APRIL
2009
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April 3rd
HALF-DAY OF SCHOOL
(school dismissed at
12:15 pm)
April 3
Principal's Coffee--Parent Workshop Series
April 4th
**Oyster-Adams Annual AUCTION**
Katzen Arts Center,
American University
April 6
Parent Involvement Workshop
April 10th
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
April 13th
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
April 15th
LSRT Meeting
April 16th
DC Emancipation Day; SCHOOL HOLIDAY
April 20th-May 1
DC-CAS for grades 3-8
April 21st
OCC Board Meeting
April 22nd
Earth Day
April 22nd
The Big Read
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MAY
2009 |
May is Pan-Asian Heritage Month!
May 2nd Oyster-Adams Fiesta/Raffle May 4th-8th
Elementary Science Fair (PreK - 5th Grades); Oyster Campus
May 5th
Cinco de Mayo
May 4th-8th
Teacher Appreciation Week
May 8th
Principal's Coffee
May 10th
Mother's Day May 13th-14thOCC Elections May 14thClass Picture Day May 15th
No SchoolParent-Teacher Conferences; Teacher Appreciation Pot Luck Lunch
May 19th
OCC Board Meeting
May 20th
LSRT Meeting
May 21st
Move Up Day!
May 25th
Memorial Day; SCHOOL HOLIDAY
May 27th
OCC Community Meeting
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JUNE
2009 |
June 10th
LSRT Meeting
June 11th
8th Grade Promotion Ceremony
June 15th
Last Day of School!
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MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL LIANG AGUIRRE
April 24, 2009
Oyster-Adams goes out of this world.
I have such an array of items that cross my desk (or my email inbox) on a daily
basis and I wanted to share the most recent and unusual opportunity that we
have been offered.
We have been asked to send an Oyster-Adams
Bilingual School
banner to NASA so that it can be sent up to the International Space Station
this summer. As I understand it, NASA allows each astronaut to take an
item of symbolic significance with them into space. Two Hispanic astronauts,
John Olivas and José Hernandez will be on this flight and have made
arrangements with their professional and personal networks to collaborate with
some schools across the country that are either bilingual or serve a large
Latino population.
Both Olivas and Hernandez are assigned to serve as mission specialists on space
shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 mission, targeted for launch in August
2009. Discovery will carry a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module filled with
science and storage racks to the station. The mission will include two
spacewalks to remove and replace a materials processing experiment outside
ESA's Columbus
module and return an empty ammonia tank assembly. And of course, the mission
will include the proud displaying of the Oyster-Adams Banner.
I feel quite confident that with Oyster-Adams being represented out on the
Bering Sea and now in space, that we are taking "Thinking Globally"
to the extreme.
Have a great weekend!
-Monica Liang-Aguirre
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To relax before the DC-CAS, Intermediate Campus students do some morning Yoga with Infinity Wellness instructors.
NEWS & REMINDERS
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April 24, 2009 DC-CAS attendance this week:Thank you to all parents and students who made the extra effort to come to school every day this week and on time for DC-CAS testing. The following is the total number of absences we had for each grade from Monday-Thursday. 3rd: 1 4th: 5 5th: 11 6th: 5 7th: 1 8th: 4 All students who missed any exams will begin make-up tests on Friday, April 24th. Does your child still need help with his or her science project? The Science Fair for Kinder through 5th grade students begins Monday, May 4 in Oyster's gym. On Monday, April 27, two parents will be available in the Science Room at Oyster (4th floor) to help your child beginning at 6 p.m. On Tuesday, April 28, Mr. Matt will be available to help beginning right after school in the Science Room. You can just show up.
Congratulations to our 3rd grade architects! This past Wednesday, Mr. Quinones and Sra. Hurtado's 3rd grade class attended an opening of their "Architecture in the Schools" exhibit in the Wilson Building, near the Mayor's office. The 3rd graders' work will be on display in the back foyer until the middle of next week - stop by and see it!
As part of this project, 3B students met with architects and learned how they work. The architects helped them understand city planning: transportation, housing, government and office buildings, where to put the recycling center and how to deal with weather problems. The students' favorite activity was testing the strength of taped paper cylinders. Piling books on the small end, they were shocked to discover it would hold 63 pounds!
