Paly Link

A PTSA publication
Sunday, August 30, 2015
tower building drawing

The Paly Link is distributed on Sundays, except during school breaks and holidays.  Changes will be highlighted as New/Updated/Corrected.  To submit an article, see Submissions Guidelines.
Calendar
2 weeks
8/31-9/13
College Visits (C&CC) New 
ThursdaySept. 3Back to School Night, 6:30-9:00, Quad and Classrooms
FridaySept. 4Paly-Only Minimum Day, 12:30pm dismissal
Saturday
Sept. 5
Last Day for PiE Challenge Grant Donations (PiE) Date Correction
MondaySept. 7Labor Day Holiday, no school
TuesdaySept. 8Friends of Paly Choirs Meeting, 7:30pm, Library (Paly) 
ThursdaySept. 10Paly Fiery Booster Arts Meeting, 6-7pm, Art room 105 (Paly) 
FridaySept. 11
Senior Parent Network Mtg, 8:30am, Park residence (PTSA) New
Friday
Sept. 11
Juniors Parent Network Mtg, 8:30am, Kathy Jordan's home (PTSA) New
TuesdaySept. 22Yearbook Senior Portrait Free Sessions (Paly) 
Tuesday
Sept 29Yearbook Senior Portrait Free Sessions (Paly)
Thurs-FriSept 25-263rd Annual Fiery Arts Fall Glass Sale, in front of Tower Bldg (Paly)


Partners in Education (PiE)PiE
PiE logo
Join us! Together we strengthen our schools.
Deadline for matching donations: Sept. 5
PiE is launching its 2015-2016 fundraising campaign for PAUSD schools, and we need the support of our whole community. PiE funds over 250 caring adults at all PAUSD schools - including elementary, middle and high schools. From classroom aides, to elective class teachers, to caring counselors and mentors, PiE funded staff make a difference for our kids everyday.

Right now, we have a Back-To-School Challenge Grant of $500,000. Every dollar donated to PiE between now and September 5 will be matched (up to $500K). Please donate today!
Click here to donate online!
Principal's Message 
Dear Parents,

We have an exciting week ahead!  

On Tuesdays, our school day ends at 2:55 pm following tutorial.  We'll be sending out an email beforehand with additional information and materials as we work on improving tutorial for everyone's benefit.  

We can't wait for you to meet our teachers at Back-to-School Night on Thursday, September 3rd! Parking will be a challenge, so please be sure to give yourselves plenty of time to arrive. Carpooling, biking and/or walking is highly encouraged.  The schedule for the evening and a campus map can be found on our homepage.  If you haven't turned in your back-to-school packet, Thursday night would be a great time to drop it off.  

Friday, September 4th is a minimum day with a special schedule.  Dismissal is at 12:20 pm and students will not meet with their 1st or 7th period classes.  While we understand everyone wants to get a jump start on their labor day weekend plans, we ask that your student attend school on this day so they do not miss any important information.  We want ALL of our students to be fully aware of what to do in case of an emergency (which we will practice in conjunction with the Palo Alto Police Department), as well as have an opportunity to discuss/ask questions about our Academic Integrity policy, bullying/sexual harassment policies, and additional student handbook policies and procedures.  Our teachers value the importance of these topics and have given up instructional time to better connect and get to know their students on this special day.  We appreciate your partnering with us in this effort as we work together to create a safe and welcoming school.  

We hope you had an enjoyable weekend and are ready for week #3!  We're off to a great start.  

With Viking Pride,

Kim Diorio
Principal
PTSA and PTA AnnouncementsPTSA
Paly PTSA Needs You! Check out these open positions
PTSA still has some open slots, and most important open position is that of Auditor, so we can continue to provide services to Palo Alto HS students, teachers, parents, and community.  Grab a friend and co-lead an event or job! 
Open Positions:
Auditor--audit the finances of PTSA twice a year
PTA Council Rep 2 (to join Susan Usman, PTA Council Rep 1)
Traffic Safety Co-Chair (share with Judd Volino)
Monthly Latte Cart (Latter Cart already reserved for set dates, list of volunteers available)
Staff Holiday Luncheon Coordinator --December (2 positions open)
Food for Thought-Evening Coordinator (food for students during finals study week)
Field Day Co-Chair (share with Faezeh Ghaffari)
Questions on the position, time commitment? Ask Linda van Gelder, PTSA President (lindavang@sbcglobal.net, (650) 813-0135 or Chris Chang (cycampen@gmail.com, (650) 326-6916)

