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TRANSCRIPT
Vol. 1 No. 4
December 2013
Little River Elementary School 43464 Hyland Hills Street, South Riding VA 20152
Phone: 703.957.4360 Absentee Line: 703.957.4361
Upcoming Events
4 – Geography Bee for 4th &
5th at 8:30 AM
5 – PTA Meeting 6:30 PM
9 – Yearbook Clubs & Candid
Pictures
11 – Interims Sent Home
14 – PTA Holiday Shop
17 – Chorus Sings at National
Christmas Tree Program
20 – Holiday Sing Along
20 - Winter Parties
23– 1/1 – Winter Break
1/2 – Classes Resume
Principal’s Pen
Dear Parents,
American Education Week was a wonderful experience and
it was great to see so many of our families joining class
activities, specials, and lunch with their children. We’ve got a
busy month ahead with several opportunities for you to visit us
at school again . On Saturday, December 14, the PTA will
open up the Holiday Shop to students and families. It will be a
day of fun activities and provides students an opportunity to
purchase affordable holiday gifts for family and friends. Our 4th
and 5th Grade Chorus will be performing in DC as part of the
National Christmas Tree Music Program on December 17. The
students have been working hard and the program is sure to
delight.
Inside this edition of the Eagle Edition you will also find
information about Inclusive Schools Week. Additionally, check
out the Reading Connection for ideas about fun and engaging
ways to support your child’s reading development.
The Little River staff joins me in wishing each of our families
a wonderful and safe holiday season. December 20 is the last
day of school before the winter break. We will resume school
on January 2, 2014, rested and eager to welcome the New
Year!
Sincerely,
Ms. Julie A. Gross
LRES Parent Survey
Coming Soon….
Parents, we welcome your
feedback in order to make
our school the best it can be.
Please be sure to watch for
information in the January
newsletter about our school
survey. It will contain a link
in which you can access the
survey online. If you do not
have Internet access, please
inform the office and we will
be happy to provide you a
paper copy.
Little River Elementary
is a drop off location for
The United States Marine
Corps Reserve's
Toys for Tots
collection runs from
December 1st - 16th
7:30AM- 3:30PM
Please bring new,
unwrapped presents
Thank you for your
generosity!
Little River Toys for
Tots Drive
Parent Information
Management System
(PIMS)
The PIMS is an online tool
that provides a convenient
way for the primary
parent/guardian of a student
to manage changes to their
phone and/or email contact
information. Access the
PIMS link from the LCPS
Public Internet site.
www.lcps.org Our Lost and Found area is
beginning to overflow! If
your child is missing an
article of clothing, please
stop by the Lost and Found
box located across from the
cafeteria.
If due to a disability, you need
assistance to enable you to
participate meaningfully in any
activity at Little River, please
contact the school office at
703.957.4360, at least five
working days prior to the event.
Inclusive Schools Week is
an annual event celebrated
the first week in December.
The theme this year is
Authentic Inclusion:
Increasing Our Comfort
Zone. Since its inception in
2001, Inclusive Schools
Week focuses on the
following goals:
-Celebrate the progress of
schools in educating an
increasingly diverse student
population
-Acknowledge the hard work
and commitment of schools,
families, and communities in
creating inclusive
opportunities for all children
regardless of disability,
gender, ethnicity, language,
health status, etc.
-Encourage reflection on
how culture, policies, and
practices in schools can
promote inclusive education
-Promote action to increase
the capacity of schools and
communities to meet the
needs of all learners
For more information please
visit the Special Education
Advisory Council (SEAC)
webpage, located under the
Parent tab of the LCPS
website.
Physical Education News! In PE, November started with an underhand rolling unit. The students had a blast bowling from different distances and using different weighted balls to practice their rolling skills. They also worked on their cooperation and problem solving as they were in groups of 3 or 4, each having a specific job. We are always reinforcing teamwork, sportsmanship and proper behavior no matter what unit we are teaching. Students just finished manipulative skills for dribbling, passing and shooting in our modified basketball unit. Older students got to test their skills in some modified basketball games while younger students moved on to work on relationships, spacing and safety. December will include cooperative games, gymnastic sequences and skills, striking with implements (hockey), winter stations and much more.
