Holton parent, Liz Turner, in the news

Holton parent, Liz Turner, was interviewed by the Richmond Times Dispatch. Here is a link to the story.

Dandelion Garden & Hudson House in the News!

Click here to read a story in the Richmond Times Dispatch about Holton's new Dandelion Garden.

June 14, 2010 Dandelion and Hudson House Update

Hudson House Construction Crew
Go check out the outdoor classroom. It is absolutely spectacular!!!!

Once again the temperatures were in the mid 90’s and volunteers were out there Saturday and Sunday. Thank you. Volunteers had the extremely hot job of putting on roof decking. Thanks Holton and community volunteers Chris Chase, Alex Johnson, Stephen McCarthy, Scott Meredith, Don Polaski, Gene Robinson, A. T. Scruggs and Bryan Wingold.

So what’s next?

Depending on the weather, we hope roofers will be able to put the roof on Thursday. Roof Services Corporation is donating the roof and Urban Grid Solar and City Space Construction is donating two solar panels to power ceiling fans. Thanks for the generous donations! Thanks Mary Lorino for making those donations happen!

Additional Outdoor Classroom News:

Diggin’ Committee Contact: Kristin Cummings (kcummings7@verizon.net) and Brad Pearson (wbradp@comcast.net)

•The two VPI classes planted sweet potatoes last week. Thanks to “Sunshine” for planting with the kids. We are going to focus on harvesting any spring vegetables and and filling them in with more summer veggies this week. If you are interested in helping, please let us know. We will also be watering, watering, watering!
•Brad Pearson will be constructing a three-bin compost bin soon.
•Tricycle Gardens is having an open house this Thursday from 6-9pm. A group of us are going to get ideas about urban agriculture and learning gardens. Let ellenshepard@yahoo.com know if you are interested in going with a group. For more details go to tricyclegardens.org.

Dandelion Fundraising Contact: Susanna Raffenot (sraffenot@verizon.net) and Katie Best (kwbest@hotmail.com)

Katie Best will have a table set up at the end of the year picnic selling merchandise with the new Dandelion logo. All proceeds benefit the Dandelion garden.

We have:

•Re-usable sandwich wraps made from Capri Sun wrappers ($5)
•Water bottles ($5) made with recycled plastic
•Organic cotton t-shirts ($10)
•Re-usable grocery/shopping bags ($3.50)

Parents may also email orders to Katie (kwbest@hotmail.com), and she'll deliver merchandise to school.

Nutrition and Health Contact: Kim Lavach (kimlavach@yahoo.com), Gwen and Alan Davis (gwenandalan@msn.com) and John Haddad (johnghaddad@hotmail.com)

The Holton Wellness Committee and Holton parents are compiling a list of questions about food and purchasing for Richmond Public School officials. If you have questions you would like included, please email Gwen and Alan or John.

**Thanks to Mary Elfner for getting Green Duck Compostables & Biodegradable Goods to give us the paper products for the end of the year picnic at a significantly reduced price.
**Chefs Move to Schools—Richmond Public Schools has signed up to be part of the “Chefs Move to Schools” program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, will pair chefs with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools’ dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices. With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever.

Website:
• http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=14&tax_level=1&tax_subject=225
• http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/06/04/chefs-move-raise-a-healthier-generation-kids

American Heart Association results are in!

Mr. Watkins received the following letter from the American Heart Association announcing the total money Holton raised this year! Go, Lions!

Cordell,

I wanted to send this email to you and to Mr. Hudson to let you know how proud I am of Linwood Holton this year!

Linwood Holton students, faculty/staff, and community raised $7923.94 to support the American Heart Association in 2009-10. These donations will allow us to continue to fund research in the areas of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. The research that you have helped us fund will save lives. In addition to research, your donations will allow us to continue our awareness campaigns such as Go Red for Women and also to allow us to advocate on Capitol Hill on topics like more Physical Education in schools.

Thank you Cordell for all of the hard work that you do make your event a success. I am so proud of the relationships that you build with your students—you connect with them on a level that is impressive and you go out of your way to demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities for them to emulate.

I wish you both a very relaxing summer and I look forward to working with Linwood Holton again next year.

Aleisha Hundley
Youth Market Director

A Few More Volunteers Needed, Please.

Thanks to all who volunteered so far. We are still looking for several volunteers to help with serving food and the Bike Rodeo. Please contact Christina Withers at cmwithers@gmail.com if you can help.

Year Books On Sale Now

Don't forget to buy this year's yearbook for only $8. Cash only, please. Check with your child's teacher or the office for more details.

