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Weekly Post
January 21, 2014
Superintendent's Message

We're two weeks into 2014 and continue to head forward with our Strategic Plan.....and other activities. The design thinking approach to the master schedule at CMS will have another meeting this week to share with parents. Please join the master planning team on Tuesday evening at CMS. This is a great opportunity to hear what a team of staff, students, and parents have been working on this year. They will be sharing the direction they'd like to go with the master schedule at CMS. The link to the powerpoint will be shared in next week's Weekly Post.

 

Now that it's January, we are looking for a couple of parent representatives for each of the CMS grade levels to help us move forward with a sustainable way to approach field trips, particularly to Washington, D.C.  We have parents who have been leading the way in 8th grade this year, so if you are a parent in grades 4, 5, 6 or 7 with a passion for helping us set up a model for field trip funding and love the DC trip, please contact me at lgonzales@pvsd.net. These meetings will take place during the school day, perhaps once a month over the next few months.  A special thank you to Angie Schillace, Dave Kastanis, and Susan Strehlow for all of their help this year as the lead 8th grade parents.

 

Many parents have reported that they have found the standards-based report card meetings at CMS valuable and informative. Thank you to Principal Corritone and Dean Shima for their time and leadership. If you have questions, please feel free to contact them or the teachers who have helped in designing the new report cards.

 

A note on health issues. We've had many students and staff out sick in recent weeks. The flu has really ramped up. At both sites, we are ensuring our cleaning of rooms and surfaces can help to keep staff and students healthy. But we need your help at home as well. If your child is sick or has symptoms of the flu, please keep them home. When an illness hits a classroom, it impacts all staff, students, and other family members who come into contact with those students.

 

Here's to a great week. If you are good at dancing, please consider doing the rain dance frequently and passionately. We really need it. We expect a surprise announcement about communication in next week's Weekly Post, so stay tuned!  

 

Lisa Gonzales
In This Issue
CMS STEM Fair
Community Section
This Week's Calendar
Ormondale * Corte Madera * District
Mon, January 20  
Martin Luther King holiday
No school
Tue, January 21 (B)
 ORM 1st Grade Field Trip
CurriOdyssey, 8:30 am 
 
CMS Master Schedule Community Outreach Meeting 6 pm
Wed, January 22 (A)
ORM Science Fair Project Drop-Off
Thu, January 23 (B) 
ORM Science Fair
 
PTO Meeting CMS, 11 am, 
Room 102 
Fri, January 24 (A) 
ORM Family Science Night, 
6 pm
CMS 4th and 5th Grade Cocoa Breakfast, 7:30 am
Weekly Post Reminders: 
To submit an article to the Weekly Post, please send it to weeklypost@pvsd.net.  Deadline is Thursday at noon.  See the PVSD website for more information

Corte Madera Home
The 2013-14 CMS STEM Fair Has Come and Gone!

Our CMS Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Fair concluded on January 9th, and what a time it was! For those who could not attend, you missed some fantastic projects by our CMS students. We had over 200 projects this year, and they were really well done. We're always excited by the quality and wide variety of projects the student's produce.

 

We have 15 student projects advancing to the San Mateo County STEM Fair, February 23rd  - 27th at the Hiller Aviation Museum.

 

The advancing projects are:  

             

5th Grade

1. Emma K. -- Most Gross

2. Cassie J. -- Testing Perception in Colors

3. Joey K. -- The Domino Theory

4. Arthur J. -- The Tidy-Up Robot

 

                                                           

6th Grade

5. Isaac R., Nick E.  -- Oxygen Levels            

6. Jeremiah M. -- Fruit DNA Extraction/Concentration

7. Heather H. -- Sugar Cubes in Acidic and Basic Solutions

 

                       

7th Grade

8. Alec V.  -- Using Inductors to Sense Cars

9. Connor N., William F. -- The Effect of Silica on Different Liquids

10. Ross F.  -- What Angle will Shoot a Potato the Farthest

11. Anna B. -- A Page Turning Robot

12. Cameron J. -- Is it Warm in Here or is it Just Me?

13. Emily H. -- Does it Clean?

                                   

 

8th Grade

14. Alec L. -- A More Efficient Motor Cowl

15. Alex S. -- Building a Circuit that Adds 2 Numbers

 

Advancing projects will receive additional information when it becomes available from the County.

