Small School PTA

Teacher Wish List - Updated 11-12-11

2011-11-12T05:17:00.000-08:00

TEACHER WISH LIST 2011

Speech, Judy Magnuson

Don't Break the Ice Game

3X5 index cards and

glue sticks

Behavior Strategist, Beth Bell

Bean Bag Chairs

Play Doh-small containers

squishy balls-stress relievers

Exercise tubing-tubing that has handles and is used for resistance training

buckets of Double bubble gum (best resistence in the mouth)

Academic Life Skills, Rachael Ranger

a dollhouse (gently used hand-me-down is great with any accessories)

fitness balls (smaller the better)

velcro tape (we use tons of this each year for picture schedules)

Laminator sheets (from Staples - 3mm for hot laminators)

Guidance, Kurt Hebert -

5-10 Drawing sketch pads/books

Different types of drawing or artists pencils

Fine point black markers

Fat crayons

speakers for the computer or ipod (I'll take used)

AG Literacy, Carol Bibeau

Crayola® Dry-Erase Markers, Assorted, 8/Pack $9.49

Item 812454Model 98-8628

Big chisel tip - broad lines, Low odor

AG Math, Lisa Austin

my fondest dream would be to have a rolling toolbox (I believe Rubbermaid makes a good one)

a half-dozen pairs of scissors,

a box of dry erase markers

a rag,

some sharpened pencils and a little sharpener,

and maybe some really basic cheapie calculators

Social Worker, Lynne Johnston

basic Legos...new or used, large or small.

OT , Carolyn Eisner

I often work with the students on dressing skills and fasteners. I would love to have a variety of children's clothing items that have buttons (variety of sizes), zippers and snaps. I also work with students on completing the outdoor clothing sequence so snowpants, boots, jackets, hats and mittens would be great. I find that a large boy's size works with most students.

small tubs of play doh

Silly Putty and squishy balls (non-latex)

Several teachers have also asked for beanbag chairs for their classroom

Literacy – Amy Bromwell

Spellwell books- B, BB, and C

Library, Anne Mason –

A Funeral in the Bathroom: and other school bathroom poems by Kalli Dakos

The Good Garden: How one family went from hunger to having enough by Katie Smith Milway

Happy Pig Day by Mo Willems

The Boy in the Garden by Allen Say

Bun Bun Button by Patricia Polacco

Junonia by Kevin Henkes

The Honeybee Man by Lela Nargi

Kindergarten, Courtney Monti

Books for the classroom, any titles, but I love Eric Carle, Kevin Henkes, and non-fiction books about animals

Kindergarten, Sarah Pike

Extra snacks (crackers, pretzels, etc)

a couple cupcake tins (can be used - preferably 1/2 dozen size)

Legos (specifically Lego men)

Homemade playdough

Small metal key-rings

Packages of card stock...colored/or white

glue sticks

Board Games (for indoor recess - can be used, but in good shape)

colored pencils

plastic spoons

Kindergarten, Joyce Thompson

snacks for children who forget on occasion

glue sticks

soft tissues

watercolor paints

doll house furniture

baby dolls

play dough

Lego people

paper cups

small plastic bags

Kindergarten, Sheehan Jenkins

Extra snacks (crackers, pretzels, etc)

Dolls/Dollhouse items

Small metal key-rings

Anything for imaginative play (Dress up, pretend house, etc)

Watercolor Paints

Packages of card stock...colored/or white

Glue sticks

Cars or trucks

colored pencils

tissues

Stickers

Grade 1, Barbara Grant

Washable markers,

soft tissues

hand sanitizer refills

classroom snacks for kids who have none (must be peanut free)

the game of Sorry

play dough

Wiki sticks or (bend-a-roos)

Grade 1, Karen Williamson

Games - Chess, Scrabble Jr., Sorry, Apple Picking, Headbands

Lego People

Multicultural crayons and colored pencils

Sponges, mini sized bathroom cups, plastic spoons

Packs of colored construction paper

Electric pencil sharpener

Grade 1, Lee Storms

Connect Four

Sorry

Lego people

Wiki-sticks (Bend a roos)

colored pencils

multicultural markers and crayons

small containers of Play Dough

colored construction paper

Grade 2, Nancy Olson

soft tissues

mini- pretzels

sugar-free gum

unwanted Legos

Grade 2, Laura Stevens

.7 and .5 mm lead refills for mechanical pencils

2 boxes snack sized plastic zipper bags

2 boxes sandwich sized plastic zipper bags

book: Writer's Toolbox by Nancy Loewen

book: Owen by Kevin Henkes

books: Winter Waif, Summer's Vacation, Spring's Sprung by Lynn Plourde

8 AA batteries

8 C batteries

Grade 3, Anne Tewhey

22 1" three ring binders with interior pockets to keep students' independent reading (white, if possible)

Grade 3, Melissa Hutchins

iTunes gift cards (to buy apps for our iPads)

5 pairs of small headphones/ear buds for iPads

composition notebooks

learning wrap-ups (addition, subtraction, multiplication & division)

several copies of Scholastic Student Thesaurus

Bean Bag Chairs

Franklin Wordmaster (electronic dictionary/thesaurus)

Grade 3, Shannon Grady

0.7 mm lead for mechanical pencils

AA Batteries

Extra snacks (pretzels, goldfish, popcorn, etc. NO NUTS)

Bean Bag Chairs for quiet reading areas

Books on CD (that come with the book) 3rd grade appropriate

Peel & stick foam letters for craft projects

A subscription to "Our Little Earth" it's an electronic newspaper for kids - http://www.ourlittleearth.com/

Crayola model magic modeling clay (white.) Preferably in the 1 oz. size (as many packages as possible) so

large amounts are not open at once and don't dry out, but will take other sizes.

