Dear Creative Minds International Families,

It was great to see so many of you at our New Families Event on June 25th.

We are fortunate to start our school with such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of parents. I am confident that with your support, we will offer our students an enriched educational experience that inspires them to become life-long learners.

Many of you, especially those who are parents of our three and four-year-old students, expressed concerns regarding your child’s transition to school. I know from personal experience how difficult it is to leave your child at school on the first day. We will be sure to have a transition plan for our youngest students (and any other students who need to ease into a full time schedule), by starting with an option for half-day attendance. We will send you more information regarding our Preschool and Pre-K transition plan in our next newsletter. Attending our upcoming events will also help your children get to know other families and staff prior to the first day of school: the Family Picnic at Yards Park on Sunday, July 29th and the Creative Families Juice and Cookies Social on Saturday, August 25th, where a classroom parent will host a get together so children and families in each class can meet each other.

The administrative team is working hard to prepare for a successful opening. Many of you kindly offered your help in setting up our school during the last couple of weeks of August before our opening date (August 27th). We appreciate your offer and will be in touch if we need additional support.

I hope to see you at our next event, the Family Picnic on July 29th from 10am to 1pm at Yards Park.

Sincerely,

Golnar Abedin, Ph. D.

Upcoming Event

Come And Play With Us!Creative Families Picnic at Yards Park Sunday, July 29th/10:00am – 1:00pm Pack your picnic blankets and basket, swim-suits, towels and sunscreen for a waterfront picnic at DC’s newest urban park, Yards Park. Located a short walk from Metro Green Line station, Navy Yards/Ballpark, this new park is the perfect place for new families to meet each other. We will be meeting at The Over-look, a tented pavilion where you will be able to sign-in and learn about all the activities planned throughout the day. This will be a casual event designed to let the kids start to play with one another and for parents and guardians to get to know each other. Tradi-tional outdoor games and activities will be happening throughout the day so join us for an hour or for all three! And of course, the whole family is welcome to come.

For a more detailed map of Yards Park please go to yardspark.org/plan/park-map. We will be located to the right of the Bridge at The Overlook. Yards Park is located at 10 Water Street Southeast, Washington, DC 20003. Lim-ited street parking is available and some park-ing lots are within walking distance of the park.

Don’t forget to pack these items with you!

(including plenty of water)

(there’s a huge wading pool)

Please note that dining options are limited in the area so it’s best to pack something yourself.

If you are interested in volunteering at the event please contact: Dawn Goodloe (dawngoodloe@gmail.com)

Summer Issue Vol. 2 July 6, 2012www.creativemindspcs.org March Issue: March 8, 2013

Upcoming Events

• Friday, March 15Teacher Professional Development: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

• Monday, March 18Parent Workshop5:00 PM - 6:30 PM • Wednesday, March 27

School Picture Day

• Monday, April 1 - Friday, April 5 Spring Break: Students return Monday, April 8

• Friday, April 12 CFA Meeting8:30 AM - 9:45 AM

Dear Creative Minds International Families,

Spring is around the corner with the promise of new beginnings. We are working hard to maintain all the positive experiences from this year while we add to, and enhance various components of our program.

With the support of Monica Sanjur (2nd grade parent) and Jake Greenspan, we began the Creative Minds Parent Workshops last month. Thanks to all who attended and filled out the survey. We are going to continue these workshops on a monthly basis. Please see the Workshop announcement in this newsletter. Notice that the date was changed from March 26th to Monday, March 18th from 5 PM - 6:30 PM to avoid conflict with religious holidays. Childcare will be available, free of charge, to facilitate your attendance. We really hope that you can join us so we can strengthen our home-school connection as we support our children’s growth.

