Springer Buzz!

February 28th, 2014

In This Issue

Calendar Dates

Principal’s Letter

News and Announcements

Parent Education Opportunities

Student Extracurricular Activities

Quick Dates for your Calendar

March 5, 8.45am: PTA meeting

March 13: Science Fair

March 22: Springer Auction

April 2, 7pm: PTA Board election meeting

April 3, 6-8pm: Open House

April 7- 11: Spring break – NO SCHOOL

April 26: Junior Olympics

Letter from the Principal

Stop and smell the roses!

It's very easy to get so busy that you don't take time to stop and smell the roses.  This is certainly the case in my position as I'm running from one thing to the next.  But, taking a step back and appreciating the good things around you is crucial, I believe, in our work as educators and as human beings.

I'd like to share with you some of the positive things I see in our staff that give further indication that we are continuing to do the very best for our students, your children.  In some cases, it's trying out a new instructional strategy that gets kids excited.  In others, it's reflecting on a practice to either tweak it or completely revamp it.

I'm proud to say that 5 Springer teachers applied for, and received acceptance to the Summer iLearn Academy- funded by LAEF.  This week-long, intensive training for LASD teachers focuses on facilitating teachers to re-examine what they do in the classroom.  It includes looking at the latest innovative strategies, including the use of technology in the classroom.  It also helps those attending teachers to become teacher leaders - so that they can help their colleagues back at their school site grow and develop as well.  This will be the 3rd year that LASD is offering this to district teachers and I can tell you that the impact from the first two years has been a huge asset to Springer.

A couple of weeks ago Mrs. Van Dyken and Ms. Shilling were invited to attend an open house at a school in San Jose that has designed their entire curriculum around project based learning.  Mrs. Van Dyken and Ms. Shilling spent the day observing a school where the students take full ownership of their learning.  The students were the tour guides, taking educators around their campus, explaining their work and the rationale behind it.   Our two Springer teachers came back excited about the possibilities!

This week, Ms. McLean's class Skyped with another 4th grade class in Indiana.  Each class gave each other geographical clues until they were able to discover where in the country the other class was located.  Prior to this, Ms. McLean's class practiced with Ms. Hultberg's class.  Room 13 Skyped with Room 18 to figure out where to stand in the classroom when asking a question and other logistical issues so that everything went smoothly.

There a lot of "roses" on our campus right now.  I continue to see our students more engaged and excited about their learning than I ever have since I arrived at Springer.

Be sure to stop and smell the roses in your world as well.

Best wishes,

Wade Spenader- Principal

News and Announcements

LAEF: YOUR INPUT IS CRITICAL!

Please take a few minutes to complete the LAEF Parent Survey, which was sent by email last week. The LAEF Board of Directors uses the responses from the Parent Survey to understand your priorities for your student’s educational experience, and to determine which programs to prioritize and fund next year. The survey will be available through this Friday, March 7. If you did not receive the link, or have any questions, please contact the LAEF office at admin@laefonline.org.

LAEF representatives at Springer are:

Nancy F

Susan Longyear, sue.longyear[at]gmail.com

Brooke Schiller, bbwc[at]sbcglobal.net

Kristin Najarian (member-at-large), kristin_najarian[at]yahoo.com

Make Your Tax Deductible Donation Today!  www.laefonline.org

As a reminder, animals are not allowed on campus during the school day. We love to see your ostriches, llamas, iguanas, and other exotic pets, but they just can't come to school.  This is also true for dogs.  Unless it is a service dog, you really shouldn't be bringing your dogs to Springer- no matter how cute they are! Your compliance with this is much appreciated.

Annual PTA Board Election Notice

Please join us for the annual PTA Board election to be held during the Association Meeting on Wednesday, April 2, at 7:00pm, in the Springer Staff Room.

Vocal Music Concert for Kinders, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Graders, March 7th in Springer Multi

9:00am Kinders / 1st graders

10:30am 2nd/3rd graders

GOT PICTURES?

The Springer Yearbook is in full production and I need your help! I am looking for pictures from any school events, such as (but not limited to):

*Walk-a-thon

*Halloween parade

*Classroom parties

*Classroom field trips

*Winter Concert

Please send pictures in an email to this email address: yearbookspringer@gmail.com

Also include: child(s) name/grade/and event.

Any questions regarding this project can also be sent to: yearbookspringer@gmail.com

Finally, please note that I am working with a limited amount of pages and will do my best to include all pictures that are sent in.  Thank you!

Pertussis Booster for Students in grade 6 - Please provide a copy of your child’s immunization record to your school office by March 14, 2014.

NOMINATE AN OUTSTANDING TEACHER TODAY!

For the past 22 years, Mason-McDuffie’s Education Foundation has been recognizing deserving teachers in Northern California by awarding them unrestricted cash grants. To date, they’ve given $818,000 to 1,365 special public school teachers. It’s their way of giving back to the communities in which they do business.

