Memorial-Spaulding PTO

Hello! Welcome to the ASCA Program, a non-profit Memorial-Spaulding PTO fundraiser offering a variety of AFTER-SCHOOL COURSES for our children!

Please note our Updates section!

REGISTRATION:

Registration will take place predominantly online this year.

Registration packets will be available to view and print online on Monday, September 13th.
A limited number of packets will be available in the ASCA outbox, under the top right ASCA inbox in the PTO mailboxes in the front hallway of the school.

ASCA FALL 2010 REGISTRATION DAY will be
**Thursday September 15th, 2010.**

Please Register ONLINE if possible or HAND IN the REG FORM and CHECKS TO US directly on REGISTRATION DAY, so that we can correct any errors immediately and so that we may determine which classes will run.

If you cannot register online or you or your child cannot hand registration forms and checks to us, please put them in the ASCA PTO MAILBOX (top right mailbox across from front office)
or MAIL TO the mailbox at: Memorial-Spaulding PTO ATTN: PTO - ASCA Program Memorial-Spaulding Elementary School 250 Brookline St Newton Centre MA 02459

Please do not give ASCA forms & checks to your child's teachers or put them in student folders. We may not receive your documents in a timely manner.

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FALL 2010 ASCA classes start the FIRST full WEEK OF OCTOBER (Tues 10/5)!

WINTER 2011 ASCA classes start the FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY (Tues 1/4)!

SPRING 2011 ASCA classes start the LAST WEEK OF MARCH (Tues 3/29)!

Please note schedule change: NO ASCA CLASSES: in mid-March (3/22-3/23?) due to MCAS switcheroo scheduling difficulties.

ASCA classes END FRIDAY, JUNE 10th, 2011!

REGISTRATION PACKETS:

Include:

Class Schedule
Course Descriptions
REGISTRATION FORM with Instructions, Policies and WAIVER

The Reg Packet will be available Monday, September 13, 2010.

UPDATES:

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Please do not give registration forms and checks to teachers or put in student folders- have students hand them in or put them in the ASCA Mailbox (top right PTO mailbox).

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PLEASE PACK A LUNCH ON TUESDAYS: No lunches are provided by the school on Tuesdays.

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CLASSROOM LOCATIONS are posted here and on the ASCA Bulletin Board (across from the rear entrance to the auditorium) a day or two before classes start.

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ASCA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We need ASCA volunteers! We cannot run this program without parents like you volunteering their time and energy. Opportunities include:

Classroom Helpers for classes with lots of students.
On-Site volunteers who take attendance, help sick children, help ASCA teachers, stay with children until pickup.
Floater Volunteer, available to fill in when volunteers are sick.
Administrative helper (need familiarity with EXCEL, WORD and GMAIL on PC).
ASCA Volunteers receive a free ASCA Course for their child(ren) by volunteering!

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact ASCA Volunteer Irene Gamberg irenemeg34@hotmail.com.

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You, too, can help the ASCA program by:

Filling in your registration forms and checks CLEARLY and correctly and handing them directly to us on registration day.
Picking up your children at the classroom ON TIME.
Helping ASCA teachers CLEAN UP the classroom (wipe off tables, put up chairs, pick up trash, turn off lights)
Letting us know the good and bad things about the program.

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CONDUCT: Please note the ASCA Conduct Guidelines and discuss appropriate classroom behavior with your children. Read more about Conduct Policies, including our 3-strike policy, here.

ASCA CLASS SCHEDULE:

FALL 2010 ASCA Classes begin the FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER (Tues Oct 5th) and end TUESDAY DECEMBER 21st
(no ASCA classes Wednesday November 24th or December 22rd even though there is school).

WINTER 2011 ASCA classes begin the FIRST WEEK of JANUARY (Tues Jan 5th) and end WEDNESDAY MARCH 25th)!
(no ASCA classes Tues 3/22 and Wed 3/23 due to MCAS flip days)

SPRING 2011 ASCA Classes begin the LAST WEEK of MARCH (March29th) and end FRIDAY, JUNE 10th!

