Monday, April 6 - Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be (Parent Education), 7 p.m., PAC (see article)
Monday, April 6 - Foundation for the Future online auction ends (see article)
Tuesday, April 7 - Last day to drop a class (with penalty)
Wednesday, April 8 - May TriVocis article deadline
Thursday, April 9 - M-A Open House, 6 to 8:30 p.m. (see article)
Friday, April 10 - Minimum Day, 12:20 p.m. dismissal
Friday, April 10 - Junior/Senior Prom, 8 p.m. to midnight

NEXT WEEK

Monday, April 13 - CAASPP Testing, schedule change
Tuesday, April 14 - CAASPP Testing, schedule change
Wednesday, April 15 - Parenting the Always-On Generation, 7 p.m., Sequoia MPR (see article)
Thursday, April 16 - SDMSC meeting, 3:45 p.m., Staff Center
Saturday, April 18 - M-A baseball team Car Show and fundraiser, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. M-A parking lot
Saturday, April 18 - ACT test date

SAVE THE DATE

Monday, April 20 through Friday, April 24 - Spring break - NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, April 28 - PTA meeting, 8:45 a.m., PAC cafeteria
Wednesday, April 29 - Mandatory Senior meeting, 8:30 a.m., PAC
Friday, May 1 - End of fourth quarter progress period
Saturday, May 2 - SAT test date
Sunday, May 3 - Big Bear Run, 9 a.m., M-A Campus (see article)
Monday, May 4 through Friday, May 15 - AP Testing
Tuesday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 6 - Senior Farewell tryouts, 3:30-6:30 p.m., PAC

Administration

Schedule Change for CAASPP Testing - The junior class will undergo California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Testing (CAASPP) on Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14. The bell schedule for these days will be as shown.

	Monday, April 13	Tuesday, April 14
8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.	Testing, 11 grade only	Testing, 11 grade only
12:45 to 1:15 p.m.	Lunch - 9, 10, 12 arrive	Lunch - 9, 10, 12 arrive
1:20 to 1:55 p.m.	Period 1 classes	Period 2 classes
2 to 2:35 p.m.	Period 3 classes	Period 6 classes
2:40 to 3:15 p.m.	Period 5 classes	Period 0 classes

Parking on Arlington Way - Please remember that there is no stopping, standing, or parking on Arlington Way for 300 feet from Ringwood Avenue (SMC Reso 068346 date 10-17-2006). Thank you for being considerate to M-A's neighbors.

M-A Open House - Open House is Thursday, April 9 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. starting in the PAC. Open house is a great opportunity for families to tour the campus, meet teachers in their classrooms, and gather information from the nineth grade Resource Fair. The program will include a welcome message and a viewing of the M-A elective video in the PAC. Families new to M-A may attend the Resource Fair on the PAC patio. Information will be available about registration, address validation, summer reading, and many M-A programs, including athletics.

Order Your Yearbook! Prices for yearbooks are $105 now, but will increase to $120 when the books arrive. Make sure to get your yearbook before they run out!

SamTrans 2015 Summer Youth Pass - The Summer Youth Pass goes on sale Thursday, May 21. The pass costs only $40 and is good for unlimited travel for children 17 years and younger from June 1 through August 31, a significant savings compared to purchasing a Monthly Youth Pass for each summer month. The Summer Youth Pass allows children and teens to be independent with safe and affordable transportation to fun summer destinations. Please find additional details on Summer Youth Pass program.

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PTA News

Summer Reading Information - M-A has required summer reading for all of its English classes. The PTA makes it easy to buy the books - when you order books through the PTA, they are delivered directly to your student. You can use the book order form that was distributed in class this week or email csf@mabearspta.org if you need a copy of the form. Calculate the amount owed, write a check to "M-A PTA", and return the form and check to your student's English teacher by Friday, April 10. The books will be delivered to your child's English class in approximately four weeks. The PTA would also appreciate it if you would consider making a donation as well. The English department uses the donations to purchase other books and materials for M-A students.

Proposed PTA Slate for 2015-16 - The Nominating Committee is pleased to propose the following slate of officers for the 2015-16 academic year. The slate will be voted on Tuesday, April 28 at the PTA general meeting.

