Volume 11, Issue 2 June, 2011 From your PTA Co-President, Margaret Editor: Laurie Weissman Happy Spring everyone! you I don’t think I could have made it through the year. These Moms are so As I look around our school, I see the resourceful, caring and most of all dedi- flowers blooming and hear the cheer- cated in everything they do. A hug goes ful giggles of children. It reminds me to my Co-President Leslie, great job! that spring is here and summer is not Her dedication and support made this too far away. The halls and play- year a fun and enjoyable one. Leslie you ground are full of life and excitement. have so many great ideas, keep going, we I see the changes in the children, they all could benefit from them. I don’t like all seem so confident and sure of to say goodbye so I'll say see you all themselves. It is hard to believe that later. I am confident that with our new another year at Lee Road has gone so Co-President Roma and the wise knowl- quickly. This year seemed to fly by so edge of Leslie our school PTA is going to fast. I think one reason was due to the be a strong one. I want to wish the amount of support I had. I would like graduating fifth graders a big congrats to thank Mr. Goss for helping and and best wishes in Salk. I'd like to end supporting me and the PTA. When with saying I hope everyone has a fun you have a principal that is open to filled summer. See you next year! new ideas it makes everything that much better. I would also like to P.S.: Thanks Laurie for the great Road- thank the Lee Road Staff. They have runner issues, I'll miss you helped in soo many ways, copies, phone calls and let’s not forget the Margaret Costa new PTA closet! A great big Thanks goes out to the wonderful PTA board, you all are truly special and without Lee Road PTA Executive Committee, 2010—2011 Co-Presidents Margaret Costa Recording Secretary Valerie Davie Leslie Cassidy Corresponding Secretary Laurie Weissman 1st Vice President Helen Travers Historian Bridgette Hogan 2nd Vice President Connie Irving Treasurer Lisa Field 3rd Vice President Kim Aquilino Past President Lynn D’Angelo Delegates: Jackie Butler, Jeanne Del Grosso, Andrea Dempsey, Donna Gianaris, Roma Nowak, Gina Portello, Pam Sweeney June Dates to Remember Stay connected 15: Field Day/SchoolKidz Supply Box Pick Up to the Lee Road LEE ROAD PTA, WANTAGH, NY PTA! Join the 16: 5th Grade Yearbook Distribution/Bagel Breakfast join the Lee 17: Field Day Rain Date Road PTA e-mail database. 19: Father’s Day The Lee Road PTA e-mail address is: leeroad- 22: 5th Grade Moving Up, 9:30 a.m. Roadrunner [email protected] 23: LAP Ends Send your name and e-mail address to us and we will 24: Last Day of School! 10:00 a.m. Dismissal add you to the distribution list. Thank you! HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!! Principal’s Message The individuals and institutions who will succeed and flourish will also be masters of change: adept at reorienting their own and other’s activities in untried directions to bring about higher levels of achievement. ‐ Rosebeth Moss Kanter Although we have seen changes in the make‐up of our staff, it is quite apparent that our students have experienced a wonderful year of learning. Our success is due, in no small part, to the shared vision of our teachers, PTA and school community of always putting our students first. Our teachers, through collaborative professional development, continue to move from good to great, as we strive to improve our instructional practices. As a result, we have observed our youngsters at all grade levels, becoming better problem solvers and higher level thinkers. Furthermore, our PTA continues to consistently “deliver the goods” as they have provided the resources, man‐power (or should I say women power) and creative thinking, which has enriched our youngsters’ learning experiences and helped to foster an authentic sense of school commu‐ nity. Moving forward, we are encountering changes in the structure of our educational system at the national as well the state level. These modifications have led to necessary changes at the district and school level. Regardless of the changes required, we will work in partnership to maintain our vision, clarify what is important, and develop a pri‐ oritized plan that will ensure the best possible learning experience for our youngsters. Rest assured, we will achieve this through the active engagement of our school community. In conclusion, I would like to congratulate our graduating fifth grade class and a sincere thanks to Mrs. Margaret Costa, our exiting