Mark Twain Elementary School Newsletter

School Year 2013 - 2014

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In This Issue
Robotics
Odyssey of the Mind
Spooky
UIL
Yearbook Orders
Kindergarten Functions
Parent Enrichment
Name That Book
New Directory Link Coming Soon
TX Voter ID Law
Magnet Applications
Volunteers in Public Schools
School Store Volunteers Needed
Child Find
Online Fundraising
BTFE
Cub Scout
Pure Body Studio
Calendars and Other Useful Info
CALENDAR

September

 

24th Yearbook Cover Design Contest Entry Deadline

25th Spooky T-shirt Design Due

25th Early Dismissal & Extended Day Coverage

26th Odyssey of the Mind Meeting

26th UIL Info Meeting

27th Monthly Teacher Appreciation Lunch  

27th Odyssey of the Mind Registration Deadline

28th Spooky T-shirt Design Winner Announced

 

October

 

1st Yearbook Price Increase

3rd  Parent Enrichment Guest Speaker

4th Robotics Application Due

5th Odyssey of the Mind Coaches Training

 

Thank You to Our
2012-2013
Corporate Sponsors

Tom Sawyer Level

right_step_logo

  

Huckleberry Finn Level   

 

  

Crowder_law_firm_logo

 

 

Partners_in_bldg_logo 

 

 

 

Samuel Clemens Level   

Texas Citizens Bank logo

 

 

 

 

 Village_plumbing_logo

 

  

Aunt Polly

Level

 

   Stormy Hayes-Knipe logo  

  

Bayshore_logo 

 

Absolute_glassworks_logo_1

 

Brochsteins_logo  

 

 

 

  Pure_body_studio_logo

The Little Gym logo

 

 

Greenpark_pharmacy_logo

  

French_cuff_boutique_logo 

 

econserve_logo  

 

     

 

   

Becky Thatcher

Level

 

 

Evans and Mossman Logo  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  WholeFoods

        

Oakington Logo

  

 

  

Curtain_tracks_logo

gc3_logo_houston  

      

 

 

    

 

 

  

   
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September 24, 2013

Dear Mark Twain Families,

 

I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend and Fall holiday!   It is always just the right time for a three day weekend to recharge those batteries after a hectic first few weeks.  The Kindergarten Pizza Party has been rescheduled and is on Wednesday, October 9th from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.  Come eat, play and meet other Mark Twain Kindergarten families out on the pavilion and playground.  Pizza dinner will be available for $5 per person (includes a slice of pizza, drink, and dessert- additional slices available for $1).  Siblings are welcome!! Please stay tuned for more details from your kinder reps, Tiffiany Hawkins and Katherine Schultz.  We also had the International Potluck Dinner on Monday. It was a great success once again thanks to Fabia Hill and her team.  It is always a great way to show pride for your heritage, experience the wonderful diversity of the Twain community and enjoy some fabulous food!

 

You may be starting to volunteer within the classroom for journal, Art a la Carte, and other classroom activities.   Please remember to get approved through the "Volunteers in Public Schools" (VIPS) process. You can visit the PTO website at www.marktwainpto.org, click Membership, then VIPS approval for detailed instructions.

 

Early release tomorrow! Make sure you arrange to pick up your children at 12:30 on Wednesday.  Extended day is always available on these days.

 

Thank you for ongoing support whether through volunteer hours, monetary donations and/or helping to ensure our children are successful in their educational endeavors. It is greatly appreciated!

 

Go Twain Tigers!

 

Tony Houck

Mark Twain PTO President

tvhouck@msn.com   

 

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ROBOTICS

The Twain Robotics program has some open slots available for children ages 7-12!  If your child would like to participate, please complete and return the form below to Coach Jody or Ms. Reese by 3:30pm by Friday, October 4th, 2013. 

