Springer Star Newsletter

November 2nd 2012

In This Issue

Calendar Dates

News and Announcements

Parent Education Opportunities

Student Extracurricular Activities

Quick Dates for your Calendar

Monday, November 5th-9th: Springer All-Stars Book Fair

Wednesday, November 7th, 7pm: PTA Association Meeting

Thursday November 8th, 5-7.30pm: All-Star Family Picnic

Monday, November 12th: Veterans Day (no school)

Tuesday, November 13th, 7pm: Auction Team Kick-off Meeting

November 19th-20th: Parent/Teacher Conferences (no school)

November 21st-23rd: Thanksgiving Break

News and Announcements

New Field Day Committee Forming

This year we will be switching formats in the way we handle the end-of-year grade level picnics.  Instead of individual picnics held on separate days, we will have a school-wide "Field Day", tentatively scheduled for Friday, June 7th- which is a minimum day, making our field day a half-day event.   The purpose of the end-of-year picnics is to provide the students with a day of fun and a celebration of the end of the year.  A "Field Day" will still accomplish that purpose.  Please note that this will not affect 6th graders.  They will continue to have their traditional swim party as a final celebration of their years at Springer.

The reasons for this change are many.  First, we believe that the demand for volunteers will be decreased, as each homeroom will only be responsible for one event or activity.  By all homerooms working together on the same day, we can share the workload and resources.  By having the day centrally organized, much of the planning is taken off the plates of room parents.  Secondly, parents who have children in multiple grade levels, and who volunteer at all their children's picnics, will be able to contribute on just one day.  Additionally, scheduling just one day of activities for the entire school eases the hectic end of year calendar.  Lastly, we believe an all-school field day will create a more community feel.

It should be noted that other district schools, notably Covington and Gardner, have used a Field Day model for years with great success.  The students have a terrific time.  

In order for this to be a great event, there is a lot of work to do.  For that reason, we are forming a committee to plan and organize the event.  If you would like to contribute your ideas to this event, please consider joining the committee.   The committee will work out the details of the event, from times and how the classes rotate through the activities, to the materials needed. Once the work is done, homerooms will be assigned an activity to run and a location on the campus as to where to stage the activity.  Please contact Principal Wade Spenader directly if you have an interest in working on the Field Day committee.

Springer All Star Family Picnic, Thursday, November 8th, 5-7.30pm.

Rain-or-shine! Get ready for some tailgating at the Springer All Star Family Picnic on Thursday, November 8, beginning at 5 pm. The confirmed food vendors are: "Gold Rush Eatery", "Quick Dog", "Waffle Amore" and back by popular demand, "MoBowl"!

Gold Rush (go Niners!) offers gourmet burgers like a Tri-Tip sandwich and their famous "Linda Parisian", plus 'tators and root-beer floats. In line with a World Champion SF Giants ball park atmosphere, Quick Dog serves hotdogs with names such as "Tijuana Bacon", "Chi-Thai" and "Chili Cheese" alongside basic and even vegetarian hot dogs.  Waffle Amore does sweet and savory waffles. Do you know that a waffle is delicious with bacon, cheddar, and sour cream? Kevin of MoBowl sells savory rice bowls for those diners craving less of a comfort food diet, although his "Cheese Cake egg rolls" may have you going for a jog early the next morning!  Beverages are sold from the trucks too. Dinner service from 5-7:30 pm.

If fine weather is in effect, pack picnic blankets and chairs for dinner on the front lawn by the multi-purpose room. In case of rain we will picnic under the giant green awning.

Along with the all-star food line-up some other attractions are the Back bend hoop toss (with posters as prizes), meeting some Earthquakes' Shakers, a S.J. Giant, and our own all star Mr. Heeb reading stories out-loud. All this, along with extended hours to shop the book fair inside the Springer Multi.

Let's picnic, shop and play together, in our communal, super-Springer way on Thursday evening, November 8, 5-7:30 pm!  

The All-Star Book Fair, November 5th-9th

The Fair will be open in the multi from 8:30am - 3:30pm on Monday and from 8:00am - 3:30 pm, Tuesday through Friday. Save the date for our All-Star Family Event on Thursday night, November 8th from 5pm - 7:30pm!  You might just find the perfect holiday gifts!

Look out for the NEW Wimpy Kid Book!

Auction Team Kick Off Meeting  - Going once. Going Twice. Sold!

Join us in planning the 2013 Springer Auction. Whether you like to plan parties, work the data or something in between we want you on our team!

Our kick off meeting is on November 13th at 7pm in the Staff Lounge.

Check out the committee descriptions.

Need more information? Contact Renee & Wen at springerauction@gmail.com

Springer Auction Sponsorship

Is your business planning its advertising budget for next year? Please consider sponsoring or advertising with the Springer Auction. Benefits include hyperlinked logos on our new online auction website, print ads in the auction catalog and special mention in pre-auction letters to the Springer community.

For more details please contact Auction Co-Chairs Wen Crane and Renee Johnsen at springerauction@gmail.com.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT of Springer School via the 2012 Back To School form!!  We raised just over $40,000 for the Technology Fund as well as an additional $18,000 in donations to the PTA general fund, party fund and library!!

Tax deductible donation receipts have been sent home via the Friday Folders.   Please check if your employer offers a corporate gift matching program.  Contact Donna Murphy (jcdrm[at]yahoo.com) with any questions.

It's NOT TOO LATE to make a donation if you haven't already!  You can submit a copy of the form and your payment to the BTS cubby in the office any time.

