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From the Principal
Lynn Main
It's quite the week at Lafayette. Even though there are only four school days we are managing to pack them full. A quick rundown of all that is happening. No wonder we are tired! |
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Mark Your Calendar
February 13 (Wednesday)
Jump Rope for Heart
February 15 (Friday)
No School, Professional Development Day
February 18 (Monday)
No School, President's Day
February 20 (Wednesday)
HSA Open Chat, 8:45 a.m.
February 21, 2013 (Thursday)
Counselor/Parent Pick-Up Group, 2:15 p.m.
February 25 (Monday)
No School, Parent-Teacher Conference Day
See full school calendar
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From the HSA
Jenny Murray & Gayle Moseley, co-presidents
We would like to thank Anne and Tim Gearan for graciously opening their home to host the Auction Wine Party this past Saturday evening, as well as Carol Leonnig and Eden Burgess for organizing and co-hosting the event. The turnout was tremendous, with a wide variety of wine being served all night long. Many thanks to those who contributed to the wonderful array of fine wines that will be auctioned off during Lafayette's biggest fundraiser, which will take place the first week of March.
Your child should have brought home his or her report card this past Friday, so please search the backpacks if you have not already found it. Please sign the envelope and return it to school.
Jump Rope for Heart is tomorrow! Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st Grade will be participating during the school day and Grades 2 - 5 will jump after school until 5 pm.
Thursday is Valentine's Day and students will be celebrating in their classrooms.
Last night, many parents attended the meeting to learn more about the school boundary issue. A written update for those who could not attend is being prepared by the parents working on this issue. Please be on the lookout for that update by email in the next couple of days.
Gayle & Jenny
See HSA board members
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Auction Update
There is just one week left to purchase Catalog Ads and Shout-outs! The deadline for both is this Friday, February 15. Buy either or both today!
To Advertise: Do you own your own business? Want to get the word out to the Lafayette community? Why not advertise in our Auction catalog. Go here to learn more about advertising options and rates.
Try a Catalog Shout-Out: Say "hi" to a child, thank a staff member at the school, or congratulate a sports team or class for a job well done by purchasing a shout-out in the auction catalog! It's a great thing for grandparents or special friends and family members who want to support the auction and their special Lafayette student but can't be here in person. For $25 you get up to 150 characters (approximately 15 lines) and you can include a photo or other image! Click here to purchase or for more information.
Cash Donations: The auction can always use cash donations. We will put your money to good use by underwriting big items and packages to help raise more money for the school.
Tickets are on Sale! Tickets for the event are $60 pre-sale and $75 at the door. Each ticket includes your auction reservation, as well as a $50 voucher to gamble in the casino. To purchase your tickets, sign in to Maestro (it's easy to create a new account if you haven't signed in before), and click on the "Buy Tickets" tab. From there make a selection from the drop down menu and follow the prompts.
While buying your tickets, we hope you'll consider the option to "Sponsor a Teacher" for $25, or "Sponsor a Teacher and Guest" for $50. We love our teachers and staff, and since they do so much for our kids, we give them complimentary tickets to the event. So, we hope you'll help us cover the cost of these tickets.
Volunteers: Want to volunteer your time? We are still looking for volunteers to help decorate on Friday, March 8th, in the evening. Please email us at [email protected] and let us know.
Thank you!
Hope & Julie |
Buy a WLES Shout Out Today!
Have a custom message read to your child during the morning  announcements. It's a great way to say "Happy Birthday", "Good Luck" or just send a fun message to your child at the beginning of the school day. Print and fill out this form, and place it and a payment of $15 (checks made out to Lafayette HSA) in the WLES Shout Out box in the Great Hall. Announcements and payment must be received at least seven days prior to the announcement date. All proceeds go towards the Spring Auction. Please contact Eden Burgess for more information. |
Jump Rope for Heart
Marjorie McClure, Physical Education Teacher
Jump Rope for Heart is tomorrow, Wednesday, February 13. Pre-K, K and 1st grade will be jumping away from 12:00 -1:15. Our older children will be getting their hearts pumping from 3:15-5:30. All activities will take place in the gym. Only children who have already turned in permission slips will be able to participate. After school participants should be picked up at 5:30 by the gym.
All participants should wear comfortable clothes and sneakers. No personal items will be allowed in the gym. We will be very crowded and it will not be safe to have spectators. Please only come into the gym if you have volunteered. We could use more volunteers. Shoot me an email today if you can help.
Jump Rope for Heart is a great activity to teach our children the importance of community service and the importance of being moderately to vigorously active every day for 60 minutes. Thank you to the Lafayette community for embracing these two ideals. Let's do what we can to keep our children moving and continue to reach out to others in need.
Pledges are not due until February 28. When finished collecting, please place funds in the JRFH envelope, fill it out completely, and then put in the JRFH box in the Great Hall. If you do collect pledges, please try to convert any cash in to a check. This makes the process more manageable. All checks should be made out to the American Heart Association.
Collecting pledges has never been easier. Just register online, click on Washington DC, and then find Lafayette and you're ready to register.