Grade 4, Becky Dadmun

fancy pencils

non-yellow sticky notes

index cards

individually wrapped peanut-free snacks for when someone forgets

white Model Magic

Boggle games

Grade 4, Anna Cloutier

gently used bean bags chairs and/or large pillows for comfortable reading or working

Grade 4, Jason Harris

two bean bags chairs

dry-erase markers

colorful copier paper

Grade 5, Maureen Richards

small and regular sized post its

pencils

peanut free snacks like crackers, goldfish, or pretzels

pencil top erasers

Grade 5, Abby Morgan -

boxes of tissues!

A few rolls of paper towels.

graph paper, 1cm, 1/2 inch and 1 inch would be great

white college ruled lined paper.

Volunteer Opportunities

2011-09-28T04:27:00.001-07:00

A little bit of extra time you devote can make a big impact on ongoing school projects. Here are ways to help:

Red Tote Stuffers are needed on Tuesday mornings to fill the student totes. Stuffing starts on Tuesdays at about 9:30am. Please contact Sarah if you can participate:

sarahmpearson@aol.com

Popcorn Poppers are needed on Friday afternoons starting at 1:30pm. Proceeds from popcorn sales go to teachers. Please contact Susan for more details: sgiesecke@maine.rr.com

4th Grade Parents are needed immediately to participate in Greening activities leading to the annual Harvest Feast, this year on October 21st. Contact Julie or Wynne if you can work with the Greening Committee on this event:

jselser@earthlink.net

wynneway@yahoo.com

Small School Summer Reading Program

2011-09-28T04:26:00.001-07:00

An awesome number ( 111 ) of students participated in the Small School Summer Reading Program! This means that of the present 275 Grade 1-5 students, 40% of them logged their reading minutes and returned their calendars. All 111 will receive a new book (thank you PTA for supporting this with a mini-grant) and most qualified to have a pizza lunch and ice cream party with Mrs. Hicks and Mrs. Jones on October 11th. I am thrilled by this level of participation for our inaugural year of the program and look forward to a greater number next summer!!

As reading is a predictor of academic success and daily reading directly correlates to performance in school, please continue to read with and to your child daily. Let’s have Small School continue to be a leader in it’s test scores!

Mrs. Jones, Literacy Specialist

Close Buy Order Time Extended

2011-09-28T04:25:00.001-07:00

Due to popular demand, we have extended the due date for Close Buy orders to Monday, October 3rd. Return orders to the front office at school. This is one of our major fundraisers of the year - we need your participation! Get some early holiday shopping done while supporting Small School and local businesses. Make checks payable to Small School PTA.

First PTA meeting Tuesday

2011-09-11T18:04:00.001-07:00

Joining the PTA is a great way to be involved with the Small School community while helping enhance your child’s education. The PTA covers all field trips and transportation costs for all grades throughout the year. In addition, the PTA supports mini-grants for teachers, school greening projects and the annual harvest lunch, multiple school social events, a high school scholarship, teacher appreciation week, the school directory, school T-shirts, and more! Come learn more about the PTA at the meeting Tuesday at 6:30pm in the Art Room. Topics for discussion will include the plan for the year, and a PTA finance review. We want your ideas and energy to help keep our school such a great place to learn. See you there!

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year!

2011-09-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 2011-2012 Small School Year! I hope you all had a wonderful, relaxing summer and that you are as enthusiastic as we are to jump into the new school year!

The Small School PTA provides fundraisers that support the students and staff at Small School. Last year your support allowed each student at Small School the opportunity to participate in a variety of class field trips. That total cost was almost $8,300. Due to the increased enrollment for 2011 – 2012, we are estimating that the cost for field trips will increase to approximately $9,000. This amount does not include the funds we need to raise for teachers and staff grants or for community building social events. We need your support!

One way to help support your child and Small School is to sign up for the Small School PTA. Everyone is encouraged to join the PTA. There is a yearly $5.00 membership fee; $2.25 goes to the National PTA, $2.50 goes to Maine PTA. Any additional funds you choose to donate will be used by the Small School PTA to support Small School. The money you spend is tax deductible, and helps our kids and our school.

Another critical way to help the Small School PTA is to support our major fall fundraiser. Last year, the parents asked us to find a fundraiser that supported local artists and craftspeople. It was put to a vote and the Close Buy Catalog was chosen as this year’s major fundraiser. As stated on their website, the Close Buy Catalog “has gathered some of Maine’s best goodies together in an effort to raise money for our school, support local businesses and artisans, and teach kids about responsible business practices.” Some of the people listed in the catalog have students in South Portland Schools. What a great way to get that holiday shopping done!

