March 29, 2015
 

ORM Upcoming Events

  

Wed Apr 8 - ORM Bike/Walk to School

 

Thu Apr 30, 9:00 am - PTO Mtg at Ormondale

 

Thu Apr 30, 4:00 pm - Founder's Day Celebration at PVTC

 

View the full PTO calendar here.


Help Create Set, Prop and Costume Pieces for Willy Wonka!

 

Any students interested (whether they auditioned for the show or not) are invited to help make set, prop and costume pieces for this year's spring musical, Willy Wonka. Beginning this Wed Mar 25 through the end of April, parent volunteers will be running "Wonka's Workshop" in the Art Room after school from 12:30 - 2:30 pm on Wednesdays. 

 

See the sign up sheet for additional details and to sign your student(s) up. Registration is required to keep the number of students manageable and to plan age-appropriate projects.


 

Additional opportunities will be coming in May. Please email Karyn Bechtel if your student(s) cannot attend a Wonka Workshop but would like to be notified of other ways to lend a hand.


ORM Second Harvest Food Drive Results

 

The ORM Second Harvest food drive results are in and they are a reminder that kids can make a difference! This year PV families donates 1,458 pounds of food (that's 1,215 meals). This is 70% MORE than we donated last year. What did we do differently?  We got the kids involved! When the 3rd grade Student Council learned about our food drive, they wanted to know more about Hunger and who is served by Second Harvest so they went to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Then working with Karyn Bechtel and Mr. Keegan they developed a video and an assembly to help educate all the other kids. After the assembly, each ORM student decorated a grocery bag with key images and messages about hunger and took it home to ask their family to help. The results speak for themselves.

 
Special thanks to Karyn Bechtel, Sarah Dorahy, and Carrie Davis and to the PV community for supporting this effort.

 

Corte Madera

CMS Upcoming Events

 

Fri Apr 10 - CMS Bike/Walk to School

 

Thu Apr 16, 2:30 - 3:30 pm Walk-To-Washington Walkathon 

 

Thu Apr 30, 9:00 am - PTO Mtg at Ormondale

 

Thu Apr 30, 4:00 pm - Founder's Day Celebration at PVTC

 

View the full PTO calendar here. warriors2

Staff Appreciation Week

 

Staff Appreciation Week is a week where we show our appreciation to the wonderful staff and teachers we have at Corte Madera School. It would not have been possible without the help of the following volunteers who cooked, decorated, shopped, donated, organized, washed dishes and did much more!
A HUGE hank you to Shannon Basch and Mary Nam for chairing Staff Appreciation Week this year! 

Thank you to the following who helped with Tuesday Fruit Day:  Joanne Irwin, Wendy McAdam, Kari Rust, Sarah Dorahy, Stephanie Tuxen-Bisgaard, Kim Zamboldi, Sandi Engel, Deborah Burton, Elizabeth de Oliveira, Sandee Birdwell, Mary Nam, Monica Blocker, Karen King, Lisa Hill and Tricia Suvari.


And thank you to the following who helped make Friday's Staff Room lunch a success:  Sue Ten, Tamiko Verkler, Heather Keller, Hayley Leinfelder, Doug Morss, Alona Gian, Renee Courington, Kerstin McHutchison, Michelle Bellomo, Tricia Law, Naomi Reynolds, Laura Kavanaugh, Sylvia Constantz, Andrea Reid, Marya Stronck, Lisa Freccia, Ann Crevelt, Barbara Hugli-Jones, Heather Asborno, Liz Chae, Nancy Tracy, Judy Riley, Rosario Camacho, Camas Steinmetz, Julie Dickerson, Pilar Frank, Sharon Shaffer, Tanya Hayes, Ann-Marie Brest, Kim Hamrick, Karyn Bechtel and Sarah Dorahy.

A BIG thank you to Elise Gabrielson and Sarah Byrne for chairing the Wednesday "Indian Theme" Staff Appreciation Lunch. The food was yummy and the transformation of the Annex into an Indian venue was amazing! Thank you to the following parents for making this wonderful lunch possible:  Sofie Vandeputte, Sandi Engel, Sharon Shaffer, Shannon Basch, Heather Asborno, Joanne Irwin, Rose Kerr, Mary Jo Kloezeman, Lissa Cook, Nancy Tracy, Sylvia Constantz, Michelle Bellomo, Kathy Waddell, Kris Moriarty and Renee Courington.

