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2012 Issue 1 - Fall

Mamaroneck Avenue SchoolPTA NewsletterPublished by the MAS PTA Newsletter Committee

Nosband Avenue, White Plains NY 10605 • 914-422-2286

The MAS PTA has an email account: [email protected] send an email to this account if you or someone you know would like to be added to the distribution list.

Your email address will not be shared with anyone outside of the capacity of the PTA.

It’s hard to believe that summer is long gone, autumn is here, and the children are already settled into the school year. We’re looking forward to a great school year, with lots of exciting PTA events planned! Your PTA was hard at work all summer gearing up for the beginning of school and hosting events that occur even before the official start of school.

These events included:

• Kindergarten Social, held the day before school started, where incoming Kindergarteners and their parents had an opportunity to see their classrooms, meet their teachers, and make new friends while enjoying an ice pop and a slice of watermelon.

• Staff Welcome Back Dessert, also held the day before school started, which allowed us to thank the entire MAS staff for dedicating their days (and nights) to our children. This year we were especially fortunate to have parents bring in home baked goods.

• School Supply Package Fundraiser, where PTA volunteers do your back-to-school shopping for you, so that when your children arrive on the first day of school their school supplies await them on their desks.

We have also held several events this fall:

• Back-to-School Picnic. Despite torrential rain on the original date, which forced postponing the picnic a week, we had an excellent turnout at this new event. Parents, children, teachers, and even Gus all had a great time reconnecting with old friends in the MAS community after the summer break - and making new ones.

• Picture Day was smooth sailing. Thank you to everyone - children, teachers and volunteers – for coming with your best smiles!

• Our Fall Fundraiser was a huge success. A big thank you to

everyone who sold and bought items through Miss Chocolate; those scrumptious cakes and pies were hard to resist! Every fundraising event sponsored by the PTA raises money that goes directly back to the school to benefit all of our children, so we truly appreciate your support.

• Ghosts and goblins all showed up for our Howlin’ Halloween Spooktacular. Kids flew on the moon bounce, scored big on the games, and enjoyed rolls and rolls of fresh cotton candy. This event would not be such a success without our dedicated volunteers – parents, middle-schoolers, and high schoolers. A big thank you to all.

• We held our annual Food and Coat Drive during American Education Week (November 13th-16th), and the response this year was tremendous. Thank you to everyone who donated to help those in need in our community. All items were donated to the Ecumenical Food Pantry in White Plains.

• The MAS Chess Club is booming, with over 60 children enrolled for the lunchtime program. Another session will begin in January, so please look for a flyer if your child is interested in signing up.

• PTA Membership is going strong this year, and we look forward to everyone joining the PTA at any level of membership. Together we can make a difference in our children’s educational experience. It’s never too late to join; contact Karen Chu at [email protected].

• We also held two PTA meetings this fall. The first was on the first day of school at 8:30 am. Ms. McGuire and Mr. Janowitz reassured parents, especially Kindergarten parents, that their children were settling in and that it was going to be a great year! We also held a PTA meeting during American Education Week. The meeting was a Coffee Chat, where parents had the opportunity to speak informally with Ms. McGuire and Mr. Janowitz about changes to curriculum and assessment that have occurred for this school year. Our next PTA meeting will be

A Message from the MAS PTA Co-Presidents

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M am a ro ne c k Ave nue S ch o o l - P TA Ne ws l e t t e r

held on Tuesday January 22nd at 7:30 pm in the Media Center (and don’t forget that Dad’s Bedtime Stories also takes place at that time!).

Thank you to all the volunteers who made our summer and fall events happen, and thank you to all the volunteers who will be working hard throughout the rest of the year to make this year a great one for our kids.

In other exciting PTA news, this year we have even more ways to communicate with you. We have rejuvenated our website, and it now provides a wealth of information about the PTA, our events, and how you can get involved. To visit us, go to www.whiteplainspublicschoools.org/mae and then click on the PTA link on the right side of the page under Site Shortcuts. A huge thank you to Tracey Zimmerman for revamping the website and for keeping it up-to-date with the most current PTA information!

We also have a new MAS PTA Facebook page (www.facebook.com/maspta). Look there for up-to-the-minute information about upcoming events, and please “Like” us!

We have also started sending out a weekly email every Sunday evening, which provides information about events and activies during the upcoming week. Please make sure that the MAS PTA has your email address, so that you can receive our emails and be informed. Email us at [email protected] if you’d like to be added to our list. And thank you to Emily Conrad for getting the email out each week!

PTA information and forms are also located on our PTA bulletin board near the front office.

MAS school spirit is going strong this year. The PTA has been selling many new MAS-branded clothing and accessory items, such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, pawprint hats, and even jewelry. Many children have been proudly wearing their school pride! Don’t forget about all of our MAS Spirit Days. The list of days is on our website (in the PTA Calendar of Events).