This fall we are planning to host an Ice Cream Social at Small School as the kickoff for the Close Buy fundraiser. It will take place on Friday evening, September 16^th. All families are invited to attend and the event is free! We will have an assortment of the goodies from the catalog for you to check out while you are there.

A handful of parents can’t do it all. We need your help in any way you can. There are required simple tasks such as picking up the recyclable ink cartridges and dropping them off at the recycler, or signing up to help out at the ice cream social, or attending the monthly PTA meetings and helping make decisions about what we do in your school. Things are tight in this economy right now. We all know that. But your time is just as valuable to us as your dollars.

We have so many exciting plans. It is going to be an awesome year! We are so lucky at Small School to have the best students, teachers, administrators and parents around.

We Rock!

Teacher Appreciation Week Celebrated at Small School

2010-05-08T05:41:00.000-07:00

Our celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week at Small School included breakfast for the teachers, special treats, lunch, and a school wide parade of students and parents. Thanks to our wonderful teachers!

South Portland City Council school budget meeting WEDNESDAY April 14th

2010-04-12T04:42:00.000-07:00

The South Portland City Council will hold another public meeting on the school budget at 6:30 pm, Wednesday April 14th in city council chambers.

What the council is voting on is a 1.5% tax increase for the schools. For a South Portland resident who owns a home with an assessed value of $200,000, the increase would add $26 to the school portion of the annual property tax bill.

If you can come to the meeting, there will be 2 minutes to speak. The key points that need to be made are as follows:

I support a 1.5% tax increase in the property tax rate; and
I support building and renovating the South Portland High School

If you cannot make this meeting, please send an email to one or more of the city council members listed below and cover the above points.
Again, City Council is NOT hearing from a large enough number of residents who support schools.

Your voice is so important to this process!

The city council will vote on the school budget April 26. Residents will vote May 6 whether to validate it.

City Council Members:

Tom Coward - Tcoward@southportland.org

Patti Smith - Psmith@southportland.org

Rosemarie De Angelis - rdeangelis@southportland.org

Maxine R. Beecher - MBeecher@maine.rr.com

James Hughes - JHughes@hbisoftware.com

Linda R. Boudreau - lrb@maine.rr.com

Tom Blake - TEblake@aol.com

Earth Day Clean Up - Saturday April 24th

2010-04-12T04:34:00.001-07:00

The South Portland Land Trust invites students, parents & staff to help with

Earth Day Clean-up 2010

Date: Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Time to Register: Registration begins at 8:30 am at Mill Creek Park

Place to Register: Mill Creek Park across from Hannaford Supermarket

Clean-up Event Times: 8:30 am to 11:30 am

Things to Bring:

· Bring your own water bottle and coffee mug, if you would like complimentary coffee

· Wear durable footwear and gloves

· We encourage the use of hand tools to pick up some trash

· Young children should be accompanied by an adult

Rain Date: Saturday, May 1^st, same time and location

South Portland, April 10 – Even though this year’s Earth Day clean up is again taking place during spring vacation, students, parents and staff all are invited to participate in the citywide event on Saturday, April 24, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Participants can do trash and recycling pickup at whatever school or public space they so choose, as long as they notify the organizer (the South Portland Land Trust) where the bags can be collected (SPlandtrust@splt.com or 210-8366. The SPLT will provide bags as needed. Schools, area residents, businesses and organizations have been invited to help clean up school grounds, parks, beaches, shorelines and trails across South Portland.

Earth Day is not only a wonderful opportunity to enhance environmental stewardship and awareness, it is also a chance to foster community involvement and volunteerism. The annual event has activated citizens since 1999. Last year, the SPLT and many participating groups and individuals, brought out over 300 volunteers to gather 129 bags of trash, 40 bags of recyclables and piles of debris, which, in all, amounted to more than four tons of trash and blight removed for public spaces.

Once again, volunteers will be cleaning up sites throughout the city, including the Greenbelt Walkway, Hinckley Park, Mill Creek Park, Bug Light Park, Thomas Knight Park, Willard Beach, Mill Cove, and Pleasantdale Cove. A wide variety of groups will be cooperating on the clean-up, including neighborhood associations, local businesses, scouting groups, and student groups. And as always, the City of South Portland will collect all the trash and debris after the event.

Groups and organizations are invited to select their own cleanup locations, rally their own memberships and then contact the SPLT to share logistical details. Participating organizations and businesses can find out more details and pre-register to participate at the SPLT’s website (www.SPlandtrust.com); more information can be obtained via email (SPlandtrust@me.com) or phone Carla Yount at 210-8366.

The main registration booth will open at 8:30 a.m. at Mill Creek Park off Broadway in central South Portland. Both individuals who have not pre-registered and a representative from each pre-registered group should come to the Mill Creek Park registration booth at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 24^th to receive refreshments, instructions, bags and gloves.

If a steady rain is in the forecast, the rain date will be Saturday, May 1^st at the same times.

PTA Meeting Postponed and Teacher Appreciation Week

2010-04-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

We are canceling the April 13th PTA meeting. Our next meeting will be Tuesday May 18 at 6:30 pm in the Art room. We will have some terrific guest speakers at this meeting. More information will be coming out soon about our guest speakers.

We need your help with Teacher Appreciation Week.

