Archive for February 2007

Caving Trip #2? Who’s up to going down again?

I’m trying to setup another caving trip.  Please comment to this post if you are interested so I can verify that we have enough people interested.

It would be after Spring Break.

Eanes 2008 Science Day (Science Night grows up!)

Eanes PTO is already starting to work on next year’s science event early because we’re planning to make BIG changes.  We are discussion holding the event during school hours instead of in the evening.  The core idea is that presenters will each give a 20 minute presentation to about 25 students.  Students would get to attend 4 presentations (probably determined by grade).

This format will serve more student (100% instead of just the ones who attend Science Night).  It will also allow the presenters to provide more detailed and/or interactive instruction.

The challenges are that we’ll need many more presenters and volunteers.  We also are looking for ways to keep the open house & social aspects of Science Night that the parents enjoy.

To help prepare, I’d to organize science volunteers on campus by grade level.  If each grade has a science coordinator then that person could coordinate the science day program for their grade.  They would also help their grade teachers with supply and lab requests.  We’d still have a committee for the event and overall chair, but the grade coordinators would ensure that their grade’s logistics were handled.

I’m planning to hold a meeting to discuss this after spring break.  If you are interested, please let me know.  Feel free to comment with questions, suggestions, and concerns.

GT: Elementary Transistion to Middle School

Several parents have asked if the district could hold a meeting to discuss elementary GT student issues related to the transition to Middle School.  I’m talking with the GT teachers at both Middle Schools to set this up. We need your help:

  1. Ask questions in advance (post here or email to rob[at]4eanes[dot]com )
  2. Tell us what times work best (AM, Noon, PM)

Thanks!

EanesTAG joining 4eanes.com site.

I am taking steps to shutdown the EanesTAG site and list server.

The level of spam on EanesTAG is going up and the activity has been zero.

Recently, Colleen Dement, Laura Hirschfeld, and I have started to reorganize the EanesTAG nonprofit. In the next few weeks we will be coordinating with the District to relaunch with a new mission. We hope that GT parents across EISD will collaborate with us and the District to redefine the organization. For more information, please visit the 4eanes.com site.

If you have questions or concerns, contact me by posting a comment to this blog entry.

WAKE UP! This will get you out of bed.

Good - you’ll need to the practice for Sunday (2/25) at 7 AM to watch the awesomely cool implosion of the Intel shell in downtown Austin. If you can drag yourself out of bed, this is sure to be a once in a lifetime experience at corner of Fifth Street and San Antonio.

Please post a comment if you know of a “optimal viewing” location.

UT Open House - Saturday 3/3: 11 to 5

The annual Explore UT Open House is coming on Saturday 3/3 from 11 to 5. This is a great event and I strongly recommend it.

Eanes Science Night Survey

We’re going to use SurveyMonkey.com to get feedback on this year’s Science Night.  If you attended the event, please take 5 minutes to compete the online survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=490013268131

Frog Dissection (using model)

I saw an interesting frog dissection science kit ($25) yesterday that I think would make a great Science Club activity.  The kit is a model frog with organs and a skeleton.  You mold a plastic skin over the model to create a dissection model that can be “cut” with plastic scalpels.

What do people this about this option?  It is a little more pricey that most of our projects, but very educational.  You can reuse the frog.

Regional Science Fair Reminders!

If you are competing in the ARSF, you must:

  1. Register for Regional online;
  2. take a copy of their Elementary Project Registration Confirmation and completed Media Release Form to Katie Sisk by Wed (2/7);
  3. Attach a completed copy of the “Elementary Student Project Board Form” to the back of the science project board.
  4. keep a copy of their Elementary Project Registration Confirmation.  You MUST bring that with you when you take the project to set up at Regional (Friday 2/23).

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