Volunteers Needed: End of Year Picnic

We are looking for 10-18 volunteers for setting up, serving, and cleaning up for the End of the Year picnic on June 18th. Volunteers are needed for the following shifts:

• 5-6 (3 set up)
• 6-7 (5 servers)
• 7-8 (5 servers),
• 7:30pm (3 clean up)
• 10 additional volunteers for the bike rodeo are also needed.

Please contact Christina Withers at cmwithers@gmail.com if you are able to help.

Field Day Concession Stand Tickets On Sale Now

Tickets are on sale for the Field Day concessions stand. Tickets are 50 cents each.

Please purchase tickets ahead of time in the office or send money in a labeled envelope.

Concession items include:

• Popcorn (1 ticket)
• Pucker Powder (2 tickets)
• Snow cones (2 tickets)
• French fries (2 tickets)
• Hot dogs (2 tickets)
• Hamburgers (3 tickets)
• Pizza (3 tickets)

Field Day Volunteers Needed

Field Day at Linwood Holton Elementary is Wednesday, June 16th!

We are in need of volunteers to assist our students at 20+ stations. If you would like to volunteer we have two time slots available 9:30 - 12 or 12 - 2.

The entire event lasts from 10-2. Activities vary from inside to outside and wet to dry. All activities are 20 minutes.

Please contact Cordell Watkins (804) 467-5799 or cordell_watkins@yahoo.com.

June Dandelion and Hudson House Update

Hudson House Construction Crew

Go check out the outdoor classroom. The temporary fencing is off and we need to tamp down the stone dust so please walk on it. Volunteers did back-breaking work in brutally hot temperatures. We have a lot of thank yous.

The floor which is 35 tons of gravel and sand dust was shoveled, moved, and tamped by more than 20 volunteers from Church of the Nations Mid-Atlantic. Thank you Gwen and Alan Davis for getting your church involved and thanks to the volunteers: Martin Bennett, David Cox, Kaitlin Cox, Karen Cox, Alan Davis, Gloria Green, Mary Hutson, Peggy Lawson, Susan Lawson, Mike Morgan, Jason Pascale, Sara Pascale, Todd Peace, K. H. Rich, Lori Tate, Meredith Tate, Jim Turpin, Laurie Turpin, Bobby Vicker, Rachel Yeatts, and Benjamin Yeatts.

Thanks to Mr. Hudson for coming out to volunteer! Thanks Holton and community volunteers Chris Chase, Stephen McCarthy, Scott Meredith, Terry Murphy, Jean-Philippe Raffenot, Gene Robinson, Stacey Woodson and thanks to Stacy Murphy for bringing lunch.

Thanks to Scott Meredith for getting the 26 tons of gravel donated from a private company and 10 tons of stone dust donated from Luck Stone as well as getting D.W. Cary Hauling Inc to pick up and deliver the materials. Thanks to Scott and Mary Lorino for getting the 600 bricks donated from Riverside Brick. And thanks to Chris Chase, Greg Fowler, Gene Robinson, Stephen McCarthy, Eric Vinson, Chuck Wrenn as well as a number of Holton students for unloading the bricks.

So what’s next?

Schedule subject to change due to weather but the majority of the remaining work will happen next weekend. If you are interested in helping, please contact: Mary Lorino (mary@bam-architects.com).

**June 12/13—Put on plywood roof decking

**Roofers come the week of June 14th

Additional Outdoor Classroom News:

Diggin’ Committee Contact: Kristin Cummings (kcummings7@verizon.net) and Brad Pearson (wbradp@comcast.net)

The remainder of the beds will be planted this week and we will start filling in where there are any bare spots from the spring vegetables. If you are interested in helping, please let us know.

**The beds will require a lot of summer maintenance. We are estimating an hour or so a day for the entire summer. We are exploring different maintenance options but think that we will have two Holton families (teachers welcome as well!) assigned to each week. Families doing maintenance are invited to harvest whatever is ripe. Please let Brad or Kristin know if you are interested.

**Brad Pearson will be constructing a three-bin compost bin over the next week or two.
All Fired Up / Holton Mural Fundraiser
Contact: Susanna Raffenot (sraffenot@verizon.net) and Annie Chamblin
Annie has been going around to all the classes so each class can decorate a tile for their classroom. Every class will have a tile on the shed. Thanks to Rob Fox and Jim Gravgaard for donating those tiles.

