Alexandria Mom's Calendar of Events

Saturday, September 27, 2014

John Adams Special Ed class needs your help

In kind donation or direct funding through donorschoose.org:

How Do You Communicate Without Words?
Ms. Handel
John Adams Elementary School
Alexandria, VA
High Poverty
My students need a laminator, pouches, binding combs, and a bookbinding machine to preserve their work.

Children who do not have language need alternative ways to communicate. Pictures and symbols are an effective way for children to express their wants and needs.

My students are between the ages of 2 and 3 and have many different disabilities and needs such as autism, developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and emotional and physical challenges. I also have a few students that are typically developing that serve as peer models for language and socialization. My students come from culturally diverse families and many have socio-economic challenges, as well. My school is a Title I school and we have a large population of children with special needs and English Language Learners.

Some of my students do not talk yet, and rely heavily on pictures to communicate. In order to have pictures that will not be destroyed, they will need to be laminated.

The students will not use the laminator, pouches, laminating combs or bookbinding machines directly since they are so little, but they will use the materials developed with both machines. As the teacher, I will create non-destructible laminated symbols and use pictures for the children to access in the classroom. Pages can be bound together to form books using the binding combs and bookbinding machine. Currently I am using paper, which gets destroyed very easily.

Many of my students require pictures to communicate and express their wants and needs. The children will be able to point to or hand an adult a picture symbol. During meal times, the children will have sentence strips with pictures of the food choices on the table. We also use a picture schedule in the classroom, and the machines will be used to create those materials for the children to use, as well. When it's time to play, the children let me know where they want to go by putting their name and picture on a board with the different activities. All of these materials would last longer if they were laminated.

The donations will improve my classroom by allowing me to create materials that last longer, and are able to be handled by the children in the class. It will change the students' lives for the better because it will allow them access to pictures and symbols which will allow them to communicate.

$450 still needed to fund this project.
Help by giving any amount.

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Friday, September 26, 2014

Seen Around Alexandria 9/19-9/26

I love spotting old cars around town! 
a few more red leaves

64 Chevy 

Good morning!  

seen in Rosemont

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Friends of The Duncan Library asking for help this weekend


Friends of Duncan Library needs help this Saturday, September 27th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
We'll be sorting, shelving, and boxing donated books in preparation for our fall book sale. Are any adults with free time or teens needing community service credit available? We would really appreciate any help we can get from the community. If you can help, send an email with your name and phone number to Book Sale Chair, Peggy Sweeney dlsweeney@comcast.net. Thank you.

Walter Gross
Adult Programs Chair
Friends of Duncan Library

George Mason Elem. School Principal asks for help

FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD LISTSERVE -

George Mason would like to ask the community for some help.

First, this week George Mason has experienced a significant increase of
neighborhood kids getting on the school roof in the evening. They are
crawling over fences to gain access. Besides trespassing and damaging
building equipment we are very concerned for the safety of these kids.

Please help us by:

1) Keeping an eye out if you around the building. If you see this
happening please call the police.

2) If you have middle or high school children make sure you know where they
are in the evenings. You may also consider asking questions to see if you
can find out any information! If you gain information you can let me know
by emailing brian.orrenmaa@acps.k12.va.us

Second, George Mason is having new basketball hoops installed tomorrow
morning, Thursday, September 25. We have been told that we need to avoid
using the new hoops until Monday.

We will ask the city to "rope off" the new hoops but we need the community
to help us make sure everyone knows the hoops are off limits until Monday.
If you see anyone ignoring or going around the taped off area, please
gently remind them that the hoops are off limits this weekend.

Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!

Mr. O (Principal, George Mason)

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Drug Take Back Day 9/27 10am-2pm


The 3 Alexandria locations for turning in expired or no longer used prescription drugs are:
First Baptist Church Parking Lot, 2932 King Street
Alexandria Police Headquarters Front Parking Lot, 3600 Wheeler Ave.
Del Ray Pharmacy Parking Lot, 2204 Mt. Vernon Ave.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Art on the Avenue Pie Contest Seeks Bakers

FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD LISTSERVE: 


Bakers of all ages are encouraged to enter the annual pie baking contest at Art on the Avenue! 

Pies can be entered between 10 am and 12 noon and judging will begin at 12:15 - in two categories: Youth (under 17) and adult. Following judging slices will be sold for $3 a piece.  

All proceeds from this year's pie booth will benefit Pam Fitzgerald. Pam is our friend, Del Ray neighbor, Del Ray Business Association board member and tireless Art on the Avenue and Bellefonte Wizards volunteer, who is currently battling breast cancer. For the past five years Pam has coordinated the Art on the Avenue pie contest and this year we're using it as an opportunity to help offer her financial support for living expenses during her cancer treatments.    

For more details, including the rules for entry, visit:  http://artontheavenue.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/AOA-Pie-Contest-entry-form.pdf 

To sign up to volunteer, visit:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d4aaaad2fa5fe3-pies 

If you have further questions don't hesitate to get in touch with me at sbiddinger@gmail.com 

Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Alexandria Police Fallen Officers Memorial

Please join the Alexandria Police Foundation for the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Alexandria Police Fallen Officers Memorial

Saturday, September 27, 2014 at 10:00am
Alexandria Police Headquarters
3600 Wheeler Avenue, Alexandria, 22304

Rain or Shine



For more information on the memorial, visit the Alexandria Police Foundation website at