DECEMBER 11 - IN THIS ISSUE
DEAR PARENTS
The countdown is on until the holiday break! I know that this is a very busy time of year for everyone, but I hope that you will make every effort to attend Walk-In Conference Night tomorrow, Dec 12, if you have questions about your child's academic performance that have not been answered through the progress report or advisory conference.

For those of you who are new to Lab, Walk-In Conference Night is an optional night for parents, providing an opportunity for a "mini" conference with  subject-area teachers in 10 minute blocks.  This year, we will be holding Walk-In Conference Night at both campuses at the following times:
  • Lower School: 4:00 -6:00 pm. 
  • Middle School: 5:30-7:30 pm.
Sign ups will be posted at the student entrances 15 minutes prior to the start of the event (3:45 pm for lower school and 5:15 pm for middle school). Ms. French, Ms. Peguero, and Coach Moore will divide their time at both schools 4:45-6:00 pm at the lower school and 6:15-7:15 pm at the middle school. Mr. Morales will be at the lower school only from 4-6:00 pm. Parents coming to the l ower school may park at the Hal Marshall Annex (618 N. College St.) BEGINNING AT 5:00 PM. 

Please note the following teachers are unable to attend Conference Walk-In Night due to scheduling conflicts; however, you should feel free to reach out to them directly if you still have questions about how your child is doing in specific subjects.
  • Jaime Asack
  • Liz Benitez
  • Brandt Boidy
  • Maggie Brown
  • Lisa Charde
  • Mary Ashley Davino
  • Denise Glasier Serrano
  • Maria Perez-Maspons
  • Danielle McDaniel 
  • Britanny Newswanger
  • Woody Quinn
  • Kristen Sluder
  • Brigitte Wang 
Walk-In Conference Night is also a great time to check out the Lost & Found and reclaim any lost items before the break. We will be clearing out and donating everything in the Lost & Found on 12/20, so please be sure to come by before then.

Have a great week.

Sincerely,

Mary Moss Brown
TEACHER HOLIDAY GIFT COLLECTION

Staff holiday collections will end tomorrow, Tuesday, December 12.  If you wish to contribute, please return the envelope, which came home in your child's green folder, to school tomorrow.  You may also contribute online at cheddarupPlease contact Jessica Moulton with any questions.

STAFF HOLIDAY COLLECTION ENDS TOMORROW

Staff holiday collections will end tomorrow, Tuesday, December 12th.  If you wish to contribute, please return the envelope to school tomorrow.  You may also contribute online at https://charlotte-lab-school-holiday-collection-2017.cheddarup.com

Please contact Jessica Moulton ([email protected]) with any questions.

ATTENTION MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS
Do you ever wonder if you will survive the Middle School years, twice? Are you as confused as your Middle Schooler when it comes to getting through these tough years? If so, please join us for a discussion with Southeast Psychology on "Current Trends with Middle School Kids."
  • Date: Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 6:30-7:30 pm
  • Where: Middle School Large Commons
Southeast Psych will have a wealth of knowledge to share about the Middle School years and how to survive as a parent/guardian of a Middle Schooler. Come here about topics such as:
  • Normal Developmental Changes in Middle School
  • Current Mental Health Trends
  • Risk Factors / Behaviors
  • Parenting Tips
Light Refreshments will be served! Please RSVP by Jan. 12 to Andrea Miller at [email protected]
THANK YOU & HOLIDAY HELPING HANDS
A special thanks to all of the parents and kids who joined us  on Saturday for the Holiday Market and Movie. We also want to thank the vendors (many of whom are Lab parents) who came and set up booths, giving us a chance to shop for some great gift items!  Thank you to Kess Clark, Najuma Wilson, Akua Carraway, Kelly Bliss Smith, Corinne Connor, and Michelle Davis for coordinating the event, and to our volunteers Jenny Greenspon, Leslie Chambers, Kelly Glasier, Jackie Peterson, Jaime Rentch, Kesha Dawson, and Tara Brown.

