Lafayette Elementary School
Tuesday Bulletin
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Dec. 8, 2015          Katya Svirina, Editor
Mark Your Calendar

Dec 18
Winter Holiday Parties
 
Dec 21-Jan 1
Winter Break
 
Jan 7
HSA General Meeeting, 7pm
 
  
Message from the HSA     

Greetings Lafayette Families -

We have fully moved into the holiday season!  With only two weeks left of school, before Winter break begins, and ringing in 2016; we have a few reminders of important dates and helpful information.  

Friday, December 18th marks the end of the 2015 School Year and the children will celebrate with each other as they have classroom holiday parties.  We return to school on Monday, January 4th.  Have a fabulous winter break!

Reminder - please sign up for weather advisories through DCPS.  This will allow you to receive first hand school delays and closings.  We know the Winter weather may be unpredictable but the advisories will help you know DCPS decisions regarding weather changes immediately.

Mark your Calendar!  Our next HSA General Meeting is Thursday, January 7th.  Its budget time and we will conduct small group discussions regarding the 2016-2017 school budget - DCPS budget as well as the HSA budget.  As we continue to work together, this will allow us to review and align our budgets.  

We will have interactive small group discussions during this meeting - we are excited to hear your thoughts and ideas as we plan for next year.  Please plan to attend this important meeting - a separate message will be sent out shortly with details.  

In the HSA General Meeting on Thursday, January 7th will also host a Summer Camp Expo and give Lafayette parents the chance to talk first hand with local camps and hear about their programs.   What a way to start 2016 - just think - you could have your summer planned before February even rolls around!

In closing, we wish you a wonderful holiday and a safe and healthy New Year. Our sincere thanks for all of your support, encouraging words and dedication we have experienced during this school semester.  

We truly could not be Co-Presidents without it! Thank you again.

Best,
Shannon and Janine

Peace of Mind newsletter - Latest Issue is Here! 

Read this week:  
  • Ask Your Child    
  • Grades 1-5 News
  • PK-K News
  • This Week In Peace
  • Recommended Reads
  • Dates and Events

See details here 

Laurie McLaughlin From the Art Room
Laurie McLaughlin, Visual Art Grades 1-5

Artists and their art continue to take over Lafayette's campus! Displays of art from almost all of Lafayette's 1st-5th graders are hung in the "pod" hallways... From 1st grade patriotic stamps, to second grade O'Keefe style flowers and funny expressive faces, to 3rd grade storytelling arpilleras and neoclassical building drawings, to 4th grade Kahlo style portraits in proportion and Northwest coast Native American style totem poles representing our class families. In pod H, 5th grade exhibits include our romantic style landscapes and topsy turvy interiors based on the art of Patssi Valdez. And on the way to the "big top" and specials classes, you'll find an outdoor fence art installation designed by Ms. Shapiro's class.

Two final notes... Thank you Mr. King and Ms. Nickel's artists for helping me to create winter decorations for our admin trailer! And congratulations to the following artists who worked hard on Doodle4Google contest entries: Kate Turpin, Ariana Ridgeway, Avery Sessoms, Nicole Pierce, Nithin BaarathTRM, Lopuise Block, Delaney Staudenraus, Grace McKearn, Natalie Mitchell-Capobres, Brooke Fuld, Julia Burke, Priya Allen and Eli Schwartz. We wish them luck in this annual contest celebrating creativity!

Continue to save and send in paper towel rolls, yarn scraps and old magazines - especially the old National Geographics. And as always, thank you for all your continued enthusiasm and support of the visual arts at Lafayette!

Support Lafayette and Stock Up on
Beautiful Hand Made Jewelry

Moms & Daughters Lafayette Holiday Jewelry Show

Join us on Sunday, December 13th, 2pm - 6pm, for an open house holiday jewelry event and help support Lafayette Elementary School.

Featuring women's and girl's necklaces and bracelets or "design your own"! 15% of the proceeds from all of the sales will go to Lafayette Elementary School. Please visit the ETSY account to view some designs we have created or log-on to the Lafayette HSA website.

Address:
2729 Unicorn Lane NW
Washington, DC 20015
202-603-3438

If you are unable to make this great event in support of Lafayette email us at [email protected]  to set an appointment.

H & J Designs
Elizabeth Clofine
Lafayette Mom
Macon Some Holiday Magic for Lafayette - Monday, December 14

10% of all dinner proceeds at  Macon Bistro  on 12/14 go directly to Lafayette!
 
Need a night out before the holiday madness sets in? How about dinner at Macon Bistro (5520 Connecticut Ave NW). They're now open for dinner on Mondays. To celebrate, 10% of all dinner proceeds on Monday 12/14 will go back to Lafayette Elementary School. Reservations or walk-in welcome. Make Monday 12.14 your next date night or meet up with friends for drinks and appetizers. It's a delicious way to show your support for Lafayette!

