Ice Cream Social - June 5th from 6 - 8 PM

I scream, you scream, we all scream for the Ice Cream Social! This is a great party to say thank you to the students, King facility and the families for all their hard work :) As always, the party will be located behind the school on the   blacktop area. Bracelets for the kids will be sold for $5 which includes one ice cream, access to the games with prizes, cakewalk, and the moonwalks. Additional tickets for ice cream will be sold for $2 and the 4th grade parents will be selling pizza (by the whole or slice), drinks and popcorn.

Of course, we couldn't have this wonderful event w/o the help of our parent volunteers. Your grade level representative should be in contact with you soon about volunteering to help out. Please consider donating a little of your time as there is a lot that goes into making this a successful event. We'd love to see you especially if  you haven't been able to volunteer throughout the school year.

You can sign up to volunteer on this Doodle website:http://doodle.com/ieki54tv2hztw947

Please note that the games are listed by grade level and the ice cream, pizza/drinks and popcorn stands will be run by the 4th grade parents.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call me.

 
Thanks so much!! 
Lisa Joseph
Ice Cream Social Chair
dljoseph@comcast.net 
734-663-4607

Student Art Update

If you have not seen The Ann Arbor Public Schools Elementary Art Exhibit at The Ann Arbor District Library you have 2 weeks left!  The show ends on May 29th, 2009. So go and support the visual arts, our students and our children.

The winners of King's Earth Day Poster Contest are: Daniel Huang Kindergarten, Greta Schorer-1st Grade, Irusha Hewagama-2nd Grade, Katy Formicola -3rd Grade, Eric Chen-4th Grade and  Siani Woods- 5th Grade.

 
As a cross-curricular Language Arts and Art lesson, the students in Mr. Clarkson's 2nd grade class wrote letters to local Ann Arbor businesses. One business, Blimpy Burger, wrote Nikhil Mandalr back and asked if our students could design advertising posters for the restaurant. Ms. Wayne taught the students in Mr. Clarkson's class how to use the combination of type and graphics to create the posters. The posters are on exhibit at the restaurant until June. The students have also created a comic strip about Blimpy Burger and will be on exhibit this summer at Blimpy Burger. Go see our students' work!

 
Parents, if you work at or own a business who will exhibit our student's Artwork for The 2009 -2010 school year. Please contact Ms. Wayne. I am looking for more opportunities to showcase the students artwork; not enough of our students' work get seen. My goal is to have every King School students' artwork seen in a public place. 
 

If you have any extra paper or plastic bags lying around at home have your kids bring them to Ms. Wayne. It is time for them to bring their artwork home.

 

Thank You, Ms.Wayne

2009 AAPS Summer Music Program JUNE 22 - JULY 30

THE ANN ARBOR PUBLIC SCHOOL 

2009 SUMMER MUSIC PROGRAM

JUNE 22 - JULY 30

HAVING FUN WITH INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC 

Open to all of 

WASHTENAW COUNTY!!

June 22 - July 30, 2009  Mon. - Thurs. 

One hour classes starting 8:30a.m. - 1:30 p.m.  

For: Students going to 6th - 12th grade. 

See course descriptions: By music teacher or on-line.

Locations: Forsythe, Scarlett and Tappan Middle Schools

Registration:  Anytime, early discounts by June 12th! 

Cost: Early Reg.  $199 includes a T-SHIRT.  $215 Reg.

For More Information/Registration Forms: Call Rec & Ed. at 994-2300 x53219 or 487-8925.

 Also: On the web registration at, www.aareced.com or the Ann Arbor Public School Home page click "Parents"!

King School Space Camp

Our 5th graders left Michigan and have not arrived in Alabama for their Space Camp experience. You can follow all of their adventures at the King School Space Camp website.

Thanks for the help, Sally and Girl Scouts

Third grade lunch time happiness

An image of 5th grade excitement

*FREE* School & Sports Physicals

FREE*
School & Sports Physicals
at
Hope Medical Clinic
103 Arnet
Ypsilanti, MI
1.5 blocks south & 1 block east of Michigan Ave and Prospect

Saturday, July 18, 2009
(no appointment needed)
Sign in: 1:15-3:15 pm

For children without insurance coverage for a summer physical

Wear: shorts & tanks or athletic T-shirts

Bring:
• forms from your school, Head Start of program
• prior immunization records if any (note: immunizations will NOT be provided)
• parent/guardian (required)

* A $5 donation will be gratefully accepted
Necessary lab work will be ordered from SJMHS ONLY
This event is for well-child physicals only. Please call to make an appointment to address illnesses or medical concerns.

Hope Medical Clinic
for the uninsured
734-481-0111

Ice Cream Social FYI

I scream, you scream, we all scream for the Ice Cream Social! This is a great party to say thank you to the students, King facility and the families for all their hard work :) As always, the party will be located behind the school on the blacktop area. Bracelets for the kids will be sold for $5 which includes one ice cream, access to the games with prizes, cakewalk, and the moonwalks. Additional tickets for ice cream will be sold for $2 and the 4th grade parents will be selling pizza (by the whole or slice), drinks and popcorn.

Of course, we couldn't have this wonderful event w/o the help of our parent volunteers. Your grade level representative should be in contact with you soon about volunteering to help out.Please consider donating a little of your time as there is a lot that goes into making this a successful event. We'd love to see you especially if you haven't been able to volunteer throughout the school year.

You can sign up to volunteer on this Doodle website: http://doodle.com/ieki54tv2hztw947
Please note that the games are listed by grade level and the ice cream, pizza/drinks and popcorn stands will be run by the 4th grade parents.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call me.

Thanks so much!!
Lisa Joseph
Ice Cream Social Chair
dljoseph@comcast.net

Bagels & Buns - May 15 @ 8:15 AM

FREE Starbucks coffee!

All are welcome: children and parents, teachers and staff

Please join us for breakfast and conversation:

Friday, April 15, 2009, 8:15am until school starts

Bagels $1 (cream cheese included)
Buns $2
Orange Juice 50 cents.

Thank you,
Christina Nedeltchev, Angela Johnson, Line vN

Space Camp Website

The fifth grade Space Camp developments can be followed at:
http://kingschoolspacecamp.blogspot.com/

Check it out!

It's Hot Outside... Need a Water Bottle?

Now that the warm weather is FINALLY here, how about using a King School Water Bottle to help you stay hydrated?  They are reusable, recylable (#2), and BPA free!  

 
Fill out the form at the bottom of this e-mail to order water bottles for each member of your family.   Water bottles will be sent home with your child.
 
Contact Karen Schumacher at kschu58@hotmail.com  with any questions.

King Student Art on Exhibit

Submitted by:  Mrs. Wayne   The following student's Artwork has been selected for The Annual Ann Arbor Public School's Elementary Student Art Exhibit at The Ann Arbor District Library. 343 South Fifth Ave. You are invited to  come and celebrate the Visual Arts. April 23rd - May 29th, 2009. The Opening reception is May 7th, 2009. Claire Lyons -K Kristin Thorsdottir  - K Victoria Nweze - K Cindy Lui -K Candance Jung - K Nadia Hansen -1 Ariel Smith-1st Julia Yehi -2 Garret Martin -2 Sampath Eaty -2 Claire Boudette -2 Bertrand Chu -2 Pete Ghormley -2 Allison Sabb -2 Alex Joseph -2 Julianna Caton -2 Joy Li -2 Tristian Ramos -2 Lexi Ripley -2 Vallan Roan -2 Jonathan Jiang -2 Khai Johnson -2 Sam Renken -2 Megan Sabb -2 Joy Chen -3 Morgan Gallimore -3 Vidhya Rajaprabhakaran-3 Kailynn Barton-3 Peter Kalemkerian-3 Darius Johnson-3 Bill McRoy -4 Meila Foster -4 Shyaoman Zhang -4 Olivia Boudette -4 Sophia Iamone -4 Alex Cucos -4 Sami Ghazzi -4 Alexa Mikhal -4 Anya Bothner -4 Christopher Jing -4 Yuqing Wei  -4 Grace LI -4 Hannah Niemi - 4 Laura Grosh -4 Jessica Chen - 4 Aylin Gunal -4 Katia Kukucka -4 Niu Niu -4 Akane Kawamoto -4 Alice Xu -4 Keyen Yockey -4 Katy Stegemann -4 Evan Wright -5 Dan Geng -5 Alex Alajbegovic -5 Melissa Newman -5 Tara Nieuwstadt -5 Quentin Millette -5 Luca Angelino -5 Maria M. -5 Alice Deng -5   The winning Art work for the cover of the 2008/2009 yearbook belongs to Celeste Pan 3rd grade. Congratulations Celeste. The winners for the back cover/autograph page are Kazuma Kwait 3rd grade, Scott ., 4th grade and Megan Sabb 2nd grade. Congratulations to all the winners. Order your 2008/2009 Year Book Today!

Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents: An Educational Forum

Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents: An Educational Forum
Tuesday, May 12 from 7:00-8:15 pm
Huron High School "New Theater"
2727 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor

Transient fears and anxieties can be a part of normal childhood development, but if the anxiety causes excessive distress and/or interferes with school performance, activities, or relationships with family or friends, it could be an indication of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can be disabling and are surprisingly common, affecting up to 30% of all youth. The good news is that effective treatments are available.

To learn more about anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, including the latest research advances and treatment options, we hope you will join us for this educational forum on Tuesday, May 12 from 7:00-8:15 pm at Huron High School. Kate Fitzgerald, MD, a clinical lecturer in the Child and Adolescent Anxiety Program and member of the Depression Center at the University of Michigan, will discuss the presentation and treatment of anxiety disorders in youth. This will be followed by questions from the audience and discussion with expert panelists.

This event is free and open to the public, and is appropriate for parents of students at any grade level. This forum is presented as part of an ongoing educational partnership between the University of Michigan Depression Center and the Ann Arbor Public Schools. AAPS staff members are also encouraged to attend. For more information, please contact Trish Meyer at the U-M Depression Center: meyerpa@umich.edu

Swine Flu Update: Letter from Dr. Roberts

This letter from Dr. Roberts will come home via backpack mail today as well . . .

May 1, 2009
Dear Ann Arbor Public School Parent and/or Guardian,

As the H1N1 Virus (known also as the Swine Flu) continues to be diagnosed throughout the United States there have been some concerns raised about students who may have recently traveled to Mexico.

We would like to emphasize that the Ann Arbor Public School district is working closely with the Washtenaw County Department of Public Health as well as advisories from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Education. The district’s professional nurses are tracking and monitoring closely in the schools any students or staff with flu-like symptoms. As well, local medical professionals are following the protocols issued by the CDC and Public Health in reporting and examining people who come to them for their care.

The Washtenaw County Department of Public Health Department, the CDC or the Department of Education do not recommend that people who have traveled from Mexico be excluded from school unless they show symptoms of the flu. We are following the recommendation of the Washtenaw County Department of Public Health regarding the H1N1 virus.

We understand that enhanced media attention as well as the real medical concerns that have come with some of the confirmed cases in Mexico that there is a heightened alert about this flu. The Washtenaw County Department of Public Health has advised us that the most important steps to take are related to prevention.

• Stay home from work or school if you have a respiratory illness
• Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze by using a tissue or your sleeve/elbow. Dispose of the tissue promptly and carefully.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water. Alcohol based hand gels are also effective when used according to manufacturers’ instructions.
• Contact your physician if you are experiencing severe symptoms including cough, fever, fatigue, sore throat, chills, headaches, body aches possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting.

We will continue to update district families on any new information or updates we receive from the Washtenaw County Department of Public Health.

If you have concerns please contact your school principal or me.
Sincerely,

Todd Roberts
Superintendent

Swine Flu Update

This update regarding the swine flu went home today with all students.

What is swine influenza?
It is a respiratory illness that occurs in pigs and is caused by Type A influenza swine virus. Swine flu virus does not normally affect humans but in rare cases it can be passed from pigs to humans. The current strain is a new swine influenza virus that is passing from human to human.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to regular seasonal human influenza and usually appear within 1 to 7 days after being infected and may include:
• Fever (usually greater than100 F)
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Headache and muscle aches
• Extreme fatigue
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

Most cases seen in the United States to date are mild but symptoms can be severe enough to require hospitalization. Flu-related complications can occur at any age; however, the elderly, people with chronic health problems, pregnant women and young children are much more likely to develop serious
complications after influenza infection.

How is it spread?
Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to happen in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-
to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People with flu viruses on it and then touching their eyes, mouth or nose. You can not become infected by eating pork or pork products.

What is the treatment?
• Get plenty of rest.
• Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration (i.e., water, juice, and tea).
• Take non-aspirin medication for fever and body aches. Aspirin should not be used in children with viral illnesses since there have been casesassociated with the development of Reye’s Syndrome.
• Swine flu is susceptible to antivirals. Consult with your healthcare provider to determine if treatment with antiviral drugs is needed.

How is it prevented?
Prevention measures include:
• Stay home from work or school if you have a respiratory illness.
• Avoid close contact with people who are coughing or otherwise appear ill.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze by using a tissue or your sleeve/elbow.
Dispose of the tissue promptly and carefully.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water. Alcohol based hand gels are also effective.
• Contact your physician or health care provider if you are experiencing severe symptoms including cough, fever, fatigue, sore throat, chills, headaches, body aches possibly along with diarrhea and vomiting.
• According to the CDC, the seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide protection against the swine flu.


This fact sheet is for information only and is not meant to be used for self -diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider. For more information call your health care provider or call Washtenaw County Public Health at 734-544-6700.

Lost and Found To Be Emptied

The Lost and Found will be emptied on Tuesday, May 5 in the afternoon.

King School Is Certified Green!

Over spring break, Ms. Shah attended the Michigan Green Schools Award Ceremony at which King School was recognized for the efforts of the student council including the following:

• Being the first elementary school in Ann Arbor to begin composting

• Our Earth Day Festival

• Our adoption of the Saw Whet Owl housed at the Leslie Science and Nature Center.

Thank you Ms. Shah and to everyone for their hard work around becoming a certified green school!

Thank you also to our student council advisors: Dr. Michalik, Ms. Shah, Mrs. Gracey.

Box Tops Contest

This is the final week of our boxtops contest. We are only about half-way to our goal of raising $998. So keep sending in those boxtops and remember the classroom that brings in the most boxtops will receive a Smoothie Party.

Boxtops look like the above picture and can be found on the tops of General Mills Cereal Boxes and many other products. Check out www.boxtops4education.com for a complete list. Thanks! Contact Teri Henning tghenning@comcast.net with any questions.

One More Week to Sign Up For Math Club

Parents of 3rd and 4th graders please remember that math club sign-up is due next Monday, May 4th. If you can't locate the sign-up form anymore, you can go to King School's website to download it:
http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/king.pto/forms&config=aYtYrExbRAqlGruNWrHu5M

For those of you who have missed previous announcements, starting from the fall of 2009, King school will have a Math Olympiad Team for 4th and 5th graders. Details can be found at the above web address.

To give students a chance to try out the activity, we will run a "trial" math club. The club is open to all 3rd and 4th graders (who will be eligible for MOEMS in the fall). The math club will meet from 3:45 to 5pm in the MP room at King School on May 21st, 28th, June 4th and 11th.

Please also consider volunteering for this event. The more coaches we have, the better guidance the kids will get.

If you have questions, please email jingliu01@gmail.com or ljing@umich.edu

Thank You King Community for a Terrific Silent Auction!

It was a fun, festive evening and there are many, many people to thank...so let's get to it.

Thursday night table set up:
Lisa Joseph, Diana Wang, Diane Alson, Michael Morag, Ray Stocking, Shu-Chen Hug, Julie Hollenshead

Friday Display set up & basket arrangement or if we move these bid sheets one more time!:
Rachel Saab, Kim Lyon, Suman Shankar, Than Than Win, Christine Kuckuka, Kathy Grijalva and Susan Gechter

Registration or (does anyone have a pen?):
Heather Schweitzer, Susan Henken, Kea Berry

Table Monitors :
Camille Ziolek, Francine MacBride, Shirin Naaseh

Food Line and Popsicles:
Cheryl Baker, Linda Ryan, Laurie Galia, Susan Gechter

Raffle Table:
Roya Najafi, Raphaella Moeller, Ellen Grosh

Check Out:
Sarah Helmich, Maneesha Gulati, Cecilia Sauter, Lily Au, Kea Berry, Line VanNieuwstadt

File Room or Here come the bid sheets!:
Alena Stocking, Suman Shankar, Kea Berry, Cecelia Sauter

Clean Up--you ordered how many tables?:
Brian Storey, Khalil Najafi, Brian Abadi, Shirin Naaseh, Roya Najafi, Laurie Galia

Thanks to all these volunteers who helped to make Silent Auction a success.

Lisa Kohn

Kindergarten Open House/Music Night

We're looking forward to seeing all of our wonderful Kinderagarten families for the annual Open House and Music Night at MLK this Tuesday, April 28 beginning at 6:30 PM.

2009-10 Kindergarten families are invited to tour classrooms following the 7 PM concert with your future student!

Hope to see you there!

Fourth Grade Open House/Music Night

We're looking forward to seeing all of our wonderful 4th grade families for the annual Open House and Music Night at MLK this Thursday, April 30 beginning at 6:30 PM.

Hope to see you there!

Enrollment Time!

Reminder to all families who live in the King School attendance area:

Any children who are not currently enrolled at King School but will be coming to King in the fall should come to school and fill out enrollment papers now.

If you have any questions, please call us at 994-1940.

