Pictures - Binks Forest Elementary School PTA

BINKS FOREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
561-904-9800
15101 BENT CREEK RD. WELLINGTON, FL 33414
February
2015
Owl Blast Newsletter
A Binks Forest Elementary School PTA Publication
Volume 3 Issue 6
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Editor: Karen Anthony
Tanya Siskind
PTA President
Inside this Issue
Administrative Messages
2
PTA Pages
3-4
Around School
5-8
Calendar
9
Advertisers
10-11
Binks Forest PTA
Executive Board
Tanya Siskind– President
president@binksforestpta.com
Amy Rochman– VP School Services
schoolservices@binksforestpta.com
Shana Feuer–VP Ways & Means
waysandmeans@binksforestpta.com
Jennifer Weese– VP Volunteers
volunteers@binksforestpta.com
Amy Robbert– Treasurer
treasurer@binksforestpta.com
Sara Hyams– Recording Secretary
secretary@binksforestpta.com
Emily MacMillan–Corresponding Secretary
Emily.MacMillan@palmbeachschools.org
Michella Levy– Principal
Michella.Levy@palmbeachschools.org
February 17th is National
PTA Founders Day!
For more than 100 years
National PTA has worked
toward bettering the lives of
every child in education,
health and safety. Founded
in 1897 as the National
Congress of Mothers by
Alice McLellan Birney and
Phoebe Apperson Hearst,
National PTA is a powerful voice for all children, a relevant
resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for
public education.
Today’s PTA is a network of millions of families, students, teachers,
administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to
the educational success of children and the promotion of family
engagement in schools. Take time to reflect and take pride in our
achievements, and renew our commitment to be a powerful voice
for all children, a relevant resource for parents, and a strong
advocate for public education.
February is Florida School Volunteer Month!
We are celebrating our wonderful Binks Volunteers
and
th
Committee Chairs the week of Feb 9 . Look for special goodies in
the front office throughout the week and join us for an open house
with coffee and Valentine breakfast treats in room P2 from 8:15 am
to 10:00 am on Friday the 13th! It’s scary how much we love our
volunteers!
Great Charity Challenge is Saturday, February 7th
Come out and cheer on the PTA/PTO riding team in this year’s
GCC. Free General Admission. Gates open at 6 PM. Come
support Wellington Schools with a chance to win up to $150,000!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Save The Date for the 2nd annual Aloha Spring Family Dance on
March 6th in the school cafeteria. More details coming soon.
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
Administrative Messages
Mrs. Levy, Principal
Page 2
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
Dear Binks Forest Families,
Mrs. Levy’s Books for Hooks for February:
We are more than
half way through
our
second
trimester and have
had a very busy but
eventful
month.
Our
very
first
S.T.E.M. night was a
huge success and
the students are
already asking us to
do it again. A big Mrs. Levy enjoyed visiting with
our “100 Days Smarter” First
thank you to Amy Graders!
Rochman and Kim
Mercurio for organizing S.T.E.M. night along
with over 20 staff members who volunteered
to run all of the hands-on stations. We also
had our Barnes and Noble Night and our PTA
Family Movie Night this past month. I love
seeing all the families come out and spend
quality time together while raising money for
our school.
Our goal is to ignite, delight and cultivate our
students here at Binks. Every month I will be
listing books to help support the development
of lifelong readers. A few books that are high
quality in terms of topic, literary merit or just
the ability to spark thoughts and ideas are
listed below:
I want to congratulate Binks nominees this
year for The Dwyer Teacher of Excellence
award: Mrs. Sally Mascia and Mrs. Jaime
Castellanos. We also want to congratulate
Ms. Donna Eldredge as our nominee for
Macy’s Teacher of the Year and Mr. Kyle
MacMillan for our nominee as The School
Related Employee of the Year. We are so
proud of each of them and wish them lots of
luck at the District level.
With Owl Pride,
Mrs. Levy
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
by: Mordicai Gerstein
Goodnight, Goodnight,
Construction Site by:
Sherri Duskey and Tom
Lichtenheld
The One and Only Ivan
by: Katherine Applegate
Wonder by: R.J. Palacid
Mrs. Levy joined
Ms.
Smith’s
Kindergarten
C l a s s
t o
Celebrate
the
100th Day of
Kindergarten
Learning
and
Fun!
Our School Public Accountability Report (SPAR) is
available to all parents on http://www.edline.net/
pages/Binks_Forest_Elementary_School
Non-Discrimination Statement
The School Board of Palm Beach County, Florida prohibits
discrimination in admission to or access to, or employment in its
programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, national origin,
sex or sexual orientation, marital status, age, religion, disability,
genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other
characteristic prohibited by law. The School Board also provides
equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
Page 3
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
PTA Pages
Jennifer Weese
VP Volunteer Services
Binks
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
We are celebrating our Volunteers and
Committee Chairs
Join Us for Coffee k Valentine Breakfast Treats
Volunteers
You can always see what volunteer
opportunities are available by checking out
i vo l u n te er
w eb s i te :
February is Florida School Volunteer Month o u r
and we’re celebrating the contributions of our www.binksforest.ivolunteer.com.
wonderful volunteers the week of February 9.
