By now you should have received Registration packets for the 2014-15 School Year, with much of your child's information already filled in. Please review the packet to see what documentation you will need to prove residency this year. The person who signs the form must provide the proof of residency, which submitted in person. We do NOT need medical forms at this time. We also have forms in the main office or they can be found on the DCPS website.

Please try to return these forms to the school as soon as you can. The faster we get them back, the more accurate our planning for next fall will be. The school office is open each day from 8-4:30. It will also be open on Saturday, May 3 during the Spring Fair to accept registrations.

If you received a space for Pre-K, remember that your child must have a completed registration packet entered into the DCPS enrollment system by May 1. Otherwise the computer will remove your child from the list and your space will go to a child on the wait list. Please share this message with your neighbors. Thanks!

Please Read:

DCPS Attendance Protocol

1) The Office of Youth Engagement now identifies students who accrue 10 unexcused absences as "chronically truant."

2) Students must be referred to court once they have reached 15 unexcused absences.

3) Students must be at school 80% of the entire school day in order to be considered "present".

Reminder

The only excusable reasons for a student's late arrival and/or absence from school are:

Illness or medical cause (a doctor's note is needed for 5 or more absences)
Medical or dental appointment
Death in the student's immediate family
Summoned to attend in judicial proceeding
Religious holiday
Lawful exclusion or expulsion from school
Failure of DC to provide transportation
Emergency or circumstances approved by LEA

In order to be acknowledged as "excused" the student must provide a note to the attendance counselor (written or electronically) from the parent and/or guardian citing at least one of the reasons listed above.

If you have any questions please contact the office and ask to speak to Ms. Bright, or email her.

Mark Your Calendar

April 22 (Tuesday)

First day of spring LEP session

April 23 (Wednesday)

Potomac Pizza Night

April 24 (Thursday

HSA Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

April 25 (Friday)

5th Grade Photo

May 2 (Friday)

No School: Teacher Professional Development Day

May 3 (Saturday)

Lafayette Spring Fair

May 5-9

Teacher Appreciation Week

May 8 (Thursday)

Arts Night I: PK, Kindergarten and 1st Grade + Bands and Percussion Ensemble

May 14 (Wednesday)

DC Theater Cafe

May 22 (Thursday

Arts Night II: Grades 2-5 + Guitar Ensemble, Drum Line and Step Team

See full school calendar

From the HSA

Gayle Moseley & Hope Scheller, co-presidents

Welcome back to school! By the looks of everything outside, Spring has finally sprung!

Our next General Meeting will be Thursday, May 15, and in addition to electing the new HSA Board (candidates listed below), we will be presenting the proposed budget for next school year. We would love to hear your ideas and suggestions about where you would like to see your money spent (or not). This school year, at the suggestion of parents, we purchased new uniforms for the basketball and track teams and we added a second Maryland Science Center assembly for each grade. Please give us your input ASAP as we are now creating the budget for SY 2014-2015. This is your opportunity to give us your thoughts about any changes you'd like to see in how HSA money is spent at the school.

We hope you'll join us at Potomac Pizza tomorrow night! A percentage of all dine-in or carry-out orders will be donated to Lafayette, so take this opportunity to have someone else cook dinner and hang with your fellow Lafayette families. Come in anytime from 4:00 until 9:00.

Hope to see you there!

Gayle & Hope

See HSA board members

Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) Elections for 2014-2015

The Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) is a group of elected and appointed members that exists for every DCPS school. The team consists of parents, teachers, non-instructional school staff and a community member to advise the Principal on matters that promote high expectations and high achievement for all students. These teams were initially established to serve in an advisory capacity to the Principal for the purpose of improving student outcomes.

LSAT members are tasked with advising the Principal on matters such as: allocation of school resources; organization of the school; curriculum options, including special or supplementary course offerings and specialized research-based instructional strategies; budget decisions; priorities and considerations for staffing patterns and the selection of personnel; monitoring overall student progress; school culture, and family engagement.

The election for new LSAT members will be held at the next General HSA Meeting on Thursday, May 15 in conjunction with the election of new HSA Board members. If you are interested in

running for an LSAT position, please contact Gayle Moseley or Hope Scheller by Saturday, April 27.

HSA Nominations for Board Positions

2014-15 vote button

The following parents are running for the HSA Board. The election will be held on May 15 at the general HSA meeting.