And lastly, thank you CMS staff Kathy Hoskin, Susan Outland, Jerry Nickel and Keith Kerkhof for helping us coordinate the event!

 

Thank You!
Heather Asborno and Michelle Bellomo

3rd Annual Walk-To-Washington Walkathon 

 

The 3rd Annual Walk-to-Washington Walkathon is Coming Soon! On Fri, Mar 13, a message went out from Cyndi Maijala to all CMS parents regarding this year's Walk-to-Washington Walkathon (WTWW) on Thu, Apr 16 from 2:30-3:30 pm. Your student was also given a hard copy of the WTWW Sponsorship Formand Instructions to take home in their backpacks. If you haven't already printed out the WTWW Sponsorship Form and Instructions for your student, (or can't find it in their backpack?), please take a moment to click here and print and encourage your kids to get started with collecting donations for their walk.

Please note that all WTWW Sponsorship Forms and checks are due by Tuesday, April 14th at 3:00 pm. Remember that because the WTWW "pay-forward strategy" has been in effect for 3 years now, the 8th grade class has already met their fundraising goal for their trip in June. Hence, all funds raised this year will benefit the 4th - 7th grade DC trips which is why we are asking our entire CMS student community to participate. This is also a great community building opportunity for all our students and staff.

WTWW funds raised this year will be distributed as follows:

7th Grade - 50%
6th Grade - 25%
5th Grade - 15%
4th Grade - 10%

WTWW Schedule on Thu, April 16:

11:30 pm - Kick-off BBQ lunch for 6th/7th/8th graders hosted by the PTO
11:40 am - BBQ lunch for 4th/5th graders
2:30 pm - Opening Ceremonies will begin with the National Anthem and followed by commencement of the WTWW at 2:35pm
2:35 pm - 4th-8th graders, teachers, and staff will walk a course around the CMS field 
3:15 pm - Closing Ceremonies and Raffle Drawing

Parents: All parents are welcome to attend and participate in this memorable event with your kids!

Questions: If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Bair here.

PVSF
 

AUCTION TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW

 








BUY YOUR AUCTION TICKETS & WIN A NIGHT AT THE ROSEWOOD  
It's time to buy your Sunset on the Serengeti Auction tickets!  Tickets cost $125, and go up to $150 after April 16th.  Purchase on or before April 16 for 2 chances to win a Deluxe room at the Rosewood Hotel.



~ Sunset on the Serengeti ~ 
~ Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club ~ 
PVSF Auction ~ May 16th, 5:30pm 
Sunset on the Serengeti ~ Sat May 16  

Community News
 

Creative Writing Summer Camps with Young Inklings

 

  Magic Trunk: Exploring Stories (ages 5-7)

  Invent a Story (ages 7-9)

  Novelist's Workshop (ages 9-12)

 

At Christ Church (815 Portola Rd Portola Valley, CA)

Mon Jun 22 - Fri Jun 26 

Mon Jul 13- Fri Jul 17

 

Each creative writing summer camp takes students through the process of creating a short story. Teachers facilitate a blend of theater games, creative activities, discussion, instruction and writing time. Instructors individualize learning experience as they confer with students during writing time. On the last day of the workshop, young writers will have the opportunity to share their masterpieces with family and friends. Learn more here. See flyer here.

 

 

Executive Function with Social Skills Bootcamp

 

Join us this Summer for a unique executive function with social skills bootcamp that follows your child from camp to school to home.

 

2 weeks - Middle School, High School & College Prep (& Social Cognition) 

We follow you from camp to school.

  • Hands on strategies integrating Executive Function (organizational skills) & Social Cognition in peer activities.
  • Teaching parents how to manage support for maximizing independence. 
  • One day review before school to jump start thinking.
  • At school, hands on implementation of strategies. 
  • Follow through at home.
  • Two therapists for 5-10 students, 30+ hours.


