Duncan Library seeks Lego Donations

Duncan Library is currently accepting donations of Legos for a new program. Starting in December, Duncan Library will offer a Lego, creative play program, for all ages two Saturdays most months. If you have any Legos you are no longer using, we would love to have them for this program! The first Duncan Lego program will be Saturday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to noon.


Please contact Ms Robin Sofge

Youth Services Manager
Alexandria Library
James M. Duncan, Jr. Branch Library
2501 Commonwealth Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
703.746.1793 (office)
703.746.1785 (fax)
www.alexandria.lib.va.us

Thanks, 
Mansi Kothari
V.P Ecommerce
Friends of Duncan library

School Supplies Tax FREE August 1st to 3rd

August Sales Tax Holiday: School Supplies and Clothing

The First full weekend of August (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) each year. 

This year the holiday will take place August 1-3, 2014.

During this three-day period, purchases of qualifying school supplies selling for $20 or less per item, and purchases of qualifying clothing and footwear selling for $100 or less per item will be exempt from sales tax. 

Retailers may also choose to absorb the tax on other items during the holiday period, but they are responsible for paying the tax on those items to the Department of Taxation.

For more information, FAQ's, and specific guidelines go to:  

http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=SchoolSuppliesAndClothingHoliday

ACPS Partners with Fairlington Preschool to Open Two Inclusion Classes

ACPS Partners with Fairlington Preschool to Open Two Inclusion Classes

Alexandria, Va. - An open house on Thursday, Jan. 16, will celebrate a unique collaboration between Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) and Fairlington Preschool, where ACPS opened two community partnership inclusion classrooms in September 2013. Each class includes 12 students: six with disabilities and six who are typically developing children.

 

“The ACPS Early Childhood Special Education team is very excited about the partnership we have established with Fairlington Preschool,” said Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator Jane Richardson. “This community partnership has provided ACPS students with disabilities the opportunity to participate in an inclusive community preschool environment. We believe that all children learn better together, and the program helps in fostering positive relationships between children with and without disabilities, as well as their families.”

 

Inclusion classes offer a variety of benefits to all children as they learn together. Children with disabilities experience stimulating, positive peer modeling from their typically developing peers. Equally important, typically developing children gain, through their interactions with children with disabilities, an understanding and acceptance of differences among people.

 

The classes feature mixed age groupings for 3 1/2- and 4-year-olds. Licensed ACPS Early Childhood Special Education teachers and paraprofessionals teach the community partnership classes. Including these classes, Fairlington Preschool has seven classrooms, which serve children ages 2 through 5.

 

ACPS offers special education preschool services at John Adams and Charles Barrett elementary schools, Jefferson-Houston School and Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology.

 

The public is invited to attend the open house, which will take place from 10-11:30 a.m. on Jan. 16 at Fairlington Preschool, 3900 King St. For more information, contact Richardson at 703-578-8217 or Fairlington Preschool Director Carol Keller at 703-671-3939.

Kirk Martin Presents Celebrate Calm Workshop at Mt. Vernon Community School

FROM the MT. Vernon Community School PTA: 

Celebrate Calm Workshop January 21, 2014

Posted on January 6, 2014 by MVCS PTA

Please join us for a special workshop on Tuesday, January 21 from 7-9pm: Kirk Martin presents the Celebrate Calm Workshop. You will not want to miss this amazing speaker and this program that is highly regarded throughout the country! Childcare will be provided in the cafeteria.

Why Bring Kirk Martin and the Celebrate Calm Workshop to Mt. Vernon Community School?

The Celebrate Calm Workshops are like nothing you’ve ever experienced. This is not your typical parenting workshop with 25 people in attendance. Kirk Martin tackles the most challenging issues (defiance, disrespect, bullying, sense of entitlement, sibling fights, and more) with specific, concrete strategies that work in the real world. Kirk’s goal is generational transformation. Here is what others have said:

• “Hands down the best speaker we have ever had. It’s like he has a camera in our home! I finally feel like someone truly understands our family.”
• “The presentation is practical, laugh-out-loud funny and generate significant buzz in the community!”

On January 21, 2014, the MVCS PTA will host Kirk who will present his most popular two-hour workshop — Stop Defiance & Disrespect: Eliminate Power Struggles & Sibling Fights.

