As our term as Co-Presidents come to close, we can't help but reflect. This has been an amazing and fun-filled year.

In addition to continuing our traditional programs, we have added several new PTSA-sponsored activities.

We started off the year with a Fun Run that not only promoted exercise, but helped raise money to support the many PTSA programs and activities.

The reintroduction of Parent Education benefited many families with the offering of a Love and Logic class and a Bullying Prevention seminar.

The Bicycle Safety Rodeo was a success despite the unseasonable weather.

With tremendous success, we held our first annual International Night. With so much cultural diversity represented at our school, we enjoyed the sharing and learning about our traditions, heritage and food.

The PTSA could not launch all these and all of our other wonderful programs without the support of our amazing parents and staff. Our thanks can never be enough – but let us try!

Thank you to the teachers and staff for challenging and nurturing our children every day.

Thank you to the volunteers (parents, older siblings, grandparents and friends) who give of themselves for the benefit of all our children.

We can't forget to thank our PTSA Board of Directors and our Teacher Representatives, Gail Viamonte and Pearl Kleinberger. Our PTSA Board has been diligently working behind the scenes all year and is the backbone of the PTSA. Thank you to all this year's Board members for the countless hours you have committed to benefit all of the McAuliffe community.

Thank you to Mr. Steve Mezich for the time that he gave to our children and the support that he gave to Mrs. Miller. We are sorry to see him go and wish him well on his next assignment in the district.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge our principal, Mrs. Tracey Miller, for her dedicated service to McAuliffe. Her unconditional support of the McAuliffe staff and the PTSA has been pivotal in all our successes. Tracey has been a great asset to McAuliffe and the community. Her cheerful personality will be missed at McAuliffe. We look forward to her visits at McAuliffe in the years to come.

It is with sweet sadness and great pride that we finish out the year and hand over the positions of Co-President to Jennifer Mackleit and April Weise. They will continue, with the rest of next year's elected Board, to enthusiastically serve the McAuliffe Community.

Thank you for all your support and a great 2009-2010 school year!

ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!

Gigi Predmore & Jane Dulski

This is the last Friday Star Gazer of the year, but not the last one. Please be on the lookout for a special issue on the last day of school.

Special Thanks to our students, staff, volunteers & the McAuliffe community for making International Night a success. 

Huge thanks to committe chair, Eileen Riccio.

Thank you to our wonderful planning committee: Jenny Dickson, Minako Sugimoto, Claudine Ursino, Fabiola Andrade, Rosana Shetty, Sangeetha Ramanathan, Viviana Coppo, Whitney King, April Weiss, Beth Weaver, Lynne Swanson,

Thank you for running the logo competition: Andrea Piro

Thanks to Mrs. Warren for putting together the kindergarten and second grade performances.

Tha;nks to the event volunteers serving food and manning the "countries" booths among other important jobs:  Kristin Pingree, Louise Carlen, JoanneToll, Sue Quabar, Nadia Aldossary, Regena Gilbert, Cindy Rittenhouse, Puja Kakkar, Karol Wilson, Leslie Jeide,Tracy DiStasio, Li- Chuan Miai, Jyothi Rao, Poorvi Padhi, Supurna Ghosh, Mai-Kirsi Meissner, Kirsten Mitchell, Jennifer Mackleit, Paige Somol, Ping Wang, Jane Dulski, Michelle Toth, Kristi Bowers, Susan Valencia, Liza Wallace, Wendy Segat, Paul Lee, Michelle Hill, Russel Hannigan, Ananadita Roy, Louise l'Anson,Eyal Tropens, Fei Lu, Shuo Li, Jill Kostomay, Li Shao, Itbesam Amireh, Agneta LaTurner, Susannah Pryal, Allison Hannigan, 

Thank you to the ASB volunteers who helped out as airline attendants and with the Talent Show.

Thank you to all who made the incredible food from around the world. It was delicious!

And thank you to everyone who stepped in at the last minute that we may have missed. We couldn't have done it with out you.

Yearbooks were handed out on Thursday with much excitement! If your child did not pre-order a yearbook, there are still some available for purchase at the front office for $20 a book. Checks should be made out to McAuliffe PTSA.

If your family needs assistance to afford the purchase of a yearbook, please directly contact our school Guidance Counselor, LIsa Daniel at ldaniel@lwsd.org

Thanks to Sue Simon and her team for putting together a gorgeous yearbook this year!