Class of 2017 (Juniors) Parent Network  New
Friday, Sept. 11, 8:30-10 am, home of Kathy Jordan, 114 Walter Hays Dr.
Our guidance counselor, Selene Singares will go over a typical testing schedule during junior year that a junior year student might undertake.
Class of 2016 (Seniors) Parent Network Meeting New
Fri.,  Sept. 11, 8:30 - 10:00am, Park residence 420 Guinda St. Palo Alto
Welcome parents/guardains of the Class of 2016!  At our first meeting of the year, we will be talking about "Kicking off Senior Year".  Please join us.

Parent Networks For Paly Parents & Guardians - Join TODAY!  
What are Parent Networks? 
Parent Networks are informal gatherings for parents and guardians from each grade level to get acquainted, share parenting ideas about high schoolers, get information on navigating Paly and the college process. These meetings occur monthly, by grade level. They are often held in parents' homes or, in some cases, at the school. We encourage all parents and guardians of current Paly students to join.
How can I get information about Parent Network meetings?
Each class creates a schedule of meetings and publicizes these dates in the Paly eNews -"PalyLink".  Make sure you sign up for this valuable source of information (www.tinyurl.com/palylinksignup).  Also, make sure you sign up for your grade-specific Yahoo group.
Below is the list of Paly Parent Network Coordinators for the 2015-16 school year. Please contact the coordinators for your child's grade directly for information on how to join that grade's Parent Network YahooGroup.
Additional information on the Paly Parent Networks is available on the Paly website at http://palyptsa.paloaltopta.org/what-are-parent-networks/  
 
Paly ItemsPaly
paly viking ship logo

Interested in serving on the 2015-2017 Paly Site Council?
NOW IS THE TIME to  step up and submit your name! Don't delay!
The Paly Site Council is still seeking candidates for TWO parent representatives to the Paly School Site Council. The Council meets on Monday afternoons, once a month. Please see the website for details: http://www.paly.net/site-council. Those elected will serve from September 2015 to June 2017.  Please consider submitting your name as a candidate!  Feel free to ask questions of former parent reps: Jonake Bose or Jill Bicknell (experienced former site council reps).

Site Council Eligibility:
All parents and guardians of Paly students are eligible, with the exception of PAUSD employees who are not eligible to serve as parent representatives at the school at which they work. Candidates must have a student at Paly throughout their term of office.  Please submit your nominations to Ms. Benfield at cbenfield@pausd.org.

Back-to-School Packets  Update
We are still collecting Back-to-School forms & checks. Envelopes can be dropped off in the Admin Office (Tower Building) or mailed to the school.

Paly Sports Booster Passes good for all Paly home games! 
See http://paly.net/boosters/sports-boosters for more information.  Purchase before September 4th to get reduced rates!  Students, $25, Single $35, Family $50; Seniors $15!

Friends of Paly Choirs Meeting
Tues, Sept. 8, 7:30-8:30pm, Library
The Friends of Paly Choirs provides financial and volunteer support to Paly's many choirs and is open to parents of all choir members.  Join us to hear about the amazing year the choir directors have planned and learn how you can get involved.  We look forward to seeing you there! Questions? Please contact Carlene Kemmerer. 

Paly Fiery Arts Booster Meeting
Thur, Sept. 10, 6-7 pm, Art room 105, near Haymarket Theatre
Join us to learn about the amazing Paly Fiery Arts Glass studio and Sculpture program. Help support the upcoming Fall Sale Sept. 25-26. This is the first Booster and board meeting of the school year. Everyone is welcome.  Contact Nancy Kawakita, Booster Chair at PalyFieryArts@gmail.com for more information or Steve Ferrera, Art Instructor sferrera@pausd.org.

