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
February 4, 2005
February
4
11:45 Early Dismissal
10 Pioneer
Farms Candle Making, gr. 1-3
Museum of
Flight Assembly, gr. 4-6, 12:45
14 Valentine’s Breakfast, starts at 7:00am
21-25 No
School – Mid Winter Break
PRINCIPAL’S
PERSPECTIVE
Optimism
One of my favorite quotes comes from Winston
Churchill, the famous Prime Minister of England during WWII. He once stated
“I’m an optimist, I can’t imagine being anything else.” Certainly his
optimism was a key ingredient in his leadership during some of the darkest
hours his country had ever experienced. Another optimist I admire is my
father. One has to be an optimist when you’re a dairy farmer as weather seems
to always conspire against the best laid plans on a farm. No matter how grey
and wet the day or dire the circumstances, my dad would look to the west and say,
“things are looking a little brighter over there.” It was his way of saying
things are sure to improve, just give it a little time.
The following are tips for discussing optimism
with children. I hope they can be part of a dinner time discussion some time
this week at your home.
Showing
optimism in life means:
-
deciding to have a good attitude
-
emphasizing the positive over the negative
-
approaching each task with enthusiasm
-
not giving up when things get tough
Showing
optimism at home and school means:
-
using vocabulary that is complimentary rather derogatory
-
helping family and friends find creative solutions to
problems
-
having a good attitude when someone in the family needs
your help
-
getting your family involved in activities that benefit your
community
Discussion
questions:
-
What are three benefits of optimism?
-
How can you be optimistic when you don’t feel like
working?
-
How can being optimistic help you achieve your goals?
Fill
in the blank: The road to optimism is paved with_____________,……. (i.e.
cheerfulness, enthusiasm)
A Call for Artistic
Ideas!!!
As I have walked in our hallways of late I’ve
decided although the colors on the walls are beautiful and coordinated, they
are very much on the neutral side of the color spectrum and could use some
brightening! I believe it would be fun for parents to plan some school wide
or grade level art projects for students that would be permanent additions to
the school. I’ve scheduled an initial meeting time for anyone who is
interested in pursuing such a project. There are some ground rules to consider
if you would like to come. The first is you must be willing to work to bring
any ideas to fruition. If you have an idea, you have to be willing to work to
make it happen. Second, you have to be willing to participate in a
brainstorming process in which the final idea may not be the one you brought
to the meeting. Third, participants must understand that any permanent
artistic additions to the school must adhere to building codes and district
policies; this means there is often red tape associated in projects such as
these. What may seem like a simple project to accomplish may take more energy
than first thought. Fourth, it is okay to come, even if you don’t have a
particular idea in mind but you just want to be a part of this opportunity.
The initial planning meeting will take place
on Wednesday, March 2 at 3:30. We will meet in the conference room in the
school office. At this time, future meeting dates and times will be decided.
Please come if you’d like to be a part of adding some color to Thoreau Elementary!
From the Cooks
Recently,
a few students have been asking the cooks to microwave lunch items from home.
Our school kitchen does have a microwave in it, but our cooks do not have the
time to provide this service for kids. Please do not send items that need to
be warmed in a microwave before being consumed.
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
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:
February 12:
“Raising Sons”
presented by
David Weed, MSW
March 12: “Raising A Confident Daughter” presented by
Belinda Lafferty, M.A., L.M.H.C., Y.E.S. Supervisor of Teen Dating Violence
Program and Y.E.S. Outreach Prevention Supervisor; and, Debbi Halela, M.A.,
L.M.H.C., Y.E.S. Sexual Abuse Services Coordinator
Location: Redmond Elementary School Library
To
Register, Call NSH 425-702-3409.
S.H.A.R.E. WORKSHOPS
Sexuality
Health and Relationships Education (S.H.A.R.E.) parent and student workshops
for 5th and 6th grades are scheduled 7:00pm-8:00pm, as
follows at the following locations within our district:
March 31, 2005
Sandburg Gym
April 21, 2005
Mann Commons
May 12, 2005
Twain Library
June 9, 2005 Smith Library
This is a fun, educational, and interactive
meeting that encourages students to form healthy relationships at an early
age, and to avoid early dating relationships that lead to premature sexual
activity. The focus is on parent education, providing parents with
communication tools to work with their own child about this sometimes
difficult to talk about subject. You and your student are welcome to attend
any of these meetings sponsored by LWSD and S.H.A.R.E. Please contact your
school for more information.
LIL’ REBS CHEERLEADING
CAMP
Juanita High School cheerleaders will sponsor a
cheerleading camp for kindergartners through 6th grade on
Saturday, February 5, at Juanita High School. The cost is $35.00. Come and
join the Juanita Varsity cheerleaders for a day of fun and then perform at
halftime of a girl’s varsity basketball game! Watch for a registration flyer
to come home with your student! For more registration information, please
contact Andrea Snyder, Varsity Cheer Coach at Juanita High School at (425)
823-7609.
