Christmas books for children

I thought I’d share some of my family’s favorite Christmas books. 

(And these are in no particular order)
Happy Holidays

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss

The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado

Alabaster’s Song by Max Lucado

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Wojceichowski

Merry Christmas Big Hungry Bear by Don & Audrey Wood

Santa’s Book of Names by David McPhail

Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

Snowmen at Night
and
Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner,

This is The Star by Joyce Dunbar

Santa Calls by Willam Joyce

Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck

Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve by Jan Brett

I’ve Seen Santa by David Bedford

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett

Santa Mouse & Santa Mouse Where Are You by Michael Brown

Bright Christmas, an Angel Remembers by Andrew Clements

Rocking Horse Christmas by Mary Pope Osborne

How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky

Toy Donation Drive for Domestic Violence Program

Alexandria’s Domestic Violence Program is organizing its annual holiday party for mothers and children who have been recently helped at the women’s shelter. More than 100 families will receive a bag of gifts for their children, which they can take home, wrap and place under their tree. Toy donations for children and gift cards for mothers are needed. To make a donation, please bring unwrapped toys and gift cards to 421 King Street, Suite 400, no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 13. For more information, call 703.746.4911.

Christmas Trees in Alexandria

Locations in Alexandria to purchase Christmas Trees

Eclectic Nature – 1503 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, 22301

            www.engiftandgarden.com

Apple House – 1721 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria, 22302

           

Police Youth Camp – Callahan Road, Alexandria (lot next to the Amtrak Station, across from the Masonic Memorial) 

Church of St. Clement’s – 1701 N. Quaker Lane, Alexandria, 22302

            www.saintclement.org/

St. Mary’s Catholic School – 400 Green Street, Alexandria, 22314

Home Depot – 400 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, 22314

Southern Towers – Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304

North Ridge Citizens Association Tree Sale – Beverley Hills United Methodist Church, 3512 Old Dominion Blvd.)

            Saturdays, 12/3 & 12/10 - 7 am – 5 pm

            Sundays, 12/4 & 12/11 – 9 am – 4 pm

Share the Warmth Coat Drive

Donate Gently Used Coats at Burke & Herbert Bank Branches

Burke & Herbert Bank is proud to partner with the Salvation Army, NBC4, and Bergmann's Cleaners to sponsor the Share the Warmth Coat Drive. Please bring your gently used coats to any Burke & Herbert Bank branch now through December 17, 2011.  All of the coats collected will be cleaned by Bergmann's Cleaners for free and then distributed to those in need by the Salvation Army.

NBC4 Meteorologist Veronica Johnson will be at the Burke & Herbert Bank branch on 3020 Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington on December 9th from 9 a.m. to noon to lend a hand collecting coats.  

BRANCHES Where you can drop off coats: (closest to Alexandria) 
100 South Fairfax Street Alexandria
621 King Street Alexandria
1775 Jamieson Avenue, Alexandria
1705 Fern Street, Alexandria
306 East Monroe Avenue, Alexandria
155 North Paxton Street, Alexandria
500-23rd Street South, Arlington
3020 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington
225 West Broad Street, Falls Church
8738 Cooper Road, Alexandria
5519 Franconia Road, Alexandria
6210 Interparcel Road, Alexandria
2604 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria
5733 Telegraph Road, Alexandria
4235 Annandale Road, Annandale
9516 Old Keene Mill Road, Burke
6200 Backlick Road, Springfield
5705 Seminary Road, Falls Church

Scottish Walk Weekend

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA: 

Alexandria Hosts Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend and Parade

December 1, 2011

News Highlights:

• The 41st Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend takes place in Alexandria on Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3.
• The centerpiece of the weekend is the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade on Saturday, December 3, beginning at 11 a.m. in Old Town Alexandria.

More Information:

• Visit www.scottishchristmaswalk.com.

The fresh scent of heather and the festive melody of bagpipes are sure to get you into the holiday spirit at the 41st Annual Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend and Parade on Friday, December 2, and Saturday, December 3, in Alexandria.

The centerpiece of the Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend is the parade on Saturday, December 3, beginning at 11 a.m. The parade will celebrate the City's Scottish heritage, featuring Scottish pipe and drum bands, Scottish dancers, re-enactment groups, Scottie dog groups, dignitaries and, of course, Santa Claus! The parade will take place in Old Town, starting at the intersection of Wilkes and South Saint Asaph Streets, and concluding at the intersection of King and Pitt Streets. During the parade, the King Street Trolley will operate on a detoured route, providing service only between N. Washington St. and the King Street Metro Station. For more information, visit http://alexandriava.gov/Trolley.

