January 11, 2008

Laurel School Newsletter
Next Week
Monday, 1/14  
  - No events scheduled 
 
Tuesday, 1/15
  - School Board Meeting, 7 p.m. 
 
Wednesday, 1/16
  - Site Council Meeting, 3 p.m.
 
Thursday, 1/17
  - No events scheduled

Friday, 1/18  
  - School Spirit Day - Wear Blue and White
  - Walk or Bike to School Day
Upcoming Events
1/21        No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
1/25        Head Room Parents Meeting, 1:30 p.m.
2/1          PTO District Council Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
2/13        PTO Board Meeting, 8:45 a.m.
2/15        No School, Staff Development
2/18-22    No School, February Break
2/27        Site Council Meeting, 3 p.m.
3/7          PTO District Council Meeting, 8:30 a.m.
3/10-14    Staff Appreciation Week
3/12        PTO Board Meeting, 8:45 a.m.
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Goodsearch for PTO
Winter Sing DVDs
Eco Squirrel
Second Grade Reading Buddies
MPAEF
Community News
Thank You
Quick Links
Join our Mailing List!
"Goodsearch" Benefits PTO
Searching for anything on the internet?  Try www.goodsearch.com instead of your usual search engine and earn money for the PTO just for using the internet!  Goodsearch is powered by Yahoo and produces excellent search results. The first time you use it, you will be prompted to select a non-profit organization of your choice. Select "Laurel School (Atherton, CA)" from their list and it will remain on your computer on future visits to their site as long as you want it to (you won't have to select it each time you search).  $.01 per search is earned. With 1000 parents using it regularly, it will add up to real money to use on technology spending for our school! 
Afternoon Kindergarten Drop-off
Please do not park along the curb at drop-off.  We need this area for unloading only.  Parked cars cause a backup of others trying to get through the area, and some are even letting children out in the second lane where they must cross unsafely to the curb.  If you need to walk your child do the playground, please park in the lot or on Ringwood.
Winter Sing DVDs - Last Chance
It's not too late to order DVDs of the great Winter Sing Along!  Only $15.  Order forms are available in the office or at the link below.  Last-minute orders will be taken through Jan 15 (please put your order in the Winter Sing envelope in the office).  DVDs will be distributed by the following week via your child's class.

See a sample song from the DVD

Download Winter Sing DVD order form
Eco Squirrel
Eco Squirrel here to suggest a few easy resolutions to add to your list that can make a big difference to the environment:
  1. Re-use grocery bags or purchase cloth ones to use when grocery shopping or any other time you need a shopping bag.  Resolve to put them back into your car so they are always available.
  2. When it's time to replace a light bulb, opt for a fluorescent one.  Hardware stores sell different types.  This will save you money in the long run as they last a lot longer than incandescent bulbs (they do cost more initially) and in energy savings.
  3. Buy recycled paper products whenever possible. Recycled toilet paper is available.  There is one brand that is really soft and sells in double rolls.
  4. Buy waxed paper bags to use instead of plastic sandwich bags whenever possible.  Waxed paper is compostable at school and it is not a petroleum product.
  5. Go to stopjunkmail.org and order a kit to substantially reduce junk mail.  You can also call catalogue companies and ask to be taken off their list.  Everything is available to be seen online anyway.
How many of these simple steps can you do this year?  Every small personal change can add up to a big change if enough people change!
Second Grade Reading Buddies Needs YOU!
This amazing program has parents come in and read for a short period of time with students one on one. You can come in when your schedule allows and it makes a huge difference to some of our second graders who need just a little more individual attention reading. This is so rewarding and you can participate as much or as little as you are able. Contact: Daren Tuchman, dbtuchman(at)hotmail.com, 906-4070 or Sue Marianacci, suemar01(at)pacbell.net.
Stay Green in the New Year
As you get ready to transfer your contacts into the new cell phone you received as a gift this holiday season, save your old one from ending up in a landfill. Put it to use at our schools. Please drop-off your old cell phones at the Laurel and Encinal offices. We will recycle your old phone and convert it into dollars for our schools. Please do not drop-off cell phone chargers, headsets and other accessories.
 
We also recycle empty printer cartridges. Laser cartridges earn more, so please donate used laser cartridges from your office/business.

