OCTOBER 5, 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. |
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A Message From the Principal There's a Hole in the Bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza... |
At the end of last year that is how it felt, there was a hole in the  bucket and we were not sure how we would fix it. We had to reduce the number of classes, lay off certificated and classified staff and had to begin to say "no" to requests to purchase items. All of these actions have resulted in the year getting off to a rocky start - we continue to have to be cautious when purchasing items, we have had to follow contract guidelines in re-hiring to fill positions and even though there is a sense of urgency we have had to move slowly and carefully.
With what shall we fix it? The PTA and Measure S have provided our Site Tech I, a 6 hour Instructional Assistant for the Computer Lab, a 5 hour Instructional Assistant for Art, a 19 hour a week Instructional Assistant for the Science Lab, a 19 hour a week Instructional Assistant for Reading Intervention and five 5 hour a week Instructional Assistants for our first and second grades.
Our computer lab is up and running and fully staffed! Our Science lab is up and running and fully staffed! Our Reading Intervention room is buzzing with assessment and beginning small groups. Our Art program is scheduled and scheduled! The five Instructional Assistant positions will go to our School Board at the next meeting.
Our primary playground is open! We have a plan to keep the ball baskets full with balls and jump ropes (Thank you, Mr. Eide and Ms. Culbertson).
With what shall we fix it? With the support of a generous, supportive parent community and the best teachers in MDUSD!
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Photo courtesy of the Bargmann family.
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Calendar
Click the calendar below to go directly to the Strandwood web calendar.
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Who Is Buried In Grant's Tomb?
The Canary Islands were named for what animal?
In what season does the action take place in Shakespeare's
A Midsummer Night's Dream?
What kind of food is headcheese?
Check the answer box at the bottom of the page to confirm your answers. | |
WHAT IS IT?
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This is a close up of an object. What is it? The Answer is at the bottom of the page.
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September Box Tops Contest Winner
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Courtney Wilfred (5th Grade) turned in 274 Box Tops and
was the grand prize prize in the September Box Tops Contest.
Being the first contest of the year, Courtney
had the opportunity to  chose from a wide variety of Webkinz animals. Forty-five
students turned in a whopping 2,271 Box Tops! We
raised $227.10 in just one month of collections - an all-time Strandwood
record!
Look for Box Tops on products
such as Avery Labels, Kleenex, Viva Paper Towels, Ziploc Bags and many
additional food products found in the supermarket.
The next contest deadline is Friday, October
30th. Thank you so much for your
support!
Sophia Harrington & Courtney Turner, Box Tops Coordinators
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Strandwood Food Drive
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Thanks to all Strandwood
Roadrunners, Families and Friends for your donations to our Food Drive at
Strandwood.
With your support we collected a barrel of food, over
120 items in one week!!!! We could not have done it without you.
Sincerely, Marlo Allen, Talia Coeshott
and Reyna Winn, members of Girl Scout Junior Troop 30369
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The New Playground Is Open!
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The school district fulfilled their promise of having the new playground opened at the beginning of the month by pulling back the fences Friday morning and unveiling the new primary playground. You would have thought it was the first time the 1st and 2nd graders had ever seen a playground with all the excitement. Now all we have to do is name it, and Green Heaven isn't going to stick!
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Editorial on Pedestrian Safety
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The accident last week near Pleasant Hill Middle School serves as a reminder that both drivers and pedestrians must be alert at all times. As parents, it is up to us to teach pedestrian and bicycle safety to our children and act as role models while walking, biking or driving. Let's use this serious accident as a wakeup call and renew our commitment to keeping our children safe and setting a good example for our children to follow.
As a driver, having a clear view of the road is imperative. How many times have you been blinded by the low sun but kept driving, hoping everything will be alright? How about in the morning... ever start driving before your windshield is fully defrosted and you are peering through a small clean spot for a mile or two and can't see anything out the side windows? Keeping your windshield clean, inside and out, is the first step to insuring your vision will not be obstructed. Every driver reading this knows what a difference a clean or dirty windshield makes. Even with sunglasses you still need to use the sun visor in your car to eliminate the direct line of site between your eyes and the sun (when possible). Anticipate when the sun will affect your vision. If you are leaving school in the morning and turning left onto Gregory from Helen you should have already put your visor down while on Helen, knowing you will need it as soon as you turn.
