Representatives from the Tacoma Public Schools Facilities Department attended our last PTA meeting and agreed to find answers to the questions about bus routes, schedules and before- and after-school programs and provide them to you this week. Here were the questions they heard:
· Can parents have a central location with an express bus directly to Hunt?
· Where are the bus routes?
· How many buses will there be?
· What are the pick-up and drop-off times?
· Some fifth-grade students take band at Mason. Their parents drop them off in the morning, will a bus take them to Hunt after practice next school year?

Please take a look at the TRANSPORTATION MEMO provided which hopefully answers most of the questions parents have regarding bussing for next year.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Stacy Flores, the TPS Facilities Communication Coordinator at (253) 571-3350

KEVIN DINICOLA has worked hard and has run the equivalent of a MARATHON at run club! A big Congratulations to him!

Come on out and join us for the last few weeks of RUN CLUB! Our last day of running will be May 31st!

Please join us for our annual "Celebration of Learning" at Washington-Hoyt. The entire school will be open to our families and to the public. Come and see what we have been doing during the 2012-2013 school year and celebrate our success!!

The Hoyt classrooms will be open for viewing beginning at 5:30pm and will close at 7:00pm. Then head up to the Washington Classrooms which will be open from 6:00pm-7:00pm. Ice Cream will be served by the PTA from 5:45-6:45pm up at Washington. This is also a great time for your child to meet next year's teachers and see the classrooms. Don't forget to walk down to the basement to view the "In Touch With Art" projects and WHAM After School Art Projects produced by our students. Come and join the fun! Its going to be a great evening!

Hoyt Classroom Open 5:30-7:00pm
Washington Classrooms Open 6:00-7:00pm
Ice Cream Served 5:45pm-6:45pm

Please join us in the library for the May PTA Meeting. The Facilities Coordinator from the Tacoma Public Schools Planning & Construction department will be at the meeting to give a construction update and answer any questions parents may have.

Monday, May 13 at 7PM in the Washington Library

JUNE 7 FROM 3:30-4:30
The Washington-Hoyt 3rd Annual PTA Uniform Sale is coming up! The purpose of this event is to:
1. Recycle and reuse clothing items
2. Raise money for 5th grade camp for the current 4th graders. This event typically raises $300-$400.

Donate your outgrown, gently used uniform items to the PTA uniform sale. A box will be placed near the front office for deposit of the items. School pants, jeans, shorts, polos, sweaters, sweatshirts, and other school uniforms can be donated. Clothing needs to be in good condition.

The uniform items will be sold for very low prices: Jeans and pants for $2, polos for $1, sweaters and sweatshirts for $2, and school sweatshirts for $5. If you can volunteer to help with the sale, please email Alison Hoseth.

Spirit Week is the last week of school and the ASB has designated fun dress up ideas for each day! Here you go:

Spirit Week (last week of school)
6/10 Sports Day ( I think this might be field day)
6/11 Disco Day
6/12 Pirates of the Caribbean
6/13 Fancy Day (dress up)
6/14 Crazy Hat Day

Saturday, May 4, 2013 from 9:00am - 2:00pm
Donation: $5

WaHoyt staff have put together a Relay for Life team. "Betty's Bunch/WaHoyt" are having a carwash to help raise money to support the American Cancer Society. Please bring your cars along with either a $5 presale ticket price or bring a donation on the day of the event.

To receive the $5 presale ticket, please return form to school with a check made out to the American Cancer Society in the right amount. Thank you for your support.

Please do your best to ensure your child gets lots of rest and a healthy breakfast prior to the MSP Testing. Click here for a complete MSP Testing Calendar for Washington-Hoyt's 3rd, 4th and 5th grades.

What is the MSP? The State of Washington OSPI has the answers!

Washington-Hoyt has Rollin' 253 Skate Rink all to ourselves Friday May 3rd from 6:00 - 8:00 PM for Family Skate Night! This is a great family event for the kids to get some exercise and socialize outside of class with their school friends. So, grab your skates and a bunch of kids and we'll see you there! Door prizes will be awarded!

