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H.D. Thoreau Elementary Home of the Fantastic Frogs! |
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Home Staff & Classrooms Calendar Programs Newsletters Events PTA Links |
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Frog News weekly newsletter
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Frog News
H.D. Thoreau Elementary
School
8224 NE 138th 425-823-4350 FAX: 425-814-4986
Steve Roetcisoender, Principal Email: sroetcisoender@lwsd.org |
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September 16, 2005September 21 Student Bank Day during lunch 22 Art Beautification Committee (ABC) meeting, 3:30-4:00,
in the Library 22 Curriculum
Night for Grades 1, 2, and 3, 6:30pm 29 Curriculum Night for Kindergarten, 6:30pm PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE Coin Drive
Update Our students are very, very generous! During the
first week of the coin drive over $1,400 was donated for Hurricane Katrina
relief. The milk jugs are full again and I know the total donation amount
will grow significantly. It is our intention to give the donations to Jean
Gordon Elementary. Communication is sporadic still. If for some reason this
elementary school does not reopen this year, we will work to identify another
deserving school to give this money. Thank you for your support of the coin
drive and reinforcing the habit of giving to those in need. Art
Beautification Committee (ABC) The first meeting of the year for the ABC will be on
Thursday, September 22, from 3:30pm to 4:00pm in the Thoreau Library. The ABC
was formed last year to bring color and art to the public areas of Thoreau
Elementary. In its first year, the ABC coordinated efforts to create a garden
of kindergarten hands painted on the walls of the kindergarten hallway. “Go
Confidently in the Direction of your Dreams” stenciling was also the result
of the ABC. The ABC is open to any parent or guardian of a Thoreau student.
We only ask that members be willing to help with the work of bringing ideas
to reality. IMPORTANT
POLICIES REVIEW End of the
Day At the end of the school day, students either walk home, go to the Extended Day Program, attend
an after school activity, or are picked up by automobile. Please be sure your
child knows where to go after school. We realize situations happen that cause
after school plans to change. Mrs. Freni and Mrs.
Ward are happy to relay messages when unexpected events happen. We appreciate
families that utilize this courtesy only in exceptional situations and not as
a matter of routine or convenience. On the
Playground After School Students need to be supervised by a parent after
school if they are playing on school grounds or the climbing equipment. We
ask this because our Extended Day children use the grounds and they are
supervised by Extended Day staff. If students are unsupervised and are not a
part of the Extended Day Program, they often feel they do not have to follow
the rules established by Thoreau staff. This has caused problems in the past,
and therefore is the reason we ask that parents supervise children when
playing after school on the Big Toy or any part of the school grounds. The
Extended Day program operates until 6:30pm. Bike
Policy Riding bikes to school is a privilege for our 3rd
through 6th grade students. In order to ride a bike to school,
students must complete a bike form. These are available in the office. The
form lists the rules to follow and asks for both a student signature and a
parent signature. Students must walk bikes when on campus, wear helmets, and
use a bike lock. Dog Policy The Pets as
Show and Tell Prior permission from the teacher is required before
a student brings a favorite pet for show and tell. Each teacher is made aware
of allergies and special situations of the students in his or her classroom.
If permission is granted, the pet should be brought to school by a parent,
“shown” and then taken home. CURRICULUM
NIGHT FOR GRADES 1, 2, & 3 Please join us at 6:30pm on September 23 for
Curriculum Night for primary grades. GIRL
SCOUTS There will be a recruitment night, September 28, at
Juanita Elementary, 7:00pm. |
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Check out our
website for the latest information! WEDNESDAYS
ARE STUDENT BANK DAYS Please look today for
your child to bring home information on the Washington Mutual Student Bank
Day Program. Every Wednesday during lunch your child may bank at school. PTA
needs a few more volunteers to help work this program. If you are interested
in helping, please call Nancy Holden, 425 823-2815. ART
DOCENT AND ART SUPPLIES Thanks to all the
parents who have volunteered so far!
We still need a few more art docents.
Please let your child’s teacher know at curriculum night if you are
interested and email me at slg.morris2@verizon.net. Now that we’ve done the curriculum for a
year we know more about what works and what doesn’t. There will be a meeting for docents the end
of September or beginning of October where you will get your book and find
out what you need to know. If you have
any questions, please email me or call me at 425 821-3505. Also, thank you to all
the parents who have donated various fabrics.
In the future we will only need cottons (others are too hard for the
kids to cut.) We can use scraps that
are 2x2 inches or 1x4 inches or larger, preferably brighter colors as they
will be used for framing art and creating art. Thanks so much for all
your participation! Suzanne Morris, Art Docent Chair VOLUNTEERS Thank you to the many parents for turning in their
volunteer forms and finding ways to support PTA and Thoreau. Your support
enables our school to offer the many enrichment programs, after school
programs, and fun family events that are necessary to create a healthy local
school and community! Enjoy taking time to participate at
school. It is fun! And we need you! Find one or more easy ways
to support our school! Albertsons partner cards….take this number with
you to the checker and link to your preferred card and Albertsons will pay us
up to 4% of your purchase. ID#49000129553. Or register at www.albertsons.com click on
community partners link….Give to friends and relatives! Last year we earned
about $600.00. If you bank with Washington Mutual, sign up with
their WaMoola for schools program at www.wamoolaforschools.com
Every time you swipe your card they will give us $.05. It adds up! Last year
we received a check for $477.00. Bring in your old ink cartridges, cell phones, and
laptops and put in the bin in the lobby at school. Cartridges
for Kids recycles these and pays us cash. Last year we earned about
$200.00. Foster Farms Chicken has a program where you enter
the number from the food label onto their website www.fosteringeducation.com to give our
school credit. NEW!...We are now
collecting Tyson Foods Project A+ labels….each label is worth $.24. NEW!...We are also collecting Home Team school
rewards labels from Advanced Brand Fast Fixin’
fully cooked chicken, and beef products. Each label is worth a dime. NEW! Until Nov. 30 Dinners Ready in PTA LEGISLATION
SURVEY Did you know that the WA State PTA is a leader
among state PTAs in its legislative program? We are lucky to be a part of it!
