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Letter from our PFC President
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 Dear Bobcat Families, Spring is upon us! With late baseball and softball games, the beginning of swim team, summers to plan, gardens that need attention (etc etc!), it is busy season for all of us. There are also a handful of important happenings at Bancroft that I'd like to draw your attention to in the midst of our own private whirlwinds! I'm thrilled to report that we are $14,000 away from our fundraising goal for the year. Any funds raised in excess of this will go into our newly establish Strategic Funds process, for use in improvement projects, getting new programs off the ground, and other priorities as voted on by our community. We will be seeking community input on a list of possible projects. Our first annual Mathletics is taking place on Friday, April 29th. I'm really excited about this deviation from the Spell A Thon. From the little that I've seen, the activities that the teachers have devised for the kids are going to be great fun! Please consider supporting your child and our school in this fundraiser both by sponsoring them as well as by volunteering to help with the event. Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 10th at 7pm for what I hope is our last PFC meeting of the year (we will have one on June 7th only if necessary!). We will be voting on the budget for next year and a By-Law revision that were presented at the last meeting. We will also be voting next year's Executive Board into office. This will be a meeting that is chock full of good information. Please come join us. And finally, as you will read in the next article, we are still looking for people to join us in taking on one of the many roles that it takes to bring the kind of support to our teachers and students that we enjoy at Bancroft. Please consider what you might be able to do to help in next year's effort. As always, if you should have questions or comments on any of this, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Mari Mielcarski
PFC President
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PFC Roles - Spotlight on TREASURER
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 Thank you to all those who have stepped up and committed to filling a board, chair, or coordinator position for the 2016-17 school year! We have a handful of positions still open and will be highlighting them over the next several weeks. If you are interested in a position, please contact Mari Mielcarski, Hillary Osness, or Marga Marshall. You can also see a list of all o pen positions and full job descriptions by clicking here.
Treasurer
Matt Gould is terming out of the role, but as he has stepped up to the VP Strategic Funds role still within the Executive Board, he will be very present and able to support whoever takes on this position.
Time Commitment: Ranges (averages 1-2 hours/week) + PFC Board meetings
Busiest times of year: August/September, Auction, and Taxes in March
The Treasurer shall: oversee the Assistant Treasurer; keep accurate account of all receipts and disbursements in accordance with the budget; monitor expenses against budget; sign checks that are approved in accordance with Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution and By Laws; file all tax returns by the governing agency deadlines; and, make available to the membership at each PFC meeting current copies of the check register, P/L budget comparison, and balance sheet.
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Mathletics
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Hello Bancroft families,
We are so excited about our last fundraiser of the year: Mathletics! Math is a critical skill in life, and one that we all need to master. Math can also be a lot of fun. This year our Mathletics fundraiser is focused on both.
The event is comprised of 8-12 math stations per grade. The teachers have been working hard to create challenging yet enjoyable hands-on math. Now we need your help. Your child should have brought home a Mathletics envelope. The outside of the envelope is where your child can record his/her pledges. Pledges can be done as a set amount for each completed station, or one lump sum. Please pass this around to friends and family who would like to help support your child and our school. Also, please note the following dates:
April 26th - Pledge envelopes due April 29th - Mathletics May 13th - Last day to turn in completed pledges and envelopes May 26th - Winners announced We need many more volunteers especially in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 5th grade. Fingerprinting is not required to volunteer at this event. The time commitment is just over an hour and will be as follows:
8-9:15 - Third grade 8-9:15 - First grade (Grunert and Stiles) 9:45-11 - First grade (Parker and Sajjad) 9:45-11 - Second grade 10-11:15 - Kindergarten 10:45-12 - Fourth grade 1-2:15 - Fifth grade Thank you for your support!
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Groovy Spring Book Fair!
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We had a very successful Spring Book Fair!
Thank you to our fabulous volunteers - Jenn Boswell, Patricia Geday, Jenny Gysin, Brenda Walsh, Julie Fustok, Katherine Beckner-Morris, Clair Boomer, Mari Mielcarski, Kelly Jones, Hillary Osness, Soojin Cho, Cherisse Riney, Vanessa Rebelo, Laura Lee, Krista Stallings and Tommy Stallings. We also have to thank our amazing librarian, Mrs. Gay!
Thank you to all of the families for supporting the Book Fair. Between families' generous purchases and the funds raised from the Book Fair, each classroom will receive all of the books in each teacher's "wish basket." The other funds raised from the Book Fair will go to the purchase of books and other supplies for our wonderful school library.
Many thanks,
Melissa Horgan & Katy Schultz, Book Fair Co-Chairs
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Box Tops & Labels for Education
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Please join us in congratulating Ms. Parker's 1st grade class as our March winner for collecting the MOST Box Tops/Labels for Education last month! The students will be proud to have earned the Bobcat "Putting Your Best Paw Forward" trophy for their classroom this month. They collected so many labels that they also earned "extra" recess!
We also congratulate Ms. Mitzel's 2nd grade class and Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Winbery's 5th grade class for also collecting so many Box Tops/Labels for Education that they too have earned "extra" recess!
