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REMINDERS
11/16 - Middle School
Info Night 6:30pm
11/21-25 - NO SCHOOL
Thanksgiving Break
11/28 - AEP Session 2
Begins
11/29 - EAP Meeting
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Welcome to the Gateway Family News. Please be sure to click on the Confirm button at the very top of this email button. Doing this helps to avoid spam filters on your end.
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REMINDER:
Gateway Middle School
Information Night TONIGHT, 6:30pm
Take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity to look forward to the middle school years. Curriculum presentations from faculty, alumni panel discussion, performance by Glee Club elective class. Come find out why Gateway's Middle School program is so exemplary.
Bring a friend...win an iPad!
Any Gateway parent who brings a non-Gateway 4th-6th grade parent to this Info Night will be entered in the iPad drawing. (You must attend with your friend to be entered).
Childcare is available. Check with the Main Office ASAP if you did not already sign up.
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Percy's Blog - Giving Thanks
Dear Parents,
For the past two years, Gateway School has been recognized by the Second Harvest Food Bank for raising more food per capita than any other elementary school in the county. This is quite a distinction and an incredible display of generosity and service by our students. It would not be unheard of for the students' interest in the food drive to wane over the years, but that hasn't been the case. In fact, they seem to invest new energy, enthusiasm and meaning in each year's drive. Unfortunately, the need for their help grows each year as well. Second Harvest Reports that the number of people served throughout the Central Coast has increased by 58% since 2006 - over 50,000 people each month, including some 22,000 children. Click here to read more. |
NO SCHOOL -
Mon. 11/21 and Tues. 11/22 (Teacher In-Service Days)
We will be offering all day care (starting at 7:30 and ending at 5:30) on the 21st (Monday) and 22nd (Tuesday). Please sign up in the Main Office if you are interested.
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Lost and Found
Please come retrieve your items from the Lost & Found bin. Lost and found items will be out on the fence this Friday (weather-permitting). All items left after next week will be donated. Thank you!
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Annual Giving Update
Thank you to those who have contributed so far to this year's Annual Giving Campaign. Overall parent participation is at 76%! Kindergarten 83% 1st grade 86% 2nd grade 87% 3rd grade 69% 4th grade 83% 5th grade 74% 6th grade 65% 7th grade 67% 8th grade 90% We have some exciting news we want to share with you about a special Challenge donation we've just received for our Annual Giving Campaign. An anonymous donor has offered a $5,000 challenge grant (as an incentive) to encourage current parents to increase their Annual Giving gift from last year; the donor will match the incremental difference between last year's gift and this year's gift. For example, if a parent gave $250 last year and they give $300 this year, that additional $50 will be matched 1:1. Together we could raise $10,000 additional dollars for our school!Please get your pledges in this week before the Thanksgiving Break. Click here to donate online.Thank you for helping us reach our goal of 100% parent participation! |
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Gateway Gear and Snack Sales -
Fridays after school
Friday Snack Sales: As a fundraiser for this year's 8th grade class trip to Washington DC, 8th graders will be selling healthy snacks from 2:30-3:15 on the blacktop on Fridays in November. Snacks are $2.00 each
11/18 - pizza
Thank you in advance for helping support the 8th graders' trip to Washington D.C.!
Gateway Gear: Just in time for the colder weather, the new official Gateway Gear has arrived!
$20 Kids hooded pull-over sweatshirts, $30 Adult zip sweatshirts, $10 T-shirts and warm $10 Beanies in a variety of colors and sizes.
Get the latest school spirit fashion while supplies last! All proceeds go directly to the GPA. On display (for sale) Friday afternoons on the playground from 2:15pm to 3:15pm - weather permitting. |
Gateway Dads Group2nd Annual Turkey Bowl!
Sunday Nov. 20th, 11:00am, Derby Park
Are you ready for some football and to burn off a few calories? Come join us for the second year of Thanksgiving football game involving Gateway's flag football teams, alumni and Dads (moms are encourage to play too)!! Last year the Sharks beat the Gray Whales by two points. All parents and Gateway alumni are welcome to play. Kick-off is at 11:00 am at Derby Park on Sunday, November 20th. Arrive early enough for warm-ups, stretching, and to arrange teams. RSVPs are appreciated, kurt.almendras@gatewaysc.org.
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Second Harvest Food Bank
Holiday Food Drive - begins 11/28 At Gateway School, the middle school students complete 25 hours of community service per year, beginning in 6th grade as a group project. Each year the 6th grade students organize and run their class service-learning project, working with the Santa Cruz County Second Harvest Food Bank.
Last year our school raised nearly 7,000 pounds of food for families in need! Our goal this year is to match last year's contribution. The food drive will run from Nov. 28th - Dec. 20th. Our students learn the value of contributing to their community and cooperating with others. One dollar provides three pounds of food, and cans with protein are valued most. Over 2.8 million people in the state do not have reliable access to enough food, meaning that more than one in three state residents is on the verge of need at any given time. The Santa Cruz county food bank serves over 55,000 clients per month. Your support of this service-learning project is appreciated both by the 6th graders and the greater Santa Cruz community. Thank you and GO GATEWAY - let's win the Grind Out Hunger award for the 3rd year in a row!!