Nutrition and Health Contact: Kim Lavach (kimlavach@yahoo.com), Gwen and Alan Davis (gwenandalan@msn.com) and John Haddad (johnghaddad@hotmail.com)

The Holton Wellness Committee and Holton parents are compiling a list of questions about food and purchasing for Richmond Public School officials. If you have questions you would like included, please email Gwen and Alan or John.

It's School Spirit Week!

Holton kids can show their spirit this week by wearing different kinds of outfits all week.

• Monday-Jersey Day
• Tuesday-Wacky/Tacky Day
• Wednesday-Dress to Impress Day
• Thursday-Blast from the Past (or Future) Day
• Friday-School Spirit (Purple and Gold) Day

Have fun and show your Holton Pride!

Holton Community Yard Sale Tomorrow!

We have about 35 families and assorted vendors participating and expect a huge turn out. A lot of great childrens stuff and vendors like Tomboy Tool, Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, a massage therapist with her massage chair, Premier Jewelry, Jewelry by Katie Simmons, Arbonne and Bathfitters


We are also selling donuts, coffee and cookies with the proceeds benefitting the PTA.

Come on out, get some great deals, and help support Holton and the PTA!

Thanks for a great Teacher's Appreciation Week!

What a great week! I want to thank all of you who sent in your special thanks to our teachers last week! Our teachers could definitely feel the love!

The luncheon on Friday was a success and I'd like to particularly thank Liz and Stephen McCarthy for making the wonderful food possible; Jill and Andrew Salp for taking the time to sprout and wrap all those delightful basil plants; and Tracey Wingold, Spencer Ballou, Laurie Follmer and Amy Holtz for helping set up, serve and clean up. Thanks also to Sandra Polaski, Caron Sterling, Kristin Cummings, Liza Forness, Yvette Conte, Mary Elfner, Tracey White, Susanna Raffenot and Mary Lorino for the yummy desserts and beverages. The luncheon went very smoothly and the teachers really enjoyed it!

Gratefully,

Beth Bolstad

Dandelion Garden & Hudson House Update: May 2010

Thank you REB Principal of the year Mr. Hudson for your continued support and the generous contribution of your REB award. THANK YOU MR. HUDSON!

 

Ground Breaking:

The ground breaking was a wonderful event!

Thanks for all those who helped. A special thanks to Sara Arthur, Beth Bolstad, Kim Fowler, Susannah Haddad, Amy Henderson, Amanda Riley, Kim Thayer, Chip Vermillion, Liz Vermillion, Little Red Truck Landscaping, and Main Stage Productions for making the event a success.

To view photos of the event, click here.

Click here to listen to the NPR interview about the garden.
 
Logo Contest Winner: 

 

Congratulations to Logo Contest Winner Evan Salp!

Garden Bed Contruction:

Garden Bed Construction led by Aaron Garber included Chris Chase, Mary Elfner John Haddad, Jim Gravgaard, Ramzi Hossaini, Sean Jefferson, Nancy Logan, Mary Lorino, Scott Meredith, Austin Mitchell, Brad Pearson, Don Polaski, Amanda Riley, Patti Robinson, A. T. Scruggs, Brian Shepard, Chris Thompson, Lyle Wieber, Cordell Watkins, and Geoff Wilson.

Classroom Construction:

Construction on the Outdoor Classroom/Hudson House will begin the weekend of May 15 and take about six weekends. Some construction may happen during the week. We need volunteers who are familiar with framing and working with power tools. Please let Mary know if you are interested in helping with construction.

Construction Crew Contact: Mary Lorino (mary@bam-architects.com)

Volunteers Needed:

We need volunteers to plant with the classes, assist with during school and after school and summer maintenance, as well as sharing planting expertise. We hope to plant all the new garden beds with classes in the next couple of weeks. The Diggin’ committee will be meeting within the next week, please let Brad or Kristin know if you are interested in participating.

 

All Fired Up / Holton Mural Fundraiser and Art Night:

Deadline to purchase garden tiles is extended to May 6th!

Contact: Orders contact Susanna Raffenot (sraffenot@verizon.net)

Artwork contact Annie Chamblin (amcham@comcast.net)

You can buy tiles in two ways:

• Mural tiles range in ~sizes 4” ($10), 6” ($25), or 8” ($50). Students can paint them and write their name. Size is approximate as shapes will vary.
• Legacy tile / sponsor tile for $100. These are 8” square tiles. They will be mounted separately from the mural tiles.

All money raised will go towards building the shed. On May 18 tiles will be decorated at the PTA General Meeting ‘Art Night’. If you cannot make ‘Art Night’, we will make plans for your child to paint the tile at school. Once the shed is built (Summer), tiles will be mounted on the shed.