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 3-7. Our teachers make our school! We have fabulous teachers and want to let them know how much we appreciate everything they do day in and day out!

If you are interested in helping, contact Margaret Donahue!

Opportunities to participate in the South Portland budget planning process

2010-02-10T18:58:00.000-08:00

The budget planning process is ongoing for the South Portland 2010-2011 budget. To read about the current state of our resources explained by Suzanne Godin, Superintendent of Schools, go to: http://www.spsd.org

and click on “Community Budget Forecast” in January 2010 News.

To summarize some major points:

. The state overall is continuing to suffer declining revenues in this tough economy.

. The Department of Education subsidy figures indicates a $1.6M reduction in state subsidy to South Portland.

. The City Council requested that all departments provide a budget that does not increase the local tax rate.

. The School Department is projecting a budget deficit of $2.4M.

. This significant deficit may force reductions of 30-50 positions district wide, possibly closing school buildings, increasing class size, instituting pay to partcipate, and initiating other cost saving measures.

Your participation in this budget process is welcomed by the Board of Education and the City of South Portland. At the S.P. website, http://www.spsd.org there is a link “Click Here to make a suggestion for next year’s budget” that will lead to a comment box for suggestions. There will also be Budget Workshop Meetings that are open for public participation:

Wed., Feb. 24, 2010 7:00 pm, Memorial Middle School

Thurs., Feb. 25, 2010 7:00 pm, Small Elementary School

Mon., March 1, 2010 7:00 pm, Skillin Elementary School

Tues., March 2, 2010 7:00 pm, Mahoney Middle School

The meeting dates below are tentatively scheduled:

Wed., March 3, 2010 7:00 pm, Dyer Elementary School

Thurs., March 4, 2010 7:00 pm, Kaler Elementary School

Mon., March 8, 2010, Board Budget Adoption, 7:00 pm, City Council Chambers

Mon., March 29, 2010, Board Budget Presentation to City Council, 7:00 pm, City Council Chambers

Mon., April 26, 2010, City Council School Budget Vote, 7:00 pm, City Council Chambers

Thurs. May 6, 2010, School Budget Referendum, SP Community Center

Hannaford Gift Card Fundraiser

2010-02-02T13:05:00.000-08:00

We are introducing a new monthly fund raising program using Hannaford Gift Cards. To participate, all you need to do is write a check made out to the Small School PTA. We will be selling gift cards in $50.00 increments; however, you may purchase as many cards as you wish. How does this help your children and the PTA? For every $1000.00 of gift cards the PTA sells, we earn $50.00 which we then put towards field trips for your children.

The program begins in February and here’s how it works:

At monthly PTA meetings and on Fridays at the PTA popcorn table, we will have gift cards to sell. You need to bring your check made payable to Small School PTA. We will give you your gift card and then you can shop whenever you want. There is no expiration date on the gift cards.

We will be selling gift cards in $50.00 increments; however, you may purchase as many cards as you wish.

Thank you in advance for helping us reach 2010 fundraising goals! Please contact Margaret Donahue at 671-0859 or margaret@katrinka.net with any questions.

You can also visit the Hannaford site to read about the program:

http://www.hannaford.com/Contents/Our_Stores/Gift_Cards/gift_card_faqs.shtml

This link will bring you to the Hannaford Gift Cards FAQ page (you can also click on the link that is in the Useful Links box in the right column of this blog)

Why is fundraising so important for our school?

The South Portland School Budget continues to get cut each year. All field trips and associated transportation with these field trips is paid 100% by the Small School PTA. If we cannot raise money, we will not be able to offer field trips to Small School students. The PTA spent a lot of money last year on field trips and other enrichment activities such as the whole-school trip to Merrill Auditorium to see the Yamato Drummers of Japan. We also spent money on some new equipment for the school that we typically do not buy. The school budget is tight and will be getting tighter. We are working hard to continue to raise money in these difficult times.

We are excited about the new Hannaford Gift Card program because it will enable all of us to contribute to the enrichment of our children’s education without spending extra money outside of our own budgets.

Please consider participating!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2010-01-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

We have lots of exciting events planned for 2010. These events will be described on this blog, in our weekly PTA newsletter that comes home in the totes, and on our Facebook site (”Dora L Small Elementary School PTA”). These events are still being scheduled, so be sure to keep an eye out for these upcoming events:

*raffle calendar with awesome prizes

*5th grade Applebee’s breakfast to raise money for the Boston trip

*winterfest and chili cookoff

*Sea Dogs game

We always need volunteers to help organize and staff these events, so please contact your PTA officers to participate in these events. PTA meetings are also great opportunities to get more ideas on how to contribute and to let us know how you can help. In addition, it is not too early to consider serving on the PTA executive committee next year, or serving as chair or working on one of our committees. New ideas are welcome and encouraged!

Small School PTA on FACEBOOK!

2009-12-14T16:36:00.000-08:00

For all of you on Facebook, become a fan of "Dora L Small Elementary School PTA." This Facebook page, along with this blog, the newsletter, and the occasional email blast will keep you up to date on what's happening.

