Principal Notes Nov. 18

Dear Community,
I want to make sure your children's lunch needs will be taken care of this Monday. As a reminder, this Monday, Nov. 21st, there will be no a.m. Kindergarten classes; all the rest of the students will be dismissed at 11:15. Students should be arriving home on buses 3 hours earlier than their usual times. So, we’ll see students this Monday morning, and then back again on Monday, Nov. 28th.

Happy Thanksgiving

This is my favorite National Holiday. The best part of that holiday for me is the simple one of giving thanks for all the “riches” I receive each day. Seeing students and their families come to school each morning starts my days happily. I am thankful for a professional, energetic, hard-working staff; as I walk down the hall and go into the rooms, I see excited, happy children learning because of them. I thank all the parents who are generous with their time here at school and in other places, and who love of children. The children themselves give us all the gift (and good example) of their open, magical way of looking at the world. There are always too many people to thank individually, so I want to tell you all that I feel truly blessed to be here, and want to wish you a wonderful holiday.

A LETTER FROM OUR CARNIVAL COORDINATOR:

Dear Maplewood Community, I want to THANK YOU for your support of Carnival ’05. It was once again both successful and fun, and it couldn’t have been done without your help. We grossed $4438.85 and will net around $3000. That’s AWESOME!

Thank you for your:
· Candy donations – plenty to even contribute to class Halloween parties
· Stuffed Animal donations – great prizes. Save again for next year!
· Raffle donations – Grand Prize printer donated by Jim Battan
· Canopy donations – many parents
· Prize Chair – Janet Metz and her committee
· Food Chair – Tom Sikora and his committee
· Signage Chair – Cindy Collins-Taylor and her committee (Teri Carlson)
· Treasurer – Amy McClusky
· Many supportive parents that participated in preparation Thursday/Friday
· 5th Grade parent helpers – you know who you are – what will I do next year without you?
· Teachers & Staff for their devotion and time
· Alumni students – please thank them for me!

Also thank you to:
· New Seasons for the hot dog donation
· Lamb’s Thriftway for baking 100 cakes
· Purato’s Bakery Supply for supplying enough ingredients and boxes to make 100 cakes
· Western Pet Supply for a great deal on 100 goldfish
· And NW Natural for lending us their canopies

Special thanks to:
· Smith School for gifting us their JAIL – a big hit by all!

It’s always a lot of blood, sweat, and cheers! But always worth it.

and to the Maplewood Teachers & Staff,
I want to THANK YOU for your support of Carnival ’05. It was once again both successful and fun, and it couldn’t have been done without your help. We grossed $4,438.85 and will net around $3,000. That’s AWESOME!

Thank you for your:
Time facilitating posters
Time collecting candy and stuffed animals
Time talking about the Carnival
Time listening about the Carnival
Time contributing your energy into the Carnival by working a booth, selling tickets, juggling, and supporting Carnival '05
Time seems to be a common theme here - but always worth it on the student’s faces!
Thank you, Suzanne Smith,Carnival '05 Chair

DO YOU EVER DROP OFF YOUR CHILD AT SCHOOL? - I need to thank all of you who drop them off in the pull-out area safely. I am concerned that there are many attempts to change the traffic pattern. The safest way for our students is for you to come northbound on 52nd, pull out by the backstop, and then continue northbound by turning right. Even if it means driving around the block, it will keep the roadway and drop-off area much safer for the children; trying to make a “u-turn” or cross lanes to get into it often creates a bottle-neck.
(Patience is April’s Lifeskill theme, and the patience shown by drivers is a wonderful example to the kids). Luckily we haven’t had the horn-blowing or road rage shown by drivers in Lake Oswego school area, as mentioned on the news last week!

WISH LIST – There are many items/services we are always needing, but two that come to my mind today are:

• Carpet and Installation for 108 – We have had some donations in the past for carpeting and the installation of the carpet for rooms, especially for younger children who sit on the carpet most often. The first graders in Ms. Hawes room could use a new one, that would total about an 8’x12’ area. Maybe some of you still have contacts in the construction business that could donate this for us? There are specifications on the carpet that must be met; contact Mr. Blanck if you have an idea or source!
• Pruning Help – The narrow area on the outside wall of the south side of the gym has several bamboo plants and pine tree branches that brush up against the building, and that also help box elder bugs find a way into the warmth of the building. Would someone help us out by cutting those back? Contact Mr. Blanck for more specifics!

Upcoming Events:
Nov 21 - ½ Day – Students dismissed at 11:15 a.m.
Nov 21 - NO ½ Day Kindergarten – Parent Teacher Conferences
Nov 22 - Parent Teacher Conferences – NO SCHOOL
Nov 23 - Parent Teacher Conferences – NO SCHOOL
Nov 24 - Thanksgiving Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Nov 25 - Down Day – NO SCHOOL
Nov 29 - Cookie Dough Fundraiser End
Nov 30 - TAG Nomination Deadline
Dec 1 - 1st Trimester Grading Period Ends
Dec 2 - Teacher Planning Day – NO SCHOOL (although the rest of the schools in the Wilson Cluster will be open)

Best Regards, and Happy Thanksgiving, John

Principal Notes Nov. 9, 2005

NO SCHOOL THURSDAY AND FRIDAY – A reminder that children do not attend school anywhere in the District on these two days coming. We’ll see you Monday! To make sure you are prepared for another important date: on Friday, December 2^nd, for Maplewood and other Trimester schools only, there will be NO SCHOOL as well. All the other schools in the Wilson Cluster will be open, but not Maplewood. We, like about one third of the schools in the District, are on a Trimester system, not a quarterly system.