 

EARLY (Engineering and Robotics Learned Young) provides the opportunity to participate in a robotics competition every Fall and Spring.  The competitions involve teams of elementary school students competing to complete missions using robots they built from LEGOŽ Simple Machine Kits.  Children in Grades 3-5 will be able to participate in these off-campus tournaments, typically held on the weekend. 

 

Click Here for Form

 

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ODYSSEY OF THE MIND

Last Chance to learn more about participating in Odyssey of the Mind in 2013! 

 

If you are interested in learning about Odyssey of the Mind at Mark Twain, please come to the informational meeting this Thursday, September 26 in the cafeteria immediately following drop-off.

 

If your child wants to participate in Odyssey this year, you must submit this form by THIS Friday, September 27th: http://marktwainpto.digitalpto.com/files/2011/07/Interest-Form-for-parents-and-children.docx

 

For additional information please contact Tonya Crombie at tonyacrombie@comcast.net

PLEASE NOTE: WE NEED ODYSSEY COACHES.  We can only have Odyssey Teams if we have Odyssey coaches. Coaching an Odyssey team can be a very rewarding experience. If you are interested in coaching an Odyssey team, please contact Tonya Crombie and mark your calendar for the Houston-area coaches training session on Saturday, October 5th at Sharpstown International school 8330 Triola Lane Houston, TX 77036 . Registration begins at 7:30 AM and the session lasts from 8:00 AM until noon. For additional information please contact Iris Story, Coaches Trainer Chair at info@txodyssey.org

 

Odyssey of the Mind (OM) is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college.  Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics.  They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level.  OM offers kids the opportunity for creative artistic and technical expression, problem solving, teamwork, and increased self-confidence.  To learn more, go to http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/learn_more.php.

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Spooky
Spooky Spaghetti

 

Spooky Spaghetti is our annual fall festival and fundraiser.  Mark TwainSpookySpaghettiCat  will be all aglow on Saturday, October 19 from 4-8 PM during Spooky Spaghetti.   Candelari's to-Die-for spaghetti supper will be served from 5-7:30 PM.

 

Money raised goes right back to Mark Twain to provide additional program support in the school. Wear a costume, play games, jump/slide on the inflatables, eat dinner and have a blast!

 

  

Spooky Spaghetti T-Shirt Contest 

 

Students may enter their artwork to help design this year's Spooky Spaghetti t-shirt. The T-Shirt Contest is open to all students grades Kinder-5.  There will be a prize given to each grade level winner and a final prize for the overall winner who's design will be used on this year's t-shirt which goes on sale in the school store.There will be prizes given to the overall winner, as well as, a winner for each grade level. Competition deadline is Wednesday, September 25th at 3 PM. Winners will be announced on Friday, September 28th.

 

Guidelines for the t-shirt design are as follows:

 

  1. 1 Design per student
  2. Up to 5 colors may be used, use markers or bold crayons
  3. Please include your name, grade and teacher on the back of the drawing
  4. If you would like it returned to you, write "return" on the back

 

Spooky Tickets

 

Ticket sales begin September 23rd. 

 

Pre-order your tickets, wristbands and t-shirts to avoid the lines at the event.

 

Tickets and wristbands will be on sale before and after school the week before Spooky.  Credit Cards are now accepted as well as cash and checks.  Avoid long lines and sell-outs by getting what you need in advance. Tickets and wristbands will be for sale at the event and we will be taking cash or charge only.  No checks on Saturday.

  

 

Volunteer Opportunities

Spooky Spaghetti is just weeks away! Are you prepared? Get fired up and signed up!

 

For volunteer opportunities, please contact Elecia Wheeler and Jen Griffith @ ewheeler9@att.net 
UNIVERSITY INTERCOLLEGIATE LEAGUE (UIL)

 

The Mark Twain UIL team is beginning a new season! The University Intercollegiate League (UIL) exists to provide extracurricular academic contests for students.  There are events ranging from math and music to art and oral interpretation. If you are Interested, please attend the initial meeting Thursday, September 26, Room G203.

