I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at our
Curriculum Night for all grades. The event will take place at the lower school and start at 6:30 pm; please try to arrive on time. For the first half of the night, we will gather together to hear a curriculum overview and different highlights from the Leadership Team. For the second half of the night, we will divide by grade level so you can hear more from subject area teachers
and get answers to any remaining questions. We hope to be done by 8:00 pm! Tomorrow night, you may park in the Hal Marshall Annex for free (for more info, see PTSO General Meeting announcement below) or pay to park in one of the nearby lots.
If you are not able to attend Curriculum Night tomorrow night, we will post the presentations and follow-up information in next week's enewsletter. Parents will have another chance to meet their child's teachers at our walk-in conference night on December 12.
I also have some sad news to share with our community;
Melissa Markle and Dee Lanier will be leaving Charlotte Lab School. Each of these staff members has had an extraordinary impact on the school, and while they will be GREATLY missed, the influence that they have had on our culture, students, and famileis will not be lost.
Ms. Markle joined Lab part way through our first year, and it is not an overstatement to say that her positive energy made a difference from day one! In the past two years, she has helped students, parents, and other staff members embrace new ways of thinking, handling conflict and, managing discipline issues. While it may be hard for all of us to imagine Lab without her (and I, personally, am still in denial), she leaves a legacy of compassion and fun that will continue to inspire us.
Mr. Lanier was originally a member of the founding board of directors, joining the Lab team well before we had a charter, building, or students. His passion and enthusiasm were essential to our early success. In 2016, after finishing his board term, we were delighted when Mr. Lanier made the decision to return to the world of education and joined the faculty at Lab. Thanks to him, we are all more tech-savvy, globally aware, and bigger fans of social media! Students and staff will miss his spirit and never-ending quest to share his knowledge and change people's lives.
Both Ms. Markle and Mr. Lanier are excited to be moving into positions that will enable them to continue to pursue their passions.
While we are saddened to lose them, I know that you join me in wishing the best for them in
life after Lab
. I also know that we have a lot of work to do to try to fill their shoes. In the spirit of looking ahead, we are currently recruiting for both positions and hope to have new staff in place quickly. In the short-term, we are working with existing staff to help with the many responsibilities and key functions that Ms. Markle and Mr. Lanier perform on a daily basis so that our students will continue to be supported and learn in a positive atmosphere.
Despite our best efforts, we are not able to share specific staff assignments at this time, but we will be in touch with you via email as soon as we have more definitive news.
Sincerely,
Mary Moss Brown
Head of School
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WELLNESS UPDATE FROM MRS. WHELAN
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This summer,
Brett Blumenthal, bestselling author of
52 Changes for the Mind,
A Whole New You,
Six Steps to Ignite Change for Your Best Life,
52 Small Changes, and One Year to a Happier, Healthier You, contacted our wellness team with an interest in partnering with Charlotte Lab School to explore our shared passion and excitement around health and wellness. After meeting with Brett, it is clear that wellness and transformation are two areas that she is incredibly passionate about and eager to share with our entire community. Over the next 6 months, Brett has offered to share small tidbits of information about nutrition that our entire community can learn and benefit from. We hope to also have Brett come to Lab to speak to our parent population directly and spread her passion, knowledge, and insight. Here is her first article.
Water does a Body Good
by Brett Blumenthal
Water is an important part of your diet and overall health. Roughly 60 to 70 percent of your body weight is water, and replenishing your body on a daily basis is vital to proper body function. Water helps carry nutrients to your cells, and is important in digestion. It provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues, while acting as a lubricant for joints and cushioning vital organs and tissues. Proper hydration helps flush toxins from your system, keeps blood clean, and skin soft and stretchy, and cools the body down when overheated.
Milk, juice, and sports drinks can count towards hydration, however, water is the best choice: It's calorie-free and absorbed quickly, and studies show it is instrumental in disease prevention and immune function. As a result, focus on increasing your daily consumption of water.
