you to join the
PTA so your vote can be counted on many important matters that affect you and your children. Our PTA meetings
are held the 1 st Tuesday of almost every month - please come and share your ideas and any concerns you may have.
New this year:
After (and Before) School Activity registration and payment is available online only. Register at
www.Pay4SchoolStuffOnline.com. Create an account and follow the easy steps to register your child. Select your
child’s name and begin registration.
A few reminders:
While you are online at www.Pay4SchoolStuffOnline.com, you may also sign up for PTA membership or donate to
the Fill Our Pond campaign by credit card online.
The 1 st Friday of every month is School Spirit Day! Tell your kids so they can wear their Burning Tree clothes or
anything BT green!
Check out the PTA website, www.BurningTreePTA.org. It offers a wealth of information - from PTA contact info
and events, to parenting classes, to lunch menus! Plus almost every PTA form you need can be found on the
website.
Finally, I would like to thank the following parents who devoted many hours to the PTA this summer:
-Risa Bender, Monica Grasso, Kelli Richardson Lawson, Cathy Schupak and Vicki Herson for putting together such
an outstanding list of After School Activities and delivering the packet with the school summer mailing,
-Ellie Abramowitz and Delia Tetelman for creating the PTA calendar,
-Nancy Sandler and Amy Eisner for setting up the Dine Outs for the year,
-Lisa Lerner for setting this year’s Cultural Arts assembly schedule,
-Darrin Hartzler, Katherine McQuay and Laura Weiss for auditing the PTA’s financial records,
-Beth Martino for organizing the Drive For Supplies,
-Alexa Claybon and Kristen Truitt for running the Family to Family outreach programs,
-Dawn Gontkovic, Beth Martino and Anne Ruskowski for organizing the back to school staff luncheon,

-Lisa Segert for organizing the SchoolKidz school supply program,
-Vicki Herson and Cindy Campbell for coordinating the painting of the computer, art, speech and reading initiative
rooms,
-Delia Tetelman for using her technology skills to create our online volunteer sign up and instructions to download
the PTA calendar on our smart phones,
-Vicki Herson and Bruce Tetelman for providing and cutting tennis balls to minimize sound in the classroom,
-Cindy Campbell for hosting the community meet and greet for Dr. Lewis and Mrs. Lowndes,
-Anne Marie O'Donoghue for running the Open House School Spirit Shop and Ellie Abramowitz for updating the
PTA website, and
-All the parents and students who attended the PTA/Teacher Set Up and helped the teachers get their bulletin boards
ready for the 1 st day of school! The hallways look fabulous!
Kristen and I look forward to working closely with Dr. Lewis, Ms. Lowndes, the staff and of course, you, to make
this another productive and successful year at Burning Tree. Please do not hesitate to contact either one of us if you
have a question, a concern or an idea to share! We would like to extend a warm welcome to you and your family
and wish your child(ren) a terrific school year. -Yvonne VanLowe, PTA President
2010-2011 PTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Yvonne VanLowe
President-Elect: Kristen Farren
Treasurer: Barb Butrica
VP for Fundraising: Vicki Herson
VP for Volunteers: Delia Tetelman
VP for School-Based Programs: Stacie Gould
VP for Community Building Programs: Rachel Bottone
Recording Secretary: Eileen Vermilye
Corresponding Secretary/Membership: Karen Rosen
MCCPTA Delegates: Sharon Tompkins and Elizabeth Padgett
At-Large Representatives: Lisa Sanfuentes and Cindy Campbell (Cluster), Eric Cole (Students with
Accommodations) and Els Wildenberg (International)
Ex-Officio Members: Ellie Abramowitz, Cindy Campbell and Lisa Sanfuentes
FIRST PTA MEETING AND VOLUNTEER FAIR!
Please attend our first PTA Meeting and “Volunteer Fair” on Tuesday, September 6th. The Volunteer Fair
will run from 7:00pm – 7:30pm and the PTA meeting will begin at 7:30pm. The PTA provides on- site
babysitting for children age four and older but you MUST sign up ahead of time. (Please email Delia Tetelman at
burningtreepta@gmail.com to register; please tell her how many children and their ages.) Come and learn about all
of our PTA’s great programs and events. Tables will be set up in the All Purpose Room so that PTA Committee
Chairs can share information with you and answer your questions, and you can sign up to help! The PTA meeting
will include a report from Dr. Lewis, including information about new teachers joining our school, information
about the PTA, approval of the 2011- 2012 budget and any issues that members would like to bring up during new
business. Please sign up to join the PTA, as you have no voting rights if you are not a member. If you paid
dues last year, thank you, but those memberships have expired, and it’s time to rejoin! When you pay your dues,
you receive the invaluable Burning Tree Directory and will partner with other parents to become active, involved
citizens in our community! A membership form is attached and can be found at www.BurningTreePTA.org, or join
online at Pay4SchoolStuffOnline.com.
PTA COMMITTEE CHAIR VACANCIES!
Thank you so much to those of you who have already signed up to be a co-chair of one of our many amazing PTA
programs and events. We still have a few committees that need either one or more co-chairs. It’s a lot of fun to be
involved and allows you to meet other fabulous parents at our school! For more information or to co-chair, please
contact this year's VP for the program or Yvonne at yvanlowe@gmail.com.
VP for Fundraising, Vicki Herson (vickiherson@gmail.com)

