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The Twain Times
A weekly newsletter from Mark Twain Elementary School |
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Mark Your Calendar |
October
10/7 - Turn in Entertainment Books and Money!
10/11 - Spirit Day and Night at Bullritos, 11am to 9pm
10/11 - Square 1 Art Fundraiser begins (ends 11/4)
10/12 - Parent Enrichment, Research Projects at Mark Twain, 8:15am in Ms. Blakeslee's room, G203
10/12 - Early Dismissal, 12:30pm
10/13 - Workroom Volunteers meet to help teachers
10/14 - Deadline to pre-order Spooky Spaghetti tickets
10/14 - Monthly Teacher Staff Appreciation Lunch, 12:30pm
10/17 - Individual School Photos for 5th Grade Students
10/18 - Individual School Photos for Kinder-4th Grade Students
10/18 - 10/21 - 5th Grade at Camp Olympia
10/20 - Workroom Volunteers meet to help teachers
10/22 - Spooky Spaghetti, 4-8pm
10/25 - Middle School Forum, 6:30pm
10/27 - Workroom Volunteers meet to help teachers |
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Thank You to Our
2011-2012
Corporate Sponsors | |
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 | October 11, 2011 | |
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Dear Parents,
Wednesday will be our first Early Dismissal Day at Twain for this school year. The school day will end at 12:30 p.m. for students. If your child participates in the Extended Day program you may pick them up at the same time that you usually do. Teachers will begin their Staff Development promptly at 1:00 p.m. and will not be available to conference with parents that afternoon. There will be another Early Dismissal day in November that will be designated a Parent Conference afternoon. More information regarding those conferences will be forthcoming.
The Shared Decision Making Committee (SDMC) had their first meeting last Tuesday. The SDMC acts as an advisory committee to the principal and is comprised of teachers, staff, parent and community representatives. The function of the SDMC is to review the district's educational goals, objectives, and major district wide classroom instructional programs. The responsibilities of the SDMC include:
- Develop recommendations for the school budget;
- Submit recommendations for the school curriculum;
- Recommend changes in the school's staffing patterns;
- Develop and approve the campus staff development plans;
- Develop, review, and revise the School Improvement Plan (SIP) for the purpose of improving student performance for all student populations (after principal approval of the SIP, the SDMC presents the plan to staff for approval);
- Review and make recommendations regarding the school's organizational structure, and
- Establish procedures to periodically obtain broad-based community, parent, and staff input.
The minutes of the SDMC meetings will be posted on the school website and copies will be filed in the SDMC notebook located at the school secretary's desk. If you would like to share any concerns or feedback with this committee there are forms available to do so in the office.
- If you have not yet made a donation for field trips, you can do so at anytime. Please see your child's teacher for more information.
- Volunteers must register online and then present a driver's license to Vicky Sanchez in the office to complete the process. Please take care of this so that you can fully participate in school activities with your child's class!!
- Fifth grade students will head to camp next week! If you have any questions, please see your child's teacher.
Have a wonderful week!
Melissa Patin
Principal
mpatin@houstonisd.org
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| Message from our PTO President | | |
Dear Mark Twain Families,
On behalf of the PTO, I would like to congratulate Kathleen Blakeslee on her new appointment to HISD IB/PYP Lead Coordinator (this is in addition to her current role at Mark Twain). She is incredibly dedicated to Mark Twain and our IB program and we are extremely proud of her and her accomplishments! In fact, I hope that you are planning to come to our Parent Enrichment program tomorrow morning (10/12) at 8:15 a.m. where Ms. Blakeslee will communicate to us how Twain students are being encouraged to be risk-takers in their pursuit of balanced and principled expertise through research projects. She will discuss the new research model our kids are learning to use for their projects.
Hopefully you have seen some of our signage around the school +Classroom, +Playground, +Table and +Bathroom. These awareness pieces are to provide visual reminders in significant areas where bullying and negative behaviors tend to happen. This is all part of a movement called +Works, a Houston-based, grass-roots, non-profit organization created to get ahead of America's bullying epidemic with positive talk and action. These program elements model and teach a renewed expectation for positive behavior, including saying 'no' to gossip and 'yes' to positive talk. There will be a +Works Community Night on Tuesday, October 11 from 6-8 p.m. at Chick-fil-A (Holcombe and Buffalo Speedway) and all our families are invited to attend. Or if you are in the mood for Mexican and burritos, it is Mark Twain Spirit Day all day at Bullritos (Weslayan @ Richmond) and they will donate a 20% of their proceeds from Mark Twain families back to our school.