And, we are also congratulating Rowin Bagley from Ms. Mitzel's 2nd grade class as the raffle winner of the month!
Thank you so much for continuing to bring in your Box Tops and Labels for Education to earn more funds for Bancroft and our children's resources and programs!
As a reminder, there are just a few easy steps to collect and contribute Box Tops and Labels for Education. Shop for products you already purchase and deposit the labels in the box located in the office (please place labels in a Ziplock bag or envelope with your child's name and teacher's name).
For any questions, feel free to reach out to your coordinators:
 
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Please mark your calendars for the next Dine2Donate Fundraiser. It will be on Wednesday, May 11 at Pasta Pomodoro in Pleasant Hill. Flyers will be out soon.
Also, to end the school year sweetly, for the entire month of June, Gua natos Ice Cream will offer every Wednesday a Bancroft Fundraiser!
Any other suggestions or CONNECTIONS you have with the Walnut Creek Area dining community please email me at elizabethreal@yahoo.com. I have reached out to Kinders BBQ, Yalla Mediterranean and Sushi restaurants still awaiting responses.
Thank you for your support. |
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Band and Orchestra at Bancroft!
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By Caroline Harrison - Instrumental Music Teacher at Bancroft, Woodside, and Ygnacio Valley Elementary Schools
The Ban d and Orchestra students at Bancroft Elementary School have been learning to play woodwind, brass, or string instruments since fall of the school year.
Through our district's Elementary Instrumental Music Program, which was re-instated last year, 4th and 5th grade students have the opportunity to play a Band Instrument - flute, clarinet, trumpet, or trombone, or an Orchestra Instrument - violin or cello.
Playing one of these instruments gives students the opportunity to learn musical concepts, notes and rhythms as well as the discipline and focus it takes to be part of a musical ensemble. Band and Orchestra students build on many of the skills that they learn in their classrooms such as being a responsible and accountable student and doing their part to support a large group of students working together for a common goal. Fourth grade violin student, Marjene Stiti said, "By playing the violin, I have learned that music is not about being good, but about getting better."
As many of you saw at their Area Band and Orchestra Festival Concerts at Northgate High School in March, the hard wo rk that these students have put into learning their instruments and rehearsing their music paid off as they all did a fantastic job at these performances! I hope that all of the Instrumental Music students will continue with the program next year.
Current 5th grade students will have the amazing opportunity to join their 6th grade Middle School Band or Orchestra and current 4th grade students can continue advancing with their instrument here at Bancroft.
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OoTM Northgate High School Rocco's Fundraiser
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Sloat Growing up Green Fundraiser
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 Thank you for participating in Sloat Garden Center's Growing Up Green program in March. Purchases totaling $763.82 were made in the name of Bancroft Elementary School earning our school an $80 gift card that will go back into needed purchases for our Garden!
Thank you Sloat for your support. And please mark your calendars for the upcoming Fundraiser weeks:
2016 GROWING UP GREEN FUNDRAISER DATES
- September 23 - October 2
- October 28-November 6
- November 25-Dec 11
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Upcoming Dates
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4/26: Mathletics Pledge Envelopes due
4/27: ELAC Meeting, 8:30 am, Library 4/29: Mathletics Fundraiser 4/29: Optional Parent Input Form Due 5/2-6: Staff Appreciation Week 5/10: PFC Meeting, 7 pm, Library 5/12-14: Cinderella kids @7pm 5/13: Mathletics Pledges Due 5/19: Site Council Meeting 5/23-24: Kinder Acquaintance Days
5/25: Life Skill Assembly, Kinder and 1st grades
5/27: Life Skill Assembly, Grades 2nd to 5th 5/30: Memorial Day - No School 5/31: Bancroft Instrumental and Band Concert
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Thank You!
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*Thank You to all the proud parents, friends and family for joining us at Open House! And thank you to Amy Anderson, Tatiana Diaz, Marga Marshall, Mari Mielcarski, Hillary Osness, and Anna Rowe for your help at the PFC table at Open House.
*Thank you to Katy Schultz, Melissa Horgan, Mrs. Gay and their volunteers for organizing another successful Book Fair to benefit our wonderful Library!
*Thank you to the Bancroft School Site Council for hosting a wonderful Science & Engineering
Night! A special thanks to Mr. Schuler for donating the hot dog dinners and Mrs. Giffin for all your support and ideas.
*Thank you to all the traffic volunteers for keeping our Bancroft Bobcats safe!
*Thank you to Elizabeth Real for organizing another Dine2Donate fundraiser.
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Budget Update
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We are $14k away from our goal!
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For prior Blasts, Tracks, and Principal's Messages
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Contact Us
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Bancroft Elementary
925-933-3405
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Show your school spirit by purchasing Bancroft Spirit Wear!
Every Friday is spirit wear day at Bancroft! A spirit trophy rotates throughout the school year, and is held by the classroom with the most spirit.
Help your classroom win by showing off your Bobcat pride!
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