Daily hydration requirements vary by individual and environmental factors. One method to assess adult needs is to drink the amount of water in ounces that equals your weight in pounds, divided by two. (E.g., if you weigh 160 pounds, aim to drink 80 ounces per day). Water requirements for children vary by age as below:
Daily Water Requirements for Children
(Age & Average Cups/Day)
- 4 - 8 years old: 5 cups
- 9 - 13 years old (girls): 7 cups
- 9 - 13 years old (boys): 8 cups
- 14 - 18 years old (girls): 8 cups
- 14 - 18 years old (boys): 11 cups
Other Tips:
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We are excited to announce a celebration to commemorate the growth of our school. Please join us at the middle school for a dedication and ribbon cutting on Sunday, October 29 from 2 to 4 pm. All families (middle and lower school) are welcome, so please save the date. More information will be sent soon.
MORE NEWS FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ...
The middle school will be kicking off a fundraiser on Tuesday, September 19 at Curriculum Night. Middle schoolers will be selling GoPlaySave coupon books (formerly Citipass) over the next few weeks to raise money for an end-of-year trip (details to be determined). Coupon books and subscriptions to the mobile site (paperless coupons!) will be available for sale for $30 beginning Tuesday night. Included are coupons to hundreds of local restaurants, destinations, and retail locations. Be sure to get yours while they last!
AND, FINALLY!
The middle school is in need of a handy volunteer to help put together IKEA shelves, hang shelves in concrete walls, etc. Please contact Office Manager Lauri Clinch if you have some time to help! |
The Book Fair is starting next Tuesday, and we are so excited to be working with Bedford Falls. All classes and grades will have a chance to visit the fair next week for a browsing day and a buying day.
VOLUNTEERS
The book fair would literally not happen without our amazing committee members and volunteers, led again this year by Mandy French. We still need a lot of volunteers on our browse and buy days, so please consider helping out during this amazing event that raises so much money for Lab.
BOOK BUCKS
We are also excited to share information about our Book Bucks program. We will be selling Book Bucks at a discount for families in need. Each Book Buck costs $1 and has a value up to $5. Each student can purchase up to 3 (valued at $15). And, book bucks are also available to purchase at full price for any family who would like to use these instead of giving their child cash. Book Bucks can only be purchased in the front offices. Note: Change will not be provided to any students using Book Bucks.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Lower School
- Tuesday 9/26: 7:45-11:30 am 3-4:00 pm & 5:30 - 6:30 pm
- Wednesday 9/27: 7:45-11:30 am 3-4:00 pm
- Thursday 9/28: 7:45-11:30 am 3-4:00 pm
- Friday 9/29: 7:45-12:30 pm (Open during Donuts for Dads)
Middle School
- Tuesday 9/26: 8:00 am - noon
- Wednesday 9/27: noon - 4:00 pm
STUDENT BROWSE/BUY SCHEDULES
- Tuesday - Browse Day for K, 2nd, 4th & 6th
- Wednesday- Browse Day for 1st, 3rd, 5th & Buy Day for 6th.
- Thursday - Buy Day for K, 2nd & 4th
- Thursday - Buy Day for 1st, 3rd & 5th
HELP BUILD OUR LIBRARY
Teachers will have wish lists of books that they would like to add to their classrooms, and these lists will be displayed at the Book Fair. We hope that you will consider purchasing books for one of your child(ren)'s teachers.
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| COMMUNICATION FOLDER VOLUNTEERS |
We are still looking for parent volunteers from
Salas, Smith/McGowan, Dreyer, and 4th grade classes
to fill the green (and some blue) communication folders
every Friday between 8 am - 2 pm.
Please
sign up here
. Contact
Jessica Moulton
with any questions.
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| PARKING, PARKING & PARKING |
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For those families who have been with us since 2015, you know that parking is an ever-changing challenge, and this year is no exception. Please make note of the following changes that were recently communicated from Preferred Parking -- the company that manages the lots surrounding the lower school.
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Volunteer and Visitor Parking
Effective 9/18, visitor and volunteer parking is only available at 422 E 9th Street (aka the Gravel Lot). Passes are limited for this lot, so you may want to look for parking at a meter on Brevard St.
