It is hard to believe that we only have two months left of school. This is probably our busiest time of the year with field trips planned, Spring Fair this weekend and Arts Night coming up. And the list goes on. Please make sure to pay attention to the school calendar so nothing gets missed. As always, we ask for lots of volunteers for these events and we thank you in advance for your time and support.

Speaking of volunteers, our Spring Fair, Lafayette Under Construction: Everything is Awesome, will be held this Saturday, May 2nd from 11am until 2pm. Rain or Shine, this colossal event guarantees to be amazing. It is also a major fund raiser for the school. Please visit the Spring Fair website to buy your KidsPass and to sign up for volunteer slots. Let's all pray for good weather and we look forward to seeing you all there.

The HSA wants to hear from you! Our next General meeting will be Thursday, May 14. We will be electing the new HSA Board members as well as presenting the proposed budget for next school year. This is your opportunity to tell us how you want your donations spent. To get a sense on where your money goes, please reference this year's budget via the HSA's website. Your input is important to us. Please email Hope and me your suggestions on creating the budget for SY 2015-2016.

Our May 15th enrollment deadline is fast approaching. If you have already handed in your forms, thank you. For those who haven't, and I am one, please do so ASAP. With school construction set to begin at the end to this school year, the front office will be moving to Deal Middle School. Let's all get our forms in while it is still convenient. Packets must include residency verification and be returned in person to the office by the person who signed them. If you know your children will not be returning next year, please inform Dr. Broquard.

Have a great week!

Laurie & Hope

See HSA board members

Join the HSA

HSA Nominations
for Board Positions 2015-16

The following parents are running for the HSA Board. The election will be held on Thursday, May 14 at the HSA General Meeting. Proxy ballots will be sent home for those who cannot attend the meeting.*

Please click here to read their bios and statements.

Co-President: Shannon Behm

1st Vice President: Janine Finck-Boyle

2nd Vice President: Colleen Lyster

Co -Treasurer: Kavita Chambery

Secretary: Sarah Remes

Ways and Means (2 positions): Jenny Backus, Chris Lisi-Frillici

Membership: Tonya Esposito Oliver

Volunteer Coordinator: Eileen Dombo

Early Childhood: Eve Bennet

Environment: Gayle Moseley

Hospitality (2 positions): Kristin Nicholson, Nedra Pickler

Outreach/Tours: Jen Lanoff

Communications: Stacy Beck

Community Representatives (2 positions): Joseph Nelson, Jim Porter

* Please note, you must be an HSA member to vote. If you did not join at the beginning of the school year, it's not too late! To join the HSA, please contact Jenny Backus , our Membership Coordinator.

Local School Advisory Team Election

The Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) is a group of elected and appointed members that exists for every DCPS school. The team consists of four (4) parents (elected by the parent body), 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 the four (4) LSAT parent members will be held at the General HSA Meeting on Thursday, June 4. If you are interested in running for an LSAT position, please sign up HERE by May 22 or contact Gayle Moseley with any questions.

Peace of Mind Program

The Peace of Mind program is getting attention from local colleges. Peace Teacher Linda Ryden was recently featured in a video series by the George Washington University Hatchet. The series focuses on "individuals who are critical to the fabric of their respective neighborhoods." It's a great series. Check it out here: http://www.gwhatchet.com/2015/04/09/faces-of-d-c/

Linda Ryden and Dr. Broquard were recently invited to speak to a class at Georgetown University about the Peace of Mind program and how it fits into the landscape of social emotional learning programs nationwide.

Several undergraduate and graduate students from George Mason University have been visiting Lafayette recently to observe Peace of Mind classes as part of their studies of conflict resolution.

Calling All Salads

We know from experience the Lafayette community loves salad. To ensure everyone is served, we are looking for contributions of your favorite salad to offer for lunch at the spring fair this Saturday, May 2nd.

We take all kinds of salad - pasta, bean, fruit, the big ol' green. Please drop off any donations, including a list of ingredients, at the Salad Table anytime between 10:30 am - 2:00 pm on May 2. We appreciate receiving salads in a disposable pan with clear top; however, if a disposable pan is not on hand, don't forget to label your dish with your name and phone number.

Questions? Call or email Margaret McDaniel at 202-537-1552 or [email protected].

Last Call for Used Books!

One last call for gently used books of all kinds to be sold at the used Book Sale at the Spring Fair on Saturday! 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 one drop-off location in the neighborhood (5841 Nebraska Ave NW). If you have a large batch of books, we'll come pick them up (contact Gayle Moseley or Jenny Backus).

Also, if you can help us out on Friday afternoon, we will be setting up for the sale. We need volunteers to help set up tables, move books from the Great Hall into the cafeteria and sort & organize the books by genre. It's a great opportunity to put aside any books you are interested in purchasing at the sale on Saturday! Please contact Gayle or Jenny if you can help out on Friday! Thanks!

Spring Fair Bike Swap

Donate a working bike and take home a swapped bike for a $10 donation, or simply donate $20 and take your pick of other donated bikes! And, of course, we will gladly accept donations of outgrown or unused bikes even if you don't need a new one. If you can't get your bike donation to the Fair on May 2, please contact [email protected] and we will arrange to pick it up at your convenience. All funds raised will benefit the Lafayette Elementary School Home and School Association.

