|
|
The Otter Weekly
Oak Knoll School
1895 Oak Knoll Lane
Menlo Park, California 94025
650-854-4433 January 13, 2013
|
|
Oak Knoll Elementary PTO Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
This Week
Monday, January 14 Tuesday, January 15 Wednesday, January 16 Friday, January 18 - 5th Grade "Walk Through the Revolution"; Sanchez 8:30-11:15, Veneman 12:00-2:30, Small Multi
|
|
Looking Ahead
Monday, January 21
- NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, Jan 22 - Friday, Jan 25
- 4th Grade "Mission Building" project
Wednesday, January 23
- Safe Routes to Oak Knoll Neighborhood Meeting; 7:00pm, Library
Thursday, January 24
- Kindergarten Information Night; 7pm, Library (For NEW parents)
Monday, Jan 28 - Friday, Feb 1
- 5th Grade: Outdoor Education
Friday, February 1
Wednesday, February 6
- Family Math Night; 6-8pm, Gym
|
|
|
School Office Announcements
|
|
|
Kindergarten Information Night, January 24th at 7pm
If your child will be attending kindergarten next year and you would like more information about our programs, please join us on January 24th at 7pm in the Oak Knoll Library. This night is designed for new families, but all parents are welcome to come. Our Oak Knoll administrative team and kindergarten teachers will be there to share information and answer your questions. This night is for parents only, so please leave your little ones at home. If you have any questions please call the Oak Knoll Office at 854-4433.
|
|
Morning Car Line Changes!
We will be having people helping monitor morning car line to help move traffic along more effectively. We will also be having volunteers enforcing some safety rules. Please remember the following:
PULL ALL THE WAY FORWARD when dropping off your children.
DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR CAR - have your children open & close your car doors if possible. Volunteers will assist you if necessary.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR UNATTENDED - these are not parking spots during drop-off and pick-up.
DO NOT WALK THROUGH THE PARKING LOT - we ask that parents do not walk through the parking lot (with or without children) so that cars can flow freely and not have to stop for pedestrians.
|
THANK YOU TO OUR NEW BUSINESS AND REALTOR PARTNERS!
Please support those businesses and realtors who support our schools! Thank you to these new 2012-13 business and realtor sponsors:
Business Partners
Chris Lindsey, DDS
Peninsula Pet Hospital
Menlo Partners Staffing
Paul Gerber, DDS
Riviera Partners
European Styling Parlour
Intuitive Environments
Blue Sky Outdoor
Realtor Partners
Veronica Kogler, Coldwell Banker
Omar Kinaan, RE/MAX Distinctive Properties
Mary & Brent Gullixson, Alain Pinel Realtors
Mary Gilles, Alain Pinel Realtors
Keri Nicholas, Coldwell Banker
Penelope Huang, RE/MAX
Carol MacCorkle, Coldwell Banker Previews
Debbie & Manny Ojeda, Intero Real Estate Services
Stephanie Savides, Savides Real Estate
Karin Riley, Coldwell Banker
Leslie Woods, Sereno Group Real Estate
Click here to become a Business or Realtor partner!
|
|
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - Traffic Safety
Have you ever worried about your child's safety when riding his/her bike to school? Have you ever been frustrated by the traffic around school? Do you find the carline aggravating at times? A new PTO committee is determined to work on some of these issues.
Starting in late January, we are targeting several areas to station volunteers to educate and direct parents and students how better to get to and from school to increase safety and ultimately efficiency. We will need 7 parents each morning, rain and shine, 7:45-8:10 to be at these posts, directing parents and students. Prior to this, we will run spots on KNOL educating students about safety and the implementation of some new procedures. The hope is that by re-training parents and students, teaching some better habits, we can create a more safe environment for our students while traveling back and forth to school. We will start with the morning drop-off at first, expanding to afternoons later.
