Paly Link

A PTSA publication
 

Sunday, Dec 17th, 2017



The Paly Link is distributed on Sundays, except during school breaks and holidays.

Changes will be highlighted as
NEW  UPDATED  CORRECTED

To submit an article, see Submissions Guidelines.
Calendar

Tue- Thurs Dec 19-21 Finals (see schedule below
Friday Dec 22 Winter Break Begins 
Tuesday Jan 9
1st day of Second Semester (First day back after Winter Break)
Wednesday Jan 10 Freshman Parent Night, 7 pm at the PAC
Monday Jan 15 Martin Luther King Day - No School
Wednesday Jan 24 Sophomore Parent Night, 7 pm at the PAC
Thursday Jan 25 Instrumental Music Concert, 7 pm. at the PAC

Paly & PTSA Items
paly viking ship logo


Freshman Parent Night NEW
Wednesday, January 10, 2018, 7:00 - 8:30pm, PAC
Please join us for an informational evening for the parents of Freshman.
We will cover an assortment of topics that will include the 4 Year Academic Plan, Course Selection for the 2018-2019 school year, and the 10-12th grade TA Program to name a few.  
We hope to see you there!
The Paly Guidance Team

Paly Community Book Group:  Where You Go is Not Who You'll Be by Frank Bruni 
Paly's Challenge Success Committee invites all  Paly parents, teachers, administrators, and students to read  Frank  Bruni's book about the college admissions process and how we can have a more balanced approach to this process. We will be hosting several opportunities to learn more about the ideas in this book and how we can help our students and families have a less "all-or-nothing" mindset when considering college options. The all-school opportunity will be a student-teacher-parent "fishbowl" on  Wednesday, January 31 at 7:00 pm, where we invite parents AND students to attend and hear perspectives from representatives from all three groups.  We will also be sending out a book summary and a couple of additional resources prior to the  January 31 event.  Please contact Heidi Mickelsen ( heidihm@gmail.com) or Cari Anderson ( cari.anne.anderson@gmail.com) if you have any questions or suggestions. The Parent Network groups will host discussion groups on the same topic on the dates below; the reps will send out more info through Up to Us. 
Parent Network discussion dates:
Class of 2018:   Fri. Jan. 26
Class of 2019:   Fri. Feb. 2
Class of 2020:   Fri. Jan. 12
C lass of 2021:   Fri. Jan. 19

PTSA Looking for Nominating Committee Volunteers
The Paly PTSA is putting together the Nominating Committee that will work to identify a slate of parent volunteers for the 2017/18 school year. Please contact Heike Fischer at  hef5683@yahoo.com if you are interested in serving on the Nominating Committee.

Paly's Annual Career Month Speaker Series 
Paly's annual Career Month Speaker Series will happen from February  26 to March 9th. We are currently planning the event and are looking  for speakers to talk to students about their careers. If you are  interested, or know anyone who would be interested, please email us at  palycareermonth@gmail.com.  We look forward to hearing from you!
- The Paly Career Month Team

finalsschedulePaly Finals Schedule
Tuesday, Dec. 19
8:15 to 10:15  - 1st period
10:15 to 10:40 -  Brunch
10:45 to 12:45 -  3rd period
12:45 to 1:20  - Lunch
1:25 to 3:25  - 7th period

Wednesday, Dec. 20
9:15 to 11:15 - 2nd period
11:15 to 11:55 - Lunch
12:00 to 2:00 - 4th period

Thursday, Dec. 21
9:15 to 11:15 - 5th period
11:15 to 11:55 - Lunch
12:00 to 2:00 - 6th period

Please Check Lost and Found 
Please encourage your students to check our Lost & Found. We have many sweaters, coats, lunch boxes, water bottles and other treasures in the Lost & Found black cabinet located in the Tower Building main hallway. You are welcome as a parent to search through the items, please sign in at the Main Office during school hours. For glasses, keys, or small items, please check with Jenny Gardiner in the Main Office. Items not claimed will be donated during the Winter Break.
Paly Giving
Fiery Arts Glass Workshops at Palo Alto High School 
Sat & Sun. Jan. 6-7, 20-21; Feb. 3-4, 17-18; March 3-4, 17-18; April 7-8, 21-22; May 5-6, 19-20; June 2-3; 9-3 pm at Palo Alto High School's Glass Studio, 50 Embarcadero Rd.
Th ese workshops are open to the public, students and parents. You learn glass blowing technique in this hands-on 2-day weekend workshop. Advanced Sign up is required. Class limit is 4. Teens and adults. $425 per person. Proceeds benefit the Palo Alto High School Fiery Arts Boosters.
Contact: David Camner, founder of Paly Glass,  dcamner@pausd.org, for more information & dates

