| May 18 |
Gold Rush Day |
| May 18 |
Volunteer Tea |
| May 25 |
All School Awards Assembly |
May 26
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Discovery Day |
| May 30 |
Memorial Day (no school) |
| June 1 |
Field Day |
| June 2 |
5th Grade Grad
Last Day of School
Minimum Day |
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(click through to the website)
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In the news this week:
- Please check the overflowing lost and found for precious items that your child may have left at school.
- Field Day is coming up on June 1st and we're looking for volunteers. Sign up here, and see below for more information.
- June 2nd is a minimum day; please pick up your kids at 1:40 pm.
Memorial day is coming up on May 30, and then we're in the final countdown. One more newsletter till the end of school!
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| From the Principal's Desk |
Dear Fairmeadow Community,
The Fairmeadow campus buzzes with energy, enthusiasm, and anticipation as the final two weeks of the school year are upon us. While most classroom instruction winds down this week and early next week, we eagerly prepare for end of year activities with our community of students and supportive families.
This Thursday, May 26th Fairmeadow students, teachers, and families will participate in Discovery Day, 2016. With activities ranging from Robotics to Yoga, Dance to Woodworking, Gardening to Calligraphy, all Firebirds will participate in two Discovery Day activities that each student selected from the extensive list of activity offerings. Parents, teachers and community organizations have planned unique experiences for students based on topics of expertise among adults, with the goal of exposing our children to a wide variety of subjects, and piquing student interest in new and exciting areas. This special learning experience, beyond the walls of each traditional classroom, will help our children discover something new and enjoy the company of peers and adults at our school. Thank you in advance to the many parent and community volunteers who make Discovery Day possible, and to our parent coordinators, Karrie Chen and Tammy Truher!
A few school days following Discovery Day, Firebirds spend the morning getting physical and having fun during our annual Field Day. On the morning of Wednesday, June 1st teachers and parents will coordinate many outdoor games and activities for students to engage with and enjoy. I'm looking forward to this day of physical activity, fun, and joy with our students. While the weather has been unseasonably cold and gloomy the last few days, it is sure to warm up, especially by the time we get to Field Day. Please consider our school's recommendation that you send your child to school wearing sunscreen, with a hat to protect the face from the sun, and with a water bottle to stay hydrated. While these three practices are important sun safety habits every day, they are especially important on Field Day.
Our Fairmeadow School Site Council is a parent and teacher leadership group that meets to establish instructional goals for our school as well as assess the social and emotional climate on campus. Members of our School Site Council are asked to attend regular monthly meetings and to collaborate around initiatives, resources, and fund allocation to support all children at Fairmeadow. If you are interested in one of the open parent positions, please contact me and provide the following information: your name, grade level for your children, and a brief statement explaining why you want to be a member of the Fairmeadow School Site Council. Please send me this information by the last day of school, June 2nd.
In classrooms, students and teachers are preparing for the conclusion of the year. All teachers are completing the process of capturing your student's learning from this year on the spring progress report. This includes informally and formally assessing your child's progress in many social and emotional competencies, as well as the many academic areas outlined in the Common Core State Standards and highlighted on the progress report. You should expect to receive your child's progress report around the final day of school. This information and much more will be shared with your child's receiving teacher for the next school year.
I look forward to seeing you at Fairmeadow soon for an end of year activity or commemoration. Thank you for your continued support of our learning community!
Grant Althouse
Principal
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| Fairmeadow Discovery Day: Sign up to help! |
We still need helpers for Discovery Day
, May 26. Activities run fro
m 9-10 AM an
d 10:30-11:30 AM. We have more than 70 activities for kids and will need as many extra adults to help out as we can! Sign up here:
http://tinyurl.com/fmdiscoveryday.
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| Fairmeadow Field Day: Sign up to help! |
Field Day Volunteers Needed!
Once again we are preparing for a fabulous Field Day on Wednesday, June 1st. We are in need of 40-45 parent volunteers to help with running the activities.
The K-2 session is from 9:00 to 10:00 and the 3-5 grade session is from 10:30 - 11:30. We need a minimum of 20 parents for each session. Sign up on this google
sheet.
Thank you in advance for all of your support and help.
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| This is our Lost and Found! |
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Please retrieve your lost items as soon as possible!
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| Book your summer camps and raise money for Fairmeadow! |
The countdown is on till summer... Have you booked your summer camps yet? If you're still looking for camps, check out ActivityHero for some of the best camps in the Bay Area. Purchase through
this page --
https://www.activityhero.com/go/Fairmeadow
-- and 3% will be donated to Fairmeadow!
