On March 3rd, Janney celebrated Dr. Seuss's birthday and reading in a way that got the kids involved and excited! Thanks so much to Barbara Murphy and Nicola Goren for organizing Read Across America last week and to all the parents, staff, and teachers who made it so fun! Thanks also to all the kids who gave books for libraries and not-for-profits in Nairobi, Kenya. Your generosity will certainly be appreciated! We are leaving the basket in the front hall through March 14th, International Night, so you can bring more books until then. Thanks to Jeni Klugman who is organizing this book drive for kids in Kenya. If you have a large donation, feel free to drop them off on her front porch at 4608 Davenport Street. If you have any questions or suggestions, please email Jeni Klugman at jklugman@worldbank.org.

International Night is this Friday! It promises to be great fun and educational to boot, so show up at 6:30 for the opening ceremonies. Please feel free to come in dress that reflects your or your family's heritage. Most importantly, whip up your favorite dish to bring, with a card explaining where your dish is from. The International Night potluck is one of our favorite ways to experience some foreign (and some deliciously familiar) foods! We still need help with volunteers, so if you are planning on coming and have some time to give, please e-mail Emily Bazelon at Emily.Bazelon@slate.com or Lauren Case at lec619@comcast.net today!

For those of you who missed the last PTA meeting, you missed a fascinating talk by Deborah Roffman about her book "Sex and Sensibility." She (and her book) are terrific. She recommends starting to talk about sexuality at a young age, openly and frequently, and inserting your values into the conversation. For parents who are really uncomfortable talking about sex, her book could help open discussions, and it will certainly open your mind. If you missed the last PTA meeting because of the bad weather we heartily recommend you take time to go see her at Deal on April 17th. Here is a link to an article from her website on the topic: http://www.sexandsensibility.net/docs/6902.html.

Have a great week!

Karen Kalat and Sczerina Perot

Janney's Annual International Night

Janney's Annual International Night is THIS Friday, March 14 from 6:30 to 8:30. Get ready to think globally and act locally . . . or at least eat, dance, and be entertained locally. Raba Mir is back with her perennial crowd-favorite Bollywood dancing. Want to hear an opera aria but can't seem to get to The Kennedy Center? Come to the multipurpose room at Janney! Break dancing, world music, folk dancing, martial arts, and everyone's favorite way to get into the international spirit-listening to our amazing multi-lingual student body! Janney parents will share international collections and games too! Other virtual travel abounds.

So don't be late-the opening ceremonies kick off at 6:35-don't forget your potluck dish, and don't forget to wear something representative of your (or someone else's!) ethnic origin if you can.

It's not too late to volunteer! We're still looking for a few good hands. Contact Emily Bazelon at emily.bazelon@slate.com or Lauren Case at lec619@comcast.net. Thanks!

Save Darfur Raffle

On Monday, March 17th, the Save Darfur committee at Janney will be having a raffle! To raise money for the people in Darfur, raffle tickets will be sold on March 12th, 13th, and 14th before school, during lunch, and after school. Tickets will be $1.00 each. There will be four winners chosen. Each winner will receive a basket that includes a Dafur t-shirt and many other goodies! To honor St. Patrick's Day and one of "Save Darfur's" signature colors, whoever wears the most green to school that day will also receive a prize. If you have any questions please contact Meredith Dedolph or Barbara Murphy at meredithemrich@yahoo.com or murphyreads@yahoo.com.

Books for Kenyan Kids

THANKS to all those who brought in a range of great pre-loved books for Kenyan kids. These are going to a great cause. And thanks to Barbara Murphy and Nicola Goren for facilitating.

Jeni Klugman (Ema's mum)

Lost and Found Will Be Emptied before Spring Break

All unclaimed items in the Lost and Found will be donated to local charities on Thursday, March 20, at 3:15pm. Please stop by before then to check for items belonging to your children.

Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

The Lost and Found Committee
Sally Juram 202-686-5302 or philsal@verizon.net
Lisa Jacobson 202-363-4127
Lucy Smiles lucysmiles99@yahoo.com
School Counselor Ms. Leventhal

In the Neighborhood

Speakers at Deal
Mark your calendars now for these exciting speakers coming to the March and April Alice Deal Middle School PTA meetings!

March 13: Dr. Neil Bernstein, "What do we need to know about our teens, and how can we get that information?" Dr. Neil Bernstein is a practicing clinical psychologist, author, and speaker based in DC. He's a nationally recognized expert who has spent more than 25 years guiding teenagers and their families through difficult times.

And if you missed her at Janney . . .

April 17: Deborah Roffman, "Raising sexually healthy kids in an unhealthy world, and how to start a dialogue with your teen." Nationally recognized speaker and sex educator Deborah Roffman, M.S., is the author of Sex and Sensibility and But How'd I Get in There in the First Place?

Maryland Madness AAU Youth Basketball is seeking boys ages 7-10 (age as of 9/1/2007)
Practices and Try-Outs are held in Montgomery County. Additional team/organization information is available on the Maryland Madness Website: http://www.marylandmadness.org/

Please contact:
Marty Lewis: 301-424-9478 (7 and 8 year olds)
Kevin Jackson: 202-498-3456 (9 and10 year olds)

Safety Patrol Tip of the Week

Practice extra caution in adverse weather.

Elshadie Yaffet, Safety Patroller

Principal's Letter

Dear Janney Community,

Congratulations to the Janney Mathcounts Team for doing a great job at the citywide competition. Janney was competing primarily against 7^th and 8^th graders from middle and junior high school but still nearly qualified for the national competition. Furthermore, Danial Dulaney tied for sixth place overall. It should be noted that Deal Junior High School took first place followed by St. Alban's and Sidwell. Many thanks to Dr. Karen Langford and to parent (alumni) volunteer Thomas Verghese for their excellent coaching. Go Jaguars!

Speaking of math, there will be an exciting presentation tonight by Dr. Langford about our math program, following a very short PTA meeting at 7:15 in the multipurpose room. Karen has been doing some great work with our teachers about differentiating instruction in our math program, and we're really stretching to provide more opportunities for advanced learners. Come and learn more about our math program and how you can support your child's learning at home.

There is a very important form in your child's Take Home Tuesday (THT) about enrollment for next year. This "Intent to Return" form is an annual affair but we really appreciate the feedback as we make plans for next year. I understand that your plans may change, but please return this form to your child's teacher or the school office as soon as possible.

As a reminder, tomorrow is the last day for enrolling in the Out of Boundary process. This is particularly important for sixth grade families that may be out-of-boundary to Deal. You can access the lottery by logging onto the DCPS website at www.k12.dc.us.

Don't forget that this Friday is International Night. This is a celebration of all of our heritages, so even if you identify more with your American roots (I'm Scotch-Irish but more midwestern than Scotch or Irish) that's cool too. Many of our families have clear international roots but others less so. Either way, this is a great chance to celebrate the diversity of our student population and to strengthen our school community. Come out and celebrate!

Sincerely,
Scott Cartland

Contributing to the E-Newsletter

Submissions to the PTA newsletter may be emailed to Janneynewsletter@yahoo.com.

The deadline for submissions is Thursday at 3:15 pm. Because the newsletter is reviewed by several individuals before distribution, we must adhere to this deadline in order to get the newsletter to you every week on time.

Please make every effort to submit your notices by email for the electronic newsletter. Include all text in the body of your email (rather than as an attachment). Small jpeg thumbnails may be attached and can be included in the newsletter. All links or email addresses will be made active (clickable).

Prepared fliers should be turned into the school office by COB Monday for inclusion in the regular Take Home Tuesday envelope.