LER Newsletter for March, 2010

Principal’s Notes
Dear Families,

MARCH!!! Wow!!! Where has this year gone?! I am certainly not complaining about an apparent early spring though. The tulips have even begun sprouting up around our sign and front lawn at LER.

Our school enjoyed celebrating Dr. Seuss Day yesterday, March 2. Special thanks to our community readers: Howie Tuttle (District Curriculum and Instruction Director), Chief Jim Toman (Gardiner Police Department), Carolyn Goggin (Assistant to the Superintendent), Katherine Kollman (GEPTA Co-President), SFC David Gruber (US Army), Juan Lavalle-Rivera (Assistant Special Education Director), Al Ghoreyeb (Principal of River View School), and Becky Fles (School Board Vice Chair). You made our day so special with your presence! Our entire staff enjoyed our 3rd Annual Strawberry Shortcake desserts. We formed the shortcakes to look like the Cat in the Hat’s hat. For lots of pictures of this event, please visit our school’s website. There are some very cute pictures there!

I would like to also thank our GEPTA for organizing our Read-a-thon again this year. This event helps motivate our students to read even more, especially over February vacation. Our GEPTA is also hosting an inside Carnival on March 13 from 3-5:00 here at LER. There will be food, games, and crafts. I hope you will be able to join us for another afternoon of family fun!

I did make an error on Parent Conference dates. We are holding conferences on April 15th. Our Pre K teachers will have an additional day on April 8th. Teachers will be in contact with you soon to set up times to discuss your child’s progress in school. In addition, second semester report cards are due to be sent home with your child on March 19th.

Finally, we concluded our Coin Fundraiser for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Our school donated $650.39! That is amazing!! As I said on our website, LER may have the little people, but we have huge hearts! Thank you to all who supported this effort.

Enjoy the final weeks of winter! Spring is only two weeks away!

As always, if you ever have a question or concern, please feel free to call or visit!

Yours in the service of children,

Karen Moody

Upcoming Events
March
5th: Trimester ends
9th: GEPTA meeting at LER, 6:00
13th: GETPA Family Fun Indoor Carnival, 3:00 - 5:00
17th: Early Release Day
19th: Spring pictures
25th: Assembly, 8:45 in LER gym

April
6th: Walking School Bus returns! Meet at the Common at 7:50,
weather permitting!
13th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
13th: GEPTA meeting at RVCS, 6:00
15th: Parent-Teacher Conferences
16th: No school -workshop day
19th - 23rd: Spring vacation
27th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
27th: Spring Valley Puppet Theater presents “Jack and the Beanstalk” at LER
30th: No school for kindergarteners (Screening for incoming
k-students)
30th: GEPTA Family Fun Night “Beach Night,” at River View

May
4th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
6th: LER Spring Concert, 10:00 & 2:00
8th: GEPTA Lawn Sale
11th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
11th: GEPTA meeting at LER, 6:00
18th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
19th: Early Release Day
21st: GEPTA Family Fun Movie Night at LER, 6:00
25th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
28th: No school - workshop day
31st: No school - Memorial Day

June
1st: Walking School Bus, 7:50
8th: Walking School Bus, 7:50
8th: GEPTA meeting at RVCS, 6:00
15th: Walking School Bus, 7:50

It’s Cold Outside!
Please help your student remember to dress appropriately for the cold, wet weather!

Visit the LER School Store
Our school store is open before school on Mondays and Fridays in the office. Students can buy pencils, erasers, and other small school supplies. We also have LER Lions T-shirts.

GEPTA NEWS
Our next monthly meeting will be held March 9 at the LER School in Gardiner at 6:00 pm. Childcare will be provided and we might even have a door prize! We hope to see you there!

Please remember, even if you aren’t able to attend our monthly evening meeting, you are still welcome to join GEPTA! Perhaps you are interested in serving on one of our sub-committees? We have groups who work separately on our Family Fun Nights, Fundraising, Book Fairs/Reading Incentive, Scholarships, and more! Contact Katherine at 582-8250, geptanews@gmail.com, or Ellen at 582-9467 if you would like more information!

