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Oak Knoll PTO
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Thursday, December 18
- 2nd Grade Performance, 11:30am, Gym
- Menlo Park Fire Station Field Trip (Becker/Cline), 8:15-10:15am (walking)
Friday, December 19
- MINIMUM DAY - all students dismissed at 11:20am
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December 22 - January 5
Tuesday, January 6
Wednesday, January 7
- San Mateo County Office of Education Public Hearing on Mandarin Immersion Charter School, 7:00pm
Tuesday, January 13
- Parent Coffee Talk with Kristen Gracia, 8:15am
See the Oak Knoll calendar for more important dates and events
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This is the last newsletter of 2014. The Otter Weekly will be back with an edition on Sunday, January 4.
Wishing Oak Knoll families a peaceful and happy holiday season!
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To help keep Oak Knoll students and staff healthy during cold and flu season, we ask you to report all illnesses, and to keep your child home when they are sick. Click here for more information from the school nurse.
We are in need of extra underwear for both boys and girls, all sizes.
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Shop Through MPAEF and Earn for Our Schools!
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 Earn money for our schools when you shop online for holiday cards and gifts through Shop.MPAEF.org. Start your holiday shopping at Amazon, Best Buy, bloomingdale's, Picaboo and many more stores.
Just go to Shop.MPAEF.org, click on a merchant link, shop like you normally would, and earn up to 10% of your purchase total for our schools when you shop. It really is that simple - click, shop, earn! If you have done this in previous years, please check you are using the most up to date link. Please consider bookmarking Shop.MPAEF.org as a reminder!
Happy shopping!
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Kristen Gracia: What Goes On At Recess?
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I wanted to take this opportunity to share some insight with you regarding what Oak Knoll kids do for fun (besides learning in their classrooms).
Oak Knoll has two playgrounds. We have a kindergarten playground and what we refer to as "the yard" which is for everyone else! On the yard, we break the kids up into two groups to ensure that 1st-2nd graders have a separate playtime from the 3rd-5th graders.
Safety is our priority. We have more supervision than ever before! Both playgrounds have yard duty supervisors, classroom aides, and classroom teachers who wear bright yellow vests, who are solely dedicated to watching the kids during recess...
To read Kristen's full letter, please click here.
For the Activities Menu, please click here.
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 Sara Kew Bartlett, 3-5 Multi-Age Teacher
Favorite thing about Oak Knoll: Right now, my favorite thing about Oak Knoll is my incredible group of students. They are kind, compassionate human beings, who are sure to give back more than they take from this world.
Share a passion of yours: Nepal Youth Foundation, Planned Parenthood, Asha, and St. Anthony's
A fun fact about yourself: I love yoga, and trail walks equally.
A favorite quote: I am enjoying the Ken Burns series about the Roosevelts right now. So this quote strikes my fancy today. "Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself." -Eleanor Roosevelt
 Toe-Knee Yob - 3rd Grade Teacher
Your favorite thing about Oak Knoll: Having lunch with other professionals and sharing our stresses and successes. This is something David stressed to make the staff a community of professionals who work together.
Share a passion of yours: Trying to learn something new everyday.
A fun fact about yourself: I love camping with my family and making memories together.
A favorite quote: Ask not what Oak Knoll can do for you but what you can do for Oak Knoll!
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Teachers Report: Writing Workshop
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This year, we feel so fortunate to have coaches visiting from Teacher's College at Columbia University to work with all of our Kindergarten through fifth grade teachers on Writing Workshop. Each grade level has had time to meet with the coaches from Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project, collaborate around their curriculum, and observe writing instruction in our own Oak Knoll classrooms. All teachers have had opportunities to dive into the writing resources that are part of the curriculum, and use student work to identify their students' needs as writers and inform instruction.
It has been wonderful to see all of the Kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers implementing all they took away from their coaching in mid-November, including festive writing celebrations that highlighted the students' growth, engaging whole class mini-lessons, and individualized instruction. We have just concluded our first session with the 3rd-5th grade coach this week. Both the K-2 and 3-5 coaches will be coming back again in the Spring. We are so impressed by how all of our Otters are growing as writers, and look forward to continuing this professional development for our teachers throughout the year!
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Oak Knoll Speech & Debate Winter Warm-Up Tournament
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Oak Knoll will be hosting the first Debate Tournament of the year at the end of January!
Saturday, January 24 for 3rd Graders
Sunday, January 25 for 4th & 5th Graders
Please check the website for full details and tournament registration!
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After School Programs - Winter Registration OPEN
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Registration for Oak Knoll's Winter After School Program is now OPEN! Classes begin the week of January 12 and continue through mid-March. We have many terrific class offerings - lots of good old favorites (Sports, LEGO, Math, Languages, Cooking, Debate, etc), some returning classes (Tennis and Yoga) and a few NEW additions too (Introduction to Computer Coding and Advanced Computer Coding)!
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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Oak Knoll's 2014-2015 Yearbook is on-sale through December 31! Orders are exclusively online for $25. You should also have received an email from Jostens with a link to purchase the yearbook. Be sure to specify your child(ren)'s grade and teacher for each book.
Please contact Rhonda Bucklin with questions.
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5th Grade Parents, we need a baby photo of your 5th grader for the yearbook. We are collecting now through January 16 only. Please find a favorite photo of your child(ren) between the ages of 3-18 months. We want to ensure 100% participation with this special 5th grade tradition.
You can provide a digital copy (preferred) or a hard copy (will be returned). Hard copies should go to your child's homeroom class. There will be a manilla envelope in the front office too. If you have a digital photo, please email to Paula Da Cruz Griffin @ Yearbook Baby Photos.