This may be available at the silent auction IF I take it off on Twitpic

This may be available at the silent auction IF I take it off on Twitpic

Silent Auction Countdown--1 More Day!

Time to Make Your List

So many items and so little time...Here are some auction tips to get you through the next 36 hours.

Make an excel sheet of your favorite items. Sort by numbers. The 100's will go in the first closing at 7:15, 200's at 7:30 and 300 and 400;s 7:45; then sort by "nice to have" and "must have".

No Hovering, but maybe bring some binoculars to see what bids are placed on your favorites.

Clean out your trunk. These classroom baskets are terrific and you'll want to make some room in the car for when you take them home.

Proxy Bid Update
I221 Zingerman's gift card $50
D341 Hummus for a Year $50

Things to Ponder
I223 "Let's have lunch (or brunch) Part 2. $25 Cafe' Marie, 2 Cottage Inn Lunch Buffets--both nice options for treating someone to lunch...AND 4 Large Pizzas from Papa John's---well that's a power lunch for 2 and then some.

Combined Items
The catalog crew has to sort through many donations and combine items to make attractive packages...some "almost" combinations that didn't make the catalog...

Stucci's 3 free Sundaes + Nutritional Counseling
Running Fit + Tortoise and Hare (too exhausting)
Zoom Teeth Whitening + Zingerman's Coffee
Case of Wine + Prepared Tax Return
Ukulele + String Instrument Lessons

Raffle Table
There are some great items available for a $1 raffle. My children shared their intended strategy for these items: "Drop your ticket in late, mom, so it's right on top." Lily Au has created a wonderful, creative King photo album that would delight any student now and even more so in the future.

Lisa Kohn
Silent Auction Chair
lkohn@umich.edu

Silent Auction Procedures

Dear MLK Families,

The PTO's Annual Silent Auction will begin at 6:00 on Friday, April 24! This is our PTO's biggest annual fundraiser and supports programming for EVERY student at MLK. I hope to see you there! Because this event is typically attended by over 800 people, it is important to review the following information:

1. Evening activities at King are family events. Parents and guardians are responsible for the close supervision of their children. Children cannot attend without a supervising adult.
2. Be aware of the evening safety procedures at MLK--including NO PARKING IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING.


Parking
Due to the limited availability of parking at King, parents should plan to park in the neighborhood during all evening events at King.
There is NO PARKING in front of the school, by the fire hydrant, or on the left-hand side of the front circular drive.

Reason: The front drive is a fire lane and must be kept accessible for emergency vehicles. The fire hydrant area must also be kept clear.

Drop Off/Pick Up
The front entrance will be available for drop off and pick up ONLY. AT NO TIME SHOULD PARKING OCCUR IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.

Emergency Exits

Below is a map of the school with the arrows indicating emergency exits. Before you come to an evening event at King, please consider designating a place outside the building for your family to meet in the event that the building needs to be evacuated.

Front Entrance

If you have any questions, please call the school office. We'll be happy to help.

Sincerely,
Kevin Karr
Principal
MLK School

Silent Auction Catalog - Download It Now!

GREAT items in this year's silent auction catalog: http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/king.pto/files/sa_catalog_v5.doc

Lice Check Videos

These might be helpful . . .

From Ann Arbor PTOC:

These two video links are helpful and good reminders for Lice Checks and Treatments:
http://headliceinfo.com/freemovies/flash/hltdlmovie.html
and
http://www.headliceinfo.com/freemovies/flash/nitcheck_demo.html

Math Club Sign-Up Begins

Dear parents,

As you may have already known, King school will start the Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS) program. MOEMS has been a major math contest for school children for 30 years. In the 2007-2008 year, 150,000 students participated in the program, representing all 50 US states and 25 countries. Its stated goals are:
To stimulate enthusiasm and a love for Mathematics
To introduce important Mathematical concepts
To teach major strategies for problem solving
To develop Mathematical flexibility in solving problems
To strengthen Mathematical intuition
To foster Mathematical creativity and ingenuity
To provide for the satisfaction, joy, and thrill of meeting challenges
Starting from the fall of 2009, King school will have a Math Olympiad Team for 4th and 5th graders. Everyone who wants the challenge is welcome, regardless of the level of math proficiency. We will hold after-school training sessions, where we will introduce problem-solving strategies, and work in small groups on word problems. All students on the team are strongly encouraged to participate in the contests, but they have the option to participate in the training only.

The contests will be held at King school once every month from November to March. In each contest, students will have 30 minutes to solve 5 word problems. All participants will receive Participation Certificates, high scorers will also receive gold, silver or bronze plaques and trophies. Nationwide, about half of the participants receive plaques or trophies.

In September, we will hold an informational meeting for all interested parents.

The training and contests will run from October to March, roughly 3 times a month. The long time-span helps make math enrichment a continuous process. But it also requires commitment from students and parents. To give students a chance to try out the activity, we will run a "trial" math club. The club is open to all 3rd and 4th graders (who will be eligible for MOEMS in the fall). This will be a good math enrichment opportunity; however, anyone who does not sign up for the club can still sign up for the Math Team in the fall. The math club will meet from 3:45 to 5pm in the MP room at King School on May 21st, 28th, June 4th and 11th.

Sign-up forms went to home today for 3rd and 4th graders and should be turned in by May 4th. We welcome all kinds of help from parents. The more parent volunteers we have, the better we can run the small groups. If you have questions, please email jingliu01@gmail.com or ljing@umich.edu .

Sincerely,
Jing Liu, PICO (Person In Charge of the Olympiad)

Auction Food and Proxy Bidding

Don't forget to pre-order your dinner for the auction: Chinese, Indian, Mexican and Middle Eastern will be featured at the International Buffet. Whole pizzas are $10.

As you scan the catalog, look for some familiar favorites such as Purple Rose Theater tickets and some new features like UM Hockey tickets and complimentary Zamboni ride. So many choices, so little time! Schedule conflict and you can't make it? There's always proxy bidding. Send your bids to the office by 5pm Friday to see if you'll be the winner of that coveted item.

Cut off the coupon at the bottom and submit to Silent Auction mailbox in office by Wednesday, April 22nd OR even easier: Email order to: Alena Stocking; alena.stocking@gmail.com

Silent Auction: Friday April 24, 2009 - 3 Day Countdown!

Thank you to the following King Families for your donations to the
Silent Auction:

Oded and Cynthia Gur-arie; Amy Cell; Lisa and Dave Kohn; Melanie Snook; Dr. Randall and Sonia Kaufman; Roya Najafi; the Stegemann family and the Endres family

Take a look at these generous and interesting donations:

A European facial and eyebrow wax;3 gift baskets from Cherry Republic; 4 Nights in Vail at a condo that's 5 min from downtown; King Community party; Euchre party; Hommus for a year; 2 tickets to the Ann Arbor premier of "The Champagne Spy", May 5th at the Michigan Theater--a highly acclaimed documentary and winner of many international awards.

Dive into the catalog when it comes home in backpacks on Monday April 20th. Vacations, kids camps, theater, restaurants, and some first-time, unique expereinces with UM's Women's and Men's Soccer Teams.

Think about how you can volunteer and consider donating an hour to help out with this event. For perspective--I ordered 17 -8 foot tables for International Night. This event takes 66 tables. No need to take 2 cars if you stay for clean up: we'll have mini-van car pools for the late work.

Please click to this link and sign up to assist:

http://www.doodle.com/aiq7rv4h4eqymrpa

For questions or information,contact

Lisa Kohn
lkohn@umich.edu
734-417-7129

School Renovations Update

The lockers have been installed and the sinks and cabinets have been replaced!

You can see photos at the King School twitter: http://twitter.com/King_School

Kindergarten Readiness Meeting - 4/23 @ 6:30 PM

There will be a kindergarten readiness meeting for families who would like to attend at the Preschool & Family Center
2775 Boardwalk Drive
North of Eisenhower Parkway

The meeting will address the following topics:

• What is the kindergarten curriculum like?
• What skills will help your child succeed as she enters kindergaten?
• What does literacy mean for a kindergarten student?
• Are the schools ready for your child? Yes! Find out how you can play with your child while building skills that will help him in school.

To register for the evening, please call 994-2300 extension 53186.

Child care is available for $3 per child in the First Steps classroom; however, space is limited to 12 children. Please call 994-2300 x53186 to reserve your spot.

MLK School Renovations Update

Back in October and December of this school year, I shared some continuing information about renovations at King School associated with the 2004 bond passed by Ann Arbor voters. Click here to view what was shared.

Since then, quite a bit has happened at school in the way of renovations including:
- electrical upgrades;
- installation of a new security system;
- replacement of some classroom flooring in some rooms;
- updating of all bathrooms in the building;
- repaving of front drive;
- replacing the heating system;
- installation of wireless infrastructure;
- installation of new "white" boards in all classrooms.

During the upcoming spring break, we've got more work that will be completed including:
- replacement of more classroom flooring;
- installation of lockers in hallways;
- replace cabinetry and sinks in classrooms;
- painting doors and hallways.