Use Promo Code camplist5 to save $25 off your registration of $250 or more befor
e May 31st, 20
16.
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| Survey (All Grades) from PAUSD Student Services |
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You are asked to participate in a survey through which you can provide important feedback on PAUSD's support services for students. The Harvard Systems Review Survey of our Supports for students with disabilities will only remain open until
Tuesday, May 24
. Teachers and administrators also are being asked to participate. Access the survey here in English, Spanish and Chinese:
http://bit.ly/pausd2016sped
The original request, sent through our PAUSD research department, came from Dr. Tom Hehir, a senior faculty member at Harvard University who is leading this research. Your responses will influence their recommendations to the School Board in mid-late June. There will also be several open town hall meetings to review the results. If you have any questions regarding this survey, please contact Monica Ng, the study director, at
monica.alice.ng@gmail.com.
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Calling all Parents of JLS 6th Grade-Bound students!
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Come volunteer with next year's JLS PTA!
There are just as many opportunities to be a part of your child's JLS experience as there were at Fairmeadow, and the JLS PTA welcomes whatever level of time and talents you can contribute.
Volunteering on the PTA will accelerate your familiarity with the campus, staff, and fellow parents; there's no better or faster way to become a part of the JLS community. And we have a lot of fun!
Current "hot" jobs still open:
Jump Start Day and First Day assistance (forms, PE uniforms, etc)
6th Grade Parent Networks co-chairs
6th Grade Panther Camp co-chairs
Dance Chaperones
Community Service Day chaperones
Science Fair, Book Fair helpers
Co-chairs for Back-To-School Pizza Dinner (September 2016)
Co-chairs for Many Faces Potluck (May 2017)
Special Education Inclusion Rep
Health and Wellness Rep
Advocacy Chair
Ways and Means chair
Click
here to see a full list of the open positions on the JLS PTA committees and events, and fill out the form to indicate any interests you may have. This is not a commitment! We will contact you with more information which will help you decide if you would like to join us.
Click
here for job descriptions of most of the PTA jobs.
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To Incoming 6th Grade Jordan Parents and/or Guardians
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Jordan's Jaguar Journey is a great orientation program for 6th grade students held on August 16th and 17th. The teachers and staff of Jordan use these first two days of school to orient the new 6th graders to life at Jordan. It's fun and festive and allows the students to get to know each other, their teachers and their new space at school. The teachers have developed a terrific program but they need parent volunteers help to make it happen. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here https://www.uptous.com/communities/JJ . Questions? Please email JaguarJourney2016@gmail.com.
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| Kick for Charity Summer School |
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Hi!
Kick for Charity, a summer soccer camp run entirely by high school students from Paly and Gunn high schools, is a non-profit organization aimed towards providing a great summer soccer camp for elementary school aged children(7-11 loosely) as well as giving back to the community through charitable donations. All proceeds go to East Palo Alto Kids Foundation who funds classrooms in our local Ravenswood School District in East Palo Alto. The camp is held in the first two weeks of summer break
, June 6-
10 an
d June 13-
17, and we would love to see your child at camp for this 2016 Kick for Charity session!
Regards,
The Kick for Charity Team,
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Help Kids in Grades K-4 with Reading or Math - You Could Change a Life
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Please join other parents volunteering with All Students Matter in grades K-4 in east Menlo Park and East Palo Alto schools. You'll work in the same classroom once a week, building a relationship with the teacher and students, and be able to see the progress achieved. The students are always eager to work with you and you'll have real impact in a community where over 80% of students are performing below grade level in reading and math. Sign up now to start in September - we provide training and coordinate everything. To learn more or to sign up, please visit our web site at
www.allstudentsmatter.org
or contact Keri Tully at
keritully@gmail.com
.
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| Middle School Bicycle Skills Classes |
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Sat, Jun 11 - Aug 6, 8:30 AM - 1 PM, Mitchell Park Community Center
Build your student's independent bicycling skills. The Palo Alto Safe Routes to School program has partnered with Wheel Kids Bicycle Club to offer on-bike safety classes for middle school students and their parents throughout the summer. For more details or to register visit: http://wheelkids.com/palo-alto/middle-school/
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| Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics (PASA) Swimming Lessons |
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Stanford Cardinal Swimming offers a range of swimming opportunities for the beginning swimmer to the elite athlete. Find the best fit for you! Start dates: May - August. Contact
swim@pasacardinal.com
to find out about options at Avery Pool (Stanford) and in Palo Alto. Programs include high school, age group, competitive, developmental and swim lessons. PASA - Cardinal is a year-round United States Swimming Team:
www.pasacardinal.com
. All Levels:
https://goo.gl/pahsbq
.