PICTURE RE-TAKE ON MONDAY, NOV. 14^TH – Our Picture re-takes will happen from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. that day. So if your child was absent on Picture Day, or needs portrait retaken, or just wants to order an additional package, please have them pick up a flyer at school for more information. The original package must be returned for a retake.

BUYING LUNCHES – The District Nutrition Services office wrote all schools, saying: “Since September, all elementary students have been receiving complete meals even if they do not have money on their account or an approved meal application. As of November 4^th, the amount owed by families is over $12,500 so Nutrition Services will be mailing letters home to 385 students owing more than $10.00. This letter will provide families with 10 days notice that their child will be served a partial meal if the account is not paid.”

Maplewood always makes sure that no student goes without a lunch, but we really encourage you to keep current with the lunch fees. The School Lunch Calendar/Menu has "tips for keeping track of your child's meal account" which reminds families to pay for meals in advance. Sending $35.00 pays for 20 lunches or $8.00 pays for 20 lunches if students are eligible for reduced price meals.

CAMPAIGN UPDATE – The most recent Update from our Annual Campaign is that we have had donations/pledges from 43 of our families totaling $10,255, and need $29,745 to reach our goal. Their tip of the week: “Ask your employer to match your contribution.” Last year we received a great deal of funding this way!

GOOD NEWS FOR MR. KAPLAN! – Mr. Kaplan, one of our 5^th grade teachers, is celebrating the birth of twins in his family! His wife, Penny, gave birth to twin boys on Nov. 2^nd. The boys are doing fine, and they will all hopefully be back joining their daughter very soon!

EMAIL AND MESSAGES – As a reminder to you on best ways to use email, please know that any timely or important messages need to be given to us by phone or note; at times, people have sent emails, thinking they would be read immediately. But the reality is that emails are not constantly monitored, and there are times when the computer or the email provider for PPS might be “down”. So to be safe, make sure you get the message to us some other way. Also, please know that the afternoon can be very hectic, with last minute changes in plans for students, so please try to make the transportation or evening plans for the students made ahead of time.

FOX CHANNEL 12 – Good Day Oregon filmed some of our students (Mrs. Schaeffer’s class, and the 4^th and 5^th grade choir) wishing people a “Good Day!” recently. They notified me that “On Wednesday, November 16^th and Wednesday, November 30^th, the children will appear along with the rest of his/her class on one of the two days in a recorded “Good Day Oregon” spot on our four hour news morning program, 5-9 a.m.! The first class that was video-taped th day our photographer was there (Mrs. Schaeffer’s class) will be featured on the first date (Nov. 16), and the second class (choir?) will be featured on the second date (Nov. 30^th).The spots will air at 6:14 a.m. and 7:52 a.m., so we hope that you can tune in, or perhaps record the spots for viewing later. You can set your VCR’s!

CONFERENCES COMING SOON – The only time that students will be attending school during the whole Conference week (Nov. 21 – 25^th) is on Monday morning, Nov. 21^st. We will provide lunches for students that day, unless you want them to wait and eat lunch when they get home or to daycare.

TEACHERS ACTIVE DURING NIKE PE2GO TRAINING LAST WEEK – Almost all of our teachers have now had at least one full day of PE training provided by our Nike PE2Go grant. They were active, and excited, about looking at new ways to keep our kids happy and active in their physical development. They reported that the days of training have been very valuable!

SITE COUNCIL FORMED! – Our Site Council announces that two parents were nominated for the two openings on our Site Council; David Garnand and Simone Frank are joining parent Matt Pigg on this council (which meets monthly with John and staff Sharon Gray, Renay Schaeffer, Karen Scherlie, Amanda Smith, and Donna Cynkar).

WEEDING PARTY – The Maplewood Garden Committee is having a weeding party on Thursday, November 17 from 12-2 pm. We will be weeding around the classroom boxes, Wildwood and the berm. Come for all or some of the time, but please come! Rain or shine, and bring your favorite weeding tool.

INCLEMENT WEATHER INFORMATION – The season is upon us: It's time to gear up for storms that could disrupt school schedules, bus schedules, etc. In the event of hazardous weather or other emergencies, many radio and television stations carry school closure and schedule change information. If you have access to a computer, it will also be available through the PPS website and Portland Info Net: http://pdxinfo.net/ This website is the one used by the media, and is updated very frequently. I encourage you to bookmark this webpage!

LETTER TO US FROM A NEIGHBOR –

Hi John,

I know there are a lot more parents driving their kids to school this year. I think that everyone may need a reminder to drive slowly and carefully and Courteously down all the neighborhood streets, not just the one in front of the school. I have had a few problems just trying to get out of my own driveway. I have started backing in, so I can pull out in the morning. I was also challenged to a game of chicken when all I was trying to do was make sure that the children walking on my side of the road had plenty of room, it was obvious that there was only room for one car to pass at a time. I also asked a parent before they parked in front of my house if they could pull into the spot next door as I was trying to do a car shuffle, I was told that it is a city street and they can park where ever they @@##% feel like... Must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. I just parked in my neighbor’s driveway and did my thing. Needless to say, that parent still parks on my street, but won't look at me.

