Dear Parents,
|
|
Re-Enrollment forms are due by Monday, February 1st.
Financial aid forms are available in the office, and are also due by February 1st.
I'm sure you've all seen the news regarding the earthquake in Haiti,
and the resulting devastation. There are no words to describe how
these people are enduring these hardships; their resilience is
absolutely mind boggling. When you see the pictures on TV, your heart
can't help but go out to these people, and want to help them. But, how
to do that in a meaningful way is always the question.
I've always marveled
at our students' knowledge of world affairs, but this past week, I have
been even more impressed by your children's intense feelings for this
nation's plight, and their immediate responses of wanting to figure out
ways to help. All the grades have been discussing what they can do,
and are in the midst of finalizing their plans. What we do know at
this point, is that we will be holding a variety of fundraisers in the
coming weeks that the students are developing. Several of the
projects already underway include having bracelets available for
students and families to purchase, making jewelry to sell, offering
popcorn and hot chocolate instead of cakes and cookies in a Food Sale, putting on a talent show (which could involve parents as well as students), and conducting a rummage sale, all with the proceeds going to the various relief efforts.
Earthquake Relief Efforts:
The sixth graders are currently sponsoring a Healing Haiti bracelet sale. For a minimum donation of $2.00, you can receive a red and blue rubber bracelet (similar to Lance Armstrong's yellow LiveStrong bracelets). Donations will be accepted at the table in the main hallway, near the theater, from 8:00 - 8:30 a.m. and again from 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. This sale will continue all next week. Proceeds will be sent to the World Food Program and the American Red Cross.
The fourth graders are planning a rummage sale to be held on Wednesday and Thursday, February 3-4, 2010. The sale will take place before and after school, from
8:00-8:30 a.m. and 3:30-4:00 p.m. The students are still researching the organization to which they will send 100% of their proceeds. You may talk to any fourth grader for more information, or email Hallie at: hlindemann@newcityschool.org.
Please check the doors going into school for more information on these and coming events. Thank you in advance for your assistance, and more importantly, thank you for such wonderfully kind and empathetic children. We are so proud of them! |
|
|
PROGRESS REPORTS
|
Our teachers have been super busy this past weekend, and will undoubtedly be the same this coming weekend. The progress reports that you will receive in early February will have extensive narratives included which the teachers are ardently writing. Through these words, they hope to convey to you a while picture of your child, capturing both their academic progress as well as the gains each student has made in his/her personal intelligences.
You
may be wondering why we start writing so early in January when you
won't get the report for another two weeks. It's quite simple: we care
deeply about each student, and want to make these reports paint a
picture to you of your child. To this end, the teachers will share
their reports with their teammates during Monday's faculty meeting to
get their input. They will then revise them and give them to Mary or
me to read. We, too, will give our suggestions and comments, and the
teachers will revise again before printing the final documents. Our
ultimate goal is that when you read the words about your child, you
will nod and say, Wow! She/He really knows my child well. |
|
| A MESSAGE FROM THE SPORTS ADVISORY |
|
The Sports Advisory is working on developing a
relationship with Challenger Baseball of St. Louis and our upper grade level
children. Challenger Baseball is a non-profit organization that sponsors a
baseball league for youngsters with developmental disabilities. These teams are
supported by a buddy system in which young volunteers assist Challenger players
when needed. As their website ( http://challengerbaseball.org/.
) states, this is a chance for kids to come together as a team to be cheered. We don't
count outs and we don’t count runs. Everybody plays. Everybody scores.
Everybody wins.
As a part of this effort we are sponsoring a collection of
gently used baseball equipment. The league is in need of:
- baseball gloves (lefty gloves especially)
- bats
- baseballs
- baseball shoes
- bases
- batting tees
There will be collection boxes near all the entrances to the
school: Waterman, Lake and the Westminster doors. We will be collecting items
through the month of February. Thank you for your support and you will be
hearing more about Challenger Baseball this Spring!
|
|
BOGGLE GRADE LEVEL CHAMPS
|
|
The Boggle Champs for each grade have
been determined:
6th Grade: Jessica Ryan and Reid Doctor
5th Grade: Noah Sock and Maggie Fox
4th Grade: Dylan Cassily and Selena Steinbach
3rd Grade: Allison Ryan and Tavin Matiszik
2nd Grade: Emma Petite and Rafi Brent
1st Grade: Reilly Dillon and Elise Restemayer.
Each of these students will test
their linguistic prowess against Betsy Blankenship in a whole school assembly
next week. Final winners will be
announced at that time. It is
interesting to note that 6th grader Jessica Ryan has beat Betsy
every year she has participated in this tournament.
