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H.D. Thoreau Elementary Home of the Fantastic Frogs! |
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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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October 7, 2005October 12 Student Bank Day during lunch 14 Ribbet
Run during the school day 19 Student Bank Day during lunch 20 PTA General Mtg,
Library, 7:00pm 25 Student Pictures (look for info. to be sent home soon) 26 Student Bank Day during lunch PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE Communicating in the Electronic Age When was the last time you had a real conversation
with your child, face-to-face, with no television in the background, radio
playing, or computer blinking nearby? Conversations, without distractions,
build strong bonds between parents and children. In the electronic age,
however, this can be a challenge. Here are tips for communicating in the 21st
century. Facial Expressions tell stories While emails and phone calls are important ways to
keep in touch, make sure you have “face” time every day too. You need to see the emotions on your
children’s face to understand what they’re saying and how they’re feeling. Body Language is vital Watching your child’s body language is a great way
to decipher some of the things that he or she may be thinking, but may not be
telling you. For example, does he look away when you ask him how he’s doing
on a project, or does she fold her arms defiantly across her chest while
describing a situation she had to deal with at school? By talking without
distractions, you can get more insight and follow-up more effectively with
them. Are you listening Multi-tasking has become a way of life. If you’re
constantly typing on the computer, writing a note, or making dinner while
your child is trying to tell you something, after a while, they may say less
and less until you lose what could have been good communication between you.
Make it a point to stop what you’re doing and listen when they’re talking
with you. Teach them to listen When you need to talk with your children, make sure
they know how to really listen. Turn off the television or music and make eye
contact. If you need them to remember what you’re saying, have them repeat
it. Be there for them Is your mind elsewhere when you’re in the stands at
your child’s games or sitting on a bench on your trip together to the park?
When you’re taking on the cell phone or working on your PDA, your child is
aware of what you’re doing. Kids whose parents come to watch them perform or
play can feel let down when they see that their parents aren’t attentive. A
quick call or check-in is fine but remember why you came to the game or park
in the first place. Notes bring smiles It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to drop an
encouraging note in your child’s backpack or lunch bag. They will appreciate
your thoughtfulness. Car rides are great Instead of turning on the radio, try visiting. You
may find that your child is more open and talkative in the car, when no one’s
around to overhear the conversation and there’s no eye contact. Another
advantage to car talks is there’s a time limit and kids know the conversation
will be over when they get out of the car. The ability to talk easily and often with your
children, and to have you both really listen to and care about what’s being said, is a huge advantage. A big part of being a parent is
to offer help and advice and you need to know what’s going on in their lives
to be able to do that. Plus, there’s something wonderfully comforting for all
of you just knowing that you’re there for each other. IMPORTANT
POLICIES REVIEW Student
Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures Please use the Drop Off and Pick Up Lanes for
passenger loading and unloading only. These lanes are not intended for
parking purposes. For afternoon pick up, it is okay to wait in the lanes
until your student arrives, but please do not leave your automobile
unattended. If you need to park, please use a parking stall and then proceed
to the building. Mrs. Beeck, a Thoreau
parent, has volunteered to help with parking lot procedures in the mornings.
She will be wearing an orange vest and encouraging cars to pull forward. She
will also put “not for parking” reminders for any cars left unattended in the
drop off/pick up lanes. Thanks for your cooperation. Working together, we can
maximize both student safety and parking lot efficiency in the morning and
afternoon. ANNUAL 6TH GRADE SALES ARE UNDER WAY !!!! The
6th grade students at Thoreau have begun their annual Fall sales
program to help fund the Outdoor
Education experience. These
students will be selling Thank
you! -Mr. Elsworth SCHOOL
STORE Our School Store has opened! It is selling school
supplies during both morning recesses, every Wednesday and Friday. The store
is located on the lower level by the elevator. Prices will range from $.05 to
$2.00. Items include pencils, folders, markers, erasers, notebook paper,
rulers, and lots of other fun school items. Please stop by and check us out! |
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Check out our
website for the latest information! ANNUAL RIBBET RUN FUNDRAISER This is the
most important fundraiser our school does!! This is the only time, as a whole
school, that we ask students to “sell” something, and we would like to keep
it this way. So please encourage and support your children with this event.
This fundraiser provides classroom teachers and specialty teachers with money
to individualize and supplement their classrooms. It rents the busses for
field trips for every grade, pays for enrichment of math, reading, writing,
science, art, and music for all grades, and more!! Give as much as you can, ask employers to match, ask
family, and neighbors…our school goal this year is $18,000 (last year we made
$19,000). Together we can do it!!! Questions contact our PTA President, Polly
Blanchard at 820-8909 or polly@mccarthygmac.com. KUDOS Thanks
to the parents who helped students paint their flower handprints in the
blooming kindergarten hallway: Kim Jones, Karen Huntsinger,
Natalie Young, Bud Blanchard, Helen Garcia, Monica Ewert,
and Denice Loken! A big thank you to Helen Garcia for handling our after
school programs registration, Choir, Art Classes, and Homework club. Her
commitment to these programs makes them possible. MANY KUDOS To
all the students who brought in their change for our Hurricane Katrina
Relief coin drive. We collected $2,065.07. We plan to
donate this money to a school in the south. Thanks
also to the money counters. By rolling the money by hand, we saved
over $150 in fees the machines would have charged. The Jones
Family, The Huntsinger Family, The Garcia
Family, The Nunn Family, and The Holden Family. Thanks
also to the Juanita Branch U.S. Bank for accepting all of
our rolled coins at no charge! If you bank there, be sure to
say thanks to Kari, Celine, and Stephanie for being
so helpful! RIBBET RUN
UPDATE $1524.56 has
been brought in so far. Please turn in money every Tuesday in the month of
October, and prizes will be awarded on Thursdays. Please make checks payable to
Thoreau PTA! Thank you!! The first session of Chess Club will
be October 10, 3:30pm to 4:30pm, in the Thanks to parents’ feedback, we have improved the Homework Club,
offering help on specific subjects or homework! They will meet on Tuesdays
and Thursdays from 3:30pm until 4:30pm, for a total of 3 sessions (16 weeks
each). The first session will begin Oct. 18 and the last session will end May
4. Each 16 class session will cost $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. Karate will start the month of October. This club is run by the
Wash. Shotokan Association. 6-10 year olds are
welcome, and is a one month at a time sign up program. It meets on
Thursday’s, from 3:45pm to 4:30pm, in the Thoreau Gym. See flyer coming home
or visit www.washotokan.com Or contact Sensei
Andre Dulce at adsensei@esc.com. 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. SURVEY
FOR PTA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Wow!
Thoreau families care about legislation! In September, a survey was
sent home asking you to rank, in order of importance, what issues you wanted
your PTA legislators to lobby for during the Legislative Assembly in early
October. We received an incredible response! Of all of the elementary schools
in the The
Legislative Assembly this year will be held on October 7-8 in SLIME TIME FOR PRINCIPAL
ROETCISOENDER!! If nothing else…do it for the slime!
Collect pledges and donations and win great prizes! Yes! You heard your kids correctly.
Principal Roetcisoender has challenged the students to raise a total of
$18,000 by October 27, and if they do, he will have a date with the slime
machine (we are borrowing from Rush El.)! ewwwww! |
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