LIBRARY RECORD NUMBERS REPORTED BY MS. KORDAHL - “Warning: this may only interest my diligent library parent volunteers…”
10,893 books have been shelved by parents September 2009 - April 2010
12,068 books were checked out this school year (Sept. - April)
477 holds were put on books (sophisticated library patrons!)
I’m not sure what is going on this year. Parent and teachers must be encouraging reading more than ever. Yea!
Total library items checked out through April of the past 4 years:
7,883 - 2007 10,801 - 2008 10,870 - 2009 12,131 - 2010
Hearty thanks to the parents who shelve books every week. It makes a difference and you’ve clearly been working very hard!
SUMMER READING PROGRAM - Maplewood students have been signed up for the Multnomah County Summer Reading Program. Information and game cards will be distributed shortly! Maplewood Library Books due June 1st! The year is ending! The last week for checking out library books was May 24-28. All library books are due June 1. Dig through backpacks, look in your cars, scour the house, clean-out desks… Thanks, Elin Kordahl.
READING FRIENDS PARTY/CELEBRATION - This Tuesday, June 1st, between 11:15 and 12:00, the Reading Friends and their students, will be having Pizza to celebrate their year of working together. If your child has been receiving this weekly help, you can help your child show appreciation to their Reading Friend (helping them write a note or a card or whatever?). Our Reading Friends volunteers are such an important, vital part of supporting our students by being with them at least weekly to help them enjoy their reading! I am so grateful to them for their warm, dedicated, thoughtful work here!
FAMILY SCIENCE & MATH NIGHT A FUN, EDUCATIONAL EVENT! - Maplewood parent Tracey Scherban, accomplished scientist and chemist, and her many volunteers, hosted a wonderful night of activities in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, Math, and Environmental Science. The activities and displays were educational, engaging, and fun for a large crowd of science enthusiasts!
ELECTRICITY CHALLENGE IS OFF TO A GOOD START! - As you may remember, we are challenged to reduce our electricity usage by an average of 3% each month for a year. In our first month’s calculations (March of 2010 compared to March 2009), we reduced it by 12% - from 18,546 to 16,282 kw hours! This is a great start toward winning the $2000 challenge bet!
SITE COUNCIL - We are happy to announce that Dan Brown, father of Bridget in first grade, will be beginning a two year term on our Site Council. He will be replacing Brian Conkle, who is finishing his term as his daughter, Maddy, leaves us soon for Middle School. The other two parents on Site Council will be continuing next year (Lisa Sloan, parent of Amy in third grade, and Alexander Ben-Israel, parent of Zev in third grade). Our Site Council is defined by State Law, that gives them the responsibility for looking over our annual School Improvement Plans.
LOST AND FOUND - Please check our Lost and Found in the main hallway now, (either yourself, or remind your child) as we have many items in it, including a sideline flag for soccer, shoes, water bottles, and many coats/sweatshirts. Our teachers show it to students, as well, but please come to look it over if you are missing some clothing! At the end of the year, any unclaimed clothing is taken to the Portland PTA Clothing Closet.
BE AWARE OF DANGER OF “BREATHING GAME” - I wanted to make sure that parents are aware of a game here, and a much more dangerous game in Keizer, that involves students using “breathing” for physical effect. Recently at our school, a student was “playing a game” that resulted in her fainting; she said that she and some other 2nd grade girls had been playing this game for the last couple of days where they try to hold their breath intently to make themselves red in the face; this particular girl did it so hard that she ended up fainting and falling down. I immediately let teachers know about this, but wanted to make sure you were aware, too.
I just wanted to make you aware in case you see or hear of kids trying it. I was reminded today about a very recent, escalated type of game with some middle schoolers in Keizer, that has them trying to choke each other until passing out and then awakening with a "high" feeling - but it resulted in a middle schooler's death. I’m not trying to unnecessarily alarm you, but to have you monitor this, or have you consider your child’s need to be cautioned about the risks of any type of unusual breathing games.
Best Regards, John
