Lower School Broadcast Email
10/3/08
McLEAN LOWER SCHOOL NEWS & SCHEDULE
Dear Lower School Families,
The K-4 students ended September with our first free dress privilege day of the school year on Monday, September 29. We also enjoyed our first assembly, a presentation of “Building Bridges” by the Blue Sky Puppet Theatre on the same date! “Building Bridges” reminded us of the many ways that we can resolve conflict using peer mediation—another way to be GOLDEN.
Besides learning how to work through problems together, the Lower School students spent some time working for others this week. On Thursday, October 2, we all ventured out to the USDA Agricultural Research Farms in Beltsville, Maryland to harvest vegetables for Food for Others, which donates produce to food programs that feed the hungry in our area (check out the photos). On Friday, October 3, the children participated in the “Help the Homeless” mini-walk during their PE classes. We walked to support Interfaith Works, an organization which raises funds to feed the homeless in the DC Metropolitan area.
Finally, the Lower School Student Council sponsored a Bake Sale and Pumpkin Sale to raise funds for the Montgomery County Chapter of the Humane Society in memory of Barbara Greer. (We will continue to accept donations until October 24. Please make checks payable to McLean School.)
This week has been a special one, filled with learning, for our young Mustangs. Perhaps one of our most important lessons has been finding out that learning doesn’t always involve a pencil or book; but it always involves energy and effort.
Brenda Crawley
Head of Lower School
240.395.0685
bcrawley@mcleanschool.org
www.mcleanschool.org
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5 ——-
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6 ——-
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7
Farewell to Señora Luciana de Cuenin (maternity leave). Welcome Señora Browne (long-term substitute)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8
Book Fair Begins
K-4 Free Dress Fundraiser for the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society: K-4 students can wear free dress in exchange for a donation of $1.00 or more.
K-12 NOON DISMISSAL (3:20 Club Available)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9
K-12 NO SCHOOL-YOM KIPPUR
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10
Sally Foster Gift Wrap Orders Due
8:30 AM Parent Coffee with Lower School Head Brenda Crawley
Book Fair
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11 ——-
REMEMBER! Some exciting news from last years’ Jump Rope for Heart event! Jack V. ‘19, was the winner in the drawing for a Wii. All participants in the region that raised $150 or more online were entered into a drawing and Jack won!
K-8 PIZZA LUNCH BEGINS Monday, October 13 (Bring a bag lunch if you have opted out of this special treat—no school lunch will be served on Pizza Lunch Day)
FIRST & SECOND GRADE FIELD TRIP TO COX FARMS Tuesday, October 14
BOOK FAIR Monday, October 13-Saturday, October 18
PARENT MATH NIGHT Thursday, October 16 at 6:30 pm (Book Fair is Open, too!)
FALL FESTIVAL Saturday, October 18 from 11:00 am-2:00 pm
9/26/08
McLEAN LOWER SCHOOL NEWS & SCHEDULE
Dear Lower School Families,
It was wonderful to see so many Lower School parents at our Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, September 23. I hope that you had an enjoyable evening filled with meeting teachers and other parents, and gathering information about the school year. Parents who were unable to attend, please send us an email request for a packet of information about Encore classes and the Lower School Support Team.
Language screenings and OT screenings have been completed. If we have concerns regarding the results of your child’s screenings, you will receive a phone call about support services. Additionally, parents of new students who were admitted with conditions will also receive phone calls from members of the Support Team to help you meet those conditions. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Unfortunately, a number of the Science Room rats are reaching the end of their 3 year expected life span. The rats, “Diane Fossey” and “Wanni Maathi,” passed away this summer. Sadly, we lost three others this week: “Jacques Cousteau,” “Jane Goodall” and “Snoopy.” Thank you for supporting your child as we deal with these blunt reminders of the circle of life for small mammals.
Next week will be an eventful one, filled with opportunities for our Lower School students to serve others. We will embark on several community service projects simultaneously. I hope that by our service, we can show each other and the greater community how GOLDEN McLean’s K-4 students can be!
