Thursday Word – January 21, 2010

FROM THE PRINCIPAL – Terri Stromfeld

Amazing News . . . Almond Receives Another Award!

 

Almond School has been awarded the 2010 Cornerstone “Positive Peer Influence Award” for Santa Clara County! This is a highly competitive and prestigious award that is given annually to one elementary school that models and promotes “responsible, positive behavior” for students. Our children are being recognized as motivators and inspirers to others, while our staff and community are acknowledged for working together to develop healthy, caring and responsible children. We all know that our Almond children are bright, kind, hard-working and exceptional students, with brilliant futures. Now, though, we “officially” know that our students are the most “positive elementary school peers” in Santa Clara County!

 

Our recognition stems from our school and community working together to try to make sure that all children feel valued. Our Cornerstone student group, led by 6th grade teacher Amy Shelley, has developed monthly student self-esteem building activities for all children. Second grade teacher Tammy Reilly leads our student council and collaborates with Amy to bring positive activities to our campus. Our Cornerstone ABC program, led by Barbara Carroll and Heather Quigley, brings 25 parent readers monthly into our classrooms to read life skill books. Similarly, our Cornerstone staff committee, which includes Lisa Schubert, Sarah Hall, Tammy Reilly, Anna Uhm, Annie Daggett, Laura Bence and Amy Shelley, plans monthly positive all-inclusive activities for our staff.

 

We will formally receive our award on March 25 at a breakfast at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. Soon we will be receiving our award banner to hang in front of our school. This banner will remind us daily of our commitment to ensure that all of our children receive an exceptional education in a positive and supportive school environment. Congratulations to our entire community!

 

Fall 2010 Kindergarten Parent Information Night    On Thursday, January 28 from 7-8pm in the Almond multi, we will have our Parent Information Evening. We welcome our new 2010-2011 kindergarten parents and promise a great overview of our program, classroom and teachers.    

FROM THE PTA – Marcia Chmyz & Jean Limbach

Take 2 minutes to improve California’s education system!   An initiative has been proposed which would amend the California Constitution so that special taxes for local school districts, commonly known as parcel taxes, can be approved by a 55% vote of the qualified electors. (Current law requires a 2/3 vote to pass.) This initiative, known as the Local Control of Local Classrooms Funding Act, would let communities raise operating funds for their local schools with a 55% “yes” vote. Were this initiative to make it onto the November 2010 ballot and pass, it could help LASD immeasurably in future parcel tax elections.

 

The initiative has been registered with the California State Attorney General, and signatures are being collected now in order to qualify the initiative for the November 2010 ballot. Visit www.ImprovedSchoolFunding.com to learn more and to add your signature. Thank you!  

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• • Friday, January 22, Spirit Day – Dress Alike Day!
• • Monday, January 25, Proposal deadline for Science Fair
• • Thursday, January 28, 7:00 pm, Kindergarten Information Night
• • Saturday, February 6, 9:30am-12pm, Beautification Event
• • Monday, February 15, Requests for intra-district transfers due to LASD office

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Almond Science Fair 2010

  A reminder that the proposal deadline for the Science Fair is January 25, and completed projects are due April 5. Click here to access detailed instructions and forms for the Science Fair.

 

Important: We have an immediate need for “scientist” parents who can review proposals and guide our young 5th and 6th grade science enthusiasts with their projects. For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, please contact Science Fair Co-Chairs, Priya Dharan or Stephanie Friend.

Almond Beautification Event

  Calling all volunteers! We need you! Almond will be holding its second Beautification Event on Saturday, February 6th from 9:30am-12pm. We will be weeding, pruning, and sprucing up the gardens. Green thumbs not required! Refreshments provided, but please bring your own gardening tools, including pruning shears, trowels, and shovels. Sixth graders can earn up to 2.5 hours community service credit (depending on hours worked), but must be accompanied by an adult. Please contact Deby Pasturel with questions.

Place Hot Lunch Orders for February Now!

  February orders for Hot Lunch must be placed by Thursday, January 28th. No exceptions this month! Place your orders now at www.tastenutrition.com.

