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  Encinal School Newsletter
April 8, 2012
Encinal PTO/La Organizasión de Padres y Maestros
Boletin en espanol -
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Things To Do
- Buy tickets for MPAEF auction before prices rise 4/13 click
- Finalize Read-a-Thon forms & collect pledges - due 4/13 click
- Join the Garden Work Day on Sunday 2pm click here
- RSVP for "Spingo" family fun night, happening 4/26 click here
- Consider volunteering with the Encinal PTO click here
Dates to Note
This Week 4/8-4/15 Tue 5th grade parents: Parent Night at Hillview click here Wed "Real Parents, Real Girls" workshops begin, 6:00pm click Thu Last day of early bird prices for MPAEF auction tickets click Thu 3rd grade parents: 4th grade orientation, 4:30-5:30pm click Fri Read-a-Thon forms and pledge checks due click here Fri Online auction begins: MPAEF auction of kids items click Sun Garden Work Day 2-4pm click here Beyond 4/20 Earth Day Walk, Bike or Scooter to School Day click here 4/21 MPAEF Auction Party Black & White and Spring All Over click 4/25 PTO General Membership & Principal's Coffee, 8:30click 4/26 New PTO family fun night: Spingo 5pm-8pm click here
Review next year's 2012-2013 calendar on District web site
PTO Donation Tax Receipts
Online donations received emailed receipts and checks were acknowledged with a receipt by mail. Lost your receipt? Click here.
Report an Absent or Tardy Student click here
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Hillview 5th Grade Parents Night Is Tuesday, April 10th
 5th Grade Parents: Come to Hillview on Tuesday, April 10th, at 6:30pm to hear about what to expect for your incoming 6th grader. The meeting will be held in the Hillview gym and is for parents only. Parking will be tight, please carpool if possible. If you are unable to attend there will be information posted on the Hillview website (click here) following the meeting. Questions? Email Pam Fernandes or Aimee Paquin. |
2nd & 3rd Grade Families of Girls - GLI Starts Wed., April 11th
 Want to empower your 2nd or 3rd grade daughter to make real friends, communicate honestly and directly, and be her real self?
Encinal School once again welcomes the Girls Leadership Institute and its "Real Parents, Real Daughters" workshop series. These workshops allow parents and daughters to laugh and learn about themselves in a safe environment. Girls Leadership Institute programs encourage girls and parents to have fun together while learning about friendship, feelings, apologies and healthy approaches to conflict. Families learn and establish practices that help serve girls in elementary school and beyond.
The four workshops last 90 minutes and take place in the Encinal Library at 6pm on Wednesdays 4/11, 4/18 and 4/25; then finish on Monday 4/30. $190 per parent-daughter pair (financial aid is available). To register, click here.
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Read-a-Thon: It's Easy to Turn In Forms This Week 4/9-13
 The Read-A-Thon is almost over! Please return all pledge forms, reading minutes logs, and checks to your classroom any time this week. Send these items to your child's classroom in the large brown return envelope sent home in your student's green homework folder before Spring Break. If you need a replacement form, please click here. If you lost the envelope, any envelope will do. Forms are due Friday, 4/13.
Remember all donations go directly to purchasing books for our fabulous library. Thank you for helping your children get sponsors. It's never too late.
If you didn't record your minutes or secure pledges from friends
and family, you can still donate online (click here) or with a check made out to "Encinal PTO." Checks can go back to school with pledge forms in the return envelope or to the Read-a-Thon envelope in the front office. Every pledge is so appreciated regardless of the amount!
Questions? Email readathon@encinalschool.com.
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Earth Day, Friday April 20th - Walk, Bike or Scooter to School
 To celebrate Earth on Friday, April 20th, the PTO Walk/Bike Safety Committee will host a Walk, Bike or Scooter to school event. Get to and from school that day under your own human-powered transportation mode then come celebrate with raffle prizes and Eagle Pride tattoos.
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Introducing "Spingo" Family Fun Night Thu. 4/26, 5-8pm
We are excited to announce Encinal's new Spring community building event. What is Spingo? A night of science, pizza and bingo. Read on to learn more!
