APPLE NEWS
Franklin Elementary
September 2007

MAASAI TRIBE COMING TO FRANKLIN

Franklin is thrillled to welcome an African dance troupe from Kenya on Monday, October 1. This group of Maasai and villagers will perform "The Coming of the Nilotics" at a school-wide assembly beginning at 9:30 a.m. and then lead workshops for students throughout the day. Thank you to all those parents who have volunteered to help with the lunch and workshops.

We currently have several traditional Maasai items on display in the glass case by the office. The group will sell traditional handcrafted items after school on October 1. Items range in price from $1 - $40. Stop by with your child to take a look.

Questions? Call Lynn Caruso 624-3989

FRANKLIN FUN RUN & FUNDRAISER

The Second Annual Franklin Fun Run and Fundraiser takes place Friday, Sept.28, from 1 to 3 p.m. in the lower field.

Please support PTG's main fundraiser of the year by helping your child make a lap goal and collect flat-rate pledges from relatives and friends. By the day of the run, please turn in your child's pledge sheet and envelope, the cash and/or checks (made out to Franklin PTG).

The money raised will go to assemblies, before- and after-school activities, equipment, family nights and special requests from teachers. The PTG is being asked to pay for more activities this year because of district budget cuts.

All students will receive a free, orange "Fun Run T-shirt" thanks to our sponsors. And thank you for helping your child and supporting this fun, healthy, and non-commercial event. (From Tania Olson)

CELEBRATION AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Mark your calendar for this year's celebrations and social events:

The celebration and social committee brings you the Harvest Party, the Ice Skating Party, Dads' and Moms' nights out and more.

Join us for our meeting Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. if you would like to help join our committee and plan this year's events. Two parties are coming up soon, so we'd love all the help we can get.

If you have questions, contact Gina Linke at 536-7943 (home), 209-3297(cell) or davidandgina3524@msn.com

FIRST-ANNUAL APPLE FAMILY CAMPOUT

APPLE families had lots of fun at the first annual campout. Farragut State Park offered beautiful scenery, fantastic swimming, and a private group campground. The kids kept busy building forts, gathering firewood, swimming, kayaking, stargazing, and becoming true s'mores connoisseurs.

This was a great chance for kids and parents to get to know each other better. The kids can't wait until next year. In fact, on the drive home, several children asked if we could come back the next weekend.

For those unable to attend this year, we hope to see you next year. This was a great way to make memories and strengthen our community. Let's thank Dan Hieronymus for putting this fantastic event together. (From Jodie Pierson)

CLASSROOM NEWS

First-Grade News

Homework begins Monday, Sept. 24. This year's goal is to help your children become GREAT readers, which means a big part of homework will be reading. Encourage your children to read to themselves, listen while you read to them, and have them read to you, a sibling, a grandparent, pet or stuffed animal. Please help them establish a regular time for homework and a familiar place to do it each day. These first few weeks require adjustment, so remember to help your children eat healthy meals (especially breakfast) and get to bed early.

Ready, Set, Go!!! You can now volunteer in the classroom. We handed out Beth's class schedule at the meeting and information about the BEST times to come work with the students. Please sign up on the calendar in the APPLE Core Area, adding your name and the time you will be at school. That way Beth knows she will have parent help and get you plugged into student activities. As always, you can come anytime, but it may not always be possible to be in the classroom. Call or send me email if you have questions.

The class and action meetings covered so much information. Thanks to those who so willingly signed up for our classroom jobs. Volunteer jobs in need of a home include:

Please contact me if you have questions. (From Jessica Hieronymus, djhieronymus@comcast.net, 747-3967)

Fourth-Grade News

fourth graders are off to a great start this year, and Mrs. C describes them as a very neat and clean group.

We have four new families in the 4th grade and would like everyone to join us in welcoming them: Michelle Crawford and her daughter Courtney; Sean and Terri Davis and their daughter Olivia; Amy and Jerry Mapes and their daughter Bailey; and Ann Morlin and her son Alex Henley.

We are all looking forward to connecting at our potluck with the third-grade families from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 30 at Lincoln Park.

Mrs. C spent time going over the classroom schedule, volunteer time and homework expectations. The weekly calendar will be posted in the classroom for volunteer sign-up. Fourth graders must always read 30 minutes each night in addition to their daily homework. Contact Mrs. C at home with questions or concerns.

The first book report will be assigned during the next 1-2 weeks. Spend some time with your child helping them create a timeline to complete the project.

