SPARK Week

Beginning March 18th through March 22nd, JLS is being treated to a week of fun activities designed to remind everyone to “Take a moment” to attend to overall mental, emotional and physical health. The SPARK Team has worked hard to incorporate activities and events that will enhance wellness and promote a cohesive and fun environment. SPARK is a short acronym for all of the things needed to help increase overall health and sense of well-being. It will focus on helping explore ways to decrease stress and increase happiness. Each day will be focused on a theme and there will be activities throughout the week. 

 

We will be starting  Monday with the letter  S, which stands for  Stress Management. This day will focus on relaxation techniques that help reduce the tension felt when you’re stressed. Activity Highlights: Bubbles, Pinwheels and Therapy Dogs! Tuesday will be the letter  P, which stands for  Passion. When we do the activities that we enjoy, it helps us relax and recharge. Activity Highlights: Slime Making and 101 Ways to Have Fun! Wednesday will be the letter  A, which stands for  Attitude. When we let go of negative emotions and feelings, this will open opportunities for happiness. Activity Highlight: WIP presentation encouraging forgiveness based on the work of Nelson Mandela. Thursday is the letter  R, which stands for  Relationship. It’s important to develop good relationships with people to reduce our stress and boost our overall health. Activity Highlight: Snacks with Staff! Lastly, on  Friday is the letter  K, which stands for  Kinesthetic. We will celebrate and kick-off the weekend with an outdoor dance party hosted by  DJ Aaron David. Physical activity and exercising is a powerful tool that increases positive mood and provides many health benefits.  Everyone is invited to wear their sparkly clothes and bring their dance moves!

Author Visit

Soman Chainani is coming to JLS! The author of The School for Good and Evil will visit Monday, March 18th. If you are interested in purchasing the newest book in the series, A Crystal of Time, or one of the earlier volumes, fill out this form and bring it to the library as soon as possible. Or order it online from Books Inc. Soman Chainani joins Books Inc. and JLS Middle School in celebration of the fifth installment in his New York Times-bestselling School for Good and Evil series, A Crystal of Time. (Ages 8+)

Important Advocacy Information

JLS Families, please note important information from the Palo Alto Council of PTA’s (PTAC) regarding the Stanford General Use Permit (GUP). More information can be found in this flyer.

Scroll down to the “PTAC News" section for information on the March 14th Protect Our Schools Rally & Town Hall Meeting. More information about the rally can be found in this flyer.

Read, learn, advocate.

JLS Science Fair

Tuesday, March 19, 7:00 pm, JLS Cafetorium

Join the JLS community for a fun-filled evening of science, with students proudly showing off their work in poster sessions and some fun science and technology-related demonstrations. All JLS students are invited to participate.  Register by Thursday, March 14.

The Science Fair is a great way for students to develop and apply an interest in science and the scientific method. Participants exercise their curiosity, approach real world problems in a systematic and scientific way, and apply creativity towards questions that interest them. Students should have heard more details about the fair from their science teachers, and be thinking about their projects. Once research is complete, students will present their work in poster format (poster boards generously donated by Synopsys). Each participant will be interviewed by a JLS parent or other member of our community, and participate in peer reviews. All student presenters will be able to exchange their peer reviews for a participation prize, and will be entered into a prize drawing for a number of terrific items (books, museum passes, food, etc).

The Science Fair cannot happen without lots of parent (and other community) volunteers, especially interviewers who are willing to listen to students sharing their projects and provide constructive positive feedback during a brief non-competitive, informal interview. Want to help?  Sign up online. In addition to Synopsys, the Science Fair is sponsored by the JLS PTA, and also supported by donations from a number of local businesses. Questions? Contact Maria Derrick, Science Fair Chair.

2019 JLS Service Day

Wednesday, March 20, 1:30-5:00 pm (adult chaperones), 1:45-5:00 pm (student volunteers)

The JLS PTA and YCS (Youth Community Service) have organized service projects for student and adult volunteers.  We have room for a few more student volunteers. Registration will close on March 6th. We are looking for 17 more parent volunteers to make this event happen. Please consider joining your student in an afternoon of service!  Parent chaperone sign-ups are here. In order to participate, your student must submit a signed PAUSD permission slip.  Permission slips are available here. Permission forms are due by March 6th. Students will be removed from their signups if they have not returned their permission forms by March 6th. Please let us know if you have any questions. For more information on JLS Service Day, click here. Questions? Email JLSServiceDay@gmail.com.

