JLS PTA eNews
February 18, 2019
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Important Dates:
February 19 - Benefit Concert and SoCal Parent Meeting
February 20 - 7th/8th Middle School Choir Festival
February 22 - Student Store Open | JLS "Disco" Dance
February 28 - JLS Choir Performing at Stanford BB
March 4 - Parent Visitation Day
March 5 - PTA Executive Board Meeting
March 7 - Latte Cart
March 8 - Student Store Open | End of Third Quarter
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JLS "Disco" Dance Coming Up!
JLS will be hosting their Second dance of the year on
Friday, February 22nd, from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm for 6th and 7th grades. 8th grade will end at 10:00 pm. Doors close at 7:30 pm and there will be no early pick-up. The theme of this dance is "Disco.” Tickets will be sold February 19th-22nd at lunch by the cafeteria for $5. Students will need to have their student ID as well. Tickets can also be purchased on February 21st and 22nd after school until 3:30 in front of the cafeteria. Concessions will be sold at the dance; please bring small bills for purchases. As always,
JLS Dress Code applies. We hope to see you there.
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Important Advocacy Information
Scroll down to the “PTAC News" section for follow-up information on PTAC’s Special Meeting on February 6 and the related petition.
Read, learn, advocate.
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Parent Visitation Day
Monday, March 4
Parents are welcome to visit classrooms and see all aspects of the school. We ask that you follow these guidelines:
- First come to the office to sign in, get a name tag, map, bell schedule and teaching schedule.
- Please do not let your visit interrupt the teaching and learning process.
- Please do not talk to the teacher, students, or other parents in the classroom (unless the teacher invites you to do so).
- When you have finished your visit, please return to the office to sign out.
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Signups Coming Soon for JLS Service Day!
2019 JLS Service Day, Wednesday, March 20, 1:30pm – 5pm (adult chaperones), 1:45pm - 5pm (student volunteers)
We hope you'll join us for a fun afternoon of service and giving back to our community! The JLS PTA and YCS (Youth Community Service) have organized 16 service projects for student and adult volunteers to choose from. Some projects take place at JLS and others at nearby off-campus locations. Sign-ups will be open for 1 week (February 20th to February 26th). Please look for an email from the principal on February 20th to begin to sign up and students will receive notices on Schoology on February 20th also. If you would like to be a parent chaperone, please contact
Christine Hodson.
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JLS Student Store Open This Friday
Is your teen interested in buying a JLS hoodie, t-shirt or sweatpants against cost, or does he/she needs a pen, pencil, eraser or any other useful school supplies? The JLS Student Store has it all. The JLS Student Store is a small store on the JLS campus and is a joint cooperative effort by the Student Council, Students, Parent volunteers and the JLS administration. The JLS Student Store sells at cost. The JLS Student Store on campus will be open
this Friday during lunchtime
. Cash or checks only. The store is run by JLS students as a club, if your student is interested in participating have them contact
Tom Jacoubowsky. If you are interested to volunteer at the store email the
JLS Student Store Folks. Opening dates: February 22, March 8 & 22, April 12 & 26, May 10.
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New Crosswalk Safety Enhancements Coming Soon to El Camino Real
Caltrans is installing Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHBs) at several intersections along El Camino Real from San Jose to San Francisco. PHBs are flashing signals that tell drivers to stop when pedestrians are crossing the roadway. The installation process at the intersections in Palo Alto (Vista Ave, Barron Ave, Fernando Ave, College Ave, and Palo Alto Ave) is scheduled to begin Monday, February 11th. The full project should be completed by summer 2019. Please see the City of Palo Alto’s
Stop for Pedestrians flyer for more information on how drivers and pedestrians should use these crosswalk safety enhancements. For questions about the project, contact Caltrans Public Information Officer for District 4,
Victor Gauthier.
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Commuters' Corner
Work is being done on the Waverley path to fix some pavement damage due to tree roots, and parts of the path is closed. Please be mindful when exiting the path onto the Hoover drop-off/pick-up area. Work is scheduled to be finished by the end of the week.
