YELLOW is on Safety Patrol this week.  Safety Patrol Schedule

No School Monday, January 16th.

If you are like me, you have spent our long weekend both enjoying our winter wonderland... and wondering how weather may impact our lives in the week ahead! I don't have a crystal ball, so we will have to take it one step at a time. You can find information regarding any change in school schedules on our district website: http://www.lwsd.org. If it is too icy to get students to school safely, it is often too icy to get staff there early to answer the phones, so this is your best connection to current updates.

If we do have days without school in session this winter, I encourage you to find some time in-between snow fun and R&R to work with your children to assist with continuity of their focus on academic skills. We are working incredibly hard as a staff to promote the academic achievement of all students, and having disruptions from that work does not help our mission. When students are home I encourage you to help your child work on any upcoming projects, explore the numerous online resources with your student including our IXL access (joint-funded by our PTSA), Envision math resources, as well as literacy and homework help offered online for free from the King County Library. Finally, you don't need to spend screen time to share the best resource with your student on snowy days. Fostering a love of reading, through selecting 'just right books' and spending time curled up enjoying the world through words is one of the joys of life that I hope all of my students will appreciate. If you are looking for a new way to connect with your child, consider starting a 'book club' of your own... sharing your life's experiences through the context of shared reading is a great way to connect in a new way with your child. In short: the Dickinson/Explorer teaching staff appreciates any support you can give us in creating a continuum of learning if we are faced with a disruption in the school week this year.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not highlight that we are having our fabulous Big Theater production this weekend. The preview of Peter Pan in Neverland was incredible, and I know that we will be treated to wonderful performances this coming Friday and Saturday. Our teaching staff was quite moved by seeing our students grow into skilled thespians.... and I will be among the proud many on opening night, appreciating the hard work and talents of our students and the adults that put in countless hours to make this production happen. Tickets are on sale this week: let's get a full house there to show these kids how much we love their work!

Hoping for an undisrupted school calendar,
Karen Barker
Principal, Dickinson Learning Community
Lake Washington School District 

Pirates and Fairies and CROCODILES? Oh My!! 

Come and see what all the excitement is about! Peter Pan in Neverland is this year's amazing Big Theater play. Big Theater is a production of students in 4th-6th grades in Dickinson and Explorer, working with Studio East.

Be sure not to miss this wonderful production!
All performances are at the Redmond High School Performance Center.
Performance Dates:
      Friday, January 20th, 7pm
      Saturday, January 21st, 2:30 and 7pm

Tickets are available this week - be sure to get yours early in case they all sell out! Ticket sales will be over lunch (11-1pm) and after school for 20 minutes this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Dickinson. All tickets cost $6.

See you at the show! 

Thursday, February 2nd, 1-7pm, Dickinson Library 

You will need to bring: Proof of age (Birth Certificate or passport) and Immunizations.

If interested in All Day Kindergarten, you will need to bring your checkbook, or money order to pay for one month of tuition. Tuition this year is $330.00 a month.
Half-day kindergarten is provided for all children in the district. There is a fee for all-day kindergarten. If more than 21 children register for any all-day kindergarten classes, the district holds an enrollment selection drawing. More details are available on the PTSA website.

The Evergreen Middle School Transition team will be meeting again on Tuesday, the 17th. Please send any questions you'd like addressed to astoppani@dickinsonptsa.org.  

Upcoming important dates:
Monday, January 23rd - Counselors Barbara Gregory and Dawn Riley will present information about elective classes in the library to the 5th grade classes from 9:30 to 10:15 and to the 6th grade classes from 10:30 to 11:15. The students will get an opportunity to hear what electives will be available to them at Evergreen Middle School. 
Tuesday, January 24th - 10-11am "Coffee Chat" - Jan Olson, principal, and Anne Balicki, assistant principal, will host Middle School informational meetings in the EJH library. They will talk with parents about academic programs, activities and overall transition plans for incoming 6th/ 7th graders. There will be time for questions. This will be held in the Evergreen Library.

Parent Night:  Parents/guardians only please (students will visit the Evergreen Junior High campus later in the spring):
      5th grade parents - January 24th, 6:45-8pm
      6th grade parents - January 31st, 6:45-8pm
Parent meetings will begin in the EJH Fieldhouse. 

Information to be presented includes:
      Middle School Program
      Academic Program
      Registration and Electives
      Athletics and Activities
Special Needs Parents will meet before the Parent Meetings, from 6-6:40pm, room 124. 
Parking is available at EJH and the Dickinson Elementary campus. Please car pool if possible.