 

Holton Wellness Committee:

 

The Holton Wellness Committee and Holton parents are beginning discussions about nutrition in school and the partnership with Bon Secours. Bon Secours has supported the Outdoor Classroom project. They are meeting May 4 at 4pm in Ms. Hooker’s room.

Nutrition and Health Contact: Gwen and Alan Davis (gwenandalan@msn.com) and John Haddad (johnghaddad@hotmail.com)


Diggin' Committee:
Diggin’ Committee Contact: Kristin Cummings (kcummings7@verizon.net) and Brad Pearson (wbradp@comcast.net)

Holton's Parent of the Year!

Congratulations to Ellen Sheperd!

Mr. Hudson named Ellen "Parent of the Year" at this morning's awards ceremony!

Holton PTA is grateful for everything you do to make Holton such a great place!

Thank you!

All Fired Up / Holton Mural Fundraiser and Art Night , May 18th

Don't forget to purchase a tile to help decorate the Dandelion garden! The deadline was just extended to May 6th.


You can buy tiles in two ways:

• Mural tiles range in ~sizes 4” ($10), 6” ($25), or 8” ($50). Students can paint them and write their name. Size is approximate as shapes will vary.
• Legacy tile / sponsor tile for $100. These are 8” square tiles. They will be mounted separately from the mural tiles.

For information on placing an order, contact Susanna Raffenot (sraffenot@verizon.net).


All money raised will go towards building the shed. On May 18 tiles will be decorated at the PTA General Meeting ‘Art Night’. If you cannot make ‘Art Night’, we will make plans for your child to paint the tile at school. Once the shed is built (Summer), tiles will be mounted on the shed.


For information on the mural artwork, please contact Annie Chamblin (amcham@comcast.net).

Happy Holton Players' Herculean Efforts Pay-Off!

Congratulations Happy Holton Players on a fantastic production of "Young Hercules" this evening.

The house was packed, so get there early tomorrow if you missed it tonight. $5 per person. 7 pm curtain! The show lasts about 75 minutes.

Holton's Garden Classroom on NPR

Holton's garden classroom project was featured on NPR recently. Click here to link to the story.

Teacher Appreciation Week Next Week

Hello Holton Families!


We will be celebrating our teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week next week, May 3-7. This is the time to let our children's teachers know that we recognize the incredible work they for our children. Please take this opportunity to show your appreciation. Your gift need not be costly--flowers from the yard, a work of art by your child, a note, a card or a simple gift are all wonderful ways to express your heartfelt thanks.

Also as part of Teacher Appreciation Week, The PTA will be hosting a luncheon for the Teacher's on Friday May 7th and a few volunteers are needed for this event as well. Please contact Beth Bolstad if you would like to help with the luncheon!

Cookie Dough Pick-Up Today ONLY

Please pick-up your cookie dough orders today between 3 and 4:30. Items not picked-up cannot be refrigerated.

Volunteers needed to staff next week's book fair!

Your help badly needed for the book fair. We need volunteers to staff the fair every morning and afternoon next week. The fair can only be open if we get volunteers to help out. Please contact Barbara Haas for additional details, questions, and to volunteer.

 

The following shifts are available:

 

Monday April 26th

• 8:30 to 12:00
• 3:30 to 5:00

 

Tuesday April 27th

• 8:30 to 12:00
• 12:00 to 3:30
• 3:30 to 5:00

 

Wednesday April 28th

• 8:30 to 9:30
• 3:30 to 5:00

 

Thursday April 29th

• 8:30 to 9:30
• 3:30 to 5:00

 

Friday April 30th

• 8:30 to 9:30
• 3:30 to 5:00
• Before & After Young Hercules

 

Saturday May 1st

• Before & After Young Hercules

Urgent update to garden bed construction schedule

Due to the 30-60% change of rain and thunderstorms predicted for this weekend, we are going to do most of the garden bed construction Thursday and Friday after school. Sorry for those who had signed up for Saturday and will now not be able to participate. There will be plenty of work days in the future!!!
**Thursday 4-7 PM Cutting Wood and POSSIBLY beginning to assemble the beds (Need 3-4 people). NO CHILDREN ALLOWED. If you are willing, please bring any of the following tools that you have: Chop/mitre saw, Skill/Circular saw, Framing Square, Levels (4ft. or bigger), Pencils, Tape measures, Long extension cords, Cordless drills (bring chargers), Bits/drivers. Please label your tools.

