Contact - Paxtonia Elementary PTA

Contact
Paxtonia Elementary School PTA Newsletter
Upcoming Events
March 2008: Volume 10, Issue 7
Editor: Yvette Fleming
MARCH
FCC Family Night—cancelled!!!
PTA Meeting 7PM
Roller Skating Party 4:30-6:30pm
NO SCHOOL—Spring Break
Assembly: YoJo
Ace PSSA & Treat Body Right
APRIL
PTA Meeting 7PM
Assembly: Bill Wood
Environmental Stories
Beginners Concert @ CDHS 7PM
Teacher In-Service—No School
Date
2
3
16
20-24
28
Date
7
11
15
22
Paxtonia Science Night
has been rescheduled for
tonight, Friday February
29th!!
Please plan on joining us
for a night of fun and
learning from
7—8:30 PM.
PTA Meeting
March 3rd @ 7pm
LOOK what our After
School Computer Club
was UP to!!
Visit www.Paxtonia.info
Dear Parents,,
I continue to be amazed at the staff, students, and parents of Paxtonia Elementary School! We
are blessed with dedicated teachers, enthusiastic students, and supportive parents. I am
confident that we will more than prove our “academic worth” on the upcoming PSSA tests.
Equally important to me, I am also confident that we will continue to prove our “social worth”
through our charitable events and by treating each other the way we would want to be treated.
*Educational Trips
*3 rd , 4 th , 5 th Grade 2008 PSSA Reading and Math Assessment—March 31 thru April 4; make-ups April 7-10
*4 th Grade 2008 PSSA Science Assessment—May 5 & 6; make-ups May 7 & 8
(Note that parental requests for “Educational Trips” during the above dates—depending on the grade
level affected—will be denied per district policy).
*Birthday Party Etiquette
Please do not have your child distribute birthday party invitations at school unless every member of the class is
invited. It is disheartening for a child to be excluded. Remember that kids have feelings, too. Simply use the U.S.
mail when inviting smaller numbers. Thanks.
*Jump Rope for Heart
Thank you so much for your donations toward the “Jump Rope for Heart” program. According to our terrific
physical education teachers, Mrs. Mauck and Mrs. Nichter, Paxtonia donated a significant amount of money
towards this worthy cause!
Again, thanks to everyone for making us all “Paxtonia Proud”!
T. Toone; Paxtonia Elementary Principal
From the PTA President
I’m sitting here writing my
note for the March Contact
wondering if all our
activities will happen as
scheduled since inclement winter
weather is being forecasted. I don’t
know about you, but I’m ready for
spring and ready to get those kids back
outside using up that “extra” energy! It
has been so cold outside that it has been
hard for the kids to get the fresh air
they need. As I mention burning up
extra energy, make sure to mark your
calendar for March 16 th to attend our
last roller skating party this year - - a
great way for the kids to burn up some
energy and have fun with their friends!
I want to thank Jeanne Bennardo, all
the parent and student volunteers, all
our teachers, and all the local
professionals that came out to share their time
and talents with all the hands on experiments
and exhibits that were on display for our children
and their families during Science Night. What
a great educational and fun time for everyone.
A big thank you to Deb Hauf and Miss Allen for
organizing and bringing the Talent Show back
to Paxtonia! We have so many wonderful and
talented children at our school and this is a
wonderful way for them to share with their
friends what they do outside of school.
If you want to know what is going on in our
school district or at the school, remember to log
onto the web page.
I hope to see everyone at our March 3 rd meeting at
7:00.
Jamie Zuvich; Paxtonia PTA President

Contact Newsletter March 2
A big THANK YOU to everyone who
helped to make International Days—
IRELAND a success! From decorating the
school to sampling traditional Irish food,
students were exposed to everything Irish.
Scoil Thomias, a school in Castleknock,
DUBLIN even helped answer Question
Banners. These banners allowed our 3 rd ,
4 th , and 5 th grade students the opportunity
to ask Irish students about life in Ireland.
