Claremont Immersion Elementary School PTA

Congratulations Tamzin Folz!

hdodson — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:31:59 +0000

The results are in and Tamzin Folz has place 3rd in the National PTA Reflections Program, receiving an Award of Merit for her Film entry!
Llegaron los resultados y Tamzin Folz ha ganado el Tercer Lugar en el Programa de Reflexiones del PTA Nacional. Ella recibio Premio de Merito!

I hope that everyone can join me in congratulating Tamzin on such a high honor. As she says, “that means that Virginia, Arlington, and Claremont beat out 47 other states”. That is true – and it was her work and creativity, and ultimately Tamzin who represented Claremont so well, in Arlington, Virginia, and the USA.

Espero que todos me puedan acompañar en felicitar a Tamzin por este honor. Como dijo ella, “eso significa que Virginia, Arlington, y Claremont ganó sobre 47 otros estados”. Es cierto – y fue Tamzin, por su trabajo y creatividad, que representó Claremont tan bien en Arlington, Virginia, y los Estados Unidos.

Congratulations Tamzin and thank you once again for representing the creativity of all of our artists at Claremont!
Felicitaciones Tamzin, y te agradecemos por representar la creatividad de todos los artistas de Claremont!

Reminder: Silent Auction Saturday Night!

khendren — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:23:11 +0000

Come party with Claremont parents at the Silent Auction Saturday night!

Time: 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Date: Saturday, May 12

Place: NREC Ballroom, 4301 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA

Cost: $10 per ticket – meal included

There will be free babysitting provided at Claremont…. with tons of games, a movie and snacks for the kids!

Please come… it promises to be a fun night!

This Week: Math Dice Kudos – Teacher Appreciation Week – Spring Concert – Silent Auction

khendren — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:15:54 +0000

2012 Math Dice Team

Congratulations to our Claremont Math Dice team. Six 5th graders competed in the county Math Dice tournament over the weekend. Representing Claremont were Syndey Hanley, Georgia Hazel, Calvin Hendren, Billy Long, Iain Ramsey and Caroline Rogers. The team played 7 rounds of Math Dice in the individual competition and also competed in a team round. Start rolling those dice 4th graders to get ready for next year!

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. All week long, we’re honoring our hard working teachers with little gifts of kindness like flowers, fruit, cards, sweets and a Friday Fiesta! The 3rd grade is hosting the party for the teachers on Friday… so 3rd graders… please sign up to bring something for the Fiesta! All the homerooms will also need to have parent volunteers to staff the classes on Friday from 1:30 – 2:30. It’s a fun tradition, so please check with your homeroom parents to see if they still need someone to volunteer on Friday afternoon.

Wednesday is the Spring Concert! Claremont’s musicians will be performing at 1 pm and at 7 pm. If your child is performing, make sure they wear concert attire … white shirt and black slacks or skirt.

Friday is spirit day…. dress in patriotic colors! Friday night… Adelante will be hosting an event to honor Mothers. It will be held at Claremont from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Last but not least…. our Silent Auction is Saturday! Homerooms will be displaying their class baskets this week in the library. If you haven’t donated yet… please get in your last minute donations! We’re also still looking for some volunteers to help set-up the auction on Saturday from 1 pm – 6 pm. If you’re available during any of that time, please contact our auction chairperson, Velvet Beard at velvet@redlengua.com or 571-213-6811. The Auction begins at 6:30 p.m. - tickets are $10. That ticket includes dinner and free babysitting at Claremont. What a deal! Please come… it’s one of Claremont’s biggest events of the year!

Claremont hosts students from Coyoacan – Welcome!

khendren — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:50:47 +0000

This week, Claremont will host five 6th graders from Coyoacan, Mexico.

The students will sit in on some Claremont 5th grade classes as well as take in some of our area’s famous sites, like the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Mall and our national pastime… a Nats game!

So if you see some new faces during the week… remember to say “Hola!” Let’s give our guests a friendly Claremont welcome!

PTA Meeting – May 1, 7p.m. – Special Guest – School Board Member James Lander

khendren — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 06:24:30 +0000

Please join us on Tuesday, May 1 at 7 pm (babysitting and translation services provided) for our PTA meeting. School Board Member James Lander will be sharing his insights with us this month. In addition, we will be finalizing the PTA Slate for the 2012-2013 school year and discussing the Silent Auction.

Vengan a nuestra reunión de la Asociación Padres-Maestros (PTA por sus siglas en ingles) este martes, el 1 de mayo a las 7:30 pm (habrá cuida de niños y servicios de traducción). James Lander, miembro de la Junta Escolar, compartirá sus observaciones con nosotros. Además, vamos a ultimar nuestra lista de candidatos del PTA para el año escolar 2012-2013 y habrá discusión sobre la Subasta Silenciosa.

Coming Up: Movie Night Tonight – Lean Green Screen Week next week!

khendren — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:24:07 +0000

Looking for a good way to end the school week? Claremont students can curl up in their jammies at Claremont tonight at 6:30 for Movie Night, featuring “The Muppets.” Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza is also available… as well as goodies and popcorn!

