Aug 19, 2015
In This Issue
Upcoming Dates

It's almost time to pack up those backpacks and go back to school! Stay on top of the important dates coming up by adding the PALS/Parkmead calendar (see below for more info).

Here are a few dates to know about now.
  • Aug 20 TODAY: Welcome Back Day - 4:00-7:00 pm in the MPR
    • Be sure to stop by the school office BEFORE WBD for Residency Verification
  • Aug 25: Kindergarten Lemonade Day - 2:00-3:00
  • Aug 26: School Starts!
    • Parent Welcome Back Coffee @ 8:15 am
  • Sept 1: Back to School Night
  • Sept 8: MAGIC Introductory Parent Meeting

  • Sept 10: MAGIC Country Groups Meet

  • Sept 15: Joint PTA/PTO Meeting
  • Sept 26: New Parent Welcome Event
Letter from the President

Hello PALS Families,

I hope your summer has been full of fun time with family and friends! As we begin the 2015/2016 school year, I would like to address a few changes and offer reminders.

This year we will begin to see the culmination of collaboration between all Parkmead parent groups. The first change is in requested donations. Through Infosnap and at Welcome Back Day we now ask all Parkmead (PALS and PCS) families to donate $250, written to PERC (Parkmead Education Resources Council). That donation will help fund our tech specialist and library books, and will support enrichment activities, including field trips, for both PALS and PCS. This is an important donation, as enrichment is part of what makes the PALS program truly great. Part of the goal of this new donation structure is to ask parents to write fewer checks and to make room for the important WCEF donation, which supports PE, art, music, and the science specialist.

Please join me in offering a warm welcome to our new PALS I teacher: Tara Robinson. I'm sure she will make many wonderful contributions to our young kids' education. Also join me in offering extra support to our sole PALS III teacher: Lydia McIntosh. Let's give her all of the in-classroom and at-home support we can muster. I am hopeful that Robin Reese will rejoin the PALS family next fall.

Our first PTA/PTO meeting (Sept 15) will be important.  We'll talk about all of the ways we're working to make Parkmead a cohesive school, while maintaining all of the aspects that make each program unique. We will also vote to accept 2 new PTO board members that stepped up to fill vacancies over the summer.

I cannot express just how excited I am for the 2015/2016 school year. I look forward to seeing all of the work we've done on our school climate come to fruition with great PCS partners, and I look forward to volunteering my time with each of you to support our great school. Please join me in supporting our teachers in the classroom, creating MAGIC for our kids, and volunteering for other enriching activities. The PALS community and culture of volunteerism is and always has been what makes PALS great.

With excitement for the year to come,
Ruth Kale-Fok
PALS PTO President and Mom of Lexi (WCI), Jasmine (Level III), Violet (Level I), and Jason (Future Parkmead Panther)
Saturday Science Class
Ages 6-10

Charles Sun is organizing a science class in Walnut Creek.
 
Date/Time: 8 Saturdays starting Sept 12, 10 AM-NOON
 
Location: Lindsay Wildlife Museum classroom, Walnut Creek
 
Topics: Invisible Forces and Energizing Everything curriculum from Mystery Science
 
For more info:  
MAGIC Update
It's a Small World

This year's MAGIC program is around the corner! Our theme will be It's a Small World. We will be leading an expedition into the world's biodiversity by traveling to countries that are home to different biomes - looking at how geography affects the way we live, while also finding similarities we all share.

We will explore the following countries: Australia (Desert); Suriname (Rain forest); Canada (Tundra); Angola (Savannah/Grasslands); Vietnam (Coastal); Greenland - part of Denmark (Polar).

Parent volunteers is how MAGIC is created each year. Please mark your calendars now to make MAGIC another incredible experience for our children. Without parent volunteers, this great program cannot happen!!

2015/2016 MAGIC Dates:
  • 9/8/15 - Introductory Parent Meeting - inside room 18 (after school)
  • 9/10/15 - Country groups meet at assigned classroom with teacher (after school)
  • 9/25/15 - MAGIC families/buddies meet
  • 10/8/15 - MAGIC classroom set-up (after school)
  • 10/9/15 - MAGIC #1
  • 10/16/15 - MAGIC #2
  • 10/23/15 - MAGIC #3
  • 10/30/15 - MAGIC #4
  • 11/6/15 - MAGIC #5
  • 11/13/15 - MAGIC #6
  • 11/17/15 - MAGIC Family Night
Join the fun!  Use the link below to sign up!  
PALS on the Web

PALS Calendar
The PALS calendar is available via Google calendar. It includes all school activities and PALS only activities. Visit the webpage to add it directly to your calendar:


Social Media
See upcoming events on Facebook and Twitter also.

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PALS Philosophy
 
PALS philosophy is grounded in the belief that children possess an innate desire to learn, and that teachers and parents can work together to effectively stimulate and support that desire.

Submissions to the PALS Email Bulletin

Please contact us if you wish to submit a PALS announcement for inclusion in this weekly email.


Submission Deadline - Sunday at 6PM for the following  Monday email. Send us your full text exactly as you want it to read.  Please include a subject heading and body text.  Please keep articles short (appx. 100 words or less).  Attachments cannot be included, but links can be provided to a document or website. Please provide the necessary link.  Articles are included for one bulletin. Please submit a new request and text for inclusion in the emails each week you wish to publish it.

All submissions will be sent by the Communications Chair to the Presidents and Principal for approval prior to distribution.

Submit articles and questions to: [email protected]

For class-specific announcements, please contact your Room Rep or Teacher
For whole school announcements, please contact [email protected]


Thank you for your cooperation.
The PALS Board
1920 Magnolia Way | Walnut Creek, California 94595 | 925-944-6858