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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

MPA Weekly Update - 10/3/2013

In This Issue
Dates to Remember
Submit to the Newsletter
Bowling Event
3rd Grade Reading Assessments
BROWNS & The Cleveland Foodbank
UNITY/Anti-Bullying Day
School Day Support Training
Community Service Learning
K-4 Behavior Supports
Young Rembrants
Fall Festival and Pumpkins
Boys Basketball
One Call Now!
21st Annual Young Astronaut Day
Plan Ahead
Box Tops Update
October 3, 2013 Newsletter 

October 
10/6 - Sunday - Boosters' Bowl-A-Rama at Fairview Lanes, 3pm
10/8 - Tuesday - Browns ceREAL Food Drive Kickoff Event; Corn Dog hot lunch
10/9 - Wednesday - Unity/Anti-bullying day - students should wear orange
10/10 - Thursday - School Day Volunteer Training at 8:15am; Pizza hot lunch; MPA parent book club at 4:30pm
10/22 - Tuesday - Young Rembrandts after school program begins
10/25 - Picture Day; Fall Festival for MPA families

November
11/2 - Saturday - NASA Young Astronaut Day
11/14 - Thursday - MPA parent book club, 4:30
Quick Links
Have Something for the Newsletter?
Information can be submitted via email to: communications@menloparkacademy.com for review and inclusion in the weekly update. Submissions are subject to Director approval.
MPA Bowling Event
Get to know the MPA community 

MPA's Bowl-A-Rama is this Sunday, October 6th from 3-5 pm at Fairview Lanes! Please send in your RSVP form by the end of the school day this Friday! Tickets are only $5 per person and include 2 hours of bowling, shoe rental, snacks and good times! Please contact boosters@menloparkacademy.com with any questions. Click here for the full flyer and reservation form.  
Third Grade Reading Assessments
Reading OAA will be held October 7 and 8   

Third grade parents, welcome to the world of mandatory testing!  Students in grades K-3 participated in the GRADE reading diagnostic in September.  This testing is required by ODE and helps us to determine specific learning needs of MPA students.  Your child's scores will be reviewed with you during Parent/Teacher conferences in November.

Next the 3rd Grade Reading OAA will be adminstered Monday, October 7 and Tuesday October 8.  Please make sure that students are well rested and arrive to school on time.
Browns to Visit MPA to Kick Off Food Drive
Tuesday, October 8th   

Menlo Park Academy has been selected as the kick off school for the Brown's ceREAL food drive with the Cleveland Foodbank. Browns players as well as the mascot will be on campus for an afternoon assembly. Wear your Browns gear to make the team members feel welcome and celebrate their winning games!  

As part of the event at our school, all students and staff need to complete a waiver allowing the Browns to film and use the footage to promote the ceREAL drive. Waivers came home yesterday with students.  You may also click HERE for another copy. Any students without a signed waiver will be unable to attend the assembly.  We will have an alternate activity for them.

Students in all grades will have a chance to participate in the assembly rather than just observing. Students in grades K-3 will all be placed in a random drawing to participate.  Students in grades 5-8 must write a two-paragraph essay about how the student demonstrates exemplary role model behavior (now or for improved performance).  Students who complete this essay and have teacher approval/signoff that all the students' assignments are up to date will be entered in the drawing to participate.  Students must turn these items in to Mr. Kennedy by Monday, October 7 to have their names added.

This event kicks off the November 3-15 "ceREAL" Food Drive for the Cleveland Foodbank.  Schools earn points for all donations: 1 point for each box of cereal donated, and 4 points for each $1 donation.
  
At the end of the drive, the top point-earning school will select 100 students to go an an exclusive trip to FirstEnergy Stadium, Home of the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, November 26! 
UNITY/Anti-Bullying Day
Wednesday, October 9th - show your support and wear orange!

As part of our character education program, all MPA students will be celebrating UNITY/Anti-Bullying Day on Wednesday, October 9th.  Students and staff are encouraged to wear orange that day to promote school unity.  There will also be activities focused on anti-bullying throughout the day.  

Also, that day students in grades 5-8 will participate in an interactive assembly with their advisory teachers with a focus on positive relationship building and standing up for others. 
School Day Support Volunteer Training
Additional session added Thursday, Oct. 10 at 8:15am

Wanted: help with School Day Support - Lunch, Recess, Field Trips, Electives, and much more!
  
If you did not make it to one of the September meetings, but are currently volunteering or plan to volunteer before the November meetings, please plan on attending the next mandatory training session on Thursday, October 10th, 8:15-8:45 AM
You can sign up to attend this session by clicking the link below.


*If you have already attended a volunteer training session this school year, you have satisfied the School Day Support training requirement and do not need to attend this sesssion.*
NEW Community Service Learning Program
Parent Volunteers Needed 

Each MPA Middle School Advisory class has chosen a Community Service Learning Project to work on together. They are learning about their program through class instruction, guest speakers, and field trips. To make these projects successful, we need volunteers for the field trips.

To sign up to volunteer for one of the filed trips below (You don't have to be a middle school parent to volunteer!!) please contact Jennifer Ingraham 330-441-1465. Help give back to our community!