We are looking forward to a great year. Please call me with questions or concerns. (From Christa Arguinchona, christaarg@comcast.net, 448-9457 or 990-8941.)

Fifth- and Sixth-Grade News

Thanks to everyone who attended the first classroom meeting. It was great to see many familiar faces and some new ones, too.

I would like to welcome the following new families and students to our classroom:

Please give these parents and students a hearty APPLE welcome when you see them!

We started off the evening introducing ourselves and describing what careers we thought our children might have when they grow up. Although we often hear from our kids what they want to be (and that may change from month to month), it was interesting to hear what the parents had to say. I was not disappointed to find that our classroom is filled with diversely talented children with a wide variety of skills and interests.

We spent a good portion of the meeting discussing classroom issues with Mrs. Jordan, including:

Information contacts: If you have a question or concern pertaining classroom procedure or anything that is going on within the classroom, please contact classroom coordinator Kimm Hill. If you have a question or concern regarding your individual student, please contact Mrs. Jordan directly. If you have a question or concern pertaining to an issue that is APPLE wide, please contact an Executive Member.

Birthdays: All birthday invitations must be sent outside of school so as not to disappoint a child who isn't invited. Even when the whole class is welcome, the invitations are distracting.

Birthday Snacks: Birthday snacks are shared at the end of the day from 2:30 to 3 p.m. You may bring snacks on your child's birthday or a day close to a birthday that falls on a holiday or weekend. Tama suggested that if your child's birthday falls in the summer months:

  1. You celebrate the half-birthday by bringing snacks in on the day that marks the half year between birthdays or:
  2. You bring snacks on one of the last few days of school.

Homework: Homework is handed out and explained at 2:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Students are allowed to start their homework before they leave school so that Tama can address any questions they have before they leave. Each day, Tama lists what the homework assignments will be for the day and the supplies the kids should have in their backpacks or at home to complete their assignments. Please encourage your student to double check these lists before they go home so they get everything they need.

Science and Social Studies: Tama wants the students to study several areas of science this year. They are currently studying earth and space science. While parent volunteers, including Merrie Dehmer and Jeff Hedge, will be assisting the kids with observations and experiments, Tama will be focusing on the "lingo of science" by working with kids on the vocabulary of science.

In social studies, the kids will be studying U.S .History, focusing on the colonies, the Constitution and the early days of colonization.

Anyone with expertise in these areas of science and social studies contact Tama to discuss how you can be involved.

Lunch time: Eat or play? Many students are forgoing eating their lunches to have more time to play at lunchtime recess. Please talk to your child about this and reinforce the need to eat a full lunch. Skipping lunch deprives their bodies of much-needed energy and leaves them tired and unfocused in class. This makes it difficult for Tama to get productive work out of them in the afternoon.

Commitment Letters and Action Plans: Parents who didn't complete the forms or didn't get them to me must return them to Mrs. Jordan as soon as possible

Please call me with questions or concerns. (From Kimm Hill, kimmilah@hotmail.com, 532.9275.

LEADERSHIP MEETINGS

Executive Meetings take place at Franklin from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Tuesday of the week prior to the APPLE Action Meeting. The meeting is open to committee chairs, executive members and interested Apple parents.

Upcoming leadership dates:

New this year: Committee members can meet at 6:30 p.m. prior to the Leadership Meeting. Check with your committee chair for more information.

QUESTIONS?

The following parents can help make your school year a success:

Classroom Coordinators 2007-08

Executive Committee

Apple Newsletter contact: Kris Morehouse at krisanter@comcast.net

Apple Website: http://www.sd81.k12.wa.us/franklin/Apple/appleweb.htm

NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

Spokane Public Schools complies with all federal rules and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability. This holds true for all students interested in participating in educational programs and/or extracurricular school activities. Inquiries regarding compliance procedures may be directed to the district Equal Opportunities office, Ivan Bush at (509) 354-7344.

Mark Your Calendar

SEPTEMBER

Sep. 27             -   9:30 a.m. start, Individual student photographs
Sep. 28             -   Barbecue Lunch and Fun-Run (Lunch times vary; run from 1 to 3 p.m.)

