Parkmead Elementary 
Weekly e-Newsletter
September 4,, 2013
In This Issue
Principal's Message
Picture Day - Volunteers Needed
PEP Classes
Community Service Day
WCEF - Annual Giving Campaign
WCEF Support Our Students
Hike-A-Thon
Boy Scouts
Upcoming Events

Monday, September 9th Picture Day

  

Friday September 13 Minimum Day

  • Kindergarten (PCS & PALS) - 11:30 AM
  • 1st - 5th - 12:20 PM (note the new time this year)

Wednesday, September 18  PTA/PTO Meeting

6:00 - 6:20       Joint PTA/PTO Meeting (MPR)

6:20 - 7:00       PTA meeting (Library)

                       PTO meeting (Science room)

7:00 - 8:00       Parent Common Core Meeting at Parkmead - Multi Use Room
Principal's Message
THE CHARACTER THEME FOR SEPTEMBER IS CITIZENSHIP

"A nation, as a society, forms a moral person, and every member of it is personally responsible for his society."

-- Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and third U.S. president (1743-1826)

 

Do your share to make your school and community better

  • Cooperate
  • Get involved in community affairs
  • Stay informed; vote
  • Be a good neighbor
  • Obey laws and rules
  • Respect authority
  • Protect the environment

Citizenship: Purple - as in the regal purple representing the state

 

 

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

Thank you for attending Back to School Night. Parkmead is lucky to have such amazing parent support and involvement.

 

CALIFORNIA COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS

One of our two goals this year as a staff is to begin to implement the new California Common Core State Standards. We are focusing on three major shifts from the previous standards:

  • Informational Text: deeply engage students in Informational Text (non-fiction)
  • Text Dependent Questions: having students answer and ask questions that require evidence from the text(s) being read.
  • Text Complexity: working with students text that is complex in its syntax, vocabulary and/or themes. This is called Text Complexity

On September 18th from 7:00 to 8:00 (after the PTO/PTA joint meeting) we will have a California Common Core State Standards parent education night at Parkmead. This will be a District night that will include parents from Walnut Heights and Indian Valley.

 

TRAFFIC - Volunteers Needed

Our amazing parent traffic volunteers help keep traffic moving and our students safe. We need volunteers for Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:55-8:15. Email Ron Harrison ([email protected]) if you are interested in helping.

 

Azalea Circle Drop-Off and Pick-up

  • No Parking in staff spots and handicapped (with out an appropriate placard)
  • No Parking around the circle
  • Drop-off = PCS K ONLY (Rooms 1, 2 and 25)
  • Pick-up = PALS I, II, and III and PCS Rooms 4 and 5

Newell Drop-off and Pick-up

  • Stay in car
  • No Parking in staff spots and handicapped (with out an appropriate placard)
  • No Parking in drop-off and pick-up areas (7:55-8:30 and 2:05-2:50)
  • Drop-off = PCS 1st-5th (including 1st from Room 25), PALS I, II, and III
  • Pick-up = PCS 1st-5th, PALS and Room 25 K

 

ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM OPENING TODAY

Due to large enrollment in kindergarten and first grade we opened a new kindergarten/first grade combination class in Room 25. This allowed us to bring any students redirected to other schools back to Parkmead. We were also able to bring the class sizes down in both kindergarten and first grade. Stacey Freeman, a former K/1 teacher and current Walnut Creek School District instructional coach, will be teaching the class until we can hire a teacher. We are so excited to have this new classroom at Parkmead. Thank you to all the staff members who worked hard to make Room 25 ready and inviting!

 

DATE CHANGE

The room parent meeting is moved from Monday, 9/9 to 8:30 to Thursday, 9/12 at 8:30.

We moved this date because of PICTURE DAY ON 9/9!

 

Chris Reddam - Parkmead Principal

 

Picture Day at Parkmead - Monday, September 9th
 

We still need volunteers to help the students get ready for their photographs.  If you can assist between 8:30 and 11:30am please sign up via this link:

 

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4AA5A82BA02-photo 

Back to School with PEP!

Sign up now! Classes begin in just 2 weeks.

 

This Fall's Parkmead Enrichment Program (PEP) has an exciting line-up that includes: GUITAR, PIANO, ART with Mrs. Markey, TENNIS, a year long full-immersion SPANISH PROGRAM, & the renowned Standing Ovations production of THE UMPIRE STRIKES BACK! Go to http://pepparkmead.appspot.com/to view a complete listing of classes and to register. Registration is a 2 step process that includes registering with PEP and then again with each vendor. Register NOW as class sizes are limited.

 

There are a limited number of SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. If you are interested, please send an email to [email protected] to request an application. 

