The Twain Times
Mark Twain Elementary School 
January 6, 2015 

  

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Dear parents,

 

Welcome to 2015! This month marks the beginning of a new year and the teachers spent yesterday happily preparing for the return of the children. The spring semester will be busy so check the school calendars on Living Tree and school website which is www.houstonisd.org/twaines.

 

Friday is Field Day come rain or shine. If it rains, we have alternate indoor plans. The temperature will be cold, particularly in the morning, so please have your child dress in long pants and a jacket.

  • January 9 - Official date for report cards. Due to Friday being Field Day, we will send report cards home in red folders on Tuesday, January 13. This will ensure that they are received by parents. If you prefer the report card on Friday, please request it from Denise Rodriguez in the office.
  • January 16 - Parent Enrichment presents a Book Discussion at 8:10 am
  • January 16 - Family Bingo Night from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
  • January 19 - No school in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  • January 28 - Early dismissal
  • January 29 - Art Night from 5:00-7:00 pm

I hope that the new year brings much happiness to all of you in the Mark Twain community. Thank you for your support and commitment to your child's education. Together we can make great things happen.

 

Have a great week! 

Melissa Patin

Principal

Host a Bash Social!

 

Bash Socials are an important part of the success of our biggest fundraiser of the year, The Huckleberry Bash.  "Bash Socials" are student or parent social events planned and hosted by individual or group of parents during the year. Once planned, socials are then made available for purchase at the Bash at a set price per person (or per couple) until all slots are filled.  

 

Hosting a Bash Social is a great way to meet and have fun with your Mark Twain friends while contributing to the school. Now is the time to get your group of hosts together, brainstorm ideas for fun adult and kid parties and SIGN UP! As you work out the party details, think about the NUMBER OF PEOPLE and AGE range, choose your LOCATION and select a DATE for your party.    

 

The hosts are responsible for underwriting the cost of the event.  Download and complete the Bash Socials donor form here and return it to either Carlotta Ramirez (adult socials) or Holly Lee (kid socials) by email or to the Bash Socials box in the PTO Workroom no later than Friday, January 30. Contact Carlotta cramirez@mfah.org or Holly hollyzlee@yahoo.com for more information or to sign up. Forms are also available in the PTO Workroom or on the PTO website.   

West University Softball AssociationWest University Softball Association the largest recreational girls' softball league in Texas, is proud to announce the opening of the spring softball season.  Register today to secure a spot for the spring season. Registration ends January 6, 2015. Practices begin the week of January 19. All girls who register will tryout and be placed on a team. We hope you can join us! Registration and more information about Spring Ball 2015 are available online at wusa.org.  
Art a la Carte

The January tutorial will be on Thursday, January 8 after morning drop off in the cafeteria. For questions, contact Sonal Patel.

Art doesn't transform. It just plain forms. -Roy Lichtenstein

Field Day

Field Day

Friday, January 9 

 

Some important information:

  • Parade of Classes and Opening Ceremony at 8:15 am on the Field. K-2 events from 8:30 to 11:00 am and 3-5 events from 12:00 to 2:30 pm.
  • Each grade level will compete in four events. Points are awarded for performance as well as cooperation and sportsmanship.
  • Each classroom will carry their own nutritious "GO" snack. Snacks during the event are welcome but not necessary.
  • Remember to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water in reusable sports bottles.
  • Dress appropriately. Sneakers and socks but no cleats please. Students may wear gloves, especially for Tug of War. Sunscreen must be applied before arriving to school.
  • Remember this is a +Works and +PlayWell event.  Cooperation, empathy, respect and integrity are key to a successful Field Day.
  • Have fun!

Mark Twain Bingo Night  

Friday, January 16 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm

In the cafeteria 

 

Get ready for a fun night of bingo at Mark Twain on January 16.   Twain students and their families always enjoy the fun evening filled with bingo games and prizes. This is a cash-only event.

 

There will be food for purchase from Luchi and Joey's taco truck and Papa John's pizza truck. If you wish to pre-order pizza from Papa John's, please download and complete the form here and return to PTO workroom by Tuesday, January 13.

 

We need volunteers to help hand out bingo cards. To sign-up to help that night, please click here or email Kathleen Fenoy kathleenfenoy@yahoo.com or Nicole Shah nicoleallman74@hotmail.com.

Parent Enrichment
Friday, January 16 at 8:10 am  
in the cafeteria 

Join us for a Book Discussion
Mindsets: The New Psychology of Success
Carol Dweck, PhD

Dweck explains why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success, but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn't foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but may jeopardize success. With the right mindset, we can motivate our kids, help them raise their grades, and reach our own goals - personal and professional. Dweck reveals what all great parents, teachers, CEOs, and athletes already know: how a simple idea about the brain can create a love of learning and a resilience that is the basis of great accomplishment in every area.

For questions or suggestions regarding the parent enrichment group please email Moya Varner moya.varner@gmail.com or Kahla Malinsky at kahlavet@gmail.com.

Did you know that Parent Enrichment has a Living Tree group?  If you want to be added to this group for meeting reminders and updates, please email kahlavet@gmail.com.
SAVE THE DATE:
Art Night
Thursday, January 29 
5:00 - 7:00 pm in the cafeteria

Enjoy working with Clay! Paint Like the Artist! Origami! Snowflakes! and many other fun art activities. There will be a raffle with art prizes. Dinner will be available for purchase.
We need your help to make Art Night special.  Please sign up to volunteer here. We look forward to seeing you for another great night!
Earth Day Art Contest
3rd - 12th grade students

All contest entries postmarked  
January 31, 2015 will be accepted to: 

 

Art Contest - Air Alliance Houston
3914 Leeland Street
Houston, TX 77003

 

In the months leading up to Earth Day, Air Alliance Houston celebrates planet Earth with our Earth Day Art Contest. The Contest encourages students to show what they see when they think of clean air, water, and land. Winning artwork presents a vision of how we can honor, celebrate, and protect our environment.

 

For complete contest details, please download a brochure here.

Add a description
Years ago, my then seven-year-old came home quite upset about his day. When asked what the issue was, he said something like: "It was awful! We went to this class for 23 minutes and that place for 19 minutes and this other place for another 25 minutes!" I recall thinking, "OK, so my kid's a freak. What seven-year-old obsesses about time increments?" I tried not to worry but let's be honest. I worried. It just seemed like such strange behavior for a little person.

I vividly remember pulling out Your Seven-Year-Old, a Gesell Institute book from my (still) favorite parenting/child development series. And there, in the chapter "Characteristics of the Age," it said: "Seven likes to locate things, especially himself, and wants to know where he stands. His interest in time may also be quite personal. Most Sevens can tell time (they love to have their own wristwatches) and may like to plan their own days. Sevens are aware of the passage of time as one event follows another."

There it was. My kid was not a freak. He was just a Seven who wished he could plan his days. Woo Hoo!!I've learned through the years that there is a lot of wacky stuff that goes on with kids - and so much of what appears negative is normal. And if a behavior's not normal, there are usually good people available to help us through the rough patches.

Trish and I often say, "We wish we knew then what we know now." That's why we've included basic child development information (ages 4-14 years) in our original +Parenting and new +School Community Guides. Just click here, scroll to the section "Do you have the knowledge?", print whatever is helpful for you - and share it around!
For more information about Mark Twain Elementary, visit marktwainpto.org or houstonisd.org/Twaines. To receive the Twain Times e-newsletter, please sign-up here. For submission guidelines, visit marktwainpto.org/communications.