Dear Almond Families,

Last week, I had the pleasure of watching both student casts perform the musical, “The Lion King,” in our Almond multi. Our students were, in a word, BREATHTAKING! They were at times funny, serious, engaging but always invested in the work they were performing. What a great opportunity for our young people to be involved in a project where they have spent several months developing their 21st Century skills of creativity (the nuanced art of acting), collaboration (interacting and negotiating the theater space, dialogue and music with their fellow actors), critical thinking (understanding the motives of each character and story) and communication (playing off each other and emoting to the audience).

Activities such as this drama production allow students a safe space to take risks. That word “risk” can often be considered negative, but it is a fundamental part of growing up and learning to be a well-rounded adult. We want our children to grapple with and negotiate all aspects of winning, losing and working through challenges as these are experiences they will encounter throughout their lives. The trick is to steer our young people towards activities that lead to positive risk taking (sports, theater, music, student government) instead of negative ones.

So, whether your child is interested in athletics, singing, chess or public speaking, encourage him or her to take positive risks! And in the case of those with a proclivity towards musical theater, there will be another opportunity for them to flex their acting chops in next year’s production.

An extra special thank you to Luisa Smith and Christi Crosby for leading the drama production this year.

Here’s to our Almond PTA for supporting the many wonderful programs our kiddos enjoy,

Raquel

P.s. Check out the picture below of students playing in the newly installed gaga ball pit. Thanks again to our 6th grade students and families for this gift to the school. It has been a hit with students of all ages!

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Family Picnic Canceled!

Family Picnic this Sunday, May 19, has been canceled!

Open House and Art Show

We will be opening our doors to celebrate student learning at Almond on Thursday, May 23rd from 6pm-7pm. Also, come by a little early or stay a little late for the Almond Art Show in the Multi from 5:30pm-7:30pm.

Important Dates

• 5/18, Sat, Los Altos Pet Parade, 10:00 am, details below
• 5/20, Mon, Spring Music Concert (Concert for Parents - 1pm)
• 5/22, Wed, PTA General Meeting
• 5/23, Thurs, OPEN HOUSE (6pm-7pm) and ART SHOW (5:30pm - 7:30pm)
• 5/24, Fri, MINIMUM DAY, 12:15 dismissal for all students
• 5/27, Mon, HOLIDAY, No School

Spring Music Concert @ Almond is on

Monday, May 20, 2019

Concert for Parents – begins at 1pm

After School Playground Reminder

Please do not take your younger children to play on the blacktop, upper or lower playgrounds or field before our upper grade students are dismissed for the day. Our teachers (classroom and PE) need access to these areas for instruction. Thanks!

Last SELPA 1 CAC meeting

SELPA 1 CAC will be holding their last meeting of the school year on May 23 at 9:30 in the MVLA Board Room at 1299 Bryant St, Mountain View. Please come and find out more about what we are planning for special education related events next year, and take part in our election. Our website is www.selpa1cac.org

SELPA 1 CAC llevará a cabo su última reunión del año escolar el 23 de mayo a las 9:30 en la sala de juntas de MVLA en 1299 Bryant St, Mountain View. Venga y descubra más sobre lo que estamos planeando para los eventos relacionados con la educación especial el próximo año, y participe en nuestra elección. Nuestro sitio web es www.selpa1cac.org

Volunteers needed for Hot Lunch for 2019-2020 School Year

We are currently seeking volunteers to help with serving hot lunch during the 2019/2020 school year. Time commitment on scheduled days is approximately 11:40am-12:40pm. You may specify how often and what weekdays you are available. Main responsibilities are helping to hand out food and ensuring children in the lunch line are moving through quickly.

If you are able to volunteer, please email Laura Gao at lauvid@gmail.com or you may sign up on this spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TjluEZuTIOZb13mg7SW95of5oFMerts9KPr9T2Vao9o/edit#gid=1896942969

Almond Activities to be Canceled Unless Parent Volunteers Available

There are a few activities our kids are in jeopardy of losing for next year because we do not have parent volunteers to run them. If you have enjoyed any of these activities or would like to ensure we have them for next year, please consider helping out. Contact Andrea Bocking (andreabocking@gmail.com), PTA President 2019-2020. Thank you!

Community Service - this committee helps inspire Almond students and families to give back through participating in nonprofit events. We need someone who can manage our participation in these events. More info about Almond Community Service can be found at https://almondschool.org/Almondes/Portal/almond-community-service. Without someone to lead this group, we will need to cancel community service opportunities.

Yearbook - this is a fun project that involves helping student council make the yearbook and distributing it to students. Let your creative side shine and keep a wonderful Almond tradition alive. Without someone to oversee and help produce the yearbook, we will not be able to offer this to our students.

Drama Club - if your child enjoyed this year's production of the Lion King, then consider helping out the Drama Club! We need a co-chair for next year's Drama Club that can help and learn from our expert returning chairs.

Living Classroom is seeking volunteers!

With more teachers than ever before signing up for our fun and engaging lessons, we are struggling to meet our lesson demand. Come to our Informational Meeting and Garden Tour to learn how you can help! Feel free to invite a friend, neighbor or grandparent to attend with you!

