March 25, 2010

Dear Parent / Guardian:

Here is a list of the major events for the rest of this academic year!

On Tuesday, April 27th, the seventh graders are attending a guided tour of Ancient China: Tombs and Temples at the Asian Art Museum. Many thanks to Ms. Michelle Holcomb, our room parent, for planning and scheduling this field trip! We will need one chaperone for every ten students; that is, a minimum of three parent chaperones. The program begins at 9:45 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m. We will leave the school grounds by 9:00 a.m. and return to school in time for lunch.

On Friday, May 21st, the seventh grade will host a Renaissance Faire in the school auditorium from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The entire student body will attend this event. Before the faire, the students will be working on their Renaissance projects. Please help your child by assisting him / her to the library to continue researching their particular topic on the European Renaissance; and by gathering art materials for the art section of the project. Donations of art supplies are always gladly welcomed!

On the day of the Renaissance Faire, refreshments, baked goods (not so sugary) and apple cider, could be sold to further help increase the seventh grader’s account. Again, we are asking for parent help on that day. The St. Andrew’s Guild, an organization consisting of adults enthusiastic about the European Renaissance, will be our visitors for the day. They will come dressed as Renaissance characters and share their expertise on their particular area of interest. The members of the St. Andrew’s Guild are taking time and effort to come and enrich our Renaissance Faire; each student is to donate $1.00 to express a token of appreciation.

In order to add to the Renaissance Faire atmosphere, if possible, the students are to dress in Renaissance style. I have a few costumes to lend, although sizing is limited and they may need to be dry-cleaned, since they were in storage from last year. Students in the past have borrowed costumes from stores, created a Renaissance style from what they already have at home, and / or borrowed from friends and family. If you have suggestions, please share your ideas with us!

On Friday, May 28th, our eighth graders are graduating! The evening graduation mass is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The seventh graders are responsible for the graduation reception in the school auditorium from 8:00-9:00 p.m. (approximately). We will need parent helpers to prepare, serve refreshments, and clean-up. The reception for your own child’s graduation next year will hopefully be as supported and festive. The cost of the graduation breakfast occurring before graduation and the graduation reception will be deducted from the seventh grade account. Due to the help from parents, the seventh graders should be able to cover the costs. The need for fundraisers and parent involvement was mentioned at the back-to-school PTO meeting and reminded at PTO in-class meetings during the academic year.

Mrs. Sharon Owyang-Lee
Grade 7 Teacher @ Mission Dolores School

March Newsletter

March 02, 2010

Dear Parent / Guardian:

We have a very busy schedule planned for the month of March!

In regards to a fundraiser idea to celebrate the season of Easter, a few students suggested a sale of plastic colored Easter egg containers (sold at drugstores, Safeway, or/and Target?) filled with miniature, foil wrapped, chocolate Easter eggs; to be sold for $1.50(?). I did introduce this idea at the last in-class PTO meeting and the parents present did not disagree with this fundraiser idea. Could you possibly help by donating these plastic Easter egg containers or / and small goodies (candy) to place inside them? If your answer is “yes”, then please send these materials with your child to school as soon as possible. We should be able to sell these items before the Easter vacation.

Our last field trip to Good Tidings Art Studio is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16th, from 8:40 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (includes transportation from and return to school).

I am also excited about another upcoming field trip to Japantown (since we are studying Japan in Social Studies). This field trip includes a free guided tour of the Japantown area. A volunteer will be conducting the tour; I am asking that a $1.00 donation from each student be presented to the Japanese organization as our gesture of gratitude. The field trip to Japantown is scheduled for Thursday, March 11th; we will leave school at 9:00 a.m.and return to school at 1:00 p.m. (approximately). More parent-chaperones would really help make the trip more enjoyable!

Ms. Coreen Abbott, an Art Instructor from the Museo-Italiano, is coming to visit and teach the seventh graders about the Italian Renaissance and have the students work on an elaborate Art project. Again, to express our gratitude for Ms. Abbott’s time, art materials, and instruction for the two-three days, please provide a donation of $1.00.

Looking forward to seeing you during the Parent-Teacher conference week!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Sharon Owyang-Lee

Grade 7 Teacher

Mission Dolores School