This school year the PTA will be funding or partially funding the programs and specialists described in this section of the handbook. The PTA also financially supports the school’s reading specialist, math specialist, challenge teacher and school nurse. The PTA relies on the support of parents, staff, friends and the community to ensure these programs and services are available to our student body. 

Multi-Arts
The arts are alive at Laurelhurst Elementary! The school’s extensive multi-arts program is possible because of financial support from and the volunteer network of the Laurelhurst PTA.

Visual Art
Our artist-in-residence program allows us to feature individual artists during the school year.

Music Education
The school is fortunate to have a UW Ph.D. candidate bringing music curriculum to students in grades K–5. The program includes listening, singing, expressive speaking, moving and playing instruments to help students learn and understand the elements of music beginning with rhythm. Each class in grades K-5 has music once per week.  

Instrumental Music
Elementary Instrumental Music is offered to students in grades four and five on a space-available basis. Classes meet once a week during the regular school day. The parents furnish instruments and music books. Loaner instruments are available for students on free or reduced-price lunch. This is a non-tuition program.

Assemblies
The PTA sponsors 2-3 assemblies each year to provide students with additional exposure to the arts and sciences. Past assemblies have included groups from Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle Symphony, Science Adventures, and 5^th Avenue Theater. Please watch your PTA newsletter for announcements of dates and times. Parents are encouraged to attend these entertaining and educational performances.  Please contact Sally Tafft-Johnson stafft(at)comcast(dot)net for more information.

World Languages
Laurelhurst offers before- and after-school programs introducing children to Spanish, French and Chinese. The instructors use a variety of enjoyable activities such as games, songs and poems to teach vocabulary. These tuition-based classes begin in October and end in May. Information regarding prices and class schedules will accompany applications distributed to students in September. The World Language Program is staffed and administered by Michelle Jordan at Explorer's Language Institute: explorelanguage@mac.com. Parent Coordinators are Susan Moore at seamoores(at)comcast(dot)net or Maya Ting at maya(at)sprynet(dot)com.

Chess Club
The Laurelhurst Chess Club is run by Chess4Life (www.chess4life.com), an organization that helps schools run their chess clubs. Students are positively encouraged at all levels, developing sportsmanship and other life skills. Students of any level are encouraged to participate. This is an after-school activity where children can learn to play chess, have fun, make new friends, and even compete at local chess tournaments. Please contact kids@chess4life.com or 425-283-0549, or parent coordinator Maya Ting at maya(at)sprynet(dot)com.

Family Math Night
Enjoy a fun-filled evening of playing games and family bonding while developing your child's math skills. One evening a month, the cafeteria is transformed into a play room with games and activities designed for children of all ages (and parents) . Each game helps children develop skills that improve their math abilities, all while they're having fun! Parent volunteers and Debby Halperin, Laurelhurst's math specialist, help explain the games and encourage participation. Everyone is welcome. Look for information about upcoming math nights in the school newsletter. For more information, please contact Donna Crist at thecristfamily(at)comcast(dot)net. Game Sale Night is an opportunity to buy many of the games played during Math Night (and many others!) and help our school at the same time. The Math & Stuff store brings in a huge selection of games and Laurelhurst benefits from every sale. It's a great time to pick up some great holiday gifts!

Literacy Night
Literacy night is an evening of literacy based games and activities for students. While parents browse at the Annual Scholastic Book Fair, their children increase their reading skills through play! Kids earn tickets by completing activities, which qualify them to win books, posters and other book fair goodies. If students do all eight activities and fill their literacy passport, they can enter the grand drawing. For more information, please contact Jill Geary at geary_home(at)msn(dot)com

Classic Books Book Club
Classic Books is an informal gathering of students and volunteer adult discussion leaders who meet to discuss great children’s literature. It is offered to interested students in the third, fourth and fifth grades.  Each grade level group reads four books and holds a one-hour discussion on each book. Facilitators come to the discussion prepared with thought-provoking questions on the text. Students come having read the book and ready to share their own ideas. Participation in this program is voluntary. Students may purchase the books on their own, or may order them when they enroll. Scholarships are available to those who need them. Watch for forms in kid mail in December/January, or contact Ellen Aagaard at ellaag(at)yahoo(dot)com for more information.

Aki Kurose Science Fair
The Science Fair is an annual non-competitive event held each spring. It gives students an opportunity to do a science project at home and present it at the fair. It is a special evening for families to explore science together at Laurelhurst. Information on how students and parents can participate will be available in early spring in the PTA newsletter. For more information, contact Pam Goddard at family(at)dukeelectric(dot)net.

Birthday Books for the Laurelhurst Library
The Birthday Books program was started in 1993 as a way to build Laurelhurst’s library collection. Each year students and their parents are invited to dedicate a Birthday Book to the library in celebration of their student’s birthday. A special Birthday Book nameplate is placed in the library book, and a card is sent to the student thanking him or her for the gift. Print the Birthday Book form here (Word doc), or find them all year long on the PTA table outside the school office. For more information, contact Brooks Romano at romano.seattle(at)comcast(dot)net.

