Contact - Paxtonia Elementary PTA
Contact - Paxtonia Elementary PTA
Contact - Paxtonia Elementary PTA
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<strong>Contact</strong><br />
<strong>Paxtonia</strong> <strong>Elementary</strong> School <strong>PTA</strong> Newsletter<br />
Upcoming Events<br />
NOVEMBER<br />
<strong>PTA</strong> Meeting @ 7PM<br />
NO SCHOOL-Conferences<br />
Grades K-5 & Fundraiser pick-up<br />
NO SCHOOL Kindergarten Only<br />
Kindergarten Conferences<br />
Book Fair/National Education Wk<br />
YoJo Assembly<br />
Roller Skating Party 4:30-6:30PM<br />
NO SCHOOL-Thanksgiving Break<br />
Santa’s Work Shop 6:30-8 PM<br />
DECEMBER<br />
Santa’s Work Shop 9:30-11 AM<br />
<strong>PTA</strong> Meeting @ 7PM<br />
Hampstead Players-Treasurer<br />
Island Assembly<br />
Ice Skating Party 4:15-6:15PM<br />
NO SCHOOL-Winter Break<br />
JANUARY<br />
NO SCHOOL-Winter Break<br />
Date<br />
5<br />
6<br />
Remember to visit the <strong>Paxtonia</strong> <strong>Elementary</strong><br />
website to register for e-mail<br />
updates at http://www.cdschools.org/<br />
paxtonia/site/default.asp.<br />
8<br />
9-16<br />
16<br />
18<br />
22-26<br />
30<br />
Date<br />
1<br />
3<br />
21<br />
29<br />
24-31<br />
Date<br />
1<br />
November 1, 2007: Volume 10, Issue 3<br />
Principal’s Message<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
This school year is rushing by as the end of October passes, and November begins.<br />
October was a busy month for all of us. The Kids Stuff fundraiser was held, a<br />
“Drugbusters” assembly was conducted, first grade teachers held a successful “Literacy<br />
Night”, Dads and Doughnuts made a big hit and, of course, all of the Halloween activities<br />
kept us smiling. <strong>Paxtonia</strong> is definitely a great place to be.<br />
Parents, please know that you are allowed and encouraged to occasionally come and eat<br />
lunch with your child if your schedule permits. You can even order a meal from our<br />
cafeteria if you call and place your order by 9:30 a.m. I am sure your child would love<br />
having you at school. Remember to sign-in at the office before going to the cafeteria.<br />
Bon apetite!<br />
Editor: Yvette Fleming<br />
Whether your child is allowed to bring an electronic game or listening device to school is primarily based upon the<br />
mutual agreement of two people. First, and foremost, you as a parent determine what type of item your child has<br />
permission to bring to school. Secondly, the child’s classroom teacher has final say regarding such items in the<br />
classroom. Please understand that regardless of the joint decision, between you and your child’s classroom<br />
teacher, students bring these devices to school at their own risk. The school will not be responsible for lost or<br />
stolen items.<br />
During November, I look forward to the end of the first marking period, Parent Conferences, an Everyday Math<br />
Night, American Education Week, and Thanksgiving! Make efforts during this special time of year to spend time<br />
with your children. Share with them your interest in education and memories of when you were a child. In short,<br />
love them with all of your heart and count your many blessings this Thanksgiving season.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
T. Toone, <strong>Paxtonia</strong> <strong>Elementary</strong> Principal<br />
“<strong>Paxtonia</strong> is<br />
definitely a great<br />
place to be.”<br />
From the <strong>PTA</strong> President<br />
Everyday<br />
Mathematics<br />
has developed a web site<br />
to help parents better<br />
understand our program.<br />
Parent Connect<br />
Web Site is available at<br />
www.wrightgroup.com/<br />
parent_connection/<br />
index.html.<br />
<strong>PTA</strong> Meeting<br />
November 5 @ 7pm<br />
Wow, what a great turnout for<br />
our annual Dads and Doughnuts that was well<br />
organized and prepared by Kathy Spinosa<br />
and Sandy Evans. Thank you, ladies! I also<br />
want to thank Allison Hess and Tina<br />
MacKenzie for coordinating all the volunteers<br />
to come to school and introduce the art work<br />
done by Grandma Moses. We would not be<br />
able to offer these programs to our children if<br />
we didn’t have the support of our parents.<br />
I also wanted to extend my thanks to all who<br />
participated in the fundraiser and Kidstuff<br />