Yearbook Senior Portrait Free Sessions
Tues, Sept. 22 & 29, during Tutorial, TWO SESSIONS ONLY 
Seniors must use Paly approved photographer for Yearbook pictures. Flyers in the Main Office listing options. ALL Yearbook photos are DUE October 15, 2015. Questions contact bwilson@pausd.org
 
Fiery Arts Glass Workshops at Palo Alto High School 
Sat & Sun, Sept. 12-13, Oct. 10-11, Nov. 14-15, or Dec. 12-13, 9-3 pm at Paly's Glass Studio
Yes, we have a glass studio at Paly.  These workshops are open to the public, students and parents. Here's your chance to learn to blow glass at Paly. Workshops do fill up, so, do not hesitate, sign up for a date. The 2 day weekend workshop will focus on beginning glass blowing techniques. It's an incredible, fun, hands-on experience.  Repeating  students progress from their last session.  Advanced Sign up required. Class limit is 4. Teens and adults.  $375 per person. Proceeds benefit the Palo Alto High School Fiery Arts. Workshop flyer
To sign up, contact: David Camner, founder of Paly Glass, dcamner@pausd.org 

3rd Annual Fiery Arts Fall Glass Sale at Palo Alto High School 
Fri, Sept. 25, 3-6pm and Sat, Sept. 26, 11am-4pm, in front of the Tower Bldg. 
Come see exquisite new glass designs hand-blown by instructors, alumni and students.  Over 1000 unique glass pieces - pumpkins, pears, seashells, elephants, acorns, vases and more on sale to benefit Paly's Fiery Arts program. Come learn about the craft with live glass blowing demonstrations. Fall Sale flyer.  For more information contact PalyFieryArts@gmail.com, facebook.com/PalyFieryArts or http://tinyurl.com/PaloAltoHighGlass

Support Paly Athletics! New
Friday, October 2nd (golf tournament) 
Tee off with the Paly Sports Boosters!  Mark your calendars to join us for "The Earl Hansen" Golf Tournament Fundraiser, on Friday, October 2nd.  Several contests will provide ample opportunity for glory and prizes.  $200/per player, $1000 for a foursome (with sponsorship) and/or $250 for hole sponsorship.  The Paly Sports Boosters is charged with raising the necessary funds to ensure Paly's competitiveness on the field, on the court and in the pool.  Come have fun and help us raise some money!  Register Now!  https://palysportsboostersgolftourneyfundraiser2015.eventbrite.com
College & Career Center CCC
 
Keep up-to-date with Paly College and Career Center news and events by "liking" us on Facebook. The C&CC holds an open-house after each parent night in the Fall. There is also a wealth of information in Naviance and on the C&CC page.

Nursing Career Night for High School Students New
Stanford Health Care is sponsoring a Nursing Career Night for high school students on Wed., Sept. 23 from 6-8 pm at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in the Main Auditorium.  Come explore the different nursing career opportunities: 
  • Emergency/trauma nursing
  • Nursing informatics
  • Clinical nurses
  • Clinical nurse specialists
  • Nurse practitioners
College Rep Visits
Students must have their teacher's permission one day in advance if missing class. Pick up a form in the C&CC, or download it.  Bring the signed form the day of the visit to ensure the absence from class is cleared and marked as an activity rather than a truancy.  College visits scheduled for the next two weeks are listed below.  For a full list of all visits through Spring, login to Naviance using your user ID and password or login as a Guest with no password.  Click on the "Colleges" tab then click "view all upcoming college visits" within the "my colleges" section.
Due to increased student attendance and limited space in the College Center, we are no longer able to permit parents to attend college representative visits, please click to read more information about this policy.

On-Campus Visits:
Muhlenberg College, 9/2/15 9:00 a.m.
Colgate University, 9/2/15 2:45 p.m.
Carnegie Mellon University, 9/9/15 10:45 a.m.
Clark University, 9/10/15 8:15 a.m.
College of Charleston, 9/10/15, 10:00 a.m.
Washington University in St. Louis, 9/11/15, 8:15 am
 
Off-Campus Visits:
Carnegie Mellon University, 9/8/15, 7:30 p.m. Marriott San Jose
Carnegie Mellon University, 9/9/15, 7:30 p.m. Marriott San Jose
Washington University in St. Louis, 9/13/15, 2:00 p.m. San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport
Community ServiceCommSvc
Community Service Verification Forms  New
Deadline: Fri, Sept. 4, 12 noon, Paly Registrar (Ms. Brown)
Students should bring all first semester community service verification forms to Paly registrar Ms. Brown in the Guidance office by 12:00 noon on Friday, September 4th (minimum day). If forms were previously turned in to the Career Center, they will be processed along with the rest of this semester's applications. Forms and instructions can be found at http://Paly.net/service.

