Pinebrook Press

December 2012

If, due to a disability, you need assistance to enable you to participate meaningfully in the meetings at school, please contact Shawn Ly-

ons at (703) 957-4325 at least five working days prior to the event.

Dates to Remember in

December

Dec 3-7-Holiday

Shop

Dec 4-Holiday Shop

Family Night

Dec 10-14-Book Fair

Dec 10-Internet

Safety-Part 1

Dec 11-Book Fair

Family Night

Dec 12-Interims

Come Home

Dec 12-Internet

Safety-Part II

Dec 17 Geography

Bee

Dec 20-Mercer Band

Concert

Dec 24-Jan 1-

Winter Break

Jan 2, 2013-Classes

Resume

From the Desk of the Principal

Dear Parents,

Traditionally, this time of year, has been about giving. No matter what religion you follow, many of us

enjoy and take part in the tradition of giving for whatever the reason. A good question to consider

during the holiday season is this; when you give, are you giving a gift or a present? Many of us give

to family members, friends, co-workers, and peers. Many also give to strangers and the needy. We

give our time, money, toys, and other things as wonderful presents. Or, do we give them as gifts? Is

there a difference? How do you know if you give a gift rather than a present? Which one should I give

and to who?

Before we go too much further, let me share this. Neither one is necessarily better than the other. This

is because giving is, quite often, about timing. You may be in the right place, at the right time, to get

the right thing for someone; and because of that, you have a special place in their heart. This might

be the same for a person you know very little about. You can give something material or give a help-

ing hand. In both cases, giving works by acting on what you are inspired to do and when inspiration

comes, you should probably follow it. More than likely, it’s the right thing.

However, in the case of purchasing something for someone, and giving it to them, it seems to me to be

a present. A friend of mine says, “If you can wrap it, it must be a present”. Presents are an amazing

instrument to bring great joy and happiness to others. By giving a present, you can make a very sad

situation better, make a new connection with an old friend, make a new friend, share a laugh, express

your appreciation, or share your love. The list of kindnesses that will ensue can be endless.

A gift, as it seems to me, is different. It can not be wrapped, or boxed, and a bow can not be placed on

it. A gift is something that is part of the person’s being. It’s their talent, generosity, or thought. It can

be whatever makes someone the person that they are. You can’t really give a gift to someone, meaning

you can’t give someone the ability to write beautiful poetry. You give a gift, by sharing the gifts you

have with others. Maybe your gift is to sing, maybe it’s to construct buildings, maybe it’s to care, or

maybe it’s to teach. Whatever the gift, it doesn’t matter; the important thing is that giving a gift is

sharing your talents, time, and simply yourself with those around you. The greatest gift that you can

give, is to bring out the gift in someone else.

During this time of year, please talk with your child about the gifts they have and give them an oppor-

tunity to share those gifts with others. It’s easy for your child to recognize the presents they have, but

it’s much harder for them to understand the gifts of their personality. As teachers, we do our best to

allow for opportunities for children to practice and understand the gifts they have. At Pinebrook, we

work hard to provide opportunities for students to explore their gifts as leaders, singers, writers,

mathematicians and so on. Thank you for giving us the gift to teach your child and experience their

gifts.

We hope you have a restful and peaceful December.

Mr. Thiessen

New Criteria to Celebrate Academic Excellence

Beginning the second quarter of 2012-2013 school year, we will implement new criteria for academic recognition. It

will be a two tiered recognition system. The new names of the tiers are “Principal’s List” and “Scholars List”. We

believe that students are able to work hard enough to earn a spot on these lists. We believe in celebrating those work-

ing exceptionally well and also those that are achieving well above average.

Principal’s List The criteria for meeting the Principal’s List are as follows:

• “A: average in each major subject area

• 4 or 3 in each “Specials” subject area

At least one “O” and no “N” for the “Characteristics That Affect Learning”

Each student must meet all of the above criteria to earn placement on the Principal’s List.

For each quarter they earn placement on the Principal’s List they will receive a “Puma Paw” pin. Each quarter will

have its own color paw.

When a student earns their first paw pin, they will also receive a lanyard to display their paw(s).

Scholars List The criteria for meeting the Scholars List is as follows:

• At least two A’s must be earned in a major subject area

• At least a B average in all subject areas (no C’s)

• 2, 3, or 4 in each “Specials” subject area

All S’s and O’s (with no O requirement) in each area of “Characteristics That Affect Learning” (No N’s are allowed)

Each student must meet all of the above criteria to earn placement on the Scholars List

Each quarter, the names of students making the Principal’s List and Scholars List will be published in the Pinebrook

Press School Newsletter.

Pinebrook’s Traditional Tree

Help Decorate Pinebrook’s Tradition Tree!

