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2007-08 Newsletters

If you are interested in reading newsletters from the 2007-08 school year, click here!

September 6, 2007

From the Principal...

Dear Families,
Welcome to our 2007-08 school year! We have had a great opening to school this year. The hallways, outside window trim, and Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy room in our building were all painted over the summer. The custodial staff did a great job cleaning and waxing the floors. Laura Richards School is certainly a bright and cheerful place for your children to learn.
We welcomed 278 students last week on the first day of school. The children have adjusted well to the beginning of school. I see happy, polite, respectful boys and girls in the classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, and playground. In addition, we have six new staff members in our building. Christine Hutchinson is our new baker. Gary Levine, Pat Struble, and Marla Morgan are our new special education education technicians. Transferring from T.C. Hamlin School, Andrea Gruber has joined our Title 1 staff and Tiffany Cockrell is our new first grade teacher. We welcome them and look forward to an awesome year!
Last week our school handbook was sent home. Please be sure to read it and discuss it with your children where appropriate. Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
Again, I am very excited to be here this year as principal of Laura Richards School. I believe that a positive school culture fosters creativity, risk taking, and life-long learning. Our goal is for your child to have a happy, successful learning experience. I look forward to meeting each of you. Please stop in and say hi!

Yours in the service of children,
Mrs. Moody, Principal

Upcoming Events

September
11th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
15th: Reading Rumpus, Downtown Gardiner
17th: Planning meeting for Octoberfest,6:00 - 8:00
18th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
19th: Grade 2 to Bug Maine-ia at Maine State Museum
19th: Early Release Day, students dismissed @ 12:30
24th: Fall Fundraiser kick-off assembly @ 1:30
25th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
27th: School Assembly @ 8:45 - 9:15
28th: School pictures for K-2

October
2nd: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
5th: Teacher Workshop Day - no school for students
8th: Columbus Day- no school
9th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
9th: PTA meeting, 6:00 @ River View
13th: Octoberfest @ 11:00 - 3:00
14th: Rain date for Octoberfest
16th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
17th: Early Release Day, students dismissed @ 12:30
23rd: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
30th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55

Early Release Days

The first Early Release day of the school year will be Wednesday, September 19th. Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30.

For safety reasons, please do not drop your child off at school before 8:10. There is no supervision inside or on the playground until then.

GEPTA Meeting

The next GEPTA meeting is October 9th at 6:00 at River View School.
Child care is available.

Notes from the Office

If you know you will be picking up your child from school, please send in a note or call the office. This way we can have your child ready for pick up at 2:55. Please note that we can only release students to the people you have listed on the blue emergency contact form.
Thank you for respecting our learning time by not dismissing your child early unless it is an emergency.
Also, if your child is sick and won’t be in school, please call the office to let us know or e-mail the secretary at shoudlette@msad11.org. If your child arrives to school late, be sure to sign them in in at the office so that they are not marked absent for the day. Thank you!

Walking School Bus

Our first walking school bus day will be September 11th at 7:55. Every Tuesday, students may be dropped off at the Common by parents to walk to school with Mrs. Moody, Anthony Anderson (District Health Coordinator), and staff members. Parents are welcome to join us! Please return the permission slip which was sent home with your child earlier this week. Thank you!

GEPTA Fall Fundraiser

Be watching for the Fall Fundraiser which will kick off on Monday, September 24th!

Readers in Bloom

A young child is like a flower.
Some grow quickly, full to bloom.
Others need a helping hand
Gentle pruning, but not too soon.

They need time, guidance, a push – reading work, patience, and smiles.
They need a teacher to teach, across struggling reading miles.

Like sun, water, soil, and air
Reading teachers give life to joyous reading!
Letting children bloom fully, without strife.

A young child is like a flower.
For their learning, give them room to learn HOW to learn.
Then, watch their learning ever bloom!

Cecelia Timberlake

THANK YOU for taking the time this school year to help your child bloom by reading with and to them EACH day!!

Spare Clothing

It would be helpful for each student to have a complete change of clothing to be kept at school or in his/her backpack. It is sometimes not convenient for parents to bring clothing in if a child spills a snack, falls in a puddle, or needs extra clothing during the school day for any reason.

Forms for the New School Year

Please be sure to complete all of the forms that were sent home with your student and return them to school if you have not already done so. This information will help us to provide a safe and positive school year for your child.
Families should also review the school calendar and make a note of important dates such as Early Release Days, workshops days, holidays and school vacations.

Ongoing Fundraisers-

LER will continue to participate in these
ongoing programs which will help us to raise funds for our school

Hannaford Helps Schools - From now through December 1st, shoppers will receive school dollar certificates at the register with the purchase of participating products, which Hannaford will redeem for cash for our school. Hannaford will also grant an additional $1,000 to the school that raises the most funds! Please be sure to send these valuable certificates to school.

Box Tops for Education - “BoxTop” labels are a great fundraiser for our school. Each label is worth 10 cents. The money goes to purchasing items for our school. At Mrs. Moody’s past school they bought a sound system, 3 DVD players and 3 televisions, a new refrigerator for the staff room, 3 digital cameras, and new Ellison machine die cuts. Please take a look at opposite page to find out what products have “BoxTops for Education.”

Printer cartridges - We participate in two different programs to collect printer cartridges of all types and sizes, which are redeemed for cash. Please send your empty cartridges to school. We can also provide collection boxes for your office.

Campbell’s Labels for Education -Collect UPC codes and logos (instead of front labels) from Campbell’s products as well as many other products with the “Labels for Education” logo.

Toys and Balls at School

Toys should not be brought to school unless they are “Show and Tell” items. Otherwise, they can be quite a distraction for children and, at times, cause a crisis if they get broken or lost.
We are working on increasing the kinds and quantities of playground balls at school. Balls should also be kept at home as they too can become an issue of conflict at recess.

School Picture Day

Lifetouch will be here to take school pictures on Friday, September 28th for our k-2 students. Pre-K will be photographed at a later date. More information will be coming home with your student soon!

September 21, 2007

From the Principal…

Dear Families,
Well the first month of school is quickly coming to an end! September has really been focused on getting back into routines and making new friendships with classmates and teachers. I see smiling faces in classrooms, in the hallways, and on the playground. It is a joy to spend the day with your children! I am proud to say that I have learned a lot of names already!
Academically, teachers have been completing literacy assessments on all students to find out what skills they have and what students’ reading levels are so teachers can begin focused guided reading groups. We have high expectations for student achievement at LER and will work very hard to meet the needs of every student.
If you ever have a concern about your child, please contact your child’s teacher. We believe that the partnership between school and home is invaluable in promoting, encouraging, and supporting your child’s learning. I especially want to thank the parents who have called or come in to speak with me about concerns, suggestions, and ideas they want to share.
A communication tool that I have been working on recently is our school website. Please be sure to take a peek at it. There is some really good information linked to the district site and some great pictures of staff and students. The LER website is still being worked on…so stay tuned!!

Yours in the service of children,
Mrs. Moody, Principal

Upcoming Events
September
24th: Fall Fundraiser kick-off assembly @ 1:30
25th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
26th: Maine Harvest Day Lunch
27th: School Assembly @ 8:45 - 9:15
27th: Planning meeting for Octoberfest,6:00 @ LER
28th: School pictures for K-2

October
2nd: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
2nd: PTA meeting, 6:00 @ River View (Please note the new date)
5th: Teacher Workshop Day - no school for students
8th: Columbus Day- no school
9th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
13th: Octoberfest @ 11:00 - 3:00
14th: Rain date for Octoberfest
16th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
17th: Early Release Day, students dismissed @ 12:30
23rd: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
30th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55

Early Release Days
Our next Early Release day will be Wednesday, October 17th. Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30.

Walking School Bus
Our walking school bus takes place every Tuesday at 7:55, weather permitting. Join us at the Common and walk to school together! Parents are always welcome to join us.

GEPTA News
Thanks to all who attended the September meeting of the Gardiner Elementary Parent Teacher Association (GEPTA). We were happy to see the strong turnout of parents and teachers and have started some great planning to support the River View and LER communities this year.
Our first major undertaking is Octoberfest. There will be an Octoberfest planning meeting for anyone interested in helping out on Thursday, September 27 at 6 p.m. in the LER library. All are welcome! Octoberfest will be on Saturday, October 13 from 11-3 at the Gardiner Common. Volunteers are still needed, as well as baked goods and other donations.
Please note a change in the date of our next meeting -- GEPTA will meet next Tuesday, October 2 at 6 p.m. at River View Community school. Meetings will normally be held on the first Tuesday of the month.

Box Tops for Education
LER will be holding monthly Box Top collection contests. Be watching for the scarecrow and pumpkin sheet that will be coming home with your student next week, and be ready to fill each pumpkin with a Box Top for Education symbol worth 10 cents to our school. Students can return their sheets to the collection box in each classroom, and the classroom collecting the most Box Tops each month will win a prize!

Maine Dental Health Out-Reach
Maine Dental Health Out-Reach will be visiting the schools in our district again this year to provide services to eligible students. Please look for the information coming home with your student today and review it carefully.

Maine Schools Celebrate Harvest Day Lunch
On Wednesday, September 26th, LER will join all Maine schools in a Harvest Day Lunch. All of the food served to our students will come from local sources such as West Gardiner Beef, Bailey’s Orchards in Whitefield, and Seaman’s Farm in Litchfield.

Volunteer/Community Service Opportunity
Sue Williamson, our District Math Coordinator, is looking for volunteers to help with photocopying, cutting, laminating, sorting, and other tasks needed to assemble math games for our students. Some of the
work could be done at home. Please call LER at 582-3612 or e-mail swilliamson@msad11.org for more information.

Note from the Office
If you know you will be picking up your child from school, please send in a note or call the office. This way we can have your child ready for pick up at 2:55.
Also, if your child is sick and won’t be in school, please call the office to let us know.
Thank you!

Walking School Bus
Our next walking school bus day will be September 25th at 7:55. Every Tuesday, students may be dropped off at the Common by parents to walk to school with Mrs. Moody, Anthony Anderson (District Health Coordinator), and staff members. Parents are also welcome to join us! It is a great way to start the day!!

Toys and Balls at School
Toys should not be brought to school unless they are “Show and Tell” items. Otherwise, they can be quite a distraction for children and, at times, cause a crisis if they get broken or lost. Students should not bring electronic games and cell phones to school.

Assembly Day
Our first school assembly will be on Thursday, September 27th at 8:45-9:15. Assemblies are a wonderful way of celebrating and enjoying our school community. We welcome classes, recite the Pledge of Allegiance, recognize Star Students of the month, have classroom presentations, and do a movement activity as a whole school. Parents are welcome to join us! Mrs. Smith’s and Mrs. Canning’s classes will be performing at our first assembly.

Thank you, Ginger Shaw!
Ginger has lined our playground and donated soccer nets, soccer balls, and basketballs. The kids are truly enjoying the variety of ball games at recess! Take a look on our website! Ginger, you are great!

Star Students
Each week, we recognize a Star Student from each classroom. Each teacher chooses a student who has demonstrated the character skill of the month. Star students receive a certificate, a special pencil, and has his or her picture taken for our Star Student bulletin board in the lobby. Stop by and check it out!

