Springer Star Newsletter

May 17th, 2013

In This Issue

Calendar Dates

Principal’s Letter

News and Announcements

Parent Education Opportunities

Student Extracurricular Activities

Quick Dates for your Calendar

May 23: Springer’s Spring Family Picnic, 5-8pm

May 24: Upper Grade Music Concert

May 31: Coffee with the Principal

June 7: Field day

Letter from the Principal

By the title of this article, one might assume Springer is an airport terminal.  Indeed, we seem as busy as an airport during the holiday travel season.  May is the month that we are simultaneously wrapping things up for the end of this school year and intensely getting ready for the start of the next.  One of the chief tasks is finalizing the staffing as we move into summer.  And, while we are not experiencing a lot of change on the staff, there are some key departures and arrivals for next year.

Departures:

Two of our current staff members are leaving Springer to take positions at Covington.  As part of a district re-organization of SDC teachers, Mrs. Debbie Schwartzman, who has done a fantastic job in our Primary SDC classroom, is moving to Covington to teach the Kindergarten SDC program.  Debbie arrived at Springer the same time I did, as the district relocated two SDC classes on our campus.  She did a tremendous job in immediately assimilating her class and her students into the Springer community.  Debbie showed outstanding flexibility in working with our 1st through 3rd grade teachers to ensure her students were getting an outstanding education.  The Primary SDC class will remain at Springer, with Diane Sasaki, our current Resource Specialist, as the SDC teacher in Room 2.

Another Springer teacher making the move to Covington is Mr. Doug Core.  Doug has accepted the 6th grade opening over at Covington as an opportunity to further expand his career.  Doug's relocation to the Covington 6th grade will provide leadership and stability over there while giving Doug a new school experience (Doug is pursuing his Administrative Credential on the weekends).  Doug's departure from Springer is a sad one as he has been at this school, as a parent, technology aide, and teacher, for over 20 years.  We will miss his innovative approaches and dedication to student success.   But, I am excited for him as he will only gain professionally from the new school environment.  

Lastly, it is with bittersweetness we say goodbye to school secretary Mrs. Connie Ingram. Connie, and her husband Bill, are joyfully setting sail on the retirement boat to their new home in Santa Cruz.  A school secretary has the unique distinction of having contact with every single student and their family.  Connie's warmth, sense of calm and sense of humor cannot be duplicated.  We thank Connie for her 18 years of service at Springer and wish her the best in her new life.  We will honor Connie with a short program at our May 23rd Spring Picnic starting at 6pm. (The Picnic begins at 5pm and ends at 8pm).

It's not possible to replace Connie but we'll come pretty close as Mrs. Linda Ripley-Smith will move from her current Clerk position to the Secretary role.

Arrivals:

As Diane Sasaki moves from Resource Specialist to SDC teacher, it pleases me to announce that Ms. Crystal Matich will join our staff as our new Resource Specialist.  Crystal is getting married this summer so when she returns to Springer in the fall, she will be Mrs. Crystal Gippe (rhymes with Yippee!).  We had the great pleasure of getting to know Crystal in the fall as she did her student teaching under Ms. Sasaki's direction.  It was very apparent to us that Crystal has the commitment and caring for students we are looking for in a LASD employee. A graduate of Santa Clara University and a former professional volleyball player, Crystal has familiarity with our Resource students and our program.  She is the perfect replacement for Diane and she is very excited about joining the Springer team.  

I am equally thrilled to introduce Ms. Alison Mort as Springer's new 6th grade teacher.  Ms. Mort brings an enthusiastic and innovative approach to Springer.  She is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and is currently wrapping up her Masters in Education and a Teaching Credential at Santa Clara University.  Also a former volleyball player, Ms. Mort is finishing her student teaching in a 6th grade classroom in Milpitas.   During the interview process, she was a unanimous favorite of the team of principals; there was quite a battle to get her assigned to Springer!   She will make a great addition to the 6th grade team as she partners with both Ms. Presant and Mrs. Rubinstein.  

