Park Maitland Newsletter #35

Newsletter #35 2019-2020

Peace • Love • Park Maitland

#Empathy

"The function of education is to teach one to think critically.

Intelligence, plus character -- that is the goal of true education."

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dear Parents,

As we help to cultivate the next generation of influencers, it is necessary to inspire students to persevere, pivot, and push themselves to take ownership of their learning, their lives, and their actions -- and to develop the skills necessary to be agents of positive change in the world. Distance learning provides for these opportunities! With the tension and worry surrounding COVID-19 and its impact on our communities and our world, there is no better time to allow our children the time to express their feelings and find ways for positive outlets. The best dose of medicine can sometimes be finding the pure joy of doing something kind for others.

Empathy is the starting point for creating a community and taking action. It's the impetus for creating change.

-Max Carver

I continue to be inspired and encouraged by our compassionate and bright children and the many sweet things that they are doing to show empathy and kindness especially during this time of unrest and calamity. I remain hopeful that our future is in good hands.

Thank you parents, for encouraging your children to take the time to do good for others!

We hope this brings you joy and peace as well.

Take care all! We love and miss you!

Mrs. Moon

Upcoming School Events

Weekly Challenge with Mrs. J: Empathy to our Earth (More information below)

April 20: Wear your Favorite School Uniform to Distance Learning

April 21: 4th Grade Tropicana Speech Contest

April 22: Earth Day - Wear Green to Distance Learning; 4th Grade Tropicana Speech Contest

April 23: 4th Grade Tropicana Speech Contest; 1st and 6th Grade JFF Event

April 24: Park Maitland School T-Shirt Day

A Time in History 2020:

Proud at Home Scrapbook Prompts

Click on each prompt for Your Choice Board and an introductory video.

Alternately, you can simply choose to write about your day or what you are feeling. Click Here For a Kids’ Template . Your family can even create a Time Capsule!

Please remember, this activity, school-wide challenges, and enrichment experiences are optional for those families who would like to participate. We understand that each family is experiencing their own "juggling act", activities like this are merely suggestions to supplement day-to-day learning. What is most important is that you and your family find a healthy balance.

Empathy Challenge with Mrs. "J" Jaworski, our wonderful School Counselor!

Week 4: Showing Empathy to our Earth

Dear Students and Parents,

I am beyond grateful for your dedication to lifting spirits in our community by completing the challenges set before you -- from heartfelt thanks to our healthcare heroes, to encouraging others with rocks of inspiration and by spreading JOY around our homes and community. You continue to amaze me with your ray of sunshine every single day.

Those rays of sunshine will beam even brighter next week as we celebrate 50 years of Earth Day on April 22, 2020. We often associate Earth Day with those 4 R’s...Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose. This week, I challenge you to demonstrate your love and empathy to Planet Earth by creating a video or Public Service Announcement (PSA) where you show us just how much you are saving water, placing items in recycling containers, and making new things out of older material as just a few examples.

Another way you can share your love and empathy for the planet is to head outdoors, safe distance of course, and go for a nature walk. Take your parents and siblings on a scavenger hunt and “search” for different plants, animal tracks, seeds, wildlife. Take pictures of your favorite trees, or birds. Explore the beautiful outdoors and record what you are seeing and hearing. And please share with us so that we can take it all in as well! Take notice of this moment in time and journal about the sights, sounds and smells you experienced. Plant seeds and watch new life appear.

Most importantly, remember that our Planet Earth is precious. And we have a unique opportunity to enjoy all its richness during our distance learning time.

Make every day Earth Day, and remember the words of Wendell Berry, “The Earth is what we all have in common.”

Love and Miss you,

Mrs. J

Supporting Local Businesses

Park Maitland School would like to support our school family as much as possible during this unprecedented time.

Please click here to view a list of local companies within our school family that are still open.

Global Empathy

Broc, a 5th grader at Park Maitland School, and his family want to reach out to the many elderly men and women in Spain who have spent week after week in their retirement homes without their own families due to the Coronavirus.

We are asking for your kind words and inspirational drawings! You may write a letter in Spanish and add a piece of your imagination through drawing or painting to be mailed to these retirement homes.

An email was sent by Mrs. Richardson and Ms. Diaz to all families with the suggested and necessary information for the letter, including the address to be sent locally. This information can also be found under Enrichment activities for Spanish in grades K4-6 on next week's DLP. Broc and his family will take care of mailing these to Spain.

Thank you for your efforts in bringing joy and cheer to these elderly citizens abroad while also practicing your Spanish!

Park Maitland Uniform Day

Let's get into the mindset of learning!

On Monday, April 20th please "come" to class wearing your

favorite school uniform!

Grade 4 Tropicana

Speech Contest

4th grade students have been working hard on finalizing their speeches for our annual Tropicana Speech Contest, which will take place April 21st - 23rd.

Tuesday April 21st

1:00-2:00: 4 Orange
2:30-3:30: 4 Blue

Wednesday, April 22

1:00-2:00: 4 Green
2:30-3:30: 4 Yellow

Thursday, April 23

1:00-2:00: 4 Red

Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day, please wear green on

Wednesday, April 22nd to virtual classes.

Park Maitland T-Shirt Day

In keeping with our casual dress days, please wear your favorite Park Maitland t-shirt to your Friday virtual classes.