Almond’s Night at the Oscars

The last fundraiser of the school year, “Almond’s Night at the Oscars” is happening Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at the Los Altos Golf & Country Club. Tickets are available for $65 per person by contacting Liz Parker. This promises to be a spectacular evening to support Almond!

Sixth Grade Car Wash Coming Soon!

DON’T WASH THAT CAR! The sixth grade will be washing (and drying!) cars at Almond on Friday, March 19th from 3:30-6:00pm and Saturday, March 20th from 10am-2pm to raise money to fund sixth grade activities. Please save the dates! Pre-sold tickets will be available beginning in February. We will also be selling delicious baked goods during the event. Thanks!

Calling all 4th, 5th and 6th grade Almond Birders!

  Almond School is getting ready to set up our bird nest boxes provided by the Audubon Society’s “Cavity Nesters Recovery Program”. If you want to learn more about this fun program, come to a short presentation on Saturday Jan. 30th at 10:00 am. We will learn about the birds we are trying to attract, and how to monitor the boxes during the nesting season. Once a week during lunch recess, a team of students will monitor each box and record any activity. If you want to come to the talk, or sign up as a student monitor, please contact Kathy Strickland Hanson. Click here for more info.

Winter Session of After-School Programs Underway!

  The winter session of the after-school programs has just begun. Visit the Almond website for details on the various programs being offered. Each program has the vendor website and a flyer with the details for Almond. If you have trouble accessing the information or have any questions regarding the programs, please feel free to email Durga Kalavagunta. Starting February 4th, we have an all-new science program offered by Amazing Science. The program’s mission is to foster an interest in and comfort with science at an early age, and to enrich the science experience for young people. The class encourages children to ask questions, and teaches them skills such as how to use scientific tools, measure liquids with graduated cylinders, and weigh objects with balances. Students will study a variety of subjects such as electricity, magnetism, solids/liquids/gasses, chemistry, botany, insects, and do a lot of building that incorporates physics. If you have a child who would love to have more science in his or her day, then this is the program for him/her. Click here for more details.

Intra-district (Open Enrollment) Transfers

  The Los Altos School District has a policy of Open Enrollment that permits students living within district boundaries to attend a school other than their neighborhood school, subject to space availability. Requests for an intra-district transfer must be submitted to the District Office by February 15. An intra-district transfer approval in grades K-6 is in effect for one school year. Intra-district requests must be submitted annually and approval will be based on space available at the requested school. To access the complete policy #5116.1, go to “Board Policies and Administrative Regulations” at the bottom of the LASD site. Transfer request forms are available at the District Office. Contact the Superintendent’s Office (650-947-1152) for more information.

PARENT EDUCATION http://www.almond.losaltos.k12.ca.us/parent/parent_ed.php

Key Dates

• • Wednesday, February 3, 10, 24 and March 3, Girls Leadership Institute Workshop
• • Thursday, March 25, Building Resilience in Our Youth: Raising Healthy Kids

Girls Leadership Institute Workshop at Almond

    This is a workshop for mothers and daughters to help with social skills and empowering girls. Note that it is targeted at 2nd and 3rd grade girls and their parents. The workshops will be held on Wednesdays, Feb 3, 10, 24 and March 3, from 6:00- 7:30pm right here at Almond Elementary School. For more info or to register, click here.

Building Resilience in Our Youth: Raising Healthy Kids  

Ken Ginsburg, M.D. will be presenting this topic on Thursday, March 25th at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theater in Palo Alto, 6:30pm – 8:30pm.

LASD FREQUENT FLYER NEWSLETTER  

www.losaltos.k12.ca.us/PDF_Files/2009_2010/School_News_01_21_2010.PDF

WANT TO SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE THURSDAY WORD?

  Send announcements to us at almond.thursdayword@gmail.com by 1:00pm Monday, for that week’s Word. Keep your announcements brief and, if applicable, send a PDF version of any flyer or additional information to be posted on the website. For more information about Almond Elementary School visit www.almondschool.org. Copyright © 2003-2009 Los Altos School District. All rights reserved.

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