November 8, 2007

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Superintendent's Desk
Principals' Corner
School Events & Information
Photos
CSA News
Education Foundation
Other Community Interest Items
Buzz Information
www.carlisle.mec.edu

Calendar

Nov. 8 Thurs.

8:45 am Parent Coffee with the Superintendent
3:00 pm Intramural Basketball Gr. 4&5

7:00 pm School Building Committee

 Nov. 9 Fri.

Nov. 12 Mon.
Holiday -- Veteran's Day Observed

Nov. 13 Tues.

3:00 pm Intramural Basketball Gr. 4&5
3:15 pm Math Review Team

 Nov. 14 Wed.

3:00 pm Intramural Basketball Gr. 4&5

 Nov. 15 Thurs.

9:00 am CSA Parent Informational Coffee -- Wellness and Nutrition
3:00 pm Intramural Basketball Gr. 4&5

 Nov. 16 Fri.

9:00 am CPAC Meeting
3:00 pm Intramural Basketball Gr. 4&5

Buzz Deadline
Nov. 19 Mon.

8:30 5th Grades Ms. Putnam and Mr. Ticotsky to Concord Museum
9:00 am Mr. Stamell's 3rd Grade Thanksgiving Play

7:00 pm Guiding Good Choices

 Nov. 20 Tues.

8:30 5th Grades Ms. Reinhard & Ms. Katz to Concord Museum
9:40 am Mr. Stamell's 3rd Grade Thanksgiving Play

 Nov. 21 Wed.

11:51 Early Release 5 - 8
12:30 Early Release K - 4

10:30 am Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast

 Nov. 22 Thurs.

Nov. 23 Fri.

Nov. 26 Mon.

Nov. 27 Tues.

3:15 pm Technology Team Meeting

 Nov. 28 Wed.

Nov. 29 Thurs.

2:30 pm Math League Meet at Peabody in Concord

 Nov. 30 Fri.

From the Superintendent's Desk

Marie H. Doyle

Dear Parents,

This past week has been a testament to the unfailing generosity of Carlisle parents, as the Carlisle School Association and the Carlisle Education Foundation showered the school with funding for our students and staff.

Annually, the CSA asks teachers to submit grants for classroom items that cannot be funded through our regular budget.  Numerous applications were submitted for a team of parents, teachers, and administrators to review.  Through the largesse of our CSA, $17,758 dollars funded 17 grants for our teachers.  Items funded include: 

We are most appreciative of the time spent by CSA volunteers to raise these funds that go directly to the classrooms.

Another group of caring parents spearheads the Carlisle Education Foundation.  The mission of the Foundation is to provide innovative funding to help our system continue to excel.  In the past the Foundation has funded computer carts, elementary world language, middle school Chinese, and more.  Last Friday, approximately 200 parents arrived in attire appropriate for the Foundation’s 2007 "For Your School Only" auction and dinner dance, keeping in style with the James Bond theme. Parents generously bid on the silent auction items to start the evening, followed by impressive bids during the live auction.  Parental participation took care of planning, gathering auction items, checking bids, arranging tables, setting up the silent auction, taking pictures, auctioneering, and hosting for this spectacular evening at Gibbet Hill.  Parents not only bought tickets and bid on auction items, they also donated items on the wishing tree and made last minute donations to fund another electronic whiteboard for our classrooms.  We are most grateful to everyone who made the auction such a huge success.

Just like the colorful leaves falling from the many trees around us, parents have dropped amazing donations to our school.  When we "rake in" the donations from the CSA and Foundation, we count ourselves blessed to be working in such a generous community where parents support us.  Many thanks to all!

Sincerely,
Marie Doyle

Principals' Corner
Jim Halliday, Middle School Principal
Patrice Hurley, Elementary Principal

Dear Carlisle Families,

In this month of Thanksgiving in the Carlisle Schools, we are thankful for a number of things.  We honor sacrifices made for us all though the commemoration of Veterans Day. The kindergarten and third grade buddy classes have written cards of thanks to and invited all Carlisle veterans to the school to support them with words and song on Friday. It is one small way children and teachers have chosen to show gratitude.

Several of our young ladies have also chosen to grow their hair and then lovingly donate it to others who, due to illness, have none. Over the past week, many children have been sending in full Unicef boxes from Halloween collections. Classes have, unsolicited, stayed behind after lunch and recess to tidy the dining room and pick up the playground.

Members of the Carlisle Council on Aging plan to partner with classrooms to provide additional support and intergenerational connections. Teachers and staff spend hours beyond their contractual commitments making sure our children receive the best education possible.

