Please help the ODL Foundation today and join in the celebration with a $10 donation via https://www.givingfirst.org/outdoorlab/overview

The ODL Foundation is seeking 4th and 5th grade parents to be liaisons and get the info out to their local schools

If you are interested in being a liaison for your school or have someone who is please let me or the ODL foundation know by February 29th Thanks!

Ways you can earn money to pay for Outdoor Lab and ways you can help keep Outdoor Lab going for years to come.

• Start using King Soopers cards to earn your Outdoor Lab Fees — it doesn’t cost you a penny!! The form is attached and your card, or cards, will be tied to your student’s number. So, all money earned — 5% of everything you load on the card — will go to offset your student’s Outdoor Lab fees. Here’s a tip: order extra cards so family and friends can help, too. Extra funds will help the program as a whole.
• Attend the Outdoor Lab Foundation’s Legacy Gala — Into the Wild, Saturday, April 21, 2012, at the Denver West Marriott. All proceeds benefit Outdoor Lab, and the evening includes silent and live auctions, dinner and live music. We already have some tables organized for Kyffin. If you’d like to join in, just email me and I’ll give you more info. The school with the most attendees gets naming rights to the polar bear up at Mt. Evans for a whole year. The Foundation is also asking each school to donate a basket to the silent auction. For more information on the Gala, visit www.OutdoorLabFoundation.org.
• Throughout the month of February — and just in time for the 4-day weekend — Fun City is generously donating a portion of their ticket proceeds to help save the Outdoor Lab Schools! All you need to do is print out the attached flyer and present it at the ticket line. Help Outdoor Lab, and have FUN doing it! For more details contact Cindy Monical at 720–266-2441 or visit the Fun City website.

Questions about the Outdoor Lab Foundation? Contact Executive Director Shannon Hancock at Shannon@OutdoorLabFoundation.orgor (303) 982‑2539.

Many thanks to all of you who helped support the effort to save the Outdoor Lab Program for Jeffco schools!

Journalism students respond:

Author Inspires Young Writers

By T.J. A. and Addie M. 
On December 15, 2011, author Justin Matott visited Mitchell Elementary. The whole school joined him for a special assembly. He told us some great stories. We learned he has written at
least 12 books, that a good story can take six months to write, and you need to be creative with your writing. He showed us how being funny attracts more people to your work. He also encouraged 4th, 5th, and 6th graders to use our imaginations during a writing workshop following the assembly.

By the Journalism Club

Fourth, 5th and 6th grade Journalism Club students sat down with Mr. Phillips to talk with him about what goes into planning the 6th grade musical and what Mitchell can expect for next year.

J-club: After the auditions, how do you decide who gets which part?
Mr. Phillips: By judges’ score and student preference.There are five criteria judges score. They are: projection, diction, character, voice, and overall assessment. Character is defined as the student’s ability to stay in character, be theatrical and maintain an accent if needed. Voice quality is judged by pitch-matching only.

J-club: Why did you use bananas as guns?
Mr. Phillips: Based on feedback from MCAT, we wanted to avoid using weapon props. Also, Westward Whoa is a melodrama. The props supported the overall sense of silliness and comedy.

J-club: How do you decide which musical you’re going to perform each year?
Mr. Phillips: Based on my perceived assessment of student interest and ability. I also meet with the involved parents after the wrap of the show to talk and begin planning for the following year.

J-club: For Westward Whoa, where did you read about it, or find it, or learn about it?
Mr. Phillips: Knowing that I was interested in doing a melodrama this year, I chose it based on the synopsis on the Pioneer Publishing website.

J-club: How do you decide the clothes the performers wear?
Mr. Phillips: By character and student preference.

J-club: How stressful has this musical been to coordinate as the other ones you’ve done? Mr. Phillips: This year was a little more stressful because of the time of year the Golden High School theater was available…after vacation.

J-club: We heard this was the first time you’ve run the show for two nights, is that true? Mr. Phillips: No; I like the students to have a second night if possible to refine their performance.

J-club: How much time went into organizing this production?
Mr. Phillips: I can’t even say…

J-club: Why did you choose Westward Whoa? What is it about?
Mr. Phillips: It is a melodrama with a Western theme about the classic story of good vs. evil.

J-club: Why does Mitchell perform a 6th grade musical every year?
Mr. Phillips: As a culmination of the music experience for Mitchell students. This may be the last chance for some students to be exposed to musical theater because it will be an elective after 6th grade.

J-club: For rising 6th graders, how can they prepare to participate in next year’s musical?
Mr. Phillips: Students who want a part in next year’s play should practice the vocal exercises we do during music class over the summer. Also, Heritage Square and the Arvada Center both offer performing arts camps during the summer. Participation in those kinds of activities also helps.

Who: All Mitchell Elementary students (K-6) are invited to participate.

When: Thursday March 1, 2012. Evening performances will be for family and friends in the gym. K-3 will perform from 6–7 pm and grades 4–6 will perform for 7:15 — 8:15 pm.  During the day the performances will be for judges and classmates during “specials”.  4th grade 8:15 — 9:10 | 5th grade 9:10 — 9:55 | 6th grade 10:00 — 10:45 | 3rd grade 10:55 — 11:40 | 2nd grade 1:15 — 2:00 | 1st grade 2:05 — 2:50

Why: It is FUN! Students get to explore different types of literature and are taught good public speaking skills.
How:    REGISTER ONLINE!

~Tristan~

Wins 2 tickets to the AFC Wildcard game This Sunday!!

Dear Mitchell Elementary,

Tell the Governor: Don’t Appeal Lobato Decision!

On December 9, Judge Sheila Rappaport issued a decision in the Lobato case confirming what parents and students have been saying for years: “[Colorado’s] public school finance system is irrational, arbitrary, and severely underfunded.”

The Judge ordered the legislature to do its constitutional duty – create a funding system that provides adequate resources to allow all students to meet standards, and become effective citizens and productive members of the workforce.

Now, the state can either focus on fixing the broken school funding system — or delay by appealing the decision.

Click the link below to sign our letter calling on the Governor, Attorney General, and State Board of Education members not to appeal the Lobato decision. Colorado’s students have waited long enough.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2700/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8988

Sincerely,

Colorado PTA Board of Directors

& Great Education Colorado

volunteers who make this community a huge success!

We hope you can find all the information you need in this site.