SCHOOL NEWS
September 27, 2007

PTA Meeting:
Please come to the MPR for a quick PTA meeting from 6-6:30pm before Back-to-School Night, to hear an update about the PTA at DJAES. Everyone is welcome.

Readers Digest Fundraiser
Your child can bring in their coupons for prize drawings! Turn your coupons in to the office or to your teacher to be added to the drawing. Periodic drawings will take place until the end of the fundraiser on October 3rd. Don't miss out on these fun prizes.

Barnes and Noble Day, Tuesday, October 9
Look for a flyer with more information

Holiday Portraits
Because we had such a big response, more time slots have been added!  Log on to http://www.familyportraitfun.com to register. Portraits will be taken at DJAES in the Multi Purpose Room on Tuesday, October 16th from 5-8pm. For a sitting fee of $30 you will receive a 10"x13" portrait. It's quick and easy, so log on to pick your sitting time before they are all filled. Family Portrait Fun will donate a percentage of sales to our PTA. What a great way to raise money for our students and have portraits in time for the holidays.

New Report Card Information Meeting Wednesday, October 24
We are very excited about the new report cards our young scholars will receive this year.

We will have a meeting in the MPR on Tuesday, October 24 at 6:00 till 7:00pm to inform parents on how useful the new report cards will be.

Box Tops:
Parents, please visit http://www.boxtops4education.com and register DJAES as your school. For every family that registers, we get five bonus box-tops! There are also two sweepstakes to enter! Click on "Promotions" and you will be entered to win. New promotions every month! Please keep turning in your boxtops to your teacher in a bag with your child's name and teacher's name on it. Thank you.

Reflections:
The contest has begun! If you need to check the directions or want to look at past winners, http://www.capta.org/sections/programs/reflections.cfm. The National PTA Reflections Program is an arts recognition and achievement program for all students from Kindergarten - 5th grade providing an opportunity for them to create works of art inspired by a theme. This year's theme is "I can make a difference by...." There are 6 categories to enter: Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Video/Film Production, Dance Choreography, and Musical Composition. The program will officially started September 21st and all entries are due October 5th. Winners get their pictures in the yearbook!

Bike Rodeo:
We have joined with Oak Grove and Aliso Viejo Police Services to provide a Bicycle Safety Rodeo on Friday, October 12th from 2:30-4:30pm. The rodeo will be held at Oak Grove and we need seven volunteers from our school to assist with check-in and to supervise the bicycle riding course. A local bike shop has been invited to do minor bike repair and members from Safe Kids Orange County will assist with helmet fitting. In order for us to have this event we need YOU! What a fun way to spend a Friday afternoon. Please email Gretchen Scott, gretchen.scott@cox.net and say you can help. Thank you.

PTA Website:
Our website, was complemented at the PTA Council meeting last week. Thank you to Mike Niedringhaus, our webmaster for doing such a great job. Have you checked out what all the fuss is about? Please do!

Garden Project:
Our gardens have grown!  Our 4th and 5th graders have been provided with a garden area located between the portables.  Ten fabulous garden beds were built and donated by Torren Draper as his Eagle Scout Project and Kellogg Garden Products provided the soil to fill them.  We also have two other Eagle Scouts working to build a fence and tool shed for the garden. 

Our courtyard gardens are being used by our 1st through 3rd graders and have already begun to show signs of growth!  Mini gardening lessons are being taught and all grade levels are growing “salads” which will be celebrated in December with salad parties! 

Now I need your help.  We have 21 classes participating in the program and volunteers are needed to help with:  gardening supervision, teaching mini gardening lessons (lesson and supplies provided), garden watering and maintenance, and committee support.  Together we can make this project a success.  The students are already committed to it…now we need to help them realize their goal. 

Please e-mail me or sign up in the office if you can join our gardening team!

Syndie Kahl, Volunteer Garden Coordinator
syndiemom@aol.com