Have you noticed the new soccer goals on the MAS field? Thanks to the MAS Class of 2012, the PTA was able to facilitate the purchase of the goals. Now all the children at MAS can enjoy a soccer game during recess. And thanks to money we received from a Target contest, we were also able to purchase new soccer balls. Thanks to everyone who participated in the online contest and helped us earn the money.

None of our PTA events can happen without the help of numerous volunteers. It’s never too late to get involved and help out with one of our events. If you’re interested, please email us at [email protected] or visit our website at www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/mae to access volunteer forms.

Don’t forget to watch for fliers for our upcoming events. As this newsletter goes to press, we are in the midst of a very busy month at MAS. November is Box Tops month – the class that collects

Este es un mensaje de las Co-Presidentas del PTA de M.A.S.

Es difícil de creer que el verano se ha ido, el otoño esta aquí, y los niños ya se han establecido en el año escolar. Esperamos un gran año escolar, con muchos eventos emocionantes planeados por el PTA.! Su PTA estaba trabajando fuerte todo el verano preparando para el comienzo de la escuela y la celebración de eventos que ocurren incluso antes del inicio oficial de la escuela.

Estos eventos incluyen:

• Evento Social del Kindergarten, que se lleva acabo el día antes de empezar las clases, donde los niños de Kindergarten y sus padres tuvieron la oportunidad de ver sus salones de clases, conocer a sus maestros, y hacer nuevos amigos mientras disfrutaban de una paleta helada y una rodaja de sandia

• Postre de Bienvenida a los Empleados, también se llevo acabo el día antes de empezar las clases, lo que nos permitió agradecer a todo el personal del MAS por dedicar sus días (y noches) a nuestros niños. Este año fuimos afortunados de tener padres que trajeron productos caseros.

• Paquete de Útiles Escolares para recaudar fondos, donde voluntarios de el PTA hacen sus compras para el regreso a la escuela para usted, para que cuando sus hijos lleguen el primer día de la escuela, los útiles escolares les esperan en sus escritorios.

Ya hemos celebrado varios eventos este otoño:

• Picnic de regreso a la escuela. A pesar de la lluvia torrencial en la fecha original que exigía el aplazamiento del picnic por una semana, hemos tenido excelente participación en este nuevo evento. Los padres, niños, profesores, e incluso Gus lo pasaron muy bien volviendo a conectarse con viejos amigos en la comunidad de MAS después de las vacaciones de verano y haciendo otros nuevos.

•El Dia de Foto fue como viento en popa ¡Gracias a todos - niños, maestros y voluntarios - por haber venido con sus mejores sonrisas!

• Nuestra recaudación de fondos de Otoño fue un gran éxito. Gracias a todos los que vendieron y compraron artículos a través de Miss Chocolate, esas deliciosas tortas y pasteles eran difíciles de resistir! Cada evento para recaudar fondos patrocinado por

the most Box Tops during the month will win a special treat! At the end of November and into December we have the Book Fair and our Family Breakfast. Look for more information to come.

This year we have a goal of 100% membership in the PTA. If we all work together we can enrich our children’s school experiences. Join us now!

Children FirstLydia Kris and Karen Langley

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el PTA recauda dinero que va directamente a la escuela en beneficio de todos nuestros niños, así que realmente apreciamos su apoyo.

• Los fantasmas y duendes asistieron a nuestro Howlin’ Halloween Spooktacular. Los niños volaron en el rebote de luna, ganaron a lo grande en los juegos, y disfrutaron de rollos y rollos de algodón de azúcar. Este evento no sería un éxito sin nuestros dedicados voluntarios – padres y estudiantes de escuela intermedia y secundaria. Muchas gracias a todos.

• Celebramos nuestra Donación de Comida y Abrigos durante la Semana de la Educación Americana (noviembre 13 al 16), y la respuesta de este año ha sido excelente, Gracias a todos los que donaron para ayudar a los necesitados en nuestra comunidad. Todos los artículos fueron donados a la despensa de alimentos en White Plains.

• El Club de Ajedrez de MAS está creciendo, con más de 60 niños inscritos en el programa de almuerzo. Otra sesión se iniciará en enero, así que por favor busque un folleto si su hijo está interesado en inscribirse.

• La membresía para el PTA va fuerte este año, y esperamos que todos se unan al PTA en cualquier nivel de membresía. Juntos podemos hacer una diferencia en la experiencia educativa de nuestros hijos. Nunca es demasiado tarde para unirse, póngase en contacto con Karen Chu por [email protected].