Book sale. I greatly appreciate the many<br />
hours Lisa Kessler and Nicole Hoover gave<br />
towards compiling the Innisbrook fundraiser<br />
orders. The same appreciation is extended to<br />
Cindy Gundy and Kathy Spinosa for<br />
organizing the KidStuff book sale.<br />
Since we are living in time where various types<br />
of information surround our every day living,<br />
as parents, we need to stay current on what is<br />
happening within our school and school district. The only<br />
way to be sure we are getting accurate information is to<br />
attend the monthly <strong>PTA</strong> meetings and the School Board<br />
meetings. Did you know that the school board meeting<br />
minutes are available on the District website? Please<br />
take the time to read them and know what is happening<br />
at our schools.<br />
As a reminder, don’t forget to get out and vote on<br />
November 6 th for the candidate you think is looking out<br />
for our children’s education. Enjoy your day off on<br />
Tuesday, November 6 th but don’t forget to pick-up your<br />
fundraiser from your child’s teacher. Kindergarten<br />
students also have off on Thursday, November 8 th .<br />
I hope to see you at the next <strong>PTA</strong> meeting on Monday,<br />
November 5 th at 7PM, as always we provide free<br />
babysitting during the meeting.<br />
Jamie Zuvich; <strong>Paxtonia</strong> <strong>PTA</strong> President
<strong>Contact</strong> Newsletter November 2<br />
We had a HUGE success with fundraiser this year! <strong>Paxtonia</strong> students raised a<br />
total of $13,000 to support our school - way to go guys!!! A big thank you to all the<br />
volunteers who helped with all the tasks involved in the fundraiser. A couple of<br />
fundraiser reminders, please do not forget to pick-up for items on Tuesday , November 6th during<br />
conferences, and the pig races will be held on November 21st at 2:00 p.m. for all qualifying classes!!!<br />
The Fundraiser Committee<br />
Thank you to all the families<br />
that participated in<br />
the 9th annual Dad's &<br />
Doughnuts on October 19,<br />
2007. Parents’ involvement<br />
with a child's education<br />
is the key to long<br />
term scholastic success. The<br />
opportunity to have a<br />
male figure accompany a<br />
<strong>Paxtonia</strong> student to this<br />
gathering is rewarding for<br />
all of us. A great time was<br />
had by all as they shared<br />
doughnuts, juice, milk,<br />
and coffee as well as each<br />
others company! There<br />
were many visitors who<br />
took advantage of the<br />
opportunity to see the<br />
classrooms and interact<br />
with teachers. As always,<br />
these events do not occur<br />
without the sponsorship of<br />
local businesses - thanks to<br />
Giant Foods, Starbucks,<br />
and Swiss Dairies for helping<br />
us fund this event.<br />
Many thanks to all the<br />
volunteers who helped<br />
make this day a success. A<br />
special thanks goes to<br />
Mr.Tucker who came in<br />
extra early to help us set<br />
up.<br />
Kathy Spinosa<br />
Come to our Book Fair during National Education Week, from 8:30-4:00pm. Our<br />
children will be visiting the fair during their scheduled Library time. They will<br />
also be able to make purchases before and after school. They can also come in<br />
during their recess time but must get permission from their teacher and librarian.<br />
The Fair will also be open for your convenience Tuesday Evening 6:00-<br />
8:00pm. We accept checks made payable to the <strong>PTA</strong> and all major credit cards.<br />
If you would be interested in helping out with the Fair this year please contact<br />
Susan Schraf 545-7163 or sschraf@comcast.net. This has always been a<br />
fun way to interact with our kids and other adults. Please let me know if you will<br />
be able to help out this year.<br />
Come Cuddle Up with a Good Book!!!!<br />
Susan Schraf, Jamie Zuvich, Liane Petras<br />
INTERNATIONAL DAYS 2008<br />
This year <strong>Paxtonia</strong> students will<br />
be introduced to Ireland. Dates<br />
for this years’ event are January<br />
22-24, 2008. Activities include<br />
Irish dancing, music from a harpist<br />
and a bagpipe player, and a<br />
visit from a friendly Leprechaun.<br />
The “Luck O’ the Irish” game<br />
show, a Taste of Ireland, and stories<br />
of history and music of Ireland<br />
are events that will help our<br />