It's that time of year again. It is time to enroll for choir at Dickinson/Explorer.
Choir is a before school with occasional evening performances.
Primary Choir (grades Kindergarten, 1 & 2)
   Primary Choir meets on Tuesday mornings from 8:15 - 8:55
   (Explorer students are released for the start of their school day)
Intermediate Choir (grades 3 - 6)
   Intermediate Choir meets on Wednesday mornings from 8:15 - 8:55
   (Explorer students are released for the start of their school day)
Enrollment for both choirs *closes* Friday, January 27, 2012.
*(Closing date is necessary to facilitate preparation for the first choir)

There is a $10 fee per child for each choir term. Please bring cash/check (made out to Dickinson PTSA) to the first choir rehearsal, sponosrships are available.

First day of Primary Choir for KINDERGARTEN - Tuesday, January 24, 2012.
First day of Primary Choir for *all* members - Tuesday, January 31, 2012.
First day of Intermediate Choir - Wednesday, February 1, 2012. 

To enroll your student: Please email the following information to me at jkelleher@lwsd.org:
      Student Name
      Parents Names
      Teacher's Name
      Parent's email address
*If you are already a member and are continuing, you need to do nothing except to show up at the first rehearsal.  If you will not be continuing, please contact me.* 

I am looking forward to another great year in choir.
John Kelleher

Earn money for Dickinson/Explorer PTSA when you dine at Ixtapa! 

Dining with Dickinson is the whole month of January, Sundays - Thursdays.

10% of total meal purchase is donated to your PTSA! Just mention Dickinson/Explorer PTSA next time you dine at our local Redmond Ridge Ixtapa!

January 31st, February 2nd and 3rd
During Conference Days (January 31st, February 2nd and 3rd), Dickinson will dismiss at 12:00 p.m. and Explorer at 11:45 a.m. and no hot lunches will be served. 
However, your child can buy a cold sack lunch if it is ordered by Friday, January 27th. The sack lunches will be available to be picked up by the student between 11:30am - 12pm and will need to be taken home with the student - there will be no opportunity to eat at school. The order for sack lunch is for all three days.
Students participating in the Free lunch program will receive these lunches automatically - please make sure your student(s) are aware of this. Those students on the Reduced Lunch Program will need to complete the order form to order lunches for the week.  
A sack lunch contains a deli sandwich (varies daily), fresh vegetable, fresh fruit, milk and dessert. The cost is $2.25 per student / adults $3.00.
If you wish to order a sack lunch for your child, please fill out the order form and return to your child's teacher by Friday, January 27th.

If you have questions, please call 425-836-6650.

Attention 5th and 6th Grade Parents - Evergreen Jr. High PTSA Nominating Committee is looking for PTSA Leaders
The Evergreen Junior High School PTSA Nominating Committee is looking for candidates to fill PTSA Board positions for next year's Evergreen Middle School PTSA Board! As you know, this is a big transition year for our Lake Washington Schools with the shift to a middle school/four year high school configuration in fall 2012. Evergreen Junior High will be sending both current 8th and 9th graders off to high school this year while welcoming your 5th and 6th graders into the school. We are looking for energetic, dynamic individuals who can provide strong support to the school's staff as well as the school community. We are looking to fill the offices of Co-President, VP Enrichment, VP Ways and Means, VP Communications and Advocacy/Legislative Chair. No prior PTSA board experience is necessary since WSPTA will be providing a number of training sessions for elected board members to attend next year. If you know of someone who would like to be nominated or if you are interested in getting involved yourself, please contact one of us for more information. Thank you in advance for sharing your time and talents with our children.

Sara Smith,  smithsnw@aol.com
Diane Davis, ded1964@gmail.com
Stephanie Hajicek, shajicek@live.com 

• Parenting Your Child with ADD/ADHD, A Parent Education & Support Group, Classes Beginning Tuesday, January 17th, Register by Monday, January 16th. A series of eight 90 minute classes to empower parents to navigate the joys and challenges of children with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Handouts will be provided. Taught by Sandy Malone-Long, Counselor-Psychologist, Eight Tuesdays - January 17, 24, & 31; February 7, 14, 21, & 28; & March 6, 6:30-8pm, Old Redmond School House Community Center, Cost is $160. For additional information and/or to pre-register: 206-313-3623 or smlbug@hotmail.com.

Please remember to add messenger@dickinsonptsa.org to the safe senders list of your email provider.  For help, go to www.safesenderslist.com. 

- Dickinson PTSA