Every Fall, a Legislative Assembly is held and the priority issues are chosen
by process of caucus and debate. These priority issues become the priorities
of the WSPTA activities. YOU can help decide how the issues are prioritized
by letting your legislative rep (Sarah Cuplin Wilson) know your preferences
and completing the survey that PTA has put together. Sarah will pass this
information on to the district representative who will be attending the
Assembly in October. Your feedback tells them how to vote on YOUR behalf!
Your responses are anonymous. Please watch for this survey to come home, fill
it out and return by Sept 28 to the school office, Attn: Sarah Cuplin Wilson.
You can also fill out the electronic survey at http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB224LZCNE4TT.
There is also a link on the Thoreau website. Thank you! We are very excited to have the Chess Mates
Foundation of Seattle offer Chess at Thoreau again this year. Class size is
limited to 20 this year and is filling fast! Chess Club will meet on Mondays
from 3:30pm to 4:30pm, starting Oct. 10 and ending April 24. Please contact
Polly Blanchard at polly@mccarthygmac.com
or 820-8909 to register. Thanks
to parents feedback we have improved the Homework Club. With help on specific
subjects, or homework! Children will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30pm
until 4:30pm and will be continuing weekly. There will be three sessions, each
session lasting 16 weeks. The first session will start Oct. 18 and the last
of the three sessions will end May 4. Each session is only $10.00. You can
sign up for one session and then continue or stop there. This was very valuable for the students last year.
Mrs. Guthrie will be the supervising teacher and has a real commitment to the
success of students. Please contact Helen Garcia at helen@planetgarcia.com or
821-4442 to register. Thank you all for your support of the after school
art classes with Mrs. Freese. All 6 art classes are
now full! If your child is on the registered list, but you have
not paid, please send the check made out to "Thoreau PTA" soon to
guarantee your child's spot in the class. Please, place the check in an
envelope that says "To: Helen Garcia" Mrs. Paige is ready for another year of fun with
the Honor Choir! Any student who loves to sing and is in grades 4, 5, or 6
may join. Honor Choir meets in the music room on Mondays and Thursdays from
3:30pm to 4:15pm. Honor Choir runs from Oct. 3 until June, with many cool
performances. Last year they even sang the National anthem at a Sonics and
Storm basketball game!! Please contact helen@planetgarcia.com or
821-4442 to register. Karate will start the month of October. This club
is run by the Washington Shotokan Association. Children,
ages 6-10 years old are welcome. You may sign up for one month at a time.
The program meets on Thursdays from 3:45pm-4:30pm in the Thoreau Gym.
See flyer coming home or visit www.washotokan.com.
Or contact Sensei Andre Dulce at adsensei@esc.com. Look for the directory form in the 1st
day packet and fill out right away! This information needs to be turned
in by Sept. 20 if you want to be included in the directory. This is a very
useful booklet provided by the PTA and available to all students at Thoreau. Business advertisements in the directory were a
success last year and we are happy to offer this again. It is $35.00 for a
business card sized ad. This cost is tax deductible and the money will help support
student enrichment programs. Please contact Shelly at shellybalice@verizon.net, or call her
at #823-3839 if you might be interested in placing an ad. JOIN PTA Join
PTA by October 14 and your name will be entered to win one of 5
prizes. Drawing will be held on Oct. 20 at the first General Meeting.
(You do not have to be present to win.) The cost is $10.00 for
individual membership and $16.00 for a family membership. Make checks payable
to Thoreau PTA and submit with your name and address to your child's teacher
or the office. KUDOS The
ice cream social was
terrific! Thank you to Denice Loken for chairing this event and for the donation of the
chess sets!! Thanks to the volunteers that helped scoop ice cream: Leann Rothrock, Amy Cole, Margaret Adams, Stacy McJunkin, Polly Blanchard, and Alex Barron. Thank you to
Reuben for his impromptu magic and balloon artistry, it was great!! Also,
thanks to Laura Doerflinger, Nancy Holden, Helen Garcia, Mrs. Freese, Brenda Nunn, and Regina Bock for hosting
tables. And a special Thank you to
Principal R. for help in getting all the names on the tables! The lucky winners (good estimators!) of the
chess sets were Gabe and Brianna, both from Mr.
Turnbull’s class. And for those
curious, there were 510 jelly bellies in the jar. Thanks to all the families that attended - you
helped make this a successful event! |
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