ASCA FALL 2010 CLASS SCHEDULE:

TU WE FR

10/5 10/6 10/8

10/12 10/13 10/15

10/19 10/20 10/22

10/26 10/27 10/29

11/2 11/3 11/5

11/9 11/10 11/12

11/16 11/17 11/19

11/23 -ER, noon- -HOL-

11/30 12/1 12/3

12/7 12/8 12/10

12/14 12/15 12/17

12/22 12/23 -HOL-

12 classes 11 classes 10 classes

PLEASE NOTE: There are NO ASCA CLASSES: (even though there is school)

WED 11/24, 12:00 noon release before Thanksgiving Break

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Winter and Spring Schedules will be posted soon.

CLASSROOM LOCATIONS:

All ASCA Classes are held at Memorial-Spaulding Elementary School.

Classroom Locations will be posted on this website and the ASCA Bulletin Board (near the conference room & room 256) a few days before classes start.

OVERENROLLMENT POLICY:
When a class is oversubscribed(Full) everyone who registered at any time on Registration Day is given equal priority.
People who register after Registration Day are given a lower priority.
We then group people according to grade level, whether students have taken the class before etc.
If your child is unfortunately cut from an ASCA Course, you will be given the option of a Full Refund(i.e. we dispose of the check for that course) or placement in another ASCA Course.
We apologize for the inconvenience (and dashed hopes).
Please remind your child that these courses are generally offered every semester (luckily) and that there are many interesting courses to choose from.

NO CONFIRMATIONS:

(Except for Intro to Violin and Guitar) Once you have Registered your child (handed in the Registration Form and Checks), your child is registered for the course.

We will notify you shortly if a course has been cancelled or filled (full refunds given, i.e. we rip up the checks).

NO REFUNDS (after the first ASCA class):

On the first day of ASCA classes, you may withdraw your child for a refund of the course cost minus $20 (given after several weeks).

Otherwise, there are NO REFUNDS.

ASCA CLASSES OFFERED:

Tuesdays 12:30 - 1:45 PM
Tuesdays 1:55 - 2:55 PM
Wednesdays 3 - 4 PM
Fridays 3 - 4 PM
OCTOBER 5, 2010 thru JUNE 10(NO 3/22 or 3/23), 2011
FALL, WINTER & SPRING Semesters
Class Lengths vary on Tuesday. Please check the Course Descriptions and Registration Form.

CLASSROOM LOCATIONS:

All ASCA Classes are held at Memorial-Spaulding Elementary School.

Classroom Locations will be posted on this website and the ASCA Bulletin Board (near the conference room & room 256) a few days before classes start.

INSTRUMENTS:

We are offering introductory courses in guitar and violin this year. No experience required. Children should practice at home and parents should be positively involved in the process.

For GUITAR - You will need to have your child bring a children's sized guitar (most likely 3/4 size, purchased or rented) to the ASCA class. (People have mentioned the Strunal (Czech, ~$150 online), Yamaha Hack 3/4 JR1 with bag $90-140 at Newton Centre Music Shop 617 332-3578 (or rental $19.95/mo) or the Music Emporium of Lexington).
For VIOLIN - You will need to have your child bring a violin (purchased or rented) to the ASCA class.
You will also need to purchase course materials (following). You may rent a violin for $75 for 3 mos at:

Johnson String Instruments
11 John St (near Rte 9 Sunoco)
Newton MA 617 964-0954
www.johnsonstring.com
info@johnsonstring.com

You should also purchase the following materials there:

Suzuki Violin School Vol. 1 (CD, Suzuki perforiming) $14.35
The Scale Practice CD for Suzuki Violin $11.95
Suzuki Violin School Vol. 1 (Music book) $6.25
Music-Reading Students should also get the music book "The ABCS of Violin" by J. Rhoda(Music book) $8.95