School Picture Day
Lifetouch will be here to take school pictures on Friday, September 28th for our k-2 students. Pre-K will be photographed at a later date. More information will be coming home with your student soon!

Spare Clothing
It would be helpful for each student to have a complete change of clothing to be kept at school or in his/her backpack. It is sometimes not convenient for parents to bring clothing in if a child spills a snack, falls in a puddle, or needs extra clothing during the school day for any reason.

Helping Reluctant Readers
From the Health and Parenting Experts at KidsHealth.org

Growing with Words
For many kids, reading just doesn’t come easily. Some kids have difficulty connecting letters and their corresponding sounds. Others have yet to discover that special enchanting story that grabs the imagination and shows just how fun reading can be. For all kids, though, being at ease with letters, their sounds, and words is an important foundation for learning throughout life.
Here are a few simple ways to help kids become eager readers:

START WITH YOUR CHILD'S PICKS
Comics or joke books may not be your first choice to cultivate literacy, but they can motivate kids to read.
Don’t worry that these texts may not be substantial enough. They can play important roles in helping kids understand some fundamentals, like how events take place in a sequence and stories are laid out. They also help build vocabulary and show that books can be visually appealing. Once your child becomes comfortable with the experience of reading, you can encourage other literature selections with a variety of challenging content.

READ AND REREAD AND REREAD
Many kids reach for the same books over and over again. That’s OK. Through repetition kids can master the text and eventually sail through it with ease and confidence. Each new reading of the book may also help them understand it just a little better. And that positive experience may inspire them to give new books a try.

READ ALOUD
By reading aloud, you can help build your child’s vocabulary, show that you enjoy reading for fun, and help your child connect sounds with letters on the page. Above all, reading aloud provides together time that you’ll both treasure. And it doesn’t have to end once kids get older. The comfort of a parent’s voice and undivided attention is something kids never outgrow.

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO READ AND WRITE BEYOND THE PAGES
Provide your child with many rewarding chances to read every day. Write notes to your child and leave them on a pillow, in a lunchbox, or in a pocket. Ask friends and relatives to send postcards and letters. Leave magnetic letters and words on the refrigerator, and you may find your child spontaneously creating words, sentences, and stories. On road trips or errands, play word games that strengthen language skills. You might try “I Spy” (“I spy something that starts with an a…”) or games where you pick a category like “food” and then everyone has to name foods that begin with a certain letter. Your child might like reading signs you see while you’re on the road, like those on well-known restaurants.

GET HELP IF YOU'RE WORRIED
If you’re concerned about your child’s ability and willingness to read, don’t wait to get help. Consult with your child’s doctor or teacher. If they share your concern, they may be able to suggest resources to help your child become an eager reader.

*************

October 5, 2007

From the Principal…

Dear Families,
We are certainly enjoying a beautiful beginning to the fall season! Cool mornings and nights…warm, sunny days…and gorgeous foliage! I hope you are able to get outside with your family to go apple picking, take hikes or walks, rake leaves, or to attend some of the fall sporting events! Remember that we also have the “Walking School Bus” that meets every Tuesday at the Common to walk to school. We’d love to have more families join us, especially while the weather cooperates!
Next week is Fire Prevention Week. The Gardiner Fire Department will visit our school to talk with the students about fire safety. Make sure you talk with your family about your safety plan at home. It is never too early to talk about and plan for emergencies.
Our first school assembly was so much fun! I was very pleased to see many families join us! We will have our next assembly on October 25th. More information about which classes will be presenting will come home in our next newsletter. Assemblies are a wonderful way to celebrate and be together as a school community. We hope you will be able to join us throughout the year.
Again, I hope you are able to enjoy this beautiful season with your family and friends!

Yours in the service of children,
Mrs. Moody, Principal

Upcoming Events
October
5th: Teacher Workshop Day - no school for students
8th: Columbus Day- no school
9th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
9th: Meadowbrook fundraiser orders due
9th: Octoberfest planning meeting, 6:00 @ LER
11th: Gardiner Fire Department visits Pre-K
12th: Gardiner Fire Department visits Grades K, 1, & 2
13th: Octoberfest @ 11:00 - 3:00
14th: Rain date for Octoberfest
15th - 19th: School Lunch Week
16th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
17th: Early Release Day, students dismissed @ 12:30
22nd - 26th: Bus Driver Appreciation Week
22nd: Picture day for Pre-K
23rd: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
25th: School Assembly in the LER gym
26th: Pre-K Family Fun Day, 9:00 - 11:00 in the LER gym
30th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55

November
6th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
6th: GEPTA meeting, 6:00 @ LER
12th: No school - Veterans Day observed
13th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
13th: LER Parent-Teacher conferences
15th: Scholastic Book Fair begins
20th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
21st - 23rd: No school for students
27th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
28th: Picture re-take day

Our next Early Release Day will be Wednesday, October 17th. Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30.

Walking School Bus
Our walking school bus takes place every Tuesday at 7:55, weather permitting. Join us at the Common and walk to school together! Parents are always welcome to join us.

GEPTA Meetings
Octoberfest planning meeting -
October 9th, 6:00 at LER

GEPTA monthly meeting
November 6th, 6:00 at LER. Child care is available.

GEPTA News
We had another great turnout for our October meeting! Thank you. Our meeting minutes are posted on the MSAD11.org website. Our next meeting will be November 6th at 6:00 pm at LER. GEPTA's 4th annual Octoberfest will be held on October 13th from 11:00 to 3:00 at the Gardiner Common. We hope to see all our families enjoying a fun-filled day! The last planning meeting will be Tuesday, October 9th at 6:00 at LER. We still need cakes for the cake walk (pans available in the office), bake sale items, and candy for the hay hunt. For more information email geptanews@gmail.com.
We are forming a playground committee - if interested please email geptanews@gmail.com or call Helen at 582-6492. River View’s plaground is in need of updating.
Meadowbrook Fundraiser orders are due October 9th. Thank you for supporting this fundraiser.
The Scholastic Book-Fair is coming! The dates are: River View - November 8th - 13th, LER - November 15th - December 6th. If you would like to help out, please email geptanews@gmail.com

Parent - Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher conferences will take place from 4:00 - 7:00 on November 13th . Your child’s teacher will be contacting you soon to set up an appointment. This is a great time to meet with your child’s teacher, to hear about how your child is progressing at school, and to build a strong home-school connection.

Box Tops for Education
LER will be holding monthly Box Top collection contests. Be watching for the scarecrow and pumpkin sheet that came home with your student this week, and be ready to fill each pumpkin with a Box Top for Education symbol worth 10 cents to our school. Students can return their sheets to the collection box in each classroom, and the classroom collecting the most Box Tops each month will win a prize!

Reminder to Parents(s)/Guardian(s) of Pre-K and Kindergarten Students
THE STATE OF MAINE REQUIRES THE SCHOOL TO HAVE AN UP-DATED IMMUNIZATION RECORD OR LETTER OF EXEMPTION ON ALL STUDENTS FOR THE CHILD TO STAY IN SCHOOL. IF YOU ARE A PARENT/GUARDIAN OF A STUDENT IN OUR 4- YEAR OLD PROGRAM OR KINDERGARTEN WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THE SCHOOL THE UP-DATED COPY BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. PLEASE CALL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION(S). THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WITH THIS STATE OF MAINE LAW.
PAT FISHER, R.N.
SCHOOL NURSE

For safety reasons, please do not drop your child off at school before 8:10. There is no supervision inside or on the playground until then.

Octoberfest is Coming
There will be an Octoberfest planning meeting on Tuesday, October 9th at 6:00 at Laura E. Richards School. If you are able to help, please email geptanews@gmail.com.
Octoberfest will take place at the Gardiner Common on October 13th (raindate: October 14th) from 11:00-3:00. There will be games, food, pumpkin painting, a cake walk, and more. This is a great community event that is enjoyed by all. Come join us for a fun-filled day!

Our character skill for the month of October is respect. Please take a look at the following article for tips on teaching children about respect.

Maine Science Teachers Association
Family Science Night
Friday, October 5th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
at Gardiner Area High School
(This is not an MSAD 11 sponsored event)
Please join us for this FREE evening of family science fun! There will be door prizes and science goodies for all! Pre-registration is necessary. Please e-mail ldarling@fairpoint.net.

Picture Re-Take Day will be November 28th. LifeTouch has assured us that all pictures will arrive before the holiday season.

Maine Dental Health Out-Reach
Maine Dental Health Out-Reach will be visiting the schools in our district again this year to provide services to eligible students. Please look for the information that came home with your student and review it carefully.

T.C. Hamlin School Craft Fair
Saturday, October 13,2007 from 9:00 to 4:00.
Sponsored by the Hamlin School PTC

Pittston PTG Crop Fest
Join the Pittston PTG at their Second Annual CropFest on Saturday, October 20th, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Gardiner Area High School Cafeteria. Go to www.msad11.org/pit for more information.

Ongoing Fundraisers-
LER participates in these ongoing programs which will help us to raise funds for our school:

Box Tops for Education - “BoxTop” labels are a great fundraiser for our school. Each label is worth 10 cents. The money goes to purchasing items for our school. We hold monthly BoxTop contests with prizes for the classroom that collects the most!

Campbell’s Labels for Education -Collect UPC codes and logos (instead of front labels) from Campbell’s products as well as many other products with the “Labels for Education” logo.

Our character skill for October is RESPECT. The following tips were taken from Steve McChesney’s article, Respect - How to Teach It and How to Show It.

One of the most important things you can teach your child is respect.
Keep in mind that respect is not the same as obedience. Children might obey because they are afraid. If they respect you, they will obey because they know you want what’s best for them.
The best way to teach respect is to show respect. When a child experiences respect, they know what it feels like and begin to understand how important it is. Keep in mind the saying “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Respect is an attitude. Being respectful helps a child succeed in life. If children don’t have respect for peers, authority, or themselves, it’s almost impossible for them to succeed.
A respectful child takes care of belongings and responsibilities, and a respectful child gets along with peers.
Schools teach children about respect, but parents have the most influence on how respectful children become. Until children show respect at home, it’s unlikely they will show it anywhere else. How can you show respect to your child?

Be honest – If you do something wrong, admit it and apologize.

Be positive – Don’t embarrass, insult or make fun of your child. Compliment them.

Be Trusting – Let your child make choices and take responsibility.

Be fair – Listen to your child’s side of the story before reaching a conclusion.

Be polite – Use “please” and “thank you”. Knock before entering your child’s room.

Be reliable – Keep promises. Show your child that you mean what you say.

Be a good listener – Give your child your full attention.
Children learn from everything we say and do. Make sure that you are modeling respectful behavior.

Be caring – Show concern for people, animals and the environment.

Avoid poor role models – When you see examples of disrespect, discuss them.

When you set rules at home, explain to your child why the rule is important. For instance, if the rule is “No TV between 4:00 and 6:00” it is because this is homework time and homework is important to keep grades up in school.

Teach your child to respect themselves. Self-respect is one of the most important forms of respect. Once we respect ourselves, it is easier to respect others.

Your opinion means a lot to your child. If you believe your child can succeed, they will believe they can as well.

Build their independence. Give them responsibilities as soon as they can handle them.

Help them set and achieve goals. Their self-respect will skyrocket when they see themselves achieving those goals.

