Tuesday, April 28 - PTA meeting, 8:45 a.m., PAC Cafeteria
Wednesday, April 29 - Mandatory senior meeting, 8:30 a.m., PAC
Wednesday, April 29 - Growing and Nurturing a Reader, 10-11:30 a.m., Sequoia Library (see article)
Thursday, April 30 - Know Your Rights presentation, 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. (see article)
Friday, May 1 - End of fourth quarter progress period
Friday, May 1 - Murder Mystery Drama Theater, 6 p.m., PAC Cafeteria
Saturday, May 2 - SAT test date
Sunday, May 3 - Big Bear Run, 9 a.m., M-A Campus (see article)

NEXT WEEK

Monday, May 4 through Wednesday, May 13 - AP Testing
Tuesday, May 5 - Senior Farewell tryouts, 3:30-6:30 p.m., PAC
Wednesday, May 6 - Get Connected, (Parent Education) 10 a.m - 12 p.m., Sequoia HS, Birch Room (see article)
Wednesday, May 6 - Senior Farewell tryouts, 3:30-6:30 p.m., PAC
Thursday, May 7 - SDMSC meeting, 3:45-4:45 p.m, Career Center
Thursday, May 7 - Helping Young Athletes Reach Their Potential, 7 p.m., PAC Cafeteria (see article)
Friday, May 8 - Comedy Sports Show Night, 7:30 p.m., PAC

SAVE THE DATE

Monday, May 11 - Super Senior Monday, lunch
Tuesday, May 12 - Minimum Day
Tuesday, May 12 - CAHSEE testing
Wednesday, May 13 - CAHSEE testing
Thursday, May 14 - Spring Choir and Guitar Concert, 7:30 p.m., PAC
Friday, May 15 - Battle of the Bands, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 19 - Spring Band Concert, 7:30 p.m., PAC
Wednesday, May 20 - Spring Sports Awards Night, PAC, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 21 - Drama Awards Night, 4-6 p.m., PAC
Thursday, May 21 - SDMSC meeting, 3:45 p.m., staff center
Friday, May 22 - M-A Film Festival, 7-9 p.m.
Monday, May 25 - Memorial Day, NO SCHOOL

Administration

Know Your Rights - Come to a workshop on Thursday, April 30 led by the Honorable Judge LaDoris Cordell (City of San Jose Independent Police Auditor) on youth rights. Learn the answers to questions such as:

What should you do when you're stopped or questioned by law enforcement?
What are your rights as a young person?

A facilitated Q&A period will take place after her presentation. This event, sponsored by M-A, will be a highly interactive and informative event for all young people and their families. The workshop will be held in room M-2 (music room) from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. For more information, please contact Miki Cristerna, Director of M-A's Student Support Center at mcristerna@seq.org.

Please Help Proctor AP Tests - The 2015 AP test schedule is set and volunteers are needed to help with proctoring. If you can spare a few hours, please sign up to proctor one of many AP tests that will be administered between Monday, May 4 and Wednesday, May 13. You may not proctor a test that your child is taking. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet. If you have any questions, contact Catherine McMillan (gregandcat@gmail.com) or Mary Zarucchi (menlomaryz@aol.com).

AP Calculus Summer Program - An email confirming summer enrollment has been sent to students and parents. If you think you are enrolled and did not receive an email, contact Mr. Whitnah at gwhitnah@seq.org.

Alice Kleeman Retiring - After 20 years of service to M-A students and families, Alice Kleeman will retire from her position as college advisor at the end of June. Alice's enthusiastic and professional assistance to M-A students is greatly appreciated. She leaves to enjoy more time with her children and grandchildren and have a well-deserved rest from the hectic pace of the Career Center. Alice has agreed to return to M-A next year on a part-time consulting basis to ensure a seamless transition to the new college advisor. Although she will not work directly with individual students in this role, she will help our new college advisor tackle the varied responsibilities of the position and assist with the planning and implementation of a host of college-related activities.

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PTA News

Nominate Your Favorite Volunteer - Each May, the M-A PTA honors individuals who have contributed in an extraordinary way to M-A. These awards recognize parents who have given outstanding voluntary service to M-A and its students. If this is someone's last year at M-A, please let the PTA know - the PTA really wants a chance to thank them for their service to the school. To inspire nominations, here are the award guidelines that the Service Award Selection Committee considers:

Quality, quantity, and length of volunteer service
Number, size, and importance of project(s)
Leadership in service and/or project(s)
Additional activities that directly and indirectly benefit M-A and/or the school district
Innovation or improvement of beneficial projects
Consistency and dependability

Please email nominations to President@mabearspta.org or mail them to M-A Office PTA Box, 555 Middlefield Rd., Atherton, CA 94027. Include the name of your nominee and a brief statement of the reason for the nomination (leadership positions, committees, etc.). The deadline is Monday, April 27. Please note this is the Monday following spring break. It would be wonderful if you could send the nominations in prior to the end of spring break.

