Oak Knoll PTO
Otter Weekly
 August 18, 2013
To Do
In This Issue

This Week


 
Tuesday, August 20
Wednesday, August 21
Thursday, August 22
  • First Day of School: Morning bell at 8:10am
  • Back to School Coffee: 8:15am, Gym
  • Dismissal: 1:25pm FOR ALL GRADES (Except Transitional Kindergarten at 12:10pm)
Friday, August 23
  • Dismissal: 2:55pm FOR ALL GRADES (Except Transitional Kindergarten at 12:10pm)
 
See the Oak Knoll calendar for more important dates and events.
 

Looking Ahead


 
Wednesday, August 28
Thursday, August 29
  • Back to School Night:
    • 6:30-7:30pm  Grades K, 1, 2
    • 7:35-8:35pm  Grades 3, 4, 5
Friday, August 30
  • NO SCHOOLTeachers' Planning Day   
Monday, September 2
  • NO SCHOOLLabor Day 
Friday, September 20  

Back to School Checklist
btscl

Get organized for the 2013-14 school year with the Back To School Checklist! Please review the list thoroughly as it contains very important information about back-to-school activities, programs and events. In this newsletter you will find a brief snapshot of the following checklist items:

Also, please review the Parking & Pick-Up/Drop Off Line Procedures before the first day of school and check the SamTrans schedule.

  

Changes to Parking for Drop-off and Pick-up

As Mr. Ackerman mentioned in his letter, the Menlo Park City Council has approved a new "Safe Routes to Oak Knoll School Plan".  All of the information can be found in the Safe Routes to School section of the website. However, there are some very important changes you need to be aware of for the first day of school. 

 

There is a strict NO PARKING and NO STOPPING policy in the following areas on school days during both DROP-OFF and PICK-UP:

  • On both sides of Oak Knoll Lane between Oak Avenue and White Oak Drive 
  • On both sides of White Oak Drive between Oak Knoll Lane and Oakfield Lane
  • On both sides of Oakfield Lane
  • On both sides of Oak Avenue between Lemon Street and Sand Hill Road
  • There will be no parking from 7:45-8:15am AND 2:30-3:15pm and 1:00-1:45pm on Thursdays 

Below are two maps of the area around the school.  

  • If you are planning on biking to school, the "Safe Routes to Oak Knoll"
    have been mapped out on the first map in dark blue.  Where possible, please direct your children to take these routes as they get closer to school.  
  • If you are driving to school, the new no parking areas are mapped out on the second map.  The red line highlights the new no parking areas. Please do not stop your car to drop off your child(ren) in these areas as you will be in the way of the bike route. 
  • Please take time to review the Safe Routes to School document so that you are familiar with the new parking locations and leave yourself plenty of time on the first few days of school to get used to your new routine.  
  
 
No Stopping/No Parking Signs Locations
 
Sharing the Oak Knoll Commute

You can sidestep the traffic and delays at Oak Knoll by getting together with other parents to form walk/bike groups or carpools. Make it easier to find and schedule with other families with the "CarpoolToSchool" Oak Knoll portal. The District used its Safe Routes to School grant money to provide a restricted-access portal for just Oak Knoll families to register and invite neighbors to schedule carpool & bike/walk pools and set up email reminders for parent shifts. Share the fun and save time. Click here for more information. (Funding for this program made possible by City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County.)

 

Good news! If you are carpooling to Oak Knoll, you are eligible for a $25 gas card from the County! If you invite a neighbor to share the driving, you can collect a nice reward. Click here for more information.

    
School Supplies

School Supply Kits that were pre-ordered in the Spring will be available for PICK-UP AT SCHOOL on Tuesday, August 20 from 11:00am-2:00pm and 6:00-8:00pm, in the Gym (please note new location).

 

School supply lists have been standardized by grade level this year. Please note that Kindergarten (excluding K-2 multi classes) does not have a list as school supplies will be provided by the school.  

 

Remember to shop at the Village Stationer as they have all the school supply lists for Oak Knoll and don't forget to mention Oak Knoll at checkout so that the PTO receives a percentage of your purchase.

