Laurel School has amazing volunteers, and most of our committees are filled for the next school year. However, we still need volunteers for important things like Disaster Preparation, Membership, School Souvenirs, Business Alliance and next year's Art Festival! We won't be able to offer support in these areas without you! Please click here for more information, and/or contact Carla Posthauer at cjpost( at )pacbell.net for more information!

Sign-ups for Shuttle/Bus Service

If you will have children at both Laurel and Encinal next year, one way to solve the problem of picking them up in two places at the same time is to sign up for the Shuttle service.

Dismissal times for next year have not been finalized yet for Laurel and Encinal school. We hope that the shuttle and yellow bus service will be able to operate between Encinal and Laurel as they have this past year. Currently, the "Yellow Bus" and "Newton bus" run everyday, Monday through Friday (including minimum days), leaving Encinal after dismissal and arriving Laurel 5-10 minutes later.   The Menlo Park City Shuttle (White shuttle) runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, leaving Encinal and arriving Laurel 5-10 minutes later (NOTE: the white shuttle does NOT run on Thursdays nor on minimum days).

Due to high demand, riders will be assigned by lottery. We will collect names and information of interested riders until Thursday, June 4th.  All information must be provided for entry into the lottery. When we get closer to the start of the new school year, and available capacity is determined, you will be notified of your child's assignment based on lottery number. A waitlist will be maintained if we are unable to assign your child for the beginning of the school year. Incomplete and late entries will not be part of the lottery and will be added to the end of the waitlist.

If you are interested in having your child ride on one of the Shuttles, please email the following information to Darcy Leschly at dleschly( at )comcast.net by Thursday June 4th. Please write "Shuttle" in the subject line of your email.
1)    Encinal Child Name and grade in fall
2)    Encinal Child birthdate(s)
3)    Laurel Child name and grade in fall
4)    Mother's/Guardian's name
5)    Father's/Guardian's name
6)    Home address
7)    Home phone number
8)    Cell Phone Mother/guardian
9)    Cell phone Father/Guardian
10)    Email address Mother/Guardian
11)    Email address Father/Guardian
12)    Name and cell phone of other caregiver picking up child
13)    Preference - yellow bus, white shuttle, either
14)    Days of week requiring transportation: All, M, T, W, TH F

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.

Business Alliance News

Klutz "Give-It-All-Away" Day

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! Click here for more information.

Box Tops Wraps Up With a Bang

Congratulations to all of our Laurel and Encinal students and families on a banner year for Box Tops! This year you contributed well over 16,000 Box Tops worth over $1,600. This not only exceeded our goal for this year, but set an all-time school record. Bravo!

Box Tops will be back next year, so make sure to keep saving them over the summer. If you have some that you'd like to clear out before school ends, you can submit them to the Box Tops Box in the front office.

Ongoing Events

Help Build Our School Brick by Brick: LAST CHANCE! Remember your teacher, your class, your kids! You can't wait any more... Buy your inscribed bricks today. Deadline is Monday, May 18, 2009. Go to www.mpaef.org. Bricks are $100 and 100% tax deductible. Call the Foundation Office at 325-0100 with any questions.

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.

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.

Second Grade Parents - Encinal Needs You!

Encinal's fantastic programs depend upon parent support and leadership. Without you it would impossible for us to provide the class-time and afterschool programs which have distinguished Encinal as one of the best. There are still a few open committee chairs available. Most of the work for these positions can be done at home! If you have time and are willing, then here are some great opportunities to make an impact on our school and support our kids!

After-school Activities: liaison with after-school extra curriculars, coordinate contracts and facilities use forms and communicate with vendors and parents.

After-school Liaison: After-school Math, 1-on-1 Basketball, Chess and Fencing.

Staff Appreciation Co-chair: Organize staff and teacher luncheons and other events throughout the year.

Banners: find your inner Picasso! As needed, design school banners which advertise Encinal's programs and events.

Yard-Duty Co-Chair: Schedule lunch time yard duty volunteers.

Disaster Preparedness Volunteers: Assist the school and DP Chair with evaluating/replenishing supplies, creating Emergency Tags for the students and working with school officials on Disaster Drills.

For more information, or to volunteer please contact Shana Middler at shananelson( at )yahoo.com or 321-3411.

Community News

Kepler's Family Events

Story Time with Bob Barner, Dinosaurs Roar, Butterflies Soar!

Sunday, May 17, 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.**

Pop Warner Upcoming Summer/Fall Football Season

Is your child is interested in learning the basics of football? Registration for the Menlo-Atherton Vikings is now open. Pop Warner is open to boys and girls ages 5-15. Practice starts in August, and games start in September. There is a discount for registering before June 1. Go to www.mapopwarner.com for more information. If you have questions feel free to email info( at )mapopwarner.com.

Camp Menlo Session Added!

Due to the district's early summer vacation, Camp Menlo at Burgess Park Pool has officially added Session 0 from June 8 to June 12, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The camp offers aquatic instruction of fundamentals mixed in with water and land activities. For details about all camp sessions, go to: http://www.menloswim.com/menlo/kids_camps.html.

Cub Scouts Pack 565 Open House

Tuesday 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!