Lenski Weekly Announcements 
March 30, 2016
In This Issue


Whmu
Mark Your Calendars

April 1 - 5th Grade to Newton for Music Demonstration
             9:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

April 5 - Middle School Counselors Meet with
             5th Grade, 9:15 a.m.

April 6 - 1st Grade Pace Center "Stuart Little",
             9:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

April 7  - Newton Parent Orientation
              At Newton 6:30 p.m.

             Powell Parent Orientation
             At Powell - 6:30 p.m.

April 8 - Income 2016/17 Kindergarten Story Time
             9:30 a.m. A-L
             2:00 p.m. M-Z

April 12 - Class Pictures

April 14 - PTO Social Gathering 6:00 p.m.
               All Welcome!

April 15 - Early Release
               KPM - 9:06 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
               KAM - No School
               Grades 1 - 5, 9:06 a.m. - 1:03 p.m.

               Band Students to Sandburg
               8:55 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

April 18 - No School - Teacher Training

April 20 - 5th Grade Visit to Powell/Newton
               9:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.

April 21 - Spring Blood Drive

April 26 - 3rd Grade - Swedish Hospital
               8:50 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Looking Forward.... Save the Dates  

May 5
-  5TH ANNUAL LENSKI GOLF
            TOURNAMENT

May 9 - 3rd - 5th Grade Field
            Day

May 11 - 1st - 2nd Grade Field
              Day 

May 10 and 12 - Rain Dates Available for Field Day
    golf 
Lenski Annual Technology Golf Tournament Registration is Open!
May 5, 1:00 p.m. shotgun start

Registration Open!
It's Cinco de Mayo AND the Lenski 5th Annual Technology Golf Tournament
THURSDAY MAY 5th
South Suburban Golf Course
12:00pm: Check In opens (range balls and boxed lunches)
1:00pm: Shotgun start
6:00pm: Dinner and Awards to follow play
 
Enjoy golf Cinco de Mayo style AND support a great cause! 
$150 per player, $600 per foursome. 
Scramble format
 
Don't Miss the Fun! Click Here to Register Online.   
 
$500 Hole Sponsorships Available:Would you like to highlight your business? Sponsor a Golf Hole! For $500, your hole sponsorship can promote your business at the event and in Lenski publications that reach over 500 families!
 
100% of proceeds go directly to technology in our children's classrooms! Last year we raised enough funds to provide the very popular "Hour of Code" for all students 1st-5th grade and we helped purchase new Chromebooks for 4th & 5th grade.  
 
For additional information contact Suzette Loving or Lucas Wilson.
 
       pto
PTO Social Gathering!  Find Out How You Can Get Involved.
April 14, 6:00 p.m.
Volunteer!
Start where you are.
Use what you have.
  Do what you can.   
 
Join us for a social gathering to find out how you can get involved in your child's future at Lenski with PTO.
 
Thursday, April 14, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 
6165 S. Forest Court, Centennial CO 80121  
Home of Kathy and Greg Shepherd 
Please RSVP here.

      blooddrive    
Spring Blood Drive - Please Sign Up To Be a Donor
April 21, 9 am - 1 pm

On Thursday, April 21st, Lenski will host its Spring Blood Drive to benefit Children's Hospital.  The blood drive will run from 9am to 1pm.  Please help us spread the word! We need at least 28 donors on the schedule to meet the hospital's surgery and transfusion needs.  One blood donation can help save or enhance the life of up to five people.
 
If you would like to donate blood, please click here.   If you can't donate blood, but you'd like to contribute, please click here.
 
Donors will need to bring their government issued ID's (passport or driver's license) to each donation. The process takes about 30 to 45 minutes total, from arrival, paperwork, a brief interview to the actual blood draw.  Donors should have something to eat and hydrate beforehand.  We will have snacks available after your donation.
 