 
Kindergarten Welcome Morning - This Week!
kinderwelcome

Come to Oak Knoll with your Kinder this WednesdayAugust 21, to see your classroom, meet your teacher and find new friends.  Lemonade and cookies will be served.  

 

Check-in times for the events are as follows:

  • 09:00 - Mrs. Stella (K1) and Ms. Andolina (K2)
  • 09:20 - Mr. Lopez (K3) and Ms. Ziff (K4)
  • 09:40 - Ms. San Filippo (K5)
  • 10:00 - All multi age classes - Ms. Mitchell (Rm 8), Ms. Lavezzo (Rm 9), Ms. Boatright (Rm 10), Ms. Chan (Rm 1), Ms. Poole (Rm 2) and Ms. Jagelka (Rm 3)
     
New Family Ice-Cream Social - This Week!
icecreamsocial

Wednesday, August 21, 1:30-3:00 Upper Playground at school - All "new" incoming 1st through 5th grade families are invited to attend a family informational meeting, meet other Oak Knoll families, and have some ice cream!  

 

Please RSVP to Kelly Slaughter.

  
New Otterwear Available - Order by September 9

Spice up your back-to-school fashion and show your school spirit with our NEW Otterwear!  Choose from t-shirts, sweatshirts, dry fit, fleece, shorts and more!  Check out the fun new colors (neon is all the rage this season), snazzy new styles (we are loving the feminine baseball tee), cool new designs (the "Ollie Heart" is perfect for those who can't get enough of his cute otter face!) and functional new accessories (who can't use an Oak Knoll Stadium Seat?).  Samples of these and more can be viewed in the office, online or during of the following events:  Class List Postings, School Supplies Pickup and Back to School Coffee.

 

All orders are due Friday, September 9, so don't delay!  You can order online with Paypal or fill out an order form and place it, along with a check, in the Otterwear folder in the office.  For all questions please contact Tracy Roeder.

 

 

Fall Family Picnic

Please join us for the Fall Family Picnic on Friday, September 20 from 5:30 to 7:30pm.

  

There will be games, karaoke, and lots of fun! This year we are having pasta from Buca di Beppo, salad, and dessert.

 

You must purchase tickets before Tuesday, September 17Tickets are $9.50 per person. To buy tickets online, please click here. Or print off and fill in the order form (o formulario de pedido espa�ol) and put it in the Fall Family Picnic folder in the school office before September 17.

 

We need volunteers to help monitor games, serve food, and check in families. Please email Allison Peruer if you would like to help.

 
Back to School Coffee and Volunteering

If you haven't volunteered as yet, or are looking for new opportunities this year, please attend the Back-to-School Coffee in the gym on Thursday, August 22 after drop off where you will have the opportunity to talk with Committee Chairs and sign up for committees.  A full list of PTO Committees and activities is available on the PTO Committees page of the Oak Knoll School Website.

 

Here are a couple of opportunities available right now:

 

Kinder Yard Duty 

This a great way to find out how your child is adapting to Oak Knoll.  You get a first-hand look at what the kids do on the playground, how they play with each other, and who they play with.  It is also a chance to meet and help the teachers as they supervise the kindergarten playground activities and snack.  Two parent volunteers are needed per day during Kinder morning recess, so we need lots of parents willing to help.  

 

If you are able to volunteer, please e-mail Andrea Potischman indicating what days you are available and how often you are able to help; weekly, every other week, monthly, etc. 

 

Don't wait, volunteers are needed already this week!  Thank you!

 


Parent Coordinator Needed for Wild Zone 

Everyone loves the The Wild Zone....please help keep it open!  A parent coordinator is needed this year to help organize, schedule parent volunteers and send reminders.  Easy volunteer opportunity with minimal time commitment.  Responsible for signing up 1st-5th grade parents during the Back to School Coffee and creating a WZ schedule.  Two parents are needed per day to supervise the kids,11:45am-1:00pm during upper recess lunch. Don't hesitate, volunteer, to ensure our children have the opportunity to interact with trees, branches, leaves, dirt and all the "natural toys" within The Wild Zone.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Tracy Watt.

