Spring Break is waiting for our school family to celebrate and have a much deserved break.  The winter weather is behind us, although I just saw a few snow flurries go flying by my window. The exciting months of April and May will bring warm weather and sun to carry us through the final approach to another great year.  Be safe and enjoy a wonderful vacation.

Beginning April 17, everyone's favorite ogre hits Sycamore High School’s main stage when Aves Theatre presents two weekends of Shrek The Musical with special EARLY 5:30 shows both SATURDAYS! This hilarious stage spectacle based on the Oscar-winning smash hit film is sure to delight audiences of ALL ages. Fridays at 7:30 pm (April 17 & 24); Saturdays at5:30 pm (April 18 & 25) and Thursday. April 23 at 7:30 pm. All tickets $10, assigned seating. Tickets available online at www.avestheatre.org or at the door on show nights, but purchase early to ensure best seating and avoid disappointment in the event the shows sell out. The box office opens one hour before show time. Follow us on Facebook: Aves Theatre-Boosters.

Substitute Nurses

​ Needed​

The Sycamore Community School District is currently looking for registered nurses who would like to be employed as substitute nurses. Applicants must have current nursing experience, preferably 

​with children,​

 special needs

​,​

​ and

 diabetes 

and an active nursing license. 

If you qualify and are interested, please call Susan Murphy, R.N. at 686-1773 or email at murphys@sycamoreschools.org.

Carnival Bid N Buy Solicitor Help Needed

This year's Bid N Buy needs your help!  We have several businesses that have donated items to the Maple Dale carnival in the past.  We need help contacting these businesses to see if they are willing to donate this year.  If you are willing to help solicit donations from these, or other businesses, please Contact Pam McCallen prior to approaching them.  She is maintaining a master list of where everyone is going, so that we don't approach the same place twice.  We also have a nice letter you can provide the business.   Here are the places that we need help contacting:

*Montgomery Chevrolet  - Reds Tickets

*The Wine Store – gift basket

*The Trek Store – gift cards

*Jet Pizza - gift cards

*First Watch – 2 Breakfast for 2 gift cards

*Adrianne Durban Florist – gift cards

*Skyline Chili on Cornell - $5 off coupons

*Soccer Village – gift card

*School Time – gift certificate

*Holzman Meats – gift certificate

*Cooks Ware – gift card

*Pomodori’s – gift certificate

*Stone Creek – gift card

*Original Pancake House – gift certificate

*Monro Brake & Tire – oil change cards

*Brooklyn Pizza – gift card

*Shell Oil – gift card

*Starbucks – gift basket

*Peaches Skin Care – signature facial

*Crown Plaza Hotel – free night

*OZO Play Café – free play card

*Anh Taekwondo Institute – six week class & free uniform

*City of Montgomery – 20 visit pool pass

 

Optional Spring Testing

ANNOUNCEMENT OF SPRING OPTIONAL TESTING FOR

IDENTIFICATION OF GIFTED STUDENTS

Although your child may have taken the CogAT in December, you may request that your child be re-tested on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test.  Second grade testing will take place the week of April 27, while third and fourth grade testing will take place the week of  May 4.  If you wish to have your child participate in this round of testing, email your request to your child’s assistant principal no later than Friday, April 17. Include your child’s full name, homeroom teacher, and grade in the email.  Please note that Sycamore does not use kindergarten or first grade scores for gifted placement.

PTO Reminders for Week of March 16, 2015

Registration for Flying Pig 26th Mile Event extended to Tuesday March 17th

Milers Spring Session begins Wednesday March 18th wear Sycamore spirit wear! 

                            

Extension for yearbook and tumbler orders Friday March 20th

Don't forget to participate in these simple fundraisers to raise FREE money for our school!