Co-President: Laura Lindsley

1^st Vice President: Kristin Willsey

2^nd Vice President: Marek Gootman, Nadia Gold-Moritz

Co -Treasurer: Josh Gordon

Ways and Means (2 positions): Shannon Behm, Chris Lisi-Frillici

Membership: Jenny Backus

Volunteer Coordinator: Eileen Dombo

Early Childhood: Eve Bennet

Environment: Keith Jones

Hospitality (2 positions): Sarah Rabasco, Lisa Mitchell

Outreach/Tours: Jen Lanoff

Communications: Stacy Beck

Community Representatives: Joseph Nelson, Mark Friedman

Potomac Pizza Night

Potomac Pizza Night is TOMORROW, Wednesday, April 23, 4-9 PM. No need to cook -- meet your friends and family at Potomac Pizza. Mention Lafayette and they will donate 20% of the proceeds to the school. Dine-in or carry-out. 19 Wisconsin Circle in Friendship Heights.

Spring Fair News - Abracadabra!

Saturday, May 3, 11 am to 4 pm

Thanks to all the parents that have signed up to Co-Chair for all

the categories at the Fair! Thanks to Charlotte Goodnow and Rebecca Meroney for designing this year's T-Shirt - we can't wait to see it!

Only 2 weeks to go! If you haven't done so already, it's time to

CLASS ASSIGNMENTS FOR SPRING FAIR 2014

Each activity at the fair needs volunteers to be successful.

Families should contact their Room Parent to sign up for an

hour slot (or longer) at the activity assigned to that class. If you're already signed up for something else, that's ok - we're reaching out to families who are able to help but have not signedup yet. If you have any questions regarding a particular activity, contact the appropriate co-chair(s) for more info.

THANKS to each of you for contributing to this great community

fair.

Got Books?

We are still collecting books of all kinds for the used Book Sale at the Spring Fair. Hardbacks, paperbacks, fiction and non-fiction are all welcome. DVDs (please no VHS tapes), audiobooks, music CDs and video game cartridges are also accepted. Thanks in advance for not unloading textbooks, outdated self-help books, ancient encyclopedias, etc. If you wouldn't buy it, please don't donate it!

Donations are being collected in the Great Hall as well as two drop-off locations within the neighborhood (5504 32nd Street and 3129 Beech Street). Ask you neighbors, friends and relatives. If you have a large batch of books, we'll come pick them up (contact Gayle Moseley). You can also bring them to our neighborhood book drive on Saturday, April 26 (9am - 1pm) at the corner of Northampton and Broad Branch (corner of the school closest to the Farmer's Market).

Spring Fair: Bake Sale

Don't Miss The Lafayette Spring Fair Bake Sale, World's Most Amazing Vanishing Act

Thousands of cupcakes will disappear before your very eyes!

Get in the act by dropping your cookies, cupcakes, or other treats at the bake sale table when you arrive at the fair

We need your help!

Make Cupcakes, Make Magic

First Community Meeting for Lafayette Playground Improvement Project

DPR and DGS Seeks Community Input on the Play DC Project from District Residents of All Ages

Play DC is a multi-year initiative and the largest playground renovation project in the District of Columbia's history.

DPR and DGS invites you to attend the first planning and design meeting for the Lafayette playground. To ensure that the newly renovated play space meet the needs of, and reflect the individuality and uniqueness of the surrounding community DPR and DGS would like you to participate in an upcoming meeting:

Where: Lafayette Elementary School

(5701 Broad Branch Rd NW)

Date: April 30th, 2014

Time: 6:30-8pm

The Play DC project team will present the broad project scope and residents will have an opportunity to weigh in and supply input on details such as design and amenities that should be considered for the new play space. Residents, community groups, and especially children, are invited to attend.

Please share the information about the meeting and the with your neighbors, family and friends.

For more information on the Play DC Project, go to http://bit.ly/DPRPlayDC or contact [email protected].

If you have any concerns or questions regarding the meeting please feel free to contact myself or Ella Faulkner. Ms. Faulkner can be reached at 202-286-1533 or by email at [email protected].

From the Art Room
Laurie McLaughlin Ward

Art Teacher, Grades 1-5

IMAGES, Lafayette's whole school art and literary anthology, is almost ready for press, and ARTS NIGHT l is fast approaching! Mark your calendars for the evening of May 8 when IMAGES will debut and go on sale and all our younger students Pre-K through grades 1 and our bands will perform!!! ARTS NIGHT ll will happen two weeks later on May 22 for grades 2-5!

Last fall our 5^th graders enjoyed visitors from the National Wildlife Center who introduced them to the importance of wetland conservation and the Jr. Duck Stamp Contest. We worked hard on our entries through the end of November and early December with the able assistance of our student teacher Ms. Johnson. An impressive list of Lafayette students were recently selected by the judges to represent Washington DC in the regional Jr. Duck Stamp Contest! There will be an awards ceremony Sunday, May 18, where the winners will be recognized. Winners should have received an e-mail invitation to this event. If not, please contact [email protected] and I will forward the information. First through third place winners' art will travel around the United States for the rest of 2014! Congratulations to the following 5th graders:

First Place - Samantha Jolles, Alissa Simon, Madeleine Eggen

Second Place - Gabrielle Cestari, Celeste Reeves, Nathaniel Belman

Third Place - Rebecca Meroney, Annika Haggquist, Liam Kennedy

Honorable Mention - Emily Burke, Maya Phillips, Logan McClure, Brooke McKalip, Willa Beckerman, Traa Connor, Grace Foose, Ellenor Gillard, Molly Johnston, Emmett Patterson, Kathlyn Dell-Bosak, Miranda Moody, Sophia Lohmeyer, Maddie Vasalo, Mackenzie Evans, and Ethan Mishra.

