A hope for healing....

How crazy is this time of year?  It is unbelievable.  Rushing to find the perfect gifts, send the cards, buy the groceries, attend the countless parties, attend school fundraising and class parties, get the house decorated, etc.  It is easy to forget to sit and breathe and to be thankful for those things in our life that are going so great.

Not everyone has been so lucky this year.  This has been a extremely difficult year for the health of several of our own Denton Creek teachers.  Mrs. Brown was diagnosed with cancer.  Mrs. Melton had to have surgery on her foot and has been out for months.  Mrs. VanRiper was really sick at the beginning of the year and was hospitalized, but has since recovered and is back at work.  And lastly, Kathy Flatt, was recently admitted to the hospital with intestinal issues.  They are still determining what exactly is wrong with Mrs. Flatt.  I may even be forgetting someone.  With so many substitutes up at the school everyday, it is hard to remember who is ill.  If I have forgotten someone, I am so sorry.

I just wanted everyone to take a minute to be thankful for your health and to think about those who are having a hard time.  I hope that the new year brings health and happiness for each of you and for those wonderful teachers at Denton Creek, especially those struggling right now.  You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Lisa

DCE Day at Barnes and Noble- THIS WEEKEND!

Hello everyone.  I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday.  I took a break from blogging over the holiday but am back at work.  This time of year is my favorite, but it is also the most exhausting and overwhelming.  Hope you have had a second to catch your breath this weekend.

Saturday is DCE day at Barnes and Noble (the location in Lewisville on Round Grove Road by Michaels).  This is always a fun event for us.  Kids from each grade will be performing, teachers and administrators will be reading, parents will be wrapping books and Denton Creek will be making MONEY!  Please stop by and join us Saturday and if you have any books to buy for the holidays, we would love it if you could by them then.  You just have to mention DCE at checkout.

If you prefer to shop online, you can do that too.  See the newsletter for more information.  Denton Creek has been given this lucrative Saturday above all other schools, because we always have such a great turnout and our kids and parents are always so friendly.

Thank you and hope to see you Saturday.
Lisa

Storybook Parade

I promised that I would upload video from the Storybook Parade on Halloween.  Before you watch, keep in mind that I was taking video with my left hand while taking pictures with my right.  It may not be my best work.....

The kids looked darling and I think they really enjoyed the event, as they do every year.  If you were unable to attend to see your little one parade around in their storybook costume, I hope you are able to enjoy it here.

This will be my last posting until after Thanksgiving, so I would like to take this time to wish each of you a happy and safe holiday.  I am so thankful for each of you and for all the staff at Denton Creek.

Lisa

Spring Creek Bbq Night

This Thursday is DCE night at Spring Creek Bbq.  This is a HUGE easy fundraiser for DCE.  It is also a ton of fun.  Teachers will be there serving bread.  The food is delicious and there will be a TON of DCE families enjoying their supper.  If you are in a hurry like most of us, you can even get it to go.

Last year we made $1500 for our fall Spring Creek Night and $1000 in the spring.  This is AMAZING.  To be able to make $1500 in one night while having fun and not working hard is something we have been unable to duplicate anywhere else.

I urge you to make your plans around dinner in or out at Spring Creek Barbeque this week anytime from 5-9 pm.  Tell your neighbors.  They give 20% of receipts from the entire time frame regardless of whether or not the customers were from DCE.

Next week, I will be posting video and pictures from the Storybook Parade.  I hope you will check back.

See you Thursday,
Lisa

Red Ribbon Week and the 2nd Grade Play: "Pinochio Don't Smoke that Cigarette"

We had another successful Red Ribbon Week at DCE.  The kids enjoyed having the theme days and took the pledge to stay drug free for their whole lives.  What a great lesson.  Linda Harrell incorporated the second grade play into the Red Ribbon Week theme.  It was called, Pinocchio Don't Smoke that Cigarette. It was a great play with a great message about the damage that drugs, alcohol and smoking do to a person and their body.  Great job Linda and second graders.  I have included a few pictures here for you to enjoy.

Have a great week!
Lisa

Mr. Mac's Brown Bag Lunch got me thinking.....