  

PTO and Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation

 

 

As your family prepares for the new school year at Oak Knoll, remember to join the Oak Knoll PTO and donate, pledge or initiate monthly payments to the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation.  These two organizations provide critical financial support for our schools.  Your donation matters!

 

Joint Campaign Image 

                Click here to support the MPEAF                    Click here to support Oak Knoll PTO

 

 

 

Sign up for eScrip

Sign up for eScrip and Earn Free Money for Our Schools!

 

Between August 14 and September 10, participating merchants, including Draegers and Safeway are giving 10% of your purchase price to the MPAEF!

 

Participating is easy! Register any of your existing grocery loyalty, debit and credit cards at eScrip and then just shop! 

 

You can even track your purchases online, allowing you to see just how much you're earning on your child's behalf! 

 

For more information, click here. 

 
Ollie Salutes

Ollie has had a fantastic summer but is really excited to see everyone back at school on Thursday.  Some of our volunteers have been working extremely hard over the summer and he would like to give them a high five for all of their help while he was off swimming in the sunshine.  

Ollie's first HIGH FIVE of the school year goes to our wonderful Webmaster and Newsletter Editor, Joanne Lofthouse.  Jo has worked hard most of the summer updating our website and getting all the information for our Back to School Checklist compiled and edited.  She did all of this with a smile on her face and a positive attitude despite the mammoth task!  If you see her on campus, please tell her thank you in person! She even taught Ollie some interesting English phrases he's still trying to translate.   

 

Speaking of translating....Ollie says a big thank you to Naed de la VegaEduardo Lopez Hernandez and Domonique Matthews for their help in translating all the back to school documents into Spanish for our Spanish speaking readers.  It was a lot of work and they were fast and gracious in their delivery of the documents.

 

Finally, a big HIGH FIVE to all of our Committee members who have worked over the summer helping us get ready for school.  Thanks to them, we have a great year planned for our children and families at Oak Knoll!     

   
Choicelunch

Choicelunch provides nutritious and delicious lunch choices, Monday through Friday for all children who wish to enjoy a hot lunch.

 

Click here to register using the code "otters." Choicelunch is ready to accept online orders now. Hot lunch service begins the first day of school, August 22. Kids bringing lunch from home can still enjoy milk. For a choice between 2% regular and nonfat chocolate milk, order through Choicelunch. You can also buy 2% milk through the MPCSD service (see Purchasing Milk below).

 

Earn credits towards free lunches!  Volunteer! 

In order to offer hot lunch to our students we rely on parent volunteers to serve the lunches. Volunteer as frequently as you'd like throughout the year, no experience necessary, no cooking, simply help distribute pre-ordered hot and cold lunches from Choicelunch and earn credits toward free lunches for your child(ren) for each shift worked.  The more you volunteer, the more free lunches you get! 

 

To join the hot lunch team please email Naed de la Vega, Meredith Walsey or Allison Pereur.

 

 

Purchasing Milk

Beginning August 27, 2013 the Menlo Park City School District will serve milk every school day. Students may buy milk for $50 per school year.

 

If you would like to sign up for the student milk program, do one of the following:

 

1) Go to PaySchools to sign up and pay online. OR

2) If you would like to pay by check please download and fill out the Student Milk Program form, attach your check, and turn it in to the school office the first week of school.

 

Please note that if you plan to order Hot Lunch through the district vendor, Choicelunch, they offer a drink (including milk) with each lunch.

 
After School Programs

Come join Oak Knoll's After School Program! 

 

Classes are held right at Oak Knoll.  Details and the complete schedule is posted here. Or take a look at the flyer.  Sign up soon!  Enrollment is limited in many programs.  

 

Fall session runs from September 16 - December 13 

 

Fall class additions: 

  • Starfire Math - problem solving and critical thinking activities, and learning techniques to manipulate numbers in their head to solve problems without the need for a calculator. 
  • Bulldog Sports & Fitness - Athletes will be introduced to speed and agility drills, as well as basic resistance training principles and techniques. Also a flag football class with an emphasis on teamwork, sportsmanship, and fun. 
  • Public Speaking - Fun and engaging way to learn public speaking skills 
  • Programming with Scratch - Learn to program in Scratch which is the "lego" of programming languages created at MIT. Fun and easy to learn. 