Encourage honesty. Let your child know that they may be able to fool some people, but they can’t fool themselves. There is no pride in stealing, cheating, or lying.

Most importantly, show love! Say ‘I love you” often and give plenty of hugs and kisses.

If your child makes a mistake, remind them that they are still loved.

Children show the most respect for adults who make fair rules. It helps to let them have a say in the rules that they are expected to follow.

We respect you and the incredible job that you have, being a parent!
--Steve McChesney

October 18, 2007

Notes from the Principal

Dear Families,

Octoberfest last Saturday was a wonderful celebration of our school community! The weather was PERFECT! It was a bright, sunny, crisp fall day! The park was filled all day with families, teachers, school board members, community friends, and… lots and lots of very happy children! I will be working to put these pictures on our school website. Be sure to visit it soon!

The LER website is a work in progress!! If you ever have any suggestions on how to make it better please let me know.

We have another assembly coming up soon. It will take place on October 25th at 2:15-2:45. We are trying to alternate morning and afternoon assemblies so that the afternoon four year olds get a chance to participate too! Mrs. Malcolm and Miss Whitman’s classes will present to us on that day! We welcome parents to join us!

Next week is also bus driver appreciation week. We will recognize our drivers for all they do to bring our children to school and home again safely. Please encourage your children to thank their drivers next week!

As always if you ever have a question, concern, or suggestion, please stop by and chat or call me at 582-3612.

Yours in the service of children,
Mrs. Moody, Principal

Upcoming Events

October

22nd - 26th: Bus Driver Appreciation Week
22nd: Picture day for Pre-K
23rd: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
25th: School Assembly in the LER gym,2:15 - 2:45
26th: Pre-K Family Fun Day, 9:00 - 11:00 in the LER gym
30th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55

November

6th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
6th: GEPTA meeting, 6:00 @ LER
12th: No school - Veterans Day observed
13th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
13th: LER Parent-Teacher conferences,4:00 - 7:00
15th: Scholastic Book Fair begins
20th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
21st - 23rd: No school for students
27th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
28th: Picture re-take day

For safety reasons,please do not drop your child off at school before 8:10. There is no supervision inside or on the playground until then.

We have a few “Lost & Found” items from Octoberfest, as well as bake sale dishes that were left behind. Please stop by our office if you are missing anything!

Early Release Days
Our next Early Release Day will be Wednesday,December 19th.
Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30.

Walking School Bus
Our walking school bus takes place every Tuesday at 7:55, weather permitting. Join us at the Common and walk to school together! Parents are always welcome to join us.
GEPTA Meeting

GEPTA monthly meeting
November 6th, 6:00 at LER.Child care is available.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be November 6th at 6:00 pm at LER.

We are forming a playground committee - if interested please email geptanews@gmail.com or call Helen at 582-6492. River View’s plaground is in need of updating.

The Scholastic Book-Fair is coming! The dates are: River View - November 8th - 13th, LER - November 15th - December 6th. If you would like to help out, please email geptanews@gmail.com

Parent - Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher conferences will take place from 4:00 - 7:00 on November 13th. Your child’s teacher will be contacting you soon to set up an appointment. This is a great time to meet with your child’s teacher, to hear about how your child is progressing at school, and to build a strong home-school connection.

Box Tops for Education
LER will be holding monthly Box Top collection contests. Have you filled the scarecrow and pumpkin sheet that came home with your student for this month’s contest? Each Box Top for Education symbol is worth 10 cents to our school. Students are encouraged to fill as many sheets as they can, and return completed sheets to the collection box in each classroom. Each grade level classroom collecting the most Box Tops each month will win a prize!

Campbell’s Labels for Education
Please remember to collect UPC codes and logos instead of front labels from Campbell’s products as well as many other products with the “Labels for Education” logo. Campbell’s no longer accepts the front labels for redemption. Please send us only the new UPC code and logo, as shown.

Class of 2008 4th Annual Holiday Craft Fair
Saturday, November 3rd
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Gardiner Area High School Cafeteria
Crafts, Bake Sale, Concession
Admission Donation $1.00
Proceeds will benefit Project Graduation
To rent a table, or for more information, please contact Valerie Hanscom at 582-8182

Health News
We have cases of Strep Throat in our school. Please talk with your child about washing hands frequently, not putting things in his or her mouth, and covering his or her mouth when sneezing or coughing.

Symptoms of Strep Throat may include sore throat, skin infections, fever, and ear infections. We recommend that children complaining of any of these symptoms by examined by their health care provider. Please notify the school if your child is diagnosed with a Strep infection.

A Reminder to Families of Pre-K & Kindergarten Students
The State of Maine requires that schools have an up-dated pre-school physical and immunization record or letter of exemption on all students for the child to stay in school. If you have a student in our kindergarten or Pre-K we would appreciate you getting the up-dated copies to the school as soon as possible if you have not already done so.

Halloween Downtown
Wednesday, October 31st
3:00-5:00 PM
Trick or treat downtown! Luminaries will identify participating businesses. Check out the storefront decorating, FREE photos of kids at State Farm, pumpkin decorating contest, and PRIZES for most original, scariest and cutest costumes! Bring the kids and/or your decorated pumpkins to the McKay Park between Henny Penny's and Corniche by 3:45 to be elibible for judging. Parade line-up starts at 3:55 and the sidewalk parade to McKay Park begins at 4:00 outside A1 To Go. For more information, call Gardiner Main Street at 582-3100.
(This is not an MSAD 11 sponsored event)

Notes from the Office
If your child will be absent from school, please call the office to let us know or e-mail the secretary at shoudlette@msad11.org. If your child arrives to school late, be sure to sign them in in at the office so that they are not marked absent for the day.

If your child will be leaving school at the end of the day other than in their usual manner, please send in a note or call the office. Please note that we can only release students to the people you have listed on the blue emergency contact form.

Thank you for respecting our learning time by not dismissing your child early unless it is an emergency!

Pittston PTG Crop Fest
Join the Pittston PTG at their Second Annual CropFest on Saturday, October 20th, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Gardiner Area High School Cafeteria. Go to www.msad11.org/pit for more information.

The following ideas were taken from
Teaching Children Respect
by Pam Leo

"Children have never been very good at listening to
their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them."
- James Baldwin

Children are mirrors; they reflect back to us everything we say and do. We now know that 95% of everything children learn, they learn from what is modeled for them. Only 5% of all they learn is from direct instruction. Human beings are like tape recorders. Every word we hear, everything we experience, is permanently recorded in our subconscious. Whenever adults speak, we are being role models for the children in our presence. What we speak is what we teach. Children record every word we ever say to them or in front of them. The language children grow up hearing is the language they will speak.

We often make the mistake of thinking that since children are smaller than we are and have less information and experience than we do, that they don't have all the same feelings we do. But they do. The same kind of treatment that would embarrass, humiliate or hurt us, embarrasses, humiliates and hurts children. When human beings are being hurt emotionally, our thinking shuts down. When our thinking is shut down we cannot learn, we can only record. When adults try to "teach" children by criticizing, lecturing, shaming, ridiculing, giving orders, screaming, threatening and hitting, it shuts down their thinking so they can't learn what the adult intended to teach them to do or not to do; they can only record what is being modeled.

The most common criticism I hear of young people these days is, "they don't treat anyone or anything with respect." Ironically, adults often try to teach children to be respectful by treating them disrespectfully. Children learn respect or disrespect from how we treat them and how we treat each other. When children live with disrespect, they learn disrespect. We can teach respect only by modeling treating each other with respect and by giving children the same respect we expect.

Learning to treat children with respect will require a change of heart, that can come only from a major shift in consciousness of how we view children and how we define respect. Children are born with human dignity. To treat a person with respect is to acknowledge and preserve their human dignity. To treat a person with disrespect is to attack their human dignity.

How can we expect children to understand and practice the Golden Rule if we treat them with less respect than we give our peers? In saying that children deserve the same respect we would give our friends, I am not saying we should treat children like adults or that we should never get angry. I'm saying that there is nothing we ever have to say to a child that we need to say in a disrespectful way.

In my parenting class on treating children with respect, we read a brilliant piece by Erma Bombeck, titled ,"Treat Friends, Kids The Same." She imagines having friends over for dinner and saying to them all those things that most of us heard growing up and therefore, say to children. "Shut the door. Were you born in a barn?" "I didn't work over a hot stove all day to have you nibble like some bird." "Sit up straight or your spine will grow that way." Most parents roar with laughter at the thought of speaking to their friends that way, then realize it is just as disrespectful to say those things to children.

We don't say, "What do you say?" or "What's the magic word?" to our friends but children hear it all the time. If we expect children to always say please and thank- you, we must always say please and thank you to them and to each other, otherwise we are modeling that sometimes you say it and sometimes you don't. Children imitate what we do. If we expect children to have manners, to share, to apologize, to be honest, kind, respectful, and loving, we must do and be those things so they will have that model to imitate.

Children imitate parents, family members, friends, caregivers, teachers, and television. The more children are out in the world, the more models they will be exposed to. While we can't keep children from ever seeing models of the kind of behavior we don't want them to imitate, we can be more selective of what models we expose them to, especially television. Since parents are the primary models in the early years, we must work on modeling the behavior we expect and not modeling behavior we don't want to see in them.

We can train ourselves to stop and think before we speak, by remembering that everything we say will be recorded and imitated. We can stop or at least interrupt those old recordings and intentionally model the kind of behavior we expect and will accept from our children. When we give children the same respect we expect, we teach children respect. How we treat them is what we teach them.

Taken from
“Teaching Children Respect”
by Pam Leo, PLP & Company
www.connectionparenting.com

November 1, 2007

From the Principal…

Dear Families,

Can you believe it?! We are ending the first quarter of the school year! Wow! The first two months of school flew by! At this time, Parent-Teacher conferences are being scheduled with your child’s classroom teacher. This is a great time to hear about your child’s progress and to build a strong teacher-parent partnership. Working together, you and the teacher can help your child have a successful school year.

The LER website is at a point that I would LOVE for you to visit it! There are lots of pictures on it …and lots of information too! Please go to www.msad11.org click on Laura Richards School and take a look. You need to use the LER Navigation menu on the left to make it easier for you to “get around” on the site. Drop down menu items will appear when you click on the items. Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for how to make it better. I really hope you enjoy it!

As always if you ever have a question, concern, or suggestion, please stop by and chat or call me at 582-3612.

Yours in the service of children,
Mrs. Moody, Principal

Upcoming Events

November
6th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
6th: GEPTA meeting, 6:00 @ LER
12th: No school - Veterans Day observed
13th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
13th: LER Parent-Teacher conferences,4:00 - 7:00
15th: Scholastic Book Fair begins
20th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
21st - 23rd: No school for students
27th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
28th: Picture re-take day

December
1st: LER Holiday Craft Fair, 9:00 - 2:00
4th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
11th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55
19th: Early Release Day, students dismissed at 12:30
18th: Walking School Bus @ 7:55

Be sure to check out the exciting changes and new features on the LER website!

No School
Please note there is no school on Monday, November 12th in observance of Veteran’s Day

Have you scheduled your parent-teacher conference yet?
Parent-Teacher conferences will take place from 4:00 - 7:00 on November 13th . Your child’s teacher will be contacting you soon to set up an appointment. This is a great time to meet with your child’s teacher, to hear about how your child is progressing at school, and to build a strong home-school connection.