Blood donors must meet certain health requirements.  You may be eligible to donate blood if you:  
  • Are in good health
  • Have not donated blood in the last 56 days
  • Are symptom free of a cold or flu
  • Are at least 18 years of age, or 17 with written parental consent
  • Weigh at least 110 pounds
  • Have not delivered a baby in the last six weeks
  • Have no history of, or risk factors for, HIV/AIDS
  • Have not had any tattoos or body piercings within the last year
  • Have not traveled to a malaria risk area within the last year
If you have traveled to Mexico, the Caribbean, and or Central or South America in the last 28 days, please hold off on donating until it has been more than 28 days after your return to the United States.
  • Have not spent 3 months or more in the UK from 1980 to present
  • Answer a series of medical history/lifestyle questions which determine eligibility
  • Please remember to bring your Government Issued ID (driver's license or passport) to each donation.
  • For any questions about eligibility, call 720-777-5398 or email [email protected]
This is the last Community Service event of the school year.  Thank you in advance for participating!
 
Questions?  Please contact Lisa Zook.
         
boxtops
Box Top Contest - Win an Ice Cream Party!
March 28 - April 29

I scream! You scream! We all scream for ice cream!
          

The class that collects the most Box Tops will win an Ice Cream Party.  Save and turn in the box tops in the classroom envelope.  The contest began this week and goes for 5 weeks.

Questions? Please contact Frances or Rebecca.
   girlscouts 
Lois Lenski Learning Garden - Sponsored by Girl Scout Troop #850
Introduction to the Lois Lenski Learning Garden

A group of 5th graders are Girl Scouts (Juniors in Troop 850) that want to make a difference at Lenski.  They are working toward achieving the highest honor a Girl Scout Junior can earn - the Bronze Award.  (This is comparable to the Eagle Scout Award/Project in Boy Scouts.)  For their Bronze Award Project (with Dr. DeSpain's approval), the girls have chosen to create a school veggie/food garden: the Lois Lenski Learning Garden.

The girls will be taking huge strides toward setting up an initial framework for an important teaching asset for the Lenski community... that can be built upon in the future by others, and ideally sustained by the framework they create.  For details on the numerous educational benefits and positive outcomes of a learning garden, please click here.

Where You Come In: The Lenski Garden Committee

If you are interested in being a part of the Garden Committee, we want to hear from you!  The goal of this Committee is to help the girls of Troop #850 as they implement their plan for kicking-off (and sustaining for the long-run) Lenski's Learning Garden. Involvement will be easy and manageable; we plan to convene the Committee mostly through email and through voluntary work days in the garden.
 
Next Steps


The troop has Dr. DeSpain's commitment and approval to develop the Lenski Learning Garden as an ongoing initiative to be built upon.  If you share this commitment, please email Jennifer Casani, Bronze Award Project Advisor & Mentor ([email protected]), to confirm your interest.
We are excited about this positive, sustainable, shared teaching resource... one that is meaningful for the entire school in the short and long-run.  Stay tuned to the Lenski Wednesday Announcements for future information about volunteer opportunities, a gardening tool drive, and more.  Thank you for your investment in Lenski and Girl Scouting!




G
irl Scout Troop 850 getting hands-on experience with planning the Lenski Learning Garden at a Slow Food Denver "Seed-to-Table Alliance" event.  Lenski is the newest member in their group of Alliance school gardens, along with Franklin, Peabody, and Sandburg Elementary.
(Photo credit: Lenski Junior/5th Grade Girl Scout Troop 850)
 

     cmas 
CMAS/PARCC Testing Schedule April 2016
Following is the testing schedule for 3rd through 5th grade beginning the first week of April.
 
Grade 3-                    Reading      4/7-4/8, 4/11           9:30-11:15
                                Math           4/12-4/14, 4/19       1:30-2:45
 
Grade 4-                    Reading      4/4-4/6                    10:45 -12:30
                                Math           4/19-4/22                10:45-12:00
 
Grade 5-                    Reading      4/4-4/7                    1:00-2:45
                                Math           4/12-4/15                9:30-10:45
                                Science       4/20-4/22                12:45-2:20
   fieldday 
Lenski Field Day! Parent Volunteer Opportunities!!

The 1st-5th graders will be participating in Lenski's Field Days in early May! Listed below are the schedules and events as well as procedures and volunteer opportunities. I hope you will be able to join us for this very exciting day!
 