• Plant Sale; two co-chairs needed
VP for School Based Programs, Stacie Gould (istacie@yahoo.com)
• International Night; one more co-chair needed
VP for Volunteers, Delia Tetelman (burningtreepta@gmail.com)
• Child Care at PTA Meetings; one co-chair needed
• Landscape and Grounds; one more co-chair needed
• Technology Officer; one co-chair needed
VP for Community Building Programs, Rachel Bottone (rmbottone@gmail.com)
• One Thousand Healthy Snacks; one more co-chair needed
• Sister School Partnership, one more co-chair needed
• Spring Fair; two to three co-chairs needed
NEW PARENT COFFEE
All parents new to Burning Tree are invited to meet with members of the PTA and administration at 9:30am on
September 9 at the home of Kristen Farren, 7501 Westfield Drive. No RSVP necessary. We look forward to seeing
you!
BACK TO SCHOOL FAMILY PICNIC
Friday September 9, 5:30-7:00 pm
BTES Rear playground
Jump start the new school year by attending Burning Tree's Back to School Family Picnic on September 9th! It's an
opportunity to mingle with friends, classmates and teachers in a fun and informal atmosphere.
Potomac Pizza will be selling pizza, subs, hot dogs and drinks. Or you can bring your own picnic dinner. Bring a
blanket and, if you'd like, a dessert to share. We'll provide Popsicles and face painting.
No pets please. We're anticipating a lot of people, including very young children.
Questions? Contact Rachel Bottone at rmbottone@gmail.com.
PARENTS OF STUDENTS WITH ACCOMMODATIONS
Please join us on Monday, September 12, 7:00pm - 8:30pm for the Students With Accommodations Parent Get-
Together at Eric and Andrea Cole's Home, 4422 Clearbrook Lane, Kensington, MD 20895. RSVP to
eric.cole@nih.gov or 301-919-2653.
DINE OUT FOR BURNING TREE
Come join us on Monday, September 12th or Tuesday, September 13th for the 1st Burning Tree Dine Out of the
year at Ledo's Pizza on River Road, next to Whole Foods. Enjoy great food, see friends and maybe even do a bit of
shopping. Whether you dine in, or dine out, Ledo's will donate 15% of your tab to our PTA. Hope to see you there!
Ledo's Pizza
5245 River Road
http://www.ledopizza.com/menu.cfm
THE BURNING TREE DIRECTORY
We are finalizing the Burning Tree Directory. In order for your child(ren) to be included in the directory please
make sure to take the following steps:
For students NEW to Burning Tree: Complete a NEW Student Information Form. The form was sent home with