Trucks Needed! This is the Intermediate Campus' second year as a Greater DC Cares Servathon site. The event organizes volunteers from around the city to come into schools (and other non-profits) to perform basic beautification and cleaning work. Last year the volunteers completely repainted the rusting grille work around the block-long Adams front porch, painted the stair risers in a great rainbow of colors, demolished the scary-eyesore shed in the back, and performed general sprucing-up tasks. This year, they will be scraping and repainting the grilles over the windows in front, and doing some really cool painting inside the school. We need parents with trucks who can help pick up and return to Greater DC Cares the equipment/supplies that will be used in the upcoming Servathon. Pick up is April 28 or 29; return is May 4 or 5. Please contact Katia Garrett at garrett@dcbarfoundation.org or 202-841-8465 (cell) if you can help.
Turn in your 2009-10 School Year Plans. If we have not received your 2009-10 School Year Plans form, we are sending another one home this week with your child's name on it. To ensure we accept the optimal number of new students, we need to know how many of our current students are returning. We hope you all decide to stay with us!
Please sell raffle tickets -- it's the last week! The Oyster-Adams raffle will take place at Fiesta in only ONE WEEK, on Saturday, May 2, and we need to sell all the tickets for this important fundraiser for our school. Every day next week, from Monday, April 27, through Friday, May 1, teachers and parent volunteers will be collecting ticket stubs and money. If your child is not planning to sell all of his/her tickets, please send them back to school next week.
Thank you to all who have been working hard to sell tickets! Your efforts are vital to the success of our programs. Families who need more tickets to sell may obtain them from Ms. Shorts at the primary campus, Ms. Rodriguez at the intermediate campus, or your
child's teacher. For more information please contact Bev Paul at
bpaul@gordley.com and Lisa Lynch at lisalynch09@comcast.net.
One week until Fiesta... The Oyster-Adams Annual Fiesta will take place on May 2, 2009 from noon-4 pm at the Oyster campus. The Fiesta is our annual spring family fun day. There will be many activities at the Fiesta such as: games to play (bingo, bean bag toss, and others), moon bounces and an inflated slide, a cake walk, a dunk tank, entertainment and wonderful food. We will have a grill (hamburgers and hotdogs), carnival food (cotton candy, snow cones and popcorn), homemade pupusas, and our International Cafe, featuring homemade food from Oyster-Adams families. The Fiesta is open to everyone. There is no charge to come to the Fiesta. As in the past, tickets will be sold for the games and food.
We need your help! We request that each family do three things to help make this year's Fiesta great.
1. Please sign up to work a shift at your child's class activity through your room parents.
2. Please bring a dish for 10-12 people to sell at the International Cafe during the Fiesta. We suggest that the families bring dishes as follows:
- ECC through 2nd Grade -Main Dishes
- 3rd Grade through 5th Grade - Salads, Side Dishes, Finger Foods
- 6th Grade through 8th Grade - Desserts and Baked Goods
3. Please sign up to help with set up on Friday May 1 (anytime from 5-7 pm), set up on Saturday May 2 (anytime from 9 am to noon), or clean up on Saturday May 2 (from 4 to 6 pm). Sign up for set up or clean up by contacting Claudia Martin at cmartin@wcl.american.edu (202-309-3944) or Mary Jo Kelly at maryjokelly2007@yahoo.com (202-342-8118) and telling us what time period you can work. Also, two fourth grade classes are running the Cake Walk activity. Each winner will win a cake! Please consider making a cake -- the crazier the better -- and donating it to the Cake Walk. Please help make the Fiesta another successful event for Oyster-Adams! OYSTER-ADAMS PARENTS' NIGHT OUT TO BENEFIT OYSTER CREATIVE ACTIVITIES (OCA) SCHOLARSHIP FUND - Friday, May 8, 6:00-8:30pm. Enjoy light food (Open City), Swiss wine (Swiss Embassy and Stanford in Washington), and soft drinks/juices (Sherry Wine and Spirits), catch up with friends as the school year winds down at a great space on the grounds of the Swiss Embassy (2900 Cathedral Av, NW). Childcare for Oyster-Adams students, including a pizza dinner, provided for a nominal fee at the Oyster building. Tickets will be on sale starting Monday, April 27, in the mornings at both campuses.
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UPDATES
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Update from Assistant Principal Ibis Villegas
April 24, 2009
Let's Talk About Science
Students in grades 5 and 8 will take the science portion of the DC CAS on Monday, April. 27th. Since the combination of science tests and science fairs highlights the importance of science in our lives, let's read how some important figures in the scientific community have answered the question, "Why is science important?"
Nigel Henbest is an award-winning writer and TV producer, specializing in science and space. He answered the question, 'Why is science important' by stating: "It's taken me some time to come round to answering this question; not because it's difficult, but because it is too easy. After all: Why is music important? Why is breathing important? Trying to understand the world around is, I believe, hard-wired into human nature. And "science" is just that process of understanding."
