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October 21, 2012
Encinal PTO / La Organizasión de Padres y Maestro
Boletin en espanol - haga clic aqui
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Principal's Spotlight on Learning
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Dear Encinal Families,
One of the highlights of my day is seeing students  completely engaged in the classroom. As I've spent time observing in the classrooms lately, I have been truly impressed with the students' focus and enthusiasm during Writing Workshop.
Students are advancing their writing skills, stamina, and overall writing fluency through the Writing Workshop process. It is taught in a systematic, organized, whole-school approach where the work of one grade level builds on the work of the preceding grade. Students receive explicit instruction in the skills and strategies they need in order to write narratives and expository writing. This is most likely different from when many of us went to school and writing was merely assigned versus explicitly taught.
I'm very excited about the progress we've seen already in our students' skills, and even more importantly, I'm thrilled about the LOVE of writing that our children are expressing. But, don't just take my word for it. Here are a few quotes from students I spoke to this week about their work in Writing Workshop.
"I like to write. It helps me remember special moments in my life." Monica age 7
"I have been writing. I have been building up my stamina. And now my highest is two pages per 20 minutes. I have been having so much fun writing." Kyra age 7
"I love writers workshop. I like cursive the most." Jay age 8
"I'll give you 2 words. Super fun! When I write down my stories I feel like a real author!" Leo age 8
"I have learned so much like cursive and so many new words like responsibility, important, and other really big words." Scout age 8
"I have definitely improved and every year I like it more and more." Billy age 9
"I've learned so much in writing workshop like punctuation, how to make sentences more interesting and better use of words. Writing is so fun." Melissa age 10
"I love to write and it is fun to write about stuff you like to do." Ethan age 10
"I love to write poems. Poems express my feelings and make me feel good on the inside and the outside. My writing has improved a lot!" Hali age 10
Be sure to ask your child how they feel their writing is improving and how their writing stamina is increasing. I look forward to posting some of the students' writing samples later in the year.
Sincerely,
Principal Burns
sburns@mpcsd.org
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Week at a Glance
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Things to Do
Upcoming Dates
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How Can We Help Our Kids Thrive?
Join "Take It Personally", 6-week parent study group
 What is most important in helping my child succeed in school academically AND in life? How can I show my child I support their efforts and dreams? These questions and more will be answered in a 6-week parent study group series, Take It Personally, beginning Wednesday, October 24, 8:45am-10:15am.
Linda Silvius, Director of School Partnerships for Project Cornerstone, will facilitate our discussion on developing the whole child as we move over the course of six weeks from awareness to action: what assets are most important for youth to thrive and how can we help them develop these assets. Please plan to attend all six sessions. If you can't make it to the first one, come to the second but we won't be able to allow newcomers after that!
When: Class sessions are held each Wednesday, 8:45am-10:15am, October 24-December 5 (no class November 21)
Where: Hillview Performing Arts Center
Cost: $10 donation for the workbook
Please RSVP to Pam Larkin. Spanish Translation also available, please request when you RSVP. See you there!
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District Core Values Roundtable Discussion
October 24th, 7-8:30pm @ Hillview, October 25th, 9-10:30am @ Laurel
Excellence. Engagement. Innovation.
Leadership. Partnership.
Perseverance.
 As Superintendent Ghysels shared in his October update, these are the six core values identified by the District Goal Team. The School Board and the Superintendent are now seeking feedback from our community on these Core Values, as well as the Mission and Vision statements, which you can read in full here. They want to hear about the kinds of attitudes, behaviors, skills and knowledge that you think reflect these values, and want to hear concrete examples of these values in action.
Please consider attending one of two roundtable sessions to engage in these discussions. You are welcome to attend either one at your convenience.
- Wednesday, October 24 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at Hillview
- Thursday, October 25 from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. at Laurel
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Simple Ways to Support Our School
Turn in your box tops by Oct 26th
 BOX TOPS: Please take the time to cut out box tops with this logo from your food packaging and turn into the school office or your child's green folder by October 26th. We want to beat our goal of $842 from last year!  KEPLER's: With Kepler's recent re-opening we want to remind Encinal families that Kepler's supports our school. Please mention Encinal school at checkout so a portion of the sales comes back to our school!
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See Your Students in the Halloween Parade
Wed October 31, K-1 - 11:20am; 2-5 - 1:15pm  Families and friends are invited to watch Encinal students as they show off their costumes in the annual Halloween parade.
Classroom teachers will provide specific instructions regarding if students should wear and/or bring costumes to school that day. Please do not bring any fake weapons to school!
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Calling All 3rd, 4th, & 5th Graders
Register for Boys & Girls Basketball Before Nov 2
The Afterschool Athletics Program is holding registration for Boys and Girls Basketball from Oct 17-Nov 2. Teams play against other area schools as part of the Menlo Park Recreation League. This is a fun, developmental league. No previous basketball experience is necessary. Coaches are parent volunteers. Practices will start in mid November and teams practice 2x/week. Games begin the week of Dec 10th and go through March. More information is available on the Encinal School Website under Afterschool Athletic Teams.
To register, click here. You must register by November 2nd to be guaranteed a spot on a team. All those who register will play. A waitlist will be formed for late registrants. Scholarships are available. Please contact the Athletic Program Coordinators for scholarship requests.
Volunteers Needed
We do need volunteer coaches to make this program successful! We are particularly looking for parents of 3rd and 4th graders to help out and learn more about the program. Please contact us at afterschoolathletics@encinalschool.com if you are interested in coaching.