Help us celebrate the many cultures of Pinebrook! Do you have a special family tradition or holiday that you’d like to

tell us about? We would love to have you help decorate our Pinebrook “Tradition Tree” by donating an item that rep-

resents your cultural heritage, religion, holiday or even a family tradition. With your contribution, we’ll be able to cel-

ebrate the many cultures that represent the Pinebrook school family.

Items can represent your family’s

Religion

Culture

Nationality

Holiday(’s) celebrated

Family tradition

Something that is similar to the concepts mentioned

This item should be small enough to sit in or around our foyer tree.

Be creative! Use this as a family activity and make an item for the tree.

Decide as a whole family which item to choose for the tree.

Please note that this item is a donation to the tree and will not be returned to you. However, it will be used each year

on Pinebrook’s “Tradition Tree.” We look forward to your family’s contribution!!

First Quarter Honor Roll Please see page 2 for new Honor Roll criteria

Third Grade

All A’s

Kaitlyn Antonacci

Briana Ausgotharp

Alison Bodnark

Melaina Carl

Jennifer Dao

Prakriti Dhungana

Fernando Esterellas

Jenna Freilich

Caiden Freimann

Amber Jordan

Manav Kakulamarri

Emerson Kang

Sara Khattak

Bhuvanesh Kumaresan

Bhuvan Maddi

Liam McKenna

Emily Moffitt

Josh Niemeyer

Shreeya Rambhad

Hannah Rayburn

Aardra Sakpal

Kaylee Sullivan

Brent Taylor

Aison Tran

Bryn Varanelli

Christy Vilcas

A/B

Jag Aceron

Zuri Allen

Mahi Anand

Gugan Anbumani

Lexi Armstrong

Reta Aziz

Farrah Azizi

Jaden Barger

Bryan Buford

Kate Bunkall

Jameon Bush

Isabel Canales

Alexander Casserly

Ragavan Chanthana

Lucy Cheng

Divya Chillarige

Sarah Chintala

Sebastian Chokka

Haashir Choudhry

Bryson Coates

Rishab Desai

Seth Dewitt

Simone Doffoh

Joshua Drinkwine

Christopher Duong

Tristam Eilers

Caiden Ertter

Samuel Esteban

Riyaz Fatgur-Rabbani

Aaron Fernandes

Kelsey Fuentes

Sami Fuleihan

Riley Graham

Colin Grey

Wyatt Hagan

Arghya Jampana

Jason John

Vaishnavi Katrapati

Sarah Khas

Tyler Kim

Ryan Kime

Abhinaya Kodali

Joshua Laeser

Sameeha Latif

Alexis Lee

Sarah Malinowski

Abhilasha Managoli

Emily Marohn

Maoliosa Mclane

Jeremiah Mina

Ian Mishler

Ethan Mollyhorn

Cameron Montgomery

Madison Moon

Sahithi Mudiganti

Max Muldoon

Jahnavi Muthyala

Benjamin Nguyen

Cassandra Nguyen

Harlowe Nigh

Alexander Noto

Ethan Ogle

Naga Sai Pathuri

Kathleen Pham

Shreeya Pullangari

Vainateya Rangaraju

Karan Ravindra

Armando Retana-

Cambronero

Kaitlyn Rini

Alex Ross

Danny Rutler

Edress Safi

Zuhal Safi

Ashley Shockley

Jasmit Singh

Megan Sproat

Camille St. Paul

Madeline Stewart

Carly Sullivan

Lauren Tho

Vy Tran

Shaan Tucker

Nicholas Turner

Jacob Vail

Jonathan Varghese

Harini Venkatesan

Naina Venkatesh

Tyler Vernon

Nivisha Vikraman

Shriya Vishwanathan

Kyla Ward

Quentin Ware

Aidan Waterfield

Quinn Welch

Cooper Wells

Sophia Wells

Dakota Whitfield

Abigail Winters

Emma Winters

Prisha Woodcock

Jackson Woodling

Haley Wulff

Srujana Yalamanchili

Rachel Yeo

Cameron Young

Fourth Grade

All A’s

Riley Alkhayat

Samira Aminou

Jonathan Baer

Deekshita Behara

Genevieve Boisvert

Abhinav Boyapati

Casey Byers

Sritha Chelluri

Angelina Cherian

Migo Dalugdug

Dhruvkumar Devani

Ranbir Dhillon

Ishan Doma

Colin Duncan

Josh Facey

Akshara Gandrakota

Mahi Gudi

Diya Gupta

Ruthu Josyula

Nora Kalra

Ayush Karmacharya

Krithika Layagala

Saverio Lombardo

Elizabeth McDaniel

Madison McGowan

Aisha Moobe

Rania Mualla

Pratik Nadipelli

Akansha Nair

Esha Narla

Cameron Nguyen

Emily Noumbo-Haji

Coby Oxendine

Nishita Pandya

Shalini Panthangi

Ethan Pham

Alex Phan

Sanjna Ramesh

