Our Mission

At Springer Elementary School, we will provide a safe and supportive environment that engages, inspires, and nurtures all students’ emotional and academic needs in order to become empathetic, productive global citizens and lifelong learners.

In This Issue: September 15, 2017:

• Principal’s Message

• News and Announcements

• Parent Education Opportunities

Quick Dates for your Calendar:

• Tuesday, September 19: Photo Day

• Wednesday, September 20, 2:00pm: Author visit, Grades 3-6

• Friday, September 22: Staff Development Day, No School

• Saturday, October 14: Walk-a-thon

• Thursday, October 19: Minimum Day

• Thursday, October 26: Photo Make-Up Day

Principal’s Message

Good Afternoon Springer Community,

• It is Dot Day today… ask your child about the day and/or watch the Youtube reading of the book - The Dot.  We will conclude this activity with a schoolwide culminating event on Monday morning.  

• This week I had my first Parent Coffee.  I have included the powerpoint if you were unable to attend.  

• I am so excited to announce that on November 27th - December 1st we will be having an Ability Awareness Week.  More detailed information will be coming soon.

• Tree Project will be underway starting next week and will last until the end of September.  Thank you PTA and Christy Flahavan for your passion in leading this project to completion.

• On October 8th, our school parking lot will be fenced off in preparation for our solar panel installation.  The project will begin on 10/9-12/7/17.

• Our new reading program - Reading Workshop: What is it?  And how can I help at home?                        

    What is reading workshop?

     Reading workshop is an instruction model that focuses on the strengths and needs of each individual reader. Teachers model reading behaviors and provide direct instruction on reading strategically. Students are given time to read, an opportunity to choose their reading selections, and time to talk about books and strategies.

How to Help Your Child at Home

• Be a good model of reading. Let your child see you reading, and show that you think learning to read is important.

• Read with your child every day. Read aloud to your child and have him or her read aloud to you.

• Talk to your child about what he or she is reading. Define unknown words.

• Ask literal questions in which the answer can be found right on the page (What is the setting of this story?) and inferential questions in which your child has to use what is written on the page plus his background knowledge in order to come to an answer (How did the main character change from the beginning to the end of the story?). Use reading workshop vocabulary when talking about books.                                                   

• Most importantly...have your child read, read , read! The more one reads, the more one knows.

Have a fabulous weekend,

Lynn Boskie

Buzz… did you know that every Friday I have Pizza Movie Night at my house... 

Photo Day is Tuesday, September 19

Photo Day is Tuesday, September 19.  Springer is using a different Photo company this year--Lifetouch.  Order forms have gone home with your child in their Friday Folder.  You may order your photos by bringing your completed order form on photo day and turn it in to your child’s teacher, or you may order online by clicking  here.  This link is also available on Springer’s website.

Back-To-School-Order Form

The BTS Order Form is a quick, easy, online tool that allows you to join the PTA, make donations, purchase Auction tickets and Spirit Wear, and register Walk-a-thon guest walkers.  This is a convenient way to make a single payment for your donations and orders!

The link to the form is: Springer 2017 BTS Order Form

The password is: "stingers" (all lower case)

The online form will close on Monday, September 18th.  Paper order forms are available in the 'PTA Membership' cubby in the school office.

Contact bts@springerpta.net with any questions regarding the BTS Form.

Thank you for your support of the Springer PTA!

Parking Lot and Drop Off/ Pick up Safety  

Now that school is in full swing, it is a good time to review some safety information concerning our parking lot.  

• Practice patient driving while in our parking lot or on our neighboring roads.  Slow down and stay alert.  Being late to work is no excuse to drive dangerously.

• Please be sure to park in the designated parking spaces only.

• Walkers should use the designated crosswalks, both on the streets and in our parking lot.  The parking lot crosswalks are marked with cones.  Please have your child use them.  Never allow your child to walk through the parking lot without utilizing the designated crosswalks.

