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Grade One Commencement Ceremony
 Our traditional Grade One commencement ceremony took place this Thursday morning with all of the students in the Elementary School participating and eager to welcome their new friends. There was also a large crowd of happy parents and relatives on hand to witness this important moment and see the joy in the faces of their children. As has now become a part of our tradition, we were pleased to have a team of fire fighters from our local Menlo Park station with us to give out the Schultüte. Our thanks to Rich Villa, Eric Mijangol and Captain Robert Johnson of MPFD. Each first grader was introduced into the community and given a message and welcome card by a friend in Grade 2. Thanks to our Grade 2 teachers, Janet Roitsch and Barbara Bensen, for preparing their students. Following an exciting picture taking session in front of the fire truck, the students were lead to their new classes by Grade 1 teachers Eva Dorner and Claudia Gruber. We all wish our Grade 1 students a wonderful and exciting year.
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PYP Corner by Maike Silver
 Behind the scenes
Students are back and school is back in session. But before this was possible all kinds of things were happening behind the scenes. Here are some keywords that describe the weeks leading up to this event.
End of July/ Admin. Team:
- Schedules-planning- preparations- coffee-hiring- goal setting- collaboration-dinner-wine-feeling prepared.
August 15-16/ New staff orientation:
- PYP/MYP - essential elements - workshop format - constructing meaning - guiding - explaining - brains in overdrive.
August 17/ Whole staff back in session:
- introduction playing people bingo - new laptops for teachers- technology - paperless - schedules- class lists - goals-guidelines - classroom set-up.
August 18/collaboration workshop:
- essential agreements - cooperation - committees- new happy staff committee
 - planning-classroom set-up.
August 19/ Raft (Research- Area for Teaching):
- hands-on workshop - collaboration - classroomshopping - teachers acting like kids in the candy store - classroom set-up - party at Peter's - food-wine-volleyball-badminton - talking - laughing - great fun - thank you Peter!
August 20/ First workday:
- great parents - lots of cleaning - classroom set-up - appreciation.
August 22/ Special needs workshop:
- learning styles - learning behaviors - strategies - sharing - caring - classroom set-up.
August 23/ PYP - summer workshop presentations:
- reading-writing-exhibition- collaborative planning-potluck lunch- classroom set-up-welcome students and families- excitement- teachers ready for vacation.
August 24/ welcome back to school:
- great job teachers-have a great and relaxing weekend.
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Preschool Corner by Heike Schmalstieg
 The new school year is under way and it was great to see the children being so eager to come back to preschool. We also have many new children that are getting to know new routines, children, teachers and for many also a new language. The children are settling in quite nicely and are already busy playing with new friends, painting, building and getting muddy in the sand area. Parents are invited to our Back-To-School Night on Tuesday, August 30th at 6:30 PM to learn more about our program and to better get to know their classes. The extra-curricular classes are starting next week.
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GAIS presents "Rockstar"
 The Preparations for the 13th GAIS Annual Fundraiser Party are in full swing. Please mark your calendar for October 22 at 6.30 pm in the Faultline Brewery in Sunnyvale. The Fundraising Team is looking forward to see your special swings and costumes at the party. Details are going to follow next week.
For further question please contact our Fundraising Coordinator Indra Pachtner at auction@gais.org.
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GAIS Emails
The office is using two email addresses: offmgr@gais.org & offmgr@germanamericanschool.org. Please make sure to save both domain in your sender list to make sure to receive all emails. If you still do not receive emails, please contact Steffen Rochel, the Database Administrator at steffenrochel@gmail.com.
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Library Hours
 The library will be open each day from 8:00 until 12:00. On Mondays it will stay open until 15:00 and on Thursday until 14:00.
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Back to School Night VS/K to Grade 5
Parents are invited to the Elementary School "Back to School Night" on Monday, August, 29. the schedule is as follows:
18:00 - 19:00
Grade 1 Both sections in the 1G Room
Grade 4 Both sections are in the 4V Room
19:00 - 20:00
Grade 2 Both sections in the 2R Room
Grade 4 Both sections are in the Aquarium Room
20:00 - 21:00
Grade 3 Both sections in the 3S Room
Grade 5 Both section are in the 5T Room
Please note this event is only for parents and no child care is provided.
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| Kid Chow Lunch Program
 We are delighted to once again be offering Kid Chow's hot and cold lunches at GAIS this year. Kid Chow offers locally-sourced, organic, kid and planet friendly lunches to your children. To register and begin ordering, go to www.kidchow.com. Returning families will be asked to update their child's grade and school information.
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| Fall 2011 Extra Curricular Program to start next week!
 The following great programs are in need of more sign-ups:
- Art & Crafts I (Tue 2-3pm, VS/Grade 1)
- Homework Club II (Thu 3-4pm, Grade 5-8)
- Solver's League II (Thu 3-4pm, Grade 5-6)
- Theater Games Club (Wed 2-3pm,Grade3-4),
- American Film History Club (Wed 3-4pm, all ages).
In addition there are some spaces left in the following programs:
- Little Hoopers Basketball (Tue 2-2:45pm 4-6 year olds)
- Young Rembrandts 1 (Monday 2-3pm, Pre/Vorschule)
- Young Rembrandts 2 (Wednesday 2-3pm, Grade 1-3)
To sign up, please contact Stella Klose sklose@gais.org
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Labor Day
 September 5 is Labor Day and the school will be closed. We do not offer Daycare/Hort.
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Looking for a used car
 Our new PE teacher, Janine Weers, is looking for a reliable used car for about $2,000. If you have any leads please contact Janine at jweers@gais.org.
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| Board Meeting
 The first Board Meeting of the school year is on September 8, starting at 7:30 pm.
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Host Family for German Exchange Student
 A family friend of the Fenzl Family is looking for a Host Family. Glenn would like to spend this school year abroad to study at an American Highschool and is therefore looking for a host family. A student visa was issued to him, and a German exchange organization will help him with the integration into the new school. Unfortunately, the exchange organization has so far been unsuccesful to find a host family for him.
Glenn (15 yrs old) is a nice boy who lives with two younger brothers in Cologne, Germany. It therefore would be easy for him to adapt to a family with younger kids. He speaks English well, but would also be happy to converse in German with the kids of the host family, if this is preferred. Glenn is a good student and loves sports. If you are interested or know if anyone that might be interested, please contact Birgit Greschner at birgit_greschner@yahoo.com or cell: 650-575-6199. back to top
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