**Friday 4-7 PM Assemble the garden beds. Majority of work will be using a level, hammering in stakes & assembling the beds. (Need 5-10 people). If you are willing, please bring any of the following tools that you have: Framing Square, Levels (4ft. or bigger), Pencils, Tape measures, Long extension cords, Cordless drills (bring chargers), Bits/drivers, Sledgehammers, Shovels, Wheelbarrows, Hard rakes. Please label your tools.

**Saturday 8-10am Majority of work will be shoveling dirt and compost. This work may happen on Friday night and will send out an email to all those who signed up to confirm or cancel this work.

Details about volunteering:

Construction will be led by Holton teacher Aaron Garber. All volunteers will be required to sign a waiver and due to safety issues raised by Richmond Public Schools, we ask that you do not bring your children Thursday night. When we are just moving dirt and compost there maybe some opportunities for children’s involvement but not when there are power tools and cords.
Please let me know what if you are available one of these days. Please email ellenshepard@yahoo.com or call 540-529-1595 if you have any questions.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Upcoming Holton-Friendly Yard Sales!

There are two yard sale events coming up soon that we thought you might like to know about.

1. 4th Annual Kids Stuff Yard Sale-April 17th, 2010, 8 am-1pm

Proceeds to benefit several organizations including Holton Elementary!

St. Thomas Church

3602 Hawthorne Ave. Richmond, VA 23222

View Larger Map

Sip-n-shop on Friday, April 16th for $10 to get first pick.

To donate or for more information, please contact Katie Best or Jill Salp.

2. Holton Community Yard Sale-May 15th, 2010, 8 am-12 noon

Sell your yard sale items at Holton or come and check out what others have to sell!

In the front of the school at 8 am!

Cost:

• $15 entry-fee/$10 for PTA members
• $30 for vendors

Contact Ushan Arnone at HoltonCommunityYardSale@gmail.com for more information.

Join Holton Teachers and Students by Giving Your Locks for Love

Please consider joining Holton teachers, Ms. Euting and Ms. Lavach, and Holton 2nd grader, Isabella Riley, as we grow out our hair to donate it to a non-profit group that make wigs for those who have lost their hair due to medical reasons.


We are looking to have our hair cut toward the end of April. (If you hair is not long enough to cut at that time, you can still be in the process of growing it out and have it cut at a later date.)

 

For those of you who are interested in learning a little more about hair donation, please visit:

• Locks of Love 
• Pantene Beautiful Lengths

We are currently looking into several different fun ways to bring awareness of our hair donation to our Holton family (whether it be a Holton Donation Day at the Salon or having our hair cut at Holton for all the students to see!)

 

If you have any questions or are interested in joining us, please email or come talk to Kim Lavach or Ms. Euting. We would love to have as many of our Holton family as possible join us in this wonderful cause!

Cookie Dough Orders Due Tomorrow

Holton Families...It’s time to turn in your cookie dough. Please make sure your child’s name, room number, teacher name and grade are all filled out on the order forms, and all payments are included. We begin totaling up orders on Monday! Thank you and may the best grade win!

Planning for the Garden's Ground Breaking-Volunteers Needed!

After a year of school and community work, we are planning to break ground on April 26, 2010 for the Holton Outdoor Classroom and gardens!

We need your help to make this project a success!

 

Please let us know if you are available to volunteer on any of the following dates:

 

Saturday, March 20

• Stake out the garden plans in the field.
• Students are invited to participate and will use a combination of survey points and measuring tape to find the four corners of each bed.
• This will be led by engineer David Lisowski on Sat., March 20 from 9-11.

 

Beginning the week of March 22

• Work with teachers to plant spring vegetables in existing beds (carrots, sugar snap peas, lettuce, spinach, collards, beets, strawberries, and nasturtiums which are edible flowers)
• Begin planting summer vegetable seeds in containers inside

Saturday, April 24 & Sunday, April 25

 

• Construct 13 New Garden Beds.
• This will be lead by Holton teacher Aaron Garber.
• All volunteers will be required to sign a waiver.
• Volunteers should be handy with a hammer.
• Volunteers will only be needed on Sunday if the work is not completed on Saturday.

Monday, April 26, 2010

12:30 p.m.

Ground Breaking Ceremony

 

• Ground Breaking Ceremony including all students, teachers, and school officials
• Announce winner of logo contest
• Plant vegetables in new garden beds

 Possibly May 15/16 (date will be finalized soon)

 

• Construct Hudson House/Outdoor Classroom.
• This will be lead by Holton parent Chris Chase.
• All participants will be required to sign a waiver.
• Volunteers should be skilled builders.

 

Please email to ellenshepard@yahoo.com with the following information. (The text below and be copied and pasted into an e-mail.)

