MDC Parent Connection
2012-2013 End of Year Report
Dear MDC Parent,
Please note that every dollar raised by the PC goes directly to efforts that support your child at MDC. Funds are used for student enrichment (see Enrichment Committee update below), as well as for classroom education and the learning environment (e.g., maintaining/improving upon Montessori materials available in the classrooms). Together, we were able to accomplish some amazing things this year!
On behalf of the Parent Connection, thank you for your participation and support!
Sincerely,
Lanie Sjostedt
President, Parent Connection
BUDGET UPDATE
Income: As of May XX, 2013 income received by MDC families has reached a total of $1,415; the cost of one enrichment activity was donated by a very generous family and several families have donated materials for student craft activities and party supplies. Sadly, only 2/3 of our families contributed directly to PC through our primary fund drive in which families contribute directly to PC; thus, we fell short of our goal of $1,995. Money gained from this fund drive is earmarked for enrichment activities, class parties, and teacher appreciation day. We hope to get significantly closer to 100% participation for the 2013-14 school year.
Expenditures: Our 2012/2013 budgeted expenditures were $1590. To date, $580 has been spent on enrichment only. $100 for a teacher appreciation luncheon and $150 for parties.
MDC WISH LIST
- New carpeting for all rooms and hallway runner.
- PC was able to raise the full $3000 for new carpets at MDC!
- This includes the carpet, binding of carpet, padding, installation of new carpet/padding and removal of old carpets in each of the classrooms and the hallway areas.
- New carpeting will be installed over the 2013 summer months.
- Smart Board:
- The Stass family very generously donated this item to the school
- The Smartboard will be installed during the summer of 2013
- Stacey Morgan will provide the MDC staff a primer based on her teaching experience with smartboards.
- Keurig coffee maker:
- The Sjostedt family kindly donated a keurig coffee maker. Other parents donated coffee and tea supplies to get the MDC staff started with their new equipment!
- Playground equipment
- This is currently the priority for fundraising activities
- A playground design expert will review the current playground area and offer proposals
- These proposals will then be brought to PC parents for discussion
- Our aim is to have the playground enhanced during the summer of 2014
- Wishing Tree
FUNDRAISING COMMITEE UPDATE
This year’s fundraising activities
· Randazzo’s Hoagie sale
o $$$ was earned through our March hoagie sale.
o This money is being used to purchase new carpeting for MDC
· White house chef fundraiser (Harding/Stass private fundraiser)
o Chef Guy (Ashton Stass’ grandfather) who is a White House chef did a cooking demonstration for approximately 40 guests.
o Through ticket sales, a raffle and an auction, $$$$ was raised for MDC
o $$$ of this money is being used to purchase new carpeting for MDC; $$$ is earmarked for the MDC playground fund
· BDR Family Fun Day Run
o Julie Chang coordinated this annual event which many MDC families participated in!
o At the event, MDC had tents set up, including an area where kids could make birdfeeders
o The Morgan family was very kind in donating all of the supplies for the MDC tent and volunteered their time and effort to make it a HUGE success!
o The Chang family was very generous in offering $$$ of proceeds from the run to MDC
o This money is earmarked for the MDC playground fun
· Book Fair
o The MDC Book Fair at Spring Fling featured books from the Booktender’s Secret Garden
o MDC earned $$$ through the book fair
o This money is earmarked for the MDC Playground Fund
Fundraising activities considered for the 2013-14 school year
· Applebee’s breakfast
o This is a fun pancake breakfast fundraiser held at Applebees
o MDC would receive x% of ticket sales
o Scheduled for
· Pampered Chef Party
ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE
The primary goal of the PC Enrichment Committee is to extend the curriculum at MDC that is provided to our children with a diverse range of in-school workshops and programs that are exciting, creative, and educational, as well as fun! This committee works with the teachers to identify programs that will complement their curriculum. As always, we also welcome your feedback and suggestions to make this the best experience possible for our children!
Throughout this school year we provided the students with a wide range of enrichment experiences, including:
v the Lingohocken Fire Department visited MDC and talked to the children about fire prevention
v The Bug Guy conducted a hands-on, interactive presentation with the children. This was a unique opportunity for the kids to see, hear, and touch and hold some amazing insects from around the world.
v Native American Heritage Program came to MDC just prior to Thanksgiving. Members of the Lenape tribe spoke about Native American family life, clothing, hunting, gardening, past and present contributions. They also read a story and had a hands-on interactive exhibit of authentic Native American items.
v A stranger danger presentation was conducted by East West Karate. The children were taught about the dangers of encountering people they do not know and how they should handle such a situation.
v A workshop on energy and motion was brought to MDC by Mad Science. The workshop used springs, wind-up toys, and tube racers to introduce Newton’s laws of motion and demonstrate that energy can be stored and put into action.
v White house cooking : Chef Guy Mitchell is a former white house chef who spends his time traveling and doing celebrity appearances for charity. He is excited to come to MDC to share his talent, skills, and love for food with the kids. He will be doing a "Garde Manger" demonstration for the kids (meaning a chef who prepares cold foods). The kids’ favorite fruits and vegetables will be transformed into animal sculptures and fun shapes of all kinds! Parents: get your cooking tools ready because I am sure the kids will want to do some recreating of their own at home!
v Discovering dinosaurs presented by the Academy of Natural Sciences. This program will introduce to the children how we know what dinosaurs were like, what other animals were alive at the same time as the dinosaurs, and how they are similar to animals still alive today. Fun props and activities will be used to help the children learn how dinosaurs lived, ate and protected themselves.