Walnut Creek Community Serivce Day - Saturday, Sept. 28th

Join one of the city-wide projects during this day of volunteerism. The day begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Heather Farm Community Center with check-in and a pancake breakfast. Come to Parkmead Elementary at 9:00 a.m. for a few hours of work and fun in the garden, library or the Creek Kids Care Art Party. Please register here 

 

We still need a few Parkmead volunteers to help Community Day volunteers check-in and get to their projects. If you can help for an hour or more please sign up via this link  or contact Brooke Smith at [email protected]. Please note this is only a link to help at the Parkmead check-in table, to participate in the projects please register at the Community Day site listed above.

WCEF

Are you In?  Together We're Stronger!

  

Thank you to all of our families who have made their donation to WCEF for the 2013-2014 school year. All our students appreciate your investment in their education!

  

  • To date we have raised $415,000. Our funded commitments this year total $677,000.
  • If you have yet to make your donation, now is the time! Please take a moment and go online to make your secure donation now.
  • Remember 2, 4, 6 and 10 month payment plans are available. Prefer to send in a check - you can do that too! Click here to download a printable donation form. You can also bring your donation to your sites upcoming Back-To-School Night.
WCEF:  Support Our Students!

Support our Students and Get 10% off your order at Extreme Pizza. Join our partners at Extreme Pizza and help raise $1000 for our kids. From September 1-30 mention code: WCEF 20 when you order and you receive a 10% discount and 10% comes back to WCEF to support our students. Follow our progress on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/wcefk12.

 

Downtown Fall Walk: Wednesday, September 18 6:00-9:00 PM 

Save the date and head downtown with friends and family to unwind after those hectic first weeks of school. The Fall Walk features tastings in downtown shops, restaurants and businesses, some or our own student musicians playing along the way, and fun prize drawings. Enjoy the beauty and unique experience of Downtown Walnut Creek, all at your own leisurely pace! Tickets on Sale Now! Be sure to select WCEF from the drop down menu when purchasing your tickets. $10 from each ticket sold comes back to WCEF if you choose WCEF on the drop down menu or mention WCEF when buying your tickets at the door!

 

Thank You!

Thank you Sports Basement and to all our families that took advantage of our Back-to-School shopping event in August. Together we raised $450 for our students! Remember that as a WCEF family you get 10% off your purchases all year long. Just mention WCEF at checkout and you receive a 10% discount and 5% comes back to our kids every day of the year!

Hike-A-Thon at Twin Canyons - October 5th  
Please sign us for the Hike-a-thon on October 5 to Keep Twin Canyon Girl Scout Camp Open for Future Generations. The hike-a-thon is open to the public aged 12 years to adult. Girl Scout camp-Twin Canyon, located in Lafayette, is used not only by Girl Scouts, but also Boy Scouts and non-profit groups because it is easily accessible - seemingly remote while actually being less than 15 minutes from nearby cities. Please join us to support and help keep this great campsite open. If you are with a Girl Scout troop there is an afternoon event to earn the Naturalist Badge and also help raise money to keep the Camp open. Go to www.twincanyon.org to for more information and to sign up!
Parkmead Boy Scouts 

Calling All 1st - 5th Grade Boys!

 

Looking for something fun?  Join Cub Scouts ~ Pack 302, Parkmead Elementary School!  Costs are minimal but the fun definitely isn't!  Please email [email protected] or for more information contact Cubmaster, Michael Lewis at 925-876-3150 / [email protected] or Committee Chair Tom Tish at 925-457-7744 / [email protected].

 

Save the date!  Join Pack 302 for our annual Water Rocket - Palooza on Sept 9th at 6 pm in the Parkmead playground.  Cub Scout information, pizza and beverages will be provided.

 

Available to both new and active scouts moving from another school. 

 

Community Information and Flyers

These flyers are updated on a weekly basis. Click here to find district flyers and to download the information that interests you.

 

"Calling All Cars" Las Lomas Car Show

For the third consecutive year the Las Lomas High School senior class will host the Las Lomas Car Classic. All types of vehicles are invited to participate.

 

Walnut Festival Association 2013 Schedule of Events

76th Annual Walnut Festival at Heather Farm Park September 19 - 22nd

 

Walnut Festival Run For Education

Sunday, September 8 2013 at 8am

 

ARF's All Ears Reading @ The Walnut Creek Library

For children grades 1-5. Second Monday in September, October and December

 

Walnut Creek Warrior Lacrosse Club

Boys September 29 & October 6 - Ages 7-15

Girls clinics October 6 and 13 - Ages 7-15

 

Junior Knights! at Las Lomas

Cheer Clinic October 1-3. Perform at October 4th Varsity Game

 

Hike-a-Thon to Preserve Twin Canyon Girl Scout Camp

Preserve Twin Canyon Girl Scout Camp and earn Naturalist Badge!

 

CYO Basketball - 2013-14 Registration

Girls & Boys 2nd - 8th Grade

 

Contra Costa Children's Chorus

Boys and Girls Ages 4-17

 

Chess at Walnut Heights

Grades 1-5

Tuesdays, September 10 to December 10, 2013

 

e-News Submission Guidelines
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