We have also begun our weekly Community Meetings led by our Director of the Arts, Ashton Conklin. The Meetings have been a great success and provided a wonderful opportunity for the children and staff to come together as a larger community. At the first meeting our own creative musicians, Sebastien and Ashton, played music for the students. Subsequently we held our Chinese New Year Celebration in which Ms. Jessica explained about the new year and the Kindergarten class shared their dragon with the other students. Finally, we celebrated Dr. Seuss’s birthday at our last meeting (pictures of the Community Meetings are included in this newsletter).

Classrooms have been going on field trips to the National Zoo, the Air and Space Museum, the National Building Museum, Giant supermarket, and Eastern Market. We will be adding field trips to International Embassies in the near future.

I want to thank you all for your support and involvement. You have chaperoned field trips, supported our teachers and administrative team by participating in classroom activities and volunteering at school-wide events, holding fundraising events, as well as donating your time and resources to the school. Thank you for helping us create a positive learning experience for our students.

Sincerely,

Golnar Abedin, Ph.D.Executive Director/Principal

UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 11

What led you into teaching? How long have you been doing this?

I was led into teaching after working at a day camp during a summer break from college. There was a little girl with Downs Syndrome who quickly found a special place in my heart. Her positive outlook on life really put things in perspective for me. That summer was so rewarding personally that I knew that I wanted to work with children in some capacity. Time has truly flown by and it is hard to believe that I have been teaching for 10 years!

What attracted you to Creative Minds International PCS?

There were several components of the program that attracted me to Creative Minds International. I was intrigued by children being taught through the theme based International Early Years and Primary Curriculum, which encourages international awareness. I was happy to learn that Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s developmental approach to education will be incorporated to support various learning styles. The low teacher- student ratio and foreign languages being offered were added bonuses. I have enrolled my own daughters at Creative Minds International for this fall!

What methods do you use to inspire students to be active in learning?

To inspire students to be active in learning I intend to establish a safe environment that is predictable and nurturing. I want students to be comfortable taking academic risks. The classroom will be thought- provoking and challenging yet provide students with the support necessary to be successful.

How do you make learning fun? Provide an example of what you have in store for the 2nd graders.

One important step to make learning fun is to set a positive example. I have to show that I am having fun learning and it will spread to others. Learning does not have to be just hours of sitting, writing, and reading. I incorporate hands- on experiences and play all sorts of learning games. Another way to make learning fun is to create incentives. We will set a goal and have a ‘prize’ once that goal is met. Students may be asked to add a tally mark to a chart in the room each time they come across dialogue in their reading or to add any compound word that they know to a chart. These two examples really encourage students to continue to think about a concept even after it is introduced.

How do you make sure you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?

Having a background in early childhood special education and experience working with students with a variety of learning styles has prepared me to meet the needs of a student with an IEP. I also plan to work closely with the inclusion teacher, Hannah Shedrick, to make sure that students are receiving the support and services they need to be successful in school.

What are you most looking forward to in 2012-2013?

As we embark on the 2012-2013 school year, I am most looking forward to making Creative Minds International PCS one of the best schools in the area. I want it to be a place that everyone raves about!

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Reminders:National School Lunch

Program forms due

Creative Families Picnic - 10:00am – 1:00pm, Yards Park

Health and Immunization forms are due

Creative Families “Juice and Cookie Social”

Spotlight on 2nd Grade Teacher, Nayamka Long

Hello, my name is Nayamka Long. I am a Washington D.C. native who lives here in North-west with my husband and our two daughters. I have a large extended family and feel fortu-nate that so many of them live in the area. I enjoy spending time with them and traveling.

2

Hi Creative Minds Families! My name is Sara Kovacs. I am originally from Indiana. I love to see new places and travel, and I've been lucky to live in several cities in the last few years. I finished college while living in France. Then I moved back to the United States and ended up in Denver. Life brought me to Charlottesville, Virginia. Finally, I've recently settled in Washington, D.C! I'm currently working on a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction through George Mason University. My program specifically focuses on international education, so Creative Minds is a perfect fit for me! When I have free time, I love to take advantage of our amazing city and take long walks! When it's warmer, I'll start biking again, and probably running too... but only when it's warmer!