 The Encinal PTO has arranged for the Lawrence Hall of Science to bring its acclaimed "Wizard's Lab" to Encinal 5-8pm on Thursday, April 26. Children of all ages can become "wizards" in this hands-on program for exploring matter and energy and should be accompanied by their parents. We can accommodate 150 students at each of the one hour sessions. Please RSVP for your session choice, click here.
 To round out the evening, we are setting up a "come one, come all" bingo night in the small multi. Play as much as you please anytime 5-8pm. No need to RSVP.
 If you would like to eat dinner together on campus, we will arrange for pre-purchase of pizza. Watch for pizza order details in the newsletter. You are also welcome to bring your own food.
And that is the fun new Encinal event we call "Spingo" -- a night of science, pizza and bingo! As with any event at Encinal, parking will be tight, so please consider car-free travel for the evening.
To join the fun, all you have to do is: - RSVP for your Wizard's Lab session (click here)
- Consider a volunteer slot to help run Spingo (click here)
- Watch for pizza purchase details in the newsletter
- Consider a carpool or bike/walk group for the evening
- Show up for Spingo before your Wizard Lab start time and play some Bingo before and after
- Go home happy
Questions? Email spingo@encinalschool.com. Back to Top |
Third Grade Parents: Orientation for 4th Grade Is 4/12
 Parents of the Encinal and Laurel third grade students who will make up next year's Encinal 4th grade cohort are invited to a meeting to learn about the 4th grade curriculum and meet the teachers. This is a parent only event in the Encinal large multipurpose room.
Parent Orientation - Encinal 4th Grade 2012-2013 Thursday, April 12th, 4:30-5:30pm, Encinal multi |
Campus Raffle Ticket Sales: Choose From 5 Prizes
Our spring event is less than two weeks away! And part of the fun is our unique raffle where you select the prizes you hope to win. Which will you choose? - Rosewood Spa Escape
- The new iPad
- Stanford Football Jersey Autographed by a Trio of All-Americans
- Diamond and Topaz Necklace from m&m bling
- Ultimate Sports Ticket Package-Giants, Warriors, Sharks, Stanford Football and Basketball
Even though we draw the winners at the event on April 21, you don't need to be there to participate, so everyone can get in on the fun. Raffle tickets also make great gifts for your favorite teacher or student!
Look for ticket sellers at Encinal all this week at drop-off and pick-up. Tickets are $10 each or 15 for $100, and you can pay by cash, check or credit card. To help sell raffle tickets or if you have questions, email Jennifer Murray. Preview the prizes and purchase your event tickets at www.events.org/mpaef.
Questions? Email auction@mpaef.org. Back to Top |
Announcing PTO Executive Board Slate for Next School Year
 Business for PTO General Membership Meeting on Wednesday April 25 at 8:30am in the TERC.
We're proud to introduce the slated nominees so far for next Year's Encinal PTO Executive Board. Please note we still have some excellent positions open for willing and energetic volunteers. Serving on the PTO board is a great way to build community within the school, get to know more parents, teachers, and administrators, and feel very connected to your child's educational experience.
If you would like to learn more, please email the PTO parliamentarian Gina Ryan or any member of our nominating committee: Amy Nelson, Heather Karp, Laurie Sapp, Holly Baudler and Kelly Perri. Click here for full descriptions of these open PTO Board positions.
Proposed Slate for 2012-13 PTO Executive Board:
- President: Katie Ferrick
- Vice President: Open
- Treasurer: Kristy Moesler
- Financial Secretary: Bernice van der Meer
- Communications Chair: Open
- Co-Volunteer Coordinator/HRP Coordinator: Julia Molise (Volunteer coord.) and Kate Kennedy (HRP Coord.)
- School Support Coordinator: Kristin Campbell
- Community Support Coordinator: Diane Mavica
- Secretary: Chris Sewell
- Auditor: Christy Tonsfeldt
- Parliamentarian: Amy Nelson
Thank you to all the nominees for being willing to serve.
The slate will be voted on by all interested parents and teachers at the PTO General Meeting on Wednesday, April 25, at 8:30 a.m. in the TERC. We will also present the proposed PTO budget for next year. Please plan to attend!
