October 24, 2011

Janney Elementary Principal's Letter

In This Issue

Dear Janney Families,

We have a busy week ahead of us, complete with field trips, visitors and assemblies, not to mention the dynamic teaching and learning that occurs in our classrooms everyday. The first advisory of that work concludes on Friday, October 28th with a half day to allow for teacher record-keeping. PK and K students will dismiss at 12:10am and grades 1 - 5 at 12:15am, both from the east field (unless in case of inclement weather); although dismissal is prior to lunch, hot lunch will be available for all requesting students at 11:45am.

Thanks to Amy Morrill Bijeau and the team of parent volunteers for making picture day a success last week!

Have a superb week!

Sincerely,

Norah Lycknell

Principal

The Facts

PLAYGROUND, ENRICHMENT, PK COFFEE, OPEN HOUSE, BOOK FAIR, COMMUNITY MEETING, AND BUILDING USE

Here are some things to keep in mind this week:

- The south playground equipment, basketball courts and surrounding areas are now open for students in grades K to 5. The turf field and south terrace are set for completion by this weekend. As we explore our new spaces, we have also explored expectations with our students, allowing them to lead the conversations to balance inclusion, safety and, most of all, fun! If you enjoy the playground outside of school hours, please ask your student about these expectations and encourage them to use the painted crosswalk to move from the east field to the south playground. Several parents have noted that the basketball court and field do not seem perfectly level - good eyes, they are not! Because they are built on top of a garage, the surfaces are graded to allow for drainage, but the high and low points only have a four-inch difference at maximum.

- Our Enrichment Mini-Session registration period began on Friday, October 21st. With over 150 slots already filled, check out the list of classes that includes Beginning Origami, PhotoMath 3-5, Gift of Giving, French, Exploring Painting, Act it Out, Ball Skills, and Breakdancing. Registration ends on Wednesday, October 26th with the first classes beginning on October 31st. Click here to sign up!

- PK Parents are invited to a coffee social on October 27th following arrival. Hosted by room parents, families are encouraged to gather in the cafeteria to connect, chat and enjoy the grade-level community.

- On Friday, October 28th, we will host our Fall Open House from 9:15 - 11:00am. As many of you remember from your own visit, prospective families will fill our hallways with questions and open eyes, getting an overview of our school and vision and taking student-led tours. If you have friends or neighbors that would like to visit, please share this important date.

- Check out the Politics and Prose Book Fair this Saturday and Sunday to enjoy good reads and read alouds - I'll be there on Sunday at 1pm to share a few of my favorites!

- Our next Community/PTA Meeting is on November 9th. Join us for PTA news, presentations of Reader's and Writer's Workshop and our math curriculum, and Q&A with fourth and fifth grade teachers.

- With our gorgeous new facilities, several community members have inquired about building use. Building use outside of school hours requires a building use agreement as well as approval by school administration. For more information, please contact Linda.sell@dc.gov.

The Column

AND THE SURVEY SAYS...

AWESOME! When students were asked to name one word that described the new playground space, "awesome" was the clear winner. Other adjectives? Sweet, wicked, climbable, creative, interesting, exciting, popular, fun, cool, amazing, spectacular, squishy, busy, superb, and varied. Evidence of joy and superior vocabulary skills!

The Link

TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

Faculty member Margaret Myers sent along this article from the New York Times, food for thought as we host so much new technology and a curriculum focused on authentic learning - and while there may be more extreme philosophies on either end, it reminds all of us of the importance of balance: Click Here To Read The Article.

Norah Lycknell
Janney Principal