REFLECTION
ENTRIES GO TO STATE!
Congratulations to: Hannah J, her film
entry has received the Award of Excellence; to Payam K who received 1st place
in Musical Composition; and to Kaley C who received 1st place in
Literature. Their entries will move on to the state level Reflections
Program. Again, “Thank You” to everyone who participated!
Check out our
website for the latest information!
wwwtho.lwsd.org/
VALENTINES
BREAKFAST
Valentine’s
Pancake Breakfast is a fun time to spend with Dad or any other special adult
in your life. Breakfast begins at 7:00am and ends at 8:30am. Deadline for
pre-sale of these tickets is approaching. Tuesday, February 8, 4:00pm is
the absolute deadline for purchasing Valentine Breakfast tickets. All tickets
MUST be purchased by then. Sorry, there will be NO tickets sold after
February 8 and NO tickets sold at the door. If you have not received a
flyer you can print one
from the website, or send money to the office. It is $3.00 for children
and $4.00 for adults. Make sure to write both the adult’s name and the child’
name on the envelope!! Make checks payable to Thoreau PTA. Questions?
Also bring a dollar to get a picture
with your valentine! Please contact Barbara Stommel at 823-0565.
AND THE PTA BOARD
NOMINEES ARE….
The
Nominating Committee is pleased to announce that the following persons have
accepted nomination to the 2005-06 PTA Board for the following positions:
President: Polly Blanchard
Vice Pres. of Enrichment
Programs: Helen Garcia
Vice President of
Communications: Sarah Cuplin
Vice President of PTA
Specific: Denice Loken
Secretary: Valerie Quinn
Treasurer: Brenda Nunn
The Committee also thanks the parents who graciously
took our calls seeking their interest in joining the Board. Procedurally, the
formal vote on these nominees takes place at the next scheduled PTA General
Meeting on March 24, 2005. A formal notice and meeting reminder will be sent
home in early March. We hope many of you will come to the meeting and meet
your new Board!
BINGO
Bingo is coming to Thoreau!! We are currently gathering great
prizes and would like to use our best resource...you...to help with
donations. Please look for a donation
form to come home with your child or pick one up in the school
lobby. We need donations as small as company pencils, to as
large as gift certificates, services, and merchandise. We welcome homemade
items too! It will be themed prize tables...Sports galore, party, parents
night out, leisure time, memories, specialty foods, health & beauty,
games & family fun, home & garden, specialty foods, and
Mystery prizes....
Bingo will start at 6:30pm on Friday
March 4. We will have pizza, hotdogs, and other goodies for sale. Bingo cards
are only one dollar each. We will have 10 games with up to 20 winners per
game. There will be prizes for adults and children!! You must be with a
parent to attend. Bring your whole family, there will be an area set up for
the under 5 year olds, with teenage supervision! This is going to be a great
time for all!!!
Please bring your donation to the
office with your name on it or anonymous.
They will be picked up daily. Questions? Please call Shelly Balice at
823-3839 shellybalice@verizon.net or
Polly Blanchard at 820-8909 polly@mccarthygmac.com.
ENRICHMENT ASSEMBLIES
Our "assemblies" this year will enrich the curriculum
with a focus on Social Studies, Science and the Arts. Thanks to Thoreau
Parents, our PTA has the money to sponsor a series of terrific programs! First
of these will be on Feb. 10 with the Pioneer Farm Museum coming to Thoreau.
They will teach about pioneer life to the 1st-3rd graders and they each get
to make a candle. Also the same day, the Museum of Flight will come to teach
about flying gizmos and gadgets in a fun assembly for the 4-6th graders.
BOXTOPS RESULTS
Race 3 results are in....Mrs. Amundsen's class collected the
most Boxtops for the K-2 grades; and Mrs. Guthrie's class collected the most Boxtops
for the 3-6 grades. Each student in the class received a small prize. Great
job to all of our box top collectors! Collectively for Race 3 (six weeks),
students collected 1,345 box tops. That translates to $134.50 for our school.
Total to date for this year we have earned $878.50! Our goal for this year is
to make $1,000.00 dollars! Keep collecting! It is worth it!!! Race 4 is
underway and ends March 17th.
KUDOS
Thank you to Linda Thompson for doing a great job organizing our
telephone tree! And thank you to the parents that signed up to help with
this!
BOOK ADVENTURE
We would like
to thank, Mr. Turnbull and Karen Ulbrickson for taking the time to
come to our PTA General Meeting and enlighten us about the Book Adventure
Program. This is a fun program for 2nd-6th graders. The program rewards
students who read at their grade level. It is underway now and will continue
until the end of the year. You can participate online at www.bookadventure.org
or by filling out a form from your child's teacher. There is a link to it on Thoreau's website
also. Any questions, please contact your child's teacher.
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