Land Sharks Running Club - Starts TODAY!!!

Newsflash! I just found out {by way of my second grader calling from the school office} that the Land Sharks Running Club practices start today! They will meet at the school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:45-4:30. With Track Meets scheduled for: April 25, May 2 and May 9. There will be a parents meeting today during practice for parents to sign waivers, and pick up schedules. It costs $39 per student. You can register at landsharkrunclub.com. It really is so much fun, great exercise, and great practice for the upcoming Ranch Creek Fund Run Fundraiser!!! Hope to see you there! Cumorah

Save the Date!

There are so many upcoming events at RCE - a much longer, detailed post is needed, but for right this second - I only have time to tell you to mark your calendars for the annual Spring Family Dance! The flier didn't make it in Friday Folders last week {sorry!}, but look for it this week! We know you want to come rock out with the Bangles, school your kids on how to do the Roger Rabbit, and show off your sweet Hammer pants that you keep tucked away for special occassions. Now's your chance!
And if you'd like to help throw up some decorations - meet us at 2:30 that day {Friday, March 4th} in the commons area.
Make sure you send in the form at the bottom of the flier to RSVP, and we'll see you there!

Valentine's Party Ideas

I happen to love little kid parties. When else can you be silly and loud and run around jammin' out with homemade musical instruments without people thinking you have simply lost it?

So, whether you're one of the party animals helping out with a school Valentine's bash, or just want some fun ideas to do with your little Ranch Creekers at home, here are a few of my favorite Valentine party ideas floating around...

CRAFTS inexpensive. simple. creative.

Felt Heart Bookmarks

Paper Plate Heart Music Shakers

Button Heart Ornament


Paper Heart Headband {this could be WAY cuter when decorated with our stellar RCE students' creativity - but I like the idea.}

Valentine Pillow {the prep for this is pretty time consuming, but I did this for a service project for a Kindergarten class 2 years ago, and it was worth it! We took the finished pillows to St. Francis Med. Center and gave them to hospitalized children.}
GAMES Simple & Kid friendly

Valentine's Day Heart Relay Race
Cut out a bunch of different-colored hearts and write different actions on them (e.g., hop, crawl, skip, walk backwards, dance, tiptoe, crab walk, etc.). Make 2 sets of hearts with exactly the same instructions, and place the hearts in 2 decorated boxes {one set in each box of course}.
Divide the kids into two relay teams.
Each player must run to their team’s box, pick a heart, read the directions, and following the directions either hop, skip or jump back to their team. {if there is an uneven number, have one child go twice to make the teams even}.
The team that finishes first wins. High fives all around!
Note: for older kids you can make the game a little more difficult by having them pick the hearts out of the box, one at a time, using chopsticks.

Valentine Freeze Dance Bring your cd player or ipod speakers and play songs with the word "love" in them, and have the kids bust a move to the tunes. Turn the music off during different times in the song, at which time they must freeze in their current position. If they move at all, then they are "out." The kids who are still in the game continue to dance/freeze as you control the music, until one person wins.

Sense-Sational Add a little science project flare to the party! Fill numbered paper bags with a variety of items that have an aroma that has to do with Valentine’s Day such as cinnamon, chocolate, roses, etc. Be sure the smells are familiar to the age group. Let the kids smell them without looking inside. After they record their guesses, have them share their answers and see who got the most right.

Cupid Says Play this game the same way as you would pay "Simon Says."


How Many Words Give each student a sheet of paper printed out with famous couples' names. (Bill & Hillary Clinton, Fred & Wilma Flinstone, John & Abigail Adams, etc}. Ask each person to make as many words as they can out of the letters in the names you've given them. Give them a time limit, and then share & compare answers.

Heart Attack Buy a pad {or two} of heart sticky notes. Before the party, stick them all over the classroom, under desks, on windows, etc. etc. Give the kids a countdown, and then let them race to collect as many hearts as they can. Have each individual count up how many hearts they collected. Make a note on the board of each student's number, and then let them figure out the huge addition problem to determine how many total hearts were gathered.

STORY TIME just a few faves

Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch by Eileen Soinneli

Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney

Valentine's Day by Anne Rockwell

Happy Silliness. Happy Loudness. Happy Valentine's Day Partying! xoxo, Cumorah

Meet Kim Lovejoy!

As promised, the following is an introduction of PTA Presidential candidate, Kim Lovejoy. She is a lovely person, inside and out!

In Kim's own words, here's a brief background about her, and her goals as a liaison between Ranch Creek parents and the staff & administration.
________________________________________________

I have lived in Colorado for almost 3 years. I am the mother of a first grader and two preschoolers. I have a master's degree in Family Science and you can often find me teaching fitness classes at the local gyms.

I have been a member of the RCAC (Ranch Creek Accountability Committe) for the last two years where I have been able to develop positive relationships with school administration and staff members. I have been invited to attend small group meetings about programs occurring within the school and district, including the report card pilot and Ranch Creek site plan review.

Education is extremely important to me, whether it is teaching preschool co-ops for my kids, learning and encouraging Suzuki violin with my 6 year old, volunteering in the classroom, or understanding how our local school runs. I am committed to helping you and your children get the most out of the next two years at RCE.

One of my main goals as PTA president is to encourage the implementation of a school event/fundraiser in which all or most of the funds earned return to the school. I believe that the PTA can be an integral part of keeping RCE as one of the top performing and most desired schools in district 20 and the state of Colorado. I would also like to continue the past efforts to foster positive parent-teacher relationships at RCE and encourage ongoing, open communication between the staff and families of Ranch Creek students. It is my hope that we can build upon the efforts of the previous PTA making your connection with your child's teacher and school administration a valued and appreciated relationship.

Your Official, Unofficial Welcome!

You’ve probably seen me around Ranch Creek. I’m a mom with four kids – ages seven & under, who in 2010, attempted to keep my baby from crawling on stage during the Veteran’s Day program, rocked out with said baby on my hip at the Fall Family Dance {ah yeah!}, arrived late to each PTA meeting I was able to make it to, and cheered perhaps a little too loudly for my girls during Field Day.

I have a second grader and a first grader.
I love them to death.
I have the same wishes for them as I’m sure you do for your children.

I want them to love school. I want them to have fun. I want them to be good friends to each other and to all the kids around them. I want them to be pushed academically. I want them to find something they excel at. I want them to be praised for their accomplishments, and encouraged in their struggles. I want them to be grounded physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. I want them to be successful. I want them to be compassionate, and I want them to be confident.

I wish I could be a little fairy watching over them at all times to ensure all of these wishes come true…but alas, I can’t be in four places at once…so I have to trust that they are in good hands at Ranch Creek.

I believe they are.
I love our school.
I support our staff.

But I wanted another way that I can feel more connected. More connected to the inner workings of the school. More connected to the decisions that will affect the way my children are taught and guided. More connected to the parents of my children’s friends. More connected to you!

I feel that together, we can
1.{and most importantly} Create a forum for volunteer and support.
2. Create a voice asserting what we want our children’s experience to be.
3. Create a medium to address any issues of concern.

I also hope that teachers and staff will feel welcome here! That they can feel of our support for them, and share with us some of the amazing things they are doing in their classrooms!

So, without further adieux, I want to OFFICIALLY welcome you to the totally UNOFFICIAL Ranch Creek Elementary Parents Blog!
Let the blogging begin!