West Kingston Elementary School

Weekly Newsletter for March 21, 2007
IMPORTANT DATES… Mar 22 – Musica Dolce, 9:30 am @ WKES Mar 23 – CHORUS to perform at Harlem Globetrotters @ URI Mar 26 – Spring Pictures Mar 27 – Curriculum Sharing/Report Night, 6-7 pm Mar 27 – Chorus Performance, 7:15 pm Mar 27 – Sch. Comm. Mtg, 7 pm, HS Library Mar 30 – March Student Recognition Assemblies Mar 30 – Spirit Day – Tie Day Mar 30 – 5th grade to URI, 9-12 CURRICULUM SHARING/ REPORT NIGHT… All parents are cordially invited to Curriculum Sharing/Report Night on Tuesday, March 27, 6-7 pm. This evening event will provide parents with a greater understanding of student learning at school. Specifically, this night will provide an exciting opportunity to actively participate in mathematics, language arts, social studies, fine arts, and physical education learning activities facilitated by students. Additionally, results of our NECAP assessments will be available and sample state assessment practice test items, as well as an explanation of assessment reports, will be available. Report Night is supported by the teachers, students, principal and the School Improvement Team. This evening is designed for parents, adults of the community, and those students who have been asked by their teachers to participate in the learning activities. *(Due to limited space, only students who have been asked to present are invited to this event.)* LIBRARY NEWS… Celebration Books - Thank you to the Moulton-Whall and the Kirk families for their recent purchase of celebration books. Battle of the Books – a fun collaboration between the public and school librarians for 4th grade students -- read 10 books on the list of 35 and participate in the “battle” on April 12th at the High School. Battle fact sheets will be going home with all 4th graders. Books are available in the school and public libraries. This is meant to be fun and to encourage students to visit the public libraries -- participation is optional and voluntary. Library grades are not based on participation. Thank you to the PTO for raising $500 at the Autumnfest to go towards library books. That money is allocated to buy non-fiction books to support the new accelerated reader program which is coming soon. Thank you for helping your children take good care of their books. All of our students are enthusiastic readers and wonderful, supportive library patrons. *Karen Patrick, School Librarian* MUSIC NEWS… The Musica Dolce Chamber Orchestra will be performing at 9:30 am on Thursday, March 22. Some of their selections invite participation from the audience, so any student who has a homemade instrument (such as 3rd graders who made an instrument as part of the sound unit in science) may bring it to the concert. Any 4th grade students who are able to play the interval from G to E on recorders, are welcome to bring their instrument to the concert. The orchestra will also be performing. Chorus students who are planning to sing at the Harlem Globetrotters game on Friday, March 23rd, are reminded to bring in permission slips to attend the rehearsal tomorrow at the Ryan Center. Concert dress is not required for the rehearsal. Chorus members are expected to wear BLACK (bottom) and WHITE (top) to the game on Friday. The Chorus will also be performing following the Report Night program on Tuesday, March 27. The performance will be at 7:15 pm. Please plan to be here no later than 7 pm. We will gather in the music room. PTO NEWS… PTO Meeting Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 10th at 3:15 pm in the Library. Babysitting will be provided. Please take a few minutes to join us and participate in planning fun events for your child’s school. All are welcome. No membership fee. You are already a member as a parent of a child in WKES. Please join in! Nominations will take place at this meeting and elections at the May meeting. Please consider sharing your time and talents on the PTO board as a way to help create great memories for your child. New, fresh ideas keep activities fun and exciting for the kids. You have great ideas and would be a great addition to the board. If you have any questions on the roles of the board members and would like to know more, please contact any board member or e-mail Nancy Santucci at nasanta@cox.net. After School Art Club The March session will be held today and on Wednesday, March 28th from 3:05-4 pm. Prompt pick up is appreciated. The April session will be a photography class which will run for two weeks – April 11th & 25th. Registration forms will go home next week. Please note that no class will be held on April 4th. Family Pasta Supper & Basket Raffle* *Save the date—April 11th* Plans are underway for a West Kingston Family Pasta Supper and Basket Raffle. The West Kingston Family Pasta Supper will be held Wed., April 11th at the SK High School. Watch the backpacks for ticket order forms. Tickets must be purchased in advance for this event in order that plans can be made for food orders and fire code restrictions. This will be a fun night to share a family meal with school friends. Thanks to Meshelle Chabot for chairing this event. Please e-mail Nancy Santucci at nasanta@cox.net if you would like to volunteer to help with this event. Basket Raffle items will be collected by classrooms. These baskets will be assembled and then auctioned and raffled off at the Pasta Supper. Please send in an item for the theme for your child’s class. Proceeds from the Basket Raffle/Auction will be used to enhance WK’s Literacy Library. Here’s a list of themes selected by classes: Kindergarten Cowger – Indoor/Outdoor Games Garofalo – Summer (picnic items, summer toys, etc.) Colombino – Cooking Grade 1 Webb – Writing/Stationery Stafford – Arts and Crafts #1 Grade 1/2 Kidd/Simmons – Breakfast Grade 2 McWeeney – Family Fun Night Pendlebury – Baby Grade 3 MacNeil – Pets Hays – Snacks Barney – Wildlife (bird seed, birdfeeders, etc.) Grade 4 Whaley – Italian Carr – Arts & Crafts #2 Behr – Garden Grade 5 Kelly – Coffee, Tea and Me Nolan – Pamper Me (nail polish, lotion, etc.) McGrath – Chocolate Please deliver all items to the school by Wed., April 4th. We thank you for your continued generosity and commitment in making our school a great place to learn, a great place to teach, and a great place to be. Money raised from this basket endeavor will go directly to enhance the school experience for every child. We plan to buy books for the literacy library and enlarge our supply of Neo Alphasmart machines. Thank you to Christy Sheehy, Nancy Lenoce-Walsh, and Sheila Peckham, our Theme Basket Committee. Spring Book Fair/Art Show/Ice Cream Social This great annual event is scheduled for Thursday, June 7th. Our art teacher, Mrs. Harrington, would like to thank the parents who contacted her to volunteer to help prepare the artwork. STUDENT COUNCIL – SPIRIT DAY… The Student Council met last Friday afternoon and once again voted for our school’s Spirit Day. This month’s Spirit Day will be *Tie Day* and will be held on the last Friday of the month. On Tie Day students will wear either their own ties or ask if they can borrow someone else’s, like their fathers. Wear as many ties on your body as possible -- around your neck, on a belt, around your stomach. Thanks for showing your school spirit and don’t forget to wear your ties. NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT BRING TOYS OR STUFFED ANIMALS TO SCHOOL!!
· West Kingston Elementary School · 3119 Ministerial Rd · West Kingston RI 02892 · (401) 360-1130 ·

