Weekly Blog 4/30

Dear Wines Families,

Below is a link to this month’s Wines Times, please take some time to read through this month’s newsletter. I have a few other announcements that didn’t make the newsletter.

Wines Times Newsletter

Science Olympiad Fun Night Tomorrow!

Tomorrow evening is the Wines Science Olympiad Fun Night from 6-8pm here at Wines. Our 2^nd-5^th grade teams have all been working hard over the winter and are looking forward to showcasing what they have learned as our competition day approaches. The evening will include a prize drawing, cool cars, displays of agility, flying objects, amazing feats of estimation, map readers, skilled builders, experts in potions, tests of memory and writing, and some good old physics in action. In addition to the ‘fun’ part, Fun Night is an opportunity for friends and families to observe the teams engaged in their events (at the actual competition on May 10, most events will not be open to observers). First grade families and others who may be interested in participating in Science Olympiad next year are most welcome and are encouraged to come learn about our teams and the event.  We would love to see you there!!

Brownies Community Service Project

The Wines Brownie Troop 40551 is excited to make a difference in their community by sponsoring a Personal Needs Drive for the families served by SOS Community Services. Donation boxes will be placed outside the office throughout the month of May. Wines Troop 40551 asks that you please bring your donations of personal needs items such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, diapers (larger sizes), brushes, combs, laundry detergent, deodorant, and other items related to personal care to be placed in the boxes. The girls will be touring the food pantry at SOS as they learn about ways to help the less fortunate in their community. Thank you for your donations!

5k Event at Wines - Parents we need your help in making this event a success for our Girls!

Our Wines Girls on the Run team is holding a practice 5k event after school on Tuesday, May 6th and would like to invite you to run with us, cheer for us, or quench our thirst! Please email Coach Cecilia Spencer, cecilialspencer@gmail.com, if you can help out. We especially need a couple volunteers for the water station.

Meet us at the starting line, in front of Wines main entrance. We will start at 4pm. Our route takes us through the Creal Park neighborhood and finishes back in front of Wines.

We are practicing for the end of the season run with all the Girls on the Run teams in southeastern Michigan which will take place on May 18 at Eastern Michigan University. We'd love to see you there too. For more information about the event or how to sign up to run with your daughter or support your Wines team, go to http://www.girlsontherunsemi.org/race/77-girls-on-the-run-5k/register

David

Weekly Blog 4/23

Dear Wines Families,

Well, I guess the good news about school being closed today is at least it wasn’t because of snow or cold!! I’m at Wines now and the crew is working on the water main break. We anticipate the problem being fixed today and school will resume tomorrow. Please look for a message from Liz Margolis or me later today or tonight. Today’s email starts with a couple of school closing updates and then the remainder of the messages for the week. There is a lot of important information below including our annual Parent Input form for class placement so please read on.

School Closing Updates:

• 5^th Grade concert tonight: Tonight’s concert has been cancelled. We have rescheduled the all school assembly to next Tuesday, April 29^th at 1:45 PM and the evening performance for Wednesday, April 30^th at 7:00 PM.

• Lunch: Tomorrow, Thursday, we will serve pizza originally scheduled for today (don’t worry, it hasn’t been cooked yet!). The popcorn chicken will not be served this week.

• NWEA: Mrs. Middleton, Mrs. Gibbs, and Mrs. Day’s classes were scheduled to take the Reading portion of NWEA today. These classes will take the assessment tomorrow.

O.K. on to other school business…

Parent Input:

Below is a link to a survey soliciting your input as we make class placement decisions for next year. This is your opportunity to tell us about your child from a parent perspective. We will include your information in our discussions about placement. As always, we do not accept requests for specific teachers or to not be placed in a specific teacher’s classroom. As of today, we have not made final grade configurations or staffing assignments. I hopeful I can share all this information before we leave for summer break. Below is the link to the survey. Please try to have your input submitted by Friday, May 9^th.

Parent Class Placement Input Survey

Art Night:

Art Night is this Friday from 6:30-8:30. Thank you to our many volunteers. We have about 60% of the volunteers we need. We are looking for craft supervisors, face painters, and set-up, clean up help. If you can volunteer, please go to the following link

http://vols.pt/eC8k9D.

We are also looking for more goodies for Art Night. If you can help, please go to the following link:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C49ACAE2EA13-wines

Science Olympiad Fun Night:

Next Thursday, May 1 is the Wines Science Olympiad Fun Night from 6-8pm here Wines. Our 2^nd-5^th grade teams have all been working hard over the winter and are looking forward to showcasing what they have learned as our competition day approaches. The evening will include a prize drawing, cool cars, displays of agility, flying objects, amazing feats of estimation, map readers, skilled builders, experts in potions, tests of memory and writing, and some good old physics in action. In addition to the ‘fun’ part, Fun Night is an opportunity for friends and families to observe the teams engaged in their events (at the actual competition on May 10, most events will not be open to observers). First grade families and others who may be interested in participating in Science Olympiad next year are most welcome and are encouraged to come learn about our teams and the event.  We would love to see you there!!