Please contact your child’s teacher by calling the school at 582-3612.

Time to “Fall Back”
Remember to set your clocks back and change the batteries in your smoke alarms this weekend!

The School Store is Back!
The school store will be open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school. Small items such as pencils, grippers, erasers, pencil sharpeners, and pencil cases are available.

We also have LER Lion T-shirts in children’s sizes available for sale.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be November 6th at 6:00 pm at LER.

The Scholastic Book-Fair is coming to LER and River View School. If you would are able to help during various day or evening hours, please email geptanews@gmail.com

Lost & Found
We have a large blue and white cooler in the LER office that was left behind at Octoberfest.

Also, please check our Lost & Found table in the lobby during conferences in case your child has misplaced anything!

Visit these Craft Fairs...
Class of 2008
4th Annual Holiday Craft Fair
Saturday, November 3rd
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Gardiner Area High School Cafeteria
Crafts, Bake Sale, Concession
Admission Donation $1.00
Proceeds will benefit
Project Graduation

LER Holiday Craft Fair
Saturday, December 1st
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
at Laura Richards School
Proceeds benefit LER students

To rent a table, or for more information on either of these events please contact Valerie Hanscom at 582-8182 or evakghanscom@msn.com

Tardiness and Dismissals
If your arrives after 8:25 he or she is considered tardy. If your child is signed out before 2:55 it is considered a dismissal. All tardiness and dismissals are part of your child’s permanent attendance records. It is important for children to be present for the entire school day as it does impact their learning.

SmileSafe Kids Cards
The SmileSafe Kids Program, one of the nation’s largest child safety initiatives, is a partnership between LifeTouch, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and thousands of schools nationwide. All students who were photographed on picture day are receiving a complimentary pair of SmileSafe Kids Safety ID cards which came home this week with your student. For more information, please visit www.smilesafekids.com.

Box Tops for Education
The results are in, and our LER family raised $237.50 during the BoxTop fundraiser for October. Soon we will have enough money raised to invite a special person to visit our school. Keep up the good work!

Have you filled the turkey sheet that came home with your student for this month’s contest? Each Box Top for Education symbol is worth 10 cents to our school. Students are encouraged to fill as many sheets as they can, and return completed sheets to the collection box in each classroom. Each grade level classroom collecting the most Box Tops each month will win a prize!

Star Students
Each week, we recognize a Star Student from each classroom. Each teacher chooses a student who has demonstrated the character skill of the month. Each Star Students receives a certificate, a special pencil, and has his or her picture taken for our Star Student bulletin board in the lobby. Stop by and check it out! October’s skill was respect. November’s skill is positive attitude. Congratulations to all of our Star Students!

Head Lice
There have been a few cases of head lice found at LER.

Whenever a child is found to have live lice or viable nits (nits less than 1/2 inch away from the scalp) the child will need to go home for treatment. The child may return to school after being treated. Once you have treated your child you are encouraged to check his/her head every day for the next few weeks. It is helpful for all parents to check their children’s heads for lice off and on through out the year.

The treated child can be reinfested by lice, which were hiding in the seams of clothing, blankets or from brushes and combs. A thorough cleaning of these objects is necessary at the same time the child is treated. The backs of upholstered furniture, car seats, etc., should be thoroughly vacuumed

Remember, the best way to control this problem is for parents to examine their child’s head frequently for lice or nits (eggs), and if they find that their child has become infested, please call the school immediately so we are aware of the problem.

For more information on the prevention and/or treatment of head lice, please call your health care professional, our school nurse, or visit our website. There is a link under “School Nurse.” Thank you!

Early Release Days
Our next Early Release Day will be Wednesday, December 19th. Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30. There is no Early Release Day during November.

It’s time for Parent-Teacher Conferences
Here are some great tips on:
How To Make Parent-Teacher Conferences Work for Your Child

You've been asked to attend a regularly scheduled "report card" conference with your child's teacher. Or you've gotten a special note from your child's teacher asking to see you. In either case, you might be a little nervous.

Well, relax. Teachers don't want to put parents on the spot. They just like to meet with parents from time to time to discuss how to help students do their best in school.

All children learn in different ways. They have their own individual personalities, and their own listening and work habits. To help their students learn new knowledge and skills, teachers must know as much as they can about each child's likes and dislikes. No one knows more about these things than you, the parents. And no one has more influence over your children than you.

That's why teachers need your help to do a first-class job. Working together, you and the teacher can help your child have a successful school year.

Here Are Some Things To Keep in Mind
* Start the conference right: be there on time, and plan not to run over the amount of time that has been set aside, usually about 15-20 minutes.
* If you are a working parent who can't arrange to meet during regular hours, make this clear to the teacher and try to set up a time to meet that is good for both of you.
* The best conferences are those in which both teachers and parents stay calm and try hard to work together for one purpose and one purpose only: to help your child do well. Arguing, or blaming each other for problems your child is having, helps no one.

Getting Ready
Each teacher will probably come prepared with samples of your children's work and with ideas to help them do even better in school. You should get ready for each conference, too.

Talk to your children before the conference. Find out what they think are their best subjects, and what subjects they like the least. Find out why. Also, ask your children if there is anything they would like you to talk about with their teachers. Make sure your children don't worry about the meeting. Help them understand that you and their teacher(s) are meeting together in order to help them.

Before you go to the school, write notes to yourself about:
* things about your child's life at home, personality, problems, habits, and hobbies you feel it's important for the teacher to know
* your concerns about the school's programs or policies
* questions about your child's progress
* how you and the school can work together to help your child
If your spouse can't attend the conference with you, ask for his or her concerns and questions.

The Conference
Some good questions to ask are these:
* Is my child in different groups for different subjects? Why?
* How well does my child get along with others?
* What are my child's best and worst subjects?
* Is my child working up to his or her ability?
* Does my child participate in class discussions and activities?
* Has my child missed any classes other than ones I contacted the school about?
* Have you noticed any sudden changes in the way my child acts? For example, have you noticed any squinting, tiredness or moodiness that might be a sign of physical or other problems?
* What kinds of tests are being done? What do the tests tell about my child's progress?
* How does my child handle taking tests?

It's a good idea to ask your most important questions first, just in case time runs out before you and the teacher have a chance to discuss them all. Be sure to ask the teacher for specific suggestions on ways to help your child do better. This is the most important part of the meeting. It will become your action plan. If the teacher says something you don't quite understand, don't be shy about asking for an explanation. It's a good idea to end the conference by summing up decisions you've made together. If needed, ask to meet again.

After the Conference
Start immediately on the action plan you and the teacher worked out together. Discuss the plan with your child. Make sure he or she knows that you and the teacher care. To see if the action plan is working, watch your child's behavior and check your child's class work and homework.

Stay in regular touch with the teacher to discuss the progress your child is making. Meeting with your child's teachers should help build strong parent-teacher partnerships — partnerships that are needed if you and your child's teachers are to reach your common goal of helping your child get the best education possible.

November 16, 2007

Principal’s Notes

Dear Families,

I decided not to write a message today but to share a poem with you instead!

Thanksgiving
It's the time of year when we're reminded to give thanks.
Instead of waiting until next year to be reminded,
Let's make every day one of thanksgiving;
After all, each day is a unique gift.
So, give a hug for no reason;
Say I love you, just because;
Share a smile with a stranger;
Take the time to count your blessings;
Don't take anything or anyone for granted;
And end each day with no regrets.
Thank you, my friends and family,
For sharing, caring, laughing and crying with me.
I'm truly blessed to have each and every one of you in my life
And I am thankful you have allowed me
To be a part of yours.
May you and yours have a safe and memorable Thanksgiving.

Author Unknown.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

Yours in the service of children,
Mrs. Karen Moody

Walking School Bus
Join us at the Common every Tuesday at 7:55, weather permitting, as we walk to school together! Parents are always welcome to join us.

Early Release Days
Our next Early Release Day will be Wednesday, December 19th. Elementary school students are dismissed
at 12:30.

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, December 4th at 6:00 pm at River View Community School.

Family Fun Night: Join us at RVCS for a game night on Friday, November 30th from 6:00 - 7:30! Bring your favorite game. Look for the sign up sheet in your child's bookbag!

Gift Basket Fundraiser: We are soliciting items from area businesses for gift baskets that we will be raffling off. If you would like to donate something, please send the item(s) to LER. We will have three theme baskets - Dad, Mom, and Family). Items need to be in by Monday, November 26th. For more information email GEPTAnews@gmail.com or call Helen at 582-6492

Scholastic Book Fair: LER is hosting their annual book fair on
Tuesday, 11/20 from 12 - 3:30,
Tuesday, 11/27 from 8:30 - 10:30 and 2:00 - 4:00,
Thursday 11/29 from 5:00 - 7:00, and
Monday 12/3 from 8:30 - 10:30 and 2:00 - 4:00.
We will also be open during the LER Craft fair on December 1 from 9 - 2. Books always make wonderful gifts! If you are able to sit at the booth for an hour or so please email geptanews@gmail.com or call Tiffany at
582-5222.

Thank you to everyone who sent food into the teachers during conferences! Everything was delicious and appreciated!

If you would like to get involved in upcoming events, email us at GEPTAnews@gmail.com. There are opportunities of all sizes!

No School
Please note that there is no school Wednesday, November 21st through Friday, November 23rd. Enjoy this special time with your family!

Picture Retake Day
LifeTouch will be at LER for picture retakes on Wednesday, November 28th. Here’s your chance if your child was absent, forgot portrait money, needs a retake, didn’t buy portraits or you want to buy more. For retakes - be sure to return the original portrait package! To purchase new portraits - pick up a flyer in advance from the LER office.

Gardiner Football Rally
There is a parade and rally planned in support of the Gardiner Football Team who will be playing in the Class B State Championship Saturday evening. The event will be held Friday starting at 6:00 pm. The parade will begin at Hannaford, go up Bridge Street by McDonald’s, down Water Street and end at the boat landing where there will be a bonfire and cookout. Tiger fans are encouraged to line the parade route and follow the team to the boat landing. These events are being sponsored by parents and friends of the football players. (This is not an M.S.A.D. #11 sponsored event)

LER Holiday Craft Fair
Saturday, December 1st
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
at Laura Richards School
Proceeds benefit LER students
To rent a table, or for more information please contact Valerie Hanscom at 582-8182 or evakghanscom@msn.com

Gardiner Area Music Boosters
9th Annual Holiday Alumni Concert
Saturday, November 24, 2007, 6:00 pm
Gardiner Area High School Little Theater
Admission: Adults, $8.00
Seniors & students, $5.00
Family, $25.00
Tickets sold at the door.
Enjoy catching up with Alumni at intermission with complimentary coffee and desserts donated by area businesses.

Box Tops for Education
Have you filled the turkey sheet that came home with your student for this month’s contest? Each Box Top for Education symbol is worth 10 cents to our school. Students are encouraged to fill as many sheets as they can, and return completed sheets to the collection box in each classroom. Each grade level classroom collecting the most Box Tops each month will win a prize!

