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From Principal
Lynn Main
 The school year is racing to the finish line. Only two and a half days to go and 2012-2013 will go into history. It's been quite a year. A few highlights. Technology use exploded all over the building with the arrival of over 20 interactive white boards. Practically every classroom space that has permanent walls now has a white board. Everyone else has a document camera and projector system. |
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Mark Your Calendar
June 19 (Wednesday)
Fifth-Grade Promotion
June 21 (Friday)
Last Day of School, 12:15 dismissal
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From the HSA
Jenny Murray and Gayle Moseley, co-presidents
Since this is the last column I will write for the Tuesday Bulletin, I can't end the year without thanking all of the HSA board members who worked so hard and made this a terrific year. My job was easy because there were so many good people supporting all of HSA's efforts. Many of them have been on the board for several years, which lends great continuity and helps us answer those questions "what happened 3 years ago when we...?" There are also many new members, who bring fresh new ideas to the table and push us to try new things. Gayle Moseley, as co-president, was incredibly good at it, and a pleasure to work. She and Hope Scheller will be a great team next year. I am also especially grateful to all of the room parents, event volunteers, bakers, artists and many more who generously volunteer their time to the school throughout the year - you are what makes Lafayette the special place that it is.
Last week the pre-Ker's took to the stage, and the 5th graders received many awards. Tomorrow the 5th graders will have their promotion ceremony and many classes will be having end-of-year parties this week. It's hard to believe that Friday is the last day... well half-day! Have a relaxing and fun summer, and we'll see back here in August!
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Shop at Politics & Prose, Eat at Terasol and Comet Pizza to Support Wilson High School!
Plan to shop and eat March 3 & 4
Come shop at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Saturday and Sunday, March 3 & 4 to help raise important funds for the Wilson PTSA. Politics & Prose will donate 20 percent of all book sales to the PTSA if you tell the cashier that you're a Wilson supporter. In addition, teacher and library "wish lists" will be available at the Wilson table, across from the children's section.
Afterward, dine at nearby Comet Pizza or Terasol Restaurant, identify yourself as a Wilson supporter, and the restaurant will donate a portion of your tab to the school. Please urge your friends and neighbors to shop and eat in support of Wilson! |
 Farewell Zelda
After over a decade at the helm of the Lafayette Tuesday Bulletin, our lead editor, Zelda Caldwell, is moving on. All of us in the Lafayette community are deeply grateful for all she has contributed, keeping us connected to the most important happenings in the life of our school. Thanks a million Zelda! It won't be the same without you! -- Teresa |
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Last Minute Announcements
We now have over 70% of our registrations completed for next fall. Kindergarten is really hopping with 26 new students already on the rolls. The school office is open from 8:30 to 4:30 all summer. Please register before you leave town for the summer. Let new families know they can register anytime. Remember we do not need health forms until fall.
Report cards will be sent home on June 21st. Anyone who is absent that day will be able to pick up a report card over the summer. We do not mail report cards.
If you are leaving Lafayette please let Mrs. Bright know. She has some forms that need to be filled out by you.
All medication at school need to be picked up by June 28th. After that date we have to dispose of them. If your child will need medication at school next year remember to get a medication form and have it completed over the summer. Without the form we cannot administer any medication at school.