Try Tennis Free at the Spring Fair

Lafayette Park Tennis Courts

Mini lessons, ball machine, raffles

demo racquets from:

Tennis Zone

TennisTopia

Fitness challenges from:

DC Health Coaches

Tennis Fitness & Strength

Field Day Volunteers

Field Day is right around the corner. This year we will hold Field Day a little early to due construction on the field. May 15 we will have our "Moving Day" Field Day for first -fifth grades. In order to have a successful day we need numerous volunteers. All volunteers are needed all morning from 8:30 am-12:00 pm. Please use the signup genius link below to sign up. There is a description area to help decide on the station you would like to run. Once decided, scroll down to the "slot" area to signup. There are some stations without their description listed. The signup couldn't handle all the data. But the description is partially listed in the signup area. I will provide more details for stations if needed.

Please sign up ASAP. Parent volunteers are crucial in the success of Field Day. Thank you in advance for your support. If you have any questions please let Ms. McClure know. [email protected]
Here's to a fun day of "Moving".

--Ms. McClure, Physical Education Teacher

Car Pool Volunteers

We need help with the car pool line on Northampton street during the months of May and June. Every class has done a month, and now we've opened up to the whole school. A few slots have been filled but there are many days that are open. If you could please consider doing even one day, it would be a huge help to our entire school community. The time commitment is really short - 8:30 to 8:45. Your child(ren) can sit on the steps to the early childhood wing to keep warm and go in when the bell rings. All you have to do is open car doors, help children out, and keep the line moving. It is an easy and quick way to contribute to our school that is really appreciated.

Please sign up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/508044FAEA628A57-lafayette

Yard Sale & Spring Clean-Up

Saturday, May 9

Cash in on your Spring Cleaning and Pick Up Some Bargains for Summer

Take part in Lafayette's Spring Community Clean-up & Yard Sale

We're turning Lafayette Elementary School's campus into a giant community clean-up and yard sale on Saturday May 9 from 8:00 am to noon. It's a great opportunity to do some spring cleaning, get some savings for summer and support our school at the same time.

Purchase a full table space, half table or kid's table to sell your goods. We've lowered the price from the fall yard sale. You keep the proceeds of what you sell at your table. We'll use the funds from table sales to promote this huge community event across the city and to help support all the programs that make our school so special.

Click here to order your table on line or look for the flyer coming home this week in your child's backpack express and just return with a check to the Yard Sale drawer in the Great Hall.

Tables will be available for sale from April 8 through May 4.

Questions? Please email Janine Boyle, Chris Lisi, or Jenny Backus.

Thanks for supporting our school!

Bike To School Day is May 6

"Bike to School Day is coming up on May 6 at Lafayette! This fun event is always popular at Lafayette, and is a great opportunity to get some exercise, enjoy the fresh air, leave the car at home and ride with your friends! We'll have small prizes for any students who bike (or walk, scooter, skip or cartwheel) to school on the 6th.

We need a few volunteers to help wrangle the bike train and to man the prize tables. It's a very short and easy volunteer assignment; you're done when the bell rings for school. Please contact Katie Burke at [email protected] if you can help. And don't forget, the bike swap at the Spring Fair is the perfect chance for you to get your bike tuned up or trade it in for one the right size!"

Lafayette Potomac Pizza Night!

Come to Potomac Pizza (Chevy Chase location) tonight!

4:00 - 9:00 pm dine in or carry out

3 reasons why:

No cooking
10% back to Lafayette
Validated Parking

See you there!

It's the Last "No School" Student Holiday One Day Camp Hurrah of the School Year... May 1st, Get Your Camp On!
All Sports & Games Camp @Lafayette ES
Campers ages 5 to 13 are Welcome to Join our HoopEd Coaches for a Friday Full of FUN! We've got just the games your camper is looking for PLUS our HoopEd signature Gatorade Challenge and Money Shot!
Camp runs 9:00 to 3:00 w/AfterCare available until 5:30
Cost: $60 or $75 w/AfterCare
Register Today!
http://www.hoopeducation.com/schedule/?f=lafayette-elementary

Essay Tutoring for 5th Grade Students. When 5th grade students enter middle school, one of the most important skills is writing a "five paragraph essay". These essays will be assigned throughout all of middle (and high school), and will become the foundation for clear, convincing writing over a lifetime.

As professional writers dedicated to teaching students effective writing skills, we are offering private in-home tutoring sessions specifically designed for 5th graders about to enter middle school. Working with existing assignments and clear examples, students will take away:

** A simple and lasting blueprint for constructing 5-paragraph essays.

** The ability to assess and edit their own work.

** An appreciation of the clarity and beauty of the English language.

Rate: $50/hr.

About the Tutors: Syd Butler and Nick Paul are experienced, professional writers with a passion for teaching students lifetime writing skills. Both are Lafayette and Deal parents and neighbors. In addition to his writing experience, Syd has for years taught tennis with Paul Rosenbaum and is dedicated to improving children's physical and educational well being. Nick is a published author, and along with Syd is assisting with after-school English tutoring for Deal 7th graders.

Please contact us at [email protected] or call 202-244-1020. We are ready to help!

Walking for a Cure! "This weekend, for the sixth year in a row, my daughter and I are participating in the Avon39 Walk to End Breast Cancer here in DC. 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 were thinking about donating, now is the time! You can do so online at http://info.avonfoundation.org/goto/MargaretQuinn or by dropping off a check made out to "Avon39 Walk to End 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

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.

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.