Alcott Elementary eNews Brief

September 28, 2009

PARENTS: OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE

Much has been made about the H1N1 Virus and its possible implications for schools in national and international news coverage.  It is a very real problem that our school must deal with daily.  The reality is that schools are a place where large groups of people congregate and it just so happens that most of those people happen to be children.  That alone provides fertile ground for the spread of flu and other easily transferable diseases.  That’s the bad news.

The good news is that plans are in place to address this concern in a proactive manner.  As educators, we continue to reinforce healthy habits with children like proper handwashing, sneezing and coughing into your arm, and keeping fingers where fingers should be. J  Additional and specific cleaning is being undertaken by our custodians to limit the spread of virus.  Specific procedures are in place to identify children who are ill, isolate them quickly (but with kindness and understanding), and notify parents quickly so that they can get home to rest quickly or get medical attention if needed.

But we can’t do this without you!  Our first line of defense is our parents because the virus that never arrives at school is never spread at school.  Because of the potential for spreading to others is so high, we ask that you be keenly aware of your child and his/her symptoms that might indicate the flu.  Below is information regarding the flu from the Lake Washington School District.  Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe and healthy!

Stay Healthy – Learn How to Avoid the Flu
Fact sheets and information available on district Web site

As flu season begins, Lake Washington School District is taking steps to reduce the spread of flu, whether the regular flu or the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu. We want to keep our students and families healthy and our schools open and functioning normally during this flu season. But we need your help to do this.

One of the most important things for staff members to do to keep everyone healthy this flu season is to stay home if you are ill, or go home if you start to feel sick during the work day (of course, we ask that you check in with your supervisor prior to leaving work). You can also help by knowing the signs and symptoms of the flu and spotting them in students who need to be sent home. Those symptoms are: fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

Read more about how to stay healthy on the district Web site, here.

SKATE KING NIGHT

If you get the chance, please join the Alcott Community at Skate King Night this evening from 6-8pm.  Please see the attached flyer for more information

 UPCOMING EVENTS

Alcott Elementary eNews Brief

September 23, 2009

GREAT SCHOOLS/SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION AWARD

Congratulations to the Alcott Elementary Community! 

Once again, Alcott Elementary has earned the Schools of Distinction/Great Schools Award for Academic Improvement for the 3^rd straight year—the only school to do so in the Lake Washington School District and one of only two schools from our district to win the award this year.  Congratulations to students for their high achievement and improvement!  Congratulations to staff and parents for maintaining high expectations and supporting them all along the way!

And as a nice ‘icing on the cake’ moment, the other school was my former school, Rush Elementary who won the ‘Great Schools’ award for the first time this year.  As I told some of you at Curriculum Night, I am a double-proud papa!  I mean, at this rate, my alma-mater, the University of Washington might even beat the USC Trojans… J

The Lake Washington School District’s press release is copied below.  Congratulations, Alcott Elementary!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Please see the Alcott PTSA website for starting dates and times for http://www.lwsd.org/school/Alcott/PTSA/Activities/Pages/default.aspx

 PTSA MEMBERSHIP REMINDER

I have my membership application in and I hope you also have signed up to be a part of the Alcott PTSA this year.  It is an honor to reach 100% membership (Number of memberships equal to the number of students who attend) and sends a powerful message of support for education to our community, district, and government leaders.  Please see the Alcott PTSA website for more details at: http://www.lwsd.org/school/Alcott/PTSA/Pages/Alcott_PTSA_membership.aspx

Alcott Elementary eNews Brief

September 16, 2009

CURRICULUM NIGHT…WELCOME!

We are looking forward to our second Curriculum Night at Alcott Elementary this Thursday, September 17^th, from 6-7pm for our parents of Intermediate Students including 4^th, 5^th , 4^th/5^th, and 6^th Grade as well as our 3^rd/4^th, 5^th, and 6^th Grade Quest classrooms. 

Curriculum Night is a great opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, to learning about the curriculum your child will be working on this year, to meet/re-connect with other parents, and to learn about opportunities in the classroom.  It is an important informational night for our community and we hope that you enjoy the presentations.

Welcome to Curriculum Night 2009!

UPCOMING EVENTS

 JOIN THE ALCOTT PTSA!

PTSA membership forms arrived in the Orca folders and are available online at www.lwsd.org/school/alcott.  Please refer to the PTSA membership link.  Help PTSA reach its goal of 100% membership, while supporting the students, their families, and the teachers and staff of our school. The first class to turn in all their forms will win a pizza party. For questions, please contact Catherine Filippini, VP Membership at bellastoria@verizon.net.

RUNNING CLUB

Registration forms can be found on the Alcott website or they can be picked up by the office.

Running Club starts on Tuesday, September 22, 2009,  3:30 – 4:15 and will meet in the gym.

Students cannot participate in Running Club w/o prior written approval from their parents.

Thanks, Jim and Matt, Running Club Coordinators

FALL FESTIVAL COORDINATOR NEEDED!!!

From the Alcott PTSA: The Fall Festival is on October 30.  Held at Alcott, it promises to be one of the best events of the school year.  However, if we are unable to secure a leader, the Fall Festival may not occur this year.  Alcott needs your help!  We are in need of one or more people to lead this event.  Perhaps you and a group of your friends would be willing to serve as leaders for the 2009 Fall Festival. Last year’s chair has graciously offered to serve as a consultant; therefore, if you choose to lead the event, you will not be alone.  Moreover, numerous people typically volunteer for this event.  Thus, you would have plenty of direction and assistance.  Please consider leading this event.  The Alcott community needs you.  Thank you so much.
 
