The Dickinson Community
Messenger October 24, 2011 |
|
YELLOW is on Safety Patrol this week. Safety Patrol Schedule |
|
Principal Post
Dear Dickinson/Explorer Families,
This week students in grades 4-6 at Dickinson & Explorer attended the Disabilities Awareness Fair, sponsored by the PTSA. At the fair, students were able to participate in hands-on activities to help them build awareness about physical challenges that people in our world live with every day. I am thrilled that our students can benefit from this valuable learning experience, as empathy and compassion grow from understanding the world through another child's experiences.
One of the wonderful ways that our school has grown this year is through the expansion of our Learning Center. Our staff and students are so grateful that we are able to learn from the students in the Learning Center classrooms. As our program has doubled, many of the students and staff are new to Dickinson this year. I have been overwhelmed by the amount of expertise, passion, dedication, and skill that our teachers Ms. Jaime Martin & Ms. Leanne LaFramboise display. They have welcomed 23 students and their families into our school, and facilitate and supervise a large staff of amazing Paraeducators as well as coordinate with a team of specialists that support the needs of the students.
The success of the Learning Center program that this team has built is quickly becoming a source of pride for our district. Students that are part of our Learning Center are valuable members of general education classrooms where they interact with their peers and build relationships through experiences. This is yet another way that students at both Dickinson and Explorer learn from one another, and build new understandings of the many types of wonderful people that make up our world.
Welcome to Dickinson/Explorer, families of students in the Learning Center!
Karen Barker
Principal |
|
Picture Re-Take Day Friday Friday, October 28th
Picture Re-Take Day is this Friday! If your child had pictures taken, please have them bring back their entire picture order to their classroom. Each classroom will be called and at that time the child brings their order with them for the re-take. |
|
Big Theater Application Due
Tuesday, October 25th by 3:30pm
Reminder to the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade thespians - The deadline to submit a Big Theater application is this Tuesday, October 25th by 3:30pm. The application is available online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3JSBC5Q Paper copies of the application are in the foyer of Dickinson and must be turned in to the school office.
This is a pay to play event. The cost per student is $60. Please email bigtheater@dickinsonptsa.org to request a scholarship.
If you have submitted an application and did NOT receive a confirmation e mail Sunday night, please send mail to bigtheater@dickinsonptsa.org.
For questions, you can contact co-producers, Pamela Myers and Ashley Glanz, at bigtheater@dickinsonptsa.org. More details available on the PTSA website.
|
|
Running Club Running Club makes a return to Dickinson/Explorer this week (10/25)! We will rock this Club until the weather makes us stop!! (Probably through November) Then we'll get things rolling again in the spring. With sufficient parent involvement, we can host other schools to Cross Country events, make T-Shirts for our school's team, and make this a blast for all students!
Tuesdays from 3:45-4:30pm
Meet in the New Gym
Wear tennis shoes, comfy clothing, and come prepared to run outside.
To register: Email Mr. Shull at jshull@lwsd.org with student's name, parent's name, and parent's contact email.
We need PARENT VOLUNTEERS to help me run this club. Many of you are runners in your daily/weekly workout routine, so come help motivate the students to have good running technique, habits, and FUN while you get in an awesome workout! Even if you are not a runner, please come help monitor the runners outside.
Please email Mr Shull or bswanson@dickinsonptsa.org with questions. |
|
Donor's Choose Gift Cards
If you picked up one of the Donor's Choose gift cards at Starbucks and are trying to decide what to do with it, check out this link: ttp://www.donorschoose.org/donors/search.html?state=WA&community=2977:1&school=44428
The following teachers have projects submitted (or are soon to be submitted):
Leanne LaFrambroise
Heather Frazier
Gwen Moore
Karen Roll
Maureen Scofield
Thank you for your support for these important projects! |
|
Middle School Transition Meeting Input Requested The Evergreen Middle School Transition Team will hold another meeting on Tuesday, October 25th. These meetings focus on a smooth transition from the grade school to middle school experience. The team consists of Evergreen staff and representatives from all feeder grade schools, including one from Dickinson and one from Explorer. Information about the transition is posted on the Evergreen Junior High website. If you have questions or comments regarding the transition, please email Transition Team member Andrea Stoppani (astoppani@dickinsonptsa.org). |
|
Superintendent Survey The Lake Washington School District Board of Directors is embarking on its process to find a successor to Dr. Chip Kimball, who will be leaving after this school year. Finding the right individual to lead our school district is among the most important tasks we do as a school board. We have several very important initiatives underway as a district, such as the change in grade configuration of our schools. Given these challenges, we are trying to determine the kind of leader who will best help us complete that work.
We are asking you to help us with that critical task by taking a survey, giving us your thoughts about what we should be looking for in a new superintendent.
This survey covers the critical issues facing our district and the background, experiences or characteristics a new superintendent should have. Your feedback will help us refine our hiring criteria for the new superintendent.
Click here to take the survey: http://research.zarca.com/k/SsWYVTsXQsPsPsP
The survey will close October 28. |
|
Lake Washington Schools Foundation -
Back to School Campaign Thank You! Thanks to all who donated to the Foundation's Back to School campaign, raising nearly $16,000. Your donations help fund programs such as Access that assists financially challenged students with school-related fees that better prepare them for graduation and college. Your dollars also fund grants given to schools to assist them in implementing their continuous improvement process (CIP) plans - a state requirement that is unfunded. Your donations do make a difference.
