From Principal Lynn Main
Each and every school year various staff members at Lafayette always seem to be on the lookout for what is new and unusual in educational materials. If Ms. McClure goes to a physical education conference you can bet that she returns with big ideas for making learning about health and fitness fun and interesting.
>>Read more |
|
|
|
|
|
Mark Your Calendar
September 18 (Wednesday) "New Parent" Social at Jake's, 8:00 p.m. September 19 (Thursday) HSA Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
September 24 (Tuesday) Monthly Lafayette Tour, 9:00 a.m. September 26 (Thursday) HSA General Meeting 7:00 p.m. October 3 (Thursday) Picture Day (individual and classes)
October 10 (Thursday) Rain date for Picture Day
October 14 (Monday) No School: Columbus Day
October 17 (Thursday) HSA Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. See full school calendar |
|
From the HSA
Gayle Moseley & Hope Scheller, co-presidents
It was so great to see everyone at Back-to-School Night last week! We hope you found the night informative and enjoyed your time with your child's teacher(s). Sitting in those little desks gives you a much better perspective of how your child's day plays out, don't you think? A big thank you goes out to our Hospitality co-chairs and other parent volunteers who assembled a delicious array of snacks to satiate our hunger as we got Back-to-School!
This week is Membership Week at Lafayette, which means there will be volunteers set up at various places before and after school accepting dues and contributions to the Bear Fund (please see below for locations). As some of your teachers may have mentioned at Back-to-School Night, the HSA, through the generosity of its members last year, provided funding for the acquisition of Chromebooks, Smart Boards and/or document cameras for every classroom. So far, this year's Bear Fund has provided $300 grants to each classroom teacher and the first visit from the Maryland Science Center is already scheduled for next month. Without contributions to the Bear Fund, these enrichments to our children's experience at Lafayette would not be possible. Please be as generous as you can.
Please come out to Jake's American Grille tomorrow night (Wed., 9/18) to kick off the new school year and socialize with fellow Lafayette parents beginning at 8:00 p.m. We are hoping for a great turnout of new and veteran Lafayette parents. This will be a great opportunity for new parents to ask questions and be informed of things that go on at Lafayette (there will be a brief presentation). Guest bartenders will be downstairs in the "Boiler Room" slinging drinks and Jake's is generating 10% of the night's proceeds to Lafayette! Jake's is right in the neighborhood on Connecticut Avenue, across from Politics & Prose. Hope to see you there!
Hope & Gayle
See HSA board members
|
 HSA Membership Week!
Please join the HSA! For your convenience, this week look for our volunteers:
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons at the Flagpole after school.
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at the Northampton St entrance.
- Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the wall behind the school (above the amphitheatre).
We'll have the membership forms available, or join us on-line from home at: http://www.lafayettehsa.org/membership/ and just stop and say hello! Membership is $25, and provides your family a vote in the Lafayette HSA community.
Your additional contributions to the Bear Fund help the HSA fill the gap between what DCPS provides and the programs and materials we'd like our kids to have. The programs include:
- Our nationally recognized Peace Program.
- Support for our unique Arts Integration approach to teaching.
- Classroom technology.
- Student publications.
- Our fabulous library.
- Science enrichment developed by the Maryland Science Center (new this year).
These programs enrich our children's learning experiences here at Lafayette and strongly contribute to our school's unique culture. But providing these programs depends on individual family support of the Bear Fund. Please give what you can.
|
Please Verify Your Directory Information Immediately!  We can't publish the Lafayette Directory until all families have verified their information in the school database. If you haven't done so, please take the time now to go to www.schooldirectoryupdate.com. Returning families need to verify their information even if nothing has changed. if you can't remember your password, choose "Can't Login." New families should choose "Join as a New Family." Contact Laura Comay at [email protected] if you are having trouble.
|
Proofreaders needed!
 We're looking for people with editorial skills to proofread the Lafayette Directory. This will be a one- or two-night job, probably during the week of September 23. The proofreading helps a lot to ensure the accuracy of this valuable resource. Please contact Laura Comay at [email protected] if you're interested.
|
School Picture Day Volunteers Needed!