Let's recognize and reward our best teachers! They are accepting nominations of outstanding teachers for their 2014 grant program. You can nominate a teacher by clicking here and using their online form. Or, click here for those who prefer to print out and type or hand-write their nomination. Please make as many copies as you need. In May of 2014, the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate will host an award ceremonies throughout Northern California to give acknowledgement to the teachers chosen for these grants.

Please note that the deadline for nominations is March 15.

*

You are Invited!

Prom Night:

Springer School Auction 2014

March 22, 2014, 6:30-10:30 pm

Michaels at Shoreline

This is more than just an auction, it’s the party of the year! Join your fellow Springer parents and teachers for an evening of fun and fundraising benefiting Springer School.

       Buy Tickets

       Volunteer     Secure your babysitter, check out Abracadabra for details of their babysitting service here

       Host a party (deadline is February 7th)

       Donate an item (deadline is February 7th)

       More Information

Donate wine for the Springer Auction

The Springer auction is looking for donations of wine for the wine wall! The wine wall is a Springer auction tradition. It works like a raffle and raises lots of money for the school. There are two ways you can help:

· If you have a bottle you would like to donate, please bring it to the office. If you would like a receipt for your donation please email Hilary Burcell (hilary[at]burcell.com) with your name and the value of your wine.

· If you have a connection to a local winery that might be interested in making a donation, please contact Hilary Burcell or Doug Isaacson (doug_isaacson[at]yahoo.com).

THANKS for supporting the auction!

Questions? Email 2014 auction co-chairs, Rachel, Kirsten & Elizabeth at springerauction@gmail.com

Support your school – by shopping at Sports Basement!

Get 10% off your purchase and give 5% back to your school, every day, in every Sports Basement location – just say Springer Elementary School at the register!

Stores are in Campbell, Sunnyvale, San Francisco and Walnut Creek, with one coming soon in Berkeley.

Parent Education Opportunities

Reading in Preterm and Full Term Children

Do you have a six year old?  Are you interested in how reading develops? Stanford Reading study continues, see here for details.

Student Extracurricular Activities

PRE-ENGINEERING WITH LEGO

Mondays from April 14 – May 19, 2:45pm – 4:15pm in the Springer library.

Open to grades K-3

See flier for more details

Join Springer Singers for our Spring season singing selections “From the Movies.”  Songs from Cars, Oliver, Yellow Submarine, Mary Poppins, Disney movies and more! Grades 1-6 rehearse Tuesdays in the multi from 2:30 – 3:30.

For more details about the Springer Singers, please contact Heidi Rockett, rockettland[at]comcast.net

String Fling Concert  Wed., March 5, 7 pm  Blach Intermediate School

6th Grade String students from Springer, Loyola, and Oak will join Blach Junior High students for a large orchestra performance.  Rehearsal is Mon., March 3 from 3:10 – 4pm at Blach.

Peninsula Youth Theatre presents "The Sound of Music" at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts on March 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9, with matinee and evening performances. Tickets are $22 for adults and $18 for children at the box office.     http://pytnet.org/shows/SoundOfMusic/tickets.htm

Los Altos Recreation: NOW REGISTERING FOR SPRING CAMPS/CLASSES AND SUMMER CAMPS

Have you received your spring recreation guide yet? The brochure (which introduces our spring classes/camps as well as our summer camps) features the sweet face of one of our summer campers and her camp leader. Registration is underway. Read it over, mark your classes and camps, and register!

To read about and register for all of our summer camps and spring classes/camps, go to LosAltosRecreation.org and click on the photo of our new SPRING 2014 RECREATION GUIDE.

But wait…winter is not over yet! To check out and/or register online for our final winter classes, go to LosAltosRecreation.org and click on the photo of our current WINTER 2014 RECREATION GUIDE.

FYI…the brochures are full of educational and just plain FUN classes for kids and adults! Join us!

girlSPARC

girlSPARC - a Science Plus ARithmetic Club is an after school extracurricular STEM program for 2nd - 6th grade girls, with the goal of exposing girls to engineering, math & science topics in a fun, supportive environment.  We are offering a Spring Session twice a week - Thursdays for 2nd & 3rd grade girls, and Tuesdays for 4th, 5th & 6th grade girls.  It is an 8 week program, starting on 2/25.  For more information, contact Tracy Stone, tracygstone[at]yahoo.com, or Anita Mathew,anita.mathew10[at]gmail.com.

Medaka no Gakko

Registration applications are now being accepted for Medaka no Gakko, a Japanese cultural summer program for children who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade. The 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 23 - July 11, 2014; 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.

30th Annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest

2014 Theme: “Los Altos Art Works Enrich Our Lives and Community”

Take a journey in your mind and imagine what would happen if your favorite work of art came alive! Describe an experience or adventure that happened one day. Within your writing, identify your work of art and tell where it is located. Be sure to include a beginning, middle, and end. Think about developing an organized flow of ideas. As you write, use interesting vocabulary and creative ideas.

For the complete essay prompt, go to http://www.losaltoshistory.org/

Deadline for the essay is March 7.

How to submit an article to the Springer STAR

If you have an article to submit to Springer Buzz, please send it to the editor at springer.buzz@gmail.com by noon on Monday