| From Principal Lynn Main
March is Arts in the Schools Month and the celebrations have already begun. For the past two Fridays (we had to start early because of calendar challenges later in the month), the cafeteria has been turned into a performance hall.
>>read more
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Mark Your Calendar
March 9 (Friday)
-"Bids for Bears" Online Auction Kick-Off Party, 7-11 p.m.
Speaker, sex-talk expert Deborah Roffman, 7 p.m.
March 18 (Sunday)
Last day of Online Auction
March 23 (Friday)
No school; Professional Development Day
March 30 (Friday)
Half day, 12:15 dismissal
April 2 - April 9
Spring Break - no school
See full school calendar
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From the HSA
Dan Aladjem & Jenny Murray, co-presidents
This Friday marks the start of our Bids for Bears Online Auction. Don't forget to buy your tickets in advance if you're coming to the kick-off party this Friday evening at the school. Not only do we need to know who's coming so we can plan for food and beverages, but you'll save $10/ticket if you buy them ahead.
When it comes to bidding online, I'd like you to consider this strategy... bid early, often and with wild abandon! Use the "buy now" feature to ensure you get what you want, and that our kids get the full value of every item. Every time you get a "bargain," remember that less money goes to the school. The online auction is a great excuse to shop without guilt. If your spouse gives you a hard time, remind them that it's all for a good cause - our kids! If you were going to buy an iPad or a week of summer camp anyway, why not buy it at the auction and give the money to the school? And contrary to every other day in your life, feel good about paying full price! Feel even better if you bid over the value, knowing the money is going to your kids' school. Don't forget that grandparents, aunts, neighbors and friends are welcome to get in on the action. The items are up online for you to browse in advance, with new things being added all the time. Get in a generous spirit and get ready for a great auction.
See HSA board members
Join the HSA
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Auction Party in 3 Days! Buy Tickets Now!
As you already know from previous communications, tickets are now on sale for the Auction Kick-Off Party on Friday, March 9! It's going to be a rockin,' old-school good time, with Famous Dave's BBQ, margaritas, ping-pong, foosball, entertainment from Chevy Chase D.C.'s hottest band, PRINCESS, and much more! Come for an evening of fun with fellow parents, teachers, and staff. Check out all the class creations, class baskets and amazing items in this year's online auction, many of which will be on display on Friday night. And don't forget to wear blue and yellow to be eligible to win fun door prizes.Tickets for the Auction Party can be purchased today for $25 each on the Lafayette website. Please don't wait--while tickets will be available at the door, they'll cost $35 (credit cards only). Tickets will also be on sale afterschool today, Tuesday, March 6, for the Best of Live! Raffle. Only 50 tickets will be sold, at $100 each. The winning ticket allows you to pick YOUR CHOICE of any of the twelve Live! Online items, which include an Orlando Parks Getaways, the Lafayette Wine Cellar, and a NYC trip to the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. If you'd like to buy a ticket won't be at school on Tuesday, email Kristin Willsey. Last but not least-whether or not you can make it to the party, start placing your bids the evening of March 9, when the "Bids for Bears" auction officially opens! |
| New Writing Contest Begins March 9
Kathy Echave, Reading Specialist
Me, Tarzan. You, Jane. And you?
Well, you can be "Winner". That is, if you are in grades K-1 and decide to learn more about author Edgar Rice Burroughs, and then enter this cool writing contest co-sponsored by WETA and Reading Rockets. Full details here. Winners will be announced by May 18, 2012 and prizes will distributed beginning May 25, 2012. There are four grade levels for entries:
The contest begins on March 9, 2012 and ends May 4, 2012.
Level I: K-grade 2
Level II: grades 3-5
Level III: grades 6-8
Level IV: grades 9-12
Entries must be 500 words or less. Please use one of the following acceptable file formats: Word document, PDF, or jpeg.
