THE MESSENGER
November 2008
NOVEMBER & EARLY DECEMBER CALENDAR
NOV 4 TUE Election Day—NO SCHOOL for students (professional day for teachers), Extended Day mini-camp available with pre-registration
NOV 5 WED School tour, Family Center, 8:45AM
NOV 7 FRI MLK Committee meeting, Art Room #316, 8AM
NOV 7 FRI Fundraising Committee meeting, Cafeteria, 8:45AM
NOV 7 FRI 80's Night Fundraiser, China Club (268 West 47th St), 6-9PM
NOV 10 MON PTA Executive Board meeting, Family Center, 8:15AM
NOV 11 TUE Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL
NOV 12 WED School tour, Family Center, 8:45AM
NOV 12 WED Garden Committee meeting, Cafeteria, 8:45AM
NOV 12 WED 5th grade NY State Social Studies Test
NOV 13 THU 5th grade NY State Social Studies Test
NOV 13 THU Movement/Physical Education curriculum meeting for Kindergarten, place TBA, 8:45AM
NOV 13 THU PTA meeting, Library, 6PM
NOV 14 FRI PTA meeting, Library, 9AM
NOV 17 MON SLT meeting, Library, 4PM
NOV 18 TUE School tour, Family Center, 8:45AM
NOV 19 WED Class Rep meeting, Family Center, 8:50AM
NOV 19 WED Family Conferences—evening
NOV 20 THU School Partnership (Cafeteria) Committee meeting, Cafeteria, 9AM
NOV 20 THU 4th grade bake sale, Cafeteria, 11:30AM-6PM
NOV 20 THU Family Conferences—afternoon, Extended Day Mini-Camp available
NOV 21 FRI Fundraising Committee meeting, Cafeteria, 8:45AM
NOV 24 MON Extended Day Committee meeting, Extended Day office, 6-8PM childcare available
NOV 25 TUE Picture Day make-up
NOV 25 TUE Book Club meeting, Family Center, 8:45AM
NOV 26 WED MTW Messenger deadline (December/January issue)
NOV 27 THU Thanksgiving recess—NO SCHOOL
NOV 28 FRI Thanksgiving recess—NO SCHOOL
EARLY DECEMBER 2008
DEC 1 MON PTA Executive Board meeting, Family Center, 8:15AM
DEC 2 TUE School tour, Family Center, 8:45AM
DEC 4 THU 5th Grade pre-concert Dinner, Cafeteria, 5:30PM
DEC 4 THU Winter Concert, Auditorium (brief PTA meeting before concert)
**There will be no Friday morning PTA meeting in December**
DEC 5 FRI MLK Committee meeting, Art Room #316, 8AM
DEC 5 FRI Fundraising Committee meeting, Cafeteria, 8:45AM
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NOTE: We are no longer collecting old printer or ink cartridges for fundraising. Please do not bring them into the school. If you wish to mail empty cartridges directly from your office/home to "Cartridges For Kids," please contact Elena van Schendel to obtain prepaid shipping labels.
BULLETIN BOARD
Cure the Recession Blues
The P R O W L E R S
Saturday, November 15
The Ace of Clubs
9 Great Jones St (B’way and Lafayette)
9:00PM, $10 cover
Featuring MTW alumni dads Marshall Messer (harp) and Tom Nathan (keyboards), along with
Brian Dumaine (sax), Rik Kirkland (guitar), Maura May (vocals), Jon Rosenblatt (guitar), Rich Rosenblatt (bass), and Eddie Siino (drums)
Family Center
I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make the Hispanic Heritage Celebration such a wonderful event. If you would like to help organize another important school-wide event, consider joining the MLK Committee meeting on Friday, November 7, or Friday, December 5, at 8:00 AM in Karl’s art room (on the third floor, #316).
The next MTW Book Club meeting will be Tuesday, November 25, at 8:45. The books will be available in Dean’s office.
We all want to communicate more successfully.
Check out the glass-enclosed bulletin boards as you enter the building, notices on the sign-in table, and the PTA bulletin board across from the main office. Please see the monthly schedule and the weekly e-mail reminders for upcoming family workshops, and be sure to check out our new website at midtownwest.net
--Tisa Farley, Parent Coordinator
Extended Day
Please e-mail us asap if you have not received your e-mailed statements or ED notices. Also check to make sure our e-mails are not going into your spam file. We are looking for a parent to help with IT issues. So if you have some expertise, please let me know
Please note the following billing and payment policies:
• Families should receive their e-mailed statement by the beginning of the month. If you do not receive your e-mailed statement, let us know so that we can correct your e-mail address.
