Fairmeadow Elementary School eNews
Where Learning is a Team Sport!
May 21, 2018
Fairmeadow News
Important Dates:
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,

Last Friday, students across our school curiously explored a wide range of activities during our Fairmeadow Discovery Day . Parents, teachers, and community members presented engaging sessions, focused on a topic of expertise for the adult, designed to pique the interest and intrigue of our children. While participating with our students on Friday, I witnessed focused firebirds making homemade tortillas, building Lego robots, propagating succulents, learning to juggle, designing role play characters, coding, building birdhouse, analyzing DNA, and much, much more. The broad range of selections provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to explore something new, surrounded by excited peers, caring adults, and committed staff. Discovery Day 2018 was a huge success, thanks to the parent volunteers, teacher and staff participants, our organized Discovery Day coordinators, and our energetic and capable firebird students. It’s events like Discovery Day that help to define our exceptional learning community.

Parent and community volunteers, please plan to join us for our annual Volunteer Tea this Wednesday, May 23rd from 8:15 to 8:45 am on the 2nd story patio . Please allow Fairmeadow teachers to staff to show our immense appreciation through a bountiful spread of homemade breakfast goodies, sweet treats, and warm drinks. Whether you served our students as a library volunteer, room parent, science lab helper, book fair cashier, field trip driver, noon activity helper, or in any other volunteer role, please plan to join us for this gathering in your honor.

It’s my pleasure to welcome Ms. Iris Wong to the Fairmeadow community as your new principal starting for the 2018/19 school year. Ms. Wong impressed participants at each stage of the rigorous interview process, displaying the character, experience, caring, knowledge, and commitment to successfully lead Fairmeadow Elementary School. She comes to Fairmeadow after three successful years as an Assistant Principal at JLS Middle School, and prior to joining Palo Alto Unified School District, Iris taught a number of elementary grades in Cupertino, and served a large elementary school as a Teacher on Special Assignment. Please join me in welcoming Ms. Wong to Fairmeadow! I look forward to supporting her transition in every way I can. Other changes for 2018/19 include Dawn Gray officially joining Fairmeadow as the fourth kindergarten teacher, Susan Hoff returning to second grade from third grade, and Melissa Hinkle working as the English Language Learner Specialist.

The final nine days of school for the 2017/18 school year promise to be full of acknowledgement, celebration, and appreciation of our Fairmeadow firebird students. Their commitment and effort resulted in exceptional growth and progress this year, significant learning for which our children should be proud. Thank you for trusting us to lead this important work, and for your support of our school in so many ways.

Grant Althouse, Principal
Contributions for Support Staff
On behalf of our Fairmeadow community, we would like to give an end-of-the-year thank you gift to our custodians, front office staff, and hot lunch server. If you would like to participate, please contribute by Tuesday, May 29th. You can use PayPal (chkirner@comcast.net), Venmo (Claire-Kirner-1), or contact Claire Kirner directly if you would prefer to give by cash or check. Thank you!
Back to School at JLS, 2018-2019
Parents of rising sixth graders! It’s the strong community of volunteers that helps make JLS a great place for our children to feel safe, happy and welcome, and for the staff to feel appreciated. A new school year is right around the corner, so we need many hands to get the ball rolling! JLS is looking for parent volunteers to help with back to school (BTS) events, such as form sorting, Jump Start Day, etc. This valuable work is needed to help JLS events run smoothly while building community. Please feel free to sign up for as many sessions as you like!
Want more information? Please look at descriptions on the JLS PTA website . Additional questions? Email jlsptaemail@gmail.com .

JLS Jump Start Day - August 7th, 2:00-4:30 pm
At Jump Start Day students can turn in their Back to School forms, take school pictures, which are used for student I.D.s and yearbook, and get their PE uniforms. Bike Mobile will be there to check over bicycles and make minor repairs, students can get their helmets fitted and bikes registered, and the Safe Routes to School team will be there to help students find the best route. The JLS Student Store will also be open so that students can buy some spirit gear. If you can help, please sign up here .

Panther Camp: JLS 6th Grade Orientation, Volunteers Needed, August 16th-17th
Incoming JLS 6th graders have a super fun two-day orientation program called Panther Camp on Aug 16th-17th.  Sign up now to get involved ! Questions? Email Collette O’Donovan .

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.
Parent Workshop for Immigrant and Refugee Families 
Wed, May 23, 6-8 pm (5:30 pm Dinner,) Aspen Room, PAUSD District Office, 25 Churchill Ave
Co-sponsored by PTA Council and PAUSD
This parent workshop is for families who are looking for information and resources to best support their family in the current immigration environment. Psychologist Jennifer Coloma, Ph.D., will provide parents with strategies to help their children who may be experiencing worry and stress in an uncertain environment, including how to talk about these difficult issues and where to go if you need further resources for your family. Attendees will also be provided with the most up-to-date information about their legal rights (including DACA, undocumented and uncertain status, TPV, and refugee status). Dinner will be served from 5:30 pm and the workshop will commence at 6:00 pm. Childcare and Spanish translation provided. If you need translation for a language other than Spanish please contact rshen-lorenson@pausd.org (or familyengagementspecialists@pausd.org ) in advance so we can best provide for your needs. 

