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Oak Knoll School News
February 8, 2015 
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This Week 


February 9 - February 13

  • Outdoor Ed (5th Grade). Check email for bus arrival updates on Friday.

Monday, February 9

  • Parent Talk, "Promoting Discovery & Innovation with our Kids," 6:30pm, Hillview

Tuesday, February 10

  • Parent Coffee Talk with Mrs. Gracia, "For the Love of Reading," 8:15am, Gym
  • District Board Meeting, 6:00pm

Wednesday, February 11

  • PTO Board Meeting
  • Site Council Meeting, 3:30pm

Thursday, February 12

  • Superintendent Parent Input Session, 6:00-8:00pm, Gym

Friday, February 13

  • Superintendent Parent Input Session, 9:00-11:00am, Gym
  • 5th Graders Return from Outdoor Ed, Pick-Up at 12:15pm
  • Last Day to Order Yearbooks

Looking Ahead  


February 16 - February 20

  • February Break, NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, February 18

  • Last Day to Register for Encinal Debate Tournament

Sunday, February 22

  • Last Day to Register for Science Fair

February 23 - March 6

  • My New Red Shoes Shoe Drive & Bag-Making Project

Tuesday, February 24

  • San Juan Bautista Mission Field Trip (Becker, Emmert), 8:15am-2:30pm
  • Parent Child Yoga Night, 6:30-7:30pm, Gym

Wednesday, February 25

  • Assembly: Safe Moves

Friday, February 27

  • Walk Through California (Cline, Murphy), 8:30am-3:00pm, Gym

See the Oak Knoll calendar for more important dates and events 

Office Reminders
Kids get wet, especially in rainy weather! We are in need of extra boys and girls underwear, all sizes. Please drop off in school office, thank you! 
      
Parent Input Sessions with Superintendent Ghysels
Superintendent Ghysels will hold two parent input sessions on Thursday, February 12 from 6:00-8:00pm and Friday, February 13 from 9:00-11:00am, both at Oak Knoll School in the gym. These open meetings will help Superintendent Ghysels learn more directly about the Oak Knoll community, their perspectives about the leadership qualities valued in a principal and will also inform his final selection of principal. He will also cover the components and timeline of the standard MPCSD selection process.

If you are unable to attend one of these meetings, please email him your thoughts at [email protected].

To read Superintendent Ghysels' full message from last week click here.
      
Parent Coffee Talk with Kristen Gracia
There will be a Parent Coffee talk this Tuesday, February 10 at 8:15am in the Gym. This month, For the Love of Reading is the topic and Kristen Gracia, Jacqui Cebrian (reading specialist) and Jane Bennion (librarian) will cover the many ways you can rev your reader, reluctant or roaring, along the road to reading success.

Mark your calendars with subsequent Parent Coffee Talk dates: March 10, April 7, May 12, all at 8:15am in the Gym.  
      
Last Week to Order Yearbooks
Oak Knoll's 2014-15 Yearbook is on sale until Friday, February 13! Yearbook orders are exclusively online for $25. Please make sure when ordering to specify your child(ren)'s grade and teacher for each book.

Remember to place your order for this precious keepsake!

Please contact Rhonda Bucklin with questions.
      
Counselor's Corner - Spencer West Visiting
We are so lucky to have Spencer West coming to Oak Knoll on Monday, February 23 to speak to our 2nd-5th graders from 1:00-2:00pm. Spencer is in town to attend an amazing event in San Jose called WE DAY.  One of the things that makes WE DAY so special is you can't buy a ticket you must earn it through community service. There is a group of Hillview students going to WE DAY and we are so proud of them! 

Spencer will be talking to our students about overcoming obstacles. Some of you will remember when he came and talk to our school a couple years ago. He is a moving speaker who does not let his difference stop him from doing anything. One of his major themes is define your possible. You can read more about Spencer here.
 
Because of Spencer's visit we are postponing Crazy Sock Day to Monday, March 2.

-Nicole Scott, School Counselor 
      
2nd Annual Debate Tournament at Encinal
2nd Annual Debate Tournament at Encinal, Saturday, February 28 & Sunday, March 1

Open to any 3rd-5th grade student with prior Speech & Debate experience! This is a free 2-day tournament, with preliminary rounds for all students on Saturday, and single-elimination championship rounds for the top students on Sunday.

Please see website for full details and tournament registration! Registration Deadline: Wednesday, February 18
      
Artwork for Spring Musical Playbill
Come one, come all, and create the cover art for the Playbill for Oak Knoll's rendition of Willy Wonka, Jr.  Oak Knoll 4th and 5th graders will perform the musical on Thursday, March 26 and Saturday, March 28.

