ALMOND THURSDAY WORD
February 15, 2018

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• 2/19 - 2/23, Winter Recess - NO SCHOOL
• Thursday, 3/1, Family Science Night, (6:30-8pm, Multi)
• Saturday, 3/3, Spring Gala and Auction (6:00-11pm, Computer History Museum)
• Thursday, 3/8, Bookwave Blast (6:30, Multi)
• Wednesday, 3/21, PTA General Meeting (8:30am, Multi)
• Friday, 3/23
  • School Coffee re: Beyond Academics (8:30am, STEM Lab)
  • International Festival (PM, Multi)
• Tuesday, 4/3, STEM Expo (TBD, Multi)
• 4/9 - 4/13, Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
• Wednesday, 4/18, PTA General Meeting (8:30am, Multi)
• Friday, 4/20, School Coffee re: TBD (8:30am, STEM Lab)
• Tuesday, 4/24, Almond Singer Concert (7pm, Multi)
• Saturday, 4/28, LASD Junior Olympics (8am-4pm, Mountain View High)
• Tuesday, 5/8, LASD Gr. 4-6 Music Concert (1pm, Multi)
• 5/14 - 5/18, 6th Graders at Science Camp
• Friday, 5/18, School Coffee re: TBD (8:30am, STEM Lab)
• Wednesday, 5/23, PTA General Meeting (8:30am, Multi)
• Thursday, 5/24, Open House (6pm - 7pm)
• Friday, 5/25, Minimum Day - Dismissal at 12:15pm
• Monday, 5/28, Holiday - NO SCHOOL
• Friday, 6/1, Minimum Day - Dismissal at 12:15pm
• Tuesday, 6/5
  • TK/K CSMA Parent Concert (1pm, Multi)
  • Gr. 1 - 3 CSMA Parent Concert (2pm, Multi)
• Thursday, 6/7
  • Last Day of School
  • Morning Assembly (8:30am, Multi)
  • 6th Grade Promotion (8:45am doors open for seating, 9:00am ceremony begins)
  • Minimum Day Dismissal - 12:15pm

PRINCIPAL MESSAGE

On my email signature I have this quote by Elie Wiesel (1986 Nobel Peace Prize winner), “We know that every moment is a moment of grace, every hour an offering; not to share them would mean to betray them. Our lives no longer belong to us alone; they belong to all those who need us desperately.”

Professor Wiesel taught at Boston University where I received my undergraduate degree.  I was blessed to hear him speak and received a signed copy of his book Night.  I have learned a great deal in my 45 years on this planet, and one of those things is to savor every present moment because we know not what tomorrow brings.

I genuinely love your children.  All 511 of them.  Each and every single one of them is remarkable!  They didn’t come to this world on their own.  They gained passage onto this Earth through you and continue to be supported by you.

I have had the wonderful privilege of serving the Almond community as principal, as well as being a mother to two incredible children (who attend our neighborhood schools in Los Gatos).  Like Los Gatos, The Los Altos School District depends heavily on our PTAs to augment school funds to provide for excellent programs that extend beyond traditional academics.

As a parent, I look forward to my children’s annual Gala/Auction each year.  My husband and I put on our best formal attire and join dear friends in a night of celebration - all for the benefit of raising dollars for our children’s education.

As your principal, I am eagerly anticipating our own Great Gatsby themed Almond Gala/Auction on March 3rd.  Many of the Almond staff will be present!  The Mission Possible Agents of Change are thrilled to attend to show our gratitude for your generosity and magnanimity.  It will be a gift to spend time chatting with many of you whom I see in passing as I’m often rushing from one moment to the next.  The event is being held at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.  That alone entices my curiosity a great deal.

If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, please do so.  HERE is the link.

It would be an honor to share this evening with you!  We need each other to amplify the beauty that exists in this world.  By coming together on March 3rd, we can capture together - “a moment of grace.”

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW

LOST & FOUND
Tomorrow, at 1pm, all lost and found items will be bagged and prepared for donation.  If you are missing items, please come find them ASAP.

FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHT IS COMING THURSDAY MARCH 1ST 6:30-8:00PM!