the school information packet in the summer mailing. You can also find a form on the PTA website
(burningtreepta.org). Please either return this form in an envelope marked “PTA Directory” or e-mail it to
Karen.strause@gmail.com. Deadline is Friday, September 2.
For children RETURNING to Burning Tree: If your child(ren) was/were not in the directory last year, but you
would like information included this year, or you have corrections to last year’s information, please fill out a NEW
Student Information Form.
All parents whose students’ information was in last year’s Directory will receive an e-mail containing last year’s
Directory information. Please verify this information online by Friday, September 16.
Please Note:
The August school mailing also included the MCPS request to Withhold Directory Information Form. If you
complete this form, your child’s name will not appear anywhere in the directory.
Only PTA members receive the directory.
If you have any questions about the Directory, please contact Karen Strause at karen.strause@gmail.com.
MAKE MONEY FOR BURNING TREE BY SHOPPING AT GIANT AND SAFEWAY
Your grocery list just made money for Burning Tree!
Registering your Giant and Safeway grocery discount cards can earn valuable fundraising dollars for Burning Tree
and our sister school Broad Acres Elementary. If you use a discount card at either or both stores, please register that
card again for this school year. You must reregister your card each year for your grocery purchases to count toward
our fundraising dollars. Last year, we received nearly $2,500 from Giant for our registered cards.
To register your card at Giant, either:
1) go to www.giantfood.com, click on Our Stores, then click on A+, and finally click on Register Your Card,
or
2) fill out the Giant Card registration form in your school packet you received in the mail and return it to PTA
mailbox at school and we will register your card for you
Burning Tree school code is 00666. Our sister school (in Silver Spring) Broad Acres code is 0867.
To register your card at Safeway, go to www.escrip.com and click on Renew Your Commitment or register your
card for the first time. You can look up Burning Tree and Broad Acres by city, name or zip code.
Don’t forget, your relatives and friends can register their cards for Burning Tree also, using the same school codes!
Grandma can feel even better about making those cookies for her favorite grandchild. Contact Alana Aronin at
abaronin@gmail.com with any questions.
USING BTNET
Please remember when using the BTNet List Serve this year that its sole purpose is to provide information
relating only to PTA business, school affairs or educational advocacy issues. Note that the BTNet network is
monitored by the Burning Tree PTA Special Monitoring Committee to insure its proper use. Messages sent to
BTNet will be posted within 24 hours; inappropriate e-mails will be rejected. To sign up for BTNet, send your
request to our BTNet Administrator, P.K. Kannan, at famkannan@yahoo.com. Please include your name,
child(ren) name and grade and e-mail address(es).
For all other issues, there is a "Community Update" published every week on BTNet for an exchange of
information on topics such as tutors, child care, missing items, community performances, vacancies on sports teams,
etc. Anh LyJordan prepares the Community Update. Anyone wishing to publish information in the BTNet
Community Update should submit text to Anh at alyjordan@gmail.com by noon on Wednesday.

VOLUNTEER CORNER
Welcome back! Hope you all had a great summer and are ready to begin another exciting year at BT. With the
school year about to get underway, I need to remind parents about the importance of signing in when you come into
the building to volunteer or visit. This year, we are transitioning to a computer based sign-in. Until that time, please
continue to use the sheets in the office to sign in and to sign out.
This process will separate those who are just visiting the school from those who are actually volunteering in any
capacity, i.e. classroom/field trips, media center, lunch room, recess, etc. We do keep track of these volunteer hours
and actually report them to MCPS on a monthly basis, which is then reported back to the Board of Education.
MCPS has a strategic plan in place for a system wide recognition of schools in our area and even presents top
performing schools with awards at their Back to School Fair, which has approximately 8,000 in attendance. Since
our parents are so generous with their time, it would be nice to get recognized for our service to BTES! Thank you
in advance for all you do. You provide a tremendous impact by volunteering your time and it’s greatly appreciated!!
-Delia Teteleman, VP of Volunteers
ROOM PARENTS NEEDED
Don’t Wait -- Sign Up Now!
Your children are very excited about their new teachers and classes for the new school year. A rewarding and fun
way to get involved in the classroom and in the school is to volunteer to be a Room Parent.
For each class, we are seeking a Teacher/Classroom Liaison Parent, a Treasurer, a Halloween Party Coordinator, a
Valentine’s Day Party Coordinator, an End of the Year Party Coordinator (for grades K-4), and a PTA Liaison
Parent. The list of responsibilities for each of these positions is on the attached flyer. Parents may sign up for more
than one position. Or sign up with a friend to coordinate a party! At Back to School Night, each family will be
asked to sign up to help with (at least) one of the parties. This doesn’t mean the parent necessarily has to attend the
party, but he/she will be asked to contribute by ordering party favors or purchasing snacks, etc. Please note, that if a
class does not have a party coordinator for a particular party then there will not be a party for that class.
You are not alone! There are resources to help you with these great jobs. Please join us for a Room Parent Meeting
on Thursday, Sept. 8 th at 10:15am. We will have guidelines for each position, forms for Back to School Night signups,
and you can hear tips from experienced room parents. Even if you are an experienced room parent, please join
us for this training session to hear updates and new information on room parent responsibilities.
To submit your name for one (or more) of these positions or if you have questions, please contact the Room Parent
Coordinator for your child’s (or children’s) grade. For Grades K-2, contact Amy Squire Buckley at
amysquirebuckley@yahoo.com or 301- 229-2633and for Grades 3-5, contact Kim Bayard at kbayard@frb,gov or
301-469-0786. You may email the information or return the attached form in an envelope labeled “PTA Room
Parents” to the PTA box in the school lobby or send it to school via your child’s backpack. Thanks for your help!
BE A RECESS VOLUNTEER!
We need your help at Recess, rain or shine. This is fun way to help our school and our kids love having us. Just
show up!
Sign in at the front volunteer desk, put a volunteer Apple sticker on, go out to the back of the school (or your child's
classroom for indoor recess) and let the aides know you are there to volunteer. That’s it. If you would like to be a
“regular volunteer” email jennifer.l.nair@gmail.com and I’ll put you on the schedule. Nannies and grandparents are
welcome! Kindergarten parents, we ask that you wait until October to volunteer to give your child time to adjust to
school. We welcome volunteers at lunch, too!
12:05-12:35 -> Kindergarten and Grade 2 Lunch
12:35-1:05 -> Grades 1 and 3 Lunch; Grades 2, 4 and 5 Recess
1:05-1:35 -> Grades 4 and 5 Lunch; Grades 1 and 3 Recess
PTA GOOGLE CALENDAR
Do you have an iPhone, Blackberry or Droid? Would you like to have the Burning Tree PTA Calendar at your
fingertips? The PTA Calendar is available on Google Calendars. Email burningtreepta@gmail.com to sign up and

