Bancroft Elementary
Bancroft Elementary
Bobcats
Bobcat Tracks - November
Letter from our PFC President
Hello Bancroft Bobcats~ 
 
A few more thank you notes:
Odyssey of the Mind ~ Christy Paloutzian
Boy Scouts ~ Jim Click
Girl Scouts ~ Cherisse Riney

Thank you also to the many parents who step up to coach sports teams and Odyssey teams, lead Scout troops, be room parents, and volunteer for our classrooms and our school.  All our children, and therefore our whole school, benefit from your generosity and enthusiasm.  Our community appreciates your support.
 
Upcoming PFC Meetings:
Due to the holiday on November 11th, our next meeting will be on November 18th and will constitute our November/December meeting.
 
In lieu of a regular PFC Meeting in December... PFC will host a Holiday Cheer... more information to come.
 
Regular PFC Meetings will resume on January 13th, 2015.
 
Happy Thanksgiving to all and I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday break.
 
Warm Regards, 
Lisa Guarnaccia 
Parent Educator Program (PEP)
This is our third year back at Bancroft teaching Parent Educator Program (PEP) for our Fourth and Fifth graders.  We are so happy that this program has received lots of positive feedback from student and parents, as well as support from teachers and staff. We offer PEP to our fourth grade students in the Fall and to our fifth grade students in the early Spring.

PEP at Bancroft consists of curriculum designed to empower children to practice positive behaviors to promote healthy choices and build resiliency.  A lifetime of healthy choices begins with healthy behaviors and skills learned in childhood. Some of the PEP lessons taught in the classrooms include decision-making skills, refusal skills, conflict management, positive peer interaction, as well as social media (internet) safety.

PEP is taught by volunteer educators (parents) who have attended a comprehensive 21-hour training program (funded by Bancroft PFC) through the Center for Human Development in Concord, CA.  Our Bancroft PEP Instructors this year are: Jill Collins, Lisa Guarnaccia, Eva Malki, Brenda Walsh, and Alphina Zapantis.  Thank you ladies!!
 
We will need a few new educators next year, and will welcome any parent who has a good rapport with children and a passion to help teach them how to stand up and make healthy decisions. If you have any questions or are interested in knowing more about this program, please contact Alphina Zapantis.

"Teaching the classes is such a blast. It has really exceeded my expectations.  The lessons are all game-based and are fully-scripted.  I wish I would have done PEP years ago; it has helped my own parenting skills and helped me better communicate with my children."    -Eva Malki

2014 SpaceTacular Walk-A-Thon Results
Congratulations Bancroft families and friends for stepping up for education on October 10th and supporting this year's Walk-A-Thon fundraiser. Because of your hard work and generosity, we made over $20,000 for Bancroft! 

 

The Bancroft Parent Faculty Club would like to thank our parent volunteers, teachers and staff and most of all, our amazing kids for making this year's Walk-A-Thon such a great event. 


Thank You to our event sponsors who made this event possible: Dianne Adair, Simply Selling Shirts, Fresh and Easy, Noah's Bagels, Sprouts, Whole Foods, Annie's, Costco, and Nob Hill Foods.

 

This was a great day watching students, alongside teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents walking or running for 45 minutes, and one student Jack Malki logged an impressive 5 miles! It was an impressive event executed in typical Bancroft style. 

 

All participants received a snack bag and a Spacetacular pencil for their hard work and participation. Those students who collected at least $35 or more also received a Spacetacular Walk-A-Thon wristband. Additionally, those students that logged the most laps during their event time won a bobcat paw trophy and certificate. Those students include: 

 

Kindergarten: Jack McPhee, Vadim Golovin, Dax Gordon, Miriam Hanna, Judy Borham, Olive Wright, Troy Gould, Everett Schultz

1st Grade: Will Spicer, Ethan Jackson, Anthony Collins, Cortland Callahan, Cohen Carrasco

2nd Grade: Christian Malki, Sydney Mielcarski, Luciano Gallardo, Aiden Lee, Vazgen Ohanyan, Cole Mieclarski, Jackson Jones 

3rd Grade: Katie Rogers, Ryan Durham, Evan McNight, Gabe Ramirez, Marina Johnsen 

4th Grade: Jack Malki (most laps 20!), Lili Friedman, Andreas Guarnaccia, Jackson Hansell

5th Grade: Maxim Grigoriev, George Lund, Alex Johnsen, Madeline Miranda, Mady Cady, Emily Padilla, Kyla Flora 

 

Prizes were also awarded to those students with the top 3 highest pledge donations collected. These students received Target gift cards for their amazing fundraising efforts! 

1st Place Winner: Corwin Vardell ($100 gift card to Target) 

2nd Place Winner: Ivey Tirman ($75 gift card to Target) 

3rd Place Winner: Bryant Aoanan ($50 gift card to Target) 


Congratulations to our class prize winners: 

Mrs. Timmer's Class - Most pledge envelopes returned - 90% 

Mrs. Ledbetter's Class - Most pledge money collected: $2,015 

These two classes have won an extra recess with music and ice cream sundaes! 

