ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
February 9, 2017

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• Thursday, 2/16 - Strictly Strings Concert (LAHS Eagle Theatre, 7pm)
• Friday, 2/17 - Crazy Hair Spirit Day
• Monday thru Friday, 2/20 to 2/24  - Holiday, Winter Recess (NO SCHOOL)
• Wednesday, 3/1 - Family Science Night (Multi, 6:30-8pm)
• Friday, 3/3 - Incoming 7th Grade Parent Tours (Egan Multi, 9:30am)
• Tuesday, 3/7 - Minimum Day, School Ends at 12:15pm
• Thursday, 3/16 - Bookwave Blast (Multi, 6-8pm)
• Thursday, 3/30 - Incoming 7th Grade Parent Panel (Egan Library, 7:00pm)
• Friday, 3/31 - Incoming 7th Grade Student Tour & Elective Faire (Egan, 8:30am)
• Monday, 4/3 - STEM Expo School Day Showcase
• Tuesday, 4/4 - STEM Expo Community Night (Multi, 4:30pm - 6:00pm)
• Monday thru Friday, 4/10 to 4/14 - Spring Break (NO SCHOOL)
• Saturday, 4/29 - LASD Junior Olympics (MVHS, 8am - 4pm)

SCHOOL MESSAGE

...from Mrs. Benadom

As mentioned in last week’s message, one fifth (108/541) of Almond students were born outside of the United States.  These children and their families enrich our community through their global experiences. We welcome them with open arms!

A large portion of our students (433 to be exact) were born in this wonderful country.  Eighty-two percent joined this planet within the state of CA, while the remaining 8% were born in 22 different states.  And, just because this type of data fascinates me...13 started their lives in Illinois, 13 in Massachusetts, with the next largest count being 8 in New York.

So, what.  Why does any of this even matter?

It matters because we are a beautifully diverse community.  By learning about the origins and journeys of others, we can broaden our practice of acceptance and empathy.  Another way to accomplish this, is through travel.

Last spring, my husband and I had the great fortune of traveling to China.  The purpose of our visit was to meet Almond’s sister school, Hangzhou Dayulu Primary School.  Chris and I came back transformed.  We gained an incredible appreciation for the hard working nature of the Chinese people, reverence for China’s history and cultural contributions, gratitude for the growing awareness of their younger generation on the environmental impact of industrialization, and admiration for the freedoms that we often take for granted.  Here are some pictures.

Part of our transformation included a charge to ensure that our own children understood the greater beauty in this world and the richness of culture.  As such, we lugged them along with us on a wild summer adventure through Costa Rica and Nicaragua.  It was fantastic!

Well...it is now time for Almond to host some visitors from our sister school in China.  On April 26th, twenty-four 4th through 6th grade students, three teachers, and the vice principal, will arrive in Los Altos and stay until May 1st.  The students will attend school on Thursday, 4/27 and Friday, 4/28.  They will attend our LASD Junior Olympics on Saturday, 4/29.  On Sunday, 4/30, they will venture on a tour to San Francisco and depart from Los Altos on 5/1.

We need host families.

The responsibility of a host family is to welcome a student from Hangzhou China into your home to allow them to experience what it’s like in America.  They will eat breakfast with you, travel to school with you, go home with you after school, partake in your dinner ritual, and spend the night with you.  The student will stay with you for 5 nights.  If your family has existing commitments (e.g. karate class, swimming), this student will accompany you.  On the day of Junior Olympics, you will transport them to the high school and they will remain with you and your child throughout the day.  On Sunday, you will drop them off at school for their tour to San Francisco and then pick them back up that evening.  The following Monday, they head back to China.

It is preferable that the host student from Almond is at the same grade level.  However, if we are not able to accommodate this, then we welcome any family at any grade level to host.

Our visitors are:
4th graders – 13  (3 boys, 10 girls)
5th graders – 9   (7 boys, 2 girls)
6th graders – 2  (2 girls)

This would be a wonderful experience for your family to learn about the Chinese culture and to share your own traditions.

If you are interested, please fill out THIS form and we will be in touch.  

Mr. Chan will be taking the lead in coordinating this visit.  THANK YOU MR. CHAN!!!!
 

