Each summer the various branches of public libraries in Seattle and King County provide an array of fun and educational activities to keep kids, teens and adults reading. Check out all the activities at http://www.SPL.org or http://www.KCLS.org.
The Seattle Public Library program, “Where does reading take you?” starts June 1. http://www.spl.org/default.asp?pageID=audience_children_srp
Please Return Library Books! All Library resources are due June 4. Overdue notices will be mailed on June 9th. If you think your child returned an overdue book, DVD, or video please check at home, then check the child’s classroom, desk and/or school locker. Please e-mail lkeeney@thevilla.org if you would like us to check the library shelves once again. While we prefer that the books be returned, a few books seem to be lost every year. If the Library item cannot be found we will work with you to find a replacement. A final billing for lost items will be mailed home June 15.
Together, the Villa Academy Preschool donated hundreds of gently used books to the Seattle Ronald McDonald House, an organization that supports the families of seriously ill children by providing a “home-away-from-home” as the children undergo treatment.
Piles of donated books created an impressive collection, which lined the halls of the Preschool classrooms. There were so many books that, unfortunately, a final count was never determined. Estimations range between 900 and 1,000!
On Monday May 24, TWO carloads of books were loaded and delivered by a P3 parent volunteer.
“Most of the children are familiar with Children’s Hospital,” said Mrs. Raymaker, and “all the children were excited to give their books away for other children to enjoy while they are away from the comforts of their own home.”
The Preschool would like to thank all the preschoolers and their families for such generous donations. The books will be extremely appreciated and well loved!
Today, the Villa Academy fourth grade had the honor of presenting representatives from Food Lifeline with a donation check for the amount of $668.58. The money was raised at an annual fundraiser hosted by the fourth grade students as part of their yearlong service project.
Prior to presenting the check, four student representatives stood as a group and shared heartfelt sentiments about their experience as volunteers for Food Lifeline. The students each read a letter expressing what this service project meant to them personally, and some mentioned how it had helped them to reflect on their own blessings.
This special opportunity was the culmination of the fourth grade’s yearlong efforts. Several trips to Food Lifeline to help sort and package food donations and the sale of handmade ceramic bowls at the “Empty Bowls Soup Dinner” preceded today’s special event.
Food Lifeline graciously accepted the donation with much appreciation and reminded students that this donation alone would be enough to provide over 2,600 meals!
Watch video of students presenting the check to Food Lifeline:
Thank you officers and representatives for your service to Villa this school
year! You supported the students by helping with dances, Adopt-a-Family,
Talent Shows, Catholic Schools Week, Spirit Days, weekly announcements, and
much more. Thank you for your efforts and dedication.
2009-2010 Officers:
President: Jenay M.
Vice President: Rosie B.
Secretary: Erica B.
Treasurer: Noah C.
Commissioner of School Spirit: Maddie B.
Commissioner of Spiritual Affairs: Madison M.
2009-2010 Representatives:
Alexandra P.
Elizabeth D.
Nicole R.
Mitch F.
Bobby M.
Bailey A.
Emily R.
Cyrus O.
Veronica H.
Kate M.
Max C.
Patrick M.
Rena F.
Jack K.
Jack T.
Claudia G.
Our Annual Spring Concert is Wednesday May 19, at 7:00pm in the Theater. All are invited. This year there are some new performers. In addition to Villa Voices and Villa Bands, we will feature Jake W., harpist, and our after-school improvisation group, the Gold ‘n Blues. Please plan to join us.
Performers Notes
Parents, please have all performers at the Theater by 6:30pm on Wednesday, May 19 for warm-ups and seating. The concert begins at 700pm.
Rehearsals on Tuesday May 18 & Wednesday, May 19 are at the regular band time, in the Theater. These are combined rehearsals (both bands both days please), so we can get a feel for the acoustics. An informational flyer went out to all students. If you have not seen yours, please check with your student, or see me for a copy. It contains important details. Thanks!
Irv Kellenberger
Villa Bands Director
Villa Academy 3rd grade artwork will be on display at The Confectionary in the U-Village this spring. The student art is based on the creations of artist Wayne Thiebaud, who is best known for his paintings of desserts. His symmetrical compositions have strong light and shadows and bring the viewer right into the picture.
The student art caught the attention of Kristi, a Villa Academy parent and owner of The Confectionery, an upscale candy boutique in Seattle’s University Village. Kristi invited the students to share their yummy looking artwork with her customers.
