Caution on Crosswalks and Intersections

Back to Top

Right Turn Only Under Study

Back to Top

Procedures for Pick-up in a Private Vehicle

Private vehicles must display their colored pickup number card on their front right windshield. Missing cards delay finding students for each car.

Pickups for students in the later dismissal groups cannot begin until the driveway clears from the first pickup, as below:

M, T, W, F: 3pm pickups enter driveway no earlier than 2:50pm 

Thursdays: 1:40pm pickups enter driveway no earlier than 1:35pm  

Need another pickup number card? Please email carpool@encinalscool.com. 

 Back to Top  

If your student is absent, please report it to Lori Blomquist in the Encinal Office. Lori is serving as the Encinal Attendance Secretary while Kat Wright is on family leave. Email Lori at lblomquist@mpcsd.org (preferred) or call her at 650-326-5064 ext 1001. 

Back to Top  

Dates to Know

Kindergarten Welcome Coffee, Off Campus, September 7

All kindergarten moms and dads are invited to attend a casual welcome coffee on Wednesday, Sept. 7, from 8:30-10:30 at the home of Kristin Campbell, parent of an incoming kindergartener, at 1051 Greenwood Drive, Menlo Park.

This is a chance for parents to visit with old friends, meet new friends, and ask questions about school, playdates, the school district, PTO, MPAEF, where to park at school, etc. There will be new parents, returning parents, and representatives from the PTO and MPAEF. This event is co-hosted by the Encinal PTO and MPAEF. 

RSVPs are appreciated but not mandatory to Lisa Cope at kindergartencoffee@encinalschool.com. Please drop by for as long as you can stay.  

Back to Top 

 Back to Top 

There will be a Garden Work Day on Sunday, September 11th from 1:00-3:00pm. All are invited to help clean up the garden. Bring your gloves and a hat, water and treats are provided. Questions? Email garden@encinalschool.com

 Back to Top 

All families in the district are invited to meet the new superintendent, Maurice Ghysels Ed. D., this month in a series of meetings open to all families. Attendees can meet him and learn about his background and his decision to come to Menlo Park City School District. There will also be questions and answers, and we encourage you to submit your question ahead of time so you can be sure to hear about topics of interest to you.

Click here to submit your question for Dr. Ghysels. 

Please plan to attend our Encinal Coffee with Dr. Ghysels in the TERC on Thursday, 9/15, at 8:30am. If you cannot make that date, please attend another of his coffees at these times:

• Oak Knoll School: Wed 9/7 at 8:30am in the gym
• Hillview Middle School: Wed 9/17 ay 7pm in the library
• Laurel School: Thu 9/22 at 8:30am in the multipurpose room

Back to Top

Fall Family Picnic & Bike Rodeo, Sept 16, 4-7pm at Encinal

Enjoy this great community event for our school! Bring a picnic and a blanket - and even a dessert to share - for this school-wide event for all Encinal families.  Sit with your child's class on the field for dinner and also enjoy fun activities and some surprises:

• Bike Rodeo - bike safety training course for kids & adults
• Snacks and bike decorating starting at 3pm
• Bike safety station and courses begin at 4pm
• Fall Family Picnic - starting at 5pm sit with your child's class on the field (bring a blanket)
• Learn to line dance with PE teacher Kathy Smithlin from 6-7pm
• Encinal SPirit Wear will be on sale - bring cash or checks

Bike to campus and participate in the bike rodeo if you would like. Please get in the picnic spirit by biking or walking to campus.

Country/Western attire encouraged. 

Volunteers needed. Pitch in and help set up, clean up or run an activity. Click here to volunteer for a 30 minute shift. Sign up with a friend or meet new ones. Questions? Email fallfamilypicnic@encinalschool.com.

Order Delivery of Jeffrey's Hamburgers No time to pack a picnic? Jeffrey's will deliver hot food to the picnic at 5:30PM! Place orders by Monday Sept 12. Click here to order.  No food sold at event - takers must order by Monday 9/13.

 Back to Top 

Information to Know 

Each month Encinal will join a district-wide Life Skill focus. In the elementary school classrooms, teachers will read the selected book representing the life skill for the month to their class.

September theme: Friendship

This month all the classrooms will be reading the book Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes. In a series of poems, an African American girl sings the praises of her best friend and their special relationship. 

This month talk with your kids about what they think makes someone a good friend. Talk about some of their good friends and why those people are good to have around. Also ask them if they think they are good friends to others and why.

PARENT BOOK CLUB

Parents: As Part of the Life skills program we have a book for you to read too. It is called Raising Happiness by Christine Carter. Nicole Scott will be meeting with interested parents to discuss the book beginning the week Sept. 12th and ending the week of October 10th.   Meetings will happen at Encinal on Mondays in room 6 from 8:30-9:30 and at Oak Knoll on Wednesdays in the Oak Knoll Staff room from 1:30-2:30. Meetings will be open to both schools.

If you are interested in attending please email nscott@mpcsd.org so we can get an idea of the number of attendees.

Back to Top

 Back to Top 

Back to Top

Back to Top 

Parents of 4th and 5th Graders - Lunch Time Book Club 

Back to Top 

Teach Your Child's Class A Garden Lesson 

Click here to volunteer to lead Garden lessons for your child's class

The Encinal School Garden needs you! Please become a classroom volunteer, if one parent for each child in your classroom volunteers, you class can do the full garden curriculum!

You don't need to be a gardener or know anything about gardening to volunteer, our program uses the garden as the means to teach or reinforce grade level curriculum in the areas social studies, math, science, even art! There is a scripted/written curriculum and training will be provided! Click here.

 Back to Top 

See Your Student/s at Lunch and Earn Free Lunch Credit

 Back to Top 

Get Involved with the Foundation

 Back to Top 

Let's Give an Eagle Shout Out!

This week the PTO would like recognize the following volunteers for going above and beyond to help launch the start of a great school year! 

Thank you to Kelly Martin and Katie Ferrick for organizing the great Back-to-School Coffee and Volunteer Sign up event!  Thank you to all the committee chairs that were there to help sign up volunteers!  Thanks to all the parents that came and signed up to volunteer!

Thank you to Susannah Hill, Kara Brahana and Sonya Fletcher for their great work on our school communications with the newsletter, website, posters, marquee and driveway signs!

Thank you to Priti Khare and Kelly Martin for organizing the otter pops for the Meet and Greet!

Thank you to Kathy Miller and Kelly Martin for getting all of the new HRPs trained.  Thank you to all the HRPs for volunteering for this important role.  Thank you to all the teachers and HRPs for the great Back-to-School night.  You all rock!

Thank you to Anna Chow and Angela Ambrosio to heading up our Spirit Wear for this year and being at important school events!

 Back to Top 

Back to Top

Click here to donate or pledge online or by check.

Your contribution to the MPAEF funds small class sizes, specialist teachers, a comprehensive curriculum, professional development and teaching innovation at Laurel, Encinal, Oak Knoll and Hillview. Increasing enrollment and state cuts to public education puts these teachers and programs at risk.

The Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation is a vital non-profit organization working to preserve our outstanding schools. Are you IN? Please donate or pledge today. Click here. 

 Back to Top 

Fundraiser at Klutz Headquarters Sept 10 - 100% to Encinal     

Stock up on birthday and holiday gifts and take advantage of the annual Klutz 100% give away! 100% of whatever you spend will be donated to our school! Be sure to mention Encinal when purchasing your items.  Mark your calendars: Saturday, September 10th from 10am-2pm at the Klutz Office Parking Lot: 450 Lambert Avenue, Palo Alto.  Free entertainment all day. Click here for flyer.

 Back to Top