v The human heart presented by Dr. John Harding from Doylestown Cardiology Associates at Doylestown Hospital. Dr. Harding is a cardiologist who will introduce the children to the structure and function of the human heart, as well as ways to stay heart healthy. This is an interactive presentation with many props and activities!
v Bodies in motion (dance) presented by Miss Lauren from M.E. Studios in Southampton PA, as well as Liberty M.E. Dance Center (a nonprofit dance organization) in Philadelphia PA. She will be dancing with the kids and get them moving. Lauren's background is creative movement, jazz, hip hop and Pilates.
v Dr. Sujatha Nadimpalli is a local dentist who will talk to the children about dental health. This is a fun workshop in which the children learn about preventing cavities and promoting healthy teeth.
v Protecting Our Community: Retired, Special Agent Gray, from the FBI will come and show our children how their fingers tell "their" unique one-of-a-kind story. He will finger print our children and explain what special agents do to help keep them safe. Officer Lockwood from the Police Department will also come in and help them all understand how to stay safe and identify, "stranger danger."
v Bucks County Conservation District will be visiting MDC. This program brings a virtual pond to the school. After a story is read, the students will go to the pond to see who has been there. The pond is filled with many cool things, such as bones, feathers, and leaves that they can investigate.
v Chick hatching! Quiver Farm We bring 12 incubated eggs, an incubator and a brooder box to your school. The chicks will hatch out the following Monday and we pick up the project the Friday after they hatch. We guarantee at least one egg to hatch, if not we will come out again. While we are there if the children are available we will do a short 15 minute presentation for the children using a rooster and a hen. We will tell your children or adults what to expect from the hatch.s will bring 12 incubated eggs to MDC, an incubator and a brooder box. They will also do a presentation for the children including a rooster and a hen, and explain what to expect from the hatch.
v Bully prevention by East West Karate. This presentation centers around bullying, its effects, how to stop it and the importance of mutual acceptance and respect.
v 'From Sheep to Shawl' by the Mercer Museum. During this hands-on program, our students will experience what life is like for sheep living on the farm. The children to learn about sheep shearing, carding wool, spinning, weaving and more. Included in the experience are craft activities and storytelling.
PARTY COMMITTEE UPDATE
PC coordinates and provides some funding for two parties during the spring of each school year: an Easter/Spring party and an end of the school year party. In the past, PC was able to fund things like live bunnies at the Easter/Spring party and a Bounce Castle at the end of year party. We would very much like to be able to continue these traditions. However, if adequate funds are not available, PC will have to significantly scale back these scheduled events.
Please note that there are many ways a parent can contribute to the parties! Look for a note and sign-up sheet in your inbox from Danielle Denlein in the Spring. Food items, eggs, flower pots, crafts, and time to assist with activities have been donated in the past from MDC parents. Your generosity is what makes parties at MDC a success!
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Outreach to Fox Chase Cancer Center Buckingham: In December, PC coordinated and assisted with a visit to Fox Chase Cancer Center Buckingham by the students. The children made poinsettias, and then delivered them to Fox Chase (the building next to MDC), and did some caroling for the staff and patients who were present.
Coins from Kids for Massai Tribe (Tom Sancha education fund): For several years now, PC and MDC together have provided support of the Maasai tribe of Kenya by sponsoring the education of one of their children, Tom Sancha. Our annual project is a coin drive fundraiser beginning in March - we have a goal of raising $150 to cover the education of Tom for another school year. More details will be provided as the start date nears.
· Earth day (4/22):
o We had a solid group of parents come out on Earth Day to cut a new flower garden next to the MDC front door.
o As a part of this earth day activity, the MDC children planted flowers in one of the flower beds.
o The Morgan family no only very generously donated their time and energy, but also all of the garden supplies and plants for this event. Thank you!!!!
· Spring Fling
o The 2013 Spring Fling featured a racecar for the children to explore, a book fair, and offered pizza, water ice and water (courtesy of the Stass family). It also included a book reading by Ellen Mager, owner of the Booktenders’ Secret Garden Bookstore.
o Many families participated in this fun event. Next year we hope that even more families will come and celebrate spring as an MDC community.
· Teacher Appreciation Luncheon:
o This event was held immediately following the Mother’s Day Morning Tea at the Sjostedt home.
o
END OF YEAR SURVEY
o Goal is to assess perceived needs/wants of parents regarding
§ Social activities and growing MDC as a community (including availability, types of things they would be interested in doing, etc)
§ Enrichment ideas
§ Volunteerism (areas they feel they can make a contribution moving forward)
§ Barriers to participation in PC, PC activities, donating to PC, and volunteering
o Need to identify when/how this will be distributed
o Linda can make a first stab at creating the survey
PARENT CONNECTION VOLUNTEERS:
President Lanie Sjostedt
Secretary Amanda Stass
Treasurer Jo Sachdev
Enrichment Committee Linda Kruus Harding, Kimberly Morgan, Amanda Stass
Fund-raising Committee Stacy Morgan-Kendall, Amanda Stass
Party Committee Danielle Denlein, Kim Aronson, Kristin Zwanch, Stacey Morgan-Kendall, Amanda StassPhotographer Heather Lombardo
Blue classroom parents Caitlin Driscoll, Stacey Morgan-KendallGreen classroom parents Stacey Morgan-Kendall, Amanda Stass