 

Students from 2nd to 5th grade are welcome to participate. At the meeting, you will learn about events, preparation materials and tournament dates.  Parents will also find out how to become involved with the team.  Mark your calendar. The first tournament is October 12.

 

The team is being led this year by Mrs. Rota and Mrs. Dennis.  Mrs. Rota will be primarily coaching 2nd and 3rd graders.  Mrs. Dennis will be leading with 4th and 5th graders.  If you cannot attend the meeting Thursday, please contact the appropriate coach for your grade level. They will arrange a time to meet with you. SROTA@houstonisd.org or JDENNIS3@houstonisd.org

 

This year will be an exciting time for involved students. They will grow both academically and personally. Please consider allowing your student to join!

         

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YEARBOOK ORDERS

Order the yearbook now - the price increases on October 1!

 

Order the yearbook now for $35 and receive a free personalized nameplate ($5 value).

 

Starting October 1, the prices are:

Yearbook = $0 and Nameplate = $5

 

Order online at: http://marktwainpto.org/ or pay by check (payable to Mark Twain PTO) - attach check to order form and drop in Yearbook mailbox - located in Parent Workroom

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 KINDERGARTEN FUNCTIONS
Kinder IB Informational Meeting

 

Kindergarten Parents...please join us in the cafeteria at 8:15 AM the morning of October 2nd to learn more about Twain's outstanding IB curriculum.  Ms. Kathleen Blakeslee, IB coordinator, will provide information and demonstrate students' work.  This is a wonderful opportunity for you to develop a better understanding of the IB framework and ask any questions you might have.

  
Kindergarten Pizza Party- NEW DATE!
  

Please join us for a Kindergarten Pizza Party on Wednesday, October 9th from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.  Come eat, play and meet other Mark Twain Kindergarten families out on the pavilion and playground.  Pizza dinner will be available for $5 per person (includes a slice of pizza, drink, and dessert- additional slices available for $1).  Siblings are welcome!!

 

For more information, contact Kathryn Norwood Schultz at 

847-902-8869 mobile or 713-669-8309 home. 

 

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PARENT ENRICHMENT 

Guest Speaker

 

Thursday October 3rd 8:15 AM:  Patina Sehorn, local author, parenting expert and mother of 3 will speak on

Fostering a Positive Attitude and Resilience in Your Child.

 

Please join us in the cafeteria immediately following drop-off to learn more about this very important topic. 

 

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NAME THAT BOOK
Name That Book 3-5

 

"Oggie Cooder" is being REMOVED from the 3-6 Name That B  ook ("NTB") list because it is out of print.  There will not be a replacement title, so this year's 3-6 Name That Book List will only have 34 titles.  
   

If you have questions about NTB, contact our school Librarian Mr. Deering or Kyrsten Crawford at kyrsten.crawford@gmail.com.

 

 

NEW DIRECTORY LINK COMING SOON

All families should have received an confirmation email from the new directory system, My School Anywhere.

 

AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, please follow all the steps while confirming your information( ESPECIALLY ASSIGNING A TEACHER FOR YOUR CHILD ) as this is what will be entered into the printed directory.  

 

If you have not received an email asking you to confirm your information, please contact Alva Allen at twaindirectory@hotmail.com

 

Online access to the directory program is available to all families enrolled in Mark Twain.

 

Printed directories are complimentary to any family contributing to the Friends and Family Campaign, at the $10 or higher level. Directories will also be available for purchase in the school store.

 

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TX VOTER ID LAW

Note change to TX Voter ID Law described at this

link --> http://hisdacademics.org/2013/09/23/texas-voter-id-law/

 

Tenga en cuenta que cambiar la Ley Electoral TX ID descrito en este link.

 

注意改变德克萨斯州的选民身份法"在这个环节

 

ملاحظة تغيير لTX القانون رقم الناخب صفها على هذا الرابط

 

 

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MAGNET APPLICATION ONLINE SYSTEM 

         

Click Here to see information on Online Magnet Applications.

