SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
Good Morning
Every Monday, Email Club members receive important
information regarding upcoming events and communications from The PTA and
Strandwood staff via the Roadrunner. The Roadrunner also provides links to important flyers
and new items on the school website. Do you have any comments about this Roadrunner or suggestions for future Roadrunner articles or features? Drop us a line at strandwood_emailclub@hotmail.com. |
|
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.
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. To get the birthday Book Club application please click here. If your child has a birthday during summer break Mrs, Burns will celebrate it on their half birthday (6 months sooner).
|
Chess Classes Start Next Week
|
Classes are held Wednesdays on campus from 12:35pm to 1:35pm beginning October 7th. The cost is $98 for a 9 week session. To register using PayPal go online at www.berkeleychessschool.org. If you would like to register by mail you can find the enrollment form in the office or get a copy by clicking here.
Boards and sets are provided for our classes. The minimum class size is 10, maximum is 20. Enrollments are accepted in the order received. We will call only if the class is full and we cannot accept more enrollments. For siblings, the first child is full price, additional siblings are half price. Also, some reduced fees are available to low-income families upon request.
|
Playground Completion Near
|
 In case you haven't noticed, our primary playground is almost complete. The swings were installed last Wednesday and all that remains is pouring the rubber play surface. At the beginning of September the district estimate for completion was four weeks so they are right on schedule. I know my second grader is looking forward to having a play structure back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nutcracker News
|
 Where else but Strandwood would you have the opportunity for every student from kindergarten through third grade to perform on stage in one production? Where else but Strandwood would you have a full scale production complete with sets, lighting, and costumes and make up for our students? Where else but Strandwood would you have over 100 volunteers working hard to make this production possible? Thanks to the help and support of our wonderful teachers, PTA, and Mrs. Kim, the 14th Annual Nutcracker Performance will prove to be another spectacular event!
It's hard to imagine in this heat but Nutcracker season is coming. Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5th for show day (show times are 10:30am, 2:30pm, 4:30pm). The Nutcracker Committee has a few very important announcements to make about this year's productions.
Show Format Change.
Due to the class size increase, classes will be divided in half with students doing different dance numbers within the same show. The Nutcracker Committee will determine which dance each half will perform.
Possible 3rd grade volunteers for next year.
Again, due to the class size increase, this may possibly be the last year where we will have K-3rd in the production. Please keep in mind (second graders) that next year might change to K-2nd grade dances with 3rd grade as volunteer dancers only. Our goal is to try to keep K-3rd.
We're going TICKET-LESS this year!
In an effort to be green, we're going to go ticketless for this year's production. We ask that everyone please keep their attendance to immediate family members only (grandparents and extended family can still take advantage of the dress rehearsal shows). For safety reasons, we will still have a check-in point at the door. As with previous years, seating will be on a first come first serve basis with doors opening 30 minutes before show time.
Nutcracker Audition dates:
October 7th- Auditions for 5th grade principal parts - Nutcracker, Drosselmeyer, Rat King, and Mama Mouse at 12:30pm in MU Room. Permission slip required by due date 10/2 in order to audition.
October 14th - Auditions for 3rd grade Clara at 12:30pm in MU Room. Permission slip required by due date 10/9 in order to audition.
The Nutcracker Committee needs your help!
As our kids graduate from Strandwood, our wonderful volunteers leave us as well. We have a few core committee members who will be leaving us after this year. There are many opportunities to help out: dance teachers, set design or costume, just to name a few. Please contact Diane Kastell (dikastell@yahoo.com or 686-4943) or May Hanecak (may_hanecak417@yahoo.com or 934-6828) if you are interested in helping out. The show must go on (but it won't go on without your help)!
|
Strandwood's Bike Safety Week
|
October is once again all about bike safety. This year, our bike safety event will be on Sunday, October 11, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Strandwood.
Join other Strandwood families in an afternoon of fun. We are once again offering bike and helmet checks. Pleasant Hill Cyclery will be there to assi st in checking bikes. Come enjoy riding a new test course. Free Strandwood bike water bottles and snacks available as well.
The bike safety quiz is now available on-line to test your knowledge of bike safety rules. Click here to read the Bike Safety Review and take the quiz. When you pass the quiz you earn a certificate. Print the certificate and bring it to the bike safety event to receive a prize.
A Bike to School Day will follow on Thursday, October 15th! Don't Miss it.
To view the Bike Safety Week page on the Strandwood website click here.
For questions please email Noga at nogakessler@yahoo.com.
|
Strandwood 4th Grade Concert Band
|
 This afterschool enrichment class is designed to continue fourth grade instrumental music education cut from the district budget. Students will learn scales, notation, sight-reading, proper technique, theory, dynamics and how to play an in ensemble. The first two weeks of class will be sectional rehearsals. This will allow each student to receive individual instruction addressing the challenges of each instrument. This will simply speed up the learning process and alleviate potential frustration that often is a part of learning a musical instrument.
Fourth Grade Concert Band will have the following instrumentation: Saxophone, Flute, Trumpet, Trombone, Clarinet, Trombone, Cornet, Snare Drum, Bass Drum and Cymbal.