• What is Family Science Night?
  • An amazing night of science exploration at Almond School!  25+ stations for children TK-6th grade to interact with everything from robotics to anatomy!
    • Navigate through a laser maze
    • Create amazing lego structures with Kidizens
    • Program a robot
    • Make slime that glows and your own flavored lip balm
    • Interact with bugs in the Insect Discovery Lab
    • Observe bats, reptiles, and much more!
• Family Science Night is not a drop off event, children must be accompanied by adult.
• Do you enjoy science or helping children explore and experiment?
  • We still need a few volunteers to run a table or help set up the morning of the event at 8:30am.
  • Sign up here! Questions? Dharti Dhami dharti@gmail.com or Melissa Neal mbryantneal@yahoo.com

SPRING GALA AUCTION

• Last call for Spring Gala auction donation items!  Today is the last day to submit your donations.  If you still have something you'd like to donate, but haven't had the opportunity to submit the donation in the online donation form, please contact Nina at nkrammer@yahoo.com to make arrangements as soon as possible.
• Pre-bidding on silent auction items is scheduled to begin on Monday, February 26.  In order to pre-bid, you will need to pre-register online.  See the Gala FAQs that were sent out last week through Almond Announce for more information.

STUDENT COUNCIL
Thank you for participating in the Valentines Card Making Week! Altogether we made 136 Valentine Cards to be delivered in lunches from the Community Services Agency to seniors in need.

52 SO FAR - LET’S KEEP CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH
HERE is the slide deck.  We have had 52 contributions out of 512 students.  Please take some time to learn about an amazing champion of African heritage and create a slide to honor their achievements.  Remember to check your information for accuracy; multiple sources are always best.  Please take this time with your child to remind them that in a group project, there is a responsibility to safeguard the work of others while adding your own contributions.  Therefore please scroll all the way to the bottom and edit from there.

LAEF

• We invite you to join us as we recognize the realtors in our community who participated in our Honor Roll of Realtors program this year! Since 1995, LAEF and MVLA education foundations’ Honor Roll of Realtors program has brought real estate experts and philanthropy together in support of our public schools. This year we raised over $102,000 for quality education for TK-12 students in Los Altos public schools!  Find out who is on the 2018 Honor Roll of Realtors at laefonline.org, and when the time comes to contact a realtor, select one of these professionals committed to a strong school community.
• Donate to LAEF today and help us raise an additional $700K to reach our goal of $3.7M by April 27th. Gifts of any amount are appreciated. Learn more & make your tax-deductible donation today at www.laefonline.org.

EARLY MAN MOVIE FUNDRAISER: AVAILABLE THROUGH MARCH 31

• The 6th graders are fundraising with a Filmraiser to the movie EARLY MAN. The 6th graders will earn $1.00 for the North Bay Fire Victims from every ticket purchased for shows in February and March, 2018 when you click this link.
• TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!
• Click this link and $1.00 from every ticket to EARLY MAN bought during February and March supports Almond Elementary School's 6th Grade North Bay Fire Victims fundraising.
• PLEASE NOTE: There will be no mention of our cause past this link. The custom link tracks our sales, but Fandango does not host any information about the schools or causes that FilmRaiser supports.
• If you would like to post or share the ticket link with friends and family throughout the US that benefits Almond Elementary School 6th Grade, please use: https://www.fandango.com/early-man-200804/movie-overview?a=13034&cmp=13034:early001004
• Thanks in advance for your support! Almond 6th Graders

BOOKWAVE BLAST

• All Almond Families, please mark your calendar for Bookwave Blast taking place on Thursday, March 8th from 6:30pm to 8pm. We will be showcasing all the books written by our students between 6:30pm while refreshments are served, and our featured speaker Jennifer Rahardjanoto will begin her presentation promptly at 7pm.
• Jenn Rahardjanoto is a visionary who's inspired by the power of design to tell stories. She's lived in many different parts of the world and graduated with Honors from Art Center College of Design. She's well known in the children's entertainment world as one of the best creative mind behind a kid's brands. She is currently the Chief Creative Officer at GoldieBlox inc. Prior to that, she worked as the Marketing Creative Director at Playstudios, Story Art Director at Mattel Playground Production, and designer in entertainment production world in Los Angeles.  
• Because of Jen's connection to Mattel and her current role at GoldieBlox, there will be raffles and drawings with fun prizes (may I say TOYS!!). It will be an inspirational and FUN evening for sure!
• Special Thanks to all the families who turned in the Bookwave Packets! They have been sent out and are being "published" as we speak!
• If you have any questions and/or are able to help set up/take down for Bookwave Blast, PLEASE contact Lily at lily@alexwang.com. Truly appreciate support from the parent community at Almond!