What led you into teaching? How long have you been doing this?I became interested in teaching when I volunteered to tutor children while I was living in France. Once a week, I helped elementary students with their English homework. I absolutely loved this experience and learned a lot from it! Since then I have been tutoring and teaching part time for about 4 years. This is my first full time job in a school, and so far, so good!

What attracted you to Creative Minds International PCS?Since I have some international experience myself, I loved that there was an international focus here. I was also attracted to the child-centered approach that is part of the school mission.

How do you make learning fun? Provide an example of how you’ll integrate the arts in classroom learning.I try to make learning fun by incorporating unique and creative activities into lessons. I have always loved to create. I feel that learning through the creative process really maximizes an educational experience for a child. I use the knowledge I have from my art history degree to integrate the arts into lessons.

What methods do you use to inspire students to be active in learning?First and foremost, I feel that for students to be active in their learning, they must be having fun. Especially with the younger students, I try to make lessons active. I also try to get to know my students' interests as much as possible. I can use that knowledge to create more personal lessons.

Spotlight: Sara Kovacs

What led you into teaching? How long have you been doing this?

I was led into teaching after working at a day camp during a summer break from college. There was a little girl with Downs Syndrome who quickly found a special place in my heart. Her positive outlook on life really put things in perspective for me. That summer was so rewarding personally that I knew that I wanted to work with children in some capacity. Time has truly flown by and it is hard to believe that I have been teaching for 10 years!

What attracted you to Creative Minds International PCS?

There were several components of the program that attracted me to Creative Minds International. I was intrigued by children being taught through the theme based International Early Years and Primary Curriculum, which encourages international awareness. I was happy to learn that Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s developmental approach to education will be incorporated to support various learning styles. The low teacher- student ratio and foreign languages being offered were added bonuses. I have enrolled my own daughters at Creative Minds International for this fall!

What methods do you use to inspire students to be active in learning?

To inspire students to be active in learning I intend to establish a safe environment that is predictable and nurturing. I want students to be comfortable taking academic risks. The classroom will be thought- provoking and challenging yet provide students with the support necessary to be successful.

How do you make learning fun? Provide an example of what you have in store for the 2nd graders.

One important step to make learning fun is to set a positive example. I have to show that I am having fun learning and it will spread to others. Learning does not have to be just hours of sitting, writing, and reading. I incorporate hands- on experiences and play all sorts of learning games. Another way to make learning fun is to create incentives. We will set a goal and have a ‘prize’ once that goal is met. Students may be asked to add a tally mark to a chart in the room each time they come across dialogue in their reading or to add any compound word that they know to a chart. These two examples really encourage students to continue to think about a concept even after it is introduced.

How do you make sure you meet the needs of a student with an IEP?

Having a background in early childhood special education and experience working with students with a variety of learning styles has prepared me to meet the needs of a student with an IEP. I also plan to work closely with the inclusion teacher, Hannah Shedrick, to make sure that students are receiving the support and services they need to be successful in school.

What are you most looking forward to in 2012-2013?

As we embark on the 2012-2013 school year, I am most looking forward to making Creative Minds International PCS one of the best schools in the area. I want it to be a place that everyone raves about!

Reminders:National School Lunch

Program forms due

Creative Families Picnic - 10:00am – 1:00pm, Yards Park

Health and Immunization forms are due

Creative Families “Juice and Cookie Social”

Spotlight on 2nd Grade Teacher, Nayamka Long

Hello, my name is Nayamka Long. I am a Washington D.C. native who lives here in North-west with my husband and our two daughters. I have a large extended family and feel fortu-nate that so many of them live in the area. I enjoy spending time with them and traveling.

3

School Photos

It’s class photo time! Stone Photography will be onsite Wednesday, March 27th. The ‘Memory Mate’ Program is the school portrait package which includes:

• One 5x7 group photo in an 8x10 mount• One 3x4 individual photo in the 8x10

mount• One additional 4x6 individual photo• 4 wallet-size individual photos

All students will be photographed, whether you are planning to purchase a

package or not.

