Principal Notes for !pril 21, 2006

Dear Community - Don't forget to TURN OFF YOUR T.V. NEXT WEEK! I attached a flyer in hard copy to the Principal Notes that went home, but couldn't get it electronically as yet.

Here is today's "Principal Notes" :

JOHN MCCUTCHEON IN CONCERT - Storyteller and musician John McCutcheon will perform on Sunday, April 30, at 3pm at the Hollywood Theatre. This family-friendly concert is a benefit for the First Octave Fund of the Portland Schools Foundation. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children over 2 and are available at the Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Boulevard, (503) 493-1128 or www.hollywoodtheatre.org <http://www.hollywoodtheatre.org/> . For more information call Ellen Regal Productions: (503) 288-5042.

DIRECT SCRIP SALES START THIS MONDAY, APRIL 24 – Now you can buy your SCRIP cards and certificates right here at school! Starting next week, the Maplewood SCRIP Committee will be selling a limited selection every Monday morning (7:45-8:15) inside the building, and every Thursday afternoon (2:00-2:30) at an outside table (the full selection of SCRIP businesses is still available for weekly pre-orders). Every time you use a SCRIP card, a small percentage goes to our account with the Portland Schools Foundation to support staff positions here at Maplewood. The SCRIP Committee will also be surveying parents on what other vendors to offer on a regular basis, so stop by the table and give them your input!

AFTER SCHOOL PLANS FOR YOUR KIDS – At this busy time of year, we know that many familes have many activities scheduled for the end of the day. But I am worried that there have been so many last minute, or daily, phone calls to the office from you, asking to have messages given to your kids about after school plans. The reason that I am worried is that the office can be a very busy place, and I would hate to mis-communicate to your children. So please make sure the plans for the end of the day are set and communicated to your kids before the end of the day (notes written, etc.). We certainly understand last minute changes (we’re talking about busy families and kids here, right?), and we’re happy to help; but please help us keep kids safe by keeping the message calls to a minimum when possible!

BUDGETS AND RECONFIGURATIONS AND EFFECTS ON MAPLEWOOD – As I mentioned at the last PTA meeting, I am going on record as being in support of the Superintendent’s proposal, mainly because of the provisions for time to take more specific community input between now and October 1^st. I was relieved to see that the proposal would also include the preliminary allotment of .31 more FTE (equal to a third of a certified staff member) next fall than what we received this year! (First time in 6 years we had an increase!). This was in addition to the district plan to maintain current teaching staff and to keep a full school year. I will need to make a plan within the next two weeks (or change a plan if the school board changes things on their May 1 vote); if you have ideas you’d like to share with me, the best way to do that with me is to email or write me a note about it. If you would like to express your opinion about Board Decisions, see the item below about it, or email the Board at schoolboard@pps.k12.or.us and it will be seen by every Board member.

MAPLEWOOD CAMPAIGN - I want to remind people that our Annual Campaign, held last fall, is still a vital part of keeping our staffing as full as it is. I have been recently informed, however, that making staffing requests with the Foundation money is now a little “tighter” than in the past (we need to “Show Them the Money” in a sense). This means that I will be reminding them to account for the people who made monthly pledges, and that if there are people out there who were waiting to make a direct pledge to the Campaign, now would be the time to do so! This would help me greatly in being able to continue to staff Maplewood with the highest quality people!

K-8 QUESTIONS AND DISTRICT DECISIONS - I have received some information this morning from the Superintendent’s Office, that gives a few glimpses into the possible looks for K-8 schools. I will post them on my blogsite in case you’d like to see more http://maplewoodprincipal.blogspot.com/.

I attended the Community Meeting last Weds. at Rieke and saw several Maplewood parents there as well. That meeting’s purpose was to answer questions for the communities involved (by the way, you can’t change one school in a system without having some effects on all schools or children). The district has set other dates for “Hearings”, which means people can offer input, usually without any responses from them. Two possible times when you can give input include:

• School Board Meeting & Budget Hearing (Citizen Budget Review Committee Report), Monday, April 24, 6:30 p.m.

• SCHOOL BOARD COMMUNITY PUBLIC MEETINGS Members of the School Board will hold hearings in Southeast, Northeast, North and West Portland to hear testimony on the proposals in each of those areas. The West Side meeting is at Wilson High School, 1151 SW Vermont, Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30 pm

The School Board will vote at their Monday, May 1^st meeting.

Upcoming Events:

Apr 25 - Run for the Arts (RE-SCHEDULED TO THIS DAY)

Apr 28 - End of Run for the Arts Collection Period

Apr 28 - Bookbaggers!

May 1-5 - Teacher Appreciation Week!!