Drama
Laurelhurst offers drama classes on Monday and Thursday afternoons by Studio East.  These tuition-based classes begin in the fall. Information about prices and enrollment are sent home the second week of school.  Please contact Ngaire Taylor at ngaire(at)aol(dot)com

Student Banking
Each Thursday morning before school, parent volunteers located outside the main office, assist students who wish to set up and make deposits into a savings account with Washington Mutual Savings Bank. Banking starts a few weeks after the first day of school. Look for information in the PTA newsletter or contact Carrie Rhodes at crhodes(at)nwlink(dot)com or Chris Esperseth esperseth(at)aol(dot)com.

Family Community Service Days
Laurelhurst PTA typically sponsors two Family Community Service Days: one in the Fall  and one in the Spring. Parents and children meet on the playground, share a snack, and learn about the programs they will be volunteering for that day. Families then disperse to their volunteer locations, put in several hours working together, share some food and conversation and return home by the late afternoon. Please join us for these wonderful opportunities to participate in meaningful and rewarding work in the community outside of our school. For more information, contact Ellen Aagaard at ellaag(at)yahoo(dot)com or Marcy Brighton at brighton(at)gte(dot)net. NOTE: There is no Service Day planned for Fall ' 07.

Safe-and-Active Routes to School
Laurelhurst seeks to improve the health and safety of its families and its school environment by promoting active transportation to and from school. Safe-and-Active Routes to School sponsors events throughout the year to encourage walking and bicycling to school. This program educates parents and children about pedestrian and bicycle safety, helps to create a safe environment around the school for walking and bicycling, and connects families who would like to form walk groups (“walking school buses”), find a walk buddy for their older child, or form a carpool. Look for our first event, celebrating International Walk-to-School Day, the first week in October. Please contact Ellen Aagaard at ellaag(at)yahoo(dot)com for more information.

Nutrition Advisory Committee
Recognizing the connection between healthy eating and optimal learning, the Seattle School District has adopted nutrition policies to positively influence the quality, variety and appeal of the food offered in the school meal programs. The Laurelhurst Nutrition Advisory Committee (LNAC) was formed to support the Seattle School District nutrition policies and the goals set forth in our school's Transformation Plan regarding nutrition and how it affects student academic achievement.

Key endeavors of the LNAC include supporting positive nutritional changes to the cafeteria menu by working with the District Office of Child Nutrition; providing educational articles and tools for parents, children and staff; and helping the school staff implement policies and guidelines in the cafeteria and classroom. If you are interested in joining the Committee or would like more information, contact Elise Hart at elisemhart(at)yahoo(dot)com. 

Fifth Grade Outdoor Education Camp
Annually in the fall, fifth graders at Laurelhurst participate in an outdoor education camp at Camp Orkila on Orcas Island.  Students learn about watersheds, salmon, food chains and habitats. Camp instructors lead the students through team building, cooperative and leadership activities. Students show off their creativity and theatrical abilities during campfire skits and improvisations. If your student is a fifth-grader, watch for information about Fifth Grade Camp in kid mail early in September. Please contact Principal Kathy Jolly at kmjolly(at)seattleschools(dot)org with questions about Fifth Grade Camp.

School Directory
The PTA sponsors a school directory each fall listing contact information for each child, organized by classroom. A Directory Registration Form is included in your child's first day packet of school information. A separate form must be completed for each child, every year, before your family information can be listed in the school directory. In order to supply the directory early in the year we need a form returned for each child by Friday September 15, 2006. If you do not have a form you may pick one up in the school office. For two-household families, the directory will list both households as long as the information for both is provided on the form. Each family will receive one directory via kid mail, hopefully around the middle of October. Additional copies may be purchased in the office for $3.00 each.

Family Handbook
Each fall we produce a family handbook full of useful information about school policies, procedures, and curriculum, as well as PTA-supported programs. One handbook is distributed to each Laurelhurst family on their first day of school (you’re reading part of it!). Additional copies may be purchased in the school office for $3.00 each.

School Photos
Each year, the PTA coordinates individual and class pictures for all students attending Laurelhurst.  Students will bring home a picture order envelope listing the prices of the different packages. Retakes of individual pictures are taken approximately six weeks later.

Yearbook
In the spring, the PTA helps produce a yearbook, complete with the school pictures of each Laurelhurst student and wonderful candid photos. The yearbook is a special way to memorialize your student’s school year. Parents must complete a form for each student, giving permission to include that student’s picture in the yearbook. Watch for these permission forms and order forms in the spring.

Laurelhurst Ledger Newsletter
The Laurelhurst Ledger is our school's own monthly newsletter created by the people, for the people. Editor Susannah Frame gathers up all the news into a form that's informational and fun to read to help us all keep on top of school happenings. Parents, teachers and especially students, are encouraged to submit articles and stories and report on any events of interest to our school community. Submissions are due on the last day of each month and will appear in the next month's edition (as space allows). Please email all submissions to: laurelhurstledger(at)comcast(dot)net.