SCHEDULES
GRADE
DAY
DATES
3rd, 4th & 5th Grade
Monday
May 9
Rain Day
Tuesday
May 10
1st & 2nd Grade
Wednesday
May 11
Rain Day
Thursday
May 12
 
 
 
GRADE
TIMES
LUNCH
1st Grade
9:30am-2:50pm
12:05-1:30pm
2nd Grade
9:45am-2:50pm
12:20-1:30pm
3rd Grade
9:30am-2:50pm
12:10-1:30pm
4th Grade
9:30am-2:30pm
12:20-1:30pm
5th Grade
10am-2:50pm
12:20-1:30pm
 
PARENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
  • Volunteer for a 1 � hour time slot on field day and participate with your student for the rest of the day or volunteer on the field day your child is not attending.
  • Volunteer on field day for 1� hours of set-up before the events start.
  • Volunteer on a day before field day (help line the fields, organize equipment, sort prizes, count ribbons etc.) To help on Saturday 5-7-16 use 3-5th's Field Day sign-up link, and to help on Tuesday 5-10-16 use 1st & 2nd's Field Day sign-up link.
  • Sign up by linking directly to :
For 3-5 FD: click here 
For 1&2FD: click here

Pick a day, event and time that works for you. You may sign up for as many shifts as you want. You will receive an email confirmation of your selection(s).
  • Please note: parents may not sign up their 5th graders. If a position is earned as determined by Lenski staff, then 5th graders will be assigned by Coach Wilson.
  • Thank you! All volunteers are greatly appreciated!
For complete details on what to bring, student attire, lunch, chaperones and checking out and leaving at the end of the day, please review the parent letter here.

As always, Field Day's objectives are promoting SPORTSMANSHIP, an ACTIVE LIFESTYLE and lots of FUN!! Please join us for your child's Lenski Field Day.


Questions?  Contact Mary Wilson, Lenski Physical Educator
    spotlight 
Meet Coach Mary Wilson, Lenski Physical Education Teacher

The mission of the physical education program at Lenski Elementary School is to empower all students with the skills and knowledge to engage in lifelong physical activity, work with others successfully and develop healthy habits as a foundation for a healthy, productive and fulfilling life.

Students develop a variety of skills through our elementary physical education curriculum. Skipping, galloping, balance, and spatial awareness are foundational locomotor movements. Manipulations like catching, striking, and kicking are cornerstones of many team and individual sports. In addition to developing physical skill sets, Lenski places high emphasis on health and wellbeing. Students understand the importance of exercise, goal setting, and healthy eating and sleeping habits. Likewise, students are taught social-emotional wellness skills by practicing team work, sportsmanship, conflict resolution, responsibility, and respect for others throughout our class activities.

In the primary grades, skill acquisition occurs as students engage with a game, like Star Wars, Puppy Pounders, or Healthy Heart Tag. Once students move into grades 3-5, these skills are incorporated into modified sport units like basketball, volleyball and tennis. Invasion, net, or target game strategies are introduced via these modified sports, and teams are kept small to ensure all students have a chance to learn and participate.

As your student's instructor, I take modeling a healthy lifestyle to be of key importance. I do the sit-ups and push-ups with the students, often ride my bike to school and pack a healthy lunch. I earned a bachelor's degree at CU, Boulder where I was recruited as a springboard diver for the University's diving team. When I graduated, my diving career shifted to coaching a high school team in Anchorage, Alaska where I also taught downhill skiing and earned a teaching certificate in physical education. My formal teaching career began after a move to Dallas. During my ten years in Texas, I taught middle and high school physical education in addition to coaching diving, tennis, track, gymnastics and golf. In 2000, I returned home to Littleton, CO. I was excited to take a position as a PE teacher at Powell Middle School. Only a few years later, an opening appeared at Lenski; I have been happy to be part of the Lenski family for the last 12 years! In that time, I earned a master's degree in PE Pedagogy from UNC and have been honored to be part of the growth of over 1,700 children during their time at Lenski.

