Today is the Last Day of the PiE Challenge Grant!
Donate today and have your grant matched dollar for dollar up to $500,000. At Fairmeadow, PiE funds art teacher Karen Lenke, science teacher Kendra Hornbostel, reading specialist Anh Quan, teacher technology specialists Kristi Van and Valerie Sabbag, our music and dance programs, Living Classroom, our Classroom Aides, and more! These teachers and programs are fabulous resources and a key part of a rich education for our children.
Our campa
ign is much shorter this year, so donate now! Any amount is greatly appreciated - whatever is meaningful to you.
Click here to donate online
. Thank you!
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Greetings Fairmeadow Community,
It was a pleasure to welcome so many parents and guardians for Back to School Night at Fairmeadow. Thank you for joining us to learn about your child's upcoming school year, and to spend some time in your child's classroom. If you have lingering questions following presentations last week, please reach out to your child's teacher.
During our Whole School Assembly last Friday, I asked students to brainstorm a list of goals they would like to accomplish over the course of the school year, and welcomed students to share their goals with the group. A number of brave children and teachers stood up in front of the school and shared goals they had set for themselves. One student set the goal to read 20 chapter books during her school year, another student shared her goal to make new friends this year. A first grader committed to improving his eating habits. These goals, and many more shared, reflected a commitment to grow and improve in a variety of important areas.
There is something about sharing a goal that you've set for yourself with others that makes that goal more real, and at times can make us feel more accountable for our work toward reaching it. Similarly to a runner who announces to friends and family a plan to run a marathon, articulating a goal and laying out a plan of how one will reach it can lead to more positive results. Moreover, when we are aware of the goals of our loved ones, our classmates, and our friends, we can take intentional steps to support those around us in reaching their goals. Those around us can help us too. So, take some time with your children this fall to identify goals they would like to achieve this year. Be vulnerable, share your own goals, then listen, and encourage your child. Capture your goals in writing somewhere in your home where you can revisit, check-in, track progress, and celebrate success. This year will be an amazing year of growth and learning for all of us!
Speaking of goals, our learning community sets goals for our school, and a vision for success as a school system. For our first Principal's Coffee of the year I plan to review these important goal areas with our community, and gather feedback about our areas of strength and our opportunities for growth. Our three focus goal areas for the year are High Quality Teaching and Learning, Equity and Access, and Wellness and Safety. Please plan to join me this Friday, September 9th at 8:45 am in the Fairmeadow Multipurpose Room for a discussion of our three goal areas and a vision for our school. I'll bring the coffee, please consider bringing a reusable mug!
For current 4th and 5th grade families, the Palo Alto Unified School District will be sending home individual student Smarter Balanced Assessment (CAASPP) score reports from the 2015/16 school year in early September. You should receive these results at some point over the next few weeks. Palo Verde, El Carmelo, Hoover, and Fairmeadow families are invited to attend a Parent Education Event entitled Understanding Your Child's CAASPP Scores. Please plan to join our schools' communities, as well as PAUSD Director of Research and Evaluation Chris Kolar, for an evening discussion about interpreting student score reports. This event will take place on Tuesday, September 20th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm in the El Carmelo MP Room. Please let me know if you have any questions prior to this event.
As we fully embrace the routine in our lives now that school is in full swing, it's critical to acknowledge the importance of regular and consistent school attendance. We all know that the more time students spend in school, the more they learn, but school attendance is also a protective factor, encouraging student engagement, inclusion, and overall well-being.
Research shows that consistent school attendance has a huge impact on a student's school success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role to make sure students get to school every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and in life.This year Palo Alto Unified School District will continue to focus on efforts to align and increase attendance notifications and communication to parents from schools. To that end, should your child accumulate unexcused absences or tardies this year, you will receive a letter from the school to inform you about attendance expectations and strategies to remedy attendance concerns. Thank you for your partnership around consistent and regular school attendance for your child, and for your communication with our office staff if your child needs to be absent.
I look forward to seeing you at Fairmeadow soon. And, maybe I'll be lucky enough to hear about one or two of your goals for the year!
Grant Althouse
Principal
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New Family Coffee & PTA Meeting
Wednesday, September 7
New to Fairmeadow? Come join some of our PTA members and meet other new families at our New Family Coffee this Wednesday! We'll be on the blacktop from 8:10 to 8:40 so stop by and say hi!
Also, our first General PTA meeting of the year will take place at 8:45 in Room 27. Everyone is welcome!
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ELAC Meeting - New Date
Thursday, September 8
The date of the ELAC meeting has changed. The new date is Thursday, September 8 at 8:45 am in Room 27.
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Principal's Coffee
Friday, September 9
Join Principal Althouse at 8:45 am in the MP Room for a discussion of Fairmeadow's three focus goal areas for this year: High Quality Teaching and Learning, Equity and Access, and Wellness and Safety.
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Every Kid in a Park - Free National Park Passes for All Fourth Graders
The National Park Service's program "Every Kid in Park" offers free National Park passes to all fourth graders! Details on the program can be found here. Get your pass and plan your trip at everykidinapark.gov.
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Rock the Walkathon!
