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Page 1
The Star Tracker
A publication of Stinson Elementary School PTA
Volume X, Issue 5
February 2011
Community Partners 10
Grade Level News 6-7
Junior Investor 3
Treasurer’s Report 9
President’s Pen
February 2011
2011 is here! I know I’ll be writing 2010 on my checks for some time to come; but it is time to
start thinking ahead. There are many things going on in our PTA, and beyond. Take a few min-
utes to think about where you might want more information or involvement.
The Stinson PTA just formed it’s Nominating Committee for the 2011/2012 school year. Their
job is to recommend a slate of officers for the March election. Since we have one year terms,
we will be electing a President, VP of Membership, VP of Ways and Means, VP of Programs, VP
of Communication, Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer’s Assistant. Watch for a flyer coming
home soon to ask for nominations.
If an officer position is not for you, there are many chairman and committee positions available
every year. We welcome everyone’s involvement. If you have questions on where you might
best fit, please let me know, or ask any of our current officers. We have a tradition of excel-
lence to continue at Stinson, and I hope you will be a part of it!
This year the Texas Legislature is in session. As you have probably read, there is a large budget
deficit projected, and budget cuts for education are expected. Our district is already preparing
for these cuts. PTA’s role is to be educated on the progress of the legislature, and make our
views as voters and constituents known. The State PTA is hosting the PTA Day at the Capitol;
the PISD council will send a busload of people to participate in this day of meetings with legis-
lators. The State PTA will be monitoring bills that impact the health, welfare, and education of
our children. The Texas PTA President was part of the committee working with Senator
Shapiro to draft legislation outlawing the drug, K2. PTA will be sending out updates on the
relevant legislation, we will have the ability to subscribe to those updates and act where we
see a need.
Please let me know what you would like to see from your PTA. I look forward to a fantastic
2011!
Thank you,
Julie Richard
Stinson PTA President
“Shoot for the moon. Even
if you miss, you’ll land
among the stars. ”
~Les Brown
Page 2
From the Desk
of
Mrs. Salamone
The Star tracker
A Monthly Newsletter of the Stinson Parent Teacher
Association
Principal Barbara Salamone
Assistant Principal Tricia Lancaster
PTA President Julie Richard
Newsletter Editor Jennifer Neves
Stinson Elementary School 4201 Greenfield Drive Richardson, TX 75082
School Office 469-752-3400
School Website k-12.pisd.edu/schools/stinson
Stinson PTA Website www.stinsonpta.org
PISD Website www.pisd.edu
All correspondence should be directed to the PTA Newsletter Editor at the school
address or [email protected]
HAVE YOU JOINED THE
STINSON PTA?
GO TO
WWW.STINSONPTA.ORG
UNDER ACTIVITIES TO
SIGN UP.
Order your Yearbook now!
Remember to order your year-
book! Price is $25.
Go to
www.stinsonpta.org to sign
up for the Star to Star
eNewsletter
We have some fantastic programs available at Stinson.
Go to www.stinsonpta.org to learn about:
♦ Junior Investor program
♦ After school programs
♦ Watch D.O.G.S.
♦ Stinson Cares
Letter from Mrs. Salamone
will be on a separate page.
Attention: We NEED YOU!
Volunteers are needed to help with the distribution
of Thursday packets.
If you are interested please contact Katherine
Gotcher at [email protected]
REMINDER
Please check the lost and found for jack-
ets, books, lunchboxes, scarves and
gloves. Thanks!!
5th Grade Legacy Gift This year's 5th grade class will be donating a legacy gift to Stinson commemorating their time
spent here. Suggestion boxes are in the fifth grade hall and the teacher's lounge for use by 5th
graders and teachers. Suggestions will be accepted through the end of February. Once the
suggestions are compiled, the fifth graders will vote on their class' donation. The student or
teacher with the winning suggestion will present the item at the final spirit assembly of
the year in May. The legacy gift will be funded by donated pennies from the fifth graders and
private donations. Please contact Stephanie Chritton at [email protected] with any
questions.
ESL News
Kindergartners are learning about animals in our new unit “Wild, Wooly, and Wonderful”. Ani-
mals can live in the forest, ocean, desert, and more. Some have feathers, others have tusks.
Animals can fly, run, swim, or crawl.
First graders has began a new unit, “Everyone Needs a Home”. There are many different kinds
of homes all over the world. A home or shelter helps to keep us safe. We all have needs and
wants.
