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Oak Knoll PTO
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Tuesday, September 23
- Balclutha Field Trip (Austin/Fuller)
Wednesday, September 24
- End of PTO campaign
- Spirit Rally: wear Oak Knoll gear or colors (blue and red) and comfortable shoes
Friday, September 26
- Fall Family Picnic, 5:30-7:30pm, playground
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September 29 - October 10
- Halloween Costume Donation Drive
Monday, October 6
- No School, Staff Development Day
October 7-10
- Minimum Day, Parent Conferences
October 13 - 24
- New & Used Book Donation Drive
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Dear Parents,
I need your help! We have only three days of our PTO membership drive left and we have received donations to cover only 72% of the budgeted programs and services we have planned for your children this year. The PTO conducts only one major fundraiser during the year so our budget is almost entirely dependent on this membership drive's success.
Your PTO donation supports these exceptional programs, to only name a few:
- assemblies including Wildlife Associates, Safe Moves, and Taiko Drumming
- enrichment programs like Playing with Poetry, 3rd grade Speech and Debate, 4th-5th grade Leadership, Cyber Safety and Compassion in the Digital Age
- the Oak Knoll Science Fair and Science Olympiad
- student-led activities like: School Spirit Days, KNOL Broadcasting, The Green Team, and the Oak Knoll Talent Show
- parent education events, including Compassion & Coffee, Parent Book Club, and Parenting in the Digital Age
As you can see, we have a lot of GREAT things planned for this year!
Please read the rest of Principal Gracia's letter here.
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September 24 is Oak Knoll Day and there will be a SPIRIT RALLY for the kids in the morning to celebrate the end of the PTO campaign! Please have your kids wear their Oak Knoll shirts or Oak Knoll colors (blue and red) that day and also comfortable shoes as Ms. Bennion will have them all movin' and groovin'!
Please join the PTO by Wednesday, September 24 - click HERE.
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Please join us for the Fall Family Picnic on Friday, September 26 from 5:30-7:30pm. There will be games, karaoke, and lots of fun! This year we are having hot dogs from Top Dog.
You must purchase tickets before Monday, September 22. Tickets are $10.00 per person. We would like all families to attend. Please consider purchasing sponsorship tickets.
To buy tickets online, please click here; or print off and fill in the order form and put it in the Fall Family Picnic folder in the school office before September 22.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nancy Lieberman or Katherine Hochstetler.
Thank you!
The Fall Family Picnic Co-Chairs
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 Nicole Scott, Counselor
Favorite thing about Oak Knoll: I love that the staff is willing to try new things. We take risks and support each other in taking them. I am excited in the morning to come to school to hear about what the students are learning.
Share a passion of yours: I like to be involved in community service that stays local. I like to know I am helping my neighbors. One of my biggest passions is donating blood. Every time you donate blood you are saving 3 people. What an incredible feeling that is and it only takes one hour!
A fun fact about yourself: I love space! I was a Space Camp Counselor in Alabama and in Mt. View (now closed) and just became something I loved learning about - which is funny because I don't even like to fly! I would never want to go to space myself but during the Space Race we really stretched our selves as people and I love learning about all they accomplished.
A favorite quote: "There is a brilliant Child locked inside every student." -Marva Collins
 Alicia Poole, K-2 Multi Teacher
Favorite thing about Oak Knoll: I love how innovative Oak Knoll is. I always feel there is a new way of looking at things and solving problems. My job is never boring and my students are always teaching me new things. I love that Oak Knoll is a community of adults and children who are dedicated to learning and growing. Oak Knoll is truly a great place to be.
Share a passion of yours: I enjoy working with children through my church. I like to volunteer in the nursery and help with Sunday School. During the holidays my family and I sponsor a needy family or child and we shop for things to help make their Thanksgiving or Christmas a good one. When my daughter gets a bit older I would love to have her volunteer with me at an animal shelter by walking and taking care of abandoned animals.
A fun fact about yourself: I married an Englishman and we lived in separate countries for the first year of our marriage. I moved to England to be with him for two years from 2010-2012. While in England I taught elementary school, middle school, and high school aged children. After having our own daughter in 2011, we knew there was no better place for her to learn than Oak Knoll, so we packed all our belongings into 6 suitcases and with our daughter, Abigail, and dog, Sirius, we flew back. At the age of 39 I started taking violin lessons here at Oak Knoll and I now love to play.
A favorite quote: "If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." -Henry David Thoreau
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Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed!
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Volunteer Opportunity
Have you ever volunteered to serve Hot Lunch at Oak Knoll? No? Well you don't know what you're missing out on! Don't wait any longer to sign up!
Long gone are the days of hairnets and serving spoons. It's now workout gear and compostable containers. No need to be nervous, we train you on the job. Here's a sneak peak as to what your hour will look like...
