Panther Tracks
JLS PTA eNews
January 21, 2019
JLS News
Important Dates:
January 21 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School
January 22-28 - 8th Grade Student Council Food Drive
January 25 - Sixth Grade Parent Network Coffee | Student Store Open
January 28 - February 1 - Common Writing Assessment (CWA)
January 29 - French Culture Night
January 30 - Gunn & Paly Parent Nights at Gunn & Paly
January 31 - SoCal Chaperone Meeting
Can We Get To 1,141 Cans? Yes we CAN!
The 8th grade student council is holding its annual food drive from this Tuesday, January 22 through Monday, January 28. Our goal is to collect at least 1,141 cans – one can for every JLS student. The cupboards are bare!! Food will be donated to the Downtown Food Closet. Containers will be in the breezeway marked by “teams” and items can be deposited before school, and during brunch and lunch. To make it fun it is a competition between academic grade level teams. Note: We particularly need canned goods and nonperishable food items. Please, no glass, open containers or outdated items (check those expiration dates). Go JLS!!! Questions?? Call Joan Scherer at 856-5182.
French Culture Night
On Tuesday night, January 29th, please stop by the JLS cafe anytime between 6:30 and 8:00 pm. As you walk in you’ll be transported to the streets of Paris and its surrounding cities where French 1A "tour guides" will be on hand to impress you with their knowledge of their famous French landmarks. Stay long enough to meet French 1B students in character as famous French-speaking people from the past and present. From athletes and inventors, to historical figures and fashion designers, they will tell you, in French and English, all about their lives. Come for 15 minutes or stay for an hour. This evening is not just for French students. All JLS families are invited to attend. We hope to see you there.
JLS Science Club Presents: Artificial Intelligence Seminar
Monday, January 28, 7 pm, Room 400
Please join the JLS Science Club for a special presentation on Artificial Intelligence from an expert guest speaker. All JLS students are welcome to attend.
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: January 25, February 8 & 22, March 8 & 22, April 12 & 26, May 10.
Commuters' Corner
$30 Bike Light Giveaway - Register with Bike Index!
Register your student's bike with Bike Index under JLS Middle School before January 30th and they will be entered to win a set of bike lights (rechargeable front white light and rear red light) worth $30! Click this link to get started and choose JLS in the drop down menu. Bike Index is a national database that has been instrumental in reuniting over 5,200 stolen bikes with their owners. Take a few minutes to register now and save yourself a headache later! Registration is free. More information about the system here. JLS students can get a customized sticker in the office. Questions? Email BikeIndexJLS@gmail.com.
PAUSD News
Each Friday! Superintendent's Weekly Board Update
Read Dr. Don Austin's Weekly Board Update, published new each Friday on the District website.
Let's Talk - Easy Click to Send Your Comments  
PAUSD has announced a new online feature to allow parents, teachers, neighbors, and anyone to give direct feedback to our Superintendent, Don Austin. In case you missed it from the Superintendent Weekly Friday Communication, here is the link.
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..
PTAC News
Stanford General Use Permit Update - January 2019
PTAC supports PAUSD, Teachers, Staff, and City of Palo Alto Safe Routes to School.  Please write to anyone you know who is a Stanford parent, alumni, graduate students, faculty, staff, trustee, and friend. Our schools would like to continue to enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship with Stanford University. However, if Stanford expects PAUSD to absorb students for the next 17 years who will reside on Stanford lands that do not pay property taxes, such as rental housing -- then our classroom sizes will have to increase, staff/teachers will have to be laid off, and school programs suspended due to lack of funding. Click here for the PTAC Fact Sheet and the PAUSD Briefing Book to read more.  Click My Cause has messages you can click immediately and send to Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. Please do not wait. Waiting may adversely impact your child's classroom size, teachers and aides, and the quality of PAUSD education that we sacrifice so much for. ACT NOW!! Questions: email president@paloaltopta.org.
Adolescent Vaping: From Theory to Data to Prevention
Tuesday, January 22, 7:00-8:30 pm, Hay Market Theater at Palo Alto High School
Novel tobacco/nicotine products, such as vapes and pod-based products such as Juuls, have entered our local market, and our adolescents are now using these products more often than combustible cigarettes.  
