November 28, 2007

December Newsletter – 2007

Dear Franklin Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

            This will be the last newsletter of 2007.  On behalf of the staff at Franklin I would like to wish all of you a joyous holiday season!  The Christmas holidays are an important time to spend with family and friends, count your blessings and usher in the New Year.  We look forward to working with you in 2008.

            Calendar of Events

Below are some important events to mark on your December school calendar.

                        December 5                             Teddy Bear raffle begins

6                                                          Franklin P.T.O. program @ 7:00 p.m.

7                                                          Interim reports sent home with students

11                                                         Franklin Spelling Bee @ 1:30 p.m.

20                                                         Early dismissal @ 1:30 p.m.

December 21-January 2           CHRISTMAS VACATION – NO SCHOOL

January 3                                  School resumes @ 8:00 a.m.

            Franklin P.T.O. Program

We will hold our annual P.T.O. Christmas program on Thursday, December 6^th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Franklin gym.  It will be performed by our 5^th grade students under the direction of their music teacher, Mrs. Tamara Wirth.  They have been very busy practicing as much as possible.  We would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to come out and see this production.  Following the program there will be a reception in the cafeteria.

There are a few items Mrs. Wirth would like 5^th grade parents to know.

1.      Students may wear their best school clothing.

2.      Students must attend/participate as part of their 2^nd nine weeks grade.

3.      Students need a pair of cheap sunglasses and a fake food item.

4.      Students will need to report to their homeroom at 6:30 p.m. on the 6^th for attendance.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Mrs. Wirth, especially if you did not receive the yellow parent letter.

            ATTENTION 5^TH GRADE PARENTS/GUARDIANS:  We are in need of cookies for the reception.  If you can donate 3 dozen cookies for refreshments, send a note to school with your child or call the school office and let Mrs. Petersmeyer or Mrs. Antalis know that you can help out.  Thank you for your assistance.  See you on December 6^th!

            Franklin Spelling Bee

Our school Spelling Bee will be held on Wednesday, December 12, at 1:30 p.m. , in the gym.  The public is invited to come and watch this competition.  The Spelling Bee is open to all Franklin students in grades 3-5.  Each homeroom conducts a contest to pick three finalists to represent them in the Spelling Bee on December 12^th.  There are a total of 27 finalists.  The top three spellers from this group compete in the Delphos City Schools Spelling Bee at the Middle School in January for the right to represent Franklin Elementary at the Allen County and Van Wert County Spelling Bees.  The Spelling Bee is an exciting competition.  Come watch it on December 12^th!

            Franklin Elementary Teddy Bear Project

This will be our 35^th annual Teddy Bear Project Raffle to raise money for the St. Rita’s and Lima Memorial Hospitals Teddy Bear Fund.  This event has been a long time tradition at our school and in our community and we would like to continue it in a positive way.  This project is coordinated by intervention specialist, Mr. Chad Jostpille, and school librarian, Mrs. Pat Poling.  Once again we are looking for members of our community to donate new stuffed animals and/or teddy bears to be raffled off.  Students can buy tickets to enter the raffle at school.  Ticket prices are 10 cents/ticket, 3 for 25 cents, or 12 for $1.00.  Tickets will be on sale from December 5^th until December 20^th.  They can be purchased in the library or Mr. Jostpille’s classroom.  The bears will be raffled off to students at our Christmas movie assembly on December 20^th.  All money raised will go to the two area hospitals.  We raised a little under $500 last year and we hope to meet or surpass that total this year.  If possible, please help with a donation of a stuffed animal and we would like to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season!

            Recycling Fund-raiser

Again this year Franklin Elementary is participating in a recycling fund-raiser.  Attached to this newsletter is a flyer about it.  Save your spent inkjet cartridges, laser toner cartridges, and old cell phones, bring them to school, and put them in our collection box. Our school will earn money for them.  All monies earned will go into the Franklin Activity Fund to help support student activities at school.

            Thought for the Month

TODAY’S KIDS DESPARATELY NEED HEROES WHO. . .

…play catch, enjoy tea parties, or wrestle because the heart of a child is there and they set out to capture it.

…laugh till their belly hurts and tears fall from their eyes while secretly creating deep friendships and memories that last a lifetime.

…make mistakes but consider them to be wonderful opportunities to learn.

…place an out-of-tune preschool concert or a ten-year-old’s baseball game on life’s agenda because they are of infinite worth to those playing.

…love at all times, because love is a gift freely given and not a reward for service well done.

…listen eye to eye and with both ears even if it means getting on one knee.

…admit when they are wrong and work to make things right.

…hear about those in need and say, “Let’s do something to help right now!” and set off an uncontrollable wildfire of generosity and kindness.

…give the credit to others and empower those they touch to succeed in all that they do.

…model love as action, commitment, and truth even when it hurts because they believe God can work miracles in even the hardest heart.

…love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind and know that the rest is just details.

                                                                        -Marty Wilkins

                                                                        Dad of three, high school teacher and coach

Tim Larimore

Principal