What do the 1st Annual International Festival (2/7), Beautification Day (3/1), and the Spring Gala – “Viva Las Vegas” (3/8) all have in common?  Each pays tribute to the extraordinary qualities of the Almond community.

Last Friday night, hundreds of you descended upon the multi to celebrate the rich diversity that we each bring to this community.  In planning this event, our modest hope was to bring together perhaps 25 families.  Wow!  Almond, you blew it out of the water.  Families streamed in with food from all over the world that was made with love and care: samosas from India, enchiladas from Mexico, cheese plates from Northern Europe, rice cakes from Korea, King Cake from New Orleans and more… These delectable dishes were not the highlight of the evening.  The real beauty was in the sincere connections that families made with each other, the conversations between our newest families and our long standing ones, the bravery demonstrated by our solo 3rd grade hula hoop performer, and the fun-spirited dancing lead by one of our talented moms.  I extend my deep gratitude to all the planners of this event, all who bestowed the magnificence of their heritage by attending, and the selflessness of those who rolled up their sleeves to help clean up at the end of the evening.

On Saturday, March 1st, a whole crew of us will dedicate energy to the asset of service by spending a morning at Almond.  We will clean our campus, work on special projects and take pride in that this is OUR school and WE are the keepers of this remarkable place.  Join us in this effort and help us plan ahead for your participation by contacting Martha Gomez.  Thank you Martha for taking such great care of us and embodying the outward facing mindset we embrace at Almond.

Then, on Saturday evening, March 8th, the adults (sorry kiddos) get to gather for an incredibly fun evening together.  This only happens every other year, so seize this opportunity in 2014.  We get to dress up, enjoy some good food together, boogie down (if you so choose), and oh, yes…raise some dollars to support Almond’s instructional program.  While I have had the pleasure of meeting many of our families, I know there are more out there with whom I have not yet connected.  There are more stories for me to learn, conversations to be had, and I hope that I get this opportunity at the auction. 

Have a wonderful February break!  Recharge, enjoy the change in routine and come back revitalized and committed to exploring new ways in which you can contribute to this exceptional Almond community.