Second graders are studying the water cycle. They are writing a story about a drop of water go-
ing on an adventure through the water cycle. An origami folded whale will help tell their stories.
Third, fourth, and fifth graders continue in-depth learning of vocabulary supporting their weekly
literature.
Page 3
Environmental News-Green Valentine's Day?
There are several things that can be done to lessen our negative impact on the environment when celebrating Valen-
tine's Day this year.
Consider sending an e-card as Valentine's Day is the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. You can also send
cards made from recycled or tree-free paper. This information will be indicated on the card and envelope. Buy Valentine's Day
cards from local artists who make cards from recycled material, or, better yet, make your own Valentine's Day cards with recycled
materials and items from nature.
Use red or pink fabric or recycled wrapping paper to wrap gifts.
Make dinner reservations at a neighborhood restaurant specializing in locally-grown food as it will reduce your travel
miles and your food's travel miles.
An environmentally-friendly alternative to cut flowers that are shipped into our area from elsewhere would be to buy cut
flowers grown locally, either by visiting a nursery directly or a farmer's market. Giving a live plant which can be enjoyed for years
to come is even better!
From the desk of the librarian:
Congratulations to Melody Zhang, Kindergarten-
McFarland. Melody is a winner in Plano Public Library System’s
Bookmark Contest!
Entries in the bookmark contest were submitted in
September and October for “Get a Library Card” months.
Melody’s bookmark was selected as second place in
the Kindergarten through grade 2 category from over 1000 en-
tries.
Friends of the Plano Public Library will print bookmarks
featuring the winning artwork and make enough bookmarks for
every child in the school district.
We can’t wait to see Melody’s art on bookmarks. Way
to go, Melody!
Stinson Skate Night
Join us at Thunderbird Skating Rink on
Friday, February 4, from 5-7pm. The cost
is $7 per skater and includes regular
skates-rent inline skates for and extra $3.
You can bring your own inline skates for
free. The regular skate session starts at
7:30. Stinson families are free to stay and
skate for no extra
charge.
The PTA has started an exciting new project and we would like you to participate with us. It’s called the Great Family Cook-
book Project and its goal is to help create a cookbook for Stinson Elementary.
The Family Cookbook Project is a website that is designed to help us collect and even publish our favorite recipes so that we can
share and preserve the special food that you families enjoy. The website is easy to use and will take just a little effort to enter
your family’s favorite foods for all of us to enjoy. We can use these recipes online or even publish a cookbook that we can share
and treasure. But first, we need your help.
Please collect all of the wonderful recipes that you would like to contribute. We are looking not only for the dishes served on spe-
cial occasions, but also the every day meals you family enjoys.
E-mail our coordinator at [email protected] and she will send you a link to enter your own recipes under your name or
family name.
We are trying to have all of the recipes entered as soon as possible as we could have the cookbook ready by April.
Thank you for your help!
Page 4
The Stinson School
Store
Open Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:20am-7:40am
Buy fun school items and Spirit Wear
Small bills only please Need to go to the school store before 7:30? Then see Ms.
Gee about getting a pass.
Environmental News-
May the Forest be with You!
You don't have to stand in the middle of the woods to be surrounded by the forest. The
home you live in. The food you eat. The clothes you wear. The books you read. They all
come from the trees growing in Texas.
But there's more. Forests provide shelter for animals like birds and deer. They give peo-
ple a nice place to relax and play. They even help clean the water we drink and the air we
breathe.
It doesn't matter where you are-the forest is with you.
The source of this and for more info, go to www.texasforestry.org.
Want to know more about
your child’s grades, atten-
dance, record or assign-
ments? Then log into
MyPISD.net
Would you like to deposit
money into your child’s lunch
account online? Then log into
paypams.com
The next monthly Junior Investors Day will be Friday, February, 4th
. Please encourage them to deposit their allowance or money
from relatives. We’ll be there outside of the school office at 7:30a.m. Remember it’s never too late to start saving. Bring your
child to school; it only takes 5 minutes and $5 to open an account with First Bank.
Money saving concepts for kids:
• Consider rewarding your children for their savings efforts by matching all or part of their savings.
• Talk openly about money with your children; encourage them to ask questions.
• If your children get an allowance, introduce them the concept of budgeting and encourage them to cre-
ate a simple budget. This is also a good opportunity to reinforce “needs vs. wants”.