Children’s Discovery Museum
Start the Holiday season with us!
Check out these upcoming events –
For more information, please visit www.childrensdiscoverymuseum.org

Make, Take & Bake a Holiday Pie
Nov. 21st, Wednesday before Thanksgiving
Help with the family preparation of the Thanksgiving dinner with a contribution of a pie!! Come between 12-3pm and make your very own Apple Pie! Must pre-register for this hands-on cooking lesson! No extra fee required but as always, donations are welcome.

Drop N Shop, It’s Pajama Day!!
Nov. 23rd, Friday after Thanksgiving
What better way to start your holiday shopping (without the kids). Leave them at CDM for half a day or a full day and get your shopping done!! Kids, you can come dressed in your comfy pj’s and spend a day at the museum instead of inside a store with your parents. Fun activities planned all day. All kids must be pre-registered. Hours are available in 4 hour increments, from 9am to 1pm and 1pm to 5pm. Each 4 hour increment is $15 per child. Snacks will be provided but kids must bring their own bagged lunch.

Downtown Augusta Holiday Open House!
Nov. 24th, Saturday after Thanksgiving
Come celebrate the lighting of the Downtown Augusta Tree by stopping by the museum to enjoy some holiday cheer. Decorate cookies, make ornaments and drink hot cocoa. Open from 10 to 5pm. Half price admission for all!!!

The Whimsical Art Auction
November 29th, 6pm to 8pm at the Benjamin Wales Bed & Breakfast in Hallowell.
Come enjoy an elegant evening of silent bidding on fine, functional and wearable art and creative gifts. All art is donated by local Maine artists and businesses. Guests will be treated to wonderful food by White Flour Catering as well as entertainment and drinks!
Generously sponsored by area supporters:
Kennebec Savings Bank, The Cote Corporation,
Manchester Dentistry, Facial and Oral Surgery Associates, Dr. Robert Patenaude

For tickets and more information, please call the museum at 622-2209. Or e-mail us at info@childrensdiscoverymuseum.org

Turkey Facts

We will gobble you some of the interesting turkey facts that you may pass on to your friends on Thanksgiving Day:

* There are many reasons given being the name 'Turkey' for the particular bird. While some think it simply because it produces the sound of 'turk,
turk…', others trace it back to the Native American version of the name of the bird, which was 'Firkee'. Some others connect the origin of the word to Christopher Columbus, who mistook America for India and 'turkey' for a type of peacock. Thus, he tried to name the word based on the Tamil translation of peacock, which he knew was 'Tuka'. Though, it was discovered later that the bird actually belonged to the pheasant family, people kept using the name for the bird.

* While there was some conflict over 'turkey' and 'bald eagle' for being the National Bird of America. Benjamin Franklin voted out 'bald eagle' for being cowardly.

* Though people prefer the meat of older male turkeys for they find younger tom turkeys to be too stringy, they prefer younger female turkeys for older female ones have tougher meat.

* People do name turkeys according to their age - Turkeys less than sixteen weeks old are called 'fryers' while those between five to seven months of age are called 'young roasters'.

* Turkey is the only native poultry breed of the Western Hemisphere.

* Turkeys have great hearing skills but no ears.

* Turkeys can see in colors, have excellent visual acuity and their field of vision spans across about 270 degrees.

* Turkeys have poor sense of smell but great sense of taste.

* Wild turkeys can fly at a speed of as much as 55 miles per hour over short distances and are good runners with a speed of about 25 miles per hour.

* Turkeys are so sensitive that they can drown by looking up while it is raining and can have heart attacks due to sudden shocks.

* Next time on Thanksgiving Day, try the ballroom dance known as the 'Turkey Trot', which is based on the short, jerky steps of the turkeys.

November is Positive Attitude Month!

The following is taken from
Parenting Perspectives
by Virginia Harvey, PhD, NCSP

Positive attitudes - These attitudes include thinking positively, encouraging ourselves to try, being determined to to persist until we achieve success, and applying a problem-solving approach when we encounter difficult situations. Positive attitudes reflect a sense of power, promise, purpose, worth, and “self-efficacy.” Children and adolescents with positive attitudes are optimistic. They believe that when they try they can learn, achieve in school, and have successful careers. They also believe they are capable of making friends. Parents and other adults play a critical role in helping children and adolescents to develop these positive attitudes. Many successful persons remember specific adults who gave them words of encouragement when they were young, resulting in the development of positive attitudes.

November 30, 2007

Principal’s Notes
Dear Families,

Students at Laura Richards have done a fantastic job this month on showing a “Positive Attitude” while at school. They all seem to understand that it means to “try like crazy!” Please be sure to take a look on our school website to see the students who were recognized. Again, use the LER Navigation Menu on the left when you go to the website. Click on Star Students…and there they will be!

Speaking of the website, I hope you will take a look at what is on it so far!! There are lots of pictures of students in action during celebrations, learning activities, and school programs we’ve had so far this year. There is also lots of information available as resources for families. I hope you will visit the site and let me know what you think. Really use the LER Navigation Menu on the left side to find your way around our website. It is pretty organized!

The Super Kids skill for the month of December is “Caring”. We are talking with students about how they can show kindness to others using words and actions. Students are encouraged to say kind greetings to one another and give compliments to other students. They are also encouraged to practice acts of kindness by sharing, helping each other in class or on the playground, and by praising each other with “high fives and smiles!” The best acts of kindness are the ones no one expects!

Please encourage your child to zip up! It is really starting to feel like winter! Students will be going outside unless it’s too cold or slippery. Hats, mittens, scarves, ski pants, and boots are really needed for students to comfortably play outside. We do have a rule that children need boots and ski pants to play in the snow on the field. If not, they have to stay on the pavement; otherwise, students get too cold and wet. You may want to send an extra set of clothing to keep at school for those times when students may get wet.

As always, if you ever have a question, comment, or suggestion that you want to discuss with me, please feel free to call (582-3612) or stop by my office and visit!

Yours in the service of children,
Karen Moody, Principal

Upcoming Events

November
30th: GEPTA Family Fun Night, 6:00-7:30 at River View

December
1st: LER Holiday Craft Fair & Scholastic Book Fair, 9:00 - 2:00
3rd: Book Fair, 8:30-10:30 & 2:00-4:00
4th: Walking School Bus, 7:55
4th: GEPTA meeting, 6:00 at River View
7th: Grade 2 to GAHS for middle school drama club play, 9:00
11th: Walking School Bus, 7:55
14th: GEPTA Holiday Family Fun Night at LER - more info to follow
17th: Sing-a-long, 2:00
19th: Early Release Day, students dismissed at 12:30
18th: Walking School Bus, 7:55
24th: Winter break begins. Have a safe & cozy vacation!

For safety reasons,please do not drop your child off at school before 8:10. There is no supervision inside or on the playground until then.

December’s Character Skill is CARING!

Menu correction:The choices for Monday, December 17th should be hamburger on a wheat roll or stuffed shells with Italian bread. Please make a note of this on your copy at home.

Walking School Bus
Join us at the Common every Tuesday at 7:55, weather permitting, as we walk to school together! Parents are always welcome to join us.

Early Release Days
Our next Early Release Day will be Wednesday, December 19th. Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30.

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, December 4th at 6:00 pm in the RVCS cafeteria.

Family Fun Game Night: Friday, November 30, 2007 from 6:00 to 7:30 at RVCS. Bring your favorite game. Come join us for a night of fun!

Gift Basket Fundraiser: Tickets are going home on Friday, November 30th. Each child will have a book of 6 tickets to sell for $1.00 each 0r six for $5.00. If you need more tickets please call the school or send in a note. The Gift Baskets will be on display at Family Fun Game Night and at the LER Craft Fair on December 1 from 9:00 to 2:00. The drawing will be held at the Holiday Family Fun Night on December 14th at LER. The proceeds from this raffle will help fund our Family Fun Nights!

Scholastic Book Fair: It’s not too late to visit the book fair! We will be open during the LER Craft fair on Saturday, December 1st from 9:00 to 2:00, and Monday, December 3rd from 8:30 - 10:30 and
2:00 - 4:00. Books always make wonderful gifts!
If you would like to help out please contact geptanews@gmail.com or come by!

Bake Sale: We are having a bake sale during the LER Craft Fair. Be sure to come by for something yummy! We are still looking for baked goods which can be brought to the Family Fun Game Night at RV or brought to LER the morning of the craft fair.

Meadow Farms Fundraiser “Thank You”
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Meadow Farms fundraiser! Our contact person from Meadow Farms informed us that we had the third highest participation rate in the entire state! Your participation was the key to our success with this very important fundraiser. Thanks you once again!
Hannaford Helps Schools - From September 2nd through December 1st, shoppers received school dollar certificates at the register with the purchase of participating products, which Hannaford will redeem for cash for our school. Hannaford will also grant an additional $1,000 to the school that raises the most funds! Please be sure to send these valuable certificates to school during the coming week so that we can redeem them before our deadline.

LER Holiday Craft Fair
Saturday, December 1st
9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Crafts, GEPTA bake sale, Scholastic Book Fair
concession, raffles, and much more!
Proceeds benefit LER students
For more information please contact Valerie Hanscom at 582-8182 or evakghanscom@msn.com

December 14, 2007

Principal’s Notes
Dear Families,

How appropriate that December’s SuperKid’s skill is “Caring”! Every morning during announcements I remind children what it means to show kindness to others. They can use their words to be kind by giving friendly greetings to each other, by giving compliments to someone, and by saying “I accept your apology” when someone does something to them that was not kind. Children are also encouraged to show kindness with actions. This includes sharing and taking turns and helping someone who may need help with reading or understanding directions to an activity. I love it when I visit classrooms and walk through the halls and children share with me how they have shown caring to others!

Showing caring to others starts at home. You are your child’s first teacher and make the biggest difference in developing the person they will grow up to be. Showing your children how to be kind to others by visiting an elderly family member or friend, giving to the needy, volunteering at a community supper, or saying friendly greetings to others, models kindness for children. Another way to model kindness to your children is by forgiving family and friends who may have offended you. This is so very difficult, but it does make a huge impact on how your children will build and keep relationships with others.

At this time I wish to send my best wishes for love and happiness to you and your family! I hope you enjoy the December break with your family and friends. Stay safe and rest!

How far that little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a weary world.
~William Shakespeare

Yours in the service of children,
Karen Moody

Upcoming Events
December
14th: GEPTA Holiday Family Fun Night at LER, 6:00 - 7:30
17th: Sing-a-long, 2:00 - Parents are welcome to join us!
18th: Reindeer visit, 9:15 - 11:30 - Please note the new date
19th: Early Release Day, students dismissed at 12:30
21st: Grade 2, Holiday caroling, 1:45
24th: Winter break begins. Have a safe & cozy vacation!

January
2nd: Students and staff return.Welcome back!
8th: GEPTA meeting, 6:00 at RVCS
21st: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - no school

Walking School Bus
Our Walking School Bus has been postponed for the winter. We look forward to starting again when the warmer weather returns. Be watching the newsletter for more information!

Box Tops for Education
Have you filled the snowflake sheet that came home with your student for this month’s contest? Each Box Top for Education symbol is worth 10 cents to our school. Students are encouraged to fill as many sheets as they can and return their completed sheets to school. Each grade level classroom collecting the most Box Tops each month will win a prize!

