Your Monday Morning Email Blast from Strandwood Elementary

FEBRUARY 16, 2009

Good Morning

Every Monday, Email Club members receive important information regarding upcoming events and communications from The PTA and Strandwood staff via the Email Blast. The Email Blast also provides links to important flyers and new items on the school website. The deadline for submitting your article is Thursday at 5:00pm. All submissions should be sent to strandwood_emailclub@hotmail.com.

In This Issue

From the MDUSD Board of Education

Improve Your Child's Math Scores

Scholastic Click! Catalog

Movie Night - Wall-E

Dinner Dance Auction

DDA Raffle Reminder

Library Book Club

Honorary Service Awards

PH Middle School Looking for volunteers

Navigating the Middle School Years

Wacky Wednesday march 4th

Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader

Dates, Times and Places

Flyers available in the Office

For Your Information

An Announcement from the MDUSD Board of Education
February 11, 2009

At the Mt. Diablo Unified School District Board of Education meeting Tuesday night February 10, President Gary Eberhart announced that pursuant to mutual agreement, the Board has accepted the resignation of Gary McHenry, District Superintendent since 1999. Dick Nicoll, a 30-year veteran of MDUSD and an Assistant Superintendent since 1996, has been named Interim Superintendent.

In his announcement, President Eberhart acknowledged Mr. McHenry's lengthy tenure in the District and the many accomplishments which took place during that tenure. He said, "This is a time of change within the District. The District and the community face many new challenges, and the Board believes that new leadership is necessary in order to achieve that change. We now look to the future and building on the successes of the past."

Mr. Nicoll's financial and educational experience will help to assure that the District will be well led while it begins the search for a new Superintendent. Mr. Eberhart said the Governing Board intends to proceed deliberately and carefully in that search, which will involve community input.

Contact Information

Dr. Richard Nicoll
Interim Superintendent
Mt. Diablo Unified School District
(925) 682-8000, x4009
e-mail to: nicollr@mdusd.k12.ca.us or bergs@mdusd.k12.ca.us
website:www.mdusd.k12.ca.us

MDUSD Monday Memo

With the ongoing staffing changes in the school district, a budget crisis that is going to effect us all and a proposed parcel tax measure looming, now is the time to sign up for the MDSUD Monday Memo.

The Monday Memo is a weekly update of district activities and education-related issues from the Superintendent's Office.

To have the Monday memo sent to your inbox each week email Sue Berg, bergs@mdusd.k12.ca.us, and write Monday Memo in the subject header. You can also view the recent Monday Memo regarding the budget cuts by clicking here and then click on the "Join" link at the bottom of the page.We will continue to post important issues here but why not get it directly from the Superintendent's Office.

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Math Facts in a Flash

One of the software titles used in the computer lab, Math Facts in a Flash, is available through the school as a stand alone home version. Math Facts is a great program that gives students at all levels valuable practice on their addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and more. The software works with timed tests and the goal is to complete 40 problems under 2 minutes. 10 minutes in front of the computer a few times a week is all it takes to improve your child's math skills.

With 44 levels from addition by 1's and 2's to multiplication and division by 10's, 11's and 12's and even conversions like fractions to decimals, Math Facts can continue to help your child for many years.

Math Facts works with Mac's and PC's and is Vista compatible.

The program costs $6.50 and initial orders will be taken until this Friday, February 20th. If you would like to take advantage of this great offer you can get an order form by clicking here. If you are unable to view or print the form there are some available in a basket in the office.

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Scholastic Click! Orders
The February and Spring software catalogs went out at the beginning of February. Additional copies are available in the office. Deadline for ord eScript

ering is Wednesday, February 20th.

You can also order on-line at http://clubs.scholastic.com/cool/login.jsp. Click on the Parent Sign-In on the right. Our user name is strandwood and the password is click.

Movie Night is Back

Strandwood students and families are invited to attend a free movie showing of Wall-E on Friday, February 27 at 6:15 pm in the multi-use room. Popcorn and water will be provided. Please bring a blanket, pillow or low chair so that everyone will be able to see. Space is limited to the first 225 people to sign up via e-mail to freemovienight@gmail.com. If you are able to help with set up, sign in, popcorn or clean up, please indicate so in your e-mail.

