Focus on Safety:

Please remind your child(ren) to use appropriate behaviors and actions in the classroom, cafeteria, restrooms, and on the playground, walkways, field trips, and at the pick up areas and assemblies.

Running is prohibited in the school settings listed in the 1st paragraph. Accidents and near accidents have occurred in the recent weeks involving student injury because of running in these areas. Please help us encourage children to walk and not run for their own safety.

Another concern is children playing on the playground equipment after school when there is no adult supervision. This has become a safety issue at the school because students have fallen and injured themselves while running or playing on the equipment.

School ends at 2:15 PM on Monday, Tuesday,

Thursday, Friday and at 12:25 PM on Wednesday. We ask that you have your child(ren) picked up as soon as possible after school unless they are enrolled in an after school program or class.

Safety has become a critical issue at the school. We ask for your support in our efforts to keep children safe on campus.

We encourage your participation with the school in educating and caring for your child(ren).   Please feel free to contact Vice Principal Kobayashi at 595-5400 extension 224 with your comments, suggestions or questions.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

Vice Principal Kobayashi

 Automated Absence Call System

The automated call system for UNEXCUSED ABSENCE(S) went into effect on November, 15, 2010. Parents receive an automated call around 11:30 a.m. for an unexcused absence. If you get an automatic call, please call and leave a message with your child's teacher or send a note the next day to your child's teacher explaining the unexcused absence.

Geographic Exception Applications for the 2012-2013 School Year

Geographic Exception (GE) applications will be available during the months of January and February (Ma`ema`e Office or any public school). The deadline for turning in an application is March 1, 2012. You should consider applying if:

1. You recently moved or plan to move out of our school district.
2. Your child is here on a GE and you want to enroll a sibling.

If you are applying your child for Kindergarten or your child is entering from a private, mainland or foreign country school, please submit your GE application, along with a 45-cent stamped, self-addressed envelope to the home school where your child would normally attend. If your child is enrolled in the Hawaii Public School system, please submit your GE application to the public school your child is currently attending.

2012-2013 Kindergarten Registration

If you reside within our school boundaries and have a child that will be 5 years old this year (born in 2007), please register him/her this month for Kindergarten. We need an accurate count to plan for Geographic Exceptions for the next school year.

Cafeteria Updates

2nd Semester Breakfast/Lunch Menu:

 The 2nd semester Menu was distributed in December 2012 with the Dec. Parent Bulletin. For an additional copy, please refer to the Dec. Bulletin on-line or stop by the school office.

As of September 1, 2011, school meal prices are:

Breakfast

Regular student breakfast                      $1.00

Reduced price student breakfast$0.30

Second and subsequent

     student breakfasts                           $2.20

Adult breakfast                                     $2.20

Lunch

Regular student lunch                           $2.25

Reduced price student lunch                  $0.40

Second student lunch                           $5.00

Adult lunch                                         $5.00

Breakfast with Your Child

 Parents/adults are welcome to eat breakfast with their child but due to Federal Rules and Regulations, parents/adults are not allowed to eat from the student's plate.   Adults may purchase their own breakfast at $2.20.   Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Mealtime Reminders

We would like to extend ourgratitude to parents/guardians who have been keeping track of their child's Mealtime account diligently.  We appreciate your support and cooperation!  

Negative Balance Notices

Just a reminder that our staff will continue to send home negative balance notices through your child. If your child's balance reaches a $11.25 negative balance or $2.00 negative balance for a child under the reduced lunch program, he/she will not be able to purchase a lunch (in accordance with Hawaii State Department of Education School Food Service Policy).   We strongly encourage parents to make regular deposits into their child's Mealtime account(s).  

Cash Deposits

The cost of eating both a breakfast and a lunch daily in an average month (20 school days) is approximately $65.00. We strongly encourage parents to make regular cash deposits into their child's Mealtime account.

Adult Breakfast  

For parents or other adults accompanying their child for breakfast, please bring exact change with you to pay for your meal ($2.20 for adults) as we have a very limited change fund.

Recess Juice/Milk Purchases

Also of note, if your child is under the Federal Lunch program (free or reduced meals) and he/she purchases juice or milk during morning recess, please make sure you have sufficient funds in your child's account to cover these ala carte items.

Please remind your children to wear their school T-shirt and closed shoes for field trip excursions. If clothes or shoes are borrowed from the HR, they need to be returned in a timely manner. The HR has a limited supply of clothes, shoes, and slippers for students to borrow. I do not need any donations at the present time; my supply closets are currently full. But, I do need the return of items loaned to students.

Remember to inform teachers or the school office of phone number changes (home, cell, work). If your phone numbers are incorrect, we cannot reach you when students are ill, injured, or if an emergency occurs. Student health and safety is very important to us and we need current, connected phone numbers to contact you ASAP. Questions, comments, suggestions, please call me at 595-5406.

Thank you, H. Bedford.

Gifted and Talented Developing Webpages

Throughout the month of January, G.T. students have been busy creating personal webpages in which they are including reflective writing related to teamwork and how it helps them to do their best learning. They have also been involved in several iLife Suite programs on their laptop computers and posting work that shows research skills they are learning. Our recent work will be added to their photo postings on the Ma`ema`e website throughout the months ahead. Please take time to visit the site often.

In our "Everyone's Enrichment Experiences," all Ma`ema`e students have been working on Lego robotics' tasks and are finding that many of the national STEM standards are being met. Teachers are being encouraged to follow-up on these standards in order to help students reach higher level thinking skills, as well as engage students in furthering 21st. Century Learner Goals.

