Clayton L. in Mrs. Green’s fourth grade class has won a Washington State PTA Reflections Contest award for Outstanding Interpretation in Literature. This is the highest level of award and allows Clayton’s poem to move on to the national competition.

My Rose Colored Glasses

My rose colored glasses can’t see the outside of anyone.
It doesn’t show skin color,
It doesn’t show religion,
Everyone the same color.
My rose colored glasses show me the inside,
Their strength, their love—their hope.
But the best thing I see through my rose colored glasses is
people who are working together,
even when they are different on the outside.
You see, what I see through my rose colored glasses
is everyone helping each other,
Learning to see one another from the inside out.

Our Healthy Breakfast Celebration included breakfast entrees at lunchtime, a Healthy Breakfast Fair, and Pajama Day on Friday to remind us to eat a healthy breakfast every day. Congratulations to Elijah S. in Mrs. Wiest’s class whose winning recipe was served on Friday morning.

                                                    Sunny Morning Muffins

• 1 Cup Chopped Strawberries
• ¾ Cup Sugar, Plus 2 Tablespoons
• 1 Cup white flour + ½ Cup whole wheat flour
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• ½ Teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Ripe banana, mashed
• 2 Large eggs
• ¼ Cup canola oil
• 1 lemon, zested
• ½ Pint blueberries
• ½ Cup chopped walnuts

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a small bowl, mix together strawberries and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Let sit 15 minutes until strawberries give off juices.
3. In another small bowl, mix together flours, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, egg, oil, sugar, strawberries and lemon zest.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Do not over mix.
6. Fold in blueberries and chopped walnuts.
7. Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out with a few crumbs but not wet, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack to room temperature before eating.

Mark Your Calendar for the next PTA General Membership Meeting – Tuesday, March 20, 7 p.m. in the library, where board officer elections for 2012-13 will take place AND Superintendent Mike Nerland will speak on the state of the district and the school boundary review process. Babysitting will be provided in room 209.

On Monday, Feb. 6, a large fir tree near the entrance to GVE, toppled over in high winds.

Fortunately this happened in the evening and no one was injured! The school sign was damaged. CSD maintenance employees have been busy for a week now clearing away the debris. Mrs. Brouilletʼs 5th grade science class has acquired several of the “tree cookies” to investigate under the microscope. They will also count rings to discover the age of the tree.

Stay tuned!