Leopold PFO Update for the Week of May 20, 2013

Hello Leopold families. I hope everyone was able to enjoy some sunshine this weekend. Too bad our weather wasn't quite that nice for the Timber Wolf Trample, but we had an amazing, fun and successful event anyway! Here's some info:

• 105 kids participated in this year's fun run (right on track with past years)
• Sponsorship fundraising brought in about $6500 (slightly up from past years)
• Kids fundraising brought in about $7500 (slightly down from past years)
• The PFO spent about $3000 on event costs (significantly down from past years)
• The Bridge Madison provided food to feed 500 people, probably around 350 actually came and at with us (first year for the picnic)
• The event was wrapped up by noon (much earlier than past years)

We are so thankful for the kids who participated with amazing effort, raised money, and supported their school; the volunteers who helped at the run, before the run and after the run; staff who encouraged kids to participate and those who volunteered at the event; and our community partners who supported us in many, many ways. This is a fun, community-building event that we are proud to continue at Leopold. If you have feedback, please feel free to let me know. 

If anyone would still like an event t-shirts, we have a limited number available for $15. You can reply to this email with the size you'd like and we'll get it make arrangements.

If you contributed to this year's Trample, either through a business sponsorship or by donating to your own choice, Leopold's Tax ID # is 39-1583370. This was wrong on some of our material, so please note the correction.

We are excited to use these funds to support our school and our staff. The main focus of the PFO right now is on technology for our school. We will solidify some ideas over the coming weeks and we look forward to share those with you and getting feedback!

We also had a student-led assembly on fitness and a really fun Spirit Week leading up to Trample. If you haven't seen pictures of these things, please check them out on our Facebook page.


Leopold Night at Dairy Queen
Tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 21, is Leopold Night at DQ on Fish Hatchery Road! Come in between 4-10 pm for dinner or a treat (or both!). 20% of the sales will be donated to Leopold!! We normally do not have to bring a flyer along for Dairy Queen, but if you've got it, it never hurts to bring it and be extra sure Leopold gets credit!!

Leopold Spirit Wear
There are a few remaining Leopold Spirit Wear Items for sale:
(1) Lg Red Leopold Timber Wolves t-shirt -- $10
(2) Adult Size Medium sweatshirts (these run pretty big) -- $33 each

If you would like to purchase one of these items, please reply to this email to let me know. You can send payment in with your child and I can send the item home with your child.

Final Box Top Contest Winner
Congratulations to Mrs. Sanders' second grade class, this session's Box Top contest winner! The class won a pizza and bounce party at Pump it Up, Mrs. Sanders gets a membership to Princeton Club courtesy of Pump it Up, one student from the class will receive a personalized since sac from Thirty-One Gifts and Mrs. Sanders will receive a lunch tote from Thirty-One Gifts. Thans to Michelle Barfield for coordinating the Box Top parties and donating the fabulous Thirty-One gifts!

Leopold Night at the Madison Mallards Duck Pond
Flyers went home last week for Leopold Night at the Madison Mallards Duck Pond on August 10. Reconnect with Leopold friends before school starts again at this fun outing. Tickets are $16 each and include an all-you-can-eat tailgate party before the game. The order form for tickets needs to be returned to school by May 31.

5th Grade Graduation and Class Picnic
5th grade graduation will be held on Tuesday, June 11, at 1:15 in the school cafeteria.  The ceremony will start promptly at 1:15 and conclude by 2:00.  Students will be able to briefly celebrate with their families in the cafeteria after the ceremony and then dismissed for the day at 2:30.  Casual dress is recommended.  Each graduating child will be allowed only 2 tickets per family.

The 5th grade field trip and picnic will be held the following day, on Wednesday, June 12.  Students will travel by bus to Milton House in Janesville.  Following the field trip, the buses will take students directly to McKee Farms Park Shelter for a picnic, rain or shine.  Permission slips will be sent home within the next few days.  Families will be asked to contribute $15 to cover the cost of the field trip ($8.00) as well as for picnic supplies and a class gift ($7.00).  Within the next few days permissions slips will be sent home with students with additional information regarding food donations.  Parents wanting to help with the picnic can sign up HERE.

For additional information, please contact Jess Lathrop.

Leopold Resource Fair
Leopold Resource Fair is tomorrow (Tuesday May 21st) at Open Schoolhouse from 6-8 pm.  There will be dinner, summer fun baskets for raffle, and several community representatives from summer programs for kids, as well as services and resources for adults.  The event is free and open to the public, so bring your neighbors and friends from other schools, too!

Get Involved in Your PFO
The PFO is doing some planning for next school year. If you have any ideas for projects or events that you would like to help lead, or if you would like to volunteer in any capacity - from helping with school pictures to joining the PFO Board, please let us know. We welcome and encourage the involvement, ideas and enthusiasm of all Leopold families!

Mindfulness Workshop
At Open School House on Tuesday, April 30, three dynamic teachers from the Holistic Life Foundation, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, shared some mindfulness practices with students and families.  Ali Smith, Atman Smith, and Andy Rodriguez have been working together since 2001 to nurture the wellness of children and adults.  Nearly 50 Leopold community members came to take part in movement and breathing exercises that can help to calm the mind and improve focus.  These types of brief but powerful exercises can be used by children and adults in school or at home.  Some of the exercises we tried included:  seated stretches, standing stretches, deep belly breath, taco breath, alternate-nostril breath, and breath of fire.

After leading participants through short guided meditation exercises, Ali, Atman and Andy then responded to questions from participants.  In the discussion about mindfulness practices and how to use them with children, one Leopold parent shared the title of a helpful book that incorporates steps to take at home:  Building Emotional Intelligence: Techniques to Cultivate Inner Strength in Children by Linda Lantieri and Daniel Goleman. 

If you’d like to know more about Ali, Atman, and Andy and the Holistic Life Foundation, Inc., their website can be found at :   www.hlfinc.org.

If you have other questions about mindfulness at Leopold school, contact Lisa Thomas Prince, DLI program support teacher at Leopold ([email protected]).

Thanks everyone. Have a great week and holiday weekend ahead!!

Kris