 

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VOLUNTEERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS (VIPS)

How can I become a VIPS?
 

All volunteers must register online and pass a criminal background check before they can participate as a volunteer. Please follow the steps below to become a VIPS:

 

Step 1:

Register online at www.houstonisd.org/vipslogin.

Step 2:

Once you have registered, you must go in person to the school of interest and show proof of identification (see Ms. Cisneros at the front desk)

Step 3:

Identification information will go into our database for processing by the Volunteer Coordinator at each campus.

Step 4:

The criminal history background check can take 2-3 weeks to complete.

Step 5:

Once you are CLEARED to volunteer, you are eligible to volunteer throughout HISD.

 

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PTO SCHOOL STORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

StoreVolunteer  

CHILD FIND 
  

Child Find is an ongoing process to locate, identify, and evaluate as early as possible all children with disabilities who are in need of special education and related services.

 

Houston ISD has produced Child Find informational flyers in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The flyers are designed to be disseminated on your school's website or can be printed and shared with parents and others who have a child with a disability or who they suspect has a disability. 

 

Flyers

 

Access the flyers by clicking on the links below:

  

English Flyer     Spanish Flyer     Vietnamese Flyer

 

 

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FUNDRAISING THROUGH ONLINE SHOPPING

 

Dear Mark Twain Parents and Friends, 

 

 

Back to School shopping season is upon us! Mark Twain has partnered with BookBenefits.org to take advantage of cash benefits available to non-profits. Our school will receive a donation of 5% of your total purchases made on sites such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Toms, Groupon, iTunes and over 37 online retailers!!!

 

Instructions

  

Follow these easy steps to ensure that Mark Twain gets credited for your purchases on these sites:

 

1.       Go to http://bookbenefit.org/marktwain/ to access the site. (Be sure to bookmark your favorite sites with the Mark Twain link.)  Since Amazon is such a widely used retailer, please see the specific link for their site http://www.amazon.com/?tag=bkben0013-20

 

2.       Click on the link for the online retailer of your choice.

 

3.       Complete purchases as you normally would.

 

4.       BookBenefits.org will send Mark Twain PTO a check quarterly with our contributions.

 

Spread the word to your friends and family and encourage them to use the BookBenefits.org links for their online shopping. Supporting Mark Twain has never been so easy!!!

 

BTFE BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION 

Great work Twain Tigers, Families and Friends!  During the 2012-2014 school year we earned $3,179 from clipped Box Tops and eBoxTops!  Our goal this school year is $3,000.  Keep clipping those Box Tops For Education coupons from participating products for submission to your Twain Tigers new classroom!  
  
Also, please register at btfe.com to support Mark Twain Elementary in Houston Texas!
  
Click on the Bonus Sweepstakes images below to enter for a chance to win eBoxTops for Mark Twain.  Note that PO Box addresses are typically not accepted for online Bonus Sweepstakes and will be marked void should you win eBoxTops for Mark Twain.

 

Click on image above to enter. One (1) Entry per person/email address per day till October 16th
BTFESendCheer
Click on image above to enter. One (1) Entry per person/email address per Day through 7/17/2014.
                                               
  BTFEZooPals
 

Click on image above to enter.

 

One (1) Entry per person/email address. Sweepstakes entry deadline December 31, 2013

 
  Click on image above to register your Randall's Loyalty Card. Then click on "Select Offer" next to offer on webpage. Thru 9/30/13, get 20 eBoxTops when you when you buy any 5 General Mills Box Tops for Education products($2 value to Mark Twain)
  Click on image above to register your Randall's Loyalty Card. Then click on "Select Offer" next to offer on webpage. Thru 9/30/13, get 8 eBoxTops when you buy any 3 Yoplait Fridge Packs or Go-Gurt products($.80 value to Mark Twain)
Click on image above to register your Kroger's Loyalty Card. Thru 9/30/13, get 10 eBoxTops when you buy any 5 participating products. ($.50 value to Mark Twain)

 

We missed the 100 eBoxTops Bonus ($10) from HEB, but attached here is a collection sheet for any paper Box Tops Coupons.  Click Here For Collection Sheet
 


 

CUB SCOUT PACK 34

Join Cub Scout Pack 34 now!