Co-Presidents	Terri Muschott	Kim Steere
Co-Vice Presidents	Taylor Perkins	OPEN
Treasurer	Cecilia Pinto
Financial Secretary	Susan Chung
Secretary	Lubov Filonova
Auditor	Dianne Child
Parliamentarian	Juliana Andersen
SDMSC Representative	Shari Conrad

Need a Tuxedo for Prom? - Men's Wearhouse in Redwood City is generously donating $5 towards Senior Grad Night for every tuxedo an M-A student rents for prom. This is on top of the great prices Men's Wearhouse is offering. Rent yours as soon as possible to avoid rush charges.

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Foundation News

M-A's Foundation for the Future Presents

Bidding for the M-A online auction ends tomorrow, Monday, April 6 at 7 p.m.

The M-A auction is underway and there are still some amazing bargains to be won. Visit the online catalog and register to bid at M-A Foundation for the Future Bid4Kids 2015! All proceeds directly benefit M-A students.

Are you thinking of home improvements this summer? We have design consultation packages for both the inside and outside of your home.
Warm summer days hanging out by the pool sound appealing? A Ladera Recreation District membership provides your family with access to swimming, bocce ball, volleyball, tennis courts and much more.
Or, perhaps you're looking for a family vacation...How about Hilton Head for a week?
Do you have a rising high school senior? Check out the college counseling packages to help with all aspects of the college application process.

These are but a few of the items left:

Every Academy Award winner for Best Picture since 1929 on DVD!
Many trips and vacation homes in Serene Lakes in the Sierras, Hilton Head, Steamboat Springs and Las Vegas
49er, Giants, Sharks, and Stanford tickets
Bette Midler and Neil Diamond concert tickets
An instant wine cellar and select bottles of fine wine
A Patrick Willis signed jersey
A new Lynx barbeque grill
Golf outings at the SF Olympic Club and Sharon Heights
A ton of fun parties with great food and entertainment
Get to know fellow M-A parents at grade-level gatherings

So "bid high and bid often" and support a great cause in the process. Please send questions to auction@mafoundation.org.

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Parent Education

Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote

to the College Admission Mania

Frank Bruni, New York Times Columnist and Bestselling Author

Monday, April 6

7 to 8:30 p.m., PAC

This event is FULL. Please add your name to the waitlist at Eventbrite for spaces that may become available.

Helping Young Athletes Reach Their Potential

What Does Research Tell Us?
Steve Smith, PhD., Palo Alto University

Thursday, May 7

7 to 8:30 PAC Cafeteria

Please register at Eventbrite.

Parents often struggle with the dilemma of how to support their children in healthy sport participation. The balance between sports, academics, arts, and downtime can present a challenge, as families work to find what experiences will best prepare their children for the future. In this workshop, Dr. Smith will review current research and provide guidelines for parents and coaches to consider for healthy sport participation.

Dr. Steve Smith is a licensed psychologist and professor of clinical psychology in the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium of Palo Alto University. He served as the consulting psychologist for the Division I Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at UCSB.

M-A Parent Education events are sponsored by the M-A PTA, the Sequoia Healthcare District, and SUHSD. Simultaneous Spanish translation will be available.

Parenting the Always-On Generation

with Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet and Erica Pelavin, My Digital TAT2

Wednesday, April 15

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

Please register at Eventbrite.

Do you wonder how to teach your teen responsibility and ethics online, how to ensure they are aware of their actions, and how best to parent them in a digital age? Please join Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet and Erica Pelavin for an interactive workshop on "Parenting the Always-On Generation." This event is recommended for anyone interested in an overview of the digital landscape and learning about thoughtful ways to navigate media with your students. You will come away with strategies that support both you and your teen.

This event is sponsored by the Sequoia High School Education Foundation, the Sequoia Healthcare District, and the Sequoia Union High School District. Simultaneous Spanish interpretation will be provided.

All parent education events are free and open to the public. For more information on any of these events, please contact Charlene Margot, M.A., The Parent Education Series, Founding Director, at cmargot@csmconsulting.net or 650-868-0590. For Spanish, contact Mayela Ramirez, Parent Center Coordinator, 650-369-1411, ext. 63105.

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Athletics

Check out the Athletics Calendar!