• También tuvimos dos reuniones del PTA este otoño. La primera fue en el primer día de la escuela a las 8:30 am. Ms. McGuire y Mr. Janowitz aseguraron a los padres, especialmente a los padres de kindergarten, que sus hijos se estaban acostumbrando y que iba a ser un gran año! También se celebró una reunión del PTA durante la Semana de la Educación Americana. La reunión fue una charla de café, donde los padres tuvieron la oportunidad de hablar informalmente con Ms. McGuire y Mr. Janowitz acerca de los cambios en el currículo y la evaluación que se han producido durante este año escolar. Nuestra próxima reunión del PTA será el martes 22 de enero a las 7:30 pm en el Media Center (y no se olvide que Cuentos leídos por Papa se llevara a cabo a la misma hora).

Gracias a todos los voluntarios que hicieron posible nuestros eventos del verano y otoño, y gracias a todos los voluntarios que estarán trabajando duro durante todo el resto del año para hacer de este sea un gran año para nuestros hijos.

En otras noticias interesantes del PTA, este año tenemos más formas de comunicarse con usted. Hemos rejuvenecido nuestro sitio web, y ahora ofrece una gran cantidad de información acerca de el PTA, nuestros eventos, y cómo usted puede involucrarse. Para visitarnos, vaya a www.whiteplainspublicschoools.org/mae y haga clic en el link de PTA en la parte derecha de la página debajo de Site Shortcuts. Un enorme agradecimiento a Tracey Zimmerman por la modernización de la página web y por mantenerla al día con la información más actual del PTA!

También tenemos una nueva pagina en Facebook para el PTA de MAS (www.facebook.com/maspta)! Busque allí por información puesta al minuto sobre los próximos eventos, y haga un clic en “Me gusta.”

El PTA de M.A.S. tiene una cuenta de correo electronico: [email protected]

Si desea recibir emails envienos uno y estara de manera automatica enrollandose en la lista de distribucion.

Nosotros no compartiremos su emali con nadie que no sea del PTA de M.A.S.

También hemos comenzado el envío de un correo electrónico semanal cada domingo por la noche, que proporciona información sobre eventos y actividades durante las próximas semanas. Por favor, asegúrese de que el PTA de MAS tenga su dirección de e-mail, para que pueda recibir nuestros emails y estar informado! Envíenos un email a [email protected] si desea ser agregado a nuestra lista. Y gracias a Emily Conrad por mandar el correo electrónico cada semana!

Información sobre el PTA y sus formularios también se encuentran en nuestra pizarra de anuncios del PTA, cerca de la oficina principal.

Espíritu de MAS va fuerte este año! El PTA ha estado vendiendo muchas nuevas prendas de vestir y accesorios de MAS, como camisetas, sudaderas, gorras, e incluso joyas, y muchos niños visten orgullosamente el emblema de su escuela! No se olvide de todos nuestros Días de Espíritu de MAS. La lista de días está en nuestra página web (en el Calendario de Eventos PTA).

¿Ha notado las nuevas porterías de fútbol en la cancha de MAS? Gracias a la Clase MAS de 2012, el PTA fue capaz de facilitar la adquisición de las porterías. Ahora todos los niños en el MAS pueden disfrutar de un partido de fútbol en el recreo! Y gracias al dinero que recibimos de un concurso de Target, también hemos adquirido nuevas pelotas de fútbol. Gracias a todos los que participaron en el concurso por internet cual nos ayudó a ganar el dinero!

Ninguno de nuestros eventos del PTA pueden suceder sin la ayuda de numerosos voluntarios. Nunca es demasiado tarde para involucrarse y ayudar con uno de nuestros eventos. Si usted está interesado, por favor envíenos un email a [email protected] o visite nuestro sitio web en www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/mae para formularios de voluntarios.

No se olvide de mirar los folletos para nuestros próximos eventos. Mientras este boletín va a imprenta, nos encontramos en medio de un mes muy ocupado en MAS. Noviembre es el mes Box Tops - la clase que recoge la mayor cantidad de Box Tops durante el mes ganará un regalo especial! A finales de noviembre y en diciembre tenemos la Feria del Libro y el desayuno de la familia. Busque más información por venir!

Este año tenemos una meta de membrecía del 100% en el PTA. Si todos trabajamos juntos, podemos enriquecer nuestras experiencias escolares de los niños. ¡Únase a nosotros!

Los niños primero!Lydia Kris y Karen Langley

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RINCON DEL PRINCIPAL November 2012

Dear MAS Families,

How did mid-November get here so quickly? I would like to wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving!

On a personal note, I have really enjoyed my first few months as the Principal of Mamaroneck Avenue School. It has been great to get to know our students, their families and our staff. I am diligently working on getting to know the names of all the students in our school!

A very special thank you to our PTA for our fantastic Spooktacular, Coffee Chats, and Election Day Bake Sale – the list goes on and on. Our PTA purchased new soccer goals for our students to use at recess. They are beautiful and are certainly getting good use! MAS also received $75.00 in Target gift cards through the “Give with Target” program. With this money, we were able to purchase four soccer balls for recess.