Middle School Parent Ed Event: “Sources of Strength”

Monday, March 25, 7-8:30 pm, JLS Cafetorium

Gunn’s Sources of Strength team will be hosting an event focused on how parents, educators, and students can work together at home and in our schools to prevent the epidemics of bullying and suicide. Research has shown we can do this by creating a preventative culture in our community—one that fosters an epidemic of Hope, Help, and Strength. The evening will provide an overview of the Sources of Strength program and give attendees an opportunity to learn more about a few specific aspects of the Sources of Strength wheel. Student and staff leaders will talk about ways to spread positive messages throughout the community. Key to the success of the Sources of Strength program is developing awareness and a shared vocabulary at home and in our community so that families can support the work we are doing in our schools.

Save the Date: International Dinner and Social

Wednesday, April 10, 5-7 pm

JLS PTA is preparing for the International Dinner and Social on Wednesday, April 10 just before the JLS Open House. We look forward to seeing you and your families! More information to come.

Commuters' Corner

Palo Alto has some of the highest levels of bicycle commuting in the country and this new Safe Routes to School history video is the story of how it happened. Thanks to the partnership between the PTA, PAUSD and the City of Palo Alto, biking to school has become the transportation method of choice for many Palo Alto residents. Join the movement!

Each Friday! Superintendent's Weekly Board Update

Read Dr. Don Austin's Weekly Board Update, published new each Friday on the District website.

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.

"Full Mitigation" Rally & Town Hall Meeting 

Thursday, March 14, 5:30 pm, Rally at Palo Alto City Hall Plaza, 250 Hamilton; 6:30 pm, Stanford GUP Town Hall Meeting

Join us at our “Full Mitigation” rally before Supervisor Simitian's Town Hall Meeting on the Stanford GUP. We welcome all new students! We want to ensure when Stanford adds PAUSD students, Stanford fully mitigates the cost of educating our new students. See our new Get the Facts sheet! Bring your family, your friends, and your “Full Mitigation” signs. Free pizza.  RSVP here and on our FaceBook event page, “ Pizza & Rally - Stanford Share the Costs” so we know how much pizza to order.

PTA Council Annual Elections

The election of the PTA Council Officers will take place at the General Association meeting on Wednesday, March 20th at 9:00 am at the district office 25 Churchill, Board Room. All PTA members are invited. Please visit the PTAC website for the proposed slate of officers for the 2019-2020 term.

PTA Council Seeks Volunteers

The PTA Council Nominating Committee is currently seeking expressions of interest from individuals in the community who would like to learn more about becoming a member of the PTA Council Executive Board and Collaborative Committees for the 2019-20 school year. We are looking for community members who have a passion for improving the educational experience of all students and preferably have experience on their school PTA or site council. Talk to us about stepping into a leadership role or how you can participate on a committee. Contact the Nominating Committee at: evp@paloaltopta.org.

PTAC - Teacher Housing Project - Supervisor Joe Simitian 

At the Wednesday, General Association Meeting, Supervisor Joe Simitian spoke on the Teacher Housing Project to help build affordable teacher housing near California Ave/Caltrain Station. Five local school districts, including PAUSD, are being asked to contribute funds to help power the project's funding. PAUSD Board of Education has held a meeting on this. County land has already been secured. Additional funding is being negotiated. Please help spread the word and send comments to PAUSD Board of Education and the County of Santa Clara if you are supportive of our schools, our children, and our teachers. We are the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and "T" for Teachers is in our middle name. Contact: Micaela.hellman-tincher@bos.sccgov.org.

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.

Listen to Me: What Do I Need to Feel Connected to School, Family and Community?