Each day during this week, there will be We Need Your Help!
special treats for volunteers in the Front Office. Popcorn Fridays in February
And…
http://binksforest.ivolunteer.com/event_077
On Friday, the 13th, join us for a Volunteer
Trade A Book Tuesday
Open House…
http://binksforest.ivolunteer.com/event_076
We Love Our Volunteers So Much It’s Scary!
Friday, February 13, 2015
8:15am – 10:00am
P2
Jump Rope for Heart
http://binksforest.ivolunteer.com/event_075
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
Page 4
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
PTA Pages
Box Tops for Education
Thursa Sotak and Kris Rodgers
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
Box Tops products, you will find code that
could win Binks up to 1,000,000 Bonus Box
Tops… That’s $100,000! It as simple as logging
in and entering the code from the package.
Even if your code is not a million Box Top
winner, there are more than 10,000 instant win
prizes available.
Please take a moment to visit www.btfe.com to
A big congratulations to our Box Tops teacher learn more about Box Tops and support our
of the month Mrs. MacMillan! Starting February school. Thank you again for all your help with
1st, you will be able to begin parking in your this valuable program!
special up front parking spot and the Box Tops
Team will be visiting your classroom with the
Traveling Trophy and Spirits Sticks. Thank you
so much for all of your hard work!
Mrs. Combs
Have you visited the Box Tops for Education
December
website (www.btfe.com) and registered? This
is a great resource for information on which Winners!
products are Box Tops partners as well as ways
to earn our school Bonus Box Tops. Currently,
there is a “Box Tops Big Money Sweepstakes”
running though 12/15/15. On specially marked
Shana Feuer
VP Ways & Means
I hope everyone enjoyed January’s Spirit Night at California
Pizza Kitchen. It was great seeing all the Binks families,
teachers and administration out to support our school. Our
final spirit night for the school year will be at Chick-fil-A on
February 26th. Two Chick-Fil-A locations, the Mall @
Wellington Green and 441 & SR7, will be hosting our spirit
night. I hope to see everyone there.
It’s hard to believe there are only 3 more popcorn Fridays
left in the school year. The popcorn Fridays are on
February 6th, February 27th and May 22nd. There is a large
gap in dates due to the new standardized testing schedule.
Thank you again for your continued support. It’s all your
participation and volunteer time that make all of our events
so successful.
Now for sale at the Owl Cart
Limited Edition Binks Forest Elementary Cups $2
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
Page 5
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
Around School
Counselor’s Corner
Randi Schietz, Ph.D.
561-904-9811
Randi.schietz@palmbeachschools.org
Guidance: We have started
the Student Success Skills
program in grades 3 and 4 as
we begin to prepare for FCAT.
The program emphasizes the
concept of confidence, effort and skills in reaching
success and in developing and changing strategies
to achieve success in the areas of social skills,
self-management skills and learning skills. Third
graders will be learning how to set goals and
strategies for managing stress and test anxiety.
Fourth graders will be reading Who Moved my
Cheese? about coping with change and knowing
when it is time to change and also learning about
their own learning styles and strategies to improve
their memory. Fifth graders have begun learning
about the Holocaust. This will culminate in the
spring with a visit from a Holocaust survivor and
also a visit to the “Daniel’s Story” exhibit at the
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on the
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
Safety Patrol trip. Finally, all 5th grade girls have
started “Girl Talk”. There will be 1 session a month
for all girls to address issues of relational
aggression, self-confidence and preparing for
middle school.
Vehicle Day: It was a great day. Thank you to
those that took their time to make it such a
memorable day: Everglades Farm Equipment,
Project 425 (Vietnam Chopper), PBSO, PBFR, Village
of Wellington, Park Limousine and the United States
Marines Corps. If you have an interesting vehicle
related to your career (construction, equine, etc.)
and you would like to participate in the future,
please send me your contact information. We are
always happy to get some new participants in this
annual event.
New Small Counseling Groups: I am looking to
fill new divorce (Banana Splits) group for 2nd
graders, 5th grade and kindergarten.
FREE Summer Camp: Camp Kesem at FSU
provides a FREE week of summer camp to
kids ages 6-16 who have a parent affected by
cancer (in treatment, survivors or deceased). For
more information: http://campkesem.org or (260)
22-KESEM
3rd Grade Gives Back During the Holidays
The 3rd grade classes adopted families in need from nearby Pahokee this past holiday season. Students
donated specific wish-list items, like clothing, toys, household necessities and educational items. Thank
you, Mrs. Thompson,
fo r
organizing
this
opportunity to give back.
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
Page 6
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
Around School
SCHOOL WIDE SPELLING BEE!
It was another
exciting year
here at Binks
F o r e s t
Elementary
School!
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
Yearbooks and yearbook ads are now on sale
and available only online atwww.balfour.com. All
yearbook ads must be submitted by February
23rd!!!
On
January
7th, 2015 the
top 28 fourth
and fifth grade spellers really showed off
their talents! The Spelling Bee lasted for 11
rounds and had the audience holding their
breath until the final word was spelled
correctly.
