September 14, 2007

A Message From Mrs. Starr

It was so great seeing so many of you at the Back to School Nights and the fun-filled Family Picnic. The staff and I are grateful for all of the wonderful comments that we received at both of these events telling us how much your children were enjoying school. Parents stated on the survey forms completed about Back To School Night that they valued meeting the teachers and learning about the curriculum. Thanks to Bar T for providing child care services. The students stated that they had a great time at the Family Picnic. Now that we are well underway with our daily schedules, including the M class reading testing for the primary grades and the MAP-R testing for the upper grades, our focus turns to the multiple opportunities available to students to learn. One is homework! It is important that students come to school prepared and feeling confident. When they do not complete their homework, it makes them feel unprepared and anxious during the instructional day.  It is so important to make sure that your child has an established routine at home where he/she can complete their assigned homework in a quiet, conducive environment with adult support, as appropriate and needed. It is essential that you view your child’s completed work, before turning it in, to make sure that he/she understood the concepts and has completed the assignments. If your child is experiencing challenges with some assignments, please write a note or comments at the top of the paper indicating that to the teacher. Homework, though frequently not graded, unless used for formal assessment to check student understanding, provides valuable information to the teacher and also provides your child with an opportunity to build upon the skills taught in class. Please ensure that your child returns homework according to the due date.  

Family  Picnic Is Well  Attended!

A highly successful school picnic requires many hands and a highly organized, efficient coordinator. This event had all of that and more! Thank you for Mrs. Dee Dauber, picnic coordinator, and to all the parents and secondary students who volunteered for this event. Please note the names below!

2007 Woodfield Back to School Picnic Team Appreciation

Submitted by Dee Dauber, Picnic Coordinator

Many Woodfield families & staff members enjoyed tasty food, fabulous fun, and gorgeous weather on September 7 for Woodfield’s Family Picnic. Planning the event, keeping kids safe, serving up food, and running activities smoothly takes “all hands on deck,” so please thank the following volunteers who contributed their ideas, time, and energy to make our picnic a success.

Also thanks to Good Vibrations DJ Services, Goshen Oaks HOA, J&J Amusements, Carmen’s Italian Ice & Gelati, Chick-fil-A, and our own Woodfield staff, especially Mrs. West, Mrs. Greene, Mr. Carter, Mr. Stewart, Ms. Spillman, and Mrs. Starr!

Free or Reduced Lunch

Please note, if you qualify due to your family household income level, your children may be eligible to receive free or reduced lunch. Please call the school to have one of these forms sent home to you if you feel a need for these services.

Woodfield Golf Tournament is Today!

Many generous patrons and parents will participate in this year’s tournament. Thank you to Mindy Conway for coordinating this event. Names of contributors and volunteers will appear in the next newsletter. All money raised from this event will be used to resurface our track! Today’s tournament is being held at the Links at Challedon Golf Course in Mt. Airy.

Thought for this week:

“The important thing is not so much that every child should be taught, as that every child should be given the wish to learn.” This quote was made by John Lubbock, 1834-1913, English Archaeologist/Naturalist/ Politician. It was submitted by Pascale Brady, parent at Woodfield!

School Walk for Diabetes 

Woodfield Elementary School will hold its third annual School Walk for Diabetes on Tuesday, October 16, 2007.  Last year we had a very successful walk and donated more than $6,000 to the American Diabetes Association.  We are looking forward to another fun and informative walk for all students.  There is no charge to participate in the walk and we encourage all students to participate.  There will be great information, snacks, exercises and surprises for all students.  For more information or to help on the day of the walk email Suzan Hoefler at suzanhoefler@hotmail.com or Pam Clay at pjclay44@msn.com .

Keep Clipping BOXTOPS

Check your cake mixes and cereal boxes for those valuable BoxTops for Education.  The class that collects the most will win a surprise.  More information to follow.

Friday is always School Spirit Day.  Wear your Woodfield clothes or blue and white.