• Encourage them to count the money (a great money recognition and addition exercise) and fill out the
deposit slip the night before Junior Investors day. This will create a sense of ownership of the bank account.
Junior Investor Days are Feb 4, Mar 4, Apr 1, and May 6. Questions? Contact [email protected].
Six Flags READ TO SUCCEED is HERE!!
Stinson Stars…let’s all READ TO SUCCEED and earn a free ticket to Six Flags!! How you ask?? It’s easy! Each student that com-
pletes six hours of outside reading can qualify. This does NOT include reading for school or homework assignments. Students
keep a log of what they read and for how long…remember to have a parent/guardian or teacher initial each entry. Once you’ve
read for six hours, return the signed reading log to your teacher. All reading logs must be turned in on or before February 25th
–
no exceptions! Reading logs can be found in the school library. If you have any questions, please contact Wendy Blatchford at
Page 5
Five Questions Parents Ask About Bullying
Bullying is a topic that has been getting a lot of media attention recently. Dr. Andrea "Andie" Weiner, a child therapist and author of "More Than
Saying I Love You: Four Steps That Help Children Love Themselves" answers the five questions parents ask most about bullying.
The latest statistics show that 77 percent of students say they have been bullied. Because many children do not like to appear as a "tattletale" or
"snitch," they often do not report a bullying incident to the teacher or parent and that is why half of all bullying incidents go unreported. Here
are answers to important questions parents typically ask about bullying:
1. Why do kids bully?
First, let's state the three major characteristics of bullying:
• Bullying is characterized by a power differential between someone who has an unfair advantage over someone else who is victimized.
• It is an intentional act; someone has the intent to harm the victim.
• It is not generally a random act or single incident and is characterized by repeated occurrences.
• A child who is a bully does it for the power. Research shows that children who bully may be learning to use power and aggression as their
way to deal with others. Often this gets carried over into later relationships (dating aggression, spousal abuse, or workplace harassment).
Bullies also process social information inaccurately. For example, a common line they often use is "What are you looking at?" This is an in-
correct perception of provocation that, to them, serves as justification of aggressive behavior.
2. What are the typical forms of bullying?
• Physical aggression: Hitting, shoving, kicking. Physical aggression is more common among boys.
• Social aggression: Subtle and indirect, usually in the form of alienation, ostracism, deliberate exclusions, and spreading of untrue rumors.
Researchers call this relational aggression that attacks another person's self-esteem, friendships, or social status. Social aggression is more
common among girls.
• Cyberbullying: This form occurs most commonly in social media platforms such as MySpace or Facebook where unkind, harassing comments
are made to others anonymously and are intended to embarrass and hurt someone else.
3. Who are the typical bullies and victims?
Typically, one thinks of a bully as the biggest and strongest kid. That is not necessarily true. Bullies come in all shapes, colors, and genders. Often
they can be the popular kids that use power to control others. Although they seem to have a strong self-image, this is usually the opposite. They
use fear because underneath the tough exterior they are scared and do not think highly of themselves. Victims that are bullied are often socially
withdrawn. They typically are passive and let others be in control.
4. What do you do if your child is being bullied?
Signs of being bullied include:
• reluctance to go to school,
• sleep disturbances,
• vague physical complaints such as stomach pains or headaches,
• belongings that are missing or clothes that are ripped.
Continued on page 6
January 24 – 28, 2011 is “No Name-Calling Week.” Now in its seventh year, “No Name-Calling Week” was inspired by the young adult novel "The
Misfits" by James Howe, a story about four middle school aged students who have experienced name-calling. They decide to run for student
council officers on the platform of creating a "No Name Day" at school. “No Name-Calling Week” is one of several national efforts to bring at-
tention to the problem of bullying in school. Stinson will be holding two anti-bullying programs during the month of February. On February 23,
Stinson students will see “Buddies not Bullies.” Watch for more information about the parent program to be sent out soon. In the meantime,
here is a bit of information to help get your feet wet about bullying issues.
Page 6
2nd Grade Scoop First Grade Flash
Second grade has had a wonderful start to the second part of the
year. Some of the skills we have been learning are:
*Language Arts/Writing skills: reading ahead, comprehension,
sequence of events, using illustrations, analyzing text structure,
distinguishing between fantasy and reality, cause and effect, gen-
erating questions, drawing conclusions, author’s purpose, visualiz-
ing, summarizing, building fluency, linking verbs, helping verbs,
irregular verbs, contractions, friendly letters, non fiction articles,
persuasive writing, expository writing, poetry, and research.