In addition to the game, students
had the option of using their spatial intelligences and participate in the Boogle
Tournament t-shirt design contest. This
year’s winning entry was created by Meg Corbett, 2nd grade, our youngest design winner ever.
|
|
Delilah's Wish Performed at Friday Assembly
|
This morning we were pleased to have Metro Theater Company at our Friday assembly (for the 1st through 6th graders) with their production of Delilah's Wish. This is a brand new play written and performed by Mariah Richardson, a professional writer and performing artist who grew up right here in St. Louis.
Her play tells the story of one very challenging year in the life of an 8-year-old named Delilah, who lives in North St. Louis. It's a tough year because her mom is away serving in the military.
Delilah lives in a neighborhood with lots of different people: people of different religions, different races, different nationalities. And not everyone gets along. Delilah's Wish is a play about how people can learn to live together as neighbors who respect the differences that make them unique. Certainly, that's the community we all want for our world!
Be sure to ask your child about the performance. Some questions to get you started might be:
- Did you like today's performance?
- Who was Delilah? What happened to her? What were some of the challenges she encountered?
- Were there stereotypes of some characters presented?
- What was hard for you to watch? (There is a part where a character was the victim of discrimination.) What happened? What did you think about this?
- If you were the teacher, what would you want your students to learn from this play?
- Could this story happen in our neighborhood? What should we do?
Obviously, different age students will have different responses to today's presentation. Some of these questions may be appropriate for your child, while some may be a little too hard for your child to comprehend. Your purpose is to start a dialogue, one in which you can continue to discuss the values students are exposed to beginning in the preprimary: We are all alike; we are all different.
I'd love to hear about your conversations, so please let me know about the interesting talks you and your children have. Enjoy your weekend. Who knows, maybe we'll actually see the sun.
Sincerely,
Pat
M. Patricia Nuernberger, Ph.D.
pnuernberger@newcityschool.org
|
|
|
|
COMING EVENTS
PrePrimary Show Thursday, Jan. 28th 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Family... Art Exhibit Wednesday, February 3rd 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. in the Delano Art Gallery
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Thursday, Feb. 11th
Friday, Feb. 12th
No Classes Friday
NSAS available
NCS Auction Saturday, April 10
|
| |
|
NEW CITY SUCCESSES
Parent Cheryl D. S. Walker has been appointed by Governor
Nixon to the advisory committee that will help select Missouri’s poet laureate. An attorney, she’s also a poet and has published a book, Silence Isn’t
Quiet.
|
|
|
Deadline Extension for the Family… Art Exhibit
If
you were thinking of participating but have run out of time, you are in luck! We have
extended the deadline to Monday,
January 25th. We must have both the art work and the
artist statement questions on that day. The art opening will be:
Wednesday,
Feb. 3, 2010 from 3:30-5:30.
|
|
|
Thursday Mornings
in the Library
Joe is looking for a volunteer to help out in the library from
8:00 a.m. until 8:25 a.m. each Thursday morning.
Each morning boys and girls from 3rd-6th grade can come to the library to read or study and parents help monitor these activities. At this time four of the five days are covered, but we are looking for someone to step into the Thursday morning slot. Your role is to help monitor the space and
the kiddos therein.
If you are interested please contact Joe at: jcorbett@newcityschool.org.
Thanks,
Joe
|
|
|
CENSUS 2010: It’s in Our Hands
The U.S. Census
Bureau is recruiting workers for the 2010 Census. These short-term
jobs will offer good pay, flexible hours, paid training, and
reimbursement for authorized work-related expenses. Best of all -
you'll work right in your own community.
The training that will be involved can be done
right here at New City. If you are interested in becoming a Census taker,
Census supervisor or office worker and would like to participate in a 2-hour training session here, email Tobie at:
ttaylor-hudson@newcityschool.org.
Do so, NO LATER than Tuesday, January 26th. COME ON, IT’LL BE FUN!
.
|
|
PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS
Music gives wings to the mind and flight to the imagination.
Private voice lessons are available through our After School Talents Class offerings.
If you are interested in your child taking professional
private lessons, please contact Tobie in the ED office at 361-2267.
|
|
TRIVIA NIGHT February 27, 2010
If you’ve never been to New
City’s trivia night – this is the year! It’s a lot of fun with fellow
parents. Tickets are $20 each, or $160 for a Table of 8. RESERVE
YOURS TODAY – we are almost sold out! We’ve got GREAT raffle prizes
this year including dinner at Duff's, dinner for four at Oceano’s, a
docking station for your iPod or iPod Touch, and more!!!!
Get your group together and reserve your table today. We provide beer,
water, soda and popcorn and typically everyone at the table brings
something to eat. If you have questions or need to reserve your table,
e-mail Jami at: jdix@newcityschool.org
|
|
|