We missed you at the Green & White Forever Auction!
Lucky for you, there are a few parties with capacity that may be of interest to you. This is your chance to GET YOUR GAME ON while benefiting ALL sports at Paly.
Auction catalog:  download
Available parties:  spreadsheet here
RSVP:   email your requests to  PAHSsportsboosters@gmail.com

Paly Sports Boosters - Tiny Prints Fundraiser for Holiday Cards
The Paly Sports Boosters has partnered with Tiny Prints to help with the ordering and printing of your Holiday Cards. Tiny Prints is a leading retailer of premium personalized photo cards and has been recognized for their high quality prints and unmatched customer service. Each card ordered is also hand reviewed before it's printed to ensure quality and accuracy. To start your order through Tiny Prints, please click on the link below which will lead you to our co-branded Tiny Prints Storefront. From here, you can shop for any product on the Tiny Prints site or review a few of our favorite choices. Paly Sports Boosters Personalized Link: http://www.tinyprints.com/storefront/palysportsboosters
Questions? Contact Lisa Rimsa  mcrimsa@aol.com
College & Career Center Paly
C&CClogo.jpg
Paly Community Scholarship Program application for Seniors due 
Jan. 22
The sponsors of various community scholarships ask Paly's Scholarship Committee to nominate and/or select students to be considered for/receive awards. To be participate in this scholarship program, students must complete the Paly Community Scholarship Application and return it to Ms. Cernobori (hard copy) by  January 22nd .
Please read this  letter for more information about the program.
Students received a copy of the program application from their TAs but can also access the application  here.
A reminder that students who want to be considered for need-based scholarships in the program must provide family financial information on the last page of the application; in addition, these applicants are also required to submit a copy of the Student Aid Report (including the EFC) they receive after filing the FAFSA along with their scholarship application. This information is kept confidential. Samples of acceptable EFC documentation can be found  here.
Please refer to Sandra Cernobori's Nov. 28 email for information about applying for need-based financial aid using the FAFSA. Be sure to check each campus website for deadlines and other forms required in addition to FAFSA, if applicable.
There are numerous other scholarship opportunities that students can pursue on their own; refer to the handout distributed Advisory or visit: 

College Rep Visits for Seniors (and Juniors, if space is available) 
Students must have their teacher's permission one day in advance if missing class. Pick up a form in the C&CC, or download it at admit-class-form-college-and-career-center . Bring the signed form the day of the visit to ensure the absence from class is cleared and marked as an activity rather than a truancy. College visits scheduled for the next two weeks are listed below. For a full list of all visits through Spring, login to Naviance using your user ID and password; click on the "Colleges" tab then click "view all upcoming college visits" within the "my colleges" section. Or, you can check the calendar on www.paly.net/college.
Due to increased student attendance and limited space in the College Center, we are no longer able to permit parents to attend college representative visits, please click to read more information about this policy.

ON-CAMPUS VISITS

Week of January 8th

Gettysburg College off-site interviews
1/8/18
see Naviance for details and link to sign up

For more information and to RSVP (if required), login to Naviance and click the 'information' hyperlink.

OFF-CAMPUS VISITS

Week of January 1st

Gettysburg College
1/6/18 12pm San Francisco
Gettysburg College
1/7/18 10am Cupertino

For more information and to RSVP (if required), login to Naviance and click the 'information' hyperlink.


SCHOLARSHIP EXPIRATION DATES
Paly deadlines may be 2-4 weeks prior to public scholarship deadlines to allow for Paly TA and Guidance lead times. To learn about scholarships listed below and others login to Naviance  using your user ID and password or login as a Guest with no password. Click the "Colleges" tab, scroll to the  "scholarships and money" section, then click on the "scholarship list" link. 

