Annual Spring Fair

Sunday, May 20, 2012

10830 Eastwood Avenue

Silver Spring, MD 20901

Time: 1:00pm -4:00 p.m.

There are inflatables, games, vendors, and prizes.

Pizza and Salads from Armand’s Pizza and drinks for sale.

Fred [...]]]> Forest Knolls Elementary School

Annual Spring Fair

Sunday, May 20, 2012

10830 Eastwood Avenue

Silver Spring, MD 20901

Time: 1:00pm -4:00 p.m.

There are inflatables, games, vendors, and prizes.

Pizza and Salads from Armand’s Pizza and drinks for sale.

Fred the Ice Cream Guy will be there!!

If you would like to volunteer even for just one hour, please contact Kristen Lefevre  or Jillian Newby at spring.fair@fkespta.org.  

Jillian Newby

Spring Fair Coordinator

The participation and contribution of many families made last week’s Staff Appreciation Week a grand success.

All three meal events went very smoothly. Parents who helped with the breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea can attest to the many compliments by staff while they enjoyed the treats. We also heard teachers sharing examples of [...]]]>

Thank you, Forest Knolls Community!

The participation and contribution of many families made last week’s Staff Appreciation Week a grand success.

All three meal events went very smoothly. Parents who helped with the breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea can attest to the many compliments by staff while they enjoyed the treats. We also heard teachers sharing examples of cute little tokens of appreciation the children brought in to school each day. Bill McGrath, Kirsten Frank and I handed out Forest Knolls T-shirts Friday morning and we would like to pass on the many THANK YOUs we received to you all. Our staff truly feels appreciated. ☺

A special “thank you” to our early birds who drove through town picking up donated coffee at Starbucks and the donated scrambled eggs etc. from Eggspectation at 7 a.m. for the breakfast, to our busy chefs who created culinary delights for all three events, to our parent volunteers who helped with set up and breakdown, and to our generous parents who contributed store-bought items or sent in an envelope with a monetary contribution. It literally takes a village to make this big event a success, so THANK YOU TO YOU ALL!

The proposed budget will be voted on by present PTA members at the June 5 PTA meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. in the media center.

Before May 20, please e-mail questions or comments to Bill McGrath [...]]]> Just a reminder that the proposed PTA Budget for next school year (2012-2013) is available for review at the following link: http://fkespta.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/PTA-Proposed-Budget-2012-2013.pdf.

The proposed budget will be voted on by present PTA members at the June 5 PTA meeting from 7-8:30 p.m. in the media center.

Before May 20, please e-mail questions or comments to Bill McGrath at president@fkespta.org.

Thank you.  As always, we need your input to operate an effective PTA!

Bill McGrath

PTA President

Fri., May 11, Noon – 3 pm: 5th Grade Tree Service Project.

Parents needed to oversee groups of [...]]]>  Help is needed with conservation projects and work on our nature trail on Friday and Saturday! Please come out if you can! Remember to let me know if you’re coming so we can plan on tools, etc.

Fri., May 11, Noon – 3 pm: 5^th Grade Tree Service Project.

Parents needed to oversee groups of 5^th graders as they care for the trees on our nature trail.

(It’s appreciated if you can participate the whole time, but smaller time slots also available.)

Sat., May 12, 2-4 pm: “Second Saturday” Landscaping: Weed Whack on the Nature Trail!

Calling kids and parents to help remove invasive honeysuckle and other weeds that are overtaking our trail.

Bring gloves, shovels, trowels and stop by for any part of this time slot.

Thanks for considering, and again, please let Clare know if you plan to come.

Clare Nielsen

Conservation Committee Chairperson

conservation.landscaping @ fkespta.org

Tuesday, May 8th at 7:30pm 5th Grade promotion meeting in teachers’ lounge.

Topics of discussion: Budget total Class gift – how much money is needed T-shirt update Class gift Class plaque Class party – June 11 : volunteers needed June 11- promotion ceremony and [...]]]> Two more 5th grade promotion meetings to go until the kids finish Forest Knolls. The next meeting is on May 8.

Tuesday, May 8th at 7:30pm
5th Grade promotion meeting in teachers’ lounge.

Topics of discussion:
Budget total
Class gift – how much money is needed
T-shirt update
Class gift
Class plaque
Class party – June 11 : volunteers needed
June 11- promotion ceremony and 4th grade volunteers needed.

