Frog News
H. D. Thoreau Elementary
School
8224 NE 138th
Kirkland, WA 98034
425-823-4350
FAX: 425-814-4986
Web: http://wwwtho.lwsd.org/
Steve Roetcisoender, Principal
Email: sroetcisoender@lwsd.org
October 15, 2004
October
20 Student Bank Day
Student
Picture Day
21 PTA Meeting
7-8:30pm
27 Student Bank
Day
28 Parent
Education Class, 7-8:30pm (see info.)
29 No
School-Professional Development Day
PRINCIPAL’S
PERSPECTIVE
Student
Safety
The following information was recently sent from our
district’s Communication Department. I wanted to include it this week, as it
encapsulates our efforts to keep kids safe while at school.
The safety and security of our students and staff is our most
important priority. There has been a significant amount of media
coverage over the past few weeks about potential terrorist threats that has
led to increased anxiety in our community about the safety and security of
our schools.
It is very important that you know that according to law
enforcement agencies both locally and nationally, that there is no specific
threat to our schools and students here in Lake Washington.
For your information, Lake Washington School District
continues to work closely with local law enforcement agencies, including King
County Emergency Management, to ensure that our schools are safe.
We have both a District emergency preparedness plan and each school has a
school safety plan. In addition, schools conduct various emergency
drills on a regular basis throughout the school year.
The federal Department of Education issued a letter to
education leaders earlier this week, providing general information and
guidance on enhancing safety at schools. While we have many of the
suggestions already in place in Lake Washington, our safety committee will
review the document to determine what, if any, additional measures should be
taken.
While we have not received any specific threat and do not want
to create any unnecessary concern in our community, we are calling upon all
students, parents, teachers, staff and community members to assist us in
keeping our schools safe.
We ask for your continued collaboration and support.
Here are some actions you can take to assist us in ensuring the safety of all
of our students and school communities.
*Schools have procedures for parents/ volunteers / community
members visiting school sites, which include signing in at the front office
and wearing badges. We ask all people visiting schools to follow the
school's procedure.
* Schools should also follow their safety procedures related
to locking of gates and fences during school hours to reduce the number of
points of access to the school site.
* As law enforcement officials have asked in the past, we ask
that you please contact the school or local law enforcement services if you
notice any activities or individuals in your area that appear to be out of
the ordinary.
HELP NEEDED
Before
school starts at 8:40, we have students stand in lines while waiting for the
bell. I would like to enlist parent volunteers willing to commit to a weekly
schedule to supervise students in the front of the school as well as in the
undercover area. Volunteers would help keep students calm. If interested,
please contact our office and let us know. There will be a meeting after
school on Monday, October 25, at 3:30, to find out more about the
job.
HANDBOOK AND DISCIPLINE POLICY
Coming home today are two
important documents. First is the Parent and Student Handbook. Inside, you’ll
find helpful information about Thoreau Elementary and the Lake Washington
School District. The Thoreau Discipline Policy Handbook is also coming home
today. It has had some revision since it’s last printing. Please take a
moment to review with your child behavior expectations at school and then sign and return the last page of the
policy. Thank you!
ANNUAL 6TH
GRADE SALES
The annual 6th grade sales are under way!
The 6th grade students at Thoreau have begun their annual Fall
sales program to help fund the Outdoor Education experience. These students
will be selling Elliott Bay merchandise which includes terrific gifts for the
winter holidays, along with wrapping paper, calendars, candles, ribbon,
candies, etc. In addition to these products we are also selling the
always-popular Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough, brownies, pretzels, etc. Keep a
sharp eye out for a student in your neighborhood selling these fine foods and
holiday gifts. Both sales will began Monday, October 4 and will end Monday,
October 18. Please help support our terrific students and their Outdoor
Education adventure! Thank you! – Mr. Elsworth
ATTENTION PARENTS/GUARDIANS
(information from our school counselor)
Enjoy
parent education from the comfort of your own home! The Puget Sound
Education District has purchased videos and broadcast rights for the ACTIVE
PARENTING NOW video series. The series will be televised on PSETV
(Channel 26) Tuesday and Thursday evening.
Air Times:
· Session
3: Oct. 19 and 21 - 7:00 pm
Why Children Misbehave:
Techniques for Avoiding “Paying-off” Behavior
· Session
4: Oct. 19 and 21 - 7:30 pm
Effective Parenting Styles:
How Mutual Respect Can Help Parents Avoid Arguments with their Children
· Session
5: Oct. 26 and 28 - 7:00 pm
Effective Communication Skills
and Avoiding Communication Blocks
· Session
6: Oct. 26 and 28 - 7:30 pm
How
to Hold Family Meetings and Why They’re Important; Saying “no” to drugs
Check out our
website for the latest information!
wwwtho.lwsd.org/
ANNUAL
SCHOLARSHIP BASKET AUCTION
Each
year the Lake Washington PTSA offers over $10,000 in scholarships to high
school seniors and teachers within the district. Funds are
generated for this scholarship, through the annual basket auction. This
year, Thoreau has chosen RELAXATION for our basket theme.
How do you relax?
A long soak in the tub?
