So wonderful to see everyone at the General Meeting last Thursday! We had a great turnout, ate dinner, took care of some HSA business and made it home by 8pm! A big THANK YOU to everyone that came out, and we look forward to seeing even more members at the next meeting on November 20th.

Last week, our students participated in the first of the Harvey Seth Bloomfield Science Program events. This program is facilitated by the Maryland Science Center and paid for by Lafayette families who have generously contributed to the Raise-A-Paddle promo at last year's Auction. The program will continue throughout the rest of October. Please see more information below about what our kids will be learning during these amazing visits.

One of the handouts at the General Meeting was an updated version of our Drop-Off options at Lafayette. We also discussed the parking restrictions on Northampton Street and the east side of Broad Branch Road that often seem difficult for us all to follow. As we move into fall with cooler and potentially inclement weather, please be respectful of these parking restrictions. Broad Branch is a bus route and there have been mornings when cars are parked on both sides of the street and the E6 cannot get through. This is also a safety issue with regard to our children who are trying to cross the street. Lets all try to provide a safe walking environment for all of our children as they make their way to the school.

There is quite a bit coming up on our calendar. Walk or Bike to School day is tomorrow morning! Join family and friends for a fun filled walk or bike ride to school. This weekend is a long one with no school both Friday and Monday. Next Tuesday is Picture Day, and Wednesday is Potomac Pizza night. Busy, busy, busy.

Have a fabulous week!

Laura & Hope

See HSA board members

Join the HSA

Got Science?

Thanks to Harvey Seth Bloomfield and your generosity at the 2014 Auction, the Maryland Science Center and their Traveling Science Program are visiting our sch ool again this year. Get ready for exciting hands-on science fun, with programs both large and small encompassing a wide range of topics. This program is designed to educate and stimulate interest and enthusiasm for science. Visits scheduled over the next couple of weeks will include hands-on lab experience for some, while others will be transported to space in a portable planetarium or Sky Lab. See schedule details below.

Elementary Engineering!

October 8th & 9th - First & Second Grade

Solid Liquid Slime

October 21st - Kindergarten

Simply Circuits

October 22nd & 23rd - Third Grade

LAFAYETTE COMMUNITY YARD SALE!

Clean out those cellars and crawl spaces: we're turning Lafayette Elementary into a giant community yard sale on the morning of the Fall Festival, Saturday October 25 from 10 am-12pm.

Rent a full, half or kid's table to sell your goods: you keep the proceeds on whatever you sell. Proceeds from the table rentals will support all of the wonderful programs at our school.

Tables are on sale online from October 1 through October 21. Or

fill out the form coming home in your child's folder and return it with your payment (check or credit card) to the Yard Sale drawer in the Great Hall. Select the table size you would like reserve, and reserve as many as you want. Tables are approximately the size of an average rectangular folding table. Kid's tables are ⅓ of a regular full table.

Walk or Bike to School Day

Walk or Bike to School Day is TOMORROW, October 8th! The event will go on, rain or shine. We'll have prizes at the school for all students who participate by walking, biking, scootering or otherwise getting to school (or even just the last 5 blocks of the way if you live too far) without the help of a motorized vehicle. There will be a prize table in front of the school and one behind. If it's raining there will just be one prize table behind the school under the overhang that surrounds the cafeteria.

We will have two "walking school buses" to school. One will depart from the corner of 32nd St. and Tennyson St. NW (next to Utah Ave.), travel up Tennyson, turn left on 33rd St. and to the back of the school. The other will depart from the corner of 30th St. and McKinley St. (near Nebraska Ave.), travel up 3oth to Nebraska, turn right on Nebraska, left onto Northampton and up to the school. Both will depart at 8:15am, but please feel free to join the parades at any point along their routes. We will have parent chaperones for the parades, so children in grades 2-5 are welcome to be dropped off by their parents and walk with the crowd.

This year we will also have a "bike train" departing from the corner of Greenvale and Western Ave. at 8:00am. The train will travel along Western Ave. all the way to Broad Branch Rd., and then along Broad Branch to the front of the school. We ask that a parent or chaperone join their children for this since it is a relatively long trip crossing some busy intersections. Again, please feel free to join this train anywhere along its route.

If you have any questions, please contact Katie Burke at [email protected]. See you on the sidewalks!

Picture Day is Next Tuesday!

Picture Day is next Tuesday, which is the first day back to school after the long Columbus Day weekend. All students will be photographed by Bethesda photographer Freed Photography. Both class photos and individual photos will be taken on Tuesday, October 14. October 28 is the rain date.

Freed Photography operates a little differently than traditional school photographers. Students will be photographed outside using sunlight and the backdrop will be various spots around the school. Some students may have the lovely red school brick behind them, others may have natural greenery. You do not pay for photos before you see them. Approximately two weeks after picture day, you view your child's proofs online and may order as many or as few photos as you like. The photographers use many different tactics to get your child to smile his/her most natural smile, so you may see some full-body or waist-up shots of your child - these may be cropped to show just the traditional head and shoulders pose. For a sneak peak of what to expect, please go to their website to see their portfolio.