May 11 - PTA Meeting

May 18 - Kindergarten Open House 3:00 – 4:00 pm

May 23 - 5^th Grade vs Faculty Basketball Game

May 25 - Spring Celebration Sing

May 29 - Memorial Day – NO SCHOOL

May 31 - A Musical Tour of the America’s Assembly at 9:30 am

Maplewood Principal Notes April 7

TARDINESS HAS BECOME A PROBLEM – I am writing to ask for your help in keeping down our disruptions to the classes that seems to be happening a great deal this year. When students are not “Ready at 8”, then not only are they missing some valuable instructions for the day, but it is also a disruption to the other students (and to the staff who are working hard to make every minute of instruction count). Please help your child be Responsible and Organized (two Life skills we are teaching here to help them be successful) by having them to school in time to get themselves ready to learn when the bell rings at 8:00. Most of you are very prompt, which is highly appreciated.

APRIL 17 IS A SCHOOL DAY FOR MAPLEWOOD, but not for other cluster schools - This is one of the days this year when our Trimester Calendar means that we are in session, but the quarterly schools have a planning day.

MAPLEWOOD SPELLERS REPRESENTING US APRIL 26^TH - We are proud to announce that the following students will represent our 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders in a city-wide Spelldown. Our 3^rd graders are Zoe Crain and Zoe LaDu, 4^th graders are Keenan Murray and William Nourse, and 5^th graders are Vince Campbell and Joe Weissig. Congratulations and good luck to our representatives.

APRIL LIFESKILL - Remember the saying, “Patience is a virtue”? Patience is waiting calmly without complaint; steadfast; faithful; dependable – all excellent character traits in a family member, friend, and an employee. The next LIFESKILL topic for our school is:

PATIENCE

As family members, you understand how demanding one child or a few children can be. In the classroom, where we have many more students, the LIFESKILL of Patience is an extremely important skill for both the teacher and the students to use. Some of the ways we will develop a deeper understanding of the LIFESKILL of Patience include:

· Brainstorming constructive activities that can be done while waiting in a line

· Listing many situations in which we might need to be patient

· Role playing situations that show impatience and then patience

At home, you can further continue our study of patience by:

· Insisting that children take turns

· Reading chapter books – one chapter per night

· Encouraging your child to set some long-term goals, such as saving for a pair of roller blades, a bike, or a movie ticket

Family members are their children’s best role models. Help your child to become a better learner by modeling a sense of perseverance, patience, and inner strength.

April Character Education Program Update from Jenny Pitts,

Character Ed Specialist

Student Council: Now that Project Second Wind, the food drive, is complete – the Student Council is in the process of deciding on another project to start on or complete by the end of the year. Lots of great ideas have come from council members and their classmates. I’ll keep you posted on further developments!

Lifeskills: To date we have focused on seven Lifeskills: Friendship, Cooperation, Responsibility, Caring, Integrity, Effort, and Organization. This month we are talking about the Lifeskill PATIENCE.

Parent Resource Library: Thank you for all of your book suggestions! The books have arrived! The Parent Resource Library bookshelf is located against the wall by room 102. Some book suggestions came in after we placed the order. I have kept track of these and plan on including them the next time we order books for the library. Amanda Smith is still developing a checkout system, so stay tuned!

Second Step Workshop for Kindergarten Parents: I am in the process of planning an informational workshop about the Second Step program that Kindergarten students are receiving in their classroom. Second Step is a school-based program that teaches children to think of others’ feelings, solve problems cooperatively, and manage their anger in a positive way. This workshop will occur in May. When I know the exact date, I will send notes home and information about how parents can sign up.

Steps to Respect: This week, I started the Steps to Respect program in both 5^th grade classes. It is a bullying prevention program. The primary goal of this program is to help create a safe, caring, respectful learning environment. As part of Steps to Respect, 5^th grade students will learn new skills to help them build friendships and deal with bullying. They will learn to make friends, manage conflicts, and recognize, refuse, and report bullying – whether it happens to them or someone else. These are great skills to have, for our learning environment now, and in the future! If you have any questions, please contact me at (503) 916-6308.

PROJECT SECOND WIND: We reached our Project Second Wind goal…and then some! In one week we collected 520 pounds of food and $278.54 (which is enough to buy 1,671 pounds of food). This brings our total “pounds” collected to 2,196!!! Thank you to our Student Council for helping with the annual food drive, and a big thank you to our generous students, families, and staff. The food and money collected will go a long way in helping fight hunger in our state! Jenny Pitts, Character Education Specialist.

Upcoming Events:

Apr 13 - PTA Meeting 6:15 to 7:30

Apr 13 - End of Run for the Arts Pledge Period

Apr 14 - Robert Gray Middle School Visit at 9:45 a.m.

Apr. 17 - Yes, we do have school at Maplewood that day

Apr 18 - Run for the Arts

Apr 20 - Rockin’ Water Show for 4^th/5^th Grade at 10:30 am

Apr 25 - Run for the Arts Rain Date

Apr 28 - End of Run for the Arts Collection Period

Apr 28 - Bookbaggers!

May 1-5 - Teacher Appreciation Week!!