As most of you know, last Friday, Mr. Mac held his first ever brown bag lunch.  During the lunch he discussed the state of today's education system.  He also talked about how and why DCE was moving forward to become a school of communication.  To say that the talk was enlightening would be putting it very mildly.  I was extremely moved by the presentation.  Both scared and excited about the future of public education.  The only thing I can say with absolute certainty is that in this scary time of great need for change, I am oh so very grateful that I live in the school district in which I do.  One whose leaders like Dr. Turner and Mr. Mac know that the education system which worked when we were children is not one that will engage children of today.

I ask that each of you take 10 minutes to watch a video that was shown to us during the lunch.  I think you will appreciate it.  I also ask that you join Mr. Mac at his next brown bag.  You will not be sorry.....

http://youtu.be/zDZFcDGpL4U

Thank you,
Lisa

Mr. Mac's Brown Bag Lunch

Mr. McLain is starting a special event this week.  Every couple of months, he will be hosting a brown bag lunch.  Every lunch will have a different topic related to the school and our kids.  This particular lunch topic is about DCE being a school for communications.  The lunch will be held in the science lab on Friday at noon.  You are welcome to join Mr. McLain to discuss this exciting opportunity for our school in a small round table venue.  Bring your lunch and hear what is going on in the school.  I think it is a GREAT idea!

If you are feeling extra excited, please join us at our PTO meeting that morning at 9.  If you have joined PTO, you are welcome to come and vote on any issues up for debate and hear what is happening with the money that you have donated and what programs we have going on in the school.

I hope to see you all on Friday!
Lisa

Change for change!

Our kids at Denton Creek are amazing (parents, too).  By filling their water bottles, the students and parents at DCE raised almost $2900 in mostly change for the students and families effected by the fires in Bastrop. WOW!  To see the kids excited faces as they brought in their water bottles was a pleasure.  A BIG thank you to Julie Albright, who had the opportunity to have to take all of that change to the bank for counting.  You can imagine how heavy that job was for her.  Thank you Julie!

Our families always pull together to help out in a crisis or when a need arises.  It is wonderful to belong to a community of caring families.  I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Thank you for all you do.
Lisa

Grandparent/Special Friend Tea- What a success!

I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who volunteered at our Grandparent/Special Friend Tea last Friday.  What a success!  We had an amazing turnout of grandparents and special friends.  I know that the day is hard on our teachers and I wanted to thank them for the extra work.  I know that Colton's 3 grandparents really enjoyed their visit to the school.  They even got to "share" another child who was unable to have anyone attend.  They really enjoyed it.

A special thank you to Jeannie and Manisha who organized the decor and the cookie service.  It was lovely.  I would love to post some pictures here, so if anyone has some feel free to email me and I will attach them next week.

Thank you again for all you do,
Lisa

Write a Check

It is that time of year again.... write a check time.  Our original deadline for write a check was set for tomorrow, the 26th.  Currently, our contributions total only 50% of our goal.  We need your help.  Write a Check is the largest single fundraiser that DCE PTO does.  There is no minimum amount for the donation. Any amount that you can give is appreciated.  The goal for write a check is to have every single family participate.  As of today, we have only had 30% of our families participate.  If you are like me, you were waiting for the deadline.  The deadline is NOW.  Please take a moment to write a check or click here to contribute online (you can use your credit card.  YEAH!).

Here is an exact list of what the PTO donated during the 2010-2011 school year:

Technology: $29856

Teachers: $10755 (setup, training, gifts)

Non-Technology Gifts to DCE:  $6576

Educational Programs:  $4389

Field Trip Buses:  $2500

Field Day: $1553

Administrative: $1931 (sales tax, PTO connect, insurance)

Kids: $1007 (Incentives, RR wrist bands)

Hospitality: $272

Student Programs: $295

Total:  $59132 contributed in 2010/2011 to Denton Creek by the PTO!

If you don't think your donation counts, please check out that list.  Every single child in the school received multiple benefits from your donation.  

Please help us to help the kids.  Don't delay.

Lisa

What a night....

Ok, it doesn't rain for what seems like 6 months in Coppell and then the night of our big Back to School Social it POURS!  Unbelievable Texas weather!!!  Although it wasn't quite the event that we were hoping to have, it was amazing.  I have never felt prouder of our school and our parents.

First, we had a RECORD number of ticket sales for the event.  WOW!  What a way to role out and support your school.  Teachers and administrators rolled out in record numbers, as well.  Thank you.