 

*************************************************************************************

 ___I would like to help with garden plantings during school. I am available________________________.

  

___I would like to help on March 20 staking out the garden beds.

  

___I would like to help April 24 and/or 25 with garden bed construction.

  

___I would like to help April 26 setting up for the Ground Breaking Ceremony.

 

 ___I would like to help April 26 with planting the new garden beds.

  

___I would like to help with the construction of the Hudson House (Outdoor Classroom).

 

 ___I would like to help with garden maintenance and plantings after school and possibly summer time.

  

Name: __________________________________________________________________

 

Phone Number: __________________________  Email: ___________________________ 

 

Comments: _______________________________________________________________

 

PTA General Meeting, Tues. Mar. 16th, 6:30 pm

Please join us tomorrow night - Tuesday, March 16, at 6:30, in the cafeteria for a PTA General Meeting.

Our own amazing Barbara Haas will present on "FinditVa": an on-line resource for families.

We will vote on our bylaw revisions and nominating committee, hear updates on the Garden and other Holton happenings, and of course, enjoy friends and refreshments!

Hope you can join us.

It's cookie dough time!

The Cookie Dough Fundraiser runs from March 15 through March 26, 2010!

The kids will attend a special kick-off Assembly on March 15 will get everyone excited about selling cookie dough and order forms will go home with the kids that day.

In addition to the incentive prizes offered by the company,

everyone selling 5+ orders of cookie dough will get to attend the super cool Mad Science Assembly!

PLUS!

The Grade with the most sales will win a Popcorn/Movie Party!

Winter 2010 Holton Outdoor Classroom and Garden Update

A week before school started, 30 teachers, parents, students, and community members came out on a Saturday morning to clear out nine weedy beds behind the school. When school started, the vegetable beds were completely empty. Compost was mixed into the beds and five were divided into 1 foot squares. (Our kindergartners used their excellent counting skills to measure out the beds!)

Planting: The second day of school the planting began! One class each of the following grades - Kindergarten, K/1, 2nd, 5th and Exceptional Ed - all planted rainbow chard, lettuce, collards, broccoli, cabbage, and radishes. The 1st graders learned about herbs and dried herbs in the classroom. 2nd graders planted bulbs, ornamental cabbage, and pansies. Mr. Mitchell’s 3rd graders planted vegetables -- including radishes that grew to the size of beets! Everyone had the chance to dig in and get their hands dirty!

In addition to planting fall vegetables, the students did a little experimenting. They planted pumpkin seeds and squash seeds, even though it was a little too late in the season (our young scientists discovered that pumpkin plants did not survive when it got cold). Teachers enjoyed planting fall crops as a way to discuss seasons and weather, as well. Second grade teacher Ms. Williams even had her students come outside with their thermometers to take the garden’s temperature. It was a great, interactive way to teach!

Maintenance: Soon after the green leaves appeared, the children quickly discovered that something was eating the broccoli and cabbage. Using their detective skills, they investigated & asked good questions to find the culprits. From in class & garden-side discussions, they discovered that cabbage worms were dining on their veggies! Teachers & garden folks rounded out the discovery with information about the four stages of the cabbage worms’ life cycle. They also had the opportunity to see the worms for themselves and, if they were so brave, could help the garden grow by picking the insects off the leaves.

Observation and predication: Moving past memorization, Holton’s students have been learning to make sense of their world through garden exploration. The beds have been a lovely way to expand classroom learning as the children discover & observe with all five senses.

One fun activity included teachers dividing the classes into small groups. Teachers gave the children toilet paper tubes, through which they could only see a small section of garden. In that small section, the groups were asked to make specific observations, using much focus, attention and cooperation. They were also challenged with making predictions about what they saw. One group noticed with the change in fall sunlight, that the plants might not survive & thrive much longer and wondered what the winter might bring.

Enjoying the garden: Fresh veggies are delicious! Several classes ate salad made with both red and green lettuce harvested from our garden. Ms. Meyer’s class even had a swiss chard salad, made even more kid friendly with craisins, mandarin oranges, and salad dressing – yum! Many of our fall veggies were inspirational in the soup recipes chosen for this years’ first annual Harvest Festival!

Next steps: A small compost pile has been started in part of Ms. Smart’s garden bed. The students put garden waste, pumpkins, coffee grounds, and leaves into the bed & mix it with the soil. Microorganisms will break down the waste into a rich fertilizer to feed the plantings. Lots of great math & science opportunities abound with the compost!

