The Building Task Force was formed by parents, teachers and staff in 1999 to assist in coordinating issues involving the school building and grounds.

The task force has been working to develop systematic ways to address maintenance and repair issues with a goal of creating a cleaner, safer and more environmentally sustainable environment for Pierce children,teachers and staff.

Our work involves communicating the needs and concerns of the Pierce School community to the staff of the town offices responsible for the physical plant including the School Department,the Building Department, the Parks and Recreation Department and the Department of Public Works. Our projects range from trying to solve simple everyday problems such as where to locate the Lost and Found to more complex issues of building use and space needs and developing standards for maintenance and quality workmanship.

The task force meets at 8:15 in the morning on the first Thursday of each month in the conference room next to the main office.  Comments or questions can be e-mailed to Peter Sacks or left in the main office addressed to the building task force.

The Celebrity Series operates one of the most extensive education and community service programs in New England. The Celebrity Series Arts, Education and Community Program has grown from a small, school-based ticket giveaway program reaching 200 people a year to an innovative outreach program reaching over 22,000 individuals each year with a series of residency programs, masterclasses, workshops and interactive concerts for students, families, seniors, and special needs groups. The Celebrity Series works with more than 450 community-based organizations who each month receive mailings detailing upcoming Arts, Education and Community Program activities and ticket programs in which they are able to participate.

Between 90,000 and 100,000 individuals attend Celebrity Series concerts each year, with an additional 20,000 individuals participating in the Arts, Education and Community Program. While participants come from as far north as Maine and as far south as New Jersey, the majority come from the greater Boston metropolitan area. The Celebrity Series - through the Arts, Education and Community Program - ensures that its audience is ethnically diverse and includes people from all age groups and socio-economic backgrounds.

The focus of the Arts, Education and Community Program is to reach out to underserved communities in order to make the performing arts accessible to as many people as possible. In addition to the many projects designed to bring the performing arts to a broader audience, the Arts, Education and Community Program makes $10 tickets available for Celebrity Series performances to a large number of community groups, students, senior citizens and special needs individuals.

The Pierce School Broadsheet is a weekly source of information about upcoming events and school developments. It is sent home via students to every family. Additional copies are available at the office. Advertisements and community news items or updates should be placed in the Broadsheet box in the Parent Outreach area near the main office or by emailing the editor. The deadline for items is Monday at 2PM.

This group also plans welcoming events for the Pierce Community, orientation for new families, and works with other Pierce committees to help build community.

Melinda Taylor 

Pipier Smith-Mumford 

(Note: The School Council is separate from the PTO)

• Makes recommendations to the Principal about the development, implementation, and assessment of the curriculum.
• Assists in reviewing the annual school budget.
• Helps formulate an annual school improvement plan to improve student performance and meet designated goals.

Brookline Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is a town-wide all-volunteer organization focused on special education in Brookline – from preschool through high school. We sponsor workshops and lectures on a range of topics, from reading instruction to managing behavior, from supporting students with weak executive function/organizational skills to updates on changes in special education law, and much more! We also host breakfasts and informal gatherings for parents to meet each other.

Each school has one or two liaisons – parents with children on IEPs in your school, who can help you with questions or offer support. In addition, SEPAC regularly meets with Brookline administrators and advocates for ways in which to improve special education in Brookline. Please visit our website to learn more.

The goals of the program are to demystify disabilities; to remove the fears and uneasiness often experienced by able-bodied individuals; to increase the sensitivity to the basic similarity of feelings and needs we all have; and to focus on what people with disabilities can do rather than what they cannot do. The success of the program depends on the support and training of parent volunteers. Parents are encouraged to participate in this very special program. It is interesting, rewarding, fun and quite different from other volunteer activities at the school.

The committee supports the new nutrition teaching modules and is looking for ways to make eating well and staying active a fun and lifelong endeavor.

• Brookline Wellness Policy - 28Sept2006(final)