Where: Rollin 253 at 2101 W Mildred St., Tacoma 98466 (253) 292-2324
When: May 3, Friday from 6:00-8:00PM
Cost: Skate Admission $4, Skate Rental $2 (There is no charge for parents just coming to watch or for non-skaters)Food: The snack bar will be open! Pizza & pitcher of soda $12, Hot dogs $2 and Pizza Slices $1.
Skates: You may bring your own skates or roller blades for free or rent skates for $2.
Questions? Contact Megan Boly (253) 678-5782

We all know that our school wouldn’t survive without the hours and hours of hard work by our many volunteers and dedicated educators. Now you have a chance to let those extra special ones know you’ve noticed all they’ve done. If you know of a volunteer and/or an educator who has consistently gone the extra mile for our school and community, be sure to nominate them for the Golden Acorn Award. This extraordinary award only comes along once a year, and the nomination form is your opportunity to shine a light on a deserving person. The benefit of presenting a Golden Acorn Award is two-fold. First, it recognizes an individual who has given outstanding service to children. Secondly, it supports financial grants for students pursuing post-secondary education. Donations are made in each recipient’s name to the fund, which in turn contributes to the future of youth by awarding grants to students who are freshmen entering post-secondary education.

We would like you to participate in the selection of our award recipient(s) through your recommendation. The Golden Acorn Award Committee will make the final selection.

Be sure to fill out the nomination form found in your child’s Friday folder, and turn it in to the office by Friday, May 10. We will be presenting the award at the June PTA meeting.

Questions? Contact Cindy Harkness @ 571-5744

Important Info from the School Nurse
As we move closer to nicer weather and with field day approaching, I want to make everyone aware of the district’s sunscreen policy.

State law requires that only the licensed school nurse apply sunscreen to a student, and that there is a “Physicians Order for Medication at School” form on file.  

I will not be in the building on field day so please plan accordingly if you need to come to school and apply sunscreen to your child.  
 
If you have any questions or concerns, you may call me at 253-571-5723 on Tuesdays.
 
Therese Nation RN, BSN
School Nurse

Our PTA sponsored session of before-school French will begin Monday, May 6th and end Friday, June 14th. All sessions will be on Mondays and Fridays from 8-8:45am (before school in Washington basement).

All levels are welcome, kindergarten thru 5th grade. this is a great opportunity to introduce your child to a foreign language at an early age. The earlier a student starts a foreign language the greater the level of proficiency he/she will ultimately achieve.

This will be a fun and informative class for all age levels. There will be lots of games, activities and French treats! However participation is a vital part of learning. If there are continuous disruptions from a student there will be disciplinary actions and the parent will be contacted. Please print out the enrollment form below (one for each student) and end it with your check made out to the Washington- Hoyt PTA. The enrollment deadline is Friday May 3rd. If you have any questions please contact Yvonne Beardemphl at (253) 241-6914 or via email at yvonnebeardemphl@gmail.com

REGISTRATION FORM

3 Reasons to order Cougar Cards on May 6…..
1. You can now get Cougar Cards for Treos!
2. Be ready for Mother’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Week!
3. Two families will win $10 each of Starbucks in our May raffle!

Download the latest Cougar Card Order Form and be sure to get your order in by May 6th!

The 5-week theater workshop experience will begin the week of April 29th!

Mission: Our goal is to provide a fun, collaborative experience where students can build confidence and develop acting and singing skills. We welcome students of all ability levels.

Areas to help: Our directors will need support for costume, prop, and set design. If you can help in any area, please let the directors know via the slips that will be sent home with your actor!

Directors: Mrs. O’Morlen and Heather Jaasko-Fisher

Parent administrator (volunteer): Alison Hoseth awigstromhoseth@hotmail.com

Dates and times: 3:30-5:00 in the Washington cafeteria. Check the following rehearsal dates carefully – they do vary a bit from week to week. April 30, May 2, 7,9,14,16,21,22,23,28,29,30
Performance: May 31st at 7:00 p.m.

Expectations: In order for children to have a successful experience it is important that they attend all classes in addition to the final performance. Pack a small snack for after school.

Fees: $50.00 payable to WA-Hoyt PTA. Send in with your child or drop off in the office (PTA box).

