Good morning Leopold families. In defiance of the weather, we are beginning to plan some exciting spring events!
2014 Timber Wolf Trample!
Planning is underway. Here are some important things to know:

• The 9th annual Timber Wolf Trample fun run will take place on May 10. Information on last year's Trample can be found here.
  
• Again this year, we will be holding a t-shirt design contest for our "official" Trample t-shirts. Forms should go home with kids this week, and will be available online as well. All Leopold students are welcome and encouraged to enter their design!
  
• Leading up to the Trample, we will hold a Spirit Week, with fun dress up days that coincide with donations to important causes in our area. We are excited to work with the new Leopold student council to plan Spirit Week events.
  
• A major component of the Trample, as well as a significant funding source for many of our activities and events throughout the year, is the sponsorship campaign. Businesses are asked to donate toward our event, and in return, they receive advertising on our materials. If you work at, or know of, a business that might be interested in becoming a 2014 Timber Wolf Trample sponsor, please contact Pam Baumartner ([email protected]) so that we can add them to our list. You do not have to ask for the sponsorship (although you are welcome to, personal connections always work best), as Pam is also happy to add them to her contact list.

Spring Grounds Cleanup
Please mark your calendars for our spring grounds cleanup on April 26 from 9 am-12 pm. We will work on cleaning up our grounds and getting the garden ready for spring, as well as some possible playground improvements. Many hands make light work so we encourage families and neighbors to join in a fun day of taking pride in our school. More information will come about how you can play an active role in making our school and community look great!

PFO Meeting
Our next PFO family meeting will be Tuesday, March 11 at 7 pm in the Leopold library. Everyone is welcome to attend! We will be having Mr. Beaman, our REACH science teacher talk to us about the REACH science program. Every Leopold student spends time in Mr. Beaman's class during the school year so come find out what fun and exciting things they're up to in this unique program. Mr. Budd, 3rd grade teacher, will talk about fun math activities and how parents can support math skills at home for kids of all ages. Both will be able to answer questions parents have as well. We will also have a quick PFO update as well as a principal update. If you need childcare other than Open Schoolhouse, please let me know in advance.

Science Night
Science Night is scheduled to take place at Open Schoolhouse TOMORROW March 4th from 6pm-8pm. We hope that this event will show families how fun science is, and expose students to different areas of science. This event will include family challenges, hands-on experiments, and cool demonstrations. Science Night will also feature "MaGicEnergy," an interactive show that includes juggling, storytelling, and magic and inspires kids to engage in environmental stewardship. We are looking for volunteers to participate in Science Night by facilitating interactive exploration stations, serving food, and assisting with set up and tear down. MUCH HELP IS STILL NEEDED to support our awesome Open Schoolhouse group who is sponsoring this fun event for our kids! Please review this online sign up and see how you can participate. Any questions/comments, please contact Kao Yong Thao (608-204-4334,[email protected]) 

Leopold Garage Sale
Calling bargain hunters and closet cleaners! The Leopold garage sale is scheduled for April 5. Items to donate for the garage sale can be brought in on Friday, April 4 (drop-off time to be determined). Mrs. Czech is organizing the garage sale and would like a few parent volunteers to help out! If you are interested in helping (and getting a first look at the goods), you can email Mrs. Czech at [email protected].

DLI Summit
DLI parents are invited to attend a DLI Summit and BoE Forum. This is a summit designed for DLI parents, teachers and stakeholders who want to have conversations with other parents and stakeholders from all the MMSD DLI schools.  The DLI Summit is being organized by Nuestro Mundo parents and the Latino Education Council and will be hosted at Centro Hispano on Sat. March 8th from 9 -1:30.  Food and childcare provided. RSVP requested as seats are limited. The Board of Ed. candidates will be there over lunch to hear from families.  Backpack flyers were sent home with DLI students.

Race to Equity Project
Last week, Sara Dawkins (PFO VP) and I attended a presentation on the Wisconsin Councils of Children and Families' (WCCF) Race to Equity project.  This was an eye-opening presentation about a multi-year project to reduce racial disparities in Dane County. I would encourage everyone to visit the project's website at http://racetoequity.net. and review the first report issued by the project. Presentations have been given by Race to Equity throughout Dane County to various groups. The presentation we went to at Franklin Elementary School was very well attended. We are considering ways to bring this discussion to Leopold for our community and families as well. It is worth your time to look at and understand some of the powerful data that has been collected so far.


COMMUNITY NEWS


Madison Reads Leopold
On March 1st there will be a free public reading from Aldo Leopold's work at the UW Arboretum Visitor Center from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Saturday, March 1st. Eric Liljequist, a retired teacher from Leopold, is one of the readers.

Thanks everyone. Have a great week!

Kris

(Necesidad en español? Visita aquí.)

Oh my, do things get busy in the spring! Now if only we could get outside to enjoy them even more in the sunshine!

A New Record

A huge thank you to Pam Baumgartner and the small group of volunteers who identified and contacted local businesses to solicit sponsorships for this year’s Timber Wolf Trample. We collected a record amount of $6,350 in sponsorships and more than $1,800 in prize donations. We can’t wait to see what the kids can do with their donation collection efforts!