Thanks for all your support. It is much appreciated.

Regards,

Eileen McGuirePrincipal

PRINCIPAL’S CORNERNoviembre 2012

Estimadas familias de MAS,

¿Cómo llegamos a mediados de noviembre tan rápido? Me gustaría desearles a ustedes y a sus familias una muy Feliz Acción de Gracias!

En lo personal, he disfrutado mucho mis primeros meses como Directora de la Escuela Mamaroneck Avenue. Ha sido un placer conocer a nuestros estudiantes, sus familias y nuestro personal. Estoy trabajando diligentemente para conocer los nombres de todos los estudiantes en nuestra escuela!

Un especial agradecimiento a nuestro PTA por nuestro fantástico Spooktacular, charlas con café, y venta de pasteles por Día de las Elecciones - la lista sigue y sigue. Nuestro PTA adquirió nuevas porterías de fútbol para nuestros estudiantes para utilizar en el recreo. Son hermosas y sin duda se les da un buen uso! MAS también recibió $ 75.00 en tarjetas de regalo de Target a través del programa “Give with Target”. Con este dinero pudimos comprar cuatro balones de fútbol para el recreo.

Gracias por todo su apoyo. Es muy apreciado. Saludos,

Eileen McGuire Directora

Ms. McGuire with Mr. Janowitz, Dr. Clouet (Superintendent), and staff from the Youth Bureau during the Dads take your child to school day

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Q: How many years have you been in the fieldofeducation?A: 30 years.

Q:Whatmadeyoudecidetobecomeateacher?A: A desire to work with children, have fun and never be bored.

Q:Whatisyourfavoritethingaboutyourjob?A: It is never boring, always changing and always challenging.

Q: What do you like about teaching Special Education?A: I love discovering a child’s strength and then using it to help them learn.

Q: What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened toyouintheclassroom?A: It wasn’t funny at the time but when I was teaching in a therapeutic preschool one of my four year olds tried to flush his overalls down the toilet!

Q:Whatdoyouliketodoinyoursparetime?A: I like to read, hike, play with Gus and kayak.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world all expenses paid,wherewouldyougo?A: England, because I want to visit independent book shops and see what the young Brits are reading.

Q:Whatisyourfavoriteseasonandwhy?A: Autumn. Crispy fresh apples, cool, clear days, beautiful countryside, fires in the wood stove, soup on the stove.

Q:Ifyoucouldmeetanyoneinhistory,whowoulditbe?A: Harriet Tubman. I have always been fascinated by the secrecy and success of the Underground Railroad and

the strength and determination of the escaping slaves who travelled so far with so little.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?A: Actually my mother shared two pieces of advice that I have used as my guide throughout my life. First, she said, never judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their moccasins. This second piece of wisdom really helped me. Find your passion in life and then figure out how to get someone to pay you to do it. I was lucky enough to find my passion and it has made for a happy life.

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT!Ms. Jane Markham is one of our Special Education teachers at MAS and our new PTA teachers representative. She grew up in Upstate NY, near Lake Ontario, and spent the summers playing kickball with her four brothers, riding her bike, and eating fresh-picked cherries. She now lives in Mamaroneck where life is much different. She has two grown stepchildren, two children in college, two grandchildren, two cats, one husband, and one dog, whom you all know, Gus!

Ms. Markham and Gus share some

special moments!

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Nice to Meet You!Just as many of the students are new to the school this year, so am I! My name is Lillian O’Grady, and I am the new school nurse at Mamaroneck Avenue School. I have received a very warm welcome, and I am grateful to everyone who has made my start here so comfortable. I am getting to know the students, and look forward to learning more about your children as the year goes on. I also look forward to meeting you, the parents.

I have years of experience in both school and hospital settings. I look forward to being part of the team of teachers, parents, administrators, and especially students, as we work together to help your children grow and develop in a healthy environment.

School PhysicalsNew York health requirements state that all students in grades Kindergarten, second, and fourth grade, as well as new students, must have a physical examination. If you have not sent in your physical form with immunizations, please do so immediately.

MedicationsIf a child is to take any medications at school, please send in the medication permission sheet which requires a doctor / practitioner’s signature and a parent / guardian’s signature. If you do not have this form, it is available in the nurse’s office. Please bring in the medication, and be sure to check the expiration date.

When to keep a child homeParents often wonder whether to send a sick child to school. While parents know their children better than anyone, it can still be difficult to determine whether a child should be sent to school or kept home.

