Oak Knoll PTO
Otter Weekly
November 17, 2013
In This Issue
To Do

This Week

Thursday, November 21
  • MPAEF Pledge and Payments Drive ends
  • District "Are You IN Day" - Wear orange!   
  • MPAEF Chic Boutique, Champagne and Shopping: 6:00-9:00pm, Allied Arts  
Friday, November 22
  • MPAEF Chic Boutique Shopping: 8:30am - 2:30pm, Allied Arts

Looking Ahead

Monday, November 25
Tuesday, November 26
  • Report cards go home  
Wednesday, November 27 - Friday, November 29
  • NO SCHOOL:  Thanksgiving break  
Monday, December 2 - Wednesday, December 4
  • Minimum Days:  All grades dismissed at 11:20am.  Please note date correction.

      

See the Oak Knoll calendar for more important dates and events.

MPAEF Pledge and Payments Drive

mpaef

  

ONLY 5 DAYS REMAIN AND EVERY DONATION MATTERS!
BE PART OF THE CELEBRATION!

There are only FIVE DAYS LEFT in the MPAEF's Annual Parent Campaign, and we still need 448 families to reach our goal of 80% participation. We all know the saying "it takes a village" and it takes just that to have excellent public schools in California. Right now 55% of our village of families has supported our schools. If you haven't yet pledged your support or donated, please do so by Thursday, November 21. Any level of support will help us reach 80% participation and will make a difference in our kids' educational experience. Every donation matters!

Make your commitment today in any of these ways:

 

                                

 

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Are You IN Day - Thursday, November 21

 














With the conclusion of the annual fundraising campaigns, it's time to celebrate all of our families and their commitment to our schools. Your support of the MPAEF and Oak Knoll's PTO help make possible an incredible education for every child in our District. So let's celebrate with Are You IN Day on Thursday! We look forward to seeing our students, teachers, staff and parents all sporting ORANGE!
 

 

Coffee with Confidence 

coffee
Coffee with Confidence: Monday, November 25 from 8:15-9:15am at Oak Knoll

Come join Oak Knoll Vice Principal Kristen Gracia, School Psychologist Jenny Ryan and School Counselor Nicole Scott and other parents. Brainstorm new ways to empower your child to BE the first step in the problem solving sequence. In other words: "Learn how to Coach from the Sidelines but Let your Child Play the Game."

Has your child ever come home complaining about school? Do you find yourself emailing the teacher with questions that your CHILD has? Do your kids' friendships require you to get involved in all the kid drama? Do you question yourself about when and how to get involved? You are not alone!

As part of our school theme of confidence, we are planning a casual, light-hearted parent meeting that will offer you practical strategies, a little research, and some time to share and get ideas from one another, not to mention coffee! Please RSVP to Barb Snow.

 

Directories and Information Corrections/Updates  


By now you should have received a copy of the MPCSD directory sent home with your youngest child in the district.  Directories were delivered to teachers the week of November 12.

Extra directories or mini-versions of the Directory (they fit in your glove compartment!) are available on a first-come, first-served basis in your Front Office for $10 each.

The data in the directory comes from the PowerSchool Program.  PowerSchool is populated with information from district registration forms filled out by parents.  Parents are asked annually to update/verify that information through the InfoSnap website.  If the information printed in the directory is incorrect, or if you're not listed in the Directory and wish to be, please email DistrictDirectory@mpcsd.org.  The corrections will be made in the PowerSchool database and you will be asked to verify them next summer.  

Thanks also to parent John Kelly and Blackstone Discovery for their continued outstanding service in publishing the District Directory!

Questions?  Please contact DistrictDirectory@mpcsd.org.

 

Holiday Shopping at Cheeky Monkey Toys

Shop at Cheeky Monkey Toys from November 22 through December 6 and raise money for Oak Knoll school.

Two great ways to earn money for our school:
 

  • Shop in-store and mention "Oak Knoll School"
  • Shop online, select "Fundraisers and Gift Cards" and add "Oak Knoll School" to your cart 

10% of your net purchase will go to support Oak Knoll!  

Cheeky Monkey Toys is located at 640 Santa Cruz Ave. in downtown Menlo Park, 650-328-7975, www.cheekymonkeytoys.com

 

MPAEF Chic Boutique - THIS WEEK!! 

  

 
The wait is over... the "Chic Boutique" is here!

