Lafayette Elementary School
Tuesday Bulletin
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Jan. 5, 2016          Sheryl-Ann Gayle, Editor
Mark Your Calendar


 
Jan 14
HSA General Meeting-7:00 pm

Jan 18
No School - MLK Day

Jan 19
HSA Board Meeting-6:30 pm


Jan 22
Spelling Bee-9:00 am
Early Dismissal-12:15 pm
 
  
From the Principal     


Dear Lafayette Families -

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2016!  This is a great time of year for reflection, rejuvenation, and recommitment to the habits we know to be good for us!  Hopefully everyone had a restful two weeks off.  I know that students and parents alike were ready to head back to class on Monday.  It was terrific to see everyone.
 
It's official...winter has arrived.  We have been extraordinarily fortunate this Fall and Winter thus far in avoiding harsh weather.  While I continue to have faith in our good fortune, it is time to be sure that we are prepared for a bad day, at least here or there!  Please be sure that students are coming to school in weather appropriate gear - including hats, gloves, coats, boots, etc.  Students go outside at least twice per day (to/from the cafeteria and to/from Specials).  We will go outside for recess as long as the temperature stays above 32 degrees.  Please also be sure that all outerwear is labeled with your child's name.  The lost and found can get a bit wild and wooly. 
 
Our first HSA General Meeting of 2016 is scheduled for Thursday, 1/14 (**note rescheduled date**) at 7:00 pm.  This will be a fantastic meeting.  We will have our First Annual Camp Expo for a portion of the meeting.  The other portion of the meeting will be small group sessions to discuss priorities for both the School and HSA budgeting process for the 2016-2017 school year.  I am excited to hear everyone's ideas, thoughts, and feedback regarding budget priorities.  Please join us.
 
Entering 2016, construction continues to move along on schedule.  Skanska was amazingly productive while we were on break - the amount of steel that has been erected is remarkable.  The shape of the new buildings is now quite evident.  Over break, there was one minor hiccup when a tree from the park fell over onto the walkway canopies.  Thankfully, there were no injuries, very minimal damage to the trailer roof, and no damage to the interior of the library.  The repairs to the walkway canopies have been made AND we got some much-needed mulch for the lineup area.  Kudos to DGS, Skanska, and our custodial crew for swiftly and safely resolving the issue. 
 
As we left for break, you may remember the conversations regarding the potential option of Murch utilizing the trailers for their swing space for an additional two years.  As of today, each school community has hosted a community meeting and each school community has provided feedback via survey to DCPS and DGS.  All 798 of our survey responses have been forwarded to DCPS and DGS.  There will be a SIT team meeting on January 11th, with a decision about Murch's swing space expected by January 12th.  Thank you to everyone for your thoughtfulness and advocacy.  More information to come as it becomes available to me.
 
While it's hard to believe that we have completed the first part of the school year, I am excited for all that is to come.  Battle of the Books is kicking off next week, the IMAGES committee is gearing up, International Day is coming, Jump Rope for Heart is around the corner, and countless other field trips, events, informances, and the magic of the day to day learning.  In parting, I will leave you with a quote that embodies the year before us:
 
"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe." - Anatole France
 
Here's to an incredible 2016,
 
Dr. B

General Meeting - Date Change

Mark your calendars - the HSA General meeting is now scheduled for Thursday, January 14 at 7:00 pm in the Big Top.  Please join us for these two important items:  Small Group Budget Discussions - this is your chance to share your thoughts and our 1st Annual Summer Camp Expo.  Keep an eye out for a Constant Contact message this week with more information on both.

We look forward to seeing you!

 
How do you spell SCRABBLE success - G*A*V*I*N

Thanks to 4th grader Gavin Kennelly,  Lafayette Elementary School had a great first-time showing in the Fall DC School Scrabble Tournament held at Deal Middle School on Saturday December 12. Although there were several Lafayette alums playing in the tournament, Gavin was the only Lafayette student to enter and despite never playing before in a tournament, he won both rounds that he competed in. A very impressive showing for a first-timer. Congrats Gavin! 