Please contact Rhonda Bucklin with questions.
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Grades 2/3 Spots Still Open for Girls Leadership Institute Workshops
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There are still spots open in our Girls Leadership Institute Workshop for grades 2/3 during February. Parents and daughters will learn about identifying healthy relationships, finding their voices, and communicating more effectively. Girls will also develop resilient responses to conflict, challenges, and mistakes. The program is interactive, fun, and enlightening for parents and daughters! Workshops for K/1, 2/3 in January, and 4/5 are full at this time.
Click here for details, including cost and specific dates, and to register online!
If you have any questions, please email Stephanie Chen.
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Menlo Mandarin Immersion Charter Petition Appeals to the County
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On December 5, Menlo Mandarin Immersion Charter School (MMICS) submitted an appeal to the San Mateo County Office of Education. (As previously reported, on November 12, the MPCSD School Board unanimously denied the charter petition based on the criteria outlined in the law.) The County Board will be holding a Public Hearing on January 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the San Mateo County Office Of Education (SMCOE), 101 Twin Dolphin Dr, Redwood City, CA 94065. The Public Hearing is the community's opportunity to provide input to the County Board, and our District will be presenting information on our denial of MMICS's petition for the County Board to consider. The County Board plans to take action and make a decision on February 4 at 7:00 p.m. also at SMCOE.
The District also received the Petitioners' request for District facilities under Proposition 39 on October 31. On December 1, the District denied the petitioners' request for District facilities under Proposition 39.
You can find all Board meeting presentations, reports, and additional information related to the Charter Petition on the District's website.
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Mindfulness and Parenting : Finding Grace Amidst the Chaos
Presented by Dr. Amy Saltzman
January 27, 7:00-8:30pm at the Oak Knoll Library
Mindfulness is simply paying attention to your life experience here and now with kindness and curiosity.
Join Dr. Amy Saltzman for an introductory evening to learn how you can apply Mindfulness to the complex, sometimes overwhelming responsibilities of daily life with children and experience grace amidst the chaos. Dr. Saltzman will also discuss how Mindfulness can benefit children by enhancing focus, impulse control, emotional intelligence, and compassion.
Dr. Amy Saltzman is a Menlo Park-based holistic physician, Mindfulness coach, scientist, wife, and mother. Her passion is supporting people of all ages in enhancing their well being and discovering the Still Quiet Place within. She is recognized by her peers as a visionary and pioneer in the fields of holistic medicine and Mindfulness for youth. For more information on Dr. Saltzman, including her book and two CDs, please visit http://www.stillquietplace.com/.
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Compassion Project with My New Red Shoes
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CALLING ALL PARENTS! We are looking for parents to be on a committee to help us put together a Compassion Project with My New Red Shoes. In early February, we will be partnering with My New Red Shoes to make gift bags and collect new shoe donations. How much time you give to the committee and project will be completely up to you. If you are interested, please email Meg McGraw-Scherer. A big part of the project will be fabric collection, so we are asking for any and all fabric donations for construction of the gift bags. Fabric should be 100% cotton or cotton-poly blends in solid colors or any kid or teen-friendly print. Fabric sizes must be no smaller than 44" x 17." However, we will happily accept larger pieces of fabric as well. Many fabric stores have sales around the holidays so this is the ideal time of year to purchase fabric. Additionally, any donations of fabric store coupons would be greatly appreciated! Please keep in mind the bags are going to girls and boys so the fabric choices should be ones that all kids (even teens) might enjoy. All Donations can be turned into Mrs. Scott in Rm 7. Thanks so much for considering!
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Directories & Information Corrections
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By now you should have received a copy of the MPCSD directory, compliments of the PTO, sent home with your youngest child in the district. Directories were delivered to teachers the week of November 10.
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
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MPAEF Spring Auction - Come Join the Team!
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Have you enjoyed taking part in the MPAEF Spring Auction year after year? Are you new to the District and excited to get involved? Join us and help us raise $250K+ for our schools!! We are currently seeking a parent volunteer to be the Auction Co-Chair for the 2015 MPAEF Spring Auction to be held on Saturday, April 11 at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club. Cyndy Hogan is returning as the Event Co-Chair so you'll be working with a seasoned partner. We are seeking an auction-side co-chair to oversee the online and event-night auction. If you are someone who has good project management skills, data management skills, and an interest in organizing a large-scale event to support our schools, we need you! If you are interested in learning more about this important and fun role, please reach out to Calla Griffith at 650-906-7960.
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Mandarin for those who don't speak Mandarin at home
Hwa Shin Chinese School is celebrating its 20th anniversary! Certified, high-quality teachers, individual attention with small class sizes, engaging workbooks and multimedia. After school classes are currently in session at Oak Knoll, Laurel and Encinal. Saturday classes for K to 12 graders start January 17 at Jordan Middle School in Palo Alto. Visit www.hwashinschool.org, call (408)807-1088, or email hwashinschool@yahoo.com.
Menlo-Atherton Little League 2015 Spring Season is NOW OPEN! M-ALL is offering seven playing divisions to players age 5 to 13. We are also registering YOUTH UMPIRES age 13-17 as of April 30, 2015. For more information you can download our 2015 Registration FAQ. Hoopsters Basketball Christmas Workshop with Coach Tim Bowler December 29 - January 2, 9:30am-12:00pm Arrillaga Family Gymnasium Young hoopsters ages 5-12 will learn the fundamental skills of dribbling, catching and shooting, as well as basic rules, while having a great time. Coach Time Bowler is a National Board Certified Physical Education Teacher and Coach at Menlo Atherton High School. Burgess Code: 4112.202. (650)330-2220
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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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