We are also thankful for so many parents who play a significant and constant role in teaching children to care for others through your own examples in word and deed, and as you volunteer your time to enrich their school experiences. The recent awarding of CSA grants and the CEF auction and wishing tree funding are amazingly generous and deeply appreciated. We have a lot to be thankful for this month and thank you, your children, and our staff for making this possible.

Sincerely,
Jim Halliday 
Patrice Hurley

School Events/Information

Important Reminders From the Main Office!
Forgotten Items
Recently, we have been overwhelmed with dropped off items for students, thus creating numerous interruptions to classrooms as well as staff spending far too much time searching for students. Many students are unaware they have forgotten their lunch, an important paper, project, sports item or instrument. In order to cut down on interruptions to the classroom, we ask that you have a conversation with your child/children to ask them to automatically check the Main Office first if they are missing something. Before dropping off an item make sure your child's first and last name is on it. Please remember it is very disruptive to the class and teacher when we have to call a classroom on a forgotten item.

Messages, Messages, Messages
In an effort to curtail classroom interruptions, please review your child’s plans before he or she comes to school.  It is very disruptive to interrupt the entire class by calling teachers with a reminder for a student or a change of plans.

Weather Cancellations
As we head into the inclement weather season, it is so important that your child know ahead of time what to do should school/activities be cancelled.  Please make sure you have alternate plans in place without having to relay a message or having your child call home.

Volunteer Sign-out
Our volunteers are particularly conscientious about signing in when they arrive on campus. It's important that all volunteers also sign out when they leave. In case of any emergency, we need to know who's on campus.

Basketball
Students in grades 6 - 8 interested in playing Carlisle Interscholastic Basketball this upcoming season should please sign up in the gym as soon as possible. Once we know the number of students interested in playing we will be better able to accomodate a larger number of students.

Lockdown Drill
Please be advised that sometime during the next two weeks, we will have two unannounced practice drills. One will be a fire drill, and the other a lockdown drill in which students and staff will shelter in place.

School Advisory Council Update
In the last Buzz, the members of the School Advisory Council were highlighted. Inadvertently, we omitted one continuing member, Ms. Sandy Kelly. Ms. Kelly is our librarian, a nationally board certified teacher, and the current president of the Massachusetts School Library Association. She has also been a former School Committee and School Advisory Council member in Westford. We are delighted that Sandy will continue serving this year as a member of the Carlisle School Council.

School Committee Update

The Carlisle School Committee has been meeting regularly this year. All School Committee minutes are posted on the Carlisle Public School website the day after they are approved. Follow this link to the School Committee webpage to review minutes: http://www.carlisle.mec.edu/schcommittee/meetings.htm

The agenda for each meeting is posted on Wednesday of the week before the meeting. Other important information about the school committee can be found under the School Committee tab on the school's homepage. We encourage you to review the on-line material and attend meetings.

O.T. Department Needs
The OT department is looking for 1/2 lb.to 2 lb. ankle weights if anyone has any they would like to contribute to the school. The department would also appreciate any extra backpacks you might have, either regular backpacks or the wheeled type with a handle for pulling. Thank you.

Fall Teams
Congratulations to the members of the field hockey and boys' soccer teams for their successful seasons!

Field Hockey Team Members:

Samantha Blue
Marin Epstein
Amanda Fabrizio
Emma Frodigh
Camille Galejs
Jacqueline Gray
Caroline Guild
Caroline Hassara
Lily Jewell
Colleen Laughlin
Melanie MacMullan

 Caroline Means
Katherine Melvin
Hannah Merry
Alana Rhodin
Abby Samargya
Margot Semonite
Caroline St. Francis
Julianna Ursch
Teresa Ventura
Lindsey Verrill
Sarah Williams
Boys' Soccer:

Jay Tappen
Parker Zimmerman
Alex Hreib
Will Young
Jonah Ahee
Stowe Simonton
Matt Japko
Chris Sellew
Alex Picard
Alex Doig
Will Parra

 Josh Elwood
Jack Ehlenbach
Alex Horvath
Gibson Holland
Derrick Amodei
Brendan Nunan
Andrew Gorecki
Colin Piette
David Warner
Brendon Canavan
Steven VanSiclen

Carlisle Special Education Parent Advisory Council Meeting
The next parent support group meeting will be on the morning of Friday November 16th at 9:00am at 95 Patch Meadow Lane. All parents of children with special needs are welcome. If you have any questions, please call Kris Tocci 978 371 6498 or Lori Tucker 978 371 3292.

Art Teacher's Show in Boston
Rachel Levy, elementary art teacher, will be showing her work at Trustman Art Gallery at Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, in Boston. The show will run from November 13-December 14th.