• We love our volunteer crosswalk duty parents!  They wear their bright orange vests with pride and are quick to help kids across the parking lot.  Please treat them with the respect they deserve; they are trying to keep our students safe.

• Expect more car traffic on Mondays and Fridays.  These are music days for our upper grade students.   They, and their musical instruments,  are more likely to be transported to school via a car on those days.  Please plan accordingly and realize the parking lot will be a bit more crowded.

•  Do not drop off students in the inner two lanes of the parking lot.  The yellow curb is for dropping off students.   The red curb means NO STOPPING AT ALL.  

By staying alert, keeping our speed down, and looking out for each other, we can go a long way in keeping our parking lot and neighboring streets safe.

Springer Singers

Does your child love to sing? Then Springer Singers is where you want them to be.

Springer Singers is a fantastic way to get your kids singing and dancing with their Springer friends.

The Springer Singers are open to all Springer students.

New to Springer Singers in Grades 1 & 2: Mondays 2:45-3:30

Returning Singers in Grades 2 - 6: Tuesdays 3:00-3:45

Springer Multi

Applications available in the office, or by clicking here.  Please complete form and return with payment (scholarships available) to participate.

Questions? Contact Heidi Rockett at rockettland@comcast.net

Walk To School

As most of you have heard, solar power is coming to Springer! Solar panels are to be installed in the school parking lot. During the construction phase, driving to school will be challenging as more congestion is expected due to unavailability of parking spots in the lot during this time. Biking, scootering, walking, hopping and skipping will be great options to getting to school.

We know many of you are already doing just that and we would like to facilitate connections in our Springer community so that more of our students can get to school without the use of a car or through a carpool arrangement.

To get those conversations started we've put together a google sheet  where you can put in your info if you are interested in being part of a walking bus, a bike train or a carpool. We are also including the link to suggested Safe Routes to School put together by VERBS in cooperation with the City of Mountain View. Check out Springer's map here.

On September 27th we want to have these new commutes in place and get as many of our Springer community walking, biking or carpooling as we can. This will give us a chance to carry out a dry run before construction starts. Stay tuned for more details on September 27th.

If you have any questions on the school commute, you can reach out to Lisa Hearn,lisaandmattyboy@yahoo.com.

Go Camping! The Walk-a-thon is Coming!

The 2017 Walk-a-thon committee is looking for more parents to join the team. We need a volunteer coordinator, a raffle head, and sponsors. The volunteer coordinator sends emails to volunteers helping the day of the Walk-a-thon, prints name tags for the volunteers, and mans the volunteer check-in table. The raffle head solicits donations for prizes and sells raffle tickets at the Walk-a-thon. Sponsorship at any level can make a difference, by donating raffle prizes, incentives for students, or getting your company logo printed on the popular Walk-a-thon t-shirt.

If you would like to be involved in the planning of this fun event, have questions, or would like to be a sponsor, contact the chairs: Claudine Sheridan (claudine3c [at] yahoo.com) or Lara Rahn (lara.rahn [at] yahoo.com).

After School Programs

Springer has some wonder after-school programs, and it’s not too late to sign up--even if the class has already started.  Please check out our website for more information.

Art Docent Training

Los Altos Art Docents are looking for new volunteers to join us!

Our training sessions run from September through mid-April. You may still join our group of trainees this year, and are welcome to come to our September 13 training session to see what it's all about!

Location: iLearn Studio, located at 201 Covington Road, Los Altos.

Time: Wednesday mornings, 8:45am-11:30am

If you would like more information, please contact the Art Docent

office at (650) 947-1195 or kdickerson@lasdschools.org, or see our website athttp://www.losaltosartdocents.org

Hot Lunch

We are still seeking volunteers for Wednesdays.   The Hot Lunch program would not be possible without the 20+ volunteers per week that come in to serve lunch!  The lunch volunteer shift is weekly, or alternating weeks, from 11:25-12:15.  Hot lunch volunteers receive a Choice Lunch credit for a free lunch for every volunteer shift worked.  Contact Donna Murphy (at HotLunchScheduling@springerpta.net) to join the lunch crew or if you’d like more information.