Brad Pearson has put up two Hoop Houses. The Hoop House can keep the plants a little warmer when there is a hard frost and will also allow earlier spring plantings. This is another fun experiment and will guide future seasonal plantings.

We hope to break ground in the spring on the Dandelion Garden and Hudson House, but even in this very small space, students are having fun and learning! Teachers, parents & community members are coming together to help this project blossom. The outdoor classroom and expanded garden beds will offer endless opportunities for the students. And, as the children put their hands in the earth and pull out the harvest of their hard work, they’re learning something timeless about caring for our community and our planet.

Call for student writers, artists, and photographers. Let us know if you are interested.

Kristin Cummings, kcummings7@verizon.net
Susanna Raffenot, sraffenot@verizon.net
Ellen Shepard, ellenshepard@yahoo.com
http://holtonlearninggardens.tumblr.com/
http://linwoodholtonpta.blogspot.com/2009/09/welcome-to-holton-happenings.html

Keep Clipping!

Thanks for continuing to clip and turn in Box Tops for Education all year long. Each little coupon is worth ten cents - and they really add up!

We just sorted, packaged and mailed almost 4,000 Box Tops this week which means Holton will soon receive a $400 check!

Don't know which products are included? Click here for a complete list.

Congratulations "Reflections" Winners!

The following Holton students were 1st place winners at the Richmond City Council level:

Film Production--Elijah Wilson

Literature--Stella Davies

Photography--Ryan DeVaughn

These entries moved on to the district level where they will all receive an award. The district program will be held Sunday, March 7th at 3:00 pm at Mary Munford.

Congratulations to all!

The Holton Parents' Dance Party Rocked!

Holton parents weren't fazed by the January blizzard and found their way to the 1st Annual Parents' Dance Party held at LGRA. There was plenty of dancing, laughing and festivity to warm up the frigid night. With ticket and drink sales, along with a great silent auction, we were able to raise over $1100 to support PTA programs.

We're looking forward to making this an annual event. Thank you!

It's that time again! Qdoba Night Tonight!

It's the first Thursday of the month so you know what that means....Time for some good food and great fun at Holton PTA's

Qdoba Night

Join us as we help support the Holton PTA at the Willow Lawn Qdoba from 5pm - 7pm.

Thanks and hope to see you there!!!

Volunteers Needed on Thursday for the Science by Van!

The Science by Van will be at Holton this Thurs, March 4th. Four volunteers are needed for each shift, 10:00am-12:00 pm and 12:40-3:20pm. I know that lots of you have already volunteered to help with the 5k, but if you are available, we would greatly appreciate any time you could give.

Thanks so much,
Christina Withers
Holton PTA volunteer coordinator

President's Pen: March 2010

Holton families –

Here’s hoping all of you made the most of the snow days, and here’s hoping (at least I’m hoping) that the snow is a thing of the past! Holton PTA has a had a busy couple of months.

The snow didn’t put a damper on our Parents Dance. We had a good group turn out on Jan. 30 for an evening of fun, food, and dancing. The committee did a great job of pulling it all off despite the snow. Many of us walked, while some braved driving.

While the Parents Dance offered a night out for adults, the Unity Dance was all about FAMILY fun. We had a packed house on February 19. Mardis Gras was the theme, and the vegetarian jambalaya was sold out in 20 minutes! There was dancing, face painting, a cake walk, silent auction, and of course, lots of yummy food to eat!

Looking toward March, the Holton 5K is right around the corner. Register before March 1 to be guaranteed a t-shirt. On-line registration is available at www.raceit.com (use keyword: Holton) Volunteers are also needed to help make this event a success. We will not be having our traditional “Family Festival” after the race this year. Instead, we will include the “Family Festival” in our end of the year picnic – this year celebrating Holton’s 10 year anniversary!

PTA Enrichments are in full swing – with classes that include jewelry making, Smart Board, soccer, double dutch, and much, much more! Please keep and eye out for the cookie dough fundraiser coming home soon. All proceeds help to support events and activities that benefit our students, such as the Enrichment Programs.

Our next General PTA meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 16, at 6:30pm. This will be an important meeting as we need to vote on revisions to our PTA Bylaws. Please plan to join us. Copies of the revisions are available in the school office if you would like to look over them in advance of the vote.

