Attendance line: 686-1726

To all the families that ordered Duke Energy Kits, thank you! By doing so, our school will be receiving a donation of $250.00!

April 14: No School! Spring Vacation Day

April 17: No School! Professional Development Day

April 19: All Pro Dad Breakfast

April 28: Spring Carnival

May 5: Kindergarten Orientation 10-11 AM

May 11: Spring Plant Sale

May 12: Book Swap

May 18: 4th GR Performance/Celebration

May 22: Field Day

May 23: Field Day Rain Date

May 25: Last Day of School

Our Maple Dale Spring Carnival is only two weeks away! The carnival promises to be a fun night for the whole family. All proceeds go to the Maple Dale PTO.

Here are a few things to remember as our carnival date approaches:

This is the FINAL WEEKEND to make online donations for class baskets.

Discounted PRESALE CARNIVAL AND SPLIT THE POT tickets will only be available through April 21st

We need many volunteers to make this evening a success. Volunteer spots are available in shifts so that you can work at the carnival AND have time to enjoy the carnival with your children.

Your support is needed to make the carnival a successful and fun event!

Please click the link below to get more information and to find out how you can get involved.

Carnival Info

There are several ways that families can support the carnival. We would like to highlight two this week:

Classroom Basket Raffle - Historically this is one of the kids favorite activities to participate in. We are asking families in grades 1- 4 to help out with Classroom Baskets to be raffled off at the carnival. You can either donate an unused themed gift (see list in attached packet) or make a monetary cash donation. Items may be brought in to the office. There is a form in the attached packet for you to complete along with your donation so that you can be recognized for your donation.

Bid and Buy - You can donate items for the Bid and Buy, or make a monetary donation to the carnival. A few suggestions for the Bid and Buy: unused gift cards / certificates, new and unused items that others might be interested in, sports memorabilia, tickets to concerts, sporting events or cultural events. When you donate to the Bid and Buy, please send in the form in the attached packet along with your donation.

For monetary donations please go to PTO Transaction Center http://mdpto.3dcartstores.com/ or send in cash /check along with the attached donation form via kidmail addressed to: Maple Dale Treasurer. Checks can be made payable to Maple Dale PTO.

All donations due by Monday April 15th

We are still accepting donations from 4th grade families to pay for this beautiful, welcoming lobby! You may either send in a check payable to “Maple Dale PTO” to the PTO Treasurer via kid mail OR donate through the PTO online transaction center: mdpto.3dcartstores.com. Click on 4th Grade Celebration.”

Thanks so much!

Gina and Katie

Yearbooks are here! Everyone who ordered a yearbook should have received their copy by now but for anyone who missed out we have a few left for sale. The cost is $18.00 cash or check made payable to The Maple Dale PTO. This is on a first come first serve basis with a limited supply available and the deadline to order is Wednesday April 19th. Any left over copies will then be raffled off at the Spring Carnival. Please email Gina Mahoney at ginamahoney@yahoo.com to purchase your copy today!

Although your child may or may not have taken the CogAT in December, you may request that your child be tested on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). If you wish to have your child participate in this round of testing, all requests must be made through the below online link by April 16, 2017. In order to decrease disruption to your child's instruction, this testing opportunity will take place prior to the start of the school day. We have scheduled this 45-50 minute testing session to be administered from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Maple Dale.

Please note that it is the parents' responsibility to provide transportation the morning of testing to your child’s building. Additionally, know that Sycamore cannot use kindergarten or first grade scores for gifted placement.

Maple Dale OLSAT Testing Sign-Up

The Maple Dale Milers team has linked up with the Cincinnati Flying Pig Kids’ Marathon! Any Miler who achieves 25 miles by the Flying Pig Marathon weekend will have the opportunity to run their 26th mile through the “Finish Swine” of the Flying Pig on Saturday, May 6, 2017. Another option is the Tri State Running Company 5K. Registration is required.

Walking/running miles to reach 25 miles for this event can be earned outside of Milers.

HOW: The Milers Team keeps track of how many miles each Miler achieves during Miler Wednesdays. Each student is responsible for making up any additional miles needed to reach the 25-mile goal. Hog Logs are available through the Flying Pig website. See Registration details below.

WHEN: 26th Mile Saturday, May 6 - 12:00pm

5K Saturday, May 6 - 10:00am

WHERE: Site of the Flying Pig Marathon – Cincinnati’s Riverfront

WHY: It will be so much fun! And…each registered participant will get a finishers’ shirt, a marathon medal and all the goodies of the finish celebration!

REGISTRATION DETAILS:

Registration is $15 for the 26th Mile and $40 youth for the 5K & should be completed by a parent/guardian online at http://flyingpigmarathon.com/events/26th-mile/ by April 23rd.

When given the option, select Maple Dale as your school/group.

Each child NEEDS an adult race buddy! 1:1 While the Flying Pig encourages guardians to register, if you do not, you can still walk/ run with your child but you will not receive a t-shirt.

RACE DAY: On race day, we will meet as a group on Joe Nuxal Way under a flag that will say “Maple Dale.” The group will be wearing our Maple Dale shirts so that we are easy to find.

Any questions contact Diane VanderBrink dvanderbrink@yahoo.com

Have a love for working with students and for the environment? The annual Maple Dale Earth Fair is Tuesday, May 9th during lunch recess for all grade levels. We will have several booths and games for students to learn about different aspects of the earth, the environment, composting, recycling, and more! Sign up to help with a booth or game! Questions? Contact Anne Berg, anneeberg@gmail.com.