In this talk, organized by the Palo Alto PTA Council, Dr. Bonnie Halpern-Felsher will provide detailed information on the new tobacco/nicotine products available, including e-cigarettes/vapes and Juuls and other pod-based systems, as well as the e-juices that accompany these products. She will discuss recent research on reasons for adolescent use of these products, including flavors, appeal, marketing, perceived reduced harm, ease/place of use, stress, anxiety, and depression, and misperceptions. She will also present advocacy efforts occurring in the US to reduce vaping use. Please join in this conversation with your family! Learn about what our community can do to change the course. Get equipped with evidence-based resources and intervention ideas that can be used to help prevent and reduce youth use of these novel products. You can watch the live steam of this event here. Questions: health@paloaltopta.org.
Inclusive Resource Fair of Summer Camps & After-School Activities
Thursday, February 7, 6:30-8:30 pm, JLS Middle School Auditorium, 480 East Meadow Dr
Join us to meet 30+ providers of summer camps and after-school activities, who will present information about their programs and be available to talk 1:1 with parents. All providers can accommodate some students' special needs, either in an inclusive environment or a special program, and can discuss specific accommodations. Some offer on-site enrollment. Information on financial assistance available, and many providers offer fee waivers based on need. Organized by the Palo Alto Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, and co-sponsored by the Palo Alto Council of PTAs. Childcare and snacks for kids will be provided. Please RSVP for childcare to paloaltocac@gmail.com. For more information, including the complete list of vendors as it is finalized, go to cacpaloalto.org.

Feria de Recursos de Campamentos de Verano y Actividades Después de Clases
Jueves, 7 de febrero, 6:30 - 8:30pm, En el auditorio de la Escuela Media JLS, 480 East Meadow Dr
Acompáñenos a conocer más de 30 provedores de campos y actividades de verano y por la tarde para después de clases, quienes estarán dando información sobre sus programas y que también estarán disponibles para hablar 1:1 con los padres. Todos son proveedores que pueden admitir a niños con algunas necesidades especiales ya sea dentro de un ambiente incluyente o dentro de un programa especial y podrán conversar sobre ajustes especiales que su hijo/a pueda necesitar. Podrán existir opciones de inscribirse en el lugar. Habra información sobre asistencia financiera y muchos proveedores ofrecen becas que se adaptan a sus necesidades. Se contará con servicio de guardería y botana para niños, por favor RSVP para el cuidado de los niños a paloaltocac@gmail.com. Para mayor información, incluyendo la lista de proveedores cuando está completa, ingrese a: cacpaloalto.org. Organizado por el Palo Alto Comité Asesor Comunitario para la Educación Especial y co-patrocinado por el Consejo de Palo Alto de PTAs.
Community News
Be Inspired at the Mothers Symposium
Saturday, February 23, 9 am - noon, Palo Alto High School Performing Arts Center
Please join us for the 14th Mothers Symposium, #Mothering: Finding your Authentic Self. This year our program will include a panel of three remarkable women to discuss grounded mothering in the age of social media. For more information and tickets: motherssymposium.org.
Notes to My Middle School Self
Wednesday, January 23, 8:30-10 am, Gideon Hausner School, 450 San Antonio Rd
Join Common Sense for a moderated teen panel discussion on the good, the bad, and the realities of the social media landscape in middle and high school. Hear firsthand from teens about their experiences with social media and their hard-earned advice for parents of younger kids. Learn why kids love social media, where they can run into trouble, and how parents can help them manage. Two JLS students will participate on the teen panel. Click here for information and registration.
Cubberley Co-Design Community Meeting
Thursday, January 24, 7-9 pm, Cubberley Community Center Pavilion
The Cubberley Co-Design Process is an opportunity for the Palo Alto community to envision a new future for this valuable community asset. The Palo Alto Unified School District and the City of Palo Alto are jointly inviting you to participate in this exciting process. Through four iterative community meetings and corresponding online engagement, the Palo Alto community will help shape a master plan for the Cubberley site. Please RSVP on Eventbrite. More information on the process on the project website.
Classes for Middle and High School Students
Saturdays, January 26 - April 6, Gunn High School, 780 Arastradero Rd
Outstanding high school students are teaching classes to raise funds for the Ravenswood City School District in East Palo Alto. For the eighth session, Silicon Valley Youth is offering classes in Intro to Python, and AMC 8 classes on Saturdays at Gunn High School.  Sign up now online. Questions? Contact svyouth1@gmail.com.
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.