Laurel PTO Notes
NO UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN
All siblings and other non-Laurel students on
the Laurel campus for any reason, during or after
school, must be supervised by an adult!
LE News
Get the scoop on new teachers, find out how Laurel
is leading the state in recycling, and take a look at
the latest at both Laurel and Encinal. Read the
newest edition of the all-electronic LE News!
Suggestion Box
If you would like to let the PTO know about your
ideas to make our great school even better, use the
Suggestion Box in the office OR send ideas to suggestion_box(at)laurelpto.org. Suggestions are
reviewed at each PTO Executive Board meeting. The
suggestion box is a much more effective way to get
results than taking your concerns to individual board
members, and you can remain anonymous if you
choose.
Any suggestion that involves school
operations (school programs, safety issues, the
school grounds, etc.) should be sent directly to the
Principal's office for immediate attention.
International Walk and Bike to School
Day
Join the rest of the WORLD in Walking and Biking to
School on Thursday, October 5. Come early - there'll
be bike bags and goodies for all the kids participating!
Clean Hands
The PTO has purchased a product called "Hand
Clens" for each classroom at Laurel. This product is
an alcohol free, antibacterial foam that does not
require water. We hope that this will help cut the
spread of germs, and keep our kids in school. If you
have any questions about the product, please
contact our District Nurse, Cornelia Finkbeiner at 324-
0186 x 103.
Book Fair Donations
East Palo Alto Charter School (EPACS) is a K-8
charter school in the low-income Ravenswood School
District. The national average of books to students
is 22:1 while at EPACS the ratio is 4:1 and, most
books are outdated or in very poor condition. By
purchasing and donating books to EPACS, Laurel and
Encinal families are helping kids in our neighboring
community to expand their depth of knowledge and,
to experience the joy, excitement and promise of
reading! Look for EPACS book 'wish list' at the book
fair, beginning October 9. If you have any questions
about donating, please contact Joanne Andrew at joandrew13(at)yahoo.com.
Donate Used Books
Used books are needed for the Book Fair! Please
donate Adult Fiction and Children's Books - 100% of
the proceeds go to our PTOs. Drop off book
donations October 2-6, at the Donation Box outside
the school office.
Extra Directory Orders
Every family in the school district receives a student
directory for each school their children attend. If
you would like additional directories from your child’s
school, or any other school in the district, you may
order them for $4.50 each. Use the Order Form to order by Friday, October 6.
Box Tops for Education
Our school-wide Box Tops for Education contest is
under way! Please clip and send Box Tops to your
child's class now through Tuesday, October 24. The
class that collects the most Box Tops will earn a
special treat! Last year we submitted over 8700 Box
Tops, earning the PTO over $875 Box Tops for
Education is a Business Alliances Program.
Quick Links...
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Monday, 10/2
Regular Day
Tuesday, 10/3
Kids' Art Fundraiser Order Deadline
Wednesday, 10/4
Regular Day
Thursday, 10/5
INTERNATIONAL Walk and Bike to School
Day
All-Together Day, all students attend school
from 8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Friday, 10/6
Order Deadline for Extra School Directories
School Spirit Day - Wear Royal Blue and
White
Walk and Bike to School Day
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Weekly Action Checklist
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- Order Gift Certificates for the Book
Fair.
- Print the Book Fair Coloring Contest form
for your child's artistic expression.
- Order a special art object based on your
child's masterpiece from the Kids' Art Fundraiser.
- Volunteer for the Book Fair Bake Sale
- Walk or Bike to school on Thursday,
October 5.
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Book Fair
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- October 9-13
- 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday
- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday
- Laurel Multi
Explore the Reading Rainforest! Print and complete
your Book Fair Coloring Contest Entry
Form, then return it to the Laurel School office
no later than Friday, October 6. Many may enter,
only a few will win! Entries received after the
deadline will be displayed, and may not be eligible for
the random drawing. Prizes are display posters at the
fair and will be delivered to your child's classroom
following the fair.
It's also time to purchase gift certificates for your
kids or favorite teachers. Print out the Gift Certificate Form and return it to the
office to obtain your gift certificates. Enter the
Reading Rainforest, where we're Wild about Books!