Sign Up Genius: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0d44a9a728a20-maple

It's nearly time for the Mothers Day Plant Sale! We need several volunteers throughout the day to help children choose their flowers. This is a very fun and special way to be involved at Maple Dale! Questions? Contact Anne Berg, anneeberg@gmail.com.

Sign Up Genius: www.SignUpGenius.com/go/60B0D44A9A728A20-maple1

Maple Dale Elementary students are invited to participate in a Book Swap on May 12, 2017. Bring in your gently used books and trade them in for “new to you” books to read! Here’s how the Book Swap will work:

From May 2, 2017 to May 11, 2017 students may bring in any ‘gently used’ books to their classroom for donation. We will be collecting (Kindergarten through 4th grade appropriate) books brought in by each student.

May 12th students will be invited to visit the Book Swap tables and select a book(s) of their choice. The number of books students will be allowed to select will be based on the number of books that are donated in total. The more books we get, the more books students will be allowed to take home! However, if a student is unable to donate a book they will still be able to choose a book(s) on the day of the Book Swap.

Please consider volunteering for the Book Swap

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d48afab22a7fb6-volunteer

Questions- Amie Leigh Reece amieleighreece@gmail.com or Liz Dolan lizdolan2004@yahoo.com

1st thru 5th Grade Boys & Girls (grades for 2017-18)

Hosted by Mike Teets, Boys & Girls Varsity Tennis Coach

Assisted by varsity boys & girls players

Mondays - June 12 & 19, July 10 & 17

6:00 - 7:00 pm at the High School Courts

Cost is $35 (includes t-shirt & prizes!)

Questions & To Register: teetsm@sycamoreschools.org

The Sycamore Band & Orchestra Boosters will be sponsoring our Second Annual mattress sale on Saturday, April 29. This has been a very successful fundraiser in local school districts for the past 10 years. We are very excited to be able to sponsor this event here at Sycamore High School once again this year.

Brand new, name brand, top quality mattress sets with full manufacturer warranties. Much higher quality for price than a retail store! All sizes, price ranges, delivery and free layaway will be available. Floor models will be on display at Sycamore High School from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 29. If you, or anyone you know is in the market for a new mattress… check out this fundraiser!! If you need a new mattress before this sale or have any questions, please contact Ultimate Fundraising Solutions at dharbin65@yahoo.com.

Proceeds from every sale will benefit SBOB

Check out this wonderful article from verywell - mindfulness is a skill which will serve your child well throughout his/her life.

The media has done a good job bringing to light the prevalence and severity of the use of heroin, prescription drugs and marijuana among our nation’s youth. But what about alcohol? We don’t hear much about it in the news anymore. Is underage drinking still that widespread? And c’mon, is it really that big of a deal? YES and YES.

Alcohol remains the number one drug of choice among youth, and excessive drinking continues to lead to more than 4,300 adolescent deaths each year.

The good news is that overall, underage drinking has declined. The 2016 Monitoring the Future Survey found that 7% of 8th graders, 20% of 10th graders and 33% of 12th graders had consumed alcohol within the past 30 days – all down from past years. Similarly, when it comes to binge drinking (defined as five or more drinks in a row by males or four or more drinks in a row by females), it has also decreased, with 3% of 8th graders, 10% of 10th graders and 16% of 12th graders reporting recent binge drinking. However, anytime young people are drinking alcohol, it is a problem. Furthermore, the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that 8% of high school students admitted to getting behind the wheel after drinking and 20% said they rode in a car with a driver who had been drinking.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for adolescents. And stepping into a car as either an impaired driver or as the passenger of an impaired driver can be a fatal mistake.

The hazards of underage drinking include a long list of risks and should never be taken lightly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience:

• School problems – missing school and poor or failing grades
• Social problems – fighting and loss of interest in extracurricular activities
• Legal problems – from impaired driving or physically hurting someone while under the influence
• Physical problems – hangovers and illnesses
• Disruption of normal growth and sexual development
• Changes in brain development - some that may have lifelong effects, including memory issues
• Unwanted, unplanned and unprotected sexual activity
• Abuse of other drugs
• Physical and sexual assault
• Increased risk for suicide and homicide
• Unintentional alcohol-related injuries and fatalities – due to burns, falls, drowning and alcohol poisoning (in addition to car crashes)

There are also certain times and circumstances in students’ lives where they may be at greater likelihood for underage drinking. When youth transition into middle school or high school, or acquire a driver’s license - these are especially risky times for teen alcohol use. Youth with conduct problems, depression or other emotional issues; anyone with a family history of alcoholism; young people whose friends drink or are involved in other deviant activities - are all at increased risk for the onset of teen drinking.

It is also important to keep in mind that young people who begin drinking before the age of 15 are six times more likely to develop alcoholism or have problems with alcohol later in life, compared to those who wait until turning 21. With this in mind, the importance of delaying drinking is immense. In the following tip we will share ideas to keep students alcohol-free.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Alcohol Fact Sheets – Underage Drinking. 2016 Monitoring the Future Survey. 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Visit starttalking.ohio.gov to get the conversation going !!!

At Maple Dale Elementary, staff, parents, and students work as a team to promote success and provide a welcoming, safe, and positive learning environment for all.

Email: reinkea@sycamoreschools.org
Website: http://www.sycamoreschools.org/Domain/12
Location: 6100 Hagewa Drive, Cincinnati, OH, United States
Phone: (513)686-1720
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mapledaleaviators/
Twitter: @MapleDaleElem