Get your walking shoes ready, Firebirds!
When:
Sunday, September 25, 11am-3pm
What: The Walkathon is a fun family event. Walk with friends, teachers, and Mr. Althouse!
There will be t-shirts, face painting, tattoos, a bake sale, food trucks, and so much more!
Don't forget!
All parents can sign up for or bid on faculty events or parties for kids during the Walkathon.
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Food Service Department Open Forums
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Renaming Schools Advisory Committee (RSAC) Survey
The PAUSD School Board created a Renaming Schools Advisory Committee (RSAC) and charged this committee to explore and recommend processes for naming or renaming schools based on community input and feedback. The committee consists of students, parents, alumni, former parents, community members, and PAUSD teachers and staff. With this short survey, we would like to get your initial input concerning the criteria you consider to be most important for the naming of any district school. Your input will help the RSAC understand the community's values, and alongside other data, help inform the committee's discussions and recommendations to the Board. The survey is very short and we appreciate you taking two or three minutes to give your input by completing and submitting this seven question survey. Simply click the following link to begin:
https://pausd.co1.qualtrics. com/SE/?SID=SV_8JuFGmlO3CJ3Qgd
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PAUSD Seeks Parent Member for Board Policy Review Committee
PAUSD invites its parents to consider joining the Board Policy Review Committee (BPRC), a committee established to assist the PAUSD Board of Education in its thinking about District policies. The BPRC committee currently has an opening for a parent representative. Parents interested in the school district's process of developing policies should fill out the form online (http://goo.gl/wZVVd9) before the deadline of end of the business day on Wednesday, September 7, 2016. For more information, go to http://goo.gl/3pHE49.
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Notice of Public Hearing: Sufficiency of Textbooks and Instructional Materials
Tues, Sept 13, 6:30 pm, Board Room, 25 Churchill Avenue, Palo Alto
The Board of Education will receive input from the public relative to certification that students have sufficient textbooks and/or instructional materials for the 2016-2017 school year. Additional information available through Educational Services at 650-329-3709.
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Love Art and Art History?
Interested in O'Keeffe, Rivera, Thiebaud, or Jacob Lawrence?
Volunteer docents needed to give presentations about the lives and work of Master Artists to PAUSD elementary students. Training provided by Arts Coordinator, Sharon Ferguson. Art History background preferred but not required. Flexible hours. Volunteer docent meetings/training at held at Art Education, 25F Churchill Ave. For more information contact Emily at Art Education at 650-329-3939 or
emarshall@pausd.org.
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Palo Alto Library -- Knack 4 Knitting
Wednesdays, 4-6 pm, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd.
This a great opportunity to share your love for knitting, meet new friends, and help others with their projects. Meets every Wednesday. Grades 9-12 and adults. Please register for this event online.
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Community Service Opportunity: Coastal Clean Up Day
Sat, Sept 17, 9am-noon, Baylands (Matadero or Adobe Creek)
The City of Palo Alto is hosting two clean-up sites (Matadero and Adobe Creeks) to clean up litter in the Baylands. To sign up: Please go to
www.cleanacreek.org
(scroll down to Palo Alto) and be sure to bring your waivers. Three hours of community service will be available.
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Media Rules: Healthy Connections in the Digital Age
Fri, Sep 30, 7-8:30 pm, Memorial Aud., 551 Serra Mall, Stanford
Do you feel that media is all-consuming and rules your family life? Navigating technology can feel like uncharted and unprecedented territory for parents. How can we effectively manage media use when the rules of engagement seem to be constantly changing? Join us to explore how adults and kids can establish healthy connections and positive relationships in the digital age.
Adults $10; students free. Details and tickets:
http://www.challengesuccess.org/media-rules/.
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Let's Talk, A SELPA 1 Support Group
Mon, Sept 12, 7-9 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. All are welcome, participants must respect confidentiality. For more information, see
www.selpa1cac.org
.
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PreSchool Family 70th Anniversary Celebration
Sun, Sept 25, 3-5 pm, Greendell School, 4120 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto
PreSchool Family is turning 70. Celebrate with classroom visits, alumni class photos, and refreshments. Alumni and Current Families welcome. Hosted by Friends of PreSchool Family. For more information, visit
psf.pausd.org
.
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Community Discussion on Teen Suicide
Wed, Sept 7, 6:30-8 pm, CHC, 650 Clark Way, Palo Alto
CHC (Children's Health Council) and the Findings from the CDC Preliminary Report on Teen Suicide: A Community Discussion. CHC's
Dr. Ramsey Khasho
will present the findings of the recent CDC report and will lead an open discussion about its implications for teen mental health in Palo Alto and the neighboring communities. Additionally, Dr. Khasho will discuss the results from our 8-week McKinsey & Co. study, and how all these reports shape our
Teen Mental Health Initiative
.
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The following events are sponsored by Project Safety Net. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training (2-day Training, Ages 16+)
Tues, Sept 6 and Wed, Sept 7, 3-7 pm, Mitchell Park Complex (9/6) & Cubberley Community Center (9/7), Palo Alto
Youth Mental Health First Aid USA is an 8-hour public education program which introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and
teaches individuals how to help an adolescent in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. RSVP at
http://goo.gl/JY1xle.