 

Finally, a HUGE thank you to the parent volunteers that helped on event day. This event would not be possible without the support of so many parents passing out water and snacks, marking laps run, cooling off runners, and providing support! A special thank you to all of the parents and Dianne Adair staff who put in extra time working before the event to stuff and label envelopes, deliver tee shirts, stuff goodie bags, transport bags to the school, and set-up early for the event. Thank you to Chris Brady for providing a great variety of music to keep things moving. A special shout out "THANK YOU TO LINELL ROONEY" for her support with this event and catered to all our needs at a moment's notice. This event involves a huge coordination effort and would not be possible without the hours of support provided by all of you before this event took place - a very grateful THANK YOU for your support. 


Sincerely, 

Stefanie Lee & Jennifer McCullock  

PEAK's 2014 Turkey Trot - Thursday Nov. 27

Runners and Volunteers Needed!

 

The 22nd Annual Turkey Trot is coming soon and we need you to join in the fun, either as a runner or as a race-day volunteer. Last year this event raised over $12,000 for PEAK schools and this year, with your help, we can raise even more!

 

The race is Thanksgiving Morning, Nov. 27th, 8am at Civic Park. There will be a 5K and 10K, costume contest, plus a 1/4 & 1/2 mile Fun Run and a 100 Yard Dash for the kids.  Run, walk, or jog - it's up to you!

 

All the beneficiary schools throughout Walnut Creek are asked to have 20 volunteers per school, so if you don't plan to run, please consider volunteering. Students 15 and older may also volunteer and receive community service hours. We risk losing the funding from this great event if we can not fulfill our volunteer requirements, so please consider it if you can.  


Register early.  Select Bancroft school and part of the proceeds will benefit our school!  Register and Volunteer online.

For more information on PEAK and what it does, please see the article in September's Tracks or the PEAK website.
Instructional Assistant job posting for Bancroft

We are still looking for an Instructional Assistant (IA), preferably bilingual.  The position is 3 hours a day on school days. If you, or anyone you know, might be interested, please refer to the complete job description and application information on the District website.
Fall Fest Wrap Up
Box Tops Fundraising Update


Thank you to all who have brought in boxtops in September and October. We have collected more than 2,650 box tops since school started!

Look for boxtops on participating food and household products. Clip the boxtops and have your student bring them in a bag with their classroom name on it to the office. 
Harvest of the Month

Bancroft students had another Harvest of the Month lesson this month. We learned about root vegetables and their complex carbohydrates that provide us with energy. The students were able to taste both carrots and parsnips - two root vegetables that looked similar, but most agreed tasted different! The parsnips were donated by Trader Joe's on Oak Grove Blvd. Please be sure to thank one of their team members next time you shop there!


 

Thanks to the wonderful parent volunteers that conducted the lessons for our students. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please email Sarah Hansell. Our next lesson will be in January. Wishing you all the happiest and healthiest of holidays!

Fall Book Fair - Save The Date!
Save the Dates for our Fall Book Fair! 
The Week of December 8 - 12, 2014. 
Bancroft Elementary School - Multi-Use Room. Volunteers Needed! 
 
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Melissa Horgan or Katy Schultz.
Bobcat Buddies
Bancroft Buddy families continue to welcome new families into our Bancroft community and help make the transition to a new school as easy as possible.  Our "seasoned" buddy families have been reaching out to new families and providing support, resources, answers to questions and a familiar face around the school. Grade level buddies are: (kindergarten) Katy Schultz, Melissa Horgan, Hillary Osness; (1st grade) Amy Waltman; (2nd grade) Christina Bowen; (3rd grade) Leslie Lafredo; (4th grade) Sarah Hansell; and (5th grade) Stephanie Lee.

For more information and to sign up for the buddies program, please visit our website.

MDUSD Transfer Application Window
Beginning October 15 2014- January 15, 2015 Mt. Diablo Unified School District is accepting applications for Intra District Transfers. If you are interested in applying for a new transfer, please visit the district web site or come into the school office to access the correct forms. If your child is currently attending a MDUSD school on an Intra District Transfer and will be continuing in the school (K-5, middle or high school) then there is no need to reapply. Enrollment for the 2015-2016 Kindergarten year will be February 3, 2016. Applications for Intra District Transfers for the 2015-2016 Kindergarten enrollments will be accepted during the Kindergarten application window following February 3.
Faculty Spotlight - Mrs. Lipnick
EDUCATION

Hayward State (now Cal State East Bay), B.A. Liberal Studies & Psychology; Sacramento State, Teaching Credential

POSITION AND YEARS AT BANCROFT

8 years, one in 3rd grade and the rest in 2nd

HOW DID YOU COME TO BANCROFT?

I taught 7 years at another school, then took a 2 year leave to support my husband to get his MBA and be home with my kids.  When I started back to teaching, I interviewed at Bancroft and it was a perfect fit.  

WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY ABOUT TEACHING?