Grad Night Volunteers Needed - Grad Night will take place the evening of Thursday, June 4. Seniors will check in at Ayers Gym at 7:30 p.m., be whisked off to a secret location, and return by 3 a.m. Volunteers are needed to help chaperone the evening's events from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. and to help at check-in from 7:30 to 9 p.m. To join the team, please contact Lexi Bisbee, Maria Hilton, or Laurie Knox at gradnight@mabearspta.org. This is a fun night for M-A's graduates and your last chance to see the Class of 2015 as a group! More details to follow at the senior meeting on Wednesday, April 29.

Proposed PTA Slate for 2015-2016 - The Nominating Committee is pleased to propose the following slate of officers for the 2015-16 academic year. We will vote on the slate Tuesday, April 28 at the PTA general meeting.

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

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Foundation News

SILICON VALLEY GIVES DAY

IMPACT GIVING ON TUESDAY, MAY 5 BENEFITS M-A STUDENTS!

On Tuesday, May 5, thousands of Bay Area residents will show support for their favorite nonprofits as they participate in Silicon Valley Gives, a 24-hour online fundraiser. Sponsored by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, this initiative aims to inspire and unite our community through philanthropy. (Donations are processed through Razoo.com)

If you want your giving to impact academic excellence, collaborative learning, life-changing opportunities, creative exploration and bright futures for local students, please make M-A's Foundation for the Future your choice. Can't wait? Make your gift today and it will count on May 5! Spread the news. Forward and post about this exciting opportunity for high-impact giving to benefit M-A students.

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Parent Education

Growing and Nurturing a Reader: Demystifying Young Adult Literature

with Sharon Levin

Wednesday, April 29

10 to 11:30 a.m., Sequoia Library (Fireplace Room)

Please register at Eventbrite.

Young adult literature is one of the fastest growing demographics in publishing today. Much has been written about how dark or scary it is. But is it really? Why do teens like it? What are teens reading and enjoying? How do you find good books and how do you keep your overscheduled teen interested in reading? Join young adult book reviewer Sharon Levin as she takes you through numerous titles and demystifies what young adult literature is all about. Participants will come away with a very long list of book suggestions as well as the opportunity to win free books for teens (and adults).

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

Helping Young Athletes Reach Their Potential

with 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.

Get Connected! Talking to Your Teen About Sexual Health
with Perryn Reis and Abi Resnick-Karlin from Health Connected

Wednesday, May 6

10 a.m. to 12 p.m., SUHSD Birch Room

Join us for the final event in the SUHSD Parent Education Mini-Series to address teenage risky behaviors. Talking about sexual health can be one of the most difficult and anxiety-provoking parenting tasks. Join 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 children 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.

The Parent Education Mini-Series is sponsored by the Sequoia Healthcare District and the Sequoia Union High School District.

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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Clubs and Activities

W.O.M.B.A.T. Club Speaker - Patricia Nakache will be speaking with the Women of Medicine, Business, and Technology (W.O.M.B.A.T.) club on Friday, May 1 at lunch in room F-13. Mrs. Nakache has been a partner at Trinity Ventures for more than 15 years. She focuses on funding companies that offer innovative online consumer and business services. Her education includes an A.B. in physics and chemistry from Harvard and an M.B.A. from Stanford. In addition to her work at Trinity Ventures, she also guest teaches two classes on entrepreneurship at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. Please come learn more about opportunities for women in the venture capital world.

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Athletics

Get in the Race!

10th Annual Big Bear Run

Sunday, May 3 at 9 a.m.

GET IN THE RACE - Join Boosters 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 - Run the race and get into the drawing for some amazing prizes!

GET REGISTERED - Online registration at Active.com. Prices are:

Until Thursday, April 30	$18 for students, $28 for adults
After Thursday, April 30 - Race Day	$20 for students, $30 for adults

BEAT THE RUSH! Pick up your T-shirt and race day bib on Friday, May 1 from 2:30 - 6 p.m. in the gym parking lot.

GET INTO VOLUNTEERING - M-A needs your help on race day! Sign up to help and get a cute volunteer shirt. 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.

Check out the Athletics Calendar!

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Community News

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.

Teen Night: Henna & Cultural Potluck - Come celebrate cultures with other Teens (12-18 years old) on Friday, May 8 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Bring food and dress up the way you want. Learn how to draw, receive a henna tattoo, and eat plenty of tasty food! Register for this event on the Teen Library webpage.

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Quote of the Week

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.

~John Muir

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