Roadrunner Masthead
A Strandwood PTA Publication
MARCH 30, 2015
Good Morning 
Every week Email Club members receive important information regarding upcoming events and communications from The PTA and Strandwood staff via the Roadrunner. The Roadrunner also provides links to important fliers and new items on the PTA and school websites. Do you have any comments about this Roadrunner or suggestions for future Roadrunner articles or features? Drop us a line at roadrunner@strandwoodpta.org.

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In This Issue
Stage Play Drama Club
Read and Dream Team Welcomes Books!
March/April After School Programs
Staff Appreciation Week is Coming Up
Step Up to the Plate for Education
Free Family Movie Night
Common Core Night
General PTA Meeting This Week
Auction Follow-Up Items
Steve and Kate's Camp
Dates, Times and Places
Stage Play Drama Club - Spots Still Open! 

**Free tuition for parent willing & able to volunteer (must be TB tested/fingerprinted by MDUSD). No theatre experience necessary!**

Using fun, high-energy theatre exercises and games to explore the Actor's tools (imagination, body, voice), we will collaboratively create a show together, with a focus on process, from improvisation to scriptwriting. The session will culminate in a sharing of our play and process for friends and family!

The Spring Session, open for 4th & 5th grade students (younger siblings upon request), still has spots left!  
8-week session runs April 15 - June 3 on Wednesdays from 12:30pm - 2pm

Click HERE for registration.

Read and Dream Team Welcomes Books!

 

The Read and Dream Committee accepts like-new/gently used books throughout the school year. We appreciate all donations, especially books from popular series. Donations can be dropped off in the box in the office labeled "Read and Dream". Thank you for supporting Read and Dream!

MARCH/APRIL Strandwood After School Programs

Programs will be canceled if we do not get a Parent Volunteer to be present at the after-school program sessions (must be TB-tested and fingerprinted) or if participation registration is low. 

  

 

Chess (The Berkeley School of Chess) - Starts 4/1!

Chess is fun and can be learned quickly and easily. Studies have found that chess helps improve test results in reading, science, and math, and produces growth in critical cognitive skills. Click HERE for the detailed flyer and registration information.


 

Grades:             K-5

Day/Time:         Wednesdays, 12:35 - 1:35 pm

Location:           C-1 & P-2 (meet in C-1 the first day)

Cost:                 $117


Golf - Starts April 14!

This golf class is for athletes that want to perfect basic golf skills while playing games, gaining coordination and learning about the Core Values of golf. Click HERE for the flyer and registration information.


 

Grades:            2-5

Day/Time:        Tuesdays, 3 - 4 PM

Location:          Upper Grade Level blacktop area

Cost:                $55 per participant (all equipment is provided!)


 

Back by Popular Demand! LEGO ENGINEERING - Starts 4/14

Power up your engineering skills with Play-Well TEKnologies and tens of thousands of LEGOŽ! Apply real-world concepts in physics, engineering, and architecture through engineer-designed projects such as arch bridges, skyscrapers, motorized cars, mazes, motorized cars, and the Battletrack! New challenges for returning students. Click HERE to see flyer. 


 

Grades:             K-5

Day/Time:         Tuesdays, 3pm - 4:30pm

Dates:               April 14 - June 2

Location:           Strandwood MUR (Grades K-1), C7 (Grades 2-5)

Cost:                 $148 


 

To register for Pre-Engineering (Grades K-1) go to: http://register.play-well.org/registration/new/40799 

To register for Engineering FUNdamentals (Grades 2-5) go to: http://register.play-well.org/registration/new/40746 

For more information contact: Erik Olson erik@play-well.org or 415-446-8384


 

Flag Football - Starts 4/14!

One on One coaches will teach the fundamentals of passing, catching, offensive and defensive strategies, teamwork skills and sportsmanship. Click HERE for the flyer and registration information.