I am pleased to see more and more people walking in the morning and I enjoy getting to chat with the families. I am both a pedestrian, and a driver, and take driving through the neighborhood at a reasonably slow speed very seriously. Could you perhaps put something in the newsletter, just mentioning how important it is for parents to model courteous behavior and to keep their speed down? – A Neighbor

I appreciated this message from a neighbor (who volunteers at our school even though she does not have children here), as I really want to help make sure that we keep kids safe, and that we model for our children some of the Lifeskills we are teaching here this year (which include Cooperation, Patience, and Responsibility). I stand outside every morning, and know that there are many parents who patiently wait, follow traffic rules, etc. and appreciate it!

Best Regards, John

A Letter from our Character Education Specialist:

Dear Maplewood Families,

Our next Lifeskill is one that is constantly in demand both inside and outside of family life. We will focus on being accountable for words, actions, and deeds. We’ll examine which skills develop a greater sense of

Responsibility

Every day, in many ways, we expect children to be responsible for chores, schoolwork, manners, and attitudes. Responsibility is a true Lifeskill, one that strengthens family relationships, reinforces employment capabilities, and empowers friendships. Some of the classroom experiences that encourage accountability include:

• Learning to take charge of their own learning projects, e.g., gathering needed materials, seeking resources, raising relevant questions
• Making good choices about use of time
• Taking leadership roles
• Returning library books by the due date
• Speaking up when others have been treated unfairly or received a put-down
• Acknowledging one’s actions and words

Some examples of a child using the Lifeskill of Responsibility at home include:

• Waking and getting up when the alarm clock rings
• Choosing clothes suitable for the occasion and dressing with little or no assistance
• Packing his/her own book bag
• Arriving at school on time
• Doing chores in a timely fashion
• Learning to manage money

Sometimes children’s attempts to be responsible fail, but that doesn’t mean that we should give up. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”

Sincerely,

Jenny Pitts, Character Education Specialist

Some Upcoming Events:

Nov 10 - Teacher Planning Day – NO SCHOOL

Nov 11 - Veterans’ Day – NO SCHOOL

Nov 14 - Picture Re-take Day @ 8:00 a.m.

Nov 17 - PTA Meeting

Nov 18 - Author for 4^th/5^th Grades – Heather Frederick

Nov 21 - ½ Day – Students dismissed at 11:15 a.m.

Nov 21 - ½ Day PM – Parent Teacher Conferences

Nov 22 - Parent Teacher Conferences – NO SCHOOL

Nov 23 - Parent Teacher Conferences – NO SCHOOL

Nov 24 - Thanksgiving Holiday – NO SCHOOL

Nov 25 - Down Day – NO SCHOOL

October 13th Principal Notes

CORRECTION!!! - TAG NOMINATION IS ACTUALLY DUE BY NOV. 30TH (not the 7th) – only one testing round this year – I gave you the wrong information in the last newsletter about the due date, but the process is the same. For those of you new to this process, the Talented and Gifted Program is a process of having a written Individual TAG Plan written yearly for those children who were tested at the 97th percentile on reading, and/or mathematics, and/or intellectual skills. This plan is a very brief annual document that identifies ways the teacher will address the rate, and level, of your child’s learning. The “program” is most often simply a method of giving the student different choices or in their work or different approaches to meet their rate and level. Nomination forms, including permission for testing, are available in the office.

Parent Resource Library WE NEED YOUR IDEAS! We are beginning to build a parent resource library at Maplewood. This section of the library will be devoted to books on the following topics: child development, discipline, special needs, self-esteem, puberty, character education, sibling relationships, and more. We are currently looking for your recommendations! If you have read or heard of a great book for parents on these or other topics, please contact Jenny Pitts in person or via email at jpitts@pps.k12.or.us. We are also planning on subscribing to one or two parenting magazines and are looking for suggestions.
And finally, throughout the year there will be opportuntities to attend a single or series of workshops on various topics important to parents of elementary age children. We are asking for your input about what type of topics would be of interest to you. Some examples include: child development, discipline, nutrition, self-esteem…or you tell us! Better yet, let us know if you are aware of a speaker who would be willing to facilitate a workshop on one of these topics.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide us with your ideas. We are excited about creating a useful resource library that many can enjoy. - Amanda Smith and Jenny Pitts

Grandparent Day – GRANDPARENTS/SPECIAL FRIENDS are invited to come to Maplewood on Friday, Oct. 21st! – A ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. in the gym, where Grandparents or Special Friends will all hear a student musical performance. (Note for a.m. Kindergartners: There will also be a morning dress rehearsal the day before at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20th, where the students will all be able to hear the other classes.) After the p.m. program in the gym is finished, the adults can go back to the classroom with the students; hint: we’ll let our guests all leave school by 2:00 p.m. to avoid the usual traffic jams at the dismissal time at the end of the day. (If you want your child to leave school with someone different than we have on file, or to leave early, we must have a note from you!) Come enjoy the children, and hear praises for you as their Special Friends or Grandparents! The kids love to see you here!

Panoramic Picture – Last Monday morning we took our 6th annual whole-school picture; order forms went home with students. If you want to order one, please turn in that form by midday on Monday, Oct. 17th.

