The first week of school at Normandale was a Principal's dream... it was uneventful! Buses ran. Schedules were followed. Meals were served. Games were played at recess. Teachers taught and students learned. Hopefully the honeymoon will not be over next week!

As we go into week 2 I have just a few updates for families:

- Classroom Information night for all grade-levels is scheduled for September 10 from 5:30-7:00pm. This event is for parents/guardians only. Teachers will be presenting grade-level information about expectations, procedures, curriculum, etc. at two sessions: 5:30-6:10 and 6:20-7:00. Sessions are identical so parents can attend either time or attend the first session for one child and the second session for another child. Please note: these are presentations and not an open house, so please plan to arrive at the start of the session and stay for the entire time.

The rooms where the grade levels will be located are:

Kindergarten - ECC Room 349

First Grade - ECC Room 351

Second Grade - Normandale Auditorium

Third Grade - ECC Room 348

Fourth Grade - ECC Room 350

Fifth Grade - ECC Room 303

- Last year playground staff at Normandale, Concord, Kids Club and WISE Guys trained with Playworks: 1) to make recess more engaging and 2) to establish common expectations, language and activities across these four sites. This is a pilot effort that, if successful, will be brought to scale across the District. This week Normandale's fabulous recess staff implemented the Playworks training they received last year. As a result I saw lots of smiling faces and active students at recess this week. This has been a great partnership with Kids Club and WISE Guys staff and I am looking forward to seeing it grow this school year.

Chris Holden, Principal

School Pictures

School pictures will be taken Monday, September 14th. Forms will not be sent home this year. Please use this link for the Lifetouch Picture order form. Print, fill in and attach your payment or write your online payment code on the form.

If you have multiple children, you must fill out a form for each. Forms need to be returned to your child's classroom by September 14th. Even if you don't want to buy pictures, ALL students will have their picture taken for the yearbook.

Contact Social Worker, Rachel Bjorhus or Principal, Chris Holden for scholarships.

Questions? Contact Shannon Sieve or Becca Braun.

PTO Dues

Normandale's PTO dues cover field trips, class parties and Normandale's intern program. This year Normandale is hosting 19 intern teachers that serve as cultural and linguistic models for all Normandale students. This unique program and opportunity would not be possible without your support.

PAY PTO DUES HERE

For more details on PTO dues and what they cover please visit the PTO website.

Intern Overnight

Great chili or salad recipe?

Please help support this fun event by making a donation.

The French Intern overnight is coming up on September 11-12th. We are looking for volunteers to donate food and/or supplies to help make this event a success. Food donations should be dropped off on Friday 9/11 before 12:00pm at the Normandale Office.

Please sign up to donate food on our Google doc.

Thank you very much for your support! If you have any other questions, please contact Stephanie Nordin.

Volunteers Needed

There are many opportunities to get involved at school. Some are big, some are small, yet all are important.

Some specific needs are in our media center as well as neighborhood network volunteers, as well as being a part of the PTO. Please review our Volunteer Form to see how you can help. Contact Jen Haenel with any questions.

The Normandale Office is also looking for a parent volunteer to update the Normandale marquee on the frontage road in front of the school. Needs will vary throughout the year. Some changes may need to be done weekly and other times less frequently. Please contact the Normandale Office to volunteer for this item.

Innisbrook Volunteers Needed

The Innisbrook fundraiser kicks-off next week. Three or four volunteers are needed to help label catalogs on Wednesday, September 9 from 8:45-11:00am in the Normandale conference room. No need to stay the entire time - just stop by for as long as your schedule allows.

Please contact Beth Ann Monsen via email or phone (call or text 920-205-8381) if you can volunteer. Thank you!

Please Label

As a reminder, please label all backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles, jackets, sweatshirts, gloves, mittens, etc. with your student's name. Labeling significantly helps lost articles get back to their owner.

La Liaison Co-Editor Wanted

You enjoy reading the useful information in La Liaison each week, but how would you like to be a part of the action along with getting the scoop before everyone else? If you would be interested in learning more about helping out with editing responsibilities, please contact Erica Amevo (763-614-8013) for more information. Thanks!

Happening in the Community

2015-16 Beyond EFCE Parenting Classes

Have parenting questions? We have answers. You came to rely on the Edina Family Center's high-quality, Parent Aware 4-Star ECFE classes for children from birth to age 5. Now that your child has moved on to your parenting concerns? The Edina Family Center is proud to offer Beyond ECFE classes to meet your needs. Set some time aside once each month to learn new parenting skills, replenish your toolkit, and build your healthy, age-appropriate child development.

For more information or to register online, visit the Edina Family Center website.

Capturing the Excitement of Edina Public Schools!

Follow us on Flickr and Twitter (@edinaschools) to see what's happening at our Edina Public Schools.
Stay connected with Normandale and the rest of Edina Public Schools (EPS) by visiting the EPS website, the Normandale Facebook page, and the EPS Facebook Page.
For more events and activities, visit the Community Bulletin Board.

Last Week's News

Previously included La Liaison articles are listed below in case you missed them.

You can always view last week's newsletter on Normandale's PTO website or on the Newsletters page of the Normandale Website.

La Liaison is published every Friday. Submit articles to LaLiaisonMN@gmail.com by noon Wednesday prior to your desired publication date. Articles pertaining to the following week's issues will take precedence.

Previous editions of this newsletter are saved in the La Liaison Archives.

Editor: Erica Amevo