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Student Council Coat Drive
Thanks to all of you who have contributed a coat(s) to the Student Council Coat Drive. We will continue collecting coats until December 2nd.
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After School Enrichment Program Session 2 - Nov. 28th
Sign up now for Session 2 of After School Classes. Session 2 is 12 sessions - beginning the week of Nov. 28 - ending the week of Feb. 14. Click here for the brochure and to register.
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EAP Meeting Nov. 29th
Gateway School's Environmental Advisory Panel meeting will be held Tuesday November 29th, 3:30-5:00, in the library.
Seasonal snacks are always served!
Last year we began our Green School's Certification process and are well on our way to completion!
Come to the Nov. 29th meeting to hear what it means to be a green school , give input, and add ideas as we continue our current focus on creating a food policy and waste reduction.
Please contact Caprice at 479-4769 or caprice@cruzio.com with any questions and to get on our email list.
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Bake Sale for Smile Train - Thank Yous
The Student Council had a successful bake sale last Wednesday and raised $265 for The Smile Train, an organization that helps children around the world with cleft palates. Thank you to our Student Council officers for their help and donations: Colby, Jason, Maisie, Jasper and Ben. And thank you to all the student representatives who brought in baked goods: Kosi, Mabel, Sam, Liam, Jenny, Truth, Chloe, Jasmin, Ian, Hannah, Billy, Bianca, Chris, Jo, and Carly. (Please let Ana and Merle know if they forgot anyone). Finally to the school community, a big thanks for coming and buying the baked goods.
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Head of School Book Club
January 18, 2012, 7:00pm The Whole-Brain Child, by Dr. Dan Siegel
Get ready for the January book club meeting and start reading before the holidays! You can purchase this book club book at Bookshop Santa Cruz downtown (tell them you are in the Gateway School Book Club to get the 10% discount) or purchase it online through the link below and Gateway will receive a portion of the purchase price.
The Whole-Brain Child
http://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/aff/gatewaysc/book/v/9780553807912
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Dr. Dan Siegel presents
"The Whole-Brain Child" Feb. 22, 2012, 7pm at Cabrillo College
Click this link http://www.gatewaysc.org/pdf/Siegelflier.pdf for a flier on this very special evening. Please promote this event to your friends and colleagues so we fill the Crocker Theater (over 500 seats).
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BUSINESS OFFICE REMINDERS
Semi-Annual Tuition Payments Due This Month: If you chose to pay your child's 2011-2012 tuition on the Semi-Annual payment plan, your second Semi-Annual payment is due by the close of business (5:00 pm) on Thursday, November 30th. We recommend that families start making arrangements for their Semi-Annual payments now so that the required funds are sure to be available by November 30th. The charge for this tuition installment appears on the 10/31/11 billing statement that was sent to you at the beginning of November. Your Semi-Annual tuition installment must be paid in cash or by check. No late fees will accrue on this tuition charge as long as your payment arrives in the Main Office by 5:00 p.m. on November 30th. If, however, your payment arrives after this deadline, a late charge of $20 will immediately accrue to your account and your child's enrollment in the School for the remainder of the 2011-2012 school year may be jeopardized. Please contact Rima in the Business Office at x 308 if you have any questions. Financial Aid for the 2012-2013 School Year: Financial Aid application season will open right after Thanksgiving break. Starting November 28th, you will find updated information on our website that will explain the application process. Instead of using the SSS system to process financial aid applications, as we have for the last several years, we are now using the FAST (Financial Aid for School Tuition) system. We believe this will provide an easier and less time-consuming application process for parents. Our website will be able to link you to the FAST online application starting November 28th. In order to apply for aid, you must file an online application through FAST and you must mail to FAST a copy of your complete 2011 tax returns. We recommend that parents start preparing now to get their 2011 taxes done as early as possible during the month of February 2012. The deadline for completing your FAST application is February 15th and the deadline (postmark date) for mailing your tax return to FAST is February 24th. As long as you meet these deadlines, your application will be considered for the first round of financial aid awards (the round in which the bulk of our financial aid budget is awarded). If you are divorced, separated or never married, please be aware that each parent must file a separate FAST application and each parent must submit a copy of his or her complete 2011 tax returns to FAST. Please contact Rima in the Business Office at x 308 if you have any questions. |
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Parent Resources
Film Screening of "American Teacher"
Saturday Nov. 19th at 10:45 am, Nickelodeon Theater.
An amazing documentary film project that focuses on teachers and how very important they are to our children and society as a whole. The film is called "American Teacher" and was released in limited theaters in September. Thanks to the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and The New Teacher Center the film will be screening on November 19, 2011 at 10:45 at the Nickelodeon Theater.
To reserve your (free) tickets, click here.
For more information about the film, visit
Parent Education Network Speaker Series 2011-2012
Award Winning Film Screening
READ ME DIFFERENTLY:
Understanding learning disabilities in family life
including Q&A with filmmaker Sarah Entine
Thursday, November 17, 2011
7 pm - 9 pm
Location: Our Lady of Mercy School, Daly City
For more information, please visit the PEN website at www.parentseducationnetwork.org. |
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Like us on Facebook!
Thanks to those of you who have recently done this. We invite all parents to "Like" us on Facebook to get news updates, photos and fun school info! www.facebook.com/GatewaySchoolSantaCruz
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