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February 17, 2013
Encinal PTO / La Organizasión de Padres y Maestro
Boletin en espanol, haga clic aqui
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Week at a Glance
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IMPORTANT DECISION ON INCREASING ENROLLMENT - THE DISTRICT WANTS YOUR INPUT
See below for meeting dates and times
 Our community continues to experience increased student enrollment, and the District is now in the process of identifying options to ensure that we have enough classrooms to meet our enrollment projections for the next 10 years.
The District invites parents to learn more, and give input on potential options:
- How could we accommodate additional students on existing campuses (e.g. add more classrooms, increase class sizes)?
- Should we use the District-owned O'Connor site, currently rented to the German American International School, to add more capacity? If so, what are the options and how would they affect the enrollment, attendance boundaries and grade level configurations of our existing schools?
- Are there other solutions that should be considered?
Please come engage with Superintendent Maurice Ghysels, Board members and District staff at the following community meeting:
Tuesday, February 19: Encinal, Mult-Use Room, 8:45 - 9:45 a.m.
If you are unable to attend one of these meetings, please feel free to email your thoughts to our Superintendent Maurice Ghysels at mghysels@mpcsd.org or to MPCSD's Board at board@mpcsd.org . |
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Still Needed: Museum Artifacts, Volunteers, Lunch Donations
 Ni hao! We are very excited about the program for Cultural Arts Day this Thursday!
Museum Artifacts & Volunteers Needed
To complete the museum in the small multi that is being created, we would appreciate addtional Chinese artifacts to borrow. If you have something you are willing to lend us to put on display (you will get it back), please let us know or bring it to school during these drop off times:
Tuesday, Feb 19th: 2pm-4pm in the Teacher's Lounge
Wednesday, Feb 20th: 8am-9am and 2pm-4pm in the small multi
We also would greatly appreciate your time on Wednesday for Museum set up and decorating the school.
Chinese Luncheon for Volunteers All volunteers are invited to join us for a Chinese lunch from Su Hong as part of the celebration and to thank you for your service and participation in this annual community tradition at Encinal. I f you are able to volunteer something small for the luncheon, please sign up here. Classroom Volunteer Training If you are a classroom volunteer and would like some more direction as to what you will be doing and how to do it, please attend one of these optional trainings to help you learn more:
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 9:45-10:45 a.m. (following District Enrollment meeting) in the District Board Room
--or--
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the District Board Room
These trainings are a great chance to hear about the day in detail and ask any questions you may have, but they are not mandatory. If you are comfortable with your classroom role, we will be sending the packet of information to your HRP to distribute to you for review before Thursday.
Xie-xie!
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Encinal Box Tops Collection
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
 Gather all those box tops from your holiday baking and bring them to the marked box in the front office. Our next collection deadline is Tuesday, February 26th. We appreciate everyone's participation.
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Send Your Student a Letter Through Eagle Express
The Eagle Express, Encinal's student run post office, is going strong, but needs more letters for our eager 2nd and 3rd grade postal workers to sort and deliver! Sneak a peek into an Eagle Express shift with this short video. Please take a few minutes to write a letter to your student this week. Or, encourage your students to send letters to friends and siblings - it's a great way to practice their writing skills.
Click here to find your student's classroom address and then address your envelope as follows and mail from a USPS post office (with a stamp).
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Annual Parents' Survey
Please Offer your Thoughts to Principal Burns and the Encinal Site Council by March 1
How is your school year so far? Please tell the Encinal Site Council!
The Encinal Site Council is a collaborative committee of parents, teachers, and administrators, mandated at every school by the State of CA. It is responsible for setting strategic direction for school improvement. We do this planning based in part on what we hear from parents in our annual survey.
Every spring, the Site Council conducts a survey to gather feedback. This year, our goal is to receive 500 parent responses to ensure that we have a well-rounded sample from which to draw conclusions about the improvements that must be made in the 2013-3014 school year. Please click here to complete the survey any time between February 20 and March 6. All survey responses are anonymous. These responses will be reviewed by Principal Burns, and will be shared with individual staff members as appropriate. In addition, a report highlighting key strengths and areas for growth will be made available on the Encinal School website later this spring.
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Registration for Kindergarten, Spanish Immersion, & Transitional Kindergarten
Registration for 2013-14 is February 1st-28th
 From February 1 - 28, parents can enroll their children for next Fall for Kindergarten, Spanish Immersion, and Transitional Kindergarten. Click here for an overview and further links to details.
Questions: If you are not sure of the school in your attendance area or you have further questions, please contact the District Registrar at registrar@mpcsd.org or 650-321-7140, Ext. 5600.