Picture Day Clothing Suggestions: solid colors and simple patterns photograph best; collared shirts or polos for boys look great; avoid sweatshirts/sweatpants and t-shirts with large logos or letters.

Please feel free to contact Gayle Moseley with any questions.

Dragons at the Fall Festival

At this year's Fall Festival, we'll be celebrating with...Dragons!! Everyone is invited to party it up with the Viking villagers of Berk. Join Hiccup, Toothless and all their friends decorating pumpkins, playing games and jumping in one of 3 moon bounces. Instead of an all you can eat feeding station, we will have pizza, beverages, a bake sale and a pie baking contest. We will also have face painting and a costume contest. The afternoon will end with the movie How to Train Your Dragon 2 in the cafetorium at 5:30 complete with popcorn and candy.

Sign up for your volunteer slot early or I'll sent Drago and Eret to capture you!! Also, we are looking for 2 additional folks to be lead Volunteers. If you like to play games or bake/eat pie and judge costume contests then these opportunities are for you.

Please email Amy Harper with any questions.

Grizzly Gear to Arrive Soon!

A BIG Thank You to those who purchased Grizzly Gear for our first order of the year! The Gear is scheduled to arrive next week, it will be sorted and organized and then sent home with your child the week of October 14th - 17th. All items will be wrapped in a bag and labeled with names so everything arrives home safely.

Keep an eye out at the Fall Festival, Saturday, October 25th for the Grizzly Gear table - we will be showcasing our Fall/Winter items. You won't want to miss these must have items! The cutoff for the 2nd round of orders will be in mid November, allowing plenty of time for items to arrive before the holidays.

Any questions? Contact Janine Boyle

Community Notices

Hoop Ed Camp: School is Out, Camp is IN!

10/10/14 and 10/13/14 All Sports & Games Camp @Lafayette ES

Have the kids spend their day off with HoopEd coaches for a little bit of kickball, little bit of tag, little bit of dodgeball, little bit of hoops and a whole lotta FUN! Boys and Girls ages 5 to 13 years old are welcome!Camp runs from 9-3 w/AfterCare available until 5:30pm

Visit www.hoopeducation.com To Register!

Wonderful Piano and Guitar Teacher Available

I am happy to recommend Matthew "Max" Welker for both guitar and piano lessons. Max has taught our daughter (11, a Lafayette alum) for the past three years in our home, and he is both very personable and professional--and always on time. He teaches many styles, including rock and blues, and has a great rapport with kids. He even hand writes the notes for random songs in which my daughter exhibits an interest. Prices are reasonable and he offers discounts for multiple students. You can reach Max by email at mpwelker57@gmail.com, and by phone at (301) 528-6950. He'd be pleased to discuss his methods and schedule with you.

Babysitter available. Experienced babysitter available on Fridays.Great with babies and children of all ages. Drives, lives in the neighborhood, U.S. citizen. Also available for house cleaning.

Excellent references. Please call Mary at 202-230-2337.

WINTER INDOOR SOCCER: 2014-2015

First Touch Soccer, in conjunction with the DC Youth Futbol Club (DCYFC), will conduct twelve (12) winter indoor clinics for one hour and twenty minutes on Sundays at the St. Albans School gym located on Mount St. Alban next to the National Cathedral starting Sunday, December 7 and concluding on March 15, 2015.

There will be two sessions conducted simultaneously on two gyms separated by a divider. 20 players/session

TIME SCHEDULE AND SESSIONS:

Court A Court B

10:00am - 11:20am U7/8 Girls U7/8 Boys

11:20am - 12:40pm U12 Girls (DC White) & Other U12 girls (8) U11/12 Girls

12:40pm - 2:00pm U10 Boys (DC Yellow/Blue) - FULL U9/10 Boys

2:00pm - 3:20pm U10 Girls (DC Black/Blue) -- FULL U9/10 Girls

3:20pm - 4:40pm U12 Boys (DC Black) & Other U12 Boys (8) U11 Boys (DC White)/Other U11 boys (8)

4:45pm - 6:00pm U13-15 Boys U13-15 Girls

(8) spaces remain for these sessions.

All other sessions are available.

DATES:

December 7, 14, 21 - 2014

January 4, 11, 25 - 2015

February 1, 8, 22 - 2015

March 1, 8, 15 - 2015

FEE:

The fee for 12 sessions is $300. Pro-rated it is the same cost as the 10 conducted last winter.

REGISTRATION:

Go to the registration page on the First Touch Soccer website at: www.FirstTouchSoccer.org

Players with all skill levels and abilities are accepted.

Thank You Lafayette Sponsors!

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our very generous Annual Sponsors for 2014-2015, your continued support is amazing!

Learn more about becoming a Lafayette sponsor.

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