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Monday, January 11
- MPCSD School Board Meeting, 5:00pm, TERC
Tuesday, January 12
- Parent Coffee Talk, 8:15-9:15am, Gym
- 5th Grade Outdoor Ed Student Assembly, 10:30am, Gym
- The Music Man Parent Info Night, 6:00pm, Library
Wednesday, January 13
- PTO Board Meeting, 8:15-10:00am
- 5th Grade Outdoor Ed Parent Info Night, 6:30pm, Library
Thursday, January 14
- Spelling Bee, 10:15am, Gym
- Incoming Kindergarten Information Night, 7:00-8:00pm, Gym
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Monday, January 18
- NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Day
Tuesday, January 19
- Walk Through California (Fuller, Sanchez), Playroom
Wednesday, January 20
- Walk Through California (Veneman), Playroom
Thursday, January 21
- MPAEF Board Meeting, 8:45-10:30am, TERC
Monday January 25 - Friday, January 29
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Dear Parents,
Happy new year! We hope everyone had a nice break. Coming back to all the bright smiling faces of our students and staff has been wonderful. In welcoming you back, we would like to invite you to stop by the office and say hello to our office team.
Cathy Petersen is now our Office Manager and Dorothy Lopez is our Administrative Assistant. Both Mrs.Petersen and Mrs.Lopez are top-notch and we are super excited about the knowledge, skills and energy they bring to the Oak Knoll office.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to them:
We look forward to what 2016 has in store for Oak Knoll School!
Kristen Gracia and Leah Kessler
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Friendly reminder that dogs are not allowed on the school grounds at any time, including out of school hours.
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Winter After-School Classes Start Monday
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Winter session after-school programs at Oak Knoll start tomorrow, Monday, January 11.
The classes will run from January 11 to March 25, 2016. These enrichment classes are wonderful opportunities for your child to try a variety of new activities and sports, or continue the classes they enjoyed in the fall. Go to the After-School Program schedule online for more information and to sign-up for classes where space is still available.
After School Program classes are provided by outside vendors - please confirm exact details and session dates with course provider.
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Parent Coffee Talk this Tuesday
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Join Ms. Gracia, Ms. Kessler and Mr. Coldoff, Oak Knoll"s Technology Coach, at the Parent Coffee Talk this week on Tuesday, January 12, at 8:15am in the Gym, to hear about digital citizenship and technology at school.
Regular informational meetings for parents on various topics of interest are held throughout the year. The remaining Parent Coffee Talks will be held on the following dates: 2/9 & 3/8. All meetings are right after drop-off in the Gym, from 8:15-9:15am. Mark your calendars and come join Mrs. Gracia and her team for some good discussions. Come connect!
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The Music Man Parent Information Night
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For all parents with children performing in the 4th & 5th Grade school production of The Music Man, there will be an information night held in the library this Tuesday, January 12 at 6.00pm.
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Outdoor Ed Parent Information Night
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We will be holding a Parent Night for 5th Grade parents about Outdoor Ed on Wednesday, January 13 at 6:30pm in the Library. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the program and ask questions. We ask that only parents attend (no students), so that you get a chance to bring up questions openly. There will be an assembly for all 5th grade students during school the day before.
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Volunteer for February Teacher & Staff Fiesta Luncheon
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We need your help with the February 5th Thank You luncheon for teachers and staff. Very easy volunteer opportunity: help with set-up, or drop-off a needed item on the morning of the event. Please consider signing up by clicking here.
If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Potischman.
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Last Chance to Order Yearbook
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The 2015-2016 Oak Knoll yearbook is on sale again for 2 weeks through Monday, January 25, 2016. The yearbook is a great way to keep Oak Knoll memories alive for your kids, so don't miss out on this last chance to order this precious keepsake!
Check out the 5th grade artwork currently up on the bulletin boards outside the school office to see what will be on the front and back covers of the yearbook this year!
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Save the date! Friday, March 4 is Oak Knoll's 18th 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.
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MPCSD Parent Education Series 2016
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Up Next, January 27: From Control to Connection by Kiran Gaind, Modern Parent Coach @ The Connected Family: Raising Great Parents. Learn basic tenets of brain science, practice mindful listening and self awareness exercises, and begin using connected parenting tools right away with your child of any age, including keeping your relationship strong in the adolescent years. Light refreshments provided. Free onsite childcare available for potty-trained children. Wednesday, January 27th, 6:30pm, Hillview PAC. Mark your calendars for:
February 24: Julie Lythcott-Haims - Highly sought after speaker and author, former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford University, and acclaimed author of How to Raise an Adult, Julie Lythcott-Haims joins the Menlo Park community to present, "Throw Out The Checklisted Childhood." Whether you've wanted to see her and haven't been able or whether you have seen her several times already, you don't want to miss this presentation prepared especially for Menlo Park families. Bring your friends and neighbors. Light refreshments provided. Free onsite childcare available for potty-trained children. Wednesday, February 24, 6:30pm, Hillview PAC.
March 9: Most Likely To Succeed - Movie Screening + Panel Discussion. You've heard the buzz, now come see what it's all about. Are public schools in need of a drastic overhaul? Where is MPCSD in the continuum of innovation? Join us for a screening of the thought-provoking documentary followed by a panel discussion of education leaders. Light refreshments provided. Free onsite childcare available for potty-trained children.Wednesday, March 9, 6:30pm, Hillview PAC.