*Math skills: developing and analyzing visual images for quanti-
ties, combining groups of tens and ones, identifying coins and coin
values, adding coin amounts, using standard notation, writing
equations, using ratio relationships to solve problems, fluency with
addition and subtraction, using clocks to measure time, even and
odd, making estimates, collecting and interpreting data, counting
by groups, using combinations to combine numbers, develop
strategies to solve problems, place value, using a table, and pat-
terns.
*Integrated skills: continuity, change, sound, matter, measuring
matter, making observations, scientific process, conducting experi-
ments, citizenship, colonies, leadership, government, city council,
laws, taxes, explorers, Mayflower Compact, monuments, Under-
We are almost through the first half of the school year. We
will be celebrating our 100th
day of School on February 1st
.
We know the students have been working hard and are mak-
ing great progress. We look forward to sharing your child’s
progress at our middle of year parent/teacher conference
the second week of February.
The first graders will be going to the Outdoor Learning Cen-
ter on February 3rd
. During our Integrate lessons students
will be studying about systems. We will also discuss differ-
ent leaders from our past such as Abraham Lincoln, George
Washington, and Martin Luther King Jr. We will end our unit
learning about the seasons, the night sky, our solar system,
and Earth as a system.
In Language Arts, First graders are learning to write descrip-
tive sentences. Students will learn how to identify and read
contractions with not. We will also continue to build our
knowledge of spelling patterns by practicing three letter
blends. Students will be taught to compare and contrast a
story. First graders will also learn how to retell a story they
have read and think about the plot of the story.
In Math the students will be sorting shapes and buttons by
their characteristics. They will learn how to represent data
through a survey and to read and create graphs. First grad-
ers will also have the opportunity to gather data to create
their own graphs and then compare the data.
Continued from page 5 Bullying
If you suspect your child is being bullied, don't ask them about it directly. Use indi-
rect questions to a child like "How do you spend your recess time?", "What's it like
walking to school or being on the school bus?", or "Are there are any children at
school that are bullies?" You need to talk to the teacher to determine if your suspi-
cions are correct. Ask the teacher to observe your child's peer interactions.
5. What do you do if your child is the bully?
Most of the time, when parents hear that their child is a bully, it comes as a shock. A
parent needs to get all the facts before they can decide on the best course of action.
You do need to send a clear message that bullying or any type of aggression will not
be accepted and discuss the consequences of any future bullying behavior. Discuss
other alternative approaches to aggression when the child feels angry or hurt. It is
important not to get uncontrollably angry or use physical punishment.
Taken from the pisd.edu website
Valentines Party, & End of Year Party
Schedule:
Kindergarten: 1:00 - 2:00 PM
1st Grade: 1:45 - 2:45 PM
2nd Grade: 10:00 - 11:00 AM
3rd Grade: 12:30 - 1:30 PM (recess moved to 2:15)
4th Grade: 1:30 - 2:30 PM
5th Grade: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Page 7
4th Grade Fun
5th Grade Facts
3rd
Grade
Tracks
Welcome Back to 3rd
Grade! We
want to thank all of our parents that
helped make the Winter Parties
such a success. The children had a
wonderful time and the teachers
loved all the fun activities!!
Our new semester is off to a great
start with the end of our Integrated
and Language Arts Units. The chil-
dren did a wonderful job with their
projects on their favorite artists or
authors as well as finishing their
science projects. We are very proud
of them and how hard they worked
on both projects!
January has found us working on the
second round of MAP testing. The
children are excited about meeting
our grade level goals as well as our
individual classroom goals for all 4
tests. Ask your child about how we
are doing.
Mid-January we will begin a new
Language Art’s unit on Teams. We
will be exploring what it means to
be a part of a team. Sports teams,
school teams and community teams
will all be discussed. The culmina-
tion of this unit will be a research
project on a community group that
works as a team to improve our
world.
Integrated also begins a new unit
later this month. We move from
Balance and Stability to Systems.
This unit has a focus on Organisms
as a system and our government as
one as well. We will also look at
local, state and national figures that
have helped shape our country.
