SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR THIS WEEK - On Wednesday, October 29 a regular day schedule will be in effect, with all classes from 0 through 6th periods meeting. There will be no late start on Wednesday: 0 period will begin at 7:50, and 1st period at 8:40. On Friday, October 31, the block schedule M-A normally has on Wednesdays will be in effect. It will be a late start day with 1st period beginning at 9:25 a.m. Only periods 1, 3, and 5 will meet on Friday. The change is due to the Challenge Day activity for freshmen taking place this week. 

WE WANT YOUR BLOOD! - On Friday, October 31, M-A's Annual Halloween Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the New Gym Wrestling Room. Students can sign up during lunch at tables on the green. Students must be 17 or older, or 16 with a signed permission slip. Teachers and parents can email mablooddrive@gmail.com to sign up.

 SAMTRANS BUS PASSES - Thanks to private donations, free monthly SamTrans youth bus passes are currently available for those students who qualify. If interested, please see Miki Cristerna, Student Support Coordinator, in the Support Center (Room B20). Bus passes are available two days before and ten days after the first of the month. It is critical that all students have a safe, reliable, and affordable means of transportation to and from school. Many M-A students do not. If you are interested in contributing funds to support this effort, please contact Ellen Mouchawar at emouchawar@yahoo.com.

  M-A TODAY! Watch M-A Today!, M-A's announcement show by students and for students, live on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:45 a.m. on High School Cube. To view past episodes, subscribe to M-A's YouTube channel. Thank you for watching!

 (Return to top)

 REFLECTIONS ARTS COMPETITION - DEADLINE for entries is one week away! Calling all filmmakers, singer/songwriters, choreographers, photographers, writers, and artists; NOW is the time to finish your entries! You may download the entry forms and rules from the M-A PTA website or get them from any of the M-A Fine Arts teachers. Please review the rules carefully and make sure you complete the "Artist Statement." There will be a box in the main office to deposit your work. The due date for entries is Tuesday, November 4, so go and create a work of art showing how "The world would be a better place if..."

FRESHMAN CHALLENGE DAY IS HERE: MONDAY, OCTOBER 27 THROUGH WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29 - Social Studies teachers will inform all students which day to attend Challenge Day, the expectations, and logistics. There is no block day on Wednesday.

Remind your student to report to the courtyard between the gyms by 8:45 a.m. DO NOT bring backpacks (only students with zero period will have backpacks). Student ID is needed for morning registration. Do not bring cell phones, or if absolutely necessary, phones must be TURNED OFF until the end of the day. Parents, please do not call or text your student until after 3:15 p.m. Snacks and lunch will be provided. Students' day will end between 3 and 3:15 p.m.

Please contact us with questions at challengeday@mabearspta.org.

Freshman Family Challenge: Don't Be Thrifty...We Need 150!

Please help the Foundation earn an additional $30,000 for the students of M-A. A generous group of M-A freshman families wants to motivate fellow freshman families like YOURS to give before year-end. If 150 freshman families donate by Wednesday, December 31, special friends of the Foundation will contribute $30,000 to this year's 2014-15 annual campaign! 

A "freshman family" is any M-A family with a student in the class of 2018 (including families that have students in other grades). The Foundation needs your help more than ever this year -- please support excellence in education at M-A!

For more information, please contact Cindy Folker at cfolker@seq.org or 650-322-5311, ext. 50206 or visit the Foundation website.

(Return to top)

M-A PARENT EDUCATION SERIES

Special Coffee Talk

Get Connected! Talking to Your Teen About Sexual Health

Wednesday, November 5

Talking about sexual health can be one of the most difficult and anxiety-provoking parenting tasks. Join Abi Karlin-Resnick, Executive Director, and Perryn Reis, Director of Research and innovation, from Health Connected (formerly Teen Talk Sexuality Education), the SUHSD's provider of comprehensive sexuality education, in a fun and interactive workshop to learn how you can create an environment of comfort and trust with your child to discuss their emerging sexuality.

Get tips on how to talk about sexuality in the context of your family's values about sex and relationships and create clear boundaries for your children while allowing them to explore this important developmental milestone.

Attendance will be limited to 25 parents on a first-come basis. Coffee and refreshments will be provided.

Please sign up today at Eventbrite.