If you have any questions please see Ms. Perll or Ms. McClure, or e-mail Ms. McClure. And thank you for your incredible support of this event. |
A Sweet & Malted Soiree
Saturday, February 23, 2013 8 pm
There are just a few spaces left for the newest auction time party!
We'll provide a fun and relaxing night with yummy desserts, and you help us out with the rest! The goal of this party is to accumulate bourbon, scotch, whiskey & other after dinner drinks for the "High Roller's Lounge" at the Casino Royale Auction on March 9. Some bottles will also be offered for bidding during the online auction, March 1 - 10.
The price of admission is simple: each couple, or individual attendee, brings one bottle of an after dinner drink of their creative choice, to be opened and served at The Lounge during the "Casino Royale: A Night in Monte Carlo."
This is a BYOB Party! So, please also bring your drink of choice to enjoy at this soiree.
To RSVP, please e-mail Jennifer Bertsch.
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From the Art Room
Laurie McLaughlin, Art Teacher Grades 1-5 
I am excited to announce the annual Lafayette Spring Fair T-shirt Contest! The theme this year is "Cirque de Lafayette." Students interested in working on a design should draw their idea on 8 � X 11 paper (computer printer paper is fine) using no more than 5 colors. Include the theme "Cirque de Lafayette" in your design and submit your finished designs to Ms. McLaughlin by March 15. Fourth and fifth grade students are also welcome to work on their designs at Open Art during the noon hour each day.
In other news, the traditional 5th grade quilt is on its way to completion just in time to sell to the highest bidder at the auction next month. Each child has sewn a 3 patch (and some of us more) and we are now working on the sewing machines at lunch to turn those patches into larger squares and then strips as we work to complete this priceless keepsake!
A huge thank you to the MANY 5th grade parents who assisted us with our knots and needles, especially Brooke Evans who is mentoring the project with me this year and has come in for every class for the past 2 weeks and taken work home as well!
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Technology Corner
Nathan Wieand, Technology Coordinator
 DreamBox - A New Online Math Program at Lafayette for Students in Grades K - 3
Hello Lafayette!
Lafayette Elementary is piloting DreamBox! What's DreamBox, you ask? DreamBox Learning Math (http://www.dreambox.com/) is an online program with educational games that are individualized for students. In essence, the program tailors the curriculum to each individual student. Students in grades K-3 are visiting the computer lab weekly to use the program and have access to it in their classrooms as well.
DreamBox Learning incorporates real time assessment. This means that every time a student answers a question, he or she is being evaluated and the content adjusted to his or her ability accordingly. The game does not only assess whether the student answered the question correctly; it also assesses the student's strategy. Placement lessons or pre-tests are built in so that students may skip what they know and focus on what they are ready to learn next. There are millions of different paths that a student can take in DreamBox and the program does an excellent job differentiating each educational experience.
In addition to the real time assessment, DreamBox also features a series of rewards for successful completion of the objectives, which are aligned to the common core state standards. Students can access games for fun (only one per day), earn badges and on-line prizes, and customize their learning environment. We are very excited and pleased with the opportunity to pilot this program this year, particularly in light of our continuing effort to research and find the absolute best educational software options for our students.
At this time, we have decided not to distribute logins and passwords for home use of the program. I know this may be desired by some students, but we feel that we must ensure that each student is working independently in order to maintain the integrity of the program's data. In this way, teachers are assured that the data they are viewing is that of an individual student and that student alone. We do, however, encourage students to continue to use First in Math and Sumdog at home as much as they please.
Thank you for being understanding of our exclusive in-house use of the program. I appreciate you taking the time to learn a bit more about DreamBox - a program we're incredibly excited to introduce.
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Girls On The Run: Register Now!
Girls on the Run registration is now open! GOTR is a life-changing, character development program for girls in 3rd through 5th grade, combining training for a 5k (3.1 miles) event with healthy living education.
The Lafayette Team will meet twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30, for 10 weeks beginning the week of March 4. All participants will walk/run in the 5k on May 19 at Anacostia Park. We are excited to have teachers Gretchen Paul (1st grade) and Erin deJonckheere (Kindergarten) as our coaches this spring.
Registration is now open and will close once it is full. Registration is to be completed online and is first come, first served.
The $165 program fee includes 10 weeks of curriculum-based lessons led by trained coaches, all lesson materials, a tee shirt and water bottle, and 5k registration and incentives.
Please use this link to register. Questions may be directed to Steve Dolge.
