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Featured Letter
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From John Loeser, Head of School 
Celebrating 50 Years!
Every independent school across the country started with a dream of a visionary. Every thriving school has a history of committed individuals who moved the initial dream forward to create a financially strong, programmatically unique, and mission-driven learning institution. Redwood Day School is one of these thriving independent schools, flush with countless stories that speak to the strength of community and of our history... read more
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Calendar Highlights
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Please check the calendar regularly for updates throughout the year (can't remember your RDS password? You can go here to request a new password) or, better yet, subscribe to the RDS calendar to get updates automatically via RSS or Atom Feed, get calendar reminder emails, or download an iCal file to sync with your personal calendar system
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| 12 | Faculty In-Service - No School; X-Care Open | | 15 | Middle School Welcome Potluck; 6:00 p.m. in the Back-40 | | 17 | RDSPGA Fun Run/Walk Event; 8:00 a.m. at Lake Merritt, Oakland | | 19 | Middle School Art & Music Night; 5:00 p.m. | | 20 | Board of Trustees meeting; 6:15 p.m. in the Library | | 21 | Assembly: Student Showcase; 10:10 a.m. in the MS Gym | | 22 | RDS Town Hall meeting; 7:00 p.m. in the MS Gym | | 26 | Memorial Day - School and X-Care Closed | | 29 | Middle School Athletics Banquet; 5:30 in the MS Gym | | 30 | Goodbye Assembly: 10:10 a.m. in the MS Gym | | June |
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| 5-6 | Middle School Finals | | 5 | Board of Trustees Hail & Farewell Event | | 6 | RDS MS Dance and Fun Night; 7:00 p.m. | | 9 | Last Day of Kid Chow | | 9 | Thank You Breakfast/Assembly; begins at 8:45 a.m. | | 10 | Last Day of Classes | | 11 | Step-Up Ceremony; 11:00 a.m. at Kofman Auditorium | | 11 | 8th Grade Graduation; 4:00 p.m. in the MS Gym |
Important Calendar Dates for 2014-15 Please click HERE to see a list of important dates for the upcoming 2014-15 school year.
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Support RDS
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Redwood Day School is a non profit organization that relies on the generosity of its community to support our mission. To find out more about how you can support RDS, please visit our webpages.
 RDS Annual Fund Update Art & Music Night, Student Showcase, Fun/Run, Field trips, Volleyball, Track & Field, Ultimate Frisbee, Step-Up, Graduation, and summer vacation. Yes, we are all very, very busy in the next few weeks. While you have time now, before it really starts getting crazy, take a moment and pay your pledge now. Although your payment is not due till June 30, 2014, your gift today goes to work immediately. Why wait? Visit us HERE to pay by credit card OR contact your super friendly Advancement Office to find out more about stock transfers. Back to top |
Action Items
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 RDS Town Hall Meeting, May 22
You are invited to attend Redwood Day School's 2014 Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, May 22, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the RDS Gymnasium. At the meeting, John Loeser, will share academic, social/emotional, and institutional program growth from the past year, as well as our exciting plans for the future.
John will then be joined by a panel consisting of Cheryl Ting, Assistant Head of School for Academics; Kelly Nelson, Lower School Director; and Jim Rendle, Middle School Director. Please click HERE to read more about this important event and to register. If you would like to submit a question to the panel in advance of the event, you can do so on the registration page.
Limited childcare is available for school-aged children with registration. Doors will close at 7:30.
Pizza Friday Volunteers Needed for May 16
Volunteers are needed to serve pizza on May 16 until the end of this school year. You would need to arrive at 11:40 a.m. and you will finish no later than 12:30 p.m. It's a great way to sneak-a-peek at your kids AND get a free slice of pizza! Pizza Friday volunteers are needed for the remaining Friday's of the school year. Please call or email Jill with your availability to volunteer for any of the remaining Friday's.
Library Books Due 5/21
All student and family library materials are due Wednesday, 5/21. Our checkout system will send an automatic e-mail if something is overdue. Please email Liz Price Patel with any questions.
Summer Math Camps Available!