Finally, as you know, our schools are facing some serious budget cuts. I encourage everyone to stay informed concerning this important matter. A successful rally was organized last Sunday – Feb. 21 at the State Capitol. Thanks to everyone who helped organize and attended the rally. Another rally is scheduled for this Saturday. Here is some information off the Virginia PTA website:

Join Virginia PTA and our partners in the Virginia Education Coalition this Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on the Capitol Square Grounds for a grassroots rally sponsored by the Virginia Education Association in support of K-12 Education Funding. We hope this rally will send a message to legislators that we are standing up for Public Education. If passed, these budget cuts will affect all public school students, employees and families; we must not sit back and keep quiet concerning the future of our children. Please help us to spread the word by forwarding this alert to everyone you know who is interested in the future of Virginia. Everyone is encouraged to attend!

• What: Stand Up For Education Rally
• When: Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 11am-noon
• Where: Capitol Grounds Richmond, Virginia

-Amy Holtz

Countdown to Holton's Annual 5K!

We are in the home stretch now....One week to go...Have YOU registered for the Holton 5K? Have you asked a friend to register?

Don't forget to REGISTER, WATCH, and DONATE!!

REGISTER here for the 5K.or DOWNLOAD the registration form here from the Holton website and registration forms are also available in the office

WATCH Holton's own Mr. Watkins on CBS 6's Virginia this Morning, Wednesday, March 3, at 9am.

DONATE a case or two of water. We still need 30 cases of water to be able to hydrate our 5K runners/walkers and our 4th and 5th grade 4-5-1 runners.

Also, on Friday, March 5, all of our Holton students will have an opportunity to participate in the annual Holton Kid's Dash. Each grade level will compete for medals and prize bags full of goodies. March 5 is, Wear Your Sweats to School day, and remember to wear your sneakers, because you won't be allowed to race without them. Parents, the fun starts at 1:30 and we hope you can join us to cheer on your child.

Pick up you copy of the PTA bylaw revisions today!

Dear Holton PTA Members:

Every 5 years, the PTA bylaws, as set forth by Virginia PTA and National PTA, must be reviewed/revised. Over the past weeks, a bylaws team has been reviewing and updating our bylaws. We will be voting on these revisions to our bylaws at our next general PTA meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, March 16.

We are making copies of the revisions available in the school office, starting Monday, Feb. 22. We are asking PTA members to please pick up a copy and look over them before our meeting on March 16. We will have a time for questions and discussion before our vote on March 16.

Thank you for your support, and thanks to the bylaws team for their hard work: Yvette Conte, Ed Riley, and Michelle Welch!

Amy Holtz
Holton PTA President

Mardi Gras Unity Dance- Friday, February 19th 6-9pm

Come to the PTA's Unity Dance! Friday, February 19th
6-9 pm
and
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
(Let the good times roll!)

 Admission: $2 at the door

Free beads with each admission!

COME HUNGRY!

New this year to Our Unity Dance: DINNER IS SERVED!

Po’boys, vegetarian jambalaya, snacks, and drinks for sale!

Buy tickets for the following activities for 50¢ each:

• 
  
  Cake walk
• 
  
  Raffles
• 
  
  Photos
• 
  
  Tattoos
• 
  
  Face painting
• 
  
  Crafts

  Don't forget to wear your purple, gold, and green!

Snow or shine! Holton's Qdoba Night is On!

Come Snow or Shine…..Holton Qdoba Night is ON!!!

Thursday, February 4

5pm - 7pm

at the

Willow Lawn location

Scoop those walks, put on your boots and meet your friends for some great food and fun.

Stop by the prize wheel and say"hi" to Mr. Mitchell, our guest wheel attendant.

Hope to see you there!

Next garden meeting: January 19th

Click here for more details.

Holton PTA Adults Only Dance Party! Buy your tickets now!

Come and party with the PTA

at

Lewis Ginter Recreation Center

on

Saturday, January 30th

from

7:30-11:30 pm

$15 Single or $25 couple

Cash bar

Snacks and heavy hors d'oeuvres

**************

Tickets on sale in the school's front hall:

• 
  
  Wed. Jan. 20 through Fri. Jan. 22
  
  
  
• 
  
  Wed. Jan. 27 through Fri. Jan 29
  
  
  

Tickets can also be purchased by completing the reservation form that came home in your child's packpack mail.

Event map:

View Larger Map

Mark Your Calendars for Holton's Open House

Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.

&

Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.

*****

Families of prospective students are invited to attend!

Come and learn more about the exciting things taking place at Holton. You will have the opportunity to meet with the Principal, interact with teachers, ask questions, and tour the school.

School Menus Now Online

Holton's school menus can now be found online. Click here to view the link.

NOTE: This link should take you directly to Holton's menu; but if not, be sure to select Richmond CITY Public Schools then Holton, Linwood Elementary School from the options available as there is another Holton school on the list which is not associated with our school.