• You are responsible for your payment even if you do not receive the statement
• Hard copies of your statements will also be available in the Ext. Day office, upon request.
• Please be sure to read your statement carefully every month and pay the amount actually billed. This will reduce the need for staff follow-up. Ask questions if you don’t understand something.
• Tuition payments are due the first of each month. A $15 late fee will be charged after the 10th.
• We will strictly adhere to the policy that all monthly tuition payments must be kept current and paid in full every month. There will be no extended payment plans if balances carry over into the next month.
• Children will not be able to continue the program the next month if they have an outstanding balance.
• There are no deposit refunds. Your deposit is applied to your last month’s tuition. If a family schedule requires that you drop out of the program before the end of the semester you must give us one month’s written notice and ask to apply the deposit towards that last month.
Our first mini camp will be on November 4, Election Day. There is a $40 charge for this full day with two field trips. The second mini camp will be an on-site camp the afternoon of Family Conferences on Thursday, November 20. This camp is free of charge for children who are regularly registered for that day; however, you still must pre-register. Children who do not usually attend on Thursdays will be charged a $20 extra-day fee. Look for registration forms at the sign out desk and on the ED office door.
If you have any questions concerning your child’s schedule or anything else concerning Extended Day, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am always available for any questions or concerns about the Extended Day Program.
Please consider joining our Extended Day Committee. Our next meeting is Monday, November 24, at 6:00 PM. Childcare is available with prior notice to Tisa.
New e-mail contacts at Extended Day
For general information: mtwextendedday@verizon.net
To contact the director: director.mtwed@verizon.net
For scheduling issues: registrar.mtwed@verizon.net
For billing questions: billing.mtwed@verizon.net
--Tisa Farley, Extended Day Coordinator
Inch by Inch, Row by Row
November is a month to give thanks, so we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who participated in our annual Harvest Octoberfest and our first Flower Bulb Fundraiser. We are also extremely grateful for the garden itself, which provides such a wonderful educational opportunity and place of beauty for our children and the whole MTW family.
We had a glorious autumn day for this October Harvest Fest, the children had so much fun having their faces painted, decorating pumpkins, making plant rubbings, and most of all digging for worms. There were plenty of donuts and cider for happy feasting. This year, the children also planted a fall garden which is now sprouting various cool weather veggies in the 4th grade and 1st grade plots .
The First Annual Spring Bulb Fundraiser brought in approximately $600 for Midtown West. Additionally, we received generous donations of bulbs for the MTW Children’s Garden. Planting will take place during the third week in November, so please keep your eyes and ears posted so you and your children can join us, it will be an after school fun event!
This month, the MTW Garden Committee will be meeting on Wednesday, November 12, at 8:45 AM in the cafeteria. Usually the Garden Committee meets the second Tuesday of every month (same time and place). We will also discuss “putting our garden to bed" since we may be having an early winter! New members are always welcome. Feel free to contact Aimée Margolis (Ted), chair, with any questions. See you in the Garden!
--Sharon Daly (Gina, Mary)
Message from PTA Co-Presidents
Dear Midtown West Families:
As we head into the holiday season we would like to take this opportunity to be thankful for our MTW community of families, teachers, and administrators. We continue to show our strength through difficult times and focus on what’s best for our children.
The Hispanic Heritage Celebration was a joyous event with families and friends representing countries all around the world. It’s wonderful to take the time out to celebrate our diversity. Thank you to Tisa and the Hispanic Heritage Committee for organizing this wonderful celebration.
Our next big event is 80’s Night on Friday, November 7. We look forward to seeing everyone in their leg warmers at this incredible fundraiser. EVERYTHING has been donated for this event and ALL of the proceeds from ticket sales go directly to school programs. This may be the excuse you need to get the parents from your class together for some fun out on the town (and for a good cause)!
T
he gift-wrap, bulb, and costume sales were very successful. Gift wrap can be picked up after the Winter Concert on December 4. We enjoyed using the new library space for our October PTA meetings. The library and music suite will be opening soon and we will be looking for volunteers to help stack the books and bring items up from storage in the basement.
Our next PTA meetings will be held on Thursday, November 13, at 6PM and Friday, November 14, at 8:45AM. We encourage all families to attend the PTA meetings. Remember that there is childcare and pizza at the Thursday night meeting.
