The Springer Buzz

October 24, 2014

In This Issue:

• News and Announcements

• Parent Education Opportunities

LASD Weekly Newsletter

Quick Dates for your Calendar:

• Oct 29, Wednesday:  Photo Make-up  day

• Oct 31, Friday: Fall Costume Parade

• Nov 5, Wednesday, 8:45 am: PTA Meeting

• Nov 10, Monday: Vision Screening for Grades Kinder, 3rd, 6th & SDC

• Nov 17 -21: Rock ‘n Read Book Fair

• Nov 20, Thursday, 5:00 - 7:30 pm: Rock ‘n Read Family Night

Photo Make-up Day is October 29

If your child was absent on Photo Day or you didn’t like the photo, please contact Linda Ripley-Smith in the Springer School Office at lripleysmith@lasdschools.org, so that we may put your child’s name on the retake list.  In the email, please provide your student’s name and teacher name.

Fall Costume Parade

Springer’s Fall Costume Parade is Friday, October 31 at 1:15pm, out on the Springer Blacktop.  Grades TK through 6 are invited to participate with their classrooms.  No gory or grotesque masks, and no weapons please.  Dismissal for TK and K will be at 2:15, and Grades 1 - 6 will be dismissed at 2:25pm.

Student Council Presents
We Scare Hunger! Event

Student Council cordially invites Springer Students to participate in our "WE SCARE HUNGER!" event.   We are hosting a movie night on Friday the 24th from 5-7 PM in the Springer Multi-Purpose Room. Admission is one can of food to be donated to a local food bank.  Each can brought = one raffle ticket for fun prizes during and after the movie (rated G)!  Students may also bring a pillow or blanket to sit on.  Click here for the flyer and more information, or contact Ms. Presant at jpresant@lasdschools.org or Ms. Heiting at eheiting@lasdschools.org.

Vision Screening

On Monday, November 10, the Los Altos School District Nurse Staff will conduct vision screening for Grades K, 3rd, 6th and SDC Students.  If your child is in these grades and they wear glasses, please make sure that they wear their glasses to school that day.

Newberry Honor Winner Author Visit’s Springer

As part of our upcoming Rock 'n Read Book Fair, we will be having a visit from Newberry Honor Winning Author Kirby Larson on Tuesday, November 4th.  Please see the attached flyer for details of the event as well as an order form for those who may want to order a book prior to the event. Books may also be purchased at the event. All proceeds from pre-sales and sales at the event will benefit Springer as part of the Rock 'n Read Book Fair.

The Rock ‘N Read Book Fair is Coming!

Monday Nov 17 –

Friday Nov 21

Open daily in the Multi

8:00 am – 3:30pm

Family Night Thursday

Nov 20th 5:00-7:30pm

Springer Gives Back

Donate Your Travel Size Toiletries to Springer Gives Back

Have a collection of hotel shampoo and conditioner filling up your bathroom drawer? Travel often and need something to do with all those airline travel kits? Just like the travel aisle? Springer Gives Back is collecting travel size toiletries as part of this year’s community service project. Please bring new and unused travel size toiletries to the bin in the Springer Office.

Thanks!

Contact Renee Johnsen chefskate[at]gmail.com with questions.

Thanks for attending the Springer ROCK-a-thon!

Thank you to all our walkers, volunteers and sponsors for making this year's Walk-a-thon a rockin' success! In today's Friday folder you'll find your student's sponsor card. It's time to share your walking results and collect pledges from your sponsors! Pledge money is due to the Walk-a-thon cubby in the office on Wednesday, November 5.

As a reminder, checks (to Springer PTA) and e-checks only, please! Full payment instructions and printable tax receipts.

And be sure to check out our sponsors!  Rock on, Springer!

LAEF Highlight: Funding STEM in K-8

LAEF will contribute $820,000 THIS YEAR to bring innovation and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) to LASD's K-8 grade students. For example, this month alone:

- K students were introduced to the programming Bee-Bot App

- 3rd graders used MIT's Scratch interactive and animation app to reinforce science concepts learned about moon cycle

- 6th graders started the CSTEM program.  For more info click here.

- Computer Programming is being integrated into the 7th and 8th graders curriculum

Also, have you heard about Lunch Club? Lunch Clubs are a big part of the LASD's STEM program for K-6. Weekly challenges include creating musical instruments, zip lines, catapults, oobleck, Rube Goldberg, reverse engineering, egg drop and the list goes on and on…

Every K-8 LASD student benefits from STEM programs made possible thanks to *THIS YEAR'S* $3.3 Million LAEF grant. Our goal is 100% parent participation. Requested donation per student is $1,000 (or $100 per month for 10 months). Any gift in any amount is appreciated.

Make your tax-deductible LAEF donation today at www.laefonline.net (or bring a check to the school office)

LAEF Questions?

Web: www.laefonline.net … Phone: 650.559.0445 ... Email: admin@laefonline.org

Thanks in advance for your support of LAEF!

The LAEF parent-volunteers

Calling All Young Artists!

Original Student Artwork Sought for Exhibition
Why it’s Cool to be a Kid in Los Altos

The Why it’s Cool to be a Kid in Los Altos exhibition will be launched with opening receptions throughout the downtown for student artists, families and community during the First Friday event on Friday, November 7th from 6-8pm.  Submit your artistic view of why you think it’s cool to be a kid in Los Altos and receive a gift.  View our flyer for more information.

Learn Chinese While Having Fun!

Come and join Chinese teacher Yan Shi in a learning adventure through singing, drawing, reading and games.  Come and observe the class and see if it’s right for your child.  Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays after school in the Springer Library.  Click here for the flyer and more information!

Student Extracurricular Activities:

There are after-school activities at Springer for all grade levels.  For a list of all of the activities and more information, please go to Springer’s website by clicking here.   

Parent Education Opportunities

Through enriching presentations from local and national experts on topics of interest to parents, faculty and staff, the MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series seeks to contribute to the academic, physical, and emotional health of our students. All events are free of charge and are for parents, faculty and staff in Los Altos and Mountain View public schools. For a schedule of upcoming presentations, please click here.

How to Submit an Article to the Springer Buzz

If you have an article to submit to the Springer Buzz, please send it to the editor at springer.buzz@gmail.com by noon on Monday for inclusion in the next edition.  Late arrivals will be included if possible but can’t be guaranteed! All flyers must be in either WORD or PDF format, accompanied by a brief summary of the activity in the email.