Greeting from Kyle...

Hello CLC Community! Just a quick note to say that it's good to be back in touch with the CLC. As Glenn mentioned in his parting remarks, the CLC is doing well, but we need to round the corner from where we are to a new level. I've been talking with CLC teachers and staff to get a better sense of the problems we need to solve and the strengths we need to preserve as we move ahead, and I'm encouraged by the prospect of progress in the near future. A search is under way for a new leader, and people are pulling together to make the school the best possible place for our students. We've got a great team. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have ideas you'd like to share, either by phone or by email. (If you put CLC in the subject of an email, I'll get it much faster!) kpeck@psu.edu or 231-3321 (home) 863-4316 (work)

Thanks for your support!
Kyle Peck
President of the CLC Board

Team News and Updates
8th grade
The 8th graders are continuing to work on several ongoing projects. Plans for their class trip to Chicago and Cleveland are coming together nicely, as well as preparation for the service component of the trip. They plan to go to Spring Mills Elementary School in order to teach the students and teachers there how to use technology effectively in the classroom. Their work on the creation and filming of documentaries for WPSX is also continuing. The students have also begun a psychology project in which they are examining stress from a variety of perspectives in order to develop strategies for managing and preventing stress. If all of this work wasn't enough, they are also preparing for their 8th grade conference presentations for the end of the year, as well as planning their graduation ceremony. Wow!

Team 3
Team 3 is currently working on a "mini unit" on public speaking. We are investigating all aspects of effective public speaking, including effective listening and how to organize a persuasive speech. The following two weeks will be spent with Theresa working on a writing workshop.
Students have also finished doing an "Any Old Bag" presentation in which they have filled a bag with items from their past, present, and future and then presented it to the class.

Team 3 did a fantastic job presenting their version of Sept. 11: Up to and Beyond. Thank you to the parents who helped and all the folks who donated supplies. We'd especially like to acknowledge the Hendershot family for the lovely cast party they threw for us!

Team 4
Team 4 has begun a two week project on creating a booklet of CLC stories. We hope to publish these stories on line and in hard copy to help prospective students and parents make informed decisions about attending CLC. Team 3 will do this project in two weeks when we switch. Both Teams 3 and 4 are working on science independent projects. We plan to exhibit these projects at our science fair on Friday, April 5, from 1-3 p.m. Please stop by if you can!

**Announcement: External Examiners needed! Teams 3 and 4 will be sharing science projects with the community on Friday, April 5. We would like to have a panel of experts on hand to review projects, ask questions, and assess the quality of work. If you or someone you know would be available on April 5 from 1-3 p.m., please email theresa@clccharter.org. Thank you for passing the word!

Team 5
Each member of Team 5 has just been accepted as a first year student at the CLC Medical School. Their first medical class is called: The 3-D Cell City Challenge. In this course, the students are exploring cells, the basic building blocks of life. After mastering this concept, the students will take: Human Body Systems - 101, in which the team will explore 11 basic human body systems. Finally, they will be creating an experiment, a model, and an educational video, skit, commercial, web site, poster or pamphlet that includes information about the symptoms, treatments and preventive health care for one significant disease which affects one of the various human body systems.
Team 5 is also adding finishing touches to colorful ITINERARIES for young folks traveling to the Centre Region as part of the last project. On February 21st, eight teams presented their travel packet "first drafts" (e.g., Historic Bellefonte, Campus Museums) to local tourist industry executives. Final presentations are slated for April 1. CCCVB plans to market packets that win final approval! And lastly, welcome aboard, Kelly Kennedy! You make a great addition to an already famous Team 5.

Team 6
With help from Joe, Sara, and Kelly, Team Sixers will be designing and sharing an interactive cultural festival as part of their latest project cycle. In the early stages, they're sharpening investigation skills (questioning, gathering resources) and reviewing some useful "windows" on a culture (e.g., folktales,landscape, rites, food, the arts). Our inspirations so far? Amadou Kane from Senegal and Jean and Don Crider, missionaries to Burma. Their visits to CLC shed light on Senegal's currency, school discipline, birthdays, and advancing desert; on Burma's wildlife, dress, landscape, languages, and varieties of rice. Norway, Jamaica, India, Egypt, Thailand, and Russia will be featured at festival time. Student planners will be looking for help from advisors sponsored by Penn State's International Hospitality Council. Imagine!

