Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6 - 10).  Feel free to ask your child to write a thank you note or draw a picture for the teachers.  You may want to cut some flowers or bring a start (a little pot of rosemary, for example) from your garden.

We appreciate you, Mrs. Murray and Mrs. Worsley, and Mrs. Michelle too!

Muffins for Mom, May 10

Moms, remember to stop by your child's classroom between 8 and 9:30 on Friday, May 10!  You will watch your child do a work and join him/her for a muffin!

Chocolate Mousse Recipe Ideas for Kids Fest

1. This recipe uses real whipped cream and melted chocolate -- that's all.  YUM!
http://michaelmindes.com/simple-easy-chocolate-mousse

2. This recipe uses chocolate pudding, whipped topping and a tiny amount of milk --easy peasy:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1613,149188-254201,00.html

Or use any recipe that you like.  I just ask that you do not use raw eggs for the school function!  :)
If you could please make a double or triple batch that would be fabulous! 

Merci beaucoup!

Dori St. Amant

Kids Fest

Kids Fest will be here soon! Friday, April 19 will be here before we know it.

Some things to think about as we prepare....

1. Costumes: Boys: white shirt and navy pants. Girls: white blouse and navy skirt.  We have berets for them to wear!

2. Dessert: Our dessert this year will be chocolate mousse.  We'll need about 10 volunteers to bring in 20 - 30 mini servings of chocolate mousse in dixie or similar sized cup (1/2 a dixie cup = 1 mini serving).  If anyone has sample sized cups to send in let us know -- that would be even better!  We'll need one parent to bring in little spoons (300) and napkins (300).  Please sign up to bring mousse OR cake (cup cakes are great)!

3. Cake walk.  This year's cake walk will have French music!  If you're not bringing in chocolate mousse please bring in some cakes (any size -- including cup cakes is fine).

4. We'll have a little French activity/game for the children to complete and take home.

5. Volunteer the day of Kids Fest!  There will be a sign up sheet soon for helping in Mrs. Murray's room and in the main campus area.  We'll need volunteers for the kitchen, the serving line, the drink line, parking, clean up, and more.  Look for a volunteer sign up sheet to be posted soon.
 

Thank you!

Upcoming Field Trips - Save the Date

Thursday, March 28 - Accidental Artist, Greenville (students should be back by 11:00 or 11:30).

Wednesday, April 24 - Museum - Raleigh/Durham (details coming soon)

Look for more field trip forms in backpacks soon.  I'll update the blog as more information becomes available!

Vote on MPTO Blog

You still have time to go to the MPTO blog at http://wmpcs-pto.blogspot.com/ to vote for the Vice President/President Elect for the remainder of the year.  Go to: http://wmpcs-pto.blogspot.com

Report Cards

Report cards went out today.  If you didn't receive it today be sure to look for it tomorrow!

AUCTION BASKET

It's that time of year again, and our class is preparing a basket for auction.  This year's auction basket will be a craft basket.  Please send in an art or craft item or money (+/- $5 -- whatever you want to contribute).  If you need ideas, here are a few: watercolor paper, watercolor pencils, calligraphy pens, paints, felt, yarn, craft kits, pipe cleaners, canvases, paint brushes, etc.

**For new parents, auction is the biggest fundraiser of the year (adults only).  This year's auction is Saturday, February 16.  More information can be found on the FYI.

Goose Creek Field Trip Friday 11/16

Goose Creek State Park Field Trip

Where: Goose Creek State Park
When: Friday, 11/16/12, 9:00 - 12:30
Bring: bag lunch and drink with child's name. 
Wear: uniforms (spirit shirts OK)

Please turn in your permission slip and let the teachers know if you can drive.

Christmas concert

Here is the link to "Vive le Vent" (Jingle Bells in French) that the children will be singing for the Christmas concert in case they would like to practice at home.  :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dX0nIE6JL8

• • Juvenile Diabetes Silent Auction

     Sunday, November 18, 2012, 3 - 6pm

• 2228 Chauncey Lane, Greenville, NC 27834

• As many of you know, one of our second graders, Aurora Freeman, was diagnosed with type 1 Juvenile Diabetes when she was 3 years old.  You can help find a cure for juvenile diabetes by coming out and shopping and/or by donating an item (examples of past donations include photography, hand turned wooden pens, photography, knitwear, purses, dolls, Christmas ornaments, and jewelry). Come out, do some holiday shopping, and contribute to JDRF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, at the same time! All auction items are donated and hand crafted by local artists and craftspeople, and all proceeds go to JDRF to find a cure!