Here are some guidelines for keeping a child home from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Persistent Fever (temperature higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit when taken by mouth)

• Severe sore throat that lasts more than 48 hours, especially when accompanied by a fever

• A significant rash, particularly when other symptoms are present

• Large amounts of discolored nasal discharge• Severe ear pain

• An uncontrolled cough• Diarrhea• Vomiting or significant feeling of nausea• Severe headache, especially with a fever

Parents can allow children to return to school after symptoms are gone for at least 24 hours. This includes being free of diarrhea, vomiting and fever without the aid of Tylenol for at least 24 hours.

If a student has pinkeye or strep throat, they should be on antibiotics for at least 24 hours before coming back to school.

Hand WashingHere at MAS, we encourage the students to wash their hands. Please encourage your children to get into this healthy habit. They should wash their hands thoroughly and often with soap and warm water. They should be sure to wash their hands before eating, after going to the bathroom, after coughing or sneezing, or whenever they are dirty.

Head LiceThere have been some cases of lice in school. Please check your child for lice as necessary. If you know or suspect that your child has lice, he/she can always see me. I follow the following protocols:

• Students initially found to have nits in their hair / scalp (who do not have proof of treatment) will be sent home until treatment is provided.

• A child will be allowed to return to school after treatment with a shampoo (pediculicide) specially designed to treat lice, even if nits are present. If no pediculicide is used, the child must be nit-free to return to school.

Hats and GlovesAs the weather turns colder, please make sure your children are dressed appropriately. Don’t forget hats and gloves and boots when the weather is cold and/or wet.

Thank You!

Thank you so much for your help with all of the above. Please contact me with any concerns you may have. I wish you a smooth and healthy school year!

FROM THE NURSES OFFICE Lillian O’Grady(914) 422-2291

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DE LA OFICINA DE LAS ENFERMERASEncantada de conocerle!Igual que muchos de los estudiantes son nuevos en la escuela este año, igual soy yo! Mi nombre es Lillian O’Grady, y soy la nueva enfermera de la escuela Mamaroneck Avenue. He recibido una muy cálida bienvenida, y les agradezco a todos los que han hecho que mi comienzo aquí sea tan cómodo. Estoy conociendo a los estudiantes, y esperamos aprender más sobre sus hijos en el trascurso del año. También espero conocerles a Uds., sus padres.

Tengo años de experiencia en la escuela y en el medio hospitalario. Espero poder ser parte del equipo de profesores, padres, administradores y especialmente de los estudiantes, a medida que trabajamos juntos para ayudar al crecimiento de los niños y el desarrollo en un ambiente sano.

Exámenes FísicosLos requisitos del estado de Nueva York requieren que todos los estudiantes del grado Kínder, segundo, y cuarto grado, al igual que todos los estudiantes nuevos, tengan un examen físico. Si Ud. no ha mandado su formulario del físico con las vacunas, por favor hágalo inmediatamente.

MedicamentosSi un niño necesita tomar algún medicamento en la escuela, por favor envié la hoja de permiso de medicamentos que requiere la firma de un médico / practicante y un padre / tutor. Si usted no tiene este formulario, está disponible en la oficina de la enfermera. Por favor traiga la medicación, y asegúrese de comprobar la fecha de caducidad.

Cuando debe mantener a su niño/a en casaLos padres a menudo se preguntan si deben mandar a su niño/a enfermo a la escuela. Mientras los padres conocen a su hijos mejor que nadie, todavía puede ser difícil de determinar si su niño/a debe ir a la escuela o quedarse en casa.

Aquí hay algunas guías para mantener a su niño en casa de la Academia Americana de Pediatría:

• Fiebre persistente (temperatura mayor de 100.4 grados Fahrenheit cuando se toma por vía oral)

• Severo dolor de garganta que dura más de 48 horas, sobre todo cuando se acompaña de fiebre

• Un sarpullido significativo, sobre todo cuando otros síntomas están presentes

• Grandes cantidades de descarga nasal descolorida• Dolor de oído intenso

• Una tos no controlada• Diarrea• Vómitos o sensación de náusea significativa• Dolor de cabeza severo, especialmente si tiene fiebre

Los padres pueden permitir que los niños regresen a la escuela después de que los síntomas hayan desaparecido por lo menos 24 horas. Esto incluye estar libre de diarrea, vómitos y fiebre sin la ayuda de Tylenol durante al menos 24 horas.

Si un estudiante tiene conjuntivitis o garganta por estreptococos, deben tomar antibióticos durante al menos 24 horas antes de regresar a la escuela.

Lavado de las ManosAquí en el MAS, alentamos a los estudiantes a lavarse las manos. Por favor anime a su hijo/ a entrar en este hábito saludable. Deben lavarse las manos cuidadosamente y con frecuencia con jabón y agua tibia. Ellos deben estar seguros de que se laven las manos antes de comer, después de ir al baño, después de toser o estornudar, o cuando estén sucias.