Our annual Read-a-Thon was a great success! We celebrated at the LER Read-A-Thon Closing Assembly this week, and shared all the fantastic reading totals! Remember, if you turned in a Reading Log, you are entitled to 10 free Tickets to our upcoming Indoor Carnival on Saturday, March 13th from 3:00-5:00 at the LER School. We still need volunteers so please contact Katherine at 582-8250 or katherine@gepta.org if you can help!

Mark your calendars for our indoor/outdoor lawn sale to be taking place at LER on Saturday, May 8th. Rent a table, or donate your items for the GEPTA to sell. We don’t have the storage space to accept your donations yet, but keep us in mind when you do your spring cleaning! We will be collecting items soon.

Coin Drive & Hats for Haiti
Our school held a coin drive during the month of February to raise funds for the American Red Cross in its efforts to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The jar was filled twice! Mrs. Brown's class alone collected $153.00! Another student gave all her birthday money, which totaled $30.00! In addition to our coin drive, we also held “Hats for Haiti” day. Students, staff, and parents donated a dollar to enjoy wearing a hat at school. In all, we collected $650.93! We may have "the little" people here at Laura Richards...but they have HUGE HEARTS!

Thank you, thank you to all who supported this effort. The "Gift of Giving to Others in Need" is a wonderful life lesson for our students to experience here at Laura Richards School!

Art Volunteers Needed
It’s that time of year again! The annual district-wide art show is coming, and Mrs. Marquis is in need of parent volunteers, or high school students who would like to earn community service hours. In addition to prepping for the art show, she can also use help organizing her many spaces, or just “spring cleaning.” Please send a note to school isf you are able to help, or call the school at 582-3612 to leave her a message.

Recycling Helps Our Students in Art Class
Mrs. Marquis is in need of empty egg cartons and clean styrofoam meat trays for use in art classes. Please “recycle” by sending these in to school.

Family Friendly Adult Ed Classes
Please visit www.msad11.maineadulted.org to learn about a wide variety of upcoming Adult Education classes, or pick up a brochure in the LER office.

The Walking School Bus Returns!
Students and parents are invited to join Mrs. Moody at the Gardiner Common at 7:50 each Tuesday morning, beginning on April 6th, weather permitting, as we walk to school together!

Star Students
Each week, we recognize a Star Student from each classroom. Teachers choose a student 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! The character skill for the month of February was pursuit of quality, and the skill for March is effective communicator. Congratulations to all of our Star Students.

Early Release Days
Please note the remaining Early Release days for this school year:
March 17th
May 19th
Elementary school students are dismissed at 12:30. There is no Pre-K on Early Release Days. Pre-K students will attend school on Friday instead.

Safe Footwear at School
Children should wear sturdy, comfortable footwear to school. With boot weather here, remember to pack shoes or sneakers in your child’s backpack, or to leave at school in his/her locker or cubby. For safety reasons, we do not allow slippers in school.

Pre-School & Kindergarten Registration
The Four Year Old Program is currently accepting applications for the 2010 - 2011 school year. Children must be four years of age on or before October 15, 2010. If you are interested, please call 582-5346 for more information and for an application. Space is limited.

It’s also kindergarten registration time! If you have a child who will be five years of age on or before October 15, 2010, or if you know of one, please contact the school at 582-3612.

Box Tops Update
We will soon be receiving a check for $396.50 from Box Tops for Education! Keep clipping those symbols. Just a reminder that during the months of February and March, we are competing by grade level, rather than by classroom, to see who can collect the most Box Tops for Education! As of today’s date, the second graders are ahead with 292 Box Tops! But don't worry -- you have until March 31st to take the lead, so continue to pass in those collection sheets and watch April's newsletter for the winners!

Helpful Phone Numbers
Laura E. Richards School 582-3612
Superintendent's Office 582-5346
Transportation Office 582-6663
Boys & Girls Club 582-8458
Special Education Office 582-7366
LER fax 582-3175
River View School & fax 582-3402

Visit us often at www.msad11.org!

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.