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The Twain Times
A weekly newsletter from Mark Twain Elementary School
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In This Issue
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PTO President Message
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International Festival Planning Meeting, 2/2
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Mark Twain Night with the Aeros, 2/4, 7:35pm
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Buy Your Bash Tickets: Deadline: 2/3/2012
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Mark Twain Night with the Aeros, 2/4, 7:35pm
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+Talk III, Cybertechnology, 2/8/2012
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Box Tops for Education, 2/15
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Parent Enrichment - Healthy Cooking, 2/16, 8:15am
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Students NOT returning to Mark Twain Fall 2012
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Order Your Birthday Grams
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Rewards Programs
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Community News and Events: HLSR Half-price Carnival Tickets and Willow Pool Needs Your Help!
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Mark Your Calendar |
February
1/31-2/3 - Bash Basket Raffle tickets for sale!
2/1 - Souper Bowl of Caring food items due
2/1 - Art a la Carte Planning session, K-2
2/2 - Intnernational Festival planning, 8am and 2:30pm
2/3 - Last Day to purchase Bash Tickets
2/3 - Art a la Carte planning session, 3-5
2/4 - Aeros Night
2/7 - PTO Meeting, 6:30pm
2/8 - +Talk III, Cybertechnology, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School, 6:30pm
2/10 - Huckleberry Bash, 6:30pm
2/15 - Box Tops for Education deadline
2/16 - Parent Enrichment: A Healthy Family on Any Schedule, 8:15am
2/17 - Monthly Staff Appreciation Luncheon
2/25 - International Festival, 1:00-4:00pm |
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Thank You to Our
2011-2012
Corporate Sponsors |
Tom Sawyer Level
Huckleberry Finn Level
Toni Rodriguez Salon
Samuel Clemens Level
Aunt Polly Level
Becky Thatcher Level
Evans and Mossman CPAs
smossman@jbecpa.com
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January 31, 2012 | |
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Dear Parents,
One of the strengths of the Mark Twain community is the commitment of the parents. You contribute to the school in so many ways, whether making copies for the teachers, chairing a committee, working with your child's teacher or by your participation in school activities. Never underestimate the power of your support! Parents are truly partners at Mark Twain and as we look to the Huckleberry Bash next week I am reminded of just how much you all provide for the school.
As we head into the spring semester the cold and flu season lingers on. Soon the weather will warm up and the plants will begin to bloom and we know what that means. Allergies. The health and well-being of your children is of the utmost importance to me and I know that if a child is sick, they should definitely stay home and mend. Having said this, I do want to encourage you to make every effort to have your children at school when attendance is taken at 9:30 a.m.
The subject of attendance was brought to my attention last week when I received a report from the district that contained attendance information for elementary schools in HISD. The attendance rate for Mark Twain for the first semester was 97.4% compared to 97.3% for the 2010-2011 school year. The district goal for student attendance is 98% and as a campus we had set an attendance goal of 97.5% for this school year.
Last Friday the teachers and students participated in Friday Fraction Frenzy. It was fun to see the creative ways the students worked with fractions. I was proud to walk the campus with our School Improvement Officer, Elizabeth Dow and show her the fine work our students do at Mark Twain.
Don't forget to support the Souper Bowl of Caring -- youth across the nation working together to fight hunger and poverty in their own communities. Food items are due to the classrooms tomorrow February 1st. The items will be donated to Kids Meals Houston. Thanks in advance for helping in the fight against hunger in our community.
Have a wonderful week!
Melissa Patin, Principal
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| PTO President Message | |
Dear Mark Twain families,
Wow - do you feel the "red carpet buzz" going around school? I am getting so excited for the Huckleberry Bash coming up on Friday, February 10. "Lights, Camera, BASH" ticket sales are going strong - don't forget to buy your tickets as this is the last week they are on sale. Another great way to support the Bash is to purchase a "Sponsor A Teacher" ticket as the PTO invites all teachers and administration to attend as our guests.
Check out the online catalog of items that will be available at the auction - there are so many great items to bid on! Do you have a Stars Wars fan at home? Or how about someone who loves Arts & Crafts? This week we are raffling two Bash baskets to the Mark Twain community (Bash attendance not required). Check out the baskets and buy your raffle tickets at the Bash table in the front rotunda. Many thanks to Bash chairs, Dawn Koenig and Kathryn Schultz, and all the volunteers who have spent MANY hours preparing for our biggest fundraiser of the year. This is sure to be a fantastic event!
I also hope to see you at the Mark Twain Night Out at the Aeros game on Saturday night - I know my boys are looking forward to it! Thanks to Dr. Rask and the Mark Twain Strings who will be performing at the Aeros game and to our PTO Community Outreach Director, Alva Allen, for organizing this fun family event!
Best,
Deanna Sheaffer, PTO President
deannasheaffer@yahoo.com
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International Festival Planning Meeting,
2/2, 8am | | |
Come celebrate the diversity of the cultures and backgrounds represented in our school with a festival of performances and country displays.
The following countries will be represented at the festival:
Argentina, Belgium, China, El Salvador, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, Vietnam
If the country you love is not on this list, please consider hosting a table for it!
We will have our next planning/informational meetings on Thursday, February 2nd at 8:00 a.m. AND 2:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. Please join us!
Don't have time to come to the meeting?
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| Art a la Carte Planning, 2/1 and 2/3 | |
The February lesson planning sessions will be held in the cafeteria at 8:00 am on the following dates.
Kindergarten, First and Second Grade: Wednesday, February 1st.
Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade: Friday, February 3rd.