Also, don't forget to order your Spooky Spaghetti tickets that are on pre-sale now through October 14 (Click here for ticket info)! Spooky Spaghetti is a fun Mark Twain tradition that our children look forward to every October...and the school is already getting in the spirit thanks to our fabulous Spooky Spaghetti "Scream Team" led by Jenny Hanks and Allyson Plummer.
Best,
Deanna Sheaffer, President
Mark Twain PTO: United We Build Community
deannasheaffer@yahoo.com
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| Restaurant Spirit Day/Night at Bullritos Oct. 11th | |
 Please join Mark Twain Families for a fun day and/or night out at Bullritos on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 from 11am until 9pm. Bullritos is located near Greenway Plaza at 3651 Weslayan @ Richmond (in the Costco Center). 20% of the profits generated by Mark Twain families will be donated to the PTO. Click here to print out the Bullritos Flyer for the PTO to receive credit.
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| Parent Enrichment, Wednesday October 12th | | |
Please join us for our next Parent Enrichment:
Mark Twain Research Plan
Wednesday, October 12, 8:15 am
Room G203 (Ms. Blakeslee's classroom)
Mark Twain students are learning new ways to be inquirers and thinkers through research projects. Parents, become knowledgeable about the new research model our kids are learning to use for their projects. Ms. Blakeslee will communicate to us how Twain students are being encouraged to be risk-takers in their pursuit of balanced and principled expertise.
Also, save the date for +Book Club, November 17, 8:15. We will discuss Raising Happiness by Christine Carter.
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| Turn In Your Entertainment Books! | |
 Please turn in your Entertainment Book and any money as soon as possible! Each book costs $25 and contains hundreds of money saving coupons. 50% OF EVERY PURCHASE GOES DIRECTLY TO MARK TWAIN! If you would like to buy the entertainment book, the purchase instructions are attached. If not, please send the book back to the school ASAP.
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| Digital Cameras Needed! | |
Attention Shutterbugs:  If you have a digital camera that you no longer use, we would love for you to donate it to the school.
We want this yearbook and future yearbooks to be filled with classroom pictures! The teachers will enlist the help of the students to capture classroom activities. The kids will be able to look through their yearbook and say "I took that photo". Having the students involved in the process will provide them a deep sense of accomplishment and "ownership," while allowing them to tell a story through their eyes.
If you can donate a camera or would like to purchase a new camera for your classroom, please contact the yearbook staff at marktwainyearbook@yahoo.com. The cameras are to remain the property of Mark Twain Elementary.
Thank you so much for supporting our school yearbook!
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| Spooky Scoop | |
Spooky Riddle of the Week:
Q. What do ghosts love to have for dessert?
Ticket Pre-Sales
The deadline for pre-sales is this Friday, October 14! Avoid event day lines and sell-outs by submitting your order form to the Parent Workroom or order on-line at www.onlineregistrationcenter.com/register.asp?m=216&c=53.
Parents - Get Signed Up - Volunteers and Donations Needed
- Volunteers are needed to do ticket sales, help in the kitchen and clean up after the event. Sign-up sheets are located on the bulletin board in the Parent Workroom, or contact Jenny Hanks at j_hanks@att.net or Allyson Plummer at allysontplummer@yahoo.com.
- Cake walk donations and drink coolers are needed! Bring confections to the school office and labeled coolers to the Parent Workroom 10/21 & 10/22.
Monstrous Thank You to
- Those who have donated to the Redemption Center.
- To the many artists who submitted t-shirt designs. Submissions can be retrieved from the Parent Workroom.
- The Chocolate Bar for the generous donation of gift cards for grade level winners of t-shirt design contest.
- Houston Print Factory for the generous donation of the Spooky banners.
Riddle answer: Ice Scream!
Click here to view the full Spooky Scoop e-mail blast.