Those are the changes that we know about as of now.  I'm sure you will join me in sending best wishes to those who are leaving Springer and warmly welcoming those who are coming on board next fall.  

Class Assignments for Next Year

Grade level teams are now beginning the process of building next year's class assignments.  This time-consuming and important effort is geared at building the most balanced classes at each grade level.   Teachers go through several incarnations of class lists before they decide on placements.   1st through 6th grade students will receive their placement letter just before school starts on August 21st.  Class lists will be posted on Friday, August 16th at 3:00.  At this annual "Stop and Pop", popsicles will be served to celebrate the opening of school in just a few days.

Please understand that we do not take individual requests for specific teachers from parents when building our class lists.  Our teachers do a fantastic job in placing our students because they know their students' educational and social needs very well.  If you have concerns regarding next fall's placement, please share with your child's teacher information about specific learning environments that you think would work best for your child without naming a teacher by name.   Your adherence to this request is much appreciated.

News and Announcements

Junior Olympics

One of the most inspiring and memorable of all LASD traditions is the annual Junior Olympics! It's that magical day when all the parent volunteers and 4th-6th grade athletes join together to create a community gathering and compete in a variety of sporting events. And, on April 27th, they certainly outdid themselves! Our student athletes proudly challenged each other, but with such enthusiasm and respect!  And, none of it could have happened without the Junior Olympics Committee from each of the LASD schools!  

We would like to express our gratitude and thanks to the Springer JO committee: Leslie Bosset, Wendy Sarathy, Christa Kidwell, and Jenny Jun. They did an outstanding job of organizing our Springer athletes and recruiting parent volunteers, who contributed their time and efforts to help make this a successful event for all! Thanks also to Mr. Heeb and to our wonderful Springer athletes! You should be proud of yourselves for modeling good sportsmanship and spirit!

Your Co-PTA Presidents, Linda McCartney and LeeAnn Steffen

Springer’s Spring Family Picnic - May 23rd, 5-8pm

It's almost time to Sail into Summer on the S.S. Springer!  Preparations are underway for the annual family picnic, so mark your calendars for May 23 at 5 p.m.  Pack your own picnic dinner, or get a meal from one of the gourmet food trucks that will be on campus.  There will be games and activities and special presentations to entertain everybody.  And of course an event like this needs your help.  Please sign up to help out with part of the evening by clicking here. 

2013-2014 Suggested Lists of School Supplies are now available.

To enhance the educational experience of all of our students, Springer is requesting donations of supplies and materials for each child. Please see the grade-level lists of school supplies (at the School-Pak link below) and bring them on the first day of school.

http://www.schoolpak.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1529

As a convenience to parents, the Springer PTA will continue to offer School-Pak’s online ordering of supplies for grades 1-6. School supplies orders for incoming kindergartners will be handled separately. If you have an incoming kindergartner, please look for further information/details from the school.

School-Pak’s Online Ordering (for grades 1-6) is now up and running! Listed below are the options available to you:

-PREFERRED: Order by June 12 and have supplies sent directly to Springer. Supplies sent to Springer will be labeled with your child's name and delivered to the right classroom by the first day of school.

-You may also choose to have the supplies sent to your home, and your child can bring them to school on the first day. Orders placed between June 15- July 24 will automatically be sent to your home.

2013 AUCTION UPDATE

The 2013 Auction Cruise Ship has docked and we are happy to report that this vital fundraising event has exceeded our expectations and raised $85,565.13 for our school!! This is crucial income that allows the PTA to keep Springer a top-notch school for our kids and community! The proceeds from the auction are used to help provide library and literature books, math, science, social studies, art and music programs, computers, technological materials and playground equipment.

Please note below that we are still searching for two (or more) parent volunteers to co-chair this event next year. This is the largest fundraising event for Springer and our kids need your help to maintain the high quality of education they so richly deserve :)

Still searching for Auction Co-Chairs

Are you a party planner? Do you like having fun working with a group of dedicated and creative people? Are you the type of person that gets a thrill of seeing people enjoying and benefiting from the fruits of your labor?