5th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CELEBRATION - SEARCHING FOR PERFORMERS!

• We are pleased to announce the 4th Annual International Celebration slated for Friday, March 23rd. The event brings together Almond families for a fun, casual evening while celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of our school community. All families bring a favorite "international (or favorite)" dish to share (appetizer, entrée, or dessert) and catch up with friends (or make new ones!) and are able to watch various ethnic dance and music performances including appearances by our own Almond School students and alumni. In addition, families are encouraged to come dressed in ethnic wear (anything that you identify with your heritage is fine!).
• How can you help:
  • 1) Sign up if your child or you would like to share a performance specific to a heritage.  If your child participates in local classes bring the troupe or if a solo performer or if your child just loves to perform - let us know! The evening is a perfect opportunity for kids to perform in a welcoming environment.
  • 2) Have any suggestions for a local dance or performance group - please send us the information.
  • 3) Interested in helping with the planning and execution - we definitely would love to grow the group.
• We hope you and your family can join us at the International Celebration! More details to follow. For information or to signup to perform - please contact Lori Sevcik (loriandshea@me.com) and Seema Chavan (bhimsee@yahoo.com).

ATTENTION 4th • 5th • 6th GRADERS - THE 58TH LASD JUNIOR OLYMPICS IS COMING!

• Saturday, April 28, 2017 /  8am-4pm  /  Mountain View High School
• The LASD Junior Olympics Committee has already been working hard to make Junior Olympics 2018 a day to remember.  Please mark your calendars for Saturday, April 28th for a fun-filled day at Mountain View High School.  It will begin with the 1320 yd run at 8:00am, followed by opening ceremonies at 9 am.  From about 9:30-1:30 will be most of the track and field events.  (listed below).  You won't want to miss the very popular Mascot Mania which takes place around 1:30pm.  The day ends at roughly 3:45 with the dash finals, hurdle finals and the relay races.  Bring the whole family but please leave your pets at home.  There will be lunch, snacks and drinks for sale AND plenty of opportunities for you to volunteer your time to make this day extra special for your child!
• General Information
  • Every 4th, 5th and 6th grader in Los Altos School District is invited to participate in the 57th Annual Junior Olympics! This event brings together the seven LASD elementary schools for a friendly track & field competition, in which everyone is encouraged to strive for their personal best and cheer on their classmates as they compete. More information and important Junior Olympics dates available atlasdjo.com.
  • Save the dates!
  • We Need Your Help Training our Young Athletes! Click 2018 Almond JO PE Training Volunteers to sign up.  

PILATES AFTER SCHOOL - EARLY BIRD SPECIAL!

• Pilates After School wants your child to join us this Spring! Learn basic anatomy, body alignment and Pilates moves! We play lots of fun movement games and wrap each class with meditation.
• Dates: Mar 6 - May 15 (no class April 10 for Spring Break
• Time: 3:00-4:10pm (Grade 1 and 2 students meet at 2:40 and will be supervised)
• Price: $325 (includes healthy snacks, mat use, course materials, and t-shirt)
• Early Bird Special: $25 off (automatically calculated at check-out)
• Please go to http://www.pilatesafterschool.com/register.html to register.
• For questions, please contact amie@playitfitnow.com. We hope to see your child in our class!
• From Coach Amie & Olivera

BECOME A LIVING CLASSROOM DOCENT...SHARE YOUR LOVE OF NATURE WITH KIDS!

• It's time to plant tomatoes, dissect flowers, and make yummy pretzels from the wheat the students planted last Fall!  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 Spring Docent Training will take place at the LASD iLearn Studio (201 Covington Road, Los Altos) from 9-Noon on Monday mornings in March (3/5, 3/12, 3/19 and 3/26).  Please click HERE to view our Spring Training Flyer.  Apprentice-style training also available to those who can’t make our Monday morning trainings.
• Questions? Email us at livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103.  For more information about Living Classroom, please visit our website at www.living-classroom.org.