Rainy weather steers some pedestrian and bike commuters into cars, increasing traffic congestion at PAUSD schools. Help beat this problem:
- Waterproof your commute with bicycling rain gear, or walk with an umbrella and stylish rain boots. (Bright colors increase visibility.)
- Ride the bus or plan ahead. Create a carpool text group or phone tree, so when the clouds burst you’ll be ready to coordinate a carpool in a flash. Reducing car trips by only 1-5% makes a noticeable difference in congestion. Make rainy day school commutes safer and more efficient.
- If you must drop off your children in a vehicle, please ensure that they exit the car on the passenger side, in the lane closest to the curb. Never double park, block access to ramps or bike lanes, drop off in the passing lane, or stop where prohibited, as these are ticketable offenses.
- Drivers should slow down and use extra caution in school zones and along commute routes including library and park parking lots. Be mindful of crossings and remember that pedestrians always have the right of way.
- No matter how you get to school, plan for extra commute time so you don’t feel rushed.
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Each Friday! Superintendent's Weekly Board Update
Read Dr. Don Austin's Weekly Board Update, published new each Friday on the
District website.
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Parent Ed Night: Learn the Basic ABCs About LGBTQ+ Youth
Wednesday, March 13, 7 pm, Fletcher Middle School Café
This Parent Ed event is organized by the Fletcher Middle School PTA and staff, and is open/relevant to anyone, not just Fletcher families. Our event will be about understanding gender identities, sexual orientation, how to support LGBTQ+ youth in our community, and more. Open to all families with the purpose of supporting youth so we can be an inclusive and
welcoming community. Translation (Spanish and Mandarin) available if requested 3 days in advance. Please email
klee@pausd.org to request. Special guests include Miriam Stevenson (PAUSD’s Director of Student Services), Valerie Royaltey-Quandt (Greene Middle School Principal), Melissa Howell (Fletcher Middle School Principal), Diana Hernandez and Ryan Fouts (Project Outlet Education Coordinator and Program Director), Shounak Dharap (PAUSD Board of Education member), Sally G. (former PAUSD parent), and Julian G. (former PAUSD student). Also available: City and school library resource tables and great prizes! Have a question you’d like addressed?
Fill out this anonymous form by Monday, March 11th.
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PTAC Special Meeting - Stanford G.U.P. - Fully Mitigate
On Wednesday, February 6th, PTAC held a Special Meeting for the General Association focusing on the Stanford G.U.P. A number of resource materials were provided to all school communities, PTAs and PTSAs. We heard from Teachers’ Union (Teri Baldwin), CSEA (Meb Steiner), PAUSD Board (Dr. Jennifer DiBrienza) and PAUSD Superintendent (Dr. Don Austin), Nixon PTA President (Matthew Hayes), Palo Verde PTA President (Karolina Werner), Safe Routes To School Committee (Peter Phillips), and others. The association had a robust discussion on the issue of the largest development in the history of the County, and developed a strategies around letter writing campaigns to Stanford University and County Board Supervisors, via electronic and paper format. Each school community is choosing to do their own letter or letters addressing a focus that mostly impact them, e.g., Nixon PTA (focus on after-school child care). All PTAC-provided resource material, including PTAC Fact Sheet, as well as email addresses are posted and updated on the
PTAC website.
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Call to Action: Please Sign the Petition
Palo Alto PTA Council urges you to take action. Parents, Teachers, Staff, PAUSD Students, Palo Alto Neighbors, and Colleagues, too! Please sign the online petition to speak up and voice your concerns.
The message is simple: Stanford to safeguard our children's education with full mitigation. PAUSD students who come with no tax dollars for their education in a public school is just not right. Full mitigation will safeguard our children’s education now and for future generations of school children.
Please Sign the Petition.