PTA Co‐President, for her two years of outstanding leadership and service to our school commu‐ nity. Have a healthy and enjoyable summer! Yours Truly, Anthony Goss Paper Cranes Students at Lee Road School folded 367 paper cranes to help support their Japa- nese peers and the many victims of the earthquake that struck Sendai. The paper cranes were mailed to the organization Students Rebuild who pledged to send $2 for each paper crane folded. To date, over one million paper cranes have been re- ceived by the organization from all over the world. This outpouring of support has sparked a $500,000 donation which exceeded the initial promise of Pictured here are: $200,000. The cranes will be woven into a Top: Brian Murphy, Keith Boerner, Zachary future art installation in Japan. This will be Galella, Elise Murphy a symbolic gift from students around the Bottom: Samuel Ruiz, Anthony Bologna globe to the Japanese youth. Page 2 ROADRUNNER Faculty News From the School Nurse Dear Parents, Once again the months seemed to have flown by and we are at the end of another school year. I would like to thank you for your help and cooperation throughout the year. It has been a pleasure to work with you and your children. I would also like to say a special goodbye to all our 5th grade parents and students as they move up to middle school and the next phase of their lives. You will all be missed! I wish you good luck and best wishes as you leave Lee Road School. I hope you take the memories and lessons you have learned here with you on your journey through life. I know you will all succeed and look back on Lee Road with fond memories. A Few Reminders: - New York State mandates complete physicals for all new students and those children entering grades K, 2 and 4. Medical forms will be sent home with Report Cards or can be downloaded from our website. They are due back in October. - All medication in the Health Office must be picked up by a parent prior to the last day of school or it has to be discarded. - If your child has been or will be taking medication during school hours next year, new forms will be sent home during the summer and must be filled out by your physician and submitted to me with the medication in September. Please note that No medication can be given without a doctor’s order. Thank you again for a great 2010-2011 school year. I wish you all a happy, healthy and enjoyable sum- mer. Sincerely, Joanne Kusky School Nurse HEAT ADVISORY!! Dear parents: As you know, we have been having very hot weather for the last few weeks, and it’s only June! Please keep this in mind when sending your children to school as the building is very warm. Please don’t forget to send your children in with water bottles and apply sun block where needed, as the children will be going outdoors for physical edu- cation classes and recess. The teachers will also make allowances for the weather and give students frequent water and bathroom breaks to cool off and remain hydrated. In extreme heat it is important to keep activities to a minimum and watch for signs of heat exhaustion. Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include: nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, fatigue, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Thank you, Mrs. Kusky JUNE, 2011 Page 3 Committee News Memorial Scholarship Winner Announced at MacArthur Senior Awards on June 2nd The Allison Sciubba Memorial Scholarship was inaugurated in 1998 as a special way to commemorate the beautiful life of a Lee Road student who lost her life to cancer at the age of five. This project was established and is funded by the Lee Road PTA and provides a monetary award to a graduating senior from MacArthur High School who attended Lee Road Elementary School, and who accurately completes the applica- tion process. This year’s recipient was chosen and awarded $500 towards college expenses. The scholarship com- mittee is proud to announce Lisa Stockman as the winner of the 2011 Allison Sciubba Memorial Scholarship. Congratulations to Lisa! Submitted by Andrea Dempsey, Chairperson Cultural Arts Lee Road’s SIXTH Bi-Annual Walk to School Day! Helen Travers and Carolyn Szydlowski The Lee Road PTA recently held its SIXTH Bi-Annual We would like to tell you Walk to School Day!! Lee Road children and parents about the two wonderful joined together and walked to school on the morning of Friday, May 20th. Cultural Arts presenta‐ tions that finished up our This Walk to School Day event took place in conjunction with a Worldwide Project called ACES (All Children Ex- year.