A
calming atmosphere with scented candles?
A
massage?
Aromatherapy?
Maybe a steaming mug of herbal tea and a good
book
We Need Your Donations!
Please
bring basket items to Sally Freni in the office by Nov. 1. If you would like
to contribute, a monetary donation would also be welcome for the scholarship
chair to purchase items for our basket.
PTA HOLIDAY BAZAAR
Thoreau
PTA is sponsoring a Holiday Bazaar and they need you and your products. Mark
your calendar for Saturday, November 6, 12pm-4pm (11am set-up). Thoreau
family businesses get first chance for a table. Only one representative per
company will be permitted, it will be on a
first come, first serve basis. Cost per table is $25.00. Student
businesses are encouraged to participate and the table fee will be waived for
a student business. Reserve your table now and plan on shopping November 6!
If you have questions or want to volunteer to help during this special event,
please call Lisa Hatfield, 425 820-8840 or email lisa.hatfield@gte.net
NEW ART CURRICULUM IS COMING!
We
are excited about the new curriculum!
We need parents to send in fabric (can be scraps or quarter yards) if
you are willing. The fabric will be
used in two projects:
We
can also use yarn, ribbon, colored string, embroidery floss, Elmer’s glue,
etc. for the first graders.
There
is a box under the flyers table where you can leave the donations or send
them to school with your child in a bag clearly marked ‘for the art
curriculum.’
Thanks
so much!
Suzanne Morris slg.morris2@verizon.net &
Margaret Adams margaret.jiri@verizon.net
PARENT
EDUCATION CLASS
Homework Structure That Works: Kirsten Jackson, M. Ed.
Join us for a parent workshop in the library Thursday October
28, 7:00pm-8:30pm. Free childcare will be available in the gym and door
prizes given to the first 10 parents! In this class, Kirsten strives to show
parents how to guide their children in how to access knowledge, to
communicate effectively, to identify strengths and weaknesses, and to take
ownership of their education. She reviews the role of the parent, how to
define the child's struggle, how to create the ideal situation for learning,
and how to incorporate the reality of life.
KIDS - PUBLISH YOUR
WRITING!
All
aspiring authors and poets from Kindergarten - 6th grade are invited to
submit a short story (150 words or less) or a poem to be considered for
publication in an upcoming Ribbet Review PTA newsletter. This is not a
contest and the writings will not be judged as such. Every effort will
be made to publish all work, space permitting, but depending on the number of
submittals there may be some that are not published. If you are
interested, turn in your submittal to Sarah at sarah_and_joel@hotmail.com.
Thanks!
STUDENT DIRECTORY
Shelly
Balice is working diligently on the Student Directory; hopefully it will be
completed by the end of the month! There are a few who have not turned in
their information card that was sent home on the first day of school. If you
have not done this, please send tomorrow.
PICTURE DAY
Wednesday
October 20 is picture day at Thoreau. This will be the same as last
year. Individual pictures are in the Fall and the classroom pictures are in
the Spring.
DID YOU KNOW?
The
Study Zone is a free service of the King County Library System. It is an
after school homework help program that utilizes the skills of volunteer
tutors and emphasizes study skills and active learning. The schedule is
online at www.kcls.org/studyzone
RECYCLED CARTRIDGES
Thank
you to all who have brought in old cartridges and cell phones! Please keep
collecting them. Just bring to school and set under the flyer table or in the
PTA office. I will keep you posted on the money earned when I get the first
check! Questions? Polly Blanchard 820-8909 polly@mccarthygmac.com
KUDOS
Thank
you to Kim Jones for the great idea and really cute suggestion box!! Please
feel free to put your ideas or concerns in this box (it can be
anonymous, if you like). If you can not make it in to school, just send a
note with your child labeled "suggestion box" and it will be put in
there. Also we have time at every PTA General Meeting for questions and
answers. We would love to see you there!
RIBBET RUN PLEDGES
There are two more Tuesdays left (Oct. 19 and
26) in which to turn in Ribbet Run pledges and still get prizes! Prizes are handed out on Thursdays.
RIBBET RUN SHIRTS FOR
SALE: $8.00
Many of your children wore their Ribbet Run
shirts last Friday at the Ribbet Run (because they reached the $85 prize
level - thank you!!) and many of you commented on how much you like
them! We want to let you know that
they are for sale, first come first serve.
If you would like a shirt please send in $8.00 in an envelope along
with your name and phone number, your child’s name and teacher’s name, and
your shirt size. We will send your
shirt home by kid-mail.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE DURING THE WET
RIBBET RUN!!
Last Friday was the only day of the week we had rain all day, but we
held the Ribbet Run anyway! We want
to thank all the students for their cooperation. Some of you ran in the rain and others of you ran around a
rather small track in the gym/commons.
We also want to thank all the volunteers for their patience and
flexibility as the plans changed twice in order to adjust to the
weather. And another thank you to all
the parents, relatives, and friends that came to watch the Ribbet Run. The kids love to have an audience while
they run! And one final thank you to
Principal Roetcisoender and the teachers for their support of the PTA in its
fund raising efforts and your willingness to work with us so that we could
hold the Ribbet Run!!
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