If you are interested in meeting with other parents who will be teaching the February lessons please join us! We will be looking at examples, handing out materials and discussing the lessons.
Questions/Concerns? Contact Suzy Brown at brown.suzy@comcast.net.
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| Get Your Tickets Today for Huckleberry Bash, 2/10/2012! | | |
Friday, February 3rd is the last day to buy your tickets! Tickets are on sale at school or online -- click on the photo below to purchase tickets online. T-shirts are also available, buy early!
Bash Basket Raffle this Week! Do you have a Stars Wars fan at home? Or how about someone who loves Arts & Crafts? This week we are raffling two Bash baskets to the Mark Twain community (Bash attendance not required). Check out the baskets and buy your raffle tickets at the Bash table in the front rotunda. Back to Top |
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| Mark Twain Night with the Aeros, 2/4, 7:35pm | |
This is reminder that  Mark Twain Night with the Aeros will take place this SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4th at 7:35pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
Questions? Contact Alva Allen, 713-447-9944.
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+Talk III, Cybertechnology: Catching Up with our Kids!, 2/8/2012 | |
+TALK III: CYBERTECHNOLOGY: CATCHING UP WITH OUR KIDS!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
6:30-8:00PM
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
6802 Buffalo Speedway, Houston 77025
Technology shapes our lives today in a way we could never have imagined as children ourselves. It is an exciting time, although the knowledge gap many of us feel as parents can be daunting! How do we balance our need for our children to be prepared for their future with our desire to keep them safe? How do we engage them in this ever-expanding world and somehow protect their privacy? What are our responsibilities as parents? Why is it important to tune in to, support, and assist our children in developing the critical thinking skills needed to navigate these new waters?
Join us for a presentation and panel discussion that will address the opportunity we have as a community to teach our children the importance of "digital wellness" and digital citizenship and the weighty consequences that can hang in the balance when we find ourselves falling behind our children in this compelling, new digital world. Our expert panel will include:
- AMY ACOSTA, PHD, Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine and Licensed Professional Psychologist, Texas Children's Hospital
- LARRY KAHN, Chief Technology Officer, The Kinkaid School
- SPECIAL AGENT AMANDA HOUSTON, Houston FBI Cyber Crime Squad
ALL are welcome! FREE admission to +Works' nine +School members. $5 for other community members.
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| Box Tops for Education Deadline, 2/15 | |
 All Box Tops are due February 15, 2012. Please continue clipping to help reach our goal of 30 Box Top coupons per student, which is a total of 21,600 coupons. 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. There are designated Box Top collection containers in each classroom where your child can turn them in. The class collecting the most Box Tops wins a pizza party!!
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.
Thanks for helping and keep clipping until February 15!
Questions, contact Amy Allen at amy.allen@comcast.net or 281.501.3544.
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| Parent Enrichment - Healthy Cooking - 2/16, 8:15am | |
 Mark Twain Parent Enrichment
February 16, 8:15 am
Healthy Cooking Techniques for Quick and Delicious Weeknight Meals, Twain Cafeteria
Are you frustrated with not having enough time to get dinner on the table, much less a healthy meal? Are you tired of the whining and continuous food battles with your children over eating anything other than chicken nuggets or pizza? Healthy food does not have to be a battle and it does not have to take more than 15 to 30 minutes to get healthy and delicious food on the table. Join Aimee Taylor as she shares healthy cooking techniques for quick and delicious weeknight meals, as well as tips on getting your kids to eat more healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Click here to view the flyer.
If you cannot attend the event, I strongly encourage you to sign up for Aimee's blog through her website at http://www.greenpeasandblueberries.com/
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| Students NOT Returning to Mark Twain Fall 2012 | |
Dear Parents,
Please inform us of your plans for the 2012-2013 school year. Forms will be going home in the Tuesday folders. If you could please fill them out if you will not be returning in the fall and please check the reason. This will help us plan for the next year. Please return to your child's teacher this week. Thanks so much for your assistance.
Sincerely, Melissa Patin
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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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Rewards Programs
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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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| Community News and Events | | |
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2012 Half-price Carnival Tickets
Each year the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) committee sells half-price carnival tickets. Click here to view the order form in English. Click here to view the order form in Spanish. For more information, contact Alicial Laidler at hlsr.carnival.tickets@gmail.com or Alicia.Laidler@chevron.com. You can also purchase online at https://secure.rodeohouston.com/carnivaltickest/?salescode=1118434.
Willow Pool Board Needs the Community's Help
Dear Community Member,
The Willow Pool board was recently informed that there is an interest in buying the land that the pool currently resides. As many of you may not be aware, Willow Pool is on a piece of property that is owned by the city. The plot of land is leased to the pool, by the city, at a predetermined monthly rate and has done so since the 1960s. In fact, the pool was built by neighborhood people using their own funds.
Because of the recent interest in the land, we are asking that all community members write a letter to Council Member Larry Green at districtk@houstontx.gov by Monday, January 30th or ASAP. We are also asking that you cc: a copy of your email to Julia Floyd, VP Willow Pool Board at 4511floyd@msn.com.
So that the city knows exactly what we are asking for, please include the below bullet points in your email:
I am specifically requesting that the city:
- Protect Willow Pool's lease by extending it for 20 years.
- Not allow Willow Pool's lease to be sold privately, or at auction, to an entity other than Willow Pool.
- Protect this community asset from permanent change that would damage strong, growing Houston neighborhoods.
It is unclear if, or when, the issue will be presented to Council. Your timeliness in the manner is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Willow Pool Board
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