Encinal PTO Newsletter September 11, 2011

Encinal School Newsletter

September 11, 2011

La Organizasión de Padres y Maestros de Encinal

Boletin en español - haga clic aqui

We wish your family a peaceful and enjoyable day

Things To Do

Join PTO online or by check - Sept 28 deadline click here
Join or pledge to MPAEF - Sept 28 deadline click here
Volunteer with newsletter, picnic, bike rodeo, garden click here
Prepare for Fall Picnic: order food click here, volunteer click here
Remember Picture Day: order photos click here, volunteer click
Register for after school programs click here

Dates to Note

THIS WEEK 9/11-9/16

SUN: Garden Work Day, 1-3pm click here
MON: Parent Book Club with Nicole Scott, 8:30am click here
MON: Right turn only leaving Encinal begins click here
TUE: Picture Day, Sept 13 click here, volunteer click here
TUE: Board of Education Meeting, 6pm click here
THU: Meet Superintendent Ghysels, 8:30am click here
FRI: Library volunteer training, 8:30am click here
FRI: Family Picnic and Bike Rodeo 4-7pm click here

BEYOND

Garden Harvest Festival 4th & 5th Grades, Fri Sept 23 click here
Are You In Day for PTO and MPAEF, Tue Sept 27 click here

COMPLETE 2011-2012 DATES click here

Information to Know

The Art program collects "nice" items normally thrown out click
Eco Raffle for students who bike, walk, car pool click here
Encinal office reminds drivers to yield on crosswalks and intersections click here
MPAEF announces Executive Director click here

Ways to Support Encinal School

Join the PTO and pledge or donate to the MPAEF click here
Register credit cards at eScrip for automatic donations click here
Shop at Village Stationer by Sep 30 for 10% to Encinal click here
Buy costumes at House of Humor for 15% to Encinal click here

Community news and events for children and families click here

Information To Know

Why Are PTO and MPAEF Both Raising Money for Our Schools?

It can be confusing. The Encinal PTO and the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation are partners, and both support our MPSCD schools, but they are complementary -- each with a different funding focus.

The PTO funds school-based programs, events and supplies that are important to Encinal's community of students, teachers, and parents. Examples include field trips, teacher supply stipends, school communications, and all-school events.

The MPAEF raises money for the District operating budget. The Foundation grant pays for classroom teachers and specialists so we can maintain small class sizes and a comprehensive curriculum.

The California public school budget crisis makes both organizations vital sources of funding for our district.

Go to www.mpscd.org to support both organizations.

Dates to Note

Work Day in Encinal Garden Today From 1pm to 3pm

There will be a Garden Work Day today, 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

Right Turn Only - Study Begins Monday, Sept. 12

Last spring, the District collaborated with the City of Menlo Park, the Town of Atherton and the Atherton Police Department to conduct a brief observational study of the impacts of a left-turn-only exit from Encinal's driveway. Observational data indicated that routing all existing traffic to the right could increase efficiency and improve safety for students.

During the first few months of school the Encinal administration will be working with the Atherton Police Department and a traffic engineer to further assess the impact of a right-turn-only plan during drop-off and pick-up times.

Beginning Monday, September 12, Encinal will implement a month-long pilot study to further assess impacts and gather input. If you typically turn left out of Encinal School, please consider alternate routes in preparation for the September pilot. Your feedback is welcome at any time as we work together to improve traffic flow. Please email Principal Liner at aliner@mpcsd.org.

Prepare for Picture Day - This Tuesday, Sept 13th

Picture Day at Encinal is Tuesday, Sept 13. You may order online and skip sending anything to school with your child. Or you can use the paper order forms that went home in homework folders last week, and ask your student to take the order form and payment to his photo session on Picture Day.

Click here to order online with Encinal Code encinal11el
Click here for a paper order form in case you missed it

If your student is absent on Tuesday, please note that the make up picture day is Tuesday October 18th.

Can you help your child's class at Picture Day? Text "CHEESE" to 650-823-9799 or email volunteer@encinalschool.com.

Meet Superintendent Maurice Ghysels Sept 15, 8:30am

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 9/14 at 7pm in the library
Laurel School: Thu 9/22 at 8:30am in the multipurpose room

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. (There is no food sold at the event.) Sit with your child's class on the field for dinner and also enjoy fun activities:

3PM: Bike decorating and snack for families on bicycle
4-7PM: Bike Rodeo - safety station and courses on blacktop
5PM: Fall Family Picnic - sit with your child's class on the field
5:30PM: Jeffrey's delivery for those who ordered by Mon 9/12
6-7PM: Learn to line dance with PE teacher Kathy Smithlin
6-7PM: Crafts, temporary tattoos and other activities
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. We still need several volunteers to help. Please pitch in and help set up, clean up or run an activity. Click here to volunteer for a 30 minute shift. If you can help with face painting, putting on tattoos, staffing a bike rodeo station, please email fallfamilypicnic@encinalschool.com. 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 9/12.

Information to Know

Caution on Crosswalks and Intersections

Drivers, please do not stop your vehicle in the middle of crosswalks. Also, please use caution at the intersection fo Encinal and Middlefield and at Encinal and Laurel. Cars crossing intersections must yield to pedestrians and cyclists. Thank you for your help keeping our students safe.

