Fairmeadow Elementary School eNews
Where Learning is a Team Sport!
May 7, 2018
Fairmeadow News
Important Dates:
May 8 - Whole School Learning Celebration and Science Fair
May 15 - School Site Council Meeting
May 18 - Discovery Day
May 28 - Memorial Day / No School
May 31 - Field Day
June 1 - Last Day of School / Fifth Grade Promotion
Principal's Message
Greetings Fairmeadow Community,

The outpouring of appreciation and support for our teachers and staff last week invigorated and energized our faculty. I extend my sincere gratitude for the coffee, flowers, lunch, fruit, and most importantly, the heartfelt notes from our firebird students capturing their appreciation for their teachers. Thanks to your support, last week was an inspiring way to start the momentous final month of the 2017/18 school year.

Last Friday, we welcomed an engaged group of parents for the final principal’s coffee of the school year, focusing on the topic of Digital Citizenship . Our library media teacher, Mrs. Sara Gilman, and I shared strategies we employ to teach our K-5 students about appropriate use of technology and communication tools, as well as important advice to set boundaries for students looking for increased independence with technology. Mrs. Gilman shared a fantastic resource for parents and teachers alike, Common Sense Media , which includes tutorials, strategies, and guidance for supporting children as they grow up in the digital age.

This Tuesday, May 8th we invite all students and families for our Whole School Learning Celebration . Our annual school Science Fair will open in the MP Room starting at 6 pm, with the Learning Celebration starting at 6:45 pm on the blacktop. The purpose of this community gathering is to celebrate student growth and to showcase the student learning achieved during the 2017/18 school year. Our whole school assembly on the blacktop at 6:45 pm will feature student speakers and an introduction to the evening, followed by a tour led by your student to present their work and their learning in their classroom. While the focus on Tuesday will be the showcase of learning in your child’s current classroom, at the start of school the next school day, teachers will tour students through all of next year’s classrooms in our ‘Move it Up Gallery Walk’. This will provide the children with an important opportunity to experience the next grade level’s classrooms in anticipation of the transition to the next school year. 5th graders will welcome the 4th graders to their classrooms, and 5th graders will have the opportunity to tour their future middle school this upcoming Thursday. I look forward to seeing you all at this important school gathering, starting with the school-wide assembly at 6:45 pm on the blacktop. Be sure to visit the Science Fair before or after the Learning Celebration; the MP Room will be open from 6-8:30 pm!

I look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday evening to celebrate the noteworthy progress and growth that our students have achieved this year. My thanks to our teachers and staff for their tremendous guidance of our students, and to our parent and family community for your unyielding support of our school!

Best Regards,
Grant Althouse, Principal
Bicycle Boulevard Education Event
This Wednesday, May 9th during morning arrival time, stop by in front of the office to learn more about the new Bicycle Boulevard along Ross Road. For those with questions, Palo Alto City Staff will help explain how these research-based enhancements will help more students and families choose bicycling as an option in Palo Alto. For more information, please check the Safe Routes to School Education Resources page. 
Youth Art Show
Now through May 20th, Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Rd
Visit the Palo Alto Art Center to see artwork from more than 400 PAUSD students from grades K-12. See flyer for details !
Discovery Day: Share Your SPARK on Friday, May 18th!
Science, art, craft, sport, coding, gardening - or something else? What sparks your imagination? Every two years we do something special that brings together parents, teachers and students in a uniquely creative collaboration. It is an exploration of hobbies and ideas that we call Discovery Day! The event is huge. Every table on campus will be filled by intrepid volunteers who lead or support activities during one or two deliciously busy and focused hours of fun and learning. We are still recruiting volunteers, but time is running out:

Be an Activity Supporter : Supporters are so important to help this event run smoothly. We hope you can help. Contact Nadia before this Wednesday morning, May 9th if you would like to support one of the activity leaders.

Be an Activity Leader : We can take submissions until this Tuesday morning, May 8th , when Catalogue entries will be finalized. If you’re keen to join in, but not sure how, contact Nadia today.