~Mrs. Grimes and Mr. Sanford
Little River Running Club
Running club is an excellent opportunity for older students in grades 3-5. It is an
ongoing club that students can join or stop at any point. It is every Wednesday at 7:15
am; just drop your students off at the Priester’s Pond (gym) doors no earlier than 7:10
am. There are only positive rewards and we talk about things like self-motivation, goal
setting and a lifelong love of exercise.
Spotlight on Specials
Art News
•1st grade has begun an oil pastel
cityscape while working with primary
& secondary colors.
• 2nd grade is learning about
landscape perspective while using
watercolors.
•3rd grade is beginning a symmetry
lesson which aligns with their
classroom learning. They will be
working with paper to make a
Wycinanki art piece (polish paper
cutting).
•4th grade is using tempera paint to
enhance their lesson of people in
motion.
•5th grade is working with oil pastels
to create a non-objective art piece.
Their watercolor lesson with
‘Backpacks & Purses’ are “hanging
around” the halls here at LRES.
Please stop by to take a peak. They
are sensational!
~Ms. Nier
Eagle Choir News
Eagle Choir News: Two upcoming performances to mark on your
calendar:
PTA Holiday Breakfast
Saturday, December 14, 2013
9:15am call time; 10am performance
LRE GYM
2013 National Tree Holiday Program @ President’s Park
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
5:00pm-5:30pm
Eclipse Stage in Washington, D.C.
Spotlight on Specials
Music Notes All classes have started to learn about music
from the Classical era (1750-1820) and describe their focused listening using
dynamic, tempo, and timbre vocabulary in the second quarter. We have listened to
works by Ludwig van Beethoven in November and will begin Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart in December.
1st Grade: Students are strengthening their “sol- mi” singing and learning to identify their lines and space notes while we finish up our
“Peter and Wolf” unit. Students will be learning songs about the different cultures in
the holiday season.
2nd Grade: Students did a GREAT job on their second grade performance! We are so
proud of you! Students will be reviewing their lines and space notes, as well as strengthen their individual singing techniques. Students
will be learning songs about the different cultures in the holiday season.
3rd Grade: Students are strengthening their reading skills by naming notes that spell out 3 letter words. We have also begun singing
and playing in rounds. Students will be learning songs about the different cultures in
the holiday season.
4th Grade: Students are strengthening their reading skills by naming notes that spell out
4 letter words. In addition, students are learning about time signatures and focusing on the sixteenth note pattern. Students will
be learning songs about the different cultures in the holiday season.
5th Grade: Students continue to strengthen their singing and dancing skills as they learn songs for their 5th grade musical “Broadway
Beat.” Lyrics are posted on the school website for students to practice at home.
Volunteer and T-shirt information will also be coming out this month. Be on the lookout!
Happy Holidays – Mrs. Glomb and Mr. Duggan
Spotlight on Specials
Library News
This month students will continue to learn and explore the library. Our lessons will focus on
the following topics: learning about the different library sections, identifying parts of a book,
the organization of materials, accessing and utilizing the library card catalog, and accessing
the e-book collection. We will continue to explore many wonderful authors, illustrators, and
stories through a variety of read alouds.
Accelerated Reader News
The Accelerated Reader program is a fun, yearlong reading incentive for students and the
classrooms. We have a goal of 100% participation by all of our students in grades second
through fifth. The students in second through fifth grade will have an opportunity to earn
individual reading charms at the end of each quarter. Students are encouraged to earn the
following AR points by the end of the second quarter, Friday, January 24, 2014:
2nd grade = 2 points - 3rd grade = 3 points – 4th grade = 4 points – 5th grade = 5 points
Additional information about the Accelerated Reader program is available on the Little River
Elementary Library webpage.
