Springer Star Newsletter

February 1st, 2013

In This Issue

Calendar Dates

Letter from the Principal

News and Announcements

Parent Education Opportunities

Student Extracurricular Activities

Quick Dates for your Calendar

February 6th, 7pm: PTA meeting

February 18-22: Winter Break 

March 8th: Vocal Music Concert (K-3):

March 14th: Springer Science-O-Rama:

March 21st: Minimum Day and Bike Rodeo

March 23rd: Springer Auction

April 27th: Junior Olympics

Letter from the Principal

Good to be back.

I want to update the community on some things behind the scenes that are positive at Springer.

Innovation and Engagement: I feel very lucky because I have the privilege of visiting all of our classrooms at Springer- which I try to do as much as possible. It is great to see our teachers continue to try out innovative strategies to increase student engagement and learning.  Assessments, both formal and informal indicate if learning is taking place- and we are seeing great results.  But student engagement is harder to measure.  It can be measured by what students talk about when they get home from school.  Are they excited about a new project or lesson?  In the classroom, I look for on-task, attentive focus of the students.  I know that when students don't even notice me in the room that the teacher has their total engagement.  The eagerness that students attack a new task or lesson also is a good indication that students are engaged.  This year, more than any in my 4 years at Springer, I have seen an increased level of engagement of the students and an innovative approach by our teachers.  This isn't by accident.  We can attribute this positive progress to the District's coaches who are available to teachers to assist in the areas of Technology, Innovative Strategies, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math).   Teachers have also been involved in professional development provided by the District called ReThink- which has our teachers re-examining our practices and looking at what we do in different ways.   Finally, teachers are feeling liberated and safe to branch out their teaching, to bring new ideas in, and to tweak things along the way.  It really is an exciting time for Springer and LASD.

Science Faire: Our annual Science-0-Rama is rapidly approaching.  The big event is on March 14th.   Please visit the Springer website for more details and for all the online forms.

Geography Bee:  Congratulations to our 2013 National Geographic Geography Bee school champion Gavin R. from Room 15.  Gavin awaits the results of the National Geographic test to see if he qualifies for the state level competition in April.

And lastly, "Thank You!"  Finally, I want to thank the Springer community  for all the kind words of support I've received due to my father's passing.  Many of you expressed how much I was missed while I was in Oregon.  Let me assure you that the feeling was mutual.  It feels good to be back home.

News and Announcements

Springer PTA Meeting

The next Springer PTA meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday, February 6 @ 7pm.

Do you like nature, gardening, hands-on education in science, history,and math? Love

to help in the classroom or in the school gardens? Mike Sanderson will talk about the

award-winning LASD Living Classroom Program and also explain how you can become

a garden docent! No experience necessary, just an interest in sharing the joy of learning

about nature and availability during the day.

We will also be voting to approve some minor budget adjustments.

You Are Invited: LAEF-Investing in what we value- our children's education

What: LAEF Informational Coffee

When: Thursday, February 7th, 2013

Where: 634 S. Springer Road

When: 8:30am

Library, Music, PE, Class size reduction, Art, and Science- these are all critical to our children's education. What could be a better investment!

Parents have generously invested $2 million dollars so far this year... but we need your help to raise $1 million more to reach our goal for the 12-13 school year.

Please donate today- our goal is 100% participation at whatever level is right for your family.

To learn more, ask questions and hear an update about the Los Altos Educational Foundation, please join us for an informal coffee and in the meantime, visit laefonline.net

R.S.V.P.: Brooke Schiller bbwc[@]sbcglobal.net

Springer Auction: Set Sail on the S.S. Springer!

Be sure you’re prepared to board the S.S. Springer on March 23!

Community Donations Deadline February 11th

Ticket Purchase Deadline March 15th

We’re still looking for your donations! Whether you’d like to host a party, donate a bottle of wine or offer your vacation home, your donation makes a difference. Big or small, we need them all! Thank you to those who have donated already.

For more details go to www.biddingforgood.com/springerauction

Or visit the Auction pages on the Springer Website http://springerschool.net/springeres/4274-Auction.html

Contact Renee & Wen at springerauction@gmail.com

Pertussis Booster for Students in grade 6: Students currently in grade 6 must have proof of a Tdap or Dtap (Pertussis or Whooping Cough) booster given after their 7th birthday (after 10th birthday is recommended) in order to begin seventh  grade in August of 2013. Please provide a copy of your child’s immunization record to your school office by March 15, 2013.

