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April 14, 2013
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 Parents,
 This is such an exciting time of year for staff and students as we continue into the third trimester. Next week we have the 4th & 5th grade talent show and SPINGO night, followed by three weeks of various district and state assessments. Your child's teacher will communicate the testing schedule so you can avoid scheduling doctor or dentist appointments at that time, if possible.
We are also busy planning for the 2013/14 school year. Here are a few major updates for next year:
- Classes Added for Two Grades: As you have likely heard, the board voted last week to terminate the lease on the O'Connor site and add another elementary school to our District. However, in an effort to address our current enrollment at Encinal for this next school year, we are planning to add two additional classes to lower the current kindergarten and fourth grade class sizes as they move into 1st and 5th grade next year. While it will require some creative space planning, this will help these grades be more in line with our enrollment numbers of our other grade levels.
- Parent Input Forms for Class Assignments: We will also be configuring class lists for the next school year in late May/early June. Parent input forms were sent home this past week or will be sent home this coming week. Please look for those in your child's backpack and help us by providing any input prior to placement.
- 4th/5th Grade Music Schedule: We will also be addressing some of this year's 4th and 5th grade music schedule challenges in our plans for next school year. For 2013/14, 4th and 5th grade students will have two periods of music and will select either ORFF or Band or Strings. Any current 4th grader who did not take an instrument this year will still have the opportunity to do so in 5th grade. If you have a child currently in 3rd grade, please save the date for Wednesday, May 1st in the evening when we'll host an evening of music demos where students will preview the options and make their choices for their fourth grade year (more information coming soon to 3rd grade families). Current fourth graders will be making their selection for 5th grade music classes during their current music classes, with additional information coming home soon with current 4th grade students.
- Important Dates for Beginning of 2013/14 Year - Please make your calendars now for the first day of school next year - Thursday, August 22nd. This will also be our Back to School Night! Teachers selected to have BTSN on the first day of school and to get to know their new families right away. On Wednesday, August 21st, we will host "Meet & Greets" for incoming kindergarteners and fourth graders only since these are our two big transition years.
As you can see, there are lots of exciting plans developing as we strive to continuously improve our programs and schedules. Hope to see many of you at the next Principal's Coffee (Bagels with Ms. Burns) on April 26th at 8:45 a.m. in the small Multi. Hope you are enjoying this beautiful weekend!
Best,
Ms. Burns
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Week at a Glance
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Encinal Talent Show Is This Week!
Friday, April 19th, see showtimes below
Encinal students in 4th and 5th grade have been hard at work practicing for the Encinal Talent Show. The Show reflects the students' creativity, nerve, uniqueness and, of course, talent!
All students will get to see the show during their school day. Families are also welcome to join at either the morning or the afternoon performances.
Kinder-3rd graders will see show: Act I - 9:15-10:15 a.m. Act II - 10:45-11:30 a.m.
4th & 5th graders will see show: Act I & II - 12:45-2:15 p.m.
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SPINGO: Encinal Family Fun Night Is This Week
Friday, April 19th, 5:30-7:30pm
 Our 2nd annual SPINGO Family Fun Night is coming soon. What is SPINGO? Well, it's...
- Science: Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science will bring it's acclaimed "Build It!" workshop for amazing hands-on science fun
- Pizza: Pizza will be available for purchase by the slice or you can bring your own picnic to enjoy with other Encinal families
- Bingo: The small multi will be transformed into a rockin' Bingo Hall for all-you-can-play-Bingo
Hope everyone can join us for a night of fun, food, and learning! We'll need volunteers to help with all aspects of the evening. We also need a rough estimate of how many people will be purchasing pizza slices and/or salads. Click here to sign up for a shift and/or to let us know if you're planning on pizza-ing. We will have pepperoni and cheese pizza for $2/slice and Caesar salads for $5. Cash only, please.
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Celebrate Earth Day with
"Be Seen Keeping It Clean"
Help pick up litter on April 19; Get gloves & bags on April 18
 We invite all Encinal students to "Be Seen Keeping it Clean" by picking up litter on their way to school, around their homes, near bus stops, and around the Encinal campus. There will be super cool raffle prizes for participants including scooters with gear, dodge balls, and more!
To participate:
- On Thurs, April 18th after school, pick up plastic bags and gloves outside the Encinal office.
- On Fri, April 19th, collect litter on your way to school or around campus. Before school starts, come to the Office to exchange your bag of litter for a raffle ticket.
Volunteers Still Needed! We could use more volunteers to help hand out gloves and bags on Thurs or receive trash on Friday morning. If you are interested, please contact Michelle or Noelle, Event Coordinators.
This Earth Day venture is sponsored by the San Mateo County Safe Routes to School Program and the San Mateo County Clean Water Program.
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Bike Swap and Rodeo!  Does your child need a new bike? Trade the one he or she has outgrown for the next size up! Bring bikes that your family is done with to the Safe Routes to Schools bike swap and rodeo at Laurel School, Sunday April 21 from noon-3 p.m.