get instructions on how to subscribe to the calendar on your computer or phone.
WALK-TO-SCHOOL DAY FOOTnotes
This year, on Wednesday, October 5th, Burning Tree Elementary will participate, for its 11th year, in International
Walk-to-School Day. Save the date and plan to join us as we get some exercise and celebrate healthy living, traffic
safety and the environment. It's a great way to start the day and promises fun for everyone. Let's see if we can reach
or exceed 300 walkers this year! More details to come.
Elementary/Middle School PTAs
PTAs serve as a type of forum where parents, teachers, administrators, and other concerned adults discuss how to
promote quality education, strive to expand the arts, encourage community involvement, and work toward a healthy
environment and safe neighborhoods. Join the Burning Tree PTA!
If you have anything to include in the next PTA Update, please email Kristen Farren at farrens5@comcast.net by
Tuesday, September 23 at noon.

Burning Tree Elementary School
BACK-TO-SCHOOL
FAMILY PICNIC
Friday, Sept. 9 th from 5:30-7:00 pm
(Rain date on Friday, Sept 16 st from 5:30-7:00 pm)
Mingle with friends, classmates, and
teachers!
Buy pizza, subs, hot dogs, and drinks from Potomac
Pizza or bring your own picnic dinner.
Bring a dessert to share.
We’ll provide popsicles, face painting, and other fun
activities.
Volunteers needed!
Contact Rachel Bottone at rmbottone@gmail.com

Room Parents Needed
PTA Liaison Parent
Role: To be a point of contact between the PTA and classroom parents and to lead parent involvement in Staff
Appreciation Week and at the Spring Fair. The PTA Liaison is also responsible for recruiting parent volunteers to
supervise the children when lunch is held in the classroom on the few days of the year when the All Purpose
Room is not available, for example during the Science Fair.
Teacher/Classroom Liaison Parent
Role: To be a point of contact for the teacher and to coordinate the monthly roster of classroom volunteers. This
parent may also be responsible for securing volunteers for class events such as concerts and field trips. For the
Kindergarten classes, this parent is also responsible for coordinating the playground roster (parents from the
classes of Ms. Merritt, Ms. Backenstoe and Ms. Choe rotate responsibility for supervising the playground during
recess, each month).
Treasurer
Role: To collect and administer class funds for parties and teacher gifts. The Treasurer is also responsible for
purchasing an end of year gift for the teacher - usually a gift card.
Halloween Party Coordinator*
Role: To take the lead in coordinating the contributions of all the parents who signed up to help with this party.
This includes coordinating classroom decorations, party activities, snacks and party favors.
Valentine’s Day Party Coordinator*
Role: To take the lead in coordinating the contributions of all the parents who signed up to help with this party.
This includes coordinating classroom decorations, party activities, snacks and party favors.
End of Year Party Coordinator*
Role: To take the lead in coordinating the contributions of all the parents who signed up to help with this party.
This includes coordinating classroom decorations, party activities, snacks and party favors.
(* Note: Each family will be asked to sign up at Back to School Night to help with (at least) one of the three parties.
This doesn’t mean the parent necessarily has to attend the party, but he/she will be asked to contribute by ordering
party favors or purchasing snacks etc.)
To submit your name for one (or more) of these positions or if you have questions, please contact the Room Parent
Coordinator for your child’s (or children’s) grade. For Grades K – 2 that will be Amy Squire
Buckley (amysquirebuckley@yahoo.com or 301- 229-2633) and for Grades 3-5 it will be Kim Bayard
kbayard@frb.gov or 301-469-0786). You may email the information, or if you prefer, drop this form off at school
in the PTA Forms box or send it in via your child’s backpack. Thanks for your help!!!
Please join us for a Room Parent Meeting – Thursday, September 8th at 10:15am
YES. SIGN ME UP! Name: __________________________________
Email: __________________________________________ Phone: ____________________________
Child’s Name: _____________________________ Grade: _____ Teacher: ___________________________
Child’s Name: _____________________________ Grade: _____ Teacher: ___________________________
Child’s Name: _____________________________ Grade: _____ Teacher: ___________________________
Preferred Position(s) (You may sign up for more than one position):
PTA Liaison Parent _______________________ Teacher/Classroom Liaison Parent ___________________
Treasurer _______________________________ Halloween Party Coordinator _______________________
Valentine’s Day Party Coordinator ____________ End of Year Party Coordinator ______________________