1. Arrive at the kitchen at 11:30am, write you name on the sign in sheet so that your child gets a FREE lunch next time you order
2. Place 4 easels out with the children's names listed
3. Open the fruit, veggie, snack and water containers and set the containers on the table
4. Before children arrive take out boxed hot meals from oven and cold meals from cooler
5. Hand the right boxed lunch to the right child by reading the sticker they hand to you while someone else makes sure they take a healthy snack and drink
6. Say "you're welcome" or "say please" 400 times and you're done!
Other than a good opportunity to chat with other parents, there's not much more to it than that.
Come join us - we promise you'll have fun!
Choicelunch provides nutritious and delicious lunch choices, Monday through Friday for all children who wish to enjoy a hot lunch. Register here to begin ordering hot lunch with the code "otters." The Choicelunch website offers a complete description of entrees, easy ordering and sends email reminders of your child's menu.
If you have any questions, please email Patti Buck, Melissa Coleman, or Emily Record Buck.
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Co-Chairs for Are You IN Run
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Have you enjoyed taking part in the Are You In RUN over the past two years or the Otter Run before that? Let's help us keep it going!
We are currently seeking two parent volunteers to be Co-Chairs for the Are You In RUN on May 31. If you are someone who has good project management skills and an interest in organizing a large scale event we need you!
Volunteer position description:
- Work with the PTO Presidents and MPAEF Co-Chairs to identify a team representative from each of the 5 groups to make up your committee
- With the help of the committee, assign each group to cover race logistics, marketing, sponsorship or any pre or post-race associated events
- Project manage the committee by meeting monthly and eventually weekly as you get closer to the event and sending out status updates
- Work with the District Council Co-Presidents to establish a race preparation timeline and profit distribution plan
Please contact Tracy Watt if you are interested in volunteering to Co-Chair this important event for our school district.
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Your child will be drawing his or her individual artwork in class for Noteworthy Art some time this week. Now is the perfect time to help your child come up with creative ideas for their artwork. A great design leads to nice gift opportunities and a special keepsake that you and your child will love! Your child's drawing will be reproduced on high quality notecards and packaged with envelopes in sets of 12.
A proof and order form will come home in October and the Noteworthy Art cards will be delivered before the holidays. If you have questions about this exciting Oak Knoll PTO fundraiser, please contact Betsy Muhlner, Mary Karen Lundh, Tiffany Wolf, and Sora Choe.
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Girl Scouts - Join New 1st & 3rd Grade Troops
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If your daughter is interested in joining a Girl Scout troop at Oak Knoll, we are forming new troops in 1st and 3rd grade and are looking for more girls to join. We are also looking for parents interested in helping form the new 1st grade troop. Troops normally meet once a month after school on campus for about an hour. The day/time of troop meetings varies based on the co-leaders who organize the troop. If you are interested in finding out more about the Girl Scout troops at Oak Knoll, please contact Allison Chao.
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Tip of the Week: Do you know how to fit your bike helmet on properly? It should be snug, fit over the forehead and have 2 fingers of space under the strap. If the helmet has ever had a hard impact it should be replaced even if it doesn't look damaged. Make sure your child's helmet fits right before your ride... and be a good model by wearing one, too!
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Oak Knoll's After School Programs Start This Week!
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Last chance to sign up for Oak Knoll's great after school classes! Registration for Oak Knoll's After School Programs are still OPEN! Classes begin THIS WEEK and continue through mid-December. We have several terrific class offerings - some great new classes to Oak Knoll this year, and some good old favorites! Due to strong demand, several returning classes have recently been added to our fall lineup - Mandarin, Creative Writing, Stretch & Play Yoga. Please click here to be directed to the ASP webpage for a detailed list of after school classes and registration information. For questions, contact Mark Baker.
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Be A Student For The Night
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Please join us on Wednesday, October 8 from 7:00-8:15pm for a very special evening as our ART, LIBRARY, MUSIC, and P.E. teachers let us "walk in our children's shoes." Mr. Almquist, Ms. Bennion, Ms. Knight, Ms. Chiet, Ms. Tee and Dr. Westfall have planned a fun, interactive night that will allow parents to see what our children experience every day at Oak Knoll. All parents are encouraged to come meet their children's teachers. This night is a great opportunity to experience the programs at Oak Knoll that our community's donations to be Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF) make possible.
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Start Clearing Out Your Closets & Bookshelves for a Great Cause!
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The Caring & Sharing Committee wants to announce two opportunities this fall to donate to those in need: A Halloween Costume Donation Drive and a New/Used Book Donation Drive. All donations will go to the Children's Fund of San Mateo County. The book drive will culminate in a book sort on October 30, 1:30-3:30pm in the small multi, in which Oak Knoll kids can help prepare the books for distribution. Everybody interested please come!