Jillian Newby and Alison Petersen

Fifth Grade Promotion Committee Chairpersons

 If this is your first year as a parent at our great school, please know that the PTA Staff Appreciation Committee and its many helpers are offering a special week for our school staff, to show them in various ways how much we families appreciate their [...]]]> This year’s National Staff Appreciation Week is scheduled May 7-11, 2012.

 If this is your first year as a parent at our great school, please know that the PTA Staff Appreciation Committee and its many helpers are offering a special week for our school staff, to show them in various ways how much we families appreciate their efforts, caring and support they give our children day in and day out, allowing them to strive at their best ability.   

 The week’s highlights are a hearty breakfast, an International lunch buffet, an afternoon tea and a FKES logo T-shirt as a gift.

We would like to continue with last year’s introduced gesture, involving our child/children to think of what she/he would like to send in as a special token of appreciation daily to their classroom teachers, specials’ teachers and other staff members they would like to say “thank you” to.  Please be open-minded to your child’s ideas and creativity… And please be assured that the school supply items listed below will make our teachers happy. ☺    

This is the suggested agenda:

Monday, May 7:                    A card or note with words of appreciation

Tuesday, May 8:                   A school supply item like hand sanitizer, tissues, glue sticks or dry erase markers. 

Wednesday, May 9:              A flower.  (fresh, or crafted, or painted, or drawn or, or, or…)

Thursday, May 10:                Another school supply item like hand sanitizer, glue sticks, tissues or dry erase markers.

Friday, May 11:                      A little sweet treat

Wouldn’t it be so nice to amaze our school’s staff with lots of little surprises coming their way this week?

Astrid Ingenlath-Diaz & Kirsten Frank

Staff Appreciation Week Coordinators

staff.appreciation@fkespta.org

The Kindergarten Orientation marked the launch [...]]]> On May 3 and 4, PTA volunteers collaborated with Forest Knolls staff to welcome new kindergarten parents to the school.  Pictured are Gretchen Vidergar, PTA Welcoming Environment Chair, and PTA parent Marlene Berrios (interpreting into Spanish) communicating information about the school and how new parents can participate in the PTA. 

The Kindergarten Orientation marked the launch of the PTA’s new “Parent Mentoring Program” that will help new parents connect with existing parents to help provide information and guidance.  We hope it also helps to welcome our non-English speaking parents into our community and find ways to participate. 

Contact Gretchen at hospitality@fkespta.org  if you are interested in participating in the new Parent Mentoring Program or have ideas for how to make it successful for all families in our community.

Now that you are not new, we would like to have you help us welcome those who are…   Based on information/ideas gathered at the January PTA meeting, the FKES PTA is creating a New Parent Mentoring Program at Forest Knolls.  Our initial focus is to provide mentors to [...]]]> Do you remember when you were new to FKES?

Now that you are not new, we would like to have you help us welcome those who are…
 
Based on information/ideas gathered at the January PTA meeting, the FKES PTA is creating a New Parent Mentoring Program at Forest Knolls.  Our initial focus is to provide mentors to the new families/parents of children that will be in kindergarten at Forest Knolls next year.

Would you be interested in being a mentor family to a new family? You would act as a resource and point of contact for questions as the year begins, tapering off as the year progresses (say by end of October 2012).

The family mentor program is designed to welcome new families and guide them through the first few months as well as to encourage greater participation of parents at all levels in activities at Forest Knolls.  We are hoping to help further strengthen this community of parents and students at Forest Knolls.
 
If you have any additional questions, or if you are interested in becoming involved in this new program, please let me know at hospitality@fkespta.org.  Please feel free to share this request with families that you feel may be interested in this new opportunity, either as participants or mentors.

Gretchen Vidergar

Hospitality Chair

Proposal #1 To fund from part of the Direct Donation Campaign funds a total of $4,800 for the following expense items:

* this amount qualifies us for matching grant funds

Proposal #2 To use $6,550 [...]]]> Each proposal to be presented for vote by membership at the June PTA meeting.

Proposal #1
To fund from part of the Direct Donation Campaign funds a total of $4,800 for the following expense items:

1. $3,800 – technology for the classroom*
2. $1,000 – sound system for multipurpose room

* this amount qualifies us for matching grant funds

Proposal #2
To use $6,550 from savings to fund the following expense items:

1. $3,800 – technology for the classroom
2. $1,250 – media center
3. $1,500 – sound system for multipurpose room**

**final balance of sound system upgrade for multipurpose room

Bill McGrath, John Acosta, Uli Nasshan, and Nate Conroy
PTA Executive Board

Well, then…come to the FKES Book Swap on Thurs., April 26 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Bring your gently used [...]]]> We all know that FKES kids read.  Is your family…..
*Drowning in books you and your kids have already read?
*Having trouble keeping their reading appetite full?
*In need of another excuse to get together with friends and neighbors for ice cream?