The event runs for two hour-long sessions on Friday, May 18th: 9-10 am, then 10:30-11:30 am. Volunteers can attend both sessions, or pick just one. Click here for activity ideas or sign up online here!
Fairmeadow Night @ Stanford
May 18, 6 pm, Sunken Diamond - Stanford Baseball vs. WSU
Join us in specially reserved seats for Fairmeadow Elementary at Stanford Baseball’s annual Fireworks Night! This game will sell out, so place your order soon! The deadline to select your seats is Friday, May 11th. Click here for details .
Wheel Kids Middle School Bike Skills Class
Fifth grade parents! Did you know that almost 50% of Palo Alto middle school students bike to school? Our bicycle-friendly community, flat terrain and near-perfect climate are just a few reasons Palo Alto offers wonderful riding opportunities to cyclists of all ages and abilities. To ensure students acquire the bike handling skills needed to safely navigate the roadways, Wheel Kids Bicycle Club, Inc. has teamed up with the City of Palo Alto’s Safe Routes to School Program to offer a Middle School Bike Skills Class. Click here for more information and registration . Questions? Email Wheel Kids .

PAUSD News
Superintendent's Weekly Message
We will re-post Karen Hendricks'  Weekly Message  here each week, in case you missed it on her previous Infinite Campus email to you.

PTAC News
Click My Cause
Speak up now for PAUSD students! Take action with a fast click of a button. Your voice needed to advance three critical California education bills:
  • Increase funding for K-12 education (AB 2808). California schools are funded far below national average (cost-of-living adjusted
  • Pupil suicide prevention and training (AB 2639, Asm Berman)
  • Invest in Pre-K education (AB 1754). Every dollar invested in early education saves California many, many more dollars later 
Download the Click My Cause iPhone app . Select “Palo Alto PTA Council” to send your alerts. Look for repeated alerts through September 30, 2018. Click “OK” to allow notifications. You must do this to receive your mobile alerts.
LEGOLAND
Enjoy a day at LEGOLAND on us!  PTA Family Field Trip: Visit LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium for only $55 per adult or child. That’s half off the regular price! Must be reserved and pre-paid by phone. Call (760) 438-5346 and have your school name ready (minimum purchase 6 tickets). PTA Kids Go Free (Online): Visit LEGOLAND.com/ptadiscount  to purchase one full paid adult admission to LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium and receive one free child admission. Enter discount code 15031. PTA Kids Go Free (Flier): Visit LEGOLAND.com/ptaflyer to print your own flier and bring it to a LEGOLAND California ticket booth to receive one free child with one full paid adult admission to LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE Aquarium.
Summer Camps Held at PAUSD Sites
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.