After School Programs - Many Start This Week

Skip the afternoon wait in the pick up line! Meet your children after the crowds are gone and hear about their fun after school activities, such as...

MONDAY: Yoga K-5, Drama 1-2, Math K-5, Girls on the Run 3-5
TUESDAY: Lacrosse 3-5, Art K-5, Intro Sports K-1
WED.: Lacrosse 3-5, Art K-5, Mandarin K-5, Spanish/French 3-5
THURSDAY: Flag Football 2-5, Drama 3-5, HipHop 3-5
FRIDAY: Math K-5, Drama 3-5

Click here for information and registration. Complete listing here.

New Life Skills Program

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.

MPAEF Announces New Executive Director

MPAEF schoolhouse

The Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Lynne Van Tilburg as our new Executive Director.

Lynne brings over 12 years experience in professional fundraising and non-profit management, most recently as Director of Development at the Computer History Museum (CHM) in Mountain View. A former district parent, Lynne served as Oak Knoll PTA President when her children were students there and has always retained her passion for education and the Menlo Park-Atherton schools. She is excited about the opportunity to help build a better future for our students, parents, and teachers.

Please join us in welcoming Lynne back to our community in her new role!

Encinal Art Collects "Nice" Throw-Away Items

Stephanie Noon teaches Art at Encinal and would like parents to know there are many recyclable and reusable items her art classes regularly use:

thin cardboard boxes such as cereal and crackers
toilet paper and paper towel rolls
coffee sleeves, and much more

If you want to donate some of your recyclables, Stephanie has a drop-off at the back door of the Art room facing the small multipurpose room. Click here to see Stephanie's wish list.

Raffle for Students Who Walk, Bike, Carpool, Bus, Scooter...

Encinal's raffle for alternate modes of transportation is underway again this year. The Eco Raffle has monthly drawings to encourage Encinal Eagle to Go Eco with their school commutes.

Students who walk, bike, bus or carpool or get to school without a private vehicle can enter the raffle. Students simply write their name and room number on a single raffle ticket at the raffle box outside the school office and drop their entry into the box.

Volunteer Opportunities - You Make A Difference!
Click here to see an overview of ways to volunteer

Help Publish the Encinal Newsletter

PTO newsletter cartoon

Please consider joining the newsletter team to help get information out to Encinal families. We publish a Sunday morning newsletter, midweek reminders and Principal's Posts. Time commitment is flexible and work can be done at home at any hour and for as long as the internet holds up.

Text "NEWS" to 650-380-4405 or email newsletter@encinalschool.com

Help With Encinal Family Picnic Fri Sept 16

We still need several volunteers to help. Please pitch in and help set up, clean up or run an activity. Click here to volunteer for a 30 minute shift. If you can help with face painting, putting on tattoos, staffing a bike rodeo station, please email fallfamilypicnic@encinalschool.com. Sign up with a friend or meet new ones. Questions? Email fallfamilypicnic@encinalschool.com.

Library Volunteer Training - Friday, Sept 16th at 8:15am

Training for volunteers in the Encinal school Library is Friday, Sept 16, from 8:30am to 9:10am in the Library. There is a new circulation system for checking books in and out and volunteers will learn how to use it. It is not too late to volunteer to help with your class's library time. Contact your HRP for more information.

Help with Encinal Garden Festival Fri Sept 23

Our 2nd annual Harvest Festival will be Friday, September 23rd, for all 4th and 5th graders. This year's theme is Native Americans and the Three Sisters Garden. Please save the date, we will need many parent volunteers to make this a success. Sign up sheets will be sent out via email and in student's school folders soon.

Teach In the Garden with Your Child's Class

garden cartoon

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.

To volunteer for garden with your class, email your HRP or garden@encinalschool.com. To view the training time for garden by grade, click here.

Eagle Pride

Let's Give an Eagle Shout Out!

The Encinal PTO would like to extend our thanks to many wonderful individuals who have helped at Encinal during the start of the school year.

thank you cartoon

Sharon Morgan and the amazing Hot Lunch team for serving close to 300 students their Hot Lunch each day and for launching the new federal lunch program at Encinal
Kristin Campbell and Lisa Cope for co-hosting the wonderful Kindergarten Welcome Coffee
Eileen Rozanski for all her hard work to get all the Pick-Up Lane Cards assigned and distributed for the Meet and Greet
The Hospitality Committee (Kris Fichou, Christine Evans, and Susan MacLeod) for the yummy coffee and treats for the Back-to-School coffee
Jill Kispert for training the HRPs to use a new system, Volunteer Spot, for volunteer sign ups
Pam Garcia, Encinal Office Manager, for all her hard work to support all the staff, parents, and students at Encinal. She helps keep everything moving at Encinal and always has a smile to greet everyone who comes in the office.
We also want to welcome Lori Blomquist (the students call her "Miss B") to the front office. She has been very helpful and we are glad to have her!

Ways to Support Our School

Join and Support the Encinal PTO

Click here to join online or by check.

The PTO annual membership campaign funds programs designed to improve the experience of every student, teacher and family in the Encinal community. The PTO spends about $200 per student to provide our programs, and your donation is vital.

Contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated, and early donations help fund our programs and activities immediately. We encourage those who are able to consider even a small extra contribution to extend our programs to as many students as possible.

Donate online or by check. Click here to get started. Be IN for Encinal!

Donate or Pledge to the MPAEF

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.