The Ribbet Review

Our spring adventure is the initiation of fundraising for additional play structures on the playground! With the completion of our beautiful new school building two years ago, many children and their families were left wondering what happened to the play structures removed during the construction??? When the new building was built the construction

forced the removal of one-half the play structures on the playground. Since these older wooden structures do not meet the new code requirements the district was unable to re-install, and does not have the funding to replace.

With fundraising success we will be able to implement at least 7 additional play structures that will emphasize athleticism by focusing on upper body strength building, balance, improving social skills and structures to meet our special needs community also. In addition three new 6’ benches will be provided. This improved area will at least be able to double our students playing at one time. The structures will be designed in an “obstacle course” pattern for our PE teacher to incorporate in his athletic program. The many youth organizations that rely on our school grounds will benefit from this during their time of use.

Thoreau Elementary PTA is currently working with the district to remedy this situation. Of course the solution requires money. The additional play structures tote a hefty price of about $25,000.00. This provides a financial challenge for our local school community. The goal is to be able to install the additional play structures Spring 2006! Our fundraising efforts have begun and include applying for grants, an engraved tile paver program and other fundraising. If you would like to support our school and donate to this effort, please send your tax-deductible donation to Thoreau Elementary PTA ...Interested in an engraved Tile Paver?? Please call Polly Blanchard at 820-8909.

- Polly Blanchard

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Staff Member Spotlight

Interview with the Editor

Mrs. Geri Ward, Office Manager

I learned some fun and interesting things recently about our fabulous office manager, Geri Ward!

Geri has been working with us at Thoreau since 1991. She is married, has 5 beautiful children and 3 adorable grandchildren (just take a peek at the great pictures she has hanging on her wall!). A recent addition to their family is Geri’s miniature Chihuahua, “Bruno”, who weighs just 2 ½ pounds -- almost full grown! Geri is hooked on the reality TV shows and really enjoys a good movie… as long as the plot line is good (and not violent).

Geri began her life as a very well traveled child! Her father was in the Navy, and as a baby she lived in the Philippines. She then spent her 2^nd and 3^rd grade years in Oregon, and 4^th and 5^th grades in Morocco and Africa! She eventually made her way to the Seattle area and graduated here. A quote from Geri shows us her enthusiasm and genuine devotion to our students: “I love working with our students and their families. We live in a wonderful community.”

Thank you Geri! We appreciate you!

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Last Month’s Events

PTA Board and Committee Chairs

Bingo Night

This year marked Thoreau’s very first family Bingo Night, and it was a huge success! Over 300 people showed up to take their chances. There were over 200 winners who took home some really awesome prizes. The very lucky winner of the 50/50 cash jackpot took home $160.00! On top of all of the fun and excitement, the night generated about $1,000 profit for Thoreau PTA. At the beginning of the year, we budgeted a profit of about that much money for the event, so it was very exciting to see our first attempt at Bingo Night to be so fun and to meet our goal! Thanks to everyone who donated prizes, time and effort, and to everyone who joined us for the big night! Don’t forget, the profits are used to support all of the really important and fun things PTA sponsors at our school all year long. Interested in the specifics? Just check out the website: schools.lwsd.org/Thoreau/ThoreauPTA

Global Reading Challenge

Thoreau’s winning team, The Bookslayers (Alli C, Raychel M, Kaley C, Gloria H, Maria J, Joel N, Chris S (and Kayla M subbed for Joel), advanced to Round Two of the Global Reading Challenge last month. On Friday, March 4 at the Redmond Regional Library, the Bookslayers challenged teams from other Lake Washington district schools. Although they did not advance to the next level, they put in an awesome effort; and it was exciting to have a team for Thoreau at the competition!! Way to go team! Congratulations again to all of our fantastic teams this year! Keep reading! Want to see a list of recommended books – including those from the Challenge? Check out the library webpage at: schools.lwsd.org/thoreau/library/LibraryGoodReads

New Board Member Elections

Elections of PTA Board Members for the 2005 – 2006 school year were made at the March 24^th PTA general meeting. Each of the board members accepted their nominations and was unanimously voted into office! Congratulations to our new board!

