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The Twain Times
A weekly newsletter from Mark Twain Elementary School |
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Mark Your Calendar |
September
9/6 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
9/7 - Library Volunteer Meeting, 7:30am
9/8 - Room Parent Meeting, 8:00am
9/9 - 5th Grade Parent Coffee, 8:00am
9/9 - Deadline for Directory
9/13 - Open House, 5:30pm
9/14 - Odyssey of the Mind meeting, 8:15am
9/14 - Dad's Club Meeting at Absolute Glassworks, 7pm
9/15 - Parent Enrichment, 6:30pm
9/19 - Odyssey of the Mind meeting, 8:15am
9/19 - International Pot Luck, 5:30pm
9/20 - Berry Hill Spirit Night
9/22 - Yearbook cover contest deadline
9/22 - Kinder Pizza Party, 5:30-7:00pm
9/27 - All Parent Meeting, 6:30pm
9/29 - Entertainment Book Sale begins (ends 10/4) |
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Thank You to Our
2011-2012
Corporate Sponsors | |
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Dear Parents,
The first few weeks of school are now over and as we settle in for the fall semester I want to encourage you to communicate with the classroom teachers if you have any questions about the structure of the class or just need general information. When we keep the lines of communication open we are able to operate more effectively and efficiently. One of the best ways for us to begin dialoguing with our teachers is to attend Open House! I hope that all of you will be able to attend the Open House on Tuesday, September 13th. Not only does this evening give you an opportunity to learn about what is happening in your child's classroom but it gives you a chance to meet the rest of the parents. In addition to the classroom teachers, all ancillary teachers and specialists will be in their rooms welcoming visitors.
Certain members of our staff serve as contact people for various aspects of the school. If you have questions, please contact the appropriate staff member for assistance. I have listed below some of these key people:
- Janelle Wade - Instructional Coordinator (all referrals for special services)
- Jackie Black - Magnet Coordinator (Extended Day, magnet)
- Colleen Jones - Special Education
- Jackie Norris - GT and Robotics
- Kathleen Blakeslee - IB Coordinator and GT for grades 3-5
Working together allows us to best meet the needs of your children. My door is always open so please don't hesitate to call if you need anything at all. "Our engagement with families depend on a sense of reciprocity and deep feelings of care, respect and commitment." Educational Leadership September 2011
Key Upcoming Dates:
September 13th - Open House, 5:30pm
September 15th - Parent Enrichment: Houston Playback Theater "We're All in this Together: Tales from a World School" (childcare provided) 6:30 pm
Have a great week!
Melissa Patin
Principal
mpatin@houstonisd.org |
| Message from our PTO President | |
Dear Mark Twain families,
Hope you had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! I want to remind everyone to please go online and register their contact information for the PTO at www.marktwainpto.org and click DIRECTORY. PTO membership is free and everyone who registers online will receive a Mark Twain Elementary Student Directory for the 2011-2012 school year. If 90% of the parents in your class register online by September 9th, the teacher will also receive a $25 gift card to use for his/her classroom.
Also, if you are able, please consider making a donation to our 'Friends and Family' campaign. These donations provide services, sponsor events and help purchase items not provided through HISD. If you make your donation by September 16, you will receive recognition in the school directory.
Please know that your participation, whether through membership, volunteer hours and/or monetary donations, is vital to building a strong community at Mark Twain. If you need extra copies of these forms, please email Stormy Hayes-Knipe at stormy@greenwoodking.com.
Tonight is the first PTO meeting of the school year (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.) and I hope that you will be able to attend. The PTO meetings are held in the library and everyone is invited. As always, babysitting will be provided.
Thank you for your ongoing support! Have a great week!
Best,
Deanna Sheaffer
President
Mark Twain PTO: United We Build Community
deannasheaffer@yahoo.com |
| Coffee with the Principal | | |
Join Ms. Patin and other grade level parents for coffee after drop-off. Reconnect with old friends and meet new ones.