Laurel-Encinal Rainforest Book Fair still needs
volunteers for October 12 and 13, for time slots 2 -5
p.m. All or any time within those slots will work. Can't
do it without you! Please email: Volunteer
Coordinators Alice Hom dnahom(at)aol.com or Ellen Mouchawar emoucharwar(at)yahoo.com
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Upcoming Events
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10/9-13 Laurel-Encinal Book Fair
10/11 PTO Exec Board Meeting, 8:45 a.m.
10/11 School Board Meeting, 7 p.m.
10/18 Site Council Meeting, 3 p.m.
10/19 Minimum Day
10/20 No School, Staff Development
10/24 Box Tops for Education Deadline
10/24 Picture Day
10/25 Special School Board Meeting
10/31 Laurel Halloween Parade, 8:30 a.m.
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Book Fair Bake Sale
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The PTO will be selling baked goods and popcorn
outside the Book Fair after school. Volunteers are
still needed to help sell goodies. If you can spend an
hour helping out, please call or email Eileen Rozanski,
evr456(at)comcast.net, 327-7144, or Shana
Middler, shananelson(at)yahoo.com, 321-3411.
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Peet's and Palo Alto Toy and Sport Gift Cards
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Peet's Coffee and Tea and Palo Alto Sport and Toy
Store have teamed up with Laurel and Encinal to
support our schools! Many of us frequent these
businesses on a regular basis (you Peet's lovers out
there know who you are), so why not help our PTOs
at the same time?! 10% from all cards sold goes
directly to our PTOs. They also make great gifts for
others. You can print out the order forms at home,
then follow the instructions on the forms, and you
will receive your cards in a few weeks!
Peet's Card Order Form
Palo Alto Sport and Toy Card Order Form
These are just a few of our Business Alliance
programs. Your Business Alliance Committee works
to create community partnerships with local and
national businesses that are a win-win for the
companies and for us. Please see the attached flyer
for a list of current programs that earn money back
for our PTO. If you have additional ideas, please
contact Elizabeth Ouren eharris_ouren(at)yahoo.com or Dana Stone dana1rae(at)comcast.net
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Kids' Art Fundraiser
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All Laurel classes have had a chance to work on
pieces for the Kids Art Fundraiser. By now, your
child should have brought home a packet that
includes your child's artwork, along with a price list
and brochure from Original Works. These items make
beautiful, unique gifts that will be treasured for years
to come while providing a terrific fundraising
opportunity for our PTO! The products will be
distributed before Thanksgiving – in plenty of time for
holiday gifts!
You will find additional paper and order forms in the
office in case you, your child, or anyone else would
like to create a piece.
All Orders must be turned in by October 3 -
you may turn them in either in the school
office, or via your child's classroom. Please make
checks payable to Laurel PTO. If you have any
questions, please contact Sarah Wright at 328-3755
or Carol Kelly at 325-6702, email at KidsArtFundraiser_chair(at)laurelpto.org..
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Membership Drive Success!
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The 2006-2007 Laurel-Encinal PTO Membership drive
is now concluded, and the Membership Committee
would like to say a huge “Thank you!” to all of you
who contributed to make this year’s drive a success.
We have raised $163,747 to fund PTO programs for
our children at Laurel and Encinal schools. As of the
end of the drive, 82% of all Laurel-Encinal families
showed their team spirit by joining the PTO! Plus,
nearly every grade level received an extra recess by
reaching the 80% donation level. Great job! The
grade level participation rates are:
Kindergarten - 86%
First - 83%
Second - 79%
Third - 85%
Fourth - 81%
Fifth 82%
If you meant to donate during the drive, we are still
accepting donations online or using the membership form. Again, a warm
thank you to every
PTO Member Family who so generously donated.
Together, we are a winning team!
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Eco Squirrel
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Hi! Eco Squirrel here once again to bring you up to
date on our Zero Waste Lunch and composting
program. You are all doing such a great job! Please
ask your Laurel student about composting at lunch
and about the compost that is now spread on the
ground near the 1st and 2nd grade arbor areas.
Some days at lunch our trash cans are only one
quarter full and our compost can is filled to the top!
