November 2, 2007

Laurel School Newsletter
Next Week
Monday, 11/5
  - Thanksgiving Food Drive Begins
 
Tuesday, 11/6
  - MPAEF Donation Day

Wednesday, 11/7
  - No Events Scheduled 
 
Thursday, 11/8
  - No Events Scheduled

Friday, 11/9 
  - Walk and Bike to School Day
  - School Spirit Day - Wear Blue and White
Upcoming Events
11/12      NO SCHOOL, Veteran's Day
11/14      PTO Executive Board Meeting, 8:45 a.m.
11/14-16 MINIMUM DAYS, classes dismiss at 11:35 a.m.
11/14-16 Teacher Conferences
11/21-23 NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving Vacation
11/27      Picture Make-up Day
11/28      Site Council Meeting, 3 p.m.
12/7        PTO District Council Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
12/7        Teacher Holiday Luncheon, 12:00 p.m.
12/12      PTO Executive Board Meeting, 8:45 a.m.
12/14      Winter Sing, 1st Grade Show, 8:30 a.m.
12/14      Winter Sing, Kindergarten Show, 10:30 a.m.
12/14      Winter Sing, 2nd Grade Show, 1:30 p.m.
12/21      MINIMUM DAY, classes dismiss at 11:35 a.m.
12/22-1/6  NO SCHOOL, Winter Break
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
MPAEF
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Printer and Cell Phone Recycling
School Site Plans
Box Tops Results
Community News
Quick Links
Join our Mailing List!
MPAEF Donation Day
MPAEF New LogoDonation Day is on Tuesday, November 6th!
Bring your MPAEF Annual Giving donation to school at morning drop off or afternoon pick up. Don't miss out on the Donation Day festivities on your child's campus! All annual campaign donors will be entered into a drawing for prizes, donated by members of the community, that include lunch with a principal, VIP parking for a school event, Cold Stone Creamery certificates and other tasty gifts!
 
Last year 850 families donated to the MPAEF during the annual campaign. Let's raise our participation level to 1,000 families or more in 2007! Every family matters, and every gift matters.  Your gift of $20 can help the MPAEF purchase a library book. For $100 you can help the MPAEF service two musical instruments. $650 can help the MPAEF purchase a new science kit! Please participate at any level by giving in person on Donation Day or donating online at www.mpaef.org.
Thanksgiving Food Drive
The Laurel and Encinal Thanksgiving Food Drive starts this Monday, November 5 and ends on Friday, November 16. There are over 50 families in our school community who will benefit from your generosity. Please donate non-perishable food items, money, or grocery gift cards.  See flyer for details.

You may also make a donation online.  There will be a collection bin in front of each school. Thanks for your help. If you have questions, please contact Susan MacLeod at macleod_family(at)comcast.net or 322-6374, Kim Garlinghouse-Jones at  kimghouse(at)yahoo.com or 328-5845, or Robin Connell at robinconnell(at)gmail.com or 326-6304.
Recycle and Earn Cash for Our Schools
Please donate your empty printer cartridges and used cell phones. Though you can now recycle cell phones along with your other recyclables at curb-side, most of the newer models earn cash for our schools through this program.  Last year alone, more than 300 million cartridges were thrown away, while 30,000,000 cell phones were tossed or replaced. You can help alleviate the volume of waste that goes into landfills, while collecting money for our schools.
 
You can drop the cartridges and cell phones off at the Laurel and Encinal offices and we will recycle them. Please do not drop-off cell phone chargers, headsets and other accessories. Laser cartridges earn more, so please donate used laser cartridges from your office/business. Contact: Nanhi Singh, nanhi_s(at)yahoo.com.
Laurel and Encinal School Site Plans
The District has been working with the Architect and staff to refine the site plans and to develop the plans for the new facilities. The Architect has now completed the schematic level plans for the new facilities and refined the site plans. Modernization work on Laurel School will begin in Summer 2008, followed by construction of new facilities in Summer 2009. Construction of the new facilities at Encinal School is planned to begin in the Spring and Summer of 2008.

If you have not yet seen the plans, you can link to them here:

These Plans were presented to the Board of Education on November 1 for approval. 
Box Tops Results
We have wrapped up our Fall Drive for the Box Tops Fundraiser, and WOW!  You all did a fantastic job, bringing in almost 10,000 Box Tops between both Laurel and Encinal Schools!  That's nearly $1,000 that will go toward class field trips.  Please congratulate your students on a job well done!  We are only 5000 box tops away from our goal, with 2 more drives still to go.  Keep an eye out for your Box Tops Collection Baggies that will be returned to you in your Blue Folders and get a head start on the Winter Drive.  The next deadline is February 12.
Community News
Kepler's
  • Family Game Day
  • Saturday November 4
  • 11:30 a.m.
  • Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
"Fall back" into fun at Kepler's Family Game Day. An extra hour in the day means extra time to play, laugh, and have a good time with your family. We'll read stories that celebrate being a family, then play games that are perfect for ages 3 to 7.  Afterwards, we will have family game time for ages 8 and up from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Snacks, refreshments, prizes, and a trivia contest add to this unique Sunday experience that will leave everyone in your family smiling.

Stanford Program for Gifted Youth Presentation
  • Thursday, November 15
  • 7 to 8:30 p.m.
  • 100 Cordura Hall, Stanford
Stanford University's Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) is sponsoring a presentation on education options. For more information about the event, including directions, call Vicki Hobel Schultz at 968-3266 or link to giftedadvocate.org. For more information about EPGY, contact Ray Ravaglia, Deputy Director, at 723-4117, or link to epgy.stanford.edu.

Learning Disability/ADD Simulation
  • Tuesday, November 13
  • 7 to 9 p.m.
  • 101 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, Board Rooms A&B
  • RSVP: Vanessa Chavez 650/802-5462 or e-mail: vchavez(at)smcoe.k12.ca.us. Please indicate if you need an interpretor for Spanish. 
Put yourself in someone else's shoes! Join us for a hands-on simulation workshop designed to increase awareness of the difficulties and frustration children with learning differences encounter on a daily basis. This workshop is hosted by the San Mateo County Department of Education SELPA Community AdvisoryCommittee and is open to all parents and classroom teachers of children with diagnosed or suspected Learning Disabilities/ADD. The workshop is being taught by Steve Cordelis, MA Ed.

"Oliver!" by Peninsula Youth Theater
  • November 10 through 18
  • Mountain View Center for Performing Arts
 "Oliver!" tells the story of an orphan who runs away to the bleak streets of Victorian London  where he's taught to pick a pocket or two before finding the love he seeks. The Peninsula Youth Theater cast features actors age 8 to 18. Ticket prices are $18 for adults, $15 for kids 12 and under and seniors 65 and older.  To order, visit www.pytnet.org or call 903-6000.

"Narnia" by The Bay Area Educational Theater Company
  • November 2 through 11, 2007
  • at the Caņada College Main Stage Theater in Redwood City
Plan now to see the beauty and warmth of the mythical musical Narnia. Treat your family to the exciting experience of live theater. You won't want to miss this wondrous tale of magic and love, based upon the timeless stories of C.S. Lewis. Reserve your tickets now by calling 802-8423 or 802-0493, or visit us at www.bayareaetc.org. 
Submit newsletter items by Wednesday at noon or attachments by Tuesday at noon to newsletter(at)laurelpto.org
or phone: 473-1299