August 31, 2007

Laurel School Newsletter
Next Week
Monday, 9/3

  - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

Tuesday, 9/4

  - No Events Scheduled

Wednesday, 9/5

  - Carpool Pickup Begins

Thursday, 9/6

  - Laurel Back-to-School Night, 7 to 8 p.m.

Friday, 9/7

  - PTO District Council Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
  - School Spirit Day - Wear Blue and White
Upcoming Events
9/11      Kid Chow Lunch Delivery Begins
9/12      PTO Executive Board Meeting, 8:45 a.m.
9/14      Quarter Gourmet, 5 p.m. (corrected time)
9/16      Laurel Fall Clean Up Day, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
9/19      Art Coordinator Meeting, 9:30, Art Room
9/19      Laurel Site Council Meeting, 3 p.m.
9/26      PTO General Meeting, 7 p.m.
10/5      PTO District Council Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
10/8-12  Laurel-Encinal Book Fair
10/10     PTO Executive Board Meeting 8:45 a.m.
10/17     Laurel Site Council Meeting, 3 p.m.
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Back-to-School Night
Contact Information Form
Join the PTO
Drop-off and Pick-up
Quarter Gourmet
Art Coordinator Meeting
Fall Clean-up Day
Berlitz Language
Lunch Delivery
Back-to-School Details
Free Obsolete Textbooks
eScrip
MPAEF News
Community News
Quick Links
Join our Mailing List!
Back-to-School Night
  • Thursday, September 6
  • 7 to 8 p.m.
  • Your child's classroom
Back to School Night is your opportunity to meet your child's teacher, learn about a typical school week and classroom activities throughout the year, and sign up for volunteer opportunities in the classroom.  It's a night designed just for parents, and you won't want to miss it!

Please consider walking, biking, or carpooling, as parking will be tight.
Contact Information Form
Please fill out the blue "Demographic Data" report form your child brought home on the first day and turn it in to your teacher as soon as possible (next week if you can). 

This form was pre-filled with contact information and other important data needed for the Laurel School database, the District files, the Laurel-Encinal Directory, and the classroom email alias lists.  If you need a replacement form, please contact the Laurel office at 324-0186.
The PTO Membership Drive is Lifting Off
PTO Membership DriveWe've lifted off but still need your donation in order to reach our goal of 100% participation per grade level.  Grades reaching 80% or higher by the end of the membership drive will receive an extra recess.

You can download a membership form and drop it off with your donation at the school office, or join online using a credit card.
Drop-off and Pick-up

Car/Carpool Pickup begins Wednesday, September 5!

TODAY is the deadline for requesting a Car/Carpool number, which is required before you can use Car/Carpool afternoon pickup at the front of the school. You can still fill out the Curbside "Carpool" Pick-up Form and run it over to the school office, but requests submitted after today's deadline will not be filled in time for the first day of Carpool Pickup. If you have requested a number but have not yet received it, look for it in your child's blue folder on Tuesday.  (Note:  It is not necessary to drive more than one child in order to qualify for a carpool number.)

Please do not park and leave your car at the curb in front of the school during drop-off and pick-up times. It would be a great idea to review the Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures before Wednesday.

We are currently recruiting volunteers to monitor morning drop-off from 8 to 8:15 a.m.  Drop-off Volunteers make sure that traffic moves smoothly and children safely exit their cars. If you are interested, please contact Marcia Bever at marcia(at)premierbenefits.com, or just come by the office in the morning and pick up an orange vest.
Quarter Gourmet
  • Friday, September 14
  • 5 to 7:30 p.m. (please note earlier start time!)
  • Second Grade Field
Come meet your teachers, classmates and families, and groove to the sounds of the Whoa Nellies Band (great 60's and 70's music). We need a few more volunteers to fill cashiers and table managers shifts. Look at our flyer to see more details, to RSVP for the Quarter Gourmet, and to sign up for a volunteer slot. 

Contact: Daren Tuchman at dbtuchman(at)hotmail.com, Erin Glanville at erin.glanville(at)gmail.com, or Sarah Jones at sarahjones888(at)hotmail.com.
Art Coordinator Meeting
  • Wednesday, September 19
  • 9:30 to 10 a.m.
  • Laurel's Art Room (D2)
If you are the Art Coordinator for your child's classroom, please come to a meeting to go over the year's schedule and answer any questions you may have.  Contact Michelle Marini at mmarini3(at)yahoo.com or Tara Roussel at tararoussel(at)mac.com.
Fall Clean-up Day
  • Sunday, September 16
  • 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Please join us to beautify Laurel school. We will clean up and do some gardening (no experience necessary). Look for details in next week's newsletter.
Berlitz Language
There's still time to enroll in Berlitz after-school language programs.  In addition, Beginning Spanish is now available on Thursday for K-2 at 1:30 p.m.  Send in your registration form today!   Contact: Cara Henry at 321-6160 or carahenry(at)yahoo.com, Susie Morse at 329-0432 or susan_c_morse(at)yahoo.com, or Briant Sarris at (408)377-9513 or briant.sarris(at)berlitz.us.
Kid Chow Lunch Delivery
This fall the PTO will launch Kid Chow's healthy brown bag school lunch service for first and second grade students (Kid Chow is not available for kindergarten students).  Lunches will be delivered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and you can select from a wide variety of options for any days and any weeks you wish.  For details and to order, go to the Kid Chow web site at www.kidchow.com.
Back-to-School Details
Information Links
A number of flyers have been distributed recently. We have posted most of these to the Laurel PTO Web Site for your convenience:

Additional information is always available on our website at www.laurelpto.org.

