Denali Montessori School

17th Annual Bear Valley
5K Challenge
Family Fun Run/Walk
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Race Day: Saturday May 17th

Location: Bear Valley Elementary School

(Park at Bear Valley School at the top of Rabbit Creek Road. The actual race starts at Storck Park which is located next door to the school. The race finishes in the school ice rink. A map to get to Bear Valley Elementary School should be with your race bib.)

Race Start: 10 am

Race Fee: Child, Jr. High, Sr. High = $6
Adult = $9
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This is a smaller race than many around town (around 275 participants compared to the Heart Run’s 7,000) which makes it less intimidating.

The Bear Valley 5K course is on dirt roads and trails. Given the added snow in recent weeks, I’m guessing the trail could be muddy in places so I wouldn’t suggest wearing your brand new sneakers.

All you need to do is fill out the registration form and return it to Mr. Horning by Friday, May 9th. Mr. Horning will turn in the registration forms, pick up the bibs, and distribute them to the students in school the week of May 12th. If you miss this deadline there is race day registration from 8:30 - 9:30.

If you have any questions call Mr. Horning at Denali - 742-4500 or call Bear Valley
Community Schools at 345-0434 (bearvalleycommunityassoc.org)

Rise to the challenge, get physically active, and go for it!

Denali MultiPurpose Room
May 14, 6:30pm**

Has your child been working on social thinking in the speech and language program this year?? Do you know someone with good language skills who has difficulty being a social thinker? Have you heard us talk all year about Michelle Garcia-Winner? Does your student talk about what is expected and unexpected? You may enjoy this DVD, which will introduce the rationale behind the lessons that have been given.

Denali Montessori will show the first hour of Michelle Garcia Winner’s DVD on Social thinking on May 14, at 6:30pm.

Social Thinking Across the Home and School Day (DVD)
Product ID: WIN04dvd

This DVD was produced by The Gray Center in conjunction with Michelle Garcia Winner. It is intended to assist parents and professionals in facilitating social thinking and related skills. It is a two-part video series: the first video consists of a workshop that Michelle presents to help define the ILAUGH framework (a six-point model of social cognition).
For more information click here.
The skills discussed are geared toward students who have difficulty with social thinking due to autism, AS, ADHD, and a variety of other challenges.

****Sorry, no child care is provided for this adult oriented video.
Questions?: Call Celia or Tamara at Denali: 742-4500.

Here is an opportunity for parents to support Denali School.  A capital budget recently passed the legislature which includes $38,000 for new computer equipment for our school.  Over the next two weeks, the Governor will decide which projects in the capital budget will be vetoed and which will be funded.   I encourage all parents who support this grant to write to the Governor and Karen Rehfeld, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to let them know how important this project is to the community and especially our children’s education. 

The contact information for the Governor and Director Rehfeld are listed below.  If you choose to write letters of support, please use the project title listed below so there is no confusion over which project you are advocating for.  Please also send a copy of any correspondence to Senator Johnny Ellis and Representative Les Gara who helped promote this project.  Thank you for your continued support of our school.

Brooke Hull

Project Information:
Title: Denali Elementary School Computers Purchase
Amount:  $38,000
Page and Line:  page 106, line 14

Governor Sarah Palin
Attn:  Mike Tibbles, Chief of Staff
PO Box 110001
Juneau, AK 99811-0001
Phone: (907) 465-3500
Fax:  (907) 465-3532
Sarah.Palin@alaska.gov

Karen Rehfeld, Director
Office of Management and Budget
PO Box 110020
Juneau, AK 99811-0020
Phone:  (907) 465-4660
Fax:  (907) 465-3640
Karen.Rehfeld@alaska.gov

Alaska State Legislature
Senator Johnny Ellis
Representative Les Gara
Official Business
716 W. 4th Avenue
Anchorage, Alaska 99501

Come join in the fun!

Tuesday, April 29th

6:30-8:00 pm.

Denali’s Multipurpose Room

Students with an accompanying adult are invited to come and learn new math games.  You will leave that night with math directions and materials so that you can play these games at home over the summer.

