DISTRICT
Parents: Please remember that in May there will be NO SCHOOL on two Fridays, May 14 and May 28, because they were reserved as snow make-up days. Also, there will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, May 31, in observance of Memorial Day.
HELEN HALLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Register your fall kindergarten student: We are looking for children who will be 5 years old on/before Aug. 31. They are eligible to start school in September. Spread the word to friends and family who may not have children in the school system yet. It may seem early, but we need to register your child now so we can plan appropriately for fall teaching staff. For registering your child for kindergarten, you will need to bring:
_ Original birth certificate or passport
_ Immunization records
_ Proof of residency – something showing your physical address (lease, PUD bill, etc)
Questions? Contact our office, 582-3200.
– Debbie Buchillo, secretary
Recently all second-grade students at Helen Haller participated in a lesson presented by the Master Gardeners of Clallam County. In the lesson, children learned about plants in general and vegetables in particular. Each child planted several seeds in a root viewer. They were able to watch daily as the plants germinated and began to grow. This program dovetails nicely with the second-grade science curriculum, so the children already had a good understanding of the life cycle of plants when the lesson began.
Below are some of the comments made by the students in Deborah Helsell’s class:
Sequioia Swindler: My bean is growing and my sunflower is growing into the bean and I do not know why. It’s really nice to see the viewer.
Dustin Farnam: It was really awesome because the plants are growing so we might get to eat corn.
Kaitlyn Blue: It’s really cool that my bean has lots of roots coming out.
Vita Olsen: I like my root viewer because it’s cool to watch the roots and the leaves grow.
Daisy Ryan: It’s amazing to watch the seeds grow and sprout.
Brenton Barnes: My bean is growing. It’s going crazy because I’m watering it and giving it sun in the window.
Blake Boardman: We planted some seeds in a plastic cup we could see through and we put the cup in aluminum foil. That way the seeds can grow in darkness like underground, but we can see them grow. There’s something to see when it’s growing and something to eat when it’s grown.
Lily Engeset: I think my root viewer is so cool because I can see the roots growing down and the stem growing up.
Braydon Metzger: We planted radishes and sunflowers and a bean. My first one that sprouted was my pea. We look at them and water them every morning. It is fun to watch them grow.
Raelynn: It’s cool to see my bean and radish roots together. I don’t think it will matter that they are growing altogether.
Kyliegh Solway: My Herbie’s growing! That’s the name of the Master Gardeners’ puppet that showed us how a bean grows.
Caden Munn: I can’t wait until my vegetables start growing. I’m going to plant them and wait until they grow and then I’m going to eat the corn!
Rita Welch: It’s awesome to watch the plants grow.
Regan DeMetz: We drew what we saw and we colored it to make it in color. The drawings show our radish, our Herbie, our pea, our corn and our sunflower. It shows us what it looks like when it grows.
Dalton Metzger: It’s really cool to see the roots and the stem grow really big, thanks to the Master Gardeners who let us have all this fun.
Ben Mitchell: I am looking forward to eating the corn when it grows. That’s because I love corn on the cob. It tastes even better when it has butter. I’ll also eat the peas, but not the radish.
Noah Klein: It is cool to see that my radish is growing first. My corn needs more time to grow because the root is small and the stem is also small.
– Marla Varner and Deborah Helsell, third-grade teachers
Students in Ione Marcy’s first-grade class are excited to be training for the North Olympic Discovery Kids Marathon that happens on Saturday, June 5. Here are some of their thoughts about running:
At recess I like running around the field or after school running around the track. I have only four more miles to go before I have run a marathon.
– Audri Bennett
I like to run when it rains because I like the smell of the rain. I don’t mind getting wet because I always bring my coat.
– Andrew Baker
Running club helps you learn how to get faster for other things like baseball and soccer. Sometimes my side hurts, but that’s OK.
– Oscar Walchenbach
When I can run and catch up with Michael I like it because he is the fastest!
– Mirella Chavarin
I like to do running club because it’s fun and it helps to develop your muscles. It also lets you spend more time with your buddies.
– Kevin Klopfenstein
Running club helps me get faster. After I run a marathon distance I will get a medal, a certificate and a snack!
– Amara Sayer
After one lap you get a stick. I like getting six sticks because that is one mile. I have run one marathon and am working on another.
