SEAHAWK FOOTNOTES
Arbor Heights, OCTOBER, 1995 Vol. 7, Issue 2
Published monthly by Arbor Heights PTSA, 6.15.35.
Current members:130
Arbor Heights Elementary School
3704 SW 104th Seattle, WA 98146 281-6230
Terry McDermott, President - 932-6314
Roberta Post, Vice President - 937-5613
Sue Murray, Secretary - 243-8374
Betsy Forbes, Treasurer - 938-8607
Donna Carreon & Karen Haines,
Fundraising Coordinators - 938-4018 & 938-3531
Holly Guenther, Student Activities Coord. - 935-2048
Lynn Moy, Public Relations Coordinator - 935-9015
Laura Flannigan, Admin. Coord. - 431-8654
Kathy Robison, Site Council Chair - 932-4552
Gail Ballard, Newsletter Editor - 938-0712
Carl Leatherman, Principal
Claudia Stroh, Dave Wilkie & Sapina Pele, Staff Reps
On Oct 31st, reading comes alive for the children of Arbor Heights. The children will transform, stepping out of the pages of their favorite book to become a character - real or fiction. The goal is to use some of the natural enthusiasm generated at Halloween, direct it to reading & have fun too! Many of our older children are reading biographies & dressing up as a real person from the past or present. Children with parent help should:
1) Choose a book to read together, fiction or nonfiction.
2) Identify a character in the story you would like to be.
3) Find, create, make, borrow a costume to bring to school to wear the latter part of the day. Your costume does not need to be elaborate.
4) Bring your identity tag with items to wear in a sack with your name. Do not wear costumes on the bus.
5) You should be able to tell us about your character.
6) Enjoy the party, walk around to each classroom and have FUN!
UPDATE - HOT NEWS SCOOP
WOW! 65 parents attended the parent information meeting that was held on 9/26 to discuss the option of adding 6th grade to Arbor Heights. Tom Bailey, District Coordinator of all 18 West Seattle schools, said our next step was to submit our proposal to the Seattle School District Program Placement Committee (PPC) by 9/29/95.
Quick! We had 3 days! Mr. Leather, Marcia Ingerslev & Louise Sears presented the proposal to the PPC. The key points addressed the following: 1) Some 6th grade students benefit academically, emotionally & socially in self-contained classrooms 2) West Seattle middle schools are over-enrolled 3) other areas within the Seattle School District offer more options, ie. K-6, K-8 & K-12. The PPC reports that the Seattle School District realizes West Seattles various problems and is assessing the need for district wide changes.
Look for the Parent Survey to come home with your child. Return the completed survey by Monday,10/23/95. Please answer the survey regardless of the age of your child (ren). Drop it off at the school office or send it with your child.The survey results will offer a more complete picture of what the AH community wants for our children. The Parent Committee & Mr. Leatherman plan to present the survey results to Mr. Stanford, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools.
WHAT"S COOKIN"
The cookbook has begun...here's your chance to see your family name in print! We need your recipes, UNLIMITED amount, the more the better! Your recipe should include: (1) Submitted by (2) Recipe Title (3) Ingredients (4) Directions (5) Adult Signature & phone. Of course if you have your handy recipe form, use that, but if it's lost, simply write it on any kind of paper. Only 1 recipe per piece of paper. The categories are as follows: (1) Appetizers (2) Soups, Salads, Dressings & Sauces (3) Main Dishes - (meat, fish, poultry) (4) Main Dishes - (egg, cheese, pasta, casseroles) (5) Vegetable (6) Bread, Rolls, Pies & Pastry (7) Cakes, Cookies & Icings (8) Desserts (9) Candy, Jelly, Jam & Preserves (10) Beverages & Miscellaneous (11) Kid Stuff. The cookbook will cost between $7 - $10 and will be available sometime after the New Year. If you have a suggestion for the official name or any question at all, please call Donna at 938-4018 or Karin at 938-3531. Deadline for recipes is Monday, Oct. 23.
PORTRAITS
by Jami Moffett 937-2607 ....Order now in time for Christmas delivery. Have a special portrait drawn of your child by this published artist. Current prices good until 12/31/95.