REMINDER - Clynk fund raising

2009-12-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

We want to remind folks about our ongoing Clynk fund raising. We have prepaid green Clynk bags located in the front lobby. It is an easy way to give to the PTA....just pick up a bag, fill it with returnables, and drop it off at Clynk. The stickers on the bag direct the returnable money right into the PTA account! All those nickles add up!

No December PTA meeting

2009-12-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

Our next PTA meeting will be January 19th.

Small School Book Sale POSTPONED

2009-12-08T13:41:00.001-08:00

Due to the weather, the fundraiser at Nonesuch Books is POSTPONED ONE DAY UNTIL THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10th!

Small School Book Sale

2009-12-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

School Fundraiser and Bake Sale at Nonesuch Books

2009-11-20T17:10:00.000-08:00

Just in time for the holidays! On Wednesday, December 9th, we will be having a school fundraiser at Nonesuch Books in Mill Creek. Nonesuch Books will be donating 20% of the total sales between 6-8pm to the school, and we will be having a bake sale at the same time!

We need your help to:

*Spread the word about shopping at Nonesuch Books on the evening of December 9th.

*Come in and do your holiday shopping during the fundraiser! Nonesuch Books has a great selection of books, cards, and gifts, and a great kids’ section too.

*Bring some baked goods for the bake sale that evening, or to school that day.

Great for the holidays - Spread the word!

School Field Trip to see Yamoto Drummers of Japan

2009-11-20T17:09:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, November 10, the school went on a field trip sponsored by the PTA to see the Yamoto Drummers of Japan. This was a fabulous opportunity to see traditional Japanese percussion instruments and the percussionists!

Students gave rave reviews:

“It was amazing! They were awesome! The drummers were terrific - super! The best thing I ever saw! It was cool when they lifted up the big drum and put it on its side. We loved the noises the drummers made! The big drum stick was huge! They had big muscles! People loved the guy with the mohawk hair. He was hilarious. He wanted everybody to clap, and he made us do it in a funny way! If you have not gone yet, I think you should. It's a lot of fun. Every act kept the spectators' attention.”

Mrs. Olson commented:

“The trip was wonderful! It was great to have the children exposed to such a unique talent. I was tickled to see how the children responded to the subtle humor the drummers included in their performance.”

Teachers incorporated this field trip into learning activities:

Before the field trip, Mrs. Stevens’ class learned a bit about taiko drumming and a bit about the country of Japan. They also read and compared three different versions of a Japanese folktale, The Peach Boy. Students also learned about haiku poetry and wrote their own haiku.

Mrs. Cloutier’s class wrote haiku about the performance; see back for some examples of their work!

Mrs. Dadmun’s class wrote cinquain poetry, some of which is featured on the back of this newsletter!

Mrs. Poore’s class wrote News Articles after the performance.

Mrs. Grant’s class wrote journal entries after the field trip.

Annual Pumpkin Transporting Vehicle Convention

2009-11-06T16:36:00.000-08:00

On Friday, November 11, Mr. Caldwell and Mrs. Poore's classes hosted the Pumpkin Transporting Vehicle Convention. The students used at least 4 simple machines to make one complex machine to safely transport a pumpkin a distance of 12 feet. Some simple machines used were: screws, inclined plane, wedges, pulleys, wheel and axle, gears, and levers. Parents and other classes came to view the event!

Annual Harvest Feast for 4th and 5th graders

2009-11-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, October 29th, Mrs. Cloutier's and Mrs. Dadmun's students hosted Mrs. Poore's and Mr. Caldwell's classes for the 4th annual Harvest Meal. Approximately one hundred and twenty people attended the event, held in the social hall of the First Congregational Church. The menu was Japanese, including an appetizer of edamame (soy beans served in their pods), miso soup with turnip and greens, salad with sesame dressing, sushi rollups made with rice, cucumber, and tuna in a nori seaweed wrapper. Dessert, following tradition for the Harvest Meal, was apple crisp with whipped cream. People with knowledge of such things claim the meal was delicious, and rivaled the offerings of many of Portland's fine Japanese dining establishments.

Produce for the meal was grown in the Small School gardens, and included soy beans, snow peas, Asian cabbages, turnips, daikon, carrots, garlic, cucumbers and chard. These vegetables were planted by last year's 4th grade and tended by volunteers over the summer break. Much of the cooking took place on Wednesday, prior to the meal, and was supervised by a small army of parents. In spite of the open gas flames and abundant sharp, steely knives, no one was injured, and there was much fun, learning, and tasting of new foods.

Fun at Octoberfest!

2009-10-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

TEACHER WISH LIST - Last updated on 1-4-10

2009-10-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

This is an active ongoing wish list from our educators at Small School. These are all items that will help enhance learning in the classroom. If you choose an item on any list that you would like to donate, please email Lucy (lucyliaw@maine.rr.com) to have the item removed from the wish list. Unless otherwise indicated, send the donated item right to the classroom. This is still in progress, and will be updated frequently. Please check back!

Technology Education
Mr. Thurlow:
Budget cuts did not allow the purchase of a new scanner for teachers to use to scan documents for use with their SmartBoards. If you can help with this, please contact John Thurlow directly at thurlojo@spsd.org or 885-5000.

