Dear Friends, 

We had a lovely last field outing last Wednesday to River Park with 6th Grade. Perfect fall weather.
Now I will be mostly working in classrooms through the winter.

On Mondays I will be working with the 1st grade on the Trees of Waters School, specifically, this Monday, November 13, labeling their leaf collection. Anyone wishing to help (and learn to ID the leaves) would be welcomed, lest ash be mislabeled as black walnut.
Room  211 11:30
Room  208 1:25
Room 210 2:15

If Tuesday has decent weather, we may take the 8th grade out to do garden maintenance. Stay tuned.

Wednesday is report card pick up. If your kids are in 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th, their ecology Field Journals will be available for you to look through. Please feel free to write a comment to them. They will be thrilled!

Thursday, November 16, I will be working with the three 6th grades to analyze the results of their chemical and biological testing of the Chicago River. Will we find E. coli in the water? How much? Stand by.

Friday is my Big Day: the Recycling Captains luncheon. 
It is a chance for our Caps to receive feedback from their teachers, and for me to hear how things are going. 
It is also a chance for them to be honored with a fine lunch in a quiet place, served served by an appreciative adult community.
I get started preparing the Conference Room at 10:00 a.m.. The kids come in during the regular lunch period. 
There will be salad, fruits to prepare, and pizza to run for. Finished by 1:00 p.m.
Hope you can help, and witness this very touching encounter.

All the precious seed gathered by our Mighty Acorns will be cleaned, weighed and sorted into mixes at:
Seed Processing Day
Saturday, November 18 from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. at the Emily Oaks Nature Center, 4650 Brummel, Skokie
Over the growing season, dedicated volunteers have carefully harvested ripe native seed to help restore the plant communities in Cook County forest preserves along the North Branch of the Chicago River. Seed will be released from capsules and berries, then put into a dozen different mixes based on habitat. The mixes will go to site stewards, who will distribute them in North Branch preserves, helping to insure healthy thriving natural areas.
Please email North Branch and let us know if you can join in the work. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Feel free to bring a favorite dish to share.

Thanks to you all for a smooth and beautiful fall season, 
Mr. Leki

Dear Friends, 
It will be cool and clear, 
perfect weather tomorrow for our 8th graders to come out and move compost to the kindergarden potato and cucumber patch, 
split logs and do other sundry tasks, 
and refresh themselves with our own Aronia / Gooseberry / Lemonade.
The first class comes out at 11:30 a.m., the second at 1:15 p.m. 
Join us in the work feast!

On Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 9:30, 
6th Grade, Room 305, 
will travel to River Park to test the Chicago River.
It's a walking trip, 
and I need someone who can get in the water, 
in waders, to find benthic bugs. 
Takers?
Meet by the fish tank at 9:00 a.m..
Picnic lunch and back by 1:30 p.m..

Tomorrow morning we are going to re-set
our re-cycling efforts with the BIC (Breakfast In Classroom)
because of the frequent turnover of custodial staff.
So we have outfitted new buckets, and procedures to make sure we are recycling as much as possible. 
At the same time, our 8th grade composting captains are going to visit classroom to ask for improvement in the sorting line.
Too many plastic bags with veggies, 
ketchup packs, 
and sporks
end up in our garden compost.
Anyone interested in these goings-on
please join me tomorrow morning (Tuesday, November 7) at drop off, 
Thanks, 
Pete