Through this assignment students practiced drawing 3-dimensional cylinder shapes to use as their cake form and experimented with oil pastel layering techniques. Colors were layered in varying values to show light and shadow. Decorations were added to the outside of the cake and platter to finish off the delicious looking creations.
Stop by The Confectionery this spring to satisfy your sweet tooth and your appreciation of student artwork!
As we begin thinking and planning for the 2010-2011 school year, we would like to share with you the process through which the Villa faculty and administration collaboratively assign students to homeroom classes and teachers. As you know, at every grade level in our school, we have superbly qualified teachers. They are dedicated, warm, nurturing and attuned to the individual needs of each child, as well as offering excellent academic preparation for the subjects and/or grade levels they are teaching. How lucky we are!
In determining the make-up of various groupings throughout the school, we take into account a number of factors. Some of these may be quite obvious to you, while others may be a surprise.
First, teachers complete a mini-profile about each student, using their knowledge of the student gathered throughout the year from observation, interactions, testing, informal assessments, as well as information gained from parents through our partnership. We then begin to build classes, using these profiles. We ask these questions:
* Is there a balance between boys and girls in the section, relative to the total number of boys and girls in the grade?
* Do we have a mix of students who live in the neighborhood as well as those who come a longer distance?
* Do we have a variety of religious denominations represented in each section?
* Have we mixed students from the previous year’s sections so they get to know others in their grade?
* Is there a balance of personality types: more reserved, outgoing, verbal, reflective, etc.?
* Have we looked at combinations of students who create a positive learning environment?
* Are students new to Villa evenly mixed among the grade level sections?
The placement process is a thoughtful one and is completed over several months, with the students’ needs always at the center. The goal is to create a positive, supportive community of learners. This community should be diverse in many ways. The more subtle questions we ask ourselves include:
* How independent is the student when completing his/her work?
* How does he/she do working in group situations?
* What academic or social challenges face this student?
* How can we best accommodate those challenges?
* What is the child’s predominant learning style?
* What teaching style(s) would best support this student?
* What friendships within the grade level need to be supported?
* What combinations of students should be changed?
As you can see, these questions cover a range of topics from the overall class composition to the needs of the individual student. We realize students’ skills and talents are varied and evolving, so we seek to create a balance within a classroom. It is also critical that the professional staff have the flexibility to make placement decisions that benefit all students. Much time, thought and prayer goes into this process. It is never perfect, but when we continue to focus on the goal stated above, good decisions for students are made.
The purpose of this letter is to demystify the class placement process. We wanted to share with you the depth of the thinking and reflection that occurs. If you feel, after reading this article, that there is something we may not know about your child that is important to this process, please send an email to Mrs. Elsner (Preschool – Grade 5) or Ms. Preib (Grades 6 -8) by Wednesday, May 28.
We ask that these notes or emails not contain requests for specific teachers, but rather new information gained this year about your child that would assist in placement decisions. Thank you for your understanding and support in this process.
Jody Elsner, Lower School Director
jelsner@thevilla.org
Pat Preib, Middle School Director
ppreib@thevilla.org
The Villa Preschool is collecting gently used books for the local Ronald McDonald House. The Ronald McDonald House is located right here in our community. Families with an ill child, seeking medical treatment at Children’s Hospital, stay at the house for extended periods of time, when they live too far away to commute to be near their child.
Many of the patients at Children’s Hospital, and their siblings, are the same age as our preschool students, five years of age and younger. Donations of gently used books help families during the difficult transition to their new, but temporary home.
Our Book Drive will begin Monday, May 10 and continue through Friday, May 21. This is a great opportunity for you and your child to get together to decide what book or books you would like to donate from your shelves at home.
The Ronald McDonald House is really looking forward to our donations. Please look for our special book boxes just outside each of the Preschool classrooms starting on May 10.
Thank you for your consideration.
The Preschool Team
Celebrate National Poem in Your Pocket Day!
Thursday, April 29th, is National “Put a Poem in Your Pocket” day. The idea is to carry a poem in your pocket to share with a colleague, a family member or a friend.
To celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day, and as a fun activity related to the Sixth Grade’s current English unit, students will be handing out pocket-sized copies of their favorite poems during morning carpool.
Keep a Poem in Your Pocket
Keep a poem in your pocket
And a picture in your head
And you’ll never feel lonely
At night when you’re in bed.
The little poem will sing to you
The little picture bring to you
A dozen dreams to dance to you
At night when you’re in bed.
So-
Keep a poem in your pocket
And a picture in your head
And you’ll never feel lonely
At night when you’re in bed.
-Beatrice Schenk de Rogniers