We need your creativity for the cover so try your hand at drawing your vision of a Scrumdidilyumptious Bar, A Golden Ticket or A Sunrise with Dew. There are literally dozens of possibilities! Just think a little like Willy Wonka himself.

Artwork submissions are due Monday, February 23 to the front office. The art competition is open to all Oak Knoll students. Please present your drawing vertically on a piece of 8x11 paper. Remember to include your name on the back of your drawing.

Contact Rhonda Bucklin with questions.
      
Ollie Salutes
Ollie would like to give a huge Thank You to Stefano Baldassi, Julie McEvilly, Melissa Englekemeier and Patricia Buck for all their hard work on the After School Sports Program.  The After School Sports Program has run smoothly all year thanks to their efforts and organization!  Our students get to enjoy participating on the Oak Knoll Volleyball and Basketball teams because of this team's hard work.  Thank you again from our school community!
      
Family Math Night a Success
Thank you so much to everyone who attended Family Math Night last Thursday.  Dozens of kindergarten through 3rd graders enjoyed projects using everything from stickers to blocks to construction paper to help them strengthen and build on classroom math skills.  A special thanks to these 4th and 5th graders who coordinated the projects and worked with parents to help the younger students: Claire Auslander, Antje Stadelmann, Jocey Lunt, Bridgid Cutright, Ella Ann, Tess Buckley, Cole Mitchell, Julia Dickerson and Ian Ericksen.
 
You made the night a huge success!
      
Parent Education
"Creating Moments of Impact: Promoting Discovery & Innovation with our Kids"
Lisa Kay Solomon, Author/Advisor 
Hillview Middle School, PAC
Monday, February 9, 6:30pm

What do Mythbusters and Monsters Inc. have to do with helping kids become better leaders?  A lot, it turns out!  While parents often see mass media as distracting at best and destructive at worst, it's possible to use even television and the movies as "teachable moments" to promote a mindset of creativity, inquiry, and discovery in our children.  Kids don't stop learning when they leave the classroom, and with a few simple techniques, parents can turn downtime into kid-friendly life lessons on collaboration, leadership, and inspiration.

Join author, parent, and neighbor Lisa Kay Solomon as she leads a thought-provoking conversation about building creative and fun learning experiences in our everyday lives and homes.  Drawing on the concepts outlined in her bestselling book, Moments of Impact, and leveraging her experience teaching the Innovation Studio class at the Design MBA program at the California College of the Arts, Lisa will share her insights and give parents strategies for helping their children tap into their creative and leadership abilities.

Click here for this year's line up of speakers. These events are open to all district parents and community members and take place in the Hillview Performing Arts Center. Free childcare is provided for all potty trained children.  For more information, contact Jennifer Allen. 
                         
My New Red Shoes Shoe Drive & Bag Project
For two weeks (February 23 - March 6), Oak Knoll will embark on a compassion project in partnership with My New Red Shoes.  We will be asking our school community to participate in a new shoe drive and bag-making project (for the shoes).  The bags will be decorated and sewn by our children.
 
Founded in 2006, My New Red Shoes provides brand new shoes and clothing to homeless and low income children so that they can begin the school year feeling confident and ready to learn.  This summer, My New Red Shoes plans to serve 7,000 children.  Our hope is to help them reach that goal!  

So, what can you do to prepare?

Right now, we are looking for fabric, sewing machines, volunteers, and sewing aficionados!
  • Fabric Donations: Fabric should be 100% cotton or cotton-poly blends in solid colors or any kid or teen-friendly print.   Patterned cotton bedsheets may also work great.  Please pre-cut and iron the fabric to 44 X 17 (sadly we can't accept any fabric smaller than 44 X 17).  Many fabric stores have sales or take coupons so look for deals.  Please keep in mind the bags are going to girls and boys so the fabric choices should be those that kids (even teens) might enjoy. 
  • Sewing Machines: If you are willing to lend a sewing machine for the two-week project period, we would be so grateful. Please contact Meg.
  • Volunteers (no experience needed): The bag-making will take place during the lunch hour.  We need volunteers for 1.5 hours between 11:45 and 1:15 pm for the 10-day project period.  No experience necessary. If you can spare the time to supervise the children while they volunteer their time, creativity and compassion, we want you!  Please sign up online.  
  • Sewing Aficionados: We are in need of at least one skilled sewer on hand for each volunteer period to grapple with any technical challenges that arise.  We need you!  Please also sign-up online and just note you are a knowledgable sewer in the notes section.
  • Brand New Athletic Shoes:  The official drive for this will not start until February 23rd.  Shoes will be collected at school and donations can also be made via our Amazon link. Please read the instructions carefully on the link to insure tax receipt delivery.  Also, please note that if you don't have Amazon Prime, you will be charged shipping.  Specifications for on-site donations at the school are linked here and collection bins will be at school from February 23 to March 6.