Our very own Erika Lagrisola (4th grade teacher) and Kenny Lim (5th grade teacher) are pleased to announce that we have some exciting math fun coming this summer for boys and girls! Our girls' summer math camp was so successful last year that we decided to hold it again. There was also a lot of interest expressed in having a boys' math camp, so we have decided to pilot a one-week session.
GIRLS: incoming 4th, 5th, and 6th grades
We will hold two one-week sessions. The first session, July 28th - August 1st will focus on math challenge/extension for girls entering 4th and 5th grades in the fall of 2014. The second session, August 4th - 8th, will focus on math review for girls entering 5th and 6th grades in the fall of 2014. The sessions will go from 8:30 - 12:00 each day, and snack will be provided. Click HERE to download the flyer. Click HERE to download a registration form.
BOYS: incoming 4th and 5th grades
We are excited to pilot a one-week boys session this year from August 4th - 8th for boys entering 4th and 5th grades in the fall of 2014. This will be an opportunity for boys to explore math through games, algebra, and projects. The sessions will go from 12:30 - 4:00 each day, and snack will be provided. Click HERE to download a flyer. Click HERE to download a registration form.
The cost of each program is $225 for a one-week session. A very limited amount of financial assistance is available to qualifying families. Please email Katrina Lappin for details. Registration forms are also available in the Gallery by the Front Office. Please email Erika and Kenny if you have any questions about the program.
Lost & Found
The Lost & Found is once again bursting with jackets, hoodies, sweaters, lunchboxes, boots, shoes, hats, water bottles, etc. Please stop by to collect any items that you may be missing. Unclaimed items will be cleared out and donated on Friday, May 23 (the Friday before Memorial Day). The Lost & Found is located on the 1st floor of the Lower School near the elevator.
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News & Notes
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Final Student Showcase of the Year 
May 21 will be our last Student Showcase where all grades can participate to show their talent. We will hold auditions on:
Days 1 & 4 in the LS music Room
- Kindergarten (9:30-9:45): May 1, 6, 9 & 15
- Grades 1-5 (9:50-10:10): May 1, 6, 9 & 15
Middle School in the MS music Room
- Lunch time: 11:53-12:30, May 13, 15, & 16
Step-Up Reminder, June 11
Step-Up will be at Kofman Auditorium in Alameda. The time for this event is from 11:00 a.m.- noon. The doors will open at 10:45 a.m. Following Step-Up, there will be an all school family picnic at Roberts Park, organized by grade. Please look for information from your room parents about food and exactly where to meet within the park. Please note that there is a $5 parking fee so carpool if you can! Also, if need be for your work, now may be a good time to ask for time off that day.
 Specialists' Blog
Find out what's happening in our Specialists' classrooms. On the first Friday of each month, we publish blogs written by our fabulous Specialists on our website. Our Specialists blog about a variety of things that are going on in their classrooms, as well as more philosophical pieces. Click HERE to check out the latest.
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Parents' and Guardians' Association News
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Every Redwood Day School parent and guardian is a member of the Parents' and Guardians' Association (RDSPGA). To find out what's happening and how you can be involved, visit our RDSPGA webpages.
Congratulations to the RDSPGA board for the 2014-2015 school year! Adrienne Hogg, President O.J. Leonardo, Vice President Ahna Suleiman, Treasurer Leah McGowan Hare, Recording Secretary Tamara Zirkle, Communications Secretary Kristie Chamorro, Middle School Director Nikki Maguire, Lower School Director David Bayless, Director at Large (K-1) Jen Edmister, Director at Large (2-3) Thomas Niesar, Director at Large (4-5) Kyle Hicks, Director at Large (MS) Michael Williams, Director at Large (MS) 2014-2015 Room Parents Needed! Being a Room/Grade level Parent is a great way to spend time with your child, get to know their classmates and help the RDS community in a meaningful way. If you are interested in being a Room/Grade level Parent, or would like to learn more about what is involved with this role, please contact Nikki Maguire (nmagui@yahoo.com) for the Lower School and Kristie Chamorro (kchamorro@sbcglobal.net) for the Middle School. Hospitality Volunteer opportunities! Spring has sprung and we have many wonderful community events such as Science Fairs and Art & Music night that we need volunteers for. Please click HERE to see the opportunities and sign up!  REGISTER NOW for the RDSPGA Family Fun Run/Walk on May 17!