March Parent Meeting - Thursday, March 21, 7:00
The March 21 parent meeting will be devoted to a discussion of the CAO position and parents' role in the interview process. Your imput is valued! Please plan to attend this important meeting.

CAO Search - Parent Session Scheduled - Sat., 3/16, 9:30-11 a.m.
Although this information was emailed to you this week, I thought it wouldn't hurt to mention it one more time since it's such an important item. This Friday and Saturday, our first candidate for the full-time CAO position for next fall will be at CLC. The CAO Search Committee has organized time for parents to meet Winnie Bolinsky on Saturday from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the school. As scheduled now, parents can meet with Winnie informally from 9:30 to 10:30 for coffee and bagels. A more formal interview session is on the books for 10:30 to 11 if there is sufficient interest. In order to help with the planning, we would appreciate knowing how many parents plan to stop by the school Saturday to meet Winnie. Please email MJ at mj@clccharter.org of your intentions.

Open Houses and Lottery
We are continuing the process of recruiting students for the 2002-2003 school year. Informational Open Houses are scheduled on the following evenings from 7-8 p.m. at the school:
Wed. March 27
Tues, April 9
Word-of-mouth has always been our most effective marketing tool. If you know of any family with a current 4th, 5th, or 6th grader interested in hearing more about the CLC, please encourage them to attend one of the open houses. The lottery is scheduled for April 19 at 5:00 p.m.

If you have not yet returned your yellow confirmation form letting us know if your child will be returning next year, please do so as soon as possible. Also, on this form, please indicate if there is a sibling you plan to enroll at CLC in the fall. This is extremely important information to have before the lottery.

Peer Mediation
The Peer Mediation Program at CLC is well underway. We are currently accepting applications from students interested in becoming mediators. If your child is interested being trained as a mediator, please encourage him or her to apply. Applications are due to Rachel or Kim Rimmey by Friday, March 22. Training sessions will begin within the next few weeks.

Bookmobile Library
The Bookmobile office has agreed to add a stop here at CLC starting in early May (and going indefinitely). The stop would be on Mondays from 9:45-11:00 every other week. Although we don't have kids here in the summer, it would be great for the neighborhood and, then, for us into the fall. More information on this later after we finalize the plans.

Lasagna Dinner
8th graders are holding a lasagna dinner to benefit the class trip and community service project. The dinner will be on Friday, March 22, from 5-8 p.m. at CLC. Tickets do do not need to purchased ahead of time. For more information, see the pink flyer in your Friday folder or email Sarah at sarahp@clccharter.org

CLC Yearbook
Jalynn and Rachel, our intern, are working with a group of students to create our second-ever yearbook. The progress has been slow, but steady. One way in which parents can help is to send in any pictures you have from this year's CLC activities and events. Also, students have been asked to create a "personal page" and guidelines were sent home in a Friday folder several weeks ago. The deadline for personal pages was today, but has been extended to next Friday, March 22.

Scholastic Book Order
Just a reminder that order forms went home on the Friday before Spring Break. Orders are due back on Friday, March 22.

Water Bottles
It seems I no longer need to remind folks about winter weather clothing since temperatures today are going to reach the low 70's. With warmer weather, though, comes a different need - water bottles! As the weather improves we spend more time outside during lunch/recess, P.E., and after school and run around a lot more. Instead of having students running back and forth across the parking lot constantly to use the water fountain, it would be really helpful to have students fill their water bottle up at the water cooler and take it out with them. This way, we also do not have 25 students asking for a styrofoam cup so they can carry water out to the field. Please encourage your child to bring in a water bottle to keep here at school and to also write their names on it. Thanks!

Calendar

March 16	Parent Session with CAO candidate - 9:30-11 a.m.
March 19	"Special" Board Meeting - 5:30 p.m.
March 21	Parent Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
March 27	Open House - 7:00 p.m.
March 28	Monthly Board Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
April 5	Team 3 & 4 Science Fair