Continued Class Favorites: 

Wizbots, Designkidz, Madscience, Animation Studio, Basketball, Soccer, Dance, Engineering, Creative Writing, Choir, Chess, Hi-5 Sports, TGA Golf, Yoga, Play in a Box, Art, Engineering with Legos, Flag Football, Lacrosse, Mandarin, Spanish, Tennis, Video Game Design. 

 

Any questions, contact: 

Aarti Chandna or Kimberly Hartz-Foster  

 

4th/5th Girls Volleyball Registration


Registration Deadline: Thursday, August 28

     

Calling all 4th & 5th grade girls! We are offering volleyball to girls entering 4th and 5th grade for the 2013-14 school year. Your daughter will learn the basic skills of the game in a fun and encouraging environment on teams coached by parent volunteers. Each team will be made up of a mix of 4th & 5th graders. Practices will be held twice a week at Oak Knoll. Games will be held once a week at Arrillaga gym in Menlo Park. Games start mid-September and end mid-November. For more information visit Oak Knoll Volleyball

 

Parents, coaching volleyball is a wonderful volunteer opportunity. We need coaches and assistant coaches to make the program possible. New this year, our own Stefano Baldassi has written a guide to help our coaches teach players the fundamentals of the game. We will also offer coaches a clinic before the season starts. So no excuses, all you need to coach is a positive attitude and a willingness to bump, set, spike and dig it! If you are interested in coaching contact Laura HuberStefano Baldassi, Nancy Witeck, or Noelle Carpenter.

 

Registration is now open and will close August 28. No late registrations will be accepted. A waitlist will be started at the close of registration to fill in spots if registered players drop out. To sign up, register on-line at: www.sportability.com/oakknoll.

 

The cost for the season is $70.00. Scholarships are available.

 

Questions? Please contact:

Laura Huber, (650-326-6995), Stefano Baldassi, 

Nancy Witeck, (650-328-4785), Noelle Carpenter (650-325-5140)

 

Noteworthy Art 

Don't forget that Noteworthy Art will be happening in September. Your child will be drawing their artwork in class and orders will be taken in October, and delivery will occur before the winter break. For more info on this great school fundraiser and to see a sample, click here.

    

Chic Boutique

Join us for the 4th Annual Chic Boutique benefiting the MPAEF at the Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park.

 

Please mark your calendars:

 

Thursday, November 21 Champagne and Shopping from 6:00-9:00pm

Friday, November 22  Boutique Shopping from 8:30am-2:30pm. 

 

If you are interested in becoming a Boutique vendor/sponsor, please fill out the vendor application and email Margie Klapper by September 1.  20% of sales go to the MPAEF, which includes a $250 pre-paid non-refundable Boutique sponsorship. 

 

If you are interested in volunteering at the Boutique, please contact Gretchen Thomas.

  

ParentEd

As your kids go back to school, come join us in these great parent education opportunities for all Menlo Park district families. 

 

 

Project Cornerstone: Take It Personally Parent Ed Class 

Encinal School, Small Multi

Thursdays, September 12 - October 17

8:45 - 10:15 am

 

Parents, grandparents or any Menlo Park resident is welcome to attend this six-week class. Past participants have discovered practical parenting strategies, inspiration and a new community of parenting allies. For more information, contact Robin Soran.

 

 

For a complete listing of all the parent education events in and around our community, please visit the district's ParentEd webpage.

    

Community News

EVENTS

No events this week.

 

FAMILY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES 
 

Library Volunteers are needed at K-8 public schools in the Ravenswood District to support and encourage students as they learn to read.  Activities include reading to children, helping students find books they love, checking-out books, and organizing.   Reading skills dramatically impact children's educational prospects, so this is a fun way to make a big difference!   For more information, please visit  http://readerstakeflight.org or email [email protected]

  

Classroom Volunteers Needed in East Palo Alto
Looking for parents willing to volunteer in a K-4 classroom this school year.  Assist teachers with tutoring and individualized instruction much like you may have done in your own child's classroom, but these classes have no parents helping...no PTA. The schools are located in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park.  It's one hour per week with training starting September 6th. Our organization coordinates everything. To learn more about us, visit  www.allstudentsmatter.org Have questions or want to sign up?  Contact Carolyn Blatman at [email protected].