Heather Couper is an international broadcaster and writer on astronomy, space and science. Ms. Couper answered the question, 'Why is science important' by saying: " I see science as a vision. As a landscape. As a perspective for us to reflect on the events that are happening in the world - and how to see a way ahead. Science has the power to change lives, and to help humankind move forward."
At Oyster-Adams, science is indeed so important that when Ms. Welch was selected to participate in theBering Sea Ecosystem Study, Mr. Matt Walters was hired as a science substitute teacher. With him, Oyster-Adams students could continue to walk through the scientific pathway that Ms. Welch had begun to carve out for her students. I have asked Mr. Walters to tell us a little bit about himself so we could get to know him better and this is what he has said:
"I am the founder and director of Outdoors With Friends, a private environmental education organization in Washington D.C. Before starting my own company I spent ten years working in the field of outdoor/experiential education and as a communication skills-building facilitator for such corporations as AOL, The Hartford and Travelers Insurance companies as well as George Mason University and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. I spent two years as an interpretive guide for the National Park Service in Cornish, New Hampshire and most recently acted as the Family Programs Manager for Living Classrooms DC where I met and worked along side Simone Welch. I am a regular workshop presenter at the National Young Leaders Conference. In my spare time I am an avid rock climber and kayaker. I enjoy spending as much time as possible with my 18 month-old daughter Cathryn."
Of course, we all know that our students in the Intermediate Campus have the wonderful opportunity to explore the importance of science with our accomplished teachers, Mr. Ames and Mr. Hoeksema. Please join me in encouraging our 5th and 8th students to do their very best, as they put on their very important scientific thinking caps during DC CAS.
MIDDLE SCHOOL/INTERMEDIATE CAMPUS UPDATE
April 24, 2009
Please Note New Parking Restrictions. As you may have noticed, we have new parking signs in front of the Intermediate Campus: "No parking from 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. and from 2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. weekdays." This was done in a continuing effort to ensure the safe drop-off and pick-up of our students while minimizing the impact to neighborhood parking and traffic. We need to keep the spaces in front of the school free of parked cars so students can be picked up at the curb instead of having to dart into traffic.
This Week in Shine. Students will explore the messages in advertising and song lyrics to become more informed, more discerning consumers of media.
OCC UPDATE
The Deadline for Nominations for the OCC Board Ballot is May 1. Elections will be held May 13-14 and the OCC board needs YOU. What seats are open on the OCC board?All 14 seats on the board are open this year:
- Co-Chair (English-speaking)/Co-Chair (Spanish-speaking)
- Vice Co-Chair (Eng.)/Vice Co-Chair (Sp.)
- Co-Secretary (Eng.)/Co-Secretary (Sp.)
- Co-Treasurer (Eng.)/Co-Treasurer (Sp.)
- (6) At-Large Representatives
Again, we make a special appeal to parents who will have at least one student at the intermediate campus next year. Next year's board should include as many parents as possible who are in a position to bring these issues into every board meeting. Intermediate campus parents, run for the board! How can I find out more about what each board member does?
If you would like more information about what being on the board entails, what members do, or how much time you should set aside out of your schedule to be a board member, we have information out that should answer your questions. Take a look at the web site under "OCC", or at both campuses on the OCC bulletin boards. Those are the places where our elections materials will be posted. I've decided to run, how do I get on the ballot?If you would like to run for a seat on the OCC board, you may fill out a paper Nomination Form, which you can find in the office at the Adams campus or in the OCC mailboxes at the Oyster campus outside Ibis' office. Submit paper forms to Ana in the office at Adams, or in the mail slot in the OCC mailboxes at Oyster labeled "Nominations Committee". You also may submit the information via email by sending the information indicated on the Nominations Form (that's with the elections materials on the website) to OCC Secretary Phoebe Schlanger at occsecy@gmail.com. All nominations must be received by 6:00 p.m., Fri., May 1. If you have any questions related to the OCC elections or nominations process, email OCC Co-Chair Claire Taylor at claire_elin_taylor@yahoo.com or call 202-319-0290.
LSRT UPDATE
The Oyster-Adams LSRT is holding elections for 5 new parent representatives for the 2009-2010 school year. For more information about the LSRT visit the Oyster Website and click on "programs" to review our purpose, the 2008-2009 representatives, and meeting minutes. Nomination forms will be sent home via backpacks and posted on the website, or click here. Interested parents must complete a nomination form by May 1, 2009 to be included on the ballot. For more information read the nomination form or email: joyner.carol@gmail.com. |
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This Bulletin
Board provides a space for members of the Oyster-Adams community to post items
of general interest related to the education of our students.