- 9/9 - 5th Grade Parent Coffee, 8:00am
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| Submit Your Directory Information TODAY! | |
Have you heard about the online student directory? Register your families' contact information for the online and printed directories by visiting www.marktwainpto.org and clicking DIRECTORY. All families (returning or new) must register their contact information by September 9th in order to be included in the printed student directory. And, as a bonus for registering by September 9th, you will receive a FREE printed directory. |
| Put a Smile on Your child's Face by Placing an Ad in the Student Directory | |
Support the printed directory by buying an ad today!! You can create your own parent ad or have the Directory Team create an ad for you. Click here to download the Parent Ad form. Business ads may also be purchased and ad revenue is used to cover printing costs. Click here to print the business ad from. Simply fill out the attached parent ad form or business ad form and return it to the PTO workroom by Friday, September 16th. Contact twaindirectory@hotmail.com if you have any questions. |
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| Library Volunteer Orientation Tomorrow | |
There will be a meeting on Wednesday, September 7th at 7:30am in the Library for those that are able to help with the school library this year. Due to morning announcements and classes in the library, we have moved the meeting to 7:30am before school. Mr. Deering will go over the procedures for helping in the library. Any and all help is greatly appreciated whether you have several hours a week or just a few minutes a week. It only takes a few minutes to reshelve books and help keep the library organized and efficient for our students to the best use out of this resource. If you are interested in volunteering, please come to the meeting or stop by the library and talk to Mr. Deering. |
| Dad's Club Meeting this Thursday, Sept. 8th! | | |
DATE CHANGE! We will hold our first Dad's Club meeting on Thursday, September 8th at 7:00 PM at Absolute Glassworks located at 4227 Bellaire (77025). We will spend no more than 15 minutes covering our agenda, we will then move next door to Woodrows for refreshments.
Important Dates:
- Spooky Spaghetti - October 22nd
- Dad's Campout - November 4th
- Golf Tournament- March 30, 2012
- Father Daughter Dance- May 12, 2012
I would really appreciate a lot of participation as we plan this year's events. The events hosted by the Dad's Club are important to both the PTO and the kids, I would love a good turnout.
Sam Smith, samsmith@fnf.com |
| Parent Enrichment, Sept. 15th at 6:30pm | | |
We're All In This Together: Tales from a World School
 Houston Playback Theatre kicks off our Parent Enrichment program with an exciting evening of improvisational theatre for grown ups. Enjoy a delightful evening as the true stories of the Twain community come to life through this unique form of theatre. A story, a thought, or even just a feeling shared ignites an evening filled with real life drama performed on the spot by the Playback actors. Throughout the performance, actor and audience alike are reminded of the many connections we all share, but often forget. Childcare provided.
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| Great Gifts Fall Fundraiser | | |
Going on Now! Great Gifts for everyone on your list for the upcoming holidays and birthdays! Lunch and duffel bags, bag tags, gift labels, notepads and more...ALL personalized! The best part is it supports Mark Twain PTO! Packets went home this past Tuesday in the Weekly Communication Folders, so be sure and check your child's backpack.
Order forms can be turned in to the parent workroom, but delay because the sale ends September 22nd. All orders will be delivered to your child's class in November before the Thanksgiving break.
Samples of many of the items are now on display in the library windows near the front office. Check them out and order today!
Still have questions? Contact Kris Edelheit at GiftQueen@aol.com or 713.666.9404. |
| International Dinner, September 19th, 5:30-7:30pm | | |
Come Celebrate Our Diversity & Meet Other Twain Families at the
International Dinner on Monday September 19th
5:30-7:30 pm in the school cafeteria
What to do: Bring a dish for 8-12 people to sample so everyone can share in tastes from around the world. No time to cook but want to come? Order a dish from one of our diverse neighborhood restaurants and join us.
What to wear: Everyone is welcome to dress up for the occasion in your country's traditional outfit/costume or soccer jersey, or other favorite outfit such as sport or band uniform or ballet outfit, etc.
Want to help set up, clean up and/or welcome people? Please contact Fabia Hill at fabia@live.com |
| Odyssey of the Mind | |
Odyssey of the Mind is is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level. OM offers kids the opportunity for creative artistic and technical expression, problem solving, teamwork, and increased self-confidence. To learn more, go to http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/learn_more.php
If you are interested in hearing about Odyssey of the Mind at Mark Twain, please come to one of the following informational meetings: Wednesday, September 14 or Monday, September 19 in the cafeteria immediately following drop-off. For additional information please contact Tonya Crombie at tonyacrombie@comcast.net
If you are interested in coaching an Odyssey team, please mark your calendar for the Houston-area coaches training session on Saturday, October 8th at Sharpstown International school, 8330 Triola Lane, Houston, TX 77036 . Registration begins at 7:30 AM and the session lasts from 8:00 AM until noon. For additional information, please contact Alice Reuter/Judy Moore at info@txodyssey.org. |
| Spooky Spaghetti is October 22nd, 4-8pm | | |
 The t-shirt design competition begins today! Students may enter their artwork to help design this year's Spooky Spaghetti t-shirt. There will be prizes given to the overall winner, as well as, a winner for each grade level. Competition deadline is Tuesday, September 20th at 3pm and the winners will be announced on Friday, September 23rd. Guidelines for the t-shirt design are as follows:
One design per student, up to 5 colors may be used, use markers or bold crayons. Please include your name, grade and teacher on the back. If you would like it returned to you, write "return" on the back.