Costume Events - Monday, Oct. 31st will again be a day when children can bring costumes to school to wear in an afternoon parade. Students will put on costumes after lunch, and begin the parade at 12:45 p.m. on the playground (in the gym if poor weather). To make this a safe, enjoyable event for everyone, make sure that the costumes are: SAFE (they shouldn’t restrict vision or trip them up; also, absolutely no fake or real weapons should be brought for this school affair) and APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR AGE (no revealing, bloody, or violent costumes) and CONVENIENT (so the student doesn’t have to be stressed about the time limits to get dressed; they will not be allowed to put on costumes until right after lunch).

LIFESKILLS - As part of our Character Education Grant, we are giving a school-wide focus to a new LIFESKILL each month. Last month we focused on Friendship. For the month of October, we are focusing on the Lifeskill of
Cooperation
Cooperation is working together toward a common goal or purpose. At school we will practice working together in many ways. Students will brainstorm the attributes of cooperation and may write procedures for working cooperatively.
Our free public school system was founded to educate students for the cooperative role they will play as citizens in a democratic society. Here are some ways that your family can focus on developing cooperation and citizenship at home:
· Choose an issue that is important to your community, such as pollution, the condition of roads, or playgrounds. Collect and read some newspaper articles on the topic. Learn both points of view. Ask your children where they stand on the issue.
· Visit your state’s legislature while it is in session. Find examples of cooperation between the branches of government.
· Read a book together; look for examples of cooperation in the story you are reading.
· Have the whole family complete a jigsaw puzzle together. Discuss what cooperative strategies helped your family complete the task.
· Have your child learn the correct way to set the table for dinner. Perform this task every night for one month. Have your child repeat the steps to you, or teach the task to a younger sibling.
· If your child plays on an organized team sport, have them listen for two or more strategies that the coach teaches the team about how to work together. Discuss with him/her how these strategies could be applied to family life.
· Organize a “Family Entertainment Night.” Ask each family member to help by volunteering a talent such as singing, playing an instrument, performing a magic trick, reading a favorite poem, and so forth. Hold the performance during or immediately after dinner. As master of ceremonies for the evening, make sure that each performance is in good taste and will be appreciated by each person in the audience.
We welcome opportunities for us to work cooperatively to educate our future citizens.

Thanks for all the good wishes on my Marathon Run! I really appreaciated all the encouragement I received from you and from the children. My purpose in talking so much about it with the kids is to remind them of the lessons learned: that setting a goal, announcing the goal to others, making a plan on getting to the goal (a very important step), following the plan, and celebrating the steps along the way - these are all important keys for success. Once again I was reminded why I love working in/for this community of children, families, and staff.

Best Regards, and Happy Fall!
John

Principal Notes Sept. 30, 2005

"BE HERE FOR THE BELL"! Getting kids up and ready for school can be hard work in the morning, but we are starting some new ways to help the students be "Ready at 8". First, we will be ringing our school bell (Did you know we have a short "bell tower" on the roof over the nurse's office?) when it is time to open the doors at 7:50 to let everyone know it is time to come into school. Secondly, for the first 15 minutes of the day, we'll have students go directly to the classrooms even if they are tardy, so that they can be in the class as soon as they can and avoid a long line at the Secretary's desk to sign in. (If they arrive after 8:15, they should stop in at the office first, though). Thirdly, our teachers are now recording the attendance and tardies themselves on the computerized system, and we will have computerized reports on attendance patterns that will be recorded on report cards or on attendance pattern reports generated for the Principal; PPS will also be publicizing these numbers in the press this year.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Remind your children that they should be on the school grounds in time to "Hear the Bell"! If so, that means they are able to be in class and ready to go at 8:00.
If you are walking your child into class, make sure you and the child "Hear the bell" and come in right away; please limit your time talking with the teacher as much as possible, as well, as it will help the rest of the class be able to get organized as soon as possible.
Make sure kids get to bed early on school nights; research and local polling shows that most of us (adults and kids both) typically don't get enough sleep, and that they will do so much better during the day.
Being on time makes a huge, positive difference for the students, as they appreciate the predictable routine and the chance to have their teacher's undivided attention. Thanks for all your hard work, love, and effort to have your kids here!

YOU CAN BE ON SITE COUNCIL! – Are you someone who likes to look at the “big picture”? Do you enjoy working with people with different backgrounds and perspectives? Are you a good communicator? And most importantly, are you interested in keeping Maplewood an excellent school? (or do you know someone else who can answer “yes” to these questions? – Then nominate them/yourself for Site Council. This group of people (5 teachers, Principal, classified staff member, and 3 parents) meets the second Tuesday of each month right after school. We are part of State Law that says schools should have a council of people who consider important issues for the school; issues such as professional development of staff, priorities for expenditures of funds, and designing and approving the yearly School Improvement Plan. Fill out the attached nomination form and get it into the office by October 7th, so that we can hold an election. This year we have 2 out of 3 parent positions open; contact parent Matthew Pigg (who has one more year to serve), or Jody McNannay or Karen Bissonette (whose terms expired) for their thoughts on this helpful work!
PARKING/TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT – Just a reminder that there are obvious parking limitations here at school, which can make for crowded traffic patterns. So, please: Do not park in the 2 Handicapped Spaces unless you display Handicapped signs (we have several people who are eligible to use them and frequently can’t get in those spaces). Drop children off in the turn-out by the backstop (dropping them off across the street or in the street by the buses is unsafe for the children). Do not park in the bus zone or in the No Parking zone across the street (for obvious reasons). Do not make U-turns out of the turn-out area (the street in front is busy, especially in a.m., so please exit to right and go around block).