Second, the number of people of who chipped in to help and pick up popcorn machines and tables and chairs was AMAZING!  So many people stepped up to help out.  Needless to say when the rain started coming down, things got a bit frantic.  Everyone pitched in to help out.

We moved inside and had our meals in the cafeteria.  Some kids played in the gym and others watched Ratatouille.  People stayed, laughed and made the best of a not so perfect situation.  I couldn't be happier to be a part of this community of people.   Thank you to everyone.  You could have complained that your food got cold when you had to move inside or that you didn't bother to get your food at all due to the rain, but I heard none of that.

Thank you.  You guys are wonderful!
Lisa

Back to School Social

This Friday, we will be having our Back to School social.  We began this event last year and it was sooooo much fun.  I think it is one of the first family events that was enjoyed by the parents as much as the kids.  The social is held on the playground, so the kids are able to run around and play with their friends all under the watchful eyes of the parents.  The parents are able to sit and relax while catching up with old and new friends and chatting with their kid's teachers.  The teachers who were there last year seemed to have a good time as well, getting to know the parents in a more relaxed environment.  Fat Daddy's prepares some great burgers and the snow cones are delicious!  All in all a great time.

Note: THIS IS NOT A DROP OFF EVENT.  You must arrive and stay with your child the entire time or your child must be the designated guest of another family who assumes responsibility for him or her.  The drop off socials start in middle school.  Let's hold those off as long as we can....

Helpful hints...
1.  BUY YOUR TICKETS.  Go to http://dcepto.revtrak.net and then click on socials to purchase your tickets.
2.  Bring a blanket or chairs for comfy sitting.
3.  Bug spray never hurts.
4.  If you are a shutterbug like me, a camera is always good to have on hand.
5.  Grab a football or basketball, if your child likes to do that sort of thing.
6.  Water and snow cones will be for sale so be sure to grab a few dollars to bring with you.
7.  If your child plans on playing in/on the bounce houses remember that YOU are responsible for them. Someone needs to be looking out for your kiddo and there is no one better than YOU.

I think that is it.  I really hope to see all of you there on Friday night.  Looks like the weather is supposed to cool off a bit again by then, so that will be nice.

See you soon,
Lisa

Full Steam Ahead....

I hope that you are all enjoying your three day weekend.  I know I am LOVING this beautiful weather today.  It was hard to come inside to type this and the newsletter for you, so if they are shorter than usual, blame it on the weather.

This Thursday evening is Curriculum Night at DCE.  This is a night for parents only to come and meet with your child's teachers and listen to a description of what your kiddo can expect to learn this year.  Curriculum night also marks the beginning of our Write a Check Campaign.  If you are new to DCE or have never participated in Write a Check, I will attempt to give you a quick description on what it is all about.  Write a Check was the brainchild of some Coppell ISD parent a million years ago.  Each school in Coppell ISD participates in the program through their PTOs.  It is one of (if not the most) biggest fundraiser that the PTO does each year.  It was originally intended to be the main fundraiser of the year, however as economics have changed and time has passed, we have had to supplement the Write a Check with various other fundraisers in order to meet the school's needs.

PTO has never asked your child to sell items (or you to sell items) door to door.  The school has chosen in the past to support fundraisers that may ask your children to sell items, but this is not a PTO endorsed fundraiser.  One of the reasons we support Write a Check is that it is fairly simple and painless.  If every parent in the school wrote one check for an amount which they were comfortable, we eliminate the need for the types of fundraisers that require a lot more work on your part or your child's part.  These checks you write are donations, you can claim on your taxes.  It is easy, quick and painless unlike so many other types of fundraisers.  That being said, we at DCE do have lots of other ways to raise money for the school; gift cards, box tops, printer cartridges, Vista Ridge Cool School program, etc.  These fundraisers reward DCE for doing things that you are already doing.  We don't ask you to go buy stuff at Vista Ridge or buy items that have box tops or even buy gift cards to stores that you don't go to.  We ask that if you go to Vista Ridge or happen to buy a product with a box top or shop each week at Tom Thumb, then it would be great if you did those things that help make DCE money anyway.

Ok, soap box closed.  I am hoping that each of you has a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead.  I will see you at Curriculum Night.  Bring your checkbook and support DCE in our Write a Check campaign.

