The Twain Times
Mark Twain Elementary School 
September 8, 2015 

  

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Dear Parents, Mark_twain_pto_logo

I hope this finds everyone well-rested from the Labor Day weekend and ready for the busy week ahead. Please join me for the PTO meeting on Wednesday, September 9 at 8:15 am in the cafeteria. We'll learn about PTO priorities for the year, the budget and upcoming events.

Updates:
  • Magnet- Our Magnet program is our school-wide Literary Development Center which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.   LDC, as we fondly refer to it, serves all students at Twain.   Although our magnet funds were reduced for this school year, the program continues to flourish. We are committed to having LDC continue at Twain for years to come.

  • IB- The International Baccalaureate - Primary Years Program. We were authorized ten years ago and remain committed to the IB philosophy. We have had two evaluation visits and have done well both times. We will be hosting a parent informational meeting in October for those wanting to learn more about IB.

  • State Accountability- We met standard again this year and received designations in the areas of Reading/ELA and Science. We were within a couple of points of receiving all designations. We are proud of the work that we do at Mark Twain!

  • SPARK Park- We will work with the City of Houston, HISD, and community members to develop our playground into a SPARK Park. As a SPARK Park we will open our playground to the community during non-school hours. In the coming months, we will look for parent and student feedback on the amenities that should be included in our new park.

  • September is National Literacy Month- Read to your children and read with your children! A trip to the library or book store to browse the stacks is a fun way to spend time with your kids.

  • September is also Attendance Awareness Month- Our attendance rate is included in our accountability system and does have a negative impact on our school community. Please help us improve our attendance by bringing students to school on time every day that they are well. Trips should be planned around designated holidays if at all possible.

  • Birthday treats- parents and grandparents are allowed to bring cupcakes for a birthday. These treats may not be given out during the lunch hour and you should coordinate with your child's teacher. We do strongly encourage you to look at alternative treats or non-food items in lieu of cupcakes or cake.
Thank you all for joining us at the beginning of the year coffees and Open House. If you have any questions or need clarification on procedures or policies, please contact your child's teacher or an administrator for assistance.

Have a great week!
Melissa Patin, Principal

Support your School:
Last week for Directory and Website recognition

Have you made your Friends and Family Campaign contribution? Don't forget to make your gift by Friday, September 14 so that we may recognize your generosity in the school directory and website.  Your donations will continue to be gratefully accepted all year with recognition given by level for the LDC tree leaves and trunk, commemorative bricks, the principal's sponsorship breakfast and auction program.

This year, the Mark Twain PTO will celebrate the 25th year of our Literary Development Center and our 10th year as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. By making a gift to Mark Twain Elementary through the Friends and Family Campaign, you will help provide vital support for both of these programs.

To celebrate the anniversary of the programs, we will install an elegant stainless steel wall relief depicting the LDC and IB Anniversary Giving Tree on the school's exterior similar to the one pictured at right. A gift of $500 or more will provide you with a commemorative leaf on the tree.  Special recognition on the tree trunk is available to donors of $2,000 or more. Learn about donation levels and benefits here.

Ways to give:
You may increase your gift by participating in a Corporate Matching program at your place of work. Learn more.

For more information, please contact Megan Rose at meganrose72@gmail.com.
Spooky Spaghetti Fall Carnival and Supper 
T-shirt design contestSpookySpaghettiCat
Designs due Friday, September 11  
 
The Spooky Spaghetti Fall Carnival and Supper is right around the corner and the T-shirt contest is underway. If your child would like to submit a t-shirt design, please use no more than 4 colors and submit the design on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. Include your child's name and  teacher's name on the back of the design. See below right for past Spooky t-shirt designs. Good Spooky T luck!

Look for more information about
Spooky Spaghetti in the Tuesday red folder.

For questions, please contact Frankie Sartin at frankiesartin@gmail.com or Annette Rodriguez at annettealonzo@me.com.

Parent Enrichment:
Introduction to Simplicity Parenting
Friday, September 11, 8:00 am 
in the cafeteria 
 
All parents are invited to a free introductory workshop by Tricia LaRocca, MEd, CCLS, Certified Simplicity Parenting Coach and Certified Child Life Specialist. In this time of too much stuff, too many choices and not enough time, join us to learn how to make life simple at home. Visit www.simplefamilylife.org to learn more.

Read more about the parent enrichment program or contact Kahla Malinsky for more information or to be added to the Living Tree group for reminders and updates. 

 
Odyssey of the Mind at Mark Twain Odyssey World Finals
Awareness Meeting 
Saturday, September 12 from 10:00 - noon at Mark Twain Elementary
 
There are many ways for your child to be a part of a "team" outside of traditional team sports. One example of this is a program at Mark Twain called Odyssey of the Mind. This international educational program allows students (K through college) to work together in teams to creatively solve problems. The teams may present their work at local, state, and international competitions. Read more. 

The awareness meeting on September 12 will help you learn more about the values and benefits of the program, how teams are formed, who is the coach, and how tournaments work. Contact Zeph Moss at zmoss@me.com for more information.

Run With Sticks! 
Pin Oak Boy's Lacrosse Team 
Information and Registration Party
Thursday, September 10 at 7:00 pm 
Skeeter's, 5529 Weslayan Street 
 
The Pin Oak Chargers Boy's Lacrosse 5th and 6th grades Young Guns team is looking for 5th grade Mark Twain boys to join them this season.  Meet Coach Zaleski and both new and returning players at the party to learn more.  Practice begins Monday, September 21.  All 5th grade boys interested in learning to play lacrosse are eligible to join the team.  No experience is necessary.

For more information visit the team's website at pobl.org.usl.la or facebook.com/pinoakboyslacrosse. 

Cub Scouts Pack 34
New Parent Meeting
Saturday, September 12
9:00 am - noon
St. Marks Church in Hauser Hall
3816 Bellaire Blvd. 

Adventure is waiting!  Parents of boys in grades 1-5 are invited to learn about participating in Cub Scouts. For more information, contact Cubmaster Camora Kuo at (832) 270-0989 or camora.kuo@gmail.com.
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.