Pre-order your tickets, wristbands and t-shirts to avoid the lines at the event beginning September 26th.
For volunteer opportunities and generator loans, please contact Jenny Hanks at j_hanks@att.net or Allyson Plummer at allysontplummer@yahoo.com. |
| Corporate Sponsors | | |
Thank you so much to our list of Corporate Sponsors for 2011-2012. Our Corporate Campaign is an important part of our overall PTO fundraising program. This is the sixth year we have partnered with businesses in our community to raise funds for teacher, student, classroom and technology support, curriculum enrichment, staff appreciation, facility enhancements such as the new Huckleberry Park (garden and outdoor classroom) as well as our playground project (phase II) and much more as we move into the new school year.
We invite you to become our corporate partner and enrich the educational experience of each child by making a tax-deductible donation to the Mark Twain PTO. Click here to view the Corporate Campaign letter. Click here to view the giving levels, associated benefits and form to become a 2011-2012 Corporate Partner.
Support from our business community is an important part of our fundraising efforts!! If you would like more information regarding becoming a corporate sponsor, contact Jennifer Castillo at: castillojeneric@sbcglobal.net. |
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Join the Friends and Family Campaign | |
Our Friends & Family Campaign is an important part of our overall PTO fundraising program. This year we will raise funds for teachers, students, classrooms as well as technology support, curriculum enrichment, staff appreciation, facility enhancements, IB certification, teacher training and much more. Funds raised through our Friends & Family campaign in August and September help support programming early in the academic year such as teacher start-up funds, communication vehicles and event expenses.
Please consider supporting these endeavors and more by making a tax-deductible donation to the Mark Twain PTO and participating in our Friends & Family Campaign. For online donations go to: https://www.onlineregistrationcenter.com/register.asp?m=216&c=49. Orclick here to print out the form and for information regarding giving levels and associated benefits as well as information on Corporate Matching Gift Programs. Please return the form along with your gift by Friday, September 16, 2011.
In advance, we thank you for your support! - Stormy Hayes-Knipe, VP Membership |
| Yearbook News for 2011-2012 | |
Yearbook Cover Contest - Win a Free Yearbook
It's competition time! The student competition for this year's yearbook cover design starts now. We need your artwork so the Contest Committee can choose the most creative and unique artwork that best demonstrates our theme:
- Twain Tales: Artwork should show our school and what it means to you, other students and the community.
- Deadline: Entries must be received by 9/22/2011 by 3:00 pm. Please place entries in the brightly covered box in the front hallway.
- Artwork: Must be on 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper in portrait orientation. Artwork should be bright and colorful and reflect our theme: Twain Tales. You must put your name, grade and teacher's name on the back of the artwork.
- Questions?: email: marktwainyearbook@yahoo.com or call 713.256.0852
Back to School Photos Needed!
Did you take pictures of your kids first day of school? Please send them to the yearbook directors at marktwainyearbook@yahoo.com or you may copy them to a drive or cd and place them in the yearbook box in the parent workroom.
Photos throughout the School Year
Remember, in order to have a great yearbook we need your pictures. Please send them throughout the year. When submitting photos, please advise us of the grade and teacher. Thank you. |
| Kindergarten-3rd Grade Chance to Win a Classroom Pizza Party! | | |
September is National Literacy Month. To celebrate this event, HEB is collecting gently-used books to donate to the local community. Beginning Wednesday, September 7, HEB will have collection bins in the Media Center at Mark Twain. Students may place their donation of gently-used books in the collection bins between September 7 and 19. HEB bags will be provided for the donations. Parents will need to complete the form (Student's name, grade and teacher) and place the form in the bag along with the donation. The class from each grade level that donates the most books wins a Pizza Party. The collected books will be distributed to children during H-E-B's "Feast of Sharing" on Sunday, December 11 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. |
| Early Robotics at Twain | | |
Early Robotics - Coaches Needed
The coach's responsibilities include: encouraging a team atmosphere, teaching the team the fundamentals of building which can be accomplished by simply having the team complete the LEGO® Simple Machines Activities, organizing the construction of the playing field, and organizing the team's participation at events. Furthermore, to be a coach, engineering skills are NOT necessary. If you are interested in coaching, please contact Jackie Norris via email at jnorris3@houstonisd.org
Robotics - Grades 3 - 5
Mark Twain's Robotics is beginning to plan for the new year. If your child is interested in being part of this team, please fill out an application. To obtain an application, please see Jackie Norris. Teams are selected via a lottery system. |
| IB at Mark Twain - Actions Speak Louder Than Words | | |
Here are a few excerpts from an article about the ACTION COMPONENT in PYP that the faculty read and discussed at our Wednesday meeting:
"The most important part of PYP action is daily classroom practice. Smaller everyday actions provide ongoing reflection and develop deeply embedded pattern of thought and action."