President: Polly Blanchard

Vice President of Enrichment Programs: Helen Garcia

Vice President of Communications: Sarah Cuplin

Vice President of PTA Specific: Denice Loken

Secretary: Valerie Quinn

Treasurer: Brenda Nunn

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This Month’s Highlights

PTA Board and Committee Chairs

All School BBQ!

Friday, April 8^th marks the 2004-5 school year’s annual All-School Family Barbecue! Come and join us for some delicious grilled burgers, hot dogs or garden burgers with all of the great sides every BBQ ought to have! The cost is $2.00 for students and $2.75 for adults. A flyer went home last week with the sign up form – we can also use volunteers! If you need the form or would like more information, check out the website at: schools.lwsd.org/thoreau/Activities/BBQ or call the school office 823.4350.

Spring Break – April 11-15

Spring Break is April 11^th – 15^th this year! Going anyplace fun or interesting? Maybe you’ll be staying in town and making the most of our beautiful Seattle surroundings instead? Students, use that week as inspiration for doing some writing – perhaps a poem or a short story, maybe even a joke or two! We’re still looking for contributions to include in upcoming Ribbet Review newsletters. Turn them in to your teachers or the office marked “Sarah Cuplin, PTA” or you can email them to sarahandjoel@gmail.com. Thanks!

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Parenting Tips

By Laura Doerflinger

Part Two: Co-Parenting

Last month I gave some suggestions to parents on how to co-parent better. Although these suggestions can be used for divorced or re-married parents, I have an added tool for success for these bi-nuclear families. Clearly some co-parenting situations are stressed after divorce. The negotiation process used in marriage is dissolved. Many of the compromises of the past are deleted with the onset of divorce; however, one remains. Co-parenting your children is an ongoing, lifelong job. After divorce you may feel free to express yourself and make choices without the influence of your ex-partner but you cannot become isolated in your parenting world. Children who are raised in two homes with two distinctive styles can become confused and emotionally unsettled. Thus parents need to remain in contact at all times—which isn’t so easy if parents don’t like each other. In my practice, I work with many parents whom after years of separation still do not get along let alone respect each other’s styles. To recommend contact is like forcing a child to eat broccoli. So, we use the Internet. Email can be a co-parent's best friend. Writing can be non-threatening and unreactive. Although face to face is the "best" choice for co-parenting, I have come to realize that not all parents can stomach it.

To co-parent via email, parents can write a Kid Newsletter on Monday to inform the other parent of their children’s progress, upcoming events, and issues. The format should include the facts and only the facts. NO judgment, digs, or opinions allowed. Thus, if a parent is reactive and writes a response to their co-parent that includes judgment, digs or opinion, it should be deleted. Some divorced parents need parent coaches to aid, oversee, and guide the process. Having a third party added to the emails will sometimes bring pause their reactive parenting. And a coach can make comments about the communication style of the co-parents. Below is an example of the Kid News format. Let me know how it works for you.

KID NEWS:

1. School: This would include grades, homework, incidents at school etc.

2. Health: This would include colds, doctor appointments, dentist, counseling, moods, puberty etc.

3. Financial: This would include payment or budgeting for activities, medical etc.

4. Schedule changes: This would include upcoming changes to the current schedule, changes in your child’s plans, residential and holiday times etc.

5. Vacations: This would include clarification of times and plans - phone numbers etc.

6. Upcoming Events: This would include activities at school or in the community that your child is interested in.

7. Daily Schedule: Kids do best when they travel home-to-home rather than planet-to-planet. If you keep her daily schedule the same, the child will flow from one house to the other.

8. Parenting Matters: Kids get into moods, have phobias, and change developmentally. This is where you can share any concerns or noticed changes. This is not a place to say "That doesn't happen when she’s with me!". This is a place to understand the other parents’ experience and address how to help your child. You can also address values, hopes and dreams for your child.

9. Other: Each family has different items in their kid news. You can add issues that you feel are important. Issues between parents need to be addressed separately because it is of utmost importance that a line is drawn between your personal relationship issues and your co-parenting responsibilities.

Laura Doerflinger, MS, LMHC is a Child and Family Therapist,

and Executive Director of the Parent Education Group.

