Wildcat PTSA News: Coronavirus Lesson | Math Boot Camp | Day in the Life

Posted on by smittyjd23
Our next PTSA meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 10. This is a special meeting with a “Math Strategies Boot Camp for Parents” targeting grades three through five. A math camp aimed at parents of kids in Kindergarten through second grade will be scheduled for the spring, but all are welcome to both sessions. Dinner and childcare will be provided.

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TALKIN’ CORONAVIRUS

Has your child come home this week dropping truth bombs about the coronavirus? If so, you can thank Mr. Doug “Mythbusting” Creef, who has incorporated flu and coronavirus lessons in his science class.

Mr. Creef told the PTSA he’s heard a couple of wild rumors from kids at Payne. For example, one student believed you could only catch it on an airplane. Plenty others have heard their parents talking about it at home. “So many kids and adults are talking about the virus, and all are stating untrue facts,” Mr. Creef said.

To help, Mr. Creef went to the CDC and World Health Organization for kid-friendly videos. Younger kids have been learning about viruses from the Magic School Bus, and older kids are watching Bill Nye.

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DAY IN THE LIFE DATES CHANGE AGAIN

Day in the Life meetings are scheduled for next week to learn about your child’s next school year. To accommodate a second-grade field trip, fourth grade moved to Wednesday and second and third grades moved to Thursday.

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READING PARTNERS NEEDS YOU

Reading Partners is looking for more volunteers to work one-on-one with students who are behind in reading. The program benefits students in Kindergarten through fourth grades. No previous tutoring experience is required, and Reading Partners will train you. Volunteers commit to the same schedule each week (one hour a week) and will work with the same student each time. There are immediate openings during the following times:

  • 10-10:45 a.m. Wednesday
  • 1:45-2:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  • 2:30-3:15 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday

If you are interested, please email Erika, the community engagement manager, at erika.brosnihan@readingpartners.org or call 202-710-9110.

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GREAT OUTDOORS GRANT

We learned this week that Payne is receiving nearly $5,000 in grant money from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. The funds will be used for outdoor field trips as well as new garden boxes at the school. The trust provides funds to schools for raising awareness about the health of the waters and lands in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The trust is supported in part by purchases of Treasure the Chesapeake license plates. If you’re interested in helping to coordinate an outdoor field trip, email Carolyn Bowen.

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IMPORTANT DATES

March 10: 6 p.m., PTSA meeting

March 20: No school

March 24: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., first day of the Science and Energy Fair

March 25: 11 a.m.-1 p.m., open house for parents at the Science and Energy Fair

March 27: My School DC Lottery matches released; enrollment packets available for school year 2020-2021

April 8: No school

April 13-17: No school

April 25: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Eliot-Hine 2020 Basketball Fever Feeder FUNdraiser at Eastern High School