Mural Project - Art Room Recent Eliot grads are invited to: "put their mark" on the mural, either date from 2:45 - 5pm

Thursday, 26Wed. April 1

Family Science Night at the Science Center, Newman School - 6-8 p.m.Thursday, 26

Make-upsGR. 4Session 3

GR. 3 & 5Session 3

GR. 3, 4 & 5 Session 2

GR. 3, 4 & 5 Session 1

GR.4 - Long CompPractice MCAS

Tuesday, 4/8Monday, 4/7Friday, 4/3Thursday, 4/2Wednesday, 4/1Tuesday, 3/31Monday , 3/30 MCAS (English, Language Arts) Schedule 3/30-4/8

Tuesday, 24Friday, 20

An Invitation from the Needham School Committee The Needham School Committee invites the community to an Open House in the Needham Public Library Community Room on Saturday, March 14, 2009 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. This is an opportunity to interact with School Committee members in an informal setting and for the Committee to listen to ideas and suggestions from the community.

Kindergarten Registration for September 2009 Thursday, March 19th from 8:45 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Do you have a child who will be 5 years of age by August 30, 2009? If so, your child is eligible for Kindergarten. If you haven’t received a registration form for this program, please give our school office a call at: 781-455-0452. NEF Annual Spelling BeeCOME JOIN THE FUN! The Needham Education Foundation (NEF) 18th Annual Spelling Bee Community Fundraiser will take place on Thursday, April 2, 2009 @ 7 PM in the Newman Elementary School gym. Cheer on your friends, parents, teachers, town organizations and local businesses. Lots of fun!! Children are welcome. Admission is FREE and  refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there!

Thursday, 19Thursday, 19

March 2009

2-Hour Delayed OpeningSchool begins at 10:35 a.m. *(see note, under Eliot News for details)

Spring begins!PTC Meeting, Media Center - 7 p.m.Kindergarten Registration for parents of September 2009 K students - 8:45-11:00 a.m.

John Eliot School135 Wellesley Avenue, Needham, MA 02494

781-455-0452Friday, March 13, 2009

Bulletin #13

Please visit our web site at http://eliot.needham.k12.ma.us

Suzanne Wilcox, Principal Susan Rains, Editor

From Our Principalour high energy five year olds dancing gracefully under an array of colorful ribbons floating throughout the air. This week, the entire school body thrilled to the music and vocals of Clap Your Hands, a troupe of musicians who traced the roots of spiritual music to the present time. Ending with “Oh, Happy Day,” a song from the era of disco music; teachers, students and I tried out some of the dance movements we’ve learned from our own Mr. Brenhiser.

Whenever I am asked about my role as a principal, I can always say, “ I love my job, my colleagues, my teachers, my kids, my parents.” This is true for many reasons, but one of many is your boundless generosity of time, commitment and spirit. The Jump Rope for Heart, held last week is a reflection of this value. A special thanks to Caroline Sabin and Craig Brenhiser for organizing this annual event.

Have a great weekend and see you next week!Warmly,Suzanne

Dear Eliot Families,The month of March is commonly referred to as the

“cruelest month of all.” The days, while becoming longer, are in fact a study in contrasts. This has been such a month for the Eliot School and the town of Needham. Recognizing that we have no control over most events and the forces of nature, we do have the ability to influence the ones that nurture, support and guide us.

Kindergarten Orientation and Registration occur during the month of March. This year, our office staff and most capable kindergarten teachers conducted this rite of passage for the parents of some 64 prospective kindergartners--the class of 2020! We look forward to welcoming them to our very special community next Fall.

Many thanks to the NEF but mostly to our wonderful Cultural Enrichment team of parents, Misti Perkins, Lisa Alpert and Felicia Mathias for bringing the arts to us throughout the year. This month our Kindergarten classes learned how to perform a Chinese Ribbon Dance. It was delightful to see

Eliot News Two Important messages from our Art Teacher - Mrs. Morgan

Painting ClothesAs I’m sure you know, Eliot students have been working with our artist-in-residence, Joshua Winer, to create a seven panel mural for the foyer of our school. We are beginning the “painting phase” of this project. We will be working with permanent paints, that’s why I suggest that on days that your child has art class he/she dresses for the occasion, in old clothing. Or, have them bring in an old shirt or smock. I also have a supply of paint shirts that students can use. Our wonderful Eliot student artists are excited about this project. Mr. Winer will be working with them on this project from March 13 to April 9.

AndMural opportunity for Eliot graduates

 Josh Winer has set aside two days,  Thursday, March 26 and Wednesday, April 1, for former Eliot students to come in and help paint the mural. He will be in the Art Room from 2:45 - 5pm.  Any recent Eliot grads who would like to  "put their mark" on the mural are encouraged to join us and pick up a brush!!