The Ohlone Harvest Festival Needs Volunteers!  New
Sat, Sept. 19, noon-4pm, Ohlone Elementary School, 950 Amarillo Ave.
Paly students - earn community service hours by volunteering at The Ohlone Elementary School Harvest Festival! It's a fun day of games, food & music, and a fundraiser for the Ohlone Farm, our outdoor classroom. We need support from noon to 4pm on Saturday, September 19.
Please contact: Leena at leena8540@gmail.com

Community 
Buddies4Math: Help 2nd-5th Graders with Math, Earn Community Svc Hours  New
Most Fridays from 4:05-5:55pm, 1st semester tutoring Sep 11-Dec 4 at Castro Elementary, 505 Escuela Ave., Mountain View
Buddies4Math is a great opportunity to help elementary school students who struggle with math while earning community service hours and working with friends. The program has had incredible quantifiable (STAR test) results, due in part to the work of Paly student volunteers. Volunteering for all sessions throughout the year is roughly equivalent to half the requirements for the President's Volunteer Service Award. Buddies4Math seeks Paly students interesting in tutoring and also those willing to take on leadership positions in the program under the mentorship of current student leaders. Contact buddies4math@gmail.com or visit buddies4math.org for additional information.

Westly Foundation Prize for Young Innovators Solving Community Problems  New
Applications due 9/15
The Westly Foundation is offering $20,000 prizes to innovators under age 29 with novel solutions to community problems. Applications are due on September 15 for the Westly Prize for Young Innovators of California.  The Prize rewards committed and creative doers making the world a better place.  Innovations must be prototyped, and can be non-profit or for-profit with a strong social purpose. High school students are eligible to win! Learn more and apply at www.westly.org/westly-prize.

Volunteering Opportunity at Foundation for a College Education's STEAM Middle School Program New
Tuesdays and/or Thursdays 3:30 - 6:00 PM, September 2015 - June 2016
Foundation for a College Education: 2160 Euclid Ave, East Palo Alto
STEAM is looking for Volunteer Tutors to work with middle school students from East Palo Alto on homework assignments and enrichment projects. We hope that volunteers will serve as role models and encourage students to attend college. This a great opportunity to build your network, serve your community, and positively affect the learning experiences of our middle school students. Please contact  clangston@collegefoundation.org for more information or to sign up!

Green Fest Expo by Project Enybody
Sun, Aug. 30, 2-5 pm , Mitchell Park Community Center 
Learn from interactive activities and experts the simple ways your family can be more green in a typical day, from greener recipes to digitized carpooling to Palo Alto's water cycle and restriction. Enjoy live music, eat free ice cream and race through the scavenger hunt and relay to win amazing prizes. www.enybody.org

Leadership Fellows
Wed, Sept.2-Dec.2, 5:30-6:30pm, Mitchell Park Community Center
Join YCS Leadership Fellows and become leaders through service with our afterschool program for high school students. Students will lead community events, research community needs, and respond with a service project that they create together. This is a great opportunity to meet people who share a passion for community involvement, have a positive impact, and make your voice heard while having an awesome time!
Cost: $125, scholarships are available.  Contact Ashley, ashley@youthcommunityservice.org, or go to YCS website to sign up.

Matemagos Math Tutoring in Spanish: Help Kinder-1st Graders with Math, Gain Valuable Experience Volunteering
Thurs, Sep. 10-Nov.12, 3:30-4:30pm, Escondido Elementary, Palo Alto
Tutor Orientation Sept. 3
Matemagos provides a great opportunity to work with Kinder and First Grade Spanish Immersion students in math through fun and engaging games. Tutors gain valuable experience through service while using their Spanish language skills and giving back to the community. Contact matemagos.tutor@gmail.com for details.