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Lafayette Lunchtime Tennis
The Lafayette Lunchtime Tennis program for 1st-5th graders will begin right after Spring Break on April 8, and run for 10 weeks ending on June14. The regular schedule for the Lunchtime Tennis program is as follows: Monday - 3rd Graders Tuesday - 2nd Graders Wednesday - 1st Graders Thursday - 4th Graders Friday - 5th Graders Schedules may shift during a week with days off because of DCPS or holidays. If your child is involved in other activities during lunchtime, they are welcome to shift their tennis playing time to a class one grade above or below their own. The fee for the 10 weeks is $100. Grade schedules will be set for each class based on other activities such as band practices that take place during lunch recess. Children with a split lunch play first from noon to 12:40, then eat at 12:40 during the 3rd shift of the lunch period. Students may take only one lunchtime tennis class per week. Those who want to play more tennis can sign up for the Lafayette Afterschool Tennis. Visit www.LafayetteTennis.org to get a copy of the registration form, or pick one up from the brochure rack in the Great Hall. It is a great way for school friends to enjoy a fun physical activity together during their lunch recess. Lafayette Afterschool Tennis still has many slots open. It runs for 10 weeks, starting right after Spring Break on April 8 and through June 14. The fee for the 10 weeks is $150. The program will be open to boys and girls age 5 through 15. Classes for younger players (5-12) will be held at 3:30 and 4:30. Classes for teens will be held at 5:30. Adult evening classes will take place at 6:30. Visit www.LafayetteTennis.org to get a registration form and find out the weekly schedule by age and skill level. The website will also tell you how many slots are still available for each class. Contact Paul Rosenbaum with questions on either program at [email protected] or 202-441-0925. |
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Washington Latin Information Session February 21
Are you looking for a truly diverse, academically strong middle school for your 5th grader? Would you like your child to have a challenging classical education from middle through high school in which community, character, and citizenship are valued? Would your child benefit from a literature-based curriculum that includes the classics of world literature? Would you like your child to learn Latin, among other languages? Do you like small classes, energetic teachers, and a diverse student body from all eight wards of the city?
If you are a DC resident, your child can have all this and more tuition-free at Washington Latin Public Charter School. WLPCS serves grades 5-12, with a talented and committed faculty and a warm, welcoming community for all DC students.
Come hear more about Latin academics, extracurriculars, and the school's upcoming move to a permanent facility. Principal Martha Cutts and Assistant Head of Academics Diana Smith will meet with interested parents on February 21 at 7 p.m. at the home of current Latin students in AU-Tenleytown area.
Please RSVP for planning purposes and directions. Also, please e-mail if you are interested in knowing more about Latin but can't make this event.
RSVP to Fran Brennan or Ragini Dalal.
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Community Notices Tutor/enrichment one-on-one needed? Laura Pajor, Lafayette teacher turned stay-at-home mom, has a couple of spaces available after school for one-on-one tutoring or enrichment to help your child build confidence and skills simultaneously. Email [email protected] for more information. Babysitter needed for certain dates in mid-March through the end of June. Responsibilities include picking up a 3rd grader at Lafayette and walking her the 3 blocks to her home, staying no later than 6:00 p.m. Please contact David Shaw at 202-255-5685 or e-mail [email protected]. Search for Clara Barton costume. Does anyone have a Clara Barton costume that a 2nd grade girl could borrow for the 2/28 American heroes wax museum? If so, please email Liz McReady. Part time office assistant needed for small non-profit organization. Up to 20 hours a week with very flexible hours (great job for a parent). Friendly office in Potomac, MD $15-$20 per hour. Please call 301-318-1923 if interested. PLAY BALL! Capitol City Little League Baseball is pleased to announce that registration for the Spring 2013 season is now open! CapCity offers fun, neighborhood baseball and softball instruction and games for 5-12 year old boys and girls. The season begins in April and registration info and email is below. Click here to begin registration. Registration for Baseball Majors (advanced 10-12 yr olds) will close on February 23. Registration for all other baseball divisions and all softball divisions will close on April 1, unless the divisions have reached capacity earlier. Games are expected to begin the weekend of April 13. Register early! Early-bird registration ends February 15. Fees increase by $25 on February 15 and by another $25 on March 15. Please note that the league is upgrading to a new registration system this year so ALL players will have to re-register even if they have played for CapCity previously. This should only take a few minutes. If you experience any problems, please e-mail us at [email protected]. HoopEd's President's Weekend One-Day Camps. No school Friday and no school Monday... come meet us on the courts! Join HoopEd and its fantastic team of coaches for either a day of Hoops or our famous All Sports and Games Camp. All camps are for boys and girls ages 6 to 13 and all skill levels and abilities are
welcome to join. Camps run 9:00am-3:00pm with AfterCare available until 5:30. Your child will be actively engaged with their friends while learning how to be an excellent team player for the affordable price of $60.00 per day ($70.00 w/AfterCare). Visit www.hoopeducation.com to register today. On Friday, February 15 locations are:
St. Elizabeth's: All Sports & Games Mini Camps Oyster: All Sports & Games Mini Camps
Lafayette: All Sports & Games Mini Camps Stuart-Hobson: All Sports & Games Mini Camps
Stoddert: HOOPS Mini Camps
On Monday, February 18th locations are:
Blessed Sacrament: HOOPS Mini Camps Lafayette: All Sports & Games Mini Camps,
St. Bart's: HOOPS Mini Camps |
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Thank You Lafayette Sponsors!
These organizations support Lafayette through a generous annual donation- please support them!
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