News & Blog

Family Newsletter – May 9, 2014

See original email

Letter from Jerry

Jerry's Call to ParentsHello Families,

Yum, wow, and thank you!  We are all so grateful for your Wild West Appreciation luncheon earlier this week.  The food and the elaborate presentation, along with all the special touches, made us all feel deeply appreciated and fully fueled to face the grand final stretch ahead of us.  Thank you!

Speaking of our collective push to June 13th, I want to thank all the parent chaperones who are pitching in on a wide variety of trips.   Whether it is a visit to a nearby museum, an overnight camping trip, or a great adventure to Florida, Washington, D.C., or the Northwest Territories, you are always eager to help make these trips successful.  We depend upon your extra pair of hands and eyes to keep our students safe and to keep the carefully planned events on track.  Our teachers spend a great deal of time and care planning every detail of our trips including the travel routes and timing, the groupings of children, and the sequence of events that bring the greatest learning opportunities to our students.  Your support of every one of those details is always appreciated and an aspect of our community that speaks to the great benefits of the school-parent partnership.

See you on Thursday evening at our 40th Anniversary Celebration and Groundbreaking for the Building STEAM campaign. Festivities begin at 6:15.
Sincerely,

Jerry Loewen
Head of School

All School News

40th Celebration and Groundbreaking

Thursday, May 15 at 6:15pm

This is the big celebration of Emerson’s past 40 years and its exciting future. Please join us as we break ground for the big Building STEAM campus addition before heading inside for the 40th Celebration festivities.

  • 6:15pm: Groundbreaking ceremony.
  • 7:00pm: Celebration performances and recognition
    •  Middle School Band and Orchestra performances
    •  A special display of artwork
    •  Lower School singing
    •  Honoring teachers with 10+ years at Emerson
    •  Alumni recognition
  • 8:00pm: Birthday cake (one for each decade)

We hope you can be there with the entire school.
+ Please RSVP

Thank You From the Bottom of Our Bellies!

An army of ESPO parent volunteers put on a western-themed faculty appreciation barbecue last Tuesday that inexplicably caused many belts to shrink—and we couldn’t be more grateful. THANK YOU!A special thanks to co-chairs of this special event, Melissa Knauth and Debi Rasche.

Reminder: Please pick up any dishes at the kitchen off the commons.

 

All Families Invited to Building STEAM Gatherings

6:00pm – 7:00pm on Monday, May 19 and Wednesday, May 21

Emerson parents are hosting two Building STEAM gatherings, and you are invited. Please join us for wine, hors d’oeuvres, and to learn more about Emerson’s exciting expansion project.

Adults only please. Free childcare, with pizza and snacks is provided for the Monday, May 19 gathering. 

Both events will be in Emerson’s Black Box Theatre (Middle School room 206)
RSVP for May 19, 6:00pm – 7:00pm – Hosted by K-1 Parents
RSVP for May 21, 6:00pm – 7:00pm – Hosted by 5-8 Parents

For questions or to RSVP in person, please email Chris Barry, or call (734) 665-5662 x314 by Friday, May 16.

Used Book Sale

May 29, 7:30am – 5:30pm and May 30, 7:30am – 4:00pm

In addition to the opportunity for our families to find great books, all money collected will go to a charity that serves children, education, and/or literacy. Please help make this year’s Book Sale a success:

  • Donate used books.  WANTED: Book for babies to adults (except for text books or anything inappropriate to display to children of all ages), CDs, DVDs, and games with all of their pieces.  For every ten items donated to the sale, your child will get a free book at the sale.
    Please bring your donations to the library between May 26 and May 29 with an approximate count of how many books you are donating.  
  • Volunteer to help.  Let Linda know if you can help setting up in the library on Wed., May 28 starting at 4:00, or during the hours of operation above (our busiest times are before and after school).
  • Shop the book sale. Don’t forget to send money with your children to shop with their class during the day.
        • Children’s books: $0.10
        • Adult paperbacks: $0.25
    • Adult hardcovers: $0.50

Check Your Kids for Ticks

Springtime in Michigan means many things—beautiful flowers, warm breezes, cool rain. . . .and occasionally, ticks.  During past springs, the tick typically seen in or around Emerson’s nature center has been the American Dog Tick, the most common tick found in Michigan. This is not the kind of tick that carries Lyme disease. Spring is an active time for these critters and checking your child for ticks after they have played outdoors is always recommended this time of year!

3rd Grader Anshi Pacha Has Winning Poem

Congratulations to Anshi Pacha on having her poem, ‘How to Be a Good Reader’ chosen to appear on 826michigan’s Student Writing Gallery!
+ Read Anshi’s Poem on 826michigan.org

Middle School News

2014-2015 First Trimester Electives

Sign up by Monday, May 19 at noon

The list of next year’s first trimester elective offering is now available here and on the Emerson website linked below. Please ensure that your student makes their selections before Monday, May 19 at noon.
+ Elective descriptions and enrollment instructions

8th Graders are Off to Florida!

Students are on their way to the Florida Keys and SeaCamp. It will be an experience they will never forget. Thank you to all of the parents who helped coordinate with faculty and volunteers to make this special trip happen.

Community News & Events

Students Performing in The Wizard of Oz

May 16 – 18, Afternoon and Evening Performances

Emerson students Emily Cooper (3rd grade), Emma Hudson (3rd grade, Dana Steiner (6th grade), Julia Ammer (7th grade) and
Cole Hildebrandt (8th grade) will be performing in the Young People’s Theater production of The Wizard of Oz. All performances will be at the Power Center for Performing Arts in Ann Arbor, and afternoon and evening shows are available.
+ Learn more and purchase tickets

Ann Arbor Rowing Club Learn to Row Day

Sunday, May 17, 11:00am – 2:00pm at Bandemer Park

Come join the Ann Arbor Rowing Club and the University of Michigan’s Men’s Crew and learn to row. At this free event you can ask questions, learn the basics, and get out on the water.
+ Learn more