Library
Mrs. Mason:

The following books are on the wish list to be added to Small School library (nameplate within the book will recognize the donor). Click on the book title for a link describing the story:

The Enemy: a book about Peace, by Davide Cali

The Earth Shook: a Persian Tale, by Donna Jo Napoli

The Lion and the Mouse, by Jerry Pinkney

Dinotrux, by Chris Gall

Robot Zot! by Jon Scieszka

There is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me, by Alice Walker

Strega Nona's Harvest, by Tomie Depaola

Grade K
Mrs. Flaxman:
Magna Doodles (set of 5 is ideal)
Small Legos (not the "Duplo" size)
Dress-up clothes (scarves and capes, etc. spark the kids' imaginations!)
A child sized coat rack (for dress-up clothes)
Alphabet stamps with ink pads
Dr. Seuss books (gently used books are welcome! The classroom already has the following books: Fox in Socks, There's No Place Like Space, Green Eggs and Ham, the Cat in the Hat, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish)
Plastic baskets to hold books in the class library, ~7" x 10"
hand sanitizer
pump hand soap (can be a large refill size)

Grade 1
Mrs. Grant:
Soft Kleenex
Snacks for children without (i.e. pretzels, goldfish, fruit snacks)
Date stamp

Grade 1
Mrs. Storms:
Games for the class to play during indoor recess: Trouble, Connect Four, Yahtzee, Perfection, Monopoly
Jr., or Operation. Used games in good condition are welcome as long as all pieces are intact!

Grade 2
Mrs. Olson:
Very soft tissues for cold/allergy season!
Small pretzels, Cheerios, and animal crackers for snacks
Clear packaging tape

Grade 2
Ms. Stevens:
Regular straight straws for a science kit
Plastic spoons for snack time
Antibacterial hand sanitizer
Small pencil sharpeners with receptacles for the shavings (size to fit into pencil boxes)

Grade 3
Mrs. Grady:
10 clipboards
5 student calculators
24 long handle paintbrushes, large bottles of paint
A variety of colors of tissue paper
25 sheets of fine grade sand paper
Ziploc bags of all sizes
The following Beanie Babies (used for comprehension strategies): spider, owl, iguana, dog, and parrot

Grade 4
Mrs. Dadmun:
Multiple clipboards

Grade 5
Mrs. Poore:
Items for snack time

PTA Funds 4th Grade Field Trip to the Telling Room

2009-10-19T03:50:00.000-07:00

Recently, the fourth grade visited the Telling Room, a writing workshop in Portland. The children were sent out on a “Word Walk” around the Old Port and asked to attach adjectives to various objects that represented that word. For example, one group attached the word “magical” to a pirate statue, or “leafy” to ivy growing up the side of a building. The children were given cameras so that they could snap pictures of their word representations. After about an hour, they returned to the Telling Room and wrote about the pictures that were taken. Mrs. Cloutier’s class created a slideshow of the photographs and the children were given the opportunity to narrate the slide show with one line from their writing. The students were very motivated and excited about this visit and wanted to continue writing their Telling Room pieces when they returned to school. They came back to school with a very positive attitude about writing and saw themselves as authors!

Many thanks to the many parents volunteers who joined us on this trip and who participated in all the Telling Room activities. Also a big thank you to the PTA for funding this wonderful experience for us.

High School Renovation Meeting Oct 26th

2009-10-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

The South Portland City Council and School Board will hold a workshop on Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m., at the Community Center, to discuss the $40 million proposal to renovate the high school, to be voted on in June 2010.

See the SouthPortlander.com for the full article.

NOTES ON THE PTA BUDGET

2009-10-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

A clarification about the school department budget and field trip funding at Small School: Due to a budget shortfall in Augusta, the South Portland School Department has implemented a "soft budget freeze." At some schools in South Portland, this impacts things like field trips.

At Small School, the PTA fully funds field trips (both admission and transportation costs) and will do our best to continue to do so. We spend about $20-25 per student for the year just for field trips. In order to continue funding these field trips, we need everyone's help with our various fundraiser like Jaxco, Hannaford Helps School, Clynk, and the rest of them. Some parents, instead of taking part in fundraising by buying stuff, prefer to simply write a check, and that's perfectly ok, too! We'll gladly take checks and give you a receipt so you can get a tax deduction. We are also working on a school/teacher wish list to identify specific items needed in the classrooms and will post this information on our blog site when ready.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN OCTOBER

2009-10-12T14:22:00.000-07:00

PTA Member Meeting, October 20^th, 6:30pm

Please join us in the Art Room for our second meeting of the year. We had a great turnout at the first meeting and have a lot of fun and creative ideas that we'd like to do this year. Come have some coffee and help us make these ideas a reality!

Octoberfest, Friday, October 30^th, 6-8pm

Come join us in the gym for mask making, face painting, cool origami, cookie decorating, snacks and drinks, and of course the hugely popular cake walk! We need volunteers to help staff the craft stations, so please email Jim at jfrederick1@gmail.com if you can help. If you have any other fun ideas, let us know and we'll make room for it!
Here's how you can help:
Bake a Cake!
The Cake Walk is sort of like a game of musical chairs, but with cakes as prizes. The kids go crazy for it. We need a ton of cakes! Bring a cake, take a cake. Any kind of cake - big, small, sugary, carrot, from scratch, store bought, wedding, birthday, gluten-free, plain frosted, decorated, whatever - any and all kinds are needed. The variety has always been amazing. (No cakes with nuts or peanut butter, please.)