--PTA Co-Presidents Jennifer Collins (Jeremy, Yolene) and Elena van Schendel (Nicole, Kay)
*FUNDRaising*news*
In order to help ensure 100% PARTICIPATION, Fundraising is pleased to announce the new, improved PLEDGE drive! As always, your pledge is 100% tax deductible, and remains a most direct and efficient way to help out our school. NOW there are multiple ways to make your contribution: you can continue the old-fashioned way of dropping a check into the lock box in the Family Center, you can charge it—monthly or one time only—to your credit or debit card, and YES, we now take AMEX and Discover cards! Makes giving feel like shopping. Budget cuts have upped our per child goal to $750, but we are grateful for any and all contributions—big or small! Check with your company about matching gifts.
We just wrapped up our annual Innisbrook gift wrap sale. We raised approximately $4,500! Many thanks to all who participated in making this event a success. Pick up will be during our Winter Concert. Look for info in the December Messenger or ask your Class Reps. Shop online anytime throughout the year at www.Innisbrook.com Don’t forget to enter our school name (Midtown West) or number (101672) so that MTW receives credit for the order. Online orders can be delivered wherever you like—free shipping on orders over $85.Contact Elena van Schendel.
the WORD! TELL YOUR FRIENDS and FAMILY!! REMEMBER: 50% OF EVERY INNISBROOK WRAP SALE GOES TO MTW!
Our bulb and costume sales together earned another $870 for our school. Thank you Elena van Schendel and friends for their hard work.
Trick or Treat! Not anymore—now it’s time for you to put away the Halloween costume and get out your dancing feet: Only one week till : 80’s Night at the China Club on Friday, November 7, at 6:30 PM--a night of dancing, wine and beer, and endless appetizers. For those needing more, a cash bar awaits you—as does karaoke and prizes for the best 80’s get up. Tickets are $50 each, but if you sell 4 to people outside of the MTW community, your ticket is now $25! Questions? See Erika, Trini, or Mary in Gina’s class. OR catch them in their ‘80’s finery selling tickets at the door at drop-off. You can also let your fingers WALK LIKE AN EGYPTIAN TO OUR WEBSITE: www.midtownwest.net. Click on the Fundraising dropdown then to go to the Events menu. Look for 80’s Night at the China Club and sign in to pay through PayPal. Please note: the $25 “Incentive Tickets” and discounted “Teachers Tickets” can only be purchased in person at MTW.
Loose change weighing you down? Empty those pockets! Look for the easiest fundraiser yet: The COMMON CENTS bucket will be out Friday mornings, starting November 14, for you to dump your change into. We’ll all be amazed at how much our pocket and purse change adds up to…just keep the lint and used gum for yourself!
Shopping online? Check out onecause.com. You can find hundreds of vendors such as Lands End, Amazon.com, Pottery Barn, Avon—the list goes on! A percentage of each order goes to MTW. Tell your friends and family members who want to help to support our children's education to shop onecause.com. List your cause as Midtown West School-PTA .
Do you own scissors? Try cutting out BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION, found on many products located on your grocery store shelves and in your kitchen cabinets at home. Drop them in the marked envelopes by your child's classroom.
TAKE A “STANCE”! Our own Jodi Moccia (Mary), international and B’way choreographer, is currently teaching an exercise class at MTW. Classes are held Mondays at 8:45AM, Wednesdays at 9:00AM, and Fridays at 9:00AM (optional—works around MTW meeting schedules). Price is $15 per class. They are held in the PPAS fifth-floor dance studio. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO MTW!!! Contact: Jodi Moccia.
ANXIOUS FOR THE AUCTION? So are we! We need volunteers with good computer skills: mail merging, data basing, etc. We need people to head solicitation gathering by category. We need people with humor and patience to make this event as wonderful as last year’s. AND pretty soon we’re going to need the first wave of donations—feel free to drop off new clothing, electronics, toys, movies, music, and other items that have no expiration date in the Family Center (we’ll wait on that cheese plate till closer to Auction time). Look for more specific instructions soon. Questions? Or a burning desire to help out? Please contact Marion/ Jennifer’s class at midtownwestfundraising@gmail.com, or Andi/Jessica’s class .
Feel free to join our Fundraising meetings Friday mornings in the cafeteria after drop off.
--Fundraising Committee Co-Chairs: Marion Mackles (Jennifer), Andrea Casson (Jessica)
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NOTE: When volunteering for bake sales or other fundraising events taking place in the cafeteria, please return tables and other supplies and equipment to the appropriate, original site.