FLES News
"Sabías que..." Christmas celebrations in Puerto Rico begin very early in December and do not stop until January 6th. The celebrations can continue into the middle of January if you consider the ''octavas" and "octavitas''. The big Christmas celebrations are; December 24th ("Nochebuena"), December 25th ("Navidad"), December 31st ("Despedida de Año"), January 1st ("Año Nuevo"), and the biggest and most important for the children, "Día de los Reyes Magos" on January 6th. Puerto Ricans are known for their unforgettable "parrandas" or "trullas navideñas". A "parranda" is when a group of friends gathers together to surprise another friend. It's the Puerto Rican version of Christmas caroling. Most "parranderos" play some sort of instrument, either "guitarras", "tambor", "güiro", "maracas", "panderos" or "palitos". A "parranda" tends to be more secular than religious, however many of the traditional "aguinaldos" (Puerto Rican Christmas songs) retain the holiday spirit. Traditional Puerto Rican Christmas foods such as "pasteles", "arroz con gandules", "lechón asado", "arroz con dulce", "tembleque", and "coquito" give Puerto Ricans a separate identity from the rest of the world. Part of the holiday festivities includes cooking a pig on a spit ("lechón asado"). Most Puerto Ricans would feel their Christmas was a little incomplete if they did not get to participate or enjoy an old fashioned "lechón asao". It is hard for "Boricuas" to keep their Christmas traditions, especially living in places where it gets very cold. But they excel at improvisation and do the best to celebrate a "FELIZ NAVIDAD"!! EL BORICUA – A Puerto Rican Christmas
2nd Quarter Themes: 4th Grade - Los Animales
5th Grade - Deportes y Pasatiempos
Projects Due Date will be posted in the School website, under FLES.
The “Turkey of the Year” reading incentive was a huge success! Our
students read for almost 1,700 hours during the month of November.
The students nominated Ms. Gross, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Osuba, Mrs.
Bruzzesi, Mrs. Bedrowsky, and Mrs. Maynard as the top six teachers
they would like to see dressed in a very special turkey costume. The
final votes were tallied on Monday, November 25th and our “Turkey of
the Year” was crowned. A special thank you goes to Mr. Murphy, as he
was chosen by our students to be the “Turkey of the Year” for 2013.
Turkey of The Year…Mr. Murphy!!!
Tips for Reading Success December 2013
© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
w
If your child could add lines to a favorite story or talk to a book character, what would she say? Let her turn a blank note-book into a reading jour-nal and try one of these ideas. In the process, she will build reading comprehension and writing skills.
Add a pageSuggest that your
youngster create a new page for a picture book. For instance, if she reads Bill Martin Jr.’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, she could draw an animal in her journal and write a sentence. (“Silver lizard, silver lizard, what do you see?”)
Interview a characterEncourage your child to think of
questions she’d like to ask a character from a book. After reading a story like Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, help her write questions in her journal. She may want to ask the Once-ler, “Why did you chop down the Truffula trees?” She can add
Keep a reading journal ■ A Weed is a Flower: The Life
of George Washington Carver Born into a family of slaves, Carver became a famous scientist who helped make peanuts popu-lar. This biography by Aliki explains how Carver taught farmers to grow different kinds of crops and developed more than 100 uses for peanuts.
■ Gone with the Wand Bernice Sparklestein’s magic wand is broken, and she wonders how she can fulfill her duties
as a fairy godmother. Then, her friend the
tooth fairy tries to help her find a new job as a different kind of fairy. A cute story by Margie Palatini.
■ Pretend Soup and Other Real RecipesThis cookbook by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson includes 20 kid-friendly recipes, such as Confetti Rice, Zucchini Moons, Hide-and-Seek Muffins, and Bright Pink Fruit Dip. Each recipe includes step-by-step pic-ture instructions that make it easy for your child to cook with you.