LIVING CLASSROOM EVENT:  NATIVE PLANT TALK “RESTORING NATURE ONE GARDEN AT A TIME:  HOW NATIVE PLANTS ARE KEY TO BRINGING BACK OUR BIRDS, BUTTERFLIES, AND ENTIRE ECOSYSTEMS”

• MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 10:00-11:30 A.M., LOS ALTOS SCHOOL DISTRICT (IN THE ILEARN STUDIO), 201 COVINGTON ROAD, LOS ALTOS, CA 94024
• Living Classroom founder, Vicki Moore, will present research from the recent California Native Plant Society conference that has major implications on the way we look at plants, gardens, and landscaping. There will be special emphasis on what each of us can do to bring back our local ecology at our own homes. Easy to use online references will be shared so attendees will have the tools to create their own native habitat garden.
• Free native pollinator plants will be available! Everyone is welcome! Bring a friend!
• FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT CAROLINE CHAN:  CCHAN@LASDSCHOOLS.ORG

REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS

LASD HEALTH SERVICES
The District Nurses will be doing Hearing screening at Almond for all Kindergarten, 2nd, 5^th grades on 3/7/18. If your child has a known hearing loss, please notify the Health Services Staff (nurses@lasdschools.org) before the day of the screening. The nurse will mail a referral form and call the parents of students who do not pass the Hearing screening.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

The MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series

• Please join us for an evening with Dr. Leonard Sax
• Boys Adrift:  Raising Authentic Boys Engaged in School and Life
• Tuesday, Mar. 6, 2018 - 7:00 - 9:00pm | LAHS Eagle Theater |201 Almond Avenue, Los Altos, CA
• From kindergarten to college, American boys are less resilient and engaged than they were two decades ago and the gender gap in academic achievement continues to widen.  Drawing upon 26 years of clinical experience and scientific research, Dr. Sax will explore how social, cultural, and biological factors have created an environment that impedes the healthy development of many boys today.  Dr. Sax will share concrete strategies to help us as parents connect more deeply with our sons and guide our boys to stay engaged - and grow into productive, self-reliant, authentic young men.
  • Topics include:
    • How much time spent playing video games is too much time, and how do we know?
    • Which video games are OK, and which are not, and how do we know?
    • What has caused the dramatic drop in the testosterone levels of young men over the past 60 years? Why does it matter?
    • What research has been conducted regarding the effect of medications for ADHD on the developing brain?
• Dr. Sax is internationally recognized for his four parenting books, Why Gender Matters (2nd Ed., 2017), Boys Adrift (2^nd Ed., 2016), Girls on the Edge (2010), and The Collapse of Parenting (2015) – a New York Times best-seller and has appeared on the TODAY show, PBS, NPR, CNN, Fox News, and the BBC, and many other national and international media.

To register for this free event, go to https://mvla2017-2018-leonardsax.eventbrite.com
Sponsored by Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), MVLA High School Foundation, Mountain View Educational Foundation (MVEF), and Los Altos-Mountain View PTA Council.

S.O.A.R. CELEBRATIONS
(listed alphabetically by last name)

• Lola Bacchi, 2/14/18, Owning learning. Asking for math support during workshop. Mrs. Burke :-)
• Michael Ballabio, 2/8/18, Solving problems, Owning learning, Always making good choices, Respecting self and others. Way to SOAR!! I am proud of you! <3 Mrs. O'Dell
• Ethan Bao, 2/13/18, Owning learning. Ethan advanced 5 reading levels since the beginning of the year!
• Ruby Border, 2/14/18, Owning learning. Applying new methods during math workshop. Mrs. Burke :-)
• Chloe Chan, 2/13/18, Owning learning. Chloe challenged herself by purposely picking an addition strategy she was as comfortable using to grow her brain! :-)
• Aidan Cuppett, 2/14/18, Always making good choices. Always making good choices in class and in the STEM lab.
• Cole Massey, 2/14/18, Always making good choices. During morning meeting, he shares insightful and meaningful things. Mrs. Burke :-)
• Sasha Middleton, 2/13/18, Owning learning. Sasha challenged herself by purposely picking an addition strategy she was as comfortable using to grow her brain! :-)
• Naveeen Mukherjee, 2/14/18, Owning learning. Finding a good seat during math workshop to ensure he could stay focused and on task. Mrs. Burke :-)
• Trisha Shetty, 2/14/18, Respecting self and others. Taking on leadership responsibilities in our classroom. Mrs. Burke :-)
• Kendra Sims, 2/14/18, Respecting self and others. For choosing to help clean up a sixth grade classroom.
• Sophie Tressler, 2/14, 13, Respecting self and others. Taking on leadership responsibilities in our classroom. Mrs. Burke :-)
• Liv Weiner, 2/14/18, Respecting self and others. Taking on leadership responsibilities in our classroom. Mrs. Burke :-)

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.
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