Duke Basketball – SOS Needs Your Help
SOS stands for “Support Our Schools” and means volunteering to work at the concession stands at major sporting events. Why? The school gets a share of the proceeds – several thousand dollars each year! 
Each volunteer gets to choose which classroom they will support. So when you volunteer, the money you earn can directly help your child’s classroom. If you can pour a soda, fill a popcorn container, or make change, then you’re hired!!
- What to wear: Jeans or slacks, closed toe shoes and any top (other than opponent’s color or Carolina blue…a Watts shirt is preferable)
- Time commitment: 3 – 4 hours per game
- What to bring: A friend! or your older children (14 years or older) We need 3 volunteers per game – the more the merrier!
We need your help! Please come to one or more of the upcoming DUKE BASKETBALL games. To volunteer, contact Lower El Teacher and SOS Coordinator Ayana Crawford, ayana.crawford@dpsnc.net, 560-3947. Be sure to tell her the name of the teacher you are working for. Thank you!!
- Sun, Nov 14 (Princeton): Arrive 3:45 pm, Tip-off 5:00 pm
- Tue, Nov 16 (Miami of Ohio): Arrive 6:15 pm, Tip-off 7:30 pm
- Fri, Nov 19 (Colgate): Arrive 7:15 pm, Tip-off 8:30 pm
- Wed, Dec 1 (Michigan State): Arrive 8:15 pm, Tip-off 9:30 pm
- Wed, Dec 8 (Bradley): Arrive 7:45 pm, Tip-off 9:00 pm
- Sat, Dec 11 (St. Louis): Arrive 10:45 am, Tip-off 12:00 pm
- Mon, Dec 20 (Elon): Arrive 5:45 pm, Tip-off 7:00 pm
- Sun, Jan 2 (Miami): Arrive 6:30 pm, Tip-off 7:45 pm
- Wed, Jan 5 (Alabama-Birmingham): Arrive 5:45, Tip-off 7:00 pm
- Sun, Jan 9 (Maryland): Arrive 6:45, Tip-off 8:00 pm
- Sat, Jan 15 (Virginia): Arrive 12:45, Tip-off 2:00 pm
- Thu, Jan 27 (Boston College): Arrive 6:45 pm, Tip-off 8:00 pm
- Sat, Feb 5 (NC State): Arrive 4:45 pm, Tip-off 6:00 pm
- Wed, Feb 9 (North Carolina): Arrive 7:45 pm, Tip-off 9:00 pm (we already have 3 volunteers for this game – thanks!)
- Sun, Feb 20 (Georgia Tech): Arrive 6:30 pm, Tip-off 7:45 pm
- Wed, Feb 23 (Temple): Arrive 5:45, Tip-off 7:00 pm
- Wed, Mar 2 (Clemson): Arrive 7:45, Tip-off 9:00 pm
Grounds Day Rescheduled for Nov 13
We got rained out on November 6, so let’s try again…
The new date is Saturday, November 13, but everything else is the same. Hope you can come!
FALL GROUNDS CLEAN UP DAY
Saturday, November 13
9:00 am – Noon
This workday is part of the PTA Grounds Committee’s ongoing campaign to beautify and improve the landscaping and playground. This is an annual PTA event that shows our pride and leaves our school looking fantastic! It’s also a great way to meet and work with other parents, teachers and community members. Come for an hour, or for all three. Every bit helps!
ALL AGES WELCOME! We’ll be planting, weeding, raking leaves, tidying and picking up litter. There will be activities for the children when they are tired of work, plus refreshments for all.
Bring ‘em if you have ‘em:
- * work gloves
- * rakes
- * hand trowels
- * wheelbarrows
- * pitchforks
- * long-blade shears
Have questions, special skills, or tools or supplies you could lend? Contact Kellianne White 342-3229 or kellianne_l_white@yahoo.com
Fall Grounds Day and PTA Meeting Coming Up
FALL GROUNDS CLEAN UP DAY
Saturday, November 6
9:00 am – Noon
This workday is part of the PTA Grounds Committee’s ongoing campaign to beautify and improve the landscaping and playground. This is an annual PTA event that shows our pride and leaves our school looking fantastic! It’s also a great way to meet and work with other parents, teachers and community members. Come for an hour, or for all three. Every bit helps!
ALL AGES WELCOME! We’ll be planting, weeding, raking leaves, tidying and picking up litter. There will be activities for the children when they are tired of work, plus refreshments for all.
Bring ‘em if you have ‘em:
- * work gloves
- * rakes
- * hand trowels
- * wheelbarrows
- * pitchforks
- * long-blade shears
Have questions, special skills, or tools or supplies you could lend? Contact Kellianne White 342-3229 or kellianne_l_white@yahoo.com
************ PLUS ************
PTA MEETING
Monday, November 8
5:30 – 7:00 pm
All families and staff are encouraged to attend.
5:30-6:00 Food
6:00-7:00 Meeting
- * Enter through the school’s main door.
- * Take school-age children to the GYM. They will be fed and will be supervised by teachers for the whole meeting.