Introductory ASCA FLIER

Kindergarten ASCA courses may include:

Karate
Chess
Cooking
Art
Mad Science
High Touch-High Tech Science
Audubon Ark (Animals)
Kids Bop Dance
Amazing Artists

Grades 1 - 5 ASCA courses may also include:

Spanish, French, Chinese, Farsi
Violin, Guitar
Hip-Hop Dance
Magic
Jewelry Design
Kites and Weather
Advanced Karate & Chess
Video Game Design
LEGO Robotics or Engineers
Movie Making
Art Classes

PICKUPS:

If children attend the Extended Day Program, they may take ASCA classes and go/return to extended day.
If children are not in the Extended Day program, you must PICK UP YOUR CHILD (no late bus).
Please pick up your child on time. If you are late (>10 min) you will be charged $20. Repeated tardiness will result in dismissal of your child from the ASCA course.
If you are late, please notify Irene Gamburg on her cell phone # 781-249-8659 during ASCA class hours.

LUNCHES ON TUESDAYS:

Please PACK A LUNCH ON TUESDAYS! ASCA students do not get school lunches!

Please PACK A SNACK if students have back-to-back classes on Tuesdays!

ASCA SICK/ABSENTEE NOTICE:

If a student will not attend an ASCA class (sickness, vacation, taken out early) please NOTIFY US:

by EMAIL irenemeg34@hotmail.com
by leaving A NOTE in the ASCA PTO mailbox (top right) near the front office, or
by PHONE to Irene Gamburg on her cell phone 781-249-8659.

This greatly helps our volunteers who take attendance for the ASCA courses.

Also, if your child will not attend school during the school day, please call the Memorial Spaulding CallBack Line at 617 559-9617 and spell your child's name and teacher's name and note the date absent.

WEATHER CANCELLATIONS:

If the Newton Public Schools are closed, ASCA classes are cancelled (sorry, no refunds).
If the Newton Public Schools after-school activities are cancelled, so are ASCA classes (sorry, no refunds).

You may check the Newton Public Schools Website at http://www.newton.k12.ma.us or call 617 559-9699 for more info.

CONDUCT:

The ASCA Program has a 3 strikes- out policy. Each time, the ASCA teacher and/or ASCA volunteer will attempt to discuss the issue with the student and parent via phone, email, note or in-person. The third time, the student will be dismissed from the course without refund.

This year, we will have strike tickets that will be issued to students. Please read and sign the strike ticket and return it to school for the next ASCA class. Please use this as an opportunity to discuss appropriate classroom behavior and the consequences of improper behavior.

Please note the letter for parents and ASCA Conduct Guidelines and discuss appropriate classroom behavior with your children.

CONTACT ASCA:

Please email us with questions or comments at ASCAPinfo@gmail.com!

For personal matters, general information or emergencies, please email ASCA volunteer Krisztina Bukur-Doczy at ASCAPinfo@gmail.com
or if need be, call her cell at 845-264-5455. Please be considerate of calling hours.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email ASCA volunteer Irene Gamburg at irenemeg34@hotmail.com or, if need be, call her cell phone at 781-249-8659 from 9-5. Parents get a free course for their child for volunteering! Again, please call Krisztina at 845-264-5455 or email her at ASCAPinfo@gmail.com for more general info.

In emergencies during ASCA class hours, you may also try the cell phones of ASCA Volunteers Krisztina Bukur-Doczy at 845-264-5455, Irene Gamburg 781-249-8659 or Rebecca Roth 617 733-2976.

During the schoool year, mail may be sent to:
ATTN:PTO- ASCA Program
Memorial Spaulding Elementary School
250 Brookline St
Newton Centre MA 02459

or any time of the year at:
Krisztina Bukur-Doczy- ASCA
75 Meadowbrook Rd
Newton Centre, MA 02459
home 617-467-4726
cell 845-264-5455

"Ask about ASCA!"