Get in the Race!

10th Annual Big Bear Run

Sunday, May 3 at 9 a.m.

GET IN THE RACE - Register now for the 10th Annual Big Bear Run! Join M-A for a fun-filled morning to benefit M-A athletics. Rally your friends, come to compete, or simply show your school spirit! M-A students that run are automatically entered into a drawing for some amazing prizes. Let's celebrate with M-A families, neighbors, students, and athletes on Sunday, May 3 at 9 a.m. Please mail in a registration form or register online.

GET ENTHUSIASTIC - Every year MA Boosters grants over $110,000 to fund the basic needs of M-A's athletic teams. This effort ensures that student athletes are provided an excellent education in and out of the classroom. Without this support, the continuity of these enriching athletic programs would be compromised.

RUN, WALK, OR VOLUNTEER - M-A needs your help on race day! Volunteer jobs include: tent set-up, food, finish line, course monitors, registration, water table, and so on. Note that you can volunteer early and still run the race. To volunteer please email Maryellen McCabe at ccmccabe2@aol.com.

Weekly Sports Wrap-Up

Swimming and Diving - M-A Swimmers continued to storm through the competition in PAL, resulting in current records of 3-0 for the JV boys, varsity boys and varsity girls teams. The JV girls are 2-1. This week the aqua bears travelled to Pacifica to take on Terranova, with all four teams winning by a healthy margin.

Varsity girls won every event with a score of 122 to 46, highlighted by a double win from Faith Dunn in the 50 free and 100 back, and individual wins by Francesca Gilles (200 free), Maddie Worden (200 IM), Tori Rarick (100 fly), Sofia Bergmann (100 free), Claire Haldeman (500 free), and Marissa Shepard (100 breast).

Varsity boys outscored Terranova 112 to 55, with a double win for Gordon Williams in the 100 Fly and 100 back, and individual wins for Alex Hakanson (50 free), Jak Tedesco (100 free), and Zach Goland (500 free).

JV girls won with a total score of 111 to 79, with double wins from Kyra Sheeper in the 50 and 100 back. Other individual winners were Brynn Williams (100 IM), Maddie Sonderby (50 free), Maddie Maxwell (100 free), and Cameron Bozdog (100 breast). Correction: last week the JV girls beat Mills with a score of 142-44.

JV boys won 143 to 35, winning every event with double wins from both Christian Huhn in the 200 free and 100 back, and Henry Marks in the 100 back and 100 breast. Other individual winners were Hugo McMillian (100 IM), Adrien Carrou (50 Free), River Weston (50 back), and Andy Maxwell (100 free).

This week M-A travels to Carlmont for its fourth PAL meet on Thursday, April 9. Go Bears!

Track and Field - This was a busy past week for track and field with some exciting results. On Thursday, the Bears won varsity boys, varsity girls and F/S girls against a talented Sequoia team. Then on Friday and Saturday, about 15 athletes competed at the prestigious Stanford Invitational. Here are some of the best performances from the week:

Marquise Reid set a new long jump personal record (PR) on Thursday with a jump of 19'8.75. It was 2 feet longer than his previous PR.
Ethan Wang won set PR's in both of his events on Thursday as well, winning the F/S discus and finishing 2nd in the shot put.
Charlotte Schroeder ran a big PR in the 300 hurdles on Thursday, clocking a 50.1 and winning the event.
Kalina Zanelli won the high jump in Thursday's meet and also overcame a 30 meter deficit as the anchor leg in the 4x400 in an exciting finish to secure a meet victory for the girls team.
On Friday at Stanford, the girls distance medley relay team (Cat Depuy, Annie Harrier, Olivia Shane, Annalisa Crowe) finished 11th in a loaded field. Their time of 12:38.57 is a new school record!
Adam Scandlyn had a very busy and successful week. On Thursday, Adam ran a 1:58.8 in the 800. That time moved him to 8th all-time in M-A history. On Saturday he ran a great mile, winning his heat. His time of 4:21.71 placed him 4th in M-A history in the event.
Annie Harrier won the 200 on Thursday against Sequoia and then at Stanford ran a huge PR in the 400, clocking a 58.85. It not only won her heat but also moved her to 8th in M-A history.
The girls concluded a successful day at M-A with a season best time of 4:06.31 in the 4x400. It placed them 8th overall in the meet and was one of the fastest times in CCS this year. It also moved the team of Harrier, Miranda Simes, Depuy, and Crowe to 9th in school history.