PICTURE DAY IS COMING! - Maplewood's student picture day is Thursday October 6th. Please remember to send your student with his/her picture order envelope and money on picture day if you’d like to purchase a package. Thank you.

PANORAMIC PICTURES OCT. 10 – The wide pictures that we take yearly with everyone in school will be done in the morning of Mon., Oct. 10th. Ordering of these pictures is on a separate order form.

TAG NOMINATION DUE BY NOV. 7 – only one testing round this year – Nominating your child for the Talented and Gifted eligibility will result in testing later this year in the areas nominated (Intellectual, Reading, and/or Math – you can nominate your child in 1, 2, or all 3 areas). There will only be one round of nominations this year. The forms for nomination are available in the office; if you nominate your child, the testing will be done later in the year, and you will be notified of the results. If you have questions, see your child’s teacher or John.
If your child is already eligible, you do not need to nominate again. The yearly TAG Plan for eligible children will be drafted and given to you for your input at the end of October each year, and the Plan finalized by conference time.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! - The Maplewood Carnival 05’ is Friday October 28th! Let the fun begin! The Carnival Committee is busy at work and needs a few items donated. We have put bins in the hallway ready for your donations of: gently loved (used) stuffed animals (all kinds) and yummy bags of candy! Consider buying an extra bag of candy this month for the carnival! We are also hoping to receive donations of several nice “new” items to be raffled off during the carnival. The committee is also looking for free standing canopies to borrow for the evening. Thanks for all of your help in making this an exciting Carnival for our students! We look forward to seeing you at the Carnival! P.S. – If you have children in 7th grade or older who would like to volunteer to help that night, send their names and phone numbers to Suzanne Smith at TheSue27@yahoo.com or Loren Slocum at lobella@lobella.com.

LUNCH PROGRAM - Children who were approved for free and reduced by returning the form this summer or this fall should have received a letter saying you are approved until Oct. 2006. If you were approved for free and reduced lunches last school year and have not submitted a new form as yet for this year your child will change to full price lunches, $1.75, on Oct. 4th, next week. Free and reduced lunch applications are available in the office.
Thanks to all the great lunch helpers!! I have had a great time getting to know all of you! I am going to be staying home catching up on projects and doing more activities with my kids. Laurie

COMPUTER NEWS - Following is a reminder of some of the resources we use at school that you can access via the Internet at home:
1) The Maplewood collection of educational web sites and activities that students use are listed at www.portaportal.com (guest access name elin.)
2) Portland Public Schools provides us with access to on-line streaming videos (United Streaming - an educational video library). To access this resource from home, visit www.unitedstreaming.com . The username and passwords are MaplewoodES and maplewood. I will give a parent overview in the coming months if you want to learn how to use this resource to its fullest potential.
You are welcome to join us in the computer room. If you would like to volunteer with your childs class, please contact the classroom teacher. Welcome back to school! Elin Kordahl


CHARACTER EDUCATION - Hello, my name is Jenny Pitts and I am a new part-time staff member at Maplewood. My title is Character Education Specialist; there are three of us in the district as a part of a 4-year federal grant. We are now starting the third year of the grant and expanding the services to other schools, including Maplewood. The focus of the grant is building character education skills through curriculum like Second Step and Tools for Citizenship and Life. Throughout the year, I will be in each classroom introducing the Lifelong Guidelines and Lifeskills that make up the Tools for Citizenship and Life program. I will also be working with students in small groups and organizing a new Student Council program. You will be hearing more about these later in the fall.
During the next few weeks I will be getting to know the students, staff, and families of Maplewood. I am interested in your input as the character education program develops. I am here on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and some Mondays, if you see me in the hall, stop and introduce yourself! I am very excited to be here and I look forward to working with you this school year.
Sincerely, Jenny Pitts

Best Regards,
Upcoming Events:
Oct 6 - School Picture Day
Oct 10 - Panoramic Picture Day
Oct 11 - Site Council Meeting @ 2:30 pm
Oct 13 - Sally Foster Fundraiser Ends
Oct 14 - State Inservice – NO SCHOOL
Oct 20- AM Kindergarten Grandparents/Special Friends Day
Oct 21 - Grandparents/Special Friends Day
Oct 28 - Maplewood Carnival
Oct 30 - Daylight Saving Time Ends
Oct 31 - Costume Parade





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October at Maplewood

Hello to Maplewood Community! This is a short update to let you know that there are several events going to happen here soon!