If you are interested in helping out, please contact Betsy Muhlner.
|
|
Parent Survey
The Oak Knoll SITE Council and administration would like your feedback! Please give us your opinions in our annual anonymous survey by January 25th. Because the survey includes specific information for each teacher, please fill out one survey for each of your children. (If you have two children at Oak Knoll, please fill out the two surveys.)
Access the survey here.
Please contact Carolyn Bowsher at csbowsher@aol.com with any questions.
|
|
Math Night
Save the date for Family Math Night, Wednesday, February 6th from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Oak Knoll Gym.
Enjoy fun and engaging activities that get your kids to think about and make sense of numbers.
- Explore 8 hands-on stations
- Choose from 3 activity levels at each station
- Create projects to take home
- Go at your own pace
- Reinforce classroom learning
Volunteers needed to help facilitate activities. Contact Jody Buckley at jodybuckley@msn.com for more information.
|
|
Outdoor Education for 5th Graders!
It's that time of year again. Time to prepare our 5th graders for a great experience at Outdoor Ed! Our 5th graders will be gone from January 28th - February 1st. Paperwork and checks (made out to the Oak Knoll PTO for $254 per child) were due before the holiday break. The teachers sent home information packets in December. There is an OPTIONAL 5th grade parent information night on January 16th at 6:30pm in the Oak Knoll Library. If you have any questions, contact the Oak Knoll office. |
PTO Volunteer Opportunities
| |
|
Wild Zone Open Dates
Thanks to the several volunteers who came forward, the Wild Zone (WZ) is now open. The WZ open days will alternate between Wednesdays & Thursdays throughout the school year. The space is limited to 30 students at a time for safety reasons and can only open if two adult volunteers are present. Please tell your child to look for an "open sign" which will be placed near the WZ entrance. If we get additional volunteers, we may try to open the WZ more frequently. To volunteer, please contact Andrea Potischman.
Wild Zone Open Days 
Wed. Jan. 16 Thurs. March 7 Thurs. May 2
Thurs. Jan. 24 Wed. March 13 Wed. May 8
Wed. Jan 30 Thurs. March 21 Thurs. May 16
Thurs. Feb. 7 Thurs. April 4 Wed. May 22
Wed. Feb. 13 Wed. April 10 Thurs. May 30
Thurs. Feb 21 Thurs. April 18 Wed. June 5
Wed. Feb 27 Wed. April 24
|
|
Otter Mileage Club
We need parent volunteers before school (7:55-8:10am) and during lunch recess (12:00-1:00pm) to help with the "Otter Mileage Club." We have a ticket system and kids choose to run and walk and need their ticket punched as each lap is completed. Tickets are turned in daily and kids are recognized on KNOL.
|
|
Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet, PPSC, LCSW and Erica Pelavin, LCSW, Ph.D. from My Digital TAT2Wednesday, January 16, 2013, 6:30-8:30pm
Hillview Performing Arts Center
***************************
***************************
Building assets in our children might be some of the most important work we do as parents. 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. Project Cornerstone staff 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!
Please RSVP to Pam Larkin at pdl@motionio.com. See you there!
***************************
Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 7 p.m. Hillview Performing Arts Center The Friends of the Menlo Park Library present a special evening with Stanford Psychology Professor and Author Dr. Carol S. Dweck, PhD, whose work has demonstrated the role of mindsets in student motivation and has shown how praise for intelligence can undermine motivation and learning. With a growth, rather than fixed, mindset people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work-brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. To register, click here.
***************************
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, January 30, 2013 9am, Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, Palo Alto
or 7pm, St. Andrews Episcopal School, Saratoga
"The Hidden Logic of Teenagers: How to Hear What They Aren't Saying"
Mike Riera, Ph.D., Head of School, Brentwood School
Thursday, January 31, 2013, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m., M-A Center for the Performing Arts.
