October 11, 2022

Over 20 countries will be represented at Brooks Multicultural Festival this Thursday.

This special event is a time for all of us to come together to share our cultural backgrounds and experiences with other members of the Brooks Community. We are so excited to welcome you back in person. This year, the event will be held outside on the playground. Watch the video below!

Watch the Multicultural Student Promotional Video

Calling All Bees! Create and submit your artwork for the 2022 PTA Reflections Contest!

Each year, students from across the country in pre-K through grade 12 create theme-based artwork in dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography or visual arts. Last year, Brooks students won at the City level and at Regionals and competed at the State level!

The 2022-2023 theme for this national contest is SHOW YOUR VOICE!

Students may enter in one of two ways:

1. By placing the entry form and artwork in the bin by the door of the library by 3pm on October 15, 2022. (This method is ideal for visual arts!) Printable entry form

2. By completing the online entry form (in Amharic, Arabic, English, and Spanish) by October 15, 2022. 

The Brooks PTA has a limited number of "art supply bags to-go!" Please see Ms. Tio for details.

There are two events organized by the Alexandria PTA Council in

support of PTA Reflections:

Free Dance Workshop on October 10th at Local Motion Studio

Registration required and space is limited.

Free Arts Workshop on Oct 12th - 5pm-6pm at Ferdinand T. Day

Come create with tempura paints and watercolors!

Questions?

Email Kathryn Howell Dalton at reflections@brookspta.org or ask Ms. Tio during art class!

The Brooks Student Council Association (SCA) in coordination with the Brooks PTA, is hosting the 2nd Annual Brooks Fun Run on Monday, October 31 – benefiting SCA programs at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary, where students will run, dance, and skip laps to high-energy music, while they’re being cheered on by peers and volunteers. Visit our page with all the details and sign up to volunteer or donate!

Students - get those smiles ready! Brooks Picture Day is THIS Friday, October 14.

We all know that every day is better with a bite to eat and (for most of us) a big cup of coffee. In past years, our community has worked to provide teacher appreciation lunches monthly through generous donations by our students and parents. This year, we want to keep our successful tradition of showing Brooks staff members how much we appreciate them, and "stuff the breakroom" with treats. For our first month, we selected Coffee and Breakfast snacks. If you are inclined, feel free to send your favorite K-cups or breakfast treats to school for our teachers and staff to enjoy.



Please bring all items to Brooks on Monday, October 17. There will be a collection box at the reception desk. You can also send Amazon purchases directly to the school at:

Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School

Attn: Continental Breakfast

600 Russell Rd

Alexandria, VA 22301

Signup Genius Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A48A8AD2FA4FA7-rise

As always, thank you so much for your generosity!

Congratulations to our first Bee Generous raffle winner Seth Patashnik who won lunch with Ms. Hess. Our next drawing is this Friday - donations of any amount to our Fall fundraising will be entered into our weekly drawing. You can donate to the Brooks PTA Fall Fundraising Drive on our page here.

Bagels & Coffee: Oct 17

The Brooks PTA will be offering hot coffee & bagels for sale in front of Brooks in the morning of Thursday, October 17. Stop by for a schmear!

We are compiling the 2022-2023 Brooks Directory to help families connect. This year's edition will be entirely online, password-protected and continuously updated. Interested in being a part of it? Submit your contact information here.

Brooks Spirit Wear, now with the official Naomi L. Brooks Elementary logo is on sale at SquadLocker.

Support Brooks just by shopping at Harris Teeter. Link your VIC card to Brooks and a % of your shopping goes to support the school.

You may need to setup an account at Harris Teeter to tie to your VIC card if you haven't already.

The school made nearly $280 with just 12 participants last year. Let's see if we can blow past that amount in the new school year.

Brooks is school number 5382 but still listed under Maury Elementary (changing soon). 

Support Brooks at Harris Teeter and link your VIC card today!

We want you to BEE involved this year! We need your help to bring back your favorite PTA programs and ensure we are able to continue investing in our students and teachers as the PTA has done for many years.

There are many different ways to help -- including by writing grant applications, sign-up geniuses, helping setup evening or weekend events, emailing ACPS and the city, or simply ordering supplies. We will need help coordinating programs and events for students and teachers.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can give back to the school next year, please see our volunteer opportunities page or contact Armita Cohen, PTA President for 2022-2023, or Maya Mahoney, President Elect (PTA President for 2023-2024). 

• October 13: Multicultural Festival (5pm-6:30pm)
• October 14: Picture Day at Brooks
• October 15: Reflections Contest Entries Due
• October 17: Bee Generous: Bagels & Coffee
• October 17: Rise and Shine Teacher Appreciation
• October 24: Diwali (NO SCHOOL)
• October 25: Teacher Workday (NO SCHOOL)
• October 31: Brooks SCA Fun Run
• November 1: Bee Generous Dineout @ Chadwicks
• November 3: Teacher Conferences (NO SCHOOL)
• November 4: Teacher Conferences (NO SCHOOL)
• November 8: Election Day / Teacher Workday (NO SCHOOL)
• November 23-25: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)



STAY CONNECTED

• Make sure you’ve subscribed to Ms. Hess' weekly emails and ACPS updates.
• Get PTA announcements on your phone via GroupMe (New for 2022-2023)
• Email brooks-bees+subscribe@googlegroups.com to receive emails. Like our Facebook page and follow Brooks PTA on Twitter.
• Miss an email? Looking for PTA meeting minutes? Catch up on our website at brookspta.org
• Need internet access? Submit an Internet Access request.
• Need to add school closings to your calendar? Import the Brooks PTA calendar!