Pen pal letters were also sent. Music,
dance, stories, and a fun-filled game show
rounded out the events and activities.
Roller Skating Party
Don’t miss the fun at the Paxtonia PTA Roller
Skating Party on Sunday, March 16th. The
Roller Skating Party will be held at Olympic
Skating Rink in Enola from 4:30 – 6:30 pm.
Admission is free. Skate rental is $1.00 and
rollerblade rental is $3.00. For information
about directions go to
www.olympicskatingcenter.com or call 732-
9168.
Karen Bloom and Julie Marolf
Irish Stew Recipe
3 lbs of beef cubes
1 lb carrots (chopped)
½ c pearl barley
4 oxo cubes (or beef bullion cubes)
2 tsp sea salt
4 tsp thyme
4 tsp of parsley
2 tsp rosemary
2 small potatoes (sliced)
Cover ingredients with water and let
simmer in crock pot.
Special thanks go to Michelle Plouse for
coordinating the decorating effort. Student
and parent reactions confirmed the
success of hard work from the volunteers
who helped! Monica Straub put her exceptional
organization and communication
skills to work and coordinated the Taste of
Ireland. Each student was served Irish Beef
Stew (see the recipe listed below), potatoes,
Irish soda bread, biscuits (cookies),
and currant juice. Thanks to Monica and
each volunteer who helped by making
stew and potatoes, baking bread, serving
food, or a combination of these tasks.
Robyn Watson showed how much fun
learning about another country can be
with the Luck O’ the Irish game. Contestants
representing each class rolled the dice
to see how much his or her answer was
worth. Robyn’s game, with the help of
volunteers, had students answering questions
about Ireland, dancing, and having
fun!
The International Days Committee
would also like to recognize Paxtonia
teachers and staff members for the continued
support shown to this event. We
could not do it without you!
What country will Paxtonia students
choose for next years International Days?
Stay tuned. . . .
INTERNATIONAL DAYS COMMITTEE
Michelle Plouse and Ellen Haist
Co-Chairs
MAYFAIR HELP NEEDED
May Fair is in need of some assistance
from parents - - only two volunteers
were received from PTA meeting signup
sheet. The May Fair Committee is
looking for volunteers to donate their
time to contact local business for donations
for the May Fair raffle. Maybe you
know a parent that owns a business and
would like to donate something.
Please contact Amy Lingle if you are
able to help out 315-9039.
How would you like to help Paxtonia Elementary School
while relaxing, exercising and burning a calorie or two?
Yes, it is possible! When you collect Box Tops for Education
found on many products we all use, such as Kleenex
tissues and Zip loc baggies, you will help the PTA by cutting
them out neatly along the dotted line. You can relax
and burn calories by sitting using scissors to clip those little
labels out. The key to earning the credits from the BoxTops
redemption company is to have the labels cut out neatly on
the dotted lines. Remember that the BoxTops label credits
earn money for the school. By cutting and sending in the
Box Tops to school (please place them in the good looking
green box on the table in the lobby), you will be helping the
school raise money. The school has earned $ 1,198.60 so far
this year!
So yes, it is true, you CAN relax, exercise, and burn a calorie
or two, all at the same time by saving and cutting Box
Tops. Thanks!
I walked into school the other day to see a Mom in the showcase in the lobby! No, she was not
pretending she was a goldfish in a fish bowl. She was changing the beautiful artwork in the
showcase so we could appreciate the talent of our children. She is a parent volunteer for the
Art Teacher, Mrs. Bedard.
One of the many volunteer opportunities available for your volunteering pleasure at Paxtonia
Elementary School is being a parent volunteer for a teacher. It is not hard to do and is
very rewarding. Some of the things you may get to do include writing out spelling lists, making
things to put on the wall, taking down and hanging projects in the hall, making copies, filling
folders, organizing things for the teacher, and helping students practice reading. By doing
these things for our children’s teachers, it opens up more time for our teachers to teach and our
children to learn. As a volunteer you are able to work out a time with a host teacher (it is generally
NOT your child’s teacher) that suits your schedule and the teacher’s schedule. It can be
one hour a week or more or less.
