Oak Knoll PTO
Otter Weekly
January 11, 2015
      En Espa�ol 
To Do
In This Issue
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This Week 


Monday, January 12
  • Parent Talk, "Real Parents, Real Kids, Real Talk," 6:30pm, Hillview

Tuesday, January 13

  • Parent Coffee Talk with Kristen Gracia, 8:15am

Wednesday, January 14

  • PTO Board Meeting
  • CA Theater (All Kindergarten), 10:00am-1:00pm
  • 5th Grade Outdoor Ed Meeting, 1:00pm, Gym
  • Site Council, 3:30pm
  • Debate Tournament Practice, 5:30-7:30pm, Library

Thursday, January 15

  • MPAEF Board Meeting, 8:45-10:45am, TERC
  • Spelling Bee, 10:15am, Gym
  • Kindergarten Orientation, 6:30-8:00pm, Gym
  • Parent Outdoor Ed Meeting, 6:30pm, Library

Friday, January 16

  • 5th Grade Baby Yearbook Photos Due
  • 5th Grade Vision Testing

Looking Ahead  


Monday, January 19
  • MLK Day - NO SCHOOL

See the Oak Knoll calendar for more important dates and events 

Parent Coffee Talk with Kristen Gracia on Tuesday
Come join Mrs.Gracia, Mrs.Scott (counselor), and Ms. Ryan (psychologist) for coffee and a casual conversation about what Oak Knoll is doing to support students in the area of friendship, social skills and compassion. Everyday students interact, explore, and navigate social settings (like the playground) and peer relationships. Come join in for a discussion about how Oak Knoll supports students in this area, and leave with helpful tips on how you can support your child at home.

Parent Coffee Talk
Tuesday, January 13 at 8:15am
Oak Knoll Gym

Also mark your calendars with upcoming Parent Coffee Talk dates: March 10, April 7, May 12, all at 8:15am.
      
Compassion
Compassion is growing at Oak Knoll!  Every day kids are stopping and thinking about the worms that are on the sidewalk, the trash around them and how they interact with each other.  Our goal with having this yearlong theme was to build Empathy, teach the kids to be optimistic and to be present, and finally to instill a generous spirit.
 
The first trimester the theme was Empathy.  We kicked off the year with a book called Stand in My Shoes.  Isn't that what Empathy is all about - understanding the other person?  Empathy is not about getting revenge, doling out consequences or ignoring problems- but rather stopping and thinking about where the other person is coming from.  We spent time reading about people that might be different from us; an Autistic brother or a kid in a wheelchair.    We had an amazing week of embracing each other's differences thanks to the hard work of two incredible parents.  We have also spent a lot of time talking to the students that differences are not a deficit they are just differences!
 
As we delve into this second trimester we have begun by trying to believe the best about other people by being optimistic.  Why?  Because when I think the best about others I feel happier!  We will also learn about being present or mindful.  We have two great Parent Ed nights coming up that will explore this idea further.  The first is with Dr. Amy Saltzman, January 27 at 7:00pm. Dr. Saltzman is going to help parents have a better understanding of mindfulness.  The second is with Dr. John Rettger.  He is going to do a parent/child yoga night on February 24 (look for more info as we get closer to the date).
 
For two weeks in February we will be doing a school wide community service project.  Students will be able to make shoe bags for a program called "My New Red Shoes" as well as making  "Have a great first day of school" cards.  We will also be collecting new shoes (look for more info in future newsletters)
 
This will move us into our final Trimester where the focus is on Generosity.  On March 13, we will be having a community service fair were students will be able to participate in mini service projects during lunch.  More details will come on this, as we get closer to the date.
 
Please be sure to stop by our compassion tree and see the acts of compassion, both big and small, that the students have been doing!

-Nicole Scott

Volunteers Needed for Winterfest
Are you interested in making connections with other Oak Knoll families, within and outside our school neighborhood?  Do you want to help build our Oak Knoll Community by planning a winter carnival at Oak Knoll?  Please join us!   For more information about volunteering for Winterfest on February 7, please contact Jenni Djafari.  
      