Organized and run by Wordfreak author Stefan Fatsis, the DC School SCRABBLE tournament has been growing in popularity every year, and several DCPS student teams play in national tournaments around the country. SCRABBLE has a very strong following at Lafayette thanks to teachers Blake Yedwab and Kathy Echave who run a Scrabble Club after school on Thursday during the winter. Check out the Lafayette Enrichment Program (LEP) web site  for more information about how to enroll.  There is also an annual Lafayette Scrabble tournament run by parents as part of the auction parties each year in the spring. Look for info on how to sign-up at the Auction in March. And C*O*N*G*R*A*T*S to Gavin.

READY, SET, SPELL!

Spelling Bee This year's quest to make it to the National Spelling Bee is underway. Last year's school winners, Christopher O'Brien and Sammy Taubman, now sixth graders at Deal, are both finalists in the Deal Spelling Bee. So, Lafayette's bee winners will be facing some stiff competition in the next round, the regional bee.
 
Save The Date - Friday, January 29

Ready for some quality adult time after our long winter break while helping the kids at the same time?

SAVE THE DATE - Friday January 29 from 8:30 to midnight at Tenley Bar and Grill for some SERIOUS PRE GROUND HOG DAY PARTYING 
Featuring local favorite and Lafayette parent band
Cheaper Than Therapy

Stay tuned for more details about this evening of fun - including a signature Marquis de Lafayette cocktail, a chance to sing with the band and so much more.

Proceeds from the evening go to support the Lafayette HSA. So mark your calendars and start the fun clock ticking to Friday January 29.

 
Book Sale and Book Drive Updatebooks

LAFAYETTE COMMUNITY AND BARSTON'S CHILD'S PLAY TEAM UP FOR SUCCESSFUL FIRST HOLIDAY BOOK DRIVE AND BOOK SALE
50 Brand New Books donated to the Episcopal Center for Children -more than $300 raised for the HSA.

Our first annual Holiday Book Sale and Drive with Barston's Child's Play to benefit the Episcopal Center for Children on Utah Avenue was a smashing success. Thanks to the incredibly generous families at Lafayette, we were able to donate 50 brand new books to the Episcopal Center for Children. HSA Ways & Means Co-Chair Chris Lisi delivered the books to the Center  on the Friday that school got out and she said the staff, leadership and kids were so overwhelmed with the donations and so excited that each child who is served by the school got a chance to bring a new book home over the holidays. Your support helped us sell more than $1500 worth of books and our friends in the book department at Barston's  Child's Play, a Lafayette Elementary School Annual Sponsor, are donating 20% of the total sales back to Lafayette. So thanks for helping our students and teachers too. Stay tuned for more book sales and special activities with Child's Play in the spring.


Community


Lafayette Indoor Winter Tennis starts January 6
During the Lafayette school renovation we cannot do indoor tennis at Lafayette.  Over the holiday I finally got permission from D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation  to have our winter indoor tennis program in the Chevy Chase Community Center (CCCC) at Connecticut Ave and McKinley St. NW.  We will only have classes on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridayat 3:30 and 4:30.  We will be limited to 10 tennis players per class hour using 2 mini-nets in the game room on the lower level. The classes will start January 6 and run until March 25 (Good Friday before DCPS Spring Break) which is 12 weeks.  The fee is $300 which includes the CCCC room rental.   There is a 10% discount for additional siblings. Scholarship requests will be considered.  We will be blending beginner and advanced beginner players.  Following are the class groupings:
 Day                        3:30                      4:30
Wednesday             5-6 (5)                    7-10 (5)
Thursday                 5-6 (5)                    7-10 (5)
Friday                     5-6 (5)                    7-10 (5)
 
For the Lafayette School players, Syd and I will be able to collect the kids at 3:15 for the 3:30 classes and take them to theChevy Chase Community Center in our van and SUV.  But the parents and caregivers will have to pick them up at 4:30 at the CCCC.  The 4:30 tennis players will have to be brought to the CCCC. 
 
I know that many of you may have already signed up for Lafayette LEP activities.  I am sorry I could not get permission from DPR for the space more quickly.  Please check www.LafayetteTennis.org for space availability progress.  I will try to update it as promptly as possible.  I will keep a waiting list in case there are last minute changes.
 
If you have any questions, you can always call me at 202 441-0925 or email me at rosenbaumpaul@msn.com.  Thanks for your support.
 
Paul Rosenbaum


 
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!  
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