The CONTACT - Paxtonia Elementary PTA

The CONTACTA Paxtonia Elementary School PTA NewsletterJanuary 2, 2012ear Parents,DFrom the Principal’s Desk ...… remember to re-emphasize homeworkwith your children.Tom ToonePrincipalI am writing this article just days beforethe winter break. Over the holidays Ihope that everyone gets an opportunityto relax and enjoy time with family.Maybe we will even be “blessed” withsome snow. (My own kids are itching toget the sleds out). Again, I hope thatthis holiday season is one that providesmany happy memories.In January, we will begin our After-School Clubs, try our “skill” at BingoNights and continue our quests to“Make Time to Read” and memorizebasic math facts. Each of these activitiesis sure to make for a busy, yet enjoyable,month of January.Once we return in January, rememberto re-emphasize homework with yourchildren. Homework is their “job”.Ice Skating PartyPlease join us for Paxtonia’s Ice Skating Party on Sunday, January8th. The Ice Skating Party will be held at Twin Ponds Eastfrom 4:15 – 5:45 pm. There will be a $1.00 admission fee for skaters.You are welcome to bring your own ice skates and skate rental will be available for$2. For information about directions call 558-7663.BINGO Nightsalling All Bingo Players! Join us on January 13th for grades K-2C and on January 20th for grades 3-5 for a fun evening of food,Bingo, and prizes! Hot dogs and beverages will be available for $1(served from 6:00-6:30) Bingo will start at 6:30. Hope to see you there!After School Clubsfter School Clubs begin Thursday, Jan. 5 from 4-5 p.m. They willA run each Thursday until Feb. 9 th (with Feb. 16 being a snow makeup day). Please pick up your child promptly at 5 p.m. in the front lobby.We have over 220 children registered and are looking forward toanother year of fun and learning during Paxtonia’s After School Club program.Volume 14, Issue 5Make sure they do it. Homework iscritical to helping children develop independentlearning skills and discipline aswell as supplementing what is taught inthe classroom. Parents can make theirchildren’s homework more beneficial byestablishing a homework schedule andby establishing a homework area athome. Parents should also take an activerole by discussing and assisting theirchildren in their assignments and talkingwith their child’s teacher about theirexpectations and goals. Remember thatstudents have a Student Resource Book(SRB) that parents can refer to for assistancewith math homework.Sincerely,Tom TooneJanuaryCalendar ofEventsJan 5 After School Clubs beginJan 8 Ice Skating party 4:15-5:45 pmJan 9 PTA Meeting, 7 pmJan 9 Talent Show Audition Group 1Jan 10 Talent Show Audition Group 2Jan 12 After School Clubs, 4-5 pmJan 13 Bingo Night, K-2, 6-8 pmJan 16 NO SCHOOL,Martin Luther King, Jr. DayJan 19 After School Clubs, 4-5 pmJan 20 Bingo Night, 3-5, 6-8 pmJan 23 Talent Show Audition Group 1Jan 24 Talent Show Audition Group 2Jan 26 After School Clubs, 4-5 pmJan 30 Talent Show Audition Group 1Jan 31 Talent Show Audition Group 2Check out your PTA atwww.PaxtoniaPTA.com

The CONTACTGot Talent?Show up for the auditions on Jan 9th /Jan 10thPage 2From the Desk of the PTA President...Gayle StaubPTA Presidenthope you all had a wonderful holidayI and I wish you a Happy 2012!Although we’ve turned the corner and arequickly heading down the last half of theschool year – there is no rest for the weary!The teachers and PTA still have manyeducational and fun activities scheduledfor our children: International Days welcomesthe sights, sounds and tastes of theBahamas from April 2-4; After SchoolClubs will have kids exploring new andinteresting subjects and activities; moveover America’s Got Talent- Paxtonia’sTalent Show will knock your socks off; ourBingo Night always holds a lot of fun forfamilies; and we can’t forget all the festivitiesthat will soon go along with our MayFair and graduating 5th grade class.There are many committees to be part ofand volunteer for in the next severalmonths. Our website has a list of committeechairmen. If you haven’t had