Star Students
Each week, our teachers choose a Star Student from their classroom who has demonstrated the character skill of the month. Each Star Student receives a certificate, a special pencil, and has his or her picture taken for our Star Student bulletin board in the lobby. Stop by and check it out! December’s skill is caring. Congratulations to all of our Star Students!

Host Family Needed for AFS Teacher
LER will be welcoming AFS teacher Zhi Zhang from China, who goes by the name of “Big John.” He will be at LER sharing his language and culture with our students and staff from January 2nd through February 15th.

We are in need of a host family for Mr. Zhang. If you would like information on this wonderful opportunity for your family, please contact our AFS coordinator, Larry Ralph at 626-0779.

No School Announcements
In the event that schools are unable to open due to inclement weather, announcements will be broadcast on TV stations channel 6, 8, & 13 and by radio stations WABK and WMME as early as possible. Cancellations are also posted on WABI’s StormWatch at www.wabi.tv. Please listen for the announcements and do not call the schools, principals, superintendent, or teachers. Occasionally, school is dismissed early during the day, which would also be announced on these radio and television stations.

Bundle Up ... It’s Getting Cold Outside
Now that cold weather is here, students need to dress appropriately for outside recess - including hats and mittens or gloves, boots and snow pants. When there is snow on the playground, students who are not wearing boots and snow pants will need to stay on the paved areas.

Each student should have a complete change of clothing to be kept at school or in his/her backpack. Be sure to label all of your child’s belongings.

We continue to hold recess outdoors throughout the winter unless the weather is exceptionally cold. All students are expected to participate in outside recess unless there is a health reason accompanied by a doctor’s note.

Spare Shoes or Sneakers at School
Students should bring a pair of shoes or sneakers to school each day, or leave a spare pair in their locker or cubby, to wear during the day instead of boots. Please note that slippers are not permitted.

Emergency Contact Information
Please remember to notify the school whenever you have a change in phone numbers, address, or other contact information for you or the people you have listed on your child’s emergency form. We sometimes have difficulty reaching a parent or guardian because contact information has changed and we have not been informed. It is very important that the school be able to reach you in case of emergency.

Ongoing Fundraisers- LER participates in these ongoing programs which will help us to raise funds for our school:

Campbell’s Labels for Education -Collect UPC codes and logos instead of front labels from Campbell’s products as well as many other products with the “Labels for Education” logo. Remember that Campbell’s no longer accepts the front labels for redemption. Please send us only the UPC code and logo.

Reindeer & Fallow Deer Visit
LER will be hosting some very special visitors on Tuesday, December 18th from 9:15 to 11:30. (Please note the new date!) We have a reindeer and fallow deer coming with their caretaker. Pre-K students, kindergarteners, and first graders will get to walk through and pet a very friendly European Fallow Deer. Second graders will be having a very special half-hour presentation with more in-depth information about deer. The visits will take place on the paved area near the big playground.

9:30-10:00: Pre-K and kindergarten.Afternoon Pre-K families are welcome to bring their student for this half hour to walk through and pet the deer!

10:00-10:30: Grade 1

10:30-11:30: Two half-hour presentations for second graders (Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Canning will visit at 10:30, Ms.Brown and Mrs. Murphy will visit at 11:00.)

If your child will be leaving school at the end of the day other than in their usual manner, please send in a note or call the office. Remember that we can only release students to the people you have listed on the blue emergency contact form.

Please note that if your arrives after 8:25 he or she is considered tardy. If your child is signed out before 2:55 it is considered a dismissal. All tardiness and dismissals are part of your child’s permanent attendance records.

Thank you for respecting our learning time by making sure your child arrives on time each day, and by not dismissing your child early unless it is an emergency!

Head Lice
There have been a few cases of head lice found at LER. Whenever a child is found to have live lice or viable nits (nits less than 1/2 inch away from the scalp) the child will need to go home for treatment. The child may return to school after being treated. Once you have treated your child you are encouraged to check his/her head every day for the next few weeks. It is helpful for all parents to check their children’s heads for lice off and on through out the year.

For more information on the prevention and/or treatment of head lice, please call your health care professional, our school nurse, or visit our website. There is a link under “School Nurse.” !

Spare Clothing
We cannot stress enough how helpful it is for each student to have a complete change of clothing to be kept at school or in his/her backpack. It is sometimes not convenient for parents to bring clothing in if a child spills a snack, falls in the slush, or needs extra clothing during the school day for any reason. This time of year finds us spending a great deal of time each day trying to reach parents to bring clothing to school. This also means lost class time for your student!

January 11, 2008

Principal’s Notes
Dear Families,
“Happy New Year 2008” to you! I hope you all enjoyed your December break and were able to spend quality time with your families and friends.
So…did you make any New Year’s resolutions? I don’t know about you, but as good as my intentions are, I have difficulty following through to make these changes last and permanently change my life for the better. Jeanie Davis authored a great article that offers great tips on how to keep resolutions alive throughout the year. Here they are:

1. Take time to reflect: Many of us do, do, do! Be sure to take time to think deeply about who you are and where you want your life to go!
2. Tune into your passions: Focus on who you are, on producing a life you can enjoy. We're all given talents. Focus on those.
3. Pinpoint what drains your energy: Everyone has different irritants that drain their energy. Try to recognize them for yourself so that you can prioritize what is important…and let the little stuff go!
4. Harness the power of emotion: Emotions are much more powerful than logic. So, focus on the emotions -- happiness, satisfaction, and exhilaration -- that you will feel if you achieve your goal. It's about spending more time feeling good rather than feeling bad."
5. Develop a support group: Too often, we try to make changes alone. It helps to have a support group -- family, friends, whoever -- to help keep you on track.
6. Visualize yourself making the change: It's a step-by-step process in which you imagine yourself performing in a certain way.
7. Be brave: It takes courage to move out of your comfort zone. Success breeds success. After you've made one change, you feel the passion and like it, because you have ventured out of your comfort zone and succeeded. You're then motivated to make other changes.
8. If I may, I would like to add… be kind to yourself! Recognize that you will have good days and “not so good” days. (And if all else fails…there’s always 2009!)

If you plan to make resolutions, I encourage you to make ones that will also positively impact your children, such as buying healthier snacks, spending quality time together, and reading together more often. My wish for you is that 2008 be the happiest and healthiest one yet!
Yours in the service of children,
Karen Moody

Upcoming Events
January
18th: End of second quarter
21st: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - no school
27th: GEPTA Family Health Day,1:00 - 3:00 at LER
February
1st: Sugar-Out Day
5th: GEPTA meeting at LER, 6:00
18th-22nd: Winter break

Walking School Bus
Our Walking School Bus has been postponed for the winter. We look forward to starting again when the warmer weather returns. Be watching the newsletter for more information!

Early Release Day
Our next Early Release Day will be Wednesday, March 19th.Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30.
(There is no Early Release Day for January or February.)

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

Knights of Columbus
FREE THROW CHAMPIONSHIP
for boys and girls ages 8 to 14
on Sunday, January 20th
in the LER gym
at 11:00 a.m.
Please sign up at 10:30.
For more information,
please contact
Pat Berends at 446-4011.

The treated child can be reinfested by lice, which were hiding in the seams of clothing, blanket or from brushes and combs. A thorough cleaning of these objects is necessary at the same time the child is treated. The backs of upholstered furniture, car seats, etc., should be thoroughly vacuumed.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, February 5th, 2008 at 6:00 pm in the LER cafeteria. Childcare is available.
If you would like to be involved please email GEPTAnews@gmail.com. There are opportunities of all sizes (and you don’t need to come to a meeting!)

Family Fun Nights:
November’s Family Game Night was a hit! It was great seeing all the different games being played. We raffled off three baskets filled with Scholastic books and posters.
December’s Holiday Family Fun Night was enjoyed by all. Everyone had fun making ornaments, cards, and decorating cookies! We finished our Basket Fundraiser that evening.
Our next Family Fun Night will be Family Fun Food & Fitness Day on Sunday, January 27 from 1:00 – 3:00 held at LER in the cafeteria and gymnasium. Join us for an afternoon of fun, fitness, and good healthy food ideas!

Here’s a recap of what GEPTA has done this school year:
Meals for the teachers/staff for First Day of School
Octoberfest
Scholastic Book fairs at LER and RVCS (we earned over $1000 in free books!)
Meals for teachers during conferences
Fall Support to teachers (each teacher received a check to help with classroom supplies)
Family Fun Nights
Sponsored field trips
New swings at RVCS
Holiday Bazaar at RVCS

Recycling Request: We are looking for Holiday cards to use for next years Holiday Family Fun night!

Menu Corrections
The menu selections for Tuesday, January 29th will be Teriyaki chicken or shepherd’s pie,broccoli florets with low fat Ranch dressing, juice, apple crisp.

Friday, February 1st is “Sugar-Out Day.”
The menu will be toasted cheese or hamburger on a wheat roll, chicken & rice soup, corn on the cob, fresh apples. Please make a note of these changes on your menu at home.

January’s Character Skill is TEAMWORK!

A Message from Our AFS Teacher “John”
My name is Zhixiang Zhang and you can call me John. I am a visiting teacher of AFS program, which works to create a more peaceful and just world. I am an English teacher in Ma’anshan No.2 High School, Anhui Province China. My school is the first model high school in our province. And it is a well-equipped high school with high reputation in Anhui and even in China.
I feel very lucky to be able to study and teach in the States. And I feel more fortunate and excited to come to your school, Laura E. Richards School. Since my first arrival, I have been feeling warmth and friendliness from you. I believe with your great help, I can learn a lot from you.
During my stay here from Jan.2 till February vacation, not only do I want to improve myself professionally, but want to communicate with your children about Chinese culture as well. To help people know more about China, to let foreigners know a real China, I’d love to be a cultural ambassador to share with you some perspectives and exchange ideas. The topics I’d like to share with your children are as follows:

1.China’s national flag, national anthem, and national emblem.
2.Some basic everyday Chinese
3.Some Chinese characters
4.Counting in Chinese
5.Chinese currency
6.Chinese eye exercise
7.Chinese songs
8.Chinese festivals and holidays
9.Tourist attractions in China
10.Students’ everyday life in China
11.Family life in China
12.Chinese food and cooking
13.Chinese calligraphy
14.Taiji (Taichi) 15.Chinese knot
16.Paper-cutting and paper-folding
17.History and geography of China
18.Chinese wedding customs
19.Chinese lunar calendar and zodiac
20.Chinese mythology
21.Chinese fables, stories, and poetry
22.Political situation in China
23.Introduction to my province
24.Some information about 2008 Olympics in China

My email address is zxz0818@ahmasez.com.cn or zzxafs@hotmail.com. Thank you very much!