Question Persuade and Refer (QPR) Training
Sat, Sept 10, 2-4 pm, Palo Alto Community Health Fair, Mitchell Park Complex
Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) for suicide prevention is a FREE two-hour training available to anyone 18 years of age or older. QPR training helps you learn the signs of suicide, and what to do to help prevent this most preventable of deaths.
For Sat, Sept 10, RSVP at http://goo.gl/EZkhEz.
Project Safety Net at the Palo Alto Community Health Fair
Sat, 10 Sept, 2-4 pm, Mitchell Park Complex, Palo Alto
Come drop by the PSN table to get mental health resources.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Silicon Valley Walk
Sat, Sept 17, Walk begins at 11 am, Arena Green, San Jose
Put on your walking shoes-on-site or virtually--to join the Palo Alto Community and Project Safety Net for this important mental health awareness event. Your support will help change the perceptions about mental wellness, reduce mental health stigma, and promote suicide prevention. For more information, visit http://goo.gl/lkn9a9.
PSN Collaborative Community Meeting
Wed, Sept 28, 4-6 pm, Rinconada Library, Palo Alto
Join us at our next meeting to meet and hear from community members who are reducing youth mental health stigma and supporting youth voice. Register at:
http://.bit.ly/PSNAug2016.
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Effective and Joyful Discipline With Your Strong-Willed Child (7 - 11 years old)
Tues, Sept 20, 7-9 pm, Parents Place, 200 Channing Ave, Palo Alto
Strong-willed children want to cooperate, yet they need to be approached differently than easygoing children. Rather than ending up in power struggles, break this cycle and learn how to win cooperation effectively. You can bring out the best in yourself and your children. With Cynthia Klein, BA
.
$45; $30 additional parenting partner.
Register here
: http://goo.gl/n0BLdx.
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What is Sensory Motor Development? An Introduction to Occupational Therapy (all ages)
Tues, Sept 27; 7-9 pm, Parents Place, 200 Channing Ave, Palo Alto
Occupational therapy (OT) can help kids with various needs improve their cognitive, physical, sensory, and motor skills and increase their confidence and sense of accomplishment. Come meet our occupational therapist and learn how OT can help your child's development. We will discuss: What is occupational therapy? What is sensory processing disorder? What does a motor skill delay look like? How can occupational therapy help my child? With Lisa Matudio, MS, OTR/L. $45; $30 additional parenting partner. Register here: http://goo.gl/ODIfpG.
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Palo Alto Library -- Family Date Night-Fort Making Pajama Party
Fri, Sep 16, 7-8:15 pm, Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St.
Wear pjs. Build forts. Eat snacks. Have fun. Please register for each family member who will be attending.
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Juggling Two: Your New Baby and Older Sibling (2nd trimester-newborns)
Thu, Sept 29, 7-9 pm, Parents Place, 200 Channing Ave, Palo Alto
Growing your family can be a big adjustment. Discuss the emotions and preparations needed for juggling the individual needs of two children. Learn strategies for before, during, and after the new baby comes home. Anticipate older child behaviors and nurture a healthy sibling relationship right from the start. With Heidi Emberling, MA, parent educator. $45; $30 additional parenting partner. Register here: http://goo.gl/ltQC9w.
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Know a Child Who Loves to Sing?
Tue, Sept 6, 3:30 (Pre K/K), 4:30 (1-2gr), Los Altos
Cantabile Youth Singers
an internationally recognized children's choru
s
presents their September Open House on Tuesday September 6th
. You are invited to
a free demo class, open to boys and girls with a love for choral singing! Come learn about Cantabile, and experience music from all over the world, as we sing, move, and build our musicianship within a fun choral community. Each demo session is age-appropriate, with a 40-minute rehearsal, followed by a Q and A for parents.
To sign up, please contact us at info@cantabile.org (650-424-1410).
To register for classes, sign up at http://cantabile.org/join/registration/.
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Cub Scouts Pack 6
Calling all 1st -5th grade boys! Come check out Cub Scout Pack 6! Does your son like camping, hiking, building things, exploring, playing games, and hanging out with friends? If so, Cub Scouts is for you. Fun for the boys as well as the grown-ups! During the school year, we meet two Thursdays a month. We also usually have two camping trips and another overnight. Dens are grade-based and the boys progress towards earning their rank through fun activities done in meetings and at home. Build confidence and learn new skills! Meetings take place at 7:00 pm in the Palo Verde MP room. Questions? Please email: pack6info@gmail.com.
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eNews Publication Guidelines
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Previous editions of eNews can be found at the
eNews archive page.
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 contact information. Items submitted by Sunday 2 pm will appear in the Monday Edition.
- Announcements relevant to other schools in the PAUSD district can be sent 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 submissions from nonprofit organizations will be considered for placement in the 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, please contact Christy Moision, Fairmeadow's eNews editor, at fairmeadow.enews@gmail.com.
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Sep 7
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New Family Coffee General PTA Meeting |
Sep 8
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ELAC Meeting |
Sep 9 |
Principal's Coffee |
Sep 25 |
Walkathon
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