 

Mark Twain Elementary is the largest source of boys for Cub Scout Pack 34, based at St. Mark's Episcopal on Bellaire (between Stella Link and Edloe).  Pack 34 is a very active pack with over 100 families, 4 camping trips per year, pinewood derby, scout fair, and too many other opportunities to list.  The Boy Scouts of America teaches skills such as leadership, communication, and organization.
  

All boys who will be entering 1st through 5th grades in the Fall of 2013 are welcome to join.  If you want to join or have any questions please email Cubmaster Sean O'Connor at oconnorhook@gmail.com.

 
PURE BODY STUDIO
Join Pure Body Studio with a Mat Membership for just $139/month and purchase TRX classes for $20 each! Enjoy unlimited visits to any of our mat Pilates, barre, circuit and stretch classes all month long and enjoy the best price in town on TRX in the bargain. Orientation required.
  
For more information on this great deal and all of our classes, call Pure Body Studio at 713-660-7873, visit www.purebodystudio.com or contact Laura McAughan at 713-817-6514.
  
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CALENDARS AND OTHER USEFUL INFO
September 2013 Lunch and Breakfast Calendar (Color Version) (B&W Version)
 
 
  
Saturday, October 5th Odyssey of the Mind Coaches Traininig at Sharpstown International school 8330 Triola Lane Houston, TX 77036.  For additional information please contact Iris Story, Coaches Trainer Chair at info@txodyssey.org.

 

Tuesday, October 29, 5:30-7:30 Math Night -  A Twain Tiger in King Arthur's Court, contact Irene Chang at icchang@prodigy.net for information.

 

Nov 11th-15th Book Fair, contact Holly Lee (hollyzlee@yahoo.com) or Jennifer Fernandez (jennifer@newcombscientific.com) for information.
  

Art A La Carte is an art curriculum that was purchased, and is supported by the Mark Twain PTO.  For additional information contact Sonal Patel, 240.888.6732, sonalpatel628@gmail.com

 

Mark Twain will be hosting Triathlon his coming November.  For more info contact Monica Agosta

magosta69@gmail.com.

 

The Mark Twain Track Team will be returning for the 2013-2014 school year. More information will be coming in November and December.

 

Marathon Kids Challenge - Run/Walk 26.2 miles over six months, in quarter or half mile increments thru March 20, 2014.

  

 

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For more information check out:
Mark Twain Elementary PTO website marktwainpto.org 
Mark Twain Elementary School website houstonisd.org/Twaines
HISD website houstonisd.org

 

Forward questions to twaintimes10@yahoo.com.  If you have information you would like to include in the Twain Times please follow the following procedures: 
  • For Parents - forward information to our PTO President, Tony Houck at tvhouck@msn.com for approval.
  • For Staff - forward information to Ms. Patin for approval at mpatin@houstonisd.org
  • Details needed for Twain Times:
    • Send a copy of the approved email to Rita Lee at twaintimes10@yahoo.com.
    • Provide text for your listing in the email or in a WORD document.
    • Please consider using bitly.com to shorten any web addresses or a URL. 
    • If you want a flyer included, it must be submitted in PDF format.
    • If you want a logo or image to appear in your listing, provide it in jpg, gif or png format.  Go to this link http://bit.ly/1fxcCDH for guidance on logos and images.
      • If you want the logo or image to be linked to a website, please include the website address for your image or logo in your email.
      • If you want the logo or image to have a caption, please specify text for caption.
    • If you want a video link, provide the URL for the video
  • Submission deadlines for all approved articles are Thursdays by 5pm.
  • Note that we will not include student full name unless we have parent permission.