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The Otter Weekly
Oak Knoll School
1895 Oak Knoll Lane
Menlo Park, California 94025
650-854-4433 October 21, 2012
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Oak Knoll Elementary PTO Newsletter
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This Week
Monday, Oct 22 - Friday, Oct 26
Wednesday, October 24
- PTO General Membership Meeting; 8:15am, Gym (Parent Author Talk to follow)
- All 4th Graders: Exploratorium; 8:30am-2:30pm
- Multi-Age K-2: Hiller Aviation Museum; 9:15am-1:00pm
- District Roundtable; 7:00pm-8:30pm, Hillview
Thursday, October 25
- District Roundtable; 9:00am-10:30am, Laurel
- Book Fair Family Night; 6:00pm-8:00pm
Friday, October 26
- Kindergarten Pumpkin Patch; 8:10am-10:00am
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Looking Ahead Monday, October 29 - K-1, K-4, K-5: Halloween Scene (Performance); 8:30am, Gym
- Kelley/ Quarre: Marine Science Institute; 8:45am-12:45pm
Wednesday, October 31 - Halloween Parade; 8:15am, school track
Thursday, November 1 - Yob/ Lavezzo/ Boatright: Filoli; 9:15am-1:00pm
Friday, November 9 Monday, November 12 |
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Announcements from the Office
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Emergency Preparedness - Be Prepared!
Oak Knoll has a well-developed emergency plan that deals with a number of  possible emergencies. This effectiveness of the plan depends on the current information on your child's Emergency ID tag so please make sure your teacher has an up-to-date and signed copy!
Do you know who can and how to retrieve your child in event of emergency? Please see details on the plan and procedures on the school website.
Note that your child's ID card can be updated at any time during the school year. You can get a blank copy of the form from the Office, from
your teacher, or online.
If your child has a documented allergy (on file with the school office) that prevents them from being able to eat life bars in an emergency, please provide a small ziplock bag (clearly labeled with your child's name) of non-perishable bars to be kept in their classroom's emergency backpack.
Questions? Volunteer? Jenn Yonemitsu or Neela Gentile
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Oak Knoll's Academic Performance Index Soars to 960
The California Department of Education has announced that Oak Knoll School's Academic Performance Index score has reached 960. The API, a single number, ranging from a low of 200 to a high of 1000, reflects a school's performance level, based on the results of statewide testing. 960 is an important achievement and places Oak Knoll alongside the very elite schools in California.
Oak Knoll students demonstrated significant growth in all areas. Some of the highlights from the state STAR assessment include:
- 94% of all Oak Knoll students scored Advanced or Proficient in Mathematics
- 90% of all students scored Advanced or Proficient in English Language Arts
- The number of students scoring below Basic in both English Language Arts and Mathematics has been reduced to less than 2%
- Hispanic students, who as a disaggregated group had been identified as underachieving in previous years, moved to 86% Advanced and Proficient in Mathematics and 80% Advanced and Proficient in English Language Arts.
- Special Education students exceeded the state goal of 79%, scoring 81% Advanced and Proficient in Mathematics and 78% Advanced and Proficient in English Language Arts.
To support our continuous improvement efforts, the Oak Knoll Site Council developed reading, writing, and math improvement goals for high achieving students. The Council established goals for English language learners, students with IEPs, and other underachieving groups. 960 is a 17 point increase from last year and demonstrates what can happen when a school embraces a growth mindset for students and teachers.
Congratulations to the Oak Knoll teachers who took up the challenge of these very aggressive goals and provided our students with an exemplary program, targeted intervention, actionable feedback, and the motivation to work hard.
Oak Knoll students believe in hard work and the Oak Knoll staff believes in continuous improvement. Congratulations to our hard working students, the Oak Knoll Site Council and our very talented Oak Knoll staff.
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 SchoolFusion Confusion?