WOW! It is going to be very exciting to come back from spring break to see the new improvements--especially the lockers! I know the kids are excited about the lockers!

King Composting Information

KING COMPOSTERS!
We are launching a new and exciting composting initiative at King School! All kids and staff will be composting!! This program was developed through Student Council’s Green Team and designed to reduce our school’s environmental impact by cutting down the use of landfill space. This not only helps us to become responsible citizens for our planet, but it enables us to support our community as well. By turning uncooked vegetative waste into municipal composting, a beneficial end product is made and can be used to improve our community.
Compostable materials will be placed in designated composting bins in our school lunchroom, teacher’s lounge, classrooms, and kitchen. The compostable materials will be picked up by the city one day a week through the months of April, May, June, September, October, and November.
Things that CAN be composted are raw food items such as: Fruit /Vegetable Scraps, Salad trimmings, Vegetable Peelings, Onion Skins, Egg Shells, Coffee Grounds, Coffee Filters, Tea Bags, and Flowers. Things that CAN NOT be composted are: Meat, Cheese, Poultry, Cooked Food, Fish liquids, Plate Scrapings, Sauces, Oils, Fats, Butters, Yogurt, Plastic Wrap, Utensils, Rubber Bands, Foil, Polystyrene Foam Gloves, and Wrappers of any kind. If you have any questions, you can contact Ms. Shah at shahn@aaps.k12.mi.us . Have fun and remember to compost!

Silent Auction Countdown - Two Weeks To Go!

Science Olympiad and Silent Auction night are just around the corner and look at the outstanding evening we have planned for the King Community! Dine with an international buffet of foods. See Dr. Zeemo give 2 shows on "The Science Of Spinning"--a funny, former physics teacher, turned comic. Smile with "Ziggy the Clown" while you ooh, aah and,of course, bid on some fabulous donations. Stop by Lynne Schwank's face painting station.

Hear what previous winning bidders have to say about some of the items up for auction:

Antigua Time Share-Donated by Mike and Darla Dubin
"What we really loved about the place, besides the 5 minute walk to the Caribbean, was that this was a REAL island with REAL people and no hint of commercialization. The kids loved the golf cart (drivers, maybe?) the warm waters and collecting shells." -Lona Mody

Bird Tour in the Arb with Washtenaw Audubon Society -Donated by Ray Stocking
"We had a wonderful morning and Ray was a great tour guide filled with so much information about the arboretum and the birds, of course. Not sure how he did hit, but Ray even managed to grant my wish and find a bluebird. I don't want to give too glowing of a review for fear that someone will outbid me this year!" -Susan and Eden Henkin

Aspen Time Share-Donated by Tim and Robin Damschroder
"The Silver Glow unit was newly remodeled and comfortable for all of us. We were 4 blocks from downtown, however, their bus was always available to take you wherever you wanted to go in Aspen. We never waited more than 5 minutes for the bus, no matter where we were. The snow was great and I'm sending my wife (Marie) back to bid again!" -Dick Steele

Cancun Time Share-Donated by Juanita Merchant
"This was the most relaxing vacation my family has ever taken! The villa faces the Caribbean so there were many opportunities for walks along the beach. Royal Resorts has plenty of activities to keep kids and grown ups busy or you can bask in the sun. The modern hotel conveniences along with the high-class entertainment made for a very relaxing and fun vacation. -Maneesha Gulatim

Thank you to the following King Families and former teachers for your donations:
Nejat Seyhun, Sujata Guduri, Sandra Wong, Samantha Chan, Mrs. Cheryl Jones, Carol Teener, Neal Boudette, Bruce Miller

Check out these Generous and Interesting Donations: Famous chocolate orbit cake or other luscious cake of your choosing; a day in the life of an automotive reporter--test drive cars, prep for an interview on CNN, whatever the day's agenda may have; 3 dozen cupcakes intricately decorated for your party theme; a Saturday of fun activites, lunch and of course, ice cream with Cheryl Jones; vegetarian Indian dinner for 5 delivered to your home; an authentic UM hockey jersey; 2 UM vs. EMU football tickets on the 40 yd line; custom portrait-oil on canvas-9"x9" -single subject.

Please link to the attached calendar to see where you can offer an hour of volunteer time for the auction. Setting up and taking down 68 tables can go quickly with many hands! See set-up and clean-up---we need help.

http://www.doodle.com/aiq7rv4h4eqymrpa

If you would like to offer an auction testimonial or have questions or need information:

Lisa Kohn
lkohn@umich.edu
734-417-7129

King School PTO for the 2009-2010 school year

Here is a wonderful opportunity to get involved at King School & with the PTO. Become a member of the 2009-2010 Executive Board of Directors or be the Chairperson of an event or committee. There is something for everyone!

Do you have a busy daytime schedule? There are many events & committees that are needed outside of school hours! Some of these events are...Bagels & Buns, Bingo Night, Borders Book Fair, E-mail List Coordinator, Green Baxter Court PTO Liaison, Ice Cream Social, International Night, King of Hearts Family 5K, King Spirit Wear, Newcomers Network, Newsletter Editor, Outdoor Sign, Silent Auction, Volunteer Recruitment, Webmaster, & more!

Do you want to volunteer during the school day? Check out these committees...Community Action, Bulletin Boards, First Day Packets, Friday Folder Stuffing, Healthy Students, Lunchtime Enrichment, Safety Chair, Scholastic Book Fair, Teacher Appreciation, Turkey Trot, & more!

Go to the website below for the nomination form & detailed descriptions of every single position. There are more than 50 positions available & need to be filled!
http://king.a2schools.org/king.pto/files/file.pdf

Nominate yourself today! Nomination forms are due to the King School office (PTO mailbox) by Thursday, April 9. OR, nominate yourself by sending the information on the nomination form to kingpto@gmail.com. Please let us know if you are a current Chairperson & would like to continue chairing the same event/committee.

Thank you for volunteering...and here's to a fantastic 2009-2010 year!

No School - Monday, April 6

Monday, April 6, 2009:
Ann Arbor Public Schools is closed today due to the weather.

King School Twitter

I've recently set up a King School Twitter. If you are a twitter user, you might find it interesting to follow at http://twitter.com/King_School.

If you don't use Twitter, you can also access the same information on the front page of the MLK website at http://king.a2schools.org.

Green School/Earth Day Update

Thanks to Dr. M. for sharing the info below about upcoming Green School and Earth Week activities AND thanks to the 5th grade and student council for all of their work on these initiatives!

Earth Posters
Students are creating posters in art to be displayed during Earth Week.

Voting on a King School RAPTOR
Students are learning about the eight raptors found at the Leslie Science Center. They will vote on April 9th to see which raptor we will adopt. Students will then be asked to earn $.25-$.50 by doing jobs at home or with neighbors. All money will be collected during Earth Week.

Hunters of the Sky
We are gearing up for a wonderful week after spring break. April 20th (9-9:50 a.m. for K-2; 10- 10:50 a.m. for 3-5) we have a presentation by Leslie Science Center- Hunters of the Sky, to kick off our week. The poster winner will have a special part in the performance. We will also get to meet the raptor that we are adopting!


Earth Day Festival
The entire 5th grade is responsible (with teacher help of course J ) for setting up our Earth Day Festival at King. The festival is April 22nd and is going to be tons of fun! (12:40- 1:40 p.m. K-2, 2:15-3:30 for 3rd, 2- 3:30 for 4th graders) Our class is responsible for ladder ball trivia about macro-invertebrates and a great magnetic fishing game, fishing for macro-invertebrates. The macro-invertebrates we are studying are those found in the Huron River. This is shaping up to be a wonderful leadership opportunity for our 5th graders and an incredible learning opportunity for the entire school about environmental issues that are literally right in our backyard.

THE ELEMENTARY SUMMER LEARNING INSTITUTE RETURNS…AND EXPANDS!

The Elementary Summer Learning Institute will run from Monday, July 6, through Friday, July 31 and bussing will be available. The kindergarten, 2nd grade and 3rd grade program will be conducted at Ann Arbor Open at Mack Elementary School (920 Miller) and the 5th grade program will be at Forsythe Middle School (1655 Newport). Students who have not yet reached grade level reading targets or have not yet reached a secure target on selected math outcomes are eligible.

Bussing will be available for all four programs.

In order to attend, students must be referred by their classroom teacher. Teachers and principals are just now receiving applications for the program. If your child has been referred and you have further questions, please contact your child’s teacher. With further questions, feel free to contact the Summer Learning Institute principal, Ché Carter at carterc@aaps.k12.mi.us.

