CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS....

to the following ten students for making the 2009 Knowledge Bowl Team!!

Dylan C, Hunter F, Becca H, Hayden H, R.J. H, Laurel L,
Parker L, Georgie R, Jake S, and Darriell S.

These students will compete against other 5th grade SPOTLIGHT students across the county in a trivia-based competition involving all areas of the curriculum. The tentative date is Tuesday, March 31 at the Gale Center in Hernando. These students need to return the t-shirt order form to Mrs. Klinger as soon as possible. The cost is unknown at this time, and parents are encouraged to order one to show team support!! Look for more information coming soon!!

Three Posts in One!!!

There is a lot to blog about this week! There is so much going on, and a lot coming up! Where should I start?...

With the latest and greatest new thing for all of Klinger's Klass!
http://klingerklass.shutterfly.com/
You have to check out the link above. Mrs. Lee, mom of 5th grader Parker Lee, has generously shared her time & talent to set up a photo account for our class! You do not have to have an account to view the photosite, but if you sign up for a shutterfly account or use your current login you can set alerts to email you when the site is updated. As a member of the site you can add and download photos and post comments for others to see. You can also personalize your profile with a photo and username- see the member's page to update. Thank you Mrs. Lee!!

S.P.O.T.L.I.G.H.T. SPIRIT NIGHTS COMING SOON!!

We will be having a couple fundraising dinners during the month of March. The kids will be able to come play chess with their friends, enjoy something to eat and raise money for the Spotlight Chicago trip. This will also be a great way for the kids to practice for the upcoming tournaments and for parents to meet each other. Thanks again to Mrs. Lee for coordinating these events!
-Thursday March 5th from 6-9pm we will meet at Newk's Cafe in the Kroger shopping center at Getwell and Goodman. We will have tables set up for the kids to practice chess for the upcoming tournaments. Feel free to stop by anytime from 6-9pm.
-Thursday March 26th from 6-9pm we will meet at the Olive Branch McAlister's Deli near the WalMart Shopping Center. We will have tables set up for the kids to play chess.

CHESS UPDATES

Congratulations to our third, fourth and fifth grade students who competed in the MS Scholastic & Individual Chess Tournament in Jackson on Saturday, February 14. The Fourth Grade Team placed Fourth in their division and the Fifth Grade Team placed Sixth Place. What a great learning experience!! For most players this was their first major tournament.
http://klingerklass.shutterfly.com/chesstournaments
Click on the link above to read the newspaper article written about the tournament.

**Parents interested in traveling to Nashville for the SUPERNATIONALS in April will meet with Emily Nelson this Sunday, Feb 22 at 2:30 at Newk's Cafe in Southaven.

Chicago Update

The latest count for Chicago is 40! I am so excited!! Unfortunately, I neglected to indicate on the note home who to make the check out to. So, any check that was made payable to DCES will be returned. Please forgive my oversight, and make the check payable to ABOUT TOURS.

If you haven't paid your first deposit, please do so as soon as possible. I would like to mail our checks Wednesday after school. The first deposit is $65.00 per person. Your total per person is dependant upon your hotel room as follows:
$314 for a quad occupancy
$322 for a triple occupancy
$338 for a double occupancy
This total minus your deposit will be made in two more payments at the end of February and the end of March.

Remember, the AMTRAK reservations will be a completely separate transaction with a different travel agency. I will let you know about totals for seat fares and the availability of sleeper cars as soon as I can.

CHICAGO FIELD TRIP UPDATE!!!

I am so excited to finally announce that "YES! Fifth grade SPOTLIGHTERS are going to CHICAGO!" Since our big trip to Washington, DC didn't work out due to the high cost of the trip, we have decided that Chicago is our destination! I will send home a formal letter next week with all the details, but promised the students I would send something home this week. Here is the information I have at this time....

The dates for the trip are April 29 - May 1. We would leave Wednesday evening aboard the City of New Orleans train, arrive in Chicago Thursday morning, and depart Friday evening arriving Saturday a.m. The estimated cost for this trip is $400 for students and $470 for adults. This includes all transportation, hotel, breakfast and dinner, admissions to museums, and a certified tour guide. Payments will be taken in 4 installments, and fundraising options are being explored. There will be upgrade options available for the hotel and a sleeper car for the train.

Highlights of the trip include: Navy Pier, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago Cubs game, Museum of Science and Industry, Federal Reserve Bank, Sears Tower Skydeck, and Chinatown.

When details are finalized next week, the official letter will go home regarding reservations. Since space is limited, reservations will be taken on a first come basis for one adult and one child. If all spots are not filled, I will open the additional spots to additional family members.

This blog will be great way for you to stay informed. Use it to ask questions or please use my personal email address jennklinger@gmail.com .

Chess Sets for Christmas

If your child is showing an interest in Chess, then why not order them their own chess set for Christmas! I sent home a flyer and an order form today.

The Basic Chess Set includes a tournament quality vinyl board, triple-weighted chess pieces, and a 12 x 9 in. vinyl bag with handles that has a zippered pouch to store chess pieces, and a loop beneath for the roll-up board.
Cost $15

The Deluxe Set includes a tournament quality vinyl board, triple-weighted chess pieces, and a 24 x 9 in. thick padded canvas bag with handles and adjustable shoulder straps. This bag encases the chess board, and features compartments for pens, score pads, and ID card.
Cost $25

If you are interested, please send cash only no later than Monday.

Toys for Tots

Bring a new, unwrapped toy to S.P.OT.L.I.G.H.T. to benefit the Toys for Tots campaign,
which distributes these toys to needy children in our community.

Click here for more information about the Toys for Tots campaign

A big thanks to The Great American Home Store who has promised to match our donations!

Hanna Dendy Memorial Chess Tournament

Don't forget to register for this Saturday's chess tournament at our school! All particpants will play 5 rounds. Click the link to register online or return completed form to Mrs. Klinger.
http://www.desotochess.com/entries/online.html

We need parent volunteers to help run the Hanna Dendy Chess Tournament this Saturday! If your child is competing in the tournament, please see Mrs. Klinger or Mrs. Orrand to volunteer to run the concession stand or monitor the hallway in & out of the tournament.