Fairmeadow Elementary School eNews

Where Learning is a Team Sport!
December 5 , 2016
Fairmeadow News
Fairmeadow Families Holiday Fund
As the holidays are upon us, please consider making a donation to the Fairmeadow Families Holiday Fund. We would would like to come together to provide assistance to families in our school community who need a little help during the holiday season. The office will be accepting donations in the form of cash or checks (please make them out to Claire Kirner). You can also contribute via PayPal (chkirner@comcast.net). Our Fairmeadow office staff will then purchase gift cards to distribute. If you'd like to participate, please do so by Tuesday, December 13th.
Feel free to contact Claire Kirner or Alicia in the front office with any questions.  Thank you!
Let's Connect: Fairmeadow Inclusion Parent Coffee!
Thurs, Dec 8, 9:30-11:30 am, Room 27, Fairmeadow 
Please join us for social time to talk with other parents. All are welcome, especially parents of Fairmeadow students with IEPs, 504s, learning differences, and emotional challenges. There will be light refreshments and coffee. Look forward to meet you all! Any questions? Contact Houn and Rika, Special Ed/Inclusion representatives of Fairmeadow PTA.

PAUSD  News
PAUSD Code Fest
Sat, Dec 10, JLS Middle School, 480 E Meadow Dr
Calling all PAUSD families to participate in a newer, bigger, better Code Fest during the Computer Science Education week. This event is free, open to all. There are several highly qualified presenters including several Gunn High School students. All sessions are hands-on and cater to all levels from beginner to experienced programmers for all ages 5 and up. Click here for registration and other details.

Community  News
Visit the Art Center Over the Holidays!
This year, the Art Center will be open the week between Christmas and New Years. Visit Tuesday, December 26 through Friday, December 30, 10 am - 5 pm. Check out our current exhibition The Butterfly Effect: Art in 1970s California and create your own 1970s poster in our nook! For details, visit the websiteemail us or call 650.329.2366.
Kids and Teens Writing Contest
Entries accepted Dec 1, 2016 - Jan 8, 2017
Kids and teens grades 3-12 are invited to enter the library's annual writing contest! In 500 words or less, essays should answer the question "what would you do with a billion dollars?" Entries should be submitted online here.
'Twas the Night Before Christmas, 2016
Sat & Sun, Dec 10-11, 1 pm and 4 pm, Woodside Performing Arts Center, 199 Churchill Ave, Woodside
Dancers Repertory Sun Theatre presents 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, a delightful dance-theatre event that will enchant audiences of all ages! Based on the Clement C. Moore poem, the show includes Santa and his magical sleigh, prancing reindeer, dancing mice, twirling toys, and a cast of over 80 children and adults.  Palo Alto students will be performing this season!  Don't miss this delightful holiday tradition! Ticket prices are $15 child/senior and $25 for adults; all seats reserved. More information here.
It's a Wonderful Nutcracker
Dec 9-11 and 16-18, Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Center, 555 Middlefield Rd, Atherton
Menlowe Ballet, the premier professional ballet company on the peninsula based in Menlo Park, presents its encore presentation of the full-length story ballet, It's a Wonderful Nutcracker. Conceived by Artistic Director Michael Lowe, It's a Wonderful Nutcracker is set to the original beloved Tchaikovsky score and updated with inspiration from the 1940's Frank Capra film, "It's a Wonderful Life," bringing the two most heralded holiday classics together on one stage. With all the magic of a traditional Nutcracker, this heartwarming contemporary version is packed full of surprises you won't want to miss! Palo Alto students will be performing! Tickets are available here.
Eth-Noh-Tec Asian Story Theater
Wed, Dec 7, 3:30-4:30 pm, Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St
Kinetic story theater group Eth-Noh-Tec perform Asian folktales and mythologies through movement-based storytelling.
Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra (PACO) Holiday Extravaganza (Senior Orchestra)
Sun, Dec 18, 3 pm, Cubberley Theatre, 4000 Middlefield
An annual holiday treat! Guests include Pacific Ballet Academy, noted contralto Karen R. Clark, Cantabile Youth Singers and 3 PACO orchestras. Handel, Bach, Tchaikovsky and much more. $10 admission for adults; free for those 18 and under!  More info and compete line-up of concerts on the  2016-17 season brochure  or visit  pacomusic.org .
Ragazzi Boys Chorus Free SingFest Minicamp
Sat, Jan 14, 2017, 9:30 am - 1 pm, Redwood City
Registration Open: Let your 7-10 year old boy test-drive this 'best choir of the Peninsula' for himself at a free half-day SingFest minicamp. Low-key, no-obligation auditions are integrated into the morning; no previous singing experience needed. Boys offered Ragazzi membership start rehearsing in January, 2017. Beginning groups meet once a week for choral singing and theory instruction. Ragazzi's proven, award-winning program is sequential and performance-based. Ragazzi performs its own concert series, sings the National Anthem at a spring SF Giants game, tours domestically and internationally, and collaborates with other prestigious Bay Area arts organizations. Minicamp is free, but advance registration is required. Can't make it to SingFest but want to audition? Click here.
Ragazzi Boys Chorus's Music and Movement Classes Open
Mondays, 3:15 and 4:15 sessions, Jan. 30 - May 8, 178 Clinton St, Redwood City
Register Now: Ragazzi Boys Chorus's engaging classes for active young boys are now open. It's a great option for boys not quite old enough for Ragazzi's main program. This class is tailored for boys ages 5-7 with little or no previous musical experience. A child-developmental approach fosters boys' creativity and curiosity. Students explore rhythm games, channel their energy through music learning, and learn concepts they can apply in any musical setting. $260 for 13 weeks; early-bird and sibling discounts. Email or call 650-342-8785. Register and more info here.
Family Holiday Volunteering
If you're looking for a way to get your family into the holiday spirit by helping others, check out Family Holiday Helpers, a non-profit website created by a mom of two PAUSD students to help families find local volunteering opportunities during the holiday season. There are a variety of local opportunities for families, such as prepping/serving food for Thanksgiving, working a shift at a food bank or holiday warehouse, or donating food or gifts for those in need. Happy volunteering!
Tips for Getting Your Child to Wear A Bike Helmet
  • Practice the "helmet habit "early-with a first tricycle or scooter.
  • Set a good example for your child. Wear a helmet every time you ride.
  • Help your child learn to fasten the buckle and adjust the straps properly. Learn how here.
  • Explain that bicycling is good training for driving other vehicles. Bikes are not toys, but a mode of transportation.
  • Praise and reward your child for wearing a helmet.
  • Be firm about your rules. No helmet, no bicycling.  Compare it to wearing a seat belt in the car.
  • Be consistent. As a family on bike outings, everyone always wears one.
  • Encourage other friends to wear helmets. It's "cool" if everyone is wearing them.
Archives and Publication Guidelines
Fairmeadow eNews is a publication of the Fairmeadow PTA. Previous editions of eNews can be found at the  eNews archive  page.  Please see the PTA website for the eNews Publication Guidelines If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact  Christy Moision , Fairmeadow's eNews editor.
In This Issue
Important Dates
Dec 6 Principal's Coffee
Dec 8 Inclusion Parent Coffee
Dec 16 Minimum Day Dismissal for Winter Break
Jan 3 Return from Winter Break
Quick Links