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From the Bear's Garden
Gardening Chefs
 Calling all Lafayette 3rd through 5th graders who love fresh food, cooking, gardening, and are looking to mess around in the dirt! It's time to sign up for the Lafayette Gardening Chefs! The Spring session begins Monday, March 12th, in the cafeteria from 3:30 to 5:30PM. Sponsored by the HSA's Nutrition Committee, the Gardening Chefs will meet each week to get down and dirty in the garden with Lafayette parent Hope Scheller, working the soil, planting, and harvesting. The kids will prepare fresh recipes and learn some true culinary skills with visiting chefs from around the city. The club will end on June 4th with a delicious meal prepared by the budding chefs as they apply what they've learned for their parents and/or guardians. Each member will receive their own custom apron and a cookbook filled with the delicious recipes they prepared during the session. The club will meet for eight weeks every Monday school is in session, starting March 12 and ending June 4. There is a $100 fee per student which will cover the cost of ingredients, garden supplies, aprons, and our recipe books. There will be NO classes on April 2, 9, 16 or May 21 and 28. Due of the Gardening Chefs,space is limited to 12 students for the Spring session. To sign up, please fill out and submit the Gardening Chefs registration form for your child, along with your check made out to "Hope Scheller" and drop it in the Gardening Chefs Box in the Great Hall. You will receive a confirmation email within the next couple of days. Questions? Please contact Gayle Moseley or Hope Scheller.
Garden Work Day
Spring is just around the corner, and it is time to get back into our garden! We would like to dig into the season by hosting a "Garden Work Day" on March 17th, from 8am - 12pm. Bring your shovel & gloves, and join us for the entire time, or come for whatever amount of time works for you and family.
We will have two more work days scheduled before the end of the school year on April 28th & May 19th. These days will be for working in the garden and helping out at our Bear's Garden table at the Lafayette Farmer's Market on the corner of Broadbranch and Northampton. We hope to sell produce from our garden with all proceeds going towards supporting the Bear's Garden.
Follow our garden's progress through our blog.
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Calling all Lafayette Students!
Design the 2012 Spring Fair T-Shirt
Theme: Lafayette Luau
Submissions Due: March 9, 2012 Put your colorful designs in Ms. McLaughlin's box. Design should reflect the theme and include the date of the fair: May 5, 2012. Please write your name on the back of your design. |
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Deborah Roffman on Talking to Young Children About Sex: Getting It Right from the Start
Wednesday, March 14, 7 p.m.
Do you wonder what information about sexuality is age-appropriate for your elementary school children? Are you nervous about starting the discussion or are you seeking information about what topics to cover at what age? Please join us on Wednesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. in the Lafayette auditorium for a discussion about raising sexually healthy children.
Our speaker will be Deborah Roffman, a distinguished educator, author, consultant and leader in the field of sex education. Ms. Roffman is known for her wise, warm and practical advice. She is the author of two well-regarded books: Sex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent's Guide to Talking Sense about Sex, and But How Did I Get in There in the First Place?: The Thinking Parent's Guide to Talking to Young Children about Sex. >>Read more
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| What's the Renovation Plan?
Lafayette LSAT (Local School Advisory Team)
 As you may have heard, Lafayette is in line for a much-needed renovation and addition. While things are still in the preliminary stages, here is what we know at this time... This summer (2012) we will receive a trailer unit that includes 4 classrooms. The purpose of these trailers is to alleviate current crowded conditions in the school (not because the school is expected to enroll more students). The new unit will have bathrooms, and they will construct a covered walkway so that students and staff can access the main building more easily in bad weather. Read more. |
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Sign Up for Mad Science
Mad Science of Washington is offering two after school programs this spring, Funky Forces and More! Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:30 until 4:30pm. The Tuesday class will begin on April 10 and runs through May 29. The Wednesday class begins on April 11and ends on May 30. Both classes are open for K-5th graders. Registration is online at www.madscience.org/dc. Please register before the March 28th deadline. The program cost $104. Registration is first come, first served, so register early to secure your spot. Questions? Contact Mad Science at [email protected] or 301-593-4777. Lafayette's coordinator is Laura Lindsley and her email is [email protected].
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Shop at Politics & Prose, Eat at Terasol and Comet Pizza to Support Wilson High School!