Check the MPTO Blog -- Vote on Polls

Please check the MPTO Blog.  There are several polls that need your votes.

Also, please save the date for the Barnes & Noble Fundraiser.  It will be November 13 all day with special events from 5 - 8 in the evening.

Upcoming Field Trips

-Goose Creek State Park: November 16, 9 - 12:30 (information will be sent home soon, and the blog will be updated as we receive more information).

- Two field trips will be planned for the spring.  More info to come!

Field Trip: October 26, 2012

Destination: Meherrin-Chowanoke Nation PowWow, Ahoskie, NC
Date: Oct 26, 2012
Departure Time: 8:30
Estimated Return: 2:30
Cost for student: $5 (cash only)  Adults attending pay at the gate.
Details: Bring a bag lunch and drink with child's name on it.  Students may bring $5 to purchase souvenirs.  Students are to wear uniforms (may wear spirit shirts).

PLEASE RETURN PERMISSION SLIP AND $5 BY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5 (non-refundable)

We have class pets!

Our first fire-bellied toads escaped, but we now have new friends.  Please welcome our new fire-bellied toads, named Sunshine and Blazer!

Sylvan Heights Field Trip

Where: Sylvan Heights Bird Park, Scotland Neck
Date: Thursday, April 26, 2012
Departure: 8:30 am
Return: 2:50 pm
Cost for student: $7
Cost for adult: $9
Details: Bring bag lunch (no boxes, please)

No siblings, please.
Please return your permission slip and money by Tuesday, April 24.
If your child is under 8 and under 80 lbs, please leave his/her booster.

Kids Fest Volunteers for 4/20

We need Kids Fest Volunteers! We need volunteers for the following in Mrs. Murray's classroom:
1. Volunteers to make cakes for Mrs. Murray's traditional cake walk (dont' make one big cake, but rather 4 + mini cakes or even cupcakes are great -- they go much further). We'll also be doing a traditional Chinese game involving a marble, a bowl of water and chopsticks - it will be fun. I need 6 volunteers for cupcakes/mini cakes

2. Volunteers to make mini pancakes (the size of oreos). Jing will purchase sweet red bean paste in Raleigh and we'll either send the beans home with you to fill the pancakes (if we get them early) or I'll ask for volunteers to fill them from 4pm-5pm right before Kids Fest (it will be very much like spreading peanut butter on bread , but the size of oreos). These little sweet red bean pancakes are a typical party food in China and taste very much like sweet red bean dumplings (which I've had before -- yum). I need 6 volunteers to make 100 - 200 very small oreo-sized pancakes (one or two batches of pancake batter).

3. Day of Kids Fest: Two volunteers to assemble pancakes - 4:00 - 5:00
Two volunteers from 4:45 - 5:30, 5:30 - 6:15, and 6:15 - 6:45 to help serve the appetizers and oversee the game in our room. The 6:15 - 6:45 volunteers will help for 15 minutes, but will then help clean up and get the children in their costumes for Parade of Flags/Dances at 6:45.

We also need a few people from our room to sign up for food prep, food/drink serving, clean up or parking help (see main sign up sheet on 6-9 door and on the main page of the blog).

See sign up sheet on Mrs. Murray's door or email me at dlstamant@gmail.com and I'll sign you up.

Annual Fundraiser for Juvenile Diabetes

What: Annual Fundraiser for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)
Where: 216 Quail Hollow Road, Greenville
When: 7-12 on Sat. March 10
How you can help: Donate items or attend the garage sale!

Details of how to donate items: Drop off small items for donations for the garage sale in Mrs. Murray's room on Thursday or Friday afternoon or if you have larger items to donate (call Gabrielle at 258-5369 to coordinate drop off).

Field Trip to Goose Creek State Park 3/12

Where: Goose Creek State Park
Date: Monday, March 12, 2012
Departure time: 8:30 am from school
Return: 12:30
Cost: Free
Bring: Bag lunch and drink
Dress code: uniform (spirit shirts with uniform pants OK), comfortable shoes!

Please fill out the permission slip the teachers sent home and let them know if you can drive!

Volunteer for Picture Day 3/21 from 9 - 10am

I am looking for one volunteer from approximately 9 - 10am on Wednesday, March 21 (check with the teachers as the time gets closer for an exact schedule) to help with outfit changes. Please let me know if you are available to help tie a bow, straighten a collar, etc. for an hour or so that day.

If for some reason the weather is bad the date will be rescheduled.

Thanks so much for your help!

Dori St. Amant

dlstamant@gmail.com