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
December 3, 2004
December
3
11:45 Early Dismissal-Teacher Workshop
4
Thoreau Honor Choir performing Redmond Town Center
9
Honor Choir @
Thoreau, 7:00pm, in Commons
Quest Parent Forum – Resource Center (see article)
10 DEADLINE for Quest applications to be at the
Resource Center, no later than 4:00pm
Reflections Reception, Thoreau Lobby 7-8:30pm
20-31 No School – Winter Break
January
3
We’re back in school
14 11:45
Early Dismissal-Teacher Workshop
17
No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
28
No School – Teacher Development Day
February
4
11:45 Early Dismissal
21-25 No School – Mid Winter Break
PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE
Family
Activities for Winter Break
Winter break is still a few weeks away but I thought I
would include a few ideas for family fun at the beginning of December. The
holiday season passes so quickly! Look over this list and see if there are
any of these ideas that your family would like to include in your winter
break. Don't try to do them all, or you will wear yourself out.
You could be very pleased with the results of adding a new family activity
and just might make a family memory or start a family tradition as well!
1.
Read Aloud Together
2.
Play Board and Parlor Games; Do Puzzles
3.
Out with the Old - Use the four-box method: throw away, give away, put away,
and store away.
4.
Take a Walk
5.
Visit the Lonely
6.
Bake Together
7.
Arts and Crafts
8. Make Music
9.
Go for a Drive in the Country or on a Day Trip
10.
Shop the Sales
11.
Give Each Family Member Some Time Alone
12.
Give Each Family Member Some Personal Attention
13.
And a Whole Lot More - There are so many more ways that your family can spend
time together, such as:
§
Watch and discuss a good movie.
§
Invite another like-minded family to join you for an
activity.
§
Get caught up on your rest.
§
Take time for conversations with your family during
or after activities together.
§
Do some writing just for fun and pleasure to record
your thought and memories.
§
Visit a museum.
Hopefully
your family will have enjoyed your time together during your break so much
that you will want to continue some of these activities during the coming
year.
GIFTED QUEST PROGRAM
QUEST APPLICATIONS FOR THE
2005-2006 SCHOOL YEAR ARE AVAILABLE IN THOREAU’S OFFICE. COMPLETED
APPLICA-TIONS MUST BE TURNED IN TO THE RESOURCE CENTER IN REDMOND NO LATER
THAN 4:00PM, DECEMBER 10, 2004. The Quest Program is for Highly Capable
Students in grades 1-6. The elementary Quest program offers two options for
students who demonstrate superior ability, who exceed grade level standards
in literacy and math, and who exhibit exceptional creativity in the classroom.
Students who qualify for the Enrichment pull-out program attend their home
school four days a week and a pull-out enrichment classroom one day a week.
Students in the full-time program are enrolled in an accelerated,
self-contained classroom for the full day, five days a week. More information
can be found in the Quest information packet and on the District website (www.lwsd.org under Highly Capable Programs),
and at the Quest Office [(425) 702-3238 or Quest@lwsd.org)
on the third floor of the Resource Center. Also, all parents interested in the Quest Program or with children
already in Quest may attend the Quest Parent Forum on Thursday, December 9,
2004, from 7:00-8:30 PM in the LWSD Resource Center in the Redmond Town
Center. This forum, sponsored by the Gifted Education Advisory Council
(GEAC), will explain more specifically what Quest offers to highly qualified,
academically gifted children.
LOST AND FOUND
Please
take a moment in the next couple of weeks and stop by to check out Thoreau’s
Lost and Found. ALL items not claimed by December 17 will be donated to a
local charity.
SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM
Thank you to all our parents
who remember to call the Safe Arrival number (425 823-1504) or Thoreau’s
office number (425 823-4350) to leave a message about a tardy or absent
child. Our Safe Arrival calling parents are outstanding at quickly comparing
the absent lists with the messages and calling the few families who forget to
call. Especially with the holiday season upon us, our absent lists have grown
from ˝ page to sometimes 3 pages! This is an important program. Please
remember to call if your child is going to be tardy, absent, or out of town
early for the holiday. Thank you!