In Math we continue to work with 2
and 3 digit addition/subtraction, our
multiplication facts and measure-
ment. Please continue to work with
your students on time, money and
basic addition/subtraction facts at
home.
Thank you for all of your hard work
at home – we appreciate your en-
thusiasm and involvement!!
Math
We are exploring power
polygons and classifying
polygons by their attrib-
utes. We are learning to
describe and identify dif-
ferent transformations
such reflections, transla-
tions, and rotations. We
are investigating the an-
gles within geometric fig-
ures and identifying them
as acute, obtuse, or right
angles.
Integrated
In our new IC unit we are
learning about the prop-
erties of matter. We are
measuring the amount of
mass in various objects.
We are investigating how
the relationship between
mass and volume affect
an object’s ability to float
or sink. We will discover
how mixtures and solu-
tions behave and compare
and contrast them. We
will conduct investigations
to understand friction and
force.
Language Arts
The theme for our new LA
unit is teamwork. Stu-
dents will explore project
that have been successful
due to teamwork and
commitment. In reading
we will focus on character
analysis and character
transformation. We will
also practice visualizing
and summarizing skills. In
writing we are learning to
make our stories interest-
ing by adding the element
of suspense!
Incredible IC!!-- We are learning about events that led to
westward expansion in the U.S., causes and effects of the
War of 1812 and also causes and results of the Civil
War. We'll then be moving into Science and learn about liv-
ing organisms and how they interact in their environment
and survive in their ecosystem. We'll be spending time MAP
testing and also preparing for the wax-less wax museum by
continuing and adding research from a historical figure stud-
ied in Language class.
Magnificent Math!!-- The 5th graders are currently working
on their Measurement Unit, which covers areas like Volume,
Elapsed Time, Temperature, Units of Capacity, Weight, and
Mass. There is a test on this on January 28th. After that we
are covering our next Connected Math Unit called Data
About Us. In this, the students will work on computing the
mean, median, mode, and range of data collected as well as
representing distributions of data using line plots, bar
graphs, and coordinate graphs.
Lively Language Arts and Radical Reading!! -- Wow! Students
presented their Unit 3 Research Reports with such poise and
confidence. It was evident they learned so much about their
chosen individual who had used his/her intelligence and/or
wit to solve a problem in a creative way.
Some examples of presentations included: Steve Jobs, Mark
Zuckerberg, Thomas Edison, Elizabeth Blackwell, Wilma Ru-
dolph and Isaac Newton. Students are currently reading and
evaluating selections about how teamwork can help in diffi-
cult situations. As they actively discuss the selections in small
groups, students compare and contrast their readings and
journal text connections in their Reading Response Journals.
In Language, we are learning about antecedents, subjective
and objective pronouns. Additionally, students will be writing
compare/contrast compositions within the next couple
weeks.
Page 8
PARENTS! Do you have your
Stinson Library Card?
PARENTS OF STINSON STUDENTS
may borrow books from
the Stinson Library.
Not only do we have great
books for your children –
but for you we have fun fiction,
educational non-fiction
and a Parent-
ing Library as
well.
Come in soon.
PACE deadlines:
Kindergarten Assessment results will be mailed on Wednesday, February 23, 2011.
Grades 1-5 referral deadline - March 10, 2011
(assessed in March / April)
*PACE results mailed on Friday, May 13, 2011*
For more information about PACE (thorough overview), please visit the
following website:
http://www.pisd.edu/parents/advanced.academics/gifted.pace/index.shtml
Contact information:
Heather Brzezinski
PACE Specialist
Stinson Elementary
PISD
469-752-3469
ext.23469
Special Education Spotlight
SAGE stands for Special AND Gifted Education. The Plano Council of PTAs established
the SAGE committee to provide an opportunity for families and teachers of students
who learn differently to share resources and friendship.
Looking for Summer Camps & activities for your child who participates in Special Edu-
cation, the PACE program or is simply an exceptional diverse learner? The 2010 SAGE
Summer Expo showcased over 60 camps with more than 1000 attendees!
SAGE SUMMER EXPO 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Vines High School
1401 Highedge Drive
Plano, TX 75075
For more information visit the SAGE website at www.planoptasage.org.
Watch D.O.G.S.
Thanks to Steve Neuner and Steven Schnier for serving as Watch D.O.G.S. in
December and January respectively, and as always, thanks to Assistant Principal,
Tricia Lancaster for help with the daily schedules.
