Elementary School Parent Bulletin – October 19, 2009

IMPORTANT DATES

BUILDING AWARENESS (October 19 – 30):

Ten percent of the world’s population suffers some form of physical disability. Half the solution to the problem is awareness, and educators can easily promote this in a fun way. The Elementary PE Department organizes a wheelchair fundraiser for children with needs, to commemorate the National Handicap Awareness Day.

Disabled workers make each chair at a wheelchair factory. The children have a goal of one chair per class. Last year we were able to raise enough funds to buy 42 wheelchairs for needy children.

Each class will participate in different activities that allow students to experience, for a moment, the obstacles many people with disabilities face everyday. Some of the activities are the Paralympics Events. These events will be held the weeks of October 19 to October 30. Your child will receive a yellow paper with the information and he/she should write below the amount of money each sponsor wishes to give.  Then he/she will place this in an envelope and give it to his/her homeroom teacher no later than October 30. This envelope will then be passed on to the Elementary Office.  Please be generous when a Roosevelt student approaches you to sponsor them in this worthy event.  Thank you for your support. 

CAR PICK UP

Dear Parents, we wanted to ask for your cooperation one more time. Now it is for the car pick up procedures. For the EC-K dismissal at 1:00 p.m. cars will stop in front of every class to pick up the students. For the 2:20 and 3:20 p.m. dismissal cars should drive forward to the far end of the car pick up lane when picking up children. Teachers/Teacher Assistants/Coaches are going to help students get into their cars and we ask that parents/drivers/nannies stay inside the cars unless they need to open the trunk. Children need to look for their things (backpacks, lunchboxes, sweatshirts, etc) and be responsible enough to take them home and load them into the car independently.It is not an appropriate time for parents to talk with teachers. We need to keep the traffic flowing so pick up time is more effective.

Thank you very much for your help.

LOST & FOUND: 

As usual, our Lost & Found Closet is completely full with jackets, lunch boxes, t-shirts and other lost items.  If you are near our office, please stop by and see if you can find your children’s belongings. Students have one week to collect any of their items from the Lost & Found. Starting the week of October 26 students who have items in the Lost & Found will be called to the office to have a conversation about responsibility and independence during their scheduled snack time. We are concerned that students are not taking appropriate care of their belongings and not exhibiting the PYP attitudes. We appreciate your support in this matter.

PARENT WORKSHOP (EC3 - G5) ON SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

When: Monday. October 26, 2009

Time: 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Where: in the Center Stage

With: Rachel Metcalf

Why: To learn more about:

How children acquire a second language

How parents support their children when learning a second language

How parents facilitate mother tongue development

English as an Additional Language Continuum (EAL Continuum)

EAL program at FDR

GRADE LEVEL CURRICULUM OVERVIEWS:

Rachel Metcalf, the Elementary Principal, had promised that on Monday, October 19 Grade Level Curriculum Overviews would be available on the school website. These are ready and are being shared with teachers first. The Elementary Administration Team will then revise the documents and place them on the web ready for parents to view them on Monday, November 2.

FDR POOL

Students will be allowed to wear any ALL BLACK or ALL BLUE swimsuit during PE classes. Black/Blue suits may have a 'company logo' that is not blue/black. Girls must wear one piece suits. FDR swimsuits are available at the FDR UNIFORM STORE and may continue to be worn. Swim Team swimsuits can also be used. 
 Students must wear the FDR swimming cap, flip flops, and towel. Goggles are optional but highly recommended.

If you have any questions regarding swimsuits PLEASE ASK YOUR PE TEACHER or Miss Lucha Villar at the Aquatic Department 4350890-4204 or at her email <lvillar@amersol.edu.pe>

Aquatic Unit Schedule for the EC- G5 students:

NOVEMBER 2 - NOVEMBER 25: Mr. Lasse’s P.E classes

NOVEMBER 9 - NOVEMBER 25: Miss Lucha Mendieta’s P.E classes

NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 22: Mr. Drew’s P.E classes

HALLOWEEN IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

Parents of EC and Kindergarten students are cordially invited to join us for the annual Costume Parade in the elementary gym at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 30.  There is no Halloween parade for students in grades 1-5.  All children (EC-grade 5) may wear costumes to school, but they should wear or bring clothes that will allow them to participate comfortably in the regular daily activities, including P.E.  Students who do not choose to wear costumes should wear their school uniforms. 

For safety reasons, students are not to wear masks or bulky costumes on the school buses, and students may NOT bring toy weapons to school (including swords, knives, or guns).  We also ask that students refrain from using gory, bloody masks and costumes.  All students will be dismissed at the regular time.

A “RE-USED” HALLOWEEN

The green team would like to propose a lower environmental impact this Halloween. Rather than buying tons of plastic, we would like to propose a "re-used Halloween".

How much landfill space do you think we will save if everyone in our school does not buy a Halloween costume? We encourage our students to act green and participate in our first ever-reuse Halloween costume celebration at FDR. What does that mean? Instead of buying a costume, students can find their costume in the hidden treasures of their own closets. The best costumes are ones that are creative, unique and homemade. Please, share the following ideas with your children for “greenifying” their costume…

-Create a costume using your parent’s old clothes (ask first)

-Create a costume out of old boxes, paper towel holders

-Use a costume from a previous year

-Borrow a costume from a friend

Let’s show our creativity this Halloween by accepting the responsibility to care for the planet. Happy "Re-used" Halloween!

VISITING AUTHOR MARY DODSON WADE

Mary Dodson Wade, the author of over 60 non-fiction books, will visit FDR on Thursday, October 29th, to speak to classes about researching and writing non-fiction. She's a former librarian, who began writing at a young age. Her books can be seen in the Media Center, and a limited number of copies will be available for sale on the day of her visit. Please stop by to preview her books, or go to

http://www.answers.com/topic/mary-dodson-wade or

GREEN TIP OF THIS MONTH: Tote a Roosevelt canvas bag as you shop! You'll save a plastic bag at every stop. They're available through our PTA.

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