■ Bailey Bailey is a pretty good student. He does well in reading and math — but he paints with his tail in art class and eats his own homework. That’s because Bailey is a dog! The first Bai-ley book, by Harry Bliss. (Also avail-able in Spanish.)
Poetry night
answers based on the book. (“Because I wanted to make money.”) This will get her used to asking and answering ques-tions as she reads.
Write to an authorYour youngster might use her reading
journal to draft a letter to an author. She could write a sentence about her favorite part or ask the author why he made the main character a giraffe. If she’s not writ-ing yet, have her dictate her letter to you. Idea: Let her copy the letter onto statio-nery and mail it to the author (check the author’s website for the address).♥
Read-aloud favorites
Reciting poetry can help your youngster practice speaking and improve his memory. Plan a family poetry night with these tips:
● Choose. Get a book of children’s poetry from the library, and read poems aloud. Then, have each person pick a short poem to memorize.
● Practice. Post copies in various places. That way, you can read your child’s poem for him to repeat, or he can read it himself. He might put his poem on his place-mat at the table or on his nightstand, for example.
● Recite. Gather in the living room, and take turns saying your poems. Make the evening more fun by wearing costumes or using props.♥
Little River Elementary SchoolMs. Gross, Principal/Mrs. Blasberg, Reading Specialist
© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote their children’s reading, writing,
and language skills.Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630
540-636-4280 • [email protected] 1540-5648
O U R P U R P O S E
December 2013 • Page 2
Ready for typing?
bake. Book-related activities help your child make connec-tions between what he reads and the real world.
Pack a book bag. Encourage your young-
ster to read away from home. He could put a
few books in a colorful gift bag and carry it along
when you visit relatives or run errands.
Try “buddy reading.” Your child will probably enjoy spend-ing time with friends or cousins while school is out. They can share books and talk about them afterward — they’ll have their own mini book club!♥
Winter-break reading
Cold winter days are perfect for snuggling up with a good book. Motivate your youngster to read during the holiday break with these suggestions.
Match the event. Read a story about a snowman during the first snowfall. Or whip up a batch of cookies, and read The Gingerbread Man while they
I know my daughter will be using a computer her whole life. Should I teach her how to type now?
Your daughter will definitely use a computer for school assignments more and more as she gets older. But for now, it’s important that she develop the hand muscles she needs for handwriting.
Sculpting with clay, finger-painting, stringing beads on a necklace, and scooping and pouring sand and
Big words, small words
What do snowman and evergreen have in common? They’re both compound words, or words made by combining two shorter words. Try this fun activity to boost your child’s knowledge of com-pound words.
1. Have her make a snowman by cut-ting three circles out of white paper.
2. Ask her to write the word snow in several places on her snowman.
3. Help her think of compound words that contain snow (snowsuit, snowball, snowflake) and add the second part of each word. Tip: If you’re not sure whether a word is compound or two separate words, look it up together in a dictionary.
4. Let her repeat the activity for other words. She could write star on each point of a star shape and add -fish, -light, and -gaze or draw a book with bookmark, bookcase, and bookstore.♥
Build, read, and write!My son James loves to play with blocks.
At our parent-teacher conference last month, his teacher suggested that we use blocks to fit in extra reading and writing practice.
We found books about things he could make, such as castles, skyscrapers, and monuments, and I put them with his blocks for inspiration. At first, I thought he’d just look at the pictures, but he has started pointing out facts that he reads, like how moats kept enemies away from castles. I also encouraged James to write signs to go with his buildings. When he made an airport, for example, he wrote Tickets, Bags, and Taxi on slips of paper and taped them to the blocks.
I’ve noticed that James’s buildings are more creative—and I’m happy that he’s reading and writing while he plays.♥
water are all fun ways to build strength and coordination in little hands. Also, forming letters with a pencil (rather than simply pressing keyboard buttons) helps your child remember what letters look like, which makes learning to read easier.
