A weekly publication of the Lake Harriet Community School PTA ...

year's school-wide Service Learning Initiative focusing on Shelter and Safe Spaces to Play. The project
was initiated to help the students reflect on what they had learned from a presentation about the
American Refugee Committee's (ARC) ongoing efforts to help the people of Haiti to rebuild after the
devastating earthquake of Jan, 2010; and to serve as a bridge connecting our students to children in Haiti
through their shared love of play. The tapestry includes over 950 student self-portraits and sketches that
symbolize their favorite ways to play with friends and family. ARC will present the tapestry to the children
of Terrain Acra Camp in Port-au-Prince, along with the funds that our school community is raising to help
build homes in Haiti. This project was made possible through the generous support of many people:
American Refugee Committee (ARC), Teachers at Terrain Acra Camp, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Child-friendly
Spaces, The Sanneh Foundation, LHCS Teachers, Principals and students, the LHCS Diversity Committee &
Fiber Artist Lea Rae Duma, Graphics-Sara Boehnke and Photographer-Keri Pickett
Sleep out for Shelter in this week's mail
Check your child's backpack for detailed information about the Sleep Out for Shelter which is on Friday,
May 20, 2011. We hope you and your family are excited to participate in this service learning opportunity
Get Ready for the Sleep Out for Shelter!
Get Ready for the Sleep Out for Shelter! The LHCS Sleep Out for Shelter is Friday, May 20, 2011. LHCS
families that wish to participate will give up their shelter for one night and collect pledges for housing for
families who lost their homes due to the earthquake. The LHCS goal is to raise enough money to purchase
8 homes for families in Haiti. Our school is partnering with the American Refugee Committee, whose
overall goal is to build 2,000 transitional homes for Haitian families
(http://www.arcrelief.org/site/PageServer).
We hope that many LHCS families will participate. Parent “toolkits” will be available from the American
Refugee Committee (will be provided at the school). These toolkits will contain information about Haiti, the
transitional shelters, and provide reflective questions that you can discuss as a family after spending the
night in your tent or alternative shelter.
If you are interested in having other LHCS students camp in your backyard, such as your child’s friends,
you must agree to be the chaperone and complete a criminal background check. Please see LHCS
volunteer policy (http://lakeharriet.mpls.k12.mn.us/volunteer_policies_3.html) for more information.
If you want to host other students, you must complete this form in the next several weeks, as the process
takes a minimum of 2 weeks to complete. Please fill this form out no later than May 5, 2011. Staff person
Jenna Myrland, from the American Refugee Committee, will be coming to the student council meeting on
Tuesday, April 19 to help the student council plan for this exciting service learning event. Stay tuned for
more information in next week’s Connection.
Contact Maree Hampton (mmhampton@earthlink.net) with questions.
Tickets on Sale Now for Parties Galore Fundraisers