Many organizations have United Way or other workplace giving campaigns in October. Please consider designating the Lake Washington Schools Foundation through these giving methods. Thanks again for the support from this generous community! For more information about the Foundation and volunteer opportunities, visit www.lwsf.org or email info@lwsf.org. |
|
Advocacy Newsletter
Our first issue of the Dickinson Community Advocacy Connections was sent last week. We hope you enjoyed this important and interesting newsletter. However, if you would like to unsubscribe to this new newsletter you may, and it will not affect your receiving the Messenger. Please just click the link in the Advocacy Connections to unsubscribe. Our hope for this new newsletter is to connect the student and parent community of Emily Dickinson and Explorer with important facts and information about legislation that are happening in the district and state. If you have any questions or ideas for issues, please contact, Tanya Rusak at advocacy@dickinsonptsa.org or trusak@dickinsonptsa.org. |
|
Put the Fun in Fundraising! Please check your child's backup for an update on all the fun and easy ways that you can earn money for our school and PTSA supported programs that benefit your children. Do you shop on Amazon, do you buy groceries, do you you ever pick up a few things at Target or Everything Party? If you said Yes to any of these things, then you can be helping our school. Please make sure you read through the packet coming home so that you know about all these amazing oppourtunities. Also, if you have any connections with a business that might be interested in partnering with our school in any way, please contact kreese@dickinsonptsa.org. |
|
ReflectionsTheme: Diversity Means... 2011-2012 PTA Reflections Program
All Dickinson/Explorer students are invited and encouraged to use their creative talents to demonstrate their interpretation of what "Diversity Means..." for this year's Reflections Program. The Reflections Program is a National PTA and Washington State PTA cultural arts competition. The purpose of this program is to provide an opportunity for students to use their creative talents by expressing themselves through their own original works. Students may submit an entry of their original work in any of the following six arts areas; Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts, Film/Video, and Choreography/Dance.
The official deadline is Tuesday, November 1st! Entries can be turned in to the office anytime up to the official deadline. Entries must be accompanied by an entry form. See the bulletin board in the Dickinson lobby for information and entry forms. For detailed information, official entry forms and rules please visit the National PTSA Web site at: http://www.wastatepta.org/programs/reflections/program_details.html
For questions, contact Christine Cherkis (ccherkis@dickinsonptsa.org) or Holly White (hwhite@dickinsonptsa.org). |
|
Art Smart Update
Docent Training Opportunity at Frye Art Museum
Parents for Arts in the Schools: A Parent Docent Training Workshop
Tuesday, October, 25th, 9:30am - 2:30pm, $44 members; $56 nonmembers
Frye Art Museum
Developed for parent volunteers in school classrooms, this annual workshop provides hands-on training in facilitating interactive discussions about art, leading art lessons, and creating a student-centered learning environment. Parents practice Visual Thinking Strategies in the Museum galleries, learn basic skills for teaching the elements of art making, and enjoy activities in the Art Studio. Parents also learn about important resources for advocacy, learner-centered teaching, and integrating art into different subjects. Capacity is limited. Register online, or call 206-432-8200. |
|
Box Tops and Labels This year is a great year to collect and turn in box tops and labels. Classrooms will compete for a special treat each collection period and be able to see how they match up to other classes via a sign in the cafeteria. Then we will earn points towards cool stuff for the whole school.
Our first collection day will be Friday, November 4th so send in any box tops and labels and have the kids put them in the box in the classroom. For more information, see the PTSA website. For questions, please contact Kristin Raffensperger (kraffensperger@dickinsonptsa.org). |
|
Parent Ed Lectures
Guiding Your Gifted Child: A Parent Education & Support Group for Parents of Children Ages 6 to 12, Facilitated by Sandy Malone-Long, 8-Week Series of Classes starts Tuesday, October 25th, from 6:30-8pm. Recommended for parents of students in the Enrichment Pull-Out or Full-Time Quest programs as well as those families interested in the nuances of parenting highly capable children.Redmond Elementary School Library, $150 for the 8-week series. 2nd Parent/Partner free. Registration fee includes book, A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children, by Webb/Gore/Amend/DeVries
Details including Times and Locations on the LW PTSA Council Website. |
|
Community Fliers, Events, and Information
Remember to check the Community Bulletin Board for sports registrations, community events, lectures, and other important information. Here are just a couple of MANY items posted there:
- Becoming a Love and Logic Parent, facilitated by Counselor Leslie Fields, Redmond Elementary School Library, Mondays, October 24th thru November 28st, 6:30-8pm, cost: (Optional) $9.00 for Parent Manual, Child Care: FREE; provided with advance registration; for children ages 3 and up. To register for this class, please complete the registration form found in the school lobby.
|
|
For Your Calendars
October
24 Big Theater Applications Due
28 Make Up Picture Day
November
1 Reflections Contest Entries Due
10 PTSA Board Meeting 9:30am
11 No School - Veteran's Day
23 Half Day
24, 25 No School - Thanksgiving
|
|
Please remember to add messenger@dickinsonptsa.org to the safe senders list of your email provider. For help, go to www.safesenderslist.com.
 - Dickinson PTSAon our website. |
|
| TAKE NOTE | |
School Phone Numbers
Office: 425-936-2530
Safe Arrival: 425-936-2531
the Lake Washington School District Parent E-Newsletter. |
| SUPPORT YOUR SCHOOL WHILE YOU SHOP | |
We are part of the Amazon School Rewards Associates Program. When (and ONLY when) you use THIS link, 6% of qualifying purchases will be donated to Dickinson PTSA.
Mention Dickinson PTSA before you begin your checkout at Everything Party and 10% of the purchase price is donated to our PTSA.
|
|
