|
|
 
November 18, 2012
Encinal PTO / La Organizasión de Padres y Maestro
Boletin en espanol - haga clic aqui
|
|
Principal's Spotlight on Learning
|
Dear Encinal Families, 
I am once again overwhelmed by your continued generosity. On Thursday we put out the call for help and your response was fantastic. This act of kindess will go a long way to making the holidays less stressful for some of our families. I can not thank you enough!
Also, what an amazing Specialist Showcase last Tuesday evening! It was so fun being a kid again and learning to play instruments, race across the gym floor, singing songs to a beat, hearing stories, and build with the Imagination Playground. I overheard many parents saying, "I wish I was in school again!" Thank you to our teachers for planning this hands-on evening that showcased some of the art, music, PE and library lessons that our kids enjoy and learn from each week. I can't wait until the next one!
Lastly, the kids response to our "Be Visible" while cycling to school campaign has been well received and we quickly ran out of bright, yellow vests and had to order more. Good news, we're stocked again in the office so please have your young cyclist come into the office to pick up a free vest. We want vests to be as standard as helmets when navigating the busy streets.
Have a safe, happy Holiday week everyone!
Ms. Burns,
Principal
|
|
|
Week at a Glance
|
|
Things to Do
Upcoming Dates
- Nov 19 - Problem of the Trimester Gallery Walk
- Nov 21 - Minimum Day, 11:20am Dismissal for all grades
- Nov 22-23 - No School, Thanksgiving Holidays
- Dec 3-5 -Minimum Days, 11:20am Dismissal for all grades
- Dec 19 - Encinal Winter Sing
- Dec 24 - Jan 6 - Winter Break, No School
|
What Prop 30 Means For Our District
- Our District does not expect to receive additional state funding from Prop 30 because we are a Community Funded - or "Basic Aid" - District.
- The passage of Prop 30 has protected many other California school districts that are not Community Funded, including some of our neighboring districts, from significant funding cuts.
- Our District will continue to rely on community support through our Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation to fund over 10% of the budget, so we need your support as much as ever. If you haven't already, please click here to donate or pledge to the MPAEF to maintain the quality educational programs that benefit our students.
For additional information on Prop 30 and our District funding, click here to read the letter from School Board President Laura Rich. For an explanation of Community Funded - or Basic Aid - districts, click here.
Further questions? Please contact newsletter@mpcsd.org
|
|
Visit the Problem of the Trimester Gallery Walk
Monday, November 19 in the Small Multi
 Every trimester all Encinal students participate in Problem of the Trimester, a tiered problem solving experience prepared by the Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative (SVMI). All students work on solving the same math problem. Each grade works on solving it at their own level, and classmates work together to brainstorm answers. To learn more about this initiative, click here.
The students have created posters to describe how they solved the math problems which will be on display in the Small Multi at the Problem of the Trimester Gallery Walk. Students will visit the Gallery with their classes on Monday, November 19th. Parents are invited to visit with your students during their scheduled time.
The schedule for class visits on Monday the 19th are:
8:20: Mattos and Booth 10:40: Bienaime and McCann
8:30: Callahan and Ward 10:50: Preston and Strohmaier
8:40: Vargas and Ybarrola 11:00: Camper and Best
8:50: Clemo, Meister, & Hatfield 11:10: Walton and Nelson
9:00: Sanchez and Rocha 11:20: Merk
9:10: Jonas and Leff 11:30: Naishtut and Campbell
10:00: Barrera and Mathia 11:40: Collier and Mathias
10:20: Hendrickson 11:50: Napolitani
10:30: Hatfield and Bulkin 12:00: Mar and Chin
|
Take A Stroll in the Encinal Garden
 Next time you're at school (maybe after the Problem of the Trimester Gallery), take a stroll through the Encinal Garden. Students and volunteers have been busy planting and beautifying our wonderful garden area. The Garden is located on the Middlefield Road side of school, behind classrooms 1-7. |
Register Now for Winter After-School Activities
 After-School Activities for the Winter (January - March) are now open for registration. Click here and scroll down to see the upcoming schedule. We have several new vendors and offerings for the new session, including:
- Legos
- Young Rembrandts Art
- Hope Theater
- Dance Expressions
- Speech and Debate
- Yogi Birds
Get more info on scholarship opportunities here.
We Need Your Feedback on After-School Activities
Did your kids participate in After-School Activities this Fall? Please fill out this online survey to give us your feedback so we can continue to improve our programs.
|
Support Our School With These Great Offers
Encinal receives 15% of your purchase price at HONEY BEAR TREES from 11/20-12/24.
Simply bring this flyer when you purchase your tree and wreath. (If you happen to forget it, there will be extra flyers on the lot). All our trees are of the finest quality and freshness, grown on the Cocco Tree Farm in Oregon's beautiful Cascade foothills. www.honeybeartrees.com. 955 Woodside Rd. in Redwood City. Open 7 days a week from 9am until 9pm until 12/24.