LOOK
Do you have a business card? Would you like to purchase a 1/4 page ad for $20 in the upcoming cookbook? YOU will receive advertising in a book that will be in constant use year after year. This is NOT an ad that is effective 1 time & then goes away. The selling of local ads will go a long way in offsetting our printing costs - you will be helping support Arbor Heights Elementary!
Please submit your business card along with your payment in an envelope marked " Cookbook". Make checks payable to Arbor Heights PTSA. Send it in with your child or drop it by the office, ASAP. A receipt will be mailed to you promptly. If you need more information, please call Donna Carreon @ 938-4018. Rates are as follows: (1) 1/4 page (business card size) - $20 (2) 1/2 page - $40 (3) 3/4 page - $60 (4) Full page $80. Thank you!
MEET SAPINA
Hello, I'd like to introduce myself to all of you. I'm Sapina Pele, the Family Support Worker (FSW) at Arbor Heights. My office is next to the principals Carl Leatherman. The Family Support Worker Program was created by the city & Seattle school district with funding by Families & Education Levy to help children & families with social needs that were often identified at the schools.
A Family Support Worker housed in an elementary school, is someone who helps a child or family with any problem that stands in the way of a childs education. This could be lack of food, clothing, bilingual services, family member dealing with dependency issues, homelessness, counseling needs, medical, physical and/or sexual abuse, domestic violence, etc...the list is endless. Just one of these problems can cause a child not to focus on school, but many of our students are dealing with several issues at one time.
Last year was my first year at Arbor Heights. I worked with several students and their families. All the families & students issues I work with are strictly confidential. I can be contacted by phone at 281-6477 or 281-6230. I look forward to a great year again and the opportunity to get to know more of you as we all work together for out students and their families.
MEDICAL BULLETIN
The AH students are having their vision, hearing, height, weight and teeth checked to make sure they are all ready and able to learn. Parents will be contacted if referrals or follow thru by their physicians are recommended. Fifth graders will have their backs checked in the spring for scoliosis or curvature of the spine.
Joyce Ito, Nurse @ Arbor Heights
The PREZ SEZ...
Hi,
I would first of all like to thank all of you who returned your Volunteer surveys. I couldn't believe the great response that we had. Some of you have heard from us already! I have put all the information into lists and am in the process of distributing them to chairpersons & committee members. If I have missed you, please contact me so I can get a list to you.
Our Fund Raising chairpersons, Donna & Karin have been very busy. They are completing our Sally Foster Gift Wrap Sale.These 2 women have put in alot of time, not to mention Karin's husband, David, who spent alot of computer time on this project. Without people like this we would not be able to do fund-raisers and make it possible for out children to take advantage of all the extra activities that go on at school. Thanks for all of your support! Our Administrative Coord. Laura Flannigan sure got the right couple to head the Fall Clean-Up, Vicky & Robert Viladouki. The school grounds look GREAT! Thanks to all of you who participated.
Another big THANK YOU to Julie Gramm. Julie is our PTSA membership lady. Remember if you haven't joined you still have time. Julie, thanks again for all the time you have put into this for us. Once again, those of you who are driving on field trips, it is a new policy at Arbor Heights that all drivers must be fingerprinted. Please contact Lori Boyer, she will be able to help you.
As we start a new month, I take another deep breath and think of all the people I have worked with and I hope I continue to meet more of you as the school year continues. September was a very challenging month for me, but things seem to be calming down. I hope things continue to run smoothly as I'm sure they will.
Have a safe & Happy Halloween
GIFT WRAP RESULTS
THANK YOU! The grand total in Sally Foster gift wrap sales was $16,260.30. This means that at 50% profit, the school's net is $8130.15. The funds raised will go a long way in providing some wonderful programs and activities for all the students at AH Elementary. Please know that your OUTSTANDING support of this sale has truly been appreciated. Special thanks to David Haines for the many hours he has spend behind the scenes working on the Sally Foster sale.
NEW FACES AT AH
Nicky Hays Amodeo - Special Ed. Resource & Multiage Teacher
Jami Moffett - Art Tutor & Cafeteria Warden
Stacealisa Oliver - Instructional Assistant, Kindergarten
2 BUCKS
The kids have 2 parties each year, Halloween & Valentines Day. Please send $2 per child to cover the cost of these parties.