Thursday Oct 10th 9am-1:30pm
Cuyahoga Valley National Park: help clear non-native plants from the park (2 still needed)

Wednesday Oct 16th 10am-12:30pm
Adopt-A-Beach: Edgewater clean up (1 still needed)
Pizza and Prizes for Grades K-4
A positive behavior support initiative from Mrs. B-W and Mr. Kennedy

Medallions are back for 2013-2014!  Students will receive medallions throughout the day to reinforce positive behaviors (kindness, patience, etc.).  These medallions will be collected in tally jars by homeroom teachers.  Every other Friday the class with the most medallions will earn a pizza lunch with Mrs. B-W or Mr. Kennedy where they will play bingo for fabulous prizes.  Students will then be able to add the medallions earned to their backpack chains.
Young Rembrandts K-6th After School Program
Popular program returns; session begins Tuesday, October 22nd

Young Rembrandts teaches drawing with a see-touch-do method that all kids can succeed with, learn from and love! Watch your child reach a brand new level of confidence and potential with this engaging, award-winning program. 

Classes will be held Tuesdays, from 3:20-4:20pm, beginning October 22nd.  The session runs for 6 weeks, and costs $57.  More information on the program can be found here.
Enroll your child at www.youngrembrandts.com/neo or call 440.979.1ART (1278).  
10/25/2013 - Fall Festival - Save the Date!
The 8th grade class will be hosting a Fall Festival on October 25th! A pumpkin carving contest will also be a part of the festivities on October 31.  More information coming soon.

Pumpkins
The week leading up the to Fall Festival and the week prior to Halloween, 8th graders will be selling pumpkins in school for $5.00 each! Be on the look out for more information. Proceeds will help support the Washington DC field trip. 
Boys' Basketball Team Rosters Announced

A record 29 kids tried out for the MPA Boys Basketball program in our third season.  All of the prospective players showed heart, skills, and determination. Unfortunately, in the world of basketball, not everyone can make the team. So, without further ado, congratulations to the Varsity and Junior Varsity Team members for the 2013-2014 school year:
 
Varsity Team Members:  Zack P.(Team Captain), Marshall M., Sam Z., David McD., Jaylon O., Charlie C., Patrick O'M., Ethan S., Sam P.
 
Junior Varsity Team Members: Hunter C. (Team Co-Captain), Jacob L. (Team Co-Captain), Matthew H. (Team Co-Captain), Miles M., John H., Talon B., Dylan C., Jacob D., Logan C., Jack H., Alex G., Ben R.
 
Junior Varsity 4th grade Mentor Team: Brendan A., Laith W., Magnus G.
 
For the months of October and November, Varsity players will practice every Wednesday and Friday from 3:45-5:30 at the Westpark YMCA. Their first fall basketball game will be on Saturday, October 26th.
 
Meanwhile, the Junior Varsity players will practice every Friday from 3:45-5:30 at the Westpark YMCA. Their first fall basketball game will be on Saturday, November 2nd.
One Call Now!
 Automated Alert System Comes to MPA

One Call Now!
Menlo Park is going to utilize One Call Now to alert MPA families of late breaking news, school cancellations, and special invitations.  If you would like to update your information, please visit:  MPA Emergency Alert System  You will have the option to opt-in to receive text messages, and also the option to opt-out of all communications, at the end of the message.

Please contact Lynn Wilson if you have any questions about the One Call Now emergency alert system.
21st Annual Young Astronaut Day at NASA Glenn
Saturday, November 2

NASA Glenn is offering a hands-on science and engineering program from 10:00am to 3:00pm on November 2.  Kids will have an opportunity to team with their fellow MPA students to compete in events such as:
  • Wind tunnel Aerodynamic Design Challenge 
  • Shuttle Repair Mission Specialist 
  • Launch Challenge 
  • Robotics 
  • Remote Sensing 
There will be 2 divisions for teams to compete:
Pilots (grades 1 - 6)
Commanders (grades 7-12)
 
MPA has one team for each division.  Twelve children will be allowed to compete in Pilots and Twelve in Commanders.  We will accept names until Wednesday, October 16th.  On that date, we will draw names to select the groups.
 
If your child is eager and available to participate or if you have any questions please contact Bobbi Kibbey:  kibbeyb@yahoo.com.  Provide your child's name and grade. 
Plan Ahead, Skiers and Snowboarders!  
Ski Club will be back beginning in January
 
Skadi Ski Club will be back on the slopes of Boston Mills on Saturdays from 4pm-8pm beginning in January.  Club membership includes weekly skiing, five lessons, four extra passes for only $10 each and rentals if you choose.  Please visit http://www.bmbw.com/club_ program.html for more information or contact Kari Basiewicz at Kbasiewicz@yahoo.com.  Online registration is now open! Please visit BMBW.com and go to Groups and Clubs on the top then Join a Club on the left side and sign up. See you on the slopes!
BoxTops Update                    
The boys are still in the lead!

As of Sept 26th, the boys have a total of 877 box tops & the girls have a total of 640.  Keep those box tops coming in, folks - and please, Please, PLEASE make sure you trim them!  The box top sorters and counters are suffering from "scissor burn" from all the trimming they have to do each week!

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