 

Adolescents Needed for a Brain Imaging Research Study

September -December, SRI International 333 Ravenswood Ave, Menlo Park

SRI International is recruiting boys and girls aged 12 - 18 for a brain imaging research study. Participants can earn $400 a year.  The study is funded by the National Institute of Health and involves computerized neuropsychological assessment, interviews, MRI brain scans (no radiation), and sleep studies conducted overnight in our sleep lab.  All participant information will be carefully protected; all data will be de-identified and stored using encrypted formats on secure computer systems.  For more information please call Dr. Prouty at 650-859-2605, text to 650-485-1612, or email at [email protected] or follow this link to our website:  http://www.sri.com/work/projects/brain-development-across-adolescence    

 
 

SPORTS, CLASSES, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES 

Newton Center is an educational non-profit providing on-site after-school care to students enrolled in Kindergarten through 5th grade.  Newton operates on campus each school day (including Minimum Days) from dismissal until 6pm, according to the school's calendar. The daily program focuses on play, homework, reading, and more play.  Newton staff is carefully selected and trained to offer a safe environment where a child can get the help they need with their studies. Newton emphasizes promoting self-esteem and socializing skills while achieving academic goals. For more information, please contact [email protected] or (650) 345-4043, or register by faxing this form to (650) 286-9585.

  

Build It Again Toys on Santa Cruz Ave. is offering LEGO Maniac Classes after school starting August 26.  Engineering with 1000's of LEGO. Classes are held Monday through Friday, each with different times.  Girls only classes will be offered on Fridays. Each session is once a week for 8 weeks. Contact [email protected] or Karla at (831) 247-4438.

  

iSing Silicon Valley Girlchoir is now auditioning girls in grades 2-12! Conveniently located in Palo Alto, iSing offers a performance-based choir program that fosters artistry, leadership, and excellence in a creative and supportive environment.

 

Class Schedule

Girls, Grades 2-3, Thursdays, 5-6PM

Girls, Grades 4-6, Wednesdays, 5-7PM

Girls, Grades 7-12, Thursdays, 5-8:30PM

 

Please visit website for more information:   www.isingsv.com    

  

Dance Expressions in Menlo ParkA brand new dance year starts September 3 with many great classes. Start the year off right and join in on the fun! For a complete schedule, please visit  www.danceexpressions5678.comFor more information and placement, please contact Maryanne at [email protected]

  

Peninsula Youth Theatre: Production of Peter Pan  Students ages 8-18 are invited to audition August 26 and 27 for.  All who audition will be cast. For more information and to schedule an audition time, please visit  www.pynet.org 

  

Kidizens Fall Program 2013: Leveraging Love of LEGOS to Learn Civic Responsibility

Kidizens is a civic and economic enrichment program that uses a model LEGO building environment to bring various real-world concepts to life. Students aged 6-11 build, manage and govern their own LEGO cities in a fun, social learning environment and learn about city governance, economics and leadership. Each city (group of children) is given a huge swath of LEGO land on which to create its own small civilization. The kidizens serve as Mayors, Judges, Sheriffs and in many other roles on the City Council, as well as managing city budgets, enacting laws, and coping with natural disasters and crises. They also interact with other cities and develop strategies to partner/ cooperate on various issues. This highly interactive social learning framework inculcates analytical thinking, strategic problem solving and develops public speaking and leadership skills.  Please visit our website at  www.thekidizens.comcall 650-384-0412 or email [email protected] for information on classes and scheduling.  

  

  

For more information on events/opportunities listed above or events listed in prior newsletters, visit the District's Community Links page.
     
Quick Links

Newsletter Submissions
Please submit announcements and flyers to [email protected] for Oak Knoll events. For the Community Corner, send submissions to [email protected].

The deadline for both email addresses is by noon on the Wednesday 
prior to publication dateGuidelines for submission are available online. 

Newsletter Archives
To read past Oak Knoll PTO newsletters, please visit our archives.