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Ollie Salutes the Coffee Cart Co-Chairs
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Once a month, the PTO sponsors an on-site Coffee Cart with an accompanying selection of delicious breakfast treats and healthy snacks brought in by parent volunteers. Ollie always loves this monthly Coffee Cart; it's perfect for grabbing a latte and slice of coffee cake when he needs a morning pick-me-up! The Coffee Cart is one of the ways that we show the teachers and staff how much we appreciate them and the tremendous work that they do with our Otters. But the Coffee Carts would not happen without the organization and planning from the Coffee Cart Co-Chairs, Julia Dunn and Andrea Potischman. Thank you to both of them and all of the parents who supply early morning goodies for our hard-working teachers and staff.
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 What a great first half-year it has been for the Oak Knoll Spanish program. The Spanish program at Oak Knoll School is a conversation-based program. By engaging the children in conversation, dramatic skits, stories, movement, and song, the children actively learn and retain the language. Through study of Spanish-speaking cultures, the children develop a framework that can help them understand and internalize the language.
In the K-4 Spanish program, we have been working on simple greetings, number identification and counting, color identification, and parts of the body using movement, music and TPR (total physical response). We have also been reading children's literature in Spanish that complement each theme and introduce a cultural component for each lesson. I have really enjoyed the enthusiasm I experience in each of the K-4 classrooms and the attempts I see to use Spanish in and around the Oak Knoll campus!
In the 5th Grade we have been incorporating the various themes we are studying into more complicated skits and dialogues. This has let us build on basic conversation using more complex vocabulary and situations. So far we have covered basic greetings, numbers 1-100, classroom objects, days of the week, months of the year, seasons, descriptions of the weather, clothing and colors and the family. We also celebrated and studied Hispanic Heritage Month, Mexican Independence, and Dia de los Muertos and have explored the traditions and cultures of the Hispanic speaking world through literature and song.
KNOL has been an excellent avenue for the fifth graders to show leadership in their growth in Spanish through weekly presentations that share their knowledge to the rest of the school. It has been thrilling to see the younger kids learn through the older children's example!
The Spanish Club meets every Friday in Room 13 and has activities that involve the cultural arts of the spanish speaking world. So far we have made piņatas, Dia de los Muertos masks, Aztec Sun paintings and Poinsettia sponge paintings based on the Mexican winter flower. All grades from 3- 5 are invited to share in the fun.
In this new year, we look forward to building on the knowledge and experience the students have gained and continuing the journey of language learning and cultural understanding!
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Summer School Program Dates
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The District's 2016 Summer School Program will provide a variety of intervention programs for teacher recommended students as well as some enrichment programs. This year, the K-5 program will be held at Laurel Elementary School and the 6-8 program will be held at Hillview Middle School. The four-week summer program will start on Monday, June 27 and will end on Friday, July 22. There will be no school on the 4th of July holiday. More information to come!
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Calling all baseball players!
Alpine/West Menlo Little League is open for registration for ballplayers aged 4 to 13. We're looking to teach young players, give parents opportunities to hone their coaching skills and provide (paying) jobs for kids interested in youth umpiring. Little League offers a combination of fun and competitive play in a community-centric environment unparalleled in youth sports. Come join the fun. Registration closes on January 21st for players ages 8-13, so sign up at http://alpinelittleleague.com as soon as possible!!
Avenidas Tech Faire
January 16, 10 am-2 pm
Enjoy a free and interactive day filled with new gadgets, engaging presentations, food, and fun! Bring your family to explore innovative technologies that will shape our future. Don't miss out on Tech Talks with industry experts and check out the exhibits of Apple watches, 3D printers, robots, and more! Free and open to the public; all ages welcome! For more information, click here or email tkamita@avenidas.org.
Ragazzi Boys Chorus Free SingFest Minicamp
January 16, 9:30 am-1 pm
Let your 7-10 year old boy test-drive this 'best choir of the Peninsula' for himself at a free half-day SingFest minicamp. Low-key, no-obligation auditions are integrated into the morning; no previous singing experience needed. Boys offered Ragazzi membership will start rehearsing in January. Minicamp is free, but advanced registration is required. If you can't make it to SingFest but want to audition, click here. Email ragazzi@ragazzi.org for more information.
Free Beginner Lacrosse Clinic
January 23, 12:30-1:30 pm
M-A Grizzlies has openings for boys and girls ages 7-13 for teams this spring. The season is from February to May. Lacrosse is a fast-paced game that young players can learn quickly; it has similar skills to soccer and basketball. Register here and come on out for some FUN!
Ragazzi Boys Chorus: Music and Movement Class
February 1 - May 9; Mondays 4:15-5 pm
This engaging class is tailored for boys ages 5-7 with little or no previous musical experience. A child-developmental approach fosters boys' creativity and curiosity. Students explore rhythm games, channel their energy through music learning, and learn concepts they can apply in any musical setting. $260 for 13 weeks; early-bird and sibling discounts. Register here; contact ragazzi@ragazzi.org for more information.
Creative Art for Young Children: Winter Session
January 13 - March 26
Each day there is a story and a theme to go with our art projects. We will be learning about penguins dancing in black tuxedos, making dragon puppets for Chinese New Year, and creating to the sounds coming from Kandinsky's colors, just to name a few. Click here for more information.
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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.
To read past Oak Knoll PTO newsletters, please visit our archives.
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On the Town: All classes either have read, or will be reading, On the Town by Judith Caseley, a book about a boy named Charlie who explores his community. 
Counselor Lesson January: This month we will be looking at ways to calm ourselves. Each class will have a