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| PTO Membership Drive Ends Today! |
 Approximately 71% of Laurel families have joined the PTO! As you read this there is still time to join! If you have not yet joined please do so now by filling out this Membership Form, or donating online (click the "Join Your PTO Now!" button). If you have joined, THANK YOU! The fall drive is critical as it determines the schools' PTO budget for the year. Click here to see how your contributions are put to work! |
| Next Week |
| Monday, 9/28
No Events Scheduled
Tuesday, 9/29
No Events Scheduled
Wednesday, 9/30
No Events Scheduled
Thursday, 10/1
No Events Scheduled
Friday, 10/2
School Spirit Day - Wear White and Blue! |
| Upcoming Events |
10/4 Sunday Launch of the Book Fair
10/5-9 Book Fair in the Laurel Multi
10/7 National Walk & Bike to School Day
10/13 Menlo Park City School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
10/14 PTO Executive Board Meeting, 8:40 a.m.
10/15 Minimum Day
10/16 Staff Development Day/ No School
10/20 Picture Day
10/30 Halloween Parade
11/2 Make-Up Picture Day
11/9 Menlo Park City School Board Meeting, 6:00 p.m.
11/10 PTO Executive Board Meeting, 8:40 a.m.
11/11 No School - Veteran's Day
11/16-18 Minimum Days
11/25-27 No School - Thanksgiving Holiday |
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"Reading Around the World" Book Fair October 4th - 9th |
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Book Fair Grand Opening Event
We kick off the book fair with a contest for kids! Have your student complete the coloring page or word search they receive from their teacher and turn it in by October 2nd to be eligible to win a free poster at the fair. Join us on Sunday October 4th from 1:00-5:00 at the Laurel School Multi for the Book Fair Grand Opening Event. Shop for books to the sound of live band music, have your child's face painted, visit with the Menlo Park Fire Fighters and watch a magician perform spellbinding tricks! Food and drinks will be available for purchase on Sunday and all week long the book fair will sell fun snacks after school! Sunday will also feature a raffle where the prizes include a brand new bike, iPod shuffle, and iPod nano.
Book Fair
Book Fair will be open Monday - Thursday in the Laurel Multi from 8:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m. with extended hours on Wednesday until 8:30 p.m.and Friday form 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Ride your bikes to Laurel on Wednesday, October 7th, for a huge bike rodeo at 3:30 p.m. hosted by the Atherton Police with bicycle courses to test your skills, prizes and refreshments! At 5:00 p.m. that same day, the bicycle rodeo will transform into a Dance the Night Away party with a live DJ playing all your favorite tunes until 8:30 p.m. So grab your kids and come dance, play and shop! Wednesday will also feature a raffle where the prizes include a brand new bike, iPod shuffle, and iPod nano. Don't forget to honor your wonderful teacher with a Gift Card, which will be available for purchase only at the Book Fair.
Volunteers Needed
The book fair needs you - especially in the afternoons!Parent volunteers are needed to staff the registers, help students find books, and replenish the bookshelves. We REALLY need help in the late afternoon shifts! This is a busy time for the fair so any help would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to bring your children along while you are working. Shifts throughout the day from 8-5 are available but the 1:45-3:30 p.m. and 3:30-5:00 p.m. shifts need the most helpers. Find a shift that fits your busy schedule by contacting Mary Sapountzis. We really need your help!
Donate Used Books - Needed NOW!