Great Ideas Grants

Do you or your child have a GREAT IDEA? The deadline for the Wines Great Idea Grants program is fast approaching! Please submit your GREAT IDEA to Sarah Ball (sjcball@yahoo.com) by May 1.  Blank applications are located in the office or you can download one from the PTO website (www.winespto.org).

That’s it for this week.

David

Weekly Blog 4/2

Dear Wines Families.

I have just a couple of quick announcements this week's blog.

First, a reminder that we are off for Spring Break next week. I hope you enjoy the week and if you are staying here in Ann Arbor, hopefully spring will arrive and stay!

Second, we are looking for pictures from the Builders and Science Fair for our yearbook. If you took pictures that night and are willing to share, please let me know and I'll put you in touch with our yearbook coordinator.

That's all for this week!

David

Weekly Blog 3/25

Dear Wines Families,
As I post this I realize that I did not post my weekly blog last week. My apologies!

For this week, all the news that's fit to print can be found in the Wines Times, so I don't have much else. Please click on the link below to access the March Wines Times newsletter.

http://winespto.org/docs/wtMar2014.pdf

The only other message I have is that we will have Friday Floor Hockey this week beginning at 8:00 AM. I apologize for needing to cancel last week. As always, we will have hockey each Friday unless you hear otherwise. Parents, we would love to have you join the game!

David

Weekly Blog 3/12

Dear Wines Families,

I hope today's message finds you well and warm on what I hope is the last blast of the winter season.

I have a few announcements today. First, when our Wednesday Folders come home on Thursday this week, you will see a pink form with information about our annual hearing and vision screening that takes place later this month. Please fill out the form and return it to your child's teacher as soon as possible.

Our Rotary/Food Gatherers Food Drive is off to a slow start with no school Monday or today. However, the bins are out at the front of the building and at the Kindergarten entrance. I hope you can support this worthy cause again this year!

March is Reading Month is in full swing and the kids are doing great. Please have your child turn in his or her reading log each Wednesday (Thursday this week).

The annual Wines Wahoo is next Friday evening, March 21st, at Forsythe Middle School. Look for more information next week.

Stay warm and try to enjoy winter. It will end eventually!

David

Weekly Blog 3/5

Dear Wines Families,

Just a few announcements this week:

First, a quick reminder that there is no school next Monday, March 10^th. Teachers will be working on report cards that day. Report cards will be coming home on Monday, March 17^th.

Disability Awareness Workshop

Our 4^th graders will be participating in the annual Disability Awareness Workshop on March 20^th. We need volunteers for this event. You do not need to have a 4^th grader to volunteer! I attached an informational flyer to today's email.

Wines Wahoo

Are you tired of the snow and cold?  Ready for a tropical escape? The annual Wines Wahoo takes place on Friday, March 21st, 2014 from 6:30 - 8:30 at Forsythe Middle School. The Wines Wahoo is the perfect opportunity to shake off the winter blues! The Wines Wahoo is a luau-themed, fun, family event for all Wines students, their parents and younger siblings. The Wahoo includes music provided by a kid friendly DJ, fun activities in the gym, face painting, and tattoos. There will be pizza, snacks and beverages for sale. A parent or other adult over the age of 18 must accompany each Wines student. Children over 5th grade will not be admitted to the event but can volunteer. Younger siblings are invited to participate.

There is a suggested donation of $5 per family that helps to cover the cost of the DJ and decorations. There is also a nominal fee for the food. In order to make the Wahoo a success, we need volunteers to help with set-up, admissions, refreshments, gym monitoring and clean up. There will be several shifts, so you will have time to socialize and have fun with your kids.  Please use the link below to sign up!

Please sign up for Wines Wahoo - here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

   1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/5atiBq
   2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
   3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

Food Drive

Our annual participation in the Rotary/Food Gatherers Food Drive begins next week. There will be bins for non-perishable items at all of our entrances.

That's all for this week.

David

Weekly Blog 2/26

Dear Wines Families.

I think I covered all the important messages with my email earlier this week. Just a reminder that Kindergarten Round Up is tonight at 6:30 and Friday morning floor hockey will continue this Friday starting at 8:00 AM.

The Wines Times is a large file this week so again I'll include the link rather than the attachment. Click below to open this month's newsletter.

February Wines Times

Thanks!

David