achance to volunteer and would like tohelp, please contact a committee chairmanor one of our Board members.Next PTA Meeting Monday, January 9thBefore the festivities begin in 2012, I’d liketo congratulate the winners of our ReflectionsProgram who were recognized at aprogram on December 15 and thankmembers of the Santa’s Workshop Committeeand the many volunteers thatmade that event a success. Congratulationsto our music staff and all the studentswho participated in chorus, bandand/or orchestra – the Winter Concertwas a great beginning to the holiday season.I’d also like to thank Cathy Agostinofor the seamless organizing of Santa’s visitto all the classrooms.If you haven’t had an opportunity toattend a PTA meeting, I hope you makethis one of your New Year’s Resolutions.Our next meeting is Monday, January 9that 7 p.m.Mustangs making a differenceur Children at Paxtonia helped toO brighten up many faces during thisHoliday season by donating items thatwere needed at the Ronald McDonaldHouse. They were very grateful andblessed for the giving hearts of our Paxtoniachildren.Thanks to all who helped in loading upmy car which was packed full with all thegoodies. It was greatly appreciated. Andthanks again for making this a betterA Race to Remember!community.In December, theKindergarteners,first graders and second graders werebusy decorating ornaments which theyplaced on the Christmas tree located inthe lobby which looked GREAT!Thanks again for everyone's help duringthis busy Holiday.-Michele Schooley and Emily Petersonamilies, teachers, and students hadF so much fun participating in theRace for Education Fundraiser this year,that PTA decided to do it again nextyear. Our committee does a lot of behindthe scenes work to make the race asuccess and we would love more helpnext year! We are hoping to have one ortwo parent helpers from each classroomto help coordinate mailers, stamps, etc.and to be a liaison to the RFE committee.Having these classroom helperswould help to make the paperworkmore manageable because parentswould be responsible for helping a classroomof 20-25 kids, as opposed to 5 or 6people working on 635 mailers, etc. Wehad awesome support this year fromeveryone and have already heard fromsome parents who want to help out nextyear. Let's continue to raise money forour school next year! The teachers andstudents are really excited about all thenew smart boards. Please email ourcommittee chair, Alison Yarrish atalipug76@comcast.net if you would liketo help out next fall in any way. Thanksagain!-RFE CommitteeNorth Pole Newsanta’s workshop took place on FridayS Dec 2, and Saturday Dec 3. We hadapproximately 190 students shop at Santa’sworkshop. A big thank you to all ofour “Elves and Bakers” that volunteeredtheir time to make this a fun filled activityfor the children. Another big thank you tothe Girls Scouts and National Honor Societystudents from CD High School.SunnyD Booksprees you are reading this our 2011A SunnyD BookSpree is coming to aclose. This year we were able to get 12free books for the classrooms throughthe program. Even though this year’sprogram is over, we are still collectingtowards next years’ program. So continueto save your SunnyD UPC codes andplace them in the box in the lobby.Hopefully, next year we can get the restof our classrooms new books. Thanks toall who have participated in the program.

The CONTACTQuestions about or for the PTA ?Use the feedback page atwww.PaxtoniaPTA.com/contact-usPage 3PAXTONIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2011-12 HONOR ROLL - 1st Marking PeriodDistinguished HonorsAzzato,RosaBandi,PraneetaBandyopadhyay,IshanaBarowski,BrookeBastiampillai,NaomiBavlish,AnthonyBien,IsabellaBlain,PeytonBoob,ZacharyBorrell,PaigeBorrell,PaisleyBrown,TaylorBurkhart,AdamBurns,HunterButchko,MichaelCameron,SharifCargas,ElijahCasey,ArianaCassel,AlexandraCassel,BlakeChapman,AliciaChimienti,AdriannaDavis,BradleyDeAngelo,GraceDemirovic,Ariyanah,Desh,SamanthaDo,NoelDowling,JackEberly,PatrickFicca,DanielFitzpatrick,JennaFleming,AddisonFoltz,EmilyFrankford,KatherineFritz,WillFry,AshleyFuller,TierraGabrielle,MaryGacki,GraceGlessner,DannyGreene,ZacharyHarris,RhiannaJawed,AhsanJones,AbigailJones,AidenKane,HannahKendra,JillianKing,CarolineKuehne,TristanLastuka,AlecLaughman,JacobLeisher,TylerLelinski,DanielleLemmons,ElizaLengel,CarsonLewis,EmmaLovelidge,KatherineMadison,RichwineMaheshwari,SaarthakMatte,GraceMatthew