Do you want your child to take responsibility for his schoolwork, chores, and attitude? Tired of bribing and negotiating with your kids? It’s time to stop the yelling, arguing, and power struggles with toddlers and teens. We promise you will laugh and leave with a dozen practical strategies that really work to:

• Get your kids to listen the first time.
• Eliminate power struggles and yelling.
• Stop defiance, disrespect, and sibling fights.
• Get kids off video games/screens without a fight.
• Create stress-free mornings, homework time, and bedtime.

School Supply Donation Drive

FACE Center Kicks off School Supplies Drive

 

Alexandria, Va. – Alexandria City Public Schools’ Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center and Community Partners for Children (CPC), an Alexandria nonprofit organization, this week kicked off their annual Back-to-School Drive for school supplies for students. Each fall, many Alexandria students of all ages face the prospect of starting school without adequate supplies.
“ACPS families have benefitted from this drive and the commitment of CPC for the last 21 years to ensure that all Alexandria children are prepared for school,” said FACE Manager Shanna Samson. “FACE wants every student qualifying for free or reduced-price school meals to have the basic tools to start the school year with confidence.”
In partnership with CPC and local businesses, FACE will collect backpacks, spiral notebooks, wide-rule notebook paper, pens, pencils, crayons, erasers, two- pocket folders, pencil pouches, scissors, rulers and other school supplies for all age groups. These items will then be distributed to ACPS students.
FACE is asking the community to donate new backpacks and school supplies by dropping them off in collection bins placed in local area businesses.

The Back-to-School Drive runs until Aug. 19. Backpacks stuffed with supplies will be distributed to students during FACE’s annual Back to School Family Night at T.C. Williams.

Anyone wishing to contribute may help as follows:
*         Between July 22 and Aug. 21, donate new backpacks and school supplies by dropping them off in one of the donation boxes at the locations listed below.
*        Send gift cards from local retailers (Target, Walmart, Staples, OfficeMax or CVS)to The FACE Center, T.C. Williams High School, Room No. A123, 3330 King St., Alexandria, Va. 22302. Gift cards will be used to purchase supplies to be distributed.
*      Volunteer to help sort school supplies on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at T.C. Williams High School. To volunteer, email shanna.samson@acps.k12.va.us.

FACE thanks the following local sponsors who support the drive and provide sites for the donation boxes. 
Donation boxes are located at the area businesses listed below:
DEL RAY AREA

A Show of Hands – 2301 Mount Vernon Ave.

Artfully Chocolate – 2003A Mount Vernon Ave.

Caboose Café – 2419 Mount Vernon Ave.

Cora Kelly Recreation Center -- 25 W. Reed Ave.

Dairy Godmother – 2308 Mount Vernon Ave.

Eclectic Nature Gift & Garden Center – 1503 Mount Vernon Ave.

FireFlies – 1501 Mount Vernon Ave.

Grace Episcopal Church – 3601 Russell Rd.

Nature's Nibbles – 2601 Mount Vernon Ave.

Neighborhood Pharmacy — 2204 Mount Vernon Ave.

Pork Barrel BBQ — 2312 Mount Vernon Ave.

St. Elmo's Coffee Pub – 2300 Mount Vernon Ave.

Ultimate Results — 2305 Mount Vernon Ave.

Yates Automotive – 317 E. Braddock Road

Yoga in Daily Life – 2402 Mount Vernon Ave.

OLD TOWN AREA

Alexandria City Hall – 301 King St., Main Lobby and Second Floor

ASIS International – 1625 Prince St.

Charles Houston Recreation Center — 901 Wythe St.

McEnearney Associates – 109 S. Pitt St.

Today's Cargo – 1102 King St.

Volunteer Alexandria – 123 N Alfred St., First Floor

THE FOLLOWING BURKE & HERBERT BANK LOCATIONS

Carlyle – 1775 Jamieson Ave.

Fairlington Branch – 1705 Fern St.

King Street – 621 King St.

Landmark — 155 N. Paxton St.

Main Office – 100 S. Fairfax St.

Monroe Ave – 306 E. Monroe Ave.

ALL ALEXANDRIA PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCHES

Barrett Branch – 717 Queen St.