Taller de Padres para Familias Inmigrantes y Refugiadas
Miércoles 23 de Mayo de 6:00-8:00pm (Cena a las 5:30pm), Aspen Room, Oficinas del Distrito Escolar, 25 Churchill Ave
Copatrocinado por el Concejo de PTA y PAUSD  
Este es un taller para familias que buscan información y recursos para poder apoyar de mejor manera a su familia en el actual entorno migratorio. La psicóloga Jennifer Coloma, Ph.D., proveerá a los padres con las estrategias para ayudar a sus hijos los cuales pueden estar experimentar preocupaciones o estrés en este ambiente incierto, ella también hablara sobre como conversar sobre estos temas difíciles y donde acudir si usted necesita recursos para su familia. Se les proporcionará a los asistentes, la información más actualizada sobre sus derechos legales (incluyendo DACA, Indocumentados y estatus inciertos, TPV, y en estatus de refugiados.). La cena se servirá comenzando a las 5:30pm y el taller iniciará a las 6:00pm. Se proveerá cuidado de niños y traducción al español. Si usted necesita traducción en otro leguaje por favor comuníquese con rshen-lorenson@pausd.org (o familyengagementspecialists@pausd.org ) por avanzado para servirle acorde a sus necesidades.

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
Summer At Tap! Tap In Talents
We are set for an exciting summer at Tap in Talents! We are offering camps in 3D drawing, robotics, Korean, art and more! Special offer: use code NEIGHBOR for $30 off your week of camp! With early bird and after care we can fit any schedule! Click here for details and registration .
Classroom Volunteers Needed Next Year -- Grades K-5 in East Palo Alto and Eastern Menlo Park
Sign up now to begin volunteering in September to work with students in grades K-5 where you can make a real difference in their lives. You’ll go to the same classroom in East Palo Alto or eastern Menlo Park once a week, for about an hour, during the school year to help with reading or math. You’ll have a real impact in a community where over 80% of students are performing below grade level.  All Students Matter provides training and coordinates everything. Read about us in this recent Palo Alto Weekly article . For more details or to sign up, visit our website or contact Keri Tully .
Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra (PACO) Spring Concerts
Enjoy a series of Spring concerts (May through June) featuring winners of this year's PACO Concerto Competition. These talented young string players will perform music by Haydn, Bruch, Saint-Saens, Ravel and more. Don't miss the collection of works from Bach to Bernstein with violin soloist Robin Sharp in Senior PACO's last program of the season. If you do, you'll have a second chance on June 15 before they bring this winning collection on tour of Spain and Portugal. All concerts are FREE and for the entire family to enjoy. For more information about PACO and concert details, please visit pacomusic.org or email info@pacomusic.org.
Stanford Social Skills Study Recruitment
Stanford's Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research (CIBSR) is recruiting volunteers for a Social Skills study. We are looking for boys aged 8-18 diagnosed with a developmental or intellectual disability to take part in a research study investigating the effect of behavioral training methods on social skills. Participation includes a visit to Stanford for 3-4 days, cognitive testing, two optional MRI scans, and social skills training with a behaviorist. For more information, please click here .
Contacts: Ellen Wilkinson , MA or Tobi Britton , BA, BCaBA; 650-736-0591 
Principle Investigator: Scott Hall , PhD, BCBA-D; 650-498-4799
Parent Survey from Gunn's BEAM Program
BEAM (Business, Entrepreneurship and Mathematics) is a Gunn HS program that strives to create a true public-private partnership by providing high school students the opportunity to connect with local innovation communities while gaining real world professional experience. We are working on a project with the City of Palo Alto to reduce the number of idling cars in Palo Alto in order to give back to the community. Idling cars have been an uprising problem with many negative effects on our environment. With more and more cars on the road, heavy traffic could lead even more people to waiting in their cars with their ignition on. Idling also contributes to an increased amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Our group will be researching what impacts on the environment idling cars have in terms of car emissions and what ways of communication to the public is the best way to spread awareness of the problem. Please take a moment to complete our Idling Cars and Car Emissions Survey . Thank you for your time.
Gain Confidence with a Public Speaking Class (Palo Alto Dept. of Recreation)
Sat, Jun 23 – Jul 28; 9-10:55 am; Cubberley Community Center
Improve your speaking skills with Public Speaking: Creative Interpretation for ages 9-11 or grades 4-6. Do fun activities, present regularly in front of the class, and gain confidence. Receive training and tips on vocal variation, nonverbal communication, and more. Class Fee: $300. Material Fee: $25. Register with Palo Alto Recreation . To learn more about the class, contact Communication Academy at 408-777-8876 or visit communicationacademy.com .
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.

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Archives and Publication Guidelines

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.