Principal Notes March 10, 2006

REMINDER: MAPLEWOOD WEEK STARTS THIS MONDAY WITH PAJAMA DAY! - Our Spirit Week will have people wearing Pajamas to school, and getting Maplebars on Monday. Mark your calendars for Tuesday being Maplewood Day (wear something representing Maplewood) and then having Skate Night that evening. (Roller Skating is at Oaks Park from 6:30 to 8:30 with a $4.25 admission; siblings and friends welcome – we have the place to ourselves! The most of the admission proceeds goes to Maplewood PTA). Wednesday will have people wearing hats, and Thursday wearing green!

REMINDER: NO SCHOOL FOR MAPLEWOOD ON FRIDAY, MARCH 17 – This is one of the days this year that we will have a different calendar from the rest of the schools in the cluster (because we are on a trimester calendar). In the future, however, we will have one day that is the reverse – on April 17 we will be in school, but other schools in the area will not).

2006 READ-ALOUD-ATHON SUMMARY - The total is in for this year's Read-Aloud-Athon; our readers raised $4,394.70 for Maplewood PTA. Congratulations to the Maplewood Community for a very successful fund raising effort. All the students received a participation prize. In addition, Ms. Gray's and Ms. McClenaghan's students -- both with 65% of the class returning paid pledge forms – will enjoy pizza parties with Mr. Blanck. Individual prizes will be awarded as well. Thank you to Loren Slocum, generous with her time and money, for ordering and purchasing the participation and individual prizes. Thank you also to Renae Conkle, Christine Fuller, Aimee McQuiston, Jim Battan, Mike Gettel-Gilmartin, Catherine Rutledge-Gorman, Lori Calkin's friend Kris, Max Gardner, Janet Metz and Teri Carlson for assisting in the classrooms on the day of the event. Thank you especially to the students, their sponsors and the classroom teachers for participating in this fund raising effort and making it a success. (from Lynn Barkley, Read-Aloud-Athon Coordinator)

PPS BUDGET – WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES? – As the Superintendent and School Board work through the budget for next year, they want to hear from you. You may weigh in with your priorities for the next budget by filling out a quick on-line survey: http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB22546DLN9D9. You may ONLY take the survey ONCE!

PORTLAND METRO CONCERT BAND GIVES MAPLEWOOD ANOTHER FREE CONCERT: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22 AT 10:00 A.M. – For the last several years, this accomplished group has donated their time to give our students a free concert, giving them “up front and close” a fine taste of concert band tradition; some of our students will again be performing with them in our gym. You are invited to attend as well!

TREE PLANTING FRIDAY MARCH 24^TH – I am pleased to announce that a long-standing vision of our own mini “arboretum” will get a huge start with the planting of a wide variety of 16 trees with informational labels. There will be a line of trees along our north fence and along 51^st avenue on the NE side of our property. Thanks to the City of Portland Urban Forestry Department, and to the help of the Maplewood Neighborhood Association, they will provide the trees (donated by Schmidt and Son Co.), the planting crew, water bags, labels, and mulch at no cost to Maplewood! Beginning at 9:30 that day, they will give a short talk about some of the trees to two classes at a time and give each student a chance to shovel some mulch into the holes. The donors will come out again near the end of the year to do a “Tree Walk” to talk more about our trees. They are seeking volunteers who might enjoy coming to help them with this process. Call Karl Dawson of the Urban Foresty Department at 503-823-1650

NEW ELECTRONIC DISPLAY AREA - PPS is very pleased to introduce the new Electronic Display Area on the district's website where families may look for additional activities/events/classes/services in which their children may participate. These notices are placed on the site by non-school groups. The groups providing this information are not endorsed or sponsored by Portland Public Schools. District policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. BP 1.80.020. Not all outside groups comply with the District's non-discrimination policy. Families are strongly encouraged to review all materials closely. Go to the PPS main page at www.pps.k12.or.us and along the left side click on NON-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR YOUTH. You may also go directly to www.nonschoolactivities.pps.k12.or.us to reach the site. Rudy Rudolph, Director of School Support

AFTER-SCHOOL DRAMA WORKSHOP AT MAPLEWOOD THIS SPRING - Short Plays and Skits for Grades K-2. Tuesdays, April 18th-June 6th from 2:15-3:15 p.m. $85 per student. Students work with pantomime, short skits, storytelling and theatre games to learn acting skills. Registration forms were sent home, will be coming home again after Spring Break, or available for pick-up in the office. For more information, call The Young Players at 503.624.7499 or <http://www.theyoungplayers.com/> www.theyoungplayers.com

Upcoming Events:

Mar 13 – 16 Maplewood Week!

Mar 16 - Grading Period Ends

Mar 16 - Rescheduled PTA Mtg @ 6:15 p.m.

Mar 17 - Teacher Planning Day – NO SCHOOL (although the other Wilson Cluster Schools who are on Quarter System WILL be in session - Maplewood is on Trimester System)

Mar 24 - Elementary/Middle School Transfer Deadline

Mar 27 - 31 Spring Break!

