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
January 7, 2005
January
14 11:45
Early Dismissal-Teacher Workshop
17
No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
20
PTA General Meeting 7:00pm
21
Book
Rodeo
27 3rd Grade Musical 7:00pm
28
No School – Teacher Development Day
February
3
Parent Educational Class 7:00pm
3
11:45 Early Dismissal
14
Valentine’s Breakfast, starts at 7:00am
21-25 No
School – Mid Winter Break
PRINCIPAL’S
PERSPECTIVE
New Year Resolutions…
The
following tidbits came to our home via another newsletter and as I read them,
they seemed especially applicable at this time of year when we think of
establishing or changing a behavior. Of course, as we work and play with
people, these gems of wisdom are helpful any time of the year. I hope the
following will be a good discussion starter at the dinner table sometime this
week.
- Make promises
sparingly and keep them faithfully, no matter what it costs.
- Keep skid chains on
your tongue; always say less than you think. Cultivate a low, persuasive
voice. How you say it often counts more than what you say.
- Never let an
opportunity pass to say a kind and encouraging word to or about
somebody. Praise good work, regardless of who did it. If criticism is
needed, criticize helpfully, never spitefully.
- Be interested in
others; their pursuits their work, their homes and families.
- Be cheerful. Don’t
burden or depress those around you by dwelling on your minor aches and
pains and small disappointments. Remember, everyone is carrying some
kind of a load.
- Keep an open mind.
Discuss, but don’t argue. It is the mark of a superior mind to be able
to disagree without being disagreeable.
- Let your virtues
speak for themselves. Refuse to talk of another’s vices. Discourage
gossip. It is a waste of valuable time and can be extremely destructive.
- Be careful of
another’s feelings. Wit and humor at the other person’s expense are
rarely worth it and may hurt when least expected.
- Pay no attention to
ill-natured remarks about you. Remember, the person who carried the
message may not be the most accurate reporter in the word. Simply live
so that nobody will believe them.
- Don’t be too anxious
about the credit due you. Do your best and be patient. Forget about
yourself and let others “remember”. Success is much sweeter that way.
GLOBAL READING
CHALLENGE
The
King County Library’s Global Reading Challenge returns to Thoreau! We are
excited to announce that this year we will have 6 teams of 4th and
5th graders participating in the KCLS Global Reading
Challenge. The Challenge is based on
the Battle of the Books quiz program.
This year the students will compete against each other by answering
questions based on specific and factual information found in the contents of
10 books selected by KCLS librarians.
The winner of our School Challenge will go on to represent Thoreau at
our School District Challenge in March and then possibly on to Regional
Semi-Finals and the Grand Challenge.
Our school challenge will take place in the Commons
at 2:10pm on Wednesday, February 9th. All fourth
and fifth grade classes, as well as Thoreau parents and friends, are invited
to attend! This year’s teams are:
Red
Cougars - Crystal B, Desiree S, Jimmy L, Gavin C, Coleman B
Rubber
Chickens - Kory B, Ashley W, Noah S, Tom Z, Mikey A, Brianna S, Harleen S
Funky
Monkeys - Rose T, Gabe M, William S, Jordan M, Matthew S, Allison N, Samantha G
Reading
Stars - Shandon L, Tessa W, Kelsey D, Danika B, Regi L, Makinzie R, Sharon B
Shooting
Stars - Oren S, Keegan C, Haleigh M, Cameron D, Danny L, Chely W
The
Bookslayers - Alli C, Raychel M, Kaley C, Gloria H, Maria J, Joel N, Chris S
CONGRATULATIONS!
We are proud to have the following 6th
grade students represent Thoreau Elementary at the All-District Music Concert
on February 10, at Kamiakin Junior High School.
Orchestra: Tansey L (violin)
Band: Jessica A(flute)
Katelyn A (French
horn)
Brick K (trumpet)
Katie W (clarinet)
Choir: Tatiana A
Ashland B
Vivian E
COATS AND COLD WEATHER
CLOTHING NEED TO BE WORN DAILY
Due to the cold weather we are expecting every
child needs to wear a coat to school and out to recess. Preferably, a coat,
hat, and gloves would be the best, but a coat is a definite necessity. Please
label your child’s outerwear.