After-School Programs
The PTO offers a variety of after-school programs to provide Laurel students with enrichment opportunities. This fall we are offering Chess, Berlitz Kids Language (French and Spanish), Sports 4 Kids, Basketball, Afterschool Math, Fencing, and Engineering FUNdamentals with LEGOs. Please see the After-School Program Overview for program descriptions and schedules.
To Register, go to:


To Unsubscribe
If your children are no longer at Laurel this year, please scroll to the bottom of this message and use the "Safe Unsubscribe" link (in the small print) to remove yourself from our mailing list.

Free Obsolete Textbooks
  • Public Obsolete Textbook Viewing
  • Wednesday, September 26
  • 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • in the Laurel Conference Room
We will be having an obsolete text book viewing during which the public may come and take home text books no longer in use at Laurel.  Bring a bag and help yourself to these old but useful (free!) textbooks!
eScrip
eScrip is a fast and easy way to give more money to the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation for our schools. Register your grocery and debit cards, and every time you shop, participating stores automatically give money back to the MPAEF.

Don't forget to renew: Previously registered members MUST renew their Safeway Club Cards EVERY year between August 1 and November 1.

Click here for details and easy directions!
MPAEF News
MPAEF New Logo
Are you interested in learning more about the MPAEF, or just want to help spread the news about the foundation?  We need ambassadors for every class and would love your help.  You do not need to make phone calls asking for donations, manage classroom projects, or speak at back to school night (we have a DVD).  The volunteer job is just to encourage parents via letters and email to support the foundation and pass on news.

The following classes still need an ambassador:

Kindergarten:  Callahan, Fisher, Glavan
Second Grade:   Cressey, Horwitz, Mazzoncini, Seely

Contact: Lauren Calhoon, 566-1244.
Community News
Holbrook-Palmer "Swing in the Park" Fundraiser
  • Sunday, September 9
  • 2 p.m. until dusk
  • Holbrook-Palmer Park
  • $74 for table seating, $35 for blanket seating, $10 for children
Fabulous B-B-Q, desserts & wine, games and activities for children and adults. Live music, live auction of one-of-a-kind swings and Lexus vehicle. Proceeds benefit Holbrook-Palmer Park.

Cantabile Auditions
Cantabile Youth Singers announces auditions for fall enrollment. Students ages 7 - 18 are welcome. Auditions will be held by appointment in late August and early September, 2007.  For information about Cantabile, check our website at www.cantabile.org. For audition info and appointment, e-mail info(at)cantabile.org OR call (650) 424-1410, ext. 73.

Team Ronald McDonald House Half Marathon
  • November 11, 2007
  • Monterey, CA
Join Team Ronald McDonald House as we train to run or walk a half marathon at this year's Big Sur Half Marathon to support the children and families!  Click to Register Now!

Learn about participating in the event at one of our orientation meetings at the House on  September 5 at 6 p.m. or September 7 at 12 p.m. Please RSVP to 470-6012 if you will attend.

Contact: Christina Del Villar at teammgr(at)gmail.com.

Cub Scout Pack 206 Raingutter Regatta
  • Sunday, September 23, 1 to 3 p.m. (Boat Building Clinic)
  • Sunday, October 4, 2 to 4 p.m. (Boat Races)
  • Flood Park (215 Bay Road, Menlo Park 94025), Bay Picnic Area
Old and new scouts are welcome to come to our opening events, where we will be building and racing model boats. For more information visit pack206.org, email  rcollyer(at)sbcglobal.net or call Cubmaster Rich Collyer at 327-2806.

Cub Scouts Open Houses
  • September 11, Encinal Multi, 6:30 - 7:45
  • September 12, Laurel Multi, 6:30 - 7:45.
Scouting has fun activities year round, strengthens the bonds of family, encourages good behavior, builds self-esteem, and teaches lifelong values. Any boy in grades 1 through 5 is invited to join Cub Scouts.  Find out more at our Open Houses. For more information visit www.pack565.org, email info(at)pack565.org or contact Cubmaster Dave at 322-9011.

Academic Trainers  Aftercare
  • Monday-Friday
  • 12:15pm-6:00pm
  • Tuition $790-$390/month or $15/hour
  • 1075 Curtis St. ~ Downtown Menlo Park, 321-0707
  • www.academictrainers.com
Academic Trainers announces a new afterschool program for Kindergartners-2nd graders. Academic enrichment complementary to school curriculum, lots of fun playtime, reading and more.  Spanish, music, and craft activities.  Private tutoring services also available.
Submit newsletter items by Wednesday at noon or attachments by Tuesday at noon to newsletter(at)laurelpto.org
or phone: 473-1299