Next week… it’s Lean, Green Screen-Free Week! We encourage our Claremont students to go outside… get some fresh air and stay away from the computer, video and tv screens! Sign a commitment to give up the screens for a week… and enter the raffle. Eight lucky students will win a $10 gift certificate for their efforts!

Garden Day – Help make Claremont even more beautiful. Saturday, April 28 is Garden Day! Help clean up the Claremont grounds and plant some new plants! The morning session runs from 9 – noon. Afternoon helpers can pitch in from 1:00 – 5:00. Help Claremont during Lean, Green, No Screen Week!

Finally… the PTA encourages our students to expand your home library. Our Spring Book Fair will be held next week from April 23 – 27… with our Family Night on Thursday, April 26. Students will pick out their favorite choices during the week… so get ready to read!

Congratulations to Tamzin Folz – Heads to National Contest for Reflections!

khendren — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:47:42 +0000

Congratulations to Claremont’s Tamzin Folz as her Reflections entry heads to the PTA Reflections National competition. Tamzin was selected as a VA PTA Reflections Outstanding Interpretation Award earner. As a VAPTA OI winner, her Reflections entry was sent to the National PTA as a Virginia PTA nomination for her category and age group.

Way to go Tamzin!

Spring Garden Day, April 28th

hdodson — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:01:36 +0000

Here is the Vegetable Garden Expansion Plan

(1) Volunteers Still Needed! Please check the task list below, and if you can help out with any of them, please let me know! Many people have expressed an intent to come to the event, but people are still needed for the specific tasks. Trust me, it’s really not that much work, and even small things make a big difference. Time is running out, so please let me know as soon as possible.

(2) Garden Expansion Plan Changes. Attached is a revised plan for the expansion of the vegetable garden in the back of the school. The major changes include: (1) the addition of a proposed 15′x20′ arbor that can be covered with vines to provide a shaded work or reading area; (2) more specific measurements and dimensions. Note that I am still working with APS to find a way to get the split rail fence and arbor constructed. Because APS is very concerned about safety, we either need to go through a contractor approved by APS or do the work ourselves under the supervision of APS. I am trying to get materials, timing, and cost estimates for the work. Frankly at this point, I doubt I can resolve this before April 28. I am considering trying to get the fencing and arbor installed over the summer, and then put in the rest of the garden in the fall. We would then use the afternoon of Garden Day on April 28 to focus on expanding and improving other areas of the back Courtyard Garden. That is obviously a change from the current plans. I am trying to get this resolved as soon as possible, and I will keep the group informed as soon as I know something for sure.

BTW, teachers are already planting with their classes in the raised beds that were put in during last spring’s Garden Day. None of that would have been possible without your dedication and efforts. Thank you for your dedication and efforts in making this possible. I hope you can join in building more possibilities on the 28th!

I’ve been planning for the Saturday, April 28 Garden Day event, and below is a list of tasks that need to be done. If you can help out with any of these tasks, please let me know! ”AM” indicates the morning session of 9 am – 12 noon in the Third Grade Garden in the front of the school. ”PM” is the afternoon session of 1 – 5pm in the Courtyard area in the back of the school. “Lunch” is the break for food between 12 noon and 1 pm.

Greeter (AM)/Greeter (PM): Sign in volunteers and assign them to tasks. I’ll provide a list of tasks, the number of people needed per task, and what tools are needed for each task. Need to arrive a little before 9 am for AM session, and a little before 1 pm for PM session.

Photographer (AM) / Photographer (PM): Take digital pictures and video of the event, either the entire day or a half-day. Save the pictures and video to a flash drive so that the committee can archive and use for historical and promotional activities (for example, as part of grant applications).

Drinks (AM): Bring a big cooler of water and paper cups at 9 am to put out for volunteers while they are working.

Drinks (Lunch): Bring several two-liter bottles of soft drinks to consume with pizza in the 12-1 pm lunch break. Bring paper cups, too. Committee will reimburse for purchases. Will provide exact quantities to purchase closer to the 28th.

Drinks (PM): Bring a big cooler of water and paper cups at 1 pm to put out for volunteers while they are working.

Pizza Person (Lunch): Call in pizza order to Papa Johns (or order online), meet and give money to pizza delivery person, set up pizza on table. I will provide money for pizza. Bring paper plates and paper towels. Will provide exact quantities to purchase closer to the 28th. Need to place order in time for 12 noon delivery time. Would be great if supervise clean up of trash into bins at end of lunch.

Head Carpenter/Mentor (PM): This is the most needed task!!!! Need someone with contractor or construction skills to supervise assembly of raised beds and possibly a two-bin compost bin. Beds will be made of pressurized 2″x12″ lumber, connected with lag screws. Compost bin will be made of 2×4′s and hardware cloth, held together with deck screws. I will purchase materials and deliver to Claremont. I will also provide plans for construction. Would be helpful if you could bring miter saw, electric drill/screwdriver, staple gun, and other tools. Will see if Wakefield students can help with assembly. Job would be to demonstrate assembly, help students get started, supervise work, and assist in installation. Can be more than one person!