PTO Meeting Minutes 3/12/15

Call to order at 9:37am by Kassi Eckert

Pledge of the Allegiance lead by Kassi Eckert

GUEST SPEAKERS-

William Fritz, Director of Technology- Goal: Use case- how to get as many devices into the hands of students. Now a lot of curriculum & content is coming digitally. Devices are essential in the classroom. This was the pilot year of providing devices to students in Greene. Learning process. 5^th graders have Chrome books. 6^th graders have Window devices.  Chrome books are lightweight, long battery life.  Google tools, less expensive, easier to manage and get online (especially for testing). Next year 5^th graders will be issued new Chrome books. 2 year cycle- will be collected at end of school year then redistributed in Fall.  Discuss good digital citizenship. District can filter& block certain sites. Next year district will provide cases too. Want a direct line of communication between technology department & parents. Vision: Extend our program of providing devices to more of our students. Other considerations for next year include:  1) parent/student training about proper care and use  2) a protection fund opportunity.
Chris Gutermuth, Instructional Technology Facilitator –Hope of better facilitation between building and parents.  JrHS had a heavy paper newsletter so last year switched to a Blog for immediate, digital new mode of communication.  Pushing Blog use into other schools for communication. 

Maple Dale Elementary Blog where our new newsletter/Blog lives. Parents have several options to consume the content available on the Blog.
1. Maple Dale will send out email via Blackboard connect each Monday to remind parents to look at blog.
2.  Parents can subscribe to Blog. Go to link > Follow by Email Will receive an email each day posts are made.
3. Utilize a Smart Feed Reader app for smartphone
4.  Access Blog through Sycamore’s website  www.sycamoreschools.org > Schools> Maple Dale Elementary> Blog

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT- Ron Brooks

Literacy Night: Great turnout. Next year will be Math Night, week before Spring Break (better weather)
Parking: #1 issue at Maple Dale. District is looking at parking situation.

Outdoor Signage: Chad Lewis working with Green Team Chair Anne Berg

PRESIDENT’S REPORT- Kassi Eckert

Approval of January and February PTO Meeting Minutes: Not enough in attendance

Yearbooks: Orders extended through March 20^th. We have made the minimum requirement. Will sell yearbooks also at Carnival.

GAO Tumbler Fundraiser: Orders extended through March 20^th.  Will sell tumblers at Carnival.

Pogo Play: Changing location from Run Jump and Play to Pogo Play for Welcome Back to School event in August.

PTO Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon: Scheduled for Friday May 29^th 1:15-3:15. Location TBD

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORTPROGRAMS- Pam McCallen

Earth Week: April 20-24.  Each day students will wear a different color shirt reminding them of issues. April 21^st Earth Fair during recess- volunteers needed! Students will learn all about the environment.

Language Program: Wrapping up this week. Shout out to Chair Martha France!

Nominations: Find your passion- scan front of directory for positions. What do you want to do next year??

SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT’S REPORT FUNDRAISING- Jean Phillips

Book Fair:  About $11,000 in total sales (last year $9,000 but +155 students) Looking at Joseph Beth as option- they run book fair themselves, no volunteers needed.

Carnival: Sponsor Flyers will be sent out next Monday. Platinum sponsors will get a Hollywood Star!  Consider providing a Bid n Buy item or hosting a Great Gathering!

Box Tops: Keep saving for another collection in May

TREASURER’S REPORT- Kari Crusius

Approval of February actual Financials: not enough in attendance

SECRETARY’S REPORT- Diane VanderBrink

Staff Wellness Challenge: 29 staff members participated in Marathon in a Month. Sally Ganz was top stepper!
Milers:  Spring Session begins Wed March 18^th Students should wear Sycamore spirit wear. Registration date for the Flying Pig 26th Mile has been extended to March 17^th.

Meeting adjourned at 11:12 am by Kassi Eckert

Minutes submitted by PTO Secretary, Diane VanderBrink on March 16, 2015

Technology Director Bill Fritz presents to PTO

PTO Reminders for Week of March 9, 2015

Thursday March 12 at 9:30 am with guest speaker William Fritz,  Director of Technology

Online Book Fair

Reminder the Online Book Fair is available until March 15th. If you were not able to come shop at the in-school book fair or would like to take advantage of online shopping with a greater selection of books available please click Link for Online Book Fair  Online orders will be delivered to the school after the fair wraps up and there are no shipping charges. 

Thank you Maple dale families for shopping at the Book Fair! 

If you have any questions, you may Contact Anjali Mathur or Contact Preeti Parikh

Tumblers
Fundraiser Update: The date to turn in orders for the 32oz Tumbler has been extended to March 20th! We should have a sample of a Tumbler with the Sycamore Aves logo shortly. We'll let you know when it arrives. Have a great week everyone!