See you soon,
Lisa

Volunteer Blues......

I hope that each of you enjoyed the first week back at school.  I really hope that each of your kids enjoyed it.  Colton did great.  He really likes his teacher and things are going smoothly so far.  Macy is settling into middle school but still nervous about being late for class (don't think she has gone to the bathroom at school, yet).  But overall, things are going well.

I don't know if you guys feel like I do, but it is hard going from summer relaxation to the hectic school week.  Feeling like you are constantly in a hurry to get somewhere or do something, needing to buy a million school supplies or clothes and being asked to volunteer every which way you turn.  I think the key with volunteering is to find a balance between doing something that really helps someone and doing something you really enjoy doing.  If you can do both, you are golden.  I really like planning parties, so I enjoy being homeroom parent and serving on the social committees of both schools.  Being president has been really interesting and I feel like I have made a difference, especially with communication between the school and parents, so I feel good about that.

Is there something that you enjoy doing?  Perhaps you have a skill or hobby; taking pictures, organizing, leading, asking for donations, working with books?  All of these things translate into great volunteer opportunities.  There are some parents who own businesses that donate to the school.  That is huge.  There are so many opportunities to help at the school.  The most important thing is to find a way to help that makes you happy and doesn't add stress to your already busy life.

This Tuesday is volunteer orientation at DCE.  We are meeting in the cafeteria at 9 am.  If you can attend, it would be great.  The committee chairs will go over the different volunteer opportunities at DCE.  There will be a chance to sign up for committees.  NO PRESSURE.  This is about finding the right spot for you.  Next week in the newsletter, there will be a place for you (and your spouse) to go and choose areas of volunteering that appeal to you.  That way when those events role around, you will receive information about the event and you can sign up to help at that time.

Speaking for the PTO, your help is REALLY APPRECIATED.  Speaking for Mr. McLain (I know he won't mind), your help is critical to the functioning of the school and he and the whole staff thanks you for your time and energy.  You do make a difference.

Thank you for all you do,
Lisa

Welcome to the new year!

Hello everyone.  I started this blog one year ago.  It has been so much fun for me and I hope it has helped those of you who follow it.  When my oldest child started at Denton Creek 6 years ago, I couldn't find any information out there to tell me what to expect.  I relied on the few friends that I knew for information (still love those friends today).  It is my hope that this blog can help along with the newsletter to fill in the gaps of what the school tells us.  Thank you for reading....

What to expect the first day of school...
If you are new to DCE, you may not be prepared for the first day of school.  Let me start by suggesting you get to school REALLY EARLY.  Parking is a super challenge.  If you live within walking distance, seriously consider walking (you will thank me later even after sweating through your clothes).  DO NOT PARK IN THE FIRE LANES (you will be ticketed, yep, they are always watching).  Bring your camera and your video camera.  Not everyone's parents drop them off, that is ok.  However, the majority do.  You will be able to walk your child directly to their classroom on the first day and help them to get settled.  You can take pics of them at their desk and with their teacher.  Most kiddos tend to dress up a little on the first day of school, however, they could still have PE, so always have a pair of tennis shoes in their bag for them to change into if they have PE.  Now that Macy is going into middle school, I am pretty sure she isn't going to let me come and take her picture with her teacher or even set foot into the school, so I will miss doing that for her.  Enjoy it while you can.  It goes too quickly.

You are not allowed to eat with your child for the first week of school.  This gives them a chance to get settled in the routine before the parents come and throw it off.  That being said, I was always there the first chance I could get.

After you drop off your kiddo, you can make the long trek back to your car (cry or jump for joy, whatever floats your boat).  Be sure that if you are planning to pick your child up by car that you arrive EXTRA EARLY as the car pool lanes are crazy the first week of school.  You can ask your teacher when you drop off your kiddo, which car pool lane is the one for you.  It changes a bit each year.  Last year the loop in front of the gym was for k-1 and carpools.  The loop in front of the cafeteria was for 2-5.  Again, be sure to ask at dropoff.  Also be careful to follow the directions on the signs.  If you are in the cafeteria loop, you can ONLY TURN LEFT when exiting.  If you are in the gym loop, you can ONLY TURN RIGHT.  Doing something other than what is posted on the sign is annoying to all the people who are stuck behind you waiting and also is illegal.  Please follow the signs.  The teachers will make sure your little guys and gals get to the right cars.  DCE hasn't lost a kiddo yet.  They do a great job.