Beginning in the fall of 2010, the Menlo Park City School District started a transition to SchoolFusion to provide enhanced communication tools to families via newly designed school and district websites. The goal of this effort has been to streamline communication to our parents and community and provide a unified interface for all of our websites so that the user experience is similar between schools. This transition at the District level was completed in September, and Oak Knoll is finalizing our transition to the new SchoolFusion site this week!
What does this mean to you?
1) Parents are now able to set up their own SchoolFusion accounts to receive updates on new information that is posted to the school/district websites. For example, if your child's teacher uses SchoolFusion for their class website, you can receive notifications specific to your child's class in addition to general school information. You should have received an email in September from the District with the subject line of "MPCSD SchoolFusion parent account information" with information on how to register. For additional information, please see the SchoolFusion instruction sheet: www2.mpcsd.org/MPCSD_SchoolFusion_Parent_SignUp.pdf
2) Oak Knoll's website has moved! Please bookmark the new site at oakknoll.mpcsd.org! We are now a part of the MPCSD SchoolFusion site, with our official cut over taking place this week. The old site will be shut down soon, so please spread the word. If you have any questions, please contact PTO Communications Chair, Kristi Rawlinson, or our fabulous Oak Knoll webmaster,
Jo Lofthouse.
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Traffic Safety
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Carline Etiquette
With the rainy days ahead, please plan additional time to get to school and please remember to be SAFE and BE CONSIDERATE of other families.
1. PULL YOUR CAR TO THE FRONT of the carline when dropping off and picking up your kids. Please make goodbyes brief so that we keep the flow of cars moving.
2. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR for any reason.
3. DO NOT WALK CHILDREN THROUGH THE PARKING LOT. You must use the pedestrian crosswalks.
For more info, please go to our school site here.
PLEASE STOP! at all Stop Signs
Parents and caregivers, PLEASE obey stop signs and all traffic laws when driving to and from school. (Or any time you drive, for that matter!) Lots of cars have been observed rolling through stop signs, especially at Lemon and Oak, and police have been and will continue to be on the scene. Consider the safety of all students whenever you get behind the wheel!
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Safe Routes to Schools
Share your thoughts on Oak Knoll's Safe Routes to Schools plan Wednesday, November 7th at 7:00pm in the Oak Knoll gym. Oak Knoll families, neighbors, and anyone who has an Oak Knoll student in their family or lives in the school's attendance area is welcome! This is the first of two community meetings where the school district and Menlo Park city officials will hear from those who use the streets around Oak Knoll. We can all work together to update the school's Safe Routes plan!
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Ollie Salutes
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HUGE thanks to our new webmaster this year, Jo Lofthouse, for the countless amount of hours she spent over the summer months getting our website ready for the start of the school year and for all her work converting our old site and making a seamless transition to our new SchoolFusion site at:
www.oakknoll.mpcsd.org --- MAKE A NOTE OF THE NEW ADDRESS
Thank you to Julie McEvilly-Roman & Suneeta Chilukuri and the
Girl Scout troops --- our 1st grade Daisies, and 2nd & 3rd grade Brownies --- and the many parents and students who helped with our Caring & Sharing Book Drive last week. We collected over 1,500 books!
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You Otter Know
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BASKETBALL REGISTRATION CLOSES TOMORROW, MONDAY OCTOBER 22ND!
NO LATE REGISTRATIONS ACCEPTED!!! 
Basketball registration for 3rd, 4th & 5th grade Oak Knoll students will CLOSE October 22nd. This is a recreational league offered by the city of Menlo Park and organized by the After School Sports Program. All practices are held at Oak Knoll facilities and games are held against other schools in the Arrillaga Gymnasium in Menlo Park. No prior experience necessary. To register your child please visit sportability.com. NO LATE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. All teams are coached by parent volunteers. If you are interested in coaching, please email Laura Huber, Erica Galles or Monica Young. There will be a mandatory coaches meeting at 5:45pm on Thursday, November 1 for team selection. Practices will begin late November and games will begin in January. For more information about the basketball program visit the Oak Knoll School website.