Weeks of: July 6-8, July 13-17, July 20-24, Aug 3-7, Aug 3-7, Aug 10-14, Aug 17-21, Aug 24-28 (near Sequoia High in Redwood City & Gunn High School in Palo Alto)

 

For flyer and details, click here.

 

ExFunctionBootCamp@gmail.com

 

EF PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
by Jenn Bulka SLP,
The Talking Playhouse, Stacey Howard,
Ed Therapist, Creative Academic Support Services

 

Journalism, Editing and Photography

Hello Parents!


Is your child interested in journalism, editing or photography? Alpine Little League seeks local students for a fun new program this season!

Student volunteers attend one Little League t-ball or baseball game per week to take notes and photographs, then write a sports review to be published in the Almanac, Palo Alto Weekly and Alpine Little League website. 

It's a great opportunity for aspiring writers & photographers to get hands-on experience and have their work published in local newspapers! Plus it counts towards community service hours.

The season begins now and ends in July. Games are held in Portola Valley, Menlo Park and Woodside. They last about 1-1.5 hours (see schedule on here www.alpinelittleleague.com). We seek 3-4 students per game to share responsibilities. 
 
Interested or have questions? Send me an email!
 
Rachel 

 

Spring Dance & Summer Dance/Yoga Camps at Studio Rincon

Dance all through summer!  


Spring dance signups are now open. Sign up here. Classes currently held at Alpine Hills and Studio Rincon.

Studio Rincon Dance & Yoga Summer Camps are scheduled and ready for online sign ups for ages 3-13. Sign up here. Ten different camps to choose from- with amazingly talented and fun instructors. All Camps are offered in the afternoon, providing a healthy snack and a lot of fun. Studio Rincon is conveniently located close to home at 3536 Alameda de las Pulgas, across from the Dutch Goose!
Summer Game Programming Camps in Portola Valley

 

Programming Java with Minecraft - Level 1 - Mon, Jun 22 - Fri, Jun 26, 9a-3p
Programming Java with Minecraft - Level 2 - Mon, Jun 29 - Fri, Jul 3, 9a-3p
Programming iOS Apps with Swift - Level 1 - Mon, Jul 6   - Fri, Jul 10, 9a-3p


 

Now in their fourth season, these camps are a great way for kids (grades 5-10) to learn programming fundamentals and get up and running with some fun projects they can continue at home.  All camps are run by Jack Youstra, a CMS graduate and Woodside Priory sophomore and all-around computer nerd.


 

Programming Java with Minecraft - Perfect for kids who love Minecraft and video games. We use real programming with a real programming language - Java - on a real world server that your child will setup and configure. Level 1 offers an introduction to all aspects of programming; In Level 2, kids explore the more advanced object-oriented nature of Java and tackle more complex (and fun) plug-ins.


 

Programming iOS Apps with Swift - Apple's new Swift programming language has greatly simplified iPhone and iPad development. Your child will learn everything necessary to build and customize their first app.


 

Each camp will include:
- Setting up a programming environment on your laptop
- Using Xcode or Eclipse to create programs
- Programming & language basics
- Fun projects - a Minecraft mod or an iOS app
- Outdoor recreational time. Minecraft campers also enjoy some gaming at the end of the day

Camps are $550 each. PVSD students who register before 4/15 and use the promo code PVSD501 receive a $50 discount.

To learn more about the camps and register for one of the sessions, click one of the links below:
Programming Java with Minecraft Level 1: bit.ly/mc1pvsd
Programming Java with Minecraft Level 2: bit.ly/mc2pvsd
Programming iOS Apps with Swift Level 1: bit.ly/swpvsd2

You may also contact Jack directly at jack@youstra.com.


 

Windmill Pre-K Enrollment

 

Windmill Preschool in Portola Valley has enrollment availability in our Pre-K Program for the 2015-2016 school year.  The class meets Mon-Thu from 1:00 - 4:00pm.  The Pre-K curriculum engages children's learning in all developmental areas, with a hands-on, inquiry-based approach.  We believe that a play-based early education creates the foundation for confident, enthusiastic learners who will be successful in Kindergarten and beyond.  Our Pre-K teaching team are experts in early childhood development and collectively have over 50 years of preschool teaching experience!