Pam has worked tirelessly over the past few weeks on the sponsorship drive. It is a big (but rewarding) job to organize the sponsorship aspect of Trample and we are all very thankful for her efforts!

We are also very appreciative of the local businesses that support our community, our school and our students. Please be sure to check out the extensive list of sponsors here and be sure to show your patronage to those that support Leopold!


Spirit Week

Don’t forget, the Trample is May 11. The kids are “training” in gym class and should be hard at work collecting donations for great prizes. Leading up to the Trample we will be holding Spirit Week. In an effort to help our kids learn about giving back to our community, along with the dress-up theme each day, we are asking kids to bring in a “themed” donation for a local organization that serves our community. Details will follow soon about the theme for each day and items to donate.


Box Tops Collection

The Final Box Top sheet of the year has been sent home with all students. The classroom that collects the most Box Tops by May 13 will win a party from Pump It Up. All students from the winning classroom will be entered in a drawing to win a Cinch Sac with their name on it!


Leopold Goes to the Duck Pond

The Leopold PFO and the Madison Mallards invite you to the Mallards game on August 10, 2013 at 6:05 p.m. Each $16 ticket purchased will include a box ticket in the Mallards grand stand, one hour of an all-you-can-eat ballpark food, soda and water, a fun baseball game, and best of all, $2 from every ticket sold will be donated back to the PFO. Bring the family and your friends! Order forms will be sent home in the coming weeks.


Get Fit at Leopold

From Jennifer Compton, AmeriCorps Volunteer:

• Looking for a way to fit exercise into your day? Want to spend time outside with your kids?  Walking Schoolbus is kicking off Tuesday, April 30th and will run Tuesdays and Thursdays for the rest of the school year. Experts recommend that we walk 10,000 steps a day for optimum health! You can start on that number by walking with us, even just for one morning!! Help kids get outside, be safe pedestrians, and get to school on time. 
• Learn more ways to keep your body AND mind healthy with our Family Mindfulness Workshop at Open Schoolhouse Tuesday April 30th.  We have an AMAZING team from Baltimore coming in to teach students AND parents techniques to reduce stress, control thoughts and emotions, and relax!  You can learn about the group, Holistic Life Foundation Inc., at their website:  http://www.hlfinc.org/home.htm.  
• Also at Open Schoolhouse, get your kicks with Family ZUMBA.  every Tuesday, this free Zumba class is a blast from 6:20-7:20 pm.  You won't find that kind of deal at any other gym!

• Saturday mornings, get outside with your kids and coach Millenium Soccer!  We are looking for caring adults (no soccer expertise required) who can help coach and/or manage equipment. 

• The school Green Team is working hard to reduce our waste!  We are now recycling used pens, markers, and mechanical pencils at school. Writing utensils can be deposited in a container in the lobby right next to the pop can tabs.  Help educate your child about the importance of recycling and send in used up writing utensils from home!

For more information or to sign up to help out with any of these programs, contact Jennifer Compton at[email protected], 608-204-4334.


Lunch Buddies

Our Leopold counseling staff is looking for some adult volunteers to be lunch buddies for some special students. Lunch Buddies is a program designed to give select students social and emotional support, and provide these kids with more positive role models. Adult volunteers spend lunch and recess with their student buddies once a week. Volunteers can choose any of the three lunch periods (11- 11:40, 11:40- 12:20, 12:20-1) and are assigned a buddy based on recommendations from our school social workers.  Of course, parents are also asked first to give an ok.  

Kids love the chance to show off their school and friends to special adults.  For recess, they can choose to go outside, or stay in and read or do a special activity with their buddy. For forty minutes once a week, the amount that students appreciate this extra attention is incredible. Being a lunch buddy is a great way to get more involved in Leopold, meet staff and students, learn about the school day, and grow a positive connection with kids that can really influence what they think of themselves and their school. 

Here is what one of our adult lunch buddies said about his experience:

"I can sum up the Lunch Buddy program in one word: powerful. What started out as him barely making eye-contact with me has transformed into his eyes lighting up every time he sees me coming down the hall, and eager hopes that I’m coming back next week. The Lunch Buddy program provides an easy access point to invest time and words of affirmation into the next generation of leaders, and I am confident the seeds planted today will bare awesome fruit tomorrow. It has become a highlight of my week, and I give it my highest recommendation!"

~Josh

If interested, please contact Adam Emmart at [email protected].


A Conversation with Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham

Please visit here to find out more about the new superintendent’s upcoming conversations throughout the district.


From Arlene Silveria, MMSD Board of Education

We have some updates for you on the state budget and the private school vouchers. We need your help!

Where do I find the most updated information on the governor's budget and how it impacts MMSD?

The district has updated their budget page. There are links to talking point on private school vouchers, special education vouchers and the proposed charter school legislation. These budget proposals, if passed, could drain $37 million from Madison schools over the next 5 years! In addition, there is a link in the right-hand column that will take you to a page providing information on how you can advocate for public education.  We need you to inform your community about these issue and ask them to register their opposition. 

https://www.madison.k12.wi.us/budget

Is there something I can sign to register my opposition to private school vouchers?