- * Adults go to Media Center. Younger kids stay with parents. Food will be in the hall. The meeting will be in the Media Center. Younger kids stay with parents.
Special Feature: POETRY MONTH – Background and Readings. Learn how the teachers prepared and what the students are doing during this month-long celebration and study.
Questions/suggestions? Contact Karalyn Colopy, PTA Communications Chair, karalyncolopy@gmail.com, 956-7875
Blue Ribbon Goes to George Watts – Again!
George Watts winning entries in the 2010 State Fair Art Competition
At the 2010 North Carolina State Fair Art Competition, once again George Watts artists earned first place! Congratulations to students Aidan Alguire, Kiran Baucom, Donald Fuller, Tanatswa Mashangeni, Julio Olmos, and Elizabeth Wood, and of course Art Teacher Carol Barnes (Ms. Purple)!
Elementary schools from all across the state compete in this event. Winning the blue ribbon is a great testament to the talent of our students and the quality of instruction they receive at our school.
Though the art competition has happened for many years, George Watts began entering the contest only four years ago. And 2010 is the fourth time that George Watts has been awarded first place. Winning four years in a row! What an amazing accomplishment!
This year, George Watt’s students created pieces called “Two Musicians,” drawing on the theme of cubism and Pablo Picasso’s Three Musicians. Read about our win in 2009 here.
Art competition on display in the Gov Kerr Scott Building at the State Fairgrounds
Thank you to parent Kim Doughty for photographing the George Watts art at the fair. You can still see it there now through October 24. The art competition is on display in the Gov. Kerr Scott Building – the large white building along Blue Ridge Road, on the opposite side of the fair grounds from the lake.
Annual Fund Drive Begins!
The George Watts PTA Annual Fund Drive is on! Now through November 15, 2010, we aim to raise $15,000 with the help of at least 150 families.
Looking for a quick and easy way to help? Donate online using PayPal! It takes less than five minutes! Try it now, if you haven’t already:
Donate with PayPal:
No donation is too small (or too big!). Please make your TAX DEDUCTIBLE contribution today.
For more information, read our 2011 Annual Fund Drive letter in English.
(Para más información, lea la carta acerca del Fondo Anual de 2011.)
The George Watts PTA Annual Fund Drive provides the single largest source of funds to the Watts PTA. Where does the money go? The PTA focuses on programs and initiatives that enrich our children’s academic experience and build community in our school. Through our Annual Fund, you will help ensure that our teachers get the training they need on the Lucy Calkins Writers Workshop program. You will be sending children on valuable field trips. You will be sponsoring cooking demonstrations with the school nutritionist, so that every student learns how to prepare delicious healthful recipes using fresh ingredients. You will be helping our community celebrate its heritage and roots, while giving teachers and administrators flexibility to buy new and worthwhile materials that makes learning fun and accessible to every child.
A BIG THANKS to everyone who already contributed!
We welcome your ideas and suggestions! Please contact Brandy Salmon (brandy.salmon@duke.edu, 593-5974), Jane Brown (jfbrown@unch.unc.edu, 323-1806), or Liz Healey (redhead27701@yahoo.com, 688-7546).
Walk to School Celebration Gets Us Up Early
Robin Michler of Clean Energy Durham holds the bike blender steady while a third grader pedals away
It was a clear, beautiful morning. About 80 people walked or biked to school on Friday, October 8, to share breakfast snacks, walk on the track, play around, and whip up some very berry smoothies on bicycle-powered blenders, all before the first school bell rang.
George Watts’ Walk to School Day celebration was our way of taking part in a larger, international movement to encourage walking to school (check out www.iwalktoschool.org).
Thank you to all the families, teachers, staff, and kids who walked or biked to or at school.
A big thank you to Stephanie Brennan aka “Coach B” for organizing the event and always encouraging us to be active.
Many thanks also to Janice McCarthy and Stacy Murphy, PTA Family Involvement Chairs, for the delicious and healthy food, drinks, and smoothie ingredients, and to Robin Michler, Transit Education Specialist with Clean Energy Durham, who provided the technology to blend our smoothies with bike power.
It just wouldn't be school without some educational literature
An early crowd gathers
For more pictures and details, read the Herald-Sun’s report on our event here!
As a reminder, walking to school with your children has many benefits, including:
* physical activity
* teaching safe walking skills to children
* raising awareness of how walkable a community is and where improvements can be made
* reducing fossil fuel consumption
* reducing traffic congestion, pollution, and speed near schools
* taking back neighborhoods for people on foot
Peace Day 2010
Singing the "peace song"
“Peaceful Children, Peaceful Planet” is their motto, so at George Watts, children take peace seriously!
Flags from around the world
Students, teachers, and administrators celebrated International Day of Peace on Tuesday, September 21. The whole school gathered in the front yard by the Peace Pole. Each class participated in its own way by performing readings or recitations, waving flags from countries around the world, or carrying banners they made. Then all followed the giant white dove to Trinity Park to sing the “peace song” together.
For more about International Day of Peace, see http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/2010/
Parade to Trinity Park