Thanks PTO For Our UMS Field Trips This Year

Thank you to the King PTO for again sponsoring a University Musical Society youth performance for every child at our school. The kindergarteners had a great time at the Dan Zanes concert this Monday. They told me they got to dance like a train and then proceeded to demonstrate their newly found conga skills. The first graders got to experience the highly acclaimed Sweet Honey in the Rock in February and the second graders were wowed by The Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa in October. They said it sounded like music from “The Lion King,” only better. Grades 3-5 got a lesson in swing from the incomparable Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center. He is an amazing teacher and the kids learned so much. The most often heard comment from them was “I wish they would have played more.”

We are so lucky to live in a city that is regularly visited by some of the world’s most talented artists, and even more lucky to have a PTO that recognizes the value and meaning these cultural experiences bring to kids. Thank you.

Mrs. Vanek

Book Fair Thanks!

The King School Scholastic & Used Book Fairs were a huge success! We raised over $2000 for the PTO! We would like to thank everyone who volunteered at the King School Book Fairs (before, during, & after)...and all the wonderful King School families who purchased both new & used books. Additionally, every classroom received a book for their classroom library as a thank you to the teachers & students for their support. We also purchased several books for the King School Library!

Thanks for all your support!

-Susan Gechter & Diane Alson :)

PTO Positions for 2009-2010

Nomination forms were sent home in last week's Friday folders for the 2009-2010 PTO Executive Board of Directors & Committee Chairpersons. This form lists every single position (both Executive Board of Directors & Committee Chairpersons). There are more than 50 positions available. Help plan events, activities, and more!

Do you want more information about a specific committee or board position? Check out the descriptions (& get another nomination form) at: http://king.a2schools.org/king.pto/files/file.pdf . Or, contact the existing chair (all chairs are listed in the King School Directory).

Nomination forms are due to the King School office (PTO mailbox) by Thursday, April 9. Nominate yourself! Contact kingpto@gmail.com for additional questions.

Thank you for volunteering...and here's to a fantastic 2009-2010 year!

Silent Auction: Friday April 24, 2009 3 Weeks Countdown!

Thank you to the following King families and teachers for their
donations to the Silent Auction:

Mrs. Jarjoura; The Myers/Fingar Family: Anne Flucke (King Alumni Family); The Barnett Family

Please take a moment to look at this link to the Volunteer Calendar and see where you can donate an hour or two toward the success of the auction:

http://www.doodle.com/aiq7rv4h4eqymrpa

For questions or information:
Lisa Kohn
lkohn@umich.edu
734-417-7129

Ann Arbor PTO Council News Page

Upcoming events posted by PTOC:

Washtenaw Area Council for Children's Annual Conference, Friday, April 24, 2009. This year's conference is "INTO THE WILD: A Journey Inside the Middle School Mind." There is a link to a downloadable brochure on our home page www.washtenawchildren.org

Also, a special Internet Safety event for parents (and interested others), "Safety'Net: Tech Tips for Parenting in the Digital Age" on Thursday, May 7, from 7-8:30 PM. A flier for the event can be reached by clicking the link on the home page.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!

Marcia Dykstra, Program Director
Washtenaw Area Council for Children
Phone - (734) 434-4215
Fax - (734) 434-4243

Do you want to dunk Mr. Karr at the Ice Cream Social?

This year my participation in the dunktank will occur for the first 30 minutes of the Ice Cream Social. However, you’ll need to think ahead if you hope to get me wet! Ill be offering throws this year to both parents and students in the following ways:
1. High bidders at the Silent Auction – you will be able to bid for three throws each at the Silent Auction. Remember: Proxy Bids will be accepted for those who can’t make it to school the evening of the Silent Auction.
2. Selected students who achieve a yet unannounced challenge during the month of May. Names of students who throw will be drawn in a raffle.

Silent Auction: One Month Countdown!

Silent Auction: Friday, April 24, 2009

Thank you to the following teachers and families who have donated to the Silent Auction.

Lisa & David Joseph, Susan Aaronson; Erin Zurbuchen; Ms. Laura Wayne, Mr. Huyck, Mr. Petty, The Schorer Family, The Chauhan Family

Take a look at these generous and interesting donations:

An afternoon of basketball with 2 King teachers; "Paint like the Masters" --an art class to learn brush strokes, light and color like the masters,:A nutritional consultation and pantry makeover to create delicious, nutritious meals everyday; 4 Red Wings tickets and parking pass; A Super Mario Basket with t-shirts and keychain collection; 4 music lessons on a string instrument (violin, viola, base, cello); art lessons for a budding Monet and art consultation for high schooler or adult.

Please use this Doodle Calendar to see where there are volunteer needs before, during and after the auction.

http://www.doodle.com/aiq7rv4h4eqymrpa

For auction information or questions:

Lisa Kohn, Chair
417-7129
lkohn@umich.edu

Student Council News: King Goes Green

Students and staff at King have been working very hard to complete all of the necessary points or jobs to become Green School certified by the State of Michigan. To become certified, the school must complete at least “ten points” from a given list of criteria for becoming “green.” We have completed the following points: recycling paper, cardboard, containers, batteries, & printer cartridges; implementing an energy savings program; reusing magazines and newspapers; the media center has a plan for updating and using ecological materials.

One point (that should count for five) is our new composting endeavor spearheaded by Ms. Shah. All students will be treated to a composting skit, performed by our 5th grade green composting team (Zoe C., Jessica H., Mabel R., Yasmeena N., Margo K., Laura H., Alice D., Melissa N., Danielle B., Savoy D., Olivia C., Evan W., Bethany G.) on March 30 in the afternoon.

Two points we need to complete are adopting an endangered species and organizing a corresponding presentation. Student council members will use Powerpoint presentations to show students our progress with the Green School initiative, including the raptors that live at the Leslie Science Center. Following this presentation, students will vote on which raptor they want to adopt as a student body. Leslie Science Center will then present “Hunters of the Sky” on April 20, bringing with them our adopted raptor!

Our last points will be completed as part of our Earth Week celebrations. This will include: 5th graders creating six activities for our first ever Earth Day festival on April 22; Ms. Wayne is helping students create & organize an Earth Week poster contest; and all students will be cleaning up our playground and surrounding areas during this week.

Parents are invited to help during the Earth Day festival on April 22. K-2 children will be participating between 12-1:30 p.m. ; 3rd & 4th graders between 2- 3:30 p.m. Please contact Dr. M. if you can help supervise an activity. mailto:michali1@aaps.k12.mi.us

World Languages At King For 2009-10

The Ann Arbor Public Schools, in partnership with the University of Michigan School of Education, will implement Elementary World Language next fall as a special class during the school day. The collaborative program will include third grade students in all AAPS schools, with planning underway to expand in the future. Students will be learning Spanish. New language learning emerged as a high priority for parents in a recent district survey as well as the district's strategic plan. You can find additional details about the world language program here.

Academic Games Update: Another GREAT Year

Hello King School Parents,

As our Academic Games season comes to a close, we want to take the opportunity to thank our King PTO for all of their support. We really appreciate all that you do for us.

This year, Christy, Mrs. Vanek, and I coached 26 students on Tuesday evenings and Fridays after school. They learned to play Equations, On-Sets, On-Words, and Presidents. Several of our students attended Saturday tournaments in Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Ypsilanti.

Overall, the students really seemed to enjoy the games, learning, practicing, and competing. Some students even attended the 2-1/2 day State Super Tournament in Grand Rapids, hosted by the Michigan League of Academic Games.

We plan to start King Academic Games again in the fall, and if anyone is interested in more information about AG Summer Camps in Ann Arbor, please give us a call.

Sincerely,

Mike Vanek
KingAG.Coaches@gmail.com
734-332-0730

More Academic Games Resources:
Local: Clague Academic Games - http://clagueag.blogspot.com/
State: Michigan League of Academic Games - http://www.mlagonline.com/
National: Academic League of America - http://www.agloa.net/

Open House/Music Night Dates

The spring concert and open houses are fast approaching, with the third graders kicking off the season on Thursday, April 23rd. Other grade level dates are:

Kindergarten April 28th
First Grade May 14th
Second Grade May 7th
Fourth Grade April 30th
Fifth Grade May 28th

Open house is at 6:30 PM in the classrooms, with the music program beginning promptly at 7:00 in the multi-purpose room. I look forward to seeing you there.

Mrs. Vanek

Come and Celebrate Youth Art and Music Month at Palio's

The following King students Still Life Paintings are on Exhibit at Palio's Restaurant. (downtown Ann Arbor) 347 S. Main Street. The reception for KingSchool is on Sunday March 22nd, 2009 at 1PM. You are welcome to stop by Palios for dinner during the evenings through March till Mid-April.