Beatley Branch – 5005 Duke St.

Burke Branch – 4701 Seminary Road

Duncan Branch – 2501 Commonwealth Ave.

OTHER ALEXANDRIA LOCATIONS

Alexandria Department of Health – 4480 King St., Fourth Floor

Alexandria INOVA – 4320 Seminary Road

William Ramsay Recreation Center — 5650 Sanger Ave.

Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center — 1108 Jefferson St.

State Farm — 1705 Centre Plaza

Church of the Resurrection – 2280 N Beauregard St.

Commonwealth Federal Credit Union – 4875 Eisenhower Ave.

Congregation Agudas Achim – 2908 Valley Dr.

The Church of St. Clement – 1701 Quaker Ln.

The Sentinel of Landmark – 6300 Stevenson Ave.

Crave Frozen Yogurt – 3610 King St., Bradlee Center

Northern Virginia Community College—3001 N. Beauregard St.

FACE is a program of the Alexandria City Public Schools and Community Partners for Children is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that helps Alexandria children. For more information about FACE or CPC, contact Shanna Samson at 703-824-6865.

Resources for Parents

Here are some resources that I've come across over the years


            CARES - Children's Academic Resource & Educational Services - www.caresresources.com

            Learning Disabilities on line – www.ldonline@weta.com

            ChADD – Children and adults with AD/HD – www.chadd.org

            Schwabb Learning – www.schwabblearning.org

            All Kinds of Minds – www.allkindsofminds.org

            LD resources – www.ldresources.com

            Parent Education, Advocacy & Training Center (PEATC) – www.peatc.org

            Common Sense Media - www.commonsensemedia.com

            Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center – www.asdec.org

            Center for Applied Special Technology -  www.cast.org  

Heres a tip I learned a few years ago.

Teachers don't take the time or the energy to initiate an e mail to parents (unless of course there is a real problem).  But if you write to them, they are required to respond to you within a specific time period, usually 24 hrs. 

Create a task or event on your calendar to remind yourself once a week to write an e mail to your child's teacher(s).  Ask how last week went, ask about any upcoming assignments or tests, ask what you can do at home to support your child and his/her teacher,  and just see how your child is doing.

This way you'll stay on top of things before there is an issue and nothing should take you by surprise.

Home School Students Participating on Public School Teams

While most of the time I agree with John Kelly's Washington Post column, today I have to disagree with with it.

Virginia home-schoolers can’t have their cake and eat it, too

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-home-schoolers-cant-have-their-cake-and-eat-it-too/2012/02/06/gIQAv9QAuQ_story.html

There are many reasons why a student is not in public school, some for religious reasons or other reasons stated in Mr. Kelly's column, but most of the reasons I have seen are that the current public schools are too big for most children or can not meet their educational needs.  Many of these children need to have a more structured environment and less sensory overload.  The sheer number of times that a student needs to move throughout a day is mind blowing, and some children and teens just can't handle that.  Some can't handle a class of 25-30 students with 1 teacher.  Some can't handle the behavior issues from other students that are present in almost every classroom.  Some just can't handle a school with 700-2000 students in it.

So why can't that child, who happens to be home schooled, participate in sports at their public school?  Their parents pay taxes towards that school, the books and materials, the athletic equipment and the teachers, coaches and staff salary, just like everyone else in the neighborhood.  Are we going to say that just because I choose a job and to work from home, I shouldn't drive on the streets into DC or Old Town?  I pay for those streets.

Some folks say that there are other sports opportunities for the students that are home schooled.  There are recreation leagues or city leagues.  I beg to differ - not all sports have leagues outside of public schools - golf, crew and track for example.   Where else could these athletes compete?

I think that unless and until the City or public school system is going to refund the taxes paid by the parents (cost of educating 1 student for a yr), of a home schooled student, that student should be guaranteed the right to try out and participate with their peers on a high school athletic team.

So, Mr. Kelly, they are not having their cake and eating it to.

Contacting Teachers

Heres a tip I learned a few years ago.

Teachers don't take the time or the energy to initiate an send an e mail to parents (unless of course there is a real problem).  But if you write to them, they are required to respond to you within a specific time period.