Apr 2 - Daylight Saving Time Begins

Apr 3 - Spyglass Theatre “The Secret Life of Bugs”

10:30 – 11:20 am

Apr 11 - Run for the Arts

Best Regards, John

Maplewood Arboretum Being Planted

Maplewood Tree Planting

Friday
March 24^th

9:00 to 12:00 pm

7552 SW 52^nd Avenue

Portland Oregon

Portland Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Tree Liaison have organized a school planting in the Maplewood Elementary School.

Portland Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Tree Liaison Volunteers have organized a school tree planting at Maplewood Elementary School. Community volunteers are needed to plant 16 trees on the edge of the lower field at on Friday March 24 at 9:00 am. Sixteen different tree species will be planted to create a mini-arboretum, which can be used as a teaching tool by Maplewood Elementary School. Each tree will have a label and a map will be available on the Parks & Recreation web site, www.portlandparks.org. Photos of the planting spots and names of the trees can also be found on the Maplewood website at http://www.maplewood.pps.k12.or.us/.docs/pg/4845

Your help is needed. Please contact Karl Dawson with Portland Parks & Recreation Neighborhood Tree Liaison Program at 823-1650 or kdawson@ci.portland.or.us to sign up.

Principal Notes March 3, 2006

MAPLEWOOD SPIRIT WEEK DIFFERENT THAN ON PRINTED CALENDAR!!
The correct days for "Maplewood Week" here at school are March 13 through the 16th! I made a mistake in approving the printing of the school calendar, and didn't change it to the one approved by our calendar committee. The brief summary of our events are:
Monday March 13 - "P.J. and Maplebars Day": Students and staff will be allowed to wear their pajamas that day, if they chose to; it will also be the traditional day that students/staff will be served a maple bar baked good.
Tuesday, March 14 - "Maplewood Day and Skate Night": Everyone is encouraged to wear clothing that displays Maplewood’s name on it (it can be hand designed as well as a commercially printed shirt, if you like). That night is also when Oaks Park roller skating rink is open to Maplewood families.
Wednesday, March 15 - "Hat Day": wear a hat to school!
Thursday, March 16 - "Green Day": wear something green!
Friday, March 17 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher Planning Day

AFTER SCHOOL ART CLASSES IN THE SPRING - My Masterpiece Studio, an after school, arts enrichment program with courses devoted to the importance of expression through exploration with different art mediums will be back this spring. Working with paint, printmaking, collage and ceramic techniques, students will focus on the work of Picasso and Matisse, two of the finest artists of the 20th century. Look for brochures with registration information in your child’s backpack. Sign up for all 8 classes by April 7th and receive a free art kit. mymasterpiecestudio@comcasata.net

FIELD DAY COORDINATOR NEEDED - For all of the new families at Maplewood, Field Day is a day of fun and games for all of the students at Maplewood. This year, Field Day is Tuesday, June 6th, and we are currently in need of a parent, or group of parents who are willing to decide on the games, get the items needed for the games, and assign volunteers to work each station. I have a file full of game ideas for the coordinator. Preparation for Field Day is easy...and it's a fun event to be a part of! If you are interested in coordinating Field Day, please contact Kimmy Nadeau at 503-245-9750 or kimmy@easystreet.com.

Upcoming Events:
Mar 9 - PTA Meeting 6:30
Mar 13 – 16 Maplewood Spirit Week! (Includes Tuesday night Oaks Park Skating Night)
Mar 16 - Grading Period Ends
Mar 17 - Teacher Planning Day – NO SCHOOL
Mar 24 - Elementary/Middle School Transfer Deadline
Mar 27 - 31 Spring Break!
April 3 - First Day back from Spring Break

Principal Notes Feb. 17, 2006

SCHOOL CLOSED – Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (Feb. 20, 21, 22)!! As a reminder, all Portland Schools will be closed those three days for Presidents’ Day and for Teacher Workshops!


FOURTH GRADERS THANK YOU! - The fourth grade teachers and students would like to thank the Maplewood community for supporting our See's candy sale. Because of your generosity, we are able to reduce the cost of the Oregon Trail Overnight trip we take in the spring. This year's sale was a great success due to your support. Thank you! - Liberty Jones, 4th Grade Teacher


PROJECT SECOND WIND - Each month thousands of children in our state receive emergency food assistance through Oregon Food Bank Network. Project Second Wind gives students an important opportunity to aid their peers and learn about the issue of hunger. March 6-10th, Student Council member will be assisting their classes with collecting food and money for Project Second Wind. For every $1 donated, Oregon Food Bank can collect and distribute 6 pounds of food that has an $8 value and funds programs that address the root causes of hunger. Or you can help by donating needed food items like tuna, pasta, rice, canned beans, and canned fruit. Let’s make this year’s food drive a huge success!