Any questions, please feel free to contact Meg McGraw-Scherer

      
Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed
The Hot Lunch co-chairs would like to say a HUGE thank you to all the fabulous volunteers who have made this program run smoothly all year!  Oak Knoll wouldn't have a lunch program without you.

To successfully finish out the school year we need several more dedicated parents to volunteer their time with Hot Lunch.  In order to offer Hot Lunch to our students we rely solely on parent volunteers to serve the lunches as the program can't run without them.  It takes about 90 volunteers per month to fill the lunch calendar.  It is a fun, easy and quick way to contribute to a highly utilized program!  Remember, you will 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 and contribute to a very valuable program, please email Patti Buck
      
Parent-Child Yoga Night with Dr. John Rettger
Please join us at Oak Knoll on February 24 from 6:30 to 7:30pm for a Parent-Child Yoga Night in the large gym/multi. This event is part of this year's Compassion theme and our recent focus on Mindfulness for both parents and children. Each participant should bring a yoga mat or towel, and please wear comfortable clothing that will allow you to move easily.
 
Dr. John Rettger is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT) with the Yoga Alliance with thousands of hours of teaching experience. He teaches a unique style of Vinyasa and Restorative Yoga, blending traditional, contemplative wisdom approaches with contemporary psychology. John is also the Director of the Mindfulness Program in the Stanford University Early Life Stress and Pediatric Anxiety Program. He pioneered the implementation of mindfulness and yoga in the Ravenswood City School District in East Palo Alto. His work sparked the forming of a new partnership between the school district, Stanford, and the Sonima Foundation to teach a comprehensive Health and Wellness curriculum to the entire RCSD school district, a population of nearly 3500 kids.    
      
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 to get a glimpse of our campus and classrooms.  Grades K,1,2 (and K-1-2 Multi-ages) Welcome Coffee starts in the gym at 8:45am. These classroom visits start at 9:05am. Grades 3,4,5 (and 3-4-5 Multi-ages) Welcome Coffee starts in the gym at 9:30am. These classroom visits start at 9:50am. You can print the following invitation to give to your friend or family member.  
 
If you can help volunteer for the event please contact Alison Matthews
      
Oak Knoll Science Fair 2015 - Register Now!
Want to have fun exploring interesting questions using the scientific method? Then the Oak Knoll Science Fair is for you!
 
Grades 2 & 3: March 11 from 6:00-8:00pm
Grades 4 & 5: March 12 from 6:00-8:00pm

Registration is open now through February 22 at https://sites.google.com/site/oakknollsciencefair.

Oak Knoll Science Fair Team
Questions? Email us at [email protected] 
      
MPAEF News
Results of Dine Out Event for MPAEF - Thank You to All Diners!

The results are in! We raised more than $5,000 two weeks ago with our Dine Out event. We thank you participating restaurants and we thank the many District families who chose to dine out for breakfast, lunch or dinner that day in support of our schools. We also recognize that there were sometimes long waits for tables or food, but we hope that everyone had an enjoyable time out.

Based on the success of this first-time event, we plan to host more in the future -- including a Back to School Dine Out event with more restaurants included in our program. Many thanks to parent volunteers Lisa Lajous and Paige Parenti and to MPAEF Executive Director Lynne van Tilberg for managing this delicious event.

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Last Chance to Submit an Auction Item for MPAEF Spring Auction and Event

 
Join the fun by pulling together your own contribution to this spring's MPAEF Auction event!  Submit your idea for something to auction off that will raise money for our schools. Being an auction item donor is never as much work as you think it will be, but it is always more fun! MPAEF auction deadline to submit items and ideas is this Friday, February 13.
 