Best wishes for a great year!

Thanks for reading,
Lisa Johnson
DCE PTO President

Summer is almost over.....

Wow, I cannot believe that tomorrow is August 1.  The summer went by much too quickly.  Macy will be starting middle school and Colton in second grade.  Unreal.  This is about the time in the summer that I start getting sad about the kids going back to school.  I like having them at home with me and know that those years will be gone before I know it.

If you are sending your precious child to Denton Creek this year for the first time, please know that they are in wonderful hands.  It was amazingly hard to send Macy that first time to kindergarten into the hands of a woman who I had just met for more hours in the day than I could believe.  I honestly didn't think she could get through the 7+ hours without me.  I was wrong.  Not only did she do great, but she flourished under the care of the great teachers and staff at Denton Creek.  So, don't worry.  Before you know it, you will be sending your little kindergartner off to an even scarier land called, MIDDLE SCHOOL.........

Enjoy the rest of your summer.

See you soon,
Lisa

What a day....

Field day was a huge success.  Way to go to the Field Day team.  They did a fabulous job.  Thank you to all the volunteers who came and helped out (and got wet).  I hope you had a bit of fun.  I am pretty sure the kids had a blast.  Every year the 5th grade girls do a Maypole celebration before the start of Field Day.  I think this was the best year ever (not only because Macy was a participant but also because of the great little recorder band).  Way to go, Linda Harrell and Kathy Flatt.  Nice job.

The day began extra special at our home as the children were picked up by Officer Grisso from the Coppell Police Department.  They were able to ride to school in style in the back of a police car (hoping this is the only time ever).  We won that item at our DCE auction back in February.  WHOOHOO!

I have posted a few pics here from Field Day and the Maypole ceremony and our police ride.

Field Day

Since we have an extra week to plan for field day, I thought I would write about it.  If your child has never participated in a DCE Field Day, I have a few helpful hints for you.  Take them or leave them as you will.  Field Day at DCE is a full day event for our children.  There are approximately 6 rotations and an hour long lunch.  The classes move by grade through each of the rotations.  Some examples of past rotations are; track and field, water wars, DJ Karaoke and snack, water balloon, water slides, volleyball.  I don't know for certain what this year holds, but it will be a similar rotation list.  The dominate theme is water.  Your kids will get really wet.  If your child has water shoes (which they can run in comfortably) this is easily the best choice of footwear.  The next best choice would be tennis shoes that can withstand some water (perhaps that old pair).  If you have a daughter, she should wear her bathing suit with a water shirt.  Girls are not allowed to wear bikinis without shirts.  I always stick Macy in her bathing suit with a thin swimshirt.  She tops that with nylon wind shorts (dry quickly) and her field day tshirt.  When it comes time for the water slides, she will take off the tshirt and shorts.  For Colton, he wears his swimsuit as his shorts and wears a swimshirt topped by his field day shirt.  Both kids wear water shoes (however I have learned to send a backup pair of tennis shoes as Macy received blisters one year from her swim shoes).  You will need to send a towel and I cannot stress this enough PUT YOUR CHILD'S NAME ON THE TOWEL AND EVERYTHING THEY ARE WEARING THAT DAY!  You will also send a separate change of clothes for your child to change into at the end of the day to go home.  This is a lot of stuff for a kindergartner (or any average child) to keep track of for an entire day.

Ok, next discussion point is volunteering....  this is easily the most fun event all year for which to be a volunteer.  Many moms and dads take off work in order to spend part or all day at Field Day.  As you can imagine with 6 rotations and hundreds of children, we need a LOT of volunteers.  If you have not signed up yet but are planning to attend, PLEASE SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER AT A PARTICULAR STATION, please do not just show up that day and follow your child around, this isn't fair to any of the dozens of volunteers who are working.  You can even pick your station and volunteer time.  You can also request a station that you know your child will be rotating through during your shift, so they are sure to see you.   We really need to know where everyone is going to be.  Please email  mpark1825@verizon.net if you can help.  We really appreciate it and need your help to make the event a success.  Your kids will LOVE seeing you there.