Plan to shop and eat March 3 & 4
Come shop at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Saturday and Sunday, March 3 & 4 to help raise important funds for the Wilson PTSA. Politics & Prose will donate 20 percent of all book sales to the PTSA if you tell the cashier that you're a Wilson supporter. In addition, teacher and library "wish lists" will be available at the Wilson table, across from the children's section.
Afterward, dine at nearby Comet Pizza or Terasol Restaurant, identify yourself as a Wilson supporter, and the restaurant will donate a portion of your tab to the school. Please urge your friends and neighbors to shop and eat in support of Wilson! |
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From the Health Room
Chris Cockrell, RN
Babysitter's Training Class has been scheduled for Saturday, March 10, from 9am to 3pm at Lafayette Elementary, in the Early Childhood wing. Please contact Nurse Cockrell ASAP if you want to attend! Cost is $85.00 (a change from my earlier flyer) and is open to anyone 10 years old and up, with a maximum limit of 15 students. Make checks payable to The Red Cross. Wear comfortable clothing, as we will do CPR, and bring a lunch.
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| Girls on the Run Registration
We still have room for girls (in 3rd-5th grades) for the 2012 Spring GOTR team, which starts this week on March 6th. To learn more about GOTR and read the parents FAQ, visit: http://gotrdc.org/our-program/. We have three coaches lined up and have room for up to 30 girls in the program. The group will be meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school from 3:30-5:00 p.m. The coaches will be bringing everyone up to speed on the GOTR curriculum, but you can get an overview here. Deadline for registration is 3:30pm on Friday, March 9th, but the sooner the better since it starts this week. Please fill out an application and put it with your check in the box marked "GOTR" on top of the grey HSA filing cabinet in the Great Hall. Any questions e-mail Marc Ciagne or call 202-701-0069.
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 Jump Rope for Heart Results
Marjorie McClure Over 500 Lafayette students' jumped, danced, leaped and moved any way they could on Wednesday, February 29th during our 13th annual JRFH event. A big thank you to everyone who helped make this one of the best JRFH we have ever had. The Lafayette community is so tremendous in their ability to volunteer and serve the community. Without the help of everyone I would not be able to run this community service project. Thank you to Mrs. Main for supporting and jumping with us. Ms. Perll and Mr. Jackson worked tirelessly with me behind the scenes putting it all together. The 3rd grade teachers' continue to support this event in so many ways. Shopping for the food, organizing and chaperoning are just a few of the ways that they support this program. Huge thanks go to Ms. Yedwab, Ms. Jensen, Ms. Tepfer and Mr. Rogall for all of their hard work. More thank you's go to Lisa Resch and her crew of snack directors:Beth Taubman, Maria Pateros, Kate Mazza, Jenny Murray, Kelsey Bzdek, Claudia Tassara, and Carrie Johnson ran the smoothest snack area ever for this event. And to all of the other parent volunteers who came to support us. Thank you so much. Every teacher in the building helped to make this a huge success. It is greatly appreciated and does not go unnoticed. Thank you staff for all of your help and support.Thank you to Pat Richitt at Entertainment Exchange for providing the sound system. Pat has supported us for the past few years and we greatly appreciate his donation. Jump Rope For Heart is a community service learning program of the American Heart Association. It teaches kids the importance of developing heart-healthy habits and that being physically active can be fun. The funds we raise are used to support research and education. We are helping to save lives across the country and in our community. If your family is raising funds- thank you. These pledges are due on March 9th. Please put in the envelope provided and place in the JRFH box in the Great Hall. Please remember to put your child's name and class on the envelope. When possible, please convert any cash you have into checks.Checks should be made out to American Heart Association. Online fundraising is the the most efficient and productive strategy. Just register online. Click on Washington, DC, and then find Lafayette and you're ready to register. If you have any questions please contact me. |
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Maryland Math League Competition
The Lafayette Math Team participated in the 2011-2012 Maryland Math League 6th Grade Contest on Tuesday, February 28. The competition is a "postal" competition, with each school sending in the scores of the top five students. This year our top five was really a "top seven" due to ties. We are proud of all 25 brave 3rd through 5th graders who took on this 6th grade challenge
Our top scorers were:
1.Andrew Burris, 3R
2.Aaron Rosenthal, 5JL
3.(T) Sam Santacana, 3Y
Joshua Taubman, 5JL
5.(T) Eli Grosser, 5G
Jelani Machen, 5JB
Claire Schmitt, 5G
Having taken on the sixth grade contest, our team will be tackling the fifth grade contest in the near future. Should be a piece of cake (or a slice of pi?).