Wear a Costume for the Costume Parade!
It's the night before Halloween, so please come show off your costumes! At the end of the night we'll have a short parade down the hall and around the gym so everyone can check them out. (Keep in mind there will be very young kids around, so nothing too gruesome please. One year Death came in a bleeding skull mask that was a little too much, even for the adults.)

Paint Faces!
Make the kids' night by decorating their cheeks. They're not too picky about the quality, so no big deal if you've never done it. (Although if I have to do it, it's just going to be a smiley face every time.)

Be a Fortune Teller!
The past few years we had a mom who pretended to be a fortune teller (at least I think she was pretending) and the kids really loved it. Unfortunately the mom who did it last year is unavailable and we'd loved to have a replacement. Wear a few scraves, read some palms, be a hero!

Bring Snacks and Drinks!
Maybe stuff that's not too sugary, since they'll be gorging the next night.

Sidewalk construction starting

Finally, construction has started on sidewalks on Summit and Spring Streets! Soon no more walking in the road! When they are finished in a few weeks, they will make walking SO much safer for our kids coming up from Broadway. While the construction is underway, please use extra

caution while walking, biking and driving along that route. These sidewalks were triggered by a PTA request to the city a few years ago to improve the transportation situation in our neighborhood. We're glad it's finally underway.

Also, for you drivers, a few reminders:

- Kittredge Rd is a not a proper drop off spot. It is a dead end street and backing up and turning around is very dangerous for other drivers and especially our kids, and really ticks off our neighbors who live there.

- When dropping off and picking up, do not idle. It pumps out pollution right into our kids faces and wastes gas and money.

- The bus loop is called a bus loop because it's for buses. If it was a car loop, it would be called a car loop.

- Please heed all "No Parking" and "No Stopping" signs, particularly on Thompson Street near the parking lot exits. If cars park too close and on both sides of the street, traffic jams occur frequently.

- Remember that walking and biking to and from the school is almost always easier and quicker than trying to drive. A little stroll will help make you and your kids happier, healthier and less frustrated if you don't have to fight the traffic.

Fun at the Ice Cream Social

2009-10-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the families who came to enjoy our ice cream social, the first PTA social event of the year. We served ~400 people, and a great time was had by all. Let the PTA exec committee members know if you have any feedback or suggestions for next time. A big thank you to Friendly’s for donating the delicious ice cream for our event!

Students Take Great Field Trips!

2009-10-04T05:26:00.000-07:00

3rd grade field trip to the Cumberland Fair.

The PTA helps to funds school field trips throughout the year, and your support is so important! Here are some special events that have recently taken place with the students:

Grade K: Went to Snell’s Apple Orchard on September 25th. The Snell Family Farm in Buxton does Pick Your Own Apples in September and October, and grows a variety of other fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. This was a great trip!

Grade 3: Visited the Cumberland County Fair on September 29th. They saw draft horses, cattle, sheep and goats, bunnies, chickens, geese, and much more. The kids visited the farm museum, blacksmith, maple syrup house, and saw farm machines.

Grade 5: The fifth graders took a walking field trip to SMCC on September 30th to be inspired by the scenery as word artists. The students used the sights, sounds, and smells of the setting to develop descriptive and creative language for their fictional stories set in Casco Bay.

Partnership for South Portland Schools

2009-09-28T03:56:00.000-07:00

Parents, this is your chance to be heard. Good schools are an integral part of any successful community. A school system in decline means negative population growth, a shrinking tax base, and, worst of all, less opportunities for our children’s future. To ensure that South Portland schools remain strong, a group of South Portland parents recently formed the Partnership for South Portland Schools (SPPS).

The goal of the group is to be a both a sounding board and an independent source of advice for South Portland School Department, as well as a conduit of information about South Portland schools to our community at large.

We want to be able to work on political issues facing all levels of South Portland schools, work toward the betterment of our schools, and, eventually, establish a foundation that would seek to make the educational standards in our schools some of the best in the state.

This is a critical moment in South Portland School history; enrollment is up at the elementary level, the middle schools are in the midst of several educational, technological, and safety upgrades, and, last year, our High School was placed on a warning status for national accreditation because of physical plant structural concerns. It’s time for South Portland parents to take ownership of their child’s educational experience and the Partnership for South Portland Schools will seek to do that.

The initial organizational meeting for this school year will take place on Wednesday, October 7, 6:30 PM, at the Rec Center. Please attend if you can. Ask your PTA for updates on SPPS progress if you can’t. Good schools build good communities!

ACADEMIC OPEN HOUSE THURSDAY Sept. 24th!

2009-09-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

Grades K-2 5:30pm - 6:15pm

Grades 3-5 6:30pm - 7:15pm

A GREAT TIME TO LEARN ABOUT CURRICULUM AND

STANDARDS TAUGHT FOR THE YEAR!

Volunteer Orientation

2009-09-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

The South Portland School Department recommends that all school volunteers participate in a training session to ensure the ongoing safety and security of our students, staff, and community. We invite you to attend any session that fits your schedule. If you are a Veteran SoPo School Volunteer, please remember to fill out a new registration form each year. It is not necessary to attend a training every year.