If so, we've got the perfect opportunity for you to fulfill your wildest dreams!! We are looking fortwo energetic, fun-loving ROCK STARS to be our co-chairs for the 2014 Springer Auction! This annual "adult-only" party is the largest fundraising event for Springer and we need YOU to help make it happen!! Our kids need YOU to help make it happen!!

So, if you fit the bill and are interested in joining and leading this fun and exciting committee,

please contact Linda McCartney (LM28476[at]gmail.com) or LeeAnn Steffen (loopedlulu[at]yahoo.com). Don't miss out on a wonderful opportunity to have an impact on the whole Springer community!

WOW:

Congratulations to the recent  bi-weekly random WOW drawing winners of Brian Ye, Owen Leahy, Brady Kelsch, and Jared Twardowski.   Keep walking or riding Springer so you can reach the highest level before the final year end awards.

Dad and Child's night out, June 2nd - postponed

Thanks to those who responded with interest in the Father / Child bowling event schedule for June 2nd. Unfortunately we didn't get enough attendees to confirm the event so we will not be having it this year.  We will try again next week so stay tuned for details this Fall.    

Parent Education Opportunities

Upcoming EDtalks with LASD

May 24th:            Ed Tech/Technology Integration

Edtalks are held in the iLearn Studio, located next to the District Board Room.  For more details, including times, visit Edtalks on the LASD Website.  

Student Extracurricular Activities

Cub Scout Pack 36 of Springer School will hold a recruiting Pack meeting on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. (to avoid conflicts with baseball) at the Springer Art Room.  We are forming new dens for boys interested in Cub Scouting, especially current kindergarten boys.

If you’d like more details, please click here

66th Annual Los Altos Kiwanis Pet Parade

Saturday, May 18, 10 AM

Downtown Los Altos

March with other community members and their pets!

Springer has a marching position in the Los Altos Kiwanis Pet Parade.  A beloved tradition, this community event allows children to parade with their dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, chickens - even worms! Assembly time will be prompt at 9:45 AM under the Springer sign. We will gather between State Street and Main Street, closest to First Street. This is your chance to dress up your pet in that adorable costume! Please wear your own Springer spirit wear too.

Contact Justine Dachille (jdachille[at]gmail.com), or Karen Eichstadt-Coy (eichcoy[at]yahoo.com) for more information.

Architecture Design Camp for 12-14 yr olds

Jonathan Pearlman of the San Francisco architecture firm Elevation Architects will be conducting his first ever Design Camp at the Neutra House in Los Altos from June 17 - 21.

Jonathan says "We are gearing the course for 12 to 14 year olds who are starting to show an interest in architecture, landscape, or urban design fields. We will have short morning talks, drawing and design exercises, field trips to architect's office and building sites around the area.

The last day, we will do a group design exercise. Each Day will run from 8 to 5 and we will be working out of the Neutra House."

Elevation Architects' website is at http://elevationarchitects.com

More details are available in the online brochure and the application form

Los Altos Recreation Department

During the next few weeks, we are offering fun classes in equestrian (Crazy About Horses Day, 5/19), singing (Private Singing Lessons, beginning 5/20), and golf (The Player’s Academy, beginning 5/23; Parent/Child Golf, Junior Golf, Intermediate Junior Golf, all beginning 6/1).

This is also a great time to make those summer camp plans, too, and we happen to be taking registration for all such camps!  Remember, we have a great variety of adult classes, too.

To read about and register for all of our spring classes and summer camps, go to LosAltosRecreation.org and click on the photo of our SPRING 2013 RECREATION GUIDE.

Medaka no Gakko, a Japanese cultural summer program runs from June 24-July 12, 2013 at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple in Palo Alto. For more information, please visit www.medakanogakko.org or email medakanogakkopaloalto@gmail.com.

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!