Panther Tales Fernwood Elementary Newsletter Local Unit #6.10.16 3933 Jewell Road, Bothell, WA 98012 PTSA President: Becky Thomas School Principal: Lew Dickert (425-408-4500) Newsletter Editor: Cathy Langohr

Volume MMXl lssue 3 — December 2011

Dear Fernwood Families:

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Sally Foster fundraiser this year!

A final order is being submitted and we will have a final count soon. Thanks to

Karin Goodenough and Shannon Cortinas for coordinating this fundraiser.

We hope you all enjoyed yourself at our family skate night at the Everett Skate

Deck on 11/22. Thank you, to Tina Beebe for planning this event.

In November we will be having our annual Book Fair, which will begin when we

come back from Thanksgiving break. Watch for fliers coming home soon. If we

raise $10,000 several teachers will be performing at the December Assembly.

Come to the Book Fair and buy Christmas gifts for your family and friends.

Eighty-percent of the money raised goes straight to our school library (which is

their only funding for the year), so let's make this a great year for Fernwood!

Our next General membership meeting is scheduled for 1/10/12 at 7:00 pm in

the Library. The YMCA will be providing childcare in the Cafeteria.

We hope you all enjoy the holiday season with your

families. As always, if you have any questions or concerns,

please contact me at gjblthomas@frontier. Thanks for

your continued support.

Becky Thomas, President

December 2011 Panther Tales Page 2

CALENDAR

DECEMBER

19th– Jan. 2nd— No School ~ Winter Break

**No PTSA meeting this month**

JANUARY

2nd– No School ~ Holiday

3rd– No School ~ Teacher Work Day

4th– Back to School

10th– PTSA Meeting @ 7pm

16th– No School ~ MLK Day

27th– No School ~ Teacher Work Day

Newsletter Information ‘LET’S GO GREEN’

The PTSA newsletter can always be viewed at:

http://fernwood.ourschoolpages.com/Home

Parents already receiving the Fernwood principal’s newsletter updates by email will also receive an email when the newest PTSA newsletter is posted. If you would rather have a paper copy of the newsletter sent home with your child, please contact me at cflangohr@gmail.com. Please include your child’s name and teacher.

To publicize in the January newsletter, please contact Cathy Langohr at cflangohr@gmail.com by Thursday, December 22nd.

Help support local high school students earn their way to Tijuana to build homes. Ninth annual youth group tree sale opens 11/25 & runs thru 12/21. Where: St. John Vianney Church 12600 84th Ave NE Kirkland 98034 Hours: Monday-Friday 5-8:00pm. Sat 8-9:00pm. Sun 8-5:00pm. Questions or special orders: Ken Goodwin 425.823.6840 , goodwin.hp@gmail.com

December 2011 Panther Tales Page 4

This month let's give three cheers to welcome:

Ahliana Davis, Kindergarten Devon Wichman, Kindergarten Richie Dang, Kindergarten Grace Rinas, Kindergarten

We wish the best to departing friends:

Bailey Frye, Kindergarten Alisa Burt, Grade 1

Truong Nguyen, Grade 2

Thank you to Megan Hefferan, Ananya Saravana, Jolee McFarland and Liam Ryan

for the art and photography entries! Please see their entries in the library from

the 28th to the 30th, next week. Their art will also be showcased at Northlake

Lutheran Church in Kenmore on the 6th and 7th of January. Their art will be

representing Fernwood at the district level! Great work, Panthers!

Happy Holiday Boxtops, Ho Ho Ho!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? We just want

to remind you as you bake and make merry that there are

boxtop opportunities abounding. Check those Ziploc containers

and bags—that box has a boxtop! The gold medal flour? It

has a boxtop! Chex mix for the party? Yep, a boxtop. Clip,

store and save. We’ll collect them all in February.

Hey, and are you saving time, energy and sanity shopping

online? Start your journey at www.btfe.com, find the “earn”

tab and navigate to the marketplace. There are more stores

than I can possibly relate—don’t believe me, check it out! Click

on the store of your choice and earn boxtops while you shop!

December 2011 Panther Tales Page 4

PTSA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Fernwood Elementary PTSA

Local Unit #6.10.16

NO PTSA MEETING FOR

DECEMBER 2011

*Childcare provided by YMCA in the cafeteria *Meetings will be the second Tuesday of every month.

* Be a part of PTSA, everyone is welcome!

Fun with Gelatin

With darkened days we tend to retreat to comfortable surroundings often spending more time in the kitchen creating delectable goodies to carry us through. It takes a hardened soul to turn away from the fruity flavor of jello salads and gumdrops. Ever play with the sweet stuff? Here are a couple of ideas to try (just promise you’ll help with clean-up when you’re done).

Gelatin Stalagmites

Who knew geology formations could be found using physics and a little kitchen wizardry? What you need:

Balloon (inflated with any old air) Gelatin (flavored or unflavored) Bowl or baking dish

Something made of wool (or your own hair) What to do: Blow up your balloon and tie it off. Pour your gelatin into the dish—don’t be shy, layer it up to an inch deep. Rub your balloon against the wool, not too hard; is your hair standing up yet? Now touch the balloon to the gelatin and gently lift the balloon. See the gelatin clinging to the balloon and dish? You may even see the gelatin fly up the balloon, cool huh?! The structures sticking up from the bottom of the dish are called stalagmites. Those that cling from the balloon are called stalactites (they have to hold on tight, get it?). What do you call a structure that bridges both dish to balloon? A column!

