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Dear Pinecrest Community,

This is the last newsletter of 2009-10.

It is very hard to believe we are almost at the end of the school year. Thinking back to September, it is truly amazing to notice how the children -- and all of us -- have grown and changed as we learned together and experienced so much. Thank you for trusting your children with us this year; we have loved every minute of it and appreciate your commitment to our school community.

Looking forward to a special last few days with our many upcoming events and hoping to see many of you at Pinecrest Summer Pavilion this summer -- it's not too late to sign up!

Onward, and with gratitude for a wonderful year,

Nicole

The annual 2nd-6th Grade Read-in will be held this Friday, June 4, from 2-3:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room.

Tuesday, June 8, is the last day of school for all preschool classes. There is a preschool picnic/awards event at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 9, on the back playground. Preschool parents/families are strongly encouraged to participate in the picnic/awards event and to arrive promptly at 10 a.m. so the ceremony can begin. Preschool year-end narratives will be distributed by teachers at the picnic/awards event. There is preschool bus service and lunch bunch on Tuesday, June 8, but not on Wednesday, June 9.

Our annual K-6 spring concert and sixth grade graduation will take place at John Calvin Church on Columbia Pike in Annandale (same location as our winter concert in December) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 8.

A reminder that this winter’s blizzard changed the K-6 last week of school. K-6 has full days of school Monday-Thursday, June 7-10. We have a half day of school on the K-6 last day on Friday, June 11.

K-6 Field Day is on the last day of school – Friday, June 11. Friday, June 11, is a half day with dismissal at 12 noon. There is bus service on Friday, June 11, but there is no after-care. Any parents who are interested in volunteering for Field Day should please let us know. We’d love to have your help! Field Day information was sent home in last week’s Wednesday Envelope.

The preschool 3 and 3/4 classes went on a field trip today with Mrs. Kessler and Ms. Elder (in Mrs. Wool-Lewis’s absence) to Hidden Oaks Nature Center. Thank you, Lourdes Chamorro (parent of Petra Lacayo, preschool 3/4), Marsha Christoph (grandparent of Jack, preschool 3, and Callie, preschool 3/4), Kim Dinh (parent of Phong, preschool 3/4), Suzanne Gaffney (parent of Declan, preschool 3), Rich Kessler (parent of Holly, preschool 3), Shaun Simpson (parent of Eva, preschool 3/4), and Sarah Spink (parent of Charlotte, preschool 3, & Benjamin, K), for joining the classes on the trip!

Ms. Mitlo and the fifth/sixth grade class traveled to Baltimore today for a science-related field trip. Thank you to Rebecca Balogh (parent of Aurora Balogh-Zanin, grade 5) and Zakia Mohamand (parent of Neda, grade 2, & Pieman, grade 5) for also attending!

Since my office is located so close to the library, I often overhear the good things happening on Mondays with Ms. Minnick and the children in library. I asked her write about the below experience with the children so I could share it in her words:

During some of our library sessions, I read Beatrice's Goat, a children's picture book commissioned by Heifer International, a non-profit organization whose goal is to help end world hunger and poverty through self-reliance & sustainability. Beatrice's Goat is based on the true story of a girl from Uganda whose life is transformed by the gift of a goat - which allows her family to eat better and to earn income, which allows them to rebuild and improve their home, and to send Beatrice to school.

Heifer provides training and support in livestock management to ensure the success of the enterprise. In addition, Heifer requires the recipients of such a gift to "pass on the gift" by giving the animal's first offspring to another family.

Pinecrest children in grades K-6 enjoyed the story, and were inspired to join me in saving enough money to buy a goat through Heifer. I never asked for money - I just told them I was saving to buy a goat for a child like Beatrice, and showed them a jar I'd labeled "for Beatrice's Goat." In just a few weeks, we collected nearly $90 in change and small bills! The children in Ms. Bleggi's third grade were especially generous and enthusiastic, and I allowed them to tally up our funds and vote on the purchase of additional gifts through Heifer, as I had promised to match any amount they raised. With those matching funds, Pinecrest students raised enough money to buy a goat, a hive of honeybees, and a flock of chicks!

I am tremendously pleased that the children were so receptive to the spirit of Beatrices' Goat, and so generous with their pennies and allowance money! Compassion, altruism, and generosity are fine qualities to observe, and to encourage, in our children. Next year, they want to try for a water buffalo! You can find out more about Heifer at www.heifer.org. Beatrice's Goat is also available at any Fairfax County Public Library.

We have a few light blue “This is community” shirts left – in youth and adult sizes and in short and long sleeves. If you’d like to purchase one before the end of the year (discounted to $5 for short-sleeve and $10 for long-sleeve), please let us know and we’ll see if we still have your size.

If you read this newsletter and respond by email by Friday at 10 a.m., you will be entered in a drawing to win second row seating at the K-6 Spring Concert/Grade 6 Graduation on Tuesday, June 8. (Front row is an auction item so we can’t give those away!) (Congratulations to Grace Becker (parent of Scott, grade 4) who won a free K-6 Movie Night for reading and responding to the last newsletter contest!

Our Annual Fund continues through the end of the fiscal year (June 30). Gifts made to the annual fund help strengthen and uphold our mission for current and future students.

There are 339 students registered for PSP at this time! We LOVE to see Pinecrest School students come to camp and spend part of or all of their summer with us. The website is updated with current information about closed classes. Please consider signing up if you have not yet done so and/or spreading the word to others who might be interested.

For those registered for Pinecrest Summer Pavilion, you will be receiving registration/welcome packets next week.

A standing ovation for the preschool 3 class and Mrs. Kessler for their fun assembly on May 28 – it was fantastic!

Thank you to those children who joined us at Movie Night on May 21! It was a fun night as usual. A tip of the hat to Ms. Perricone, some of our camp staff – Ms. Kaye, Miss Perricone, and Mr. Perricone – and Hannah Purser (Pinecrest Alumni) and her friend for being here to help!

Kudos to the families who attended our Ice Cream Social on May 23, and to all those who helped set up, serve, and break down. Special thanks to Trisha Serven & Mark Patterson (parents of Garrett, grade 3) for their organization of the event.

Congratulations to the newly-elected 2010-11 Board of Trustees: Chair Nate Carmody (parent of Brooke, grade 3, & Chase, K); Secretary Mark Patterson; Treasurer Tim Boyer (parent of Nicholas, grade 4); Parent-at-Large Members Susan Akers (parent of Ellie Hohenstein, grade 4), Roger Friedman (parent of Jack, preschool 3, & Callie, preschool 3/4), Amy Knieriem (parent of John, grade 3, & Scott, grade 1), Richelle Singh (parent of Raman Singh-Torrico, K), and Scott Tucker (parent of Kalkidan, grade 2, & Amanuel, K); and Faculty At-Large Member Janet Bleggi. As mandated by the school by-laws, I serve as Vice Chair of the Board.

Thank you to all of the parents who attended last night’s Annual Meeting. We appreciated your feedback and participation.

A tip of the hat to Denise Boyer (parent of Nicholas, grade 4) whose library assistance was invaluable to Ms. Minnick and Pinecrest this year!

Happy Birthday to Mrs. Shaw (June 4)!

"One’s destination is never a place, but rather a new way of seeing things."
(Henry Miller)