Band Program Comes to GAIS  

One of the long awaited changes to our music program took off this school year.  All students in Middle School have started to play an instrument under the guidance and instruction of our new music teacher Amy Nathan.  The new music room, situated in a single portable next to the main building, is buzzing with the sounds of saxophones, trumpets, trombones and other band instruments as our students start getting in tune with their new instruments.  Miss Nathan is also running an extra-curricular band activity each Thursday afternoon from 3-4 pm.  At present 19 students are officially in the GAIS band.  Planning for performances is also under way and will certainly include the Winterfest on December 3.

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PYP Corner by Maike Silver  

"All we are saying, is give peace a chance". This was the closing chanting during our assembly after another successful celebration of the International Day of Peace. In the IB mission statement it says: "The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect". To support this goal every class participated in discussions about inner peace, art projects, readings, watching a documentary or other peace projects during the school day. The student leadership team offered chalk drawings, face painting and drawings during the break. The result of one of the projects can be seen in front of back office. During the assembly Mr. Giesen and Mr. Levin read the story "The Golden Rule" to the students and Ms. Nathan led the third graders in a peace song that was accompanied by the fifth graders playing the xylophones. A slideshow of the daily activities and a moment of silence completed a day that highlighted the importance of peace locally as well as globally. Thanks to everybody who helped make this day successful.

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Preschool Corner by Heike Schmalstieg     

Yesterday was Peace Day. Peace is a very abstract concept for preschool children. In the preschool, peace means that we want to get along with each other without fighting and hurting each other, even when we really, really want to have the toy another child is playing with. We talked about how to solve problems and conflict's on a level the children can understand. We also talked about how it feels when children won't let children play with them and introduced our rule: "You can't say- you can't play" or "Alle duerfen mitspielen".  We have a blue circle with a pictogram of children holding hands in a circle to symbolize that rule. You can ask your child to point one out in the preschool. The children made crowns, decorated with that pictogram to remind each other of that rule. Puppet plays are excellent tools to teach preschoolers new concepts. We used a puppet play both on Wednesday to teach the children about conflict resolution and asked the kids to actively participate in solving the problems presented. Problem solving and conflict resolution does not happen on peace day alone and it isn't learned in one day. It is an ongoing learning process and will be used every day, all year long.

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Student Leadership Academy  

The leadership academy is proud to announce that over 95 % of the students participated in the first ever school spirit event. Students wore yellow and /or blue, colored their hair, wrote GAIS on their cheeks and were creative in many other ways. During peace day the leadership team offered activities during the break for the younger children. As with all first time events the team spend some time reflecting on the events and recorded what worked well and added ideas of how to make these events even more successful next time. One major thought that came out of the discussion was to see how they can involve the SMV more into some of the activities. I am very proud of these students, who are all very enthusiastic, but yet reflective- true IB students. Now it's on to the next big event - Halloween and the haunted house!

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Carpooling at GAIS   

Planning Ahead For Bad Weather

The bike racks at GAIS are packed.  But what to do when it rains?  Alicia, Sebastian, and Lucas Halbach and Freya Spiekerkotter usually bike to school.  On bad weather days, the neighbors plan to carpool. Henry Herz recently joined the IMS. He lives locally and bikes to school. In order to be prepared for the rainy season, the Zahir-Parkkinen family has offered to be on stand-by to pick Henry up on their way to school.  

These arrangements will help to eliminate hundreds of car trips to school this year.  Thanks to all these families for their commitment to helping eliminate traffic to GAIS, so that we can grow as a community!

If you need help finding a carpool match or a rainy day pick up, please email Rachel Parikh, the GAIS carpool coordinator at rachelparikh@yahoo.com.

New Map of GAIS Families

Still looking for a carpool match?  Click here to log in to the GAIS website to see the new map of families.  Click on the dots to see the number and grade(s) of children at that address.  Family names are not included for security reasons.  To contact a nearby family, use the student directory organized by city (previously emailed to you by the office) to locate the address, or email the carpool coordinator, rachelparikh@yahoo.com for help.

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Parent Welcome Breakfast 

On Wednesday, September 28 we will hold a breakfast to welcome parents to the school.  The breakfast is a great opportunity for all parents, both new and old, to get to know each other or re-connect. The breakfast starts at 8:20 under the blue Elementary School lunch and tent. This event is being organized by the class reps.  

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Members Meeting 

The first annual Members Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 29 at 7:30 pm and will take place in the Gym. All parents are invited to attend this important meeting. 

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Fall Break/Hort sign-up 

Our Fall Break is from October 1 - 14. As in the past, we will offer HORT from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm during the break. Spaces are limited, therefore sign-up or email to the office to reserve a spot. The deadline is September 26. Sign-up forms have been sent out.    

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Order Your Auction Tickets Online Now!  

To Purchase Your Ticket Click Here 

Many thanks to the 80+ families who have already donated merchandise, services and events to our upcoming 13th Annual Fundraiser Auction 'ROCKSTAR'.

 
Some of the exciting donations that we've received in the past weeks: Ponyparty, 2lb Austrian Christmas cookies, Picnic Trail ride, Sleepover for the 5th Grade and Vorschule, Napa Valley Getaway, Tickets for San Francisco Symphony's New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball, vacation stays in the Sierras and in the Swiss Alps, Exclusive Champagne Tasting.

We have extended the donation deadline to September 30th.  

Please click here to fill out the online donation form. If you need help working out some or most of the details of your idea, use the donation form, fill XXXs into the mandatory fields that you can't answer, but make sure to give us your name and contact information and a member of the fundraising team will contact you.  

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The Annual GAIS Clothing Swap will take place after school on Thursday and Friday, 6-7 October.  This year's event hosted by the GAIS Action Club has been expanded to include the elementary school, Grades 1-8.  Parents, now is the time to start saving shirts, pants, coats, shoes, jackets, coats and Halloween Costumes that your kids have outgrown and drop them off at the School Collection Box and Table starting on Monday 26 September.  The Action Club will collect clothes the last week of September and then set up a giant swap meet after class on Thursday and Friday 6-7 October.  Everyone is welcome to come after school and look at the donated clothing and take as much as they want.
 

The school has 2 lost & found boxes. One is placed behind the school, next to the bathrooms. The other one you can find at the IMS forum.  Please check for items on a regular basis. Clothes that are not picked-up will be washed and given to charity at the last Saturday of each month. Labeled clothes always have a better chance of being returned to its owner.

We are phasing out German VHS (Pal) tapes at the Library.

If anyone is interested, please come to the Library during Library hours and pick out what you like within the next 2 weeks.

Sequoia Adult school is offering German Classes. Fall term classes begin on Tuesday, September 27, and continue until December 6. The classes are held Tuesday evenings at Little House, 800 Middle Avenue in Menlo Park. Two levels are planned:

Beginning Conversation from 5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., and Intermediate Conversation from 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. You can register for classes at www.adult.seq.org.  If you wish further information about German classes, please do not hesitate to contact Roslyn Raney at roslynraney@yahoo.com.