Please send your notice IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH to ana.rodriguez@dc.gov
by 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.
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NEXT WEEK'S ACTIVITIES
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Week of April 27, 2009
DC CAS CONTINUES FOR SOME STUDENTS!
Monday AM8:40 AM (arrival time)
- Got-A-Book Campaign, primary campus
9:00 AM
- DC-CAS - Science (5th & 8th grade only)
Monday PM3:30PM
- Dance, primary campus
- 4th, 5th and 6th Grade Reading Tutorials (Mr. Dixon, Ms. Roling, Mr. Petersen)
- 6th Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Redd)
Tuesday AM8:40 AM (arrival time)
- Got-A-Book Campaign, primary campus
9:00 AM
- DC-CAS - Science Make-Up Test (5th & 8th grades only)
Tuesday PM3:30 PM
- Cross-Campus Ultimate Frisbee for 3rd & 4th graders (Mr. Golland)
- 4th Grade Spanish Tutoring (Sra. Reyes & Sr. Alfonso)
- 5th Grade Reading Tutorial (Ms. Roling/Lemus)
- 5th Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Hainer)
- 6th Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Redd)
- Middle School CityDance (Room 309)
Wednesday AM8:10 AM
- 4th Grade Reading Tutorial (Ms. Fuller)
8:45 AM
- Student Council announcements, primary campus
9:00 AM
- DC-CAS - Composition (4th & 7th grades only)
Wednesday PM3:30 PM
- HoopEd, Primary campus gym
- 4th Grade Math Tutoring (Sr. Bustios)
- 5th Grade Math Tutoring (Ms. Hainer)
- 4th & 5th grade Girls on the Run (Adams cafeteria)
- Oyster-Adams musical ensemble (Michael Bowie, Intermediate Campus, room 205)
Thursday AM8:40 AM (arrival time)
- Got-A-Book Campaign, primary campus
9:00AM
- DC-CAS - Composition Make-Up Test (4th & 7th grades only)
Thursday PM3:30 PM
- 3rd grade Girls on the Run, primary cafeteria
- Drama in Spanish, primary campus
- HoopEd, primary campus
- 4th Grade Spanish Tutoring (Sra. Reyes & Sr. Alfonso)
- Middle School Girls on the Run (meet in the Adams cafeteria)
Friday AM8:40 AM (arrival time)
- Got-A-Book Campaign, primary campus
9:00AM
- DC-CAS - Make-Up testing (all grades)
Friday PM3:30 PM
- Cross-Campus Ultimate Frisbee for 3rd & 4th graders (Mr. Golland)
- 4th & 5th grade CityDance (Room 309)
- MathCounts for Middle School (Mr. Hunter)
6:15 PM
- Family Zumba with Ms. Villegas at the primary campus for K-8 students and their parents
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AFTER-SCHOOL
PROGRAM NEWS
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OCA
April 24, 2009
OYSTER-ADAMS PARENTS' NIGHT OUT TO
BENEFIT OYSTER CREATIVE ACTIVITIES (OCA) SCHOLARSHIP FUND - Friday, May 8,
6:00-8:30pm. Enjoy light food (Open City), Swiss wine (Swiss Embassy and
Stanford in Washington), and soft drinks/juices (Sherry Wine and Spirits),
catch up with friends as the school year winds down at a great space on the
grounds of the Swiss Embassy (2900 Cathedral Av, NW). Childcare for
Oyster-Adams students, including a pizza dinner, provided for a nominal fee at
the Oyster building. Tickets will be on sale starting Monday, April 27,
in the mornings at both campuses.
OCA Parents' Meeting - last meeting of the school year will take place on Tuesday, April 28, 6:15pm at the Oyster
building. The agenda includes a review of the program's performance
this year, establishing the tuition amount for 2009-10, and electing the OCA
Board for the coming year. Childcare
will be provided.
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OYSTER-ADAMS BILINGUAL SCHOOL
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Monica Liang Aguirre, Principal
Ibis Villegas, Assistant Principal
Sandi Baer, Intermediate Campus Coordinator
Oyster Campus (PreK - 3rd Grade)
2801 Calvert Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202/671-3111
Fax: 202/671-3087
Adams Campus (4th - 8th Grades)
2020 19th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Tel. 202/673-7311
Fax. 202/673-6500
__________________________
Email: contactus@oysterbilingualschool.org
Website:
http://oysterbilingual.devis.com/AboutUs/
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