Oct 3               
Fall Pictures

Oct 3 – Dec 13 
Open Enrollment Application Period for TUSD

Oct 5               
International Walk to School Day

Oct 11            
General PTA Meeting, 6:30 PM

Oct 14             
No School

Oct 15             
Festival of Schools at Tucson Meet Yourself

Oct 15             
A Toast to Technology, 6 PM

Oct 21             
2011 Fall Carnival, 5-8 PM

President                            Becca Keables              rkeables@gmail.com

Vice President                     Cathy Rosen                 cathjr@earthlink.net

Treasurer                            Yvonne Phelan              azmom3@gmail.com

Secretary                            Tina Rustand                 terustand@msn.com

Membership Chair/
Volunteer Coordinator             
Dani Ryan                     dbryanaz@gmail.com

Fundraising Chair        MaryLynn St.Germaine   indenyl@hotmail.com

Communication Chair
Jen Darland                  jendarland@cox.net

Letter to families from Principal John Heidel

Dear Fruchthendler Families,

I enjoyed seeing and meeting many of you at Family Fun Night. The weather was perfect. The food was great and the chance to visit and see new faces made for a perfect family evening. A BIG THANKS goes to all those parents and faculty who helped with the evening’s plans and serving.  I also want to give a BIG Thank YOU to Sweet Tomatoes for their support. A great time was had by all.

On behalf of the students, faculty and staff, I want to thank the PTA for our new computers. This was a long term project for the PTA, raising enough money and carrying it over to purchase the new computers. If you haven’t had a chance, please stop by the lab and take a look at our NEW COMPUTER LAB. It is so refreshing for our students and teachers to have a lab up and running with quality machines. No down time! THANKS!!! Reminder: If you are interested in attending The Toast to Technology please contact Mrs. Jamison. It is another way to support our technology funding “wish list”. The planned event is October 15. 

October 15 is also Tucson Meet Yourself where TUSD will hold their annual Festival of Schools. All of TUSD 1’s schools will be available to answer questions about their programs and Open Enrollment. Fruchthendler will have a booth on Saturday, October the 15th, promoting our school and its programs. The Festival starts at 10:00 am and lasts until 3:00 PM at the Tucson Community Center downtown. 

September has been a busy month. As I visit the classrooms, I enjoy witnessing the learning taking place. As always, results of our high expectations are most visible. Students are actively involved in reading, writing and math activities. Intermediate grades have just completed a benchmark test in reading and math and all classrooms are working towards their District Writing Assessments. (This includes developing expertise in the six writing traits: conventions [capitalization, punctuation, etc.], word choice, ideas, sentence fluency, voice, and organization.) It’s fun to see the different levels of the science FOSS kits, and social studies. I enjoy the colorful art in the halls created by our young artists with the assistance of our art enrichment parents. It is like walking through an Art Gallery. The Milers Club is off and running and many of our students are participating in the Wednesday Chess club. The OMA (Opening Minds through the Arts) Gold Program is in full swing. Artists are on board and all students are actively involved. Again, our NEW computer lab is off to a great start this year too. One of my favorite times to visit the lab is when the kindergarten students are using it. They get so excited as they work at the computers. It makes for a very full day for our students.

October brings about many important dates to be aware of. 

• Monday, October 3 is picture day. I hope many of our children will walk to school on
• Wednesday, October 5 “International Walk to School Day.”
•  Friday, October 14 there will be no school for students as teachers will have the day to prepare grades.
• October 21 is our Fall Carnival 5-8 PM. It will be a fun evening for our students, and a good time for families to visit.
• It is also time to start filling out Open Enrollment applications starting October 3 and due December 12. (This is only necessary for new students for the school year 2012-13 and our fifth graders looking at Middle Schools.)  Applications to have your student tested for the GATE program are also due.
• Finally, October 15 is the Festival of Schools at Tucson Meet Yourself, 10 AM to 3:00 PM at the Tucson Community Center downtown. Again all the schools and programs in TUSD1 will be showcased.

Please mark your calendars with all of these important dates.

