october 1, 2013 volume iii, issue #8 in this issue...
TRANSCRIPT
October 1, 2013 Volume III, Issue #8
In This Issue
Principal's Letter
Family Fun Walk
Pancake Breakfast
School Picture Day
Student of Month
Science Update
Site Council Openings
PTA Meeting
State of School Address
Lunch Menus
Box Tops
Calendar HighlightsPlease check the website for the most completelisting of upcoming school events.
Thur 10/3 ‐ School Picture DayFri 10/4 ‐ Student of the Month, 8:30am, Little TheatreFri 10/4 ‐ Site Council Application DeadlineWed 10/9 ‐ Pancake Breakfast Pre‐Orders DueWed 10/9 ‐ Area C Meeting, 6:00‐8:00pmThur 10/10 ‐ State of School Address, 6:30pm, Media CenterThur 10/10 ‐ PTA Meeting, 6:30‐8:00pm, Media CenterSat 10/12 ‐ Family Fun Walk and Pancake BreakfastTue/Wed 10/15‐16 ‐ Parent‐Teacher ConferencesWed/Thur/Fri 10/16‐18 ‐ NO SCHOOLTue 10/22 ‐ Wendy's Night FundraiserTue 11/5 ‐ School Picture Retake Day
From the Desk of Principal FranksPrincipal Franks updates the Armatage community about the latest news,including staff observation, Site Council vacancies, and bus behavior.Read her letter attached to the end of this newsletter.
FAMILY FUN WALK NEWS
Family Fun Walk Preparations in Full SwingReturn Those Bibs by this Friday (Oct 4th) and Start Gathering Pledges!The Family Fun Walk is just 11 days away... Are you ready? First priority:Return your race bibs by this Friday, October 4th. The class with the highestnumber of bibs returned by Friday will win a bagel breakfast.
Pledges are also starting to come in with with Room #113 in the lead toreach our goal ($50 raised per student.) All the information you need aboutthe Fun Walk, including the information already distributed in the originalpledge packets, are available on the website. Please be sure to turn in aticket for every $25 raised to help move your classroom ahead along the
hallway track poster at school. The classroom raising the most money for the Fun Walk will win apizza party and a $250 class prize of their choice!
Preparations are coming together for the day of the Fun Walk, and while theusual activities will be there, expect some new twists and surprises this year ‐you won't want to miss this day of fun with classmates, friends, teachersand families, all to celebrate our beloved school!
Family Fun Walk Volunteers NeededThere are still several volunteer openings for the Family Fun Walk onOctober 12th. If you're planning on attending the walk, please considersigning up for a SHORT, one hour shift! There are many different jobsavailable and it's a fun and easy way to support your child's school!Please visit this Jooners sign‐up link on the website and find a job thatworks for you!
Pancake Breakfast Tickets for Pre‐OrderDon't forget to pre‐order your tickets for the Family Fun Walk PancakeBreakfast. You'll save money and time standing in line if you sign up now!Prepaid forms are due October 9th. If you need another one, there's a PDFof the order form on the website.
HAPPENING THIS WEEK
School Picture Day Thursday Picture Day will be October 3rd. All students will be photographed, but onlythose who have turned in order forms and payment on picture day will beable to purchase portrait packages. Visit the website for more information.
LAST CHANCE for Family Directory Paper Copy Deadline to Request Print Version is Friday, October 4thOur family directory is a wonderful resource to stay connected with otherArmatage families. It is available online. Unlike in previous years, printeddirectories will only be provided to families that make a request. To request aprint version of the directory, send an email to [email protected].
Student of the MonthFriday, October 4th, 8:30 am, Little TheaterThe first Student of the Month celebration is this Friday. Congratulations to theSeptember students. Student of the Month Event Needs Volunteers We are still a few volunteers short for this week's Student of the Monthceremony. (Volunteers are still needed for other months as well.) Please email parent volunteerchair Sally Rollin if you can help this month and or in the future. More info about this opportunity
is also posted on the volunteer page online.
Science Update from Justine WhiteOur science specialist, Justine White, shares what's going on in the scienceclassroom, including learning about starfish in grades 4/5. Check out her updateon the website.
Two Parents Needed for Site Council OpeningsApplication Deadline is October 4thThe Armatage Site Council is currently looking for 2 parents interested in fillingvacancies created by fifth grade parents leaving after last year. This is a two‐yearcommitment and a wonderful opportunity to get involved. Read more on the website.
PTA Meeting Next WeekThursday, October 10th, 6:30‐8:00pm, Media CenterPlease join us for the PTA Meeting next week on October 10th. The agendawill be available next week and will include the State of the School address(see below).
State of the School AddressThursday, October 10th, 6:30, Media CenterJoin Principal Franks as she addresses the State of the School in the mediacenter. She will discuss the current and future issues affecting the ArmatageSchool community. Child care is available. More information online.