Kendra Rentz

Abigail Ryan

Paige Schar

Grace Schofield

Nasira Seddiq

Ishita Shah

Tejarsh Singh

Minjoo Song

Lily Sorensen

Nadia Stupec

Adam Taylor

Ryan Thorpe

Vinith Thangaraj

Gabby Trujillo

Rishith Vuppala

Chris Wilson

Travis Zywicki

A/B

Ardina Abdelmalak

Amina Ahmed

Caroline Angelus

Pratham Balhar

Jasmine Batth

Teddy Bersentes

Jacob Bollhorst

Daniel Carroll

Matthew Carroll

Dallas Cecil

Daniel Cha

Nitya-Sreehitha

Chakravartula

Maimoonah Chaudhry

Jennifer Chu

Sayda Coleman

Jasmine Cruz

Grace Curtin

Ethan Diep

Austin Donaldson

Joe Eitzel

Joaquin Flores-Vaccari

Michelle Fontana

Teju Gidadhubli

Tushar Gidadhubli

Lucy Grimes

Peyton Hall

Morgan Hess

Javen Hoflich

Dylan Hogge

Jacob Hurd

Prisha Javed

Joel Jilson

Olivia Johnson

Lokesh Kammela

Noelle Karmo-Walsh

Will Knudson

Aditya Kumar

Ved Kundeti

Stuart Kyle

Elias Lahrim

Joel Lee

Joluana Lisco

Madison McKenna

Davis Miranda

Katerena Mishler

Juliet Morin

Athithya Muthukrish-

nan

Nyle Nasir

Avinash Nayak

Aisea Ngata

Kyla Nguyen

Madeleine Nguyen

Conner Osborne

Christian Petrey

Tyler Phillips

Sonal Prakash

Hang Quach

Kaitlin Qreitem

Thomas Quinones

Sreeha Reddy

Dominic Rice

Jalen Richburg

Yamir Richmond

Payton Robinson

Charles Russell

Angelina Saah

Elijah Sauder

Laksha Senthilkumar

Sohil Shah

Jeremiah Shaju

Amber Simpson

Hamsini Sriram

Carly St. Laurent

Cameron Stemberger

Snigdha Subraveti

Jessie Tabella

Lauren Tabella

Simona Tedros

Long Thai

Viviane Ton

Pranav Tummalapalli

Jake Trout

Dylan Tucker

Sasi Valiveti

Julian Ware

Skylar Whalen

Fifth Grade

All A’s Yasmin Azizi

Nicholas Carl

Param Damle

Nabiha Faisal

Micaela Flores-Vaccari

Alexis Freilich

William Gay

Nikash Gujjari

Claire Im

Zachary Kang

Rachel Kaplan

Manushi Karkhanis

Venkat Katrapati

Julia Kim

Suguna Kurma

Bradley Leonard

Alexandra Loesel

Hailey McGregor

Omisha Mondal

Calvin Ogle

Keerthana Pasumarthy

Bhavna Prakash

Ellie Quach

Neha Rajeev

Angela Song

Grace VanLeeuwen

Jack Varanelli

Shriya Vijay

Varun Vinjamuri

Hannah Woodling

A/B Mariam Ahmad

Aman Aklilu

Khalil Alchikho

Hannah Alsalihi

Srimathi Anbumani

Kayla Andrade

Cameron Arendt

Larry Banks

Jamie Bergamini

Chaya Bodnar

Arman Bolooki

Katie Brennan

Garrett Brundick

Nicole Buckner

Lahe Calvo

Ashley Castellanos

Hyssop Cha

Stephen Chaptinel

Ishar Chhabra

Jonathan Chu

Shreenidhi Chundi

Alejandra Cortes-

Camargo

Somanath Dandibhotla

Amal Desai

John Espinosa

Ryan Espinosa

Luke Fernandez

Julio Gallardo

Patrick Gilley

Subhankar Gottipati

Nabil Habib

Connor Hahn

Steven Hall

Ashley Harris

Aashna Hemrajani

Bernadine Jackson

Marissa Jones

Tyler Jones

Avery Keefe

Nicholas Kim

Melisa Kodra

Rhydham Kumar

Victoria Le

Tejas Lokeshrao

Ryan Manigbas

Khushie Matharoo

Justin Matthews

Gracelyn Mauro

Luke Mawyer

Jacob McDaniel

Garrett Metzer

Kyla Miller

Gabriela Morales

Celina Morin

Brian Nguyen

Shawn Nies

Luke Panlaqui

Emma Parker

Danny Pham

Samantha Primo

Rane Quist

Grace Rader

Blake Rosen

Tyler Savage

Lauren Seale

Kimberly Shamblin

Riya Sharma

Elizabeth Sin

Anna Skoug

Morgan Soohoo

Kevin Sosa

Justin Souter

Katelyn Stone

Brady Thoden

Theresa Trinh

Abinaya Venkatesan

Ian Vernon

Hannah Walker

Matt Walker

Sushrut Wate

Jacob Won

Piper Won

Kiersten Wong

Kenneth Wu

Brandon Young

Ben Zeitlin

Robert Zschoche

Nick Zywicki

Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Presents:

Internet Safety: What Parents Need to Know

Internet Safety: “What Parents Need to Know” is an in depth look at the modern hazards that are asso-

ciated with the use of technology and the internet. The program consists of two 1-hour modules each