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PTO General Meeting
The revised budget for the 2012-2013 school year will be presented to all PTO members for a vote at the fall PTO General Meeting to be held on Wednesday, Oct 24th at 8:15 am in the Gym. All Oak Knoll PTO members (that's YOU!) are encouraged to attend. We expect the meeting to be short and brief. The proposed budget is posted on the bulletin board outside the school office or you can click here.
Immediately following our PTO General Meeting will be the Book Fair Parent Author Talk with Lisa Catherine Harper.
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District Roundtables
The entire community is invited to participate in roundtable conversations about the Core Values of our school district. If you are interested, please attend one of two community roundtables at your convenience: - Wednesday, October 24 from 7:00-8:30 pm at Hillview click here to RSVP for the Hillview roundtable
- Thursday, October 25 from 9:00-10:30 am at Laurel click here to RSVP for the Laurel roundtable
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 Get Groovin' with a Good Book
Book Fair is hitting the scene next week -- be there or be square!
Parent Author Talk with Lisa Catherine Harper. Come grab a latte from the coffee cart and laugh as you hear your parenting experiences told with a sense of humor. Lisa Catherine Harper is the author of the award-winning memoir, "A Double Life, Discovering Motherhood" and the co-editor of the forthcoming "The Dish: Making the Food that Makes Your Family." An adjunct Professor of Writing at USF, Harper speaks with wit and wry humor about how motherhood can split one's life in two. Wednesday, October 24 at 8:15 am
Family Night - Shop and Bop. Parents, slide on into the Book Fair and check out the cool books while your kids take a spin on the Kids Only Dance Floor. Shake your groove thang and wear your dancin' shoes! Thursday, October 25, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Book Fair Hours Monday, October 22 7:45 am to 3:30 pm Tuesday, October 23 7:45 am to 3:30 pm Wednesday, October 24 7:45 am to 3:30 pm + Parent Author talk at 8:15 am Thursday, October 25 7:45 am to 2:00 pm + Family Night from 6:00-8:00 pm Friday, October 26 7:45 am to 3:30 pm
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How Can We Help Our Kids Thrive?
What is most important in helping my child succeed in school academically AND in life? How can I show my child I support their efforts and dreams? These questions and more will be answered in a 6-week parent study group series, Take It Personally, beginning Wednesday, October 24, 8:45am-10:15am. Linda Silvius, Director of School Partnerships for Project Cornerstone, will facilitate our discussion on developing the whole child as we move over the course of six weeks from awareness to action: what assets are most important for youth to thrive and how can we help them develop these assets. Please plan to attend all six sessions. If you can't make it to the first one, come to the second but we won't be able to allow newcomers after that! Class sessions are held each Wednesday, 8:45am-10:15am, October 24-December 5 (no class November 21), in the Hillview Performing Arts Center. The cost of the 6-week series is a one-time $10 donation for the workbook. Spanish translation available; please request when you RSVP. Please RSVP to Pam Larkin. See you there!
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GLI Workshop for 4th/5th Grade Girls
Due to popular demand for the workshops, Oak Knoll is once again hosting Girls Leadership Institute workshops this fall and spring.
Girls Leadership Institute Workshops
Mondays - November 5, 19, 26 and December 3
6:00-7:30pm, Oak Knoll library
Register now, as spaces fill quickly!
4th and 5th grade girls and their parents can come have fun and learn important skills for managing and expressing emotions, developing healthy relationships, using conflict as an opportunity for change and being true to themselves.
Who: 4th/5th Grade Girls and one parent
When: November 5, 19, 26 and December 3
Time: Workshops will meet from 6-7:30pm
Location: Oak Knoll School Library
Cost: $195 per parent-daughter pair (financial aid is available).