HELPING CHILDREN
UNDERSTAND
Following
are some helpful reminders or hints to help our children through the
trauma resulting from tsunami over such a large area of our world.
* Listen and help children to talk about
it. Ask questions. This helps you know what is on their mind.
* Be honest, yet respond with information that is best for the age
of your child
* Turn off TV to minimize the traumas being repeated and expanded
in the child(ren)'s memory
* Help them understand and believe that you are going to do all you
can do to protect them
* Communicate about what you know or hear about that helps them
understand that others are working on protection
* Do a geography study of the area that has suffered.
* Help the children with a "giving project". This
may be a pennies, nickels and dimes collection; writing letters to children
of the area to let them know who is thinking of them, give away toys they
want to share, etc.
* Say "I love you" often and give many hugs.
This is always very important.
The Neighborhood Schoolhouse in partnership with
Youth Eastside Services presents:
SATURDAY
MORNING “DROP IN” PARENTING CLASSES, FALL, 2004.
Once
a month, on Saturday mornings, Lori Homes, M.S. C.M.H.C. and other Youth
Eastside Services Counselors will facilitate discussions on a variety of
parenting topics. Bring your children
(ages 3+) for fun, supervised activities.
A delicious continental breakfast will be provided. Come to as many as you like.
Days: Saturdays
Time: 10am to noon
Fee: FREE
Dates:
January 22:
“Calming the Family Storm; Responding Effectively to Family Anger and
Family Conflict” presented by Steve Maybell, PhD, Y.E.S. Clinical
Director and Author of “Calming the Family Storm”.
February 12:
“Raising Sons”
presented by
David Weed, MSW
Location: Redmond Elementary School Library
To
Register, Call NSH 425-702-3409.
Check out our
website for the latest information!
wwwtho.lwsd.org/
TSUNAMI
AID
The PTA will be holding a coin drive January 10-14
at Thoreau. If your children would like to donate coins, have them bring the
coins to their classroom next week. All the money collected will be donated
to the American Red Cross to help aid the victims of the recent earthquake
and tsunami.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE TREE UPDATE
Thanks
to the many of you who have been willing to help us out with this
committee. We will be contacting you soon with your assigned
list. We are still in need of another volunteer from Mr.
Elsworth's class and one from Mr. Turner's class. Your responsibility will
be to call some of the parents in that class to relay school closure or other
important information in an emergency situation. If this is something
you could do, please give Linda Thompson a call at 488-7298 or e-mail lindajory@yahoo.com.
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.
SHIRTS FOR THE ART CURRICULUM
We
still need lots of shirts! We are trying to get used button-down shirts, from
Youth Large through Adult Large sizes.
We want to have 30 smaller and 30 larger sizes to use as aprons to
protect kids’ clothes as they do some of the art projects. So, if you are going through your closets
and getting rid of any shirts, please leave them in the bin under the table
across from the office or send them to school in a bag marked ‘Art Docent’
with your student. Also, thanks for all the fabrics given so far and any more
would be welcome. -Suzanne Morris and
Margaret Adams, Co-chairs of the Art Docent Program
DRAWING CLASS
Mrs. Freese is teaching a drawing class to
3rd-6th graders. The class will meet Jan. 24 – Feb. 16, on Mondays and
Wednesdays 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. There are scholarships available if needed.
WE NEED MORE STUDENTS TO REGISTER OR WE WILL NEED TO CANCEL THIS CLASS.
Please 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.
KUDOS
Thank you to Sarah Cuplin for her consistent commitment and
responsibility to our Ribbet Review and Website. It takes constant effort to
make this happen, and she has really done a great job!!
Thank you to Mrs. Hartford for her efforts and commitment to our
new science curriculum, we really appreciate this leadership!
STUDY CLUB
Fall study club was a success! The students really liked it and
Mrs. Guthrie had great ideas to help them. This is a quiet, focused
class where Mrs. Guthrie is available to help with specific
subjects as needed. It runs January 24 through February 16, Mondays and Wednesdays,
after school until 4:30pm. Please call or email Polly Blanchard to Register polly@mccarthygmac.com
or 425 820-8909.
BOXTOPS CONTEST
Every box top
is worth a dime so don't throw them away! It is easy, just bring in to school
and give to your teacher to put in your class collection bucket. KEEP COLLECTING because a new race has begun. It will end
January 22.
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