Click here to see more info on the District website. |
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PTO Donation 2012 Tax Receipt
Thank you for your donations!
 Click here to download a tax receipt for donations made to the Encinal PTO in 2012.
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Thank You to Valentine's Day Volunteers
 Thank you to all our wonderful parent volunteers for coordinating classroom Valentine's Day events and making them such a sweet success!
Also, an advance Thank You to the room parents working to be sure their class has a terrific Cultural Arts Day celebrating China this Thursday!
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MPAEF News
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You've heard plenty from us about why the MPAEF Participation Challenge is so important. Now, hear what Encinal's principal has to say - it's about more than the $50,000 we will earn if 80% of our District families donate to our schools through the Foundation.
Prin. Burns: Why the Participation Challenge Matters to Encinal
"I am deeply moved by the warmth and outreach of the Encinal community, which I feel so strongly each day as I work with your children. Your support of the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation fuels my hopes in continuing to make this school a great place where all Eagles soar! When we reach our goal of 80+% of families contributing to the Foundation, 100% of students will continue to receive an amazing education - and 100% of students will receive an extra recess to celebrate!"
Read more about what our school principals and our anonymous Challenge donor have to say in our recent edition of the MPAEF newsletter here.
Donate, pledge now and give later, or set up monthly installments at www.mpaef.org by February 28.
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MPAEF Benefit Auction - April 27th at Cabana Hotel
Sports Fan or Wine Spectator?
Donate to the Spring Auction Today!
Sporting Events and Memorabilia: "And the Giants win the Series!" Donate your box seats, courtside seats, or a trip to Augusta, all to raise money for our students and our schools! Accepting Giants, Sharks, 49ers and event tickets to premier PGA tournaments or Grand Slam tennis events! If cars are your thing, start your engines by donating the experience of the Indy 500 or NASCAR event tickets.Link the District families into a round of golf at one of the prestigious courses or clubs in the Bay Area! Unique memorabilia is also a great way to share the passion of sports. Colin Kaepernick signs a jersey or Buster Posey signs a glove and these items go to the highest bidder; this support strengthens the schools for our kids! Anyway you can bring sports items to the District families will help all the kids win!
Exceptional Wines and Wine Experiences: The vineyards are ripening! Open up the riches of our region by offering up a unique bottle of wine or a wine experience at surrounding vineyards. 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, which liven up any table at anytime. Donate a case from one or two of your membership months. Bring enjoyment, cultural adventure and appreciation to a day or table of District families and raise money for our schools!
To Donate: Please contact Karen Dearing. The deadline for submitting auction items is March 1.
We're also looking for families to host parties and events for adults, provide destinations, adventures, and getaways for adults and families, for Kid-in-Training opportunities for our students, and other unique experiences.
Mark your calendar for MPAEF's Dancing through the Decades, April 27 at the Cabana Hotel in Palo Alto!
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Thank You To Our New Business & Realtor Partners!
Please support those businesses and realtors
who suport our schools
Thank you to these new 2012-13 business and realtor sponsors:
Business Partners
Chris Lindsey, DDS
Cameron L. Aboudara, DDS, MS
Scott Kaloust, DDS, MS, Menlo Park Orthodontics
Habibi's Salon
Gould-Jacobson Dermatology
Realtors
Mary & Brent Gullixson, Alain Pinel Realtors
Ken Glidewell, Alain Pinel Realtors
Nikki James, Opes Advisors
Nancy Goldcamp, Coldwell Banker
Lyn Jason Cobb, Coldwell Banker
Michael Johnston, Alain Pinel Realtors
Click here to become a Business or Realtor partner!
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Parent Ed Opportunities
For a complete listing of events,
visit the district's Parent Ed webpage.
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Sunday, March 3, 2013, 2:00-5:30pm, Hillview Middle School
Registration closes at midnight on Monday, February 25
The Menlo Park City School District strives to be at the forefront of innovation and leadership in education, and we know that we cannot do that simply in the staffroom and classroom. We need to involve our entire community, and there's so much to talk about with parents at this time of great change. Nationally, the Common Core State Standards are elevating learning goals and raising the cognitive demand for how our students will engage in learning. Locally, our core values are driving goals in writing, mathematics, technology, and social-emotional learning. Join us to learn more about these exciting developments and what they will mean for your kids!
2pm Check-in
2:30pm-5pm Conference
Note: There will be a concurrent children's program
Parents have an opportunity to select from a menu of workshops and attend two of the following sessions in addition to the keynote address:
- Mathematics and the Common Core: What's Ahead and How You Can Support Your Child
- Writing and the Common Core: Supporting Students as Capable, Confident Writers
- Design Thinking and Innovation: Problem Solving to Build Powerful Thinking Skills
- Technology in the Classroom: Engaging and Empowering Students in the Learning Process
- Project Cornerstone: Building Developmental Assets to Keep Our Kids Strong
- Creativity and Innovation in MPCSD: A Roundtable Discussion with Maurice Ghysels, Superintendent and Allison Liner, Chief Learning Officer
For more information on the workshops being offered, and free childcare, click here.
