Buckman Arts Focus Elementary School

Note from Claudia Mason, our Principal:

Greetings!

It with great pleasure that I welcome you to the 2008-2009 school year. We will soon join together at Buckman for one more year of teaching, learning, sharing - and celebrating the tremendous growth children achieve throughout the year. Letters were mailed today with the name of your child's teacher, classroom, and supplies needed. You should receive them early next week.

Safety is core to our high-functioning school; every classroom has been carefully cleaned, shined and prepared for our welcome to you and your families.

We promise to inspire, motivate and genuinely care for your child, nurturing gifts while offering challenging learning opportunities whenever possible. I welcome your questions, information about your child (or children) and always love hearing inspiring stories related to school experience, socially as well as academically.

Join me for a monthly Parent Tea every First Wednesday of each month. I enjoy talking with you at that time in my office over tea, coffee and pastries. The first will be on October 1, 8:30-9:30. I welcome talking with you anytime; let me know in advance if you can so that I can schedule time for you.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We will provide training and support for additional parental supervision at any/all recess times following each lunch. Please contact Claudia if you are interested in helping us with this.

The Summer brings laughter and joy as well as sadness during difficult times. Our dedicated and very wonderful school nurse, Linda Ferguson, is ill. We expect her to return after Thanksgiving break. Please check: www.caringbridge.org; you will find Linda's name which will allow you to communicate with her/her family. You can also contact: lewisd@oes.edu if you'd like to contribute meals for the family. Linda will be, sadly, missed very much as we begin the year.

I am looking forward to a year of growth, achievement, professional satisfaction and delight in working with you to create the best learning opportunity possible for your children. I wish you good health, a peaceful heart and fun throughout the lovely end-of-Summer days.

Sincerely,

Claudia Mason
Principal
cmason@pps.k12.or.us/tel. 503-916-6230.

Basic Facts:
Hours of School: 8:45-3:00
Lunch Times: Grades 3 & 4 @ 11:30-11:50; 2 & 5 @ 11:50-12:10; K & 1 @ 12:10 - 12:30. Final recess ends at 1:00.

Important Dates for Your Calendar:

August

• 8-23 9AM - Noon COMMUNITY CARE DAY

  Please join me in caring for/tending to simple landscaping needs at Buckman. Hinson Baptist Church leads us each year, generously giving time/supplies/kindness. Thank you to Jim Evernden and friends!

September

• September 3 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL Grades 1-5 8:45-3:00
• 9-8 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL for Kindergartners 8:45-3:00
• 9-8 9:00AM New Parent Coffee
• TBD State of School Address/PTA
• 9-19 Fall Festival - Please join us for a festive picnic with music! Guests: Hinson Baptist Church
• 9-23 OPEN HOUSE Meet teachers and enjoy a yearly welcome back to school event. Children are invited to attend.

October

• 10-1 Parent Tea with our Principal Claudia Mason's office 8:30-9:30
• 10-14 Buckman Elementary School Community Meeting PM

Hello,

A quick update for you re: class configuration for the 2008-09 school
year, to be sent to entire community this Wednesday in my newsletter.

• K - 3 classrooms Teachers: Godfrey, Hillesland and new teacher
• 1 - 3 classrooms Teachers: Miles, Conklin and Brown
• 2 - 3 classrooms Teachers: Roberts, Maier and new teacher (Wetley
  on maternity leave)
• 3 - 2 classrooms Teachers: Clarkson, Vestal; 3/4 Blended Teacher: Michael Scott
• 4 - 3 classrooms Teachers: Avidan, Rockness and Bigelow
• 5 - 3 classrooms Teachers: Nelson, Luscher and Nichenko

The daVinci and Buckman task force, including 2 site council parents,
staff, principals and facilitator, will present the articulation
process, steps taken and goals for May 30 final meeting at our
community meetings at both schools. We invite all community members
to join us at each school meeting:

• Buckman Community Meeting: 5:30-7:00 Monday, May 12 (at Buckman)
• DaVinci Community Meeting: 6:00-7:00, Wednesday, May 14
• Joint Staff Meeting re: Articulation: 3:30-5:00 Monday, May 12

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best-
Claudia

You are cordially invited to a very special Youth Art Show featuring the student artists of
Buckman Elementary School Arts Focus.

First Thursday, May 1, 2008
5:00 to 7:00pm
City Hall
1221 SW Fourth Avenue
Portland, Oregon

With performances by The Buckman Chorus, Buckman Marimba Ensemble, and Buckman Boys Dance Group/

Presented in conjunction with the Children's Healing Art Project and the Young, Gifted and Black Art Competition of the African American Visual Art Scholarship Committee at Portland State University, and coordinated by City Commissioner Sam Adams' office.