- Drop off/pick up during the school day
If you are picking up a sick child or for early dismissal, or dropping off after the school day has started, please use lot 319 (located adjacent to the student entrance) rather than lot 300 (located across the street from the front/visitor entrance).
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Pick Up Parking for After School Program
Effective immediately, please park in lot 300 and display your blue transportation card on your dashboard when parking to pick up your child from after school. This will prevent Preferred Parking from ticketing you. If you received a ticket last week, please follow the directions on the ticket to appeal.
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Please note that all after school dismissals occur through the front visitor entrance of the school. If your child is in the TAPS after school program, you will be required to sign him/her out. If your child is in another program, early dismissals are handled by the vendor directly. For Taekwondo, please text Master Watson. For Chess, please knock on the glass door on the right just inside the front vestibule. Soccer Shots will also dismiss from the front entrance. Please keep in mind that
Wednesday is the busiest day for the after school programs, and your patience is appreciated while the providers retrieve your children. And don't forget, all staff and vendors deserve your respect
at all times.
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PTSO GENERAL MEETING TUESDAY 9/26 AT 6:30 pm
Our first PTSO General Meeting is coming up next Tuesday, September 26 at 6:30 pm (social time begins at 6:15 pm) at the lower school. You should have received a 2017-8 PTSO Membership Form inviting you to join in last Friday's folder (or you can
find a copy here).
Thanks to those of you that have already joined for this school year!
The meeting agenda will include the following:
- Social time starts at 6:15pm and meeting starts at 6:30pm;
- Introduction of the 2017-8 PTSO Board;
- State of the School Report *
Note Dr. Moss Brown will be traveling to present at a conference in Germany, so Ms. Tunick and Ms. Johnson will be presenting.
- Budget Review and Vote;
- Used Uniform Sale and Spirit Wear Sale, and
- Book Fair will be open from 5:30-6:30pm!
If you need childcare, please RSVP to
[email protected]
and indicate the number of children you'll drop off. Space is limited so please RSVP by Wednesday, September 20. The cost is $5 per family (cash only, please) and healthy, nut-free snacks will be served (if your child needs more, please send it).
Parking will be available at the Hal Marshall Annex lot at
618 N College St
for this event. This lot is located just a block from the school. The best way to get there is to travel across the train tracks on E. 9th street, take a right at the light onto College St. and enter the lot on your right. IMPORTANT NOTE: The county staff have agreed to let us use their lot only on certain days and AFTER HOURS! Please do not park in this lot during the day, and be sure to park there only when you read in our e-newsletter that we have been given permission.
LAB PARENTS' BOOK CLUB
Please join the Lab Parents Book Club in October as we discuss Raising Cain by Dan Kindlon, PH.D. (Due to lack of participation the Sept. 20 discussion of Disconnected has been cancelled.)
- Book: Raising Cain, Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys by Dan Kindlon, PH.D.
- Date: 4-Thursdays on Oct. 5, 12, 19 & 26
- Time: 8:30-10 am or as soon as you can make it after drop-off.
- Location: Amelie's on North Davidson. Grab a yummy treat or drink at the counter, then join us for the discussion. We meet in the courtyard area through the back door of the restaurant.
- Pre-Work: Read Introduction & Chapters 1 - 3.
- Alternative Viewing Option: Watch the PBS Home Video, Raising Cain, Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys
- RSVP: Let us know you are coming by emailing Michele Davis at [email protected]. We need a minimum of 4 confirmed attendee's to hold the discussion.
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| Tue, Sep 19 |
Curriculum Night (K-6) @ LS |
6:30 PM |
| Thu, Sep 21 |
Teacher Workday-NO SCHOOL |
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| Fri, Sep 22 |
Teacher Workday-NO SCHOOL |
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| Tue, Sep 26-Fri, Sep 29 |
Book Fair |
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| Tue, Sep 26 |
PTSO General Meeting |
6:15 PM |
| Fri, Sep 29 |
Donuts for Dad (K-5) |
7:45 AM |
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Don't forget to check out the amazing jewelry pieces for adults and kids designed especially for Lab by Erin McDermott. 40% of sales from these these pieces will be donated to Lab & Levine Children's Hospital. Offerings include a beaded stack of bracelets and a necklace, as well as two special necklaces with the words "innovation" & "be kind" on the bar of the necklace. You can learn more, see pictures and shop online here.
