Pinchbeck PTA Weekly News    
September 30, 2013

 www.pinchbeckpta.com                                                                1275 Gaskins Road . Richmond . VA . 23238   

In This Issue
Spanish Newsletter
Beautifying Our School
After School Enrichment
PTA Reflections
Pinchbeck Promotions
Physical Education
Counselor's Corner
Soccer Tournament
Important Dates
Pinchbeck's Carnival 2013!

Mark your calendars for

Saturday, October 26th from  

11am to 3pm

We'll have Games, Prizes, the PES Pumpkin Patch, Inflatables, Food, our Cake Walk and so much more!

Tickets $10/child in advance with a $30 family max.

 

Details to follow...reserve the date now!


This Week's Teacher Feature
Amy Stevens



Position
1st Grade

Years at Pinchbeck
13 years

Years Teaching
13 years

Something about yourself:

I went to Pinchbeck.

SPANISH NEWSLETTER
If you would like to read a copy of this newsletter in Spanish click here.
BEAUTIFYING OUR SCHOOL!
Beautifying Our School!
Please send in your plants this week! We are looking for shade plants and bulbs, grasses and perennial plants. The areas we are hoping to bring some life to are in the front, near the bus loop, and in the outdoor classroom. Consider bringing plants from your own yard or purchasing from a garden store.
We will collect the plants in the outdoor classroom from September 30 through October 4. Place your plants in small containers or plastic bags.
On Saturday, October 5, we will be planting! We need lots of volunteers to make this
happen. Please use the following link to sign up http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508044BADAA22A31-beautifying
If you are able to help on Saturday, please bring tools! We will need shovels, wheel barrows, gloves, any resources you find helpful when working in your yard.
Thank you for all of your help! If you have any questions, please contact Ellen Gonzalez, [email protected].
Ellen Gonzalez and Sarah Pena, SCA Coordinators
AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT

Enroll for After School Enrichment Today! 

Online enrollment for After School Enrichment begins today!  We are offering six exciting classes on Wednesdays from Oct. 16 - Nov. 20, from 2:15 - 3:15. 

Our fall classes include:

  • Spanish with Little Scholars (grades K-5, $60)
  • All Fired Up's Forest Friends (grades 1-5, $65)
  • Maymont's Animal Investigations (K-2, $60)
  • Forces of Nature with Bricks 4 Kidz (K-2, $60)
  • Overtime Athletics Sports Spectactular (grades 3-5, $60)
  • Aerospace Engineering for Kids (grades 3-5, $65)

To see complete descriptions of each class, click here.  

 

To enroll in a class, click here. Once you have signed up, we will contact you with payment instructions.

 

Heather Goodman - After School Enrichment

 

PTA REFLECTIONS

 

Calling all Artists! The 2013-2014 PTA Reflections Theme is "Believe, Dream, Inspire" and it's easier than ever to enter! The categories are: Dance Choreography, Photography, Film Production, Musical Composition, Literature and Visual Arts. And again this year, there is the Special Artists division which provides an opportunity for children with special needs to participate. For detailed rules about the categories, please click here (http://www.vapta.org/resources/for-students/resources-reflections.html). Please be sure to review these rules to be sure the artwork is formatted within the guidelines.

 

 

Entries are due October 30--So snap those photos, compose that music, and dance that dance all while keeping the theme in mind. Please click here for the English entry form. (click here for the Spanish form).

 

Contact Alice Taylor ([email protected]) and Karen Nance ([email protected]) with any questions. 

 

PINCHBECK PROMOTIONS

Did you know the PTA earned $1,500 last year in 10 BoxTops?  That is amazing and we could not do it without your help!  It is BOXTOP CONTEST TIME at Pinchbeck!  The grade level with the most BoxTops submitted between October 1st and November 15th will win an exclusive PLAYGROUND PARTY!  

 

Please follow these submission rules:

         Trim along the dotted lines before submitting

         Check the expiration dates (NO expired BoxTops accepted)

         Send in a Ziploc bag (Do not staple, tape or clip)

         Mark the number submitted,  child's name & teacher on the bag

         Deliver to your child's classroom by November 15th

 

Please sign up ONLINE  at www.boxtops4education.com  to received store coupons, enter contests and earn eBoxTops while shopping online at your favorite stores.  Don't forget to designate Pinchbeck Elementary as your school!

 

Robin Jager, Promotions Chair 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION BUILDS HEALTHY BODIES
Parents & Staff,
An excellent article published in Scientific American Magazine talks about the benefits of exercise for children. It states that exercise helps students academically. Students who are aerobically fit tend to perform well in school and on standardized tests. Even brief periods of movement such as jumping or stretching can improve children's concentration. Exercise raises levels of neuronal growth factors, which foster the formation of new connections between the brain cells. In one study in North Carolina, students in 3rd and 4th grades received a daily 10-20 minute activity break in school. Teachers asked the children to stand up, and play energetic games involving clapping their hands, jumping, stomping, or other movements. Trained raters observed the children before, during, and after four to eight weeks of the drills, measuring their on-task behavior-paying attention to the teacher, participating in class discussions, and so on. The researchers found that by participating in the program, the children stayed on-task during academic instruction and average of 8 percent more than before. The most distractible students improved their attention spans by 20 percent. Thus, not only do lasting changes in fitness improve performance, but simply giving children a chance to move during the school day can enhance their ability to learn.
Source: "Smart Jocks: When kids exercise they boost brain power as well as brawn" by Steve Ayan
You can download this article at:
 http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/benharm/Articles/smart%20jocks%20-%20ayan.pdf


Greg Brown
Physical Education Teacher
[email protected]
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Please check out my MONTHLY Newsletter and BLOG!
Ocotober Newsletter:  

 

Mrs. Mayo's Blog:
 
October is National Bullying Prevention Month!  For more information on NBPM activities at Pinchbeck AND for information about our POSTER AND ESSAY CONTEST click or copy/ paste this link:  

 

International Bacclaureate (I.B.) Middle Years Program (MYP) @ Moody Middle School
Applications for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP) at Moody Middle School will be available September 18th- November 15th.  If you would like to request an application or would like more information about this program for the highly motivated learner and think it may be a good "fit" for your child, please contact Mrs. Mayo at (804) 750-2670 or via e-mail at [email protected].  An interest meeting for students was held on September 17th, during school hours and a "Middle School Readiness/ IB Application" parent workshop will be held on October 28th at 6:30pm in the library.  A flier and more information on this parent workshop will be sent home in weekly "take-home" folders in MID- OCTOBER.  FOR MORE INFO/ UPDATES ON THE I.B. PROGRAM, please click or copy/ paste the following link:  http://blogs.henrico.k12.va.us/jcsmayo/middle-school-transition
 
SAVE THE DATE - SOCCER TOURNAMENT

Save the Date: October 18th

The PTA is sponsoring a 3 on 3 soccer tournament on October 18th.  The tournament will take place after school.  Take some time over the next week to talk with your child about participating.  Encourage them to think about friends who might want to join a team. There will be more information as well as registration forms in the October 11 newsletter. 

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

 

If you are interested in helping with the event, particularly in serving as a referee, contact [email protected].