Weekly Newsletter for March 21, 2007

IMPORTANT DATES…

Mar 22 – Musica Dolce, 9:30 am @ WKES
Mar 23 – CHORUS to perform at Harlem
               Globetrotters @ URI
Mar 26 – Spring Pictures
Mar 27 – Curriculum Sharing/Report Night,
               6-7 pm
Mar 27 – Chorus Performance, 7:15 pm
Mar 27 – Sch. Comm. Mtg, 7 pm, HS
               Library
Mar 30 – March Student Recognition
               Assemblies
Mar 30 – Spirit Day – Tie Day
Mar 30 – 5th grade to URI, 9-12

CURRICULUM SHARING/ REPORT NIGHT…
All parents are cordially invited to Curriculum Sharing/Report Night on Tuesday, March 27, 6-7 pm.
This evening event will provide parents with a greater understanding of student learning at school. Specifically, this night will provide an exciting opportunity to actively participate in mathematics, language arts, social studies, fine arts, and physical education learning activities facilitated by students. Additionally, results of our NECAP assessments will be available and sample state assessment practice test items, as well as an explanation of assessment reports, will be available.
Report Night is supported by the teachers, students, principal and the School Improvement Team. This evening is designed for parents, adults of the community, and those students who have been asked by their teachers to participate in the learning activities.
(Due to limited space, only students who have been asked to present are invited to this event.)

LIBRARY NEWS…
Celebration Books - Thank you to the Moulton-Whall and the Kirk families for their recent purchase of celebration books.

Battle of the Books – a fun collaboration between the public and school librarians for 4th grade students -- read 10 books on the list of 35 and participate in the “battle” on April 12th at the High School. Battle fact sheets will be going home with all 4th graders. Books are available in the school and public libraries. This is meant to be fun and to encourage students to visit the public libraries -- participation is optional and voluntary. Library grades are not based on participation.

Thank you to the PTO for raising $500 at the Autumnfest to go towards library books. That money is allocated to buy non-fiction books to support the new accelerated reader program which is coming soon.