MICROSOFT VISITS
Using computer technology, what can Microsoft bring to a teacher's day to make it easier? This is the main question that Rick Segal & Becky Frandsen, both of Microsoft want to answer. Arbor Heights, along with some schools in California, has been chosen to help them find the answer(s). Arbor Heights gets some free computer stuff, the teachers that become involved have to committ approximately 1 hour per week giving feedback to Microsoft as to what works and what doesn't.
Rick Segal touched on a large variety of ideas that are currently being considered by Microsoft. Among them are afforable leasing of computers, all teachers having an email address, an on line repository, too free # for teachers for technical support, attentandance & grade book software and ultimately, a teacher resource kit.
Rick openly admits he is not sure what will work. That is what he is asking Arbor Heights teachers to tell him. Time will tell.....
FALL CLEAN-UP
Arbor Heights Fall Clean Up in progress. Thanks to all who showed up, especially the boys from Cub Scout Pack 799! We heard the mud fight was fun! THANKS Bob & Vicky Viladouki.
OPEN HOUSE...
Our Open House this year was fantastic! The turnout was great and all of the comments I heard about the first month of school were positive, with the exception of one. (Mr. Wilkie was quite unhappy that we ran out of caramel topping before he bought his sundae) - Mr. Leatherman, Principal
BOOK & BAKE SALE BRINGS BUCKS
Thank you to all who supported our book fair by purchasing books. We made $1036 in profit. Most of this will be used to provide books for out Reading for Books Program. Also funded by our PTSA, this program gives children new paperback books as an incentive for reading. - Dene Napolitan, Librarian
The Bake Sale was also very successful. We made $192.15. Special thanks from the AHPTSA to Janet Jenness for coordinating this year's Open House Bake Sale. Thanks also to everyone who baked, wrapped, sold & purchased for this event.
AH CALENDAR - OCTOBER
21 Function in the Junction (Parade)
23 Parent Survey Due
23 Recipes & Ads for Cookbook due
24 Picture Day
24 Neighborhood Block Watch Meeting, 7 pm @ Arbor Heights Cafeteria
25 Banking Begins
31 Character Book Day
NOVEMBER
1 Sally Foster Gift Wrap goes home
3 November Newsletter info due
7 AH T-Shirt/Sweatshirt order due
8 Veterans Day Assembly
9 Student Store
9 PTSA Meeting
10 Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL
13-21 Parent/Teacher Conferences
23,24 Thanksgiving Vacation
28 Harbor Safety Assembly
ARBOR HEIGHTS BYTES
Connect up to the Arbor Heights World Wide Web site! Over 1,500 people a month from all over the world visit it at: .
Arbor Heights is exchanging biography poems with other schools in the USA. They are posted on Cool Writers' Magazine, Arbor Heights School on the Web at .
Come to Room 22, 12 or the lab to visit out Web sites. Your students work is published there for the world to read.
Parents - Do you have an Internet email address? Would you like to have it listed on our "Parents on the Internet" page of our World Wide Web site? Contact Mr. Ahlness at school, or send a message to mahlness@cks.ssd.k12.wa.us - you could get email from people all over the world!
Our new fax machine is located in our computer lab. The number is 281-6618. Thank you, Microsoft!
Room 12 students are learning to use the World Wide Web! Each student has 1/2 hour a week on the computer in the classroom. They have explored the Arbor Heights home page, Project Athera and the Cool Writers Magazine - much more exciting stuff to come!
LOOSE CHANGE
Where do all your pennies go? To the bottom of your purse or your pockets? Do they clank in your dryer or get sucked up by your vacumn? Why not put them in a jar?
Arbor Heights will once again be collecting change to fund the annual Young Authors Conference in May. We will be accepting collections during the two week period of February 16 - March 1. Please start your jars now! Ask your family, friends and neighbors to do the same. How about getting a collection started at your work? The school office would be happy to provide you with a labeled container. Just ask!
THE PACK IS BACK!
Cubscout Pack 799 wishes to express tremendous gratitude to Argosy Tours and to all the businesses who contributed to make the trip to Tillicum Village on Blake Island on Sept. 23 a huge success! We hiked on the trails, discovered playful deer, frolicked on the beach and enjoyed a baked salmon dinner while we watched Indians from Northwest Coast Tribes dance to traditional legends. It was an unforgettable performance in a magical setting; a day that will be long remembered.
The scouts and parents of Cubscout Pack 799 performed a wonderful service to Arbor Heights School when they showed up on Sept 30 with garbage sacks and tools in hand, to do their part for fall clean-up. The grounds look great, just in time for the Open House.
