The Twain Times

Mark Twain Elementary School

January 12, 2016

Thank You To Our

Corporate Sponsors
2015 - 2016

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Dear Mark Twain Families,

Happy New Year to you all. I hope you had a great break, enjoyed time with family and friends, and are ready for an outstanding 2016! Our family enjoyed the time off, stayed around Houston for the break with friends and relatives, and felt revived and ready for a new year.

We had a great Fall semester at the school, fun events for the kids and families, and a great effort with FUNdraising. I hope you have stopped in the rotunda to take a peek at the rendering for the new Huckleberry Park - it is quite impressive!

Last Chance: Friends and Family Rewards Pick-up
If you have not yet had a chance to pick up your Friends and Family rewards, please stop by the rotunda between 2:45 - 3:15 pm on Wednesday, January 13 or email meganrose72@gmail.com.

A few important events are coming and I invite you to join us for them.

The January PTO meeting will be Wednesday, January 13 at 8:15 am in the cafeteria. Please come hear about the new park, Huckleberry Bash, and other news about the school. PTO meetings are a great way to stay connected to what is happening at the school.

Bingo Night is Friday, January 22 from 6:00-8:00 pm and is fun for the whole family. A food truck and pizza truck will be on hand so you can eat dinner while you play bingo with other Twain families.

Art Night has a new date - Thursday, February 4 from 5:30-7:30 pm. This is a fun night and free for all Twain families. A food truck will be on campus as well so you can grab a bite before or after the event.

The Huckleberry Bash, Pages from the Past, is Friday, February 12, at 7:00 pm. This is adults only and an event not to be missed. Ticket information was sent home last week. Tickets and tables are available for purchase now. Please click here to purchase tickets and for details or contact co-chairs, Madonna Bauch or Brittany Weisser for more information.

News and Information:
From Melissa Patin, Principal; Ms. Pansy Gee, a dear friend and respected colleague and the lead teacher for grades 3-5 in the Literacy Development Center, sent this letter to the staff at Mark Twain. She wanted to share the same message with the entire Mark Twain community.

Being Alive is

-being challenged and struggling

-smiling at those that don't

-listening to children thinking

-being there for family

-a good book

-hugging hard

-crying

-laughing

-praying

-and yearning for.

Sometimes being alive is making the hard decision to

let go and move on

-- to accept new challenges, new struggles

-- to see new faces to smile at

-- to reflect on children's thinking

-- to spend more time with family

-- to take time to read more good books

-- to keep hugging, crying, laughing, and praying

-- and to satisfy those yearnings.

"It is with excitement of the adventure ahead and heavy heart of what must be left behind that I will retire at the end of this school year." - Pansy Gee

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The Texas Open Carry Law went into effect on January 1. To learn how this new law affects HISD schools, other district buildings and passenger vehicles such as school buses and vans, please click here to view a brief letter in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Arabic.

Lastly, credit should have been given to former student Scott Stegink, for constructing our GaGa ball pit as part of his Eagle Scout project. Thank you Scott!

Have a great week,
Jennifer Hyman
PTO President
jennyhyman@gmail.com

Huckleberry Bash 2016

Tickets on Sale Now bidpal.net/huckleberrybash

Follow the Bash on Facebook

Important Dates to Remember:

AUCTION PREVIEW:

February 4 (3:30-7:00 pm) and February 5 (7:30-8:30am)

Join us in the cafeteria to preview all the items that will be auctioned off at this year's Huckleberry Bash. This will be the only opportunity to view the offerings in person!

ONLINE AUCTION:

Opens February 5 at 9:00 am
Closes February 12 at 3:00 pm

This year, we will offer all silent auction items through an online auction at http://bidpal.net/huckleberrybash. You can send the link to friends, grandparents, neighbors, aunts and uncles, and anyone else you choose. Bidding will open on February 5 at 9:00 am and stay open for the week leading up to the actual auction event.

At 3:00 pm the day of our event, the online auction will close. Anyone who attends the auction will be able to continue bidding through the close of the event via mobile bidding (not on this website); those who do not buy tickets will be held to the high bid they have entered.

"Pages from the Past" HUCKLEBERRY BASH AUCTION and DINNER:

February 12 from 7:00 pm - 12:00 am
Julia Ideson Library, 550 McKinney Street
Come dressed as your favorite author, literary character, or just as yourself - someone who loves to read!

The auction portion of the evening will utilize mobile bidding, so please remember your smartphones! For those that do not have phones, we will have limited bidding kiosks available. Silent auction items will continue to be available for those attending the event. Class creations, child socials, adult socials, teacher socials, school perks and treasures, big board, and live auction will ONLY be available to those attending the event.

Parent Enrichment

Kids and Technology:
The Good, The Bad, and The Fun

Speaker: Chelsie Sargent, M.Ed., LPC

Friday January 15

8:00 am in the cafeteria

All are welcome! Bring your questions and join us to learn about cyber safety for kids. Topics will include boundaries with cell phones, computer safety, and how to use technology as a connective piece in our families. Visit chelsiesargentcounseling.com to learn more.

Mark Twain Bingo Night

Friday, January 22

6:00 - 8:00 pm
in the cafeteria

Get ready for a fun night of bingo at Mark Twain! This is a cash-only event; we recommend that you bring your $1 bills.

There will be cool prizes and food for purchase from Luchi and Joey's taco truck and Papa John's pizza truck.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We need volunteers to set up and hand-out the bingo cards, as well as other positions. Click here to sign up to volunteer or email Allison Rudin at alirudin@gmail.com, Lindsey Sheinbein at lindsey@sheinbein.net or Rachel Jacobs at rachelcjv@att.net.

New players may start at anytime.

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.