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Dinner Dance Auction

Teacher experiences/donations & Class Projects are AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY!

Don't miss out on purchasing that priceless class project or teacher donation for your child(ren). Be sure to log onto www.strandwood.cmarket.com to check out our great auction items and let the bidding begin! All class projects and teacher experiences/donations are online auction items only. We also have over 80 additional items that are on cMarket only. Great deals, all for a great cause...our kids.

Did you know? Did you know that you can refer friends and family to cMarket? EVERYONE can bid and win (grandparents looking for birthday gifts, buy Mother's Day gifts, Father's Day gifts the list is endless!). Do you know which class project is the top seller today (it changes daily!)? Do you know which teacher experience is creating the most "buzz"? Did you know we have a VIP Table that you can bid on, where if you win, will be treated like royalty at the Dinner Dance Auction on March 7th? Did you know some of those adorable kindergarten quilts are still at their starting price of $30?! Get information about all of this and more and log on now www.strandwood.cmarket.com!

Dinner and a Movie Night sponsored by the DDA:
Back by popular demand, the Dinner Dance Auction Committee is sponsoring another Movie Night at the Century Theatre. This year, we're also adding dinner to this fun filled Strandwood night. Buy your movie tickets from us for $10 (Strandwood gets $2.50 from each ticket sold) and go out for dinner at either Rubio's or Pasta Pomodoro then enjoy some dessert at Coco Swirl Frozen Yogurt and Strandwood gets 20% of your total bill donated back to us by these generous merchants! Be on the look out for order forms and additional information that will be coming home. Deadline for movie tickets will be Monday, March 9th by 3 pm.

Movie:Race to Witch Mountain
Location:PH Downtown Century Theatre
Date:Friday March 13th, Time is to be determined the Wednesday of that week: early evening.
Price:$10.00 (Strandwood gets $2.50 from each ticket sold)
Tickets: Can be purchased through an order form that will be sent home, at Auction Preview Night or the night of the Dinnner Dance Auction.

Mark your calendar for Auction Preview Night on February 19th!
Want to see your class project in person before you bid? Come preview those priceless class projects on Thursday, February 19th, in the MU Room immediately after school and from 6-8pm (free ice cream from 6-8pm). We will also be selling Race to Witch Mountain movie tickets during this time.

More info:
For everything you need to know about this event and more (including donation forms) click here for Strandwood's Dinner Dance Auction page or go to the website, www.strandwood.org and look under the PTA tab.

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Raffle Reminder

Please deposit all raffle ticket stubs with the name and phone number of the person who has purchased the tickets to the basket labeled RAFFLE TICKETS in the office. If you are not attending the Dinner Dance tickets can be purchased up to March 6th.

Any checks should be made out to the PTA.

If you have not received your raffle tickets, if you want additional raffle tickets, or if you have any questions, please e-mail Noga at nogakessler@yahoo.com

Thank you for your support

Strandwood Library Birthday Book Club

Dear Parents,

This year the library is continuing with our birthday book club.

Simply donate $15 to the Strandwood Library and a beautiful, new hard cover book will be given to the library in honor of your child's birthday. To join, stop by the library or check the website News/Info tab and click on forms. The form will be posted on the web Tuesday morning.

The book will be selected by our library media teacher, Mrs. Burns, and it will be presented to your child during his or her library time. A custom-made book plate will be placed inside the book with your child's name and birth date. The books will become part of the Strandwood library collection to be read and enjoyed for years to come. support the library and give your child a special treat in honor of his or her special day!

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Honorary Service Awards

Let Someone Know You Noticed!

As part of a time-honored tradition, Strandwood celebrates the founding of the National PTA more than 100 years ago by presenting its own Honorary Service Awards to individuals who have made outstanding contributions, both on and off campus, to the youth of our community. We all know people who go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of our families... here's your chance to give them some recognition for all they do!

Please nominate a deserving parent, teacher, school employee, community member, or organization by completing the Honorary Service Award nomination form that came home with your child last week (extra forms will be available in the office). Forms are due in the office by March 6, and the awards will be presented at a special ceremony before the Open House on May 21. Thank you for helping make a difference at Strandwood!

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Pleasant Hill Middle School