Author Visits Fourth Grade Students Eleanor Rosellini’s

Fourth Grade Presentation

Eleanor Rosellini is the author of the mystery books: The Puzzle in The Portrait, The Mystery of the Ancient Coins, The Mystery on Observatory Hill, and Mystery in Maine. She came to fourth grade to give a presentation. She talked about how she got her ideas and she let us do some activities. Mrs. Rosellini showed us the main idea behind her books, which is her collection of family treasures.

She showed us one of her treasures, which is a letter that she includes in the book, The Puzzle in the Portrait. She also let us choose something out of a suitcase, drawer, or a mantle. Some of the things we chose were a climbing man, a spelling test that she let people take, and a book safe. She also showed us how to use descriptive details. It was fun having Mrs. Rosellini come to fourth grade.

From our Cultural Arts Committee On Thursday, March 5th, the Kindergarten classes enjoyed a performance of Chinese Ribbon Dance, brought to Eliot by the PTC and the Cultural Arts Committee. The children were taught the ancient history of the dance and its wardrobe.  After seeing a performance, the children then danced with the ribbons and performed their own version of the dance.

AndOn Wednesday, March 11th, all of Eliot enjoyed a performance by George Russell Jr. and Company entitled Clap Your Hands.  This was brought to Eliot by an NEF Grant and the Cultural Arts Committee. In this presentation, they explored gospel, one of America’s most popular musical genres, through highlights of its various styles throughout history.

From The PTC Please join us for our next PTC meeting, Thursday, March 19 at 7 pm in  the Media Center.  Our featured speaker will be Superintendent Dan Gutekanst, who will answer any questions you have about the Needham Public Schools.  Hope to see you there!

Thank you!  Thanks to everyone who participated in Jump Rope for Heart.  The kids had lots of fun, everyone learned a bit about heart health, and we raised $836 for the American Heart Association.

Walk to school on Friday, March 20!  Friday, March 20 is the first day of spring.  Celebrate by gathering some neighbors and walking to school.  Keep it up for the entire spring if you can! Visiting Artist Josh Winer Returns to Work with Eliot Students!Joshua Winer will work with Eliot students in the art room painting the seven mural panels from March 13th-April 9th.

If you are interested in coming in during your child’s art class or in helping after school, please contact Rebecca Turner (rcturner1@rcn.com; 781-449-3442) Please see added more info about the mural project on the next page.

Walk or Bike to School!Biking or walking to school is healthy, safe, fun and free!  Many Eliot students already walk or bike to school.  Think you know them all?  The Walkers of the Week are a brother and sister in first grade and second grade who walk a quarter mile to and from school almost every day.  The sister enjoys spending time with her family; the brother likes to throw snowballs at his sister.   Can you guess who they are?  Check in the school lobby to find out if you were correct and to learn more about our Walkers of the Week.

Interested in organizing a neighborhood walking group or looking for more information on walking or biking to school?  Contact Caroline Sabin for some helpful Safe Routes to Schools tips (csabin@rcn.com or 781-453-0558).

Eliot Go Green Team Sneaker Recycling Update

We’ve just wrapped up our Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program sneaker collection and are delighted to report that members of the Eliot community donated 158 pairs of sneakers during our four-week collection period (that’s 158 pairs of sneakers that won’t end up in landfills!).  Sincere thanks to those of you who participated in the program and contributed to Nike’s efforts to create playgrounds and athletic surfaces throughout the United States!  

PTC Safety NotesWe're all concerned for our children's safety as they go to and from school.  Please keep these things in mind when you come to Eliot for drop-off and pickup:         - please put your family name signs in the passenger side corner of your windshield:  those who are helping escort your children from the building can't always see who's in the car - do them a favor and keep your name where they can easily see it.  The line will move much more quickly!- please have children exit from your car from the curbside only!  Cars can swing around the outside of your car and put your children at risk.  Curbside drop-off and pickup only!         - please no cell phone use while in car line - it's too easy to become distracted while you're on the phone.  Better safe than sorry!

Watch your Inbox for details on these upcoming exciting opportunities... Win 4 tickets to the Sunday April 19th Red Sox game against Baltimore at Fenway park!!Chinese Cooking Class -  On Thursday, April 30, join your Eliot friends and learn to prepare and cook authentic Chinese Food at a cooking class led by Eliot mom Ruby Chan Talcoff!   That's it for now.  Please let us know if you have any ideas or questions about the PTC! Christine and Dina [ mailto:scottanadchristine@verizon.net ][ mailto:dcreiger@verizon.net ] 

   Visiting Artist Josh Winer Returns to Work with Eliot Students!