LIFESKILL - As the students learn more about the various skills that will help them travel through life, they will explore the Lifeskill of Effort is a crucial ingredient; it may be the determining factor between success and failure. While effort alone doesn’t create achievement, it keeps us moving toward that goal. Therefore, any way we can nurture the development of this behavior in children, will surely increase their quality of living. Students will learn to: ~ Identify the attributes of personal effort ~ Identify and observe citizens who are models of the LIFESKILL of Effort ~ Identify effort as both process and product; the way we work and the outcome of that work. Ways you can help at home to emphasize the LIFESKILL of Effort include: ~ Share personal examples of times when you, as parents, have used the LIFESKILL of Effort ~ Teach your child how to create a timetable for short- and long-term projects·~ Discuss with your family examples of the LIFESKILL of Effort on the evening news. By working in partnership, schools and parents can stress the importance of effort for a successful life. From: Jenny Pitts, Character Ed. Specialist



Yearbooks - Yes, Yearbooks – A bit of news for you …

Yearbooks are still available for pre-order. They will arrive in May 2006 and we wanted to be able to give you the opportunity to pre-pay and therefore pre-reserve your copy.

If you have been collecting pictures already and wish to submit them, please put them in an envelope and address to YearBook c/o PTA. Please let us know who submitted them and from which classroom the photos came. Any photos we cannot use we do our best to return to you in March. We use as many as we can in 8 candid pages trying to capture the smiling faces of as many students as possible. Ideas: carnival, picnic, singing events, staff and classroom projects.

Thanks, Cathie Dainton Piacente, Wendy Rodakowski, & Melissa Gagliano

SCRIP – A reminder that an effective, free way to have money donated to Maplewood is by using Scrip when you go to buy from local businesses. Please take a close look at the Scrip offerings to see how they could be useful to you. People are also now looking for ways to make the purchasing be even more convenient!!

Upcoming Events:
Feb 20 - Presidents’ Day – NO SCHOOL
Feb 21 - Professional Development Day – NO SCHOOL
Feb 22 - Professional Development Day – NO SCHOOL
Mar 2 - Read Across America all day
Mar 9 - PTA Meeting 6:30
Mar 13-16th- Maplewood Week
Mar 16 - Grading Period Ends
Mar 17 - Teacher Planning Day – NO SCHOOL
Mar 27 - 31 Spring Break!

REMINDER - SCHOOL IN SESSION FOR MAPLEWOOD, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3^RD!

SEE’S CANDY BAR SALE – 4^th Grade Fundraiser will start on Wednesday, February 1^st and continue through Thursday, February 16^th!! The bars will be sold for $1.50 each. The bars will be sold daily from 7:45 – 8:00 a.m. in front of the school. All money will go to help reduce the 4^th grade overnight fieldtrip cost. Thank you, Ms. Jones, 4^th grade teacher.

MATH NIGHT!! – Tuesday, February 7th from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Come see presentations from students and teachers on Math instruction. (See flyer on back of hard copy that was sent home with students, or information on previous posts)

MAPLEWOOD COFFEE - Reminder that Maplewood Coffee is now available for delivery to you on a monthly basis, at a reduced cost. Fresh roasted coffee from the Portland Roasting Company is only $9 a pound with a standing monthly order, and over 40% of that goes directly to the school! We have Dark Roast, Light Roast, Organic Sumatran, or Swiss Water Process Decaffeinated available in either whole bean or ground. Order forms are available in the office, or you may place an order by email at maplewoodcoffee@yahoo.com or by calling Michele Zwartjes at 245-1871. Payment is due the last Friday of each month (January 27th this month), and coffee orders of less than 4 pounds will come home with your child on the first Friday of the following month (February 3 for the next order). Provide us with an email address and we will send you a friendly reminder before your next order. Single bags of coffee are also available for purchase at $10 a pound (whole bean only) in the office and also at Thinker Toys, Fat City Cafe, and Annie Bloom's Books. You're paying this much for good coffee anyway -- why not buy Maplewood Coffee and support your school at the same time? Thank you for your support! Michele Zwartjes

Upcoming Events:

Jan 30 - All School Assembly “Pam Flowers” @ 1:00 pm

Feb 7 - Math Night – 5:50 – 8:00 pm

Feb 9 - PTA Meeting @ 6:15 pm

Feb 20 - Presidents’ Day – NO SCHOOL

Feb 21 - Professional Development Day – NO SCHOOL

Feb 22 - Professional Development Day – NO SCHOOL

Principal Notes Jan. 20, 2006

My Absence from School for 2 Weeks - As I announced just yesterday at the PTA meeting, I will be need to be out of state for the next two weeks, with a substitute Principal in my place. My daughter was hospitalized last week for problems with the baby she was expecting in April; she was going to be on complete bedrest for quite awhile, but 3 days ago had an emergency C-section and gave birth to a beautiful boy! The good news is that even though he was very premature, and weighed only 2 lbs., 4 oz., Calvin appears to be very healthy for his stage of life! (Whew!). But my daughter’s family will need me to help for awhile, as Calvin will be in the NICU in the Miami hospital for up to 12 weeks. I am very happy that the staff has been so supportive here in assuring me they can keep this school running smoothly, but am also grateful that I will have Michaelene Wilcox here in my place. She just recently retired as a Principal from Markham, and prior to that was Principal at Sunnyside and before that was a Supervisor in the ESL program. Feel free to contact Michaelene here if you have any questions or concerns – she is highly experienced, energetic, and a wonderfully positive person! Thank you for your patience with me, as I have been pretty occupied with this process the last two weeks!