Box Tops and Labels for Education = $$$

Our next submission is due on February 28th for payment in April.  eBox Tops can be earned by linking your Safeway Club Card.  To register and select Springer as your school please click here

Junior Olympics are coming - save the date!   Saturday, April 27th for 4-6 grades.

Springer Swap & Reuse Day March 2nd, 9-1pm:  Save the Day!

·         Plan: Have a swap and reuse day for Springer families in the neighborhood.

·         People can bring: toys, games, books, sports equipment; stuff elementary school families would want.

         ·         Where: Springer Parking Lot

·         When: March 2, 2013 9AM - 1PM

·         Why: To get people reusing stuff so it doesn't get thrown away and wasted

Parent Education Opportunities

LASD’s Gifted Learners Parent Advisory Group invites everyone to attend an Information Session on the Lyceum of Santa Clara.  This parent participation organization provides enrichment and social opportunities for gifted children grades 2 through 8.  Stephanie Rocha and Diane Durbeck, Co-directors of Membership, will provide an overview of the organization and answer questions. Children are welcome to attend with their parents.

Feb 7th, Thurs

7:00 - 8:00 pm

iLearn Studio, Los Altos School District Office

201 Covington Road, Los Altos

Student Extracurricular Activities

Spartans Sports Camp is proud to announce 2 camps held over Winter Break (Feb 18-22) from 9 am - 12 pm. Both of these half-day camps are only $195 for 5 days of instruction!

Winter Break Basketball Camp (Open to boys and girls grades 4-8)

Coach Dokesha Meacham and staff will lead campers in a variety of drills and games. Shooting, ball-handling, defense, and agility will be among the skills covered in a high-energy, fast-paced environment. Campers will have the opportunity to use Mountain View basketball's new shooting machine!

Winter Break Boys Lacrosse Camp (Open to boys grades 6-8)

This camp will help prepare the campers for the spring club lacrosse season using a variety of drills and games. Coach Joe Juter has been very successful at Mountain View and his passion for the game will make it a fun and worthwhile experience for the campers.

*Campers must bring their own helmet, gloves, shoulder pads, arm pads, and lacrosse stick.

For more information, visit SpartansSportsCamp.com or call (650) 479-5906

The 29th Annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest theme is related to the exhibitBear in Mind: The Story of the California Grizzly. Grades 3-6 students may choose from two essay topics: one historical and one creative. For the full essay prompt please visit the Los Altos History Museum website: www.losaltoshistory.org.  Essays are due March 8, 2013 and the prizes will be presented on May 7, 2013 at the Los Altos History Museum and the City Council meeting that same evening.

Next week, your Los Altos Recreation Department has two youth classes beginning: acharmant French for Beginners class (ages 6-12) and a fun Mommy & Me Horsemanship course (ages 2.5-5).

Looking ahead to Ski Week (Feb 18-22)? We will be featuring three different camps: “What Are You Made Of?” which is an art-meets-science camp for 8-12 year olds; a performing arts camp (for ages 6-10); and a delicious “Favorite Comfort Food” camp for 5-9 and 9-13 year olds.

To check out and/or register online for all of our upcoming classes and camps, go to LosAltosRecreation.org and click on the photo of our WINTER 2013 RECREATION GUIDE. And remember, we have a great variety of adult classes, too. Join us!

LA-MV PONY BASEBALL REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!!!

Registration deadlines for PONY baseball registration are as follows:

(Mustang – Pony, AGES 9-14) Registration still available

(Shetland – Pinto, Ages 5-8) Feb. 28, 2013

Click here for more details!

Registration begins mid-January for Medaka no Gakko, a Japanese cultural summer program for children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. This parent cooperative program features arts and crafts, music, literature, cooking, social studies and language. Classroom activities are enriched by demonstrations and performances by artists and community members. Dates:  June 24-July 12, 2013; Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple in Palo Alto. After school care available until 3:00 p.m. For more information, please visit www.medakanogakko.org or email medakanogakkopaloalto@gmail.com.

Save the date: Come to see Springer students perform when Peninsula Youth Theatre (PYT) presents "Fiddler on the Roof" on March 2, 3, 9, and 10 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. More information to follow.

After School Soccer Program for Grades 1 – 3   Wednesdays, 2:45pm – 3:30pm starting February 6  For more info or to register, please go to http://tinyurl.com/mvla1-3 or visit www.mvlasc.org and click on after school programs.

After School Art Club for grades K-3, Thursdays, Jan. 10 - Apr.18, 2.30-3.30pm in the Art room.  For 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.  See flier for details of 2013 sessions.

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!