• School Picture Day is Oct. 6th - we will also take a Panoramic Picture of the whole school on Monday, Oct. 10th.
• Annual Maplewood Foundation Campaign - We are holding our annual direct donation campaign again this fall. Money raised will go directly to paying for staff to enrich the education of students at Maplewood. Informational meetings about this campaign are again being held here; come and meet with the Campaign Committee and I on either Monday, October 10th, or Wednesday, Oct. 12th at 7 p.m. You'll hear about our plans to use the money, and about ways to make donations that will be easiest on you.
• NO SCHOOL October 14 - This is a Statewide In-Service Day.
• Thursday, Oct. 20 - This morning we will have a Dress Rehearsal for our Grandparents/Special Friends Day that will be performed for the a.m. Kindergarten Grandparents/Special Friends.
• Friday, Oct. 21 - Grandparents/Special Friends Day at Maplewood. Guests are invited to come to Maplewood at 12:30 to hear our children perform for you. After the performance, you are invited to come and visit the students' classroom.
• Friday, Oct. 28 - School Carnival! - This wonderful event is held in the evening with a theme of Old-Fashioned Carnival. Starting at 6:00, there are multiple games and events, often run by the school staff to let you have a chance to enjoy time with your children, neighbors, and friends.
• Monday, Oct. 31 - Costume parade at school. This usually begins with students dressing as their favorite character right after lunch, and then we hold a parade to have children see each others' costumes beginning about 12:45, followed by class meetings.

New Parent Orientation Meeting Sept. 12, 2005

New Parent Orientation
Sponsored by
Maplewood PTA

We remember what it was like to come here for the first time and not know how things work or what to expect during the year, so we have put together this informational gathering.

Monday, September 12
8:15 - 9:00 AM
Maplewood School Library


Come have a cup of coffee and find out about things like:

School Logistics including: AM arrival, buses, cafeteria and lunch questions, volunteering, school calendar, sick child, after school pick up, snow days, going home with a friend, celebrating birthdays

Timeline for School Sales such as: Book Fair, school photos, Maplewood t-shirts, Used Book Sale

Special Events like: Carnival, Fall Picnic and Open House, Grandparents Day, Halloween Parade, Bookbaggers, Math Night, Spring Sing

Fundraising Calendar including: Maplewood Campaign, wrapping paper sale, cookie dough and coffee sale, Read-aloud-a-thon, Run for the Arts, SCRIP, supermarket and bank donation programs

The transition to a new school can be filled with questions and unknowns. We hope to shed some light and make you feel as welcome and comfortable as possible. This will also be a great chance to meet other new parents and get to know some of the PTA parents too. And bring your questions - chances are if you are wondering, other parents are too. We hope you can come!

SUMMER GREETINGS FROM JOHN

I hope you are having a wonderful summer! It is very busy here at Maplewood; we are working hard and long to prepare for your return to our learning community. We are doing some construction, some planning, and a lot of cleaning and moving to welcome you in September. We will be hapy to see you return, but we will especially be happy to meet those of you coming to Maplewood for the first time.
This site will be maintained by me as a way to quickly show you a log of my messages to the community. This particular site will not allow comments from the public unless specifically authorized by me; but you can forward the postings you read here to others through your email.
DATES FOR THIS SUMMER: 
Placement Letters by July 29th - My goal by then is to mail you letters that will list your child's teacher, the supply list for fall, and some important notes on major events for the year.
Community Care Day August 28th - That Sunday event is our second annual "Spruce Up" work party for our school. Come from 10:00 to 1:00 that day to paint, weed, prune, repair, and get our school ready for the first day for children. It will again be coordinated by West Hills Friends Meeting, the church across the street from us. Call them at 246-7654 for information or to sign up. Plans again include a pot luck, and a large group of helpful families and friends come; children are welcome when accompanied by adult!
Start of School - The first day of school for First through Fifth Graders will be Weds., Sept. 7; the first day for Kindergartners will be Mon. Sept 12th.
New Parent Meeting  -  New to our school? We would like to invite parents who are new to our school to come on Monday morning, Sept. 12th, beginning right after school starts. This will be hosted by John Blanck, and parent volunteers. It will be held in the library, to support the Kindergarteners' parents and to give information to all of you on what some of our major activities might be like for you.

