Bike+Walk to School Challenge

Next week (Tuesday, May 1st) is the official May Bike+Walk to School Challenge Month.  Throughout May, students all across Oregon participate in the Walk+Bike to School Challenge. The Challenge is a free, month-long competition between Oregon students of all ages to see who can walk,bike, scoot, or skate the most.  Students keep track of the days they use active transportation to get to school on a scorecard which they then turn in for prizes.

What's happening at Alameda?
Alameda is officially registered to participate in this challenge.  Let's show these other schools who rocks!  There will be two separate challenges- an individual based challenge and a classroom challenge.  

1) Students who want to participate in the individual challenge should print out a scorecard - there will be a link in this week's News Notes. Some copies of  scorecards will also be available on the informational table in front of the calendar outside of the front office.  Students should keep these scorecards at home and circle the mode of transportation they used for each school day in May.  Cards should be turned into teachers on June 1st.  All students who submit scorecards will be eligible for prizes.

2) There will also be a classroom challenge. Each classroom will receive a poster to keep track of how students get to school during the month of May. As students enter the classroom in the morning, they should circle if they walked, biked, rode a scooter, or took the school bus to school that morning.  They should do this for every school day in May. ( FYI: classrooms will receive 1 pt for every trip by bike/foot/scooter/skateboard  and 1/2 pt for a school bus ride.  No points will be received for driving to school). At the end of the month, the classroom with the greatest percentage of students reporting using active transportation to get to school will win an ice cream party donated by Whole Foods!
 
**Any questions email walkandbike@alameda.org
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Run for the Arts

Wednesday, April 25th is Run for the Arts!
Don't forget to have your child dressed for a good run- tennis shoes, appropriate clothing, and a water bottle. Fourth grade's run time will be at 1:10pm. If you are able/interested in helping tally laps for our class please show up to the classroom around 1:00pm.
Also, if paperwork was not brought in today please make sure it comes to school with your child tomorrow!

Happy Running!

OAKS Math 4/17

Please make sure you child is to school on time tomorrow as we will be OAKS Math testing promptly at 8:50. Thank you!

Report Card Notice

Dear 4th grade families,

Report cards are scheduled to be sent home Friday, April 20th. However, due to our Oregon trail overnight field trip this coming week, 4th grade teachers will be sending report cards home on Monday, April 23rd. We appreciate your understanding.

Oregon Trail Packing List

Dear Families,

The time has come to prepare for the Oregon Trail Overnight. Please read the following information and save this sheet in a safe place so you can recheck as necessary. Following is a list of what your child needs to pack and what he/she is not to bring.

We will leave school at 9:00 am on Thursday, April 19^th and return around 1:30 pm on Friday, April 20^th. Your child will need a sack lunch for the first day. Everything in the lunch needs to be disposable.  Please write your child’s name on their lunch sack.

Clothing: (Please remember to label all clothing and bedding with your child’s name AND school) Students will carry their own bags so pack accordingly. Students may dress “pioneer style” if they wish. This may mean jeans and boots, or girls may wear long skirts (please wear warm clothes under skirts). Keep in mind that layers work best: long underwear, shirt, sweatshirt, warm jacket, and a coat (think layers). Students should bring the following (Pack in a large plastic garbage bag. Use masking tape and a marking pen to write the student’s name and school on the garbage bag. You should use an extra-thick garbage bag – thin bags tear too easily):

• One full change of clothes besides what is worn on the first day
• Jeans or heavy trousers (girls may substitute a long skirt, but we will be outside most of the day so make sure they’ll be able to stay warm)
•  Shirt or blouse
• Warm jacket
• Underwear
•  Extra shoes or boots
• Raincoat or poncho (You can find emergency rain ponchos for under $2.00 at some stores)
• Gloves
• Sweater or sweatshirt
• Socks (extra pairs are a good idea)
• Pajamas or nightgown – something warm
• Lunch – packed separately from other gear
• Sleeping Gear: Students will be carrying all of their own gear and clothing – so pack accordingly! They will also be responsible for unpacking and repacking. Frequently the thin garbage bags rip, and bedding items can get wet.  You may want to send an extra garbage bag, pre-labeled.
• A sleeping bag or blankets and sheets – the cabins are heated.
• Pillow with pillow case

Personal Gear (put in a plastic bag or zip lock bag and store with clothes):

• Wash cloth
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste / floss
• Brush or comb
• Hand towel
• Soap
• Large plastic bag for wet or dirty items

Please do NOT bring the following: money, cellular phones, radios/Ipods, electronic games, virtual pets, comic books, pocket knives, jewelry, card games, matches, curling irons, make-up or anything to eat (besides the lunch mentioned above), including candy or gum. (An afternoon snack on the first day and all meals will be provided.)

Medication

Place all medication needed by your child into a Ziploc bag labeled with your child’s name, school and teacher’s name. Give the medication directly to us first thing in the morning on April 19^th. Medication must be in original container. The directions on the prescription label must match exactly what you wrote on the parent/guardian authorization on your child’s health history form.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Christy Caton                                                Kimberly Hunting-Knight

ccaton@pps.net                                                 khunting@pps.net

Abby Levin                                                Julie Brown

alevin@pps.net                                                 jbrown5@pps.net

                                   

A Note From the Principal

Playground

Please remember that the playground is not open for community use between 8:45 and 3:00.  Mrs. LaBaron has class outside starting as early as 8:45 and as late as 3:00. If there are other people using the playground during that time it makes instruction very difficult. 

Visitors

Portland School District Policy requires that all visitors check in at the office upon entering the building and put on a visitor badge.  Alameda staff has been instructed to refer all visitors not wearing a badge to the main office to check in.