I want to thank everyone who took the time to contact the legislature on this bill. Unfortunately with the tight budget situation, it did not get funded.
I am sure something like it will come back again in the future. We can hope for better results then, if the economy and state revenues have improved.

Charlie Burkam
Administrative Director

EMAIL
• Email the Governor with the Message: “Include funding for SB1257 in the budget.”
   Use the on-line form to send an email to the Governor.

• Email Senator Taylor with your personal message or letter

• Email Representative Gallego and Representative Miranda with your message or letter.

• Create a personal message from sample letters developed with help from the Arizona Charter Schools Association:
       – Sample parent letter to Senator Taylor
       – Sample parent letter to Representatives Gallego and Miranda
       – Sample staff letter to Senator Taylor
       – Sample staff letter to Representatives Gallego and Miranda

The DMS Board is working on a letter it will send to the Governor, and our District 16 State Senator and Representatives.

CALL
Governor’s Office:
Janice K. Brewer – (602) 542-4331

District 16 Senate:
Leah Landrum Taylor – (602) 926-3830

District 16 House:
Ruben Gallego - (602) 926-3042
Catherine H, Miranda – (602) 926-4893

WHAT IS SB 1257 ALL ABOUT?
This is a NEW tax credit just for donations towards the cost of facilities.

It is only for “performing” charter schools, with an A or B rating. DMS currently has a B rating.

It would provide tax credits of up to $500 (single), $1,000 (couple) or $1,000 for a corporation.

For individuals, this would be in addition to the extracurricular tax credit of $200/$400. (Corporations cannot participate in the extracurricular tax credit.)

It could reduce the need for us to borrow money for new facilities, if we were able to attract this new type of tax credit donation.

There are still facilities needs beyond completing the sewer: appropriate space for music, crafts and fine arts, and larger-sized classrooms as we are now approaching full capacity.

Because it is a tax credit, it would reduce state revenues available for other state expenses. Therefore, it must be included within the budget to become law.

Arizona State Legislature – SB1257 Information
Arizona Charter Schools Association – Your Support is Needed NOW

Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment for the 2012/2013 school year will be held on Friday, February 10th, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Please read the following documents to see if you need to participate in our Open Enrollment process.

Sibling Enrollment
Sibling enrollment forms will be available in the office starting February 6th and are due back by February 20th.

Current Preschool Family Enrollment
If you are a preschool family and your child will be moving onto kindergarten, you will need to participate in our Open Enrollment process unless you have an older sibling already attending DMS then see sibling enrollment above.

If you are a preschool family and your child will be staying in preschool for another year, please come by the office to pick up an enrollment packet beginning February 6th.

While part of the Town Hall will be providing information about where we are in the revision of the long range plan, we also want to continue the mood set last year by having an open forum for questions from the community. However, just like last year, we would like to know the questions in advance so we can be prepared to provide thorough answers.

We have set up a new email address solely for your questions or suggestions: yourthoughts@arizonawaldorf.org. Also, we have placed a mailbox for the same purpose outside the office.

In the process of reviewing the long range plan, it has become clear the intentions have not significantly changed in five years. However, the school has grown and a significant part of both the staff and parent community were not involved in the original plan.

Therefore, we felt it appropriate to focus on the mission as well as the details of the plan.
While the mission of any school working out of the Waldorf curriculum has really not changed since the inception of the Waldorf movement, how that is understood and applies at each school varies. Moreover, to summarize it into a terse “mission statement” has always been difficult—witness the current version on our website.

It is impossible, and probably unnecessary, to have all of those details in a mission statement. Also, we cannot redraft the mission in a large group. So we are asking for your feedback on both the contents of the mission as it is currently stated on the website and also on the draft “condensed” version that follows:

The mission of Desert Marigold School is to encourage students to realize their full potential & develop the knowledge, perception & strength of will needed to create a hopeful, compassionate future.

Please send your thoughts on the mission statement and any questions that arise for you no later than Sunday so we can have Monday to prepare. See you there!

Amy Bird, Charlie Burkam & Jimmy Wahbeh
The Long Range Plan Coordinating Group

The 11th grade has created a beautiful calendar for 2012 full of student artwork from all the grades at Desert Marigold School. Please support our Senior trip by purchasing one of these uniquely artistic calendars.