If your daughter shows an interest in typing, you
might offer to help her type a story she has
written. Then, print it out, and let her illustrate it.♥
© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
December 2013
Pairing books with fun activities can inspire your child to read more often. Here are ways he might use books to try new projects, learn fasci-nating facts, and visit interesting places.
Do an art projectSuggest that your young-
ster get art books from the library and choose something to try. He could pick sculpture, cubism, or pop art, for example. Then, he can look at the pictures and read about the technique and the mate-rials needed. Idea: His art teacher may be able to recommend a good book.
Display a collection Whether your child collects trading
cards or toy animals, his reading skills can help him set up an exhibit. Have him find a collector’s guide or another nonfiction book, and encourage him to dig for facts about the items in his col-lection. He can arrange the objects on a table and write the facts on index cards
■ Explore! The Most Dangerous Journeys of
All Time Your child will learn about 20 explorers in this real-life adventure book by Deborah Kespert. There are accounts of the voyages of Marco Polo, David Livingstone, Mary Kingsley, and others. Also includes interesting facts about how people can survive in extreme conditions.
■ Bridge to Terabithia Jess’s new next-door neighbor beats him in a race, knocking out his hopes for becoming the fastest runner in school. Despite this rocky start, the two create an imaginary world and a thriving friendship. A Newbery Honor winner by Katherine Paterson. (Also available in Spanish.)
■ The New Way Things Work Does your young-ster wonder how cell phones work? What about lasers? David Macaulay’s
illustrated reference book starts with simple machines, like levers and pul-leys, and moves on to the inner work-ings of modern inventions.
■ Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace In this story by Nan Marino, tween superstar Elvis Ruby suffers from an embarrassing case of stage fright on a reality show. Now he’s hiding from the paparazzi by working in a restau-rant. Elvis thought being famous was tough — until he tried being anonymous.
Read a book, do an activity
Places to fi nd story ideas
to display with them. (“The cheetah is the fastest mammal.”)
Take a fi eld tripLet your youngster pick a fun spot for
your family to visit that’s related to a book he has read. For instance, he might read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl) and find a local plant that gives tours. During the outing, ask him how the real-life experience is similar to and different from the one he read about.
Does your family’s junk drawer tell a story? Or is there a story behind a lost-and-found ad or a song on the radio? When your youngster has a creative writing assignment or wants to write for fun, suggest that she find an idea in one of these places:
● The junk drawer. Let her pick a few random items, such as an old key and a business card. She could imagine that the key unlocks a secret room at the address on the card.
● Classifi ed advertisements. Have your child use a newspaper ad as inspiration. She might write about a lost dog being reunited with his owner, for example.
● The radio. Your youngster can use a line or a verse from a song to make up her own story. For instance, a love song may prompt a modern-day fairy tale.
Little River Elementary SchoolMs. Gross, Principal/Mrs. Blasberg, Reading Specialist
© 2013 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
To provide busy parents with practical waysto promote their children’s reading, writing,
and language skills.
Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630540-636-4280 • [email protected]
www.rfeonline.com
ISSN 1540-5583
O U R P U R P O S E
Reading Connection INTERMEDIATE EDITION December 2013 • Page 2
Read and imagine
2. Choose subtopics. As your youngster does research, suggest that she write each fact on a separate index card. Then, she can sort the cards into
subtopics (“Leaders,” “Routes,” “Opposi-
tion”). She might label an envelope for each cate-
gory and store the cards in the appropriate one.
3. Review notes. Before she writes her paper, she should read
over the note cards in each category. She can set aside any that don’t support her main idea and rearrange those that belong with a different subtopic. Now, she’s ready to write!
Organize before writing
Help your child set herself up for success! She can turn in better reports and essays by organizing ideas and information before she starts writ-ing. Encourage her to try this method.
1. Get focused. The first step is pinpointing the main idea of her paper. If her teacher assigns a report on the Underground Railroad, her main idea could be “The Underground Railroad helped many slaves become free.”