And for their conservation message:

First Place - Minnie Koppenheffer

Second Place - Emily Burke

Third Place - Logan McClure

Honorable Mention - Traa Connor, Grace Foose, Kathlyn Dell-Bosak

Fifth Grade Class Photo

The 5th Grade class photo will be taken this Friday, April 25. This is a photo of all 5th graders with their teachers and Mrs. Main. Order forms will go home in backpacks either today or tomorrow.

Unlike the individual portraits, these are preordered, so please be sure to return your order form and payment to school with your child on Friday. Pricing: 20x10 panoramic ($24); 10x13 ($18); 8x10 ($16).

Clothing suggestions: solid colors and simple patterns photograph best, avoid t-shirts with large logos or letters. Questions? Please contact Gayle Moseley.

Donations Due: Walk for the Cure--Diabetes

Christine Cockrell, School Nurse

Thank you to everyone who participated in collecting funds for our JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. If you still need to turn them in, they are due this Friday, April 25. Please turn all cash into checks when possible. Checks should be made out to "JDRF" Please put it in an envelope with your child's name, class and amount raised. The envelopes can be put in the Nurse's office or mail box--or save yourself some time and use the on-line method by credit card. Just go to kidswalk.jdrf.org and search for DC then Lafayette Elementary School.

Thank you again to everyone who has helped with this commitment to JDRF. Everyone enjoyed learning about the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, the importance of eating right, exercising and helping a school friend. It is an important community service project for our kids and your continued support is greatly appreciated.

Coming Soon:

Bike to School Day

Mark your calendars: Wednesday, May 7 is Bike to School Day! Walk to School Day was a great success earlier in the school year, and we'd love to see even more students participate this time around (walkers, scooter-riders, skateboarders, etc. are welcome to participate as well, biking isn't required). More details will be forthcoming, but go ahead and get those bikes tuned up and ready to go!

Buy a WLES Shout Out

Have a custom message read to your child during the morning announcements. It is 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, 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. Please contact Eden Burgess for more information.

Community
Community Notices

Family looking for a house to rent.
The Severin family is looking for a new house to rent starting August 1, 2014. We love the Lafayette community and is eager to make a commitment to stay in the neighborhood. We have excellent references from previous landlords. Please give us a call at 202-248-8808 or cell: 202-352-1738.

Overnight Father/Child Basketball Camp

Mark Tillmon Basketball Academy overnight basketball camp at American University for fathers and kids to come together and learn basketball at a very introductory level. Attention will be focused on development of young basketball players as their fathers work alongside them. Along with the fundamentals of basketball, the camp emphasizes the importance of building meaningful relationships and empowering Fathers to make a difference in the lives of their children. Proceeds will benefit women veterans, trauma and mental health victims.

Mark Tillmon is a DCPS Dad, former Hoya and college basketball sports analyst for Comcast Sportsnet and MASN. His foundation, called the Shooting Straight Program (SSP), sponsors the Mark Tillmon Basketball Academy.

For more information and online registration, please visit www.marktillmonbasketballacademy.com

Dates: June 6-7, 2014

Ages: 6-13

Check-In Time: 4:00 PM

Cost: $450 for Resident Father & 1 Child

$350 for Resident Father & 1 Child

$50 for Each Additional Child

Plus $25 key deposit (refunded at check out)

Includes all meals & lodging

Walking for a Cure! For the fifth year in a row my daughter and I are participating in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer here in DC, May 3 & 4. We will be walking 40 miles over 2 days to help fund breast cancer research and treatment here in the DC area. In order to walk, I need to raise $1800 and we'd love to raise even more for the cause! If you would like to donate, you can do so online at www.avonwalk.org/goto/MargaretQuinn or by dropping off a check made out to "Avon Walk for Breast Cancer" with Kia Ghamarian in Pre-K. Thank you to all the parents and teachers who have already donated - the support of the Lafayette community means so much to me. -- Margaret Quinn

Consider Hosting an international student through gphomestay and Saint Anselm's Abbey School for the academic year!

Families receive a $1,200 monthly stipend. For more information visit our website or contact Hillary at [email protected]

Thank You Lafayette Sponsors!

These organizations support Lafayette through a generous annual donation- please support them!

Learn more about becoming a Lafayette sponsor.

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