Pennekamp Dragon Flash

August 26, 2014
 
Upcoming Dates

 

8/28/2014

5th Grade Back to School Night

PK Cafeteria

6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

  

9/1/2014

Labor Day-No School

 
9/3/14
PK 101 for New Families
PK Cafeteria
7:45 am- 10:45 am
 
9/3/14
1st Grade Back to School Night
Classrooms
6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

9/18/14
PTA General Meeting PK Cafeteria
 
5:15 pm- 6:00 pm
  
9/18/14
Back to School Night Grades 2-4
Classrooms
6:00 pm- 7:30 pm

9/19/14
Dragon Jamboree
PK Field
4:30 pm-7:30 pm Carnival & Food
7:30 pm
Movie

9/25 & 9/26/14
 
No School
From the Desk of 
Dr. Toni Brown
Pennekamp Principal

 

Dear Pennekamp Family,

 

Welcome to the 2014-2015 school year!! I am so excited to take on the new role of Principal at Pennekamp Elementary. After three amazing years in the district as Assistant Principal at Manhattan Beach Middle School, I have found my new home as a Dragon! I am looking forward to working with the staff and community to continue the success Pennekamp has garnered. Recently named a California Distinguished School, Pennekamp is on the move and I am eager to be a part of this amazing team.

 

My path to PK started as an elementary teacher in Kindergarten and Fifth grades before moving to the middle school level where I taught for four years in both ABC Unified School District and Tustin Unified School District. After completing my Master's in Counseling at Loyola Marymount University, I left the classroom to become a Middle School Counselor where my passion for creating a school climate that fosters positive student connectedness was born. This experience only ignited my desire to become a change agent in schools and I began the doctorate program in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern California. In pursuit of my next professional challenge, I was fortunate to assume the role of Assistant Principal at MBMS. In this role I quickly became a part of the MBUSD family bringing my background and passion for building positive school communities to our students. As principal of Pennekamp, I plan to create and maintain a student-centered campus that fosters social development and academic growth.

 

It is with great pleasure that I begin my new assignment as a Dragon and I look forward to a fantastic year!

 

Sincerely,

 

Toni Brown, Ed.D
Super Dragons Unite
Pennekamp Membership Drive
Dragon Logo

 

Join the PTA now and receive a PK car magnet and a raffle ticket for the chance to win an IPad Air or Go Pro!

Become a Super Dragon by donating $350/child AND pledging/donating ANY AMOUNT to MBEF by October 15th and earn double the raffle tickets!

PTA supports the school with vital educational software, visual and performing arts, technology, library books, science lab supplies, PE equipment, and much more. Look for donation forms in the Tuesday envelope or online at http://pennekampschool.org/sites/default/files/forms/2014-2015%20Donation%20Form.pdf.
Go Dragons!

 

News of the Week....

 

WEBSITE-- UNDER CONSTRUCTION 

 

Summer vacation for pennekampschool.org included getting an upgrade and new look and feel. Volunteers are at work updating and creating new content and links and adding new forms and flyers. This is a time consuming effort so we thank you for your patience. We will let you know once the website is fully functional.  
 

CHANGES TO DISMISSAL PROCESS

 

Please note there will be campus security changes for early dismissal at 2:15 p.m.. The pedestrian gate near the 5th grade portables and the middle driveway gate will now be opened at 2:45 p.m.. All students with parent supervision waiting for 2:45 dismissal will be directed to the lower playground, please look for signage to direct you. Thanks in advance for your support as we protect instructional time for our upper grades and keep campus secure until all students are dismissed.

  
BUY YOUR NEW PK T-SHIRTS AND SWEATSHIRTS TODAY
  • Filling Orders only THREE times this year!
    • Order by 9/12 for delivery by 10/3
    • Order by 10/17 for delivery by 11/7
    • Order by 11/14 for delivery 12/12
  • Order Forms in the Tuesday Envelope
  • Not sure of your size?  Check out sizes at PK 101 and Dragon Jamboree           
 For questions, contact Julie Iko (jiko1331@gmail.com, 310-486-5154)
or Julie Kwon (jkkwon@yahoo.com, 310-780-1643)
 
YEARBOOK- ORDER BY 9/26 FOR LOWEST PRICE OF THE YEAR!
 
 
The school year has just begun, but now is the perfect time to buy the yearbook for all of those end of the year memories. Full color yearbooks featuring photos of all Pennekamp students are currently on sale for $25. Easy credit card orders via the Jostens website. Click http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01025962.  Interested in taking photos for the yearbook? Contact Megan meganezimmer@gmail.com.  
  

 

PK 101- ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE AT PK!

  

Join us in the Pennekamp cafeteria on September 3rd from 7:45 to 10:45 to discover the amazing events/activities in store for your child this year at Pennekamp. Representatives of every campus event/activity will be there to answer questions. Great time to buy your Pennekamp T-shirts and find opportunities to get involved.

 

DRAGON JAMBOREE 2014- FRIDAY, SEPT. 19TH

 

Carnival Games, Silent Auction, Movie Night, Dunk Tank, Photo Booth, Food Vendors, DJ and much more! Please join us for a Night of Fun on the Pennekamp Field. 4:30-7:30-Carnival and Food Vendors, 7:30pm-Movie Starts. Sponsorship opportunities and advance ticket sale information to follow.

 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Please contact Jennifer Cohon at jennifercohon@sbcglobal.net or Lara Protiva at laraprotiva@gmail.com

to volunteer. Click for the form to host a party and for donating to the silent auction.

 

GIVE TO MBEF, SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS

 

Parent donations to MBEF will fund educators' jobs in grades K-12 this year. One in five elementary PE teachers is funded through your donations to MBEF. Add to that your librarian, science specialist, reading specialist, music teachers, and much more, and you have the third best school district in the state. We hope we can count on you again. Please visit http://mbef.org/givetoday/.

 

FREE LUNCHBOXES FOR 1ST GRADERS

 

All incoming 1st graders will receive a free Go Green lunchbox courtesy of Waste Management. For more information, please go to www.gogreenlunchboxes.com.

  

EARTHQUAKE KIDS REQUIRED

 

Every child is required to have an Earthquake kit while attending Pennekamp. Earthquake kits with a 5-year shelf life will be available for purchase at the PK 101.

 

ICE CREAM FRIDAY STARTS AUGUST 29TH!

 

Please join us this Friday right after school for our new and improved first Ice Cream Friday of the school year in the Pennekamp cafeteria. We are now featuring healthier choices for our children. Ice Cream Friday is a weekly tradition for students to celebrate the end of the week with their friends and family. 

 Pennekamp and all MBUSD schools are tobacco-free campuses.

Volunteer Opportunities

 

Volunteers are priceless at PK! Please contact Kavita Patel, kjainpatel@gmail.com if you are able to volunteer at any level. 

Room Parents Rock!
Room Parents Needed!  Every classroom needs at least 2 room parents.  An Events Room Parent will assist the teacher with various classroom events throughout the year such as room parties, jog-a-thon and Halloween parade.  A Communications Room Parent keeps the classroom informed by sending emails concerning PTA and MBEF events.  If you would like to volunteer please contact Suzy Sadilek at sixsadileks@verizon.net.