Joshua Winer will work with Eliot students in the art room painting the seven mural panels from March 13th-Apri l 9th.

We welcome having parents join us in the classroom for this phase of the work. We hope to have 2-3 parents per class while painting, to help the kids mix paints, paint, clean brushes, etc.   We have 7 panels, one each per table generally, and we’ll spread the kids and parents out so that everyone can work.  Inevitably the parents also spend some time helping the kids get paint out of their clothes too.  (the paint is acrylic, strong and pretty permanent on clothes)  Most days Mr. Winer will be working after school, touching up and filling in. If there are parents who want to work with him from time to time, that is very helpful.

**If you are interested in coming in during your child’s art class or in helping after school, please contact Rebecca Turner ([ mailto:rcturner1@rcn.com ]; 781-449-3442)**

Please note that the paint is acrylic, strong and pretty permanent on clothes, so the parent helpers and students should wear old clothes and/or be careful as they spend time in the art room.

Thank you all for participating, and for sharing in the fun and excitement of creating a work of public art as a team.

More Information on the Eliot Mural Project

Using funds from an NEF grant and from the Paint the Town auction, the John Eliot PTC has hired muralist Joshua Winer as a visiting artist to work with the entire Eliot community—students, staff and parents—to create a seven-paneled mural which will be located in the Eliot School lobby, above the performance center.  The Mural Project will bring the Eliot community closer together and give students, teachers and parents an opportunity to work with a professional mural artist to create a unique piece of art work for our school.  The project will integrate curriculum, school core values, and art core values.  It will reflect what we teach at the Eliot School.  Students will be learning team work, respect for others’ ideas and integrating the themes of science, language arts, social studies, math, and reading, into expanded art concepts to create meaningful compositions for each mural panel.

The muralist, Joshua Winer, was introduced to all the students and staff at a school-wide assembly on November 7th.  He talked to the students about the process of creating a mural and showed them some of his other work.  He met with parents and teachers to brainstorm ideas for the mural on November 13th.    Mr. Winer met with parents and teachers on Monday November 24th to present preliminary design ideas.  Mr. Winer and the Eliot community settled on the theme of “The Seven Wonders of the Eliot School” for our seven-paneled mural.  The “Seven Wonders” are:  Literacy, The Arts, Community, Diversity, Scholarship, The Environment, and Generosity.  During the first two weeks of December, Joshua Winer worked with Eliot students in the art room on the design process for the mural. Students discussed ideas and created drawings that were used in designing the mural.

Rebecca Turnercontact info: (rcturner1@rcn.com; 781-449-3442

 

 

From The Needham Public SchoolsA few words from the Cafeteria / Food Service

Application for Free and Reduced Priced School MealsWe want to remind everyone that the Application for Free and Reduced Priced School Meals can be filled out and submitted to Food Services at any time in the school year, if the need arises. Application forms are available in each school office, in the Food Service office at Administration building, and on line at the Needham Public Schools website- Food Services page.

Thank youThank you for supporting our school lunch program. We are trying to create menus that are varied, nutritious, and enticing, with lots of fruit and vegetable choices available every day. We encourage the children to try new things and to take / eat the complete meal. (Choice of entrée, salad and/or vegetable, mini carrots, many fruit choices, sometimes another side dish, and MILK!). Please ask them about what they are choosing for lunch. J

A la carte - ClarificationAs you probably know, a few a la carte items are sold after lunch in the Eliot cafeteria. Students can come to the snack cart after they have eaten their lunch, and pay with cash. Occasionally questions arise about snacks, so we thought we’d clarify: The following is the list of items available for sale in line at Eliot:

Goldfish crackers $ .25Pretzels $ .25Kids Munchie Mix $ .50Sunchips $ .50Water (8 oz) $ .50Water (16 oz) $1.00Fridays only: Ice cream $ .50

We welcome your feedback, either through the Cafeteria Manager, Nancy Milliken, or to Ruth Griffin, our Food Services Director.

  Needham News

OLD CELL PHONE COLLECTIONThe Needham Domestic Violence Action Committee is collecting old, used, unwanted or broken cell phones to be recycled, refurbished and donated to those victims of domestic violence for emergency use. Please drop off your cell phone at the Needham Health Department or the Needham Police Department. For more information, please call 781-455-7523===============================================================================================  THE NEEDHAM SCOUTER’S CLUB, INC. - Annual Scouting for Food Drive

The Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts of Needham helping their neighborsThe Scouts of Needham have once again launched their annual Scouting for Food drive. The Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and Brownies will collect food for the Needham Community Council. Between Saturday March 7, and Wednesday March 10, 2009, the Scouts will drop off collection bags at homes in Needham. Residents are asked to place non-perishable food in the bags and to put the bags out by their front doors before 8:00 a.m. on the following Saturday, March 14, 2009.

