the

April 24, 2O12

p a p e r
from the Lawrence School Parent-Teacher Organization
Principals

A newsletter

25 April (Wednesday) EARLY DISMISSAL 12:30 pm Gr K6 30 April (Monday) Gr 5 Parent Meeting: Transition to Grade 6 6 pm auditorium 1 May (Tuesday) School Council Meeting 8 am 2nd floor conf. room 2 May (Wednesday) Eat to Thrive: Food in School 8 am cafeteria 3 May (Thursday) EARLY DISMISSAL 12:30 pm Gr K6 4 May (Friday) Earth Day Celebration 8:30 am front of school School Council Nomination Forms due 8 May (Tuesday) PTO Meeting new 7 pm library time 10 May (Thursday) Staff Appreciation Luncheon 11 May (Friday) Japanese Fun Fair 2 pm big gym 14 May (Monday) Town-wide Band & Jazz Band 7 pm BHS School Council election 15 May (Tuesday) School Council election 16 May (Wednesday) School Council election 17 May (Thursday) School Council election Principals Forum 8 am library Gr 24 Play 9 am & 6 pm auditorium

Arts in Bloom at Lawrence

he arts position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe is important. So suggests Eliot Eisner (emeritus professor of Arts and Education at Stanford University) in Ten Lessons The Arts Teach. The two weeks prior to April break certainly highlighted the place held by the arts in the Lawrence School community. The Gr. 58 Band Concert (under the direction of Ryan Moser) on April 4 provided a sample of our robust instrumental music program, made even stronger this year by scheduling a combined grades 68 conservatory twice a week. The First Grade Concert on April 11 (directed by Sarah Gardner) highlighted the developmentally appropriate introduction to Poem in Your Pocket Day music that children receive in the primary grades, including singing, movement, hand This Thursday, April 26: drums and Orff instruments. And they showed teachers, parents and students, genuine joy singing together as a large please pause and take a poem ensemble. from third grade volunteers The Art Show held the evening of April passing them out at school 11 celebrated the voice of the artist and entrances in the morning highlighted the wide range of media and a poem to enjoy yourself diverse cultures that students experience. Kudos and share with to Art Teachers Shelly Magno and Eric Latimer and others! a special note of appreciation to the members of the PTO Visual Arts committee who devoted countless hours to mounting this exhibit. The evening also included musical performances by our seventh and eighth grade strings students, under the direction of Emily Stewart. On April 12, The Gr. 5/6 Drama in the Afternoon production No Strings Attached (under the direction of retired teachers Beth Bankler and Leslie Prizer) gave two delightful performances of a musical adaptation of Pinocchio. Our school offers four drama productions a year for all ages. Our school vision statement states that we want students to discover and cultivate a love of learning and a voice for self-expression. The arts are one avenue to bring this vision to reality. Eliot Eisner puts it this way: The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such experience to discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling. (continued next page)

email your stories by friday 4 p.m. to newsletter@lawrencePTO.org * to download a copy of this newsletter visit http://www.lawrencePTO.weebly.com/ *

Calendar

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Fifth to Sixth Grade Transition Meeting Are you wondering about how the schedule and changing teachers works in sixth grade? Concerned about whom to contact if an issue arises? Curious about advisory? Wondering about grades and report cards? Parents of current fifth grade students are invited to attend an informational meeting on Monday, April 30 from 6:00 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Maxine Hunter and Lora Smid will represent the sixth grade teachers. Peggy Avakian and Pam Charpentier will not be able to attend. The teachers, Vice Principal Monica Crowley and I will provide an overview of the transition to our cohesive middle school, including some of the expectations, structures and routines specific to sixth grade. The intent of this meeting is to ease the transition to the third floor. Detailed curriculum information will be provided at the fall Open House. Rick Rogers

Exercise Your Right To Vote

Two elections are coming up: PTO officers will be elected at the May 8 meeting. The nominated slate is: Co-Presidents: Jessica Eber and Lisa Lisi Ghafour Vice Presidents: Nagmah Ansari and Chris Ternan Secretary: Barb Hausman Treasurer: Abby McGuire At the same meeting, candidates for two open seats on the School Council will make brief statements. Interested in being one of those candidates? Forms are available in the office or at http://lawrencepto.weebly.com/school-council.html. Voting occurs May 1418 and the term is two years. For more information about School Council contact Jessica Eber, Joanna Lieberman, Anne Turner or Jan Nagler.

Run for Fun!

Tired of Losing Kids Stuff?

he first annual Lawrence Family 5K and Fun Run will take place on Sunday, June 3 at 9:00 a.m. More info coming soon! Contact Karlyn Grimes (pkgrimes@rcn.com) with questions.

The Book Fair: Bigger & Better

he PTO is launching a sugar-free, eco-friendly Mabels Labels online fundraiser. Stick-on and iron-on labels are available in a wide range of sizes with lots of customizing options. They truly stick to everything and stay on all surfaces even through outdoor exposure and hundreds of dishwasher, microwave and laundry cycles! Perfect for clothing (even knits and bathing suits), backpacks, lunch/food containers, water bottles, sports equipment (swim goggles!), shoes/boots, instrument cases and school supplies. PTO gets 20% of every purchase made online at www.lawrence.mabelslabels.com (purchases must be made through this URL to qualify). Contact Barb Hausman (bj@myhausman.net) with questions.

Buy a Pulsera, Support Nicaraguan Children

ulseras are colorful, handmade, woven bracelets. Nicaraguan artisans who benefitted from the aid of shelters as children, and want to give back to their communities, have made these to help feed and educate poverty-stricken children in Nicaragua. Brookline High School students will sell the pulseras for just $5 each after school in the Lawrence lobby on Thursday and Friday, April 2627. All the money will be sent directly back to Nicaragua to educate children, build new shelters, and provide them with the support they need to reach their full potential. Please show your support and buy a pulsera!

his years expanded Used Book Fair will run the week after Memorial Day: May 28June 1. Thanks to everyone who has donated so many wonderful books, we will have a great selection for all children from pre-school through 8th grade, as well as an impressive range for adults. Best of all, books are priced to sell! Most paperbacks, fifty cents; most hardbacks, only $1. All proceeds help support the PTO. We will continue to accept donations of gently used books right up to the sale, but the sooner you can drop them in the Used Book Wagon in the school lobby, the better! Many volunteers are needed to help make the Fair a success. Please contact Pamela Iguchi (pamela@itch.net) or KC Turnbull (bergbull@ yahoo.com) if you would like to help with sorting, set-up, selling or take-down. Thanks!
The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the individual authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Lawrence PTO or Lawrence School.

Amos A. Lawrence School Rick Rogers, Principal Monica Crowley, Vice Principal 617-879-43OO