focusing on a specific sub-class of technology most commonly used by youth. During each module the

ADULT ONLY audience will get a straight forward and graphic look at the dark world behind the

technology. The ADULT ONLY audience will also learn about the hazards that are faced each day by

the youth who have made these devices a “must have” part of their daily lives. This 2-part class will also educate the

audience about the warning signs of technology abuse and provide advice on talking with their children about the dan-

gers. Also presented will be some of the most common access control techniques that can be employed to keep their

children safe. Module 1 will be presented on December 10 at 7 p.m. at John Champe High School. Module II will be

presented on December 12 at 7 p.m. at Mercer Middle School. Specific information on what will be presented in each

module can be found on the Pinebrook website under the tab “Cyber Bullying”.

Turner Brianna Joliana Mia Williamson Fernando Lauren Sophia Fourth Grade Bauer Cameron Dominic

Grace Matthew Davis Lauren

Tushar Matner Adam Jacob

Will Noel Hywon Nyle

Skylar Turner Austin Hang

Maimoonah Ryan Wright Joluana

Madeleine Riley Fifth Grade Cramer Ishar Tristan Donahue Ian Kate Jones Jamie

Kayla Yasmin Pingley Arman Larry Marissa Schultz Aman Hannah

November Paw Pride Award

Scheff Lauren Nate Priscilla Tracy Emily Ihu Matthew Yosan Vignoe Kyle Melissa Second Grade Corbett Nhi Tyler Doehler Eric Paige Kolesar Alexis Austin Ava Jason Reed Callie Francis Roth Kayleigh Zane Thompson Gabriel

Jon Third Grade Bates Lexi Noah Cherry Luc

Myles Sarah Clevenger Ian

Yasmin Lapierre Abigail

Harlowe Jameon Nathaniel Manuel Samuel Vainateya

Kindergarten Clark (am) Dinaaz Eric Selin Clark (pm) Anshi Joseph Nathaniel Klein (am) Oliver Sophia Valerie Klein (pm) Geancarlo Lucas Sarah Thiess (am) Alfred Ayden Gabe Thiess (pm) Avery Kevin Quinn Welch (am) Brandon George Mesum Welch (pm) Charlotte Luke Selah

First Grade Biggs Birckhead Annika Ethan Justin Hunt Aditya Angel Angelina Samantha Johns Joyce Ryan

Vilohit Milotte Karthik Sonali

From the Clinic

The cold weather is upon us and that signals the begin-

ning of flu season. Have your child make a habit of

washing their hands often. The cold weather also brings

dry, chapped lips. Students may have chapstick at their

desk.

If your child is sick with fever of 100 degrees or over,

they may not attend school. Students must be fever free

without fever reducing medication for 24 hrs before re-

turning to school.

If your child requires prescription medication or over

the counter medication to be administered at school,

forms are available on the Pinebrook website under the

Parent section-medication at school. All medication

must be brought to school and picked up from school by

a parent. Medication forms must accompany the medi-

cation. Cough drops are over the counter medication

and must be accompanied by a medication at school

form.

Finally, students do go our for recess. Check to make

sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather.

Attendance Reminders

If your child is going to be absent from school or late

to school, please remember to call the absentee line at

703-957-4330 or do an online absence. Both services

are available 24 hrs. When your child returns to

school, remember to send in a note confirming your

child’s absence. Students who are absent/tardy from

school and have not reported the absence will receive a

courtesy call confirming the absence. Extended ab-

sences from school need approval from Mr. Thiessen.

News from the Specialists

December 2012

Library ~ Denise Higgins

News You Can Use @ Your Library

“Real generosity is doing something nice for

someone who will never find out.”