 

We invite you to come and visit our program and see what Windmill is all about!  To learn more about our program or to schedule a tour, please contact our director, Jodi Cocconi (650-766-9334).  Or visit our website here.

Menlo-Atherton Dance Team Show and Fundraiser

 

Please come to the beautiful M-A PAC to support the M-A Dance Team at the twelfth annual Dance Team Show and Fundraiser. The evening will be truly entertaining, highlighting our dancers' abilities in hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, tumbling, ballet and more!  Students, families and fans of dance always enjoy our show, which features dances from both our Varsity and JV teams.

 

Date: Saturday, April 4th

Time: 6:00 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm)

Place: M-A Performing Arts Center

Price: $12 adults/$7 students

 

Purchase tickets directly from Dance Team members, or contact Linda Garrett at MADanceTeamShow@gmail.com. Tickets may be available at the door, but often sell out before the show. Checks can be made payable to "M-A Dance Team," and cash will also be accepted.

 

Studio Rincon's Dance Performance Series at Alpine Hills

 

JUST DANCE! Still taking sign ups!

Studio Rincon is still accepting dance students for our new ballet and hip hop performance series held every week at Alpine Hills Tennis and Swimming Club. This is a special and exciting series leading to our grand show and recital at Woodside Performing Arts Center on Fri, May 29. We invite everyone to enroll asap, classes are ongoing.
 
To sign up for after school, weekday, Ballet or Hip Hop classes, please visit this link or call 650-861-0242.


 

Camp W: 2015 Summer Performing Arts Camp

 

Has your child ever wanted to perform on stage under the bright lights? Camp W will allow beginners and experienced performers to express themselves in a unique and creative manner through the magical lens of performing arts. Children will learn about staging, lighting, and other basic skills to display a final production. Everyday will be filled with fun, collaboration, and self-discovery!


 

Eligibility: 4-8th grade (BASED UPON THE 2014 - 2015 SCHOOL YEAR)

Class Location: Corte Madera School, Room 503 

Session 1: Jul   6 - Jul 16

Session 2: Jul: 20 - Jul 30

Hours: 9:00 - 3:00 pm
Cost: $800.00

Discounts:
  • Returnees will receive a 10% discount.

For more information about the camp, please contact William Frederick by email, campw.william@gmail.com or call (650) 483-8546.


 

Registration begins now!


 

Panther's Camp - Registration Open

 

Panthers "All Sports" Camp is back for another exciting 2015 summer. For complete information, click here. 

2015 Panthers Camp dates: 
 

  • Session 1: June 15-18
  • Session 2: June 22-25
  • Session 3: June 29 - July 2
  • Session 4: July 6-9


    • To register, click here.  


    Please let me know if you have any questions (danflahavan@gmail.com). Do not hesitate to forward this information to others who may be interested in attending.  

    If your child has outgrown camp and will be entering 8th grade, they have an opportunity to build leadership skills as a Junior Counselor in Training (JCIT). To apply, click here.     Contact me if you have any questions (danflahavan@gmail.com).

    I look forward to another great summer with your kids at Panthers Camp.

    Best Regards, 

    Dan Flahavan

    Amazon and eScript Fundraiser

    Each year the PVSD PTO pays for classroom supplies for every student in the district using funds raised through the eScrip and Amazon.com programs.

    To make ensure your Amazon purchases contribute towards our schools, simply click here: Amazon.com, then bookmark the page and you use that bookmark to start your shopping trips on Amazon.com. You must enter the website through this specific link. Portola Valley School District PTO will receive a minimum of 4% of every purchase made through this method and you should see no difference in your shopping experience.

    And don't forget to sign up for eScrip! Just go to www.escrip.com and register your credit cards, Safeway Club Card and/or Bianchini's loyalty card. Please make sure to direct donations to the Portola Valley School District PTO. Or just shop at local participating merchants, like the PV Garage and ask to contribute through eScrip.