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Message from Dean
Hello Midtown West. October has been a very busy month. I would like to first say that I am so thankful to work in a community that is this supportive. Thank you for supporting all the teachers in our building, our children and our families.
The 80's Night party (fundraiser) is coming up on November 7. The event is being held at what was formerly the China Club. Tickets are on sale each day in the cafeteria. I hope that many of you will be able to join us on this fun evening.
Remember to check your calendar throughout November. We have holidays, family conferences, and more that you should be aware of during this upcoming month. Book Club is off and running. We had many parents attend the first session and the conversation was very lively. We are reading Holes by Louis Sachar for November. If you would like to read the selections please let me know. I am aware that many of you would like to read along even when you can't make the meetings. Books can be picked up in the main office.
School tours are under way. We have more people than ever signing up to tour MTW. Thank you, parent volunteers, for conducting these tours. There are so many people that work behind the scenes to make these tours a great success and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your efforts.
I would like to remind everyone in our community that we are here to support children. Our students come first above all else. When you have a question or concern I urge you to speak with your child and then to your child's teacher. When incidents between children occur the staff is here to discuss your child and the issue in front of us. We do not discuss other parents’ children when we have a concern. Protocols are in place to keep all children safe and to ensure that they are being successful in the classroom, the schoolyard, and the cafeteria. If there is a discipline issue to discuss it will be handled with you, your child, and your child's teacher. Special issues involving children are not public banter. Remember that we serve and help all children. Public schools do not "get rid" of children but offer solutions and suggestions to parents having a hard time. If there is ever a time that you have a question or concern please speak to your teacher and then directly to me. We will try our best to accommodate every family when it is appropriate for your child. We are all different and mature and grow at different rates. MTW is committed to celebrating the differences in all of our families and children. Please continue to advocate for all the children at MTW.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful November. Take a moment this month to remember all the things that you are thankful for in this school, this city, and this country. Happy holidays to everyone and enjoy the season.
--Dean
LIBRARY NEWS
The Library Committee co-chairs, Karen Trott and Hilary Nudell, would like to recommend a great way to volunteer and contribute to our school on a flexible schedule: help us log books into the library computer system. It's easy, and you can learn how to do it in half an hour. Once trained, just schedule your time via e-mail, then come in before, during, or after school to input the books.
Once the books are in the system and the library reopens, we'll be also need volunteer librarians to help students with checkout and returns throughout the day and after school. To join the Library Committee, contact Karen Trott or Hilary Nudell. You don't need to join the committee to help out—just e-mail your contact info to us, and include your availability. Our goal is to have the 1,300+ remaining books online in time for the grand opening. About 25to 30 books can be input in an hour, so every 60-minute contribution will really help.
We will have our first two meetings/training sessions on Wednesday, November 5 from 8:45 to 10, and from 10 - 11. Feel free to invite anyone who's interested.
--Karen Trott (Mary) and Hilary Nudell (Mary)
School Partnership Committee
We are glad to announce that the number of students eating school breakfast and lunch increased since our September meeting. Thank you to everybody for your participation.
At our October meeting we interviewed a few students from the upper grades regarding school cafeteria--service and menu selection. The students shared their ideas about their “ideal menu.” It appears that some minor changes may attract more kids to eat school food. For example, switching to different types of salad and dressing would make our salad bar more appealing to them. We learned that our children prefer regular milk (which is not on a school menu) to fat-free or fat-reduced versions.
We are planning to serve samples from the school breakfast and lunch menu at our next meeting on November 20 at 8:45 in the cafeteria. All students and their parents are invited.
--Elena van Schendel (Nicole, Kay)
The deadline for the double December/January issue is November 26. Send all submissions to mtwmessenger@verizon.net. Please be advised that all submissions are subject to editing, deadlines (late copy can be posted on the web site), and space considerations.
Midtown West School 328 W. 48th St., New York, NY 10036
(212) 247-0208 midtownwest.net
Release your inner proofreader
Finding too many typos in the Messenger of late? Think you could have gotten the message across in more concise and vibrant prose? Wondering how good a speller Dean really is?
Contact Ada (Jeremy) at mtwmessenger@verizon.net if you’re interested in editing the monthly newsletter for the Midtown West community. Editing experience a major plus, along with knowing which movers and shakers to go to for information about what’s going on in our school. Learn first hand from the MTW powers-that-be about who, what, when, and where in our community—and then spread the word.
Remember: Rupert Murdoch started small.
