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UPCOMING EVENTS
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12/6 - Open House
12/7 - First Friday,
Susan Paull
12/7 - Last Day of Coat
Drive
12/11 - Sibling Tea
12/11 - 3rd-5th Wine
Social with Percy
12/13 - 5th Parent Coffee
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Did you know that Gateway has a
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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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Percy's Blog -
A Conversation on Homework 
I am usually the one who insists on waiting to the last minute to buy a Christmas tree; maybe it's because I'm frugal and like to find the best deal, but I'd like to believe it's because my predisposition to create some temporal and emotional distance between the holidays. This year, however, I found myself walking the grounds of the Ward Farm on the Sunday after Thanksgiving with another 4th grade family, searching for a tree large enough to satisfy my children's fancy, yet small enough that I would be able to actually cut it down without embarrassing myself in front of them by having to ask for help from the 16-year old owners' son.
To read more click here.
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What's Happening this Month?
December is a busy time for all of us - and for our students, too! Did you know that the Kindergarteners are getting ready for Starlight Sing, 3rd graders are practicing for the Fiesta, and Middle School students have started working on their Science Fair projects?
Also, our Faculty and Administrative staff have been busy finalizing documents for our CAIS (California Association of Independent Schools) accreditation process. Did you know that Gateway School is the only K-8 school that is CAIS-accredited in Santa Cruz?
And don't miss the 3rd - 5th Wine Social - Gateway Parent Rachel Conable will be talking about her artistic design process!
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Open House-Thursday Dec. 6th, 9-11
If you have friends who are considering school options for their children for next school year, please invite them to attend our December Open House (tomorrow) December 6th. RSVP to Colleen at colleen.sullivan@gatewaysc.org.
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We're in the final countdown. Its DAY 92 and we're at 92% parent participation!
Can we make it to 100% in 100 Days?!
To-date 189 families have participated in the Campaign and if the remaining 15 families join in, we'll reach 100%!!
Encourage your fellow parents to make it happen! Lets see the parents join 100% of faculty and trustees who donate to our Annual Giving Campaign! We can do this!
100% Thanks to all! |
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Second Harvest Holiday Food Drive
As some of you may know, the 6th grade community service project is leading Gateway School's efforts to raise money (and pounds of food/meals) for families in need in Santa Cruz County through the Second Harvest Food Bank Holiday Food Drive. Last year Gateway School won the Grind Out Hunger award for most meals raised per capita with 8,945 pounds of food (11,927 meals). Our goal is to match last year's contribution!
The 6th graders weigh and calculate each class's contributions and keep track and will announce a "Golden Can Winner" to the classroom that raises the most for Grind Out Hunger.
In addition to this, last Friday the 6th graders hosted a Middle School movie night with a popcorn machine, bake/craft sale, and a prize drawing. This event raised 1,601 meals for Second Harvest! Congratulations to the following winners of the prize drawing!
Zoey Carmichael - $50 itunes gift certificate
Chris Drennen - 2nd Harvest Skate Deck
Hanna Fleming - Mission Hill creamery gift certificate
Jen Crosby - Mission Hill Creamery gift certificate
Jaiden Wolfman - Upper Crust gift certificate
Merle Froshman - Folger Girls-made earrings
Jeremy King - Folger Girls-made earrings
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"Will Swim For Food"
This year there is a new way to contribute to the Second Harvest Food Bank, continuing and broadening a GWS tradition. A group of hardy souls will swim around the Santa Cruz Wharf at 9 am on December 15, raising pledge money to contribute to the Food Bank. This event, called "Will Swim For Food" (WSFF), is the brainchild of Nick Alaga, and is now in its third year. It has grown from a few crazy swimmers to a substantial flock, though no less deranged than before. The first year raised $3200, and this year is on track to raise more than ten times that amount, enough for tens of thousands of meals.
Gateway School has of now one affiliated swimmer, Bruce Sawhill. Bruce is the partner of Nancy Hillis, the mother of Kimberly Pedersen in the 4th grade. Bruce swims for the Santa Cruz Masters, is an Adjunct Professor at UCSC, is chair of the Santa Cruz County Friends of the Rail&Trail, and has extensive open-water experience, including a solo swim across Lake Tahoe. To contribute to WSSF, visit their website at http://www.willswimforfood.com/index.php, Click the 'Sponsor' tab, and select 'Pledge a Swimmer'. You can then choose Bruce or any number of other swimmers, all the pledges go to the same good cause of eliminating hunger in Santa Cruz County. |
Student Council Community Service
Coat Drive & Bake Sale
Student Council Coat Drive ends this Friday December 7th.
Please bring in your new or gently used coats for children in need in Santa Cruz County.
NOTE: GATEWAY LOST & FOUND - please note that items will be out on the fence for pick up this week and any unclaimed Lost & Found items will be donated to the Coat Drive.