 Encinal receives 10% when you shop at CHEEKY MONKEY TOYS from 11/23 - 12/7. Shop in-store and simply mention the fundraiser for 'Encinal School' at the register (no flyer needed) or shop online, www.cheekymonkeytoys.com, select "Fundraisers and Gift Cards" and add Encinal School. Free gift wrapping and assembly. Offer applies to gift card purchases as well. 640 Santa Cruz Avenue, Downtown Menlo Park, 650-328-7975.
 Encinal receives 6% when you shop in-store or online at KEPLER'S BOOKS all year round. Shop in-store and simply mention 'Encinal School' at the register (no flyer needed) or shop online www.keplers.com, select 'Encinal School' at their community partners link. Pick-up purchases in-store for free or FREE UPS ground shipping on orders for $50 pre-tax. 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, 650-324-4321. |
|
Make the Holidays Special For Another Encinal Family
Please Donate Funds For Groceries for December Holidays
 The Encinal PTO's Caring & Sharing Committee is collecting gift cards and donations to help families in our district have happy Thanksgiving and December holidays. Over 50 families will benefit. Our goal is to provide a Thanksgiving/Holiday grocery gift card to each of our families in need. Thanks to your generosity, we have raised enough to be able to provide these gift cards for families for Thanksgiving and we're close raising enough to be able to provide these in December, too. Please help make the drive a success!
Here is how you can donate:
- Donate online via PayPal, click here.
- Put a check or cash for the Encinal PTO in an envelope marked Caring & Sharing Thanksgiving/Holiday drive in the box in the Encinal office.
- Drop off gift cards for Trader Joe's or Safeway (any amounts) in the box in the Encinal office.
Stay tuned for information on our December Giving Tree program, which provides holiday gifts to Encinal families.
|
Please Donate Gently Used Soccer Uniforms
 The PTO Caring & Sharing committee is working with Menlo Park/Atherton AYSO Region 109 to collect slightly used uniforms and equipment to pass on to less fortunate soccer players and organizations who could use them to start a team of their own.
If you would like to help, please gather your child's gently used soccer gear (soccer jerseys, shorts, socks, shin guards and cleats). Please bundle any sets with rubber bands or string and drop them in the AYSO box in the Encinal's office by December 14th.
|
|
Order Your 2013 Encinal Yearbooks Now
2013 Yearbook sales are underway. Order your yearbook now to ensure you have all the memories of the school year!
 Yearbooks cost $25 and scholarships are available. Please see Pam in the office.
|
|
"Be A Student for the Night" was a Hit!
A  huge thank you to the amazing team of Music, Art, PE & Library teachers -- Mr. Ashfield, Ms. Bergeron, Ms. Chiet, Ms. Knight, Ms. Healy, Ms. M., and Ms. Noon -- who orchestrated a magical evening at Encinal's first annual "Be A Student for the Night."
Parents had a fun-filled time playing ukuleles and violins, singing apple songs, building with Imagination Playground, listening to apple stories, and racing to build hula hoop castles.
And, thank you to the MPAEF Encinal School Team & PTO for their efforts to support this great new event.
|
Thank You to Our Amazing PTO Athletics Program
 After School Athletics (3rd-5th Grade Basketball & 4th-5th Grade Volleyball) is a volunteer-run program managed by amazing parent volunteers. A big thank you to Jen Nelson, our Athletics Program Administrator, for organizing these programs this year with the great support of Arron Retterer and Micheal Mimeles.
|
We're Halfway To Our Goal!
THANK YOU to everyone who has already donated or pledged, attended the Holiday Boutique last week, or signed up for eScrip...all of your efforts are paying off. We are HALFWAY to our goals!
42% of our families have participated . . . only 38% to go!
$2.04M has been raised . . . only $1.96M to go!
If you haven't made your gift yet, here are three ways to give:
Donate Now Pledge Now to Give Later Set Up A Monthly Payment Plan
|
|
Shop Your Favorite Stores at the eScrip Online Mall & Earn Money For Our Schools
 This holiday season, shop online at your favorite merchants and earn money for our schools through the eScrip Online Mall. Popular merchants like Amazon, Nordstrom, Apple, Target, and many more will donate up to 10% of purchases. Get started by registering for eScrip here, then each time you shop, start here at the eScrip Online Mall. You'll still be able to access your store specific account (e.g. your Amazon account). You can also automatically track and earn by downloading the Auto Earn app here.
|
|
Thank You To Our Business & Realtor Partners
Please support those businesses and realtors who support our schools
Thank you to these 2012-13 business and realtor sponsors: Business Partners Paul Gerber, D.D.S. MS Chris E. Lindsey, D.D.S. Menlo Partners Staffing Peninsula Pet Hospital Riviera Partners Realtor Partners Judy Citron, Alain Pinel Realtors Omar Kinaan, RE/MAX Distinctive Properties Veronica Kogler, Coldwell Banker Keri Nicholas, Coldwell Banker Annette Smith, Dreyfus Properties Click here to become a Business or Realtor partner!
|
|
Parent Ed Opportunities
For a complete listing of events,
visit the district's Parent Ed webpage.