Bring your friends and your shopping list to the Chic Boutique - a unique opportunity to buy special one-of-a-kind items for yourself and everyone on your holiday list. There will be fabulous vendors for Holiday Sparkle, Home and Décor, Fashion, and Delicious Delicacies. And it is all for supporting our schools.

Champagne and Shopping - Thursday, November 21 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.  The first 100 people to purchase a ticket receive a tote bag.

Come and Shop -  Friday, November 22 from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Entry is free. You don't want to miss this!

Come and Volunteer -  Contact Carolyn Bowsher.

See the full list of fabulous vendors at www.mpaef.org/boutique-vendors. The list includes some of our own district parents!  All proceeds go toward the Foundation's annual grant to the MPCSD.

  

Volunteers Needed for WINTERFEST

Are you interested in having fun with Tinsley program families and resident families?  Do you want to help build our Oak Knoll Community by sharing a potluck dinner after activities like a flashlight scavenger hunt, zumba dancing, arts and crafts, and a game? Please join us!   For more information about volunteering for Winterfest on February 1, 2014, please contact Carolyn Bowsher.

Ollie Salutes 

Thank you to the fantastic Directory Chair Alison Fleming for her hard work in pulling the directory together from the Oak Knoll side.  It's a big job and we appreciate it!

Thank you to the Caring and Sharing Drive Committee Chairs:  Kathy Motamedi, Lisa Langer and Nancy Lieberman for organizing the Food Drive this week.  We really appreciated the Oak Knoll Cub Scouts from Pack 222 and their parents who brought lots of energy to the carline this week collecting all the food.  Thank you for your support!

Lastly, a huge Ollie high five goes out to all our Oak Knoll children who dressed goofy for spirit day this Friday and to many of our teachers who joined them.  It was a great showing of our fantastic Oak Knoll Spirit!   

Yearbook 2013-14 
Calling All 5th Grade Yearbook Cover Artists!  
Your child has the opportunity to have their artwork on the front or back cover of the 2013-2014 Oak Knoll Yearbook.  This week, all 5th graders should receive 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, somwhere in the drawing.  He can be very large or very tiny...
  • Include the School Year, 2013-2014, 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 Tuesday, November 26   
  • All fifth grade teachers will have a large, manilla, envelope in their classrooms where the children will deliver their finished artwork.  As prior years, 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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Oak Knoll's 2013-2014 Yearbook is on-sale through December 31.  Please order online.  Specify your child's(ren) grade and teacher for each book.  Books are $20 each and a great way to keep Oak Knoll memories alive for your kids.  Please contact Rhonda Bucklin if ordering online is not an option.  Again, we want to eliminate or minimize paper payments.   

 

2nd Grade Girls - Interested in Brownie Girl Scouts?
A new 2nd grade Brownies troop is forming and is inviting new girls! It will be meeting monthly on Tuesdays right after school from 3:00-4:00. If your daughter is interested in joining Girl Scouts this year, please contact Allison Chao, Oak Knoll Girl Scouts Liaison, at ajchao@gmail.com.

For more info about Girl Scouts, please go to: www.girlscoutsnorcal.org
.

 

Parking Reminder 
Do Not Stop or Park in "No Stopping/No Parking" Zones

We have noticed that several cars are stopping and parking in the "no parking & no stopping" areas at school.  We need to stress that you jeopardize the safety of the bikers and pedestrians when you do this.  This includes no parking in neighboring driveways.

You will be cited by the Menlo Park Police if you are parking during the restricted times as posted on the street signs.

Please remind your caregivers of the no parking & no stopping times since they may not be aware of this if they only come at dismissal time.  Using the car line is a safe alternative if you don't want to walk into school.  We have teachers at the front of school along car line supervising the children while they are waiting to be picked up.
   
ParentEd

M-A Parent Education Series

The M-A Parent Education Series offers a unique, school-wide program designed to educate parents about critical issues related to the academic, physical, mental and social-emotional health of their students. For more information  and a detailed description of each event, please click here.

 

Next Event: "Under Pressure: Helping Your Teen Find Balance, Reduce Stress, and Build Resilience" with Lisa Medoff, Ph.D., Stanford University. Panel Q & A with Linda Silvius, Project Cornerstone
Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Refreshments from 6:30 - 7:00 p.m.