Scholarships expiring through December 31

Scholarships at Washington University - St. Louis
12/23/17 
Ron Brown Scholarship
12/25/17  NEW
Profiles In Courage Writing Contest 
12/27/17  NEW
ACT Student Champion Scholarship
12/31/17  NEW
Future of Assisted Living Scholarship
12/31/17  NEW
PTAC & PAUSD
Superintendent's Weekly Message from Friday Dec 1 NEW
We will re-post  Karen Hendricks'  Weekly communications her each week, in case you missed it on her previous Infinite Campus email to you. 
"I'd like to start this introduction with the quote above, pulled from the paper of a senior in college.  First of all, I love.......Continue reading at: https://www.pausd.org/explore-pausd/news/superintendents-weekly-message-%E2%80%93-december-8-2017

PAUSD Equity Series presents Dr. Tyrone Howard 
NEW
January 9 - 6:00-8:00 PM in the PAUSD Board Room, 25 Churchill Avenue
Attendees will be introduced to the important role that race and culture have on teaching and learning.
Important data, concepts, knowledge and skills designed to increased racial awareness and improve cultural competence will be introduced and participants will be exposed to strategies, resources, skills, and approaches that can create inclusive classrooms for all learners.
Some of the following components will be highlighted:
* Racial awareness in the classroom
* Developing cultural competence
* How poverty intersects with race, culture and gender
CAC Holiday Tea & Welcome Reception (Free) NEW
Fri Dec. 15, 8:30 - 10 AM, Lucie Stern Community Center,  1305 Middlefield Rd. Palo Alto
Parenting a child with special needs has unique challenges, so taking good care of yourself is important. Join us for a healthy and tasty breakfast buffet, wellness treats and a presentation by Assistant Superintendent Lana Conaway.  She will speak about equity, access, wellness and safety for all students, especially those receiving Special Education services.  Ms. Conaway is one of PAUSD's new leaders and oversees Special Education, Counseling, Health and Wellness in her role as Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Initiatives and Operations.  Childcare will not be provided, but children are welcome.  Spanish language translation will be available.  Hosted by the Palo Alto Community Advisory Committee for Special Education and the Palo Alto Council of PTAs.  For questions contact  paloaltocac@gmail.com .  RSVP's requested (but not required) at  https://goo.gl/HSxpFg

2018 Palo Alto Chinese New Year Fair (Mar 4, 2018)
Poster Competition: The organizers of the above event are calling  all  PAUSD students for a Poster Competition to design a brochure cover for the 2018 PA CNY Fair.  Posters must be between 8.5" x 11" and 12" x 18" on unlined paper and any media (crayons, markers, paint, etc.) are accepted.  Include "2018 Palo Alto Chinese New Year Fair" and the theme "Year of Dog " on the poster, and write your name, grade, school and an email contact on the back.  Please submit entries to the front desk of Mitchell Park Library  by Jan 12, 2018 .  E-mail  cheri161@yahoo.com  for more information.  Entries may be displayed at the Fair, which is organized by Palo Alto Chinese Parent Club, a non-profit organization that serves the Palo Alto community, and co-sponsored by PTA Council.
 Community
Sensory Sensitive performance of a Holiday production of "Around the World in 80 Days" NEW
Wed, Dec 27 7:30 PM, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto  
TheatreWorks is having a sensory sensitive performance of the Holiday production of "Around the World in 80 Days"for children and families with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other sensory and social sensitivities.  The ticket price for this performance is $35.  Questions?  Contact boxoffice@theatreworks.org or 650-463-1960.

9 Simple Tips for Biking In The Rain
As the days get shorter and colder fewer students are riding, leading to increased traffic congestion around schools. Check out these helpful safety tips and videos on riding safely all season long. "9 Simple Tips for Biking In The Rain".   https://youtu.be/Derm0w9viac

Discover the Magic of the Annual BayLUG Holiday LEGO® Show
Dec. 8 - Jan 14, 11 AM - 3:45 PM, Frank Livermore Learning Center, 351 Homer Ave.  
The Museum of American Heritage (MOAH) is welcoming back the LEGO® User Group's (BayLUG) and Bay Area LEGO® Train Club's (BayLTC) Annual Holiday LEGO® Show Pop-Up Exhibit.   BayLUG and BayTLC will be displaying a variety of creative holiday scenes.  Browse through the imaginative holiday creations, which include holiday trains, miniature cities and more.  The displays are different each year. General admission is $3 per person; cash only at the door.  BayLUG and MOAH members are free.  The museum is closed on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2017. 

