The Laurel Art & Science Fair needs your used paper grocery bags (with handles) and 2-liter bottles. Please drop off your bags and bottles in the box in front of the Laurel Office. Contact Becky Jackson at becjackson( at )comcast.net with questions. Thanks very much for helping out!

Support Earth Day and Our School

Did you know that over 100 billion pieces of direct mail (aka junk mail) are being delivered by the post office every year? That's a lot of trees! Have you ever considered trying to get off those junk mail and catalogue lists, but found the process too daunting? Have we got the solution for you! This year, in honor of Earth Day, Business Alliances and the Environmental committee have teamed up to tell you about Tonic MailStopper (formerly GreenDimes).

MailStopper is a Palo Alto based, online service that puts a stop to unwanted junk mail and catalogues - up to 90% in 90 days. It's easy, it only costs $20/year, and it works, guaranteed. They even plant 5 new trees for each new member and if you join by April 30, our school will earn 40% of the proceeds. For more information or to sign up directly, click here. If you're interested in purchasing a gift card for someone else, contact kristincampbell( at )comcast.net.

After School Programs Spring Session

Registration is Open for:

After School Math's Spring Session: Starts Monday, April 13th

Afterschool Math is now accepting enrollment for the spring session. The session runs 6 Mondays from April 13th to May 18th click here for flyer.

Sports and Fun After School Program Spring Session: Starts Tuesday, April 21st

Sports and Fun is for boys and girls, Kindergarten through second grades. Program will offer a variety of sports and fun games. There's constant activity, minimal waiting in line and enthusiastic instructors. For further information you may print out a flyer at www.sportsandfun.com. Please reserve your spot by calling Jim at 650-814-6734.

Encinal Class of 2012 T-Shirts

The end of the school year is upon us and our Laurel 2nd graders will soon become Encinal 3rd graders.The Laurel 2nd graders will be visiting Encinal in mid-May to get a glimpse of the excitement awaiting them next year.

Help build class spirit, order an Encinal Class of 2012 T-Shirt today. Please return this form and your check to your child's teacher by Friday, April 24, 2009. Shirts will be delivered prior to the Encinal visit. All proceeds will benefit the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation.

Questions? Contact Heather Goudey at hgoudey( at )yahoo.com.

From Environmental Education Committee

In celebration of Earth Day, the Environmental Education Committee presents a special assembly for all students with ZunZun, a performing arts group that celebrates the environments and cultures of the Americas through music on Tuesday April 14th. Using physical comedy, audience participation and fine musicianship, their lively show will also educate our children about water pollution, recycling, watersheds, oceans, and water conservation. This is a great opportunity to start important conversations with our children about these issues at home, so be sure to ask them how they enjoyed the show!

In other green news, Laurel School was recently awarded a $1000 Green Schools grant from PG&E and Sustainable San Mateo County in recognition of our Zero Waste Lunch program. The funds were applied toward the purchase of a new compost and trash receptacle on the first grade lunch yard. With Earth Day around the corner, this is a perfect time to make your child's lunch more earth-friendly and build on the great success of our compost program.

Here are a few tips:

Use wax paper bags or reuseable containers instead of plastic sandwich and snack bags.
Buy in bulk and avoid individually packaged foods that use excess packaging.
Use a reuseable water bottle.
Don't over-pack your child's lunch (wasted food also means water and energy used to grow and transport food is wasted).
Remind your children to compost their food scraps and paper products at snack and lunchtime.

Call for Service Award Nominations

Every year our district is lucky enough to have parents, teachers, staff, and community volunteers give of their time, skills, and creativity to our schools. Many programs would not exist if it was not for this formidable group of volunteers, the "Pillars of our Community". Honorary Service Awards (HSAs) as well as the School Service Awards (SSAs) are our way of recognizing those individuals who have contributed in an extraordinary way to our District and/or our school.

