During most of the month of May, Lake Anne's 3rd through 6th graders will be participating in the Virginia Standards of Learning Testing The very best way to help your child come into the Virginia SOL Testing feeling confident and ready is to make sure they go to be early the night before and eat a healthy breakfast. Be sure to give them an encouraging word or two on their way to school ("You are going to do great" or "I can tell you are ready to take this test"). Please also try to not schedule appointments that would take students away from school during the testing period. If you have questions about the Standards of Learning testing, please contact the Lake Anne front office at 703.326.3500. The testing schedule can be found on the school website, www.fcps.edu/LakeAnneES

May 8 (Tuesday) - Garden Spruce Up

Spring is in the air and it is time to get our hands dirty at Lake Anne! An Inner Garden spruce up is scheduled for May 8 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. - Bring your own gloves and some newspapers! And if you have a strong pair of clippers to take down a trumpet vine, bring that too!Please contact Erin Schultz at 703-464-0448 (emm1138@hotmail.com) for more info. Erin is also looking for anyone interested in being part of the Lake Anne Garden Club. This group would help plan the tasks that need to be done to keep Lake Anne's green spaces looking top-notch and then we'll get the volunteers to make it happen. Contact Erin today if you want to be part of the Green Team!

May 13 (Sunday) - Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all Lake Anne mothers - and to everyone who makes being a Lake Anne mother a little easier or a little more fun!

Teacher Appreciation Week May 14-18

Plans are underway for a tremendous teacher appreciation week - if you are a teacher, skip this part and read the next entry! Volunteers are needed:May 14 (Monday) - DecoratingMay 14 (Monday) - donate an entrée, salad or dessert for a Fiesta luncheon. Also set up and clean up volunteers are neededMay 15 (Tuesday) - set up and clean up for breakfast May 15 (Tuesday) - Bring a flower for your morning teacher. From the garden, the grocery store or the florist - each child's flowers will be added together for one big beautiful bouquet for their morning teacher! May 17 (Thursday) - Breakfast - volunteers needed for set up and clean upMay 17 (Thursday) - Plants for Afternoon teachers - choose a garden plant (pansy, impatiens, etc) for your afternoon teacherMay 18 (Friday) - Volunteers needed to distribute cards to teachersCan you help? Please contact Lee Ann Lovgren (lalovgren@msn.com) at 703.437.9966 or Jenny Vanier- Walter (luncheon volunteers and donations) at jennyavw@yahoo.com 703.430.6036.

Donations for Two Special People

Mr. Wendall WallaceMr. Wendall Wallace, Lake Anne Custodian, will be retiring on May 18th. Mr. Wallace has always gone above and beyond for the Lake Anne community. He built the school pond and the original waterfall! He has watched Lake Anne children grow and bloom for many, many years. To honor (and thank!) him, we would like to encourage families to either share plants from their own gardens or donate any hostas, or flowering, sun-loving plants for Mr. Wallace. Please bring plants in before May 16th and drop off at the front desk with a note that it is for Mr. Wallace. If you would prefer to make a cash donation, that too can be dropped off at the Front Office -to the attention of Erin Schultz. Any cash donations will be used to purchase a gift certificate to a local nursery. We'd like to present him with a blooming garden to remember Lake Anne during his retirement. For more info, please contact Erin Schultz (emm1138@hotmail.com) at 703.464.0448.

Our Crossing Guard She's there in rain, sleet, wind and snow and always keeps a smile on her face! Our crossing guard is the best! We are taking a collection to buy her a special gift before the end of the year. If you'd like to contribute to a gift for her, please leave your donation with Kari Cantrell in the front office by May 31st. If you would like more information, please contact Carla Carla Briceno (Carla.briceno@gmail.com) at 703.3831115.

Volunteer Needed

The PTA is looking into offering families the chance to purchase school supply kits, saving time, money and running around. We have a chair but need someone to co-chair - help with the initial work and prepare some information for the next PTA Board meeting on the 15thThis is a very short term, low-key volunteer position. If you would like to help, please contact Erin Schultz (emm1138@hotmail.com) at 703.464.0448 or Lee Ann Lovgren (lalovgren@msn.com) at 703.437.9966 .

Box Tops and Campbell's Labels - Keep Them Coming!

We are ALWAYS collecting Campbell's Labels and Box Tops! Please keep clipping - and send them in with your Tuesday folder. These little things add up in a big way for Lake Anne.

PTA Meeting - May 15thGreat Parent Program

In addition to electing the PTA Board for next year, this month's meeting will feature a dynamic speaker from the Parent Encouragement Program, Luanne Grabski, who will speak on Positive Discipline.Are you weary of the punishments, bribes and battles? Ms. Grabski will present effective techniques that will help parents move away from punishment and move toward Encouragement, Consequences, Limits and Agreements for an approach to discipline which stimulates cooperation and self- restraint.Bring a friend, bring your spouse (childcare is provided), bring a notebook - you'll want to hear and remember what Luanne Grabski has to say. For more about Parent Encouragement Program, visit www.parentencouragement.org or call 301-929- 8824.

Looking Ahead

Month of May - SOL TestingEarly to Bed - Good Breakfast! They'll do great! May 14 - May 18 - Teacher Appreciation WeekDonations of entrees, salads and desserts needed for May 14 luncheon please contact Lee Ann Lovgren (lalovgren@msn.com) at 703.437.9966 or Jenny Vanier- Walter (jennyavw@yahoo.com) at 703.430.6036 for more information or to volunteer to help! May 15 - PTA Meeting with Parent Program Parent Encouragement Program on Positive Discipline (www.ParentEncouragement.org) plus elections for 2007-2008 PTA officers. May 25 - Wacky Hair Day May 28 - No School - Memorial Day HolidayJune 11 - Volunteer Appreciation Pool Party - Uplands Pool

Carolyn Low

Newsletter/Email

703.476.5312

Carolyn@familytalk.org

Don’t forget to check the Lake Anne Elementary School website (www.fcps.edu/LakeAnneES) or the Lake Anne PTA website (www.laespta.org) for more information about activities and events.

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