OCTOBER

Oct. 4               -   9:30 a.m. start
Oct. 10             -   PTG meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 11             -   9:30 a.m. start
Oct. 12             -   NO SCHOOL (Teacher noncompulsory day)
Oct. 16             -   APPLE individual committee meetings at 6:30 p.m.
                       -   APPLE leadership meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18             -   9:30 a.m. start
                        -   PTG Spaghetti Dinner, 5 to 6:30p.m.
                        -   Open House, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19             -   Individual photo retakes
Oct. 20             -   Barnes and Noble Book Fair, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Oct. 23             -   APPLE Classroom and Action meetings, 7 to 9 p.m.
Oct. 26             -   APPLE Harvest Party, at Chase Middle School

NOVEMBER

Nov. 1               -   9:30 a.m. start
Nov. 8               -   9:30 a.m. start
                        -   Lantern Walk
Nov. 12             -   NO SCHOOL (Veteran's Day Observed)
Nov. 14             -   PTG meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 15             -   9:30 a.m. start
                        -   1 p.m. dismissal for conference/progress reports
Nov. 16             -   1 p.m. dismissal for conference/progress reports
Nov. 19-21        -   1 p.m. dismissal for conference/progress reports
Nov. 22-23        -   NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Holiday)
Nov. 27             -   APPLE individual committee meetings at 6:30 p.m
                        -   APPLE leadership meeting at 7:30 p.m.

Minutes from APPLE Action meeting, 9-18-07

Pat Arguinchona opened the APPLE Action meeting at 8:04 p.m. and welcomed new and returning families.

Franklin's Principal Mickey Hanson encouraged APPLE families to volunteer hours in different ways, including serving as reading tutors. Volunteers would need to work .5 hours a week. Training takes place Oct. 1.

Mrs. Hanson also reviewed the upcoming election Nov. 6 when voters will be asked to vote on a school board member and a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow school levies to be approved by a simple majority as opposed to a super majority.

Pat Arguinchona introduced Joe Herzog, who will serve as APPLE treasurer this year.

Tania Olson, the vice-president of Franklin's PTG, thanked parents for sending along potential names to sponsor the Fun Run. The PTG raised enough money for all Franklin students to get T-shirts. The run takes place Sept. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The PTG is being asked to pay for more school-wide activities because of district-wide budget cuts. Tania encouraged families to raise flat-rate pledges for the children's run.

The PTG spaghetti feed and the school-wide open house takes place Oct. 1

Andrea Heidenreich and Dan Hieronymus are serving as co-chairs for the APPLE Auction, which takes place March 1 at "Centerplace". Andrea reminded parents that the auction is APPLE'S fundraiser. The committee is looking for someone to enter data for the auction and someone to help with procurement.

Gina Linke and Cyndi Ochsner are serving as co-chairs for the Celebration and Social Committee. They plan to meet Oct. 16 prior to the APPLE Leadership meeting to discuss ideas for gatherings throughout the school year.

The Harvest Party, an all-family, APPLE gathering, takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Chase Middle School. Only parents who work the event earn APPLE hours.

Janeen Steer talked about the new Public Service committee, whose members hope to make students aware of the world by actively serving. At the end of last year, APPLE students raised enough money to send school supplies to 25 children.

Janeen said the committee doesn't want to tap parents for money but instead encourage children to get involved. One idea is to have families share a Third-World meal such as rice and beans each month. The meal would cost about $1.88, so money saved from the meal could be collected throughout the school year and donated to an international organization.

Eba and Toraj Farzana are in charge of tabulating APPLE hours. Hours must be documented by the 8th of the month for the previous month. The executive committee can decide not to accept hours turned in after month's end. Hours' forms should be turned into the little red school house in the Core room.

Ashli Myers said the spring event committee is considering an Olympics theme to coincide with the summer OIympics and APPLE's international studies theme. The next committee meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Ashli's house.

Pat Arguinchona said the APPLE community will vote on this year's budget at the next APPLE Action meeting, Oct. 23. Committees should meet prior to the Oct. 16 leadership meeting to discuss their budgets.

Lynn Caruso detailed an opportunity to bring Maasai Dancers from Kenya to dance and put on workshops at Franklin on Oct. 1. The workshops will be including bead making, drumming, dancing and making batiks.

Bringing the dancers to Franklin will cost up to $1,000. APPLE unanimously approved the expenditure. Money raised goes back into the Masai community to educate girls in the tribe.

Lisa Regehr said email lists and rosters would go out Friday.

Brian Leaver and Merrie Dehmer of the Program Planning committee talked about plans to explore international cultures and encouraged parents to get involved.

Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m