Attention! Reminder! Maplewood's Read-Aloud-Athon, Friday, January 27th - Maplewood's Annual Read-Aloud-Athon will be held next Friday morning, January 27th, at 9 a.m. Students will read for 15 minutes and volunteers will tally the number of pages each student read and record the number on the pledge sheet. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR STUDENT BRINGS THEIR PLEDGE SHEET TO SCHOOL NEXT FRIDAY, JANUARY 27TH. If you have misplaced your pledge sheet, there are extra forms in the Maplewood office, or just write the name of your sponsor(s) and the pledge amounts on a piece of paper and have your student bring it to school on Friday, January 27th. Remember, the money we raise will be used to benefit Maplewood directly. Thank you for your support.

After School Art Classes in February – My Masterpiece Studio, an after school, arts enrichment program with courses devoted to the importance of expression through exploration with different art mediums is here. Expect the unexpected when students create with mixed media! Students learn techniques using paint, clay, pastel collage and more. “Animals in Art” is on Wednesdays in February. There are only a few spaces left for this four week session, so register now while space is available at mymasterpiecestudio@comcast.net

Wilson Area Arts Council Book Drive - The Wilson Area Arts Council (WAAC) is sponsoring an art book drive. We are seeking new or used books, posters, calendars and supplies related to art, i.e. specialty books on art history and art movements, art techniques, famous artists, and posters and calendars reproducing the works of great artists. We would also appreciate any of your home or business’s surplus supplies (e.g. paper) that could be used in classrooms for art projects. Our goal is to build up our new Art Resource Center. This room, when completed, will be available to anyone who is involved in the teaching or some other manner of support for the visual arts in the schools in our cluster. We are interested in any media piece in this wide range of interest. Please donate your item even if you are unsure of its usefulness to us. Should you have any questions, please contact Rosanne Keller, 503.984.3208 or rmkellerinpdx@hotmail.com A box labeled “WAAC Book Drive” will be located in the school office until March 17th. Donation slips will be attached to the box. Donation receipts are available upon request. Thank you for your generosity! The Wilson Area Arts Council is an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, encouraging and enhancing arts education in the Wilson Cluster K-12 schools.

A funding update from Bobbie Regan and David Wynde, School Board Co-Chairs:
When the three-year county income tax expires in June, Portland Public Schools and our neighboring school districts will face a significant loss in their budgets. For PPS, we're faced with $57 million in budget cuts in 2006-07: $50 million lost from the income tax and $7 million of cuts that we deferred last year.
Those new reductions would come on top of cuts made last year, when the local option property tax expired and state desegregation funding ended. Those $25 million in cuts included the elimination of 245 teaching positions and significant reductions to central staff supporting students in our classrooms.
Over the last few weeks, parents, school district leaders, community representatives and local government leaders have been meeting, and a plan to address our school funding crisis is emerging. Although the final details are not decided, this is the outline of the proposal under discussion:
* A funding measure on the May 2006 ballot would support stable and adequate school funding for students across the city. * The City of Portland has stepped up to help (thank you, Mayor Potter!), after the Legislature failed to provide adequate funding, the regional tax discussion faltered, and the County Commission ruled out the possibility of a funding solution for all students in the county.
* All funds raised through a local funding measure would pay for teaching positions and other direct support to schools; none of the money would be used on central office administration. For PPS, the funding levels under discussion would prevent further cuts to school staff, and might even restore some teaching jobs cut last year.
* Five Portland school districts would benefit: Centennial, David Douglas, Parkrose, Reynolds and Portland Public Schools. Each is losing 12 to 18 percent of their operating General Fund as the county income tax expires.
* The new funding proposal will be a Portland city income tax targeted only to schools, would cost less than the expiring county tax, and would include stringent accountability requirements. The business community would share responsibility for maintaining Portland's strong public schools.
* The funding proposal would ensure our most important promise: To provide Portland's children with the quality education they deserve. At this point, the Portland City Council is expected to vote to refer a measure to city voters as soon as February 1.
You may also learn more about this effort by contacting HOPE, at Doug@hope4schools.org We will keep you posted as this evolves and look forward to working with you to ensure a great school district 100% focused on raising student achievement!

Bobbie Regan and David Wynde
School Board Co-Chairs

Upcoming Events:
Jan 27 - Read Aloud-A-Thon
Jan 30 - All School Assembly “Pam Flowers” @ 1:00 pm
Feb 7 - Math Night – 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Feb 9 - PTA Meeting @ 6:15 pm
Feb 20 - Presidents’ Day – NO SCHOOL
Feb 21 - Professional Development Day – NO SCHOOL
Feb 22 - Professional Development Day – NO SCHOOL

Principal Notes 01-06-06

Full Day Kindergarten Sign-Up Begins January 13th - If you know that Full Day is the option you desire for your child for next fall, we will begin taking names on our sign-up list on Friday morning, January 13th, which is the day following the Schools Celebration. This is for people who are committing to coming to school here for Kindergarten in the fall. You can come to the parent meeting (see next item below) to hear information on Jan. 19th first, if you like, before signing up your child for our list.