How to register:
https://thriva.activenetwork.com/Reg4/Form.aspx?IDTD=2457624&RF=3409528 (Please note: a 2nd/3rd grade program is being scheduled for the spring term)
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Fourth Grade Movie Night for Kids Only
Friday, November 2 from 6:30-8:00pm, Oak Knoll Gym 
Please come and enjoy the movie "Spy Kids," bring something comfy to sit or lie on, and eat some popcorn with your friends. "Spy Kids" is the first in a series of movies about two kids whose parents are spies who end up training their kids to be spies too.
Parents: please pick up and drop off your children (no siblings or friends); NO ELECTRONICS allowed; for more information on the movie, go to commonsensemedia.org.
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Calling all 5th Grade Aspiring Artists!
You have the opportunity to have your artwork be the cover of the 2012-2013 Oak Knoll Otters Yearbook. Last week, all 5th graders should have received initial guidelines from Mr. Almquist during art class.
Below are the guidelines:
- Use an 8.5 x 11" piece of white paper (with a vertical orientation)
- Include the name of the school, Oak Knoll, in the drawing
- Include Ollie the Otter, the school's mascot, in the drawing
- Include the School Year, 2012-2013, in the drawing
- Include your First and Last names on the bottom, right-hand side of the drawing (Drawings can't be judged if this is missing)
- No violence or brands in the drawing
- Artwork is due to the homeroom teacher NO LATER than Friday, Nov. 2nd.
- Have fun drawing!
Fifth grade teachers have a large, manilla, envelope where the children will deliver their finished artwork. The artwork will be judged by Mr. Almquist, Mr. Ackerman and Mrs. Gracia. Winners will be announced when the yearbooks are delivered at the end of the school year.
If you have questions, please contact Rhonda Bucklin
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Ordering Extras or Mini Versions of the Directory
Parent volunteers are hard at work at pulling together the District Directory! Each family will receive a single copy of the Directory compliments of your PTO. The Directory will be sent home with the youngest student in your family by the end of October. For those of you who would like to order extra directories or mini-versions of the directory for your glove compartment, etc. please click here and place your online order by Monday, October 22nd.
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School Picture Orders
If you plan to order photos, please order by Tuesday, October 30th because standard pricing takes effect (a 15-20% increase) after that date. Go to www.iclicksmiles.com and go to the bottom of the page and enter your online photo code that was sent home on a flyer in your child's backpack. If you cannot find your child's online photo code, please call iClickSmiles at 888-298-0744 or email with your school name, child's name, and teachers name so they can look it up for you.
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'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Tickets
Presented by Dancers Repertory Theatre and Menlo Park Academy of Dance and reviewed as a "charming alternative to the Nutcracker." Performances at Woodside Performing Arts Center on Sunday, Dec 9th (1:00pm & 4:00pm), Saturday, Dec 15th, (1:00pm & 4:00pm) and Sunday, Dec 16th, (1:00 & 4:00). Tickets go on sale starting Monday, Oct 22nd at 10:00am and are available at www.twasthenight.org or by calling 650-323-5292. Oak Knoll dancers include Lindsey Chao, Mia Hamilton, Ekta Chilukuri, and Isabella Arizini.
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Educate Yourselves on Ballot Propositions
As you all know, a national and state election is coming up! California has two propositions on the ballot that may affect our public schools. Now, before you vote, is a perfect time to educate yourself on these two propositions. KQED has a useful online guide to help you educate and familiarize yourself regarding Propositions 30 and 38. For the KQED nonpartisan guide, click here.
Given the upcoming election, many teachers will take the opportunity to teach their students about democracy, voting and elections. You can help enrich this classroom work by taking your child with you to your local polling place. Create a lasting, meaningful memory and take your children when you vote! 