Children’s Events (PM): Would be great if one or more parents could volunteer to supervise kids on playground or organize other events while parents work. We love having children help, but I know they can’t always contribute for the full afternoon. If someone could stay near the playground so that parents don’t have to divide their attention between helping and keeping an eye on their kids. If anyone would like to lead a simple gardening lesson for the kids (example, planting beans in a cup) or lead the kids in gathering leaves for the compost bin, that would be great too. All ideas welcome! Can (should) be more than one person. (In AM, I hope to keep all kids busy at work in the Third Grade Garden. The PM session is a little more intense and has more tasks suited for grownups.)

That’s all I can think of at the moment. If you can help with any of these tasks, please let me know as soon as possible.

Thanks again in advance for any assistance you could provide!

Best Regards,

Steve Duall

(703) 283-1039 (cell)

On Mar 18, 2012, at 11:56 PM, Stephen Duall wrote:

Spring is in the air (and the air temps), so it’s time to think about getting the kids outside to garden at Claremont.

First, the existing gardens are ready for spring planting. I turned over the winter clover crop in the raised Courtyard beds to replenish nitrogen in the soil. I’m working with the teachers to have students plant cool-weather crops – radishes, lettuce, and spinach – the last week of March or the first week after spring break in April. Our committee will provide the seeds. Teachers can either have the kids eat what they grow, or donate the crops to the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC). The idea is to plant and harvest before the hot-weather crops (tomatoes, peppers, corn, squash) go into the beds in May.

Second, I am looking to have our Spring Garden Day on the last Saturday in April, April 28. (This is a change from Sunday, April 29, on the PTA Calendar). Below is a preliminary schedule for the day:

9 am – 12 noon: Third-Grade Garden Day. Third-graders and their families -and teachers- are encouraged to come and help clean, weed, plant and mulch the Third-Grade Garden in the front of the school. We need to clean up for the spring, put in new shrubs and flowers, and get a new layer of mulch down to save on watering in the summer.

12 noon – 1 pm: Lunch Break. We’ll have pizza and drinks for those leaving the morning session and those coming for the afternoon session.

1 pm – 5 pm: Garden Expansion. We need a lot of volunteers – from Claremont, Wakefield, anywhere – to expand our vegetable garden in the back of the school by adding new raised beds and a composting area, plus spruce up the existing Butterfly Garden and Courtyard Garden areas.

Third, we will need a lot of help to make this event a success. As I said at the last PTA presentation, the plans we have right now are incredible, but they are too big for anyone person or organization to pull off alone. I am very pleased to say that the event has gotten too large for me to manage by myself. There are some great ideas in the works, and we are dreaming big about Outdoor Education opportunities for the kids. But big dreams don’t happen without big efforts. Simply put, without help, the plans for the gardens will have to be scaled back, since we don’t want to promise more than we can deliver,or maintain.

I will send out a separate email with a list of itemized, manageable tasks that need to be done to pull off this event. Most of the stuff is pretty easy, like “buy six 2-liter bottles of sodas” or “wait for pizza guy to deliver pizza.” Some of the stuff will be bigger: in particular, I need someone with carpentry or construction skills who can supervise the construction of the raised beds. If you know someone for this job and want to volunteer him or her, I promise anonymity when I try to corral them!

Thanks for your continued support of Outdoor Education at Claremont, and I look forward to a great spring!

Superintendent Patrick Murphy’s Presentation

hdodson — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:51:43 +0000

We would like to thank Superintendent Murphy for his presentation at the April PTA meeting. If you did not have the chance to come, we have the PDF presentation here.

This Week: PTA Meeting, School Support Appreciation, Museum Night and Kudos to Odyssey Teams

khendren — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:41:06 +0000

Welcome back from Spring Break!

What a busy week our Claremont students have ahead!

During this week, we are celebrating Administrative Professional Week. We are honoring the dedicated, caring and hard working staff including the library, counselors, nursing, custodians, and cafeteria/recess staff. The week is going to kick off with breakfast provided by VPI and Montessori. We encourage your participation. Please consider a card, flower or treat for any member of this dedicated group during the rest of this week.

Tuesday night the PTA convenes for its April meeting. Special guest, Superintendent Murphy will be addressing your questions on any educational issues in Arlington. Please come to the meeting at 7 p.m. Babysitting and translation will be available.

Thursday night is Museum Night! Students will show off their art work, Science Fair projects and other projects Thursday night at 6 p.m. Be there!

Finally, we’d like to congratulate the 8 teams who competed in the Odyssey of the Mind tournament over Spring Break. Two teams were awarded ribbons… The Ooo-Motional Vehicle team won 2nd Place and the 5th Grade “To Be or Not to Be” team garnered a 3rd place finish! Congratulations to them and to all the teams who participated. The performances were terrific! Way to go Claremont!