 

Along with advancing projects, we had a variety of students whose projects received an honorable mention.

Those students are:

4th grade: Mick T., Bobby B., Elliot J., Alison R., Crystal G., Shai D., Michaela M.

5th grade: Andy E., Bobby Y., Morgan C.

6th grade: Riley B., Christy T., Lauren P., Kiley H., Piper D., Kelsey K., Dominic C.,

Jack L., Hugo G.

7th grade: Esmee R., Cary L., Philip M., Sean M., Darian M.

8th grade: Eric C., Weston B., Troy S.

 

Many thanks to all of the parents and community members who volunteered their time and energy to help evaluate the projects. The science department appreciates your input.  A special "Thank You" to Kate Cox and Dan Flahavan for their continued support and flexibility with the use of the MUR to hold our Fair.

 

Thanks to all of you for your support of Science at CMS.

 

CMS Science Team  

Community Calendar and Events
Academic Support and Instrumental Music Lessons

What: Academic support and/or instrumental music lessons for students in grades 2-8 (specializing in supporting students with disabilities)

 
Who: Wiatt Grant, M.Ed., Lead teacher at Children's Health Council (previously taught music and special education at Corte Madera School)
 
When: Available hours 4pm-8pm Mondays-Thursday
 
Contact: wiattgrant@gmail.com, 650.814.1741
Open House at Ladera Community Preschool 

Ladera Community Church Preschool is holding its annual Open House on Saturday, January 25th, from 10:00-11:00. Come meet our fantastic teams of teachers and visit our wonderful facility in a lovely rural setting at 3300 Alpine Road, Portola Valley. We welcome all families with children 2 years to 5 years old. To find out more, please visit our website at www.laderapreschool.org or contact

Director Katherine Rhames at 854-0295. 
Panthers "All Sports" Camp is Back for Summer 2014

Panthers "All Sports" Camp  is back for another exciting 2014 summer.  Many of your kids have attended Panthers Camp in the past and many are registered for this summer, but if they have not, Panthers Camp is an "All Sports" camp held at Corte Madera School during the 2014 summer.  Panthers Camp started in 1995 and is directed by Dan Flahavan, CMS Athletic Director.   

 
For more information, here is the link to the Panthers Camp website: 
www.pantherscamppv.com. 
2014 Panthers Camp:   
  • Session 1: June 16-19, 2014
  • Session 2: June 23-26, 2014
  • Session 3: June 30 - July 3, 2014
  • Session 4: July 7-10, 2014
To register, please click here.  

If you register before 3/1/14, you will get the early bird special.  Please let me know if you have any questions (danflahavan@gmail.com).  I look forward to another great summer with your kids at Panthers Camp.
Soccer Shots 
Soccer ShotsŪ, a popular enrichment nationwide (at many schools on the peninsula), is back to serve Ormondale Elementary this spring.

Soccer ShotsŪ is an acclaimed national non-competitive soccer program for children. Through teaching the beautiful game, we aim to develop character, motor skills and teamwork. Our team believes children are invaluable and our goal is simple: to leave a lasting, positive impact on every child we serve. They were awarded '#1 in Children's Fitness' by Entrepreneur Magazine for the second year in a row!

See the Spring Season info below:
Who:         All children K-3rd Grade are welcome to enroll
Where:     On-site -- at Ormondale Elementary (no equipment or cleats needed)
When:      Wednesdays, 12:10 - 12:45pm -- Jan 15-May 14 (no session 2/19, 4/2, 4/16)
Cost:        $240 for 15 week fun Spring Season (includes Soccer Shots dry fit jersey & team photo) 
How:        Register ONLINE: bayarea.soccershots.org
Contact: bayarea@soccershots.org  / 650.260.GOAL 
Jeff Arons' Spring Tennis Program At Sacred Heart Schools 

BEGINNING FEBRUARY 1ST

 

Programs for Adults and Juniors

 

Jeff Arons is the director of tennis for Sacred Heart Schools.  His coaching experiences include founding/directing the East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring Program and coaching a Wimbledon doubles champion.

 

Website:  www.jeffaronstennis.com 

Email: jeffaronstennis@gmail.com