Maplewood Memo
May 3 2023
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Greetings Maplewood Families,
The sun is out and jackets are off. That can only mean one thing… the school year is quickly coming to an end. We have so many special events that happen in the next 6 weeks. Please be sure to read the “save the date” section below and mark your calendar.
None of these wonderful events would happen without the hard work of our volunteers. To thank them, we will be hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Tea on May 30th at 8:00 am. Please RSVP to maplewoodvolunteer23@gmail.com to let us know if you can make it.
Another exciting event coming up is the Carnival which is put on by our infamous PTA. The Maplewood Carnival is a long held tradition for our school, however, I have never been to one as it has been canceled due to COVID. I am so excited that the PTA was able to put one together for us this year. I am also looking forward to being in the dunk tank at the Carnival… how’s your aim!??
Those of you who pick up your children after school, please come a little early (1:30) this Friday to enjoy a Parent Par-tay on the blacktop. This is a great way to meet other Maplewood parents and expand your Maplewood connections.
As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns or simply want to chat.
Warmly,
Kit
*"Please click view entire message to read the entire news memo"
SAVE THE DATE
May 1-5
Teacher Appreciation Week
May 10
Pick up Hanging Plants
May 17
Kinder Connect Popsicles on the Playground:
Wednesday, May 17, 3:00 - 4:00 pm (rain date: May 31st)
Only for Incoming Kinders for 23-24 school year
May 18
PTA Meeting 6:30pm
Please RSVP at maplewoodpta.com/rsvp if you can join us. We'll also have an online option if that works better for you. Meeting details are at maplewoodpta.com/meetings.
Please visit the PTA web site for all PTA events and information and After school programs
May 19
Carnival
May 30
Site Council Meeting, Tuesday 6:-7:00pm - Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jzc-wnau-vdp
Or dial: (US) +1 720-259-9705 PIN: 637 009 492#
End of Year Picnic
June 8th or 13th - stay tuned!
PTA
CARNIVAL
Our hardworking Carnival Committee is in need of several dozen volunteers to help them deliver the epic return of THE MAPLEWOOD CARNIVAL!!
I have never attended this, but I hear that it is the most fun thing ever. Please, if you can, sign up to help - the two big needs are popup tents and people-power on the day of the carnival (May 19th).
You can get there through the MW PTA website, or this direct link:
1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on SignUp: https://signup.com/go/bYxVebB
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on SignUp)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - SignUp will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!
Note: SignUp does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.
I know it's the end of a very busy year with a lot asked of us parents - no worries if you have some fatigue! Let's dig deep, though, and celebrate our kiddos with this wonderful event.
Thank you SO much -
Lauren Cullop
SCHOOL NEWS
Jr. Coach Conference for all Grade 5 Maplewood Students:
Who?: Playworks invite all Junior Coaches and their families to the Pacific northwest Junior Coach Conference.
What?: This will be a fun-filled day of leadership and skill building activities for all students taking part in the Junior Coach Leadership Program - which is every fifth grader at Maplewood! Students will spend the day playing games, meeting other Junior Coaches, and celebrating their hard work with an awards ceremony. Food will also be provided.
When?: 11am - 3pm
Where?: Parkrose High School, 12003 NE Shaver St. Portland, OR 97220
This month our Maplewood Reads book is called, Lily the One and Only. The protagonist child faces an uncomfortable question from the people she encounters: "What are you?" It causes her confusion about how to express her self-identity. Lulu searches for the best way to answer the question by coming up with her very own power-phrase.
Student Health Center Appointments Available! Call today.
Parents, if you are having trouble getting your student in to see their pediatrician, consider the Student Health Center. It's just like having a doctor's office at school. Available services include preventative care, cold and flu treatment, non-emergency injuries, reproductive health, immunizations, basic lab services, and more. Student Health Centers will see students with or without insurance and there are no co-pays and no out-of-pocket costs. To find a Student Health Center near you, click here and here.
NUTRITION SERVICES
Notes from the Kitchen
A few weeks ago we had a no plastic lunch. Because some of our food comes in plastic our goal was to use less plastic spoons and forks. We had about 30% less garbage on that day. Many kids take a utensil for each food-one for applesauce, one for peas, one for lettuce. Staff and volunteers are trying to work on helping our kids be more responsible and sustainable. Please talk to your child about only taking a utensil if it is really needed, for example with yogurt.