There are limited spaces available please register and request your instrument of choice as soon as possible to assure availability. Students will need to purchase or rent instruments for class. All band instruments are available for rent or purchase at Village Music School. Mention Strandwood Elementary Band class and VMS music money and 20% of your purchased will be donated to Strandwood music.
First Class Begins: October 13th. Students register for the full academic year. Tuition: $225.00 (Scheduled payments may be arranged if needed) Lab Fee: $20.00 Method Books and course materials. Space Is Limited. Reserve Your Place Today! Concert Band will meet in the music room(C-7) Tuesdays from 3:00pm-4:00pm
To register call: Village Music School: 676-8400 or visit the office and pick up a flyer with all the information.
|
Blue Slips
|
Q. What are blue slips and what do we do with them?
The blue slip recognition program is aimed at "catching" students doing something good. There are 6 primary Strandwood Lifeskills that are rewarded: Cooperation, Organization, Responsibility, Initiative, Caring and Patience. Teachers can issue a blue slips at any time, to any student. A  random act of kindness, showing the extra effort in class or during difficult situations and working to keep the campus clean are just a few of the acts that might deserve a blue slip. I know from experience that the blue slips mean a lot to the children and they are excited when they receive one.
Please turn in your blue slips to the office-at the following levels-and you will receive a prize. The blue slips are cumulative (you only need 15 more to get the pencil grip) and the totals are kept in the office.
10-Pencil
25-Pencil Grip
50-Strandwood Button
100-Pizza lunch with Mrs. Kim.
The pizza lunch is generally held on the last Friday of the month. If you have blue slips remaining at the end of the school year you can carry them over to the next year-except you 5th graders of course.
Thank you for the question. Feel free to submit your questions and I will do my best to find the answer. Jeff Eide
|
Family Life Education
|
Sex Education Courses or Family Life Education And Sexually Transmitted Disease including HIV/AIDS education
Instruction in these subjects is included in the curriculum in grades 5 and 7 Life Science Classes, and in high school Biology and Health Education classes as well as certain high school Home Economics and P.E classes. You may request that your child be excused from any instruction in which HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS are described, illustrated or discussed, or from instruction about SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.
Materials being used are available for inspection and preview at the District Instructional Media Center, Willow Creek Center, 1026 Mohr Lane, Concord:
Tuesday through Friday, October 6, 2009 through October 9, 2009, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Tuesday through Friday, January 26, 2010 through January 29, 2010, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(Curriculum & Instruction, 682-8000,ext. 4041) (E.C. 51937, 51938, 51939)
|
Important Volunteer Reminder
|
Parents must have fingerprints and a TB test on file before they can volunteer at Strandwood. This
includes field trips and volunteering in the classroom.
Make your appointment now!1) Call Denise
Briscoe at 682-8000, ext. 4153. (she suggests not leaving a message but calling back until you reach her)
2) Bring a
copy of your TB test and Fingerprinting Form to the appointment. The TB test must have been performed less than 60 days prior to your fingerprinting appointment. To get the fingerprinting form click here. Plan Ahead. The appointments are now being scheduled in November.The cost for fingerprints is $32, cash only. |
| Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? |
1st Grade Question - Columbus claimed the New World for what country?
2nd Grade Question - Penguins live primarily on what continent?
3rd Grade Question - True or False? Sound travels at the speed of light.
4th Grade Question - One gram equals how many milligrams?
5th Grade Question -
True or False? A light ray bends when it passes from air into water at an angle.
Answers are at the bottom of the page. |
|
Dates, Times and Places |
September 30 - Walk-A-Thon
October 1 - PTA General Membership Meeting
October 2 - Spotlight Assembly
October 5 - World Teacher's Day
October 6 - Field Trip - A-1 and C-6 to Mt. Diablo summit
October 7 - Chess classes start
October 8 - Field Trip - B7 to Mt. Diablo summit
October 13 - Site Council Meeting - 3:15 pm in the Library
October 16 - Fall Picture Day
October 19 - Field Trip - All 4th grade - Sonoma Mission, Petaluma Adobe and General Valljo's House
October 21 - 28 - Library Book Fair
October 23 - Fall Fest - 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm
October 29 - Vision Screening K-2
Holidays
November 11th - Veteran's Day
|
In the Office
Flyers regarding the following items are available in the office this month. You can also click on the link, if there is one, to go directly to that site Throughout the year we wil use this space to notify you of flyers available in the office. |
Return To Top
|
 Answers |
1st Grade - Spain
2nd Grade - Antarctica
3rd Grade - False
4th Grade - 1,000
5th Grade - True
What is it? Coin edges - Nickel, Quarter, Nickel, Quarter, Nickel.
Grant's Tomb -
1, Panama hats were originally made in Ecuador. Panama was the distribution center for the hats.
2. The Battle of Bunker Hill, a Pyrrhic British victory in the Revolutionary War, was fought in neighboring Breed's Hill.
3. Mexico is the world's largest Spanish-speaking nation, with a population about double that of Spain.
| |
|