RicardMay,TabithaMazza,JordanMcGraw,KayleeMehari,OdellMenoya,IngridMiller,NicholasMistry,MilapMubbala,BenMurdoch,McKennaMyers,Jacob,Ngan,BrandonNnadi,BriannaOrosz,JacobOwens,ClairePekala,SydneyPeters,AndrewPipa,MarkPopp,KaylaPoyer,JacobRabino,AliyahRay,ArjunReeser,DrewReumann,HelenRiswan,AsnaRogers,AmandaRudisill,KyleRusso,RanceSauers,SavannahScheaffer,LindsayShaffner,SamShowalter,LaurenSignore,ClaytonSmith,SarahSmith,TimothySnyder,BenSpinosa,NicoleStaub,LaurenStrange,KyleSudarsan,BharadwajSweigart,OliviaUmanshankar,ShruthiUnderkoffler,OwenValdez,BillyVarner,AmandaVogel,IsabelleWaldner,RachelWelty,MasonWhiting,ChrisWick,SarahWijaya,VincentZieber,ErinZuvich,MaggieFirst HonorsAbdul-Rahman,ZeenaAgostino,LoganArcher,DeshaunAulakh,GobindBailey,LaurenBalshy,IsabellaBarbera,JoeBardo,KamrynBelmont,KyleBlack,HaileyBlackstone,FaithBrayden,CooperBrennan,RyanBryan,ItayaCargas,CalebChapman,SamanthaCherry,MadelineChimienti,NicholasChristianna,MillerCleaver,NathanCochran,BrianColquhoun,AydenDiehl,GretaDorris,MilenaEck,JaxonFeaser,BrookeFenstemaker,HarrisonFerree,AdrienneFoxwell,RyleeFrohlich,AlisonFuller,TyreseGalloway,LoganGhosh,NiladriGibaldi,StephanieGiblin,AlexanderGillen,HaileyGilligan,RileyGoodman,TamieaGoodman,TiannaGroom,MichaelGuzy,MikalaHaggans,De'vonHanlon,RyanHardy,KelseyHarrell,ShanTijahHess,DylanHiza,AlbertoHo,DevinHohenshelt,RyanHoover,GrantHubler,JacobInfantino,AlexanderJawed,MubeenJohnson,JillianJones,JaredJuett,OliviaKim,SunJinKitchen,MikaylaLawson,AlexisLelii,HannaLingle,TaylorLuckenbill,TaylarLux,EmilyMacKenzie,MeganMaguffee,AztlaniMarolf,NolanMaruschak,KylieMazza,SophiaMcNair,MychaelMcNeil,JoffreMeck,MorganMellott,JessicaMerlo,ChristopherMiller,JustinMorrett,MadisonMosca,EthanMyers,ShannonNeuhard,EmilyNevaeh PuryearNguyen,ChelseaOmslaer,SaraOrris,ZacharyOtto,JasmineOwens,NathanielPatterson,AidanPayton LeggettPeters,EdwardPoling,DaniellePowell,BrandonProctor,AriannaRegina,SamanthaRobsock,AriannaRohrbaugh,BeauxRoof,JaymeRose,RachelRostalski,McCartneyRoussey,LaurenSansoni,CameronSantiago,NikolasSantiago,SarahSauers,LukeSchooley,KatelinSebastian,JocelynShaw,RyanShen,DavidShroyer,DavidSivaraju,MithilSmith,DawsonSnyder,MatthewStateler,EmmTaylor,KatieThureson,DevonUmasankar,DineshVargas,ElijahVene,LeahVickery MahmoudWatlington,DanielleWheeler,GavinWick,JoshuaWilburn,DestiniWilliams,LaurenWilson,HannahWilson,MeaghanWinters,AlexWoodson,NicholasYost,AndrewSecond HonorsAlmeida,CodilynBehney,TorenBellamy-Reid,TrinityBertoni,RileyBlanding-Dockens, KerryBuchanan,JaylinCesavice,AlecChrisemer,AlisonClark,PaulCollins,AshtonDecker,EmilyEffi,GodswillElia,JulianoEpps,AsyaGiamarino,IanGlass,ChanceGonzalez. HectorHicklin,KathrynHicklin,MikaylaHomsher,EllyssaHower,IanJanko,SaffieJudd,DanielleKauffman,TylerKopnisky,BruceMarriott,BriannaOjehonmon,DestinyPaul,AliyahPeper,BrynnPierce,AngelaSipe,NicholasStoudt,SalinaThomas,AngeleWallack,JosieWeathersby,TyeWenrich,ErinWhite,Tyler

The CONTACTNewsletter submissions/corrections,send email to the editor atkendsouza@hotmail.comPage 4From the Desk of the School Counselor...Wendy MerrymanSchool Counselorhe beginning of a new yearT and the return to school is agreat time to reinforce with your childcharacteristics you value. Compassion,honesty, self-discipline, good judgment,courage and self-respect are importantexamples. Here are some activities thatwill help:Compassion. Have your child think aboutpeople’s emotions. For example, “Whenyou ignored your classmate, how do youReflections Updatet was a gala evening, on DecemberI 15th,, with Award Winners everywhere.There was no red carpet, butthe Trophies sparkled in the light. Theturnout was great, with parents,grandparents, brothers, and sistersenjoying the