Some perks include getting to know the Paxtonia teachers, (maybe, if you are lucky and
happen to be in the right place at the right time) catching a glimpse of your child during the day
and having the children in your host teacher’s room being excited to see you every week. This
is a rewarding and fun volunteer opportunity for you! Please join in the volunteering fun!
Gayle Staub

Contact Newsletter March 3
Our building-wide character trait last month was Honesty and Trustworthiness.
The students were able to identify two presidents well know for these traits.
They also took part in pledging to be honest Paxtonia students. Over 640
students signed a pledge to be Honest!
The following students are the
winners of Paxtonia Elementary
Reflections Contest that
will move on to the Regional
Level of competition.
Literature Primary
1 st Place- Debangana
Bandyopadhyay- 2 nd Grade
4 th Place- Arjun Ray- 1 st Grade
Literature Intermediate
1 st Place- Arnab Ray- 5 th Grade
2 nd Place- Vivian Shiffler- 5 th
Grade
Musical Composition Primary
1 st Place- Allasandra Valdez- 2 nd
Grade
Musical Composition
Intermediate
2 nd Place- Derek Whittle- 5 th
Grade
Photography Primary
3 rd Place- Lauren Williams- 2 nd
Grade
Photography Intermediate
1 st Place- Megan Hauf- 4 th Grade
Visual Arts Primary
1 st Place- Lauren Williams- 2 nd
Grade
4 th Place- Ally Yoder- 2 nd Grade
Visual Arts Intermediate
1 st Place- Bryanna Peterson- 4 th
Grade
3 rd Place- Leanne Frist- 4 th
Grade
Film Video Primary
1 st Place- Shawn D’Souza- 2 nd
Grade
Dance Primary
1 st Place- Shawn D’Souza- 2 nd
Grade
This month we are practicing the character trait of Courage. Courage is when
we choose to do the right thing, even if it is hard or scary to do. It is the quality
of mind or character that makes a person able to face danger, pain, or trouble
without fear; bravery. Acting with Courage may mean standing up to peer
pressure.
DID YOU KNOW?
There is no age limit set by the Commonwealth of PA for when a child can be left alone. Many parents struggle
with how to decide if their child is old enough to be home alone while they work or have some adult time away from
them.
Several factors—most importantly, the maturity of the child—should be considered when deciding whether children
can be left safely at home. For example, some 11-year-olds may be more trustworthy than some 16-year-olds, so
age should not be used as the only factor.
Some things to consider are:
• Age and maturity level of child
• Ability to act responsibly when given choices
• Knowledge of emergency procedures, including dialing 911 and what to do in the event of a fire
• Ability to follow instructions
• Trustworthiness
• Whether the child will be responsible for other children such as younger siblings
• Whether a responsible adult is nearby, easily accessible, and aware that the child will be home
alone
• Health issues, such as the need to take medications
• Access to weapons or dangerous substances, including poisons, chemicals, prescription or other
drugs, and alcohol
• Length of time the child will be unsupervised
• Risk of harm due to environment; including pools, proximity to busy roadways, unsafe
neighborhoods, etc.
• Feelings of the child, any fears or concerns he/she has about being alone.
Adapted from Family Support Alliance, Fall 2007
Mrs. Merryman, M.Ed., NCC; School Counselor
The following individuals have been nominated
as Paxtonia PTA officers for the 2008-
2009 school year:
Kim St. Clair – President
Gayle Staub – 1 st VP
eb Rose – 2 nd VP
Yvette Fleming – Treasurer
Corresponding Secretary – Susan Johnson
Recording Secretary – Michelle Plouse
Please plan on attending the March PTA
meeting when these nominees will be announced.
Voting for the officer positions
will take place at the April PTA meeting.