The money raised from this event will be put towards our annual Holiday Helping Hands, which  provides our own families in need with items such as warm clothing, groceries, and gas money. We are also looking for donations of Food Lion or gas gift cards to support this effort. If you are able to help, please sign up here. Gift cards can be sent to the front office; we will be collecting them through Friday, Dec 16. Thank you in advance for your support.
LAST CHANCE FOR CHECKERS TICKETS
 
Come enjoy a night out with the Charlotte Checkers and Lab families on January 20! Tickets are $16 and $5 from every ticket will go directly back to the school. Purchase tickets here , and you will receive an electronic ticket. We hope to see you there!
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LAST CHANCE FOR SIBLING PREFERENCE APPLICATIONS
2018/19 APPLICATION FOR ADMISSIONS PREFERENCE DEADLINE THIS WEDNESDAY!  Please  complete ONE application for any SIBLING  of a student currently enrolled at Charlotte Lab School, or any child of a current Charlotte Lab School employee or Board member.  All applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Wednesday December 13, 2017 to be eligible for the admissions preference. 

We will be sending confirmation letters and sibling lottery numbers to all families who have already submitted a sibling application. If you do not receive an email by the end of the day on Wednesday, December 13, please email [email protected].
FIELD TRIP ANNOUNCEMENTS
There are a lot of upcoming field trips! Remember, if you prepaid for field trips, just circle "prepaid" on the permission slip. And even if you prepaid, we still need a signed permission slip for bus trips.   If you have not yet prepaid and wish to do so, you can pay online at K12paymentcenter.com or send in cash or check. You can send in $25, $50, or $75, and you will receive an accounting by trimester of your remaining balance.

Take a look at our upcoming trips:
Jan 9 Jazz, The American Experience
3rd, 4th & 5th Grades
Feb 6 Children's Theatre - And in This Corner, Cassius Clay 4th Grade
Feb 7 Junior Achievement - JA Biztown 4th Grade
Mar tbd Raptor Center 4th Grade
Mar 13 Children's Theatre - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe 3rd Grade
Apr 11 Children's Theatre - Madagascar Musical Adventure 1st Grade
Apr 23 Scrap Art Music
4th, 5th & 6th Grades
CALENDAR-AT-A-GLANCE
Tues , Dec 12 Walk-in Conference Night - Lower School 4:00 PM
Tues , Dec 12 Walk-in Conference Night - Middle School 5:30 PM
Tue, Dec 19 Holiday Class Parties
Wed, Dec 20 Teacher Workday-No School
Thu, Dec 21 Teacher Workday-No School
Dec 22 - Jan 1 School Holiday-No School
Mon, Jan 2 Teacher Workday-No School

EXPLORE CLT
We have a new feature in our weekly enewsletter thanks to our Student Recruitment Committee. Each week you will find a list of family-friendly events happening in and around Charlotte and even more reasons to Explore CLT.

12/12-12/17 A Christmas Carol (Theatre Charlotte)
12/13-12/17 Les Miserables (Ovens Auditorium)
12/13 and 12/17 The Lion King, Kids (Tate Hall at CPCC)
12/14 and 12/21 Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights Show (Phillips Place)
12/14-12/23 Nutcracker: Charlotte Ballet (Belk Theater)
12/15-12/17 Mainstage Production Presents: It's A Wonderful Life
12/15-12/23 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical (Children's Theatre of Charlotte)
12/16 Tis the Season: Holidays Around the World (Charlotte Concert Band)
12/16 Hanukkah Celebration and Dance (Temple Israel)
12/16-12/17 Children of Eden (Jewish Community Center)
12/16-12/17 Hairspray (Halton Theater)
Through 12/24 Charlotte Christmas Village at Romare Bearden Park
Through 12/30 Celebration of Lights (Village Park)
Through 12/30 Carowinds Winterfest
Through 12/31 Speedway Christmas
Through 12/31 Holidays at the Garden at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden
Through 1/7 Winter Wonderland Southpark
Through 1/7 Holiday On Ice (NASCAR Hall of Fame Plaza) 
NEWS WORTH REPEATING
Please make note of the following dates for our second round of MAP testing for grades 2-6. MAP tests will be given between 8:30-11:00 am each day. Please contact Meg Scott you have any questions. 

