Barnes and Noble Fundraiser 2008

Maury Elementary Invites You to Our Barnes & Noble Bookfair

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Barnes & Noble at Potomac Yard
3651 Jefferson Davis Hwy
Alexandria, VA 22301

Story Hour at 11 am with Ms. Jackson!

Click here to view invitation in a new window.

A percentage of your purchases will benefit our school.

Ms. Jackson Receives 2008 Salute to Women Award

Principal Lucretia Jackson receives this award from the Alexandria Commission for Women. Ms. Jackson has transformed the school through her ideas, leadership and passion for education. Under Jackson's leadership, Maury has become a model for underperforming schools across the country. Enrollment and test scores continue to rise, and Jackson continues to be an inspiration. We love you, Ms. Jackson -- You Rocketh!

Ms. Tiffany Lee-Clarke Honored

Tiffany Lee-Clarke to Receive 2008
Excellence in Education Award

Tiffany Lee-Clarke demonstrates passion
for her lessons and engages all learners
through the use of story telling at the onset
of new units. She transforms her classroom into Rome, Egypt,
and Mali as a social studies teacher. Ms. Lee-Clarke stresses
the importance of creating an environment in which the
children know what to expect and what is expected of them.
Her secret to keeping it all together is "structure".
Ms. Lee Clark is a master teacher who pulls resources from
every area -- school, colleagues, pacing guides, curriculum
mapping, Internet, home and parents -- in order to ensure
that she meets all students’ academic needs and that they are
thriving. Tiffany Lee-Clarke goes above and beyond and that
is why she is being honored with the Excellence In Education
Award.

Laptop Lunchbox

The Green Team is currently working to decrease the waste produced through school lunches. Every day, our children bring hundreds of plastic bags and other disposable containers to contain their lunch. These receptacles are not biodegradable, and generate much of the school’s daily waste.

Parents can make a big difference by wrapping their student’s lunch in reusable containers. There are a myriad of such containers available, which are easy to find at many stores. They can be put in a standard lunchbox, instead of disposable plastic bags.

There is also a really cool product on the market, which was featured recently in Rachael Ray magazine. It is called the “Laptop Lunchbox”, and has its own compartments, utensils and water bottle. I can personally testify that it is very well made, does not leak and is fun to use.

If 20 or more parents order this product, the price is decreased from $35.00 to $27.00. Please see the enclosed sheet for more information. If you would like to purchase it, Click here, complete the order form and return it to Ms. Thomas at Maury’s entrance, attention Samantha Ahdoot. The Green Team will donate two lunchboxes to interested families who cannot afford the fee. Please mark a red dot on your application to be considered for a free lunchbox.

Our children deserve to inherit a healthy planet. The choices we make every day will determine their future.

After School Environmental Club

Many exciting things are happening at Maury. First is our school’s new after- school environmental club. Peter Raack, a kindergarden parent and lawyer at the EPA, is leading this exciting new program. Children will be learning about many different environmental issues, in a forum that is fun and productive. It should be a wonderful experience for everyone involved.

Maury is also the proud owner of a permanent, outdoor bottle and can receptacle. It is even made from recycled plastic! This (quite expensive) item was donated to us by the Mirant Power Plant. It is located in the playground, outside the school’s side exit. It is for glass/plastic/aluminum bottles and cans. Please help to teach our children that it is not for trash or other materials.