Upcoming Dates
Monday, February 19 Presidents’ Day NO SCHOOL
Friday, March 2 Parent-Teache Conference Day NO SCHOOL
Saturday, March 3 Murch Auction 6:30-10:00 pm
CO-PRESIDENTS’ NEWS by Michelle Cochran & Martha Saccocio
Early Bird enrollment for Pre-K for the 2007-2008 school year is underway. If you an in-boundary family and are planning to enroll a child in Pre-Kindergarten next fall, please come to the front office and fill out a form by February 16. Tell your neighbors as well. Demand for Pre-K is always high and the lottery will take place in late February. Keep in mind, you will still need to come to school in late July-early August to complete proof of residency and submit medical forms. Out-of-Boundary applications are available online at www.k12.dc.us.
We are entering the final stretch on planning for the 2007 Murch Auction. If you are planning to make a donation, we really need it submitted by next week. The event will be Saturday, March 3, at the Carnegie Institute of Science (16 & P Street, NW) but the catalog goes to print next weekend. There are many opportunities to volunteer on the night of the auction; please contact Tracy Stannard at mypermitgirl@juno.com to volunteer.
The Sky is the Limit with some of our fabulous items that have just come in for the Live Auction…A week at a heavenly Italian Villa…two VIP passes to watch Pardon the Interruption with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. Do you know any Red Sox diehards who’ll want four club seats behind Fenway’s home plate AND a night at the luxurious Langham Hotel, just steps from Faneuil Hall and Newbury Street? A night at the Hay Adams and a limo tour of the monuments by night? What about that special Redskins fan in your life – here’s two tickets to opening day, FIELD PASSES, parking and a tailgate party! So much more – Bryce Mountain retreats in the summer and winter; a private catered party at the Modern Times coffee shop at Politics & Prose. Breakfast in the Fenty Bullpen. Don’t miss this elegant night of one-of-a-kind shopping, all to benefit Murch kids!
If you would like to donate a bottle of wine to the ‘Build a Wine Cellar’ auction item, donations can be dropped at 3723 Brandywine Street, NW. There is a crate on the front porch. We have created a Wine Wish List at both Paul's Liquors on Wisconsin and Calvert Woodley on Connecticut. All donations are tax deductible. Just fill out a donation form and a tax receipt will be sent to you.
Michelle Cochran Martha Saccocio
MichelleCochran@starpower.net MarthaNS@aol.com
237.6617 237.6967
Auction RSVPs Please send in your auction RSVPs ASAP. It greatly helps our planning process if we know how many people plan to attend the Auction on March 3. If we have your reply, you will be on the reservation list and have a pre-assigned bid number. You will also save $5 per ticket. (Tickets purchased at the door are $40.) Please help us by mailing your Reply Card in the envelope provided or by dropping it in the Reply Box on the HSA table. Questions? Please contact Anne Morin at 244-2734 or ahmorin@aol.com
Donations and Matching Contributions Thank you to all our generous families who have become sponsors of the auction or made a cash donation to the auction. Please remember that these donations may be eligible for employer matched contribution programs. If you are lucky enough to work for an employer who matches employee charity donations, please complete the paperwork. Every bit helps!
Murch Cheerleading Squad will be competing at the Regional Championships for Elementary Schools on Sat., Feb. 24th at Coolidge High School (5th & Sheridan Street, NW). Our second competition is the City Wide Championships for Elementary Schools on Sat., March 24 at Coolidge High School.
Murch Chinese Club is hosting a special cultural event to celebrate Chinese New Year on Wed., Feb. 21 from 3:30-4:30 pm in the Library. All Murch students and parents are invited to celebrate Chinese New Year with Chinese character paper cutting performances, and traditional Chinese refreshments.
DC Board of Education will be hosting several community meetings to discuss proposed legislation “Emergency Student Achievement Act of 2007.” This legislation, which is an alternative to Mayor Adrian Fenty’s school takeover plan, has been presented to the DC City Council for consideration. Meetings will be held on Monday, February 12 at McKinley Technology High School, 151 T Street, NE, Room 150; Tuesday, February 13, at Randle Highlands Elementary School, 1650 30th Street, SE; and Saturday, February 17, at Shepherd Elementary School, 7800 14th Street, NW.
ART WANTED. Do you have artwork in your home that you just don’t love anymore but think someone else may? We want it for the Auction! The gift must be an outright donation, framed and in good condition -- ask yourself if you would pay $50 or more for the piece. Paintings, limited edition prints and photographs are welcome.
Please go through your attic and closets and turn something that is somewhat superfluous to you into a pleasure for someone else and cash for Murch! Questions or to arrange a pick-up, contact nicoleandrewsbrandes@hotmail.com. Donations are tax deductible.
Classroom Connection by Ms. Somerville and Miss Pencek
The Pre-K team has been working hard and having fun. The children continue to develop literacy and numeracy skills, as well as spatial reasoning abilities. We recently studied the letters U, G, S, and Z and completed a wide range of activities related to each letter's thematic unit.
We are currently focused on the theme ‘Animals Everywhere’ and have been investigating different types of animals, including pets and those found at the zoo. Members of the Audubon Naturalist Society came to Murch in late January and led the children on an exploration of the school grounds, where they looked for changes in nature that have occurred during the winter. This in-house field trip coincided with our ongoing study of ‘Animals in Winter,’ and the Pre-K students enjoyed sharing their knowledge of hibernation, migration and adaptation with these nature experts.
We are eagerly awaiting springtime and the studies of plants, seeds and insects that will accompany it. The second half of the school year will undoubtedly be very successful and exciting for our rising kindergartners!
Classroom Connection by Mr. Welsh, Miss Bickart, and Ms Hawkins
The Kindergarten children are writing and crafting stories each day confident in their ability to relate their ideas so others will enjoy them. The Writing Workshop program as taught at Murch is a daily activity that encourages kids to write stories out of their own experience. They have learned and are applying the five elements of a good story (action, setting, dialogue, people involved and the weather). Each class has a Word Wall where the young writers can look up correct spellings. This program stresses that each child be encouraged to “stretch” or sound out words on their own as much as possible. They are really doing it. It is very satisfying to see the progress of these bright kids.
Community News & Classified
Violin Lessons. We would like to recommend our violin teacher Maya Maalouf. She is very dynamic, has tons of patience with the children, and teaches very well. Maya can be reached at 364.4952. For more information/ references, please contact Christian Nadeau (Andre & Jacqueline’s dad!) at 248.6737.
Si usted llegara o necesita alguna ayuda para traducir algo al espanol contacteme. Sara Villeda: telefono 202.244.7493/emailsavll@aol.com.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: The newsletter is sponsored by the HSA, whose purpose is to serve the best interests of the pupils of Murch Elementary School. Members of the Murch community may submit classifieds and announcements, consistent with this mission, to newsletter@murchschool.org, with “Murch Newsletter” on the subject line. Submissions on behalf of for-profit enterprises will not be considered for publication.
February 9, 2007