What's for Lunch?The Armatage website has updated district lunch menus for the month, as wellas Pay Pams account information, and other convenient lunch details. Click thelink on the upper right corner of the website.
Box Tops Make a Difference, One Dime at a TimeDrop at Door 5 or 15*, or Bring to the Fun Walk! Please remember to keep collecting and turning in General Mills Box Topsfor Education. Ten cents per box top doesn't seem like much, but it reallyadds up quickly. Consider asking grandparents to collect tops as well.There are labeled collection boxes by Doors 5 and 15. Box Tops will also be collected at the FamilyFun Walk on October 12th. Armatage families raise hundreds of dollars each year through the BoxTops program. *(Last week we erroneously printed that there was a collection point in the mediacenter. We apologize for the error.)
Thank You Bulletin BoardDo you know someone ‐‐ parent, staff member, or community member ‐‐ who deserves recognition? Submit a Thank You Note of your own. See others' notes on the website.
Keep in Touch via FacebookThe Armatage Montessori Facebook page is a great place tosuggest informal gatherings, promote events that may be ofinterest to Armatage families, and keep up with the schoolcommunity. LIKE us on Facebook.
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Armatage Montessori PTA | 2501 W. 56th Street | Minneapolis | MN | 55410
Mission: To create a learning environment that fosters academic achievement, a love of learning, and respect for self and others and our world.
2501 W. 56th Street Joan Franks Minneapolis, MN 55410 Principal Phone: 612-‐668-‐3180 Fax: 612-‐668-‐3190 October 1, 2013 Dear Armatage Families, We are through the first month of school and it feels like everything is starting to settle down. It is a bit bizarre that the last day of September was in the eighties, but I suppose the longer the thermostat hovers around the eighties the longer it is before the snow flies. I am thrilled to have the windows open and the fresh air blowing into the classrooms.
* * * * * Last week we posted a request for parents to please let me know if you are interested in filling two vacant Site Council positions. So far, there has only been one parent who has volunteered, so please let me know if you are interested in this two year commitment to Armatage. The Site Council will meet from 2:15-‐3:15pm on the following dates: Nov 5th, Jan 7th, Mar 4th, and Apr 8th. The Armatage Site Council will serve as a communication link between members of the school community by:
• Gathering Information • Sharing Information • Identifying concerns • Helping solve problems • Serving as part of a decision making process • Supporting and promoting programs, activities and other learning opportunities for students • Evaluating school goals and activities
* * * * * On Thursday, October 10th I will be presenting the State of the School update at the PTA meeting. This is an opportunity to hear about the Strengths, Challenges and Climate of the building. The presentation should last about an hour. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
* * * * * You may recall last year I spent a lot of time in the newsletters addressing the topic of SOEI (Standards of Effective Instruction) which of the evaluation process the district has adopted for all licensed staff. This year the process is very similar however, there are two distinct changes:
• Paul Scanlon replaced Jessica Wrobleski as our new instructional specialist • Half the staff will receive a full observation this year (all staff received one last year)
Paul has begun to visit classrooms in an “unofficial” capacity in order for the students to become familiar with him and vice versa. In the next week or so he will begin to do short and focused observations. I have begun doing the short observations and am thrilled with what I am seeing take place in the classrooms. As part of making sure there is inner
rater reliability, once a month Paul will be leading the staff through a discussion about the domains so that all of us have a clear understanding of the criteria for each element of the observation.
* * * * * Touring season has begun. Last Friday a family flew in from California to tour Armatage School. They have not made a final decision as to whether or not they are going to leave California (I chose not to tell them about our winters), but they did say that they want Armatage as their school should they choose to relocate. I want to thank all the Armatage parents who are giving so much time to give tours to prospective families. The tours are generally the first experience a family has with our school and our volunteers do a phenomenal job answering questions, providing information, and helping them understand the difference between Montessori and traditional education.
* * * * * I am beginning to receive an abundance of bus referrals for unacceptable behaviors. Most of the referrals are related to students getting out of their seats, moving around, and not following the bus driver’s instructions. I have shared with the students that if the bus driver is looking in the mirror at kids moving around, s/he has to take her/his eyes off the road which could result in problems. Please talk with your child/ren about the importance of staying seated throughout the duration of the bus ride in order to keep everyone safe.
* * * * * The Family Fun Walk is approaching quickly and we want you to be a part of this great school event. This is a time to meet other families, have a wonderful breakfast and support the PTA fundraiser. Rumor has it the 4/5 teachers are once again going to sit in the dunk tank to help raise money for the spring camping trip. I look forward to seeing you at the Family Fun Walk (be sure to wear your walking shoes). Welcome to October! Sincerely,
Joan franks, Principal