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 Arts Integration
The packing up has begun, the vacation plans are made, and school year 2012-13 comes to an end. But sooner than we think, we'll be back, ready to start another year of integrating the arts at Lafayette. From coaching with the Kennedy Center teaching artists, to learning to help students "construct and demonstrate their understandings of reading and social studies through visual art, poetry, and tableau" in the CETA course we'll be hosting for teachers, The Pen, The Painting, and the Pose, to using all the other arts integration strategies we've mastered over the years, we'll be ready to greet your children with exciting lessons that address all of their learning styles. We'll also be learning how to document the strategies as they are applied to classroom instruction, as well as in the grade level informances. I'll be orienting any and all new staff about the fact that we are an arts integration school because we are a part of an international movement in education that recognizes the power of integrating the arts. I know this for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that I was recently contacted by the individual from South Korea who is responsible for developing their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) model for education. He toured our school and has lots of questions about how we do what we do. It was a proud and affirming moment that Lafayette is ahead of the game and your students are the winners. Enjoy your summer, be safe, do something creative! ~Jackie Snowden, Arts Integration Coordinator |
Counselor's Corner: Summer Happiness
The year is almost over and summer is upon us! For most kids (and teachers), this is a time of extreme happiness and excitement. We get to spend lots of time doing all those things we daydreamed about during the long, sometimes dreary, days of school. Swimming at the community pool, visiting grandparents, beach vacations, lazy days reading books, sports and fun summer camps. For some, though, the change in routine can cause extra stress and uncertainty. For parents who still have to work this can certainly feel stressful, and for kids who feel best with lots of routine and structure in place it can also cause stress.
For some ideas on how my family deals with the summer stress, check out the Oasis blog. Here's a link to one blog I also follow, Raising Happiness, that is full of great ideas, articles, and resources for creating and sustaining child and family happiness.
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about summer plans for your child; this last week of school our office hours should be very open. And however you spend the summer with your families, we wish you a wonderful time filled with lots of joy and happiness!
--Jillian and Rashida, School Counselors
Important: Parents of rising middle schoolers, please see the attachment from Deal about summer reading assignments.
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| Technology Updates -Nathan Wieand
I would like to thank the entire school community and especially the HSA for being so generous with funding this past year. I am happy to report that at the start of next school year all homeroom teachers in grades K-5 will have 6 new classroom laptops (Google ChromeBooks)! In addition, every classroom in grades PK-5 will have an LCD projector with either a Promethean interactive white board or an Elmo document camera. This is a huge step and I'm looking forward to working with the staff and students on implementing the new technology in their classrooms. A big special thank you to everyone who has helped to make this upgrade possible
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From the Art Room
- Laurie McLaughlin, Art Teacher Grades1-5
My deepest apologies to Willa Beckerman, whose illustration was inadvertently left off the IMAGES page with her story!
And for happy news: CONGRATULATIONS to the following 3rd graders, whose DC photo paintings will go on display at Broad Branch Market for the Summer: Marcus Mitchell, Annelise Jacobsen, Molly Goldwasser, Lucy Sakura, Dhruv Cohen, Agnes Burke, Isabella Radifera, Tess Breeden, Josh Solomon, Mia Sampson, Anton Edmonds, Chinwe Bruns, John Joire, Scott Leete, and Alli Bowman.
In other news, final portfolios for the year have been coming home for the past week. ARTS NIGHT pieces should have been included with the exception of 5th grade. I am asking 5th grade parents to pick up their child's clay piece and arts night artwork after graduation.
Finally, I wish all my students an art-filled summer... I hope your summer is overflowing with looking at artworks, thinking about art, talking about the art you see and creating art of your own!!! |
Lafayette Class of 2013: Where They are Headed
See the attached list of Lafayette 5th graders to see what schools they are attending in 2013-2014. Congratulations to them all! |
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Arts Night DVDs Available
The DVDs are created! They will be available for sale at various times in the Great Hall or in front of Lafayette after school. If you want to share your child's performance with family and friends and show them what the other musical groups were doing, these DVDs are the solution. You can see the classes singing, the bands playing, the percussion group pounding, the guitar players strumming and the step team stomping. The DVDs are $25 each but if you order both of them (Arts Night 1 and 2) the bundled price is $40 for the first copy of both of them. For additional copies to send to grandma and grandpa, the cost is only $10 plus shipping if you want me to do it for you.
See the attached order form and either mail it to me or drop it in the orange Lafayette Tennis box in the Great Hall. Paul Rosenbaum
(202) 441-0925 [email protected].