Thank you for helping your children take good care of their books. All of our students are enthusiastic readers and wonderful, supportive library patrons.
Karen Patrick, School Librarian

MUSIC NEWS…
    The Musica Dolce Chamber Orchestra will be performing at 9:30 am on Thursday, March 22. Some of their selections invite participation from the audience, so any student who has a homemade instrument (such as 3rd graders who made an instrument as part of the sound unit in science) may bring it to the concert. Any 4th grade students who are able to play the interval from G to E on recorders, are welcome to bring their instrument to the concert. The orchestra will also be performing.
    Chorus students who are planning to sing at the Harlem Globetrotters game on Friday, March 23rd, are reminded to bring in permission slips to attend the rehearsal tomorrow at the Ryan Center. Concert dress is not required for the rehearsal. Chorus members are expected to wear BLACK (bottom) and WHITE (top) to the game on Friday.
    The Chorus will also be performing following the Report Night program on Tuesday, March 27. The performance will be at 7:15 pm. Please plan to be here no later than 7 pm. We will gather in the music room.

PTO NEWS…
PTO Meeting
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 10th at 3:15 pm in the Library. Babysitting will be provided. Please take a few minutes to join us and participate in planning fun events for your child’s school. All are welcome. No membership fee. You are already a member as a parent of a child in WKES. Please join in!

Nominations will take place at this meeting and elections at the May meeting. Please consider sharing your time and talents on the PTO board as a way to help create great memories for your child. New, fresh ideas keep activities fun and exciting for the kids. You have great ideas and would be a great addition to the board. If you have any questions on the roles of the board members and would like to know more, please contact any board member or e-mail Nancy Santucci at nasanta@cox.net.

After School Art Club
The March session will be held today and on Wednesday, March 28th from 3:05-4 pm. Prompt pick up is appreciated. The April session will be a photography class which will run for two weeks – April 11th & 25th. Registration forms will go home next week.
*Please note that no class will be held on April 4th.

Family Pasta Supper & Basket Raffle
***Save the date—April 11th***
Plans are underway for a West Kingston Family Pasta Supper and Basket Raffle. The West Kingston Family Pasta Supper will be held Wed., April 11th at the SK High School. Watch the backpacks for ticket order forms. Tickets must be purchased in advance for this event in order that plans can be made for food orders and fire code restrictions. This will be a fun night to share a family meal with school friends. Thanks to Meshelle Chabot for chairing this event. Please e-mail Nancy Santucci at nasanta@cox.net if you would like to volunteer to help with this event.

Basket Raffle items will be collected by classrooms. These baskets will be assembled and then auctioned and raffled off at the Pasta Supper. Please send in an item for the theme for your child’s class. Proceeds from the Basket Raffle/Auction will be used to enhance WK’s Literacy Library.
Here’s a list of themes selected by classes:
Kindergarten
Cowger – Indoor/Outdoor Games
Garofalo – Summer (picnic items, summer toys, etc.)
Colombino – Cooking
Grade 1
Webb – Writing/Stationery
Stafford – Arts and Crafts #1
Grade 1/2
Kidd/Simmons – Breakfast
Grade 2
McWeeney – Family Fun Night
Pendlebury – Baby
Grade 3
MacNeil – Pets
Hays – Snacks
Barney – Wildlife (bird seed, birdfeeders, etc.)
Grade 4
Whaley – Italian
Carr – Arts & Crafts #2
Behr – Garden
Grade 5
Kelly – Coffee, Tea and Me
Nolan – Pamper Me (nail polish, lotion, etc.)
McGrath – Chocolate
Please deliver all items to the school by Wed., April 4th. We thank you for your continued generosity and commitment in making our school a great place to learn, a great place to teach, and a great place to be. Money raised from this basket endeavor will go directly to enhance the school experience for every child. We plan to buy books for the literacy library and enlarge our supply of Neo Alphasmart machines. Thank you to Christy Sheehy, Nancy Lenoce-Walsh, and Sheila Peckham, our Theme Basket Committee.

Spring Book Fair/Art Show/Ice Cream Social
This great annual event is scheduled for Thursday, June 7th. Our art teacher, Mrs. Harrington, would like to thank the parents who contacted her to volunteer to help prepare the artwork.

STUDENT COUNCIL – SPIRIT DAY…
The Student Council met last Friday afternoon and once again voted for our school’s Spirit Day. This month’s Spirit Day will be Tie Day and will be held on the last Friday of the month. On Tie Day students will wear either their own ties or ask if they can borrow someone else’s, like their fathers. Wear as many ties on your body as possible -- around your neck, on a belt, around your stomach. Thanks for showing your school spirit and don’t forget to wear your ties.

NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT BRING TOYS OR STUFFED ANIMALS TO SCHOOL!!

· West Kingston Elementary School · 3119 Ministerial Rd · West Kingston RI 02892 · (401) 360-1130 ·