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Lunch payments can be made at
K12PaymentCenter.com. I
t is not necessary to order your lunch in advance; however, if your child requires a special meal (gluten free or vegetarian) please let
Mrs. Malone
know in advance.
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Please turn in the Box Tops you have saved over the summer and start reaching out to family, friends, and maybe even your church or neighbors to collect Box Tops and raise money for the school this year.
We will have a promotion running until October 27 to see which class can bring in the most Box Tops.
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Enjoy a night out with the Charlotte Hornets and Lab families on Friday, October 20 (game starts at 7 pm)! $5/ticket will go directly back to the school. The first 40 students to purchase tickets will receive an on-court fan experience. Check your child's Friday communication folder for the flyer.
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If you are making a change to your child's afternoon dismissal, please make sure to complete the online transportation form NO LATER THAN 2:00 pm. After 2:00 pm, you must call the school and let Ms. Fulcher (LS) or Ms. Clinch (MS) know.
And don't forget, e
arly dismissal ends at 3:00 pm. If you arrive after 3:00 pm, you will be asked to wait to pick up your child until regular dismissal at 3:30 (LS) or 3:45 (MS).
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Don't forget to like Charlotte Lab School on Facebook. There is also a Charlotte Lab School Parents Page. This page is managed by parents and not visible on Facebook for security reasons, so if you want to join the group, please email the page administrator Nicole Bowen, and she will invite you to join.
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Please note that on days that your child is sick or absent, we ask that you email his/her homeroom teacher and our Front Office Managers
Stefanny Fulcher
(Lower School) or
Lauri Clinch
(Middle School) before 8:30 am. A note from parents (and a doctor's note, if applicable) is necessary and should be sent immediately and no longer than 3 days after the absence. Don't forget that our funding depends on our attendance the first 20 days of school, so please make every effort to ensure your child is at school.
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Jessica Borgnis is offering in-school, private piano and private voice lessons which run 30 minutes per lesson per week to children ages five and above. She will also do a combination piano and voice lesson, which is 45 minutes per week. Lessons are typically scheduled during recess time. For more information email her directly at
[email protected]
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Cell phone policy reminder: Cell phones (and all personal electronics) should not be SEEN at school. If a cell phone is seen out, it will be taken by the teacher and given to the front office. A parent will be required to come pick it up. Please be reminded that Lab discourages students from bringing cell phones and other devices to school; there are no safe places to lock these items and the school cannot be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property.
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Educational Enhancement forms: If you're child is already missing school days, please don't forget to complete an Educational Enhancement form, which if there is an educational benefit to the absence, will make it excused. You can find the
form on our website.
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Be sure to sign up for Remind 101 and receive last minute reminder texts from Lab. Just text the correct code (below) to 81010. Be sure to sign up for the Entire School messages, plus the relevant grade levels and after school if applicable. Standard text rates do apply.
Entire School - @Fk2c2Kindergarten - @bea6hFirst Grade - @2a34d2nd Grade - @8g9ccd3rd Grade - @48h4474th Grade - @hea665th Grade - @43gf3d6th Grade - @4dha6After School - @labschoola |
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Check out our
wish list by teacher/subject area. Feel free to reach out to teachers who have added items to this list for any clarification. In-kind tax receipts are available in the front office.
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Parents are invited to celebrate their children's birthdays at school, and we ask that you follow these policies:
- Parents may join their child for lunch and bring a small treat to share with advisory to celebrate their child's special day.
- Birthday celebrations must be arranged IN ADVANCE with the child's advisor so that he/she knows when to expect you and can plan an alternative treat for those children who might not be able to enjoy what you bring.
- All treats must be NUT-FREE
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