Office Reminders
Please, no dogs allowed on school grounds.

We are still in need of extra underwear for both boys and girls, all sizes. 
      
After School Class Locations - Winter 2015
Here are the classroom locations for the Winter 2015 After School Programs:

Monday:
Wizbots, Room 17
Flag Football, Field

Tuesday:
Chess, Room 3
Creative Writing, Library
Hoops, Field

Wednesday:
Computer Coding, Room 32
Yoga, Room 6
Spanish, Room 16
Gorilla Play, Field
Starfire Math, Room 11

Thursday:
Coding, Room 13
Tennis, Field
Lego, Rooms 19, 20
Soccer, Field
Mad Science, Room 17
Starfire Math, Library
Hoops, Field
Young Rembrandts, Room K4
Mandarin, Rooms 4, 6C, 8
Flag Football, Field
Speech & Debate, Room 28

Friday:
Junior Chef Stars, Kitchen  
      
Oak Knoll Speech & Debate Winter Warm-Up Tournament

Saturday, January 24 for 3rd Graders
Sunday, January 25 for 4th & 5th Graders

Registration deadline: TODAY Sunday, January 11.

Please check the website for full details and tournament registration! 
      
Mrs.Gracia Needs Your Help
Mrs.Gracia is starting to build online Mindset Learning for parents and families. She would love to find a parent who can help with the tech side of this. Please contact Kristen if you have ideas or if you can help with the building/creating. Once this is complete, it will be a fantastic resource for our parents and community as a whole.

Do you know the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset? Do you know how to build it into your parenting? The mindset course will be a way to gain understanding and hear from Oak Knoll staff, teachers and students on how to integrate it into everything you do, and why it is so important.

Contact [email protected]
      
After School Programs - Winter Registration OPEN
Registration for Oak Knoll's Winter After School Program is 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)!  
In these new Coding class, kids will learn principles of game design and coding using industry-leading software and offline activities. Designed to allow kids to think like a software engineer and play like a kid, learning the fundamentals of coding whilst having fun.

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
      
5th Grade Baby Photos
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.

Oak Knoll Science Fair 2015 - Mark Your Calendar!
How many chocolate chips does it take to make a tasty cookie?  Do suction cups stick equally well to different surfaces? What design of paper airplane flies the farthest?

The Oak Knoll Science Fair is a place where your child(ren) can explore real-world topics and learn the scientific method with fun experiments.
 
The Oak Knoll Science Fair will be held March 11 and 12, 2015,  from 6:00-8:00pm (each night)

Registration will be open from February 1 through February 22. Please go to https://sites.google.com/site/oakknollsciencefair to register and for more information about the science fair.

Oak Knoll Science Fair Team
Questions? Email us at: [email protected]

Save The Date: Friends and Family Day
SAVE THE DATE!  Friday, March 6 is Oak Knoll's 17th annual Friends and Family Day.  Invite a friend or family member to come to school in the morning to get a glimpse of our campus and classrooms.  Times for each grade level and details will be posted soon.   
      
Grades 2/3 Spots Still Open for Girls Leadership Institute Workshops
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.
                     
Parent Education
"Real Parents, Real Kids, Real Talk"
Susan Stone Belton
Hillview Middle School, PAC
Monday, January 12, 6:30pm


Family Coach, Author, and Motivational Speaker Susan Stone Belton uses humor and real life situations to show you how to build a healthy, loving and rewarding relationship with your children that will last a lifetime. See why spending time with your kids is the most important thing a parent can do, learn new communication techniques that help to develop close bonds, and discover how to calmly and competently deal with your child's behavior in any situation and at every age. Please join us for this informative, thought-provoking, and entertaining presentation that is aimed for parents with children of any age. Free childcare is provided on-site for all potty trained children.  For more information, contact Jennifer Allen.

Mindfulness and Parenting : Finding Grace Amidst the Chaos

Presented by Dr. Amy Saltzman
Oak Knoll Library 
January 27, 7:00-8:30pm

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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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. 

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