The RDSPGA is holding the 4th annual Fun Run/Walk around Lake Merritt on Saturday, May 17. Mark your calendars and click HERE to register! Do you want to volunteer for this fun event? Click HERE to see how you can help! |
Athletics
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 RDS participates in a league that includes 15 Bay Area middle schools. We offer student athletes the opportunity to play: cross country, flag football and soccer in the fall; basketball in the winter; track, ultimate frisbee and volleyball in the spring. All sports are co-ed except basketball. Basketball teams are divided by gender and skill level. We have a no-cut policy and everybody plays.
Athletics Banquet - Save the Date!
Please mark your calendars for our annual Middle School Athletics Banquet on Thursday, May 29 at 5:30 p.m. We will celebrate all of our amazing student athletes and coaches. Dinner will be served and there will also be a presentation of certificates and awards. All RDS Middle School Cougars who completed one or more seasons during the 2013-2014 school year and their families are invited to attend.
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Honoring
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Our school community is enriched each week by the fabulous volunteerism of our families and friends. Please join us in honoring the following parents and guardians who have recently given their time and talent to RDS:
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Art: Thank you to Milton Cheng, Stephanie Mayhew, and Nicole Tolliver for volunteering in Lower School Art this week
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Faculty Appreciation: A big "Thank You!" to all of the fabulous middle school parents who volunteered to bring food and help out at the Faculty Appreciation Luncheon. The spread was amazing and everyone left happy and stuffed! Mark Headley, Jill Scott, Kathy Koshgarian, Dawn Pieper, Nancy Folkers, Rob Fenrick, Debbie Degenshein, Crystal Terry, Jenna Marshall- Hano, Dawn Pieper, Karen Van der Linden, Dawn Banasiak, Sara Brody, May Wong, Erin Newman, Kristie Chamorro, Lanie Mette, Sue Vinella, Maria Cypher, Liz Owens, Dagmar Serota, Margaret Gee, Diane Dunwoodie, Adrienne Hogg, Doris Ng, Lisa Haugh, Alison Baur, Jen Edmister, Rachel Scholl, Beth Doh, and Amelia Perez
- Health Education: I would like to honor David Gunderman for speaking to the 8th grade health classes
- Library: We wish to thank Michael Caruso, Allison Keith, and Stacy Ward for their help in the Library during the week of April 28th
- LS Science Fair: Thank you to the Hospitality Co-Chairs: Cathy Johnston, Lyn Estavillo, and Mary Soulis; and to our volunteers: Thomas Niesar, Michael Williams, OJ Leonardo and David Bayless
- Pizza Friday: Thank you to Ineke Gentner, Adrienne Hogg, Melissa Kramer, and Jen Wineman for helping serve delicious, hot pizza to our students, faculty, and staff
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KA: KA would like to honor Melanie Abrams for volunteering during choice time and Melissa Schwartz and Milton Cheng for volunteering during literacy centers
- KB: The Swinging Monkeys would like to honor Rich Maiers and Allison Keith for helping with baking this week
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3A: We would like to honor Kristie Chamorro, Jen Kaplan, Meera Desai, Reven Suess, Brenda Gutstadt for chaperoning today's field trip to Adventure Playground
- 4A: Hana Rotman and Monica Lent for volunteering in the classroom to help students build their science fair projects; Karen Van der Linden, Rhonda Woo, and Daren Huston for sending in yummy treats for our May Birthday Breakfast Bonanza; Julie Wayman, Jill Scott, Jody Ginsburg, Lanie Mette, Phred Starkweather, and Hana Rotman for sending in snacks for the students to enjoy during our Marble Jar Party.
- 4B: Thank you to Brenda Baldwin, Chris Baldwin, Hilary Combs, Kate Stechschulte, Pat Walter, Warren Mazer, Ndeshi Shiyandja for driving and leading stations on our field trip to Peralta Hacienda to learn about life during the Rancho era
"Honoring" is a weekly feature of the Friday Folder. We make our best effort to include all volunteers. If we miss you in our listing, please let us know at communications@rdschool.org. We are grateful for your contributions to the life of our school community.
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