M-A Performing Arts Center (PAC)

 

Lisa Medoff is a developmental psychologist who specializes in adolescent mental health. She teaches courses on adolescent development in the Program in Human Biology at Stanford University and is research consultant for Acknowledge Alliance (formerly The Cleo Eulau Center), where she provides workshops and trainings on social and emotional issues.  Her books include the Stressed Out Students Guide To series and Resilience in the Classroom: Helping Students with Special Needs.

Ticket Registration: https://underpressure2013ma.eventbrite.com/

This event is free and sponsored by the M-A PTA and the Sequoia Healthcare District. Parents, students, and SUHSD community members welcome.

Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be offered.

For information, please contact Charlene Margot, Parent Education Series Program Director, at cmargot@csmconsulting.net or 650-868-0590.

For Spanish, contact Lilly Quinonez, Parent Center Coordinator, 650-322-5311, Ext. 5255 

   

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Hillview-sponsored Parent Ed Monthly Series - Upcoming Events

Hillview is providing free childcare at these events. Click here for the complete Speaker Series program. If you have any questions, email Jessica Raines.
 
Next Event: 
Sleepy Students, The Adolescent Circadian Shift 
Devin Prouty, Ph.D., Researcher/Expert
 

Wednesday, January 6 at 6:30pm at the Hillview Performing Arts Center (PAC).

  

 

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Project Cornerstone's Take It Personally Class - Winter Session

Register now for the winter Take It Personally class. This six week series starts on January 7 and ends on February 11.  The class is from 7:00-8:30pm. To register email Robin Soran or visit the MPCSD Parent Ed website for more information.

 

 
 

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

    

Community News

SPORTS, CLASSES, ETC. 

  

Brain Development Study at Stanford Research Lab. The Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research at Stanford University is looking for healthy 3rd and 4th graders for a research study exploring brain development in children over the course of an academic school year. There will be 3 separate 1-2 hour sessions. Participation will involve an IQ assessment and a fNIRS scan while doing an activity. fNIRS scans are safe, non-invasive and x-ray and radiation free. Participants will receive up to $75 for their participation, as well as a results report  from the IQ assessment and other assessments upon request. Please contact Meredith Schreier at msch@stanford.edu / (650) 723-4871 if you are interested in enrolling or would like more information!
 
Ragazzi Boys Chorus Free Minicamp.  Saturday, January 18, 2014, 9:30am - 1pm, Redwood City .  Let your 7-10 year old boy test-drive Ragazzi's world-class choral program for himself at a free half-day minicamp. Low-key, no-obligation auditions are integrated into the morning; no previous singing experience needed. Boys offered Ragazzi membership join rehearsals the week of Jan. 20, 2014. Beginning groups meet Monday -or- Wednesday evening for choral singing and theory instruction. Contact: ragazzi@ragazzi.org or 650-342-8785. Minicamp is free, but advance registration is required.  Please click here to register. Can't make it to SingFest but want to audition?  Go to www.ragazzi.org/Interested.htm.

Ragazzi Boys Chorus' Music and Movement class.  January 6 - March 10, Mondays 4:15-5pm at 178 Clinton St, Redwood City.  Ragazzi Boys Chorus' engaging Kodály-based class for active young boys is now open. The class is tailored for boys ages 5-7 with little or no previous musical experience. A child-developmental approach fosters boys' creativity and curiosity. Participants explore rhythm games, channel their energy through music learning and learn concepts they can apply in any musical setting.  $180 per 9-week session.  

     

 

EVENTS  

 

2013 Holiday Train. On December 7 & 8, Caltrain, in partnership with Silicon Valley Community Foundation, is excited to bring back the Holiday Train spreading joy and the community spirit of giving throughout the Bay Area. The dazzling show train, with more than 60,000 glittering lights, will be visiting nine stations between San Francisco and San Jose. This free family event gives more than 4,000 gifts annually to thousands of local children who would otherwise be forgotten at this time of year. Toys collected from the event benefit the Salvation Army and the Marines Toys for Tots program.  For more information about the event visit www.caltrain.com/holidaytrain or to make a donation to the event visit www.holiday-train.org. To download an event poster, please click here.  

 

 

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

Oak Knoll Website  
     
  Oak Knoll Calendar            MPAEF Website 
         MPCSD Website

Newsletter Submissions
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 dateGuidelines for submission are available online. 

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