As we near the end of the school year I will soon start emptying out my freezer. If I know ahead of time what entrees I'll be adding I let folks know. Sometimes it's last minute when I add something to the lunch menu. I will make the menued item for each day, but some days will have random, small amounts of different entrees. For example, on burger day, I may have 20 hot dogs to use up. So, not everyone will be able to get a hot dog. But, I will have enough menued food. Please help your child understand that at times there will be small amounts of food offered that is not on the menu for that day.
As always, please feel free to call, email or stop by if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks
Lunch Lady Amy
TAG
Parent Office Hours with the TAG (Talented and Gifted) Department
Ask questions and receive information related to TAG identification, services, processes, etc.
We will meet on Zoom, 5/31/23.
Zoom link for Parent Office Hours with the TAG Department
A list of questions and answers from past meetings are in this FAQ document.
We look forward to seeing you!
NEWS FROM STAFF
Art News
In Our Art Special… we’ve been studying Eric Carle and his methods of doing art. We know Eric Carle as an author and illustrator of children’s books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Very Busy Spider, and The Very Quiet Cricket. His artwork is like creative collages, using hand-painted papers which he cut and layered to form bright and colorful images. The themes of his stories are usually drawn from nature and the walks his father would take him on across meadows and through woods.
Here are pictures of students hard at heART:
Hello Maplewood families! Thank you for your generous support of the Neighborhood House food drive. We brought in over 2000 lbs to help feed food insecure people in our community! It is the ability of our community to come together to support others that really makes Maplewood stand out as a community. Thank you for your generosity!
If you are trying to find some ways to help out or engage at Maplewood, here are some ideas:
* I coordinate supplying teachers with items for Cozy Corners where students can work on regulating and taking good care of their feelings. I also give out prizes each day to students working on specific goals. If you have little items around the house that could live a second life as a small prize for a kid (think matchbox cars, little fidgets, action figures, fancy pencils, etc.) please send those my way! If you'd like to buy something off Amazon for either prizes, Cozy Corners, or general items to support the school counseling program, HERE is a wish list.
* I keep a mini food pantry of specific, easy-to-eat items that need no cooking or refrigeration. I could really use donations of protein/granola bars, heat-and-eat soups, protein drinks in aseptic packaging, peanut butter, chips and crackers, apple sauce packets, etc. If you'd like to donate any of these items, please bring to the main office.
* My fabulous volunteers that have helped coordinate the yearly food drive will be moving on to middle school. Are you interested in helping with this next year? If so, please reach out.
If your family is struggling financially, feel free to reach out to me at kcunninghamparm@pps.net and get on a confidential list where we connect your student with resources, free items, and vouchers for things like reduced-price internet service or devices. Also, if there is a need for clothing items, please reach out and we can work on getting needed clothing items for your student.
As always, feel free to reach out with any concerns or needs.
Kendall Cunningham
Screen-Free Week May 1 - 7, 2023
Most library classes read outside in the beautiful weather last week in preparation for Screen-Free week. They loved it. It was relaxing, students were quiet reading, and were engrossed in their books. Coming home this week will be a printed photo of the student's class (most classes!) listing some of the activities students brainstormed. They would love adult help at home -- to keep them off of screens (TV, YouTube, -- iReady, Lexia, etc. ok!).
The one idea EVERY class listed? "Go to a park."
In PE, we had a day of backyard games: yard pong and fowling (football + bowling). Ask your kids to teach you how to play! inspired by warmer days, we are starting a frisbee unit. CLICK HERE on how to play disc golf and CLICK HERE on where to play in Portland. It's FREE to play if you have a frisbee for each person. Used "discs" (special frisbees for disc golf but not required) are available at Play It Again Sports and other used sports stores.
FIELD DAY is right around the corner although you wouldn't know that from looking out the window! It will be a station format where students go with their class to each activity. I'm looking for parents to volunteer and run the stations. I will have all the equipment and directions ready for you. It's easy, fun and a great way to meet people and hang out with our awesome kids in a playful way. We are scheduled for JUNE 2, and if the weather is not cooperating we have a backup day scheduled on June 7. The K-2 field day is scheduled from 9:25-11:00 (9:25-9:40 is a volunteer meeting and kids arrive at 9:40), and the 3-5 field day is 12:25-2:00 (15 minute volunteer meeting and students arrive at 12:40). HERE is a link to sign up. THANK YOU!
FLYERS
CAMP INVENTION