Safety reminders:

• Students are not to be on the playground before 8:30 am. There is no supervision before that time.
• Remember early dismissal on Wednesdays is at 2:14 PM. 
• Please continue to adhere to the parking and student drop off signs along Lodge. Parents are still parking in the student drop off area.
• Please mind the directions of our volunteer POP parents as they look out for the safety of our students as they cross the street.
• Have your child wear/bring a pair of closed –toe shoes for times when they need to participate in physical education activities.
• Finally, remember to always sign in when you enter the school and wear a volunteer or visitor badge.

We appreciate all of our volunteers. Whether it is in the classroom, cafeteria, playground, art enrichment, POPs, PTA, committees, room parents, (the list goes on), we couldn't do it without your help and support. Thanks for volunteering your time and assisting us in providing our students with the very best education! You make Fruchthendler the Excelling School it is.

Cordially,

John Heidel, Principal

The class that collects the most candy -- in POUNDS -- wins a class prize! Candy collection begins Monday, October 3 and ends Friday, October 7.

Thank you.  To our returning parents who are enthusiastically sharing their time and talents for another year.  To our new families who have just joined us and are fearlessly jumping in with both feet.  For enriching the days of all of our students, for assisting our wonderful teachers, for helping to create the incredible community that we have at Fruchthendler, thank you!

Dani Ryan, Volunteer Coordinator

The TUSD Clothing Bank is experiencing a shortage in donations. Clothes and shoes of all sizes will be welcomed by needy TUSD families. Please leave your donations in or by the red clothing bank donations box, which is located in the Fruchthendler entry hall, outside the office.  There is no deadline.  Used clothing is always welcome in the Fruchthendler health office as well.  Thank you!

Jeanne Dunbar, Health Assistant

Please take some time to review the information about the AZ Public School Tax Credit.  This is especially important if you have not taken advantage of it in the past, or if you believe you can’t participate.  Many people do not fully understand how this tax credit works.  Anyone who pays Arizona State Tax can participate.

The tax credit program is ESSENTIAL for the funding of the programs your kids love –

PE / MUSIC / ART / SPANISH / TUTORS/ WORKSHOPS / ETC.

These programs are financed by your contributions that are reimbursed to you via the Arizona State School Income Tax Credit. It’s up to you to participate.  Without your contributions, these programs are NOT possible because they are not funded by the main budget.

Tax Credit contributions are NOT considered charitable donations.  You receive the money back when you file your state income taxes for 2010.  It is a dollar for dollar tax credit that benefits our students.  State law allows you to get a tax credit for up to $200 for single filers, and $400 for married filers.  Even if you participate in private school tax credit programs, you CAN still take advantage of the public school tax credit.

This is your opportunity to direct how your tax dollars are put to use. Don’t forget to contribute.  The DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31, 2011.  Last year, Fruchthendler collected over $70,000.  Due to extensive budget cuts, our goal this year is $85,000. We also hope you designate your contribution to the “areas of greatest need”.  This allows for funds to be managed in the most direct manner.

Don’t miss out on participating.  It may be the last year for you to take advantage of a public school tax credit.

For more information on the program, or how to contribute, please go to: www.tusd1.org/taxcredit.html, or contact Principal John Heidel at 731-4400.

Susanne Sutherland, Tax Credit Committee Chair

COMMUNITY GARDENS

A community garden is a place where neighbors can grow flowers or vegetables together on one piece of land. The land is usually lent to gardeners by a church, school or private land owner, at no charge, for use as a garden space. Separate garden plots, usually measuring about 3′ x 20′, are made available to individuals and families in the neighborhood. A drip irrigation system is installed to supply water to the plants. A separate water meter is installed in the garden, and the property owner is reimbursed for all the water that is used. The cost to the gardener is $15.00 per month for each plot. 

This money pays for the water bills and the irrigation equipment, the bimonthly newsletter and a shed full of tools.  The gardener usually only needs to supply plants/seeds and soil amendments.

There is a community garden right in the Fruchthendler neighborhood. 

Visit the web site below to learn more about gardening in town.

http://www.communitygardensoftucson.org/main/

PLANT YOUR FALL CROP

Our mild autumn weather permits planting a wide variety of vegetables. Here's a handy guide to what to plant, from www.harvestingrainwater.com/:

October

carrots, beets, broccoli, spinach, garbanzos, lentils, desert chia, cilantro, peas, parsnip, salsify

November

peas, fava beans, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach, mustard, turnips, chard, horseradish, rhubarb

Karla McMahon, Healthy Lifestyles Committee Member