Poem in Your Pocket Day

Poem in Your Pocket Day will take place on Thursday, April 30th this year! Due to distance learning, and copyright laws prohibiting students from sharing poetry without publisher's permission via Zoom, we are going to do things slightly different this year. We'd like every student in K4-6th grade to compose their own poem that will be shared during homeroom on April 30th. Look for additional details from your Language Arts teacher!

If students would like to create their own "Poem in Your Pocket" to wear on the big day, please print and assemble the pocket found at this link . Alternatively, students can simply place their poems "in their actual pockets!"

National Poetry Month

Enjoy a few powerful samplings of COVID-19 haikus, written by our 6th grade students.

It is very scary

Not knowing what is next

I want to be okay

-Jill S.

Inside we reside

Contained only to our house

Hoping it will end

-Austin K.

Silence all around

We are itching to go out

Will it ever end?

- Sammy L.

Disease spreads like fire

Every person practicing

Social distancing

-Lucy C.

Time to get to class

But it’s not even in real life

It’s a meeting on Zoom.

-Paige O.

Death creeps through the cracks

The world has come to a halt

Coronavirus

-Orion R.

Twitching turning take

A breath. Waiting waiting. What

Can I do but wait?

-Charlotte L.

Congratualtions, Ms. Dawson!

Ms. Dawson was chosen as one of the recipients of the Keep Winter Park Beautiful grant. This is awarded through the City of Winter Park to support "being green" and spreading awareness about taking care of our planet. She was inspired to apply for this grant while working with her 3rd grade students on collecting plastic recyclables around campus.

Ms. Dawson is so excited to use this grant towards raising awareness

on plastics with her students!

Registration is OPEN for

Summer Camp at Park Maitland!

Summer is the time for campers to jump into new experiences while also delving deeper into their current interests. Our camp provides many opportunities for campers to explore, learn, and more importantly, have fun! Join us for a summer like no other filled with STEAM activities, special visitors (petting zoo, game truck, foam party, and more!), out of this world extreme field trips, and endless adventures.

Summer Camp Dates:

June 1st - July 24th

Before care/Aftercare:

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. • 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

*Available each day

Summer Camp at Park Maitland is comprised of 3 different camp experiences, based on the camper's grade for the 2020-2021 school year. Click on each grade grouping below for more information:

K-4 - K-5: Summer Heroes

1st - 3rd Grade: Camp Crew

4th - 6th Grade: Extreme Camp Crew

In addition, we are excited to offer full and half-day specialty camps to current Park Maitland students!

Full-Day Specialty Camp Options:

K-5 - 7th Grade: Camp Laugh-A-Lot

K-5 - 4th Grade: Duck for President Improv & Theatre Camp

K-5 - 4th Grade: Art Camp

K-5 - 6th Grade: Brave Girls Camp

K-5 - 2nd Grade: Photography Camp

Half-Day Specialty Camp Options:

2nd - 6th Grade: Reading Enrichment Camps

3rd & 4th Grade: Math Enrichment Camps

3rd - 6th Grade: Strokes of Genius Swimming Camp

*Grades listed are for the 2020-2021 school year

Click Here for more information and to register!

Don't Forget!!

Bring a Friend: Tell your friends about camp! Refer a friend (not currently enrolled at Park Maitland School) and receive a $25 discount towards a week of camp.

*does not apply to specialty camp offerings

Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 21st, and plan to join us at the Bob Carr Theater for this magical event!

Ticketing details to follow in the coming weeks.

KoPixmo photos are available to view and purchase. You should have received an email with ordering instructions along with your child’s unique password. If you

have multiple children attending Park Maitland, you should have

received separate emails for each child.

If you did not receive an email, please contact Amy Jones (ajones@parkmaitland.org)

Don't forget to share pictures of your children during distance learning! Please submit pictures to Lauren Kuharske at Newsletter@ParkMaitland.org.

If you are posting on social media, please use #ParkMaitlandProudAtHome.

6th grade students were treated to a special glimpse into Medieval Times through a virtual field trip hosted by Mrs. Finwall and Coach Larrimore. After a wonderfully colorful introduction by Mrs. Finwall, students were "invited" into Coach's backyard for a full knight demonstration complete with the annual watermelon smash!

Our super seniors' Faberge Eggs were spectacular works of art! Faberge eggs have been a tradition in 6th grade for 35 years while studying the Romanovs and Russians.

"My idea was inspired of course by what is going on and the virus, I thought it would be funny if the toilet paper was the crown jewel because it is the crown jewel right now."

- Dylan D.

First grade students learned how to write opinion letters in ESW. They wrote these letters to their parents about which animal would make the best pet. To celebrate their writing, students shared their letters with their classmates and got to bring a “special” stuffed pet to join in class!

Birthday celebrations look a little different these days!

4th grader Madison W. was in for a huge surprise when Mrs. Eichelberger decorated the front of her house for her 10th birthday!

Chase received a very special Zoom birthday shout out from Mrs. Ayers on his 6th birthday!

K-4 students had fun as they measured and arranged items shortest to longest/tallest.

K-4 through 1st grade students in Mrs. Leider's art class learned about installation art in such a fun way! These young artists created their own color wheels with items found on a treasure hunt for colorful objects.

The annual 3rd grade Author's Tea gave students the opportunity to share their writing through individually crafted books containing both creative and nonfiction works. This year, students read their books to their classmates via Zoom.

Mateo H. shares his beautiful Author's Tea notebook below!