March 28, 2006

ANOTHER BOOK FAIR SUCCESS!

Our congratulations to Charlotte Halperin and all the volunteers who made the Scholastic Book Fair another great success! Sales totaled more than $6,200, with $1,002 paid for new books for teachers or our library, and $3,068 for CIS to select items from the Scholastic Instructional Resource Catalog. Through these books, this volunteer effort will continue to give to CIS for many years to come.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR 2006-7

We are very pleased to announce that Kelly Patchen has been appointed Assistant Principal for the 2006-7 school year. Mrs. Patchen currently teaches Grade 1 and is Lead Teacher for K-2. She is a literacy expert and brings 13 years of teaching experience to the AP position next year.

Mrs. Patchen earned her BA in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education at Alvernia College in PA. She received her MA in Education from Seattle University, with specialization in curriculum and instruction, and as a reading resource specialist. This year she has guided the development of our elementary literacy program. She is also enrolled in an Administrators’ Certification program at CPCC.

1^st ANNUAL CIS HISTORY FAIR

This Wednesday parents are invited to the 1^st annual CIS History Fair from 4:15-5:30. In preparation for their district competition next Monday at UNCC, 7^th-8^th grade students participating in National History Day (NHD) will be displaying their projects for our CIS family. All of the projects this year centered around the annual NHD theme: Taking a Stand in History—People, Ideas, Events.

7^th and 8^th grade students conduct water testing on the NC coast at the Don Lee Outdoor Education Center.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

* CIS Ladies Night Out, Tuesday, April 11^th at 6:30pm at the Mexicasa Restaurant in Harrisburg.

* CIS Family Picnic on Sunday, April 30^th at 4:30pm.

For info: Cathie Price (645-7038), Janet Bryant (789-9665)

EQUAL LOTTERY FUNDS FOR CIS!

PRESS CONFERENCE THURSDAY!

When NC passed its “Education Lottery” it promised that significant funding would flow to public schools. They did not report that 27,000 students in the state’s charter schools would be denied those funds. Until the General Assembly passes new legislation, that is the reality. For CIS, that means lost revenue of about $100 per pupil, or $37,000.

Student posters at Lake Norman Charter School.

NC SELF (NC Students for Equitable Lottery Funding) was established to call for a change in the legislation. It is a coalition of charter schools and CIS will host the next NC SELF event, a press conference this Thursday, March 30^th, at 7pm in the middle school multi-purpose room. PLEASE JOIN US AT THIS SPECIAL EVENT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR CIS STUDENTS!

CIS OUTDOOR ADVENTURERS

Middle School students enjoyed a three-day trip to Camp Don Lee located on the NC coast. Students participated in interactive classes involving science, social studies, and team building. Classes included water quality testing at the Neuse River, becoming an 18^th century settler in the North Carolina colony, and time on the ropes course. Students had a great time while learning important middle school curriculum.

GIRL SCOUT “TAB” CAMPAIGN

Our Girl Scout Troop 2811 is collecting soda can “tabs” for their community service project. For every tab they collect, they earn $1 for St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Research. A “tab” is the ring on top of the can. There will be envelopes in each classroom to collect these. Thank you in advance for helping our girls help other children. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please recycle the cans after you remove the tab!

Carolina International School (CIS) is sponsoring its 2^nd Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Sunday, June 4, 2006, at the Skybrook Golf Course located in Huntersville, NC. The proceeds from this event will be used for the school’s capital campaign for the construction of the west campus. We need your help to make this tournament a success!

Donations of goods and services to be raffled at the tournament and/or given as prizes to the golf participants are greatly needed and appreciated. These goods and services can be in the form of gift certificates or actual items. They do not have to be golf-related. As an example, we have companies that have donated a load of mulch, dry cleaning certificates, and a jewelry gift certificate. We are asking you to be creative and think of people that you do business with, such as your local grocery store, dry cleaner, lawn service, dance studio, coffee shop, restaurant, fast food restaurant, realtor, neighborhood retail store or even your own personal business. Would you ask these businesses to donate a certificate, gift basket or item to support YOUR child’s school? Would you consider making a personal donation to support this effort?

We appreciate area businesses/private parties supporting our school and, in turn, we will promote the businesses throughout the tournament on all printed materials and at the awards reception dinner. All contributors will be furnished with a receipt for the donation. Please deliver donations to the CIS school office in the mail box of Laura Worgan, Event Chair. Be sure to leave your name, phone number, and the name/address of the business/private party donating the prize. Contact Laura Worgan at 704-992-1717 / 704-992-0234 or lworgan@mindspring.com with questions regarding donations or the golf tournament.

In addition, there are several opportunities available for businesses/private parties to make a larger commitment to this tournament by sponsoring the golf tournament, sponsoring a hole or tee box. Please review the back for additional information.

Sponsorship opportunities available for the CIS 2^nd Annual Golf Tournament:

Sponsorships will not only help CIS achieve its capital campaign fundraising goal, but will also allow companies to promote community goodwill and earn name recognition associated with the Carolinas’ PGA, its members, and Skybrook Golf Club. Furthermore, all sponsoring companies will be featured in such publications as the Carolinas’ PGA Newsletter, CPGA Associate Newsletter, CPGA Associate Newsletter, as well as Metrolina Golfer and the Carolinas’ Golf Reporter.

To be a sponsor, please contact Laura Worgan, Event Chair, at 704-992-1717 / 704-992-0234 or lworgan@mindspring.com. All sponsors or those making a monetary donation in any amount will be furnished with a receipt for the donation.

HELP IS ON ITS WAY

DID YOU KNOW?

Twelve percent of people in the Charlotte area live in poverty? Did you know that 1 in 6 children are at risk for hunger? It is a proven fact that malnourishment causes children to perform more poorly in school. These people may be your neighbors or co-workers. It is for this reason that CIS is organizing a food drive to contribute to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Our goal is to have both school and community involvement. Here are the possible ways that you can help to end hunger:

We would like to ask that each student and staff member bring in at least ONE item to be donated. There will be collection barrels in the main office, and in the music room (#10). Using this method only, CIS would be able to make a significant contribution to this worthy cause.
Included in this publication is a flyer that we would like for your family to share with the community. CIS has an amazing network that undoubtedly extends into the community. We would like to suggest that you post the flyer at your place of work, place of worship, or any other place where extended community members may have access to see it. If you are interested in participating in this option, there will be grocery bags for the collection of these items. The bags will be available at the CIS drop-off locations, and may also be dropped off at the same locations.

We hope that each family will participate in one or BOTH of the suggested activities. If you have any questions regarding this project, please feel free to email Ms. Smithers

smithersc@ciscomets.org , or Mrs. Smith smitht@ciscomets.org.

A ZERO WASTE LUNCH is a lunch in which no garbage (aside from that food which can be composted) is thrown away. That means there will be no paper, plastic, or glass that is thrown in the garbage after the student has finished with his or her lunch. At the end of lunch, the school’s waste will be collected and weighed. This is not a competition, but when we waste less we are all winners.

What can I do to have a ZERO WASTE LUNCH? What sort of items help make a ZERO WASTE LUNCH?

In order to make the day blossom, please contact your homeroom teacher if you are able to volunteer anytime or resources (a list of resources follows this note). The Earth Day Committee meets weekly in Ms. Jones’ room at 4 P.M. and we would love to have you attend .

UPDATE

March 28, 2006

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