Used books are needed for the 2009 Laurel/Encinal Book Fair! Please donate Adult Fiction and Children's Books - 100% of the proceeds go to our PTO. Drop off your book donations in the Donation Box outside the Encinal and Laurel school offices next week (Sept 28 - Oct. 2). Please no board books, magazines, coloring books, text books, or books in really bad shape. For more information regarding donating used books, please contact Susan Tanner. | |
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| Extra/Mini Directory Orders |
| Every family in the school district receives a student DISTRICT WIDE directory. If you would like additional directories, or a half-sized version, you may order them for $5.00 each. Use the Order Form to order by today , September 25. |
| Site Design Committee Members Needed |
Laurel School is looking for three parents to sit on the Site Design Committee. Committee
members will look at plans and give input into the development and progress related to construction, landscaping, and site design at Laurel School. Meetings will occur 3-4 times per year after school. Anyone who is interested in sitting on the committee should email Linda Creighton. |
| Environmental Education Committee News |
| It's that time of year to teach our children the difference between trash and compost during snack and lunchtime as part of our ongoing efforts to reduce Laurel's impact on the environment. This zero waste lunch program has been very successful for Laurel in past years, diverting over 5 tons of garbage from the landfill every year! This program cannot continue without parent support, so if you are available to volunteer during lunch in September, please email amy_cramer02@yahoo.com. Be sure to indicate the number of days you are available and preferred days of the week. Thank you! | |
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| After-School Programs Update |
| Many of the After-School programs are still looking for students. To enroll your student in any of the following after-school activities click here.
Hoops on Mondays
Math on Mondays, class begins 10/5
Berlitz Beginning Spanish for AM kinders on Wednesdays
Berlitz Beginning Spanish on Wednesdays
Berlitz Advanced Spanish on Thursdays
Sports and Fun on Thursdays
Chess Club and Chess Team on Thursdays
Engineering FUNdamentals with Legos on Fridays is still enrolling 1st and 2nd graders
If your son or daughter is participating in an Afterschool Program please remind them to go to the class on the appropriate day. |
| MPAEF News |
Join eScrip for Our Schools!
When you do your shopping, you can support our schools as a percentage of your purchase is contributed to the Foundation. Last year eScrip earned our district over $45,000! That money goes directly to the district operating budget to help support our teachers, librarians, science and music instruction. And it won't cost you anything. Register your Safeway card, Macy's or major credit cards to generate extra returns for your children's education. Click here to sign up. Already a member? As a courtesy to our many eScrip supporters, the Foundation will automatically renew your Safeway account. If you would prefer to do it yourself, please let us know by October 2, 2009. Contact the MPAEF office to request that we not automatically renew your support or if you have questions. |
| Disaster Readiness Program |
| Would you like to volunteer to help out with the Disaster Readiness Program at Laurel? We are looking for volunteers who can help out from now to October 1st. Hours will be 10:20 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. Please contact Rena at rena.hafeez@hotmail.com or (650) 243-1811. |
| Walk & Bike to School Day |
October 7th is the national Walk & Bike to School Day. Laurel is participating again this year! We're looking for parents or other volunteers to help organize the day (making signs, collecting giveaways, etc.), and to be there on the day itself (place signs, welcome walkers & bikers at school, etc). If you want to be part of this special day, please reply to summerstormca@hotmail.com. |
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Community News |
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Kepler's Family Event
- Winnie-the Pooh Story Time with David Benedictus, Return to the Hundred Acre Wood
- Sunday, September 27, 2009
- 11:30 a.m.
- Kepler's Books, 1010 El Camino, Menlo Park
Kepler's Special Youth Event
- Jeni Holm, Baby Mouse #11: Dragonslayer
- Friday, September 25, 2009 (tonight!)
- 5:30 p.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.**
GIRL SCOUTS ROCK!!!
Interested in Girl Scouts for your daughter this year? Join a world-wide organization dedicated to helping girls build character and skills for success in the real world. Come and find out how to get a troop started.
- Girl Scout Parent Information Meeting
- Friday, September 25 (tonight!)
- 3:00 p.m.
- 2nd Grade Arbor at Laurel
Girl Scouts is open to ALL girls kindergarten-5th grade. No RSVP is required. Questions? Contact Rena Hafeez
New Laurel 1st grade Daisy Troop
Are you and your first grade daughter interested in starting a new Girl Scout Daisy troop at Laurel? Learn new skills, crafts, songs and games as well as build friendships and have fun. An informational meeting for parents who are interested in coming together and starting a troop will be held on, Wednesday October 7th at 7pm, at the home of Debbie Hall who lives at 1245 Hillview Drive (half a block off Santa Cruz). All are welcome, please email Catherine Dowley, thedowleys@att.net to RSVP and get more details.