*Spooky Spaghetti is a Mark Twain Elementary PTO fund raising carnival that necessitates parent participation and is open to the public. "Spooky" is a highly anticipated day for the students and a community building event. Please get involved and invite your neighbors! |
| Dad's Club Needs Your Help! | |
Our duty as Dad's Club is to provide the Haunted House, Security and Clean up for one of the school's biggest events. The HH Crew will arrive at 10:00 AM on Saturday the 22nd and leave when the house is finished (4-5 Hours). That same crew will alternate operating the Haunted house from 6-8. Security will be 2-3 volunteers working 1 hour shifts from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Clean up will work from 9:00 PM on to help break down the HH and all other spooky items. Please email me (samsmith@fnf.com) to help or go to our web based sign up page at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/spooky16 to sign up for a shift. We really need a good turn out to make this run smooth.
Questions? Contact, Sam Smith, Cell: 713-240-8282 or samsmith@fnf.com
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| +Works Community Night, Tuesday, October 11th, 6-8pm | |
Tuesday,October 11 * 6-8pm
Chick-fil-A Holcombe and Buffalo Speedway invites you to join your neighbors for a +™Community-building evening. There will be fun activities for children and an opportunity for parents/caregivers to learn more about +Works® (Positive Works), a parent-driven, grassroots nonprofit organization created to get ahead of bullying by building positive, upstanding communities.
www.positivethinkingworks.org
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| Individual Class Photos, October 17th and 18th | |
Dear Parents, This is a reminder that your child's school picture day at Mark Twain Elementary Schoolis on Tuesday, October 18th for Kindergarten through 4th grade students. All 5th grade students will be photographed on Monday, October 17th. To order online, please visit www.inter-state.com and use flyer code: 540022
Inter-State Studio and Publishing Co., 1-800-952-6450, www.inter-state.com
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| Pershing Spaghetti Dinner and Showcase, October 20th from 6-8pm | |
Please join us for Pershing Middle School's annual Spaghetti Supper and Showcase of Fine Arts on Thursday, Oct. 20 from 6-8pm. This is a great opportunity for you and your child to visit our campus. Entertainment will be provided throughout the evening featuring our talented Fine Arts students and a delicious spaghetti dinner will be served in the cafeteria. To buy dinner tickets or find out more about this event please visit our website www.pershingms.org.
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| Middle School Forum, October 25th at 6:30pm | |
Mark Twain's Annual Middle School Forum will take place on Tuesday, October 25th at 6:30pm in the Mark Twain cafeteria. Please join area middle schools and dual language middle schools for an informational evening. Confirmed schools so far are Pershing, Pin Oak, Lanier, Johnston, Hamilton and Young Women's College Preparatory Academy. Each school will make a brief presentation and afterwards they will have tables set up with all of their information. Representatives will be available at that time to answer any questions you might have.
Students are welcome and encouraged to attend. For questions about this event, please contact Leslie Roffwarg at lesliegr@alumni.utexas.net.
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| Name that Book (K-2 or 3-5) | |
Students interested in trying out for the Name that Book Teams (K-2 or 3-5) should begin reading the books! Book Lists for both teams are available in the Library. Competition will be in the spring (dates TBA). Interested students will take a qualifying test (7 students per each team) in November or December (exact dates TBA). Additional information can be found at http://marktwainpto.org/files/2011/07/NamethatBookTeamFAQs.doc.pdf.
PLEASE NOTE: Sample questions for K-2 are available in the library.
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| IB @ Mark Twain: Learner Profile and Attitudes | |
Which is which? Profile or attitude? The inside story of the two lists of character traits is telling about how the PYP began. The inside story includes an international setting, high ideals, paper bar napkins, collaboration, compromise and goals. Here's the story:
Back in the 1980s, a group of educators formed the International Curriculum Project, with the purpose to create a curriculum framework with rigorous and developmental standards for their network of international schools. Meeting in Namibia in 1990, one part of the group listed a set of characteristics on the hotel bar's paper napkins. Meanwhile, simultaneously, another part of the group was also talking - and listing character traits on paper napkins.
After several discussions, it was decided to adopt BOTH lists of character traits.
