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: Welcome to the 2011-12 school year!

Family Registration & PTA Memberships

Volunteer Sign-In Log & Procedures

AZ Tax Credit Committee Needs NEW Volunteers!

Greetings from Fruchthendler’s Healthy Lifestyles Committee

Date Correction: Fall Pictures will be taken on Monday, October 3!     

A big welcome back to our returning Firebirds and an even bigger welcome to the new families. We look forward to getting to know you, as we are all very proud to be part of the Fruchthendler community. 
This is my third year at the school and I have always been impressed by the amount of involvement there is from parents and families. I have now come to know that this is what makes Fruchthendler....Fruchthendler.

And while I know that’s true it is not the whole story.  Engaged teachers, curious students, involved parents, caring staff, and encouraging leadership are what have truly built the reputation that Fruchthendler Elementary School holds in the community.  So, congratulations to all of us on a community well built!

With that said, we have a big challenge ahead of us this year. With state budget cuts, it is even more important to ensure we can keep this community thriving. We are asking all families to pledge a $1.00 a day to keep all the educational programs and safety services that are no longer paid for by the district. 
Thank you to all of the Fruchthendler families who have already turned in their pledges.  We wanted to remind you that this goal is not inflated. The $54,000 is a budget line we must meet in order to provide services to our children such as library, technology, playground monitors, substitute teachers, classroom and teaching supplies. These things are NOT paid by the state or by our district.

Please be sure to visit the school website where, if you haven’t already, you can sign up to receive the e-newsletter.  All the information about happenings at the school comes to you via this electronic newsletter and it helps us save loads of volunteer hours AND paper to communicate this way!  Calendars, upcoming events, forms, and the LUNCH MENU are all here: http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/fruchthendler/organizations/pta/firebird_folder.html

As parents, we make a difference in our children’s lives daily.  At Fruchthendler, we encourage everyone to get involved and put yourself in the position to help make decisions that will impact our school.  Please take the opportunity to join our PTA and learn about the many volunteer opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom.  Our PTA raises the much-needed funds to support our school through an unbelievable number of programs including school/teacher supply funds, field trips, PE, Music, Opening Minds through the Arts (OMA) support, student clubs, and more!  Your membership dues and fund-raising efforts make all of this possible.  

So welcome, jump in and get involved!

Becca Keables, PTA President, 2011-12

Dear Fruchthendler Families,

Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year. I have enjoyed welcoming many of our new and returning families at registration and Meet Your Teacher Day. I look forward to greeting more of you at Curriculum Night, August 30. I look forward to seeing you all at Family Fun Night, September 20. Please feel free to stop by and say “Hi”. I try very hard to maintain an “Open Door” policy too, if you should have a concern or question. 

Enrollment is high and our teachers are ready to give their students the best year ever.  Fruchthendler continues to be an Opening Minds through the Arts (OMA) Gold School, with components at all grades. This infusion of the arts into the curriculum makes learning fun and interesting for our students. Spanish, G.A.T.E., and Physical Education have also been continued this year. To help support these programs, you can donate to the Tax Credit Program where married couples can donate $400 and single individuals $200 with dollar-for-dollar refund from the state to you. This would be beyond the PTA “$1-a-Day” Family Pledge Campaign. If you should have questions please feel free to stop by the office for assistance.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who work so hard to support us here at Fruchthendler. So many of you give so generously of your time to serve on the PTA Board, chair committees, sit on the Site Council, assist in the cafeteria and in the classrooms, and volunteer in our POP Program - Parents on Patrol – before, during lunch, and after school. Your time and effort is greatly appreciated. We couldn't do it all without your help and support. You help make Fruchthendler the excelling school that it is.

Some safety and procedural reminders:

1. All visitors and volunteers MUST sign in at the office and wear a pass so the children and staff will know who you are, and that you belong here.  This procedure, although it will not always be the most convenient for you, will help keep us all safe, and that’s one of our key goals. Please sign in as a visitor or volunteer. There are two different notebooks for each group. If you are volunteering, we have made the sign in procedure a little easier. You no longer need to log in using a separate notebook. Just be sure to list the number of hours you have volunteered when you sign out. 

2. Please use Lodge for student drop off and pick up before and after school. Be sure to observe the Student Drop Off, No Parking and No U-turn signs on Lodge. Several individuals are parking illegally along Lodge creating an unsafe situation as well as making illegal U-turns. Several students are being dropped off in the crosswalk as well. Signs are posted for the safety of the children and drivers need to comply with them. Please assist the POP volunteers by following their directions and stopping when they step out to help children cross safely. Parents are also using the bus bay on Cloud as a student drop off area. This is illegal and you can be ticketed. Courtesy pays – please try to refrain from honking your horn. Remember, the west parking lot is for staff use only. If you should park on the adjoining neighborhood streets before school, after school, or during school events, please do not block driveways or mailbox delivery. Finally, parents are using alleys and easements at the south end of Lodge as a means to reenter the neighborhood. Since these arteries are often used by students riding their bikes or walking home, it has created a very unsafe environment.