Kidstuff Coupon Books Now On Sale

The Woodfield 5^th Grade Class is now selling Kidstuff Coupon Books to raise money for our end of the year activities. Each book is $25 and our 5^th graders will earn $12.50 from each book sold. The Kidstuff Coupon Book offers hundreds of coupons to save money at many local places. Please make checks payable to Woodfield PTA. If you have any questions or want to order one, please call JoAnn Hansen at 301-253-7193 or Lauren Giroux at 301-528-6464. Thanks for supporting the 5^th grade class.   

Johns Hopkins Talent Search

CTY Talent Search 2008 for Grades 3-5 is sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.  The purpose of the Talent Search is to identify, assess, and recognize the academic abilities of highly able students.

To qualify for the Talent Search, a student must have scored in the 95^th percentile or higher on any standardized test.

Brochures and applications are now available in the school office. The application deadline is November 20^th.   More information on CTY can be found by visiting the website: www.cty.jhu.edu.

Please feel free to contact Pat Calvin (301-253-7085) if you have any questions about the application process.

Early Release Day at 12:35 p.m. on Friday, September 28^th, 2007

2007-2008 Important Dates

Thursday, September 13 – Sat., Oct. 13           Ramadan

Friday, September 14                                       PTA Golf Tournament – Challendon, Mt. Airy

Friday, Sept. 15 – Oct. 15                                National Hispanic Heritage Month

Saturday, September 22                                   Yom Kippur

Thursday, September 27                               Cultural Arts – Character Counts - SPROCKIT

Friday, September 28                                       Early Release Day 12:35 p.m.

Tuesday, October 2                                          PTA Meeting

Wednesday, October 3                                    Walk to School Day

Monday, October 8                                          Columbus Day – Open House

Monday, October 8 – Friday, Oct. 12              Fall Book Fair

Tuesday, October 9                                          Fall Portraits

Tuesday, October 9                                          1^st Grade Field Trip – Rock Hill Orchard

Wednesday, October 10                                Fall Book Fair Open in the evening

Tuesday, October 16                                     Kindergarten Field Trip – Butler’s Orchard

Tuesday, October 16                                        Diabetes Walk during recess

Wednesday, October 17                                  NAACP Meeting 7:00 p.m.

Friday, October 19                                           MSTA Convention – No school

Friday, October 19                                           School Beautification Day 9:00 a.m. – 12:00  p.m.

Tuesday, October 23                                        Sally Foster Distribution

Friday, October 26                                           Fall Family Fun Night

Sunday, October 28                                         American Education Week

Wednesday, October 31                                  First marking period ends

Wednesday, October 31                                 Halloween

Wednesday,October 31 – Friday, Nov. 9         Square 1 Art

Wednesday, November 1                                 American Indian Heritage Month

Thursday, November 1                         Professional day for teachers – No school for students

Tuesday, November 6                                      PTA Meeting

Wednesday, November 7                                 Flyer Distribution Day

Friday, November 9                                         Early Release Day 12:35 p.m.

                                                                        Parent Conferences – Report cards distributed

Monday, November 12                                    Early Release Day 12:35 p.m.

                                                                        Parent Conferences

Monday, November 12                                    Veteran’s Day

Tuesday, November 13                                    Fall portrait make-ups

Tuesday, November     13                                5^th Grade In-School Field Trip – Building Bridges        

Tuesday, November 20                                    Grandparent’s Day

Thursday, Nov. 23 – Friday, Nov. 24               Holidays – Thanksgiving – No School

Friday, November 30                                       Damascus High School Chorus visits

Sunday, December 2                                        National Inclusion Week

Tuesday, December 4                                       PTA Meeting   

Wednesday, December 5                                 Talent Show Auditions

Thursday, December 6                         Talent Show Auditions

Tuesday, December 11                         Woodfield Concert      

Friday, December 21                                        Damascus High School band visits                   

Monday, December 24- Tuesday, Dec. 25       Holidays – Christmas – No School      

Wednesday, Dec. 26 – Friday, Dec. 29            Winter Break – No School

Tuesday, January 1                                           Holiday – New Year’s Day – No School

Thursday, January 3                                          PTA Meeting

Monday, January 7 – Tuesday, Jan. 8               Hearing and Vision Screening (K, 4, and new students)

Wednesday, January 9                          Talent Show Rehearsal at Woodfield

Thursday, January 10                                        Talent Show Rehearsal at Woodfield