The cost of the package is $33. All checks and/or money orders should be made payable to 'Stone Photography' at time of purchase. The portrait packages will be shipped 2-3 weeks after the photo shoot. You will have an opportunity to view your child’s photos once they arrive, but packages will not be released without payment. Parents will have the option of ordering additional photos directly from the vendor. A friendly reminder and tips on dressing your child for picture day will be sent home in backpacks closer to the date. Sample portrait packages will be available in the lobby.

If you have any questions, please contact Dawn Goodloe dawngoodloe@gmail.com.

Women’s Social & Jewelry Fundraiser On Sunday, February 24th, Kara Gotsch (PS3 mom to Oliver) hosted a fundraiser featuring the popular line of Lia Sophia jewelry. The event was a great success, raising $740 to help fund field trips, teacher training, and parent education. Thanks to everyone who attended the social and supported the school. A very special thanks to Kara and her family for pulling this together and opening their home to us. Many in attendance expressed interest in participating in future events like this. If you would like to host a similar type of fundraiser on behalf of the school, please contact Dawn Goodloe dawngoodloe@gmail.com.

Climbing Wall for The Sensory RoomIn our efforts to offer more gross motor activities for our students, the sensory room will soon have a 8ft x 10ft climbing wall. We appreciate your ideas and donations and will continue to add opportunities for our students’ gross motor development.

Powell Park Improvement EffortsThanks to everyone who joined us on the letter campaign to the ANC. We appreciate your participation and support! Due to your efforts and those of Mundo Verde’s, Sacred Heart’s, and local community members, we were able to get a commitment for a temporary gate for the park. We will continue to push for

a higher fence that can be locked at night to make our playground a safe and a clean environment for our children who use the park daily. In the meantime the DC Parks and Recreation has indicated that they will gate the area until a higher fence is built. The second graders took this community effort to heart and students wrote their own personal letters addressed to our local representative. They did very good work expressing their thoughts about the park, its usage, safety and cleanliness. Hopefully their requests will be responded to by city officials and the community. Taking "ownership" of the park as a community is an important step in the improvement process and we are proud of our students’ involvement. We will soon have a cleaner, safer park across the street!

Earth Day Park Clean-UpWe need your help and support once again for a park clean-up day at the Powell Playground on the corner of 16th and Lamont Street, NW. We will be joining our friends from Mundo Verde, Sacred Heart Church and other community members on Saturday, April 13th, with a possible rain date of April 14th. Please mark your calendars to join the Friends of Powell Park. This can be your Earth Day clean up message to the children. There will be more details to follow, with planned activities and events for that day.

Announcements:Parent Workshop: Monday, March 18th 5pm-6:30pmThe Morning Routine, Challenging Behaviors, and Setting LimitsAt our first parent workshop, Jake Greenspan presented from his father’s book Great Kids, highlighting ways to support a child’s healthy development by identifying the qualities that make us call a child a “great kid.” Qualities such as empathy, curiosity, and logical thinking, are fundamental and underlie all the academic, athletic, and social talents that a child might develop.

We would like to continue this conversation by discussing your individual concerns and challenges, such as the morning routine and transition to school, working through challenging behaviors and setting limits to support our children develop the qualities of great kids. We would also like to discuss future topics of interest for Creative Minds International Parent Workshops.

There will be coffee served directly after the workshop.

Please RSVP to let us know if you will attend so we can plan accordingly.

Contact Noel Rodriguez to RSVP: noel.rodriguez@creativemindspcs.org.

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Announcements Continued...

Adult ClassesCreative Minds is proud to offer Guitar and Yoga Classes for Adults. These are great personal development opportunities for everyone. The guitar class is full at the moment but you can email Ashton Conklin with any questions you may have at: ashton.conklin@creativemindspcs.org.