So many things! I love to find out what my students are interested in so that I can motivate them; their interests guide my teaching.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT BANCROFT?

The staff, kids, and parents are phenomenal. Everybody really works as a team and is so supportive. I've never felt that at another school.

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?

Working with kids, being creative, and learning new things. 7 year olds are the smartest kids I know; they have no inhibition and can really think outside the box.

WHAT MAKES YOUR JOB CHALLENGING?

Teaching 31 children at different levels in reading, math, and writing.

WHAT PROFESSION, OTHER THAN BEING A TEACHER, COULD YOU ALSO SEE YOURSELF DOING? 

I definitely would love to be a recipe developer for a magazine.

WHAT ARE THE TRAITS YOU ADMIRE MOST IN OTHERS?

Hardworking, focused on their goals, persevering

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES AND INTERESTS?

Cooking, reading cookbooks, playing tennis, making crafts

WHAT WAS THE LAST GOOD BOOK YOU READ?

Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan. I love reading anything about the brain!

WHO HAS BEEN THE LARGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR LIFE?

My husband because he's not afraid of anything. He has a critical mind and can break anything down and be patient. He's the one who encouraged me to go to college. I was the last of 9 children, and college wasn't something my family expected of me. But I knew him then and he's the one who suggested I just start with a class. It took me 7.5 years, working and going to school in the beginning and then finishing as a full-time student.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE QUOTE?

"If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you." - Unknown
In This Issue
Upcoming Dates
11/18: PFC Meeting 7-9 p.m.,
           Library

11/18-21: 5th Grade Outdoor Ed

11/20: School Site Council Mtg

11/24-28: Thanksgiving Break - 
NO SCHOOL 
 
12/1-5: Community Food Drive

12/5: Life Skills Assembly

12/8-12: Book Fair

12/8-19: Parent Teacher Conferences (early dismissal)

12/22-1/2: Winter Break

Visit the Bancroft online calendar for future dates.
Thank you!
*Thank you to Stefanie Lee and Jennifer McCullock for a fabulously run and very successful Walk-A-Thon!

*Thank you to Team Fall Fest, Eileen Saldana, Kriss Bridgham, Meena Dempsey, and Lisa Guarnaccia for another great year of fun at our annual celebration.  

*As we are about to wave goodbye to the 5th grade Outdoor Ed bus this week, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you to the parents who worked so hard to make sure this great event was funded.  Thank you!!
2014-15 Money Raised
vs
Budgeted Expenses

Ongoing Fundraisers
 
 
 
 

10% off everything every day and 5% back to Bancroft.  Just mention Bancroft when you check out.
Contact Us
Bancroft Elementary
925-933-3405
Grade Level Curriculum Spotlight - 4th Grade

These spotlights are not meant to be an all-inclusive detail of the year's curriculum. Rather they are meant to highlight many of the engaging projects and new work and learning that happen at each grade - the things that both make kids look forward to that grade and that students will remember when they think back.

 

For Language Arts students continue work with the Being a Writer program. "The Being a Writer program aims to transform writing instruction by helping to create collaborative classrooms in which students develop both academically and socially as they build their knowledge of and appreciation for the craft of writing." There are different genres of writing (narrative, opinion, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc) that are explored for a unit of time.  Typically the teacher will begin the lesson reading aloud.  Then the students will write, share, and practice offering positive feedback.  The unit will conclude as each student picks one piece of their writing to "publish."

 

All 4th graders will read Island of the Blue Dolphins as well as other books that support the Language Arts curriculum including books that also connect with their study of California history. 

 

In 4th grade Life Science, students learn about the food web.  In Physical Science they learn about electricity and magnetism.  And in Earth Science, they study rocks and minerals.

 

Social Studies for 4th grade presents the history of California. This includes many exciting projects including making cookie maps depicting the four CA regions.  They use different decorations for the four regions: coast, desert, central valley, and mountains. For the Explorer Lapbook project, pairs of student are assigned a California explorer to study and present.

 

A fabulous at-school field trip is the Walk Through California. This presentation is designed to allow fourth grade students to actively participate in a lively retelling of California's rich history.  The program focuses on major events that shaped our state. Drama, dance, games, and music support students' listening skills, vocabulary development, and history and geography standards.

 

In Math students are focused on the Engaged NY common core.  The focus in 4th grade is on proficiency in all four operations for multi-digit numbers, operations with fractions, geometry, and hands on equations (using manipulatives to solve for unknowns).  In addition to focusing on the standard areas of study, they work on project-based learning.  Their first project this year is the Fall Carnival Project.  In groups of four, students are given a budget, costs of materials, and space constraints, and they need to plan a carnival complete with everything from fliers to expected revenue.

 

As with the rest of the school, 4th graders use thinking maps to help students visually represent the critical thinking embedded in the 4th grade standards.  Thinking maps span across all subject areas. Students are also taught how to close read: how to identify the main points of a text; how to find evidence to support an opinion or fact; and, how to get clarity on unknown words in a text.

Bobcat Tracks | Bancroft PFC website