Strong readers naturally form “mov-ies” in their minds as they read, which helps them understand the material. These strategies can help your child sharpen her visualizing skills.
CastingIf your youngster were directing a
movie based on a book, who would she cast? Encour-age her to picture each character and choose a famous person or someone she knows who would be just right for the part. She might think about the
Homophone match-up
Your or you’re? Its or it’s? Play this card game to help your young-ster learn homophones—words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings.
You’ll need 24 index cards. Together, brainstorm nine pairs of homophones (peek, peak; affect, effect) and two sets of trios (there, their, they’re; to, too, two). Note: Google “homophones” for more examples. Then, have your child write each word on an index card. Shuffle the cards, and lay them facedown in six rows of four.
On your turn, flip over three cards. If two are homophones — or if you get a trio — use each word correctly in a sen-tence, and keep the cards. (Put back the third card if it’s not part of a trio.) If they don’t match or if you misuse a word, flip all the cards back over, and your turn ends. Once all of the matches have been collected, the person with the most cards wins.
Gifts for readers My nephew is a bookworm. I always give
him books as gifts, and I’d like to surprise him with something different this year. Any suggestions?
It’s great that your nephew loves to read! Keep the new reading material coming all year long with a magazine subscription to match his interests. For example, he may enjoy Sports Illustrated Kids if he’s a sports lover or Odyssey if he’s into science.
Many bookworms also like word games and activi-ties. Try a board game such as Last Word or Word on the Street, a set of storytelling dice or poetry magnets, or a book of crossword puzzles or word searches. Other ideas include bookmarks, a book light, or bookends.
author’s descriptions of the character’s appearance, personality, and mannerisms to make her selection.
LocationSuggest that your child look for pas-
sages in the story to help her decide where her movie should take place.
Then, she could close her eyes to picture a setting for each scene. If the book is about a journey in a covered wagon, she might imagine the “flat stretches of earth” and “endless blue sky.”
O-V-E-R
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Superintendent Assesses Initial Budget Scenarios
Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick III has offered his assessment of preliminary funding projections for the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget calculated by Loudoun County staff at the direction of the Board of Supervisors.
Hatrick told the School Board that, based on preliminary projections, either scenario being considered by the Board of Supervisors will result in fiscal challenges not previously seen by LCPS.
In the most favorable preliminary scenario (an equalized tax rate) plus estimated additional state revenue and a reduced carryover in unspent school funds from Fiscal Year 2014, LCPS would see $6.6 million in additional revenue against a projected $75.8 million increase in expenditures. This would result in a funding gap of $69.2 million.
In the other preliminary scenario (an equalized tax rate reduced by 2 cents) plus estimated additional state revenue and reduced carryover funds, LCPS would see $4.6 million less than current funding against a $75.8 million increase in expenditures. This results in a gap of $80.4 million.
Hatrick based the amount of increased expenditures on the following factors:
Enrollment projections for the 2014-15 school year, which would be
covered by the FY15 budget, show an increase of 2,375 students or 3.4
percent. At the current cost per pupil (CPP) $11,638, adjusted for
economies of scale, LCPS will need $20.1 million in additional funds to
maintain current service levels. This does not include salary increases—
only the cost of enrollment growth.
Virginia’s Standards of Quality (SOQ) requires a variety of support
positions for new schools. SOQ support positions include principals,
guidance counselors, secretaries, librarians and assistant principals.
Custodians and other support staff also are required by new schools. In
addition, there are costs of utilities and insurance. For the 2014-15 school
year, LCPS is slated to open Cardinal Ridge Elementary, Trailside Middle
School and Rock Ridge High School at a total additional cost of $6.7
million.
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) rates, governed by statute, were
released last week and calculate to a non-negotiable increase of $11
million.
Healthcare costs and other employee benefit programs also are expected
to increase 6.5 percent for a total of $8.1 million.