Kindergarten – Fall, 2008 
Do you have a child who is eligible for kindergarten in 2008?  If so, have you received a kindergarten postcard in the mail?  Do you know of any family new to town with a kindergarten-age youngster?  To receive a postcard or to let our Guidance Office know of new families in town, please call Jennifer Lipton or Sheila Morris at 369-6550, so that we may be certain to include all eligible children in our planning for the 2008-2009 school year.

Attention Parents of Fifth Graders:
Spaghetti Supper 2007 has come and gone. Your turn is next!
You are invited to attend the wrap-up meeting of this year's sixth grade spaghetti supper on November 13th at 7:30 pm at 36 Daniels Lane.  The purpose of this meeting is to briefly review what worked well and what did not in the planning and execution of the Spaghetti Supper & Raffle this past October, as we begin to plan and look forward to next year's event. If you would like to take a leadership role and have some influence on how the supper is run for your child's class, please attend this meeting on November 13th.

If you cannot attend but would like to be considered for a leadership role, please email Kathleen at SupperRaffle@yahoo.com or call 369-3801.

Photos

Second Graders Celebrate UN Day
Halloween Parade

CSA News
www.carlisleschoolassociation.org

Parent Informational Coffee
The next Parent Informational Coffee, hosted by the CSA, on Thursday, November 15th, at 9:00am in the Corey Dining Room. The topic for this meeting is “Wellness and Nutrition”.  Special guest speakers include Kathy Horan, nurse: Francine Royce, certified health counselor; and Karen Slack, Director of Student Support Services. 

New Event: Spring Barbecue Looking for Volunteers
The CSA is looking for volunteers to help with a fun new spring event.  The general idea is to have a family friendly barbeque with good food, activities for kids, and raise some much needed money for our school.  We've got some great ideas but need people interested in chairing the event, heading up a committee, and volunteering for specific tasks.  So bring your ideas and your energy to help create what could become a new spring tradition.  Please contact Dan Jacques at danclive@comcast.net or 978-371-6411.

Carlisle Education Foundation News

 www.carlislecef.org

2007: For Your School Only Stirs Up An Evening of Fun!
The Carlisle Education Foundation exceeded all expectations with our annual dinner dance and auction on November 2. We enjoyed cocktails amid tables of wonderfully creative silent auction items followed by a delicious dinner in the rustic Barn at Gibbet Hill. A full house of reveling bidders created invigorating live auction banter, and we all celebrated our collective success with dancing to The Love Dogs until well after midnight. 

While the final proceeds are still being calculated, the Carlisle Education Foundation is grateful to all of the parents and local community members for your enthusiasm and generosity. The Board wishes to extend special thanks to the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the evening unforgettable and to those individuals and families who donated unique items and services to benefit the event. We also wish to thank our Superintendent, school administration and faculty who continue to give their time and talents to support the vital work of the Foundation. 

If you were not able to attend the auction, there are a few wishing tree items remaining for purchase at various price points. Please contact Peg Gladstone at 978-246-6793 for more information. Donations toward our technology fundraiser are still welcome. Please send a check to the Carlisle Education Foundation, PO Box 734, Carlisle, MA 01741, and don’t forget to check whether your employer participates in a matching program. 

Plans are already underway for the 2008 auction….more details to come in the next several months!

Other Items of Interest

Carlisle Kids' House has several fun activities planned over the next few weeks for your children!   Click here for more information on our programs.  Please see our website: www.extendedday.org , email: carexdirector@comcast.net or call: 9878-369-5558 for more information.  

Carlisle Recreation Ski & Snowboard Program
Equipment PRE-FIT Date WED Nov 14.  It’s time to sign up for the Carlisle Recreation Ski & Snowboard Program.  The Pre-Fit date for equipment rentals is Wednesday Nov 14 in the Exercise Room in the lower Corey Building.  Sign up online (www.carlislema.gov/registration) before the pre fit date to ensure space availability or call Recreation at 978-369-9815. Click here for a flyer with more information.

Society for Women in Engineering Program
Wow! That's Engineering? is a single day SWE event, targeting girls in grades 8-10 (but girls slightly outside the age range are welcome). The idea is to use projects, demonstrations, and panel discussions to show girls that engineering can be "Wow!" The program will be held at the MITRE Corp., 202 Burlington Road, Building C (MITRE Center) in Bedford Questions? Please contact wow@sweboston.org or visit the Society for Women in Engineering website.

Buzz Information

Next Buzz Issue
The next Buzz will be published on November 29th.  Please email your submissions to Claire Wilcox at cwilcox@carlisle.mec.edu by Friday, November 16th at Noon.   Please attach information to the email in a Word file. To view the Buzz schedule for the year, click here.

To add your email address to the Buzz notification list or to make changes in your email address for the Buzz, please visit the following web address:   http://lists.carlisle.mec.edu/mailman/listinfo/buzz.