Piojos en la cabezaHa habido algunos casos de piojos en la escuela. Por favor chequee a su hijo por piojos como cuando sea necesario. Si usted sabe o sospecha que su hijo tiene piojos, él / ella siempre me puede ver. Yo sigo los siguientes protocolos:

• Los estudiantes inicialmente que se encuentran que tienen liendres en el cabello / cuero cabelludo (que no tiene pruebas de tratamiento) será enviado a casa hasta que el tratamiento sea proporcionado

• Un niño/a se le permitirá regresar a la escuela después del tratamiento con un champú (pediculicida) diseñados especialmente para el tratamiento de los piojos, las liendres aún están presentes. Si no se usa pediculicida, el niño debe estar libre de liendres para volver a la escuela.

Sombreros y GuantesA medida que el clima se vuelve más frío, por favor asegúrese de que sus niños estén vestidos apropiadamente. No se olvides de sombreros y guantes y botas cuando el clima es frío y / o húmedo.

¡Gracias!

Muchas gracias por su ayuda con todo lo mencionado. Por favor, póngase en contacto conmigo con cualquier pregunta que pueda tener. Les deseo un año escolar tranquilo y saludable!

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We Treasure Our Volunteers!

The PTA is very thankful for our wonderful community full of generous parents, teachers, and friends!

We are always looking for more volunteers for our PTA events. None of our events can happen without the help of people like YOU!

We are all busy people, but if you are able to help out in any way please email us at [email protected], visit our website at www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/mae, or keep an eye out for the flyers that come home requesting help.

Thank you!

enVisionMATH Program

Thank you to all those who have purchased MAS Spiritwear this year and helped to keep our school spirit going strong! A tremendous thank you to Tina Michell for all her efforts in purchasing and selling our spiritwear!

Don’t despair if you missed our Fall order form, Spiritwear will be on sale at the Family Breakfast, Book Fair, and other MAS events. There will also be some exciting new lines and an order form coming out in the Spring.

As always, cash and checks (made out to MAS PTA) are accepted for Spiritwear orders. Please contact Tina Mitchell on 914-686-5460 or email [email protected]

MAS held a parent information morning on September 28th to introduce the new district wide Math Program enVisionMATH that is being used in all K-5 classrooms. Ms. Lee Weber, the district K-12 Math Co-ordinator, was there to demonstrate this program that uses concrete, pictorial, then abstract methods to teach the Common Core State Standards. The district is hoping to hold more information session later in the school year and more information on the program can be found at: pearsonschool.com/envisionmath.

Ms. Lee Weber introduces parents to the enVisionMATH program Parents have a go at some of the concrete enVision tasks

Spiritwear!

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On September 20th, MAS was excited to see how many fathers and father-figures walked or drove their kids to school for the 6th annual Dads Take Your Child to School day. Many of them were able to stay for some coffee and bagels, a brief welcome, and a visit to their child’s classroom. Research indi-cates that children whose fathers take an active role in their lives have better outcomes related to academics, behavior and social skills. The smiles that were seen on the faces of the children were a warm reminder of this!

Dads Take Your Child to School

Dads and father-figures visiting MAS, in the classrooms, and working with their children on this year’s Dads Take Your Child to School Day

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Classroom Trips and Special Events

our classroom libraries. You can help spread the joy of reading by purchasing books from the Classroom Wish List, which allows you to donate books to any classroom you choose. Be sure to look for the Classroom Wish List display when you arrive!

Also, don’t forget to stop by the Book Fair after the MAS Family Breakfast on Wednesday, November 28.

Thank you to all our volunteers who make this event such a success!

We hope you were able to make it to the Annual Book Fair that is being held from November 26 - 30. Families, teachers and the community are invited to attend!

The Book Fair offers new releases, award-winning titles, children’s classics, interactive software, and current best sellers.

Besides bringing affordable, appropriate books to our school, another goal of our Book Fair is to increase

ON THIS WEEK!- MAS BOOK FAIR -

Second Grade Visit the Fire Station

As part of their learning about Community, the second grade classes (Mrs. Speranza’s class are pictured) visited the fire station on Mamaroneck Avenue. The students answered questions about fire safety and the firefighters showed them the gear they use to help people in a fire. Even though the firefighters look strange and scary in all their gear, the second graders now know what to expect and that they are there to help them.

While walking to the fire station, dodging the rain drops, the students observed other services and resources in our local area.

Is your class or your child’s class planning a trip or doing something new or exciting? We would love to publish something about

it in our next PTA newsletter and show the community what great things

happen at MAS!

Please email Karen Langley at [email protected] with the details.

Photographs are wonderful too!