 We hope to see you here on Tuesday, the 29th of April!

Dear Families,

Whew! Our week of testing ended on Friday and everyone is glad. It was wonderful to see how hard the students worked to demonstrate their knowledge and their academic growth. Thank you for your help in making sure that your child/ren arrived at school last week prepared to take the SBAs. Now, I am excited to see the results that will arrive sometime in May.

Speaking about being excited-this is Science Fair week and we have projects arriving.  It is always fun to see the varied projects that illustrate how much thought, effort, and time the boys and girls have put into creating interesting and informative displays. Please be sure to stop by and see what they created.

We are so lucky here at Denali - once again our excellent staff has decided to offer an opportunity for our community. On Tuesday, April 29th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm we are offering a Family Math Night. This fun-filled, engaging evening will provide our students and their parents/guardians a chance to come and learn new math games that can be played at home. We hope that you will consider joining us. Please look for more information to follow in the next weeks.

Enjoy the warming weather and the lengthening light.

Brooke Hull, Principal

April 7-11………..Science Fair

April 11…………..Spring  Pictures

April 11-13………State Science Fair
April 18…………..Peace Conference

April 29…………..Math Night
6:30 -8:00pm
May 22……………4th Quarter Ends
Last Day of School

Spring is in the air and that means time for Spring cleaning. I am looking for donations of long pants and shirts in any size for our nurses’ office. Thank you.

Camp for Alaskan Youth with Asthma
The American Lung Association is sponsoring camps in Alaska for youth ages 7-17 with asthma. These are excellent opportunities for Alaskan youth with asthma to learn asthma self-management skills and to gain confidence in those skills while being active outdoors. Partial scholarships and statewide round-trip transportation provided for both camps.

Champ Camp
Youth Ages 7-12
July 27-August 1, 2008
Camp Carlquist, Chugiak

Limitless Adventures
Youth ages 13-17
June 8-June 14, 2008
Eagle River Valley, Juneau

For more information and to download registration materials see web site www.aklung.org or call Camp Coordinator Michelle Ferreira at 907-644-6417.
Nurse Pattie

Picture Day is tomorrow!! These are the pictures that just show up in a few weeks and you can decide whether or not to keep and pay for them. Please feel free to leave any unwanted photos in the PTA box in the workroom. If you keep the photos, please remember to send in payment. Denali PTA makes a commission on paid sales, which we then use for school programs and events.

PTA will require three new officers for the 2008-2009 school year. The current board is busily preparing for a smooth transition and hopes to spend most of May working closely with new board members. In order to do that, we need to have three officer candidates at our May 6 meeting. We also have many more specific openings, planning events and such. If you would like more information about what is entailed, or would like to jump in a volunteer, please call Jessica Horwatt at 441-8196.

HUGE thanks go to Jackie Morrissey and Linda Klinkhart for taking on the job of coordinating our Spring Book Fair! Denali PTA earned just over $2000 from book sales, but more importantly, a total of nearly $1500 in books were added to class libraries via family donations and product earnings from Scholastic. Incredible!

PTA also provided snacks for our testing kids last week, again thanks to parent volunteers. Thank you Jackie Morrissey, Jim Lee and Jessica Horwatt for making Costco runs. Thanks to all the parents who stayed in the morning to deliver snacks to classrooms. And, special thanks to Carla Williams for coming in early all four days to prepare snacks!!

Thanks to Julie Pierce for coordinating our annual cookie dough sale. Denali PTA made about $1,800 profit. Thanks also to those who helped sort the products for pickup: Scott Irwin, Linda Klinkhart, Jessica Horwatt, Julie Pierce and her first assistant, Adler!

Many thanks to Kim Robuck for remaining our Life Touch point of contact and handling all coordination for Fall and Spring school pictures and for completing our yearbook!

Several months ago (I apologize for the delay!) students at Denali worked with climbing ropes and the traverse climbing wall in physical education. They worked towards such objectives as strength building, cooperation, encouragement, lifting and controlling body weight, balance, and the realization of personal limits as well as an understanding that skill development takes time.