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Summer Camps Info Now Available on PTAC Website
Looking for a summer camp in your neighborhood or at one of our Palo Alto Unified school sites? Now you can find it at the
PTAC website. Camp providers listed on this page host activities/summer camps at PAUSD Schools, and pay rental fees to our district. These rental fees help to defray the cost of running our schools while providing local opportunities for our kids. PTA Council does not endorse one camp over another. This service is offered to give parents an easy way to find out what is being offered and where. Please contact the
PTAC Webmaster to recommend updates to this information. There is no charge to providers to be listed.
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The Self-Driven Child: The Science & Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives
Tuesday, March 12, 7-8:30 pm, Paly High School Center for Performing Arts
All parents want children and teens who are confident, self-directed, and goal-driven. In this presentation, authors Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson share tools that parents can use to enhance a child’s drive, motivation, and healthy decision-making. Parents, students, and educators welcome! Free admission and light refreshments. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation will be available. Palo Alto Parent Education Series events are jointly sponsored by Paly PTSA and Gunn PTSA.
RSVP here.
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Field Production for TV, Internet Shows and Videos Class
Saturday, March 2, 10 am - 5 pm, Sunday, March 3, 1-4 pm, and Sunday, March 10, 10 am - 5 pm, MidPen Media Center, 900 San Antonio Rd
The City of Palo Alto is hosting a brand new workshop to teach you everything you need to know to create a digital video – from shooting to editing to uploading. The class is taught in partnership with Midpen Media. By the end of the class you will have produced a short video that Midpen will host on its YouTube and TV channels. Class includes all software, equipment plus a helpful booklet. The class is offered to teens and adults. Registration for Residents is $200 and for Non-Residents is $230. It is a 15 hour course spread over 3 days: 3/2, 3/3 and 3/10.
Register online. Course #13648.
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Midpen Media Center Film, Television, Sports Broadcasting, Photography Summer Camps
Multiple Sessions this summer, Media Center, 900 San Antonio Rd
Television production, sports broadcasting, filmmaking, and photography camps build new skills, foster creativity and teamwork. TV campers learn all crew positions, can be the star of the show and see themselves on TV. Sports broadcasting campers will learn all aspects of sports coverage, using our brand-new van, just like the pros use. Filmmakers create their own short video. Photographers learn photo composition and editing. Open to middle and high school students.
Check us out here.
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Brain Development Study at Stanford
Researchers at Stanford University are studying brain development in relation to behavior, cognition, and mood in boys and girls ages 8-14. We are currently recruiting boys and girls ages 8-14 with typical development to participate in a study with a total of two visits (~2 hr each). Participation Involves:
- iPad games and questionnaires
- Brain imaging (MRI and NIRS - both safe, non-invasive, and no x-ray/radiation)
- Online questionnaires for the parent
You will receive a picture of your brain and a $30 Amazon gift card for your participation, or prizes like Stanford T-shirt, water bottle, squishes, slime, LOL dolls, stuffed animals, etc. For more information on participation, please contact:
girlbandstudy@stanford.edu, visit our
website, or call 650-724-2951.
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Host an AFS Exchange Student
Calling elementary, middle and high school families. You are eligible to host an AFS Exchange Student. Hosting helps a high school student become fluent in English and experience life in America. “Becoming a host family took us out of our comfort zone and provided many new experiences.”
Contact
Veronica Buxton.
AFS USA is a premier volunteer cultural exchange program approved by the State Department.
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2019 Palo Alto Chinese New Year Fair
Sunday, February 24, 2-5 pm, Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Rd
The Palo Alto Chinese Community cordially invites you and your family to celebrate 2019 Chinese New Year, the Year of the Pig. This fourth annual Chinese New Year Fair features performances of Chinese folk music, instruments, and dances by students from the Palo Alto Unified School District and local talents. The fun and festive celebration showcases Chinese art, cultural exhibitions, game booths, delicious foods and many more! The event admission is free and all proceeds from activities, food, etc. will be donated to support the Palo Alto schools. We look forward to seeing students, parents, teachers, staff, neighbors, and friends. This large-scale event is organized by the Palo Alto Chinese Parents Community in collaboration with the City of Palo Alto and Palo Alto Council of PTAs. Parking is limited, so please walk, bike, or share a ride.
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