Ms.Wayne

Benjamin Pollitz -K
Nadia Hansen-1st
Siena Smith-1st
Mirian Nweze -1st
Kamoni Cummings 1st
Michelle Deng 1st
Anton Pereklita 2nd
Jadyn Smith 2nd
Emma Helmich 2nd
Joanna Sheng 2nd
Megan Gruber 2nd
Brandon Geng 2nd
Jaylin Johnson 2nd
Jinsung Huh 2nd
Bertrand Chu 2nd
Henry Zhou 2nd
Gaby Shapo 2nd
Afua Nkansah 2nd
Emily Gitilin 2nd
Minna Tremonti 2nd
Umang Bhajani 2nd
Sarah Wamster 2nd
Ivy Han 2nd
Saulius Galvanayskas 2nd
Charle Levine 3rd
Megan He 3rd
Laura Deng 3rd
Saskia Van Nieuwstadt 3rd
Jennifer Zhu 3rd
Celeste Pan 3rd
Iris Campbell 3rd
Xavier Iniguez 3rd
Kazuma Kawai 3rd
Serina Suzuki 3rd
Claire Deng 3rd
Daniel Lee 3rd
Ryo Sugimura 4th
Akane Kawamato 4th
Keyen Yockey 4th
Jessica Zhang 4th
Samuel Kohn 4th
Aylin Cynal 4th
Eric Chen 4th
Grace LI 4th
Sterling Martin 4th
Kallan Roan 4th
Tina Galia 4th
Sabrina Wu 5th
Michi Ota 5th
Clay Patterson 5th
Quentin Millette 5th
Charles Tsao 5th
Jaz Johns 5th
Flynn O' Donnell 5th
Nesma Daoud 5th
Daniel Geng 5th
Susanna Sheng 5th
Amar Nigam 5th
Yuna Kawai 5th
Jenny Zhang 5th
Samantha Lin 5th
Brian Cong 5th
Mabel Redondo 5th
Alex Alajbegovic 5th
Alice Deng 5th

Week 2: March is Reading Month!

Info every parent should know: King's Media Center in the 21st Century.

While our library might look a lot like the school libraries we all grew up with, times have changed as schools work to prepare our students for the technology-rich, information-laden world they live in. Yes, we still read stories and check out books, two things of great value of fun. But read on to see samples of what our kids are doing during their library and/or lab time (together called ILT: Information Literacy and Technology).

Kindergartners are practicing alphabetical ordering skills--the necessary foundation for accessing library books, using indexes, etc.

1st graders are making classroom nonfiction animal books using facts gathered from books, the internet, and magazines. They'll learn how to use their own words when taking notes and to give citation credit.

2nd graders are studying biographies, both in the classroom and during Media Center time.

3rd graders have spent time working with the Dewey decimal system as they practice effective access skills on our online library catalog.

4th graders used a variety of resources, including our Grolier database and Kids InfoBits from the Michigan Electronic Library (MEL), to collect info about famous African Americans.

And 5th graders discussed internet safety with me using an FBI website.

Sprinkle in a dragon story, some booktalks, and perhaps a tent and some flashlights, and THAT'S the library of today!

Happy Reading Month! Mrs. Ann O'Keefe okeefea@aaps.k12.mi.us

Week 2 WILD Challenge: Return to "old-fashioned" fun: see if someone--or everyone--in your family can tell a story orally--no reading allowed! How's your imagination? Can you make a beginning, introduce a problem, and then end it with a solution? Got good names for your characters? A setting? Remind your kids that this is how stories were told around campfires, in the WILD, for all time.

Additional Volunteers Needed at Book Fairs

We are looking for additional volunteers to help at the King School Scholastic & Used Book Fairs. We especially need help with setting up the fairs on Wednesday, 3/18 between 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Additionally, we need help during the book fairs on Thursday, 3/19 between 1:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Volunteer for as little as an hour or two, or all day!

To volunteer, go to:
http://www.doodle.com/participation.html?pollId=yk5x2pw79c5sy9q6

In advance, thank you for your help!

Used Books Needed -- Book Fairs are Next Week!

The used book collection is on-going through 3/18. Please collect your children & adult books (both fiction & non-fiction), DVDs, CDs, games, puzzles, & magazines for the King School Used Book Fair. What about the books your kids brought home from the used book fair last year? Donate those too! Books may be dropped off in the used book donations box near the King School office or by the front door. Students may give them to their teacher to put outside their classroom door.

Check out our website about the fairs at: http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/kingschoolpto
Look for additional information about the King School Scholastic & Used Book Fairs in your child's Friday Folder this week!

Silent Auction: Friday, April 24, 2009

Thank you to the following King Families who have donated to the Silent Auction thus far:

Alena and Ray Stocking; Elsie Orb; Dr. Jennifer Kim; Michael and Jane Niemi; Karl, Heather & Hannah Schweitzer; Mary Morency; The Gechter Family, Dr. Todd Roberts; Max Brodkey; Kim Markey; The Fishman Family; Ron Hermann; The Kimball Wright Family; Mike and Darla Dubin, Tony and Amy Iannone; Lily Au and Ken Morishima; George Schumacher; Mrs. O'Keefe; Mrs. Vanek,:Christy Vanek

These are some of the generous and interesting items up for bidding for the Silent Auction:

Personal bedtime story reading at your home by Mrs. O'Keefe; A planter container garden; 2 sets of 10 Perrenials from the garden of Barb Vanek; 2 hours of academic games coaching; 2 sets of reserved seats for International Night; Cranium WOW game; hand-knit baby sweater set; Botox party; Men's Carhartt coat; 4 tickets to the Tigers game 8/16/09 in the "Tigers Den"; a fairy adobe door; autographed basketball from UM Women's Team; coffee with the Superintendent; 4 Tigers tickets, 20 seats behind home plate; nickel series coin set; Women's Night Out party 5/1/09; gift certificates to Showcase Cinema, Ocean Nails, Seoul Garden and Panera Bread; Antigua time share; 2 hours of computer support and service; A day on the lake, including Pontoon boat ride and BBQ; sushi making party for kids; a "Secret Box" guaranteed to feed the soul; 3 days of summer fun activities; photo album of King life; copies of Chicken Soup for Kids; and Chicken Soup for Preteens; group outings to serve meals at the Salvation Army kitchen and Liberty Plaza; bird watch with Washtenaw Audubon Society.

There are two key positions that need filling: Volunteer coordinator and Food Chair.
The Volunteer Coordinator would spend 2 hrs week during the last 3 weeks making sure that there are enough people in designated slots. Total is 6 hrs over 3 weeks.

The Food Chair would negotiate food prices, obtain tableware, pay vendors and coordinate the International Buffet. Working from last year's spread sheet will streamline the task. 2-3 hrs before auction night. 2-3 hours on auction night.

What goods or services can you contribute?
Everybody loves a party: offer to host a tailgaiting or euchre party; Donate a few of your favorite wines; Offer a home cooked meal; Donate lessons; photographers, gardeners, dessert chefs, we need you.

For any questions or to get more information, contact:

Lisa Kohn, Auction Chair
lkohn@umich.edu

Sign Up For Family Writing Night

You Can’t Bully Me! Presentation

This has been recommended by the King PTO . . . it looks very good.

You Can’t Bully Me! - Saturday, March 7, 10 AM-12 noon - Elmo's Hideaway - 220 South Main Street, Ann Arbor - below Elmo's Main Street T-shirts

Sponsored by the Ann Arbor Storytellers' Guild and The Ark

An interactive program by Chicago area storyteller, Sue Black. Sue uses stories and conversation to help highlight the behaviors of the bully, the bullied and the bystander, but she doesn't stop there. The next step is to empower students, teachers and parents with the skills they need to make a difference: Communicate a shared vocabulary about bullying. Cultivate a culture of inclusion where differences are respected. Celebrate problem-solving and conflict resolution skills. Admission: $5.00 adults - Free to students age 8 - 14 accompanied by a parent.. To register: call or e-mail Judy Schmidt 734-971-5763 - FransDotir@aol.com or
get registration form on the Downloads page of the AASG website: www.annarborstorytelling.org

Parent Meeting For Incoming 6th-8th Grade Clague Students

All King parents of 5th grade students are invited to a parent meeting at Clague Middle School to get information about the transition to middle school.

March 12, 2009
6:30 - 8:30 PM
Clague Middle School

AAPS budget forum: join A2 Parents for Schools on Thursday!

Help us put the "public" back in our public schools!

Join us at the second and last AAPS budget forum -
this Thursday, March 5, 7-9pm at Forsythe Middle School

These budget meetings are among the few opportunities for parents and the public in general to learn about and have a voice in shaping next year's AAPS school budget before the final vote is taken. Hosted by AAPS Superintendent Todd Roberts and Deputy Superintendent Robert Allen (basically, the CEO and CFO of our public schools), these meetings help spell out what has been happening with our schools' funding and offer the chance to talk about where we go from here.

The Federal stimulus won't work miracles; there are still hard choices to be made. Be a part of the solution!

We Need Your Used Books!

The King School Book Fairs are this month. The used book collection starts this week and runs through 3/18. We will accept fiction & non-fiction books for both children & adults. We will also accept DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes (originals only) as well as games & puzzles (please make sure all pieces are included).

