THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL at Christensen - June 1-5, 2009

Monday, June 1

• Sixth grade Colorado River trip, 6:45a-8:00p
• Mrs. Campbell's and Mrs. Souris' classes to Lowell Observatory and Thorpe Park, 10:30-2:30
  

Tuesday, June 2

• Fifth and Sixth grade Battle of the Books, 1:30
  

Wednesday, June 3
NO EARLY RELEASE TODAY!

• Mrs. Koenig's and Mr. Corbett's classes to Mount Elden E.S.A., 9:00
• Mr. Macias' Mrs. Hanno's, Ms. Zwisler's and Ms. McFall's classes to Starlite Lanes, 9:00-2:00
• Fifth and Sixth grades Pirate Buck Party at Starlite Lanes, 11:45-2:30
• Kindergarten classes to Mobile Haven Park, 11:15-2:15

Thursday, June 4
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!

• Kindergarten graduation, 9:30
• Kindergarten lunch, 11:20
• Primary lunch, 11:30
• Intermediate lunch, 12:00
• EARLY DISMISSAL TODAY, 12:30
  

Friday, June 5
TEACHER WORK DAY

• Teacher breakfast, 8:30

THIS week at Christensen - May 25-29, 2009

Dibels testing all week.

Monday, May 25

• NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 26

• Mr. Corbett's and Mrs. Koenig's classes to Starlite Lanes and Mobile Haven Park, 9:00-2:00

Wednesday, May 27

• ESL class for parents in the Activity Room, 8:30-11:00
• Early release for school improvement and planning, 1:00

Thursday, May 28

• Faculty meeting in the Library, 7:45
• Mrs. Cayou's and Mr. Coe's classes to Starlite Lanes and Bushmaster Park, 10:45-2:45
• D.A.R.E. graduation for fifth graders in the Gym, 1:30

Friday, May 29

• Awards assembly for 4-6th grades in the Gym, 9:00
• Kindergarten classes to the Arboretum and Bushmaster Park, 9:30-2:30

REMINDER: No School Friday & Monday

Monday, May 25 is Memorial Day. Tomorrow, Friday, May 22, is just a day off. Enjoy! By the way: we're calling Friday "Spring Holiday" for whatever that's worth.

Have a fun, safe 4-day weekend! See you on Tuesday morning, May 26.

THIS week at Christensen - May 18-22, 2009

Dibels testing all week

Tuesday, May 19

• Transitional Kindergarten to Pizza Hut, 10:00-12:30
• Faculty meeting with Bob Kuhn in the Library, 3:30

Wednesday, May 20

• ESL class for parents in the Activity Room, 8:30-11:00
• Mrs. Grant's class to Lowell Observatory, 9:00-1:00
• Zoo Mobile at Christensen, 9:00-11:00
• Early release for school improvement and planning, 1:00
• Grand Canyon University scholarship informational meeting for teachers in the Library, 1:30
• Parent-Teacher Involvement Organization Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, 6:00

Thursday, May 21

• Transitional Kindergarten to Starlite Bowling, 9:45-12:00
• Band, Orchestra, Strings, Choir Character concert in the Gym, 6:00

Friday, May 22

• NO SCHOOL -- SPRING HOLIDAY

Open House, Wed., May 13, 6:00-7:00

Parents, friends, and neighbors,

Please join us for our annual Open House, Wednesday, May 13, 2009, from 6:00-7:00 PM.

All our classrooms, staff members, and teachers will be available to greet you, show you around, and answer your questions about our school, our classrooms, and our programs.

We hope to see you!

THIS week at Christensen - May 11-15, 2009

This is Bike-to-Work Week!

Tuesday, May 12

• Mrs.Hanno's, Miss McFall's, and Miss Zwisler's classes to Harkins Theater, 8:45-11:45

Wednesday, May 13

• ESL class for parents in the Activity Room, 8:30-11:00
• Early release for school improvement and planning, 1:00
• Christensen School-wide Open House Night, 6:00-7:00

Thursday, May 14

• Bike-to-School Day

Friday, May 15

• Western BBQ lunch for parents and students in the Cafeteria, 11:30 & 12:15

UPDATE: Local Rabies Outbreak Continues

According to a recent article in National Geographic News, the new strain of rabies found in foxes and skunks near Flagstaff, particularly in the Mount Elden area, "appears to have mutated so that foxes and skunks are now able to pass the virus on to their kin—not just through biting and scratching but through simple socializing, as humans might spread a flu," attracting the interest of disease researchers all over the world.

The article states that "virologists haven't seen such fast adaptation to a new species in rabies before," and also raises the question, "Could Rabies Become Contagious in Humans?" According to experts, "The risk of such a virulent strain jumping to people should be a major concern... But no one is expecting the rabies strain to become a contagious, swine flu-like epidemic among humans."

REMEMBER:

• Flagstaff and all of Coconino County remains under an animal quarantine which began in April and is expected to last at least 90 days. Pets must be kept on a leash when outdoors.
• Rabies is almost always fatal and can be caught and carried by all warm-blooded creatures, including humans.
  

Happy Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, 2009

According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant in the United States.

But originally that wasn't the reason, nor was it the way Mother's Day was celebrated.

Julia Ward Howe, composer of the well-known song The Battle Hymn of the Republic, was the first person to propose a Mother's Day celebration in the United States. She wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation, a long poem about the joys and pains of motherhood, in 1870. It was written as a call for peace and disarmament following the American Civil War, in which over 600,000 people had been killed.

Part of her poem goes like this:

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice." Blood does not wipe out dishonor, Nor violence indicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war, Let women now leave all that may be left of home For a great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means Whereby the great human family can live in peace...

In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson declared the first national Mother's Day, as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in World War I.

THIS week at Christensen - May 4-8, 2009

4-Sight testing all week

Monday, May 4

• K-2 TAG play in the Music Room, 8:40 & 9:00

Wednesday, May 6

• ESL class for parents in the Activity Room, 8:30-11:00
• Teacher Appreciation Luncheon in the Library, 11:30 & 12:15
• Early release for school improvement and planning, 1:00

Thursday, May 7

• Faculty meeting in the Library, 7:45

Friday, May 8

• PTIO Springo Spring Bingo Night in the Library, 6:30