Calendar of Events
|
 |
Dec. 8: PTA Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., Conference Room
Dec. 9: Reflections Contest entries due. Please see the article in this newsletter for details.
Dec. 11: Kids' Night Out. Please see the article in this newsletter for details.
Dec. 11: Reflections Contest Judging. Please see the article in this newsletter for details.
Dec. 16: Teachers' Appreciation Lunch, Conference Room, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The third and fourth grade parents and PTA are providing the food for this special holiday luncheon for the teachers.
Dec. 12: Teachers' Time Out. Please see the article in this newsletter for details.
Dec. 17: Last day to claim items in lost and found. See details in this newsletter.
Dec. 18: Last day before Winter Break. Abbreviated day for students.
Dec. 21-Jan. 8: Winter Break. No classes.
Jan. 11: Classes resume.
PTA Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., Conference Room
Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No classes.
Feb. 2: Writing assessment
Feb. 4: PTA Board meeting, 5 p.m., Conference Room
Feb. 4: PTA General Membership meeting, 7 p.m., gymnasium
Feb. 15: President's Day. No classes.
Feb. 18: Family Math Night
March 1-12: Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 2: PTA Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., Conference Room
March 5: Teacher/Staff Development Day. No classes for students.
March 20-25: PTA Washington, D.C., trip for Discovery School families, administration and faculty. Please see the details in this newsletter.
March 22-April 2: Spring Break. Please note these dates are revised from the original Murfreesboro City Schools Alternative Calendar.
April 7: Coffee with the Principal, 8:30 a.m.
April 12: PTA Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., Conference Room
April 15-22: TCAP Testing window
May 27: Last day of school for students (abbreviated day)
|
Comments? Questions? Concerns?
Feel free to contact your PTA Member-at-Large representatives -- we're
here to help!
Grades K - 2: Sarah Woods, woodss@comcast.net
Grades 3 - 6: Michelle Palmer, michellpa@aol.com |
|
|
|
|
THIS WEEK'S DEADLINES & ACTIVITIES
|
Mark your calendar and don't miss a thing!
TODAY!
Kids' Night Out reservation deadline (details below)
Teachers'/Staff Time Out reservation deadline (details below)
TONIGHT!
Discovery School boys basketball, 5:30 p.m., Cason Lane Academy
First round of city tournament. Come cheer on our team!
TUESDAY
Informational meeting for prospective Discovery School applicants
7 p.m., school cafeteria
WEDNESDAY
Reflections entries due (see below)
FRIDAY
Angel Tree gifts due
Reflections judging/winners announced
|
KIDS' NIGHT OUT
|
 Today is the deadline to reserve a spot for your child at Kids' Night Out, which will be Friday, Dec. 11, from 6-9 p.m. in
the school gym.
Students should have dinner before arrival, however a child may be dropped off with a sack supper if necessary.
The PTA will have a snack, a movie and possibly a simple craft to entertain students while their parents go shopping (kid free), have dinner or just enjoy a quiet time without the kids.
|
TEACHERS' AND STAFF TIME OUT
|
 The PTA will be giving the teachers and staff a "time out" on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.This will give them an opportunity to shop or run errands while their children are here at the school. Today is the deadline to participate. We will provide pizza, crafts and games for the children.
|
REFLECTIONS DEADLINE IS WEDNESDAY!
|
 The entry period is under way for the Reflections contest, a fine arts competition open to all Discovery School students. The deadline to enter the contest is 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9. Find entry forms, guidelines and other details on the PTA Web site. Questions about the competition should be directed to Chair Molly Nemeth.
The categories are Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Musical
Composition, Dance Choreography and Film Production. The full guidelines and rules are available at
www.ptareflections.org.
Judging will take
place Friday morning, Dec. 11. The top three winners in each
division will be announced at 1:30 p.m. in an all-school assembly with Dr.
Clark, and the first places will be awarded $50 savings bonds from
Wilson Bank & Trust. Then a reception will follow for all winners and their
families at 2 p.m. The first place entries of each age group in each
category will be sent to the state competition, then possibly to
Washington, D.C. to compete in the national finals.
|
LOST AND FOUND
|
 Missing something? The Discovery School's Lost & Found is overflowing with items! Please stop by the cafeteria to see all the items displayed on the stage. We have lots of coats, sweaters and hoodies, as well as water bottles, hair bows, belts, hats and even bath robes.
Please check out our collection of items ASAP. Also, parents, please help us return lost items by labeling EVERYTHING your child brings or wears to school, especially jackets/coats, hats, gloves/mittens, lunch boxes, water bottles and layered clothing that could possibly be removed during the school day.
All unclaimed items will be donated to charity on Thursday, Dec. 17.
|
CHILI COOK-OFF SURVEYS
|
 We want to make certain that all of our PTA-sponsored events are as successful as possible. To that end, we are collecting information on the chili cookoff to ensure that next year's event is even better. If you attended the event, participated in the event, or both, please complete the surveys below to help us serve you better!
Participant survey http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2n2g247g2exq5m3/start
|
NEED A GIFT IDEA?
|
Are you looking for that perfect gift for your Discovery School student? Here are a couple of suggestions:
- The National Association for Gifted Children has a list of suggestions at their Web site.
