BELLE SHERMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 

FRIDAY NEWS NOTES

December 7, 2007

School Telephone: 274-2206

Remember to call the Attendance Line (274-2132) if your child is going to be late or absent!  To contact our principal, Mr. Spence, call 274-2206 and leave a message or e-mail him at jspence@icsd.k12.ny.us.

 

Calendar:                    

  Check out the Web Calendar at www.icsd.k12.ny.us/bellesherman

 

Saturday         December 8th             Basketball at Cayuga Heights

Thursday        December 13th        Library Night, 6-7 PM

 

Reminder - Winter wear:  Children need to bring clothing to school that will permit them to play outside on days when the temperature (adjusted for wind-chill) is 10 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.

 

Belle Sherman Basketball at Cayuga Heights

Belle Sherman Basketball teams will be playing at Cayuga Heights school this Saturday, December 8.  The times of the games are as follows:      9 AM: 3rd/4th Grade Girls       10 AM: 5th Grade Girls           

11 AM: 4th Grade Boys           12 noon: 5th Grade Boys        1 PM: 3rd Grade Boys 

Next week (12/15):  Home games versus Caroline.  Please come and support our teams!

Library Night, Dec. 13, 6-7 PM

Local writer and illustrator Katrina Morse, author of "At Home With Books," will be our guest. She'll discuss and answer questions about writing and publishing.  Refreshments and transportation from and to the Hasbrouck Community Center and the Southside Community Center will be provided  (taxis picking up at 5:45 and returning at 7:15) . Please join us in the main school library!

 

Check out our new playground equipment!

The Playground Committee has posted pictures of the playground equipment we plan to get for our new main building playground.  You can check out these images on-line by going to http://www.bspta.org/ and clicking on the ÒPlaygroundÓ link.  Pictures will also be posted on the bulletin board in the entryway of the main building.  Members of the playground committee will be at Library Night on Thursday, December 13 from 6-7 pm to answer questions about the equipment.  If you have questions about the playground or want to get more involved, please contact Beth Gerrard at bethgerre@mac.com or 269-0496.

 

Belle Sherman PTA On-line

Check out the new Belle Sherman PTA Website at  http://www.bspta.org.  If there is info you would like put on the website, please contact Andrea Lachance at lachance@cortland.edu or 275-0388.  We are also looking for anyone with experience building and maintaining websites to help keep our website up to date.  Please contact Andrea if you are interested.

 

NOTES FROM THE PRINCIPAL: In The Power of Our Words, we read that our language can help in building a sense of community. Everyone has the need to feel as if s/he belongs.  By using language that encourages everyone to value and practice cooperation, respect, and empathy, we can build a sense of community. For example: ÒI noticed clean-up went quickly, because everyone took his or her own plate off the table. Working together gets things done quickly. Ó Also, using an open-ended question such as the following helps children build empathy: ÒHow might it feel to be told ÔnoÕ when you ask to join a game?Ó

Some Belle Sherman students need holiday elves!  The Elves program provides needed winter clothing and other items for local children. Currently 18 Belle Sherman students are in need of Elves.  Please consider sponsoring a child through the Elf Program. More information is available at http://elves.cornell.edu/faq.html The coordinator for Belle Sherman is Brandi Farnham (bsf4@cornell.edu or 255-3841)Individuals can contact Brandi directly to be matched with a child or make a monetary gift.

Community News

 

 

 

 

Dewitt Middle School play coming up

DeWitt Middle School Presents " Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat"

Dec.14 & 15 at 7:30pm and Dec.16th at 2:00pm.

 

Lead in ChildrenÕs Toys

Lists of recalled items can be found on these websites:

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/lead/recalls/  (Lists lead recalls with pictures) 

http://cpsc.gov/   (Lists all product recalls)  

 

Cooperative Extension notes that there are different opinions on home lead testing. Two websites are: 

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/child-safety/indoors/kids-and-lead/lead-in-childrens-products-12-07/testing-the-test-kits/testing-the-test-kits.htm

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/2007/10/cr-and-the-cpsc.html

 

If youÕd like more information, you can call Cornell Cooperative ExtensionÔs Consumer HelpLine

(607) 272-2292 with any questions or check their website  < www.CCETompkins.org> 

 

Sciencenter events:

SHOWTIME! "Japanese Shibori Craft"

Saturday, December 8, 2 p.m.

Make your own tie-dyed fabric square, using the Japanese technique of shibori with Sciencenter educator Alexis Abramo.

 

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: "Snowflakes"

Saturday, December 15, 2 p.m.

Learn how snowflakes form, watch a video of an ice crystal growing in slow motion, and watch real ice crystals grow indoors at the Sciencenter! Get ready for winter with Sciencenter educator Rae Ostman.

 

STORYTIME: ÒThe Roly Poly SpiderÓ

Tuesday, December 11, 10:30 a.m.

Toddlers and preschoolers can listen to the story, "The Roly Poly Spider,Ó by Jill Sardegna and make their own craft spiders, which they can glue to a printed web. Admission is free to children under age 3.

 

Friday News Notes are published weekly in cooperation with our school and the Parent-Teacher Association.  Your input is welcome. News can be sent to fridaynews@verizon.net or put in the ÒFriday newsÓ mailbox in the main school building.  Please submit all news by 2pm on Thursdays.  If you have questions, e-mail as above or call Karla Hanson at 277-6603.  News Notes are posted to the BelleShermanFolks listserve at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/belleshermanfolks.  BelleShermanChat is our more informal online group for community announcements, classified ads, etc. from Belle Sherman families. You can join at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BelleShermanChat or contact Jim Morris-Knower at 273-7695 or jpk15@cornell.edu. List serve for 5th grade families interested in planning and fundraising the NYC trip and graduation:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BSherman5thGrade