If your schedule allows you to spend a whole day at school, please consider volunteering to help out on school picture day, which is Tuesday, October 3 (rain date 10/10). Freed Photography takes advantage of natural light and our beautiful campus to capture this stage of our children's lives, so we'll be outside all day directing classes as the kids smile for the camera. It's really a fun, active day and it's great to watch the photographers in action. Each volunteer will receive a gift card to be used towards their school portrait purchase. If you'd like to volunteer, we have a few spots left. Please contact Gayle Moseley.
|
|
Give With Target
Every year Target gives up to $5 million to schools all over the country through Give With Target. Let's add Lafayette to the list of schools that benefit from this simple program!
Simply go to http://givewith.target.com/school/73359# and vote for our school weekly until September 21 or until $5 million has been awarded, whichever occurs first. It takes just 25 votes to start. After that, Target will donate $25 to our school. Upon receiving 25 votes, each additional vote equals $1 more for up to $10,000 per school. Log on and start voting today!
|
 Calling All Babysitters - Final Deadline 9/20
We are compiling listings of neighborhood babysitters for the Lafayette Family Directory. As in previous years, this is intended for neighborhood sitters with a Lafayette connection--mostly students and often Lafayette alums or siblings--who will be available for weekend, evening, and other casual babysitting. The listings are free, but please only submit a listing if you expect to be reasonably available and limit the entry to a few sentences at most. Include your name, age, and at least one contact such as a phone number or email address, as well as any particular restrictions (such as days or neighborhood or what age group you want to babysit). Please email submissions (or any questions) to Holly Idelson at [email protected] no later than Friday, 9/20.
|
Save the Date! Lafayette's Fall Festival is coming ...
Saturday, October 26
  Featuring:- craft projects
- moon bounces
- bake sale
- face painting
- games
- pie baking contest
- movie night with Hotel Transylvania...
- and lots of spooky fun!
Look in next week's Tuesday Bulletin for a link to our volunteer sign-ups. Or contact co-chairs: Jeanine Boyle, Mia Dell or Bethann Siegel with questions.
|
Auction Update
The date of the Lafayette spring fundraising auction has been changed! The new date is March 22, 2014.
What is the school auction? How can I participate? We realize there are new parents who've never even heard of the auction...and some not-so-new families that want to get involved, but don't know how. Our annual spring auction is Lafayette's biggest and primary fundraiser. The auction dollars raised through your generosity allow us to fund the innovative programs unique to our school, classroom technology, educational materials and books, and teacher grants. We are currently looking for a few brave volunteers to help us out with the following: - Online Auction
- Auction Party
- Solicitations (done online)
- and much, much more
To volunteer or learn more email Shannon Behm or Polly Snyder.
|
Quick Drop-off
The quick drop-off on Northampton Street is in full swing. This service is available each morning from 8:30-8:45 a.m. To relieve congestion on Northampton, and hopefully make the whole process quicker and smoother, please follow these guidelines.
 Please travel west (from 33rd St toward Broad Branch) on Northampton in order to pull up in the drop-off zone- The drop off zone is a "Kiss & Ride", please have your child sit on the passenger side of the car so that they can exit easily to the sidewalk
- Please pull your car all the way to the cone at the front of the line so that as many cars as possible can drop off at one time
- If you need to park and exit your car to assist your children, please park your car in the area on Northampton past the drop-off zone
- If possible, drop older kids on 33rd Street and have them walk across the field to the school, avoiding the drop off zone madness completely.
Thank you!
|
|
Community Notices
Dance classes. Tippi Toes has been providing fun, energetic dance classes to children for 14 years. We are excited to be providing this program to Lafayette on Thursdays starting Sept 19! Classes meet once a week for 45 minutes and are $75/month plus a $30 registration fee which provides access to online enrollment, automatic payments, mini performances, end of year recital at a separate venue and a t-shirt! Click here to learn more.