"Children's experiences around school and playgrounds are profoundly significant and draw on their feelings about fairness and justice."
"It is important that children learn to make meaningful choices, to think for themselves and take responsibility. Actions only have an enduring impact when they affect a student's inner conviction, which requires genuine choice and genuine responsibility."
"Actions Speak Louder than Words" by Simon Davidson, in Taking the PYP Forward.
If you would like a copy of the article, please contact Ms. Blakeslee, KBLAKESL@houstonisd.org. Thank you! |
| Box Tops for Education | |
 As you are getting breakfast ready and packing lunches, don't forget to clip the Box Top coupons found on hundreds of participating products. Each coupon is worth $.10 and will earn cash for our school. Last year, Mark Twain received over $2,000 from the Box Top coupons that were collected throughout the year.
The goal for the 2011-2012 school year is for each student to turn in 30 Box Top coupons,which is a total of 21,600 coupons. You can help by simply cutting the coupons and bringing them to your child's classroom or PTO workroom. There will be a designated Box Top container in both locations. Don't forget to get the kids involved in finding and clipping the Box Tops and by asking family and friends to save the coupons as well.
Not sure where to find Box Top coupons? Look on General Mills cereal, Pillsbury products, Betty Crocker products, Hefty products and more. Click here for a complete list of products.
The class that collects the most Box Tops throughout the year will win a pizza party as their reward! Thanks for helping and keep clipping! It's a free and easy way to earn money for our school. |
| School Store Help Needed | |
The School Store is looking for a few more volunteers to help run the store this year. We have open shifts on Monday and Tuesday mornings and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. This is a fun opportunity to meet lots of great people and provide a wonderful service to the whole school. Please contact Kathleen Fenoy at kathleenfenoy@yahoo.com or Vera Hashem at vhashem@gmail.com if you are interested or if we can answer any questions. |
| Rewards Programs | |
Help with Fundraising through Rewards Programs. The PTO is grateful to participate in programs which reward our school based on the customer loyalty and patronage of our families. A percentage of the proceeds spent are donated back to the school! For detailed information, visit our PTO website rewards page at: http://marktwainpto.org/fundraising/rewards-programs/
Here are some highlights:
- Box Tops - Clip these box tops and turn them in; see related article in this week's Twain Times.
- Kroger Rewards - Link your Kroger card to Mark Twain Elementary
- Randall's - Designate Mark Twain as a beneficiary on your Remarkable card
- Target Rewards - Go online to link your Target card to Mark Twain #98794
- School House Partners - Use a School House Partners home maintenance service provider and designate Mark Twain as your school. This local owned business connects homeowners to dependable, pre-screened home maintenance providers; painters, plumbers, landscapers, most everything pertaining to home maintenance. Schools receive 20% of what SchoolHouse Partners earns from referrals fees paid by the home maintenance provider.
- Office Depot - Link the Twain Elementary code #70097851 to your Office Depot reward card and the school gets 5% back.
- Bouquelle Cleaners - For the month of September, 20% of the purchases made by Mark Twain families and Staff will be donated to Mark Twain Elementary PTO. Bouquelle Cleaners, (Schnelle Family) has been providing dry cleaning and laundry services for 14 years in the Bellaire area located at 5118 Bissonnet (HEB Shopping Center); Bellaire, TX 77401 or call 713-666-3450.
