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Read Across America |
Mar 6
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Online auction ends
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| Mar 11 |
No school - local holiday |
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(click through to the website)
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Happy birthday to the 1 in 1,461 babies born on this extra special day! Here's your leap day news:
- Fairmeadow's online auction is still running, with lots of choice items up for grabs, including our new favorite cookbook, Fairmeadowlicious! You can Click for Fairmeadow till March 6th.
- Tickets are still available for Fairmeadow's production of Annie. Showtimes below. Tix available here.
- Living classrooms is offering training programs for people who are interested in volunteering in our community garden. Training sessions are being held on March 7, 14, and 21 from 9 am - noon. For more information, see the description below and contact Shawn Shahin: shawns@living-classroom.org.
Thanks all and have a wonderful week.
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Living Classroom sees Students Blossoming!
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Seeking Volunteers to help Share Love of Nature with Children
Living Classroom, the garden-based education program, is well on track to providing over 400 lessons in grades K-3 this year at five Palo Alto schools: Duveneck, El Carmelo, Fairmeadow, Hays and Barron Park. At each school, both native habitat and edible gardens provide the setting for the lessons which cover important content in science, math, social studies and also nutrition. The lessons are aligned with Next Generation Science and Common Core Standards and are all hands-on to provide the most direct and engaging learning experience possible with living plants and animals as the subject of study.
We are able to provide so many lessons through the support of our volunteer trained docents. Although 8 docents are now generously giving their time and talent, we do need more help to allow more students to benefit from these nature-based lessons.
Please consider attending our spring training sessions on Mondays, March 7, 14 and 21st from 9 a.m. - noon to learn more about how you can share your love of nature and science with children.
Here's a quick sampling of lessons given during February and March:
Kindergarten: Kinders learn the parts of plants, their function and eat them during the Incredible Edibles lesson. Who knew that broccoli was a cluster of flower buds?
First Grade: During the Growing Vegetable Soup lesson, students harvest, clean and prepare vegetables they planted in the fall to make a healthy vegetable soup for the entire class to enjoy.
Second Grade: Who knew that earthworms were so important to our lives? During the Mighty Worm lesson, students meet worms up close and personal and build a layered worm home to observe their tunneling abilities, which are key to plant health.
Third Grade: Students set up an actual scientific experiment in which they hypothesize what impact the color of light shown on plants will have on their rate of growth. Three weeks later they measure the plant growth and assess the plant health and come to a conclusion based on their data.
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| Fairmeadow's Online Auction |
Get ready to click, bid, and win!
Fairmeadow's ONLINE AUCTION is ON NOW and ENDS Sunday, March 6 at 10pm.
Tell your friends and family so they can check it out!
Don't forget: buy our first Fairmeadow cookbook, "Fairmeadow-licious," which is a collection of the community's favorite recipes!
Click here to view the programs, materials, and events sponsored by the PTA.
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| ANNIE tickets on sale now! |
Our students have been working hard getting ready for the performance of Annie. Come support your fellow classmates. Tickets are limited so purchase them early. You will not want to miss the show!
Saturday, March 5th @ 1pm
Sunday, March 6th @1pm
(Tickets are $15 for adults and $11 for kids)
SPECIAL SNEAK PEEK and BAKE SALE ON FRIDAY MARCH 4th AT 3:30PM.
Fairmeadow students, teachers & staff are invited to come watch the last dress rehearsal before the big show.
FOR FREE!
(Parents can buy a sneak peek ticket for $10)
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Noon LEGO Club: Regular help needed!
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Can you help make Lego Club happen every Tuesday lunch break?
Our Kids Love Lego!
Our most accessible and popular Noon Activity is in danger of cancellation! Can you spare 45 minutes every Tuesday, or alternate Tuesdays to keep this popular activity running?
"Maybe... What would I have to do?"
Hosting Lego Club is easy: The activity runs during the 45 minute lunch break. Tables and Lego are set for you at 12pm - spread it out, or let the kids dip into the boxes, then stand back and watch them build. When the bells goes we clear the Lego back into its boxes, and the kids head back to class. Now, simply walk away - your work is done! Leave the boxes and tables for the custodian to put away.
"Well, but every week? That's a big commitment..."
You can share duties between two or more parents. Attend every week, or alternate weeks. We can arrange a schedule to suit you! And when your personal timetable changes, we'll find someone else to take your place. No pressure.
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I want to know more!"
That's great! Contact Nadia Priestley with your questions:
nadia@stodge.org
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Reclaiming Childhood in a Digital Age
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The Ohlone PTA is hosting a parent education talk on Monday
February 29th.