students learn about this beautiful<br />
country.<br />
Thanks to the volunteers who<br />
have signed-up to help. Additional<br />
volunteers are needed to<br />
decorate the school on Saturday,<br />
January 19, 2008 starting at 9:00<br />
a.m. Also, the Taste of Ireland is<br />
scheduled for Thursday, January<br />
24, 2008. Volunteers are needed<br />
to help make soda bread and<br />
Irish stew (simple recipes are<br />
provided). Please call Michelle<br />
Plouse at 652-5373 or Ellen Haist<br />
@ 540-5998 if you can help!<br />
Slan go foil (bye for now)
<strong>Contact</strong> Newsletter November 3<br />
Back-To-School<br />
Teacher Book Lists<br />
During Back-to-School<br />
nights, Mr. Toone introduced<br />
<strong>Paxtonia</strong>’s finest<br />
teachers and their favorite<br />
books. By popular<br />
demand, we are listing<br />
some of the top reading<br />
picks over the next few<br />
<strong>Contact</strong> Newsletters.<br />
“Harry Potter and the Deathly<br />
Hallows” (J.K. Rowling) ; Mrs.<br />
Aaron, Mr. Detrick, Mrs.<br />
Geiselman, Mrs. Krausse, Mrs.<br />
McKelvey, Mrs. McNeil, Mrs.<br />
Merryman, Mrs. Nichter, Mrs.<br />
Selvenis, Mrs. Silver, Ms. Sral,<br />
and Mrs. Epler<br />
“Sam’s Letters to Jennifer”<br />
(James Patterson); Mrs.<br />
Ross; Any book by James Patterson;<br />
Mr. Yanchuk<br />
“A Crooked Kind of Perfect”<br />
(Linda Urban); Mrs.<br />
Haugh<br />
STOPPING RUMORS and GOS-<br />
SIP<br />
• First, get the facts if you hear rumors and gossip<br />
• Tell others it isn’t true<br />
• Tell the truth about the situation<br />
• Ask others to help stop the rumor<br />
TAUNTING/TEASING<br />
• Try to ignore or walk away<br />
• Try not to react or show others you are<br />
upset<br />
• Ask an adult for help<br />
BULLYING<br />
• If you are being bullied<br />
During October we had several special events where we “Teamed” up as<br />
a school with Red Ribbon Week activities, and students brainstormed<br />
ideas on how to “Play It Smart…Don’t Start” for ways to say NO to<br />
illegal drugs, smoking, and alcohol.<br />
Students also learned ways to say NO to Harassment as the second through<br />
fifth grade classes were presented with a video entitled Harassment Hurts:<br />
Gossiping, Rumors, Taunting/Teasing, and Bullying. The video provided<br />
strategies for—<br />
• Try to ignore or walk away<br />
• If you feel safe doing so, speak up with a<br />
group to let the bully know the group<br />
doesn’t agree with their actions. There<br />
is safety and power in a group<br />
• If the bully doesn’t listen or<br />
stop, tell an adult<br />
• If you see someone being bullied<br />
• You have a responsibility to help stop<br />
the bullying<br />
• If you feel safe doing so, speak up with a<br />
group to let the bully know the group<br />
doesn’t agree with their actions. There<br />
is safety and power in a group<br />
• Report the bullying to a trusted<br />
adult<br />
During the month of November, our character education trait TOLERANCE will help students focus on<br />
appreciating and accepting the differences in others. MIX-IT-UP at lunch will be our building wide activity.<br />
Mrs. Merryman, M.Ed., NCC; School Counselor<br />
“A Thousand Splendid<br />
Suns” (Khaled Hosseini); Miss<br />
Brokenshire<br />
“A Walk to Remember”<br />
(Nicholas Sparks); Mrs.<br />
Myer ; “Dear John” (Nicholas<br />
Sparks); Mrs. Brandt<br />
“American Public School<br />
Law” (Kern & M. David Alexander);<br />
Mr. Bogrette<br />
“Forever in Blue” (Ann<br />
Brashares); Mrs. Albright<br />
Look over next month’s lists to<br />
see what the teachers at <strong>Paxtonia</strong><br />
are reading!<br />
We had other amazing<br />
year of Art Goes<br />
to School. Thanks<br />
to Julie Marolf, Linda Beck, and Ann Fitzpatrick<br />
for volunteering to educate <strong>Paxtonia</strong> students<br />
about Grandma Moses. For nine days we had<br />
the pleasure to share this artist with all 31<br />
classes at <strong>Paxtonia</strong>! At the end of this event we<br />
randomly selected a student, that completed<br />
their work sheet, from each class to receive a<br />
$5.00 gift card to Borders Books. Thank you to<br />
all the student entries. Great Job! The <strong>PTA</strong><br />
will also be purchasing a Grandma Moses book<br />
to donate to the <strong>Paxtonia</strong> library. Thanks again<br />