- Drink Pouch Brigade® - Volunteer needed in order for us to participate in this program. Every year BILLIONS of drink pouches end up in dumpsters and landfills across America. TerraCycle, Capri Sun® and Honest Kids® are working together to put an end to this awful loss of resources. As an eco-friendly innovator, TerraCycle converts the drink pouch material into unique from tote bags and pencil cases to plastic lumber and pavers! TerraCycle is proud to team up with the largest producer of drink pouches in the country, Capri Sun, and a young organic entry into the market, Honest Kids, to help address this problem! Together with your help we CAN make a difference!
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| Order your Birthday Grams Today! | |
 Do you want to make your child feel special at school on their birthday?
Then sign up for a Birthday Gram to be delivered to their classroom! Forms are available in the Parent Workroom or may be completed online. Click here to order online now! (Please allow 4 days notice if ordering online.)
Questions or interest in helping to deliver B-day Grams please contact: Bea Davies at (713) 667-4644, beadavies@yahoo.com OR Marta Fonseca at (713) 667-3394, ed-n-marta@att.net. |
| Volunteers in the Schools (VIPS) New Procedures | |
HISD has implemented some new volunteer procedures for this school year. All returning volunteers must bring their driver's license to Vicky Sanchez in the school office to be cleared to volunteer.
"In an effort to provide the highest quality of safety in our schools and obtain updated volunteer information, there will be a change in procedures and guidelines for all returning volunteers currently registered in HISD's volunteer data system known as Volunteers In Schools Information Tracking System (VISITS). Effective Monday, August 22, 2011, all volunteers registered in the VISITS Application database prior to June 1, 2011 will be placed in INACTIVE Status in the VISITS database. In order for a returning volunteer to be removed from Inactive status and be identified as an ACTIVE volunteer for the 2011 - 2012 school year, he/she will need to show proof of an acceptable photo ID to the school's VISITS coordinator to verify and submit for the background check. Note: The returning volunteer will not need to register online again. Only volunteers with a Cleared status will be able to volunteer in HISD."
Finally, if you have your VIPS badge at home, please bring it back to the office. ALL volunteers must obtain their badge from the office and sign in. I realize that this may be a pain to those of you that are at the school a lot, however, it is for the safety of all of our children. You will no longer be allowed to flash your badge through the window. PLEASE, stop by the office, sign in, and obtain your badge. |
| Community Activities and News | | |
Chess Classes Available
Register now for Fall Chess classes.
- Grades 1-5, Wednesdays only right after school
- Total of 13 class sessions: beginning Sept. 21 and ending Dec.14
- Number of students: 20
- Fee: $91./student (13 classes)
- Classes held at Mark Twain or McGovern Library (TBD)
- Instructors: Ricardo Palmeira and Don Bryant
Parents must call Stephen Jacobs to register. Call the SJ Chess School at 832-582-0007.
Reading & Book Signing by Local Mom
West University mom, Natalie May Bolger, will be reading and signing her book The Grand Festive Picnic at Barnes & Noble on Holcombe on Wednesday, September 7 at 3:30 p.m. Natalie's book and her company Kids Love Life seek to promote friendship, celebration, positive thinking and other skills that support healthy self-esteem in kids. For more information: http://www.kidslovelife.com/.
Join Cub Scout Pack 34 now!
Cub Scout Pack 34 will be having their first meeting of the school year Thursday, September 8 at 6:00-8:00 pm at St. Mark's Episcopal School (3816 Bellaire Blvd). Mark Twain Elementary School is the largest source of boys for Cub Scout Pack 34. Pack 34 is a very active pack with over 100 families, 4 camping trips per year, pinewood derby, scout fair, and too many other opportunities to list. The Boy Scouts of America just celebrated its 100th anniversary and the skills it teaches such as leadership, communication, and organization are more relevant than ever. All boys who will be entering 1st through 5th grades in the Fall of 2011 are welcome to join. If you want to join or have any questions please email Cubmaster Sean O'Connor at oconnorhook@earthlink.net.
Westbury Soccer
Westbury Soccer Club offers a great soccer experience for elementary aged boys and girls. Teams are forming now. Register on-line at www.westburysoccer.org through September 15, 2011. Don't miss out on a wonderful opportunity. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the in-house director, Pat Huttenbach at phuttenbach@hirschwest.com. |
| Bookmark the NEW PTO Website! | |
Visit our NEW PTO Website at marktwainpto.org! Same address, new look, more information and online tools. We've been busy this summer building a new website to make it easier for our Mark Twain families to stay informed. We hope you will use this site as your "go-to" spot to find out what's for lunch, when/what is Spooky Spaghetti, where to register for birthday grams, and all things Mark Twain. |
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