January 25, 2008

Message from the Principal

Dear Families,

Well Mother Nature has certainly made getting back into routines after the holiday break quite challenging! Looking at the extended forecast, we may get to enjoy at least two full weeks of school. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!!
An exciting decision was made this week! After participating in an overview presentation, the teaching staff at LER decided that we would pilot a reading software program called Lexia. This reading program is multi-sensory in design and delivery. It automatically individualizes instructional needs of each child. So, very soon, we will have the program downloaded for our use for 60 days. I am sure your child will enjoy the program and see great results!
This Sunday our GEPTA will be hosting a family fitness and nutrition fun day. I hope many of you will be able to attend. This family event may help those of us suffering from “Cabin Fever” (at least for a couple of hours)! I am sure it will be fun and informative as well.
This month’s Star Student skill is Teamwork. Students at LER are concentrating on how to work well with others in a team to complete projects or play games in their classrooms. We are emphasizing to them the importance of listening to each other’s ideas, compromising…being willing to do it someone else’s way, cheering for each other, and encouraging teammates to do their best when difficulties arise. We really enjoy recognizing students every week! They are so proud of themselves! I also love hearing students tell me how hard they are trying to show the character skills that we are working on. The positive messages and recognition of the students do make a difference in the climate of our school. Be sure to check out our website to see our star students!
Be safe and stay warm while enjoying, okay surviving, this winter season! If you ever have a question, concern, suggestion, or want to chat, please call or stop in!

Yours in the service of children,

Karen Moody
Principal

Upcoming Events

January
27th: GEPTA Family Health Day, 1:00 - 3:00 at LER
28th: Report cards go home
31st: Assembly in LER Gym, 8:45

February
1st: Sugar-Out Day
5th: GEPTA meeting at LER, 6:00
7th: Read-a-thon kick-off assembly
18th-22nd: Winter vacation
25th: Students & staff return
28th: Read-a-thon awards assembly

For safety reasons, please do not drop your child off at school before 8:10. There is no supervision inside or on the playground until then.

Early Release Day
Our next Early Release Day will be Wednesday, March 19th. Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30. There is no Early Release for February.

January’s Character Skill is TEAMWORK!

Walking School Bus
Our Walking School Bus has been postponed for the winter. We look forward to starting again when the warmer weather returns!

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

Menu Corrections
The menu selections for Tuesday, January 29th will be Teriyaki chicken or shepherd’s pie, broccoli florets with low fat Ranch dressing, juice, and apple crisp.

Friday, February 1st is “Sugar-Out Day.” The menu will be toasted cheese or hamburger on a wheat roll, chicken & rice soup, corn on the cob, and fresh apples.

Please make a note of these changes on your menu at home.

Friday, February 1st is SUGAR-OUT DAY
Sugar-Out Day is held on the first Friday of February as part of the celebration of Children’s Dental Health Month, to bring about an awareness of the role of sugar in oral health, dental decay, and the relationships among oral health, nutrition and overall health. We are asking you to join in by helping your child choose non-sugary snacks and meals for Sugar-Out Day. Why not join your child in observing Sugar-Out Day by giving up sugary foods too!

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be February 5th starting at
6:00 p.m. in the LER library.

Family Fun, Food, and Fitness! Join us for some great free family activities, fantastic food, and fabulous ideas to keep you and your family fit and full of energy! This event will be held Sunday, January 27th, 1:00 -3:00 at LER.

Book Swap - Our annual book swap will be coming in February! Clean out your bookcase - for every book you donate you'll receive a slip for a free book. Stay tuned for more details!

If you are interested in helping out with any of our activities please email GEPTAnews@gmail.com

Last Call for Music Boosters Merchandise
The Gardiner Area Music Boosters is gathering its last order for the school year for T-shirts, sweatshirts, and fleece vests and jackets. Garments come in adult and children’s sizes and have an embroidered Gardiner Music logo. Items can be personalized for an additional fee. If you would like to place an order, please ask your music teacher for an order form. The deadline for ordering is February 11. Delivery will be in late March.

February 8, 2008

Principal’s Notes

Dear Families,
Can you believe it?! The 100th day of school is almost here! If we have no snow days, we will celebrate 100 days of learning on February 12th. Be watching for specific information from your child’s teacher as many teachers ask students to bring in collections of 100 objects.
This Saturday our GEPTA is sponsoring a Book Swap event in the Laura Richards’ gym at 6:00. This is a great chance to bring in books that your children no longer read and “swap” them for other books that are of more interest! Students may bring in books on Friday or at the actual swap on Saturday. A small snack will be served and children may make bookmarks! I hope to see you there!
We have one more week until our February break. I hope you are able to spend some quality “down” time with your family and friends during that time. This break has always been my personal favorite because we have no huge holidays to prepare for! It is just a great time to recharge and reconnect with our loved ones.
As always, if you ever have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or just want to chat, please stop in or give me a call!

Yours in the service of children,
Karen Moody
Principal

Upcoming Events

February
9th: Book Swap at LER, 6:00 pm
12th: 100th Day of School
18th: Presidents’ Day
18th-22nd: Winter vacation
25th: Students & staff return - Welcome back!
25th: All Read-a-thon materials due back at school!
28th: Read-a-thon awards assembly
29th: Happy “Leap Day”

March
4th: GEPTA Meeting, 6:00 at RV
17th: Spring pictures
19th: Early Release - students dismissed at 12:30
26th- 29th: Grandparents visit for lunch
26th: Chewonki visits LER
28th: Chewonki visits LER

Important Note From the Office - Please be sure that we have up-to-date contact information in case we need to reach you during the school day.

Walking School Bus
Our Walking School Bus has been postponed for the winter. We look forward to starting again when the warmer weather returns!

February’s Character Skill is PURSUIT OF QUALITY!

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

2008 - 2009 Pre-School Registration
The Four Year Old Program is currently accepting applications for the 2008 - 2009 school year. This is a preschool program specifically designed for four-year-old children who are ready for a preschool experience. We offer a preschool curriculum that focuses on the whole child and at the same time prepares them for kindergarten. Children must be four years of age on or before October 15, 2008. If you are interested, please call 582-5346 for more information and for an application. Space is limited.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, March 4th starting at 6:00 p.m. at River View School.

Book Swap - Our annual book swap will be Saturday evening, February 9th at 6:00 pm in the LER gym! Clean out your bookcase - for every book you donate you'll receive a slip for a free book. There will be snacks and an opportunity to make bookmarks.

Read-a-thon - Be watching for the white “2008 Read-a-thon” envelope that came home with your student this week. Students will collect pledges and chart the number of minutes they read each day through February 24th. What a great way to help raise money for our River View and LER students, and to earn a chance to win great prizes!

If you are interested in helping out with any of our activities please email GEPTAnews@gmail.com

Last Call for Music Boosters Merchandise
The Gardiner Area Music Boosters is gathering its last order for the school year for T-shirts, sweatshirts, and fleece vests and jackets. If you would like to place an order, please ask your music teacher for an order form or get one from the LER office. The deadline for ordering is Monday, February 11. Delivery will be in late March.

Ongoing Fundraiser News
Please continue to save Box Tops for Education symbols, which are worth 10 cents each for our school! We also continue to collect printer and toner cartridges which are redeemed for cash, and Campbell’s Labels for Education logos which we can use to purchase school supplies.

March 14, 2008

A Note from the Principal

Dear Families,

Spring officially begins this Thursday!! I know I am quite done with winter! Cheerful daffodils and crocuses are just below the ground; sidewalks and yards are becoming clear of ice and snow; and, children are beginning to bring out their bikes to ride in their driveways! I love the bright morning sun and longer days of sunlight! Please continue to encourage your children to dress appropriately. While it may be bright and sunny out, the temperature is still pretty chilly and the March winds can make it quite uncomfortable without a coat, hat, and mittens.

The end of the third quarter has been extended until April 3rd due to the amount of snow days. Parent teacher conferences have also been extended until the week of April 14th. Your child’s teacher will soon be contacting you to set up an appointment. This is a great time to talk with your child’s teacher to discuss the progress your child has made this year.

On that note, we will also begin creating class lists for next year very soon. Teachers will be meeting with me to create balanced classes, which take into account student learning styles, academic needs, friendships, the ratio of boys and girls, and special learning plans. Creating balanced classrooms is a challenging process for sure! We do take into consideration input from parents/guardians as well. While teacher requests are considered, they are not a guarantee. Out top priority is to create balanced classrooms that offer the best learning environments for all students. If you would like to make a teacher request, please make this request to me in writing explaining your educational reasons for the placement. Your request should be sent before April 4, 2008. Again, creating balanced classrooms will remain our top priority. If you have any questions about the placement process, please call me at 582-3612.

Enjoy the beginning of the spring season…especially before the black flies arrive! I hope to see your families out and about as I too begin getting fit again by running about town!

Yours in the service of children,
Karen Moody

Upcoming Events
March
17th: Spring pictures
19th: Early Release - students dismissed at 12:30
26th & 28th: Chewonki visits LER
27th: Superkids Assembly, 8:45
28th: Family Fun Beach Party at RVCS, 6:00 - 7:30
April
1st: GEPTA meeting, 6:00 @ LER
3rd: End of 3rd quarter
19th: Gardiner Music Boosters Craft Fair at LER
21st - 25th: Spring vacation
May
2nd: No kindergarten classes due to k-screening for next year
6th: K-2 Spring concert, 2:00
21st: Early release - students dismissed at 12:30
26th: Memorial Day - no school

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

Kindergarten Registration
It’s kindergarten registration time! If you have a child who will be five years of age on or before October 15, 2008, or if you know of one, please contact the school.

Box Tops and Campbell’s Update
So far, we have collected $695.70 in Box Tops symbols for our school, and a total of 1,234 in Campbell’s points!

GEPTA News
Dr Seuss said, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." LER and RVCS have logged 72,274 minutes of reading! That is more than 50 days! We are definitely going places! We also raised $2000 that will help fund activities for both schools.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 1st at 6:00 at LER. Chidcare will be available.

There will be a meeting to discuss the River View playground on Tuesday, March 18th at 6:00 at RVCS. Come help choose equipment and talk about fund raising. Childcare is available. FMI email geptanews@gmail.com

Family Fun Beach Party! Come have some fun in the sun! March 28th from 6:00 - 7:30. Please send in the reply from the flyer sent home to RSVP, or call Helen 582-6492 or Karen 582-0610 or email geptanews@gmail.com so we know how much food to bring to the beach!

Gardiner Main Street Easter Festivities
Meet outside A1 to Go by 11:00 on Saturday, March 22 and take a stroll down Water Street showing off your creations - bonnets, hats & ties. Free framed photos of the winners in the following categories - Most Traditional, Most Outrageous and Most Charming in both Adult and Children's categories. Storefront Easter Egg Hunt 11:00 to
1:00, and more. All children under 12 are winners!

News from Your School Nurse,
Pat fisher, R.N.
We have been notified of a few cases of Strep Throat at school. Strep throat is the type of sore throat caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria. It is more common in children than adults.

A child who is diagnosed with a strep infection may return to school 24 hours after starting antibiotic therapy and not running a fever.

Please notify the school if your child is diagnosed with a strep infection. To prevent the spread of infection please encourage your child to cover his/her mouth and nose when he/she coughs or sneezes, and wash hands frequently!

A Note from the Office
Please remember that you must stop at the office to sign your child out if you are picking him/her up from school at dismissal time and at any other time during the day.

March 28, 2008

Principal’s Note,
Dear Families,

Spring has officially arrived!! Celebrating the arrival of spring reminds me of my favorite quote, “Bloom where you are planted!” Students are certainly “blooming” at Laura Richards School! Not only have they “bloomed” in size over the winter, but they have also grown and “bloomed” as learners. It is so exciting to visit rooms and see how well students are reading, writing, and engaged in math problem solving! We look forward to sharing your child’s progress at Parent-Teacher conferences on Wednesday, April 16th. Your child’s teacher will be contacting you to set up conference appointments.