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M am a ro ne c k Ave nue S ch o o l - P TA Ne ws l e t t e rAr

ound

MAS

KindergartenEach issue we take a look around the hallways of MAS and see what each of the grades has been up to. This month in the Kindergarten halls we found colorful portraits of the children, as well as

happy turkeys and thankful trees. There is also a lovely harvest display of our November birthdays that was created by our artistic parents, Nancy Tirone and Colleen Cunney. It sure is bright and cheerful in the hallways of MAS!

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For some, the Spooktacular may have been the only Halloween celebration this year. Just days before Hurricane Sandy made landfall, the MAS community came together and enjoyed a wonderful time playing games, eating treats and perusing the Spiritwear items available for sale. Thanks to all those who volunteered before, during and after the event to make it such a success. And an extra special thanks to the committee members (Katie Cave, Colin Cave, Rachel Seitz, and Phil Cutrone!) who took the time to handcraft all the games - they were fabulous!

Howlin’ Halloween Spooktacular

Welcome Back Family PicnicAfter rain postponed our first date, September 14 was clear and dry for our first annual Welcome Back Family Picnic! Families brought their picnic dinner or some take out and came down to the school field to meet other families and friends. It was great to see the children playing together outside of school and parents also had a chance to chat in a relaxed setting. So many of our wonderful teachers were able to come along and our special friend Gus was also in attendence with his mom, Ms. Markham.

Ms. Knuckles and friends are a blur on the basketball court!

Ms. Markham and Gus stop to say hello

Board Members, Jeanna Munch and Jason Halperin, help others get in the school spirit

Bonnie Hagen and Katie Cave in costume

Our wonderful volunteers welcome everyone to the Spooktacular

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Have you visited our webpage?

To complement our growing social media presence, the MAS PTA has also created a webpage:

www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/Page/3948 Within this area of the MAS website you will find information about upcoming & past events, resources for supporting the PTA and a calendar of events that you can export right into your own calendar; being sure to never miss another PTA

event again!

Bookmark the link above and check in often J

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A message from the MAS PTA regarding: Social Media

If you haven’t already noticed, the PTA has created a Facebook page. In doing so, the PTA hopes to communicate school related information to the greater majority of the MAS family. “Liking” the MAS PTA page allows you to stay connected to the school even when you can’t be there.

Join us today and stay ahead of the curve!

www.facebook.com/MASPTA

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Mamaroneck Avenue School PTA Post-It!

PTA Events for the 2012-2013 School Year www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/mae

November 2012 Monday, November 26-30 Book Fair Wednesday, November 28 Family Breakfast (7:30am - 9:00am), visit the Book Fair! Spiritwear on sale! December 2012 Tuesday, December 18 Winter Concert (7:00 pm) January/February 2013 Tuesday, January 22 PTA Meeting & Dad's Bedtime Stories (7:00pm), snow date: January 29 Friday, January 25 PARP (Parents as Reading Partners) Kickoff Assembly Jan. 22 – Feb. 8 PARP Thursday, February 14 Staff Valentine’s Day Breakfast, snow date: February 20 March 2013 Entire Month Box Tops for Education Month Tuesday, March 5 4th + 5th Grade Science Fair – Families welcome to attend (Day: 9:00 - 11:30am; Evening: 6:30pm - 7:30pm) Tuesday, March 19 International Dinner (6:30pm), snow date: March 20 April 2013 Tuesday, April 9 Budget Meeting with Ridgeway/Post Rd. (7:30pm at Post Rd.) Friday, April 19 Family Night (7:00pm - 9:00pm) Thursday, April 30 Kindergarten Round-Up (9:30am) May 2013 Thurs & Fri, May 9-10 PTA Plant Sale Thursday May 9 Staff Appreciation Luncheon Friday, May 17 Health Fair Tuesday, May 21 Spring Concert (7:00pm) June 2013 Tuesday, June 11 PTA Meeting (7:30pm) Thursday, June 20 5th Grade Moving-Up Ceremony (9:30am)

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El PTA de la Escuela Mamaroneck Avenue Anuncia

Eventos del PTA del Año Escolar 2012-2013 www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/mae

Noviembre 2012 Noviembre 26-30 Feria de Libros Miércoles, Noviembre 28 Desayuno familiar (7:30am - 9:00am), Visite la feria! Diciembre 2012 Martes, Diciembre 18 Concierto de Invierno (7:00 pm) Enero/Febrero 2013 Martes, Enero 22 Reunión del PTA & Cuentos leído por papa (7:00pm), Día de nieve: Enero 29 Viernes, Enero 25 PARP (Padres como compañero de lectura) Empieza la

asamblea Enero 22 – Febrero 8 PARP Martes, Febrero 14 Desayuno por el Día de San Valentín a Empleados de

M.A.S, Día de Nieve: Febrero 20 Marzo 2013 Todo El Mes Box Tops por el mes de la Educación Martes, Marzo 5 Feria de Ciencias de 4to+ 5toGrado, Familias Bienvenidas (Día: 9:00 - 11:30am; Noche: 6:30pm - 7:30pm) Martes, Marzo 19 Noche de Cena Internacional (6:30pm), Día de Nieve: Marzo 20 Abril 2013 Martes, Abril 9 Reunión de Presupuestos con Ridgeway/Post Rd.