– Esthephanie Calderon
I want to finish the marathon so I can run with Mrs. Marcy at the creek.
– Emily Green
The best part about running club is feeling the air go through my hair. I like getting more miles to get to the marathon distance.
– Michael Young
Running feels good because it gets you lots of oxygen.
– Caleb McDaniels
I can’t do running club after school because I take piano and dance, but I run at recess. Sometimes I have to walk so I don’t hurt my foot, but I think it’s fun.
– Kate D’Amico
I only do running club on Mondays and at every recess. I finished one marathon and am trying to go all the way with another again! It gives me good exercise!
– Natalie Ristick
I like to play at recess instead of running club because I run so much at the Boys & Girls Club after school!
– Samantha Schweitzer
I like to run! Sometimes I get tired, but I still run! Sometimes it’s hard to run in a group, because everyone is moving around.
– Weston Howell
I usually think about my family when I run. If it’s sunny, I think about jumping on my trampoline with my mom and dad. Sometimes running hurts my legs, but it’s probably good for me.
– Kenzie Camp
Running club makes me tired, but afterwards my mom gives me a popsicle.
– Mary McAleer
– Ione Marcy, teacher
SEQUIM MIDDLE SCHOOL
Kevin Magner, Diana Piersoll and James Shingleton’s Wolfpack classes participated in a community service project by collecting toiletries, books and baby items that were donated to a local shelter. Serenity House from Port Angeles collected the items on Friday, April 30.
– Diana Piersoll, teacher
SEQUIM COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Olympic Peninsula Academy, Sequim School District’s parent partnership program, hosts its annual preregistration potluck luncheon for the 2010-2011 school year from noon-3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 6. If you are interested in enrolling at OPA next year, plan on attending to sign up for classes. Bring a dish to share and join us for lunch, too. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet the other families and staff. You also may come in to OPA anytime prior to May 6 and pick up an application packet. Class sizes/age groups are limited, so hurry and get your student on the list. For more information, call OPA at 582-3403.
– Terralyn Dokken, OPA secretary
First Teacher news:
Stop in and meet our new assistant, Americorps volunteer Chase Hill, who will be conducting activities for families in the First Teacher room during the summer months.
First Teacher activities:
Wednesday, May 5, at 10:30 a.m. – Reading Time with teacher Gina Hietpas and Sequim Middle School students as guest readers. Hietpas will talk about the Read Right Program. Each child attending Reading Time receives a free book and can make a card for Mother’s Day.
Thursday, May 6, at 10 a.m. – Parent Connection with Nicole Brewer. Come meet other parents and talk about parenting topics while your children play together. For more information, call Brewer at 461-9992.
Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m. – (Please note the new time for Friday events is 10 a.m.) Sequim school board member and avid hiker John Bridge will take us on a mini hike. Meet in the First Teacher room at 10:30 a.m. Dress for the outdoors.
Don’t miss a special evening at Olympic Theatre Arts when Parenting Matters Foundation presents two one-act plays written by Rebecca Redshaw. "Four Women" starring Marianne Trowbridge and "A Conversation with Hattie McDaniel’ will be the featured plays beginning at
7 p.m. Tickets are $20 each and are on sale at Pacific Mist Books and First Teacher. A portion of the proceeds help fund the First Teacher program.
Monday, May 10, at 10:30 a.m. – Reading Time with Greywolf Elementary teacher Monique Brasher and her first-graders. Each child attending Reading Time receives a free book.
Tuesday, May 11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. – WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is set up in the First Teacher room. For more information about the WIC program, call Pam Walker at 417-2275.
The First Teacher Room 4W is in Sequim Community School, 220 W. Alder St., next to the playground. Drop in times are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. There is no charge to visit the room. Parents can check books out of the parenting library and children can enjoy the playroom and playground. Sign up to receive the monthly newsletter with parenting tips and information about local resources for families. For more information on the First Teacher program, call 582-3428 or 681-2250.
– Patsene Dashiell, First Teacher events coordinator
SEQUIM HIGH SCHOOL
Sequim High School’s operetta "Into the Woods" is at the Performing Arts Center on May 6 at 4 p.m., May 7-8 at 7 p.m., May 13 at 4 p.m. and May 14-15 at 7 p.m.