LAEF

Did you know that your donation to LAEF supports STEM, arts, literacy, wellness and personalized learning NOW through June 2018?  Here are some ways elementary students benefit from LAEF this school year.

• Literacy aides in 1st and 2nd grade

• STEM and computer science teachers

• Librarians and certified PE instructors

• Plus music and art!

Every TK-8th grade student in LASD will benefit from LAEF-funded programs, and that’s why our goal is 100% parent participation. The suggested donation per student is $1,200 (or $120 per month for 10 months). Every gift in any amount is appreciated.

Learn more & make a donation today at

www.laefonline.org.

Selpa Events

Selpa, an all-volunteer group of parents of children with special needs, are sponsoring several upcoming events:

Parent Chat: The Second Tuesday of every month.  Click here for flyer.

Click here for Spanish Parent Chat flyer.

Volunteers Needed ASAP  

We are looking for parent volunteers to assist preparing classroom materials; including copying and laminating.  Please contact Diana Rudolph in the Springer Office at 650-943-4200.

Looking To Fill Noon Duty Position

Springer needs a Noon Duty Aide on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:45 to 12:45.  Please call the Springer School Office at 650-943-4200 to apply.  

Four Leaf

Fourleaf, the online directory, is in the process of being updated.  We expect it to be up and running in the next two to three weeks.  Thank you for your patience!

Kepler’s Author Showcase

Soman Chainani

Springer Elementary School

September 20

2:00-3:00pm

The School for Good and Evil #4: Quests for Glory

Grades 3-6

Click here for flyer and and the book order form.

Springer Auction

Hi Springer!

Don't forget about the awesome Fall community parties still available for you to join.

For new families, this is a great way to meet people. All ticket proceeds go to support

Springer.

Check out the Open Party List, and contact the host to sign-up.

OPEN PARTIES COMING UP:

·         Red Solo Cup Euchre Party, September 15 (no experience or partner needed!)

·         Tossapalooza Adult Field Day, September 16

·         Springer Adult Scavenger Challenge, September 23

·         Yoga and Wine, October 7

Questions? springerauction@gmail.com

Living Classroom

Become a LIVING CLASSROOM docent... share your love of nature with kids!

It's time to harvest seeds from heirloom tomatoes, plant our winter wheat and veggies, search the schoolyard for animal homes, and learning about Native California Indian uses of plants!  If you like all those things and more, please consider becoming a Living Classroom docent!  Living Classroom is looking for docents to help deliver hands-on garden-based lessons to the students of the Los Altos School District.  No experience necessary as we provide all the training needed!  Our Fall Docent Training will take place on Monday mornings from 9am-Noon from Sep. 11th – Oct. 16th  (please see our Fall training flyer for locations).

Click here for flyer and more info.

Want to learn more about our program?  Please consider attending one of our upcoming Informational Meetings from 10-11am on Monday 8/21 or Monday 8/28 at the Los Altos School District iLearn Studio, 201 Covington Road, Los Altos and/or visit our website at www.living-classroom.org.

Questions? Email us at livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103.  

Caroline Chan

Program Coordinator, Los Altos School District

Living Classroom

(650) 947-1103 (office)

(650) 303-9764 (cell)

livingclassroom@lasdschools.org

www.living-classroom.org

OhmConnect Fundraising Platform

The Springer community started using a novel fundraising platform last year, called OhmConnect. We raised $930 last year, and $1500 this year by having a handful of parents of the school turn down their electricity usage just one hour per week.

We're aiming to raise $5,000 this year and all you need to do is signup using this link and connect your utility account.

ohm.co/springer

OhmConnect donates between $50 - $150 per team member per year, depending on how much you reduce. They'll be donating an instant $75 per new team member. If you haven't signed up yet, now's the time to do it!

Parent Education Opportunities

Through an enriching presentations from local and national experts on topics of interests 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 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.