Pacifica Wednesday Weekly

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May 9, 2007

IMPORTANT CALENDAR DATES

If you have items to add to the calendar, please e-mail the date and time along with a description to calendar@pacificaschool.org

ANNOUNCING THE FAMILY WRITING PROJECT

Presented by Pacifica and the Palms Neighborhood Council, this program is an opportunity for families to come together as a community of writers. Participants discuss ideas and issues that are important to them. They work together on activities, write extensively, and respond to each other’s work. This program is open to the entire community, not just Pacifica families. For more information, contact melissa@pacificaschool.org

POLICY REMINDER: WHAT STUDENTS MAY (AND MAY NOT) BRING TO SCHOOL:

Pacifica’s policy on what items our students may bring to school from home or outside are ONLY those that are directly related to instructional needs. The one exception is that cell phones may be brought, but there is a cell phone policy that must be followed.

iPods, MP3 players, cassette or CD players, electronic games (e.g., GameBoys, PS2s, etc.) and other electronic items are NOT allowed on campus. If such an item needs to be here, it must be kept in the office.

NO SCHOOL: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY THIS FRIDAY

Don’t forget, there’s no school this Friday, May 11th!

EARLY RELEASE DAY NEXT TUESDAY, ALFIE KOHN DAY

School ends early next Tuesday, May 15th, in order for us to prepare for the Alfie Kohn event at school. Be sure to pick up your child(ren) by 2:00 pm!

ALFIE KOHN EVENT INFORMATION

Thanks to everyone who signed up to help out with the Alfie Kohn event on May 15th. We still need someone to sell books after the event. If interested, please contact lisag@pacificaschool.org.

Childcare FULL!

Note that, if you haven’t already signed up for child care for this event, we are already full, so please make other arrangements. If you are already signed up for child care, be sure to sign your children in with Child Care Staff at the event.

IF YOU HAVEN’T RSVP’d FOR ALFIE KOHN, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COME!

Please remember that we need to know how many folks are coming to the event or we may run out of space! IF YOU PLAN TO COME, BE SURE TO RSVP IMMEDIATELY! rsvp@pacificaschool.org

For more information, please visit www.alfiekohn.org. For more information on sponsoring organizations please visit www.PacificaSchool.org, www.NewRoads.org, www.palms-ca.us.

POLICY MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY

If you want to have a voice in developing policies for Pacifica, please join us for a meeting next Wednesday, May 16th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. We’re going to be discussing the following policy items with the goal to create a Policy Proposal to present at the next Organization Council meeting:

·         Attendance: frequent absences, tardiness and truancy

·         Student Behavior: expectations and consequences

Students will have the opportunity to discuss their ideas during class.

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE UPDATE

We will begin interviewing director and teacher candidates next week. Interviews will be scheduled as needed on Monday, Friday and Sunday afternoons. Look for campus fliers and watch your e-mail for times and dates! Questions? Contact susan@pacificaschool.org

AFTERSCHOOL CARE SUPERVISOR NEEDED ASAP

We need a new supervisor for AfterCare. Heyze is leaving to spend time with her youngest child. Please refer interested people with appropriate experience to susan@pacificaschool.org.

FUN UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS

City of LA Arbor Day Festival, Sat, May 12: Looking for a fun and educational event for the family? The City of Los Angeles is holding an Arbor Day Festival on Saturday, May 12th from 11:00 am till 3:00 pm at Griffith Park’s Park Center Picnic Area. There will be children’s activities and various demonstrations, including tree planting, tree care and even tree climbing! You can even pick up some free mulch for the garden! For more information, call 213-473-9950, or go to www.milliontreesLA.org.

Annual Bug Fair at the Natural History Museum, May 19th & 20th: The Largest Bug Fair in North America! Lots of insects and always at least one bug chef. For more info: http://www.nhm.org/weekends/

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Open House, May 19th & 20th: Celebrate JPL's accomplishments with exhibits and demonstrations about the Laboratory's ongoing research and space exploration. For more information: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/pso/oh.cfm

SPRING ART FESTIVAL, SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007, 12:00 – 6:00 PM

Please turn in Booth Sign-ups and Donation Letters to the Fundraising mailbox in the office. We have a place to store donated items. Please contact Doris for more information: doris@pacificaschool.org.

GARDEN PARTY, POT LUCK, AND NATIVE AMERICAN BLESSING OF THE GARDEN

Saturday, May 12, 2007, 10:00 am – Noon

Join us to work in the green areas of the school campus. Pot Luck Picnic at Noon: bring some food/drinks to share. A Garden Blessing will follow pot-luck: a Native American Shaman will be offering a blessing for our garden!

Join us for all or part of the day! (counts toward volunteer hours!)

CLASSROOM UPDATES

2/3/4 Group:

2-3-4 is spending a lot of time testing this week, and reviewing for the Math test next week. We are having conversations in class about the positive aspects of testing, and encourage you to have a similar dialogue with your children at home. We could use all of the parent support we can get to make this a smooth experience. Regular bedtimes and prompt arrival at school are two ways to do this.

The third graders have already begun, and are doing great. We are sure the 2nd and 4th graders will do equally well.

Please reinforce Math skills with your child at home. Test booklets need to be brought back to school every day, as we are working out of them in the afternoons. Please check in with Melissa if you are able to volunteer any extra hours over these next few weeks.

5/6 Group:

Dear 5/6 parents,

Once again thanks to those parents who have supported the 5/6 class and have come in to check-in. Your help is much appreciated.

We have begun our testing period with a bang...with students determined and focused. I would like to remind parents that your child has to be at school by 8:55 am due to test set-up. I also would like to encourage parents to make sure their child comes to school having had breakfast or with a HEALTHY lunch, with bottled water. (Fruits & veggies, sandwiches, nuts, yogurt, water, granola bars...is my own suggestion). A good night’s sleep usually goes a long way too.

We are also walking to a nearby park this Thursday (05/10/07) afternoon, after testing, to allow students to unwind and relax and for community building games. We need parent walkers there and back please! Please see me if you are able to donate your time. I really really need your help.

FYI:

I will be tutoring today (Wednesday) for math preparation from 3:30-4:30. If you have TV tray tables, please please please bring them to school any time this week to help with testing! Students are still bringing personal property to school. Please check-in with your child to ensure toys and iPods stay at home.

Thanks,

Ramiza and 5/6 students

7/8 Group:

Hello faithful readers! In 7/8, as in all of Pacifica classes, we are testing. Please dialogue with your nearest student to see how it is faring for them. If you would like to donate food, especially breakfast and high protein snacks, now is the time. Aside from standardized tests, we are continuing our studies apace. Ask a student you know whether the distance formula or the “is over of, percent over one hundred” formula is their favorite. Don’t forget – no school Friday, and you will be notified soon of the new parent meeting date and time. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The wise person says, "I am looking for the truth," and the fool, "I have found the truth."

          - Russian proverb

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