At Our Apalachin Elementary School
by Don Davis - Your Community Representative of the Shared Planning and Decision Making Team http://do.oacsd.k12.ny.us

March is my favorite month for being involved with the school To me, this is the big one. We begin with National Breakfast Week. This year, the 1st and 5th Grade students will be shown the importance of a healthy breakfast.

Then it's BC Icemen Night. Flyers will be sent home for the sign-up (check book bags!). The game date is March 13.

March 19 is the 4th and 5th grade Talent Show.

And here's the big one - Open House, "Jazzy Night Review" on March 24, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. This is a big night for all of the students from Kindergarten through Grade 5 to show their hard work. There will be shuttle buses from St. Margaret Mary's Church from 5:45 pm to 8:15 pm. Free parking, free ride. If you never rode a school bus before, here you go! (You see, when I was a kid, we walked 7 miles to school. Up hill. Both ways! No buses.)

Dinner will also be available in the cafeteria from 5:45 to 8:00 pm. We will be serving hot dogs for $1.00 each, pizza for 50 per slice, bags of chips for 25 each, and soda for 50. Please join us for dinner.

There will also be the Annual Book Fair, special music, and a book illustrator, Nicholas Catalano. Mr. Catalano will also have a book signing in the gym after his program. This is open to parents and students.

Please check your program for times and locations of all the events. Make this a special night. The teachers and children have worked very hard to show you their best.

Now you have one night to rest because Friday, March 26 is Swing Dance Night from 7:00 until 9:00 pm.

We ask parents to please accompany their children and enjoy the dancing, too. I won't be dancing, but I'll be in the cafeteria with the concession crew selling pizza, chips, soda, and bottled water.

March 26 is DARE Graduation Day.

As a community member, I'm proud to co-chair these events at the AES with Debbie Monroe and a fine cross level staff including: Joe Brougham, Jack Knapik, Jean Smyth, Mary Alice Natishak, Tracy Manning, Lisa Houles, Mary Ann Vanhouten, Gina Williams and staff, Scott Fairbanks, Jim Mnocyka and his daughter, Mike Clark and Coty Clark, Scott Fargnoli, and all the volunteers that help us with the concession that night.

Hope to see you there.

From the Principals' Desk

Our Blizzard of Good Books was a rousing success. The culminating event of our month-long reading project was a new book for each child, provided by our parent group. Our thanks to all those that assisted in the events. A special thank you goes to Mrs. Gail Morrison from the Apalachin Library for donating her time to be our designated listener for many of our children.

February 27 marked the beginning of the Community Pool Project that so many of us have worked toward. All of us are eagerly awaiting the pool's completion.

The next two months will be focused on Language Arts. Our Open House, "Jazzy Night Review" will highlight children's writing from Kindergarten through Grade 5. Other events scheduled during the same period of time will include a family night with the BC Icemen and a family night of dancing. Watch the school sign for more information.