Keep up the good work and thanks for helping us to
cut down on the amount of trash we generate at
Laurel!
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More Drop-off and Pick-up Information
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Mornings are continuing to be very congested in our
drop off area. Please keep the following in mind for
smoother flow of traffic.
- Please make sure the children have their hair
done and shoes on before you pull away from your
house in the morning. Completing these tasks while
curbside at the school really creates a hazard for
those waiting behind you.
- Please pull up to the curb before letting children
open their doors and exit the car; we cannot have
children stepping out of a car in the middle of
traffic.
- If you are approaching the school southbound on
Edge Road, please let the traffic exiting the school
go ahead of you. There is no room for cars to enter
unless others are allowed to exit.
- Please use your turn signals in the dropoff area,
so other drivers know where your car is headed
next.
- If your child would like to be walked to class,
please park in the lot or on Ringwood. We
simply do not have the room for parents to leave
their cars unattended for "just a minute" during this
extremely busy morning drop-off period.
- Please follow the directions given by the morning
drop-off volunteers. They are directing you in order
to keep your children safe and traffic moving
smoothly at the same time.
During afternoon pickup - Please turn your car's
motor
off while waiting in order to minimize the amount of
exhaust our kids breathe in. On hot days, rolling
down your windows should keep the temperature
comfortable for the short time you are waiting.
On Thursdays, almost 500 children arrive and depart
from Laurel school at the same time, so drop-off and
pick-up on this day are extra crowded and slow. If
possible, consider walking, biking, or carpooling with
others on Thursdays, or leave your home 5-10
minutes earlier than usual to even out the traffic flow
and reduce your own stress level!
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Community News
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The Laurel PTO does not sponsor or endorse any
of the organizations whose activities are listed
below.
Atherton Town Barbecue
- Sunday, October 15
- 3-7 p.m.
- Holbrook-Palmer Park
Everyone’s invited! A fun, family Fall event featuring
live music, pony rides, a bounce house, a balloon
entertainer, a fire engine and police car. The
proceeds will help fund a footbridge into the Park.
Tickets are $25/person for picnic on the green.
Children 5 and under are free. Tickets are
$50/person for sponsor table seat. For tickets, call
Pattie at the Park at 752-0536.
Diva Night at Kepler's
- Thursday, October 12
- 4:30 p.m.
- Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
Explore the World of Books for Kids Parents, Teachers
and Librarians. Join the exuberant DIVAS of the
Publishing World, and our own stylish Kepler’s Youth
& Children's Department experts, for riveting
presentations of the best new and upcoming books
for Youth and Children. We promise an afternoon of
fabulous fun, extravagant literary gifts, raucous
raffles and decadent discounts.
San Mateo County Disaster Preparedness
Day
- Saturday, September 30
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- the San Mateo County Event Center, 2495
Delaware Street, San Mateo
- Click for More Information
Mark your calendars, bring your families, and join the
residents of San Mateo County for a fun and
educational day geared to assist your family in
getting prepared for a potential major disaster that
could occur in our region.
Amazing Bay Day
Come to Amazing Bay Day for fun-filled family
activities and entertainment celebrating the San
Francisco Bay. Sponsored by Save the Bay and San
Francisco Bay Area Girl Scout Council. Directions:
From Highway 101, exit 3rd Avenue heading east.
Park is on the bay.
SOLO Aquatics Swimming and Water
Polo
Did you know that you can join our swim and water
polo teams at any time? There is even a 30-day trial
for our swim ($60) or water polo ($100) teams.
Information and registration at www.soloaquatics.com. Contact: 851-9091.
Swimming: Coach Tom at solotom(at)yahoo.com. Water Polo: Coach Bega
at jmbega(at)gmail.com. Flyers are in the Laurel
office.
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Thank You - Membership Drive
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Thank you to the 2006-2007 Laurel-Encinal PTO
Membership Committee for their hard work:
Jen Novak, Robin Connell, Traci Brinton, Ora Chaiken,
Carol Collins, Christine Franco, Liz Henriquez, Karen
Iyer, Andrea Palmer, Jill Roumeliotis, Jessica Snyder,
and Kim Steere.
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