-Mr. Thurston, Ms. Betz, and Mr. Gregal, sponsors |
Chess Tournament this Saturday
We are excited to announce that Lafayette is hosting the 1st Annual Northwest DC Elementary School Chess Tournament! There are still some slots open and we hope your current or former chess player will want to participate.
Event: Northwest DC Chess Tournament
Date: Sat., March 10, 2012
Where: Lafayette Elementary School cafeteria
When: 9:30-10:00 registration / official start time: 10:15 - 12:00 / 12:00-1:00 awards
Fee: Free for Lafayette chess players (our visiting players will pay a $10 entrance fee)
Ages: K-2 will play each other and 3rd -5th grade will play each other
# of games: 4 games total will be played
Please call Lisa Resh with any questions (202-237-7101) and feel free to pass this flier on to other friends and other schools. |
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Peace Club
Linda Ryden
 The Peace Club will again be making baggies of trail mix for the homeless next Friday March 7 during Peace Club (12-1pm). We would greatly appreciate donations of granola cereal, raisins, m&ms, pretzels, goldfish, nuts other than peanuts, dried fruit, etc. If you would like to help us help others please contact me to let me know what you would like to bring in so that I can better coordinate our donations. Also, because food storage is difficult at school, if possible, please send in your donations as close to Friday March 7 as possible. The baggies will be assembled by the 4th and 5th grade Peace Club members but everyone is encouraged to contribute to our cause. Due to the sad state of our economy soup kitchens and food pantries desperately need help. Please help us to make a difference. Contact me with any questions or contributions. Thank you so much! |
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Community Notices
Nanny Available Our fabulous nanny, Hortense Hema, will be available starting in May. We cannot recommend Hortense highly enough. She speaks fluent English and French, drives, and is legal to work in the U.S. She is kind, thoughtful, and endlessly patient. She is great about proactively setting up playdates and dreaming up creative art projects. She has years of experience working in the neighborhood, and is intimately familiar with all the local
playgrounds and the drop-off & pick-up procedures at Temple Sinai & Lafayette. Hortense has been working a four-day work week for us (M-Th) and is ideally looking for a job with the same. She can be reached at [email protected] or (240) 305-4141. We are more than happy to provide a reference on her behalf and can be reached at (202) 232-4154 or [email protected].
Great House Available for Rent near Metro in Chevy Chase, DC Lovely 4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bathroom house on quiet street in Chevy Chase, DC available immediately for rent for one year or more. Approx. 1950 square feet. Large light-filled, remodeled kitchen opens to adjoining family room w/skylights. Working fireplace. Charming front porch and side deck. Large basement for storage. 3 blocks to Friendship Heights metro, walking distance to both Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase Circle shopping and restaurants. Ample street parking plus garage and off-street parking space. Schools: Murch Elementary, Deal Middle School, Wilson High School. $3950 per month. If interested, please email [email protected].
Ms. McClure is looking for a ticket to the sold out Springsteen show at the Verizon Center in April. Does anyone have an extra? Please contact.
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Thank You Lafayette Sponsors!
These organizations support Lafayette through a generous annual donation- please support them!
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| Make a Submission
Submissions for next week's issue should be emailed to [email protected]. Submissions are due by 3:15 p.m. on Friday. Submissions received after this time will be included in the following issue, unless instructed otherwise. Please keep submissions brief. Longer articles may be truncated at the editor's discretion, with a link to the full text.
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