El Camino Youth Symphony New Member Auditions
Calling all French horn, saxophone, bassoon, cello, and percussion players:  The El Camino Youth Symphony is inviting young, motivated musicians with at least one year of private lessons to audition for our preparatory orchestras.  ECYS offers after-school music programs for all levels of ability, from our Chamber Players Orchestra, for students just beginning their musical journey, to the Senior Symphony, where players challenge themselves with professional-level repertoire.  Auditions will be held in December and early January.  The program runs through the spring, and groups meet weekly for rehearsal at Terman Middle School. Contact  loribingham@ecys.org  to learn about setting up an audition.  Visit  http://www.ecys.org  for more information.

Play Palooza - The Children's Theatre Ten Minute Playwriting Contest
Submission Deadline:  Fri, Dec 22 @ 12 AM
The Children's Theatre is pleased announce the 2017-18  Play Palooza Ten Minute Playwriting contest .  Play Palooza gives young writers an excellent opportunity to showcase their talents.  Students can submit original work in three categories:  Elementary School (3rd-5th grade), Middle School (6th-8th grade), and High School (9th-12th grade).  Winning plays receive a staged reading at the Children's Theatre, and winning playwrights receive prizes donated by the Friends of the Palo Alto Children's Theatre.  Submissions can be submitted electronically to  christopher.luciani@cityofpaloalto.org

Shop for school holiday camps on ActivityHero to raise money for Palo Alto PTA
A reminder that PAUSD is off for winter break from Dec 22 - Jan 7.  High schools also have Jan 8 off.  You can find holiday camps on ActivityHero and when you book online with this link, the PTA earns a % of your purchase.  https://www.activityhero.com/go/paloaltopta

Whole Foods (downtown Palo Alto) Nickels for Non-Profits
Oct 15th to Jan 15th
Each time you shop at the Whole Foods Market downtown PA between Oct 15 to Jan 15 and bring in your own bags, Whole Foods will donate 5 cents per bag to our Palo Alto PTA Council.  The PTAC will be able to use these funds for more programs and events for our PAUSD students, staff, and parents!

Stanford University Research Study (Girls, 8-12)
Researchers at Stanford University are looking for girls ages 8-12 with learning and/or behavior challenges to participate in a study exploring brain development in relation to behavior, cognition, and mood in girls.  Participation involves a comprehensive cognitive and behavioral evaluation and MRI/NIRS scan (safe, non-invasive, no x-rays/radiation).  Results of the evaluation are available to all participants and there is a $100 honorarium for participation.  For more information contact  brain_and_behavior@stanford.edu  or 650-724-2951.
 
Society of Bookworms @CH
Wed, Dec 20, 4:00-5:00 PM, Children's Library, 1276 Harriet St.  
Join us in a discussion of the Louis Sachar's thrilling adventure,  Fuzzy Mud .  A limited number of copies are available for pick-up at Children's Library. Registration Required. Grades 4-6 only.
 
Special End of Year Teen Writing Club Meeting @ RI
Thurs, Dec 21, 4:00 -5:30 PM, Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd.  
Open to new and existing members! Join us for a special end of year writing club project where we will be making creative keepsakes based on writing prompts and activities. Registration Required. Grades 6-12 only.
 
Teen Friday Movie @ RI
Fri, Dec 22, 4:00 -6:00 PM, Rinconada Library, 1213 Newell Rd.  
Celebrate the start of winter break with a double screen showing at the library! Audience will vote on the movie the day of the event. Registration Required. Grades 6-12 only.

Show your Support for PiE on the Donor Thank you Banners
PiE is creating Donor Thank You banners to be hung at each elementary school in January. The names of every elementary family that has donated any gift to PiE this school year by December 31st will be on display on their school's banner (gift amounts will NOT be listed). Please join us! If you have not yet given this school year, please make a tax-deductible donation at  papie.org/donate .  PiE's funding benefits ALL Palo Alto students and we need ALL families to participate. We are successful together!

