The Dolphin’s
Tale
The bi-weekly principal’s newsletter of Travilah Elementary School
Susan J. Shenk, Principal
October 15, 2015
Issue #4
October
15
7:00 – 9:00pm
16
19
20
10:00am
4:00 – 6:30pm
21
22
27
28
30
7:00 – 8:00pm
2:15pm
November
Grade 1 – Mad Science “Earthworks”
PTA Movie Night
No School – Maryland State Teachers Convention
Bus Evacuation Drill
Grade 5 to Mt. Vernon
Evening Family Portrait Night
Grades 1 and 2 to Butler’s Orchard
Grade 3 to Baltimore Museum of Industry
Parent’s Guide to using Math Manipulatives–Staff Presentation
Grade 5 to Strathmore
Halloween Parade and Parties
First Marking Period ends
Flyer Distribution Day
Native American Month
1 – 21
2
3
7:00 - 8:00pm
5
9
9-13
11
9:40am
1:20 -3:30pm
11 & 12 1:20pm
12
6:00 – 8:00pm
13
19
20
24
25
26-27
1:20pm
On-line Book Fair available at 222.scholastic.com/fair
No School for students – Professional Day for staff
Second Marking Period begins
PTA Meeting – Media Center
Grade 3 Mad Science “Moving Motion”
PTA Family Fun Night – Panera Bread at Fallsgrove
Book Fair- Open every day until 3:30 (except Friday at noon)
Veteran’s Day celebration
Book Fair – “Grand Event”
Early Release Days – Parent Conferences
Book Fair Open until 3:30pm!
Report Cards Distributed
Family Fun Night at the Book Fair – Pizza and drinks sold!
Book Fair closes at noon
Grade 2 Mad Science “Earthworks”
Grade 4 to St. Mary’s City
Vision and Hearing Screen – Kdg. and Grade 1 and Rescreens
Early Release – Thanksgiving
Holiday – Thanksgiving No School
Visit our website! http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/travilahes/
School Phone: 301-840-7153
School Attendance Line: 301-670-8223
School Fax: 301-670-8230
Visit the PTA website! http://www.travilahpta.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
REMEMBER: NO SCHOOL TOMORROW, OCTOBER 16, 2015!
PRINCIPAL’S WRITING WALL – Each week students’ writing is displayed on the Principal’s Writing Wall. All
students will be featured at least once during the year. The following students’ work was highlighted during the week
of October 5, 2015.
Grade 5: Ms. Clarke’s class – Brandon Hsu, Molly Baer, Jiya Mohale, Nicole Yu, Karen Potts, Laney Meyer,
Nina Dorfman, Jessica Lian, Evan Lewis, Andy Doan, Aidan Wang, Jessica Winson, Alicia Wang
Mrs. Egan’s class – Sarayu Eadala, Zara Okudo, Lyndsie Lewis, Ryan Wagner, Daniel Sofer, Selena He,
Max Rothbard, Charles Kim, Arjun Sofat, Lunah Schleret, Adriana Cruz, Ramya Shankar, Nicholas Briskman
Mrs. Singal’s class – Shayyan Ahmed, Julianne Yao, Charles Makobongo, David Chen, Ruth Dai, Ishani Tyagi,
Ella Lizondo, Aydin Erkan, Saanvi Parepally, Bethany Vasquez
Grade 2: Ms. Bock’s class – Thomas Bergen, Caroline Min, Aiden Hurd, Jillian Nalibotsky, Abby Haas, Natalie Pak
Mrs. Facine’s class – Rick Guo, Kathleen Nie, Lily Congdon, Maia Hendrikkson, Taran Vijay
Mrs. Newcomer’s class – Ellen Bu, Chris Kim, Ethan Park, Vikram Reddy, Ashley Zhang, Anna Nishnianidze
OPEN HOUSE – Thank you to the many parents (and grandparents!) that visited our school on Columbus Day. We
had a wonderful turnout. Over 50% of our students had at least one guest. The students (and staff!) loved having
visitors in their classrooms so that they could share all the wonderful work they are doing. We hope you enjoyed your
visit!
EVENING FAMILY PORTRAITS – Tuesday, October 20th beginning at 4:00 we will host an evening family photo
session with our new photographers, Freed Spirit. The fee for a portrait session is $20.00. Photos will be taken
outside, so they need to be early because of the lighting. If you are interested, go to www.freedSPIRIT.com. Click on
the calendar and then register. You will then be able to select “Travilah Family Portraits” and choose a time. This is a
great opportunity to have siblings photographed together, family photos for holiday cards, etc. Photos will be available
to view on line.
EVENING PRESENTATION – PARENT’S GUIDE TO USING MANIPULATIVES IN MATH -Parents, please
join us on Tuesday, October 27th from 7:00 – 8:00pm for an educational and fun filled night as staff members
explore with you math concepts in the primary and upper elementary grades using math manipulatives! We will learn
the purpose of teaching through concrete manipulatives. Using concrete materials helps to ensure students truly have a
thorough understanding of the math concepts/skills they are learning. When students are allowed to first develop a
concrete understanding of the math concept/skill, then they are much more likely to perform that math skill and truly
understand math concepts at the representational and abstract level.
PTA FUNDRAISER - Travilah Elementary School is inviting you to participate in a unique fundraiser to “Pave the
Way” for our students. Leave a lasting legacy by purchasing a paver to be permanently displayed and remembered
forever. Each paver that you sponsor may honor you, your student, a teacher or staff member, former student, a family
member, friend, local business or anyone! The pavers will be etched with your custom inscription and placed within
the landscaping around the circle, in front of our school.