Registration closes Friday, April 26, 2013. Registration is on a first-come first-served basis. The best way to deliver the registration forms is to deposit them directly into the PTA box in the Washington office. Please make sure your family schedule will allow your student to attend all practices before registering. The directors (not the parent volunteer) will make decisions regarding attendance and participation if issues arise.

REGISTRATION FORM

Has your child lost a sweatshirt, coat or other clothing item? The lost and found is overflowing! Please check the lunchroom lost and found area for lost belongings. Anything left at the end of the school year will be donated.

We would like to invite you to our "Volunteer Appreciation Celebration" planned in honor of our wonderful volunteers. Don't miss this lovely event put on by our Washington-Hoyt Students and Staff.

We would like to have an opportunity to say "thank you" for all that you do for us each and every day!

When: April 24, Wednesday from 3:30-4:30pm
Where: Cafeteria

Washington-Hoyt Elementary is excited to be participating in Jump Rope for Heart again this year! This is a special community service program to raise funds for the American Heart Association. We're joining the fight against our nation's No. 1 and No. 4 killers - cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

- Jump Rope for Heart is kicking off April 8th in Mrs. Norling's PE classes and will culminate in JUMP WEEK April 29-May 3rd. Collection envelopes are due May 8th. Family and friends are welcome to support your child's participation by making contributions. Your child can even raise funds online at www.heart.org/jump

Please look for more information in the flyer that came home with your student the week of March 25th.

Thank you,
Mrs. Norling, PE Teacher

Washington-Hoyt's 12th Annual Academic Triathlon is quickly approaching! This event is an important fundraiser for our PTA. This year's triathlon will take place Friday morning, April 19th.

For the academic triathlon, students will be collecting pledges for their participation in three 20 minute events: reading, solving math problems, and walking. Look for the pledge envelopes and additional information on Friday, April 12th. The student who collects the most pledges in each grade level wins an amazing prize!

If you have any questions or if you would like to volunteer to help, please contact Dani Helm at (253) 426-1014.

Thank you for helping make Washington-Hoyt such a great place for our children!

Get ready to represent Washington-Hoyt at the 52nd Annual Junior Daffodil Parade on Saturday April 20st. We always have a BIG group from Washington-Hoyt walking in the parade together led by our always energetic Miss Peggy! This year's parade theme is "The Magic of Music." The parade starts at 10am. More info will be coming home as we get closer to the date regarding the exact time and location to meet up.

My name is Katie Tateishi, I am excited to be directing Camp Invention this summer! We have a GREAT lineup this summer where kids will:

· Become expedition trainees, navigating their way to special treasure-filled caches and creating solutions to challenges posed by youth from around the world.
· Embark on a global adventure, uncovering hidden messages from the Earth
· Investigate several extreme natural wonders of the world
· Build a device to launch international ducks back home.
· Invent tools to reveal hidden messages while exploring the Earthy realms of sky, sea, land and underground
· Children will take apart broken or unused appliances using real tools and re-engineer the gears to invent an awesome Duck Chucking Device!

I would like to note that the location has changed this year due to Washington Hoyt's remodel. This year's Camp Invention is being held at the Professional Development Center, at Skyline Elementary School (about 2 miles directly West of Washington Hoyt).

Register
Save $25 by registering by March 28th!

Thanks!
Please feel free to contact me with any questions:

Katie Tateishi
katie@tateishifamily.com

Congrats to all of the runners and walkers who are participating in the Washington Hoyt Run Club! 25 of our runners have completed the equivalent of a 5k so far and 5 have done a 10k! It has been so great to see the rosy cheeks in the mornings and many of the runners have stated an overall "better day" on the days that they participate in the morning exercise.

A recent study in the Journal of Pediatrics showed that school age children, especially those with ADHD, can greatly benefit from just short bouts of exercise, leading to better overall school performance. (October 2012 issue of Journal of Pediatrics) Everyone is welcome, just show up when you can! Drop in and see how many laps you can complete before the bell rings! We run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:35-8:50~weather permitting. Prizes given on Mondays!

Washington-Hoyt PTA invites you and your friends to join us for a Take-Over & Auction at Joeseppi's!

Proceeds from this event will fund PTA Supported School Activities including: Fifth Grade Camp, Reading Programs, Assemblies, and Classroom Teacher Grants.