Tuesday, March 26, 7-8:30 pm, Mitchell Park Community Center - Adobe Room

To raise the awareness of the importance of youth feeling a sense of belonging, Susan Stone Belton will share reflective listening tools that parents and adult allies can use to build healthy relationships that help youth thrive. Also, featured will be a service learning project by the youth peer leaders. Parents, students, and adult allies are welcome! Free admissions and light refreshments will be served. To attend, please register here. For more information, visit here. Questions? Please contact: lily@youthcommunityservice.org.

Eschuchame: Que es que necesito para sentirme conectado a la escuela, familia y comunidad?  

Martes, el 26 de marzo, de 7-8:30pm Mitchell Park Community Center (Cuarto Adbobe) 

Para elevar la consiencia de la importancia del sentido de pertenecia de jovenes, Susan Stone Belton, compartira instumentos en como padres y educadores pueden fortalecer relaciones saludables con jovenes. Padres, estudiantes y aliados son beinvenidos. Admision es gratis y habra refrescos. 

Para asistir por favor inscribirse. Para mas informacion o preguntas contacten lily@youthcommunityservice.org.

倾听我：我需要什么才能感受到学校，家庭和社区的联系？

3 月 26 日，星期二， 7-8:30p.m. ， Palo Alto  米切尔公园社区中心  — Adobe 会议室

为了提高人们对青少年有归属感的重要性认识， Susan Stone Belton 将分享反思性的倾听工具。父母和成年盟友可以利用这些工具建立健康的关系，帮助青少年茁壮成长。此外，值得关注的将是青少年同辈领导人的服务学习项目。欢迎家长，学生和成年盟友参加！   免费入场并有点心提供。

欲参加者， 请注册 。   有关更多信息， 请访问此处 。若有问题，   请联系： lily@youthcommunityservice.org.

Auditions for Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra (PACO) 2019-20 Season

Sunday, March 31 & April 14, 9 am - 4 pm, Mitchell Park Community Center

New member auditions for PACO's 2019-20 season. For more information and to schedule an audition please visit pacomusic.org/auditions.

A Community Day To Swim with PASA at Rinconada

Saturday, April 13, 1-2:30 pm ages 6-9, 2:30-4 pm ages 10-13, Rinconada Pool 

Kids in the Palo Alto Community will be given a free swim lesson from the coaches and swimmers of Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics. Signups will close when the maximum of 30 children per session is reached.  Info and signup here.

Palo Alto Art Center Summer Counselor-in-Training Application Now Available

The Counselor in Training applications for the summer of 2019 are now available. Summer Camp Counselors in Training (CIT) are volunteers (12-17 years old) who assist professional art instructors in the day-to-day running of the Children’s Fine Art summer camps. Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and must be returned to the Palo Alto Art Center via mail or in person drop off. Only complete applications will be considered. Spots fill up fast, get your application in as soon as possible!

Summer 2019 Counselor in Training Application & Information

Summer 2019 Lead Counselor in Training Application & Information

Paly Journalism’s Summer Camp MAC - Registration Now Open

July 29 to August 2, Palo Alto High School’s Media Arts Center

Palo Alto High School’s Camp MAC is excited to host a week-long summer program for rising 8th and 9th graders that will allow students to gain a new perspective of the media through workshops and interactive activities. Camp MAC is directed by students of Paly's nationally renowned journalism program, who are preparing a unique summer program focused on the process of interviewing, writing and editing in addition to learning to use new digital skills. Prominent guest speakers will also be featured during the week. All proceeds go towards funding the Media Arts Boosters that support Paly’s journalism programs.  Register online. Email us or see our website for more info.

Scout Troop 50 Open House

Monday, March 25, 7:30-9:00 pm, The Scout Fire Circle, Lucie Stern Community Center

Palo Alto Scout Troop 50 is having an open house in order to give kids (grades 5-10) and their parents a chance to get to know Troop 50 to see if it is the right troop for them. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the troop and about scouting. For more information about Troop 50, please see the website.

Quick Links

eNews Publication Guidelines

JLS eNews is a publication of the JLS PTA. Previous editions and Publication Guidelines can be found at the JLS PTA website. If you have any questions or would like to make a submission, please contact Christy Moision, JLS's eNews editor.