In closing, Field Day is a blast both for children and volunteering parents.  You will not want to miss it.

Lisa

PS.  DON'T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN and sack lunch for the kiddos (the cafeteria lines are CRAZY long on field day).

Great to see you!

I had so much fun at the social on Friday night.  What a beautiful evening.  We could have done with a bit less wind (Roya had to tie the cash box down) but what a great event.  Thank you to everyone who came and/or made cookies and/or worked a shift.  We couldn't have done it without you.

Thanks to those teachers who stopped by, it was great to see your faces in a relaxed social environment.   I think all the kids had a blast.  It was nice to see kids in all different grades playing and having fun together. I enjoy these kind of events so much more than some of our events in the past that were so labor intensive that none of the volunteers got to enjoy the event for even a minute and they required literally hundreds of volunteers to pull off.  We will continue to have socials like the one last night.  I hope that you all tell all of your friends how much fun you had so we will have even more people attend the next time.  If every family could have one volunteer for one 30 minute shift a year at any one of the socials, we wouldn't have to have the same people work every time.  Let's see if we can pull together as a community and each do our part so that we can all enjoy the time together.

Thank you again for coming.
Lisa

Happy Mother's Day!

One of the definitions of the word, Mother, in Webster's Dictionary, means something that is extreme or an ultimate example of it's kind.  I like that definition.  I am definitely extreme in most everything I do.  I am working towards being a good example.  I imagine all mothers feel that way.

Today, I wanted to say thank you to all the mothers out there who spend their free time at the school volunteering or spend their evening at home baking a treat for a teacher or to those special fathers out there, who are doing the job of both mother and father.  Bless each of you and thank you.

I am so grateful for the gift of my beautiful family.  They aren't always perfect, but I wouldn't trade a one of them for anything in the world.

That is it for this blog.  I am going to go enjoy my Mother's Day!  Do the same.
Lisa

Teacher Appreciation Week

Tomorrow marks the start of Teacher Appreciation Week at Denton Creek.   If you are like me, you struggle to get through the day just getting done the things that you must (and very often failing to finish those tasks).  I am sure if you are a working parent, you struggle even more to find time to do all the things that are required of us daily.  Yet, here we are, asking you for more.... yep..., I am......

As my children have passed through the halls of Denton Creek, they have been blessed with the best teachers.  Those teachers have made great impacts on the lives of my children and through that act, on my life as well.  A certain kindergarten teacher has become a close and dear friend, who I will have in my life always.  Another lower grade teacher is an inspiration to me daily in terms of grace and kindness and I only hope that my children learned those gifts from her.  Another teacher taught my child to believe in herself and she became more confident in herself during that year, which is an amazing blessing.  Yet another teacher pushed my child further scholastically than any had before and that will be a gift forever.  My kids will argue that the teachers they have had (and have) each year are the best at the school.  They have been known to fight this argument with friends who have different teachers (I think mine usually win the argument).  The love of music, drama, physical education are each taught at Denton Creek with love and inspiration.  My kids are constantly drawing, singing or playing some game.  

I know that I cannot teach my children half of what they need to know as they grow.  I marvel at the parents who choose to homeschool their children.  I wouldn't know where to begin.  I need my children exposed to people who can not only teach them things in books but they can also teach them by example patience, grace, quiet calm and so many other things that they are certainly not learning here by watching my daily example of the opposite.  We are so blessed at Denton Creek to have teachers and administrators who truly love what they do and who do it so well (where else is there a Principal who knows every child's name and walks the halls quizzing them on vocabulary words).  Let's take this week and thank them for what they are bringing to our child's table.  You don't need to buy them something expensive or extravagant.  I am not suggesting you should.  I just want each of you to take a moment this week and say thank you for the gift they give each day to you and your children.

Thank you teachers for all that you do for our kids.  We are sooooo lucky to have you.
Lisa

Technology at use...

As most of you know, the PTO has been spending most of its gift money toward technology for the last few years.  This year, our main focus, has been on getting itouches in the hands of our students.  Colton, my first grader, had the opportunity with his class to get a set of 20 itouches last week.  I cannot begin to express to you how excited he was to go to school that week.  We got both kids itouches for Christmas and it was possibly the best money we have ever spent.  They use them all the time.  I download Disney shows for them from the tv and they watch them on trips.  They both love the nook feature and are reading more because it is fun on the itouch.  The apps are great (I am personally addicted to the Words with Friends app).  Anyway, to hear how they were using them in class was really fun.