Yoga ClassesTuesdays from 5 PM to 6 PM with Sara Curtin. $12 drop-in or $40 for 4 classes. To reserve your spot, please email Sebastien Durand: sebastien.durand@creativemindspcs.org.

NEW Zumba Family ClassesCome with your little one, move, get healthy, dance together! Thanks to 5 Flavors of Chi (www.5flavorsofchi.com), Zumba Family classes will be held every Thursday starting on March 14th from 5 PM to 6 PM. $12 drop-in or $40 for 4 classes (for 1 adult and 1 child). For more information email Sebastien Durand: sebastien.durand@creativemindspcs.org.

Radius PizzaTo date, Radius Pizzeria has donated the following amounts: January 26th: Ms. Molly’s class earned $55.00 February 9th: Ms. Annie’s class earned $85.00 February 23rd: Ms. Julie’s class earned $60.00 March 2nd: Ms. Janina’s class earned $25.00

The money each class raises will go a long way toward funding the purchase of point and shoot cameras for each classroom. Radius is open to continuing this relationship with the school and has agreed to host classes that would like to return for additional dates. If there's interest, please let Ellen Beares (pre-school mom to Gordon) know and she can help facilitate. Ellen’s email is: ellenbeares@gmail.com. Upcoming Dates:

March 9th: Kindergarten (Ms. Becka)March 23rd: 1st grade (Ms. Shoshi and Ms. Wendi)March 30th: 2nd grade (Ms. Nayamka)

Please come out and share a meal with your class in support of our school and neighborhood business.

Radius Pizzeria is located at 3155 Mount Pleasant Street NW.

Relay FoodsThanks to Nadira Clarke (pre-kindergarten mom to Nigel), Creative Minds International Public Charter School is excited to now be partnering with Relay Foods! Relay Foods is Metro DC's favorite local online grocery store and farmers market. You'll find everything from grass-fed beef, organic eggs and dairy to delicious specialty foods. They also carry all the conventional grocery items you need, like diapers and paper towels, at affordable prices. In addition to convenient home delivery, Relay Foods is offering a pick up option at the school on Thursdays between the hours of 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM. Simply order your groceries online, and select Creative Minds International Public Charter School as your pick up spot. There is no fee for using the pick up spot - all you pay for is your delicious groceries! Save $10 on your first order of $50 or more (home delivery or pickup) by entering promocode CREATIVE10 at checkout, RelayFoods.com.

radiuspizza.com

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Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!!If you never did, you should.

These things are fun and

fun is good.

New Families Reception a Success!We had a great turnout for our New Families Reception on June 25th. The event was an opportunity for parents to get acquainted, talk to staff and teachers, and see the school building. Dr. Abedin introduced several faculty members including Ashton Conklin, Director of the Arts Program and Music & Movement Teacher, who gave a brief introduction to the music program and highlighted the school’s aspirations to raise enough money to purchase a set of adjustable-height steel drums (for use by all ages) and a set of xylophones. Board member and parent, Dr. Patricia Steele talked about the newly-formed Creative Families Association and told parents how to get

involved. Dr. Abedin also the led an in-depth Q&A session, fielding questions from parents on a range of subjects including curriculum, the after-care program, plans for the physical plant, among many others. The evening ended with parents meeting in smaller groups by grade. We were excited by the number of enthusiastic parents in attendance in what is shaping up to be the start of an engaged Creative Minds community! As always, if you have any questions that were not covered or would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact the school at: golnar.abedin@creativemindspcs.org or by phone at .

Dr. Golnar Abedin introduced faculty and gave updates on preparations for opening the new school.

Many parents attended the first school-wide event.

Ashton Conklin spoke about the school’s arts program.

Parents gathered for the Q&A session.

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新年快�(Xīn Nián Kuài Lè)

Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday, also known as the Spring Festival. Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally start on the last day of the last month of the Chinese calendar and run through the Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day of the first month. This Chinese New Year, the year of the snake, was celebrated by our kindergarten through a traditional Dragon Dance.