JOIN THE FUN!
When: Thursday, April 11th, 4:00 - 8:00 PM
Where: Joeseppi's Italian Restaurante, 2207 North Pearl Street, Tacoma, WA 98406
WA-HOYT will receive a percentage of the food sales for the evening and your teachers and friends will be your waiters!  But, we need your help too!

SILENT AUCTION
A Silent Auction will be part of the evening's events.  We have gathered some fantastic auction items from our generous community.  Also, many of the classrooms have created themed baskets that are not to be missed!

Classroom baskets: If you were unable to bring your donated item before Spring Break, please send it to school on Monday, April 8th! Thank you!

VOLUNTEER
If you have time that evening to spare, grab a friend and fill out the volunteer form that was sent home with your student before Spring Break.  We will need volunteers to greet guests, staff the auction area, and deliver food and clear tables.

Please return the form that came home with your student in their Friday Folder to the front office. Email or call us to let us know how you can help.

Girl Scout Troop #41577 would like to give a big thank you to all the families who attended the Sock Hop and provided donations for our sock collection, "warm hearts, warm socks".   Families brought over 235 pairs of socks and provided $135.00  in donations for the families of the Tacoma Rescue Mission.  From our troop,  Ali A. was asked if she enjoyed the sock hop, and the answer was a resounding "yes"! She enjoyed the community service, the dancing and of course, the flashing rings!

The third, fourth and fifth grade students will be presenting a music program called "DinoSoaring" on Thursday, March 21st at 6:30pm at Mason Middle School. Eight songs about dinosaurs, from the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex to the humble Diplodocus will be featured. Our students have been working very hard preparing for our performance. If you have any questions, contact Viren Lemmer, Music Teacher at Wa-Hoyt.

The Academic Triathlon is coming up on Friday, April 19, 2013 during the school day. This annual Fundraiser for Wa-Hoyt PTA supports our Academic Enrichment program bringing educators to our school such as Book-it Repertory Theater, The Toymaker's Workshop, authors, performers and much more! Kids take part in a triathlon reading, math and walking! It is a great event!

We will need some volunteers to help with general setup, creating and distributing pledge packets and count money. If you have an hour or two to help out, please call Dannette Helm at (253) 426-1014.

WANTED: Two PTA Cougar Card positions for the 2013-2014 school year. These two positions work closely together. The first volunteer collects the money and order forms, orders the chain-store gift cards online and helps assemble the order packets to go home to families. The 2nd volunteer orders local gift cards, picks them up and also helps assemble the order packets.

These Cougar Card volunteers help raise a significant amount of money for wonderful PTA activities at Wa-Hoyt. So, grab a friend and volunteer today!

For more details or if you have any questions about these positions, call:
Cara Reese (253) 752-0200 (online order)
Kelly Murphy (253) 761-2877 (local ordering)

MARCH 28, 2013 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the cafeteria.
Open to the public.
The Fourth Annual Washington-Hoyt Elementary Science Fair will be held Wednesday and Thursday, March 27 and 28, 2013. The upper grades participating in this exciting even have the opportunity to develop their creative potential and to synthesize and apply knowledge and skills by working on a scientific investigation based on grade level curriculum. Judging of the science fair projects will be held on Thursday, March 28th during the school day. The Science Fair will be open to the public on Thursday March 28, from 6:00-7:00PM. Please come and see our students shine!

The 5th Grade Class had the great pleasure of attending JA BizTown last week in Auburn, Wa.  At JA Biztown the kids assumed the roles of workers and consumers learning such concepts as banking, employment, marketing, production, giving, citizenship, saving and more.  A big thank you goes out to the 5th grade teachers, Ms. Ridenour, Ms. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Barabe, who spent weeks integrating these concepts and other skills into the curriculum and preparing the kids for this experience. They also coordinated the many parent volunteers and all the other details to make this happen!  Our kids had an absolute blast and most will tell you they loved everything about it!

5th Grader Articles on Washington-Hoyt
Before the kids attended BizTown, they wrote articles on Washington-Hoyt for submission into the "BizTown Newspaper", not all of the articles made it into final publication, so we wanted to share them with you here.