June 10, 2005 Principal Notes

5TH GRADE PROMOTION - At 12:30 this Monday, we will have an All-School Assembly in the gym, where we’ll celebrate the end of the year. After a short ceremony, we’ll excuse all of the students except for the Fifth Graders and their parents/guests, who will stay in the gym for a promotion ceremony and some group pictures. 5th Grade Talent Show will be held on Tuesday, the 14th at 10:00 a.m. All classes and community are invited to come for some or all of that show.
MAPLEWOOD T-SHIRT ORDERS – If you have paid for but not yet received a Maplewood T-shirt, sweatshirt, etc., please contact Amy McCleskey at 503.244.0558 or amyj6157@comcast.net or Janet Metz at 503.245.1650 or pdxmetz@msn.com by June 14, 2005.
FIELD DAY AND JUNIOR ROSE FESTIVAL PARADE – Thanks should go to Kim Nadeau and her committee of parents who helped pull together a fun day of games and recreation for the students. They were helped a great deal by the well-documented organization provided by Fran Kincaid, who coordinated this event in the past. The Field Day was especially fun for the students visiting here from Smith, who had this fun way to get to know some of the students who will be their classmates next year. The weather managed to hold out for us that day, as well as on the Parade Day! Our wonderful Music Teacher, Kathie McNett, organized our students into a bright green, cheery sea of musicians who marched with the help of the 4th and 5th grade teachers and parent chaperones.
READ ALOUD-A-THON AND PTA HELP TAKE OUR CAMPAIGN TO REACH THE GOAL! – This community should be very proud of their efforts and their donations to the Annual Campaign, which has now reached its goal!!!! Recent assistance in reaching this goal was done through the Read Aloud-A-Thon, which raised $1000! Very warm thanks should go to Lynn Barkley, who took on the task of resurrecting this activity, and did a great job (in a short amount of time) of designing this event to help us reach our goal! The PTA also donated funds at their last meeting to help us as well. I hope that I have let people know that the $40,000 raised (with about 60% of our families contributing) was a remarkable achievement, coordinated by a dedicated, caring committee led by Lisa Sloan. When I first came to Maplewood, there was essentially no “large scale” fundraising efforts of this kind, and we could all see the writing on the wall – that schools would all need to add fundraising efforts to keep their schools staffed as much as the students deserved. This money makes a remarkable difference in Maplewood’s programs! Thanks to all who contributed their time or money or support for a job well done! (If you’d like to receive this electronically, e-mail the address above and I’ll add you to the list.)
PTA DONATES TO FOUNDATION AND PLAYGROUND – In addition to the support PTA gives our school, their contributions in the June meeting are very appreciated - $2000 to the Campaign Foundation, and $2000 to add to the “seed money” to replace the playground structure. Look for increased efforts next year to design and raise money to give our students a new, safe, and enjoyable playground!
CELEBRATION IN MULTNOMAH VILLAGE – Looking for a terrific community event this summer? Bring the entire family to Multnomah Day on August 20th, the SW Portland celebration that draws thousands of families, kids and – yes – dogs to this annual event. Things kick off with a Kiwanis pancake breakfast at the Key Bank parking lot at 8:00 am. The two-band, two hundred-dog Parade winds through the center of the village starting at 10:00 am. The rest of the day features carnival games, kid bouncer-rides, live music, food and more. Consider entering in the parade, which is a great way to introduce your neighborhood or youth group to the larger community. Please call Joan Steinbach at 245-3936 for more details.
COMMUNITY CARE DAYS ARE COMING IN AUGUST! MARK THIS DAY ON YOUR CALENDAR! - On Sunday, August 28th, is our Community Care Day, coordinated by West Hills Friends Meeting Church for the second year. They will help us get many mowing, painting, trimming and repair jobs done by having their church members join our families early that afternoon. Plans again include live music and a wonderful pot luck. Mark your calendar to be there (will not conflict with the Multnomah Days celebration); we will have lots of interesting friends to help us, and the work goes so much easier and quicker and lighter when we have a group at least as large as last year!
SOME PREVIEWS OF NEXT YEAR – ATTENDANCE AND TARDIES EXPECTATIONS – Part of the district’s “Vital Signs” are the attendance and tardy rates. There will be a definite effort and expectation from the district and Maplewood to have students attend school as much as possible, and on time every day. In fact, there will be published lists in newspapers next year reporting each schools’ rates. What this means is that we will have to ask you to make sure that your children are “Ready at 8” every day, and that students not take family vacations during school days, unless there are clear academic tasks for the children to work on during that time; Character Ed. Specialist We will happily welcome Jennifer Pitts to our staff, who will work half-time as a Character Education Specialist for two years under a grant. She will conduct counseling groups, teacher character education in classes, and coordinate our Student Council; Math Information for Parents – We are planning several events and methods to help you understand the teaching of Math through the District Curriculum, which stresses mathematical thinking through problem solving. We know that helping students with their math homework can be tricky, but it is paying off with less students being “math phobic”, and we want to provide you folks with as much help in this important subject as we can; Annual Campaign in the fall – Next year the plans are to again hold an Annual Campaign, but to again shift it to the most logical time of the year, in the fall. This will help to meet tax time deadlines, and to make it more predictable for you as to when it would happen. This Campaign is a vital part of Maplewood’s programming, as it pays for staffing for our children.

END OF ANOTHER YEAR! – It is hard for me to believe that another school year has come to a close. I personally can vividly recall my first days as Principal here, when our present Fifth Graders (now moving on to Middle School) were just leaving Kindergarten! In addition to watching all these students grow and participate this year, we also worked hard this year to respond to the continuing difficulties with school funding, including the closure of our neighbor school, George Smith Elementary. This meant working with our community by hosting numerous tours, meeting with area schools and parents, and hosting visits from the students and families whom we will welcome as wonderful additions to our community next year. I believe Maplewood continues to be in a solid position as a high-achieving school with enrollment predicted to stay high and even grow. We will continue to make sure that parents and community feel valued and appreciated for their contributions to the lives of our children. As I’ve mentioned several times in the past, students who have caring, interested adults in their lives (in addition to their families) end up richer in their assets, and therefore more successful in their lives. So as money and school resources shrink, I am sure we will continue to find ways for us to pitch in as a community to keep nurturing and encouraging our children. “It takes a community to raise a child.” is still so very true today, and Maplewood will continue to be a wonderful example of that. The families coming to us from Smith will be a welcomed addition to this effort, as they have always shown themselves to pitch in and work to help all the children in their community. So next year, we will continue to find ways to have you all involved in the Maplewood Community, through expanded ways to help, such as beginning a Math Friends tutoring program, keeping our Wild Woods and Garden groups active, keeping our children physically active in spite of last year’s loss of a P.E. teacher, and continuing our fund-raising efforts. Many of us will be meeting and planning over the summer to make every second of our next school year be even more exciting and rich for the children! Have a great summer, and stop in and see me (I’m here most of the summer!)

