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The Wolverine Track Volume 32, no. 1

September 8, 2009 Wellington PTA 6.10.43

President’s Message... Wellington PTA Welcomes all New and Returning Families to Wellington! The PTA would like to welcome all new and returning families to Wellington this year. This is the time when so many activities and programs start happening and we begin getting into our routine and schedules. This is also the time of year when I get asked “What does PTA do”? “What does PTA provide”? These were certainly some of the same questions I had when my girls started at Wellington. After being involved at Wellington these last four years, I can certainly answer these questions! This school has an amazing group of Wellington teachers and parents, both in the PACE program and in the traditional classes. They say it takes a village to raise a child; well it definitely takes a village of volunteers to run a PTA. Many committee chairs started working on their prospective programs well before school started. Here are some of the programs PTA provides: Art Docents Newsletter Emergency Prep. Art Club Science Docents Spirit Wear Classic Books

Science Adventures Cartridge Recycling Walk-a-Thon Fundraiser Historian/Photo Missoula Children’s Theater Box Tops Staff Appreciation

Health Screening Chess Club Directory Library Support Skating Parties Publishing Center Safe Arrival

Attendance Line Kick-off Event Kindergarten Bus Parent Support Social Concerns Big Buddies Web site

Reflections Legislation Pavers Assemblies Grants Awards Continued on page 2

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Inside this issue: Beach Bash Kick-Off details

Plan to Attend

3

After School Art Class

Sign-up details

3

Emergency Callers

Volunteers needed

3

Library volunteers

Volunteers needed

4

Website

Get informed

4

“Big Buddy”

Sign-up details

4

Gift Basket request

Donations requested

4

Safe Arrival Program

Volunteers needed

5

Chess Club

Sign-up details

5

Popcorn Fridays/Skating

Mark the date

6

Directory info/Join PTA

Join!

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Newsletter Editor:

Sarah Dziuk, [email protected]

Dates to remember Sept. 10: PTA Board of Directors meeting @ 1pm 25: Beach Bash Kick-off @ 5:00pm 30: Chess Club begins (3:15-4:30 @ Library) Oct. 20: General Membership PTA mtg @ 7:00pm, Library

Welcome Back To School Wellington Elementary Est. Fall 1978

From the Executive Committee ... ‘09/‘10 PTA Executive Committee President: Joan Ritter 425-750-3840 [email protected] President-Elect: Stacy Meyer 425-481-2927 [email protected] VP Membership: Sandy Mollerup 425-806-4970 [email protected] VP Fundraising: Danielle Glessner 425-485-6986 [email protected] Secretary: Gayle Hickey 425-485-2155 [email protected] Treasurer: Lisa Stefanzick 425-483-8632 [email protected]

Please join the PTA in welcoming the new Office Manager, Jo Testu-Rumsey! Both she and Pam Otto have been working tirelessly behind the scenes getting everyone and everything ready for school. To help our new Office manager with the large volumes of paper supplies, packets, and other large materials that need to be moved around campus, Mrs. Rumsey is in need of a wagon, preferably with sides. If you have a “gently used” wagon that you would like to donate, please contact Jo at [email protected]

President’s Message continued... Besides providing the above programs and services, the PTA also provides dollars needed in the classroom and libraries. For instance, every year, we provide each teacher with and an Instructional Education fund of $300 to spend in his/her classroom for needed supplies. We give $2,400 dollars annually to the Library for new book purchases. The PTA also pays for the transportation costs of classroom field trips. These are just a few examples of where your PTA dollars are used. So whether you are a new family or returning, we hope that you take advantage of the programs, events, and services that we offer. In turn, we hope you will offer your help so that we can continue to sustain these wonderful programs and services that help make our school great, by supporting PTA in the following ways:   

join PTA and have a voice in all that we do Volunteer your time and help support our many programs, events and services Financially support PTA when you can, knowing that your dollars will be used to support the enrichment of your child’s education

Thank you in advance for supporting PTA! I know that you will have a wonderful year at Wellington and look forward to seeing you at PTA events! - Joan Ritter

“Achievement seems to be connected with action. Successful men and women keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”

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-Conrad Hilton

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Wellington Elementary PTA presents ...

