Community Newsletter February 2001

February Parent/Board Meetings - A New Twist!
As a result of a suggestion made by some of our community members, we're going to try something a little different for this month's parent meeting. Instead of our usual hour-long, lecture style, informational meeting, we are going try an abbreviated information session and add some informal social time. We're hoping this gives parents a chance to meet more people, ask questions, share thoughts, and, as a result, build a stronger sense of community. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7:00 p.m. in the "Big Room". If you would like to donate baked goods (cookies, brownies, etc.) for the meeting, please email M.J. (mj@clccharter.org) and let her know by Feb. 20. Our monthly Board Meeting will start around 8:30 and will be held in Mark's classroom.

Bowling
Sadly, our bowling outing last month had to be canceled due to the weather. But don't despair - we've rescheduled it for Friday, March 2. CLC will cover the cost of shoe rentals and bowling at Northland Bowl. We will leave CLC at noon and return around 2:00. If you would like to join us as a chaperone, please let M.J. know ASAP.

Guest Speakers
As part of his independent project, Nathan A. (Team 1) has arranged for Jake Corman, State Senator and State Representatives Lynn Herman and Kerry Benninghoff to speak to the student body about their respective jobs and their positions on the charter school movement. The guests will be here Wednesday, 2/28, from 1:00-2:30 in the "big room." You are welcome to join us.

Staff Appreciation Lunch Thank You
We want to extend our thanks to all of our chefs for January and February: Karen Ballouk, Collette Rozo, Julie Dillon, Annie Lesieutre, Helga Stokes,Debra Greenleaf, Liz Kisenwether, and Alis Rasmussen. A huge thanks also goes out to Annie and Liz for organizing this monthly treat for the CLC staff. You're wonderful! Thank you.

Fundraising Contributor Missed - Beth Shirey
Last month we announced that we had successfully completed our matching gift fundraising campaign and acknowledged the many contributors in the newsletter. However, we accidentally omitted our very first donator, Beth Shirey. Thank you to Beth and her family for their generous contribution.

Art Block Update
We are very excited about our new and improved Art Block curriculum. The redesigned program is broken up into 6 week blocks that follow the same dates as the projects. During each block guest artists will offer a variety of classes and students will choose one class to take for the six weeks. During transition week, their art work will be on exhibit for parents and others to see. Currently, Wayne Hansen is teaching Figure Sculpture, Ann Therese Pelikan is teaching Watercolor, Carrie Waterman is teaching Photography I & II, Mark Guenther is teaching Drawing, and Jalynn (team 4) is teaching Fabric Art. The next 6 week block is set and will include some repeated offerings, as well as new class choices such as Drumming, Paper making, Performing Art, Sculpture II. Ask your child to give you an update on his/her current art project!

*Note: If your child is planning to sign-up for Photography I or II during the next project block, please be advised he/she will be asked to bring a camera that shoots 35 mm film (doesn't need to be fancy or expensive) and a roll of film.

CLC Math Counts Team Rocks!
The CLC sent four students to the 2001 Math Counts competition on the Penn State Altoona campus on Saturday, February 3rd and they came away winners! Out of the 24 individuals from middle schools in the Centre County Region, the CLC's own John L.(team 2) took the individual overall honors. Coached by Diane Lehman and Brad Sloneker, CLC team members Stephen C. (team 2), Eric D. (team 2) and Adam L. (team 2), along with John, took second place in the team competition, just behind the Park Forest first place winning team and ahead of Mount Nittany's third place team. CLC was also awarded a plaque as the Best New School in Centre County and Team Coach Diane Lehman was honored for her involvement with the team. Congratulations guys and good luck to John in the state competition in Harrisburg in March!

Transition Week and Exhibition Day
The current round of projects will end during the last week of February. The schedule for the week is as follows:
Monday, 2/26, regular day
Tuesday. 2/27, regular morning and literature circle reviews in the afternoon
Wednesday, 2/28, project exhibition from 9:30-noon and guest speakers from 1-2:30
Thursday, 3/1, regular "Specials" day with art block demonstrations and exhibits throughout the day
Friday, 3/2, regular morning and bowling in the afternoon!
Please stop in and visit during the week and see what's going on!

Jump Rope for Heart
Next week (2/15) during Health & Fitness class, CLC students will participate in "Jump Rope for Heart". All collection envelopes and permission slips are due to Michelle or MJ by Thursday, February 15th. The permissions slips get mailed back to the American Heart Association so they know how many students participate in the event and, so they can judge how many coordinator kits (with prize samples and FREE ropes for all the schools) need to be ordered for next year. It is very helpful to them. The permission slip does not mean that the student is collecting money ~ just jumping.
If there are any parents who would like to volunteer and have not contacted me I still need some help with running the jumping stations and bringing in snacks for the event. (Quick finger foods such as pretzels, animal crackers… whatever they can eat and then keep playing.) Snacks can just be sent in the day of or Wednesday afternoon. Teams 1 & 2 are jumping from 9:30 &endash; 11:30 and Teams 3 & 4 are jumping from 12:15-2:15. Email me at michelle_footer@hotmail.com if you would like to help. Thanks!
Michelle Richards
Health & Fitness teacher

CLC Documentary
Jean Morrow (Chris, team 3) is making a short video documentary about CLC which we will use to show to prospective families and others who are interested in learning more about our school. Jean will be taping brief interviews (less than 5 minutes) with students and staff over the next several weeks and would also like to include parents. If you would like to be involved in this project, Jean will set up to tape after the Parent Meeting on Feb. 22. If you will not be at the meeting, but would like to participate, please call Jean or email her at jeanmorrow@post.harvard.edu

Wish List
-MICROWAVES! (lunch gets crazy when most of the 100 students and staff want to microwave their lunches between 12 and 12:30!)
-Blender for paper making class
-35 mm cameras
-paint brushes for art classes
-magazines

Dance
The 7th graders are sponsoring a Valentine's Dance on Saturday, Feb. 17 in the "Big Room" from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tickets are $2.00 and can be purchased during school or at the door the evening of the dance. The proceeds from the dance will be used to defer the cost of their (8th grade) class trip next year. If you would like more information or would like to chaperone, please contact Brittany, Madeleine or David from team 2.

Calendar

February 15, 7 p.m.	SCASD Elective Showcase and meeting for 8th grade Parents - State College High School South Auditorium
February 17, 6-10 p.m.	Valentine's Dance - "Big Room"
February 18	"Lock-In" for girls in Teams 3 & 4 (overnight in the "Big Room")
February 19	No School - Staff Inservice
February 22, 7 p.m.	Parent/Board Meetings
February 26-March 2	Transition Week
February 28	Exhibition Day and Guest Speakers
March 2, 12-2 p.m.	Bowling
March 5-9	SPRING BREAK - no school