 

Grades:            1-5

Day/Time:        Tuesdays, 3 - 4 PM

Location:          Field/Track area

Cost:                $100

 

4th/5th Grade Stage Play - Starts 4/15

Stage Play Drama Club has a new session for 4th / 5th graders (younger siblings will be considered upon request) starting April 15th. Class runs 12:30pm - 2pm on Wednesdays in the MU Room.  Here is link to register:

http://www.strandwoodpta.org/flyers/Stage_Play_Registration_Form_2015.pdf

 

Basketball - Starts 4/16!

One on One instructors will conduct a one hour clinic each week to help your child become a better basketball player. Players will have fun going through drills, contests and game competitions. Click here for the flyer and registration information.

  • Grades:            K-5
  • Day/Time:       Thursdays, 3 - 4 PM
  • Location:         Upper Grade Basketball Courts
  • Cost:                $100

Drawing Star Wars Characters! - Starts 4/17!

Learn to draw all your favorite characters from a galaxy far, far away. Create your own Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Yoda and more, even X-Wings and Tie Fighters! Each class focuses on one or two characters, starting with basic shapes and stick figures, and working our way up to a complete, colored drawing each week. Click HERE for the flyer that includes details and registration information.


 

Grades:            1-5

Day/Time:        Fridays, 3 - 4 PM

Location:         Classroom C-& (Science Room)

Cost:                $112 + $15 lab fee


 

Staff Appreciation Week is Coming Up

Calling all Room Parents and Staff Appreciation Week volunteers!

 

There will be a short (15 - 20 minute) meeting in B-7 (Mrs. Abbott's classroom) on today at 3pm. This meeting will cover the Staff Appreciation Week celebrations on April 20 - 24th.  If you are NOT able to make it, please e-mail VP of Hospitality, Cyndy Gifford-Palermo, at giffordpalermo@yahoo.com. Our staff deserves to be showered with love. Thanks for helping make them feel special.

Volunteers Needed!

We like to make everyone on our Strandwood staff feel special with a special door banner/poster on the first day of Staff Appreciation Week. Would your Girl Scout troop, Cub Scout den, or family like to be part of making one of these banners? We need volunteers to create door decorations for the librarian, music teacher, janitors, office staff, computer lab staff, speech teachers, cafeteria helpers, resource teachers and principal. If your group or family would like to get in on the fun of making a door banner and hanging it on Monday, April 20th, please contact Cyndy Gifford-Palermo at giffordpalermo@yahoo.com.

 

Step Up to the Plate for Education
Get your Oakland A's tickets today!

The Oakland A's brings you Step Up to the Plate for Education! 

Opening Night is less than 2 weeks away and we wanted to remind you about our Step Up to the Plate for Education Program! We recommend getting your ticket order in ASAP if you would like to attend a specific game, especially for the game on Saturday, April 11th, which has limited availability. To purchase tickets, click the link below and a portion of each ticket sold will be donated directly back to Strandwood Elementary! Go here to purchase tickets: www.athletics.com/strandwood.


 

Free Family Movie Night - April 17th!

Come to Strandwood for a fun family night and see the movie "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." See flyer for details.

 

Doors will open at 6pm and the movie will begin at 6:30pm. Be sure to bring blankets, pillows and low chairs only. 

 

Outdoor Ed will be selling popcorn and other goodies that evening for your family to enjoy during the movie!

 

Sign-up for the Free Family Movie Night via the link or email below:

 

 

No drop-offs allowed; children must be with a parent/adult the entire time.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to email vpprograms@strandwoodpta.org.

 

Common Core Night

Find out what Common Core really looks like in the classroom and get answers from educators.

The Pleasant Hill Education Commission is co-hosting Common Core Night at the Pleasant Hill Library on Tuesday, March 31st at 6:30 p.m. The event is for parents of students in grades K-5 who wish to learn more about the Common Core Standards. This event is free to everyone.

 

Event begins with short overview of Common Core. There will be three breakout sessions to inform and assist parents on how they can enhance the Common Core learning in the classroom for their children. The evening's focus will be on how conversations with students, not answers, are the most important element.