All of the proceeds from this fundraiser will go to our PTA.
Please submit orders before Friday, April 15, 2016 for spring 2016 installation.
For more information please visit the PTA website or contact:
Erinn Foster at 301-370-4502 or mail to: [email protected]
VOLUNTEER AWARD – Travilah was honored this week at the Board of Education for our Outstanding Volunteer
program. We were one of several schools to receive this distinguished award. Mrs. Mao-Fen Yu, last year’s PTA
president accompanied me to the ceremony. Thank you to the many, many parents and community members who
volunteer their time to support our students and school!
MEDIA CENTER – Our Media Assistant, Ms. Jackie Liu just received a promotion and will be working in the
Office of Human Resources. We are very happy for her and wish her much success in her new position. However,
because of the current budget situation in MCPS, there is a freeze on hiring. Therefore, we are unable to replace her
for this school year, and the position will remain vacant. Thank you to the many, many parent volunteers that are
assisting Mrs. Simkanich in the Media Center.
WINTER CLOTHES DRIVE – We will be collecting new or gently used winter coats, sweaters, hats, gloves and
scarves to be delivered to Summit Hall Elementary school for use by families in need. Please drop off donations into
the bins placed in the main lobby beginning November. We will collect items until November 20th.
DOLLARS FOR TURKEYS – Each year the PTA partners with our kids to collect money to help families at
Summit Hall ES enjoy a meal for Thanksgiving. If each child donates just $1, we can provide almost 25 families with
funds for a turkey. We will collect dollars each Thursday for the first 3 weeks of November. Thank you in advance for
all your generosity!
HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION - We will host our traditional Halloween parade and classroom parties on Friday,
October 30th. The annual parade will begin at 2:15 p.m. outside (weather permitting) and the classroom parties will
be held after the parade. We want to thank the parents who are organizing the classroom parties for our children. All
parents, grandparents, younger siblings, etc. are invited to join us for the parade. However, the parties must be limited
only to the students and room parents. We just do not have the space inside the classrooms to accommodate
everyone! Thank you for understanding. As your child thinks about his/her school costume for our annual
Halloween parade and party, please help him/her select an appropriate outfit that does not reflect violence or
include any toy weapons. Our youngest Travilah Elementary School students are three years old, and we want to
insure that the parade is enjoyable and not frightening for any of the children. Some of the older children look forward
to wearing scary costumes for Halloween. Please save these costumes for trick-or-treating in the neighborhood and
wear a less frightening costume for the school parade (should they choose to wear a costume). Students should bring
their costumes in a bag to school with their name on it. Children are NOT allowed to wear make-up or costumes to
school. They will be given time to change before the parade. If you choose for your child not to participate in the
Halloween activities due to personal or family beliefs, please send a note or call Mrs. Hairston or Mrs. Heyn by
Monday, Oct. 26th, so we can make alternate arrangements for your child. We will have a Fall Celebration with Mrs.
Heyn. We are looking forward to a festive afternoon!
Here are a few quick reminders about Halloween at Travilah:
• Children who choose to wear costumes for the parties and parade should bring their costumes, not wear
them to school. They will have time to change prior to the parade.
• No pretend weapons or super scary costumes are permitted.
• Children who do not celebrate Halloween due to personal or family beliefs are welcome to join the nonHalloween celebration with Mrs. Heyn. Please send a note or call the office or Mrs. Heyn so we can
plan for these children.
BOOK FAIR - The 2015 PTA Sponsored MONSTER Book Fair is right around the corner, November 9-13th. The
new Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book, Old School (released 11/3) is coming to the book fair at an exclusive paperback
price of $8.99. Keep an eye out for preorder forms that will go home with your student.
COLD AND FLU SEASON – As you are aware, the cold and flu season has begun. Please keep your children home
from school if they are sick. We do not want to spread the germs! We will continue to make sure students wash their
hands. We should have information about the county’s flu mist clinics soon.
PLAYGROUND SUPERSTARS – Weeks of September 28-October 9, 2015 are:
Grade 5: Charles Makobongo, Zara Okudo, Lauren Meyer, Jessica Winson, Karen Potts, Daniel Sofer,
Lunah Schleret, Michelle Hsiung, Katie Kringel, Kiryan Velasquez, Laura Hernandez
Grade 4: Coby Pinto, Alex Dates, Gareth Bennett, Natasha Thamungruxsat, Alex Bergen, Monica Cheng,
Michael Purring
Grade 3: Hanna Nuñez-Halevi, David Wang, Bethany Vande Krol, Jaden Hou, Ava Helgeson, Paige Euler,
Diya Khethan, Dhyan Sesha
Grade 2: Alma Pratt, Christine Jeon, N’Tony Kalala, Mackenzie Noble
Grade 1: Shayna Fleischer, Quinn Lam-Vu, Erin Eo, Jayden Ahn, Lucas Kim, Katie Graham, Jashwin Fernandes
Kindergarten: None
P.E. CLASS OF THE WEEK – Week of October 5, 2015 Congratulations to Mrs. Belkhodja’s PEP Tues. /Thurs.
PM class!
P.E. STUDENT OF THE WEEK – Week of October 5, 2015 Congratulations to Kai Anderson in Ms. Rivera’s
class!
SPECIAL DOLPHIN TALES THANK YOU TO:
 Yausamin Abediyeh, Janice Frankford, Becky Zief, Manjeet Reehal, and Esher Grannneman for helping with
our student picture day!
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