The teachers request that at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year, in order to start the year off more efficiently that school supplies are brought to the Meet and Greet before the first day of school.

Kindergarten Supply List

1st-6th Grade Supply Lists

In last week's McAuliffe Monthly, Principal Miller announced that Brady Howden has accepted Principal position for next year. The following is a welcome letter from Mr. Howden:

Hello!

My name is Brady Howden and I am thrilled to be selected as the new principal at McAuliffe Elementary!

I feel extremely lucky to have this opportunity and look forward to working with students, parents, and staff in the 2010-2011 school year. For those of you who don’t know me, I have worked in the Lake Washington School District the past 6 years as a teacher and administrative intern at Franklin Elementary. I was also the interim Assistant Principal at Rose Hill Junior High this past spring.

On personal note, I live in Redmond with my wife (Kendall), 3 ½ year old son (Colby), and 1 year old daughter (Emily). We spend our sum-mers traveling together as a family. When I’m not traveling I enjoy playing golf and supporting local sports teams. I can’t wait to get to work to continue the success of McAuliffe Elementary. Go Challengers!

Parents of students receiving special education services at McAuliffe are invited to join our new support group! The idea of this group is to collectively educate ourselves on the IEP/ 504 process, share experiences and resources, and find ways to foster friendships among our kids. If you are interested in participating in this group please contact: Stefanie Estes at sestes1047@yahoo.com.

You still have time to order school supplies online or with the order form you received in Payload Packets.

Click here for more information to order online or to download an order form.

Check orders will be due Friday, June 11, 2010.  Credit card orders due Tuesday, July 15, 2010.

Questions? Contact your School Supplies Chairs Paige Somol at paigesomol@comcast.net or Briana Martin at briana_martin@yahoo.com .

Our dedicated McAuliffe volunteers were honored at the annual Volunteer Tea on Wednesday, June 2.

Thank you to Mrs. Herd's, Mr. Kendall's and Mrs. Weaver's classes who provided entertainment (and Mrs. Warren). Thank you to Mrs. Herd and the teachers who provided the amazing food – including a chocolate waterfall!

Thank you to Krista Wall for the invitations, to Gigi Predmore for coordinating, and to Traci DiStasio and Jill Corriveau who helped set-up. Thank you to the Awards Committee: Jeff Wall, Tammy Penarczyk and Jane Dulski.

Thank you to the students and Girl Scouts who provided babysitting: Chloe Predmore, Dominique Alvarado-Holden, Ellie Smith, Ellie Viotto, Emily Wallace, Emma Santos, Kellie Hannigan, Megan O'Meara, Natalie LaTurner, Ryan Hammack, Sam Vidos, Sophie Mackinnon, Sun Sun Venugopal, Sofia Viotto and Vivian Wiese.

Thanks to our adult childcare advisors, Elena Biongianni, Randy Hammack, Steve Wiese, (and to April Wiese for her oversight and coordination). Also, thank you to Jim Kendall and Gail Viamonte for letting us use their rooms for the childcare.

Lastly, we would like to thank Mikara Tim and Liviu Voinea, our wonderful school custodians, who helped us get everything set-up in a very short amount of time.

Three awards were presented this year – Outstanding Educator, the Golden Acorn and the Shining Star. Our always giving Principal, Mrs. Tracey Miller, was awarded the Outstanding Educator. Traci DiStasio was awarded the Golden Acorn, and Gigi Predmore was awarded the Shining Star. The Outstanding Educator is a WA State PTA award to recognize individuals who go beyond the normal expectations of their jobs to make the learning environment fun, beneficial and challenging. The Golden Acorn is also a state award and recognizes a volunteer who has given outstanding service to all children in the school community. The Shining Star is a McAuliffe award to recognize a past Golden Acorn award recipient who has continued to go above and beyond in their service to our children and community. We are all inspired by the three award winning ladies.

The PTSA would also like to recognize the following people who were also nominated for the Golden Acorn: Susan Simon, Roslynn Marks, Whitney King, Jennifer Mackleit, Lisa Carskaden, Kristen Wisegarver, Valerie Orloff, Liza Wallace, April Wiese, Laura Bolz, Kristen Mathison, Sarah Atkinson, and Jane Dulski. Congratulations to you all!