Join us for this very special festival that takes place just as the sun is setting over the school grounds. We will arrive by foot to congregate around the pickup area where we will light our lanterns and hear a story of Martinmas. 7th grade and high school students will be serving hot apple cider and fresh warm bread. Please talk softly and enjoy each other’s company.

2) Light in My Lantern, Light in My Heart
Light in my lantern
Light in my heart.
Light in the world
Light up the dark.
Oh lantern I will keep the flame
So it will not die.
Shine it that the world may see
How my light does shine.
Shine little lantern
Light up the light.
Shine in the darkness
Oh wondrous light!

3) Walk Along, To and Fro
Walk along, to and fro
With my lantern here we go.
Up above the moon and stars
Shinning down to where we are.

4) Walking With My Lantern
Walking with my lantern into the night.
Chasing the shadows away with light.
Within
Within
My light will never dim.

5) This Little Light of Mine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine.
this little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine.
this little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

On Friday, October 28th, a representative of the Arizona Physical Therapy Association (AzPTA) visited Desert Marigold to see the new Gaga dodge ball pit that the school has constructed thanks to a recent AzPTA grant. The AzPTA presented a $1,000 check as part of its commitment to promote positive physical activity behaviors and lifetime fitness among middle school children.

If you haven’t noticed yet, you will soon… Zucchinis are taking over the southwest corner of the DMS campus! This rich zucchini harvest is one of the results of the year-long grant DMS received from the Gila River Indian Community to develop our agricultural program. Our high school students and their project leaders, Gregory Pedano and Tony Robson, are eager to share the fruits of their labor at our first ever Zucchini Day.

Elevated Growing Mounds		The First Zucchini Bloom!
A Baby Zucchini Vine

5:00-5:30 pm
Arrival and Viewing of the Remembrance Table

5:30-6:00 pm
Performances and Activities

6:00-7:00 pm
Potluck Dinner

Come to the The HALLOWEEN Carnival!
Saturday, October 29th, 2011
4:00-8:00 pm

Lots of Food
Snacks on sale at 4:00 pm
Dinner at 5:00 pm

• Soups
• Bread
• Pasta
• Pizza
• Salad
• Pies
• Cakes
• Cookies
• Soda, Water, Juice
• Cotton Candy
• Kettle Corn
• Popcorn

Games with Fun Prizes

• Cake Walk
• Fishing in the Black Lagoon
• Win a Fish
• Doughnut on a String
• Bounce House
• Ring Toss
• Rainbow Game
• Digging for Treasure
• Pocket Witch
• Lucky Key
• Guess How Many
• Pumpkin Painting
• Face Painting
• And Much More…

This event is appropriate for all ages but please remember, NO MASKS or scary face make-up.

Note: The dress for the Halloween Carnival and the Halloween Parade (held on 10/31) are different. The Carnival is open to anything that is not gruesome or scary for the younger children, but not focused on any particular theme.

At DMS Community Days, we work some, we play some, and we always have lots of fun. Don’t miss our first get together of the year on Saturday morning, October 22.

We’ll be playing games and working on some projects around campus, including finishing up our brand new gaga dodge ball pit. Bring a picnic lunch and plan to stay awhile!

Questions?
Contact Amy Bird at amyb@arizonawaldorf.org.

Class and individual portraits will be taken Tuesday, Oct 18th-Thursday, Oct 20th, 2011.

All class photos will be Tuesday, October 18th, 2011.

Individual photos will begin on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011.

Proofs and order forms will go home the week following pictures and retakes or makeups will be Thursday, October 27th.

Please note that prices are lower this year and quantity discounts are available.

Lisa Maynard will be on campus at 8am for sibling or family pictures by the early childhood playground. Lisa Maynard Photography (480) 363-1401.

Desert Marigold School
2011-2012
Hot Lunch Programs

The upper grades will be offering hot lunches this year. Order forms are available in the office, online, or by phone. Please complete the order form and return it to the school office with payment by noon the day before the lunch service in order to give accurate counts to our vendors. Payment options accepted by DMS: cash, check, or credit card. Please fill out separate order forms for each child/student. Separate payments are not necessary.

Hot Lunch Offerings

Tuesday – Pizza from Venezia’s Pizzeria
Click here for an order form.

Wednesday – Deli Items from Jason’s Deli
Click here for an order form.

Thursday – Burritos from Rubio’s
Burritos are no longer being offered.

Please have order forms in by noon the day before delivery!