There are many pedestrian safety tips and here are just a few taken from the City of San Jose's Street Smarts webpage:
1) Make eye contact with drivers when crossing busy streets and continue to watch out for traffic the entire time you are in the crosswalk. Your life may depend on it, regardless of whether or not you have the right-of-way.
2) If the intersection has a pedestrian signal, press the button and wait for the pedestrian signal to display the "WALK" indicator. The "WALK" signal indicates that it is safe for a pedestrian facing the signal to proceed across the roadway in that direction. Continue to be alert for traffic at all times, however, while in the roadway and always check for turning vehicles.
3) Remember, don't take those "NO RIGHT TURN ON RED" signs for granted. Always check for turning vehicles before stepping off the curb - motorists make mistakes too.
For more information and tips regarding pedestrian safety you can visit San Jose's great site, Street Smarts Pedestrian Safety Tips or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Prevent Pedestrian Crashes: Parents and Caregivers of Elementary School Children. Thank you PHMS for finding the San Jose site.
Want to know more about bicycle safety? Well, you are in luck. This Sunday is Strandwood's Bicycle Safety Day. Join other Strandwood families for an afternoon of fun and safety education. Take the safety quiz by clicking here and bring your certificate to Sunday's event and collect a prize. Strandwood water bottles and snacks will be provided. For more information check the article later in this Roadrunner.
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Nutcracker News
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Auditions for 5th grade principal parts are this week. Please be sure to get those (5th grade principal) permission slips into the office by Tuesday in order to be eligible to audition. Please see below for audition details.
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 10/6 in order to audition. Click here to download the permission slip.
October 14th - Auditions for 3rd grade Clara at 12:30pm in MU Room. Permission slip required by due date 10/13 in order to audition.
Not interested in a principal role but would like to be a part of the Nutcracker? As in previous years, students in 4th & 5th grades are able to participate on a volunteer basis. That will remain the same this year. There are several ways to be involved both "On Stage" and "Behind the Scenes".
4th Grade Volunteers: Arabian Dancers, Battle Scene, or Backstage Crew
5th Grade Volunteers: Sugar Plum Fairies, Battle Scene, or Backstage Crew
All dance rehearsals for 4th and 5th grade volunteers will be held before or after school in the Multi-Use Room once a week (day TBD). Students must be able to attend all rehearsals. 4th and 5th grade volunteer performers will participate in one Dress Rehearsal and one Show Performance.
Permission slips for 4th and 5th grade volunteer roles as listed above will be available Friday, October 16th.
Questions? Please contact Diane Kastell (dikastell@yahoo.com or 686-4943) or May Hanecak (may_hanecak417@yahoo.com or 934-6828).
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Fall Fundraiser
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We're counting down the final days of the Great American Fundraiser. Please, one last burst of enthusiasm - check with family and friends for those great gift opportunities. For all of those of you who have waited for the deadline, it's here! Remember, anything you contribute goes directly to our PTA fund which directly benefit our excellent school and your wonderful kids! Please check out our "Super Sellers" bulletin board outside of the Multi Purpose Room to see the cute pictures of all of our students that have sold 15+ items. Your support is always needed and appreciated. Thank You!
*We will have a make-up picture/prize day this Monday at the PTA ½ door.
*All Kindergarten raffle/pictures and prizes will be taken care of in the classroom.
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Safeway Back To School Promotion
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Strandwood can earn thousands of dollars with Safeway's 10% Back to School Promotion. Just tell your friends & family to look for the YELLOW SCHOOL BUS when they shop, & choose these products! This includes you!
Strandwood's eScrip supporters will automatically have their 10% of these purchases donated to Strandwood (you'll see theses totals on the bottom of your cash register receipts), BUT we can collect cash register receipts from ANY SAFEWAY CLUB CARD MEMBER and get their 10% too! They don't have to be registered eScrip supporters. All they have to do is buy these products (which they probably normally buy anyway) and use their club card. This is how we turn hundreds of dollars into THOUSANDS for Strandwood!
Here's what you do:
1. Tell your friends, your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, babysitters, bosses and coworkers to look for the 10% YELLOW SCHOOL BUS on select Safeway items
2. Beginning September 18 thru October 9, a redemption code will appear at the bottom of their Safeway cash register receipts. This redemption code represents the grand total of all their promotional purchases.