Thu, Dec 7 5th grade MAP Testing
Fri, Dec 8 5th grade MAP Testing
Mon, Dec 11 4th grade MAP Testing
Tue, Dec 12 4th grade MAP Testing
Wed, Dec 13 3rd grade MAP Testing
Thu, Dec 14 3rd & 6th grade MAP Testing
Fri, Dec 15 2nd & 6th grade MAP Testing
Mon, Dec 18 2nd grade MAP Testing

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The new after school semester starts in January. If you are registered for T.A.P.S., you do not need to re-enroll. If your child is not currently enrolled, you may sign up here.

 

In addition to the T.A.P.S. program, we have a limited number of vendors providing after school classes at Lab. Please sign up directly with the after school provider:

We will also be offering Girls on the Run, Let Me Run (boys)--more information will be coming soon.
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Mr. Hartzell is hosting a  Make and Grow Winter Camp from Dec 26-29. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: We had so much fun at last summer's Make & Grow Camp that we just couldn't wait a whole year to host another program! So join us for our very first winter camp and let your student explore a variety of maker projects while also helping to maintain our winter crops. Camps run from 9 am-3 pm at Lab's Lower School campus. Of course, we will be spending plenty of time on our student favorites like Rube Goldberg machines and Makey Makeys, while many of our projects will connect each day to our expanding urban garden. Cost is $60/day or $200/week.

Sign up online or by emailing Mr. Hartzell.
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Lab Middle School has  SPIRIT We are excited to announce that Charlotte Lab Middle School has a spirit rock! Families are invited to "rent" the Spirit Rock and paint it in honor of Lab related activities: birthdays, announcements, celebrations, recognizing an awesome staff member, or showing spirit for our sports teams. Reserve your date(s), pay for the rental, and find  sign-up details here .  Go Lions! 
 

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Earlier in the year, we shared news of the new Oasis Rooms at the Lower and Middle Schools for students and staff to have a place to be mindful and practice being or becoming calm. These rooms have been a big success, and we're looking for a few more small donations including stress balls and other small tactile items. Please contact Tracey Rosenberg if you are interested in making a donation.

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The Staff Appreciation committee held the 3rd annual 'Thanksgiving Pie' event with great success! Thank you to the many parents who volunteered to bake or buy a pie. With your support, we were able to gift over 65 pies to our wonderful staff, bus drivers, and partners at UNCC. A special thank you to Rachel Hidalgo for leading the efforts, and to Kris Goldbach, Merritt Tise, Jaime Rentch, Kristen Allen, and Rafael Hidalgo for spending the morning collecting and boxing the pies.

Want your kids' candid picture in the yearbook? Have great photos from a school related activity? PLEASE upload it on the
ReplayIt app . Download the app once (you will need it as long as your child is registered at LAB School) and upload your photos as you take them. Please tag the children in the photos and their grades. And, don't worry! There is still time to order your yearbook here .
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We have posted our November and December Lunch menus. Please note the change to Pizza Friday. While the new pizza lunch has been a hit, it is also a little more work than we had hoped, so we are going to scale back to once a month. Our caterer will still be providing pizza on Fridays; however, the Pizza Fundraiser (with pizza from Domino's or Papa John's) will now be the last Friday that we are in school each month. 
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We are so grateful to everyone who has donated items from our wish list. Teachers are still updating the list with current needs. Check out the items we still hope to receive, and see if there is anything that you are able to donate.
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It is that time of year again. Come and check out the lost and found items waiting to be claimed near the front office. Don't forget to label all outerwear and water bottles. Please also take a look at the clothes that you have and make sure you don't have another student's clothes by accident. A few parents have mentioned missing clothing that is labeled; those blue hoodies tend to all look the same! All unclaimed items will be donated on December 20.
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If you would like to help the middle school chickens, sign up here and follow the links to the website where you can pay online and Mr Luft will pick up the supplies for our feathery ladies (since the site does not deliver). 
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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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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. 
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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 - @Fk2c2
  • Kindergarten - @bea6h
  • First Grade - @2a34d
  • 2nd Grade - @8g9ccd
  • 3rd Grade - @48h447
  • 4th Grade - @hea66
  • 5th Grade - @43gf3d
  • 6th Grade - @4dha6
  • After School - @labschoola
  • ____________________________________

    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
    Charlotte Lab School
    301 E. 9th Street
    Charlotte, NC 28202

    [email protected]

    General Info: 704-464-3830

     

    Teaching and Learning for the Next Generation