Hence, we have the PYP attitudes and the IB Learner Profile.
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| Don't Forget to Order your Birthday Grams! | |
Do you want to make your child or a teacher feel special at school on their birthday?
 Then sign up for a Birthday Gram to be delivered to their classroom! Information and 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.)
All proceeds go towards the 5th grade end of year activities. Please support Mark Twain's 5th grade classes this year!
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.
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| Join SchoolHouse Partners for FREE! | |
 SchoolHouse Partners is a local resource for home services and repair needs. Using SchoolHouse Partners supports Twain Elementary at no additional cost to parents. Membership is FREE. Click here to join now. Questions can be directed to info@myschoolhousepartners.com.
When a designation is made Mark Twain will receive 20% of what SchoolHouse Partners earns from referral fees paid by the maintenance provider. When families join SchoolHouse Partners they can make a difference in the world of education.
Questions? Contact Mike Heinzman - 281.555.5586 or Jamil Higley - 713.725.7297 or visit
www.myschoolhousepartners.com
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| Art Fundraiser Well Underway! | |
 We are almost finished collecting all the wonderful art created by your children. The next step is sending all the artwork to Square 1 Art. Order forms will be distributed the last week of October, so keep a look out for them. You will then be able to order a variety of great items and gifts with your child's unique artwork on it. If you have any questions, please contact Tracey Bailey at twb42701@yahoo.com or 713-857-3731.
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| 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. |
| 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
- Balance Meals To Go - They will give 10% of all purchases made by Mark Twain families back to Mark Twain Elementary. Balance Healthy Meals To Go, is a new store in the Braes Heights Shopping Center on Bellaire Blvd. Balance makes individually portioned healthy meals and snacks for take-away. To ensure Mark Twain receives proper credit, tell the store "I attend/work for Mark Twain!" at the register while checking out. www.balancemealstogo.com Phone: 281.501.1968
- 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.
- Champion Energy Services - Special Rates for You and a $25 Donation to Mark Twain Elementary School. With your switch to Champion Energy for your residential electricity service using the promo code MARKTWAIN, you will receive a special rate. In addition, Champion Energy will make a $25 donation for each enrollment and renewal. Click here: http://www.championenergyservices.com/promo.asp?promo=MARKTWAIN
- Bouquelle Cleaners - A percentage 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® - 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! For information, contact Liliana McKean at lmckean1@comcast.net
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| Workroom Volunteers Needed - Everyone Welcome | |
We would like to help our teachers in the workroom with tasks such as laminating, cutting, gluing etc. We will meet each Thursday at 8:00 am in the teacher workroom. A big thanks to all who came last Thursday. The teachers really appreciate the help! Contact Shelley Rota for any questions at shelleyrota@hotmail.com.
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| Community News and Events | | |
The Sally Ride Science Festival at Rice University will be on October 22! This is a fun event primarily for 5th-8th Graders that is meant to encourage girls interest in science fields. There is a street fair, an inspiring talk from a prominent scientist (sometimes a female astronaut), and workshops digging into different science fields, from robotics to veterinary medicine. For more information or to register go to www.sallyridefestivals.com.
The 2011 Turkey Trot will be held on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, 2011 (Rain or Shine) at the Dillard's Galleria store Westheimer @ Post Oak. Benefiting Sheltering Arms Senior Services, this race/walk includes a 10K and a 5K Competitive Run / Walk. Deadline for online registration is 7 p.m., Sun., Nov. 20. Click here to see the brochure or visit: www.HoustonTurkeyTrot.org.
Randall's Give Back to Schools promotion: When you go shopping at Randalls these days, precisely from September 19th to October 13th, you receive a code on the receipt that can be redeemed online: http://backtoschools.escrip.com/. Pick Mark Twain to get 10% of your total donated to our school!
Special offer from Scholastic Books and Kellogg's Brand cereals - This fall, give your child the opportunity to choose and own books through a special offer from Scholastic Book Clubs and Kellogg's! Buy two specially marked Kellogg's products at Walmart and enter the 16-digit codes and receive a FREE book or $5.00 off a book order at Scholastic. Visit www.scholastic.com/kellogg for more information about this special offer and to redeem your $5 Book Coupon(s).
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