3. Please continue to keep the hallways clear so students may enter and exit their classrooms before and after school. Having clear hallways allows the students, especially the little ones, to see where they are going.

4. Remember students are NOT ALLOWED on the playground before 8:30am. There is no supervision before that time.

5. Please take a moment to review the Tardy Procedures in the Handbook. Parents must sign in their students when they are late.   If a student has three or more unexcused tardies, there are negative ramifications for the students, which we all want to avoid.

6. If you write a check for your child’s lunch, please list their name and their teacher’s name on the memo part of the check.  A student may also purchase milk from their account should they bring their lunch.

7.  Fruchthendler’s parent-teacher conferences will be held on September 14, 15, and 16 as other District schools this year. 

We want to recognize our outstanding custodian Frank Candaso.  Our building looks GREAT!!  Thank you for a job well done during the summer and helping us start the year off clean and organized. The Bond improvements are most impressive too. The students love the new floors and carpet and the cafeteria new roll-up doors.

Congratulations to Mrs. Leon, our cafeteria manager, for receiving an “Excellent” rating from the Pima County Health Department on the latest inspection.        

The goal of the Firebird Footnotes is to keep you informed. A BIG thank you to volunteer Mrs. Darland for editing and compiling the articles for the Firebird Footnotes. Our award winning web site is another way to stay in touch http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us/Fruchthendler. Thank you for taking the time to read and go through the contents of each. Please feel free to contact either the PTA or the school office if you have questions or suggestions. We are excited to make this an Excelling year for your child!

Cordially,

Our red family folders have all been picked up or sent home by now.  If you did not receive one, there areplenty of extras in the office—just stop by and pick one up from our office team.  This folder has all the information you will need for the $1-a-Day Pledge Drive, as well as the form that needs to be filled out forthe PTA membership, yearbook and T-shirt orders, as well as contact information for the school directory.

If you have not yet become a member of the Fruchthendler PTA, it’s not too late! Remember yourmembership is your voice, and one of the easiest ways to be involved in the decisions that directly affect your kids! Again, membership forms can be picked up and dropped off in the office.

Dani Ryan, PTA Membership Chair & Volunteer Chair

Dani Ryan, PTA Membership & Volunteer Chair

Just a quick reminder about the school’s Volunteer Sign-In Log. I’m sure by now everyone has noticed our sign in log has changed from the old clipboard to a binder with alphabetical dividers. Thank you so much for adapting to this change. It will make a huge difference when it’s time for us to report our volunteer hours to TUSD.

Thank you all for helping make Fruchthendler – Fruchthendler!

Dani Ryan, PTA Membership & Volunteer Chair

Victoria Metzler, Art Enrichment Co-Chair

For the 2011-2012 school year Fruchthendler collected nearly $70,000!  In order to meet our financial needs, we need to meet our increased goal of at least $80,000.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to help. To learn more or to volunteer to help with this all-important fund-raising campaign, please e-mail me at ssandms@comcast.net for further details and information.

Susanne Sutherland, PTA Tax Credit Committee Chair

If you are available to volunteer to help with this program, please e-mail Special Fund-raising Chair, Deb Evans at debandkev@cox.net.

Looking for healthy lunch options and/or ideas that your child will actually eat? Click here for some healthy options:

http://www.ewg.org/healthyhometips/packedlunchtips

Our committee's brains are exploding with information and ideas on how to make our Fruchthendler community healthier. If any of you want to join our committee, please e-mail Darcy McCue darcymccue@gmail.com.

Darcy McCue, Healthy Lifestyles Committee Chair

Jen Darland, Communications Chair

Keep in mind, our goal of $54,000 is not inflated. It is a line in the budget that we must meet in order to provide vital educational programs and safety services that benefit all of our students such as:

Library tech

• Technology
• Playground monitors
• Substitute teachers
• Classroom and teaching supplies
• Professional development

These areas are not paid for by the state or by our school district.

Just $1 per day ($180 per year) per family allows us to ensure the continuation of services and programs, that without your help, will otherwise be lost at Fruchthendler. Programs that make Fruchthendler…Fruchthendler.

The funds raised from the $1-a-Day Family Pledge Campaign will benefit 100% of our students. That’s why we need 100% participation from our families.

Extended family members can also make a tax-deductible pledge in addition to your own pledge or on your behalf.  Additionally, we are happy to set up a payment plan for those who would prefer to break their pledge into monthly or quarterly installments.

For more information on the $1-a-Day Family Pledge Campaign and/or to set up payment plans, please contact Fund-raising Chair, MaryLynn St.Germaine at 349-8694 or e-mail her at indenyl@hotmail.com.

And thank you again for helping to keep Fruchthendler…Fruchthendler

This fundraiser, called "A Toast to Technology", will raise money to support the schools' technology curriculum.

At last October's "Toast to Technology", Husky Rescue's investors contributed $15,000.00 to Sam Hughes Elementary.

Tickets for this year's gala will be $100 and include hors d'oeuvres, wine tasting and dinner.  All food and beverage is donated by local restaurants and Arizona wineries. 

More details to follow!

If you are interested in assisting with this event or have questions, please contact Lisa Jamison.