Contact Laura at laura@eastsidecounseling.com or call 206-300-2550

Visit Laura online at: www.parenteducationgroup.com

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Legislative Updates

Sarah Cuplin, VP Communications

About Legislation

Why does the Ribbet Review keep including articles on legislation?

A PTA’s main purpose is to advocate for our children. PTA’s advocacy methods include providing enrichment programs (like our study club and art classes), parenting classes and influencing legislation on behalf of children. For example, in the past some PTA’s have lobbied for mandating the use of bicycle helmets, eliminating use of pesticides on school yards and increased our pedestrian safety laws.

How do I find out what the issues are, and how to get involved?

If you are a current PTA member (or perhaps are interested in joining), maybe you have wondered, “How do I advocate?”. Washington State’s PTA website contains a wealth of information related to legislation, and suggestions on how you can get involved! On any given day, there will be a number of “issues” that are a focus of advocacy efforts and are posted on the website in the Legislative Action Center. Each of the current issues is explained, with a link to “Take Action”. Clicking on “Take Action” will provide you with a form to email your representatives, including the governor and state upper & lower chamber representatives. The form will have a sample email message that you may use, or you may enter your own message. This is quick, easy and convenient way for you to let your legislators know how you feel!

Here is an example of a current issue on the website:

Support for Student Success: Change the Equation – Send a message to your legislator demanding that the state biennial budget adequately respond to the crisis in education. Too many middle and high school students are not able to access the programs and supports they need to meet the state’s academic standards – standards that will be required for graduation starting with the class of 2008. We call this the “high stakes, high standards, low resources” equation. This equation must be changed.

Change the equation: high stakes + high standards + low resources does not equal success for kids; avoid the train wreck in the making Contact either Jean Carpenter, Mary Kenfield or Fred Dye

Visit the link below to contact your legislators regarding this issue: http://capwiz.com/wastatepta/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=7261131

You may also join an email distribution list (called a listserv) to be notified when WSPTA is requesting action on legislative issues, called “Action Alerts”. All you need is an email address! Here’s how. E-mail the following information to support@wastatepta.org: Your name, the PTA you belong to and your email address; and ask to be added to the Action Alert listserv.

That’s it! Thank you for your involvement and help in building a better world for children!

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Top Frog A.C.E. Awards

Principal Roetcisoender

March 2005

Every month, one student from each class is nominated by their teacher for the Top Frog ACE Award (Academics, Citizenship and Excellence). Winners get to eat lunch at a special table with Mr. R., are awarded a certificate and have their picture taken! These are students who consistently work hard at their schoolwork, follow the rules and strive to do their best. This month’s awards were presented to:

Jesenia A.

Isaac J.

Camille T.

Sydella Y.

Hannah R.

Matthew W.

Lukas V.

Kelsey D.

Noah S.

Spencer B.

Hannah J.

Nicole S.

Amy J.

Nick F.

Congratulations!

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Student Contributions

- Written by students in Mrs. Amundsen’s Class

2^nd Grade Alliterations

Rhinos really ride roller coasters. –Elliot

Leif looks like a lake. —Leif

In Italy I found an imitating iguana! - Isabella

Barry the banana went ballistic over a blueberry tree!.—Brittany

Juggle a jillion jacks, jugs, and jam jars and a jukebox. —Jordan

Bite the bees by the beehive. -Ryan

A crazy cook took a cow to class. -Connor G

Ride the roller coaster ramp rapidly! - Ryan

William wants white water. —William

Duck under the dragon dinosaur's dog breath! - Elliot

Anthony Arthur ate antelope at eight. —Nicky

Baby bears like baseball. What do big bears like? - Ben

The milky moon is mad at the moose! - Emily

The quacking queen sat on her quilt but she was not quite on her quilt and she quacked and quipped. -Hannah

The green scaly snake scares me with it's scary hissing. —Sarah

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What is PTA?

Our Mission:

To support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children;

To assist parents in developing the skills they need to raise and protect their children;

To encourage parent and public involvement in the public schools of this nation.

Click here for current PTA Board Members and contact information.

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