Brenda Crawley
Head of Lower School
240.395.0685
bcrawley@mcleanschool.org
www.mcleanschool.org
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 ——-
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
Free Dress Privilege Day
K-4 Assembly: “Building Bridges” performed by Blue Sky Puppet Theatre
(Topic: positive conflict resolution, peer mediation, problem-solving)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
NO SCHOOL-ROSH HASHANAH
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1
Grade 2 Pirates of the Chesapeake Field Trip: All Grade 2 students may wear free dress, including sneakers. Each child will also need a jacket or sweater.
Ramadan Ends
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2
K-4 Harvesting Field Trip-did you send in your permission form?
6:30PM New Parent Reception at Darlene Pierro’s Home
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3
K-4 Help the Homeless Walk in PE classes
Lower School Bake Sale: $1.00 dollar for each item. All proceeds will be donated to the Montgomery County Chapter of the Humane Society in memory of Barbara Greer. Additional donations will be accepted. Please make checks out to McLean School.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4 ——-
REMEMBER!
Farewell to Señora Luciana de Cuenin (maternity leave). Welcome Señora Browne (long-term substitute) Tuesday, October 7
K-12 Noon Dismissal (3:20 Club available) Wednesday, October 8
K-4 Free Dress Fundraiser for the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society Wednesday, October 8
K-12 No School-Yom Kippur Thursday, October 9
Parent Coffee with Head of Lower School Brenda Crawley Friday, October 10 at 8:30 am
Book Fair Begins Friday, October 10 at 8:30 am (after Parent Coffee)
9/19/08
McLEAN LOWER SCHOOL NEWS & SCHEDULE
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21, 2008
Dear Lower School Families,
The K-4 students have settled into their classroom communities, beginning each day with Morning Meeting. It’s great to start each school day with a warm greeting from teachers and classmates, a welcoming activity to prepare for the school day, and the opportunity to share events and information. Morning Meetings are held during the first period of every day. We need every child to be present for this important part of the day, as well as for morning academic classes. Please refrain from scheduling doctor’s appointments and other commitments during the school day.
Members of the LS Support Team will be contacting families of K-4 students for whom additional services are being recommended as a result of the Speech-Language and/or OT screenings. If you are not contacted about the screenings, your child has met the age-based criteria of the screening tools.
Lower School Student Council representatives have been selected. The Council will be organizing a Bake Sale Fundraiser on Friday, October 3 for gifts to the Montgomery County Chapter of the Humane Society in memory of Technology teacher Barbara Greer. Details will be sent home via “backpack express.”
The first whole Lower School community service project will be on Thursday, October 2 at the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. We will harvest vegetables for the Food for Others Program which feeds thousands of hungry people in our area. Each child’s parents must sign a permission slip & gleaning form. Please check your child’s backpack for this important information.
I hope to see you all at Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30 pm.
Brenda Crawley
Head of Lower School
240.395.0685
bcrawley@mcleanschool.org
www.mcleanschool.org
TAE KWON DO Master Sharma will be our Tae Kwon Do instructor again this year. Due to space constraints, we are working with him on an alternate plan. We are hoping to bus the students to his studio in Potomac on Thursday afternoons instead of holding it at McLean. This will allow for a more structured class in a larger space. I will be sending you more detailed information as soon as I have it.
DID YOU SIGN UP FOR PIZZA LUNCH? Pizza Lunch sign up sheets are due on Friday, September 26? Remember that the school lunch program does not serve lunches on Pizza Lunch Day—so remember to pack a sandwich for your child. Pizza Lunch Forms can be found at www.mcleanschool.org. Click on “Parent Center” on the top menu, click on “Lunch Program” on the side links, click on “Lower/Middle School Pizza Form.”
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 ——-
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
Outside Providers Begin
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
6:30PM K-4 Back-to-School Night
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 ——-
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 ——-
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
8:30AM Parent Coffee with Head of School Darlene Pierro
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 ——-
REMEMBER!
September Free Dress Privilege Day Monday, September 29
No School-Rosh Hashanah Tuesday, September 30
Grade 2 Pirates of the Chesapeake Field Trip Wednesday, October 1
Harvesting Field Trip Thursday, October 2
Send in permission slips and gleaning forms!
9/12/08
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS & SCHEDULE
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 14, 2008
Dear Lower School Families,
Our first full week of school went by in a flash. The K-4 students are settling into their classroom communities, connecting with teachers and classmates, and growing accustomed to the weekly routines. Each day starts with Morning Meeting (MM), a component of the Responsive Classroom approach. The students and teachers greet each other, sing, share and participate in activities. Has your child mentioned Morning Meeting? More information about Responsive Classroom will be shared during our Lower School Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30 pm.