 

Presenters will be teachers from the Mt. Diablo School District and Pleasant Hill librarian, Patrick Remer. Handouts and other take-away materials will be given to parents to use at home with their child(ren).

 

General PTA Meeting is This Week
Thursday, April 2 at 7 pm in school library
Elections Meeting

Please join us for our annual Elections meeting. It's very important that we have quorum at this meeting. We hope you can join us! As always, free babysitting is provided.

Town Hall Planning Meeting 

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 15th at 2pm. Please join Strandwood Staff and the PTA Board for a collaborative brainstorming session on the best ways for the PTA to support the school with both one-time and ongoing investments. You do not need to be a PTA member to attend. Childcare will be provided. If you are unable to attend, but have input to share, please email president@strandwoodpta.org.

Auction Follow-Up Items
Thanks to the entire Strandwood Community for another successful Dinner Dance Auction! We have a few follow up items:

Raffle Winners
Thanks to everyone for participating - we almost doubled our goal for raffle sales! Congratulations to our winners:

Purse - Tuyen Downing  
Game basket - Angela Spirlock 
Hotel stay - Shelley Cairns  
Bike - Ashley Rinn 

Student Photos
Big thanks to Jen Chesterman for our beautiful student photos. If you purchased auction tickets prior to March 10th (whether you attended the event or not) - we have a black and white, 5"X5" photo of your child. If you didn't get a chance to purchase the photo at the event, but would still like to, they are $25 each. Please contact auction@strandwoodpta.org to purchase.

Sign-up Parties
There are spots remaining in the sign-up parties below. Spots are available on a first come, first served basis. Please email auction@strandwoodpta.org to sign up. Your spot will be reserved when we receive your payment.

Mad ScienceMarch 31st (Tomorrow!) 3pm-4:30pm at Strandwood. $15 per kid.
Get Ready to Climb - Learn to Rock Climb at Diablo Rock GymApril 269-11am. $20 per person.
Back Yard Movie Night - Kids Only. May 1st. $25 per kid.
Tesla Test Drive Event - Test drive a Tesla Model S and enjoy a light dinner & drinks in the Tesla showroom. May 21st. $75 per person.
Fiesta Bunco - Ladies Night Out. May 30th. $40 per person (adults only).
Chili Cook Off Taste TesterSeptember 12. $50 per person (adults only).
OktoberfestOctober 3. $25 per person (adults only).
4th & 5th Grade Fantasy Football League - Training camp date TBD. League to continue throughout football season. $25 per kid.

Item Pick-up
If you still have items from the online or silent auction to pick up, please contact auction@strandwoodpta.org to arrange pickup. 

 

Save the Date for next year's auction on March 19, 2016!

Do you want to help plan the best party of the year? Do you have a great idea for a theme? Please email auction@strandwoodpta.org. We will have our first committee meeting in May. We are looking for two (or more) new co-chairs who want to learn the ropes and take over for the 2017 auction.   

Steve and Kate's Camp

 

Campers choose activities such as stop motion animation, soccer in an inflatable stadium, rock climbing on a 30-foot wall, breadmaking, knitting, music recording in custom vocal booths, learning to code, and pie throwing - all good for your child's resumé. Two ways to play: 

  • Day Passes - Buy any number of days and use them anytime.
  • Membership - One fee covers the entire summer. Lunch, snacks and all materials included in both plans.
Grades Pre-K through 7th. 40+ locations. Founded in 1980.

Contact: 415-389-KIDS. Register at www.steveandkate.com.











 








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Dates, Times and Places

March 30 - Room Parent Meeting in B7 at 3pm 
March 31 - Common Core Night at PH Library (see details above)
April 2 - General PTA Meeting at 7pm in school library
April 6-10 - SPRING RECESS





 


 
View the calendar on the Strandwood PTA website by clicking here.  
Visit the Strandwood Elementary School website by clicking here.  
dates