Ragazzi Boys Chorus Free SingFest Minicamp
Registration Open; Saturday, January 20, 2018, 9:30 AM - 1 PM, 178 Clinton St, Redwood City
Let your 7-10 year old boy test-drive this 'best choir of the Peninsula' for himself at a free half-day minicamp where he'll learn some songs and have a blast.  Low-key, no-obligation auditions are integrated into the morning; no previous singing experience needed.  Boys offered Ragazzi membership start rehearsing in January, 2018.  Beginning groups start slow, then grow, meeting once a week for choral singing and theory instruction.  Ragazzi's opportunities include singing the National Anthem at a San Francisco Giants game, Opera roles, collaborations with Stanford's choruses and the San Francisco Symphony-and even world-wide touring.  SingFest is free, and spots will go fast at bit.ly/SINGFEST .  Can't make it to SingFest but want to audition?  Go to http://ragazzi.org/join-us/book-audition/

Ragazzi Boys Chorus' Music and Movement classes open
Register Now; Mondays, 3:15 & 4:15 sessions, Jan. 29 - May. 21, 178 Clinton St, Redwood City
Ragazzi Boys Chorus' engaging class for active young boys is 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. $330 for 15 weeks; sibling discounts.  Register & more info at bit.ly/musicmov .  Contact  lspaeth@ragazzi.org , 650-342-8785.

Change to Date of February JLS CONNECTIONS Meeting
Attention 5th grade parents who attended the JLS- PiE Rising Information Meeting on October 19th.  At that meeting, we informed you about our CONNECTIONS informational night.  There has been a date change.  The CONNECTIONS parent night will be held on Monday, February 5th at 7 PM in the cafétorium.
STEAM Lab Sunday @MP: LED Holiday Cards
Sun, Dec 17, 2:30-3:30 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd.  
Create holidays cards using LED lights. We will supply all the crafts! Registration opens 3 weeks in advance. Grades K-5 only. Please register on our new event site: https://paloalto.bibliocommons.com. 

ANNUAL ROTARY HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH CONTEST! 
Wed, Jan 24, 7 PM, Palo Alto City Counsel Chambers  
Opportunity to repurpose one of your college essays!  Prizes total $1550.  2017-18 Speech topic theme: "Rotary Making a Difference".  Each speech must be between 4-5 minutes, original student work, and incorporate the theme and one of the Rotary mantras: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned?, Will it build goodwill and better friendships?, Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Questions and Registration: Annette_G@att.net

Finals Cram Slam
Mon & Tue, Dec 18 & 19, 3-9 PM, Mitchell Park Library, 3700 Middlefield Rd.  
Stressed on finals week? Mitchell Park Library has you covered. You can study in the library, or drop in at the Teen Center for snacks and emotional support. Games, a ping-pong table, pool, and video games to help you destress in the Teen Center. Calming therapy dogs in the library you can pet to help you decompress before the chaos begins! Open to high school students who are studying for finals.
About the Paly Link aboutPalyLink
The Paly Link is a Paly PTSA publication, emailed on Sundays, except during school breaks and holidays. Changes will be highlighted as NEW/UPDATED/CORRECTED.

 
Deadline for submissions: noon on the Thursday before the Sunday of publication. Ideally items run for 2 weeks, and no more than 3 weeks. Please do not submit items earlier than 3 weeks before the event.

To submit an item, send to palylink@paloaltopta.orgSee submission instructions here. Include a header or title line, then a line listing the date, time and location of the event. Follow with a brief (2-4 sentence) description of the activity, with the most important information first. List email, contact information and web links last. Items are published at the discretion of the editors.

--Emanuela Todaro, Vini Jain, and Pete Cockerell Paly Link Editors
--Bala Aiyar, Paly Link List Manager and Gordon Craig, Paly Link Webmaster 
Click Here to sign up a new email address to receive the Link. Click on the "Update Profile/Email Address" link below to update an existing address.

Paly Link on the Web, Paly PTSA Web Site,
Paly Web Site, Paly Sports

Palo Alto PTA Council Web SiteParent Education Events
Community Service, Community Sports  
Join Our Mailing List