Community First Beach Bash Kick-Off Friday, September 25, 5:00-8:00pm Wear your best beach wear, bring your chairs and blankets and join us for our Back to School night at Wellington Elementary. We will have meals that include Papa John's Pizza and other goodies. We will also have our wonderful basket raffle. Many of our wonderful community leaders in fire, police and waste management will be on hand to show off their vehicles and give valuable information to our families.

Callers Are Needed To Ensure Safety Thinking you’d like to volunteer this year but you’re short on time? Consider being an emergency caller for your child’s classroom. Volunteers are needed for primary and classroom callers. For more information or to volunteer, please contact: Rae Shepherd [email protected]

Look for your ticket order form in today's "Tuesday" envelope. Advance ticket sales deadline is September 21st. A limited amount of extra pizza will be available on the night of the Bash. We will be emailing out your tickets when you prepay. If you have access to email, you will receive your families tickets and all you have to do is print them out and bring them in. This will reduce your check-in time. We will have a master list at the Reception table if there are any problems or you

forget your tickets. This event is a great way to start the school year and reconnect with friends. The gift basket raffle is an important fundraising event and we appreciate your support and donations. Volunteers are needed to make this event successful. If you are able to help, please call Diana Boyd at 425 -482-6378 or email [email protected]

After School Art Class Would your child like to have the opportunity to explore their creativity through a variety of materials including pen and ink, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, clay, and plaster? Drawing techniques, as well painting and sculpting are taught by a professional, degreed Artist. 

Classes start on September 14th meeting Mondays/once a week thru December 14

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Younger kids ages (5-8) meet from 3:15-4:15

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Older kids ages (9-12) meet at 4:30-5:30

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Please note a commitment is required for the entire semester and a monthly payment of $49 (first payment due by first day of art class)

To enroll your child, please visit www.artforkids.com to obtain a registration form and secure a spot for your child. Or call Jesse Peil at 206- 412-8816. (Checks can be made payable to Art for Kids School) Registration ends two days prior to first class. Volume 32, no.1

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Wellington Library Volunteers Needed! Come join us in the library helping check books in and out, shelving books, helping with research projects and helping with the general maintanence of the library. Volunteering in the library is a great way to share the love of learning with children and experience all the fantastic literature available. Please contact Beth Edwards at (425) 483-2751 or [email protected] for more information. A HUGE thank you to Cat Gustafson for the new, beautiful art work adorning the library. We appreciate all you do for Wellington! Also, a big thank you to some of our students for getting the library set up for the year: Jordyn Boyd, Anna Edwards, Kelsey Edwards and Hannah Bolotin. It is going to be a great year in the libaray with Mrs. Borchert!

Check out the PTA Website... Wellington’s PTA has been re-vamping our website to make it more user-friendly and offer more capabilities. We are adding more features all the time and plan on adding even more: blogs, PTA forms for download, automatic notification of on-line newsletter posting…there are so many possibilities! Please visit soon and give us your feedback. If there are any improvements you would like to see, we’d love to hear them. Contact the PTA webmaster at [email protected].

www.WellingtonPTA.org

New to Wellington?

“Big Buddy” Program Welcome to all the new families at Wellington Elementary. We want to make your transition into this great school as seamless as possible. The PTA offers a “Big Buddy” program that connects you with an existing Wellington family that will help you navigate the shores of our elementary school. If you have questions about such things as: what is Kickoff, where do I park for school events, or what does a room parent do, you can email your Big Buddy. Your Big Buddy will even help you with questions about the community and outside school activities. This program is a great way to connect with other families in your child’s grade and get all your questions answered. If this sounds like a program you are interested in, we have many Wellington families ready to partner with you. Please call or email our Sandy Mollerup at 425-806-4970 or [email protected] with your name, email, phone and the grade your student(s) are in.

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Calling All Gift Baskets! Join the fun and help support one of our most creative PTA fund raisers Put together a gift basket for the Wellington Community First Beach Bash Kick-Off. Popular themes are movie night, spa, cooking, sports, sweet treats, gift certificates and arts and crafts. Baskets must be dropped off at the main office by Wednesday, September 23rd. If you have any questions regarding basket donation please contact Ronee Baldie at [email protected].