Please take a moment to nominate someone you know who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference. You can complete a nomination form and email it back to Leslie Burke at pto_president( at )laurealpto.org, or drop it off in the school office. Nominations are due a week from today, Friday April 17th. Please refer to the Menlo Park Honorary Service Awards Selection Criteria as a guide.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Reminder

When dropping off and/or picking up your child(ren), please remember to observe school policy. Parents/caregivers dropping off their child(ren) in front of the school should not leave their cars to walk their child(ren) to class. Additionally, parents/caregivers parking their cars should remember to park in the appropriate parking area (i.e., not in handicapped parking spaces). Thank you!

Gently Used Books Needed in the Laurel Library

If you have any gently used books for ages 4-8, please consider donating them to the Laurel Library! Our "Take One, Leave One" box has been getting smaller and needs replenishing. This box allows students with overdue books to take a donated book home with them so as not to leave the library without a book. These books are "honor backs" and may be returned anytime or replaced with a donated book from home. Lately, we've had a lot of "takers" and fewer "leavers" so any donations would be appreciated!

MPAEF News

Rock the Foundation!

It's "The Final Countdown" to get advanced tickets to the MPAEF's Rock the Foundation party at the special online rate. Go to www.mpaef.org/springevent and place your order by Friday, April 17th to get $75 Groupie tickets and $150 Rocker packages. Tickets will be available at the door on April 25th, but they will be $25 more per person. So act now to get an awesome party at an excellent price!

At the event, you won't want to miss the raffle that features 10 different drawings for 10 rockin' prizes. This year, you can choose which prize(s) you like best and enter only those drawings. Have a taste for the finer things? Try your luck at winning a diamond watch from Hirzel Fine Jewelry (retail price $2995). Love to rock out? Enter to win a custom concert experience for four that includes a Ticketmaster gift card, limo service, and much more (total value $1,000). Ready to wet your whistle? Take a chance at bringing home more than three cases of carefully selected red wines, assembled from the finest Menlo Park-Atherton cellars (total value $2,000+). The collection includes a 1970 Chateau Cissac Haut-Medoc and a 1997 V. Sattui Tom C. Davies Reserve Cabernet. Details about all of this year's rockin' prizes can be found at www.mpaef.org/springevent, along with complete raffle rules. Raffle tickets, which are $20 each or 8 for $100, can be purchased at the party or by sending an email to foundationoffice( at )mpaef.org.

Save the Date: Laurel/Encinal Pancake Breakfast

The family won't want to miss this annual Laurel/Encinal tradition! You'll enjoy lip-smacking pancakes, gourmet bacon/sausages, delicious fruit, and hot/cold beverages -- all happily prepared by volunteers.

Saturday, May 16

8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Encinal School Arbor

Volunteers are needed for the event! Anyone interested in helping to set-up, flip pancakes, serve or clean-up, please sign up using the Pancake Breakfast online sign-up page. Any questions? Contact Rebecca Wang at rebs1( at )aol.com or 888-8085. Encinal students with accompanying parent may also volunteer. All volunteers receive a free meal! This is a zero-waste event.

The Pennies For Peace Campaign Update

The Pennies For Peace campaign has been a great success - it has ended after 7 weeks on April 1! Thanks to everyone for their support - special thanks to Mollie Stone's Markets for donating the use of their coin machine! We will update everyone with the total pennies collected as soon as they are all counted!

Community News

Kepler's Family Events

Ladybug Story Time, Ladybug Girl and Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy

Sunday, April 12, 2009

11:30 a.m.

Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino, Menlo Park

The GreenSTART Challenge Continues!

Excellent news! We have noticed some new families biking to school! (Please note: By law cyclists have the same rights as drivers. Drivers are required to leave a safe distance when passing a cyclist.)

As a reminder, below are a few of the changes that might get you a little prize if you are able to do any of those for four days:

Walk or bike to school.

Substitute dinners to vegetarian - let us know how you liked it.

Use re-useable containers or wax paper bags instead of Ziploc bags in your snack and lunch.