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Specialists News
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Library News
4th Annual "BOOKS COME ALIVE!"  For the Halloween parade students may choose to dress up as a character from a book (or match a book to their costume), and join the hundreds of other book-loving students who have gone down in BCA history. Those who participate should come to school Halloween morning EXTRA early (7:45am) to have their picture taken for a big display wall and receive a small participation prize. The previous three years of BCA participants can be seen in their amazing costumes in albums in the library for your viewing pleasure, and for students to get some great ideas. Don't forget to carry your book in the parade! Searching for our "Books Come Alive" books and others is helping us hone our library skills. We are familiarizing ourselves with library procedures and learning valuable search skills. !!!CONGRATULATIONS!!! to the 4th, 5th and 6th graders who had their poetry published in "The Young American Poetry Digest 2012"!!! A copy of the book highlighting all published Oak Knoll students' poetry, past and present, is on display in the library. Last Spring, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students participated in the National Schools Poetry Project. We submitted haiku poems, and 99 Oak Knoll students were selected for publication! Excellent work!
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P.E. News
Check out the PE Fusion page at http://pe.oakknoll.mpcsd.org on our Oak Knoll Fusion Site. This page provides updates on activities and events happening in Physical Education as well as information about Otter Mileage Club. SHOES - Please remember to wear shoes that support your feet and allow for safe running, jumping, playing on the grass, hard surface, and gym floor. Flip flops and winter boots such as UGGS or rain boots are not safe to wear in physical activities. |
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Volunteer Opportunities
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Otter Mileage - at Lunch Recess and Before School
Otter Mileage has taken off and we need HELP at lunch recess and before school (12:00p-1:00p and 7:55a-8:10a). We have switched to a ticket system where the kids that choose to run / walk fill out a ticket and this ticket is punched each lap completed. Tickets must be turned in daily. We will draw prizes and recognize the kids on KNOL each month.
October is the PUMPKIN RUN. Children in the 3, 4, and 5 grades that complete 36 laps in the month of October will be awarded a pumpkin charm. Children in the 1st and 2nd must complete 24 laps. Classes also run / walk during the day with their classroom teachers. If you are interested in volunteering at lunch or before school please email Sarah Westfall and type OTTER VOLUNTEER in the subject line.
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Yard Duty - Upper Playground
We believe recess should be a child-centered time in the day for kids to be kids. Recess is not only an opportunity for kids to exercise, play, and interact with other children, but a time to problem-solve. Conflicts will arise, and recess is the perfect time for our students to experience the normal, developmental issues that come up when children play. We encourage kids to find a solution, to listen to each other, and to work together. At Oak Knoll, we are fortunate to have a great Yard Duty Staff! Having volunteers on our yard is not necessary, but rather an opportunity for parents to be involved. Of course, the more the merrier! If you share our philosophy and are interested in volunteering on our Upper Yard during lunch (11:45-1:00pm) please email Kristen Gracia. It works best if our volunteers can come at least once a week.
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Community Corner
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October 26-November 2, M-A Performing Arts Center, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, Friday, October 26, through Saturday, November 3. Adults $12,
Students/Seniors $8.
October 29th! 10:30a-12:30p, Musical Costume Parade; 3:00p-5:00p, Magic Show and Spooky Art
Halloween Hoopla from the City of Menlo Park
Saturday, October 27. Halloween Costume Parade begins at 11:45 a.m. at its NEW LOCATION: the Maloney St. parking lot off Santa Cruz Ave. Trick or Treating will take place directly afterwards along Santa Cruz Avenue in downtown Menlo Park. Click for flier in ENGLISH or SPANISH.
Friday, October 26, 7:00pm, Reading, signing, celebration, activities, snacks, and door prizes! For more about the series: www.thewhiteforest.com. 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park November 4 and November 18, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 4th through 8th graders, at Haynes-Prim Gymnasium at Menlo College. Cost: $50 per session. To register, contact Coach Jesse West at 543-3846 or jesse.west@menlo.edu.
(K-12 and Families)
For past community news, click here
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Please submit announcements and flyers to newsletter@oakknollschool.com for Oak Knoll events. For the Community Corner, send submissions to communitynews@mpcsd.org. The deadline for both email addresses is by noon on the Wednesday prior to publication date. Guidelines for submission are available online.
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