Burning Tree PTA Membership Form
Burning Tree PTA invites you to become a member for the 2010-2011 school year. Joining the PTA is one
of the most important things you can do for your child at Burning Tree. Your $25 dues support
educational programs for your children such as Science Fair, lunch with a scientist, the school library and
cultural arts programs. Your contributions also support fun events for the entire family including
International Night, Arts Festival, and the Spring Fair. Each membership comes with a free copy of the
indispensable Burning Tree Directory, listing addresses and phone numbers of your children’s classmates
and other valuable information. With your PTA membership you are also able to vote on PTA matters
that directly affect our children and our school. Where else can you get so much for $25?
Membership is voluntary, but it is required to vote at PTA meetings. PTA memberships need to be
renewed every year. We gratefully accept and appreciate any additional donations. Please join today online or by
returning the form below.
The PTA is going GREEN this year. You can help us by using our online partner to join the PTA. Simply log
on to www.Pay4SchoolStuffOnline.com, create an account and sign up by credit card. A nominal
administrative fee will be added to your transaction. Thank you for your support!**
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PTA Membership Application Form
Enclosed is ___ a check (payable to BTPTA) or ___ cash for the following:
_____ Family Membership @ $25.00 $___________
Name______________________________________________
_____ Extra Directories @ $5.00 each $___________
_____ Additional Donation to Burning Tree PTA $___________
Total Amount Enclosed $ ___________
Your youngest child at Burning Tree (for sending home the school directory):
Child's Name__________________________ Grade_____ Teacher________________
Please return your completed form including dues in an envelope marked "PTA Membership" to the PTA
Forms Box in the school lobby, send it in via your child’s backpack, or mail it to Karen Rosen,
6309 Landon Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817. Questions? Please contact Karen at 301-312-6030.
Please Note: PTA membership is open to all, regardless of ability to pay. If you would like to join at
reduced or no fees, please contact Dr. Lewis confidentially to join. Consult your tax advisor regarding
the deductibility of membership dues and donations.

SPIRIT SHOP ORDER FORM
2011 BACK TO SCHOOL EDITION
Quantity Total ($)
BTES T-Shirt Lime Green ($10)
Youth Size Small _____ _____
Youth Size Medium _____ _____
Youth Size Large _____ _____
Youth Size X-Large _____ _____
PTA Calendar 2010-2011 ($5) _____ _____
Burning Tree Sports Sack ($8) _____ _____
Burning Tree Green Water Bottle ($2.50) _____ _____
Burning Tree White Water Bottle ($2) _____ _____
Burning Tree Tote Bag ($10) _____ _____
Burning Tree Car Magnet ($5) _____ _____
“Note to School” Memo Pad ($2 OR 3/$5) _____ _____
Burning Tree Pencils (3/$1) _____ _____
Burning Tree Bracelets (1/$2 or 3/$5) _____ _____
TOTAL ORDER……………………………………………………………………………………………….$_____
STUDENT NAME: ______________________ TEACHER: ____________
CONTACT E-MAIL __________________________________________
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER _______________________________________
Print out and complete order form and send form and payment (cash or check made out
to “BTPTA”) to school in an envelope clearly marked “Spirit Shop.” Items will be sent home
in your child’s backpack. Orders typically take 2-5 school days after receipt for delivery
to teacher’s mailbox. Out of stock items may take 2-3 weeks for delivery (you will be notified).
Questions about Spirit Shop, in stock status or orders? Contact Anne Marie O’Donoghue at 301-879-2650 or at
amc32@yahoo.com. Thank you!