|
|
Join the Parent Book Club Reading - Mindset
Please RSVP to attend
Hav e you heard that praise can actually be bad for your kids? Come and learn why and more with Jenny Ryan, MPCSD School Psychologist, and Nicole Scott, MPCSD School Counselor, as we read and discuss
the book Mindset by Carol Dweck (available at Kepler's). This is a book club with 6 meetings. All meetings will take Place at Kepler's Book Store from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Wednesday December 5th, Wednesday December 12th, Thursday December 20th. In January, Thursday the 10th, Wednesday the 16th, and Thursday the 24th. Space is limited to 20 people so please email Nicole at nscott@mpcsd.org to RSVP.
|
MPCSD Parents of Children With Learning Differences
AIM4MP is an organization of MPCSD parents who are interested in Advocacy, Information and Mutual support to help our children succeed in school and in life. If you want to connect confidentially with other parents of children with learning differences and keep up on what's going on in our schools, contact mpparents@yahoo.com to join our email group.
|
|
Local Community News & Events
For complete listings click here
|
|
New Community Listings
For full listings, click here.
Community Events & Speakers The Caltrain Holiday Train, December 1 and 2. Decorated with 60,000 glittering lights, the dazzling show-train will visit 10 Caltrain stations between San Francisco and Santa Clara over two nights in December, providing free holiday entertainment and collecting donations of toys for local children who otherwise might not receive a gift during the holidays. For stations and times, or to help spread the word, go to Holiday-Train.org. Friends of the Menlo Park Library Mini Book Sale, Sunday, December 2, 12 to 4 p.m., Downstairs Meeting Room, Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma Street, Menlo Park. Beautiful gift quality books for the entire family will be featured. All proceeds benefit the Menlo Park Library and the Belle Haven Library.
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" p resented by Dancers Repertory Theatre and Menlo Park Academy of Dance. Performances at Woodside Performing Arts Center at 1pm and 4pm on Sunday December 9th, Saturday December 15th, and Sunday December 16th. Tickets available at www.twasthenight.org or by calling 650-323-5292. Come support Encinal dancers including: Angelina B., Cecily P., Charlotte S., Helena H., Henry S., Isabelle B., Jemma S., and Talya D.
Children's Holiday Tea, Sunday, December 2, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please join the Holbrook-Palmer Park Foundation Atherton Dames for their annual Children's Holiday Tea, where children will enjoy a visit with Santa, a holiday themed puppet show and craft activity. For more information please visit www.athertondames.org.
Sports, Classes, and Other Opportunities
MPCSD Board of Education Finance/Audit Commitee Positions Open. The Board of Education is seeking candidates to fill three positions on the Finance/Audit committee to facilitate public understanding of the District's financial reporting processes. Committee members will meet quarterly or as needed for a term of three years. Candidates should have expertise in financial, budget and/or accounting procedures. Candidates must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the Menlo Park City School District. If interested, please submit a letter of interest as well as background information by November 30 to Carol Metzler, cmetzler@mpcsd.org. To see the full description of role and responsibilities, please visit mpcsd.org.
Newton Center Day Camp for Grades K-7, December 26-28, and January 2-4, 8 am to 6 pm, Menlo Park First Baptist Church, 1100 Middle Avenue, Menlo Park. Join us at Newton Center for fun and games, arts and crafts, science and sports, music and laughs. For information or to enroll your child, call 345-4043.
Holiday Camp Menlo, open for registration! Holiday Camp Menlo offers professional swim instruction in a fun-filled camp format for all levels, ages 5-10. Camp available Monday, November 12 (Veterans Day), December 26-28, January 2-4, and Monday, January 21 (MLK, Jr. Holiday). Register today at www.campmenlo.com
Ragazzi SingFest, Saturday, January 19, 2013, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Redwood City just west of El Camino and Broadway. Ragazzi, celebrating its 25th Anniversary, will host our annual SingFest 2013, a free half-day music camp for boys ages 7 to 10. Call 650-342-8785 to reserve a space for your boy.
Palo Alto Soccer Club 2013 Team Formation, Late November - Early December Palo Alto Soccer Club is a competitive soccer club with 40 teams ranging in age from U8 to U18. Teams participate in both the CCSL (CYSA) and Norcal Premier leagues. Download flyer here.
Classroom Volunteers Needed in East Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. We are looking for parents interested in volunteering one hour per week to help teachers with tutoring in a K-4 classroom in the Ravenswood District. Assist teachers with tutoring and individualized instruction much like you may have done in your own child's classroom. To sign up or ask questions, contact Sharon Purcell or Carolyn Blatman.
Stanford University Autism Spectrum Disorder Study - Subjects Needed. We are recruiting children with ASD and typically developing children (ie. children without a diagnosis of ADD, ADHD, Asperger's, ASD, or any other psychiatric illness) between the ages of 8 and 21. US Citizens only.
|
|
Encinal PTO Communications
|
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.
|
Join the PTO Mailing List - Text "SUBSCRIBE" to 42828
Back to Top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Need to report an absence or tardy? Click 