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW

ATTENDANCE PROTOCOLS

• It's Cold & Flu Season.  If your child is experiencing ANY of the following symptoms, please keep them home until they are well AND call the Almond Attendance Line at 650-917-5454 to let us that they will not be at school.  This saves us having to call you.  Thank you.
• Keep your child at home when they have any of the following symptoms:
  • Fever (any temperature of 99.6 F or above
  • Chills
  • Vomiting or Diarrhea
  • ​Nausea
  • Sore throat or trouble swallowing
  • ​Coughing, sneezing and/or running nose
  • ​Unusually red, crusted or burning eyes
  • ​Headache
  • ​Rash or unusual sores or spots
  • ​Wheezing or trouble breathing
  • Generalized muscle aches and pains
  • Head Lice

STUDENT COUNCIL

• Almond has decided to fight homelessness this year. This year’s goal is to raise $2,750! Money can be donated by check, bill, and/or coins. The student council has done lots of research to conclude that we will be working with (CHP) Community Housing Partnership. Our donations to them will help buy materials for their Learning Academy, which trains and prepares people without homes to get and keep a job. We will kick off our fundraiser with an informational presentation this Friday in the Multi during Friday assembly.
• The next upcoming spirit day after that is crazy hair day! This is where your kids can have the opportunity to do whatever they want to their hair, style it, color it, add everyday objects to it, and much much more. Make sure they get as creative as possible. This spirit day will take place on February 17th.

STRICTLY STRINGS CONCERT
6th Grade Orchestra Students from Almond, Covington, Gardner Bullis and Santa Rita will be featured in a performance with Egan and Los Altos High School Orchestras. Come to see the progression of string students from elementary to high school. It is a free concert, everyone is invited!  Thursday, Feb. 16th, 7:00 PM, Los Altos High School Eagle Theatre

LAEF: New $20,000 Matching Grant! Donate today.
LAEF is pleased to share with you that two LASD families have just offered $20,000 in matching funds! That means that all NEW donations and any dollar you give OVER your donation amount last year will be matched, up to $20,000. Since LAEF’s annual grant benefits every TK-8 student, we strive for 100% participation from all LASD families.  That's why these families are giving now. To inspire you to donate by March 10th at www.LAEFonline.org.

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED

Family Science Night

• Is on Wednesday March 1st 6:30-8 pm. Do you enjoy Science or showing kids how to make stuff? Please volunteer here to run a table --  we'll give you everything needed, it's fun! And/or please signup to help set-up the morning of the event after dropoff. Questions? Christi Crosby cdcrosby@gmail.com
• What is Family Science Night? It's another Almond PTA sponsored event. Enjoy a fun night for everyone, where children (TK-6th) can explore 25+ hands-on stations. Check out Stanford Optical Society's lazer maze, see how tendons work, make slime, create with Kidizens in the STEM lab, experience the effects of lung disease and more! Family Science Night is not a dropoff event, children must be accompanied by adult.

REMINDER OF LOST & FOUND PURGE PROTOCOL
Starting with January, we will clear out the Lost & Found at the end of each month to keep it from getting ridiculously full.  Please put your child's name or at least a family name in your children's clothing and we will do our best to return it to you.  Remind your children to look in the Lost & Found regularly.  

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Almond After-School Playdate Events - Girl Scout Fundraiser!

• Egan Girl Scout Troop 61015 is hosting several after-school playdates at Almond as a fundraiser for our summer trip.
• The troop will provide supervised play and activities to Almond students in grades K-3, and siblings ages 3 and up who are potty trained. Kids will have a lot of fun with board games, legos, arts and crafts, play time on the playground, and snacks will be provided. Most of the scouts have earned their babysitting badge and are Red Cross babysitting certified. Scouts will run the event, and several adults will be present to assist them.
• The fee for each event is $25 per child and $10 for each additional sibling - you can pay at drop off or pick up. Parents who RSVP will be provided a permission slip to sign and turn in at the event(s). We will have extra copies to sign at check in.
• All events will take place from 2:25-4:45pm in the Almond multi; click on each date to RSVP:  Friday, March 10 or Friday, April 28
• We hope to see your child(ren) there! Please email Sara Elkin if you have any questions.

It is Girl Scout Cookie Time!!

• Starting Feb 1st, Almond Girl Scout troops will be selling all your favorite girl scout cookies right after school in the rotunda!!  Cookies are $5/box; Smores and GF ToffeeTastic are $6/box. Cash and checks accepted.
• Please come support your Almond Girl Scouts!   
  • Feb 15th- Troop 61077 6th Grade
• Thank you and if you have any questions, please contact Meredith Hiltgen - Almond Girl Scout School Manager (meredith@hiltgen.com)

WANT TO SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE THURSDAY WORD?

Send announcements to us at AlmondThursdayWord@lasdschools.org by 12:00pm Monday, for that week's Word. Keep your announcements brief and, if applicable, send a PDF version of any flyer or additional information to be posted on the website.

Quick Links…

School & Community News now found via Peachjar:

https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138&region=53999

Almond Elementary School Website