New this year...we are accepting both adult's & children's magazines to donate to various organizations in the Ann Arbor area that are in need or reading materials in their waiting room.

You may drop off your donated books in the boxes near the King School office or near the front entrance. Books may also be dropped off in your child's classroom.

Check the bar graph in the front hall to see how many books we collect each day! Let's see if we can we beat last year's donations of over 4,000 books!

Thank you, in advance, for your book (& other materials) donations!

Casting Call... Volunteers Needed at Book Fairs!

We need volunteers to help at the King School Scholastic & Used Book Fairs on 3/18 - 3/20. Help with set-up, running the fair (including restocking, organizing, assisting students, cashier, and more), and with taking it apart/clean-up. Volunteer for as little as an hour or two, or all day!

To volunteer, go to:
http://www.doodle.com/participation.html?pollId=yk5x2pw79c5sy9q6

In advance, thank you for your help!

Silent Auction Date Moved To April 24

The date for the PTO's Annual Silent Auction has been moved from
April 3 to April 24. The excitement will begin at 6 PM.

5,000+ Hits On King School Website in 08-09

Over the last 184 days, the MLK School website has had 5,024 hits! This is great news. I'm glad families are finding the site useful.

In case you didn't know, all of the following can be found on the MLK School website:

• Updated school calendar
• School announcements
• Staff directory with email addresses
• Lunch menu
• Link to the school media center website
• PTO information
• Links to important district information
  

If you have suggestions for other website additions, please email them to Mr. Karr.

Math Olympiad Is Coming To King School

Dear parents,

I am happy to announce that, with the support of PTO and Mr. Karr, King school will add another exciting academic enrichment program to benefit our students—the Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS). The MOEMS has been a major math contest for school children for 30 years. In the 2007-2008 year, 150,000 students participated in the program, representing all 50 US states and 25 countries. Its stated goals are:
• To stimulate enthusiasm and a love for Mathematics
• To introduce important Mathematical concepts
• To teach major strategies for problem solving
• To develop Mathematical flexibility in solving problems
• To strengthen Mathematical intuition
• To foster Mathematical creativity and ingenuity
• To provide for the satisfaction, joy, and thrill of meeting challenges
Starting from the fall of 2009, King school will have a Math Olympiad Team for 4th and 5th graders. Everyone who wants the challenge is welcome, regardless of the level of math proficiency. We will hold after-school training sessions, where we will introduce problem-solving strategies, and work in small groups on word problems. All students on the team are strongly encouraged to participate in the contests, but they have the option to participate in the training only.

The contests will be held at King school once every month from November to March. In each contest, students will have 30 minutes to solve 5 word problems. All participants will receive Participation Certificates, high scorers will also receive gold, silver or bronze plaques and trophies. Nationwide, about half of the participants receive plaques or trophies.

Student sign-up and parent volunteer recruitment for the 2009-2010 year will begin in the fall. At that time, we will also hold an informational meeting for all interested parents.

The training and contests will run from October to March, roughly 3 times a month. The long time-span helps make math enrichment a continuous process. But it also requires commitment from students and parents. To give students a chance to try out the activity, we will run a math club in May and June, 2009. The club is open to all 3rd and 4th graders (who will be eligible for MOEMS in the fall). We will meet one hour a week after school for four weeks. This will be a good math enrichment opportunity; however, anyone who does not sign up for the club can still sign up for the Math Team in the fall.

The sign-up form for the math club in May and June will be available in April, as well as parent volunteer sign-up. We welcome all kinds of help from parents. Meanwhile, if you have questions, please email jingliu01@gmail.com or ljing@umich.edu .

Sincerely,
Jing Liu, PICO (Person In Charge of the Olympiad)

Raising a Son? Need Help? - Come To King 3/4 @! 7

Raising Strong and Gentle Sons Workshop
Wednesday, March 4, 7:00-9:00 PM
King School Multi-Purpose Room
Speaker: Carole Lapidos, M.S.W.

Boys are growing up in a very confusing world. There are so many conflicting messages about what it means to be a boy and a man. If boys are taking their cues from the culture, then they are losing access to a very important part of themselves. Parents raising sons today face many challenges. This workshop will explore the topics that impact how boys see themselves and provide strategies for parents to stay connected to their sons.

Carole Lapidos is the co-founder and director of Raising Strong & Confident Daughters, a local organization dedicated to helping young children develop a strong sense of self-esteem. Registration is required. Please contact Laurie Galia by phone, 734-996-9946 or by email at lquain@umich.edu to register for this workshop by February 27. This workshop is being sponsored by the King School PTO.

Silent Auction - Our PTO's Biggest Fundraiser

The 2008 Silent Auction raised over $20,000 for field trips, WESO materials, teacher mini-grants, writing workshops with EMU, Leslie Science Center programming and much, much more.

With one month to go, we are not anywhere near that mark. And while we budgeted for a smaller auction this year, we need a concerted effort from everyone to make this event even half as successful as last year.

How Can You Help?

Offer to call 5 businesses who have supported us in the past and likely will donate something this year.

Offer to take on a leadership position--Needed positions are:

Volunteer coordinator--this person helps find/schedule volunteers for table set up Thurs night, display set up Friday, registration, check-out and clean up duties.

Food coordinator--this person plans and orders a menu, purchases plates/serving ware, and ensures vendors are paid.

Filing coordinator--on auction day this person leads a team to handle registrations, makes files for each registrant and sorts winning bid sheets. Terri Brodkey (previous chair) has perfected this and unfortunately will be out of town April 3rd.

Donation, Donations, Donations

Half of our monies raised were from internal donations. Some suggestions:

Offer a home cooked meal for delivery; Lessons?--music, skating, chess, language, painting; host a party--it's 80's night with big hair, Madonna, and shoulder pads; donate travel award miles or hotel reward points; offer your time share; gardeners can share perrenials; bakers share favorite desserts; host a children's party or event such as "learning magic" or "fun with math"; create a collection of your favorite wines; donate a themed basket such as Poke'mon or consider hosting a tailgate party some Saturday in Sept, Oct or Nov.

Unable to Volunteer or Donate?

Please send a check to King PTO with Silent Auction in the memo line. This fundraiser requires the support of every King family.

For information on how to help or to offer a donation, contact Lisa Kohn, Auction Chair.

lkohn@umich.edu or 734-417-7129.

Reading Month: Week 1 Challenge

Week 1 WILD Reading Challenge: (“Bear” with us, we’ve got a wild animal theme!) Pick one evening or weekend day and have the whole family stop everything (kind of like hibernation) and read: it can be one book read aloud for all of you, or everyone can curl up like bear cubs with their chosen favorites (magazines and newspapers ALWAYS count, but let’s not choose something on a screen for this challenge). Turn off all jungle noise, tv’s and phones, and see what 15 minutes of JUST BOOKS AND PEACE feels like. No monkeying around! Ask your child to tell me about it!

March is Reading Month!

While King students love to read all year long, March is the month when we traditionally celebrate READING in a big way. What’s going on?
*Check out the family letter that came home with an optional activity sheet.
*Ask your kids what’s happening at school (something about a lion?)
*Watch these eNotes each week!

Week 1 Notes: Check it out! Kids and books at King

All King kids get to check out two books at a time (plus extras as assignments require)--and this month they get to have four! We don’t charge fines for late books, we just like to get them back when you are done with them. Sometimes a long book needs to be kept for 3 or 4 weeks, while in other cases kids get new books every few days.

Every few days? Yes, there are brief times each day when the library is open (like every day from starting bell till 9am) even if it isn’t your child’s weekly scheduled day. It has to be a good time for the teacher too, but oftentimes kids can scoot in to exchange books quite frequently.

Do you often forget to return books on “library day”? Kids can return their books ANY day, just slide them into the backpacks when you think of it. That way they’ll be all set to find and take out great new stuff when they visit the Media Center.

I welcome questions and comments anytime; email is best since I teach most of the day. Thanks for helping King grow happy readers!
Mrs. Ann O’Keefe
okeefea@aaps.k12.mi.us

Mid-Winter Break - School Closed - 2/23-2/27

The Ann Arbor Public Schools are closed for mid-winter break the week of February 23. School will resume on Monday, March 3, 2009.

AAPS Budget Forums

Ann Arbor Public Schools

Budget Forums

Tuesday, March 3

at

Scarlett Middle School

3300 Lorraine

Thursday, March 5

at

Forsythe Middle School

1655 Newport

7-9pm

Superintendent Todd Roberts and Deputy Superintendent Robert Allen will be hosting two sessions to give staff, parents, students and community members an overview of the district's budget planning for the 2009/2010 school year.

SCRIP cards = Easy PTO $

Don't forget to use that grocery scrip card hidden in your wallet! Busch's, Kroger, Hiller's and Whole Foods all donate 5% of your purchase to King when you use your scrip card. Just think, if you spend $5,000 a year on groceries, you'll be donating $250 to King at no cost to you! Order forms will be going out in this week's Friday folders. If you don't have a card yet, please order one. If you have any questions about grocery scrip cards, contact Heather Schweitzer at heatherschweitzer@hotmail.com . Thanks for your support!