Our state representatives have put together a petition against the private school vouchers. In the link below, please click on the stop sign and sign the petition. Then please SHARE this with everyone you know. (the web site at the capitol is a bit clunky. If you submit the petition and it takes you back to the welcome page....it worked.)

http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/taylor/Pages/default.aspx

Press Conference - please attend if your schedule permits

The Dane County School Board Consortium and Dane County Superintendent Consortium will be holding a press conference detailing the impacts of the Governor’s proposed budget on public schools at noon on Wednesday, April 10, in room 411 at the State Capitol.

School board members, superintendents, parents and business community members will address the governor’s proposed budget and its impact on public schools. 15 districts will be represented.  If you are in the area, we hope you will attend. It will also be an opportunity for you to meet our new MMSD superintendent, Jen Cheatham.

MMSD Budget

On April 22, the Board will be receiving budget information from the Administration regarding the MMSD budget for the 2013-14 school year. 


Thanks everyone! Have a great week!

Hello families. I hope everyone enjoyed the little break we just had, despite the frigid temps! Reality hits tomorrow morning! Here's what's happening.

Leopold Grounds Cleanup (Todd Hanson, Chair)
Please come to Leopold next Sunday, November 4, anytime between 8 and 12 and help us clean up the school grounds. If we work together to rake, trim, and pick up trash if will make a huge difference in the appearance of our school. We are proud of our school, so let's show it at its best! This is an easy way to get involved at our school, especially if you are unable to come volunteer during the week! In the past, there have been as few as three or four families who come for several hours. If 10-15 families come, we can get things cleaned up in just an hour or two, and if even more come, maybe we can spend less than an hour! Bring your family, your rake, and your sense of community!

Election Day Bake Sale (Lisa Shebesta, Chair)
A message from Lisa Shebesta...
It's that time of year, vote for your candidate. This is a great opportunity to raise money for Leopold. We will be hosting a bake sale in the Leopold lobby because our school is a polling place. This means we need tons of treats and breakfast baked goods. If you can make something for the sale please email me at [email protected] so that I have an idea of how much product to expect. Please also let me know when you might drop it off at school.  Items can be dropped off Monday or Tuesday morning at the office. Ideally the items would be in serving size packaging.

If baking is not your "thing", it's not mine, you could make a monetary donation and mark it "bake sale". I will use that money to purchase baked goods.

Please call with any questions, Lisa Shebesta, 215-6475. Thank you for your support. I'm Lisa Shebesta and I approve this message.

Help Leopold Become Greener
Leopold's new REACH Science teacher, Kelsey Kosterman, is already hard at work on some new green initiatives at Leopold. Below is a letter from Kelsey regarding the new Leopold Green Team. Many of you have expressed interest in helping make Leopold a more sustainable school. I would ask, if this issue is  important to you, that you please consider supporting Kelsey's efforts and Leopold in this important endeavor.

From Kelsey...
Dear Families,
Leopold has been accepted to be an Mpower ChaMpion this year! We are one of five schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District to be accepted for our passion in making our school more sustainable, healthy and educated. This is an opportunity for us all to work together to make Leopold an even better learning environment than it already is. 

What is MPower? The MPower School ChaMpions Program works with local schools to put them on the path to becoming “greener” more sustainable schools. It helps teachers, administrators, parents and students create a vision of what sustainability can look like for their school, and it provides the tools, resources and support to take those ideas from conception to completion. 

The Green Team is looking for you! We would appreciate any and all parent input. At the kick off meeting we will be selecting three projects to implement during the program, one in each of three categories: Decreasing Environmental Impact, Promoting Health, and Developing Environmental and Sustainability Literacy. If you have any ideas of projects that we could do please consider attending the meeting on Tuesday, October 30. If you are unable to attend but would still like to share suggestions, please e-mail me at [email protected].

The Green Team will kick off with a meeting on Tuesday, October 30 at 3:15. We will be meeting in the Leopold Science Lab in room 214. Come one and all to share your ideas on three projects that we can complete this year to make Leopold a more sustainable learning environment. Snacks will be provided! Thanks for your time and consideration!

Video Help Wanted
Are you an experienced film maker? Or just a mom or dad who can make cool movies on your computer? Either way, Leopold's new website editors would like some help making a video or videos for the school website. If you might be interested - even if you've never done it before, contact me and I'll put you in touch with the right people to make you an Oscar contender. 

Pop Tops
If you've been collecting pop tops, there is now a 5-gallon collection container right outside of the school office.  At our house, we've set out a small plastic container on our kitchen counter to collect pop tops, and then we'll take it to dump it in at school when it's full. So simple!

PFO Blog
I've added a Blog link to the PFO website. I will post these emails there in case you ever want to look back at something. Find it here: http://www.leopoldpfo.org/leopold-pfo-blog.html

Ongoing
Target RedCard....BoxTops contest....My Coke Rewards....Open Schoolhouse on Tuesdays from 6-8....

Have a great week!