The following “Reading Moments” comes from the BoxTop website which can be accessed from the Laura E. Richards website by clicking on “Support Our Schools”. I encourage you to continue to motivate and support your child as they “grow as readers”!

As always, if you ever have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please give me a call at 582-3612 or stop by for a visit!

Yours in the service of children,
Karen Moody

Reading Moments

Finding time for kids to read is important. Even if they don’t sit down with a book, kids still have daily reading opportunities.

Car trips, errands, and waits in checkout lines all provide reading opportunities. Keep books or magazines in your car, diaper bag, or backpack for lulls in the action, even if you only have time to read a few pages. Encourage older kids to bring their favorite reads along.

Other reading moments:
• in the morning, before breakfast or getting dressed
• after dinner, when kids are relaxed
• bath time (with plastic, waterproof books)
• bedtime

Read signs aloud while you're driving. Ask your preschooler to "read" pictures on boxes at the store and tell you about them. Older kids can tell you what's on the shopping list. Around the house, kids can read recipes aloud or peruse a catalog while you read the mail. Ask relatives to send letters or e-mail and read them together. Make sure kids get some time to spend quietly with books, even if it means curtailing time in front of the TV or video games.

Most important, be a reader yourself. Kids who see their parents reading are likely become readers, too!

Upcoming Events

March
28th: Family Fun Beach Party at RVCS, 6:00 - 7:30

April
1st: GEPTA meeting, 6:00 @ LER
3rd: End of 3rd quarter
16th: Parent-Teacher conferences, 3:30 - 7:00
19th: Gardiner Music Boosters Craft Fair at LER
21st - 25th: Spring vacation

May
2nd: No kindergarten classes due to k-screening for next year
6th: K-2 Spring concert, 2:00
16th: District Art Show at GAHS, 3:30 - 7:30
21st: Early release - students dismissed at 12:30
26th: Memorial Day - no school

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

2008 - 2009 Kindergarten
It’s kindergarten registration time! If you have a child who will be five years of age on or before October 15, 2008, please contact the school.

LER Lions T-Shirts
We have LER T-shirts in youth sizes and a variety of great colors for sale in the office for $12.00 each.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 1st at 6:00 in the LER library. Childcare is available.

Lexia is here! Are you wondering what the Lexia program is that your children have been working on? We will have some computers available to check it out!

Family Fun Beach Party! Join us for a beach party at River View Community School on March 28th from 6:00 - 7:30. Come for fun, food, and activities. Please send in RSVP's or email geptanews@gmail.com. If you would like to help while there, please let us know. The more the merrier!

The River View Playground Committee met on March 18th. Eric from Miracle gave a presentation on some of the systems available, and fundraising was discussed. Unfortunately, there was not a big turn out of volunteers. We need families to get involved so we can make sure RVCS has an appropriate playground for our children! There will be drawings available to look at and discuss at the April 1st meeting. We will announce the next playground meeting soon!

Save Your Shaw's Receipts! Do you or your friends and family shop at Shaw's? Help raise funds for a new playground at River View School by bringing in your original Shaw's receipts. Through the Shaw's Receipt Rewards Program, Shaw's will donate 1% of the amount of the receipts. There's no limit to how many receipts you can bring in!

Save your Yogurt Containers! We have started a fund raising/recycling program through Terracycle (www.terracycle.net). Send in your CLEAN 6 oz and 32 oz containers. Look for more information on this great program, coming soon.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up and the GEPTA will provide dinner for the teachers on April 8th at River View, and April 16th at LER. If you would like to help out with this, please call Helen at 582-6492 or email geptanews@gmail.com.

Ongoing Fundraiser News
We continue to collect printer and toner cartridges which are redeemed for cash, BoxTops for Education which are worth 10 cents each to our school, and Campbell’s Labels for Education logos which we can redeem for supplies. Keep on saving!

April 11, 2008

Message from the Principal

Dear Families,

We are finally having a break from “cabin fever”! I love seeing children out playing and riding their bicycles, families out raking their lawns, and nature celebrating the return of warmer temperatures…the spring birds have returned and the daffodils and crocuses are emerging from the muddy mess of the April thaw!

With the return of warmer temperatures, our “Walking School Bus” is also returning. We will meet Tuesday, April 29th at the park at 7:50. I look forward to the brisk walk to school. Exercising is a great way to begin our school day, and I certainly enjoy chatting with students and families along the way!

I would also like to bring your attention to some upcoming events so that you have an opportunity to “plan ahead”:

1. This Monday “The Steelgraves” will be performing a magic show for all our students. There is a 10:00 and 12:30 show.

2. Then on April 16th we will have Parent-Teacher conferences from 3:30-7:00. Please be sure to make an appointment to speak with your child’s teacher.

3. Tuesday, May 6th is our school Music Concert at 2:00 in our gymnasium. Parking at school is a challenge with so many students.

I encourage you to car pool or park at the Gardiner Armory and walk over. Please allow yourselves some extra time for the parking challenges.

I look forward to April vacation this year because of all the illnesses in the building. It is time to spring clean and open up the windows to let the fresh air in! I hope you are able to enjoy the week spending quality time with your families and friends! Stay safe!!

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please stop in or call me at 582-3612. Thank you and…think SPRING!!

Yours in the service of children,
Karen Moody

Upcoming Events
April
12th: GEPTA D.E.A.R. Night, 6:30 in LER gym
14th: Magic Show
16th: Parent-Teacher conferences,3:30 - 7:00
18th: LifeTouch money or photos due at school
19th: Gardiner Music Boosters Craft Fair at LER
21st - 25th: Spring vacation
29th: Walking School Bus - meet at Common at 7:50, weather permitting

May
6th: Walking School Bus - meet at Common at 7:50, weather permitting
6th: K-2 Spring concert, 2:00
6th: GEPTA Meeting at RV, 6:00
9th: No kindergarten classes due to k-screening for next year (please note the new date)
13th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
16th: Mini-Courses, 1:30 - 2:30
16th: District Art Show at GAHS, 3:30 - 7:30
20th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
21st: Early release - students dismissed at 12:30
26th: Memorial Day - no school
27th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
28th: First grade to Gray Animal Park
(Rain Date of May 29th)

June
6th: First Grade Beach Day at LER
9th: North Star Planetarium at LER

The Walking School Bus is Coming Back!
Beginning Tuesday, April 29th, students and parents are invited to join Mrs. Moody and Mr. Anderson at the Gardiner Common at 7:50 each Tuesday morning, weather permitting, as we walk to school together!

School Store
The school store is open in the office on Monday and Wednesday mornings before school.

2008 - 2009 Kindergarten
It’s kindergarten registration time! If you have a child who will be five years of age on or before October 15, 2008, please contact the school.

LER Lions T-Shirts
We have LER T-shirts in youth sizes and a variety of great colors for sale in the office for $12.00 each.

GEPTA News
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, May 6th at
6:00 at River View School. Childcare is available.

River View Playground: We are in the process of choosing a design and planning fundraisers. If you would like to be involved please call Helen (582-6492) or Karen (582-0610) or email geptanews@gmail.com

On going Fund Raisers for River View Playground:

• Shaw's Receipts- bringing in your original Shaw's receipts. Through the Shaw's Receipt Rewards Program, Shaw's will donate 1% of the amount of the receipts. There's no limit to how many receipts you can bring in!

• Terra-cycle - Send in your CLEAN 6 oz and 32 oz containers. Look for a flyer with more details in your child's bookbag.

• Family Fun Magazine - Forms were sent home with your child. Order Family Fun Magazine for $10 and $5 stays with GEPTA! This is a great magazine that promotes fun family activities !

The Family Fun Beach Party was a big success! Thank you to everyone who helped out that evening and during the beach day earlier! Over 100 people enjoyed a night at the beach! Check out the pictures on msad11.org/ler .

D.E.A.R. Night - Join us for our monthly Family Fun Night by dropping everything and reading! Come April 12 at 6:30 to the LER gym, dressed in your PJ's for some bedtime stories and cookies & milk!

Spring Picture Reminder
All LifeTouch money should be turned in to school by Friday, April 18th. Any photos or packages that you will not be purchasing should be returned to school by that date also. Thank you!

LER Spring Concert
Our K-2 students will be performing in the LER Spring Concert on Tuesday, May 6th at 2:00 in the LER gym.

Kindergarten Schedule Alert
There will be no school for LER kindergarten students on Friday, May 9th as our teachers will be participating in the screening of our incoming K-students.

Box Tops Contest Winners
The classrooms bringing in the most Box Tops were Mrs. Ellis’ a.m. pre-K, Mrs. Carey’s Kindergarten, Mrs. Cockrell’s first grade, and Mrs. Smith’s second grade. Our school collected $275.70 in Box Tops for Education during February and March!
Each Box Top for Education symbol is worth 10 cents to our school. Students are encouraged to continue saving as many sheets as they can and return their completed sheets to school.

Star Students
Each week, our teachers choose a Star Student from their classroom who has demonstrated the character skill of the month. Each Star Student receives a certificate, a special pencil, and has his or her picture taken for the LER website. April’s skill is PROBLEM SOLVING!

June 6, 2008

June Upcoming Events
6th: Pre-K Family Fun Day
6th: Family BBQ
6th: First Grade Beach Day at LER
9th: School store open
9th: Northern Star Planetarium at LER
10th: Last Walking School Bus of the school year, 7:50
10th: Budget vote, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm at Boys & Girls Club
10th: Kindergarten to Boothbay
11th: School store open
11th: Field Day, 9:00 - 11:00
13th: Second Graders visit River View, 9:50 - 11:00
13th: Second Grade Fun Day at LER
16th: School store open
16th: K & 1 Step-up, 2:00
16th: Last day for Pre-K
16th: Assembly at 2:20 - please note the new time!
17th: Last day of school for students! Elementary students dismissed at 12:30

Message from the Principal
Dear Families,
As I write this message, I just can’t believe that it is the last one for the year! The year has been full of great learning experiences for students! It just does not seem possible that we are coming to an end with only 7 ½ days left.
I want to thank you all for a wonderful first year here at Laura Richards School as building principal. I feel so blessed to work with such talented and dedicated educators as well as caring and supportive families. I am so very happy to be back here serving the students and families in my own community. Again, thank you!
This year we will be letting K-2 students know who their next year’s teachers are prior to leaving for the summer. Class lists have been finalized, and a classroom placement letter will be sent home next Thursday, June 12th. Second grade will be having a ‘Step-up day” next Friday, June 13th as part of their Fun Day. They will be visiting River View School from 10:00-10:45. Permission slips will be coming home for this. Kindergarten and Grade 1 students will have their Step up day on Monday, June 16th at 2:00. At 2:20 on the 16th, we will have our end of year assembly.
We have a couple of all school fun activities coming right up as well:
Tomorrow is our Family Barbeque. Please remember to bring blankets or chairs to sit on. The plan is for parents to eat with their children at the times listed on the next page. If you were unable to send in a sign up sheet for lunch, please s