Thursday, January 10                                        Class and Group Picture Day

Thursday, January 17                                        Talent Show Dress Rehearsal @ Damascus High School

Friday, January 18                                            Talent Show @ Damascus High School

Friday, January 18                                            2^nd Marking period ends

Monday, January 21                                         Holiday – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Tuesday, January 22                                         Professional Day for teachers – No school for students

Wednesday, January 23                                    Flyer Distribution Day

Wed., January 23 – Friday, Feb. 15  MAP R Winter Window for grades 3, 4, 5

Tuesday, January 29 – Friday, Feb. 1   PTA     Book Exchange

Wednesday, January 30                                    Report cards distributed

Friday, February 1                                            African American Heritage Month

Tuesday, February 5                                         PTA Meeting

Monday, February 11                                       Hearing and Vision Rescreening (K, 4, and new students)

Tuesday, February 12                                       Holiday – Presidential primary election

Thursday, February 14                         Valentine’s Day

Monday, February 18                                       Holiday – Presidents Day

Tuesday, February 19                                       DHS and ES choral concert @ DHS

Thursday, February 21                                     Science Expo

Wednesday, February 27                                 Early Release Day – 12:35 p.m.

Tuesday, March 4                                            Spring Portraits

Tuesday, March 4                                            PTA Meeting

Thursday, March 13                                         Donuts for Dads

Friday, March 14                                             Donuts for Dads

Monday, March 17                                          St. Patrick’s Day

Friday, March 21 – Monday, March 24          Holidays – Easter (Note: Passover begins at sundown 4/19)

Tuesday, March 25 – Friday, March 28            Spring break – No school for students and teachers

Tuesday, April 1 – Wednesday, April 30          Autism Awareness Month

Tuesday, April 1 – Wednesday, April 30          Arab American Heritage Month

Tuesday, April 1 – Wednesday, April 30          Month of the Young Child Celebration

Tuesday, April 1                                               PTA Meeting

Tuesday, April 1 – Thursday, April 11  MSA Testing Window grades 3, 4, 5 (Math & Reading)

Friday, April 14 – Wednesday, April 16           MSA Make-up Window grades 3, 4, 5 (Math & Reading)

Monday, April 14 – Friday, April 18                 Staff Appreciation Week

Thursday, April 17                                            Kindergarten Orientation – No School for Kindergarten

Friday, April 18                                                Kindergarten Orientation – No School for Kindergarten

Monday, April 18 – Friday, May 2                   Terra Nova testing – Grade 2

Monday, April 21 – Friday, May 16     LAS Links (ESOL Testing) Grades K- 5

Tuesday, April 22 – Friday, May 16     MAP R Spring Window for grades 3, 4, 5

Thursday, April 24                                            Take Your Child to Work Day

Friday, April 25                                                PTA International Night

Tuesday, April 29                                           4^th Grade In School Field Trip – In Space

Thursday, May 1 – Sunday, May 31                 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Thursday, May 1                                              5^th Grade Picture – 1:45 p.m.

Friday, May 2                                                  Field Day Grades 3, 4, 5

Tuesday, May 6                                               PTA Meeting

Wednesday, May 7 – Tuesday, May 13           MSA Testing grades 3, 4, 5 (Science)

Thursday, May 8                                              Muffins for Moms

Friday, May 9                                                  Muffins for Moms

Friday, May 9                                                  Field Day Grades K, 1, 2

Friday, May 16                                                Rain date for Field Day K, 1, 2

Saturday, May 17                                             School Beautification Day 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Monday, May 19 – Friday, May 23                  Spring Book Fair

Thursday, May 22                                            Woodfield Art Show

Friday, May 23                                                Rain date for Field Day Grades 3, 4, 5

Monday, May 26                                             Holiday – Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 27                                             4^th & 5^th Gr. Band, Strings, & Chorus Concert

Wednesday, June 11                                        5^th Grade Promotion

Thursday, June 12                                            Last day of school for students – Dismissal 12:35 p.m.

Friday, June 13                                     Professional day for teachers

Saturday, June 14                                             Flag Day

Thursday, June 19                                            Report cards mailed

Note:  Dates that have been added this week are in bold