Academic Challenge Teams and Enrichment Groups at Lemon Road

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Academic Challenge Teams and Enrichment Groups at
Lemon Road

• Getting Started! The five Ws

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Why are we here?

• Looking to enrich our childrens education
• STEM, Language Arts and Fine Arts
• Extra-curricular enrichment teams/clubs

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Why we ARENT here

• To decide/determine what is done with
  instructional time (ie in the classroom)
• Those decisions are understandably and
  appropriately placed in the hands of the
  administration and faculty of LRES

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Who are we targetting?

• Ideally everyone and everything! BUT we do not
  want to grow too fast.
• 3 or so events at first
• Expand as we have interest and support in future
  years
• Many groups target the older grades (3-6)
• Different for Academic Enrichment Groups

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What do these type of activities take to succeed?

• YOU

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And some other things.

• Training offered by parent organization if
  required. Online vs. in-person
• Time/Space meeting space sometimes at homes,
  libraries, etc.
• Staff Support need a staff liaison for some
  activitie
• Money some support from PTA, nominal fees for
  participation

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STEM ideas Science Olympiad

• Science Olympiad two levels
• Students works as partners in events
• Parent coaching/leadership is key for success!!
• Division A (3-5 grade)
• Jan/Feb start up date, April/May tournament
• http//www.virginiaso.com/divisionA/update.php
• Division B (6-8) - http//www.virginiaso.com/
• Registration and sign up ASAP, March State
  Tournament, Regionals prior to that. Coaches
  Clinic October 19 at Langley HS

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Other STEM groups

• FIRST Lego League (4-8)
• http//www.firstlegoleague.org/
• Junior FLL (K-3)
• Uses LEGO NXT Mindstorm technology to design,
  build and program an automated robot to
  accomplish certain missions
• Rubiks Cube (all interested grades, but
  usually 3-6)
• http//www.youcandothecube.com/compete-now/
• MathCounts (5-6)
• http//mathcounts.org/
• GEMS Club (All grades, group dependent)
• (Girls Excelling in Math and Science)
• http//gemsclub.org/
• Club at LRES run by parents exposing girls to
  STEM

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Language Arts Ideas

• Scrabble Club helps with vocab, math, spatial
  relations, language, interpersonal communication.
  (5-6 for competitions, but open for club play)
• http//www2.scrabble-assoc.com/main.asp?id1
• Great Books leading discussions on literature,
  improving critical thinking skills, develops
  independent thinking and creativity.
• http//www.greatbooks.org/
• Needs parents to undergo training and lead
  discussions

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Odyssey of the Mind

• Creative problem-solving competition involving
  students from Kindergarten through college.
  (Altho we may do 2-6)
• Encourages and rewards outside the box thinking
• Summer training for coaches Sept/Oct
  enrollment, year-long commitment
• http//www.odysseyofthemind.com/
• Too late for this year, possible for next year

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Fine Arts and Humanities

• GRACE Arts Using art history lessons to feed
  the love of the Arts
• http//www.restonarts.org/Education/graceart.htm?v
  er1
• May be able to morph into an Art Club - free
  structure -
• Picturing America
• Using classic works of art to teach American
  History while foster appreciation of art history
• http//picturingamerica.neh.gov/

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What do you do?

• Fill out the interest form
• You need to let us know what sort of activities
  interest you and your children.
• NEED NAMES AND CONTACT INFO!!!
• No anonymous forms permitted ?
• Return forms to LRES by October 25th, but never
  think that the PTA/LRES Admin are closed to your
  ideas
• If you have any skills that would make you ideal
  to help with one of these activities, please list
  it.
• Further comments and suggestions should be
  written on the back.

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What is our plan?

• PTA and LRES Admin will meet and determine where
  there is enough student, parent and teacher
  interest.
• We cannot do them all right off the bat ?
• Consider smaller group on your own if you want to
  do an activity!!!
• If you build it, they will come

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THANK YOU FOR COMING!!!!

• Just by being here you are showing an active
  interest in your child.