End of Year Newsletter

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Dear Bobcat Families,

Congratulations to completing the 2013-2014 school year. It has been a momentous year for our students, teachers, and families.

The Mitchell Garden and the Student Garden Club has created a beautiful environment for students and families to enjoy.  Garden Club successfully harvested mixed lettuces including peppery arugula on Wednesday, June 4th.  The cooler 60 degree wet weather was optimal for this step in the gardening process.  The students presented the yield to our cafeteria manager, Paulina Moreno.  She followed the strict guidelines of safe food practices in order to serve this garden harvest to the Mitchell student body.  The Garden Club members observed the process of weighing out the produce.  The scale tipped in at 17 ounces.  In addition to the excitement of harvest procedures, the Garden Club was simultaneously being videotaped by students of Westinghouse.  The small interviewing production was for a media broadcasting assignment at Westinghouse about our neighborhood schoolyard teaching garden.

 

The Garden Team Committee will continue to promote classroom communities to use the garden for a variety of learning opportunities throughout the 2015 academic school year.  We are also seeking additional members of the overall school Garden Team.   The Garden Club will resume in Fall’14 for yet another planting and harvesting cafeteria experience called, “Eat What You Grow”. The Mitchell Garden Club was also featured on CBS Channel 2 regarding the “Eat What You Grow” program. Please click here to see the segment.

 

For those interested in volunteering in the Mitchell Garden during the summer months please contact Ms. Fanelli or Parent Carla Jedlicka. Volunteers spots to water, weed and harvest can be filled through the Friends of Mitchell website.

 

Girls on the Run

Mitchell’s Girls on the Run program participated in a 5k race in Grant Park on May 17th.  FoM financially supported the Girls on the Run program this school year. The participating students sent a thank you note:

 

Dear Friends of Mitchell,

Thank you for your generous donation this school year. As a result of your generosity, Girls on the Run programming at Mitchell was able to provide our students with a positive, after- school program that seeks to inspire, encourage, and celebrate physical activity. The student who participate in this program enjoy the sense of achievement and camaraderie that comes with training for a 5K.  The memories of completing a 5K with their friends and family will last a lifetime.

Thank you,

Carolina, Aaliyah, Kimberly, Julissa, Jessie, Alondra, Liliana, Vanessa, Ms. Arbuckle, Ms. Fanelli, and Ms. Love

Friends of Mitchell Gives Back

Friends of Mitchell (FoM), the fundraising organization behind Mitchell School, has had a busy year raising over $40,000 to be used to support the school.

  • In September FoM hosted Family Movie Night, where hundreds of Mitchell Families, friends and neighbors showed up to watch “Wreck it Ralph” on the big screen.

  • Later last fall, FoM hosted a craft table at Christy Webber’s Farm & Garden Center during their harvest festival. Parent & 8th grade volunteers helped kids create their own tye-die handkerchiefs and face painting.

  • The week of Valentine’s Day FoM parent volunteers sold Lolligrams to students and staff

  • In April FoM hosted Evening of Dreams, our largest fundraiser. Parents and friends of Mitchell came for an evening of dancing, food and fun. Each classroom created a project that was included in a silent auction of items donated by local businesses.

  • In June FoM hosted Family Fun Fair, a fun afternoon of games, races, and the opportunity to douse your favorite teacher or principal with a water balloon.

  • Throughout the year FoM has reached out to local businesses in support of Mitchell. Chang’s Martial Arts hosted a month of classes for students where all funds went to FoM, Pizano’s Pizza and Smoke Daddy’s restaurants hosted “Report Card Pick Up” nights where a portion of all sales were returned to the school.

 

Through these events and others, Friends of Mitchell strived to support Mitchell School and engage our students and families in fun activities while raising money to be used in the school.  During the past year FoM has used monies raised to pay for iPads, Google Chromebooks, teacher supplies, a movable SmartBoard, Hubbard Street Dance, Winter Wonderland, Creative Dramatics, plants and supplies for the Mitchell Garden, 8th Grade Class trip to DC, 8th Grade Yearbook, Girls on the Run, sports uniforms, books for the classrooms and media center, a teacher appreciation luncheon, and the automation of all the books in the Media Center.

 

With funds raised this year the Friends of Mitchell Board has already designated monies to be used during 2014-2015 to purchase:

  • 30 Chrome books

  • Back to School Teacher Gifts

  • 8th Grade $200 scholarship program

  • Supplement  6th Grade Team Building Field Trip (2014 Fall)

  • Supplement 3rd Grade Chicago Tour Field Trip

  • Supplement 4th Grade Springfield Trip

 

Please consider a recurring donation or a one time donation to Friends of Mitchell.


FoM is in need of volunteers for the 2014-2015 school year to help keep these activities going. Please considering donating an hour or two of your time during these events or throughout the school year to help FoM be an effective organization.