PTSA MEETING NOV 9th
Remember $1 donation per child for babysitting during the PTSA meeting. Also newsletter deadline is Friday, November 3. Thanks!
LICENSED DAYCARE
I have some openings for full time, P/T & before & after school kids. I have 23 years experience, so please call me! - Irma 933-0508
AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS & COMPUTERS
After school sports & computers has begun! Every Monday, about 45 kids stay after school with Mr. Wilkie & Mr. Dorr, pictured above. On Wednesdays, about 21 Kindergarten-2nd graders learn the computer. In February it will be the 3rd-5th graders turn to become even more computer literate with Mr. Wilkie. Do you think they dress like this all the time?
The FEMIANO 5
Just how many baseballs were on that roll? Sally Foster originally announced there were 7,880. The Femiano Five challenged this number and many, many baseballs later it was determined that their calculations of 8,667 was right. Because the Femiano Five had the courage to write a letter to Sally Foster demanding a recount, they prevented the incorrect number being announced all over the United States at other schools.
This is another great example of how smart AH students are. Mr. Femiano used the baseball contest as a math problem for his class. And of course, this is another great example of the shining math students that emerge out of Mr. Femiano's 1-2-3.
The Femiano Five are Brittany Good, Catlin, Allison, Ashley and Mallory.
Kernels of Wisdom from The Popcorn Lady
The Popcorn Lady, aka Mary Fuller, would like to remind the kids to throw their popcorn bags in the garbage, not on the ground outside. You'd better watch out or else she'll start writing your name on your bag & then you'll be caught when it's found laying on the ground! The last Friday of every month is officially deemed Popluck where you will get a choice of caramel, cheese or regular popcorn!
Greetings from Mrs. Chris Mabe
- New A.M. Music Specialist -
Hello to Arbor Heights students & families! I am delighted to be teaching the morning music classes this year at AH. I am working with 3rd, 4th & 5th grade classrooms, combined Kindergartens, and room 17's multiage classroom, every other day in Room 20. I use a combination of multi-cultural music, with songs & recordings from around the world, and patterned movement to help children develop their own musicality. I began teaching on Sept. 29th, & already the students are showing much promise in working together to create successful musical products for each other.
During the month of October I will be introducing rhythm note-reading & pattern-writing, with all students eventually working in cooperative ensembles during class using a variety of classroom & world instruments. There is nothing better than an opportunity to perform in a percussion group, or to write original musical patterns to be played by the class, to bring out the proud musician in eager young students. My goal is for every student to be performing & composing music in a variety of styles using pitched & non-pitched instruments, and for every student to learn to sing in a comfortable singing voice. I firmly believe that a strong & accessible music program reinforces academic learning & personal responsibility for all children, & gives each child a sense of accomplishment that can propel them toward life success.
I hope to make music a fun & understandable process that students will want to continue for a lifetime. I welcome
parents in the classroom at any time, and am happy to answer questions about my teaching philosophy, or discuss any special musical needs or interests your child may have - simply leave a message & phone number in the office - I will return your call. Thank you for your support!
Greetings from Ms. Cronon
- P.M. Music Specialist -
I am really enjoying working with the students & staff here at Arbor Heights! We're still doing beat vs. rhythm as our overall concept, and we're also singing nicely and developing in tune voices. We still need nice drums to develop our African drumming ensemble! Any ideas anyone? Leave a message at school. Major & Minor sounding songs starts mid-October thru Halloween, then on to the Winter Holiday Concert preparation!
FUNCTION IN THE JUNCTION
On Sat., Oct. 21st, a number of Seattle schools will be participating in a short parade through the West Seattle Junction. All AH students have been invited to participate & wear their Character Day outfits, walking behind Mr. Leatherman & a banner that reads At Arbor Heights we have read about..... The parade starts at 10:00 with children meeting Mr. Leatherman at 9:30 on the corner of California & Dakota. The festivities will conclude with a performance by a K-12 choir in front of Key Bank.
Arbor Heights student artwork is being displayed at Quid-nunc, located at 4306 SW Oregon - plan on paying them a visit. They're one of our advertisers in this newsletter. Quid-nunc supports AH! Your children should be ready to go home around 11:30ish.