spectacle. The AnnualReflections Awards Ceremony was onhand. Prior to the awards, everyoneenjoyed viewing the colorful,thoughtful student artwork. Thecrowd was as diversified as the theme,"Diversity means..." Ms. AshleyCoates, Assistant Principal, thankedthe parents for their assistance andencouragement, and then presentedVisual Arts - Primary1st Giavanna Signore2nd Kunal Ghosh3rd Olivia Signore4th Cassidy Norris5th Sneha MaheshwariVisual Arts - Intermediate1st Sydney Pekala2nd Saarthak Maheshwari3rd McCartney Rostalski4th Isabelle Vogel5th Niladri GhoshPhotography - Primary1st Shriya DighePhotography - Intermediate1st McKenna Murdoch2nd Danielle Lelinski3rd Danielle Lelinskithink she felt?”Honesty. If your child lies, as most childrendo, explain why it’s better to be sincere.Show pride when he tells a difficulttruth.Self-Discipline. Talk with your child abouther goals and the steps she can take toreach them. Help her develop routines,such as studying at the same time eachnight. Compliment her progress.Good judgment. Practice thinkingthrough decisions with your child. Askquestions like, “What are the possibleconsequences of that decision?” “Whatchoice could you make that will be helpfulthe awards to thethrilled students. Besidesindividual photographs, a grouppicture was taken for the yearbook.Refreshments were served while thecrowd mingled with the artistic starsof tomorrow, papparazzi flashing.Thefirst three places in each categoryhave been entered in the ReflectionsRegional Competition, which will bedecided in January. Good luck to thosestudent artists. And lastly, a specialthanks to Mr. Toone, for his continuedsupport, and all of the parents involvedin this grand program. Below isthe list of local winners...4th5thPraneeta BandiSaarthak MaheshwariLiterature - Primary1st Sneha Maheshwari2nd Shriya DigheLiterature - Intermediate1st Saarthak Maheshwari2nd Naomi Bastiampillai3rd Magaret Zuvich4th Naomi Bastiampillai4th Clayton Signore5th Aztlani MaguffeeFilm Production - Intermediate1st Tierra FullerMusical Composition- Intermediate1st Saarthak Maheshwarito you and others?”Courage. This doesn’t mean doing somethingunsafe. But it might mean standingup for your beliefs. Role-play tough situationswith your child.Self-respect. Encourage your child to feelgood about his own efforts. For instance,“The other team won fair and square. ButI’m proud, because you tried so hard.”Adapted from, “My Child’s Academic Success,”U.S. Department of Education,www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/citizen/part4.htm1#self.Mrs. Wendy Merryman, M.Ed.,School CounselorFriendship Center Family NightAVE THE DATE for our annual family night at the FriendshipCommunity Center on March 25th, 2012. Come onSout from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m. for some fun with our Paxtoniafamilies. Flyers will be sent home closer to the date.Karns High 5 for Schoolst’s almost here! The week of January 30 through February5, 2012 is the designated week for Paxtonia to earnIa 5% cash rebate on all qualifying purchases made byfamilies and friends at the Paxton Square location of Karn’sFoods. There is no need to register your Karn’s Rewardscard to participate in this program. A shoppingvoucher will be sent home with your student during theweek of January 23. Multiple vouchers may be usedthroughout the week and the voucher may be duplicatedand distributed to your family, friends and neighbors asmany times as needed. If you would like an electroniccopy of the voucher, please contact Karen Yeselavage atbobkarenyes@comcast.net.My Coke Rewardso you have Coke Reward points and not know how toD spend them? Why not donate them to the PTA? PaxtoniaElementary is registered with the My Coke Rewardsfor Schools program. You can donate points through yourCoke Rewards account or drop your bottle caps and boxflaps in the Coke Rewards box in the lobby.Tyson Project A+clip and save labels from your Tyson ready to eat productsthat feature the Tyson Project A+ label . There isa box in the lobby to drop the Tyson A+ labels.