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Thank You to the Staff Appreciation Committee
 The Encinal PTO would like to thank the Staff Appreciation Committee for organizing the "Soup for the Soul" staff appreciation lunch on March 27th. A big thank you to Committee chairs Amy Nelson and Tatjana Faruqi. Thank you also to volunteers and food contributors Kelly Martin, Julia Molise, Amy Heinz, Robin Soran, Aimee Ten Vannholt, Lauren Calhoon, Elizabeth Ouren, Mari Chazen, Sue Olson, Prascilla Crook, Robyn Wheeler, Celeste Baranski, Jill Kispert and Nicole Osmer. The teachers and staff loved the lunch. Thank you! |
MPAEF Thanks These Business Sponsors
 This week, the Foundation would like to welcome two new business sponsors and thank one returning sponsor.
Platinum sponsor, $5000+
Bronze sponsors, $500+
- Cheeky Monkey - Return Sponsor!
- Great Clips, Sharon Heights Shopping Center (behind Starbucks)
We are grateful to these local businesses for stepping up and supporting our schools.
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The PTO is looking for Volunteers!
 Newsletter Editor(s)
Would you be willing to help us put together the weekly newsletter?
You can work from home on an internet-connected computer -- make the time commitment that works for you. One hour a week helps and more time is welcome, too. Your work would be valuable to Encinal's electronic communications: newsletters, mid-week reminders, Principal's Posts, surveys. No special skills necessary because we will teach you everything.
2012-13 PTO Executive Board & Committee Chair Positions
We still have some excellent committee chair positions and two openings on next year's PTO Executive Board for willing and energetic volunteers! Click here for more info. |
Community News & Events
For complete listing click here
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New Community Listings
Want to see all listings, not just what's new? Click here. 
Summer Camp Information for District Families
Click here to get a valuable summary of summer camp information. Check back often - we are adding camps every week!
Events for Students and Families
- (early grades) Kepler's What Animals Really Like Story Time, Sunday, April 8, 11 a.m., 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. What Animals Really Like by Fiona Robinson and Secret Agent Splat by Rob Scotton.
- (Grades 3-6) Wizbots Robotics Tournament during National Robotics Week, Saturday, April 14, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at Synapse School, 3375 Edison Way, Menlo Park. In teams of 4-5, kids will design, build, program and operate their own robots using Play Station controllers in a game with goals, balls, obstacles and crazy rules designed to stretch minds and maximize fun. Price: $50.
- (early grades) Kepler's Spring Story Time, Saturday, April 15, 11 a.m., 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. The Curious Garden by Peter Brown and My Garden by Kevin Henkes.
- (All Ages) Menlo Park Kite Day, Saturday, April 21, 12 noon to 4 p.m., at Bedwell-Bayfront Park, Menlo Park. For $6 you will receive a kite, hot dog, and soda!
For Parents
- Challenge Success Parent Education Courses, Our first series of classes, Raising Well-Balanced Children in a Fast-Paced World, is now available in one of our in-person workshops and online. Our next course begins at Stanford University on April 25.
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Encinal PTO Communications
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This email and the Encinal School web site are delivered to you by the Encinal PTO Communications committee. For more information about Encinal School, please visit www.encinalschool.com.
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Join the PTO Mailing List - Text "SUBSCRIBE" to 42828
Make sure to receive Principal's Posts, Midweek Updates and weekly newsletters by joining the Encinal PTO Mailing List. Click here or text "SUBSCRIBE" to 42828. Back to Top |
| Encinal Newsletter Submissions - Deadline Tuesday noon
 Email articles for the Encinal newsletter to newsletter@encinalschool.com Email community announcements to communitynews@mpcsd.org Back to Top |
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There will be a Garden Work Day on Sunday, April 15th, from 2pm to 4pm to clean up the Encinal School Garden before its big debut as part of the Slow Food/Common Ground School Garden Tour April 28th. Please join in and help us clean up and weed so our garden looks its best. Celebrate getting your taxes done by yanking out weeds. Anyone can register to join the school garden tours. 