Are you interested in helping the school with Disaster Preparedness for next year? If so, the Laurel PTO seeks an interested parent or two to work with the school evaluating/replenishing supplies, creating Emergency Tags for the students and working with school officials on Disaster Drills. If interested, please contact Carla Posthauer at cjpost( at )pacbell.net.

Interested in getting involved, but in other ways? There are plenty of other ways to get involved! Click here for a list of open committees!

Business Alliance News

Mark your calendars and don't miss the annual Klutz "Give-It-All-Away" Day!

Saturday, May 16, 2009
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Klutz Office Headquarters: parking lot

450 Lambert Ave

Palo Alto, CA 94306

They will be donating 100% of whatever you spend on Klutz products to the local public school of your choice--Laurel and Encinal PTO! There will be live entertainment throughout the day, craft booths, and some light snacks.

Come Honor Nancy Hendry at the Laurel Spring Fling!

Friday, May 29, 2009
Time: 5:00 p.m.
2nd Grade Field

Please Note: Current Laurel students need to be in their classrooms by 5:15 to get ready for performance with Mrs. Beckstrom!

Join us as we wish our Principal, Nancy Hendry, a fabulous retirement! Please come, and invite any and all from the Laurel School community past and present. We'd love Nancy to be able to see faces from all different times of her tenure at Laurel School!

Bring the family, a picnic, a blanket and a dessert (finger-dessert, please) to share. Guaranteed to be a fun time as well as an historic event all rolled into one!

Volunteers are needed at the dessert tables. 30 minute shifts, starting at 5:00pm. Please contact Joni Weseloh at joni( at )weseloh.net.

Laurel PTO's Sponsor-a-Book

Spring our Laurel Library into Spring with New and Replacement Books! Laurel PTO's "Sponsor-A-Book" allows you to purchase a book(s) for our Library while honoring a student, teacher, or friend and with a personalized nameplate. For $20, you can make a difference! Click here for more information and to place your order.

Congratulations to Laurel's 2009 HSA and SSA Recipients!

The Laurel PTO Executive Board is pleased to announce this year's recipients of the Honorary Service Awards and the School Service Awards. These awards are given to parents and staff who have provided extraordinary time and effort to Laurel's students and staff. The criteria includes showing leadership and innovation in service and projects, as well as consistency in their commitments. We see these parents and staff every day and we can't do it without them! We sincerely thank them for their dedication to Laurel, your children and our teachers and staff! For a list of award recipients at other schools within our district, click here.

Honorary Service Awards

Roxy Bozdog, Cathy Brown, Mari Chazen, Eileen Rozanski, and Priscilla Seely

School Service Awards

Celeste Baranski, Michelle Barry, Gail Bradley, Deann Brady, Kristin Campbell, Maisie Chin, Lora Christen, Traci Christie, Christine Evans, Ken Fuson, Amy Hamilton, Carolee Hazard, Mary Henderson, Becky Jackson, Sgt. Anthony Kockler, Darcy Leshly, Wilfin Morales, Sue Peterson, Joan Posilippo, Cathy Ricke, Gary Riekes, Christine Scheetz, Courtney Shackleton, Kim Steere, Leah Strichartz, Kristi Waldron, Rebecca Wang, Gina Watkins, Dean Wilkins and Kristl Wong

Ongoing Events

Help Build Our School Brick by Brick: Deadline extended! Buy your Laurel-inscribed brick today. This is your last chance this year. Sale ends on May 18, 2009. Bricks are $100 each. Go to www.mpaef.org to order. Thanks for leaving your mark on Laurel!

Caring & Sharing Spring Drive: Please join the Laurel PTO's Caring & Sharing Spring Drive - bring gift cards for Trader Joe's and/or Safeway to assist families in need in our community! There is an envelope in the office for the collection of gift cards. Please bring them by Wednesday, May 20. Thanks for your support! Contact Amy Hamilton Kratzer at adkratzer( at )yahoo.com with any questions.

4th Annual Pancake Breakfast

Saturday, May 16
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Encinal School Arbor

Take a break from cooking and attend the 4th Annual Laurel/Encinal Pancake Breakfast! The entire family will enjoy lip-smacking pancakes, bacon/sausage, delicious fruit, and hot/cold beverages -- all prepared by volunteers.

Community News

Kepler's Family Events

Storyteller Spree! and Benefit Day for San Mateo County Reading Association

Sunday, May 10, 2009

11:30 a.m.

Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino, Menlo Park

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

Menlo Park Library

Western Ballet Company, Spring Galla Preview

Friday, May 15, 2009

7:00 p.m.

Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma Street, Menlo Park

For more information, click here.

Cub Scouts Pack 565 Open House

Thursday May 19, 2009
6:30 p.m.
Laurel Multi

Are you and your son looking for a fun activity that strengthens the bonds of family, builds self esteem, forges friendships and reinforces lifelong values? The Cub Scouts offer all this and more! Any boy entering grades 1-5 is invited to join Cub Scouts. We'll have a general information session, slide show, demonstration of Pinewood Derby Racing, and the opportunity to meet Cub Scout Families. For more information visit www.pack565.org, email info( at )pack565.org, or contact Cubmaster Dave at 650.722.0306.

The Boys Club: Burps, Fartz, and Superheroes

Two summer sessions: June 8 - 12 and June 22 - 26

Mornings: 9 a.m.- 12 p.m.

Group size: 6 - 8 boys, $220 per session.

An interactive camp for boys going into 3rd and 4th grades-they will get silly, play outside, write, read, and make up curious stories! Emphasized writing tools - good sentence structure, action verbs, vocabulary, sensory details, and lively dialogue. Email Lisa Izzi lisa-ca( at )comcast.net for a registration form and details or call at 650-279-0680. Flyers in the Laurel office! Sign up Now!

Summer Horsemanship Camp

Don't miss out on our fun filled camps learning about every aspect of horsemanship including grooming, tacking up your horse, safety around horses, caring and handling, live demonstrations, vaulting and of course riding! Ages 6 years and older. **Offering a complimentary lesson for every full session camp sign up** For more information, please visit www.springdown.com.

Ohlone Summer Art Camp

Silk painting, embroidery, mosaics, masks and more! Interested in signing up for our 12th annual summer camp? Click here for more information.

American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO)

Online pre-registration for the fall 2009 AYSO season is now open. Boys and girls born between August 1, 1990, and January 31, 2005, are eligible to play. Our single-sex teams are divided by age and balanced by ability. Players born between August 1, 2003 and January 31, 2005 participate in the Kinderleague (U6) program. Volunteer job selection will be first-come, first-served, so pre-register early to get the job you want. For more information, visit www.mpsoccer.org.