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GATEWAY FAMILY NEWS 
 

September 30, 2009
In This Issue
School Life
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SCHOOL LIFE
Bike to School Day is tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 1st!  Grab those helmets and do your part to reduce your carbon footprint! A healthy breakfast will be available from 7:30 to 8:30 on the blacktop for those who ride (or scooter, or skateboard). Parents are welcome!  Please note that this is the same day as our Peace & Plenty Celebration.

Peace & Plenty Celebration Thursday, Oct. 1st! Don't forget to attend tomorrow's Peace & Plenty Celebration at 1:10pm.  Celebrating the harvest season by sharing bread, songs and music has become one of our school's most endearing traditions.  We hope many parents will join us and taste our yummy bread baked by the children.

Reminder - All school Gateway Parent Association meeting on Tuesday Oct. 6th at 9:00am in the West Cliff Room.  We invite all parents to come discuss GPA activities and give suggestions.  This is the first of 4 all-parent meetings this year.  Please join us!

Kindergarten Parent Coffee - Wednesday Oct. 7th from 8:30 - 9:00am in the West Cliff Room.  Join Percy, kindergarten teachers Liz and Emily, and Resource Specialist Joan Saia for an informal chat about your child's developmental milestones and outcomes, and information on what to expect from your child throughout the year.

Reminder - Harvest Festival Information Meeting on Friday, Oct. 2nd at 8:45am.

Parent Teacher Conference Day Child Care - All-day child care is available during Parent Teacher conferences and Staff In-service days, Oct. 8th, 9th and 12th.  Please sign up on the clipboard in the Main Office.    If you need to leave your child in our care during conference time only, you do not need to sign up ahead of time.  There will be a sign in sheet each day in the West Cliff room that you will use for conference time. 

The annual Book Fair in Tess's 5th grade classroom during Parent Teacher conferences on Oct. 8th and 9th.  Please come shop for books and support the Gateway Library!

Afterschool Chess Class - Chess class taught by Gjon Feinstein began last week, and there is still space available.  If you are interested fill out the form in the "Wednesday Flyer" section and return to the Main Office.

Ranch Builders is BACK!!!  Gateway parents Rusty and Erica Berg and Gateway School are working together to offer a 10-week Ranch Builders Club. The club will learn building and maintenance skills, including the use of farm equipment.  Past projects have included bridge building and other challenging activities.  Ranch Builders is for Middle School students and takes place @ Jade Ranch from 3:15 - 5:15 pm.  If you are interested in your child participating, please contact Percy at dr.a@gatewaysc.org.

Second Harvest Food Drive Coming Soon.  The sixth grade class is coordinating our school-wide canned food drive to benefit needy families in Santa Cruz County.  The food drive will be mid-October to mid-November.  Start saving up canned goods to donate!

Harvest Festival Sunday, Oct. 25th, 1-4pm.  Please join us to celebrate the harvest season by attending our annual Harvest Festival. This is such a fun community event for children and parents as well.  We are looking forward to a day of fun at all the booths put together by each grade including a pumpkin walk, 25 foot climbing wall, obstacle course, garden shop, lollipop toss, and so much more.  Look for Wednesday flyers with more information and contact your room parent to see how you can get more involved with this year's festival.  We hope you can all attend this fabulous family event!

2010 "Garden of Dreams" Online Auction volunteers needed!  For the first time this year, we are having an online auction!  We are removing the silent auction from our annual event (set for Saturday Feb. 6, 2010 at the Dream Inn) and taking it on-line.  This will be an exciting way to enable broad access to our auction items so that our entire parent (and grandparent and friend) community can shop for fabulous deals and support our school!  Right now, we still need volunteers to help with securing items for the online auction.  If you are interested in helping secure donations, please contact our auction volunteer (and new Kindergarten parent) Michele Brady at mrbrady@pacbell.net. 

Gateway Students' Skeleton Dolls to be on Display in downtown Santa Cruz!  Skeleton dolls made by Patricia's 2nd grade class of 2008-09 will be on display Oct. 2nd - Nov 5th at Twist Store, 1364 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz.  Come meet the artists and view the Ofrenda on Friday Oct. 2nd from 6:30-7:00pm!

Gateway Students at Santa Cruz New Tech Meetup on Oct. 7th.  Gateway students Eva Kurtz, Andrew Adelman, and Kai Tamkun will be among a dozen teen students showing their technical prowess and projects to members of the Santa Cruz New Tech Meetup.   For more information, go to the event site at http://www.meetup.com/newtech-86/calendar/11287983/

New Families Reception - Thank you to the GPA and especially GPA President Sheri Corona for organizing the New Families Reception!  It was such a fun evening, and so wonderful to see so many new families there!  Thank you to Christina Falco and Mike Frumkin for hosting the event, and to Arlene Cook, Sheri Corona, Andrea Hultzen, Anne Rowley and Kristin Smith for providing the food!