If you are interested in leading this event, please contact Terry Scott at ezrioni@yahoo.com by Wednesday, September 23.  

PARKING REMINDER

Parents…please be reminded that police can and will enforce parking violations on 228^th Ave, so please take notice of ‘NO PARKING’ signs, particularly north of the school.  We apologize that there is not more parking available in our campus parking lot, but just wanted to send out a reminder so hopefully our campus parking woes don’t result in a ticket for you.

WEBSITE ISSUES

This past week, some members of our commmunity reported that they could not access the main Alcott Website or the associated Alcott PTSA Website.  At the time, the site was asking for a login and password. (If it makes you feel better, my access was blocked as well L).

Apparently this glitch has been addressed by the district webmaster and you should be able to access the website without having to login.  If you continue to have access problems, please respond to this email with ‘WEB ACCESS PROBLEMS’ somewhere in the Subject Line and I’ll be able to forward it to our district’s technology department.  Thank you.

Alcott Elementary eNews Brief

September 9, 2009

 NEW BENCH IN HONOR OF TEACHER JAN GARDNER

When you get the opportunity, please notice the new bench dedicated to the memory of teacher Jan Gardner that sits outside the main entrance to the school.  Thank you so much to those who contributed to this lasting memorial.  Even though I am new to this school and never personally met her, I have heard of the lasting impression that Jan made on Alcott Elementary and its students.  Thank you.

NEW STAFF AT ALCOTT ELEMENTARY

Since my letter to parents at the beginning of the year, we have added a couple of new staff members.  Please join me in welcoming:

·         Ms. Maryam Zarrabbi, new 2^nd grade teacher, who comes to us most recently from Carson Elementary (new elementary school next to Inglewood Junior High).  She brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise including being bi-lingual, getting involved with social causes, and is a soccer coach as well.

·         Mrs. Laura Lynch, new Counselor who will be filling in for Abby Rogers.  Abby, if you couldn’t tell, is due to give birth to her second child and Laura joins us after completing her coursework at SPU and after working in the Everett School District.  She comes very highly recommended and we look forward to having her work with us here at Alcott.

Alcott Elementary eNews Brief

September 8, 2009

WELCOME TO THE ALCOTT ELEMENTARY eNEWS BRIEF!

This is the first edition of the school’s eNews Brief and I hope that it will prove to be a means by which we can keep in touch with the Alcott Community on current events, announcements and activities.  The eNews Brief is a ‘just in time’ journal that delivers school news and announcements as it happens rather than on a regular schedule (like weekly or monthly).  Okay, this first one isn’t that ‘brief’, but that is still the plan for future editions.  Thank you for taking the time to read the Alcott eNews Brief!

UPCOMING EVENTS

NEW GUY THOUGHTS…Things I like about Alcott Elementary

As the new principal at Alcott Elementary, I will be sharing with you lots of great things worth celebrating at Alcott Elementary, but as I want to get off on the right foot, here are three of many things that I’ve appreciated in my short time here:

·         Enthusiasm!  From the PTA meetings, to our initial Meet n’ Greets, to our Back to School Bash, Alcott has enthusiasm!  We are going green, organizing into professional learning communities, and starting off the year with energy and excitement.  And our students are sure to be the big beneficiaries!  Go, Alcott!

·         Dedication!  In my time with teachers, it is evident that they are dedicated to students and their learning.  They are willing to work extra hard to create quality learning environments for children and do so together, sharing the responsibility in teams.  They believe in their work and they believe in your children.  Alcott is dedicated to learning!

·         Conversations!  It is always a blessing to get to know children and besides being very funny, the children I have met have been kind and respectful in their words and actions.

FAMILY FUN AT THE ORCA BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH

Many thanks to the Alcott PTA and event organizer Sarah Frankum for the Orca Back-to-School Bash this past Thursday.  I saw lots of hula hoops, heard lots of music, and watched children enjoy the playground.  There were plenty of opportunities to sign up for after-school activities and I hope you didn’t miss signing up for the PTA!  Thank you!

PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH ON EDUCATION

This morning, several of our classes viewed the address by the President of the United States, Barack Obama, related to education.  We did not view the address as a whole school, but rather left it to the professional discretion of individual classroom teachers based upon the educational value to their students.  The response from our school district is in keeping with our practice and is outlined below:

LWSD Response

We believe that when the President of the United States addresses the country, the viewing of that address and subsequent discussion is an appropriate educational activity, so long as it fits within the educational objectives of the class. Whether the address is shown will be left to the professional discretion of the individual classroom teacher. If shown, each teacher is expected to ensure activities or discussions provide a balanced view of the issues and viewpoints. Advocacy for a particular political view is not permitted in the classroom. The President’s speech is not expected to be political in nature.

Our classrooms are a place where we encourage the open exchange of ideas and viewpoints. Students benefit a great deal through the debate of ideas that impact them and the people around them. If we eliminate this open exchange, we will not be adequately serving our students. It is our hope that students will find our classrooms a place where open agreement and disagreement can take place regarding any number of important issues.

If there is a concern regarding how a discussion has been handled in your child’s classroom, we ask that you please contact your child’s teacher or building principal to discuss the issue.