Carol Stephens, the chair of Stinson’s SUN night, is requesting help from Watch
D.O.G.S. at the event the night of February 18. Please contact her at multicul-
[email protected] for more information and to volunteer.
Go to the Stinson PTA website to volunteer to be a Watch D.O.G.S. dad. A back-
ground check must be completed at www.pisd.edu. For info, contact Gerry Sam
at 972-743-9197 or [email protected].
Congratulations to the PTA Life-
time Members for the 2010-
2011 school year. These individuals
have put in many hours of their time
to make a difference in the lives of
each an every child at Stinson. Please
congratulate and thank them for all
that they have done. It is members
like this that make our PTA so great!!!
Gerry Sam
Jamie Moore
Judy Izzo
Page 9
Stinson Elementary PTA
PTA General Membership Meeting Financial Report November 8, 2010 - January 11, 2011
Amount Total
Operating Fund Beginning Balance $ 36,341.72
Total Income $ 8,196.69
Total Expenses $ 9,774.14
Operating Fund Ending Balance $ 36,341.72
Escrow - State and National Dues - Beginning Balance $96.00
Receipts and Adjustments $12.00
Payments $0.00
Escrow - State and National Dues - Ending Balance $108.00
Escrow - Sales Tax - Beginning Balance $691.45
Receipts, Refunds and Timely Payment Discount $127.36
Payments $814.78
Escrow - Sales Tax - Ending Balance $4.03
Cash in Bank $34,873.30
Petty Cash $100.00
Total Cash on Hand 1/11/2011 $34,973.30
Prepared by Maria Abraham, Treasurer
Stinson Spelling Bee
The Stinson Spelling Bee (final round) was held
on Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. Stinson had a very ex-
citing and record breaking Scripp's Spelling
Bee! This year we had 42 finalists that was
narrowed down to the last two competitors.
The bee's final round lasted for two hours,
where the final two competitors went word
for word, not missing a single one. We have
never had a spelling bee last this long, nor go
through the final round spelling word list. We
adjourned the final two competitors to con-
tinue their head to head competition on Tues-
day, January 11, 2011.
Kaitlyn Yuan (4th grader) and Mohit Gupta
(5th grader) met for the championship round.
It too provided to be an exciting event. The
competition was 20 minutes long with the con-
testants going back and forth with correct an-
swers. The Scripp's Spelling Bee winner is Mo-
hit Guptu. He spelled the words "transect" and
"susceptible" correctly in order to take the 1st
place honor.
The Stinson students, staff, and community
want to commend all of the participants and
especially a BIG congratulations to Kaitlyn and
Mohit for making this years spelling bee a
most memorable event. Way to go!
Good luck to Mohit on his district level compe-
tition held at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, February
3, 2011, in the Board Room at the Plano ISD
Administrative Center.
Page 10
STINSON COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Partners, We are looking forward to a fantastic 2010-2011 school year thanks to your contri-
butions to the STINSON PTA!!! We appreciate you so very much!
When you are on the website,
www.stinsonpta.org, be sure to look in the
Thank You section near the bottom of each
page where more information about many
of our Community Partners is available.
The Star to Star eNewsletter highlights
more of our partners as well.
Platinum Star Part-
ners
($1,000 OR More)
• Children’s Dental Care,
Dr. Dane Hoang
• Dentek Systems, Inc.
• Joyce Lynn Chandler,
Keller Williams
• Tiemeyer Team Realtors,
Keller Williams
• The Thomas Group, Remax
Gold Star Partners
($750 or more)
• Aloha Mind Math
• Breckinridge Park Animal Hospital
• FastERcare
• Primrose School of Breckinridge
Park
• Home Team Mortgage, Tammie
Mitchell
• SureSmile, OraMetrix, Inc.
Silver Star Partners
($500 or more)
• Carson Insurance – Farmers
• Russell Downey, M.D.
• Fesler Orthodontics
• Reliable Chevrolet
• Alan Yedwab, M.D. and Betty Ruiz-Yedwab,
M.D.