Ticket registration: http://mikerieramenloatherton.eventbrite.com
For a complete listing of all parent education events in and around our community, please visit the district's ParendEd webpage.
|
Did you know MLK Day is a National Day of Service? Here are some great ways for your family to serve together. FAMILY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Creekside Weeding & Mulching at El Palo Alto Park with Acterra Saturday, January 19th, 9:30am-12:30pm, Join us for a few hours of mulching native plants and weeding on the banks of a local creek! Help us improve habitat for native insects, birds, fish and other animals as we work to help restore the "bottom of the food chain" - our native plants that support all other native life. All ages are welcome. Click here for more info and to RSVP. Collective Roots Monday, January 21, 9AM - 12PM: Martin Luther King Day Community Work Day. Join us at Collective Roots in East Palo Alto for lots of garden tasks, planting seeds and getting the garden in tip-top shape for spring! Contact Eron for more information or to RSVP. Palo Alto JCC, Mitzvah Day Monday, January 21, times vary based on project. Join hundreds of your neighbors for a community-wide day of tikkun olam (repair of the world) as part of a National Day of Service to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Over 20 hands-on service projects available for participants to work in small groups addressing issues of poverty, hunger, housing and homelessness, aging, the environment, and more. Open to all ages. Advance registration required. For more information on the events above or events listed in prior newsletters, visit the District's Community Links page. |
|
EVENTS
Give Kids a Smile Day
(Ages 1-18)
Friday, February 1, at participating dental offices throughout San Mateo County. Free Dental Care! Dental exams, cleaning, fluoride application, possible x-rays and dental treatment for children ages 1 to 18 years. For uninsured and underinsured San Mateo County residents. Call: 650-616-2002
The Menlo-Atherton High School Fashion Show: "iM-Agine...A Bright Future"
Saturday, February 23, 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center. We will highlight fashions from local stores and the seniors will model and dance. There will be a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. a.m.More information regarding ticket sales/prices will be available soon.
SPORTS, CLASSES, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Thursday Storytimes at Menlo Park Library
800 Alma Street, Menlo Park. The Menlo Park Library is now offering three new and exciting free storytimes on Thursdays: Mandarin/English Storytime at 10:15 with Miss Stephanie, Toddler Storytime at 11:15 with professional storyteller John Weaver, and our pilot afternoon Preschool Storytime at 2:15 with John Weaver. Website: www.menloparklibrary.org/children.html.
Alpine/West Menlo Little League and AMA Softball Registration
Majors and Minors (8 - 12 year olds) baseball registration will close midnight on January 20. Tryouts for Majors and Minors will be held the weekend of Jan 26-27. All players must try out and be registered. See details at: www.eteamz.com/alpine.
Menlo-Atherton Little League Registration
Registration deadline is TODAY, January 13, for the upcoming 2013 Little League Season! Late fees and wait lists will apply after today. To register, follow this link: Register Now.For more info, go to our Fees & Eligibility page.
Mandarin/English Bilingual Storytime at Menlo Park Library
(ages 5 and under)
Every Thursday at 10:15 a.m., 800 Alma Street, Menlo Park. Activities include stories, songs, finger plays and plenty of fun with Ms. Stephanie. For more information, call (650) 330-2530 or www.menloparklibrary.org/children.html.
Sports Skills Clinics at Paye's Place on MLK Day!
(grades 1-12)
Monday, January 21, 595 Industrial Road, San Carlos. Players can attend either a Half Day session from 9:00am-12:00pm or 1:00pm-4:00pm OR you can register for an All Day Session from 9:00-4:00pm (bring a lunch). http://payesplace.com/
Boys' Lacrosse Workouts at SixFifty
January 8, 15, and 22, at 2798 Bay Road, Redwood City.
http://sixfiftylacrosse.com/msboyswinterindoor/
HSPT and ISEE Test Prep and School Application Seminars
Test prep seminars for HSPT and ISEE (upper, middle and lower levels) and school applications (essay writing) available. Contact jennifer@omegateaching.com or call 324-1662 directly for scheduling.
For past community news, click here
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