Reading Incentives just got better!! Along with
Book-It pizza certificate, the Reading Incentive
Committee will be giving a Harrisburg Senator
voucher to those who turn in
their March Calendars. Readers who have logged
200 minutes and 400 minutes on the March calendar
will receive a Harrisburg Senator voucher!!! So
get those reading minutes logged and turned in by
the end of March. Remember homework counts.

Contact Newsletter March 4
March 28, 2008—9:15 (3-5)
YOJO—Ace Your PSSA (3-5): This show covers very specific test-taking strategies and has been co-developed
directly with educators who know these tests thoroughly. Some of the important points that an Ace Your Test
show emphasizes include:
Important preparations before the test. (e.g., getting a good night's sleep, eating a healthy breakfast,
showing up on time, etc.) ; Paying close attention to all instructions, questions, and answer
choices; Previewing test sections and budgeting test time wisely; The proper way to fill out answers on answer
sheets; Using the process of elimination to make a better educated guess at tough multiple-choice
questions; Writing constructed responses clearly and neatly; Supporting ‘open-ended’ constructive responses
with evidence and detail; Most importantly: Confidence and a great attitude!
Anyone who has an
“extra” hour a week and
would like to help out in
the literacy lab, please
stop by and see
Mrs. Petrides
spetrides@cdschools.org
FOURTEEN FIFTH GRADERS IN
HONORS ORCHESTRA
Congratulations to the following Fifth Grade String
players who will be playing with the Central Dauphin
School District Elementary Honors Orchestra in
March. Violinists include Ryan Cleaver, Ganesh
Kumar, Abigail Packheiser, Arnab Ray, Monica
Smith, Amanda Suda, Dealie Youngblood, and alternate
Cezanne Zachary. Violists are: Randi Bainbridge,
Allie Hoffman, Victoria Jones, Kirsten Keen,
Monica Lengel. Cellists are: Sarah Buffington and
Alyssa Reynolds.
The Elementary String Orchestra is made up of 75
students from all thirteen elementary schools in the
district. Also on the program will be the Middle
School and the High School Honors Orchestras.
These students have been practicing four pieces,
"Rustic Dance", "Celtic Dance", "Scaling Mt. Pizzicato",
written by Mark Williams, and the "CD Tango",
written by Central Dauphin string teacher, Lois
Yinger. The guest conductor for the Elementary Orchestra
is Mrs. Winifred Wentz, a retired string
teacher from the West Shore School District.
There will be two evening rehearsals at CD EAST
HIGH, on Monday, March 10 and Tuesday, March
25, from 6:30 to 8:30PM. There will also be an allday
rehearsal on Thursday, March 27, followed by
the concert that night at 7:30PM, at the CD EAST
HIGH auditorium.
Mary C. Foster - String teacher
The following are the programs that Paxtonia PTA is currently
sponsoring, and each has their own appropriate collection
box located in the front lobby of the school. Please place
the items in a plastic sealed bag before placing them in the
collection boxes.
◊ Used Ink Cartridges Recycling
◊ BoxTop$ for Education
◊ Old Cell Phones
◊ Aluminum Can Tabs
◊ Campbell’s Labels
◊ Tyson’s Labels
◊ Nestle Water Bottle Labels
◊ Karn’s Receipts
◊ Giant A+ Rewards
TIME IS RUNNING OUT!
To-date Paxtonia has earned $2,163.53 from the Giant
A+Plus School Rewards program. As of this issue, 244 Paxtonia
families have registered their Giant BonusCards.
Please, if you haven’t already, register your Giant Bonus-
Card at your local Giant store Customer Service desk or
online at www.GiantAPlus.com as soon as possible!
Designate Paxtonia (id# 01059) as your school of choice and
Giant will do the rest. This program ends on March 15,
2008 for the school year. It is not too late to register your
card now and help Paxtonia earn more money for the
school year. Thank you so much for your support of this
wonderful program!