On the morning of March 14th, the Scouts will pick up the bags and take them to the Masonic Hall on Highland Avenue (located next to the Public Library). The Scouts will then sort and box the items for use by our neighbors who rely on the food pantry at the Needham Community Council. All residents who would like to see the Scouts in action or who would like to drop off bags they forgot to put out are welcome to stop by the Masonic Hall on Saturday, March 14th.

Scouting for Food benefits local families. All the items contributed are given to the food pantry at the Needham Community Council. Particularly in this difficult economy, there are many families in town who rely on the Community Council. The Scouts ask that you give generously.

For more information, please contact: Jennifer Robins @ 781 400-5442. =============================================================================================

4th Annual Carter Carnival (Carter Nursery School Fundraiser)Saturday, March 14, 10a.m. – 2 p.m at Carter Memorial Church (800 Highland Ave., Needham).  Carter Nursery School will host this fun-filled day of circus-themed games, crafts and activities geared toward children ages 2-7.  Jump in the moonbounce, stay for lunch and have your child’s photo taken with the Big Red Dog!  In addition, the silent auction offers a remarkable selection of biddable items.  Tickets $10/child with a $30 max/family; adults and children under 1 are free.  For more information, call 781-449-3246.=============================================================================================

Read-Aloud Book Club @Needham Public LibraryThe Children’s Department at the Needham Public Library will hold a Read-Aloud Book Club on Wednesday, March 19 from 3:30 – 5 pm. We will be reading Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg.  Please bring an old t-shirt or smock. We will be using paint for the activity to follow. The book club will meet in the craft room, which is located in the Children’s Library. Registration is required and limited to 15 children. Adults are not required to attend the book club with their child. If you like to read and talk about books, come and check out this book club! For more information, please call the Children’s Reference Desk (781) 455-7559 ext. 204.=============================================================================================  Bring Safe Water to Children for $1 at Local RestaurantsFor just $1, you can bring safe drinking water to an impoverished child for 40 days at one of the many restaurants in and around Needham participating in the UNICEF Tap campaign, March 22-28. Look for the UNICEF canisters provided by Hillside School students at these local businesses:Abbott’s Frozen Custard, Acorn Bakery, Bagel’s Best, Café Fresh Bagel, Cowlicks, Dunn Gaherin in Newton Upper Falls, Fava, Fresco, Fuji Steak House, Kostas Pizza, La Morra in Brookline, Needham House of Pizza, Nicholas Pizza, Pacini’s, Petit Robert Bistro, Rice Barn, Spasso Café, Stone Hearth Pizza, Sweet Rue’s, Town Pizza and West Newton Cinemas. To learn more about Hillside’s support of the UNICEF Tap project, visit [ http://hillside.needham.k12.ma.us/cyberventues/water_water/main.htm ]http://hillside.needham.k12.ma.us/cyberventues/water_water/main.htm. =============================================================================================  From the Principal’s OfficeThe most recent death of an Eliot School and Needham High School graduate, Jason Roberts, struck a cruel blow to our community. This is difficult for me to write about in the context of a school newsletter, but it is important for you to know that there are resources in the Needham Public Schools and the Town of Needham to support you or someone you know.

The Needham Youth Commission has asked that we pass along the following notice regarding support services available in the community. If you have any questions, please call the Youth Commission at Town Hall – 781-455-7500.

“Due to recent loss in the community, many are now struggling with their own grief. Any loss is significant, and when a young person is involved, the sadness feels even greater”

The Needham Public Schools have implemented many measures to support students enrolled at the high school, and the Needham Youth Commission as part of the Needham Coalition for Suicide Prevention would like to support youth who have now graduated from high school. In addition we would like to be available to any parent in the Needham community. Toward that end, we invite you to:

For Any Recent High School Graduate and FriendsDue to the fact that college students are on spring break this week and next, on Tuesday, March 17th,we will be offering the same program that was held on March 12th.Please come to a gathering to share your feelings, to learn about the grieving process, to gain insight into the dynamics of at-risk behaviors, and to learn techniques to help yourself and others achieve positive mental health and safety.Date: Thursday, March 17thTime: 5:30 – 7:00 (food will be served)Place: YMCA 863 Great Plain Avenue

For any Needham ParentPlease come to a gathering to share your feelings, to learn about the grieving process, to gain insight into the dynamics of at-risk behaviors, and to learn techniques to help yourself and others achieve positive mental health and safety.Date: Thursday, March 17thTime: 7:15 – 8:45Place: YMCA 863 Great Plain Avenue==============================================================================================

Our next bulletin will be published on Friday, March 27thPlease see the following flyers: