Maury Online Community

Barnes and Noble Fundraiser 2008

2008-10-28T09:12:00.009-04:00

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

2008-04-27T14:10:00.004-04:00

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

2008-04-27T14:01:00.005-04:00

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

2008-01-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-17T09:53:00.000-05:00

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.

News from the Green Team

2008-01-16T09:12:00.000-05:00

We are very fortunate at Maury to have Mr. Richardson, the school building engineer, working with us. Mr. Richardson coordinated the prompt installation of the new recycling container. He and his team are also overseeing the emptying of the indoor recycling containers. Thank you Mr. Richardson and his team!

Fundraiser at Fuddruckers

2008-01-13T09:23:00.000-05:00

Hello Maury supporters,

Come enjoy dinner out with the kids and support the Maury PTA at the same time! Patrons of Fuddruckers (4141C Duke St.) on Wednesday, January 16th between 4 pm and 9 pm need only tell the cashier that you are there to support Maury. Fuddruckers will donate a percentage of sales to the Maury PTA to support our literacy programs, outdoor class room and teacher appreciation activities.

Pass the word! Bring a friend!

PTA Newsletter

2007-12-09T11:26:00.003-05:00

Click here to see the November/December PTA Newsletter!

Read news from the green team,

an interview with kindergarten teacher Tyler Davis

and updates from the PTA.

Shop at Barnes & Noble

2007-11-19T07:15:00.000-05:00

Maury Elementary Invites You to Our

Barnes & Noble Bookfair

Saturday, December 8th, 2007
10am to 11pm
Barnes & Noble at Potomac Yard
3651 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22301

Click here for vouchers. Please print vouchers and bring them to Barnes & Noble to ensure that a percentage of your purchases will benefit our school.

New Right Now at Maury

2007-11-01T11:29:00.000-04:00

Maury PTA Newsletter - Available Here!
The first PTA newsletter of the year is out - with many thanks to Kathy Bower, PTA Vice President of Outreach. Download it here, and it will live forever (or at least for the school year) here.

MOC Spotlight: The Green Team

2007-09-06T12:17:00.000-04:00

BIG NEWS FROM THE GREEN TEAM!

With Ms. Jackson's enthusiastic support, the Maury Green Team will be having a classroom "Energy Star" contest. Classes will compete for the most consistent paper recycling, lights off for lunch and after school, and computers in hibernation when not in use. Each class will appoint a classroom leader(s), who will have "Energy Star" badges. The contest will go for 8-10 weeks. At the end, a pizza party will be given to the winning class and the leader (s) will make a presentation to the school!

Parents will be in charge of monitoring the classes. So, we need volunteers! It will be very easy. On the day of your choice, you go to either the K/1st/2nd grade rooms, or the 3rd/4th/5th grade rooms at their lunch/recess period or after school. A chart will be in each room. You will assess for paper in the recycling box (not garbage), lights off and computers all in hibernation (star sticker for compliant, monkey sticker for noncompliant).

We need two monitors per week. So, the more the better! Please get in touch with Samantha Ahdoot at atkinssam@yahoo.com if you're interested, and any particular week you are/are not available.

MOC Spotlight: Garden

2007-09-04T12:02:00.000-04:00

Maury's Outdoor Classroom

In January 2006 Maury parents got together to plan a school garden that would allow students to engage in hands-on-science activities. With design help from the ACPS garden coordinator, Wendy Sparrow, they broke ground that spring on an unused section of the playground bordering Russell Road. Parents built two raised beds and dug long flower beds. Funds from the PTA paid for materials and plants. By May, kindergarteners had planted vegetables, first graders had sowed peanuts, and second graders had planted flowers and herbs that would attract butterflies. That fall a new crop of kindergarteners and first graders would reap the harvest.

Since its founding, Maury’s garden has become a spot for learning and recreation for all grades. On any given day, students can be found observing plant development or creating flower patterns. This past year, third graders under the supervision of Maury science teacher, Stefan Fisher, observed the flowering and fading of their red tulips, planted as part of the "Journey North" project that tracks the spread of spring across the US and Canada. At present, Maury’s first attempt at growing cotton—a Virginia cash crop included in social studies curriculum—looks like a success. And thanks to a generous parent and some labor from our second graders, the garden now boasts a special strawberry bed.

The outdoor classroom has also grown in terms of its infrastructure. In April 2007, Boy Scout Troop 135 gathered to help Regan Mukai in his Eagle Scout project—the construction of three handsome benches and a new raised bed. Seating in the garden area has since expanded even more with the PTA’s purchase of two sturdy picnic tables. ACPS also provided a water barrel.

Maury outdoor classroom was created by the PTA and operates with the help of many volunteers, who water, weed, dig, and help coordinate activities. Thanks to all of them!

Get Involved at Maury!

2007-06-17T15:09:00.001-04:00

Maury is an excellent school because we have an excellent community. Join us, and help make Maury even better!

1) Join the Maury Online Community (MOC)!
This is a listserve to keep up on the latest and greatest Maury news, ACPS goings-on, and Maury community happenings. There are three easy ways to join:

Send an email to Maury-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to be automatically added to the list.
Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Maury/ and click "Join Now".
Contact Kathy Bower, PTA Vice President for Outreach at jkngbower@comcast.net and she'll add you to the list.

2) Join the Maury PTA!
The Maury Parent-Teacher Association is active year-round to keep parents connected to the school and informed about their children's school experience, and to provide ways to continue to strenthen Maury and the Maury community. Membership is $5 per school year. If you haven't already heard from Susan Lathrop, send her a note at susan.lathrop@comcast.net and she'll be excited to get you signed up!

3) Sign up to help out on a committee!
Whether you've got an hour a year or an hour a day to give to Maury, there's a place for you. Contact PTA President Kelly Smith at kellyandwill@aol.com for more information about the work parents are doing at Maury and how to plug in.

4) Sign up as a Classroom Parent!
Are you looking for a way to get involved with your child's class? Want to be more involved with the PTA but wary of large projects and events? You might consider becoming a Classroom Parent.

This year, the PTA is organizing a group of room parents to assist the teachers as needed and facilitate communication between the teachers and parents. There is no real "job description," but some of the things you might be asked to do include:

Meet and talk to homeroom teachers about special classroom needs
Introduce yourself to other parents (at school activities, via telephone or email)
Attend class field trips or coordinate chaperones for field trips
Coordinate classroom parties to ensure supplies are provided (checking with classroom teachers before coordinating)
Contact parents to alert them during emergencies (unexpected school closings, etc.)
Along with PTA, assist parents in acknowledging Teacher Appreciation Week (teachers’ birthdays if teachers make it known)
Assist or coordinate assistance during school and/or PTA activities (Fall Festival, Game Night, after school clubs, RIF, assemblies, etc.)
Assist teachers as needed with garden, science or computer lab activities.

If you're interested, please contact Susan Lathrop at susan.lathrop@comcast.net. Make sure to include your child's teacher's name. If there are multiple responses from one class, the first volunteer is the winner!

2007-2008 Maury PTA

2007-06-17T15:05:00.000-04:00

The 2007-2008 Maury PTA Officers are:

Kelly Smith, President
mailto:%20Kellyandwill@aol.com

Susan Lathrop, President-elect
mailto:susan.lathrop@comcast.net

Kathy Bower, VP for Public Outreach
jkngbower@comcast.net

Shayna Englin, Co-VP for Fundraising
shayna.englin@gmail.com

Tonya Kelly, Treasurer
tlkelly@comcast.net

Sharon Kluger, Co-VP for Fundraising
sharonkluger@hotmail.com

Nancy Ziuzin Schlegel, Co-Secretary
nzschlegel@mac.com

Medea Ranck, VP for Programs
medea.ranck@comcast.net

Maury Calendar of Events

2007-06-17T15:00:00.000-04:00

For the ACPS Academic calendar, click here, but watch this space for all of the exciting Maury happenings!

Sept 2007
Sept 4 - First Day of School!
Sept 10 - 6:30pm, Maury Back to School Night and PTA Meeting

Oct 2007
Oct 8 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
Oct 20 - Fall Festival

Nov 2007
Nov 5 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
Nov 6 No School - Teacher Work Day, Election Day
Nov 12 No School - Veterans Day
Nov 15 & 16 Half Days/Parent-Teacher Conferences
Nov 21, 22, & 23 No School - Thanksgiving

Dec 2007
Dec 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31 Winter Break

Jan 2008
Jan 1 Winter Break
Jan 2 Back to School
Jan 14 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
Jan 21 No School -MLK Day
Jan 28 No School - Teacher Work Day

Feb 2008
Feb 6 & 7 - Half Days/Parent-Teacher Conferences
Feb 11 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
Feb 18 - No School/President's Day

Mar 2008
Mar 10 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
Mar 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24 - Spring Break

Apr 2008
Apr 14 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
April 11 - No School/Teacher Work Day
April 28 - No School

May 2008
May 12 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
May 23 - No School
May 28 - No School/Memorial Day

June 2008
June 9 - 7pm, Maury PTA Meeting
June 16, 17, 18, & 19 - Half Days
June 19 - Last Day of School!

Links and Resources

2007-06-17T14:55:00.000-04:00

ACPS Links:

Homepage: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/
Emergency Announcements: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/emergann.php
Maury's official site: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/maury/index.php
Parent Resources: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/parents.php
Student Resources: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/students.php

Alexandria School Board and Administration Links:

School Board: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/board/
Superintendent: http://www.acps.k12.va.us/superintendent/

PTA Links:

Virginia PTA: http://www.vapta.org/
National PTA: http://www.pta.org/

Uniform Policy

2007-06-16T15:45:00.000-04:00

Students at Maury wear school uniforms to conform with the following guidelines:

Boys:

Navy or khaki pants or shorts (no denim)
Powder blue or navy blue collared shirt (polo shirts are okay!) and a solid navy sweater when it's cold out
Socks and sneakers or shoes (no sandals)

Girls:

Navy or khaki pants, skirt, skort, jumper, or shorts (no denim)
Powder blue or navy blue collared shirt (polo shirts are okay!) and a solid navy sweater when it's cold out
Socks or tights and sneakers or shoes (no sandals)

Optional for P.E. Days:

Navy sweat pants
Solid powder blue or navy sweatshirt with NO hood

Support Maury PTA Programs!

2007-06-15T20:44:00.000-04:00

The Maury PTA supports the school in ways big and small. From organizing the Fall Festival to organizing teacher appreciation events to hosting informational meetings, the PTA is busy all year round making Maury a great option for Alexandria kids.

Even if all you've got is a spare two minutes, you can help the Maury PTA in a variety of quick and easy ways:

Join! Membership is $5, and Susan Lathrop, President-elect, would be thrilled to help: susan.lathrop@comcast.net
Add Maury to your Giant and Harris Teeter (code 5382) cards.
Clip your "Box Tops for Education" coupons from hundreds of General Mills products and bring them to Maury mom Laura Rhodes (rhodesland@aol.com) - she'll send them in for you!

Cub Scouts at Maury

2007-06-14T21:16:00.000-04:00

PACK 135
MAURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
INVITES YOUR SON TO

JOIN CUB SCOUTS!

All boys in grades 1-5 are welcome to
join Pack 135 for the 2007-2008 school year.

Cost: $10.00 national dues, $10.00 pack dues
(includes pack number patch),
$12.00 for Boys Life magazine (optional)
(Not included are costs for uniform and handbook)

Meeting schedule: During the school year, usually 2-3 meetings a month, plus an outing.
Pack meeting every other month.

If interested, please contact
Laura Rhodes at
703-836-0081 or email rhodesland@aol.com

PTA Newsletters 2007-2008 Archive

2006-10-05T10:57:00.000-04:00

Click on the links below to download PTA Newsletters

1. Sept/Oct 2007

MOC SPOTLIGHT Archives

2006-09-18T13:08:00.000-04:00

Miss a Spotlight? Click the links below to see what we've been up to:

Green Team Spotlight
Garden Spotlight