Bronze Star Partners
($250 or more)
• Baylor Family Health Center at Richardson
• Richard H. Daniel, M.D., Reese A. Mathieu, M.D.,
Julie D. Poole, M.D. Pediatrics
• Elvebak Orthodontics
• Kids R Kids
• Mathnasium of Murphy-Plano
• Mogio’s Gourmet Pizza
• Springhill Veterinary Clinic
• Texas Plumbing
Shooting Star Partners
($100 or more)
• Campbell Park Vet Hospital
• Family Medical Center at Garland, Becky Chan-
dler, MD
• Yoga Synergy Spa
Co-Chairs for the 2010-2011 school year are
Michelle Schroeder and Jamie Moore. If you
desire to be a Stinson Community Partner or
want to make a donation to the PTA, please
contact them at
Page 11
We have had an incredible start to the New Year! SUN Celebration is under way and only a few short weeks away.
Since coming back from the Winter break we have finished our Olympic banner. The Olympic banner is only one of the many things
that the SUN team has put together. The entire student body participated by creating the Olympic rings with their fingerprint.
Each student wrote their name and what their cultural background was.
The SUN team adopted the idea that every student would have the opportunity to participate in SUN Celebration in some way.
The Olympic banner was the obvious choice! On February 14th
we will unveil the banner and 2 students will be selected to carry
the banner in for the opening Stinson Olympic ceremonies. The final torch carrier will lead the ceremony as he/she hands off the
torch to Mrs. Salamone, who will then officially open the week for Multicultural games to be played during fitness time.
Our performers have been practicing and getting ready for the big night. They are hard at work and hope that everyone will enjoy
the evening. This evening affair is all about experiencing different cultural performances by the students. There will be a variety of
different acts from singing and dancing to duets from parents and students.
SUN celebration, “Circle of Friends” is a family affair and marks the importance of all of us understanding each other’s cultures and
experiencing multiculturalism from the eyes of children. We will unveil the winning kindergarten picture that will be used for the
backdrop. The winning essay will also be shared by the student who wrote it. The entire affair is all about the students and their
understanding and appreciation of what living in a multicultural society means.
Currently we have been featuring music from the Arabic nations in the morning. The Olympic torch has been carried from Greece,
to France, Russia, and on its way to India. Eventually the torch will end up in the United States. Each morning a new torch carrier
is featured on the morning announcements and shares the word Hello in the native language of the country they are representing.
We have had a lot of fun with it and the students are enjoying themselves.
We are so grateful to all the students, teachers and YOU the parents that have helped us make this happen.
Don’t forget to read eNews for weekly updates and follow the torch. Mark your calendars for Friday, February 18th
. The new loca-
tion is WoodCreek Church at 3400 E. Renner Road. See you then!
Carol Stephens, SUN Chairman
Understanding how your child learns can reduce frustration and improve achievement. If your child constantly squirms and fidgets when he’s doing math homework or insists on listening to music while studying vocabu-
lary words, take heart. Although it may seem like he’s trying to drive you crazy, he’s probably just using the strategies that help him
learn.
“I like to study at a desk in silence, and my daughter can’t think that way. She likes to bounce around on a ball with music in the
background,” says author Maureen McKay, whose website, Optimistic Outcomes, provides tips for parents based on a child’s learn-
ing style. “Sometimes kids are just doing what works for them.”
Educators have long been aware that learning is not one-size-fits-all. In a typical classroom, some kids process information best by
hearing the teacher explain it, some learn by seeing what’s on the chalkboard, and others learn through hands-on exercises. Col-
leges have increasingly begun teaching new students about learning styles so they can develop effective study habits. And many
primary and secondary schools conduct surveys to give teachers insight into the learning styles of their students. Three basic learn-
ing styles are auditory, kinesthetic, and visual.
Auditory learners prefer listening to explanations over reading them and may like to study by reciting information aloud. This type
of learner may want to have background music while studying, or they may be distracted by noises and need a quiet space to study
Taken from the website schoolfamily.com
Page 12
February 2011 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
PTA Board Mtg 9am
Junior Investor Day 7:30
Stinson Skate Night 5-7pm
Thunderbird Skating Rink
5
6
7
8 9
10
PTA Lifetime Membership
Banquet, Plano Center
11 12
13 14
Muffins with Moms 7am
Valentines Parties
15 16
17 18
SUN event 7pm at
Woodcreek Church
19
20 21
Student Holiday
22 23
Buddies not Bullies pro-
gram for students
Early Release 12 noon
24 25
26
SAGE Expo 10-2pm Vines
High School
Destination Imagination
Regional Tournament
27 28
National School Counseling Week
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