Outside of school, I spend my days with my husband and fellow Littleton High School graduate, Scott Wilson. He works as a petroleum engineer for a local oil and gas consulting firm. We have two children, who both ran cross country and graduated from Heritage High School. Our daughter, Lauren, earned a Master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin and does evaluation work for museums. Our son, Spencer, recently graduated from the University of Missouri and works as a news reporter and weekend anchor. I feel blessed with my family and to be in the great state of Colorado where I have the opportunity to work with the families, students and staff here at Lenski Elementary.
         enrichment    
New Enrichment Flyers on Lenski Website

Please be aware there is still space available in the following upcoming enrichment classes:  
  • Spanish (Grades K-5) - Begins this week
  • Bits, Bytes and Bots - Lego Mindstorms (Grades 2-3)- Began yesterday (Tues)
  • Art (Grades K-5) - Begins Wednesday of next week
  • Science (Grades K-5) - Begins Tuesday of next week
Flyers for these classes are posted now on the Lenski website.  Space is limited in some classes.  If you are enrolling your students, please download and complete your form and return it to the Lenski office as directed on the form.  Please complete a form for each student for each class.  Forms are also available in the Lenski office.

If you have questions regarding enrichment, please contact the Lenski office at 303-347-4575.

Thank you.
Lenski Office Staff
 
 illness 
Please Keep Children Home if They Are Sick And Tips To Avoid Illness
Dear Parents,
 
Throughout the district there have been a many students absent due to illness. Students have been going home sick with respiratory or GI illnesses. We encourage families to please keep their children home if they are sick.  Please see below some ways to help prevent the spread of illness.
 
How you can avoid illness:
  • Handwashing
  • Sneeze/cough into your elbow
  • Don't touch your eyes, mouth, or nose
  • Keep pens/pencils out of your mouth
  • Sleep, drink lots of water, eat lots of fruits and veggies
  • Exercise and decrease stress level
  • Throw away tissues after each use
  • Please stay home if you're sick
Thank you,
 
Lenski Elementary
    trafficprocedures 
Traffic Procedures for Morning Drop Off

You may have noticed an increased presence of volunteers and staff at Lenski while dropping students off in the circle drive in the morning.  In an effort to keep children safe when coming to school please keep in mind the following in support of these efforts:
  • Drop off in a single file lane
  • When loading and unloading, be sure to pull over to the right drop off lane and stay in a single drop-off lane to ensure students are not crossing in front of other vehicles. Do not park anywhere on the left side of the circle drive.
  • Do not pull up next to another vehicle to drop off. 
  • Your child may get out of the car on the right anywhere along the fence and head into school.
  • After your child has exited the car, you are welcome to safely pull around the car in front of you to slowly and cautiously exit the parking lot.
  • As you are exiting, please keep in mind that there is a crosswalk where children may be crossing to enter the school.  STOP to check for any pedestrian before you proceed.
  • If you are dropping your child on a day when they have a large project or anything that requires you to assist them, we ask that you park in the PARKING LOT to help your child and then they can use the crosswalk to go into school.
  • There is no drop off beyond the crosswalk.  Beyond the cross-walk is  designated for BUSES ONLY. 
 
Please use the guidelines to expedite the drop off process and help to keep children safe during the morning drop off.  We appreciate your support.

Sincerely,
Barbara DeSpain, Principal
Lenski Office Staff
 
       volunteers       
Volunteers Needed at Morning Drop Off to Help Keep Our Kids Safe!
The morning drop off at Lenski is a busy time and it is so important that our children stay safe walking into school every morning.  Please help us provide volunteers to monitor the morning drop off circle!

  







Sign up here to volunteer to monitor the drop off circle from 8:45 to 9:10.

Just one parent helping each morning can help expedite drop-offs so that traffic keeps moving and the cross walks stay clear with ample visibility for children crossing.  We appreciate all of you pitching in to accomplish our common goal!!

Sincerely,
   saferoutes 
Safe Routes for Walking To Lois Lenski
To assist all children who walk to school to find the safest routes, please click here for a map, published by the Littleton Public Schools Wellness Committee.
           
flyers
Flyers for District Events


 quicklinks
 Quick Links

Lois Lenski Elementary Website 
March Calendar of Events
April Calendar of Events

King Soopers and Safeway reloadable card ($25)
order form

Target Take Charge of Education Program - 1% to Lenski 
   
streets of southglenn
Box Tops #2
Keep Saving and Submitting Your Box Tops In The Container Outside the Office

Archives for Lenski Weekly Announcements 
   
If you have any questions about information in this email, please contact PTO Communications, Jennifer Gruidel 
([email protected]) or PTO Co-Presidents Dana McDermott ([email protected]) and/or Amy Dawson ([email protected]).   For access to past issues of the Lenski Weekly Announcements, please visit our archives
 for more information.