Create a task or event on your calendar to remind yourself once a week to write an e mail to your child's teacher(s).  Ask how last week went, ask about any upcoming assignments or tests, ask what you can do at home to support the teacher, just see how your child is doing.

This way you'll stay on top of things before there is an issue and nothing should take you by surprise.

Del Ray Montesorri accepting applications.

The Del Ray Montessori School, located in the Del Ray United Methodist
Church on E. Windsor Ave., will open its doors in September to children ages
4 – 6½.

Our Montessori program is five days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We
offer Spanish language daily, as well as a weekly yoga class that we will
walk to at Mind the Mat on Mt. Vernon Ave. Montessori education offers an
opportunity for young children to learn at their own pace, following their
own inner guide. Children gain a strong sense of independence, community
and knowledge through the work that they accomplish in the classroom.

We are still accepting applications for the 2011 – 2012 school year. We
invite you to visit our website at www.thedelraymontessorischool.com to
learn more about the school and Montessori education. Applications can be
found on the website.

*
*

*Scholarships available for school-aged children (ages 5+). *

We look forward to hearing from you!

Sarah Fondriest
Director
703.831.7215
sarah@thedelraymontessorischool.com

9th grade Registration at Minnie Howard

FROM ACPS:

Mandatory Reregistration for 9th Grade, Aug 15-Sept 30 

If you tried to do this early, the procedure has changed.  "ACPS Verified with Pride" re-registration initiative requires all rising ninth-grade students to re-register for enrollment in ACPS at Minnie Howard/ 

What do I need?

Parents/guardians must bring the following to re-register a student:

1. Completed Student Registration Form(PDF) which you'll get in the mail this week.

1. Child's original birth certificate or certified copy.
2. Proof of guardianship (name on birth certificate must match picture ID of the person registering, or legal custody documents)
3. Two forms of proof of residency (rent receipt, personal property tax receipt, or notarized temporary residency verification)

When Can I Do this? 

Daily till 9:00am -4:00pm or parents will be able to re-register their 9th graders during student orientation on September 1st from 4:30 to 6:00 PM. 

Where will I go? 

All students, including ELL students, will re-register at Minnie Howard. Bring you documents to the main office.  3801 W. Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22302.  Recommend that you enter through the door facing the upper parking lot.  Thank you.

Questions call Karl Smith (703) 915 8301 or email acpsverified@acps.k12.va.us 

ACPS Verified with Pride

FROM ACPS: 

Alexandria City Public Schools launched  √ACPS Verified with Pride on June 13, 2011.

This re-registration initiative requires ALL rising 3rd, 6th, and 9th grade students to re-register for enrollment in ACPS at their home school.

By re-registering, families will assist ACPS in having the most accurate and up-to-date information for students including emergency contact information. This process will allow ACPS to update students' cumulative folders and student records. Most importantly, the enrollment verification process will provide up-to-date contact information for parents and guardians and allow ACPS to reach parents quickly in emergency situations. Additionally, updated information will provide cost savings with less returned mail and more efficient use of resources.

Why be √ACPS Verified with Pride?

Participating in √ACPS Verified with Pride will give families the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process by making sure that their students are accurately counted in enrollment and budget calculations. Participating in √ACPS Verified also ensures that families receive valuable information and can be notified promptly of an emergency involving their child. Everyone benefits from participation in the √ACPS Verified with Pride initiative.

What do you need to do?

As the parent or guardian of a rising 3rd grader, you should bring the appropriate documents for registration to your child's home school. Parents/guardians of rising 6th and 9th graders should bring the appropriate documents for registration to the main office of the school your child will attend for the 2011-2012 school year. The registrar at your school will assist you in the registration process. You will receive a letter of notification requesting that you re-register. If you do not receive a letter, but have a rising 3rd, 6th, or 9th grader, please contact the registrar at your child's home school for more information.

When do you re-register?

Rising 3rd graders: June 13 - August 30, 2011
Rising 6th and 9th graders: August 15 - September 30, 2011
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

What do I need?

Parents/guardians must bring the following to re-register a student:

1. Completed Student Registration Form (PDF)
2. Child's original birth certificate
3. Proof of guardianship (name on birth certificate must match the person registering or a picture ID, or legal custody documents)
4. Two forms of proof of residency (rent receipt, personal property tax receipt, or notarized temporary residency verification)