LCPS teachers and other staff have not had a merit/step increase in five
years. Additionally, there are inequities between the LCPS teaching and
administrative salary schedules and those of surrounding districts, such as
Fairfax. This makes it difficult for Loudoun to compete for new teachers
and staff and retain experienced employees. A study last year by the
Evergreen Group stated $54 million would be needed to address these
disparities. A more modest revamping of the salary schedules to address
the inequities is expected to cost $29.9 million.
Either scenario considered by the Board of Supervisors will result in severe fiscal challenges. A summary of the projected revenue and expenditures are provided below:
Summary Equalized Tax Rate Equalized Tax Rate less 2 cents
Revenue Increase/Decrease $6.6 million -$4.6 million
Expenditure Increase $75.8 million $75.8 million
GAP $69.2 million $80.4 million
The projected expenditure increase totals $75.8 million and is summarized in the
table below:
Expenditure Increases Amount
New Enrollment $20.1 million
New Schools $6.7 million
Teacher/Employee Compensation $29.9 million
Virginia Retirement System $11.0 million
Healthcare $8.1 million
Total $75.8 million
It is important to note that LCPS has done considerable belt-tightening during the
past few years so that it is now one of the most efficient schools divisions in the Metropolitan Washington Area despite its rapid growth.
The LCPS cost per pupil (CPP) at $11,638 is next to lowest when
compared to its Virginia neighbors. (Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls
Church, Manassas and Prince William).
The LCPS percentage of school-based employees is the highest at 93.1
percent compared to those same Virginia school divisions.
During the past five years, LCPS enrollment has increased by 13,850
students or almost 25 percent.
During the past five years, the School Operating Budget has increased
only 11.6 percent.
11/18/13/wbb
2013-2014 Executive
Board Members
Principal-Julie Gross
President-Erin Campbell
Vice President-Katrina Foard
Treasurer-Cathy Carin
Secretary-Kim Arndt
Upcoming PTA Meeting
December 5th: 6:30-7:00 pm in the
Little River Library:
PTA’S HOLIDAY EVENT
December 14th
: 9:00-12:30
Please come and celebrate with us! Our
Holiday Event is a great way of giving our
children a way to surprise mom, dad, and
family. This event is also a great way to
support the Little River parent-owned
business. Here’s how it works:
Holiday Secret Shop
The Holiday Secret Shop is held in the
library. Children have a chance to do their
own shopping for their family. Parents may
drop-off their children in the library and our
Holiday Helpers will escort the children and
help them shop! Parents may pick up their
children at the back hallway library doors.
Holiday Vendor Walk
While the children are shopping, parents
may do some holiday shopping from our
Little River parent-owned businesses.
Holiday Breakfast
Once your done shopping, parents and their
families may have breakfast in our cafeteria.
For questions about this event, please
contact: Katrina Foard, VP at:
LRE PTA: WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS DECEMBER!
PTA’S ANNUAL
WINTER DANCE
SAVE THE DATE!
JANUARY 24TH
: 7:00-9:00 pm
Put on your dancing shoes and come and
join us! Like last year, this year’s Winter
Dance is sure to be fun for the entire family!
More details about the dance and the
dance’s theme are to follow.
If you would like to volunteer for this event
or have any questions, please contact:
Valerie Balser, Event Coordinator at:
The PTA would like to wish all the Little
River families a joyous holiday season and a
happy and safe New Year!
Sincerely,
The PTA Board
Coordinator Needed Immediately!
5th
Grade Promotion: Coordinator is
responsible to plan, setup, and run 5th Grade
Promotion. Coordinator is also responsible for
the DVD slide show. Our previous coordinator
is available to provide all the important
information.
Volunteers Needed Immediately!
Holiday Shop: Volunteers are needed to
help with counting inventory, setup (which is
done the night before), shopping escorts,
cleanup, and inventory recount.
Holiday Breakfast: Volunteers are
needed for setup, serving, and cleanup.
If you are interested in volunteering,
Please Contact:
Katrina Foard, VP, at:
Thank You for Your Support!
LRE PTA: WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS DECEMBER!