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The Book Fair is Coming!
Nov 2-9 in Small Multi
 Its that time of year! The Encinal PTO will be hosting the annual Book Fair Friday, Nov 2nd - Friday, Nov 9th We are working with BananaSeed, Inc. again this year to offer lots of great books. Please plan on stopping by the fair and don't forget, books make great holiday gifts!
Ms. Healy will be bringing students to the fair during their regularly scheduled library time. Families are welcome to join students at the fair and browse together.
All proceeds will benefit the library and literacy programs at Encinal. See you at the fair!
Book Fair Hours of Operation
Fri Nov 2: 8am-4pm
Sun Nov 4: 2pm-5pm
Mon Nov 5: 8am-4pm
Tue Nov 6: 8am-4pm
Wed Nov 7: 8am-4pm
Thu Nov 8: 8am-2:30 pm & Family Movie Night: 5:30pm-8:00pm
Fri Nov 9: 8am - 12pm
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Family Movie Night!
Thursday November 8, 6-8pm
Put on your PJs, bring your sleeping bag and come and enjoy a free showing of "How to Train Your Dragon" in the Encinal large Multi. The book fair will be open late to allow you to shop before or during the movie (just bring an adult to be with your kids in the movie, please!) Popcorn and drinks will be served. Don't miss the fun!
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Meet the Music, Art, & Library Teachers, Tues Nov 13
(exact time coming soon)
Be a Student for the Night!
Please join us on the evening of Tuesday, November 13th as our Art, Library, Music and PE teachers let us "walk in the shoes of our kids." The Encinal specialist teachers have planned a fun, hands-on, interactive night that will allow parents to see what our kids experience every day here at Encinal. All Encinal parents are invited. Come see your donations to the MPAEF at work at Encinal.
Please note this event is for adults only, so do make arrangements for your child.
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Traffic Safety Tip #42
 Parents and caregivers parking in the Felton Gables neighborhood at drop-off and pick-up should look for and observe rules on the parking signs. They are there for the safety of students and neighbors. The police have issued many parking tickets in neighborhoods around the school.
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Don't Forget Election Day is November 6th!
Given the upcoming election, many teachers will take the opportunity to teach their students about democracy, voting and elections. You can help enrich this classroom work by taking your child with you to your local polling place. Create a lasting, meaningful memory and take your children when you vote. 
If you are interested in learning more about some of the statewide propositions that may affect our public schools, here are two nonpartisan resources for you to educate and familiarize yourself
For the KQED nonpartisan guide to Props 30-40, click here.
For EdSource's infographic comparison of Prop 30 and 38, click here.
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Thank You to Our Amazing PTO Volunteers!
 We are so grateful to have such talented and engaged families who support our students in and out of the classroom. A huge thank you goes out this week to a few volunteers who do so much behind the scenes for the Encinal community.
Liz Nagel Hove, PTO After-School Activities Coordinator, for her tireless efforts and patience in organizing all the wonderful after-school activities that our kids enjoy (and making sure they get to them safely!)
Tatjana Faruqi, PTO Staff Appreciation Coordinator, for her thoughtfulness and care in providing teachers and staff with special treats like lunch on conference days and morning coffee carts.
Wally Sleeth & Remona Murray, PTO & District Emergency Preparedness Coordinators, for their diligence and dedication in organizing every students' emergency ID tag and every teacher's classroom procedures for emergencies.
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MPAEF Holiday Boutique - Save the Date!
Get some of your holiday shopping done early and help support the Foundation at this year's MPAEF Holiday Boutique!
Thursday, November 15, 6:00p-9:00p
Champagne and Shopping ($50 event ticket includes special goodie bag)
Friday, November 16, 8:30a-2:30p
Boutique Shopping (no charge to shop on Friday)
This exciting event will be held at Menlo Park's very own Allied Arts Guild.
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 Support Our Schools For Free Sign up for eScrip
The Trick: Sign up for eScrip (one time, easy and free sign up - no cost to you - ever!). Go to www.mpaef.org or www.escrip.com, create an account and select the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation (group ID number 126417042) as the beneficiary.
The Treat: When you make everyday purchases (e.g., Safeway) or even special purchases (e.g., purchase an iPad by shopping www.escrip.com), the merchants will contribute a percentage of your purchases as a donation to our schools. Now that's a treat that helps your kids all year long!
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Local Community News & Events
For complete listings click here
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New Community Listings
For full listings, click here.
Community Events & Speakers Shakespeare's The Tempest at Menlo-Atherton High School, October 26-November 2, M-A Performing Arts Center, 555 Middlefield Road, Atherton, Friday, October 26, through Saturday, November 3. Adults $12, Students/Seniors $8. Halloween Hoopla from the City of Menlo Park, Saturday, October 27. Halloween Costume Parade begins at 11:45 a.m. at its NEW LOCATION: the Maloney St. parking lot off Santa Cruz Ave. Trick or Treating will take place directly afterwards along Santa Cruz Avenue in downtown Menlo Park. Click for flier in ENGLISH or ESPANOL. Bay Area Science Festival, October 25 to November 3, over 100 events and activities located throughout the Bay Area. All events are free and many are designed for kids and families. More information here.
Sports, Classes, and Other Opportunities
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Encinal PTO Communications
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This email and the Encinal School web site are delivered to you by the Encinal PTO Communications committee. For more information about Encinal School, please visit www.encinalschool.com.
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Join the PTO Mailing List - Text "SUBSCRIBE" to 42828
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