3. Collect one of these "redemption receipts" from each friend and family member, put them into an envelope marked "eScrip" and send them to school with your child NO LATER THAN MONDAY, OCTOBER 12.
4. The receipts will be collected and turned into STRANDWOOD CASH!! It's that easy!
The top 5 students will receive a brand new Strandwood t-shirt and have their names published in the weekly Roadrunner newsletter!!
Contact Paula Miller, eScrip coordinator, at paulalreno@yahoo.com or 925-323-6899 with any questions.
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 Bike Safety Day - Sunday October 11th
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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 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.
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Dog Days
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 PREORDER WIMPY KID 4 (Dog Days) for only $6.99!!! Jeff Kinney's newest book is scheduled to go on sale Oct. 12th. Our Scholastic Book Fair is offering an exclusive paperback edition. There's NO cost for shipping, and each purchase benefits our school!
Complete the preorder form sent home with your 3rd, 4th or 5th grade student or pick up the form in the office. Turn it in with payment (check to Strandwood PTA or cash) to the box in the office by October 9th!! They will be delivered to your child on October 13th.
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 Fall Fest and Cake Walk
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| Pumpkin carving, costumes, games, Fall book fair! These words remind us that it's time to prepare for Strandwood's Fall Fest. The fall fest will happen on October 23 this year! Save the date! Calling all scout leaders! We'd like you and your troop to participate in the fall fest by providing a game, activity or craft for others to enjoy. Please contact Alice Burns, 798-4166 with the activity planned or to get ideas (if need be). |
Strandwood 4th Grade Concert Band
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 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.
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Math Night for Parents
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| Save the Date for our Math Night for Parents. It is on 1/25 (Monday) from 7-9 p.m. at Sequoia Middle School. We will have a presenter, Phillip Gonsalves, who will focus on the math curriculum K-8. Phil has been working with our school district to help teacher for at least a year now. He works for Alameda County Office of Education. He has helped parents in our district understand how best to support their students with Math homework. |
| Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? |
1st Grade Question - I have no sides, I have no angles, I have no corners. What am I?
2nd Grade Question - When you look at a clock, how many minutes go by when the big hand moves from 12 to 3?
3rd Grade Question - Find the misspelled word in the following sentence: "The empty center of a doughnut is called the whole.".
4th Grade Question - Which one of the following statements is NOT true?
A) Lipstick was invented by Susan B. Anthony B) Lipstick contains fish scales or C) Lipstick is made from sheep's wool.
5th Grade Question -
True or False? The Aztec nation was quite and peaceful before the Spaniards arrived.
Answers are at the bottom of the page. |
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Dates, Times and Places |
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 7 - Nutcracker Auditions - 5th grade principal parts
October 8 - Field Trip - B7 to Mt. Diablo summit
October 8 - Tahoe Joe's Outdoor Education Fundraiser - All Day
October 13 - Site Council Meeting - 3:15 pm in the Library
October 14 - Nutcracker Auditions - 3rd grade principal parts
October 16 - Fall Picture Day
October 19 - Field Trip - All 4th grade - Sonoma Mission, Petaluma Adobe and General Valljo's House
October 23 - 28 - Library Book Fair
October 23 - Fall Fest - 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
October 29 - Vision Screening K-2
Holidays
November 11th - Veteran's Day
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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 5th Grade Pizza FundraiserE-FlyersE-Flyers are ones that you can click on to view. As more and more organizations go to paperless this will become a popular method of getting notices to folks. Pleasant Hill Recreation - Share the Magic - An evening of Fun, Mystery and Excitement |
Return To Top
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| Answers |
1st Grade - A circle
2nd Grade - 15 minutes
3rd Grade - Whole should be Hole
4th Grade - A. Lipstick was not invented by Susan B. Anthony
5th Grade - False - They were warriors
What is it? 1.44mb Floppy Disks
Grant's Tomb -
1, The Canary Islands were named after the Latin Insulas Canarias (Island of the Dogs), a reference to the wild dogs the Romans found there.
2. Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream takes place in spring, around May Day.
3. Headcheese is not cheese at all, but it is made from the dead and feet of a pig and is molded to look like cheese.
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