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Chess Club Begins September 30 Calling all students grades K-6 who would like to learn or improve their chess playing skills - or even just meet some new friends in a low-stress club! Chess club returns to Wellington this year with a fun and exciting schedule! The chess club will start on September 30th in the Wellington Library at 3:10-4:15p. To register or find out more, visit www.chess4life.com or watch for the flyer with the registration form coming home in a couple of weeks - limited spots available on first come first serve basis. Contact Wellington Chess Club Coordinator Brigitta Suwandana, by phone 425.488.6028 or email [email protected]. We are also looking for volunteer help with student attendance, please call/ email if interested.

Safe Arrival Program 24 hour message line 425-408-5910 Our school’s Safe Arrival Program is designed and in place to give you peace of mind. You can help us with this program in 2 ways! First, if you know your student will be absent, or tardy, please make it a priority to call the message line (before 9:30 am) at 425-408-5910, and report the absence/tardy. Your call to us confirms they are safe, and it saves us from calling you! Second, you can consider giving your PTA volunteer time to the Safe Arrival Program. This program provides a very valuable safety net for our students. Our team of 10 volunteers ensures the safe arrival of each and every Wellington student, each and every day of the school year! That’s a lot of kids, and a lot of days, and we cover them all. Volunteers choose the day of the week that works best for them, and then commit to calling every other week. The time commitment is usually about 30 minutes, often less. Callers arrive to school at 9:45 am, check messages, call on any unaccounted for students, report back to our school secretary, and leave! It’s one of those many jobs in life that is super important, easy to accomplish and quite invisible. As you are thinking of how you would like to be involved at Wellington this year, please consider giving 1 hour a month to the safety of our students. If you are interested in volunteering, or would like to learn more about this program, please contact Ann Bhat at 425.483.9828 or [email protected].

We are continuing our monthly FREE Popcorn Fridays where we distribute a bag of popcorn to the students on the first Friday of each month. This will begin October 2nd during their lunch recess. The kids enjoy the treat and so does the Wellington crows! Also, we will continue our Wellington tradition by having our skating parties which will be held at Skate King in Bellevue. This is a chance for kids to skate and have fun with their friends and family and perhaps to get to know other Wellington parents and kids. Everyone is invited! Dates for the skating parties are:

Tuesday, November 3, 2009, Thursday, January 14, 2010 and Wednesday, March 17, 2010. Mark these dates on your school calendar. More detail information will be given closer to the dates.

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Wellington Student Directory Information Return information forms... In the first day packet you should have received a form with your information that was published in last year’s directory, or a blank form for new students. Please update any information and return the form to school by September 18th or email changes to [email protected]. Please contact Gary Schatz at 425-415-0952 with any questions. This will not change your information on file at the school.

PTA MEMBERSHIP I would like to join Wellington PTA. I’ve enclosed: __ $15.00 for an Individual Membership or __ $30.00 for a Family Membership Name :

(Note: That same form also included PTA membership enrollment and omitted to indicate that checks should be made payable to Wellington PTA)

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Advertise in the directory...

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We are looking for lots of great advertisers for our directory. Support the publication by advertising your business, or passing along the opportunity to a business you know that would be interested in affordable advertising. You can also support the PTA Directory by placing a fun message for all to read! For advertising or messages in the directory please contact Kim Hansen at [email protected] or 425-486-7820.

Phone # :

PTA/PTSA district disclaimer “These activities are not sponsored nor endorsed by the Northshore School District or any of its schools. The district assumes no responsibility for the conduct during or safety of the activities. Northshore School District shall be held harmless from any cause of action, claim, or petition filed in any court or administrative tribunal arising out of the distribution of these materials including attorney’s fees and judgments or awards.”

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Address :

Email Address : Youngest Child at Wellington: _____________________________________ Teacher:

Sign up for PTA and receive a FREE Wellington Student Directory for a single membership, or two free directories with a Family membership! Please return your completed membership form with payment to the school office in an envelope labeled “PTA Membership”. Make checks payable to Wellington PTA Thank you for your support!

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