Richard Freed, Ph.D., child and adolescent psychologist and author of Wired Child, will speak on the surprising science of raising happy and successful children in a digital age. This thought-provoking presentation will cover:
* Technology's impact on the family
* The question of whether technology is addictive
* How entertainment technologies affect kids' success
* Who better understands technology: parents or children, and
*How to help kids use technology productively
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The Palo Alto Council of PTAs is looking for a few good candidates to help fill some vacancies on our roster for the 2016-17 school year. The Council works with the district staff, the Board of Education, community partners and the PTAs at all 17 schools to support the students and families of our district. It offers a great opportunity for individuals to get a broader view our district and build bridges between schools/PTAs in service of the broader community. The current 2016-17 roster is posted at http://ptac.paloaltopta.org/2016-17-ptac-board-nominees/
If you are interested in any of the open positions, send an email to ptacouncil@paloaltopta.org and specify the position that you are interested in.
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Palo Alto Council of PTAs Sports Page
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Parent-Child Communication Workshop
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Mon, Mar 14, 7 - 8:30 PM, Paly Haymarket Theater, 50 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto
Mon, Mar 21, 7 - 8:30 PM, JLS Middle School Cafetorium, 480 E Meadow Drive, Palo Alto
The workshop will begin with scripted vignettes about teen stressors. Moderators will guide discussion to provide parents with different strategies, skills and advice for communicating and connecting with their child. Mandarin translation provided. Sponsors: Stanford Department of Behavioral Sciences and PAUSD.
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City of Palo Alto Community Meetings (Fall 2015 Palo Alto Shuttle Community Survey)
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Thurs, Mar 10, 3:00 - 4:30 PM, Embarcadero Room, Rinconada Library,1213, Newell Road, Palo Alto
or
6:00 - 8:00 PM, Community Room, Lucie Stern Community Center,1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Some of the items to be discussed:
· New service concepts for Palo Alto Shuttle Program
· New or modified shuttle routes
· Possible shuttle rebranding & awareness campaign
· Possible renaming of routes
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| Auditions -- Palo Alto Children's Theatre Production of James And The Giant Peach |
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Mar 1 or Mar 2, 3:45 - 6:00 PM, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto
Announcing auditions for James and the Giant Peach, part of the 2015 - 2016 Main Stage Season at the Palo Alto Children's Theatre. Auditions are open to youth ages 8 - High School. For more information about what to prepare, rehearsal and performance dates, as well as FAQ's, please visit: www.cityofpaloalto.org/childrenstheatre and click the AUDITIONS link. The Palo Alto Children's Theatre is a program of the City of Palo Alto's Community Services Department, Arts and Sciences Division.
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| Fun events at the Palo Alto Libraries |
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Friday Fun (Palo Alto Library)
First Fri/Month, 3:30-5 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd. AND Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St., Palo Alto
Drop in for board games, simple crafts, and Bingo!
Saturday Board Games (Palo Alto Library)
First Sat/ Month 10 AM - 6 PM, Downtown Library, 270 Forest Ave., Palo Alto
Enjoy a day of modern board-gaming in the Library! Teens and adults welcome-and bring your own snacks to keep fueled throughout the day!
Opera San Jose presents "The Barber of Seville" (Palo Alto Library)
Wed, Mar 2, 3:30 PM, Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd., Palo Alto
A condensed one-act production of The Barber of Seville.
Knack-4-Knitting (Palo Alto Library)
Weekly on Wednesdays, 4 - 6 PM. Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto
Share & learn knitting skills at this weekly program!
Robotics Workshop (Palo Alto Library)
Sat, Mar 26, 7 - 8 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto
Learn how to build and program robots in this 3 week session through 4/16. Grades 4-8 only.
Society of Bookworms: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea (Palo Alto Library)
Wed, Mar 16, 3:30 - 4:30 PM, Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St., Palo Alto
Discuss a great book with your friends at the library! Grades 4-6.
STEAM Lab Saturday (Palo Alto Library)
Sat, Mar 5, 2:30 - 3:30 PM, Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St., Palo Alto
Try a new maker project each month! March: Things that Move. Grades K-6.
Parenting Program: Birds and the Bees: Know What You'll Say Before They Ask (Palo Alto Library)
Thu, Mar 3, 7-8:30 PM. Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto
Learn effective ways to provide your kids with age appropriate answers to those uncomfortable questions about our bodies and sex. Our Parenting Programs are held the first Thursday of every month through May.
Afternoon Adventure: Pirate Treasure Hunt (Palo Alto Library)
Wed, Mar 23, 3:30 - 5 PM,
Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St., Palo Alto
Create pirate-themed crafts and embark on a hunt for pirate treasure around the library! For grades K-5 only.
Water Cycle Storytime & Craft (Palo Alto Library)
Tue, Mar 8 & Wed Mar 9, 10:30 AM, Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St., Palo Alto
Special "Silicon Valley Reads 2016" Storytime & Craft. Includes a reading of Miranda Paul's Water is Water. No registration required.