The NEW 1-2-3
By Chad Pharis, Teacher Rm. 17, Grade 1, 2, 3
Room 17 is the new primary multi-aged classroom with 21 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. You might ask why a multi-age classroom. A few of the advantages of this type of grouping are that it allows for flexibility in children's performance rates in different subject matters and it ensures for continuous progress. No matter where along the continuum that a child's skills are, there will be appropriate placement whether at an emergent level, advanced level or somewhere in between. Another reason for this family-style grouping of children is that it allows for tremendous social growth through cooperative, cross-age activities. Children learn about respect, relationships and relatedness - the 3R's of social manners.
The curriculum will have at its core an emphasis on reading, math & social development. My reading program will be centered around strong phonics and comprehension development moving on through assignments emphasizing vocabulary, research reading & literature. Math will be studied through manipulatives and reinforced through games. Children begin by learning many card & dice games involving addition, place values, etc. For older students more emphasis will be placed on mental math, estimating & problem solving with games beginning to emphasize strategy & thinking. Skill & social development will be reinforced as students work cooperatively together at the various learning centers.
The past 2 years I have had the great fortune of working as a certificated support services teacher in the 2 primary multi-age classrooms at Arbor Heights. I have seen the many benefits of allowing students to stay with the same teacher for 2 or 3 years. The rapport & trust that has been built one year continues through to the next as the students are able to continue on where they left off the previous year. I saw the benefits of older students helping younger students learn daily routines & patterns of social skills as they worked & played together at the many learning centers in the rooms. I've seen how developmentally appropriate practices have allowed children to progress at their own rate of development, not being pushed on before they were ready or held back because they learned quickly.
In short, I saw that the positives so outweighed any negatives that when I was given the opportunity, I chose to take a multi-aged classroom. I've had 2 great teachers and examples to follow in setting up and running this type of classroom and I want to thank Robert Femiano & Carol Long for their continued support, advice & help in all areas of making this new classroom a successful undertaking.
KIDS CLASSIFIED ADS
WANTED: Broken electrical or mechanical devices for our take apart tables. (VCRs, clocks,...) We will collect these all year long. Also any extra handtools (screwdrivers & pliers) would be appreciated - Room 16, Mr. Femiano Grades 1, 2, 3
By James, Rm. 7 - Ms. Sato, 4th grade
In Room 7, we are taking statewide tests to make sure everybody remembers the same stuff that we learned from last year.To alot of people it is hard, but everybody is trying hard, I hope. We will be staring a special Halloween project on Monday.
The OLD 1, 2, 3
By Robert Femiano, Teacher Rm 16, Grades 1, 2, 3
Many people ask me "What is a multi-age class and why have one?" Well, essentially, it's an attempt to provide an environment that in theory will better meet the wide-range needs of children. Whether we talk about the intellectual, physical or social growth of children, we know from research & experience that students develop at different rates and hopefully a cross-age classroom might more easily address these areas. Additionally, by providing a family-style classroom where young children can continue on with the same teacher and peers, the educational process may become less threatening and more conducive to encouraging lifelong learners.
The concept of multi-age is now new but it is gaining in popularity! Just shortly after the turn of the century, Maria Montessori was grouping preschoolers in three year classes. Today, the entire state of Kentucky and the Providence of British Columbia for examples all require primary grades to be multi-aged, offering two and three year mixes. Closer to home, many of Bellevue's and Edmonds schools (and a few in Seattle) have voluntarily chose to try this non-graded approach.
While a small group of us here at AH are trying out our wings, we feel that a solid education can still be found in a single grade classroom. In the end, it's the teacher's methods and high expectations that are still the dominating factors in providing a sound education.
By Olivia, Room 19 - Ms. Ballard, 1st grade
Room 19 is studying about pumpkins. We ate pumpkin pie. We made a pumpkin graph. We get stars on paper pumpkins. We made pumpkins that hang from string. We are going to a pumpkin farm.
By Catlin, Room 16 - Mr. Femiano, 3rd grade
Five girls from Room 16 got the answer of the Baseball Contest. This is how we got it. We counted the side & across the top and multiplied. The announcement by Sally Foster is wrong. We challenged it. We wrote a letter, everybody signed it. We made copies and asked for Sally Foster's calculations. The answer is 8667 and Sally Fosters answer is 7880. It is wrong.
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