                           

 (Thank you in Mandarin)

Language Program

The Language Program will be wrapping up this month. The PTO would like to give a big round of thanks to Martha France for doing a  spectacular job chairing again this year!! This is a program that requires management throughout the school year and Martha has been a star.MUCHAS GRACIAS! 

Box Tops

Keep clipping & saving Box Tops! We will have one more collection in May to get them in before some of them expire.  Easy way to earn FREE MONEY for our school! 

                                               

Event: Cincinnati Flying Pig Kids' 26th mile

The Cincinnati Flying Pig Kids’ Marathon Opportunity

The Maple Dale Milers team has linked up with the Cincinnati Flying Pig Kids’ Marathon!  Any Miler who achieves 25 miles by the Flying Pig Marathon weekend will have the opportunity to run their 26^th mile through the finish line of the Flying Pig on Saturday, May 2.  Registration is required  by March 10.

·      WHAT:  Milers who reach 25 miles will have the opportunity to run their 26^th mile through the “Finish Swine” of the Flying Pig Marathon on event at Cincinnati’s Riverfront.

·      WHO: Any Miler who achieves 25 miles by the Flying Pig Marathon weekend (May 2, 2015). Walking/running miles to reach 25 miles for this event can be earned outside of Milers.

·      HOW:  The Milers Team keeps track of how many miles each Miler achieves during Miler Wednesdays.  Each student is responsible for making up any additional miles needed to reach the 25-mile goal.  Hog Logs are available through the Flying Pig website.  See Registration details below.

·      WHEN:  Saturday, May 2^nd during the Flying Pig Kids’ Marathon

·      WHERE:  Site of the Flying Pig Marathon – Cincinnati’s Riverfront

·      WHY:  It will be so much fun!  And…each participant will get a finishers’ shirt, a marathon medal and all the goodies of the finish celebration!

REGISTRATION DETAILS: 

o   Registration is $10 and should be completed by a parent/guardian online at www.flyingpigmarathon.com by March 10.  This deadline ensures that your child will get a matching Maple Dale shirt, which our group will wear during the event. 

o   When given the option, select Maple Dale as your school/group.

o   Parents who register to walk/run with their child will also receive a matching t-shirt.  While the Flying Pig encourages parents to register, if you do not, you can still walk with your child but you will not receive a t-shirt.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:  If you are interested in being a parent volunteer for this event, please email Rachel Namaky (rachel_namaky@yahoo.com).  As a volunteer, you will still need to register yourself online.

RACE DAY:  On race day, we will meet as a group on Joe Nuxal Way under a flag that will say “Maple Dale.”  The group will be wearing a custom colored t-shirt (TBD) so that we are easy to find.  If you do not walk/run with your child, other parent volunteers will be with the group and you will pick up your child at the finish line under the “Maple Dale” sign.

o   For general questions, contact Joanne Suh (jsuh2001@gmail.com)

Milers Spring Kick- Off

Maple Dale Milers

Spring Session Kick-off

March 18 – May 20

Time to get those Milers chains and charms out and put them on your backpacks!  Maple Dale Milers will soon return as we begin our Spring Session on March 18!  We will run Milers on Wednesdays for 10 weeks, weather permitting, concluding on May 20.  At the conclusion of the Fall Session, we reached 1,960 miles as a school!  Let’s keep up the effort!  Here are the class standings as we go into the Spring Session.  Remember, the top class for each grade gets a Popsicle Party during the Finale! 

Top Classes per Grade Level:

1^st Grade: Chaney

2^nd Grade: Wasson

3^rd Grade: Cooks

4^th Grade: Emrick

Other notes pertaining to the Spring Session:

·      Students will add new charms to their existing chain with charms from the fall.

·      Miles continue to accumulate from the fall session.

·      We will have various “themes” for Milers Days – listen during the announcements!  Theme for March 18^th Kick-off will be Sycamore Spirit!

·      The top boy and girl from each grade level will get their name printed on the banner in the gym and a Sycamore t-shirt. 

·      Spring Session PRIZE:  The top boy and girl from each grade level during the Spring Session ONLY will receive a free book from The Bookshelf.

·      Interested in Volunteering on Wednesdays? Contact Rachel Namaky (rachel_namaky@yahoo.com)