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Spring has sprung and it's time to run! June 2, 2013 at 9am
Be a part of the new district-wide Are You in RUN for education on June 2, 2013 at 9am!
After 18 years of success with the Oak Knoll Otter Run, the entire district community of Laurel, Encinal, Oak Knoll, and Hillview will now come together to raise crucial funds for our community-supported schools.
Register and sign up to be a family sponsor today! See the race website for more information.
(The first 40 families to sign up at the $500 sponsorship level will get their name on the race t-shirt and includes 4 free race entries!)
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New on the Encinal Website: Suggestion Box! Do you have a question? A suggestion or a complaint? Or do you want to give a little compliment to someone that did something special for you or your child? The Encinal website (www.encinalschool.com) has a brand new Suggestion Box. You may leave your name or stay totally anonymous. Come check it out!
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Your Input Needed: Transportation Survey
Please take a few minutes to fill out a quick survey about transportation. It's similar to the transportation survey many of you filled out in September -- but with fewer questions this time! This data is extremely valuable to the district's Safe Routes to Schools program. The survey can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sr2sparent. Questions? Please Contact Kathy, Transportation Coordinator. Thanks in advance for your help! |
Encinal Office Needs Pants!
 The school office lets students borrow emergency clothes if they need to change clothes in the middle of the school day. They are in need of gently used pants in all sizes for their emergency clothes bin. If you have pants your child has outgrown, please consider donating them to Encinal. You can drop them off with Ms. Muella in the Encinal office. Thank you!
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 Music News: Stephen Kent, Dijeridu performer Jeanie Richie Grants in Action
Last week, all Encinal students were treated to a unique performance by Stephen Kent, a world re-known Dijeridu performer. During the Didjeridu Dreamtime assemblies, Stephen introduced students to one of the world's most ancient cultures - the Australian Aborigines - by sharing with them the sound and the culture of the didjeridu, as well as information about the history, geography and wildlife of Australia. By using the didjeridu to mimic the sounds of animals in the Australian "bush", Stephen demonstrated how the didjeridu can communicate and tell musical stories. Students also learned how didjeridus are made from tree trunks that have been hollowed out by termites, and decorated using natural materials.
Ask your child what he/she learned from the assembly. It was truly amazing to hear him play! If you want to see and hear some examples of his music, check out his website here.
Special thanks to the MPAEF Foundation
for providing the Jeanie Ritchie Grants!
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5th Grade News
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5th Grade Graduation Picnic: Volunteers Needed
Wed, June 12th, during school at Holbrook Palmer Park
 The end of year is fast approaching and it's time to start planning an unforgettable graduation picnic for Encinal 5th graders. This year's event, a Graduation Fiesta!, will be held during school hours on Wednesday, June 12th at Holbrook Palmer Park, and we need lots of help to ensure it's fun and memorable for all! We need volunteers to help with the following: lunch and snacks, decorations, games/activities/crafts, signage and publicity, safety, photography, and more. If you are available to help plan this event and/or volunteer on the day of the event, please sign up on our event shutterfly site (no password required). Questions? Email event chairs Amy Cramer or Joan Solari
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Encinal Shout Outs
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 Thank You Encinal for Supporting the Read-A-Thon!
We raised $7800 for this year's Read-A-Thon. Thank you to all the families who participated and helped us generate needed funds to buy more books for our Encinal library.
If you haven't collected all of your pledges, you may still put checks or cash in the drop box in the front office, or donate online.
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MPAEF News
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On-Campus Raffle Ticket Sales:
Choose from Five Incredible Prizes!
It's less than two weeks until the Dancing through the Decades spring auction and party! Raffle tickets go on sale this week, so pick your dream and buy your tickets to make it come true. Or, buy tickets for your student or a favorite teacher. Even if your plans don't include an evening at the auction, join in the fun and support our schools. Winners will be drawn at the auction on April 27, but winners need not be present. Check out this year's raffle items:
- Rosewood Escape
- Two iPad minis
- Autographed Stanford Football Helmet
- m&m bling Necklace
- Health & Beauty Package to Uforia, SkinSpirit, and Veracity Fitness
To preview the prizes, click here. Look for ticket sellers at Encinal on Monday-Thursday this week at drop-off and pick-up. Tickets are $10 each or 15 for $100, and you can pay by cash, check or credit card. To help sell raffle tickets or if you have questions, contact Tracy Gray at turtlesmail@yahoo.com.
Event tickets are also available now! Buy your tickets for the Dancing through the Decades party and auction and for Cheers! Champagne and Wine Tasting, to be held before the doors open for the party and auction. Buy before April 19 to save $35 a ticket. Tickets available here: $185/guest for Cheers!; $90/guest for Dancing Through the Decades General Admission; $50/guest for Teachers & Staff.
Your purchase supports not only 30 years of dedication from our community, but also every day of continued success in our district schools.
Dancing Through the Decades Details:
Saturday, April 27, Crowne Plaza Cabana Hotel, Palo Alto,
For more information, click here.