Congratulations to
the Top Frog Award Winners for November! They are:
Ms. Rebecca Peterson Blake
Ms. Cary Platzke Noah
Ms. Skye Van Cleave Emily
Mrs. Linda Sickles Ian
Mrs. Lindstrom/ Amundsen Nicky
Mrs. Marie Hartford Millie
Ms. Carol Guthrie Jonathan
Mr. Lon Turner Sharon
Ms. Jan Vunak Melissa
Mr. John Turnbull Molly
Ms. Ann Holman Eric
Mr. Hank Snider Daniel
Mr. Ken Elsworth Bryce
Mrs. Deborah Byrne Elizabeth
Mrs.
Angela Cavelero Bennett
Check out our
website for the latest information!
wwwtho.lwsd.org/
BOOK RODEO
Howdy Partners! The
Thoreau Book Rodeo will be Friday, January 21. Start to round up the
children's books that your family has outgrown or no longer wants (20 books
per child). We will be collecting these books between January 3 - 14 in
your classroom. You will earn a book buck for every two books
donated. Each buck is good for one book of your choice or you may buy
books for .25 cents each. Any questions, contact Cindy Greenbaum cyn.green@verizon.net OR
#425-823-5158.
HONOR CHOIR
Check out the Thoreau Honor
Choir at the Redmond Town Center, Saturday, December 4, starting at
1pm. And, come and listen to the Honor Choir’s performance, Thoreau
Commons, Thursday, December 9, at 7pm.
CONGRATULATIONS HONOR CHOIR
Thoreau's Honor Choir
auditioned and was accepted to sing the National Anthem before the
Sonics/Clippers game at the Key Arena, Tuesday January 11, at 7pm. For
tickets, contact Makayle Rich at makayle.rich@comcast.net OR
#820-5452 OR www.nba.com/sonics
REFLECTIONS RECEPTION
Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in this year's
Reflections Program! The PTA
is pleased with your hard work. Remember to join us Friday, December
10, at 7pm, in Thoreau’s lobby by the main office, for the Reflections
Reception to see who are the heroes of Thoreau students.
DRAWING CLASS
Mrs. Freese is teaching a drawing class to 3rd-6th graders. The
class will meet Jan. 24 – Feb. 16, on Mondays and Wednesday from 3:25-5:00pm
in the art room. The cost is $20.00 for the session. If your child
would like to create a book of the many drawing techniques, please register
soon. Payment and registration is due by January 10. Contact
Helen Garcia to receive a registration form. 821-4442 or helen@planetgarcia.com.
If you leave a message or email, please be sure to include your child's name
and your child’s teacher's name. Note: We need 9 more students to
register or the class will be cancelled.
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 the office and address it to Sarah
Cuplin or you may e-mail it to Sarah at sarah_and_joel@hotmail.com.
Thanks!
KUDOS
Thank you to our wonderful PTA
co-presidents, Polly Blanchard and Helen Garcia for working so hard this year
with all the committees, informing the office of PTA events, communicating
with our parents and staff on a regular basis, and generally lending a had
whenever needed. We have some great new programs this year that nicely add to
the returning programs. THANK YOU to all our super parents who unselfishly
give of their time to make this year a successful and memorable year for all
our Thoreau students and families!
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE TREE
Thank you to everyone who
agreed to help out with the emergency telephone tree this year. We are
still in need of 14 more volunteers in the following classrooms to make
this committee complete: Ruby pm (2), Platzke (2), Peterson (2),
Guthrie (2), Turner (1), Holman (1), Turnbull (2), Snider (1),
and Elsworth (1). If you can volunteer, please contact me at lindajory@yahoo.com ,
425-488-7298 or send a note to school. Thank you for your
support.
-Linda Thompson
Emergency Telephone
Tree Committee Chair
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