(7:30pm en Post Rd.) Viernes, Abril 19 Noche familia (7:00pm - 9:00pm) Jueves, Abril 30 Kindergarten Round-Up (9:30am) Mayo 2013 Jueves & Viernes, Mayo 9-10 Venta de Plantas auspiciado por el PTA de M.A.S. Jueves, Mayo 9 Almuerzo de Apreciación al personal de MAS Viernes, Mayo 17 Feria de la Salud Martes, Mayo 21 Concierto de la Primavera (7:00pm) Junio 2013 Martes, Junio 11 PTA Meeting (7:30pm) Jueves, Junio20 Ceremonia de graduación del 5th Grado (9:30am)

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Mamaroneck Avenue School

PTA MEMBERSHIP “Together we can make a difference in the lives

of our children and school community!”

Have you joined the PTA this year? It’s not too late! Supporting the PTA is an excellent way to show your children you care about them, their education, and their school.

PTA Contribution Levels

Level III: $75.00 & Up 2 adult memberships, an MAS tiger paw travel mug, and 2 MAS

bracelets

Level II: $50.00 2 adult memberships, a tiger paw tote bag, an MAS tiger paw

car magnet, and 2 MAS bracelets

Level I: $25.00 2 adult memberships, a tiger paw tote bag, and 2 MAS bracelets

Family $18.00 2 adult memberships

Single $10.00 1 adult membership

*All contributions are TAX DEDUCTIBLE* If paying by check, please make your check payable to M.A.S. PTA.

Simply fill out the form below and return it to your child’s teacher with your contribution in an envelope. Your PTA contribution does not make you a volunteer nor does it require any obligation on your part… However, any volunteer efforts are always welcomed and encouraged!

Thank you for your support! If you have any questions regarding membership please call Karen Chu at 831-3690.

MAS PTA Membership Level: Level III: $75 & Up Level II: $50 Level I: $25

(please check contribution level) Family: $18 Individual: $10

Member Name(s): (first) (last)

___________________________________ ________________________________

___________________________________ ________________________________

Email: ____________________________________ Telephone: _____________________

Children attending MAS, Teacher, and Grade:

HELP US BOOST

MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS!

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MEMBRECIA DEL PTA De la Escuela de Mamaroneck Avenue

“Juntos podemos hacer una diferencia en las vidas de nuestros niños y la comunidad escolar!”

¿No se ha unido al PTA este año? No es demasiado tarde! El apoyo al Comité de Padres de Familia (PTA) es una excelente manera de mostrar a sus hijos que usted se preocupa por ellos, su educación, y su escuela.

Niveles de Contribución del PTA

Nivel III: $75.00 o más incluye membresía de 2 adultos, un jarro viajero y 2 pulseras de mano del

logo de la mascota (Tiger) de MAS

Nivel II: $50.00 incluye membresía de 2 adultos, un bolso, un imán y dos pulseras de mano del

logo de la mascota (Tiger) de MAS

Nivel I: $25.00 incluye membresía de 2 adultos, un bolso y 2 pulseras de mano del logo de la

mascota (Tiger) de MAS

Familia: $18.00 incluye membresía de 2 adultos

Solo $10.00 membresía de 1 adulto

* Todas las contribuciones son deducibles de impuestos * Si está pagando con cheque, por favor haga su cheque pagadero a MAS PTA.

Sólo tiene que llenar el formulario de abajo y enviarlo en un sobre a la maestra de su hijo/a con la contribución. Recuerde que su contribución no lo hace voluntario ni tampoco tiene obligación alguna de su parte... Sin embargo, toda ayuda es bienvenida y le animamos a hacerlo.

Gracias por su colaboración! Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre la membresía, por favor llame a Karen Chu al 831-3690.

Nivel de Membresía del PTA-MAS: Nivel III: $75 o más Nivel II: $50 Nivel I: $25

(por favor, marque el nivel de contribución) Familia: $18 Solo: $10

Nombre(s): (Primer Nombre) (Apellido)

___________________________________ ________________________________

___________________________________ ________________________________

Email: ____________________________________ Teléfono: _____________________

Favor escriba el nombre los niños que asisten a M.A.S., sus maestros y el grado en que están:

AYUDANOS A PROMOVER LAS

CREDENCIALES DE MEMBRESIAS

Documents

Mamaroneck Avenue School - White Plains Middle School · Mamaroneck Avenue School ... has your email address, so that you can receive our emails and be informed. Email us at [email protected]