In addition to conducting PTA business, we will hear a presentation by Claudia Simmons,

Pre-K supervisor for MCPS.

She will provide information about the Title I Pre-K program at Forest Knolls, including information on:

*Why we have a pre-K program at Forest [...]]]>  The PTA meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Media Center.

In addition to conducting PTA business, we will hear a presentation by Claudia Simmons,

Pre-K supervisor for MCPS.

She will provide information about the Title I Pre-K program at Forest Knolls, including information on:

*Why we have a pre-K program at Forest Knolls

*The purpose and structure of the program

*How it is funded

*Why it is important to the FKES community

She also will be available to answer any questions you might have.

Simultaneous Spanish language translation available.

Free babysitting provided for children aged 5 years and older.

Reunión de Padres*

Martes, 1 de Mayo

7:00 pm en la Biblioteca de Forest Knolls (FKES)

Además de conducir negocios del PTA, vamos a escuchar a una presentación:

Claudia Simmons

Supervisora del programa pre-escolar del condado de Montgomery County

 Presentara información sobre el Programa Titulo I Pre-escolar (Pre-K) de FKES:

• Por qué tenemos un programa de Pre-K en FKES

• El propósito y la estructura del programa

• Cómo se financia

• Por qué es importante que la comunidad de FKES tenga este programa

Ella también estará disponible para responder a preguntas especificas.

Cuidado de niños gratis proporcionado para los niños mayor de 5 años.

Traducción simultánea al español disponible.

* Esta reunión está abierta a todos los miembros de la comunidad de Forest Knolls –usted no necesita ser un miembro del PTA para asistir.

Crystal Willis

Parent Resource Coordinator

YEARBOOK ORDERS:

If you’re interested in ordering a yearbook, please complete the accompanying order form and send it to school in your child’s backpack by Tuesday, April 17, 2012. The cost is $17 and checks or money orders (no cash) must be [...]]]> The deadlines for ordering the 2011-2012 FKES Yearbook and for submitting photos have been extended.

YEARBOOK ORDERS:

If you’re interested in ordering a yearbook, please complete the accompanying order form and send it to school in your child’s backpack by Tuesday, April 17, 2012. The cost is $17 and checks or money orders (no cash) must be made out to FKES PTA.

Things we’ll need on the form:

Your child’s name
Your child’s teacher
Your name
Your email address
Your phone number

YEARBOOK PHOTOS:

If you have photos of your child’s classroom activities and/or field trips, PLEASE send them in for consideration for the yearbook. Please send them via email by Friday, April 13, 2012 to: yearbook@fkespta.org.

For the Yearbook Order Form, please see the Yearbook Committee Page.

Ronita Hook
Yearbook Coordinator

Bring the whole family for a night of hands-on science and a spectacular Mad Science Show complete with tornadoes and a hovercraft!

Support our young scientists who have been working on their science fair projects and are [...]]]>   Remember that Friday the 13^th is FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHT in the Forest Knolls gym! 

Bring the whole family for a night of hands-on science and a spectacular Mad Science Show complete with tornadoes and a hovercraft!

Support our young scientists who have been working on their science fair projects and are ready to amaze you with their science skills!

It’s fun for everyone!   Friday, April 13^th from 6:30-8:30 PM

 John and Diane Lill

Science Fair Coordinators

This video provide the President’s Update on the following items:

Thank you,

Bill McGrath, PTA President

FRIDAY, JUNE 1                6:30 pm- 8:30 pm

SAVE THE DATE… DANCERS, MUSICIANS, SINGERS, ARTISTS… THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON FKES!

START GETTING YOUR ACT TOGETHER!

Each act has a 3 minute maximum time allotment. Audition application forms Showcase Application will be coming home on April 11th and are due [...]]]> IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A FOREST KNOLLS TALENT SHOWCASE

FRIDAY, JUNE 1                6:30 pm- 8:30 pm

SAVE THE DATE… DANCERS, MUSICIANS, SINGERS, ARTISTS… THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON FKES!

START GETTING YOUR ACT TOGETHER!

Each act has a 3 minute maximum time allotment. Audition application forms Showcase Application will be coming home on April 11th and are due April 18^th. Talents can include comedic, dance, and musical routines (no lip synching please).

Attendance at all after school rehearsals is mandatory:

April 20 Audition                        May 4 Rehearsal

May 18 Rehearsal                     May 31 Dress Rehearsal