Community News
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Thu, May 17 & May 24, 9 am – 1 pm, Mitchell Park Community Center
Learn important skills for promoting youth mental health and well-being! In partnership with Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services, Project Safety Net invites you to a training in Youth Mental Health First Aid. Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches a 5-step action plan to offer initial help to young people showing signs of mental illness or in a crisis, and connect them with the appropriate professional, peer, social, or self-help care. This training requires attendance on both days.  RSVP here .
Project Safety Net Community Forum: Policy and Advocacy (Goal 4)
Wed, May 23, 3:30-5:30 pm, Rinconada Library, Embarcadero Room
You're invited to a special community forum meeting, as Project Safety Net will be focusing on Goal 4: Policy and Advocacy, as outlined in Project Safety Net’s Three-Year Road Map.   RSVP here . There will be a a discussion with advocates and community leaders regarding the current local, state, and federal landscape of youth well-being and suicide prevention policy. Presenters will outline best practices for weighing in with policy makers, and share future opportunities for supporting youth mental health and suicide prevention initiatives. 
Family Yoga Every Saturday at Blossom
Saturdays 10:30-11:30am, Blossom Birth, 505 Barron Ave (New location after May 28th)
Family Yoga at Blossom is perfect for moms, dads or grandparents and their toddlers or preschool kids. Enjoy vitalizing yoga, playful meditation and singing as a sweet way to connect with your child. Have two or more? Bring them all, children join for free. Make this a joyful weekend family routine or drop-in whenever you need some vitalizing movement. 
Downtown Palo Alto Farmer’s Market Opening
The Downtown Palo Alto Farmers’ Market opens for 2018 on Saturday, May 12. The Market is a great place to get fresh local fruits, veggies, flowers, meats, cheeses, breads and more! Come hang out and listen to live music, while getting delicious brunch and coffee. The Market is located on Gilman St. between Hamilton and Forest. Open every Saturday from 8 am to noon. Market is open rain or shine through mid-December. More at pafarmersmarket.org .
Community Service Opportunity: Volunteer on National River Cleanup Day
Sat, May 19, 9 am - 12 pm, Baylands (Matadero or Adobe Creek)
The City of Palo Alto is hosting two Cleanup sites (Matadero: site 17 and Adobe: site 18) to clean up litter in the Baylands. Please go to cleanacreek.org to sign up and be sure to bring your waivers. Three hours of community service will be available.
Ragazzi Boys Chorus Spring Recital
Sat, Jun 9, 5:00 pm, First United Methodist Church, Palo Alto
Not sure about auditioning? Hear our youngest singers! The boys of Ragazzi Boys Chorus, from small to medium, sing in their end-of-the-year Spring Recital. Many levels of the chorus are showcased, at levels from beginners through boys preparing for summer touring. The choristers are at their finest at this recital. Experience the artistry of our young singers; we're delighted to share their beautiful choral accomplishments. Sung by Primary Groups, Ragazzi Premiere, and Avanti.  Buy tickets here .
Ragazzi Sings Bing! | 30th Anniversary Concert
Sun, Jun 10, 2:30 pm, Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University
Presented by Stanford Live, our entire program is on display in Bing Concert Hall. Augmented by our Alumni Chorus and our Alumni ensemble, Ragazzi Continuo, this concert will explore a stunning range of vocalism. All the boys, from small to tall, will perform at their peak of the season. Alums of all Ragazzi generations come together to recreate – with the very same Director – the unparalleled experience they shared growing up as Ragazzi choristers. This concert has been 30 years in the making, and features old favorites, new works and countless rewards.  Buy tickets here .
Love to Sing? Ragazzi Boys Chorus Auditions for 7-10 Year Olds
By appointment through June; 178 Clinton St, Redwood City
Ragazzi Boys Chorus, a ‘best choir of the Peninsula’ and ‘best non-profit’, has just the right amount of structure and fun! Schedule your 7-10 year old boy for a short group audition. He’ll sing with one of our teachers and have a blast; no prior experience or preparation needed to try out. We’re in Redwood City, plus a new San Mateo rehearsal location. Ragazzi’s sings the National Anthem at a San Francisco Giants game, plus locally and around the world. Boys develop lasting friendships and independence at camp and on tour. Appointments and more info here . Watch us here or visit our Facebook page .
Silicon Valley Boychoir Auditions
Fri, May 11, by appointment, 600 Homer Ave
Auditions for the Fall semester will be held at the choir's rehearsal location near downtown Palo Alto. Open to 2nd-5th grade boys. High school and middle school boys with choral experience may audition for upper levels. SVB provides a personalized approach to teaching singing, music theory, and sight-reading, while providing flexible scheduling for busy families. In addition to their own winter and spring concerts, SVB performs for local events including appearances with Stanford University Symphonic Chorus and Orchestra, West Bay Opera, Schola Cantorum of Mountain View, and singing the national anthem at sporting events. For more information, email us or visit our website .
Parent Chat: Support for Parents of Teens with Mental Health Challenges
Tue, May 8 and Tue, Jun 12, 7-8:30pm, Los Altos Library, 13 S San Antonio Road, Los Altos
Are you concerned about the emotional well-being of your child? Come to Parent Chat, peer to peer support for parents of teens. Hosted by the Mental Health Subcommittee of SELPA 1 CAC. 
Let's Talk: Parent Spec Ed Support Group
Mon, May 14, 10 am - 12 pm, Los Altos Library, 13 S San Antonio Road, Los Altos
A chance to ask questions and share ideas, resources, and support with other parents of students with IEPs, 504s, learning differences, mental health challenges, etc. All are welcome, participants must respect confidentiality. Organized by SELPA 1 CAC

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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 would like to make a submission, please contact Christy Moision , Fairmeadow's eNews editor.