The January 30th CHEER has details about the upcoming Buckman auction, information about kindergarten enrollment for '08-'09, and an invitation to join a parent task force seeking healthier school meal choices at Buckman.
This plus news about upcoming PTA meetings, and tangible ways the Buckman community can work together to support one of our own.
Download the January 30th CHEER (PDF) and catch up on what's going on at Buckman!
The Buckman Marimba program is growing by leaps and bounds, and now has its own website: buckmanmarimba.com.
Another beginning group started this month (thanks to a First Octave grant), and there's also an adult marimba class in the evening. MyLinda King will also bring in a Zimbabwean marimba teacher in Jan. or Feb. to teach the kids directly.
Loveness Wesa, a Zimbabwean Buckman parent will also be involved in the marimba program as a language and culture consultant.
The Ensemble is also in full gear - watch this performance at our recent Martin Luther King assembly:
(uh-oh - technical difficulties in play here. Look for the video soon, or visit the Marimba site to see video clips...!)
Portland families are encouraged to visit Buckman Arts Focus Elementary School, take a tour, and find out why Buckman is a unique learning environment that supports creativity and academic excellence, welcomes diversity, and thrives on community spirit.
At Buckman, students study visual art, dance, drama, and music with highly trained, award-winning teachers several times each week, and the arts are woven into the academic curriculum at every grade level.
Buckman is the perfect choice for families who want their child to have an exceptional, well-rounded education that includes creative expression, critical thinking, community involvement, and the arts in every aspect of the curriculum. The Portland Public Schools transfer application deadline for elementary schools is coming up March 7, 2008, so visit us soon!
Tour Dates:
Tuesdays, February 5, 12, 19, and 26 and March 4
9:00 am and 1:15 pm
Call 503-916-6230 to reserve -- tours fill up quickly!Kindergarten Roundup (for neighborhood families):
Thursday, February 21
6:00 to 7:00pm
If you want to get the latest news on the Buckman Auction, alerts about the February PTA meeting on 2/13, or updates on Chinook Books, Reflections contest, or our Marimba project - well, you really need to be reading the January 16th CHEER (PDF), don't you?
Mark your calendar! Line up that babysitter! Invite friends and family! It's the …
Buckman Auction!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Don't miss this year's outstanding event, where original student artwork, great getaways, party packages, gourmet dinners and much more will be up for bidding in both a silent and live auction, with dinner, wine, dessert and entertainment. Doors open at 5:30pm!!
WHERE: Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder
TICKETS: $35 available in the school lobby Monday through Friday, 8:45 to 9:15am. Also available for $40 at the door on February 8.
Buy a table of 10 by January 25th and get an extra bottle of wine and preferred seating!
INFO: Auction site
Don't forget the January PTA meeting Wednesday 1/9 at 6:30 - 8 pm this evening.
Amy Ruona from Portland Public Schools Parent Education dept. will be speaking on
Guiding Good Choices; a Substance Abuse Prevention Curriculum for Parents. This workshop will include:
PTA VP Jill Bennett has requested that this material be tailored to the youngest child and discuss how parents should address issues in earlier development. The public is welcome to attend. Child care will be provided.
Did you know that third-grade students in Mr. Scott's and Mr. Clarkson's classes are among a tiny handful of classes in the entire United States to be testing the Intel-powered Classmate PCs?
Over the next few months, students will be using these small, portable computers to conduct research on bridges around the world, to create oral and visual presentations as part of their unit on Portland bridges, to design oversized, fused-glass coins, and to create and enhance their own visual artwork.
They'll also be learning computer basics such as keyboarding, scanning and resizing images, and word-processing software. Stop by and see the future in action at Buckman!
Remember to bring your gifts to Starbucks on Northeast 28th and Burnside this weekend between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. for free gift wrapping. We Buckman volunteers love to wrap and you get to relax for five minutes before the holidays. Everybody wins. We only take tips and Starbucks pays us to be there, and since we hand all that money over to the school, it's a nice holiday bonus for Buckman. Gift wrap and ribbon provided.
Lattes? Get yer own! Tell friends and family to come on down. We can still use a volunteer or two to help wrap, so check the sign up by the office, or contact Crispin Heidel-Habluetzel at brettcrispin at earthlink dot net.
(From the 12/18 CHEER)
The Reflections Program, an art program sponsored by the National PTA, provides opportunities for students K-12 to explore one idea through their use of one of eight media categories, such as visual art, video or literature. This year's theme is «I Can make a Difference By...»
Participation and appreciation for the arts is the primary goal. Awards are given and honorees are recognized at state and national levels. Contact Donna Persico-Jones at carboqueen at hotmail dot com, Karen Hadley at kboehadley at aol dot com, or ask your teacher for more details. Holiday breaks can offer more time to create…
(From the 12/18 CHEER...)
The December 18th CHEER (PDF) is now available for download.
In it, you'll learn about Buckman's pioneering technology efforts - both in the classroom and on the Web - get details on both the Art Show & Sell and Auction events, and see another reminder about submitting entries for the PTA Reflections program by January 7th. And if you don't have your presents wrapped? Buckman volunteers will be at the Starbucks at NE 28th and Burnside this weekend between 1 pm and 4 pm to wrap those gifts for you - plus, you'll be helping Buckman in the process (the store pays our volunteers to be there...)