S.T.E.M.
Night
Congratulations to the winners:
1st Place: Nicholas Walton
2nd Place: Rohith Karthik
3rd Place: Avantika Naidu
Nicholas and Rohith will represent our
school in the Final Regional Southeastern
Florida Scripps Spelling Bee on February
24, 2015 at the Benjamin School.
Jump Rope For Heart ~
February 13th, 2015
Our school is participating
in
a
very
special
community
service
program to raise funds for
the
Am erican
H eart
Association. We’re joining in the fight against
our nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers - heart
disease and stroke.
In February our school will hold our Annual
Jump Rope For Heart event. This program helps
students learn about the benefits of regular
physical activity and heart health, but also
teaches children the value of giving back to
those in need. Heart disease affects many
families in our community, so your support
means a lot!
Your child will soon be bringing home a
donation packet. Binks Forest Elementary
School’s goal is to have as much student
involvement as possible. Together, we can
make
a
BIG
IMPACT!
Visit
www.heart.org/jump to get started. Have your
student’s turn in
their
envelopes
before
February
th
13 .
Page 7
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
Around School
BINKS FOREST BUSINESS PARTNER,
PALM BEACH SKATE ZONE,
GRANTS THIRD GRADER’S BIRTHDAY WISH!
We are already well aware of the great support
the Palm Beach Skate Zone provides to Binks
Forest Elementary by sponsoring our Reading
Counts program, but this loyal business
partner went all out to help a Binks Forest
student have the best birthday ever!
Binks
Forest
Third
Grader,
Hannah
Teebagy, wanted to
continue her tradition of
raising
money
for
charitable
causes
instead of receiving
birthday gifts. After
scheduling
her
9 th
birthday
party
for
January 11th at the Palm
Beach Skate Zone, the staff there sprang into
action. They wanted to make Hannah’s
birthday a huge success and ensure Hannah
was able to raise the most money she could for
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a charity
established by a young cancer patient who set
up a lemonade stand to raise money for
pediatric cancer research and awareness.
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
Palm Beach Skate Zone’s Catering Manager,
Tim Shepley, worked around the clock tending
to every party detail, and even set up a
lemonade stand at the party, the proceeds of
which he contributed to Hannah’s fundraising
efforts. More than that, inspired by Hannah’s
hope to use her birthday as a way to make a
difference in the lives of children suffering
from cancer, Palm Beach Skate Zone
established a permanent “Alex’s Lemonade
Stand!” From that day forward, half the
proceeds from sales of lemonade sold there
will go directly to the charity!
As if that were not enough, Palm Beach Skate
Zone extended an invitation for Hannah to
partner with them for all her future birthdays to
continue their fundraising efforts for this
worthy cause! Hannah raised $1,500 dollars
for Alex’s Lemonade Stand and her birthday
wish will continue through the ongoing
fundraising efforts of the Palm Beach Skate
Zone. We are thankful to the Palm Beach Skate
Zone and all of our Business Partners for
helping Binks Forest Elementary, its students
and the community!
For information about becoming a
Binks Forest Business Partner, contact
binksforestbizpartner@gmail.com.
www.pbskatezone.com
Reading Counts Challenge Winners Will Be
Announced Next Week!
READING IS COOL!
HA
ME VE Y
T Y OU
GO O U
AL R
?
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
Page 8
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
Around School
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
Page 9
Binks Forest Elementary School PTA
15101 Bent Creek Rd. Wellington, FL 33414
Mrs. Michella Levy– Principal
Tanya Siskind– PTA President
Calendar
February 2015
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
www.BinksForestPTA.com
Karen Anthony– Newsletter Editor
March Sneak Peek
Mar. 3 Trade A Book
Mar. 6 Spring Fling
Family Dance
Mar. 8 Walk for Autism
1
8
15
22
2
9
3
Trade-abook
10
16
No School
Teacher
Work Day
17
23
24
4
11
18
5
12
19
Author
Visit
Family
Night
6-7pm
26
25
Anti-Bully PDD/Early
Awareness, Dismissal,
Science
wear Pink
Fair Night
6pm
6
Popcorn
Friday
13
Jump
Rope for
Heart
7
Great
Charity
Challenge
6pm
14
Think
Pink
Waffle
Breakfast
20
21
Mar. 10-11 FSA writes for
4th and 5th grade
Mar. 13 Spring Pictures,
Class Pictures
Mar. 16-20 Spring Break
Mar. 23
No School Teacher Work
Day
Mar. 27 Summer Camp
Registration
Mar 28 Binks Night at
WEF
Mar. 25-31 FSA testing
27
Popcorn
Friday
Owl Cart– Now Open Wednesdays
in the front of school from
7:30-7:55am
Spirit Sticks– Our “Healthy”
Incentive for students, no sweets
involved! Spirit Sticks will be used
to reward good behavior and
academic success! Spirit Rings will
be sold at the Owl Cart for $5 each,
and can hold the new cool Spirit
Sticks!
28
Science Fair Night Open
House February 26th
Come view science fair
project boards and see
grade level winners
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