The Twain Times
Mark Twain Elementary School 
September 15, 2015 

  

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Dear Mark Twain Families, Mark_twain_pto_logo
 
What an amazing day we had this Sunday. It was so nice to be outside with the family in the dry, cooler air. The first taste of Fall paired with the first NFL season games made for a perfect Sunday.

I would like to thank all of you who attended the first PTO meeting last week. We had a great turnout of old and new faces. I hope to see more of you in the months to come.

Fundraising is important to our school. Mark Twain Elementary counts on dollars that the PTO donates to the school each year. This year, these dollars will be allocated to support PYP training, additional curriculum materials, educational supplies, campus safety, technology support, library books, teacher supplies, support LDC, and much more. Our friends and Family campaign has had great success this year and we have you all to thank for your generous donations.

If you have not yet donated to Friends and Family, we will continue to accept donations but cannot guarantee recognition in the directory. Megan Rose is our PTO VP of Membership and she has done a great job of encouraging you all to give to our school.

Please remember that Tuesday, September 22 is early dismissal and Wednesday, September 23 is the Fall Holiday and there is no school.
 
Go Twain Tigers!
 
Jennifer Hyman
Mark Twain PTO President
Huckleberry Park to be Re-SPARKED!

Mark Twain's main  playground was formerly a SPARK park. We have been granted the ability to Re-SPARK this year. This means the front playground gates will be unlocked and open to the community during non-school hours. Additionally, the front playground and fields will be rebuilt.

Our new SPARK committee will be led by co-chairs Elaina McNulty and Linda Barcot. To make the Spark Park a success, we'll need the input and assistance of volunteers from our school families and from community members even if those members don't have children at Twain. If you or your neighbors are willing to offer your expertise in the areas of civil engineering, marketing, fundraising, website design, grant writing, or you have general park knowledge, please contact Elaina at ekmcnulty@sbcglobal.net or Linda at linbarcot@gmail.com. If your area of expertise is elsewhere, but you want to be involved in the Spark Park, please contact them and they will find a fit for you.

Please watch for a SPARK Park survey. The committee will conduct a survey of teachers, students, parents, and community members for the project. We hope that many of you will fill this committee and be involved with the Re-Spark of Huckleberry Park. Learn more at sparkpark.org.
                                                   
Spooky Spaghetti:
Fall Carnival and Supper
Ticket Presale begins today 

Event Date: Saturday, October 17
4:00 - 8:00 pm at Mark Twain Elementary
SpookySpaghettiCat
Spooky Spaghetti is Mark Twain's annual fall carnival and spaghetti supper. The event is fun for the whole family. Twain families and the community are invited to purchase tickets to enjoy carnival rides, a costume contest, game booths, cake walk, haunted house, dinner from Candelari's, and a great time with friends.

The ticket presale is September 15-30. Look for an order form in your child's red folder. Put your completed form in the designated box in the PTO Workroom by September 30. Online sales will be available soon. By pre-ordering your tickets, your child is guaranteed his or her t-shirt size, you avoid the ticket lines at the event and your child can wear their Spooky t-shirt to school on October 2. (Presale orders will be delivered to classrooms on October 1)

General sales of remaining t-shirts will be October 5-9 in the front rotunda before school. General ticket sales will be October 12-16 in the front rotunda and cafeteria before and after school.

Many volunteers are needed and appreciated. Please contact Frankie Sartin at frankiesartin@gmail.com or Annette Rodriguez at annettealonzo@me.com to volunteer or for more information.

Please consider donating individually wrapped sweet treats for the Sweet Shop and cakes for the Cake Walk.  Bring items to the PTO workroom before the event on October 15 or 16.
Parent Enrichment:
Introduction to Simplicity Parenting
New Date: Friday, September 18, 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.

Sneak peak: Friday, October 16 at 8:00 am will be a Book Discussion: How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success. 

Odyssey of the Mind Information MeetingOdyssey World Finals
Thursday, September 24
In the cafeteria just after morning drop-off

Odyssey of the Mind (OM) is an international program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students in all grades. Our team members solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting an interpretation of a literary classic. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level. Learn more or email Zeph Moss.

To participate in Odyssey of the Mind, submit this form by Friday, October 2 to the Odyssey of the Mind box in the parent workroom.

Coaching is Key
We can only have OM teams at Mark Twain if we have OM coaches. If interested, please attend the coaches training session on Saturday, October 3 at Sharpstown International 8330 Triola Lane, Houston, 77036. Registration is at 8:30 am and the session is 9:00 am to noon. There will be an advanced coaches seminar that afternoon from 2-4.  For more information, email houston@txodyssey.org.

International Potluck Dinner
Tuesday, September 29
5:30 - 7:30 pm in the cafeteria 
 
You don't have to be "international".
You don't have to sign up.
Just bring a dish from your country and 
Enjoy foods from all over the world at Mark Twain.
 
Don't forget to bring a serving spoon for your dish. 
Plates, napkins, and utensils will be provided.
 
Volunteers are needed. Please contact Sumi Ono at 
m.ohno21@mac.com to volunteer or for more information.   

Mark Twain Library Volunteers

The library needs volunteers. If you can give even twenty to thirty minutes a week, there is a spot for you!

Two kinds of volunteers are needed this year. 

Shelvers: People who can come in once a week, for about an hour, to re-shelve books and make sure the shelves are in order.

Circulation: People who can help teachers and students check out books using a user-friendly computer system. Staff members can show you how to use it. These shifts are in the morning before Ms. Burgert, our part-time librarian, arrives.

To sign up for a shift before, during or after school, visit signupgenius.com/go/4090444ada62ea13-20152016.

Please contact Brandy McDaniel at brandymcd@gmail.com for more information. 

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2015-16:  The Year of BounceBacktion: Building Resilience with Intention/Action

Three of our four kids are seniors in high school or college this school year, and the fourth one's not far behind. ("Breathe!" we tell each other.)

Our seniors are looking at a year of applications, interviews, acceptances and rejections - and decisions. As mothers, we are looking at graduations and separations - and no doubt a year of ups and downs, tears and cheers, and surprises for everyone involved.  

We (think we) are ready for 2015-16.  Are you?

In anticipation, we are dubbing it our Year of BounceBacktion - a year of actively focusing on resilience.  We've renewed our soul-sister pact to intentionally look for opportunities to step back and let our kids handle the tough stuff when it comes, when it's appropriate, on their own.

Will you join us?  Because whether your kids are headed to Kindergarten or college, there will be ups and downs.  And you'll have to decide how to handle those rough spots as a parent.

This year, we will remind each other that letting our kids bounce/fail helps them learn to bounce back on their own as they grow.  Ensuring that they own their accomplishments and their mistakes makes it possible for them to ultimately make their own way.

Welcome back. Here we go ... Are you in?

Sarah & Trish 
................................................................... 
JOIN THE +MOVEMENT: www.positivethinkingworks.org 

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.