-Frank A. Clark

Turkey of the Year: Thank you to all of the parents

who encouraged their child to actively participate

in the Turkey of the Year reading incentive. The

students were excited to monitor the weekly

voting results and tease a teacher or two about

being our Turkey of the Year. The students

collectively read for 5,648 hours which is amazing.

Congratulations to Mrs. Angela Turner who was

crowned the 2012 Turkey of the Year.

Congratulations to our top six candidates this year:

Mr. Thiessen, Ms. Johns, Mr. Lose, Ms. Matner and

Mr. Corbett.

Accelerated Reader News: I would like to thank all

of the parents for encouraging their child to make

reading a priority. The love of reading begins at

home and as parents, you play a vital role in your

child’s reading development. Please remember

that you can monitor your child’s progress by using

the Renaissance Home Connect. Your user name

and password were sent home in Thursday folders

on November 8, 2012. You can also go on the

library page and utilize the AR Book Find to see a

list of the available AR titles.

Scholastic Book Fair: The Scholastic Book Fair will

be held the week of December 10 – 14, 2012. Each

class will come to the book fair to preview the fair

on Friday, December 7th. The book fair will be

open:

Monday – Thursday 8:00 – 3:00 (closed

for lunch 11:30 – 12:00)

Friday 8:00 – NOON *the book fair will

end at 12:00 on Friday.

Family Night is Tuesday, December 11th

from 3:00 – 6:00

Help: We could use some assistance in setting up

the book fair on Thursday, December 6th at 1:00

and then again on Friday, December 14th at 1:00 to

pack up the book fair. If you would like to help

please e-mail me at denise.higgins@lcps.org

Holiday Shopping: When making your list and

checking it twice, remember that books make

wonderful holiday gifts and spending time

browsing in a book store can be a welcome

distraction from the holiday hustle and bustle.

Take time over the holidays to snuggle up and read

to and/or with your child. Even the older children

still enjoy being read to.

December Music Newsletter

Dr. Pat Avery and Ms. Pam Hoffmaster

Because we are such a diverse community, we try

to study about many holidays and customs in music

class during the month of December. Feel free to

send us any new songs you may use in your

family’s holiday celebrations. We would love to

share them with all of the students.

The after-school enrichment music drama group

will be presenting “Melton, The Warm-Hearted

Snowman” on Wednesday, December 19th in the

afternoon, and Thursday December 20, 2012 in the

morning. Please check the Pinebrook calendar

about performance times.

PE ~ Brian McPherson &

Chris Lose

Morning clubs are doing well. We have a large

amount of students participating in each club. It’s

never too late to sign up for Running and Jump

Rope Club. This is a reminder that all clubs start at

7:15 am. We will run outside as long as the

weather is 32 degrees and above.

As winter approaches we may have school delays

due to inclement weather. On those days there

will be no morning clubs.

In PE all students will be working on ball handling

skills, bowling, striking skills, and rope activities in

the upcoming quarter. All activities will be tied into

increasing fitness levels in each component.

We are doing a Y-Ties fundraiser to earn money to

buy new and exciting physical education

equipment. Y-Ties are curly elastic shoe laces that

never need tying. Y-Ties end tripping and tying.

Good news for teachers, parents and children. We

have over 30 exciting colors to choose from. They

have been a huge hit with the students in the past.

Many parents have inquired about purchasing Y-

Ties for the holidays.

If you’re interested in purchasing Y-Ties, they will

be on sale from November 26th –December 19th

and are $4.00 per pair.

Guidance ~ Melissa Roberts &

Joyce Shanholtzer

Operation Puma P.A.W.S. (providing a winter

smile)

Please join the Pinebrook SCA (Student Council

Association) in supporting Operation Puma P.A.W.S

this December. Each Pinebrook classroom will be

providing a winter smile for some of Loudoun’s

neediest families by collecting new clothes and

toys to donate during the month of December. We

will be using Sign up Genius to help us coordinate

our gift giving efforts. Check the Pinebrook

website or your child’s classroom webpage for

details on how to access Sign up Genius. Bring a

smile to a child’s face and send your unwrapped

donation to school by December 11!

If you have any questions, email Mrs. Roberts

(Melissa.Roberts@lcps.org) or Mrs. Shanholtzer

(Joyce.Shanholtzer@lcps.org) or call (703) 957 –

4325.

Technology ~ Jenna Krause

The holidays are upon us and that can sometimes

mean new electronics. Ever wonder what to do

with your old computers, cell phones, TVs, etc?

Did you know you can recycle them? Stores like

Staples, Office Depot, and Best Buy will accept

most electronic items to be recycled. Goodwill also

accepts computers for recycling. Ink cartridges can

also be recycled as well, and stores such as Staples

and Office Depot have reimbursement plans. You

can also send your ink cartridges to Pinebrook and

we can recycle them for you, as well as earn money

for our school. Happy Holidays and Happy

Recycling!