High School:
https://goo.gl/Fw1T2S
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| Events at Palo Alto Libraries |
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Coding for Kids
Sun, Jun 12, 10 AM - 12 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd.
, Palo Alto
An introduction to coding using visual programming languages. Sundays through July 3. Open to kids in grades 2-6.
Python Programming
Sat, Jun 18, 2 - 4 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd.
, Palo Alto
This programming course covers all the basics. Grades 5 to 8 only.
Wacky Wednesday: Magician Pete G.
Wed, Jun 15, 3:30 PM, Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd., Palo Alto
Magician Pete G. will be performing amazing magic tricks.
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| Summer Reading Kickoff Party |
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Sat, May 28, 2 - 3 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middefield Rd., Palo Alto
The Summer Reading Program is designed to encourage everyone to read- babies, children, teens, and adults. This year's theme is "On your mark, Get set, Read!" Sign up at http://ca.evanced.info/paloalto/sr/homepage.asp and set a reading goal, log or review your books online, and at the end of the summer, after you have met your goal, come back to the library for your prize!
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| Parents Place Upcoming Events |
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Beyond Sibling Rivalry: Keeping the Peace (3 - 10 years)
Tue, June 21, 7 - 9 PM, Parents Place, 200 Channing Ave, Palo Alto
Understanding the ins and outs of sibling relationships empowers parents to manage sibling rivalry with grace and ease. During this workshop, there will be discussions on short- and long-term plans for keeping the peace. Parents will gain a deeper understanding of sibling conflicts, tools to prevent them, and answers for those challenging questions about fairness, cooperation, compassion, intervention, ground rules, and, ultimately, what it takes to raise siblings who are also close friends. With Rachel Sklar, MSW. $45 individual; $30 second person. For more info and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-sibling-rivalry-keeping-the-peace-ages-3-10-registration-24850428300?ref=ebapi
Helping Your Child With Anxiety (5 - 11 years)
Thu, June 23, 7 - 9 PM, Parents Place, 200 Channing Ave, Palo Alto
Staying Connected as Your Child Grows Up (5 - 11 years)
Wed, June 2, 7 - 9 PM, Parents Place, 200 Channing Ave, Palo Alto
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League of Women Voters Meetings about Pros and Cons on June 7 Spring Election Ballot
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Volunteers from the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto will present pros and cons for all the ballot measures on the spring election ballot in four free public meetings during May. In addition to giving the arguments for and against the ballot measures, speakers will provide information on how the primary process works in California. The program is part of the league's non-partisan Voter Education Service to the community Times and location in Palo Alto are:
May 16, 2 PM
. Avenidas, 450 Bryant Street, Garden Room; May 17, 7 PM, Channing House, 850 Webster Street;
May 21, 2 PM
, Downtown Library, 270 Forest Avenue; and
May 24, 7 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Road, Midtown Room.
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Paly Robotics Summer Camp 2016 (for middle school students, incoming 6th - incoming 9th)
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Jul 18-22, Jul 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). We are offering 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 our website at palyrobotics.com/summercamp.
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| Summer Of Service (SOS) - YCS |
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Want to make a difference in the community? Join Summer of Service (SOS) and develop leadership skills, meet new friends and have fun while helping out in the community - with Youth Community Service. Each day students will go out in teams to local schools, senior centers, food pantries and parks for service. At SOS you will have fun while learning how to tackle community issues. We also enjoy one fun BBQ day each session and an end of program celebration. SOS has four 2 week sessions that run from June 13th through August 5th for students who will be entering 6th - 8th grade in the Fall of 2016. For more information, visit the Enjoy Online or contact YCS at (650) 858-8019.
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The City of Palo Alto has declared Sunday June 19 as World Music Day. World Music Day is a free music festival that takes place in cities around the world every year around the Summer Solstice. 50 professional and amateur musical groups will perform a wide variety of musical genres: jazz, pop, rock, classical, world music, choral, etc. All performances are FREE and open to the public. This is a fun and unique family event not to be missed. The organizers are also looking for musicians and event volunteers from our community, including students from our schools. Info:
www.pamusicday.org
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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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