Parents! - Kindergarten Information Meeting - January 19, 2006 at 3:00 here! - This “adults-only” meeting is to give you information on our Half-Day and our Full-Day Kindergarten options for next fall. There will be presentations from our two teachers, and a chance to ask questions, or to register for the fall. If you know of other people interested in coming to Maplewood’s kindergarten, be sure to tell them to attend that day. Later in the spring, we will host an Open House to give the students a chance to come and see their class, meet future classmates, and meet their teachers.

Another Way to Get to Know Your Schools - The Portland Schools Celebration will be held this Thursday, January 12th at the Oregon Convention Center from 5:30 - 8:30 pm. Every school and program in PPS (including Maplewood) will be there so that you can meet some representatives from the schools and ask them questions. Middle Schools and High Schools will also be there, so if you are thinking of looking at some secondary options, it is an easy way to see it. You can read more about this program at their website at http://159.191.14.139/.docs/pg/10567 or by calling 916-3304.

School Transfer Timelines – PPS will only accept School Choice Transfer applications this year between Feb. 1st and March 24th (for Middle Schools and Elementary); it is between Feb. 1st and Feb. 17th(for High School)

Wheels on Shoes Not Allowed in School - A reminder to you that if students have the type of shoes with built-in wheels, they are not allowed to have the wheels exposed while on school grounds, on the buses, or at bus stops for obvious safety reasons.

Scrip Program Meeting - This Tuesday night, Jan. 10th, from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the library, we'll have a meeting for people interested in helping expand/support the Scrip program. Several parents have realized that this is a "no cost" way to raise money for school (as people buy certificates that they use at many stores and get full dollar-for-dollar value, and the school is paid a percentage by the Scrip program). This program has been run by a very small number of parents, and we would like to discuss how the program could be expanded if we could have other people add their assistance. If you would like to participate, come that night, or notify me of your interest!


January Character Education Program Update

Student Council: Prior to the winter break and during the next week, Maplewood has been selecting a new Student Council. The purpose of the council is to plan and organize service-learning projects and discuss school climate issues. 3rd through 5th grade classes will select one or two representatives. The method of selecting a representative will vary from class to class; some classes are having students vote for the individuals who show leadership and listening skills, are creative and organized, and will best represent their class. The council will meet every Wednesday from 11:30 to 12:15 pm starting January 11th and ending in June. On these days, council members will eat their lunch not in the cafeteria, but in the Student Council meeting space. The students who are interested in participating need parent support. Your child may have already talked to you about this and brought the permission slip home. As a part of the Character Education grant, I will be facilitating these weekly meetings and assisting the council with their goals and activities.

Lifeskills: To date we have focused on four Lifeskills: Friendship, Cooperation, Responsibility, and Caring. This month we are talking about the Lifeskill Integrity. In my discussion with students, we have observed that many of the attributes of individual Lifeskills relate to another Lifeskill as well. They are learning that the Lifeskills are intertwined and do not stand alone. Often you can see students showing many Lifeskills in just one act. It has been fun for me to see how much the students at Maplewood already know and use these skills!

Friendship Groups: I will be facilitating two small groups starting the end of January. The goal of these groups is to support and promote strong communication and friendship skills. Students will meet weekly to participate in informal discussions and activities. The activities we have planned promote positive personal growth. The groups will meet 1x per week, 30 minutes each session, for 8 weeks. Space is limited. If you are interested in having your child in one of these groups, please contact me at the number below.

Parent Resource Library: Thank you for all of your book suggestions! We have already placed the order and the books should be arriving soon. More on this in future updates!

If you have any questions, please contact me at (503) 916-6308.

Jenny Pitts, Character Education Specialist



Reminder on some unusual days coming up:
Monday, January 16 - NO SCHOOL (for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
Friday February 3rd – Maplewood Students DO attend school, but the students in the rest of Wilson Cluster do not go to school that day.

Upcoming Events:
Jan 16 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday – NO SCHOOL
Jan 12 - Schools Celebration 5:30 – 8:00 pm Convention Ctr.
Jan 19 - Kindergarten Info Session 3:00 to 4:00 pm here
Jan 27 - Read Aloud-A-Thon

December 16 Principal Notes

Kindergarten Information - Yes, it is that time of year to think about Kindergarten Options for children for next fall. One way to get great information is through the new district website on Early Education at www.earlyed.pps.k12.or.us Spread the word to friends and local day care and pre-schools that there are some events coming:

• School Celebration – Thursday, January 12^th from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Convention Center. We will have a booth at that center, and you can meet us and ask questions about our school and program.
• Maplewood Kindergarten Information Session – This session is for adults, scheduled for Thursday, January 19^th from 3:00 to 4:00 at Maplewood. You will hear the teachers and I give information on our curriculum, on how to register, and about our half-day and full-day options for next fall.