For more information on electronic recycling in

Loudoun County, click here.

Art ~ Donna Johnson and Michelle

Minkin

We are so fortunate to have so much creativity

here at Pinebrook! First graders completed torn

paper owl collages and a primary colors project.

They are working on a Fat Cat on a Mat project,

after that are patterned landscapes and pinch pots.

Second graders finished their vests and wore them

for the Native American performance! They looked

great. ☺ They are working on a rainstick project

and an Egyptian amulet project is next. Third

graders completed their The Scream inspired

paintings, they are working on an Egyptian Cat

project and next up are Greek vessels. Fourth

graders created beautiful Klimt inspired pattern

projects. They are working on Illuminated letters

and after that are clay rattles. Fifth graders are still

working on tunnel books all about them. Next up is

a stuffed creature project for Alice in Wonderland!

“Logic will get you from A to Z: imagination will get

you everywhere.” ~Albert Einstein

FLES ~ Luisa Quintero

Why Is It Better for My Child To Learn a Language

in Elementary School?

Studies have shown -- and experience has

supported -- that children who learn a language

before the onset of adolescence are much more

likely to have native-like pronunciation. A number

of experts attribute this proficiency to physiological

changes that occur in the maturing brain as a child

enters puberty. Of course, as with any subject, the

more years a child can devote to learning a

language, the more competent he or she will

become. Regardless, introducing children to

alternative ways of expressing themselves and to

different cultures generally broadens their outlook

and gives them the opportunity to communicate

with many more people. In a world where the

Spanish language is the second most spoken

tongue, there is little doubt that learning Spanish

can be an advantageous undertaking to your

children. There is without doubt that language

acquisition for our children in Loudoun County will

have a clear and favorable position over those who

are only English speakers.

This month in FLES we will begin to cover the

following themes:

4th Grade: School. Places in the school, People I

the school, supplies needed at school, Subjects.

Students are working in creating complete

thoughts with vocabulary and Symtalk, Reading in

Spanish using clues and familiar vocabulary.

5th Grade: Sports and Hobbies. Favorite sports,

Favorite hobbies, Telling Time. Students are

working on creating complete thoughts with

vocabulary and Symtalk, Reading in Spanish using

clues and familiar vocabulary.

Parent Liaison ~ Sophia Brundick

During American Education Week, it was exciting to

see so many parents come in to Pinebrook to visit

their child's classroom! Each grade level had a

special activity planned and the halls were busy

with visitors. Pinebrook welcomes parents to be

involved and volunteer throughout the year, in the

classroom and in school activities during the day

and evening. If you're not sure how to get involved,

please contact me. The PTA often sends out

volunteer requests from teachers and these

requests are posted on the Pinebrook website.

On another note, our lost and found items have

been on display since November 5 at the main

entrance. Some of you have found your child's

missing items. Most items are still on the table.

With over 1,000 students and the constantly

changing weather, children take off a layer and

leave it behind, often on the playground or in the

gym. Without names in these items, we can't

return them to your children. So, please stop by to

see if any of the "found" items belong to your

family. If you can, put your child's name in their

items with a permanent marker. Thanks!

SEARCH ~ Alana Skelly &

Julie Ciardiello

“Making” STEM Work

As a result of several recent studies (The National

Academy of Sciences report, Rising Above the

Gathering Storm , 2007; U.S. Department of

Education’s Report of the Academic

Competitiveness Council) which indicate the need

for U.S. students to be exposed to a more rigorous

education in science and math, many LCPS schools

are implementing STEM initiatives. According to

the LCPS website: “The goal of STEM education at

LCPS is to deepen students’ knowledge, skills, and

habits of mind that characterize science,

technology, engineering, and mathematics.”

In order to foster and support STEM education,

LCPS offers many opportunities for students:

• STEM camp

• GO Girls Institute

• Genomics Institute

• GWU Science, Technology & Engineering

Day

• Geospatial Technology

• Regional Science & Engineering Fair

• Academy of Science

• Science Research Initiative

• Teachers in Industry-Education Workforce

Committee

• HHMI – Middle School Core Experience

Initiative

Additionally, many individual Loudoun County

Schools are actively involved in the STEM initiative

by incorporating lessons into the curriculum which

focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and

Math. What is a STEM lesson, though, and what

does it look like?

“If you walked into a classroom during a

STEM activity, you would see students

creating, problem-solving, asking and

answering questions, discovering, making

mistakes, and learning from those

mistakes.”

http://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195

/Centricity/Domain/9860/STEM%20Article.j

pg

STEM classrooms are busy, active places with

students engaged in inquiry activities. They are

collaborating with their peers, and sharing their

discoveries. They are often busy MAKING things!