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The Anxious Worried Child - Parent Education Event Sponsored by SELPA 1 CAC
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Wed, Mar 16, 6:45 - 9 PM, Santa Rita School Multi, 700 Los Altos Ave., Los Altos
Challenging academic expectations, advances in technology, and social pressure are all contributing to an increase in anxiety among our children. As a result, we are seeing a rise in behavioral issues, poor social interactions, and an inability to function at school. What are typical worries for children and when should you be concerned that your child is worrying excessively? There are several strategies that can help relieve stress, decrease anxiety and increase calm feelings. In a world that is constantly evolving, having the ability to manage the anxiety that comes with change is becoming an essential life skill.
Free and open to the public. No registration is necessary. Led by Dr John Brentar, a licensed psychologist who conducts evaluations and provides therapy to children and adolescents, and Amy Keezer , a licensed marriage and family therapist. Sponsored by SELPA 1 CAC, an all-volunteer group of parents of children with special needs whose service area includes all public school districts in Los Altos, Mountain View, and Palo Alto.
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Gunn Music Dept's Community Swing Dance
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After having organized two wildly successful dances for high schoolers, the Gunn Music Department is hosting its first community swing dance exclusively for adults. The much awaited event is on
March 5th at 6:30pm in the Lucie Stern Ballroom. All details and ticket sales information can be found using the links below. Be sure to purchase your tickets online in advance! Proceeds go to the Gunn Music Department.
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Paly Robotics Summer Camp 2016 (for middle school students, incoming 6th - incoming 9th)
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July 18-22, July 25-29, Aug. 1-5, The Paly Robotics Lab (Room 903 at Palo Alto High School)
Do you want your child to experience what it is like to design and build robots? Or how about learning how to program and create 3D animations? What about creating a business plan and promoting it with a website? This year, Paly Robotics will be hosting our annual summer camp for incoming middle school students (incoming 6th - 9th). There are three sessions to choose from - Robot Design and Hardware; Programming and 3D Animation; and Entrepreneurship and Website Design. For more information about our camp and the different sessions, visit palyrobotics.com/summercamp.
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World Water Monitoring Challenge
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Thur Mar 3, 4-5:3 PM, Bol Park, Palo Alto
Come join Acterra Stewardship to learn more about the watershed in which you live, how watersheds work, and what you can do to protect important creek habitat. Volunteers are invited to come test the quality of water in Matadero Creek and have the opportunity to learn about watersheds and do a bit of biomonitoring by looking at which aquatic bugs live in this part of the creek.
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Mon, Mar 14, 1 - 9 PM, Orchard Community Room, Los Altos Library, 13 S. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos
A chance to ask questions and share ideas, resources, and support with other parents of students with IEPs, 504s, learning differences, mental health challenges, etc. Sponsored by SELPA 1 CAC, an all-volunteer group of parents of children with special needs whose service area includes all public school districts in Los Altos, Mountain View, and Palo Alto. All are welcome and participants must respect confidentiality.
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| Help Palo Alto Students Adopt the Growth Mindset |
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The Heroic Imagination Project, a non-profit organization founded by Stanford Professor Philip Zimbardo, has created the learning tools and training to teach students the Growth Mindset. The Growth Mindset is based on extensive social science research and refers to positive thinking and action that combines our natural ability with genuine effort to achieve higher results. The Growth Mindset enables us to achieve our goals in a more productive, effective way with less stress. Freshmen from Palo Alto High School are raising money to license the content and obtain the training that will enable them to teach the Growth Mindset to hundreds of Palo Alto Students.
Please help our students adopt the Growth Mindset. Follow the link below to watch a video about this student-led initiative and to donate. Every dollar counts for our kids. https://www.tilt.com/tilts/help-students-learn-the-growth-mindset |
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| eNews Publication Guidelines and Archive |
| For old versions of eNews, go to the eNews archive . Fairmeadow eNews Publication Guidelines:
- Fairmeadow eNews is a publication of the Fairmeadow PTA. It is sent out each Monday morning, with special editions sent out as required.
- If you want to publish an announcement relevant to Fairmeadow, send an email to fairmeadow.enews@gmail.com. Include the following information: title, date, time and location of the event, a brief description and who to contact. Information submitted by Sunday 2 pm will appear in the Monday Edition.
- Announcements relevant to other schools in the PAUSD district can be send to enews@paloaltopta.org
- Our PTA has a noncommercial policy, which states that we do not associate with any commercial activities of other organizations including, but not limited to, the promotion of their goods and services. Only information from non profit organizations will be considered for placement, if submitted to eNews.
- Announcements will generally be published in two consecutive issues. To have further announcements made after that, please submit your announcement again.
If you have any questions or suggestions, e-mail Susan Leech, Fairmeadow's eNews editor.
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