Upcoming Events: June 13 - 5th Grade Promotion/All School Assembly
June 14 - 5th Grade Talent Show @ 10:00 a.m.
June 14 - Last Day of School for Students
Aug. 20 - Multnomah Days
Aug. 28 - Community Care Day at Maplewood

May 27, 2005 Principal Notes

SUMMER WATERING FOR WILDWOOD AND BACK YARD GARDEN AREAS - Do you and your family like to go to the park and play during the summer? The garden committee needs help with the summer watering at Maplewood this summer. The time commitment is possibly two hours during a one week period. Bring your children, they can either help water or play at the park. It's a great way to stay connected to Maplewood over the summer. We need help for the following weeks, June 12th, June 19th, July 17th, July 24th, August 7th, August 14th, August 21, August 28th and September 4th. If you are interested in helping, please contact Kathy Hogan either by phone 503-245-6185 or email ini5x@msn.com. Thank you!

MATH FRIENDS - Maplewood has a very successful reading tutoring program, called Reading Friends. Volunteers work with students who need assistance with reading. It has been so wonderful, and has helped so many students, that we would like to add a similar program, called Math Friends. Math Friends volunteers will receive training on how to tutor students at their math level. We are hoping to start Math Friends this fall. If you are interested in volunteering to be a Math Friend next year, please contact Kimmy Nadeau at kimmy@easystreet.com, or at 503-245-9750.

FIELD DAY CHAIR - To my embarrassment, I have misplaced the piece of paper where I wrote down the persons name who volunteered to run Field Day. If you are that mystery person, or if you are interested in running Field Day, contact Kimmy at 503-245-9750. Field day is June 7th, so we really need to begin with the planning immediately! Thanks!

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR - I wanted to thank all of our committed volunteers that we have had this year! Many successful fundraisers and many fun activities for our students occurred, that wouldn't have been possible without help from our parents.

We are in the process right now of attempting to figure out who will be committee chairs of our various volunteer positions. If you were the chair of a committee this year, and would like to do it again, or are interested in being the chair of a committee, please call Kimmy at 503-245-9750. This would really save us a lot of time! I encourage all families at Maplewood to find a way that they can volunteer!

I wanted to explain some differences that we will have in some of our volunteer positions for next year.

Carnival: Instead of having one person oversee the entire event, we will have the following chairs:

Overall Carnival Coordinator: This person will oversee all of the committee chairs and make sure that all components of the carnival are being taken care of.
Carnival Food Coordinator: Tom Sikora has volunteered for this position for next fall. This chair makes sure we have food and drinks at the big event!
Carnival Volunteer Coordinator: This chair will work with me to make sure there are enough volunteers for the event, and will assign volunteers to a carnival chair to work with.
Carnival Prize & Candy Coordinator: This chair will ensure that we have enough goodies for the kids to win!
Carnival entertainment & Signage Coordinator: This chair will arrange for the face painters, etc. for the event, and will put up signs around the school and our community.

We are also adding volunteer coordinators for each grade. This position is separate from Room parent. The goal of the grade level volunteer coordinator will be to assist the head volunteer coordinator in getting volunteers for school wide events. Rather than me sending home flyers to the entire school, the volunteer coordinators for each grade will take a more personal approach in asking for volunteer help. I am confident that this will bring our volunteer numbers up! David Dacklin has already signed up to be the volunteer coordinator for first grade... so if you are interested in hearing more about the position, or would like to sign up for the kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th grade volunteer coordinator... call Kimmy at 503-245-9750!

YEARBOOKS AVAILABLE – We still have a few Yearbooks available. Send your orders in to the office now! The cost is $10.75 and checks should be made out to Maplewood PTA. Special thanks to those who submitted photographs, Caroline Melrose, Kathy Hogan, Janet Metz, Mary Bessette and to Mr. Kaplan and Ms. Lee who allowed me to interrupt their classrooms to get more 5th grade. Thanks so much and have a great summer! Cathie, Wendy, & Melissa

USED BOOK SALE - The Used Book Sale on May 19th was a great success. Thank you for all your book donations. We raised $502 for the PTA. Thanks also to the following volunteers who helped greatly with sorting and cashiering on the night: Lynn Barclay, Marie Gettel-Gilmartin, Max Gardner, April Henry, Jodi Lehman, Shannon Riley, Jolie Russo, and Annelie Thurin. I would also like to thank Roland Brown, the custodian, for help during the set-up; Kathy Shimizu for office support; and John Blanck for all his help, especially in finding me a dolly. Mike Gettel-Gilmartin

NO HOT LUNCHES ON JUNE 7TH – (Sack lunches will be offered). That Tuesday will be Field Day, and is also the day scheduled for Smith School students to visit their new schools. The sack lunch will contain Turkey Pastrami Sandwich, Fruit, Veggie, and a Cookie or packaged snack. A Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich will also be available.

ABOUT THE HONOR YOU BESTOWED ON ME - I don't know how I can ever thank you enough for the appreciation surprises you gave me at the end of the Spring Sing. I was ready to stand up and congratulate Mrs. McNett and the students, and instead found myself speechless. I am so absolutely honored at the words and thoughtful gifts and applause I received, all of which was a TOTAL surprise. The honor is from the high esteem I hold for all of you, so getting your appreciation will forever be held in my heart. Thank you!