PEP Classes. PEP, a local nonprofit organization, provides classes for parents and caregivers with children of all ages throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Come to a PEP class for expert advice, lively discussion, answers to your questions, and the keys to truly enjoying the time you spend with your children. Whether you're looking for a new game plan for effective parenting, a three-week guide to anger management, or a two-hour "tune-up" to help end whining or motivate your child, PEP offers these options and more in the weeks ahead. Check out the fall class schedule at: http://www.pepparent.org/pepguide.html.
Experienced and versatile tutor/coach available. Is your child doing okay in school, but in need of course content support or engaging enrichment? Consider working in your home with an experienced tutor of English language arts (reading and writing at all levels), elementary math (e.g., Kumon, Singapore), science, social studies, 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, Murch, Deal, and GDS clients. Please contact Maggie Ronkin at [email protected] or 202-316-2263.
Group Music Classes. Would your son or daughter like to explore his or her imagination through music? Learn to play the glockenspiel, the recorder, the dulcimer, or piano with other kids? The Music Center is a small, non-profit organization that offers age-appropriate group classes each incorporating the philosophies, methods, and pedagogies of Suzuki, Dalcroze, Orff, Kodaly and Gordon all together in a holistic mind-body-spirit approach using the curricula and programs of Music Together for ages 0-4 years, Kindermusik for ages 3-7 years and Musikgarten for ages 7+ years. Afterschool and weekend classes begin on September 30, 2013. Classes located near Whole Foods on River Road in Bethesda. More information at http://www.centerformusic.org.
After�School Strings. Once again, group violin and cello lessons will be offered at LaFayette this Fall semester, beginning Monday, September 16.
Beginning Strings: �Monday at 3:30-�4:30 p.m. (Music Room) Cost per Semester $220 per student; includes 11 Lessons at $20 per lesson.
Advanced Strings: � Wednesday at 3:30-�4:30 p.m. (Music Room) Cost per Semester is $280 per student; includes 14 lessons at $20 per lesson. Contact Cara Alfano at (301) 652�3915 or email [email protected]. Click here to learn more.
Mad Science. Mad Science of Washington, is offering Zip Zap Boom after school programs. Classes will be held on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3:30 until 4:30p.m. The Monday class is currently full but there are plenty of spaces available for the Tuesday class. The Tuesday class will be held from October 1 through November 19. Both classes are open for K-5th graders. Registration is online at www.madscience.org/dc. Please register before the September 18 deadline. The program cost is $129. Registration is first come, first served, so register early to secure your spot. Questions? Contact Mad Science at [email protected] or 301-593-4777. Lafayette's coordinator, Laura Lindsley, can be reached at 202-369-4858.
Is your child ready for a new experience? Try FENCING! Join us for the New Musketeer kids classes with World Champion Dariusz Gilman and his Capital Fencing coaching team at their beautiful, new facility, Capital Fencing Academy in North Bethesda. For more information, please visit www.capfencing.com. New Musketeer classes start at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5 for ages 7-9 and at 5:00 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7 for ages 10 and above. Don't miss this chance for your child to be part of this great Olympic sport. Register today!
Housekeeping help and child care. I would like to recommend Ligia Johnson for cleaning/housekeeping help and babysitting. Ligia has been working for our family (Lafayette parents) for almost four years. Now that our youngest son is going to preschool, Ligia has some available time to take on additional work. Ligia is very capable, well organized and dependable. Her phone number is 202-725-5408 and her email is [email protected].
Please feel free to contact Ligia or me, Evis Daum, at [email protected] if you would like any additional information.
Calling all moms who want to pray together for their children at Lafayette and/or Deal. Our first meeting is this Friday 9/20 12-1p.m. at Liz McReady's house. Please email Liz McReady ([email protected]) to find out more.
|
|
Thank You Lafayette Sponsors!
These organizations support Lafayette through a generous annual donation- please support them!
|
Make a Submission
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.
|
|
|
|
|