to everyone that made this event such a success!<br />
Allison Hess & Tina Mackenzie Co-chairs<br />
Santa's Workshop is just around the corner.<br />
Please mark your calendars for November 30 6:30<br />
to 8 pm, and December 1 9:30 to 11 am. It is a<br />
great opportunity for your children to purchase all<br />
of their holiday gifts for their loved ones and a good<br />
time for all as snacks are provided and Santa always<br />
makes an appearance. Also, please consider<br />
volunteering for this event if you have not already<br />
done so. It is a very rewarding event and so much<br />
fun! More information will be coming home with<br />
your children in November.<br />
Lisa McConnell, Cindy Gundy, Tina MacKenzie<br />
Co-chairs
<strong>Contact</strong> Newsletter November 4<br />
November 16, 2007—10:00 (3-5) & 2:00 (K-2)<br />
Yojo—Treat Your Body Right-- It’s no secret that YoJo enjoys his junk food<br />
binges. He also sees no problem in his couch potato way of life. However, he<br />
quickly realizes that he definitely needs help after some comical fitness challenges.<br />
YoJo learns that being physically active everyday is not only important,<br />
but it can be a lot of fun, too. The show also features the new USDA food pyramid<br />
to illustrate sensible and well-balanced food choices, and is concluded by<br />
your whole audience getting up on their feet to do a fun session of<br />
“YOJOROBICS!”<br />
A Night of Magic<br />
On Friday,<br />
with Randy October 5th,<br />
families<br />
were entertained by magician Randy<br />
Snedden during a special Family<br />
Night Magic Show. This performance<br />
was completely different and unique<br />
from the assemblies held earlier<br />
during the day for <strong>Paxtonia</strong> students. The "admission<br />
price" for the evening event was a non-perishable food<br />
item. The 125 people who attended allowed us to<br />
collect over 150 cans of food! The food was donated to<br />
the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. A special thanks<br />
to the custodial staff for setting up the multi-purpose<br />
room for Mr. Snedden's performance.<br />
Denise Lopez & Susan Schraf; In-School Assemblies<br />
The Fall Roller Skating <strong>PTA</strong> sponsored event is upon us!!!<br />
Please join us for a fun-filled indoor roller skating. Mark your<br />
calendar for Sunday, November 18th from 4:30 – 6:30 pm.<br />
The Roller Skating Party will be held at Olympic Skating Rink<br />
in Enola, and admission is free. Skate rental is $1.00 and<br />
rollerblade rental is $3.00. For information about directions<br />
go to www.olympicskatingcenter.com or call 732-9168.<br />
Thanks – we hope to see you there!<br />
Karen Bloom and Julie Marolf<br />
The following are the programs<br />
that <strong>Paxtonia</strong> <strong>PTA</strong> is currently<br />
sponsoring, and each has their<br />
own appropriate collection box<br />
located in the front lobby of<br />
the school. Please place the<br />
items in a plastic sealed bag<br />
before placing them in the collection<br />
boxes.<br />
◊ Used Ink Cartridges<br />
Recycling<br />
◊ BoxTop$ for Education<br />
◊ Old Cell Phones<br />
◊ Aluminum Can Tabs<br />
◊ Campbell’s Labels<br />
◊ Tyson’s Labels<br />
◊ Nestle Water Bottle Labels<br />
◊ Karn’s Receipts<br />
◊ Giant A+ Rewards<br />
Just a reminder to start sending in your<br />
BoxTop$ for Education. They are found<br />
on a variety of products including General<br />
Mills cereals, Pillsbury refrigerated<br />
and frozen foods, and Green Giant<br />
vegetables to name a few. For a complete<br />
list, go to<br />
www.boxtops4education.com and register.<br />
By registering on the website, you<br />
will also earn <strong>Paxtonia</strong> extra points.<br />
Please submit all BoxTop$ ,trimmed at<br />
the dashed lines, to the box located in the<br />
front lobby of the school. Trimming the<br />
BoxTop$ will save time and ensure<br />
quicker submission to General Mills.<br />
Julie Marolf & Karen Bloom<br />
The Ronald McDonald<br />
House sent us a very nice<br />
thank you letter for all the<br />
tabs the <strong>Paxtonia</strong> Families<br />
have collected throughout<br />
last year. Please continue to<br />
take the moment to pop off<br />
your can tabs and send them<br />
to school. Thank you to Ms.<br />
Whetstone who continues to<br />
take our donations to Hershey.