Halloween Costume Drive: As the Halloween season approaches, please consider donating your outgrown and gently used Halloween costumes. All costumes welcome, but please no wigs/masks, plastic guns, knives or anything that depicts violence.
Used/New Book Drive: Looking forward to Oak Knoll's October Book Fair? Let us help you prepare! When making room for those new books, please donate your previously loved books to the Oak Knoll book drive! Then, please consider buying a new book or two for the donation drive. All purchases help our school and donated new books will help children in need. All new books will be set aside and provided to needy children in San Mateo County as holiday gifts.
More details forthcoming as the time approaches. All donations will be collected in barrels in front of the school.
Note on the Children's Fund: The Children's Fund was established as a grassroots effort by social workers to assist foster and low-income children in San Mateo County and provide them with goods and services that are not available through public funds. The Children's Fund benefits low-income and foster children/teens who reside in San Mateo County. In 2014, the Children's Fund will serve more than 4,600 children in San Mateo County.
Questions? Please contact Meg McGraw-Scherer.
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Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck
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Oak Knoll encourages a Growth Mindset instead of a Fixed Mindset. Learn more!
MINDSET: THE NEW PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS
Carol Dweck
Stanford in Redwood City Speaker Series
October 16, 5:30-7:00pm (doors open at 5:00pm; general seating)
Carrington Hall, Sequoia High School, 1201 Brewster Avenue, Redwood City
Free and open to the community
More Information & RSVP: www.stanfordredwoodcity.com
Professor Dweck is a leading researcher on motivation and achievement, particularly known for her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, focusing on why people succeed and how to foster success. She'll explain how, with the right mindset, you can motivate students, employees, peers, & children to reach their personal and professional goals. She has been featured in The New Yorker, Time, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, and many other media outlets.
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Raising Your Teens Without Losing Your Mind - Part 2
Erik Burmeister, Principal
Hillview Middle School, PAC
Monday, September 29, 6:30-8:30pm
From mood swings, to puberty, to the complex life changes that are a result of growing up in the 21st century, raising a healthy and responsible teenager is a task that can boggle the mind of even the most seasoned caregivers. Join Hillview Principal, Erik Burmeister, as he discusses the difference between how girls and boys react to their changing physical and emotional environments, the way in which our daily routines can affect how our kids grow and perform in and out of the classroom, and the boundaries and limits we can expect to have challenged as our kids strive to become more independent. Missed Part 1? Don't let that stop you. Part 2 will still be a very informative event. Free childcare is provided on-site for all potty trained children. For more information, contact Jennifer Allen.
"What Parents Need to Know About the Common Core and More"
Sunday, October 12, 1:30-5:00pm
Hillview Middle School
This conference will give you an insider's view on important developments relating to your children's education. This year, we'll be covering the sweeping changes to the math curriculum lead by the Common Core, as well as new student assessments and report cards. There will also be workshops, taught by district teachers and staff, that will give you first-hand knowledge about what happens in the classroom, as well as tips and tricks for helping your student succeed in school. Free childcare will be available for children ages 2.5 through Middle School (special program for Middle School students to earn Block H points) to allow as many parents as possible to attend, but advance registration is required in order to take advantage of this option.
"I learned so much by attending the District ParentEd conference -- it was really interesting and inspiring" - Lydia Lee, Encinal parent of 1st and 4th graders
Register early to get your first choice of workshops and to reserve a childcare spot.
Conference Details are on the MPCSD ParentEd Page.
Register online for Parents & Childcare by Monday, October 6.
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Bay Area Science Festival
Saturday, November 1, 11:00am-4:00pm
AT&T Park is transformed into a science wonderland for the concluding event of the Bay Area Science Festival . Free, located at AT&T Park, San Francisco.
Menlo Park Martial Arts & Character Development Academy
Friday, October 3, 4:00-8:30pm
Arrillaga Recreation Center at Burgess Park at 700 Alma Street in Menlo Park
FREE Anti-Bullying Event aimed to help children of all ages overcome the negative impact of bullying. Pizza and water will be provided for dinner.
To register click here.
NJB Winter Basketball
Registration is now open!
Our focus is on skills-based instruction, personal growth, and positive competition for kids from 1st through 8th grades in MP, Atherton, PV, Woodside, or EPA.
IRB Approved Parent Correspondence
Paid Emotion Regulation Research at Stanford. Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, and Controls Needed - earn up to $200.
Please contact us at aserr.samson@stanford.edu if you are interested in having your child participate.
Pediatric Weight Control Program at Stanford
Pediatric Weight Control Program is Enrolling Now
Visit our website at and hear what past participants say about their experiences.
To enroll call us today at 650-724-5611 or email us.
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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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To read past Oak Knoll PTO newsletters, please visit our archives.
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