M-A Parent Education Series events are free, sponsored by the Menlo-Atherton PTA, the Sequoia Healthcare District, and the Sequoia Union High School District.

For more information, contact Charlene Margot, Parent Education Series Program Director, at cmargot@csmconsulting.net or 650.868.0590.

SEQUOIA PARENT EDUCATION SERIES

Performing Gender: Why It's Important to Support Your Teen's Identity 

Anthony Ross, M.S. Ed., Outlet Program Director

Thursday, November 6 

7 to 8:30 p.m., Sequoia High School MPR

Join Anthony Ross from Outlet for an eye-opening conversation about "performing gender" and the role gender plays in developing teens' identities. In this workshop, parents will learn how to support their teens' gender identity and sexual orientation by creating a welcoming environment for all kids to thrive. Founded in 1997, Outlet empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQQ) youth and builds safe and accepting communities through support, education, and advocacy. Outlet envisions a world that embraces, empowers, and celebrates LGBTQQ youth.

Register for this workshop through EventBrite. Refreshments and simultaneous Spanish translation will be provided (contact Mayela Ramirez, Parent Center Coordinator, 650-369-1411 x 63105).

Sequoia Parent Education Series events are free, sponsored by the Sequoia High School Education Foundation, Sequoia Healthcare District, and Sequoia Union High School District.

M-A PARENT EDUCATION SERIES

A Conversation about College Admission 

Alice Kleeman, M-A College Advisor, and Kirk Brennan, Director of Admission, USC

Wednesday, November 12

7 to 8:30 p.m., M-A PAC

Join Alice Kleeman, M-A College Advisor, and Kirk Brennan, Director of Admission at USC for an open-ended discussion on the college admission process. Don't miss this great opportunity for juniors and seniors to learn about the college admission process! Parents, students, faculty/staff, and community members are welcome.

Register for this event through Eventbrite. Spanish interpretation will be available.

For more information about the Sequoia Union High School District and M-A Parent Education series, please contact Charlene Margot, Parent Education Series Program Director, at cmargot@csmconsulting.net or 650-868-0590.

WOODSIDE PARENT EDUCATION SERIES

The Second Goal Parent®: Developing Winners in Life through Sports

Thursday, November 13, 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Woodside High School MUR

In this interactive workshop (60 minute presentation followed by a 30 minute Q & A), parents learn how they can help ensure their student's athletic experience yields healthy, developmental (physical, social, and mental) outcomes that will serve them far beyond the playing field.

Parents who attend this workshop will be able to:

• Match their behavior as parents to goals for their student's youth sports experience
• Teach their children about the importance of a growth-mindset
• Understand what is expected of them as a sports parent
• Learn how to talk to your child about a bad game (the ride home)

Positive Coaching Alliance is a national non-profit developing "Better Athletes, Better People" by working to provide youth and high school athletes with a positive, character-building youth sports experience.

Register for this event through EventBrite. 

Woodside Parent Education Series events are free, sponsored by the Woodside PTSA, the Sequoia Healthcare District, and the Sequoia Union High School District. Parents, students, faculty/staff and community members welcome! 

For more information, contact Charlene Margot, Parent Education Series, Program Director, cmargot@csmconsulting.net or 650-868-0590.

(Return to top)

M-A ORCHESTRA - The M-A Orchestra has been invited to attend the National Band and Orchestra Festival in Carnegie Hall on Thursday, April 2 through Sunday, April 5, 2015! As a way to help defray the trip costs the Orchestra will hold a fundraising concert on Monday, November 17 at 7 p.m. in the PAC. Suggested ticket donation prices are $15/Adults and $10/Students and Seniors. Each person attending the concert will choose one student to which their ticket monies will go to and that student's trip costs would be credited in that amount.

(Return to top)

• Email proofread submissions to BearNotes@mabearspta.org by Thursday midnight.
• Please keep submissions concise and include the organization name, event, date, time, location, and contact information, including website URL.
• All submissions are subject to editing by the PTA.
• For the PTA policy on BearNotes publication, please go to the M-A PTA website.
• M-A PTA does not endorse third-party events or submissions, nor take responsibility regarding the content of any third-party websites.

Go Bears. Grrrr!

Thank you from the BearNotes Staff: Cindy Butler, Dianne Child, Pam Fernandes, Sue Olson, Jenny Pont, Kelly Stewart, and Bobbie Wood