Bake Sale for Jacob's Heart on Friday, December 14th after school from 2:45 to 3:30. The Student Council is sponsoring the bake sale and student council classroom representatives will be providing food items that you can purchase. All of the food sold at the Bake Sale will be $1.00. Remember to bring your money so you can buy some yummy treats and support a great organization!
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After School Classes Session 2
Begins December 10th
Don't miss out on some great after school classes! The following classes have low enrollment and are in danger of being cancelled!
Chess (Tues) with chess master Gjon Feinstein!
Tai Chi For Children with Michelle Hayward (Mondays) and Circus Arts (Thurs) with stilt walker Rock Lerum.
Create fabulous fabulous dragons and unicorns out of recycled materials in the Mystical Creatures Crafts class (Wed.).
Make your own kinetic toys with Rosemary Breedlove in Wings, Wheels and Whirligigs (Mon). Tell your friends! Email kim@gatewaysc.org to sign up or see http://gatewaysc.org/pdf/Afterschool_classes/AEP.pdf
for the full brochure.
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ZERO Waste Lunch Challenge
Tuesday, December 11th
Gateway School is participating in a Zero Waste Lunch Challenge again this year, an event sponsored by the City of Santa Cruz on Tuesday, December 11th, 2012. All students are asked to bring lunches with zero waste ( items that can be eaten, packed in re-useable containers that can go home, recycled, or composted, and as few items as possible that must be thrown away in the trash).
We think it is important to teach our students resource conservation. By participating in the Zero Waste Lunch Challenge, our students become more aware of how they can reduce consumption, reduce waste at school, reduce the amount of garbage headed to the landfill, and prevent ocean pollution. Help us meet this challenge and continue to bring waste free lunches the rest of the year! |
Kindergarten Sibling Tea
Tuesday December 11th, 9-10 a.m.
Calling all little siblings who are entering kindergarten next year! Come have tea and cookies and get to know the other younger siblings who will be entering next year's kindergarten class. RSVP to Kristin at kristin.smith@gatewaysc.org.
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Clear Billing Accounts before Break
Be Sure to Clear Your Billing Account by Winter Break: In the paperwork that you signed to enroll your child for the 2012-2013 school year was an explanation of the need for parents to pay off their billing accounts in full by Winter Break. This requirement comes from policy set by the Gateway School Board of Trustees which states that no student may attend any Gateway School program when school reopens in January unless his or her account has been paid in full, up to date. Please pay careful attention to the billing statement dated November 30, 2012 that was mailed or emailed out to you yesterday. The total balance shown on that statement must arrive at the Main Office by December 31st at the latest. If we do not receive payment in full by this deadline, your child will not be cleared to resume attending Gateway School with his or her classmates on January 7th. Please contact Rima in the Business Office at x 308 if you have any questions.
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Dr. Yong Zhao - World Class Learners
Feb. 20, 2013, 7pm
Crocker Theater, Cabrillo College
Reserve your ticket now for the next in our series of community lectures as we welcome Dr. Yong Zhao to Santa Cruz on February 20, 2013. Dr. Zhao is currently a full professor and the Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education, College of Education at the University of Oregon. Dr. Zhao's current work focuses on designing 21st century schools in the context of globalization and the digital revolution.
We are very excited to be partnering with Cabrillo College, Mount Madonna School and York School to bring Dr. Zhao to Santa Cruz. Dr. Zhao will be presenting his latest book, World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students, where he proposes that the current measures of education quality through standardized testing are misleading and that the so-called high performing education systems do not actually produce the kind of creative and entrepreneurial talents we need.
Space is LIMITED. Click here to RSVP and reserve tickets.
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Tamale Sales to Support DC Trip
8th graders will be taking tamale orders before Winter Break (a fundraiser for their spring trip to Washington DC). Stay tuned for more information about how to order them and support the Class of 2013. Thank you.
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Parent Resources
Visit the Parent Resources page for information on upcoming workshops, articles and other great links.
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2013-14 Financial Aid
Financial Aid for the 2013-2014 School Year: Financial Aid application season is now open. Please click here to download the complete 2013-2014 financial aid packet which explains how to file an application through the FAST system (Financial Aid for School Tuition). This packet can also be downloaded from the Admissions page of the Gateway School website. When you are ready to file your FAST application, you will find a link to the FAST online application itself on that page of our website.
In order to apply for aid, you must file the online application through FAST and you must mail to FAST a copy of your complete 2012 tax returns. We recommend that parents start preparing now to get their 2012 taxes done as early as possible during the month of February 2013. The deadline for completing your FAST application is February 15th and the deadline (postmark date) for mailing your tax return to FAST is February 25th. 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 (but linked) FAST application and each parent must submit a copy of his or her complete 2012 tax returns to FAST. Please contact Rima in the Business Office at x 308 if you have any questions.
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