Bringing an idea all the way from the imagination,

through research and experimentation, to the final

stage of production is a powerful learning

experience. Classrooms nationwide are

encouraging their students to become MAKERS!

“Making is about empowering students to see that

they can bring their ideas to life, and create new

things.” http://www.edutopia.org/blog/stem-

engagement-maker-movement-annmarie-thomas

In the book, Learning and Leading with Habits of

the Mind, author Arthur L. Costa states that

“Intelligence is what you do to solve problems

when there is no readily apparent answer.”

Building on Costa’s Habits of the Mind which

support 21st century learning, the LCPS Gifted

Education Department has established three goals:

• From transmitting meaning to constructing

meaning

• From knowing the right answer to knowing

what to do when the right answer isn’t

obvious

• From dependency on external assessment

to internal self-evaluation

These Habits of the Mind mesh perfectly with

the kind of thinking that makes for successful

STEM education. With all LCPS programs

supporting each other, LCPS students are on

their way to becoming exemplary 21st Century

STEM students.

Reading ~ Kelly Rogan &

Maria Zambanini Writing at Home

Children learn to write more easily when they see

their parents writing. Fortunately, it’s easy to make

writing part of your daily routine. Try these ideas:

• Write in front of your children. They should

see you write for many reasons. Have them

watch while you pay bills or write

instructions for a babysitter. If you need to

remember something, say, “I’m going to

write a note to myself (‘Make a doctor

appointment’).”

• Write with your children. Ask them to help

you with everyday writing. For example, if

you’re making a shopping list, have them

write the first letter of each word (“p” for

“potatoes”). Then, you can finish the words.

• Ask your children to write. They might write

a thank-you note for a birthday gift or jot

down their activities on the family

calendar. When you order carryout food,

they could write down everyone’s order.

• Encourage letter writing by suggesting to

your children to correspond regularly with

long-distance friends and family, or to

become pen pals.

• A gift of a journal or diary is a way to get

young people into the habit of writing daily.

A journal begins the writing process and

may be the source of ideas for a new poem

or story.

Have

A

Safe

And

Happy

Holiday

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 3*Holiday Shop 4*Holiday Shop

*Holiday Shop Family

Night-2:30-6:30 p.m.

5*Holiday Shop 6*Holiday Shop 7*Holiday Shop 8

9 10*Book Fair

*Cyber Bullying-

Part I-Champe High

School-7 p.m.

11*Book Fair

*Book Fair Family

Night-3-6 p.m.

12*Book Fair

*Interims Come Home

*Cyber Bullying-Pt II-

Mercer Middle School

–7 p.m.

13*Book Fair 14*Book Fair ends at

12:00

15

16 17*Geography Bee-

8:30 a.m.

18 19 20*Student Assembly-

Mercer Band Concert

-1:15 p.m.

21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31 JANUARY 1, 2013

JANUARY 2, 2013

CLASSES RESUME

December 2012

WINTER BREAK

WINTER BREAK

December 2012

Elementary Lunch Menu Three easy ways to pre-pay for meals and purchases:

*Cash

Loudoun County Public Schools *Check made payable to “County of Loudoun”

*Credit card at www.pay4lunch.com

Lunch Prices Student - Full

Daily $3.00

Weekly $15.00

December $ 45.00

Student – Reduced Adult

$ .40 $4.00

$2.00 $20.00

$ 6.00 $ 60.00

Daily Feature Salad Meals All Feature Salad meals include meat/meat alternate, fruit, vegetable, grain and your choice of milk.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Vegetarian/Hummus Salad*

Traditional Chef Salad Chop Salad+

Vegetarian/Hummus Salad*

Traditional Chef Salad Chicken Caesar

Vegetarian/Hummus Salad*

Traditional Chef Salad Fruit Salad with Yogurt*

Taco Salad on Taco Day#

Vegetarian/Hummus Salad*

Traditional Chef Salad Asian Salad

Vegetarian/Hummus Salad*

Traditional Chef Salad Tuna Salad

Additional Daily Items: Yogurt Box Meal

(Includes: 4 oz Chobani Champions yogurt, string cheese, baby carrots, granola, and mini bagel with cream cheese) SunButter and Jelly Sandwich* (select schools)

Choice of milk available with all meals – Skim white, chocolate and strawberry or 1% white Fresh fruits and vegetables available with all meals.