What follows is a list of students who made it in to the “Top of the World Club”. These students successfully climbed to the top of the gym rope. - Shawn Horning, P.E Teacher

Rope w/ Balls (1st-3rd Grade)
Cameron K, Anissa M., Carson W., Mitchell G., Shilo C., Piper S., Madison H., Jen J., Vazul T., Griffin L., Shalia C., Evan K., David S., Alyzia H., Kobe H., Hunter S., Brandy L., Nina P., Michael J., Elizabeth J., Grace I., Brandi S., Rashawne W., Sid M.

Rope w/ Balls (4th-6th Grade)
Ryan M., Esha N., Elias A., Waylon S., Warren S., Anayansi S-G., Daly M., Bethany R., Gabrielle L., Philip B., Erin G., Keenan J., Grace R., Jpurney P., Alexis S., Junior P., Jessica D., Adler C., Damaiya W., Taylor L., Malia L., Hailey L., Sunshine E., Aaron B.

Rope - Smooth (1st-3rd Grade)
Jared E., Kendall W., Brian B., Fiona F., Maggie Y., Margeaux B., Lucas M., Kuulei P., Mickey M.

Rope - Smooth (4th-6th Grade)
Chance R., Keely J., Jenny S., Thomas O’H., Katherine M., Jonathan M., Jocelyn B., Erik E.

Many thanks to members of the Denali family who donated money to help our community schools Spanish teacher, Martha Amaya, get through her recent surgery. She is on the mend and recently returned to work. Denali raised $458 to defray some of her medical costs. Your generosity, along with her hospital’s decision to write off the base cost of the surgery itself, is greatly appreciated by Martha. She writes, “Thanks…there are never enough words to express it. For All You Do… bless everyone for all your help: Thanks so much. Martha”

Dear Families,

Last week we were very fortunate to have two Montessori experts from Montessori Opportunities, Inc. come to Denali and work with our staff. Peter and Rosann Larrow were able to visit each classroom and meet with the teachers to provide guidance on ways to strengthen our best Montessori practices. Thank you to the MAC committee and all our community members who helped fundraise for this training. We will be continuing our association with the Larrows for the balance of the year and we will have Peter Larrow returning in the fall. At that time we will provide for additional staff training, begin a credit class for staff, and arrange for Peter to meet and work with our parent community. Please look for more information about these upcoming, exciting events as they unfold.

Speaking about exciting events, we are pleased to be able to meet with you on Wednesday and Thursday for parent-teacher conferences. If you are not sure about when your scheduled meeting time with your child’s teacher is, please contact the teacher to find out. We are looking forward to sharing with you your child’s progress and to answer your questions.

Kindergarten and third grade parents will be given a placement form to fill out and return to school.

Finally, remember that the Alaska Standards-Based Assessments (SBAs) will be given to grades 3-6 students next week. It is imperative that all students arrive at school rested and ready for testing. Eating a nutritious breakfast is important. Please have your chid to school on time and avoid scheduling appointments on April 1st, 2nd and 3rd (and on April 4th for grade four students).  Thank you for making sure that your children will be here on time and ready to take the SBA tests.

Enjoy the warming weather.

Brooke Hull
Principal

April  1-3, 8……State Assigned Testing Dates

May  22………..Classes end.  End of fourth quarter.

School is dismissed at 3:30pm.  A final bell rings at 3:45pm and all children should be off the playground and on their way home !

On Thursday, March 20, three special guests came to a celebration at Denali Campfire.  This celebration was “Incredible  Kid Day”.  The three guests were: the principal of Denali, Brooke Hull; the mayor of Anchorage, Mark Begich; and the Superintendent of the Anchorage School District, Carol Comeau.  They were there to tell us about “Incredible Kid Day”.  Mrs. Hull, Mayor Begich and Ms. Comeau each wrote a letter to the kids, which they read out loud.  Each letter talked about how amazing we are as kids, even though adults don’t tell us as much as they should.  It was a great celebration that all the kids enjoyed.

Because we do not have an attendance line, please send a note with your child to the teacher the following day.