Three Great Ways to Support Lafayette When You Are Shopping for the Holidays 

1) Please support our great Lafayette Annual Sponsors when you are making your lists and shopping for gifts. Whether it is a new toy or game from Barston's Child's Play, a cross training session at Second Wind Crossfit, a gift certificate from Broadbranch Market, Macgruders or Potomac Pizza, or even a new home from local realtors Kimberly Cestari or Anslie Stokes, these great local businesses generously support our school each year with donations of money, product and services. Let's show them our gratitude by supporting them over the holidays

2) Designate Lafayette Home and School Association as your charity of choice on Amazon Smile. If you plan on making holiday purchases on Amazon this year, please consider purchasing through https://smile.amazon.com/ - it's the same price, same products and Prime-Eligible, but you can designate Lafayette Home and School Association DC Public School to receive .5% of your purchases!  It's so easy to sign up. Check our website or follow the steps below. And once you have signed up, each time you visit the smile.amazon.com site, you'll be supporting Lafayette each time you shop. Thanks for supporting Lafayette Elementary School and happy shopping!
  1. Visit https://smile.amazon.com/
  2. Log into your Amazon account
  3. Go to "Your Account", then click "Change Charity"
  4. Search for "Lafayette Home and School Association DC Public School" and click "Select"
  5. Shop! 
3) Make sure your Target Red Card, your Giant Card, and your Harris Teeter cards are linked to Lafayette Elementary School. We all spend a lot of time and money in grocery stores and department stores over the holidays. Let's put that time and money to good use for Lafayette. Target Red Card's Take Charge of Education program that rewards local schools with a percentage of sales from cards who have been linked to them is ending forever in May 2016. But we can still take advantage of the program from now to then. Check out our HSA Shopping for Lafayette webpage for more details on how to  link your grocery cards and Target Red Card to Lafayette and help us rack some real profits for our school this holiday season. If your card is already linked, then all you have to do is shop away! Thanks for supporting Lafayette.

Lafayette Gives Back

Lafayette Gives Back will be donating gently used baby carriers to Carry the Future, a non-profit organization that will distribute them to Syrian refugees in Greece.  Under even the best of circumstances, baby carriers can be essential for accomplishing basic tasks, comforting babies, and providing toddlers with an occasional break.  Many Syrian mothers fled with very little, often walking long distances holding their babies in their arms. 

A baby carrier can help these mothers cope and care for their babies under grueling circumstances. If you have a baby carrier in good condition that you are no longer using, please consider dropping it in our collection bin, located in the administrative office. If your carrier has any pockets that you'd like to stuff with an item or two from the following list, that would also be extremely helpful to the recipients. Extras to consider including: diapers and wipes, socks, baby food, hand sanitizer, protein bars, and non-battery flashlights. Thank you! For questions please contact Jamie Davis Smith or Katie Burke.

basketball
Lafayette Basketball Teams
Give Back to the Community

One of the great things about the Lafayette Basketball Teams is their commitment to giving back to the community.  Each year the teams lead a Holiday Toy Drive that provides new, unwrapped toys to the Capitol Hill Group Ministry for distribution to deserving families in the District during the Holiday season.  The Basketball Teams encourage all Lafayette families to support this worthwhile cause.
 
Please consider making a donation and teaching our children how important it is to give back to the community where we live.
 
A donation bin will be in the main office through December 18th.
 
Thanks in advance for your support!
Coaches Hover and Johnson 

Community
 
DC Youth Orchestra Program Spring Registration for New Students is Open!!
DCYOP offers beginner through advanced group lessons and ensemble training on all orchestral instruments for students ages 4� to 18.  Nearly 500 students participate in group classes, ensemble rehearsals, and performances each semester at Eastern High School on Capitol Hill.  Every student has the opportunity to perform in at least one concert every semester.  All concerts are free and open to the public. To learn more about DCYOP programs and register for the spring semester, please visit www.dcyop.org.

Rental House Available
On Nevada Avenue near Military Road and is technically 3 bedrooms, with a finished attic that has a closet and good light  and which we used as a fourth bedroom. It's got 3 full baths plus powder room, basement laundry, garage and nice size lawn with a deck, grill, etc. The rent is $4,250/month and Robin, the diligent and attentive property manager is nearby to deal with everything like servicing the heating and cooling each season, handling repairs, removing a tree if needed, etc.  It's zoned for Murch Elementary School and is available in early January; we'd like to sign a 2-3 year contract and we value good renters and a good relationship. Please contact Eleanor Williamson if interested [email protected].

This is a reminder that the Broad Branch - Chevy Chase Farmer's Market (temporarily moved during the school construction) will continue to be held throughout the winter season. Whitmore Farms will continue to sell their humanely raised pork, lamb and chicken. Fresh Belgian waffles and paella will continue to be made on site for your enjoyment throughout the winter season. Bonaparte Bakery from Baltimore, as always, will have fresh European breads and pastries. Take home fresh roasted, fair trade coffee from Father-Daughter Roasters to start your day on these crisp winter mornings. Our newest vendor, Toby Island Bay Oysters has been a great hit. Come and get fresh oysters and clams from Chincoteague Island, VA. The Fiber Ladies will return for one day this Saturday with their handcrafted woolen goods. These make great Holiday gifts. The Farmers Market is held every Saturday, from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm, at the Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC. 
 
Thank You Lafayette Sponsors!
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our very generous Annual Sponsors for 2015-2016, your continued support is amazing!  Learn more about becoming a Lafayette sponsor.
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.