Obviously, this is static electricity at work, but it also lets us see some cave formations in the warmth of our own homes. Couple that with edible science and we all win!

Gelatin Gumdrops

Done with the balloon? Still want to have a little fun? Let’s try a little chemistry now. What you need:

Gelatin (pick your favorite flavor!) Baking dish Medicine dropper

Fork Water What to do: Pour the gelatin into the dish making sure it is about 1 inch deep. Using your medicine dropper filled with water add one drop of water to the gelatin. Once it is absorbed, add a second drop of water to the same spot making sure it gets absorbed. Continue until about 6 drops have been added. Using your fork, scoop under the spot and lift upward. You will find you’ve made a gumdrop. The gelatin mixed with sugar and flavoring has the unusual property of swelling and holding water in a network of protein fibers. The gumdrop you’ve made is actually a liquid suspended in a solid! Want a little more challenge? Use more or less water, what happens? Use unflavored gelatin, add coloring and your own flavorings to create a personalized treat. These ideas come courtesy of Mr. Wizard, who definitely still has it! Want to be a wizard yourself? Help us plan this year’s science fair. Contact Amy Oliver (amyroliver@gmail.com) or Anca Stepan (ancastepan@gmail.com) who will teach you the spells. The science fair is coming quickly—6 April 2012!

FERNWOOD ELEMENTARY PTSA

LOCAL UNIT #6.10.16 PTSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS 2011-2012

Elected Officers/Executive Committee: President Becky Thomas 489-7945 gjblthomas@frontier.com 1st VP/Membership Tammy Wyatt 286-4384 bellekodi@frontier.com 2nd VP/ Fundraising Karin Goodenough 485-1120 tk.goodenough@frontier.com Shannon Cortinas 485-5075 cortinas1@aim.com Secretary Kristin Lindamood 481-3585 KristinLynn@msn.com Treasurer Shannon Osthimer 486-6542 sosthimer@gmail.com Legislation OPEN Committee Chairpersons: *Member Position 6th grade Graduation Pam Lan 398-1626 pamlan@frontier.com 6th grade Legacy Project Tracy LeBel 415-8476 thelebels@msn.com After-School Programs Brenda Ableman 206-579-0921 brendaableman@frontier.com Art Docent* Carmen Angel 806-4809 carmenangel@frontier.com Assemblies* Amy Heinrich-Kehr 806-0363 amy.heinrich@frontier.com Audit Committee OPEN Bingo Night Jen Pirak 485-3545 jpirak@fisherradio.com Andrea Harris 488-0972 akh830@yahoo.com Book Fair Gini Scott 206-310-8262 ginilinscott@hotmail.com Delia O’Malley 486-5386 delia.omalley@gmail.com

Becky Thomas 489-7945 gjblthomas@frontier.com Box Tops Amy Oliver 483-1255 amyroliver@gmail.com Mary Chamberlin 408-0957 chamberlinem@comcast.net Bulletin Board Pravina Mistry pravina.mistry@hotmail.co.uk Directory/Binders Andrea Harris 488-0972 akh830@yahoo.com Family Fun Nights* Tina Beebe 360-668-0741 tina@okoke.com Golden Acorn Committee OPEN Jen Pirak 485-3545 jpirak@fisherradio.com Ice Cream Social Julie Boden 206-779-8362 bodens@gmail.com Jen Pirak 485-3545 jpirak@fisherradio.com

Becky Thomas 489-7945 gjblthomas@frontier.com Jr. Achievement Coordinator Mike Briskorn 398-1759 mike.briskorn@microsoft.com Library Volunteer Coordinator Erin Anderson 577-3446 camnerin@gmail.com Newsletter:* Cathy Langohr 398-2575 cflangohr@gmail.com Popcorn Seana Long 206-295-8311 seanamarie@frontier.com Sarah Yeo 220-8203 syeo2@msn.com Recycling (ink/cell) Gini Scott 206-310-8262 ginilinscott@hotmaill.com Reflections Sarah Fowler 915-7116 sarahleefowler@gmail.com Safety* Terry Bulholm 481-2517 Terry_Paul123@yahoo.com School Beautification* Amy Chelius 488-5784 amyrchelius@hotmail.com School Spirit Sales* Carmen Angel 806-4809 carmenangel@frontier.com Science Fair Amy Oliver 483-1255 amyroliver@gmail.com Anca Stepan ancastepan@gmail.com Social Media Janette Cline 481-6986 paulandjanette@comcast.net Social Services* Kristin Dickert 210-1157 KLDickert@comcast.net Staff Appreciation* Pam Lan 398-1626 pamlan@frontier .com Julie Boden 206-779-8362 bodens@gmail..com Sunshine* Janette Cline 481-6986 paulandjanette@comcast.net Variety Show Tammy Wyatt 286-4384 bellekodi@frontier.com Volunteer Coordinator Pam Lan 398-1626 pamlan@frontier.com Website* Eric Lindamood 481-3585 eric.lindamood@gmail.com Welcome Wagon* Amy Chelius 488-5784 amyrchelius@hotmail.com Yearbook* Sarah Fujita 481-5688 sarah@thefujitas.com Year-End Event Jen Loftus 424-9818 j_loftus@yahoo.com