All Day Kindergarten Sign-Up Begins January 13th - In looking ahead at decisions and deadlines, begin spreading the word to parents that the sign-up for Maplewood's All Day Kindergarten for the fall of 2005 will start the day after the School Celebration (see above). Sign-up will be on a first-come, first-served basis. You will be able to get information on our program at the School Celebration at the Memorial Coliseum on the evening of January 12th, and also at Maplewood's Kindergarten Information Meeting here at Maplewood on January 19th at 3:00. The tuition for this fee-for-service program will be $2,187 per year, unless you qualify for tuition waivers (if you qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch – we have applications). We will not accept any sign-ups before January 13th! This day (January 13^th) will be the first day that applications for school transfer will be allowed by the district.

Maplewood Choir on the Radio – We were recorded, and will be broadcast on December 24 at 4 p.m. by KBPS (on the dial at 1450 am).

Maplewood Flag – Please remember that if you are traveling abroad this Winter Break, you might want to take the Maplewood Flag with you to take a picture of it! So far I have pictures from Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, and Honduras. Anyone interested just needs to leave me a note in my mailbox or email me at my PPS address: asmith3@pps.k12.or.us Amanda

Lifeskill of “Integrity” is theme for January – This next LIFESKILL is perhaps the most important of all. Most of us, at sometime in our lives, have had to deal with the pain and destruction that takes place when people around us lack integrity. We have also enjoyed the company of people with high integrity. Over the years we have collected pictures of the qualities we would like our children to have. We define the LIFESKILL of Integrity as: “To act according to a sense of what’s right and wrong”. To support students’ development of the LIFESKILL, we will: Role play situations that require integrity and discuss possible choices; Continue to focus on problem-solving strategies; Brainstorm the attributes of people with integrity; Find and examine examples of integrity in our community As parents raising young children in an ever more complex world, there are things you can do to support character development at home. Here are a few ideas: Read and share favorite family stories that explore what’s right and wrong; Insist that your child return borrowed items to their original owner; Teach your child to make promises only when he/she can carry them out. Teach your child to walk away from peer group pressures to do negative things. Given what our children will experience in the course of their lives, much rides on their knowing right from wrong and having the courage to do what’s right. We, as educators, are here to support you in your quest to raise a respectful, caring, and trustworthy child, a person of integrity.

Traffic Safety – Traffic Drop-Off Changes – Starting in January, I will begin directing traffic at the morning drop-off time in a slightly different manner. We will begin directing cars to make no “U-Turns at the drop-off area. Specifically, we’ll designate the turn-out to be the drop-off area for northbound (school side of the street) traffic, and ask southbound traffic to drop-off students just before the crosswalk. This will avoid cars crossing over the double yellow line and endangering the students/people walking along the backstop area with wide-swinging cars. The specific directions will be:

• Northbound Traffic – Drop off students only in the swing-out area by the backstop. Do not drop them off in the bus zone, or in the street by the bus zone. After dropping them off, use right turn only to continue northbound.
• Southbound Traffic – Drop off students in the area just before the crosswalk and have the children immediately walk to the Safety Patrol that will be right in front of them. After dropping them off, continue southbound.
• Other – Many of you park the car and then walk the students to school; you can continue to do that as before, continuing to be careful of traffic!

S.O.S - Thank you for your donations to Maplewood’s Season of Sharing. With your contributions, five families received Scrip gift cards to Fred Meyer. Three of these families also received Thanksgiving dinners from Marco’s Restaurant. Thank you also to Marco’s for donating many of the dinners and allowing us to purchase the remaining dinners at a great discount. Thank you, The Parent Resource Committee

Yearbooks - Yes, Yearbooks – A bit of news for you …

Yearbooks are still available for pre-order. They will arrive in May 2006 and we wanted to be able to give you the opportunity to pre-pay and therefore pre-reserve your copy.

For standard non-personalized yearbook…. send $10.00

For personalized yearbooks……………… send $14.00*

* if the student did Not have their school photo taken by Lifetouch the personalized version is not available; personalized versions will have the students photo and name on the cover.

Checks should be made payable to Maplewood PTA

If your student joined Maplewood AFTER the school pictures were taken, we still include their photo in the Yearbook! We do our best to assure all new students through the end of February are included.
For all of the YearBook Helpers, ClassRoom Parents and those who said they would like to be involved with Class photo taking…we need to meet Tuesday, January 10^th at 12:30pm at Maplewood in Ms. Cynkar’s room.

If you have been collecting pictures already and wish to submit them, please put them in an envelope and address to YearBook c/o PTA. Please let us know who submitted them and from which classroom the photos came. Any photos we cannot use we do our best to return to you in March. We use as many as we can in 8 candid pages trying to capture the smiling faces of as many students as possible. Ideas: carnival, picnic, singing events, staff and classroom projects.

Thanks, Cathie Dainton Piacente, Wendy Rodakowski, & Melissa Gagliano

Best Regards,

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