We still need volunteers to make the Art, Show & Sell a success! Shifts are only a couple hours long and some are suitable to do together with your child. Volunteer for a shift and receive free admittance to the event. Please contact Samantha Bruner (samanthabru at yahoo dot com) or Sheli Bryan (bryan at spiritone dot com) today — they've got a job that's just perfect for you.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED:
• Volunteer at the Buckman Art Show & Sell.
• Attend the Buckman Art Show & Sell with your friends, neighbors & family! Buy art!
• Buy tickets to the Buckman Bash, on sale now at brownpapertickets.com!
• Send e-flyers to all your friends and colleagues

Thanks in advance for your support!

Don't miss the Buckman Bash, Friday, April 11, at the Jupiter Hotel! Indie rock greats James Mercer of The Shins and Stephen Malkmus of The Jicks in rare solo performances, a fabulous art auction, free dessert bar, and hilarious emcees Andrew Dickson and D.J. Tara of KNRK 94.7 FM! A fantastic evening for a fantastic cause—to support our school and its fabulous arts program. All proceeds benefit Buckman!

• When, where, and how much? The Buckman Bash takes place at the Jupiter Hotel, 800 E. Burnside, Friday, April 11, doors open at 7 p.m.. Tickets ($50; 21 and over only, please) are available at brownpapertickets.com, and Jackpot Records. On the evening of the show, tickets will be available at the door.

The 18th annual Buckman Art Show & Sell, April 11 & 12, is Buckman's celebration of art and community featuring the work of 120 Northwest artists, designers, and craftspersons, who show and sell their work to help support the school. Artists donate 30% of their proceeds to the school.

Plus, there's a Buckman student art gallery, silent art auction, great food from Salvador Molly's Vibrant Table, incredible music and dance performances, free kids' art activities, and lots of fun.

Get there early on Friday for jazz by Buckman favorites Ed Bennett and Tony Pacini—and to get your pick of the very best artwork! And Saturday, turn out to support the Buckman Marimba Ensemble, Buckman Chorus, Level 3 Dance and Boys Dance!

• When, where, and how much? The Art Show & Sell takes place at Buckman Elementary, Friday, April 11, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. ($5) and Saturday, April 12, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ($2 suggested donation). Kids 4 and under are free.

(from the 4/9 CHEER)

• When: Friday, April 11th - doors open at 7 pm
• Where: Jupiter Hotel, 800 East Burnside

Please join us for an evening with James Mercer, frontman for The Shins, and Stephen Malkmus, of Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks!

Tickets (21 and over only) are now available for $50 dollars - purchase tickets online, or visit Jackpot Records at 3574 SE Hawthorne and 203 SW Ninth Avenue.

Note: Buckman Bash ticket holders will be granted free admission to the Buckman Art Show & Sell art festival events on Friday, April 11, 5 pm to 9 pm, and Saturday, April 12, 10 am to 5 pm, at Buckman Elementary School.

Get details on the full extravaganza of events here. The evening's proceeds will benefit the award-winning arts-integrated academic education program of Buckman Elementary School Arts Focus.

Has your child ever felt like other kids are intentionally ignoring them, won't play with them, or talk with them? This is bullying, and it happens even at Buckman.

Tonight, acclaimed counselor Howard Hiton speaks at Buckman about how to handle these difficult situations and how to support our kids through them. The event is free and open to members and non-members of the Buckman community. Invite your friends! Childcare is available.

A short PTA meeting, starting at 6:30 p.m., precedes Mr. Hiton's presentation.

Though final numbers aren't yet in, 2008 event might break record.

The 2008 Buckman Auction... was a huge success! Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped make set-up, check-in, data entry, check-out, and clean-up go so smoothly.

Thank you to everyone who attended to support our school. And thank you to all of the classrooms and donors without whom we wouldn't have had anything to bid on!

Special kudos go to first-time auction chairperson Cynthia Prevatte, as well as Sheli Bryan, Pamela Kreutz and Kristy Ristvedt. Bravo!

Buckman did it again! Stay tuned for the final tally!

And you'll be there, right? (If you're still on the fence, this advance preview of what's up for grabs might just woo you...)

Join fellow parents, teachers, and friends for a fun night out with live music by the
Gypsy Bears, a special guest emcee, AND a fine gallery of classroom projects and cigar boxes to bid on. Don't miss the chance to share dinner, drinks, and shopping galore with your friends, all for Buckman.

When: Friday, February 8th, 2008
Where: Melody Ballroom, 615 S.E. Alder Street
What time: 5:30 pm.
5:30-7:00 Silent Auction
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:30 Live auction

If you don't have your tickets yet, you have until Thursday to purchase them at Buckman for 35 per person - that price jumps to 40 dollars per person (if available) if you buy them at the door.

Can't make the auction but still want to help? Check out the raffle baskets in the front hall at school. Thanks for all the creative and generous contributions. Each basket is unique and fabulous.

Tickets are one dollar each, or six for five dollars. Just buy tickets for the baskets you are interested in. This is something fun and inexpensive that anyone can do to help the school.

Raffle tickets will be sold before and after school each day this week, and winners will be announced at the auction. You do not need to be at the auction to win.