6:00 pm
Cheers! Champagne and Wine Tasting
7:45 pm
Dancing Through the Decades Auction
Creative festive attire. All decades welcome!
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Parent Ed Opportunities
For a complete listing of events,
visit the district's Parent Ed webpage.
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New Parenting Book Club at Keplers  Please join Nicole Scott, school counselor, and Jenny Ryan, School Psychologist, for a weekly book club at Kepler's. We will be reading the book Teach your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success by Madeline Levine. Each week participants will read portions of the book then come to the book club to discuss what was read. The book club will meet on the following dates: Thursday April 18th, Wed April 24th, Wed May 1st, Wed May 8th, Thursday May 16th and Thursday May 23rd. We are limited to 20 participants. Please email Nicole at nscott@mpcsd.org or Jenny at jryan@mpcsd.org to register for the group or if you have any questions. The book is available at Keplers. |
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Join us for a special preview of the upcoming PBS film by Kikim Media and Hawkview Pictures:
Extreme By Design
Learn how Stanford students and MPCSD K-8 students are using design thinking to tackle challenges big and small with an innovator's mindset
April 18, 2013
6:15pm-8:45pm
Hillview Performing Arts Center
Keynote by Erik Burmeister, Principal of Hillview Middle School
"Blazing a New Trail: How Hillview is Using Design Thinking to Redesign School"
Design thinking is all about developing and using an innovator's mindset-the habits of mind that help our kids from Kindergarten to eighth grade embrace challenges and persevere with confidence. MPCSD is committed to Innovation as a Core Value, and wants our kids to be inspired to make positive change in our community and in the world! So how do we encourage an innovator's mindset in the classroom? Come hear Erik Burmeister share his vision for how Hillview is using design thinking to redesign school from the master schedule to instruction in the classroom. Ralph King, Jr., filmmaker and Pulitzer Prize nominee, will introduce the film. The hour-long documentary follows a band of Stanford students who design and build products to solve seemingly intractable problems for the world's poor. A panel discussion, composed of MPCSD elementary and middle school teachers, administrators, and parents, along with a graduate student and producer from the film, will follow to discuss ways our students are developing an innovator's mindset and answer questions from the audience. Join us for an evening of inspired conversation!
To learn more the film and what teachers across the nation have to say, click here.
Space is limited. To register, please click here by Friday, April 12, 2013. |
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"Good Enough Teens: Promoting Self-Reliance"
Brad Sachs, Ph.D.
Tuesday, April 23, 7:00pm, Crystal Springs Uplands School
Wednesday, April 24, 7:00 pm, Woodside Priory School
Common Ground Speaker Series
With compassion and intelligence, Brad Sachs, Ph.D. returns to our stage to explore the physical and psychological challenges of adolescence. He shares insights and practical guidance to help us enjoy, appreciate and better understand our teens. Dr. Sachs' books include The Good Enough Teen: How To Raise Adolescents with Love and Acceptance and Emptying the Nest: Launching Your Young Adult Towards Success and Self-Reliance. On April 24, he will devote his evening talk to parents of juniors and seniors and present strategies for guiding young adults toward independence.
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Mark Your Calendar:
"The Culture of Perfectionism"
Thursday, May 2nd, 7:00pm - 8:30pm, M-A Performing Arts Center
Speaker: Ana Homayoun, Author of The Myth of the Perfect Girl and That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week
A Collaborative Event of MPCSD and Menlo-Atherton High School
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Green Kids Conference
Saturday, June 1, 11am-3:30pm, Microsoft Silicon Valley Campus, 1065 La Avenida St., Bldg. 1, Mountain View
This is a conference for children 5 to 18 years old. Come with your family and friends, explore your passsion, and be inspired to take action! Free Admission. Register now at http://greenkidsconference.org/.
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Family Community Service Opportunities
For complete listings click here |
Alemany Farm - a 3.5-acre organic farm in southeast San Francisco that fosters food security and environmental education. Join us for our 7th Annual Earth Day BBQ and Festival, SATURDAY, APRIL 20. We'll start with garden tasks at 11 AM. There will be Farm tours around Noon and 3 PM. Kids will enjoy face painting and t-shirt stenciling (bring your own t-shirts!). As usual, we'll be spit roasting a pasture-raised pig and will have plenty of veggie options on the grill. A local band will be providing music. Please bring a dessert or side dish to share! All ages and experience levels welcome. 700 Alemany Blvd, San Francisco. For more info, email us here , or visit our website at www.alemanyfarm.org.
Click here for a list of ongoing service opportunities.
Questions? Know other service projects? 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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Science Fun at the Museum of American Heritage. Saturday, April 20, at 3:00 p.m. $10 at the Door, Families Welcome! 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto. Awesome hands-on activities with static electricity, electromagnetic games and toys, a Theremin, Tesla Coil and more! For more information or to RSVP please contact 650-321-1004 or email admin@moah.org .
Maker Faire Bay Area, May 18 and 19. A two-day family-friendly festival of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. For more info and to buy tickets, click 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. Just checking to see if anyone reads all the way down here. If so, click here.
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