Our deepest thanks go to Linh Trieu, graphic designer extraordinaire, who created Buckman's brand-new logo!
If you haven't seen Linh's work, please visit her web site at www.trieuberry.com.
Thank you, Linh!
(From the 10/29 CHEER)
SUN's Write Night was a success, and many thanks are due to the evening's organizers and volunteers. Special thanks go to local author and illustrator, Carolyn Conahan, for her visit.
It was really a joy to see the circle of budding young authors embrace her presentation with such enthusiasm.
Look for Carolyn's book, The Twelve Days of Christmas Dogs, and find those gopher fairies in The Discontented Gopher, the L. Frank Baum book which Carolyn illustrated, at your local bookstore and library.
Join us from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 14, when the PTA presents a guest speaker from Multnomah County Library School Corps. Titled «Safe Space: Social Networking for Parents, Educators & Caregivers,» this talk addresses internet safety for kids. Learn what kids are really using social networking sites like MySpace for and how you can educate them about being safe online.
The presentation is open to everyone (not just PTA members), in the Buckman cafetorium, and childcare will be provided.
The October 31st edition of the Buckman CHEER is full of treats, with no tricks included!
You'll find a recap of the very successful SUN Write Night, a whole array of upcoming dates to add to your calendar, and information about
the next PTA meeting, for starters.
Get the electronic version of the October 31st CHEER: download PDF
Please join us in the Buckman Cafetorium at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, October 24 to continue the discussions around becoming a K-8 school. This is a Site Council sponsored conversation, childcare is available, and all community members are welcome!
UPDATE:
Here's the Site Council's proposal (PDF).
And here's the letter from Site Council Chair Kevin Downing:
To the Buckman Community,
For many years the Buckman Site Council has focused on ways to sustain and enhance the special and marvelous learning community that is Buckman. Parents and children have found this to be a place where learning can thrive in a place where the arts are a part of the ordinary every day rather than an elective taken up when the serious work is done.
Sustaining an arts integrated focus to education beyond fifth grade has been a long standing concern. As it turns out a viable solution also raises the opportunity to create a stronger learning community at Buckman. We are offering for the community's consideration a proposal to configure Buckman as K-8 school. As you know it is becoming more common within the Portland Public School District because it continues to support students with an ongoing, safe and cohesive community through tumultuous years, supports greater parental involvement, allows 6th through 8th graders to remain less «socially sophisticated» while encouraging their leadership skills by mentoring younger students and can stabilize the Buckman enrollment.
We invite you to come to a community meeting on October 24th, 6:30 PM at Buckman to look at and discuss what a K-8 configuration would mean. In short, the transition would occur over several years by taking in fewer children at the lower levels and adding two classrooms per year at 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Site Council has developed a proposal but still needs input, approval and support from parents and teachers before submitting anything to the Superintendent and the School Board. This is not a «done deal»; we will need to hear from you if this is going to happen.
The proposal is a work in progress. You can direct comments or questions to me at 503.238.4665 or vandown@teleport.com.
Kevin Downing
Chair, Buckman Site Council
(from the 10/3 CHEER)
Meet visiting authors; slam some poetry; make journals, books or scrapbooks; help write a never-ending story; create a time capsule; write ransom note poetry or a message in a bottle; visit the SILENT room; compete in a spelling bee and much more!
Mark your calendars for SUN's Write Nite, Thursday, October 25th from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Talk to Diane or Cory in the SUN offices if you want to help plan the event or volunteer that night.
(from the 10/3 CHEER)
SUN and the Red Cross have teamed up to offer three classes at Buckman on Friday, October 26th, a schools-out day.
Babysitting Class Ages 11-15
8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. Cost is $35. Bring lunch.
Focuses on leadership skills, good business practices, basic infant and child care and responding to first aid emergencies. Students over 11 years old receive certification.
When I'm in Charge Ages 8-11, 8:30 a.m. -
11 a.m. Cost is $18. Bring lunch
Helps prepare students for when they are home alone and teaches them how to deal with situations that may occur, by talking about preventing and preparing for emergencies and enhancing self reliance. Also includes information on phone, Internet, and gun safety.
Basic First Aid Ages 8-11, noon - 3:15 p.m.
Cost is $23.
Class focuses on first aid and safety education, including who to call for help and how to deal with bleeding, cuts, fractures, sprains, head injuries, fainting, heart attack symptoms, and breathing and choking emergencies. SUN will arrange childcare for the early lunch hour for students wishing to stay for this course.
Registration forms are available in the SUN office.
The most recent bi-weekly newsletter from SUN, BCP, PTA and the Buckman foundation is now available in PDF form here.
In it, you'll find news of the Harvest Festival, the Art Show and Sell committee (first meeting is at 6:30 in the library on Monday, October 8th), and more SUN classes, news and information.
And you'll also hear about how our students are raising money for the Buckman Foundation - including the challenge they're tossing out to other Buckman students!
Writing is focus of next PTA meeting
Teachers Lauren Wooten and Janice Avidan share Portland Public School writing guidelines and how they are applied in the classroom at the PTA meeting at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 10, in the cafetorium.
Learn what your child is learning and how you can help he/she be a better writer. A brief PTA meeting will also take place. All are welcome. Childcare is provided.
There will be games, prizes, arts and crafts, music, food, free plants and more at Buckman's annual Harvest Festival from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, October 5!
Enter the baking contest, contribute produce for Stone Soup by Wednesday, and bring a pumpkin to decorate. Sign up to volunteer in the front hallway.
Fifth grade parents will be selling a variety of items including Alma Chocolates, Stumptown Coffee Beans, and Nutcase Helmets, to raise funds for the fifth grade