Your donation raises money to keep class sizes small, keep art, music, and library classes thriving, and allow administrators and teachers to introduce innovative teaching practices in our schools. Offer time at your favorite getaway, join friends to throw a party, show a student your professional day, share season tickets or a favorite bottle of wine. Look at the following categories, pick one and commit by this Friday!
  • Destinations, Adventures and Getaways - Give district families or a couple the opportunity to take a break by spending time in a place you find special!
  • Parties, Events, and Experiences for Adults - Organize an over the top bash or an intimate dinner to highlight cuisine. Donate as a single family or make a party out of your party by donating with friends. 
  • K.I.T. - Kids In Training: Teach kids what makes your profession interesting. Designers, technologists, scientists, medics, doctors, chefs, artists, entertainers, public service, open your doors and show a student what you do after the kids go to school. 
  • Parties, Events and Experiences for Kids: Whether fitness, art, cooking, or a once-in-a-lifetime experience, donate a chance for kids to break from reading, writing, and arithmetic to play and just be kids! Whatever the idea, just bring them together! 
  • Sporting Events and Memorabilia: Donate your tickets for Giants, Shark, 49er, Stanford and other local teams, premier PGA tournaments, Grand Slam tennis, or NASCAR events or link district families to a round of golf! 
  • Exceptional Wines and Wine Experiences: Open up the riches of our region by offering up a unique bottle of wine or a wine experience. Host a wine or champagne tasting, create a personal trip to a vineyard for a couple or a group or fill their wine bar with elite vintages. Exclusive wine clubs offer award winning wines and champagnes, so donate a case or two from your membership. Bring enjoyment, cultural adventure and appreciation to district families and raise money for our schools.
Questions about what or how to donate? Email Flavia Herrod
Already organized and want to donate now? Click here for our online donation form.
To get your creative juices flowing you can view last year's auction catalog here.
 
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Thank You to These New Realtor Partners

Please support those businesses and realtors who support our schools! Thank you to these new and returning 2014-15 Realtor Partners:

Nancy Goldcamp, Coldwell Banker
Celine Sanie, Coldwell Banker
Steve Bulifant, Coldwell Banker
Stephanie Savides, Savides Real Estate
Sue Crawford, Coldwell Banker
Annette Smith, Dreyfus Sotheby's

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Earn Money For Our Schools When You Travel

Thinking about getting away for Spring Break or making summer plans? Plan your upcoming travels at great partners like Priceline, Expedia, Avis, Marriott and others.  Just go to Shop.MPAEF.org first, click on your favorite travel merchant, book your travel and earn money for our schools. Start now! 

                  

Community Sponsored News

Friends of Huddart and Wunderlich Parks

Please consider volunteering with the Friends of Huddart and Wunderlich Parks, We have several volunteer opportunities. You can serve as a docent at the Folger Stable Carriage Museum, lead Kindergarteners on nature hikes, help school groups at Wunderlich Park or serve as a board member. Program Manager, Kym Teppo , 650-851-2660.

 

The Menlo Park Community Services Department

Friday, March 6

Will be hosting the second annual summer camp fair at the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center to promote city-run and city-sponsored summer camps.  Free pizza, games, and crafts will be available to the community.  Register your child for one of our City-run camps and receive 10% off!  A raffle will be held at the end of the event to give away summer-themed prizes and even a free week of camp!  The event will also serve as an opportunity for teens and young adults to submit applications for summer positions and meet & greet with potential employers. Click this link for more information

 

Early Bird Summer Camp Discount

Ends February 20

Menlo Park Riekes Center Summer Camps

Weeklong day and overnight camps throughout the summer

Ages: 6-18 http://riekes.org/summer/ 

Please call 650 364-2509 or email [email protected] 

 

The Princess Project

The Key Club at Menlo-Atherton High School is sponsoring a dress and accessories drive to benefit The Princess Project. The Princess Project promotes self-confidence and individual beauty by providing free prom dresses and accessories to high school girls who cannot otherwise afford them. With your help over 1,100 girls will be served by Princess Project Silicon Valley dress giveaways this Spring! 

Ideal donations include long or short, formal gowns from 2009 to new in excellent condition and in all sizes and colors.

Where to Donate: Menlo-Atherton High School Front Office, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton

When: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm through the first week of March

Contact: If you would prefer for us to pick up your donations or need a donation receipt please e-mail Sally Carlson. 

 

The School for the Performing Arts

NEW at the OFJCC campus: The School for the Performing Arts will offer drama and choir classes for grades K-12 between the hours of 4:00- 7:00pm Tuesdays, Thursdays OR both day class options available. Drama classes begin on February 3. Choir classes begin on February 10. Registration is now open for all students through the month of February!    http://paloaltojcc.org/Cultural-Arts/School-for-the-Performing-Arts 

                      
Newsletter Details
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. 

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