The uniform grace period for K-4 students ends on Friday, September 26. Until that date, uniform violation slips will be issued to inform parents of incorrect uniform items. After the 26th, the students will strive to stay in uniform every day in order to earn a coupon for our free dress privilege day at the end of the month. The uniform code is posted at www.mcleanschool.org, click on the Lower School tab on the top menu, click on the link Handbook , and then Lower School under Divisional Guidelines. Thank you for helping your child to stay in uniform.
Please remember that parents are not allowed to pick up their children at school unless a transportation exemption has been granted. Those given special exemption must pick it up prior to 3:00 pm in order to avoid conflict with our afternoon dismissal procedures. Parents who pick up their children without a transportation exemption risk incurring a fine for violating our transportation agreement.
All K-4 students have been assessed and placed in their reading and math groups for the start of the year. Like classroom placement, these groups may change in time, based on the needs and strengths of each child. This flexible approach helps to make learning accessible for the youngest McLean Mustangs.
Brenda Crawley
Head of Lower School
240.395.0685
bcrawley@mcleanschool.org
www.mcleanschool.org
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 ——-
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
Speech-Language & OT Screening (new K-4 students)
6:45PM Board Meeting
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Speech-Language Screening (new K-4 students)
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Speech-Language & OT Screening (new K-4 students)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Speech-Language & OT Screening (new K-4 students)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Speech-Language & OT Screening (new K-4 students)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 ——-
REMEMBER!
Outside Providers begin services: Week of September 22
Grades K-4 Back to School Night Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30 pm
Parent Coffee with Head of School Friday, September 26 at 8:30 am
No School-Rosh Hashanah Tuesday, September 30
9/5/08
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS & SCHEDULE
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2008
Dear Lower School Families,
It was great to see the youngest McLean Mustangs in full force this week. The K-4 classes began each day with a Morning Meeting during which the students and teachers greeted each other, participated in activities, and shared news or events. This addition to our schedule is part of the Responsive Classroom approach, which has been incorporated into Grades K-5 this year. Our goal is to strengthen our community of respectful listeners and learners while simultaneously encouraging the voices of students and their self-responsibility. The week started with a Lower School Town Meeting, a scavenger hunt of important people and a discussion of the Golden Hand Pledge: our “code of respect and conduct” for the Lower School. Lower School Counselor Joan Fullerton and I also spent some time talking to each class about the loss of Ms. Barbara Greer, our K-4 computer teacher. The students have been encouraged to use the teachers to help them discuss their feelings and their sense of loss. We will plant a Memorial Garden on-campus in Barbara’s honor in mid-October. Students and faculty will be invited to add pages to a Memory Book that will be presented to Mr. Del Greer, Barbara’s husband on the day of the planting. Parents are also welcome to contribute entries. The K-4 students will also raise funds for the Montgomery County Chapter of the Humane Society to purchase wish list donations in Ms. Greer’s honor. Details are forthcoming.
Our year has started with both great sadness and great joy. Even though many things have stayed the same, there are many changes that our Lower School community faces. Change is never easy; and we need each other for strength and support. As always, I thank you for following through with that strength and support at home.
Brenda Crawley
Head of Lower School
240.395.0685
bcrawley@mcleanschool.org
www.mcleanschool.org
AFTER-SCHOOL K-4 SOCCER Yesterday a flyer went home for After-School Soccer with incorrect information. The cost of the program is $150, not $115. The correct form is located at www.mcleanschool.org under After School on the top menu. If you have submitted a check for the incorrect amount, please send us another check for the difference. I apologize for the error and any inconvenience this may have caused you. Thank you! Summer & After-School Program Director Jenny Whichard ‘92 240-395-0690 jwhichard@mcleanschool.org
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 ——-
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
K-8 School Photos
OT Screening: Week of September 8 for new K-4 students
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 ——-
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
8:30AM Parents Association Meeting-All Welcome!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 ——-
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 ——-
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 ——-
REMEMBER!
Speech Language & OT Screening Week of September 15 for new K-4 students
Outside Providers begin services: Week of September 22
Grades K-4 Back to School Night Tuesday, September 23 at 6:30 pm