Washington Hoyt Rocks!
Here at Washington Hoyt we have an awesome staff that’s always so kind and sweet! All the teachers here are caring and want to make students comfortable in their class. Can you believe Washington Hoyt has been around since 1901? That’s 112 years! Next year the whole school is moving to Hunt Middle School because Washington Hoyt is getting remodeled. Then when everybody comes back the next year, it will be totally different. But that doesn’t mean our kindhearted staff will be different, that’s for sure! We know that Washington Hoyt is one of the best schools in the Tacoma School District.
By Kate Cobain & Kelsey Jusino
 
Washington-Hoyt
Washington Hoyt is a great school. It was established in 1901. The building is 112 years old. Washington Hoyt will be remodeled in a year, 2013-2014. There are amazing teachers who are consistently smart. It is a very committed green school with many after school activities such as ASB, WHAM, track and foreign languages. We have won many school of distinction awards, one of the reasons being our high MSP scores. Our teachers have been here for a long time and are very educated. Washington Hoyt’s PTA is very large. We have free and reduced lunches and participate in charities. That is why Washington Hoyt is such a great school!
By Stella Gonzales & Bill Staab

Washington Hoyt Elementary
Washington Hoyt has been a school for 112 years, this is the final year our original school will be here. In 2014 our school will be under construction to make it bigger, safer, and better. Our school provides many before and after school activities like track, orchestra, drama, band, French and Spanish, robotics, Young Ambassadors, chess club, ASB, WHAM (a mixed arts class), tumbling, unicycles and math club.
For our future students, this new school will give them new and safer activities.
By Katherine Murphy, Ethan Rhoads & Carter Rojecki

WAH…The Awesome School
Washington Hoyt is a smart school. We have great academics and get high scores on the MSP. Washington Hoyt is also getting remodeled next year. We will be stationed at Hunt Middle School. The school was also originally made in 1901. We also have great before and after school activities such as Art, band, track, French, Spanish, tumbling, and jump rope and we are also a green school.  The students think that Washington Hoyt is a fun school that has educated teachers, a creative principal and great ideas when it comes to free dress days. “We are happy to have the opportunity to go to Biz Town and we hope to come again in the years to come,” says Ms. Ridenour, a teacher at Washington Hoyt.
By Rose Munizza & Beck Brewer

Yes, we are getting closer to spring! Mark your calendar to attend the Rainiers Baseball Game on Sunday afternoon May 19th at 1:30PM with your Washington-Hoyt family and friends! Join Washington Hoyt students, staff, family and friends for a day at the ball park. The Tacoma Rainiers will be taking on the Salt Lake bees. Pre-game autographs will be from 12:30-1:00pm. Stick around after the game for Kids Run The Bases!

$16.50 Group Double Play tickets includes: Reserved Seat at the game, Ballpark Meal, Complimentary Game Program - The Dirt, Limited Edition Rainiers hat
$10.50 Group Express ticket includes: Reserved Seat at the game, Ballpark Meal, Complimentary Game Program - The Dirt

Download Ticket Order Form
Please make checks payable to Washington-Hoyt PTA
Orders must be submitted by April 15th.

Thank you to Rosie Martinson for coordinating this great activity, email or call her if you have any questions at (253) 341-0787.

The Washington-Hoyt Sock Hop is our annual spring dance celebrating the styles and music of the "Sock Hop" age! A local DJ brings all the necessities for a fun family night! Each year we have a door prize drawing, and a night of GREAT MUSIC by a lively DJ and dancing fun! Also, this year, Girl Scout Troop will be holding a "Warm Hearts, Warm Socks" collection for the Tacoma Rescue Mission!

Q&A:
When is it? Friday, March 15 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Where is the event held? The school cafeteria.
Do I have to dress up? Lots of people have fun dressing in jeans and a leather jacket or putting on that poodle skirt with a pony tail, but no, don't let that stop you from coming.
Can younger siblings attend? Yes, definitely!
Will there be food? Yes, more information will be coming home in your Friday Folder regarding tickets and food.
Do you need help with this event? Yes, we could use some parents helping to serve food at the beginning and also help with general clean-up afterwards. Volunteer sign-up sheets will

Call Laurie Hunger 627-4582 for more information or to volunteer your help!