Monday 12/03 Tuesday 12/04 Wednesday 12/05 Thursday 12/06 Friday 12/07 Choose One Entrée: Grilled Egg Patties* with French Toast Sticks Grilled Cheese Sandwich Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Green Beans Sweet Potatoes Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Pineapple Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Chicken Chunks & Roll Pork BBQ Rib Sub + Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Corn Fresh Broccoli Bites Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Mixed Fruit Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Italian Dunker with Cheesy Breadstick# Buffalo Chicken Chunks & Roll Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Broccoli Celery & Carrot Sticks Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Mandarin Oranges Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Beef Nachos with Tortilla Chips or Scoops# & Soft Pretzel Rod Bean Nachos with Tortilla Chips or Scoops* & Soft Pretzel Rod Lasagna Rollup with Garlic Round* Choose Two Vegetables: Refried Beans Steamed Baby Carrots Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Applesauce Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Cheese Pizza* Chicken Teriyaki with Brown Rice Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Green Peas Steamed Spinach Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Peaches Assorted Fresh Fruit

Monday 12/10 Tuesday 12/11 Wednesday 12/12 Thursday 12/13 Friday 12/14 Choose One Entrée: Chicken Chunks & Roll Hamburger on Bun# Cheeseburger on Bun# Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Green Beans Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Mandarin Oranges Chilled Pineapple Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Breaded Mozzarella Cheese Sticks* with Marinara Sauce Chicken Fajita Rice Bowl Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Green Peas Sweet Potatoes Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Pears Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Mini Corn Dogs MaxSnax Cheesiest Con Queso* Choose Two Vegetables: Vegetarian Baked Beans Steamed Spinach Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Applesauce Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Spaghetti with Meatballs# Spaghetti with String Cheese* Fish Nuggets Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Corn Green Leaf and Spinach Salad Fresh Vegetable Cup Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Mixed Fruit Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Cheese Pizza* Chicken & Cheese Enchilada Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Broccoli Baby Carrots with Ranch Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Peaches Assorted Fresh Fruit

Monday 12/17 Tuesday 12/18 Wednesday 12/19 Thursday 12/20 Friday 12/21 Choose One Entrée: BBQ Chicken Chunks & Roll Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce* Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Corn Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Mandarin Oranges Chilled Mixed Fruit Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Hot Dog on Bun Hamburger on Bun# Cheeseburger on Bun# Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Broccoli Steamed Baby Carrots Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Pears Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Beef Soft Taco# Beans Soft Taco* Chicken Filet on Bun Choose Two Vegetables: Refried Beans Lettuce, Tomato & Cheese Fresh Vegetable Cup Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Applesauce Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Chicken Tenders & Roll Steak & Cheese Sub# Choose Two Vegetables: Mashed Potatoes Steamed Spinach Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Pineapple Assorted Fresh Fruit

Choose One Entrée: Double Stuff Pizza* Macaroni & Cheese* with Pretzel Rod Choose Two Vegetables: Steamed Green Beans Baby Carrots & Ranch Fresh Vegetable Salad Choose Two Fruits: Chilled Peaches Assorted Fresh Fruit

Monday 12/24 Tuesday 12/25 Wednesday 12/26 Thursday 12/27 Friday 12/28

Winter Break 12/24/12 thru 1/01/13. Return to school 1/02/13.

Key – Beef #, Pork +, Meatless *

Elementary Weekly Breakfast Menu Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Choose one entrée: Mini Pancakes* Cereal with Whole Wheat Toast or Scooby-Doo™ Bones* Choose both: Assorted Juice Choice of Milk

Choose one entrée: Sausage & Cheese Sandwich + Cereal with Whole Wheat Toast or Scooby-Doo™ Bones* Choose both: Assorted Juice Choice of Milk

Choose one entrée: Ham, Egg & Cheese Swirl Roll + Mini Waffles* Cereal & Graham Crackers* Choose both: Assorted Juice Choice of Milk

Choose one entrée: Cinnamon Roll & Cheese Stick* Pepperoni Bosco Stick+# Cereal & Graham Crackers* Choose both: Assorted Juice Choice of Milk

Choose one entrée: Breakfast Chicken Sandwich Cereal & Whole Wheat Toast or Scooby-Doo™ Bones* Choose both: Assorted Juice Choice of Milk

Due to product changes, ingredient lists may not be 100% accurate. Due to product unavailability, menu substitutions may be made from time to time. To verify menu substitutions for your school, please contact the cafeteria manager. Please be aware that some food items served on the Loudoun County Public School menu may have been manufactured in a facility, or on shared equipment with other peanut or tree nut products.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish), USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about the Child Nutrition Programs, please contact the Food Services Supervisor at (571) 252-1010 or e-mail: jinny.demastes@lcps.org. Menus are subject to change without notice.

Free and reduced meal applications are accepted at any time during the school year.

A change in income may qualify your children to participate in this program.

Applications with the income guidelines may be downloaded from our website (www.lcps.org) and paper copies

are available at any Loudoun County Public School. Assistance in completing an application is available by

contacting the Food Services Office at (571) 252-1010.