September 21, 2009 9:00am Small School

September 22, 2009 9:00am Dyer School

September 23, 2009 9:00am Kaler School

October 1, 2009 6:00pm Skillin School

October 5, 2009 9:00am Skillin School

October 14, 2009 6:30pm Brown School

Contact Molly Aldrich, Director of Volunteer Services, with any questions (773-5629, ext. 432 or aldricmo@spsd.org)

Ice Cream Social, Friday, 9/25, 6-8pm

2009-09-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

Mark your calenders! Skip dinner! Drop by the gym on Friday the 25th at 6:00-8:00 pm for the first social of the year. We'll supply the ice cream and the toppings. You bring the mouths to feed. Mingle with other Small families while the kids eat and run off their sugar high. And it's become sort of a tradition that dads polish up their scoops and flex their muscles while they dish out the ice cream, so if you can help out with that, or gathering donations, or cleaning up, drop Margaret Donahue (PTA Co-Pres) a line at margaret@katrinka.net.

Volunteers Needed for Flu Shot Clinics

2009-09-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

The South Portland School Department will be providing free Seasonal Flu Vaccine Clinics at schools in September and November. The Nursing Department is seeking help from parents who are nurses to volunteer to be a back up for the EMT personnel running the clinics. The nurse volunteers will be asked to keep an eye on the kids who have had their shots, to look for any reactions.

Small School will have its clinic at the start of the school day on Monday, September 28th. If you are qualified and able to volunteer during this clinic, please contact the Small School nurse, Louise Cormier (CormieLo@spsd.org)

H1N1 Flu Vaccine Clinics will be held in November and December.

We are also seeking volunteers (no medical expertise needed) to assist with helping kids back and forth to their classrooms. If you can assist, please call the office: 799-7676

MEET THE PTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

2009-09-11T21:08:00.001-07:00

Co-President, Jim Frederick (jfrederick1@gmail.com)

Jim returns as PTA President, this time, sharing duties with Margaret. Previously Jim was Secretary for two years. This is his last year at Small as next year his youngest, Ethan, moves on to Mahoney, where his daughter Isabella is currently an eighth grader. Jim is a life-long resident of South Portland. In fact, Jim's 3rd grade teacher at Hamlin, Anne Tewhey, also taught his two kids in 3rd grade at Small! Now that's life in a small town.

Co-President, Margaret Donahue (margaret@katrinka.net)

Margaret is joining the PTA as Co-President. Margaret has a daughter, Eleanor, who is beginning first grade, a daughter, Alice, who is beginning kindergarten and a son, Miles, who will be running close behind them. Margaret has joined the PTA because she has a strong interest in being a part of the community.

Co-Vice President, Stephanie Pandora (spandora@hannaford.com)

Stephanie and her husband Peter are parents of second grader, Anna Louise, and also of Whitney, a Senior at Saint Michael's College in Burlington, Vermont. This is her third year as a PTA member and her second as Vice President. Stephanie comments, “I simply love Small School and its community-kids, parents, teachers, neighbors-and desire to be involved and helpful however I am needed. I always welcome all input and ideas so feel free to reach out to me if you wish. I am looking forward to a fun and enriching year! ”

Co-Vice President, Pam Remy (pam.remy@gmail.com)

Pam has a son, Eli, who is starting in the 1st grade, and a younger son, Henry, who will be starting kindergarten next year. By getting involved in the PTA, Pam hopes to help Small School teachers and administrators create an educational and enriching environment for her children to learn in.

Secretary, Sue Peterson (suepeterson2@hotmail.com)

Sue is looking forward to her 2nd year as serving as PTA Secretary on the executive committee. Sue is mom to Bradley who is in 3rd grade this year. She loves the Small School Community and encourages everyone to join the PTA and get involved.

Treasurer, Carol Zechman (zechmc@mainehealth.org)

Carol joins the executive committee this year as Treasurer. Carol is mom to Finn in 5th grade and Paul in 1st grade. She also has a 7th grader at Mahoney. She is looking forward to becoming more involved with the Small School Community since transferring from Brown School last year.

WELCOME TO A NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

2009-09-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Small School PTA welcomes all new and returning families! The goal of our PTA is to enhance our children's education by promoting a strong community and supporting school education. We fundraise to support field trips, school projects, classroom supplies, and grounds improvements, and provide a communication forum for our school community.

All parents are welcome to join the PTA. There is a yearly $5.00 fee to join, but you can donate more; $1.75 goes to the National PTA, $2.50 goes to Maine PTA and any additional funds are used by the Small School PTA to support Small School. The money you spend is tax deductible.

If you have any questions or would like more information about your Small School PTA, please contact a PTA executive member:

Presidents: Jim Frederick (jfrederick1@gmail.com)

Margaret Donahue (margaret@katrinka.net)

Vice Presidents: Stephanie Pandora (spandora@hannaford.com)

Pam Remy (pam.remy@gmail.com)

Secretary: Sue Peterson (suepeterson2@hotmail.com)

Treasurer: Carol Zechman

(zechmc@mainehealth.org)

Please join us!