Science Fair Judges Needed: The annual Springer Science fair, known as Springer's Science-o-Rama is on Thursday, March 14th.   Springer students exhibit their science fair projects to the community at the Fair.  Student participation in this important event is always high!  But we need judges for our 4th, 5th and 6th scientists.   If you have the afternoon of March 14th free, from noon to 3 pm, we'd love for you to participate as a judge.  No background in science is necessary.  Training and lunch is included for your efforts.  If interested, click on this link to fill out the online form.  

Don't let your Springer student miss out on a chance to WIN!!!  Send your Walk-a-thon donations in next week!  We still need your help to wrap up the 2012 Walk-a-Thon.  Please collect your donations and return them to the Walk-a-thon cubby ASAP!  Thank you for your support of this important school fundraiser!!

NURSE STILL NEEDED!  The Los Altos School District needs a Registered Nurse at lunchtime to supervise tube feeding, blood sugar levels and insulin administration.  One hour per day, Monday-Friday, $50 per hour. To apply, call Marlene Revelo 650-947-1153.

YEARBOOK PHOTOS

To upload your fun photos of Springer events, please go to community.pictavo.com and pickUpload Photos. Create an Account & follow directions to find Springer.  For more info see theflyer.

Funvisors  - For details of all current Funvisor activities, click here. 

Parent Education Opportunities

A Talk by Dr. Larry Rosen, 7-9pm Thursday, November 8th at  Mountain View High School.

Parenting the iGeneration and GenerationC:

Why our kids love technology and what it is doing to their brains.

See attached flyer for more details

Student Extracurricular Activities

Election Day November 6, 2012, Springer LEGO Club will hold an exhibition of Springer students' American Symbol Statues at the Morning Assembly and at Drop Off.

We already have students finished or working on displays portraying President Obama, Mitt Romney, Air Force One, and the American Flag. We welcome all students to come and work on exhibits on Mondays at Lunch in the Exploratory Lab or bring their American Symbol creations from home on Monday November 5 to be displayed on Election Day.

With the Giants at the World Series, the Presidential Election, and the Shuttle Flyover this year, 2012/2013 will be an academic year our students will surely never forget!  

Please note: LEGO Club accepts all LEGO and Bionicles donations! Students are more jazzed than ever with building at lunch. We can always use more...especially LEGO figures.

Questions? Please contact Laurie Pasmooij, Kimiyo Straw, Jenni Tellefsen, or Anita Leo.

Los Altos Recreation Department classes starting the week of November 5 include Player’s Academy Golf (for kids ages 10-17) and Private Singing Lessons (for kids ages 9 years and up).

Now through November 26 we are accepting applications for our annual Gingerbread House Exhibit! As always, this exhibit is FREE to both participants and all who visit this sweet event! Houses are to be delivered the morning of December 3, and the exhibit runs that whole week. Applications and rules are available at LosAltosRecreation.org or at the Recreation Office (M-F, 8am-5pm).

To check out and/or register online for all of our upcoming fall classes and activities, go to LosAltosRecreation.org and click on the photo of our FALL 2012 RECREATION GUIDE. And remember…we have many fun adult classes, too. Check it out!

“ ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”

Reviewed as a “charming alternative to the Nutcracker,” this show is performed by over 130 students representing 45 peninsula schools (including Springer).  Performances at Woodside Performing Arts Center on Sunday December 9th (1:00pm and 4:00pm), Saturday December 15th, (1:00pm and 4:00pm) and Sunday December 16th, (1:00 and 4:00). Tickets available at www.twasthenight.org or by calling 650-323-5292.

LA-MV PONY BASEBALL - UPCOMING REGISTRATION

Registration opens November 1, for the 2013 baseball season.  LA-MV PONY Baseball is for boys and girls aged 5-19. This is the 28th year serving our community. We hope you and your families will join us on and off the field as we once again make this a very special year for our players, coaches, parents and the community. Practices begin in early March, and games begin in late March. Please do go ahead and register as early as possible in the coming month for our league's planning purposes. For more information and to register starting on November 1, 2012 please visit the league website at http://www.lamvpb.org/.

Spartans Sports Camp Holiday Basketball Camp, December 26th-29th

Learn valuable skills from MVHS basketball coaches and alumni in this half-day camp. Shooting, ball-handling, and defense will be among the skills covered in a high-energy, fast-paced environment. This is a great opportunity to tune-up prior to the winter youth basketball leagues. The camp takes place December 26-29 from 9 am - 12 pm and is open to boys and girls in grades 5-8. Sign up today!

Visit www.SpartansSportsCamp.com or call (650)479-5906 for more information

MVLA SOFTBALL SIGN-UPS BEGIN NOVEMBER 1st

Registration for the Spring 2013 season of MVLA Girls Softball opens November 1. Sign up by November 8th and save!   Learn more about us at: www.mvlags.org

Math Olympiad - Sports for the Mind! Interested in fun, innovative, and challenging math problems?  Fridays after school.  For registration and more information, click here.

Springer Singers: Mondays after school.  Gr.1-3 2:30-3:30pm; Gr. 4-6 2:45-3:30pm

Academic Chess Club, Thursdays after school, see flier for details

How to submit an article to the Springer STAR

Please send your submission to the editor at springer_star@yahoo.com by noon on Monday for inclusion in the next edition. All flyers must be in either WORD or PDF format, accompanied by a brief summary of the activity in the email.  Late arrivals will be included if possible but can’t be guaranteed!