Grades K and 1 are constructing and using programs with the RCX bots, including moving the bots forward, backward, and in arc/turn motions. Grades 2 and 3 are building solar driven bot/cars and are incorporating alternative energy sources. Grades 4 and 5 are involved in construction and early programming of the NXT Lego intelligent brick. As they work on these tasks, they are confronted with opportunities to work as a team and try out four different jobs - reading and interpreting directions, locating and gathering correct Lego pieces, building according to a formatted direction for creating a robust robot, and checking for accuracy. Each student on the team has had opportunities to complete each of the four jobs over the course of the EEE lesson.

In the months ahead, Ma`ema`e students will be involved in creating poetry with a local poet/author who is published through Bamboo Ridge Press. Ann Inoshita has visited our school in the past to work on Renshi poetry, and was so well received that our Ma`ema`e PTSA has funded her return to work with several upper grade classes. We will be sharing our creations throughout the quarter.

Ma`ema`e Web Site

http://web.me.com/maemae3/Maemae_Elementary/Welcome.html

This is just a reminder that the information from our web page is the most current. If you are checking information from a DOE website, it may not always be updated.

Roosevelt Complex Leadership Conference

The Student Council participated in this annual event on January 9 at Roosevelt High School.   Besides enjoying a tour of the beautiful Roosevelt campus, our Student Council members met and interacted with other student leaders from the Roosevelt complex schools. This year's theme was " Leaders in Bloom", and the students attended mini-workshops on action planning, poster-making and time management, among other topics.

Drug Free Hawaii Month

February is Drug Free Hawaii Month.   We'll kick it off by asking everyone to wear the color RED on Friday, Feb. 3 for our first semester awards assembly. Please take a few minutes to go over our school's drug free pledge with your child.

Ma'ema'e School's Drug Free Pledge

I pledge to keep myself drug free, alcohol free and tobacco free, and to help others do the same. I also pledge to keep myself healthy and well by maintaining a nutritious diet, exercising regularly and using positive actions to be the best person I can be, whether at work or at play, in school, at home or in the community.

'Ohana Chip Prize Donations

We'd like to thank the following students for their generous donations of healthy snacks (no nuts or candy please!), small toys, books, school supplies and assorted knick-knacks for our weekly 'Ohana Chip redemption "store":

Latest donors: ES (K-22), CC (K-24), EN (1-9), JM (1-8), AY (3-20), CK (3-20), RS (4-29), CS (4-30), KT (2-12), KT(5-38), KS (5-37), Gayle Fujioka (PTT) and Susan Takumi (volunteer).

Brown Bags To Stardom Talent Show

Auditions will be held during recess beginning in mid-Feb. for our annual talent show. This popular event will take place on Thursday, March 29 at 12:30 pm. The winning act will go on to the state elementary talent show, sponsored by Brown Bags to Stardom, on April 7.   This is the same program that launched the careers of Na Leo, Glenn Medeiros and many of Hawaii's top entertainers. Rules and audition schedule will be posted soon.

Hi-5 Schedule: Feb. 2, March 1, April 5 and May 10

These are the last four remaining Hi-5 collections days for the school year!   Please bring your Hi-5 containers by the mural between 7:00 and 8:00 am on those days. MAHALO!

PTSA News

By Wendy Yoshioka-Moore

With 2011 behind us, we are half way into our PTSA term. As of 12/31/11, our total income collected was $123,935.64 and our total expenses paid out were $131,542.96.

Noteworthy expenses for January 2012:

Hawaii State Tax Collector $524.66

Classroom Support $150.00

Trolley Ride $161.57

Movie Night $251.31

Family Night 2012

Don't forget that Friday, May 5, 2012 from 2:30 - 8:00 PM is our annual Ma`ema`e Elementary School Family Night! This family-friendly neighborhood event would not be possible without our dedicated, hardworking Committee volunteers who are planning and strategizing for another successful year. It's not too late to join our committee. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, February 1 at 5:30 - 6:30 PM in the School Library. If you would like to help on the committee in some capacity ... as a co-chair or shadow chair, please contact Family Night Chair Melanie Keanini at melanie.kawai@yahoo.com.

We are also seeking donations and thank you

in advance for your kokua and wonderful contributions. If you have any questions about Family Night, please contact  

2/2/12

• Gr. 4: Human Interaction w/ Environment Presentation I, 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM

2/3/12

• Gr. 2-14: Waikiki Aquarium

• All grades:1st Semester Awards Assembly, 1:00 PM

2/9/12

• PTSA Chuck E. Cheese Fundraising Night, 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM, 1199 Dillingham Blvd.

2/10/12

• Grs. 2-11, 2-12,2-13,2-15: Waikiki Aquarium

2/13/12

• Lifetouch Spring Picture-Taking, 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

2/17/12

• Grs. 4-5 JPO Movie Day, Ward Signature Theater, 8:10 AM - 12:00 PM

• Gr. K (all classes): Academy of Arts, 8:15 AM-11:30 AM.

• Gr.4: Bishop Museum Sleepover, 5:00 PM leave school and 8:00 AM pick up @ Bishop Museum on Sat. 2/18/12.

2/20/12

• Holiday - Presidents' Day (No School)

2/23/12

• Gr. 4 ( all ) : Human Interaction w/ environment presentation II, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM.

2/24/12

• KMS Band Concert, 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM, cafeteria

2/27/12

• Gr. 2 (all classes) : Coral Reef Project - RHS Visitation, 8:10 AM - 11:45 AM