|
Principal's Weekly
|
Dear Normandale Families,
Despite all the snow still on the ground, spring is officially here! Spring break is around the corner and all of the students are in the phase of practicing the behaviors and skills that will serve them well in the next grade. The bar is held a little higher and teachers are asking for a little more effort and consistent application of skills to fuel ongoing student achievement. With the support of their families, students are responding positively to the challenge. I am very grateful for the strong partnership between school and home at Normandale.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS for next week and after break:
- Family Life unit will be presented in 5th grade next Thursday and Friday morning
- Next Friday, March 28 is an early-release day. Students will be dismissed at 1:05 PM
- MCA's are scheduled for grades 3, 4, & 5 (see below). Please mark your calendars.
MCA Reading, paper and pencil
Wed. & Thurs., April 16 and 17
MCA Math, paper and pencil
Tues. & Wed., April 22 and 23
MCA Science, online (5th grade only)
April 28 to May 2
My door is always open,
Gerry Lukaska
|
|
Vive la Francophonie!
| |
 Every year in March Normandale celebrates Francophonie (the French speaking world). We celebrated French speaking islands in 2012, French speaking Africa in 2013, and this year we are celebrating our good old France. Students "travel" to the different regions of France with their passport in hand. The interns are presenting the different regions in many fun and interactive activities such as simulation of a crêperie (a crêpe restaurant) for La Bretagne, butter-making for La Normandie, visit of the Grottes de Lascaux for L'Aquitaine, and many more.
Students will get together for the Francophonie Assembly on Wednesday, March 26th.
Also there will be crêpes available at the cafeteria. On Tuesday, March 25, the cafeteria will offer a folded crêpe when students get their entrée and they will be able to top it with strawberries sauce on the garden bar. The charge for the crepe will be $.65. Bon Appétit!
|
|
Vide-Grenier Update
| |
 HAITI NEWS: The vide-grenier for Lougou raised $1,044.25. Third graders loved voting on how they would like to use the money. They voted for the following: - One 500-gallon plastic water storage tank for Lougou's clinic for $450.
- One dairy cow: It will provide milk and more offspring. It's like a saving account for a family. For $438.
- 15 large hens: A gift of a chicken can provide a boost to a family's nutritional status as well as income. For $10 each.
BRAVO and Merci!
|
|
Normandale's Queen Bee
| |
Claire Anderson McElligot: Normandale's Queen Bee
 This past Saturday, Claire Anderson McElligot, a fifth grader at Normandale, competed against 49 other spellers in the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee. Claire reports that her goal going into the Bee was to make it through the first round, so she was thrilled when she made it to the tenth round making her the youngest speller to advance that far in the competition.
Claire spent a good deal of time preparing for the Bee so it is no accident that she knows how to spell words like "miso" and "pilotage." Claire added that they are vegetarians at her house so she is familiar with miso and she further added that "pilotage" has a French origin so that word was also easy for her to spell. Claire's explanation of her connection to these words helps us understand that she not only learned how to spell the words in the practice book, but she also made an effort to know their definitions, their etymologies, and their use in the world around her. Claire didn't do it alone. She had her family to help her, especially her grandmother in Arizona who helped her practice her words via FaceTime. Claire explained that her grandma would tell her the word, then Claire would write it down so she could see the word.
When asked how she was feeling leading up to the big event, Claire said she was nervous until she got there. When she arrived, she said she felt much more relaxed. "There were cookies," she said smiling.
Claire says that she enjoys spelling and that it's "fun." She says it makes her a stronger reader and writer because she is able to recognize difficult words in a text and can easily access interesting words to use in her writing. Claire is excited to participate in the Spelling Bee next year as a sixth grader at Valley View Middle School. And with fellow Normandale graduates and spelling professionals like Anja Beth Swoap and Mark Kivimaki to help her out, the future is looking pretty bright for our Queen Bee.
- written by Sarah Kiel (5th grade)
|
|
Running at Normandale
|
Fun Running!
Do you want to encourage healthy habits, build school spirit, and support Normandale in one fell swoop? We have the committee for you! The PTO would like to explore the feasibility of adding a fun run to the Normandale calendar.
We already have some compelling ideas. (Mud run, anyone?) Now we need a few volunteers to flesh out the concept and explore feasibility. Please contact Emma Marshall-Cerqueira to serve on the Normandale fun run task force.
|
|
Please Find the Lost
|
Missing Something?
Check the lost and found this week for any missing gloves, hats, water bottles, sweaters, jackets, headbands, and more! Items are located at the tables by the Auditorium or the lost and found cabinets in the hallway by Door 1. All items not retrieved by Friday, March 28th will be donated.
  
|
|
French Magazines for your Students
|
Looking for French reading materials for your student(s) all year long? 
Our contact Marie-Caroline Russell from Bayard Presse is offering the opportunity for parents to order magazines from France (in French of course) for students. A small catalog from Bayard/Milan with an order form will come home in your youngest Normandale student's backpack.
If interested please complete and send your orders to Marie-Caroline directly to ensure summer delivery. Her address is on the yellow order form. Not sure which one to order? Come to the media center to look at examples of all the different choices or contact Tracy Pearson, Media Specialist, at (952) 848-4121.
Put the fun of reading in French in your students' hands! Happy Reading!
|
|
The Carnival is Calling!
|
Carnival Donations
 Planning for the 2014 Normandale Carnival is in full swing and we need your help. Do you have tickets you could donate to the carnival raffle baskets? Can you offer an experience that people would enjoy related to your work or hobbies? From Twins tickets to a boat ride, we would be grateful for your donations. Please email Kathy Tran with questions or details of your donations.
|
|
Edina Student Art Show
|
Artwork by students from six Edina elementary schools will be on display:
March 20 - April 13, 2014
Edina Library
5280 Grandview Square, Edina
651-543-6325
|
|
Last Week's News
|
Previously included La Liaison articles are listed below in case you missed them.
- Principal's Weekly Update
- 5th Grade Wisdom
- French Magazines
- Band/Orchestra Sign-Up
- Edina Boys Basketball Camp
- Skateboarding in PE
- Call for Carnival Volunteers
- Edina Student Art Show
|
|
Happening in the Community
| |
Washington, DC
April 9 - 12
Also - check out Edina Public School's Service - Learning website!
Capturing the Excitement of Edina Public Schools!
|
|