Living Classroom Info Meeting & Garden Tour

Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 10am

Los Altos School District – Board Room

201 Covington Road, Los Altos

Click here https://www.losaltos.k12.ca.us/files/user/1/file/LASD Recruitment Flyer May 2019.pdf for a flyer for this event!

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

Check us out at www.living-classroom.org!

Who we are:

We are a dedicated group of trained volunteers who teach hands-on garden-based lessons to students in grades K-8.

Why volunteer?

Living Classroom is about more than just teaching students how to plant in the garden. It’s about using the edible and native plant gardens at each school as living laboratories and engaging student learning in fun and relevant ways. Most of our standard-aligned lessons are interdisciplinary and tie into science, social studies and math curriculum. Our hands-on lessons also get kids outside (green time vs. screen time), encourage healthy eating habits, and promote environmental literacy and stewardship.

Volunteering with Living Classroom offers a way for docents to act locally to help protect our environment and nurture our future environmental stewards!

You don’t have to have a green thumb to be an amazing Living Classroom docent. In fact, our program is a great way to learn how to turn that black thumb into a green one!

Living Classroom docents enjoy ongoing educational programs, hikes, field trips, social activities and a wonderful sense of community. Just seeing the students smile and get excited when a docent arrives to give a lesson is rewarding and priceless!

The commitment is only 6 hours (3 lessons) a month and you can tailor the program to fit your interests and availability.

Thanks and we hope to see you in the gardens soon!

Living Classroom Staff

Viking Showcase

The Viking Showcase will be held this year on Thursday, June 6, 2019. Over 200 parent and community volunteers will be needed for this extraordinary event. Please sign up!

For over 20 years, the Viking Showcase Day has been a rite of passage for Egan 8th graders. This is a special event for 8th grade students, faculty, and adult volunteers. Details are available on the Viking Showcase page on Egan Web site:

https://eganschool.org/egan/6696-PD.html

Any questions, please contact Lauren Hasenhuttl lhasenhu@gmail.com

Co-chair of Viking Showcase

72nd annual LOS ALTOS PET PARADE

The 72nd annual LOS ALTOS PET PARADE will be held on Saturday, May 18th at 10 a.m.

Please join your fellow Almond families and their pets (dogs, cats, birds, goats, reptiles, stuffed animals or no animals at all) to meet at 9:30am in the parking lot behind The Post (formally First & Main) restaurant.

Look for the Almond balloons and the Almond Eagle mascot!

Please RSVP at http://evite.me/CMnsd7t6rp if can so we can get a preliminary head count. -- Come Join the Fun!

One Dollar for Life

Hello Almond Families!

A group of teens will be traveling to Nepal with the local nonprofit organization One Dollar for Life (www.odfl.org) that was started at Los Altos High School. They will be helping build a library at an all-girls school and installing some playground equipment.

We are collecting new and used educational supplies to take with us. Here is a list of desired items:

Used laptops or notepads

Sports equipment - any kind of balls, frisbees, jump ropes, badminton

Sports uniforms (shirts, shorts), clothes, cleats, athletic shoes

Musical instruments (they make instruments out of gourds, wood, metal piping, coconut shells, etc)

Toys, puzzles, games (nothing with too many pieces that will get lost and become useless) Legos (Bricks only) Duplo Blocks

Toothbrushes and toothpaste (ask dentists)

Spiral Notebooks, Backpacks, Pencils, Crayons, Rulers Etc.

Books (for children, in English)

There is a bin in the office for donations. Every little bit helps!

Please contact Shandell Randall, shandellr@odfl.org, if you have any questions.

4th Grade Instrument Quest

June 4th, 2019

4:00 – 7:00

Covington Multi

In preparation for choosing a musical instrument to play in 5th grade, the LASD Music Department will host an instrument selection event called “Instrument Quest” for all 4th grade students in the district. Your child will be able to try out every instrument we offer in our Band and Orchestra (flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello).

This is a great opportunity to see which instrument best suits your child. Parents are welcome to ask questions and to meet the LASD Music teachers.

Golden Eagle Summer Sports Camp

By using the promo code almond19 you will save $20 off your registration and Golden Eagle will donate $20 directly to the PTA.

Golden Eagle Summer Sports Camp is a family run all-sports day camp for boys and girls K-8th grade. With a wide variety of sports and activities to choose from, including swimming, basketball, volleyball, soccer and more, it's one of the most loved camps in the Cupertino and San Jose communities. Camps this summer are running at both Homestead and Los Altos High Schools. Visit www.goldeneaglecamp.org or contact Carly at carly@goldeneaglecamp.org for more info.

LAEF Support

Help us raise the final $49K to meet our goal of $3.5M this school year.

We have a $5K challenge match! Your donation can be doubled.

Donate online or drop off a check in your school office.

Donations to LAEF are making a difference for every student!

This spring, contributions to LAEF are funding

• · PE teachers, helping students develop physical skills and training students for Junior Olympics
• · Music teachers, preparing students for spring concerts
• · Computer science teachers and STEM ISTs, making STEM and cSTEM Expos possible
• · Librarians, helping students to enjoy reading and teaching online research skills
• · Art Docents, introducing students to art appreciation and hands on learning
• · And so much more!

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @LAEFonline