Contact: Nanhi Singh at nanhi_s(at)yahoo.com.
MPAEF
Auction Volunteer CoffeeMPAEF New Logo
  • Tuesday, January 15
  • 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
  • at the home of Mark Box (825 Cotton Street)
The 2008 MPAEF Auction is just 4 months away - it's time for you to get involved!  We have been hard at work developing this year's theme and planning some exciting changes to make the event better than ever.  Please come to our volunteer coffee at the home of Mark Box to get the inside scoop and find out how you can help. Contact any of the MPAEF Auction co-chairs (Polly Berquist, Janet Devereux, Kim Guthrie, and Juliet Wilson) if you have questions. Please join us on January 15th and help us raise money for our schools!
Community News

Speaker: "Guiding Kids to Resolve Conflicts" with Susan Stone Belton
  • Tuesday, January 15
  • Coffee: 9:00 to 9:25 a.m.
  • Presentation: 9:30 to 11:30
  • Bethany Lutheran Church, 1095 Cloud Ave., Menlo Park
  • RSVP by calling Linda Bradley, 854-5897, ext. 210 or e-mail lindab(at)bethany-mp.org
All parents are invited to this FREE event! Susan Stone Belton, from Parents Place in Palo Alto, will discuss "Guiding Kids to Resolve Conflicts." All children display conflicting desires and needs that often cause internal conflict as well as conflict with others. Parents will learn how to guide their children to resolve conflicts and increase their skills in coaching kids to solve problems. Reservations required, adults only, please.

AMA Girls' Softball
Sign-ups for AMA Girls Softball (ages 5-14) for this spring are now open! Go to www.eteamz.com/amasoftball to register.  Deadline is February 15 (late adds will only be taken on a space-available basis).  Parent volunteers are needed to coach, assistant coach, commission an age group, and also to lead our sponsorship efforts.

Kepler's Family Story Time
  • Horton Hears a Who Pop-up
  • Sunday, January 13, 2008
  • 11:30 a.m.
  • Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park

"Pop" into Sunday Story Time and meet master pop-up engineer David Carter.  See Horton Hears a Who come alive before your very eyes and watch David demonstrate his magical craft. Then, participate in a Pop-up Workshop that will give youngsters some basic ideas to get them started on making their own paper fantasies (activity recommended for ages 5 and up.)

**Remember to mention Laurel School at the register and 10% of your Kepler's purchases comes back to our PTO.**

Free Throw "Hoop Shoot" Contest
  • January 12, 2008
  • 9 a.m. to noon
  • Palo Alto Elks Lodge Gym 4249 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94306
The Palo Alto Elks Lodge is holding it's Annual Elks National Free Throw "Hoop Shoot" Contest for all boys and girls, ages 8 -13.  There is no charge for participation and winners from each age bracket win prizes and advance to District, State, Regional and National Competition.  You can register on the day of the event, but starting times are based on age bracket, so please pre-register. Contact: Jan Poelott,  493-4249 x221.  For more information visitwww.elks.org/hoopshoot.cfm.

Speaker: "It's Hard to Be Your Friend" with Rick Lavoie
  • Tuesday, January 29
  • 7 p.m.
  • Hillbrook School, 300 Marchmont Drive, Los Gatos
  • Thursday, January 31
  • 8:45 a.m.
  • Foley Center at St. Joseph's School of the Sacred Heart, 50 Emilie Avenue, Atherton
Parents feel great pain and powerlessness when they watch their child being rebuffed by other kids at school, on the playground or in the community.  Rick Lavoie will explore the root causes for this lack of successful socialization and present practical advice that parents can use to help their kids improve their social standing and success.  $20 admission at door. Presented by Common Ground, www.commongroundspeakerseries.org.

Speaker: "Misunderstood in My Family" with Rick Lavoie
  • Wednesday, January 30
  • 7 p.m.
  • The Nueva School, 6565 Skyline Blvd., Hillsborough
In this special presentation designed for parents, teachers and counselors of students with learning differences, Lavoie explores the impact these kids have on family relationships.  Because they don't look different than other children and may have significant talents in some areas, kids with learning disabilities are often misunderstood by family members. Lavoie will demystify this situation and offer practical advice to help increase and improve communication within the family.  $20 admission at door. Presented by Common Ground, www.commongroundspeakerseries.org.

Little League Registration
Don't forget to register for Menlo-Atherton Little League by January 17 deadline.  Go to the league's web site at www.m-all.org to sign up your son or daughter for the 2008 season and access information on the various levels of play.
Thank You
Bake Sale
A special thanks to all of the great bakers and crafters who donated items to the Winter Sing Gift & Bake Sale...and a huge thanks to everyone who bought up these special treats! We made $2089.00 for the Laurel PTO.
 - Cyndi Nolasco and Julie Wong, co-chairs

Holiday Toy Drive
2007's toy drive was a HUGE success. Through the incredible generosity of Laurel and Encinal families we were able to assist in making Christmas a little more special for over 40 families in our community. Thank you so much for adopting a family or for your individual donations! Also, thanks to the many volunteers who helped sort toys and make deliveries!
  - Peckie Peters, Joanne Andrew and Rebecca Wang, co-chairs
Submit newsletter items by Wednesday at noon or attachments by Tuesday at noon to newsletter(at)laurelpto.org
or phone: 473-1299