The teachers are still learning all of the ways that the itouches can be used, but already they have found some great applications.  Colton particularly enjoyed the math and word bingo apps.  We downloaded them here at home and he plays them all the time.  He is getting faster and faster at his math facts everyday by playing a game.  Wish we would have had that when I was 7.

Anyway, Colton thought it would be fun if he took a video using an itouch of his class using their itouches to show me what they were doing (because I had so many questions).  I thought it was a great way for him to express himself, have fun and to say thank you to the PTO for purchasing them this year.  So, here is Colton's video, shot entirely by him (as you will soon see).  I hope you enjoy it.

You can see that during this first week the kids were most excited about the games on the touches, but it was still fun to see them so excited at school about anything.  Thank you to everyone who donated a dollar or time or a gift or anything this year.  Thanks to you, this was possible.....

I hope you had a wonderful Easter.  I am so blessed.  Thank you all.
Lisa

Welcome to our new PTO Board!

Every year at this time the PTO Parliamentarian has the almost impossible job of putting together a slate for the PTO Board.  This year was especially difficult as only 6 nominating forms were turned in to her.  Amazingly, Sheila Pensotti did a fabulous job of putting together a very exciting slate for our next year's PTO Board.  If you received one of the many calls to duty this last week and you said, "yes" or we were able to talk you into a yes, THANK YOU.  If you were not able to commit this year, perhaps you will consider taking on a role next year.  I don't think you would be sorry.  As a parent, I don't think there is anymore important role I can take on that will impact my children more than a role as  PTO officer.  The kids love seeing you working up at the school and it is a wonderful opportunity to meet the teachers and administrators of our campus.  I have learned so many things about how public schools work and am learning more each day.  Some good, some bad, but all interesting.  I urge you to consider taking on an active role with the PTO next year.  There are many opportunities still available and many committees forming.  We have a lot of fun.

Now, the sad news....  with the end of the year rapidly approaching, I will be saying goodbye to some of my best friends and partners in the PTO.  My daughter, Macy, is in 5th grade and I have been working with that group of parents now for 6 years.  If I ever needed help or support, they are who I called.  To imagine being President again without seeing their faces in the meeting is going to be extremely sad.  My vice president is one of my very closest friends and I will miss her greatly at the meetings.  To those of you who are moving onto middle school, you were loved and appreciated.  All the dads and moms alike will be very much missed.  Thank you for the impact you had on our kids and our school.  It is a better place because you were there.

Looking forward to the future!
Lisa

TAKS Testing........

Tomorrow begins what seems like endless TAKS testing days for our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at DCE.  The truth is that each testing day effects our little ones as well.  On TAKS testing days, no parents are allowed into the school; no library duty, no copy room, no eating with your kiddo, nothing.  Of course, the kids taking the tests are nervous and stressed.  The tests are often done in 2 day time spans, for example; tomorrow, the 5th graders will be taking the math TAKS and then on Tuesday, they will be taking the reading TAKS.  They can't talk (even in the lunch room) or move around for 2 days in a row!  That is a lot of pressure.  But it also effects all the other grades, for those 2 days, they have to be super quiet.  They don't usually have recess because of the noise and have to be on their best behavior.

What does this mean for parents?  Well, in my experience it means I have one kid who is super stressed out because she is convinced she has to not only pass but make a 100% on the test and one kid who is a complete spaz when he gets home because he hasn't had a chance to run or jump or play or yell at recess or lunch or gym.  It tends not be a very fun time at the Johnson household on these days.

So, try to be understanding if your kindergartner seems to have more energy than usual or is grumpy.  Even though they aren't taking the tests, they absolutely are feeling the stress of them.

Best wishes and happy testing!
Lisa

Pictures from the Auction

Ok, the pictures from the auction have arrived.  They brought back so many funny memories of that night.  If you were unable to join us, perhaps you can make it next year.  It was a lot of fun.  Thank you to everyone who attended and for those of you who donated an item or money or purchased something online.  What a success.

Enjoy the pics!