Varsity Baseball - Matthew McGarry came up big at the dish and on the hill, leading the Bears to a 3-2 win over Carlmont on Wednesday at M-A. McGarry racked up 7 strikeouts, allowed 2 earned runs, 3 hits and 1 walk on 114 pitches over 7 innings for the win. M-A scored 2 runs on consecutive bases loaded walks by Carlmont in the first. M-A took the lead in the third inning when they scored on a solo home run by McGarry.

On Friday, the team traveled to Carlmont and lost 3-1 in 7 innings on. The Bears had to wait until the 6th inning for their chance to score with a leadoff double by Matt Johnston (.333). The Bears smelled a momentum shift in the air when Johnston was plated by the next batter McGarry (.344) with a smash single to left field. Then the wheels fell off. McGarry was caught between bases on a flyball and 2 consecutive K's killed the Bears only rally.

Kodiak Conrad (3.05 ERA) had a shaky start on the mound, allowing a first inning 2-run homer by Carlmont which would prove to be enough to beat the Bears this time. Conrad then settled down going 5 innings on 90 pitches giving up 6 hits with 5 K's, 3 BB's allowing 3 earned runs. Nick Olson relieved Conrad in the 6th inning allowing no hits on 10 pitches.

Boys Varsity Tennis - The Bears recorded two easy wins again last week, beating hosts Half Moon Bay and Carlmont by identical 7-0 scores. At Carlmont, Reed Fratt avenged his only PAL loss this season, winning 6-2, 6-2 at #1 singles. The Bears won all 14 individual matches in straight sets. This week, M-A hosts Aragon on Tuesday, April 7 at 4 p.m. and Burlingame on Thursday, April 9 at 4 p.m. Should the Bears win both matches, they will clinch the PAL title for a 7th straight year.

Girls Varsity Lacrosse - The Bears improved to 8-3 on the season with two dominating road victories last week. On Tuesday, M-A defeated Castilleja 18-6. The Bears scored 6 unanswered goals in the first 12 minutes. Emma Easton and Annie Payne each scored 3 in the first half, while Sally Carlson and Amanda Wiseman each scored twice and had 2 assists. The Bears lead 10-3 at the end of the first half. The second half was more of the same as the Gators struggled to penetrate the Bears' defense. Offensively, Payne was unstoppable, scoring 4 second-half goals on her way to 7 on the day. Goalie Allie Bayne had 5 saves.

In the inaugural meeting between the programs, M-A defeated Carlmont 23-3 on Thursday. The Bears led 13-1 at the half as Carlmont struggled to contain the explosive M-A offense. The Bears were led by Wiseman and Payne who each had 5 goals. Carlson had 3 goals, 14 self-draws, and 5 assists. Hannah Wilson had 5 defensive takeaways. Also scoring for the Bears were Izzy Regonini (4), Easton (2), Emma Roellig (2), Julia Geaghan-Breiner, and Lauren McGinnis. The Bears return to action at Sequoia on Thursday, April 9 at 5 p.m.

Boys JV Volleyball - The team had a close 3- set match against Saratoga on Thursday. Saratoga took the first set 25-18. M-A came back in the second set thanks to great serving by Peter Tran and a fierce front line of Tim Anderson, Collin Shen and Ryan Le for sets, blocks and kills. In a tight third set it came down to solid serving, hits, and kills by both teams with Saratoga prevailing 15-12. The next game is at home in Ayers against Lowell on Tuesday, April 7. Come out and cheer them on!

Boys Varsity Volleyball - Coming off a terrific performance at last weekend's tournament, the Bears split their 2 matches this week to bring their record to 5-7 for the season. On Tuesday, the team traveled to San Jose to face University Preparatory Academy. Against an inexperienced UPA team, the Bears took care of business with everyone contributing to an easy 3 set victory, winning by scores of 25-13, 25-15, and 25-18.

