Henry David Thoreau Elementary

March 30 and 31 will be the two half days in our calendar for spring conferences. Teachers are beginning to schedule conferences with parents. The shortened conference schedule allows for teachers to meet with the parents of students they feel would benefit from a teacher/parent conference. If you don’t hear from your child’s teacher, this is okay. If you do hear from your child’s teacher, this is okay as well.

If your child’s teacher does not schedule a conference with you, but you would like to meet, please contact your child’s teacher.

Science Kits are set to arrive!

We have been told by the district that the new FOSS science kits are set to arrive on March 18. Our teachers have received training on how to use the new kits at a January work shop day and are ready to use the materials. I’d like to thank the science and writing work team for additional training on how to teach and write about the scientific process, as well as our PTA for their financial support. We’ve purchased additional kits that will stay at Thoreau all year long and will facilitate easier use of the kits at certain grade levels.

DISTRICT OPEN ENROLLMENT

In-district and out-of-district parents may apply for a variance to any school that has not been closed by the school district. For families wishing to variance their students to a school other than their neighborhood school, Open Enrollment dates are March 9 –March 25. If you would like more information about this and are interested in the process, please call Thoreau, 425 823-4350.

S.H.A.R.E. WORKSHOPS

Sexuality Health and Relationships Education (S.H.A.R.E.) parent and student workshops for 5^th and 6^th grades are scheduled 7:00pm-8:00pm, 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.

LUNCH ACCOUNTS

Please keep a positive balance in your child’s lunch account. It really helps our students and our lunch staff. If it is convenient to put money in your child’s account using your bank card, please call our district food service, 425 702-3393, and they can do this for you. Thank you!

LOST AND FOUND ITEMS

There are piles of lost and found coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, a shoe, etc. in Thoreau’s Lost and Found area located across from the elevator on the first floor. Tonight the Lost and Found items will be moved into the Commons during Bingo. Please take a few minutes to look through all the items and see if any may belong to your child. All unclaimed items will be donated to a charity on March 31.

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

Date:

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.

POSITIVE CHOICES WITH BULLIES

Our counselor would like to share the following workshop information with you. This workshop is especially right for your child if: He/she gets picked on or bullied frequently and seems to not know how to break the pattern, or if they pick on others and struggle to handle their anger. This is a fun and life-changing Workshop for young people ages 7 to 11. It is facilitated by Paul Figueroa, a former police officer and an expert in his field. The workshop will be Saturday, March 26, 2005, 10:00am-2:00pm, at the Shoreline Library (345 NE 175). Please bring a sack lunch for your youngster. The fee is $40.00. Please call 206 418-3383 to register or register online at www.CityofShoreline.com

Check out our website for the latest information!

wwwtho.lwsd.org/

CARTRIDGES FOR KIDS RECYCLE PROGRAM

Thank you for your support with bringing in old ink cartridges and cell phones. We received our second check for $68.00. We have received a total of $169.00 so far from this program. We are hoping to make at least $200.00 on this! Please keep bringing in old cell phones and used cartridges! They also take used laptops. Please place these items in the bins underneath the table located just outside Thoreau’s main office. Questions? Please contact Polly Blanchard at 425 820-8909 polly@mccarthygmac.com.

OUR STUDENTS DO BENEFIT! – THANK YOU!

Library Support

The district does provide some funding for our library, but thanks to our PTA efforts and your contributions we are able to provide a much-needed supplement. This year PTA was able to renew Thoreau’s library subscription ($280.00) to the Jr. Library Guild, a monthly book club. Also we granted $500.00 to our library for additional books to be purchased. Mrs. Everitt worked with Mrs. Hartford and the science team to focus on purchasing books that have a relationship with our new science curriculum. Cheers to our students, parents, and staff for their support!

BINGO

Over 300 people showed up to take their chance at Bingo! There were over 200 prize winners who took home some really cool stuff! Bingo made about $1000 profit! We were hoping to make about this much, and the money gets used to support the really important and fun things PTA sponsors at our school all year.... the list is long ...The very lucky winner of the 50/50 cash jackpot took home $160.00! Thank you to all the people who donated items in support of this. Thank you to Shelly Balice, Polly Blanchard, Jennifer and Sean Wellander, Shari Cox, Valerie Quinn, Kim Jones, Laura Devin, Kelly Peterson, and Susie Evans for taking time to volunteer for this. “Thank you” to all the additional people that pitched in and helped with set up and clean up! And a very special thank you to Debbie Tegtmeier for her effort and time. She did an awesome job of calling the Bingo game for all of us!

PLAYGROUND UPDATE

We had a very positive response to the survey sent out last fall about additional playground structures for our school. Since then we have been working with the district to develop a plan of action to achieve our goals. The playground committee will be discussing plans more in detail Thursday, March 24, 7 pm, at the PTA general meeting. Please plan on joining us - very exciting! Come check it out!

TACO TIME

We have sold 32 coupon books and have 268 more Taco Time coupon books to sell. This is a 100% fundraiser for us....we get to keep all the money and the coupons cost us nothing as a PTA. The coupon book is only $1.00 and has a value of $5 in coupons. This money will go into our playground fund. Please send a note marked “Attention Brenda Nunn”, or look for the flyer to purchase these coupons. You may also call Brenda at 821-5054.

ASSEMBLIES

Thanks to your contributions, PTA will be sponsoring another assembly for our students. This year our focus is Science, Arts, and Social Studies. In relation to this, we are excited to have the Early Music Guild of Seattle perform Thursday, March 17, in the afternoon, with a primary and intermediate assembly. EMG is a non-profit organization that uses early music as a window on history, a living link to the cultures of the past. They will be performing "songs of the castle" using medieval music and characters to illustrate culture and life in a castle. Ask your kids about it! It should be really fun!

ALBERTSON PARTNER CARD

We just received another check from Albertsons for $288.00, making our total to date, $374.76! Yeah! This is easy money...you only need to scan your partner card once and it links to your preferred card. Then every time you shop we get up to 5%. If you, or a neighbor, or friend, or relative needs a card please share your card with them or send me a note or call and I will get you another card. Polly Blanchard 820-8909.

BOX TOPS

Turn in your box tops! Each race is a new race.... Race 4 ends Thursday March 17.... two classes with the most get small prizes. After race 5, in May, the class from K-2 and 3-6 that have collected the most from the whole year celebrates with a pizza party! Each box top is worth a dime! Total we have earned so far is $878.50! Our goal is $1,000.00 this year. Keep collecting!

KUDOS

Class pictures went smooth last week thanks to Dawn Lindquist and her helpers, Stacy McJunkin, Kim Wuchter and Barbara Stommel. Thank you for taking time to help with this!