Bagels on Buns - 2/20 @ 8:15 AM

FREE Starbucks coffee!

All are welcome: children and parents, teachers and staff

Please join us for breakfast and conversation:
Friday, February 20, 2009, 8:15am until school starts

Bagels $1 (cream cheese included)
Buns $2
Orange Juice 50 cents.

Thank you,
Christina Nedeltchev, Angela Johnson, Line vN

Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad Signup Extended!

Act now! Don't Delay! You can still sign up your 2nd-5th grade student for WESO! Here is a list of the events, grades that can participate and tentative practice dates and times. All practices will be held at King - how convenient for all of those sessions that meet after school!:

Event Practice time
1 A is for Anatomy (2-5) W 6-7
2 Barge Building (2) W 7-8
3 Estimania (2-5) M 3:45-5
4 Map Reading (2-5) W 7-8
5 Monster Match (2) W 3:45-5
6 Mystery Architecture (2-5) T 3:45-5
7 Pentathalon (2-5) M 7-8
8 Puff Mobiles (2-3) M 3:45-5
9 Rock Hunter (2-5) M 6:30-7:30
10 Sink or Float (2) M 6-7
11 What went by? (2-3) F 5:30
12 Straw Towers (3-5) TH 3:45-5
13 Water Rockets (3-5) TH 3:45-5
14 Chopper Challenge (4-5) TH 7-8
15 Circuit Wizardry (4-5) TH 3:45-5
16 Science Jeopardy (4-5) F 3:45-5
17 Write it - Build it (3-5) F 3:45-5
18 Possible Potions (4-5) M 6-7

To sign up, go to the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=XdjRTwWmRXntWT7GXpHcaA_3d_3d


If you would like to learn more about WESO, check out:
http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/wesowizards.home/home


If you have any questions, feel free to contact Amy Cell at AmyECell@yahoo.com

Lights! Camera! King School Book Fairs!

BE A STAR...start going through your books, magazines, dvds, & cds that you would like to donate to the King School Used Book Fair. Games & puzzles will also be accepted provided that they have all the pieces. Book collection will be Thursday, March 5th through Wednesday, March 18th. All books, magazines, dvds, etc. may be dropped off in your child's classrom or in the boxes by the school office or front entrance. We will be graphing how many books the entire school receives each day on the window by the courtyard (near the front entrance).

This year we will be accepting MAGAZINES to donate to various places in the Ann Arbor area that are in need of magazines for their waiting areas. Educational & news magazines for both children & adults are especially needed.

A reminder to students who choose to make "Lights! Camera! Book Fairs!" posters. Posters are due Wednesday, March 4th. Flyers were sent home last Friday about making the posters. Those students who turn in a poster by March 4th will receive two additional coupons for free used books from the King School Used Book Fair.

The King School Scholastic & Used Book Fairs will be held on March 19 - 20! Do you have time to help collect & sort used books (mornings during the collection) or with the book fairs (3/18 afternoon times especially needed), 3/19 (8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. shifts available), or 3/20 (8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.)? Contact Susan Gechter (susbg@comcast.net ) or Diane Alson (alsondia@yahoo.com ) to volunteer or with any questions.

No School - 2/16/09 Teacher Professional Development

As a reminder, Monday, February 16 is teacher professional development day. There is no school for students.

Donate Your Jeans!

Join the MLK PTO to work with DoSomething.org to collect gently worn jeans to donate to homeless children across the United States and Canada. All sizes of jeans will be accepted. Sorry, we can only accept jeans without holes right now.

Donations will be accepted through Friday, February 20 in the "Jeans Collection Box" in the front hall of King School.

International Night Procedures

Dear MLK Families,

The PTO's Annual International Night will begin at 6:30 on February 5! This is one of the premier events each year at MLK. I hope to see you there! Because this event is typically attended by over 800 people, it is important to review the following information:

1. Evening activities at King are family events. Parents and guardians are responsible for the close supervision of their children. Children cannot attend without a supervising adult.
2. Be aware of the evening safety procedures at MLK--including NO PARKING IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING.


Parking
Due to the limited availability of parking at King, parents should plan to park in the neighborhood during all evening events at King.
There is NO PARKING in front of the school, by the fire hydrant, or on the left-hand side of the front circular drive.

Reason: The front drive is a fire lane and must be kept accessible for emergency vehicles. The fire hydrant area must also be kept clear.

Drop Off/Pick Up
The front entrance will be available for drop off and pick up ONLY. AT NO TIME SHOULD PARKING OCCUR IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.

Emergency Exits

Below is a map of the school with the arrows indicating emergency exits. Before you come to an evening event at King, please consider designating a place outside the building for your family to meet in the event that the building needs to be evacuated.

Front Entrance

If you have any questions, please call the school office. We'll be happy to help.

Sincerely,
Kevin Karr
Principal
MLK School

International Night at MLK School - 2/5 @ 6:30!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School
INTERNATIONAL NIGHT is here!
THIS Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, 6:30-8:30 pm
Sharing Cultures. Creating Bridges.

Enjoy an international potluck of amazing foods from around the world and Ann Arbor! Take a tour around the world by strolling through King School’s hallways. Watch our King School students come together to celebrate our diversity by performing Israeli Folkdance, Spanish Song, Japanese Geisha dance, Bolivian dance, Japanese Karate, African American Gospel Music, Korean Tae Kwon Do, American Hip-Hop, Irish dance, Indian Bollywood dance, Dutch songs, Thai dance, Chinese Yo-Yo, more!

Schedule:
6:30-7:30 International Potluck (don’t be late!)
7:00-8:30 Student Performances (Performances will be simulcast into the gym.)

Please bring a dish to pass (enough to feed 18 people!—lots of hungry grandmas)
With serving utensil
Without nuts or peanuts please!
Label with name of dish, country of origin, and ingredients

Please dress in heritage clothing

NOTES: Parents must be responsible for and with their children at ALL times. Please remind children no running wild through the hallways and to be respectful during performances. Also, we have more students performing this year than ever before! Please be prompt, nice, and patient as it will be hot, noisy, crowded, chaotic, FUN, and we may run a little late. If your child cannot eat when excited, please feed before you come (or bring a healthy snack). Please also remember to allow for ample time to find parking and NO PARKING on either side of the circular drive.

PLEASE PLAN AHEAD TO AVOID GRUMPINESS.

If you would like to volunteer to help with the feast, contact Lisa Kohn NOW at lkohn@umich.edu.

If you have a country poster you would like to post, contact Padma Anupindi at p_anupindi@hotmail.com.

Performers’ parents: If your child is performing, please feed and dress and do hair and makeup at home before you come, know where and when to meet your group leaders, and bring a healthy snack for afterwards. Prepare everything you need the night before to avoid last minute chaos.

Performance leaders: Make sure your groups practice entering the stage (ramp side), bowing, and exiting the stage (parking lot side). Must be fast! Have 1-2 parents assigned/stationed to help get kids on stage (ramp side) and off stage (parking lot side), and have a plan about where and when to meet before and afterwards. Afterwards is important to return them to their parents. Groups should report to the stage two acts before theirs. Remind children to be quiet and courteous and not wild while waiting in the wings. Get your music on CD to Mrs. Vanek NOW!

NOW LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!

Sponsored by the King PTO.

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

NAAPID - 2/9 - You’re Invited

You are invited to be a part of King’s plans as we observe National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) on Monday, February 9, 2009. NAAPID is a national call to action to get all parents, but particularly those of African American children, more involved in the education of their children. It is expected that this national observation will open up dialogue among teachers, parents, and students, which will lead to greater student success.

During NAAPID, parents are invited to be a part of the school day at King. This includes being a part of your child’s classes—and even the noon hour. You might want to bring a sack lunch and be a part of the excitement! Also, the King staff will set up a hospitality table for parents in the teacher’s lounge. Please stop by and enjoy the treats!

Raising a Daughter? Need Help?

Raising Strong and Confident Daughters Workshop
Thursday, February 19, 7:00-9:00 PM
King School Multi-Purpose Room
Speaker: Carole Lapidos, M.S.W.

Every parent wants to raise his or her daughter to be strong and self-confident. This workshop will help parents understand the obstacles that often get in the way of girls reaching their full potential. We will explore ways our daughters are influenced by mainstream culture and how to protect our daughters from some of the toxic messages. Having strategies to help strengthen the connection between daughters and parents is the key to helping girls stay strong.

Carole Lapidos is the co-founder and director of Raising Strong & Confident Daughters, a local organization dedicated to helping young children develop a strong sense of self-esteem. Registration is required. Please contact Laurie Galia by phone, 734-996-9946 or by email at lquain@umich.edu to register for this workshop by February 13. This workshop is being sponsored by the King School PTO.