It’s time to kick off the 2011 Arizona Tax Program! The Tax Credit program is not a charitable donation. This is a separate and additional program to the PTA’s “$1-a-Day Family Pledge Campaign”.

It costs you nothing in the long run and benefits our kids immensely! For just a few hundred dollars, you can help support the continuation of programs that your child loves and that keep Fruchthendler…Fruchthendler. Programs like:

PE

• Music
• Art
• Spanish
• Tutors
• Workshops, and more!

So don’t wait! Contribute to the Tax Credit Program today and help ensure the continuation of these enriching experiences. The DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31, 2011. Contribute today!

For more information on the program, or how to contribute, please go to:

http://www.tusdk12.az.us/ and follow the Quick Links to “AZ Tax Credit”.

 Thank you!

Susanne Sutherland, PTA Tax Credit Program Chair

Sign up to help with the planning committee: We have creative things that need to be done from home in a few hours!

Sign up to help with setup/cleanup on October 21: We set up from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and clean up from 8 - 9 p.m. The more people the quicker it goes!

Donate prizes: We need prizes for the prize wheel and the prize booth. Small items that you may have left over from stocking stuffers, birthday parties, etc... and large items that you find on clearance! Gently used, clean items are welcome as well! We also need tons of stuffed animals of all sizes for the claw machine and prize wheel. Silly/Zany bands are the hot item right now and we would love to have a ton of them! Call or e-mail Andrea Winkle to coordinate drop off.

For questions or to help/donate contact Andrea Winkle at 203-6654 or awinkleaz@aol.com

Mr. Trombino, an adult dwarf, is an Arizona native and a University of Arizona graduate with a degree in Communications. He has dedicated himself to educating the public on dwarfism, living with difference, bully prevention, overcoming obstacles and the power of positive thinking.

More information will be sent home with your child on this dynamic presentation in the next few days. To learn more about Mr. Trombino and dwarfism, click here: 

http://www.pbs.org/pov/bigenough/

Our September Recipe of the Month is from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. If you try it and like it, let us know! 

¼ teaspoon of sea salt, plus an additional ½ teaspoon for salting the water
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 ounces Yukon Gold, russet or other mealy potatoes
1 pound salmon fillets, skin on, scaled and bones removed (or 2 x 3¾ -ounce cans good-quality salmon - much faster)
2 tablespoons olive oil
a small bunch of fresh Italian parsley - you can skip this if your kids freak out over green.
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 large egg
2 lemons

Not only do homemade fish cakes taste miles better than store-bought ones, but if you make your own you know exactly what goes into them: the cheap factory-made ones can often be filled with things you’d rather not eat.

JAMIE'S TOP TIP

• Pan-frying is all about carefully controlling the heat under the pan. In this case, even though the potatoes and salmon are cooked, the egg that binds everything together has to be cooked through. Make sure the heat is high enough so there is a nice, even sizzle but low enough so the cakes brown evenly and don’t burn – they should take a full 4 minutes or so to brown on each side.
• The potato and egg act as a binder in this recipe so you can add just about anything instead of the salmon; from cooked veggies like leek and mushrooms, shredded cooked chicken or any leftover grilled fish you might have.
• If you use pantry staples like canned salmon this recipe is a fantastic quick dinner made with ingredients that are always on hand.
• This recipe is so tasty that it’s a really good idea to double or triple the quantities and freeze batches (without flouring the cakes) for another day – just make sure you defrost them thoroughly before using, then follow the cooking instructions below.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil.
• Peel your potatoes and chop them into even-sized chunks. If using fresh salmon, rub the fillets all over with olive oil and a small pinch of the salt and pepper. Add the potatoes to the pan and bring back to a boil. Put the fish into a colander, covered with aluminum foil, and place it over the pan of potatoes. Turn the heat down and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes and fish are both cooked. Remove the fish from the colander and put on one side. If using canned salmon, drain and put to one side. Drain the potatoes in the colander, then return them to the pan and let them steam dry.
• Pick the parsley leaves and finely chop them, discarding the stalks. Mash the potatoes, spreading the potato around the sides of the pan to help it cool down quickly. Remove any skin from the fish. When the potato is completely cool, put it into a bowl and flake the fish into it with 1 tablespoon of flour (if you’re using canned salmon, simply drain then add it to the potatoes). Add the egg and chopped parsley with the remaining salt and pepper. Zest one lemon, then add to the fish mixture and mix it all up well.

Dust your work surface with flour. Divide your fish cake mixture into 4. Lightly shape and pat into patties about ¾-inch thick, dusting them with flour as you go. Get yourself a plate or tray, dust it with flour, and place your fish cakes on top.

If you’re going to freeze them at this point, wrap them in plastic wrap and put them into the freezer. Otherwise simply pop them into the refrigerator for an hour before cooking – this will allow them to firm up slightly.

To cook and serve your fish cakes

Put a large frying pan on a medium heat and add a lug of olive oil. When the oil is nice and hot, add your fish cakes and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden – you may need to cook them in two batches. Serve straightaway, with lemon halves for squeezing over.