We hope that we will be able to start handing out the silicon signature GreenSTART bracelets after our spring break. Hopefully you will have had an opportunity to start some challenges during the week off! Watch the Newsletter and the bulletin boards for more information and names of the winners of the signature GreenSTART bracelets, the raffle and for doing something extra. Again, we'd like to hear from you!

Important! Our correct e-mail address is GreenSTART( at )live.com. Click here for the Raffle Slips. Send them in your child's blue folder; put in envelope in the classroom; or e-mail us the information at GreenSTART( at )live.com.

Celebrate Earth Day at Gamble Garden

Friday, April 17, 2009

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. - Stop by anytime!

Gamble Garden, 1431 Waverley Street, Palo Alto
(on the corner of Embarcadero Road).

No reservations needed. Free of charge. Rain or shine.

Families with children of all ages are welcome to take part in some simple garden activities including a garden scavenger hunt and then enjoy juice and cookies on the Tea House Patio. The garden will be in full bloom, enjoy!

Drive Less Challenge

Register now for the DRIVE LESS CHALLENGE, a week long event launching on Earth Day, April 22, created by Menlo Park Green Ribbon Citizens Committee!

This is a FREE week long community wide event involves self tracking on our website single occupancy car trips for a one week period and lets us measure the difference we make by making fewer of those trips and using alternative modes of transportation, such as walking biking, carpooling, or public transit. Easy online survey to complete and great prizes by local businesses to be awarded on May 1, at 7:00 p.m. at Kepler's.

Register now at http://drivelesschallenge.com.For more information, please contact the Drive Less Challenge coordinator, Adina Levin, at alevin( at )alevin.com.

City of Menlo Park Annual Multi-Cultural Event

Friday, April 24, 2009

4 p.m. - 7 p.m

Onetta Harris Community Center

This event will celebrate the diverse cultures and backgrounds our community has to offer. We are planning to have a variety of food, music, and talent showcasing performances such as Blues, Salsa, Bellydancing, Soul Line Dancing, Faith Dancing, Poetry, and much more. This free event will be a fun filled affair for all ages! For more information, please click.

City of Menlo Park Annual Kite Day

Sunday, April 26, 2009

12 p.m. - 3 p.m

Bedwell-Bayfront Park

Come fly a kite with us! For $5, you will receive a kite, hot dog, and drink. All ages are welcome and it's fun for the whole family. For information, please click here.

Homemade Dresses for Apple Valley Days at Laurel

Now is your chance to purchase a homemade dress for your daughter and/or someone special! For every 5 dresses ordered, I will donate one dress to the second grade class. Dresses cost $40 for one or $65 for two. After selecting a fabric from my fabric swatches and providing the details of the dress, including size, the dress will be delivered to you approximately 1-2 weeks later. Please contact Kris Fichou at kris( at )fichou.net or 322-9011 for more information.

FREE Introductory Lacrosse Clinics

Free Clinics for Boys and Girls Ages 7 & Up
Sundays, April 26, May 16 and 31, 2009
Atherton & Los Altos Hills

Try Lacrosse! Come out to learn to play this fantastic sport (Sports Illustrated calls it the "fastest growing sport in the U.S.") and have fun with new friends. For more information please visit our website at www.AthertonLacrosse.com or email AthertonLacrosse( at )Gmail.com.

Implementing Social Thinking Concepts and Vocabulary into our School and Home Day

Friday, May 8, 2009
9:00am - 4:00pm
1400 Roosevelt Avenue, Redwood City

Michelle Garcia Winner is having a one day workshop to introduce the concept of social thinking and explore how it impacts both academics and social interaction. The audience will be introduced to the "Social Thinking Vocabulary" as well as other techniques such as teaching "Superflex", another aspect of the social thinking curriculum. This could help very helpful for parents of children with special needs or of children that have a difficult time understanding social situations. Please see the attached flyer for more details and information on how to sign up.