In addition to the parade, the weekend will feature several events and activities, including a Christmas marketplace, Holiday Designer Tour of Homes, a children’s tea party, and a Scotch tasting. Some events require advance registration. All proceeds from the Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend support the Campagna Center’s programs, which help children in Alexandria arrive at school ready to learn and ensuring they are academically successful at each grade level. For more information, visit www.scottishchristmaswalk.com. 

Things to make you laugh .....

News from ACPS & the TC PTSA

Safety Survey

TC WILLIAMS AND MINNIE HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS/GUARDIANS: We need your help! Please fill out the attached "PARENT Survey" and return it to terry.davis@acps.k12.va.us by December 9, 2011. Thank you for all that you do..... TC Williams/Minnie Howard Admin Team

Calendar Change--Dec. 12

In order to give the teachers more training on the new curriculum that's rolling out this year last night the School Board approved Dr. Sherman's request for more teacher development time in the calendar. On these days the kids will be home: Dec. 12, Feb. 3 and May 14 will be full days of professional learning for both modified and traditional calendar schools.

New! Online Tutoring

DID YOU KNOW that all students in grades six through 12 now have access to an online tutoring service 24/7? BrainFuse allows students to connect with a live tutor 24/7 and receive tutoring support for all core content areas and levels. Whether they're taking Algebra 1 or AP Physics, students can connect with a tutor to provide support and guidance, but not answers! Additionally, the BrainFuse writing lab enables students to upload documents and receive feedback within 24 hours. To connect with BrainFuse, students log on to Blackboard and click on "Online Resources." For more information, please contact Mary Fluharty at mary.fluharty@acps.k12.va.us. Or, go to www.acps.k12.va.us/technology/olp to access a student user guide.

Tennis Team Petition

The TC tennis teams have started an online petition to encourage the school board to consider building 6 tennis courts at TC Williams. TC is the only high school in the area without home courts. Both the boys and girls teams currently have no nearby practice facilities and must play matches at a location located outside the beltway. During the season they miss valuable class instruction time in order be transported their matches. Please take a minute to help support Titans tennis by signing the online petition here.

Rock Your Park

FROM THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA: 

“Rock Your Park” – Winter 2011 / 2012 Community Open Play at Ben Brenman Park Synthetic Turf Field

The City of Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities is celebrating “Rock Your Park” by offering free Community Open Play Days and Nights throughout this winter at the Ben Brenman Park synthetic turf field. 

Beginning December 6, 2011 through February 12, 2012, families, friends and neighbors of all ages are encouraged to visit our fields to exercise, play soccer, lacrosse, touch football, rugby, frisbee and much more. Staff monitored activities will be available as follows:

• Ben Brenman Park Field, 4800 Brenman Park Dr.
  Tuesday & Thursday from  6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  Saturday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Guidelines to consider as you go to “Rock Your Park”:

• Show courtesy to all other field users. 
• No permits or registration will be required and use will be on a first come, first served basis. 
• No uniformed teams or structured games allowed.
• Participants must provide their own equipment /balls.
• Tennis shoes or turf shoes only.
• Pick-up game time limits enforced.
• No pets, smoking, alcohol, or music allowed at the fields.
• Youth must be accompanied by a parent or adult chaperone.
• HAVE FUN!!!!

We look forward to seeing you in our parks and at our fields.  For additional information, call Mac Slover at 703.746.5402 or e-mail at mac.slover@alexandriava.gov.

The City of Alexandria is committed to compliance with the City’s Human Rights Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. To request a reasonable accommodation or to request materials in an alternative format, call Mac Slover with the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities at 703.746.5407 (TTY 703.838.4902) or e-mailmac.slover@alexandriava.gov.

ACPS Special Education Family Survey

FROM ALEXANDRIA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2011 Virginia Special Education Family Involvement Survey

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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires each state to submit a special education State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) to the U.S. Department of Education. One indicator in the Performance Plan requires states to report the percentage of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities.

The survey is available at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ParentInvolvementSurvey2011

For more information, please contact the Anne R. Lipnick Special Education Family Resource Center at 703-824-6750, extension 1114.

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Encuesta para padres de niños con discapaci

La ley para la educación de los Individuos con Discapacidades (IDEA por sus siglas en Ingles) requiere que para educación especial cada Estado presente: El Plan de Rendimiento (SPP por sus siglas en Ingles) y El Informe Anual de Desempeño (APR por sus siglas en Ingles) para el Departamento de Educación de EE.UU.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ParentInvolvementSurvey2011