Thursday evening, M-A hosted Saratoga, who used their height and experience to defeat the Bears in straight sets. Bad passing off the Falcons' serves doomed the Bears in the first 2 sets, which they lost 12-25 and 18-25. In the third set, however, M-A got off to a great start and led for most of a tightly contested game. Despite M-A's best efforts, Saratoga came from behind at the end to edge the Bears and secure a 26-28 win. As usual, freshman setter Schuyler Knapp ran the offense well with 27 assists, setting up many kills by junior outside hitter Edward Falefa and senior middle blockers Laki Fonua and Ryan Cole. The Bears also had aces from junior Eddie Ives, freshman Troy Sweetnam, and Falefa. Defensively, M-A got 5 digs from sophomore Bryan Kang, 6 from Falefa, and 8 from freshman Cortney Weintz, who also impressed the crowd with his stunning 31.5 inch vertical jumping ability. Senior Jose Guzman, junior Dylan Calderon, and sophomore Jack Hinshaw also provided key contributions throughout the match.

This week, the Bears host Mills on Tuesday, April 7 at 5:30 p.m., and The King's Academy on Friday, April 10 at 4 p.m. Come out and cheer them on

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Community News

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Community Program - A new class titled Smart Sendoffs: An Off-to-College Health Guidance for Students and Their Parents will be presented by the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stanford on Sunday, June 28 from 2 to 5 p.m. This program will include honest and open discussions on nutrition, sleep, independence, mental health, immunizations, finding health resources at school as well as parties, sex, substance use, and relationships. Interactive learning will occur in both large groups (parents and teens together) and in smaller separated groups. Additional information can be found here or by calling 650-724-4601.

Interested in Arts Classes This Summer? - Menlo School is hosting a third year of Summer Arts@Menlo. Classes include visual arts, creative writing, drumming, theater, and dance. All courses will be held in the Creative Arts and Design Center on the Menlo School campus and taught by Menlo School faculty and guest artists. Enrollment is open to all students in the community, grades 6-12. Additional information can be found at Summer Arts. If you have any questions, please email summerarts@menloschool.org.

Teen Blackout Poetry Contest - Throughout April's National Poetry Month, the Menlo Park Library will be hosting a Blackout Poetry Contest. Participants create poetry by leaving select words visible and blacking out the rest. Pick up a newspaper or stop by the Teen Section for used book pages. Each one page entry should include your name, age, contact information and name of school. Submit your entry at the library or email Sydnee at mardell@plsinfo.org.

Teen Game Night - Bring your friends to a night of fun at the library on Friday, April 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Teens (12-18 years old) will have access to the library's computers and can challenge fellow teens to popular board games. Snacks and some games will be provided. Feel free to bring your own games and or gaming consoles! Please see our Teen Library webpage for registration.

TAG Meeting - The Teen Advisory Group (TAG) will meet on Saturday, April 11 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. TAG is a group of teenagers who provide events, contests, and resources for teens at the Menlo Park Library. Their mission is to provide an environment in which teens can express their ideas about how to improve the library. Visit the TAG website for more information on how to join.

Magic The Gathering Club - You asked, and we listened! There is a new club in Teen Services at the library for 12 to 18 years old - Magic The Gathering! The club will tentatively meet the third Friday of each month with the first meeting on Friday, April 17 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. No registration is required. Meet on the patio and start to play. Cards will not be provided, nor will staff be chaperoning.

Teen Spring Book Club Meeting - Join other book lovers (12-18 years old) at a themed book party on Saturday, May 2 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. to discuss The Young World, by Chris Weitz. Register for the Book Club on the Teen Library webpage.

Farewell celebration of Oak Knoll's Principal Ackerman - Attention former Oak Knoll school students: beloved principal, David Ackerman, is retiring this year! Please come to a farewell celebration at this year's spring picnic on Friday, May 15 at Oak Knoll School from 5 to 7 p.m. Please join the community to wish Mr. Ackerman well and add your favorite reminiscence to his memory book. Advance purchase required for meal tickets. Scholarships are available. If you would like to purchase meal tickets to the farewell celebration or would like to contribute to his farewell gift, please contact DavidAckermanRetirement@gmail.com.

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Quote of the Week

I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.

~ Mewtwo

BearNotes Submissions

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