- Order Discovery spirit wear for holiday giving. Bizzy Lil Bees, supplier of Discovery School embroidered spirit wear, will be taking orders for Christmas delivery until Wednesday, Dec. 9. Reminders were sent home in student backpacks on Friday, Dec. 4. Discovery School PTA receives 10 percent of every sale. Learn more about spirit merchandise.
|
SPRING BREAK TRIP REMINDER
|
If you have signed up for the Washington, D.C., trip during spring
break 2010, please be sure your payments to Thomas Tours are current.
To check the payment schedule, download a copy of the trip information. Thomas Tours advises there are still a few seats left on the bus, so
it's not too late to register if your family wants to take the trip.
What a great family Christmas present idea!
|
LUNCH ACCOUNT REMINDER
|
|
Parents, please remember
that the Murfreesboro City Schools administration only allows a maximum of two lunch charges per
student. When a reminder letter is sent home that your child has an
outstanding balance, a prompt response to the letter is necessary to
ensure students will still be able to eat a hot lunch.
Because the school is experiencing a high number of
students owing much more than two days of lunch charges, the city schools administration and the cafeteria may have to implement an alternative lunch program if
this trend continues. For more information, contact Tracy Giles in the school office, or e-mail her at tracy.giles@cityschools.net. |
SAVY APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE ONLINE
|
 Saturday
Academy at Vanderbilt for the Young, Vanderbilt's program for gifted
students in kindergarten to sixth grade, is now accepting applications
for the spring session. The early bird deadline to apply is Dec. 16. Spring SAVY will be held six consecutive
Saturday mornings from Jan. 23 through Feb. 27, 2010. Students
can choose from exciting new courses such as "Creative Writing" and
"Measurement Rules!" All SAVY courses are taught by master teachers
selected for their skill and experience in teaching gifted learners.
To see full course descriptions and to download the application, visit the program's Web site. And
don't forget to include SAVY in your summer plans. Session dates,
course offerings and applications for the summer are coming soon.
|
ADOPT AN ANGEL
|
 About a dozen angels have
not been adopted off our tree inside the main entrance. The gifts are due this Friday, Dec. 11.
We also have a collection box for gifts the pre-schoolers can "buy"
for their parents. This can be any small items, they can be gently
used, that the pre-schoolers might think would be good gifts.
|
DISCOVERY ONLINE NEWS
|
Did you know that Discovery School students are producing their own newspaper of events taking place at school?
Check out their work at http://discoveryschoolnews.wordpress.com/. The students cover just about everything, and may include articles about PTA events!
Mrs. McCarthy and Steven Chappell teach the newspaper class as an after-school activity on Wednesday afternoons. If your child would like to participate, have him or her see Mrs. McCarthy for information. Or, just check out the budding journalists' work on the Web site.
|
| GREEN TEAM NEWS
|
Thank you to Chris and Staci Sarkowski for taking down the  fall
decor outside and putting up the wonderful winter decor out front!
Pumpkin
recycling was successful. Thanks to those who participated. Mrs.
Jones has lots of pumpkins to help fortify her garden!
Aluminum cans and newspapers: Remember you can recycle your aluminum cans and newspapers at Discovery School. The bin for newspapers is at the back of the school. The bin for aluminum can recycling is in the front parking lot.
|
FUNDRAISING
|
 Kroger Cards: Please remember to keep using your cards at Kroger, particularly during the holidays, to keep those fundraising checks coming in to the school!
Boxtops: Visit the Box Tops page on the PTA Web site to learn which classes and students earned prizes
for their collection efforts.  Rather than hold monthly contests, we will be holding winter and spring contests. Box Tops received now will count toward the winter contest. Help your child's class earn rewards by clipping
and sending in labels. A special Box Tops collection box is now located
in each classroom. Get details about the Box Tops program. For more information, please contact
Jennifer Kropog.
Campbell's Soup Labels: Get ready! The holidays are coming and there
will be an abundance of Campbell's soup labels to be had. Watch for
upcoming contests.
Tyson chicken labels: Did you know that for every 100 Tyson A Plus
labels we send in, we will receive $24? We can make as much as
$12,000 in one year! Look for the Tyson Chicken A Plus label on all of
your Tyson products and turn them in to the Tyson A Plus box by the
office. |
COLD AND FLU SEASON TIPS
|
 As we are now in the heart of the cold and flu season, it makes sense to take the time to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and treatments for cold, seasonal flu and H1N1. This link will take you to a printable file that provides a quick reference for parents and children alike. |
| FROM THE PRINCIPAL |
 Sixth grade teacher Kristy Mall was awarded a national grant to teach robotics to girls after school. Please congratulate her on this accomplishment.
I
will hold an informational meeting for prospective parents Dec. 8
at 7 p.m. The next school tour for prospective parents and students is
Dec. 10 at 10 a.m. Applications for new students are due Dec. 14.
Patsy Davis, our assistant principal, is retiring at Christmas. Thank you, Patsy, for your many years of service to the students of Murfreesboro City Schools.
|
|
|
Always stay informed about PTA happenings at discoveryschoolpta.org |
|
|