Community Service Opportunity: Coastal Clean Up Day
Sat, Sept. 19, 9 am-noon, Baylands (Matadero or Adobe Creek)
The City of Palo Alto is hosting two Coastal Clean Up sites to clean up litter in the Baylands. Please go to www.cleanacreek.org to sign up and be sure to bring your waivers.Three hours of community service will be available.

Calling all teens!  Rock your entrepreneurial spirit and join DesignFarm! New
Wed or Thurs , Sept. 23 - Dec. 17, after school, Mitchell Park Community Center
Ever wonder how people come up with great ideas? We'll show you how using the design thinking process!  Do you have an idea but are feeling overwhelmed about how to move it forward? Connect with mentors to move your idea forward. In our program, we don't want to talk about design thinking, we do it!  Harness you natural creativity to define why and when, and our mentors will show you how and when to make it real. Whether it's a widget, a social problem, or something for your own personal development.
Join us this fall. For more information and registration visit www.thedfarm.org or email info@thedfarm.org

Stanford Sleep Study
Ongoing
We are currently conducting a study to help teens (14-18) go to bed earlier and wake up earlier.  The treatment involves use of a light device that is placed by the child's bedside and flashes periodically throughout the night. Teens also meet for four sessions with a licensed psychologist at Stanford University to learn about sleep and strategies to improve sleep. The paid study requires completing a sleep diary daily for five weeks. Please contact the Zeitzer Laboratory at teensleep@stanford.eduor (650) 725-7767.

Summing Up Europe - London & Paris during Spring Break, 2016 
Tour Leader:  Deanna Chute, Paly Math Teacher
This is a unique, mathematically-themed, international travel opportunity for high school students. We will spend three days in London, including daytrips to Bletchley Park and Hampton Court Palace.  Then, after taking the Eurostar across the channel, we sill spend three days in Paris, including an excursion to Chartres and the Loire Valley.
Students will see and appreciate mathematics beyond textbooks. Math is everywhere; it is a human endeavor shared by all cultures. Your child will step outside the classroom and engage with the mathematical world firsthand, appreciating its history, experiencing its beauty and seeing its connection to a variety of fields of study.  In addition, this incredible opportunity will help your child navigate new situations with a broader global perspective, build self-confidence and give them a life changing experience. More information at: http://www.eftours.com/tour-website/1668162NK
or send an email to:  summingupeurope@gmail.com 
 
Innovate! Entrepreneurship Course for Teens
Interested in knowing what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur but don't want to deal with the risks and time commitment of starting your own business? Through Innovate!, you will be paired with an up-and-coming start-up and act as a market research intern. Every week, you will attend a two-hour class where you will learn about basic business concepts and give progress updates to the start-up you are assigned.  If you are interested in participating in this class, please sign up soon. There are nine spots available. The course starts August 27 and ends October 22. Meetings will be at the Mitchell Park Community Center every Thursday from 6-8pm. Sign up at http://goo.gl/forms/9Xp0JC6G0y
About the Paly LinkaboutPalyLink

The Paly Link is a Paly PTSA publication, emailed on Sundays, except during school breaks and holidays. Changes will be highlighted as New/Updated/Corrected.


 

Deadline for submittals: noon on Saturday, the day before publication. Flyers must be submitted by noon on Thursday. Items run no earlier than 3 weeks before the event.

To submit an item, send to palylink@paloaltopta.org.  See submission instructions here. Include a header or title line, then a line listing the date, time and location of the event. Follow with a brief (2-4 sentence) description of the activity, with the most important information first.  List email, contact information and web links last.  Items are published at the discretion of the editors. 

--Shuchi Grover and Carlene Kemmerer, Paly Link Editors
--Bala Aiyar, Paly Link List Manager and Gordon Craig, Paly Link Webmaster 
Click Here to sign up a new email address to receive the Link. Click on the "Update Profile/Email Address" link below to update an existing address.

Paly Link on the Web, Paly PTSA Web Site,
Paly Web Site, Paly Sports,

Palo Alto PTA Council Web Site,  Parent Education Events,
Community Service, Community Sports  
Join Our Mailing List