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Advertise in the 2013-14 Family Directory
Each year the HSA publishes a Family Directory that is given to every family in the school and is checked many times each week when arranging play dates, contacting room parents, scheduling volunteer activities, and the like. We invite parents and local businesses to support Lafayette by advertising in the Directory. With over 500 families at the school, your ad will be seen by many eyes!
We will work again this year with AtoZ Directories to produce a high quality, professional Directory. There are full page ($350), half page ($225) and business card ($125) advertising opportunities available. As in past years, there will be a lottery for premium spots: the back cover, the inside front and back covers, and the divider pages.
Parents or businesses interested in a premium location or a regular ad should complete the ad form and send it to AtoZ by Friday, June 28, 2013. If you have questions, please email Jen DeSilva of AtoZ, or call 240-206-6273.
Thank you for supporting our school!
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Free T-Shirts
Thank you to all of the Lafayette teachers, parents and students for making the annual Halloween Parade/Help the Homeless Community Walk a success last fall! All of the teachers, parents and students who completed an on-line or paper permission slip are eligible to receive a FREE t-shirt. Please stop by the main office to pick up your free shirt any day before the end of the school year (June 17th-21st).
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Community Notices
Experienced and versatile summer tutor available. Does your child do okay in school, but need summer course content review or want engaging enrichment? Consider working with an experienced tutor of elementary math (e.g., Kumon, Singapore, and Summer Skills), English language arts (reading and writing), social studies, science, and integrated subjects. I'm a lifelong resident with superb training in writing/composition studies, an advanced degree in linguistics from Georgetown, extensive teaching and advising experience, and current Lafayette and Murch parent references. Please contact Maggie Ronkin at [email protected] or 202-316-2263.
My niece Ksenia Dombo (17) is an experienced and responsible babysitter. She is looking for some summer work to save for college expenses next year, and will be in the Lafayette neighborhood for most of the summer. She would be great to help you out during a week when the kids aren't at camp! Contact her directly at 703-473-3829.
Summer pet and plant care. Rising senior at St John's High School, sister of Lafayette student, will care lovingly for your pets and plants while you are at work or on vacation. Reasonable rates for dog walks, home pet visits, indoor plant and outdoor garden watering, or just checking the house and taking in the newspaper and mail. Contact Ollie Dunne at [email protected] or 202-441-5829.
My name is Bill Jackson, and I have fifteen years of teaching (and tutoring) experience specializing in English, writing, math, and study skills. This summer, let me design a summer program to engage your student. Frequently tutor younger students in reading and phonics. Experienced coach for AD/HD, LD, and G/T students. Combined MFA degree in literature/creative writing. Have worked since 2003 with students in grades 2-12 at Lafayette, Burning Tree, Carderock Springs, Bannockburn, Pyle, Wilson, Whitman, B-CC, and Churchill, among others. Plenty of references available. For more information, call Bill Jackson, 301-229-2602, or visit
www.billjacksontutoring.com and read testimonials from parents. Many parents have employed me for two, three, and four years!
Italian student looking for a host family / au pair situation in the fall: If you are interested in hosting a wonderful 24 year-old male native Italian who just graduated university, please contact Jillian Diesner for more information at 202-487-5454 or [email protected]
First Touch Soccer. Please join us for Summer Camps. All camps will be held at the Palisades Recreation Center Turf Field, for Half Days (9am-12:15pm) or All Day (9am-3:30pm). Boys and Girls ages 7 and older, and all skill levels and abilities are welcome. Weekly fees are $160/player (Half Day) or $250/player (All Day). Dates are June 24-28; July 1-5; August 12-16; August 19-23; and August 26-30. For more information, e-mail Mitch Dubensky or visit www.firsttouchsoccer.org
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Thank You Lafayette Sponsors!
These organizations support Lafayette through a generous annual donation- please support them!
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Submissions for next week's issue should be emailed to [email protected]. Submissions are due by 3:15 p.m. on Friday. Submissions received after this time will be included in the following issue, unless instructed otherwise. Please keep submissions brief. Longer articles may be truncated at the editor's discretion, with a link to the full text.
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