Menlo College Basketball Clinic
This fall Menlo College will continue the tradition of providing a series of basketball clinics for players in grades K-5 and 6-8. Menlo will hold four individual clinics consisting of basic fundamentals, skill development, and teamwork drills. The series begins on Sunday, Sept. 20 and continues on Sept. 27, Oct. 4, and Oct. 11. Any questions, please contact Matt Davis at 650-543-3777 or email mdavis@menlo.edu. We look forward to seeing you on the court.
Challenge Success Conference: The Long View: Preparing our Children for 21st Century Success
- Friday, September 25 (tonight!)
- 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
- Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University
Free and Open to the Public Featuring: Michael Thompson, author of best-selling books Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys and The Pressured Child; Chris Kelly, Chief Privacy Officer and Head of Global Public Policy at Facebook; Madeline Levine, author of best-selling book The Price of Privilege; Three student offering perspective on student stress and their views of success. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
MINDSET: How Praise Can Foster or Undermine Children's Achievement
- Thursday, October 1
- 7:00 p.m.
- Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma Street, Menlo Park
Dr. Dweck, a renowned Stanford University psychologist, will teach parents how to use both praise and criticism well. She'll discuss why bright children sometimes stop working and what to do about it, and parents will learn how to communicate values that bring success. For more information, click here.
Menlo Children's Center Annual Yard Sale
Looking for a great deal on gently used toys, books, games, clothes, and more for your family? Come shop at Menlo Children's Center Annual Yard Sale on Saturday, October 3rd from 8am-1pm. 100% of proceeds will help support Menlo Children's Center, a local preschool located in Burgess Park. The Yard Sale will be held in MCC's parking lot located at 801 Laurel Street. Plus, stop by Kepler's for a special story hour at 11am that day.
9th Annual Menlo Park Fire District Pancake Breakfast and Open House
Come enjoy a great breakfast to benefit the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation and see live demonstrations, fire equipment, and plenty of activities! Click here for more information.
- Saturday, October 4
- 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Menlo Park Fire District Headquarters, 300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park
Menlo Park Library Event
- Pirate Story Time with Oliver Chin, Baltazar and the Flying Pirates
- Monday, October 5
- 6:30 p.m.
- Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma Street, Menlo Park
Special Book Signing with Jeff Kinney, Dog Days
- Tuesday, October 20
- 5:30 p.m. (5:00 p.m. for those with a Priority Hall Pass)
- Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma Street, Menlo Park
Anyone who pre-purchases Dog Days at Kepler's (remember to mention Laurel School!) before the release date of October 12th will receive a Hall Pass that can be exchanged for a copy of the book anytime after 9 AM on October 12. When you pick up your book you shall also receive Priority Hall Pass that will give you access to the first signing groups. Regular signing-line tickets will be handed out at Kepler's on a first-come, first-served basis from 9AM to 4PM on October 20th. Click here for more information.
Scoot Door-to-Door Shuttle Service
Yes, you CAN be in two places at once - with Scoot! Scoot, a Menlo Park based door-to-door kid shuttle service, is a fully PUC certified transportation Company focused on safety, convenience, and personal service. For more information, visit www.scootshuttle.com or call Sally Williams at (650) 862-6750.
Redwood National Junior Basketball
Registration for National Junior Basketball (for boys and girls grades 1-8) is now open! Go to www.redwoodnjb.org to find out more information and to register (now through mid October). The NJB season runs from November through February. | |
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Submit Friday newsletter items by Wednesday at noon or flyers by Tuesday at noon to newsletter@laurelpto.org. Please write concisely and proofread your submissions. For past issues of the Laurel Newsletter click here. | |
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