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Ana Homayoun, M.A., Founder of Ivy Educational Consulting
Thursday, March 7, 2013, 7:00-8:30pm, M-A Center for the Performing Arts
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Family Community Service Opportunities
For complete listings click here |
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"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Permanente Creek Planting Workday - Saturday, February 23, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All ages welcome to help plant native plants along Permanente Creek Trail in Mountain View by Google Campus. To register for this Acterra-sponsored event, click here.Repair Bikes for Kids - Saturday, February 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 2566 Leghorn Street, Mountain View. The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition helps needy families and individuals through our Bicycle Exchange which repairs used bicycles and donates them to our partner community service organizations. Our warehouse and workshop is fully outfitted with storage, repair stands and tools. New volunteers learn bicycle repair skills by assisting a team of more experienced volunteers. No matter your level of bike mechanic experience, you can help. All ages welcome. No need to RSVP, just join us in the morning.
Almost Eden Garden Project - Saturday, February 23, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 701 East Meadow Drive, Palo Alto. Join us for the next monthly community garden work day. Our garden grows premium quality organic produce for local community organizations that provide meals and snacks to homeless and low-income families.
Questions? Know other service opportunities? Contact Kari Riedel
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Local Community News & Events
For complete listings click here
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Summer Camp Information is Here
Click here and check back often - new camps are being added every week!
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Community E-waste Recycling Benefitting Menlo-Atherton PTA and Northstar Academy, Saturday, February 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., NorthStar Academy, 400 Duane St, Redwood City.
Accepting any consumer or business electronics like computers, televisions, microwave ovens, cameras, toasters, VCR tapes, stereos, speakers, cell phones, printers, and copy machines. We can also accept scrap metal. No washers, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, or dishwashers. All electronics that store information will be securely erased.
Hillview Middle School Presents HONK! February 28 at 3:30 p.m. , March 1 at 7 p.m , and March 2 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., Hillview Middle School PAC, 1100 Elder Ave, Menlo Park. If you've ever felt like everyone else says "quack" and you say "honk," come on down to the "barnyard" on stage for the Hillview Middle School (HMS) production of "HONK!" This full-scale production features a cast of young middle schoolers, most of who are Encinal and Oak Knoll alumni, and is accompanied by a live orchestra manned by our very own HMS band. Tickets are available online.
"Brooklyn Castle" Movie Showing, Thursday, February, 28 at the Landmark Aquarius Theatre in Palo Alto. Brooklyn Castle tells the stories of five members of the chess team at a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. Tickets are $10 each. Purchase your tickets online.
Menlo Park Friends of the Library Book Sale, Saturday, March 2, 10 a.m. to 2p.m., Oak and Elm Rooms at the Arrillaga Recreation Center, 700 Alma Street, Menlo Park (located across the library parking lot and next to the gym). Exceptional quality books for the entire family will be featured.
Sports, Classes, and Other Opportunities
Stanford Girls Water Polo Club FREE Clinic, Saturday, February 23, Roble Gym pool at Stanford. For those looking to join our club team or try water polo for the first time. 3rd - 6th graders are from 9:30-11:00 a.m., 7th - 8th graders are from 11:30-1:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
Footsteps Preschool Parent Orientation, Saturday, March 16, from 10:00-11:30 a.m., 490 Willow Road, Menlo Park. Observations are Monday-Thursday March 18-21 (parents only please). Registration Day is Friday March 22 at 7:30 a.m. For more information and to get on our mailing/waitlist, please visit our website at footstepspreschool.com or call us at (650) 324-FOOT.
Sundays, March 17 and 24 (2 sessions), 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto. An introduction to digital integrated circuit operation. Students assemble and solder a human reaction timer built from discrete digital logic devices. Ages 10 and up. Basic electrical knowledge of voltage, current, and circuits is suggested. Fee: $70 members/$80 non-members. Register here.
Saturdays, April 13, 20, 27, and May 11 (4 sessions), 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto. In this class, students learn about the basic physics of radio wave generation, propagation, and reception. As a class project, students make their own short wave radio receiver. Ages 10 and up. Fee: $75 members/$85 non-members. Register here.
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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. Just checking to see if anyone reads all the way down here. If so, click here.
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Join the PTO Mailing List - Text "SUBSCRIBE" to 42828
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