Springer Buzz!
 April 25th, 2014

In This Issue

Calendar Dates
Principal’s Letter
News and Announcements
Parent Education Opportunities
Student Extracurricular Activities

Quick Dates for your Calendar

April 26: Junior Olympics
May 1, 3.15-5pm: CSTEM showcase at Almond School
May 7, 8.45am: PTA Meeting
May 23, 1:00 pm: Spring Concert, grades 4, 5 & 6
May 24, 5 pm: Springer Day at the San Jose Giants
May 26: Memorial Day, No School
May 27- 30: Volunteer Appreciation Week
May 29, 7:30 – 8:30: Volunteer Awards Breakfast

Principal’s Letter

Principal's Letter- Important PTA meeting coming up.
In my many conversations with parents, one topic has been bubbling to the surface quite a bit recently- the enrollment growth of our district.  Springer isn’t the only school where this issue is a concern.   For this reason, LASD Administration and Board is seeking feedback regarding a potential bond measure.  Please see Superintendent Jeff Baier’s message below:
Preserving Our Small Schools:  A Potential Bond Measure

In the last decade, student enrollment in our local public schools has increased by more than 25%.  The current enrollment is as high as it was in the 1970s, when our school district had twelve sites instead of nine, as we do currently.  

To accommodate growing enrollment, preserve our small schools, complete basic repairs to keep our schools well-maintained and to provide updated learning technology, the Los Altos School District is considering placing a bond measure on the November 2014 ballot.  The potential $150 million bond would cost property owners no more than $30 per $100,000 of assessed valuation (not market) annually.  

Learn More at our PTA Meeting on May 7th at 8:45am.

To provide information and seek your input about the potential bond and the projects it could complete at our school, our Superintendent, Jeff Baier and a member of the Board will be hosting a parent coffee for all to attend on May 7th] at 8:45].   I hope you all will join me to learn more about this important issue facing our school community.

Junior Olympics tomorrow at Mountain View High School.  Come out and cheer on the Stingers as our 4^th-6^th graders compete in a variety of field events.  I hope to see you out there.

Go Stingers!
 
Wade Spenader

News and Announcements

Field Day Committee Forming:
Springer’s 2^nd Annual Field Day is on June 6^th.  This fun-filled day is a celebration for our students.  We are in process of forming a committee to begin the planning.  Honestly, there is not a lot of planning to do as we have a good working template already in place.  This committee would meet once or twice to get the ball rolling.  Can you help?  If so, please contact Wade Spenader.

Did you Know?...LAEF funds Physical Education Specialists for 1^st-6^th graders
Junior Olympics is this weekend! Your contributions to LAEF help make this very special tradition possible, by funding the Physical Education program for all first through sixth graders. Make plans to cheer on our student athletes on Saturday, April 26 at Mountain View High School, and please continue to support the PE program with your donations to LAEF!

LAEF representatives at Springer are:
Susan Longyear, sue.longyear[at]gmail.com
Brooke Schiller, bbwc[at]sbcglobal.net
Kristin Najarian (member-at-large), kristin_najarian[at]yahoo.com
Make Your Tax Deductible Donation Today!  www.laefonline.net

Tickets on sale NOW for Springer Day at the San Jose Giants!
Game time is Saturday, May 24 at 5 pm. At the start, our very own Springer Singers perform the National Anthem; and 1st-grader Colby Basset throws out the first pitch!

Look for the Giants' ticket booth on the quad, before school or simply stop in the office to purchase tickets. Tickets are $5 per person. There is no admission charge for children 4 years and under.

Don't miss out celebrating our great Springer Nation, the amazing Springer Singers, and Spring ball! 

Questions? Contact Chris Leahy (cleahy94025[at]yahoo.com) or Karen Eichstadt-Coy (eichcoy[at]yahoo.com).  Go Giants!

Help Springer win the Drive Less Challenge April 22-May 7!

To celebrate Earth Day 2014, Green Town Los Altos is sponsoring its 4th annual Drive Less Challenge and School competition!  Starting April 22, this two-week competition encourages Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View residents to explore alternatives to driving kids to school in gas-powered vehicles. Kids learn lasting habits from their parents, so why not encourage healthy commuting habits by walking, wheeling, or carpooling with another family?

The competition will be between the 10 Los Altos area public elementary schools plus Egan and Blach middle schools for the Greenest School in each category. WOW parent volunteers will be at school to cheer on your students during the Challenge. The School District will survey student’s mode of transportation to school on Bike to School Day - May 7- the last day of the Drive Less Challenge. This survey will determine the winners.

The Greenest School awards include the following:

1.         Greenest School - Percentage of students using alternative green transportation i.e. bike, walk, rollerblade, carpool with another family, public transportation; anything but being dropped off by a parent in a car.

2.         Most Improved - Most improved when compared to the last measurement taken in May 2013.

3.         Parent Participation - Highest percentage of parents pledging to Drive Less at www.DriveLessChallengeLA.com. Parents must note their school affiliation to be counted.

GreenTown Los Altos will notify the Principals of the winning schools as soon as the counts are in. A commemorative plaque will be awarded to the winning schools along with a school-specific celebration Party.

May the best school win!

WOW Mileage Tag Distribution in Friday Folders

The latest round of WOW mileage/trip tags were distributed in this week’s and last week’s Friday folders.  Please be sure to look for them.  We’ve had a handful of students already hit the 200 mile mark and many more with 150 miles.  A big round of applause to all those students continuing to walk or wheel to school! 

CSTEM Showcase: Almond School 3.15-5pm, Thursday May 1, in the Multi.

Play fun computer games created by sixth graders from all 7 LASD schools!
Learn about computer programming, Arduino microcontrollers, Lego WeDo and more from the LASD sixth graders.
Featured presentations and awards start at 4.15pm.  For more information on the 6^th Grade cStem program, visit the web page on the lasdschools.org website.

The Sochi Olympics might be over, but the Los Altos Junior Olympics are just starting their training!
Our 4th through 6th grade kids will represent Springer at the annual Junior Olympics Field Day on Saturday, April 26th, doing fun events such as hurdles, basketball free throws, chin-ups and more...
Mr. Heeb spends the next few weeks helping the kids practice and train for these events during PE and he needs several volunteer parents to help time kids and keep them organized at their different practice stations.  We need more volunteer help, especially for the 5th and 6th grade PE times.  Please visit the volunteer schedule and sign up for any open spots where you can spend some time with the kids.  No experience necessary!

4th grade calendar:  http://vols.pt/p9qAbt

5th grade calendar:  http://vols.pt/vNwb9m

6th grade calendar:  http://vols.pt/yin2o8

Questions?  Email or call Katie Cowley (ktcowley[at]yahoo.com)

Springer Service Award Nominations

It's Spring, and time to recognize our hard-working volunteers! Springer will celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Week from May 27-30.  Now is your chance to nominate volunteers for special recognition of their service to Springer!

Nomination forms are available at the Springer office, or click here to download the form.  Completed forms can be turned in at the office or e-mailed to Sue Longyear (sue.longyear[at]gmail.com).  Please submit your nominations by Wednesday, April 30.

Pertussis Booster for Students in grade 6: Students currently in grade 6 must have proof of a Tdap or Dtap (Pertussis or Whooping Cough) booster given after their 7th birthday (after 10th birthday is recommended) in order to begin seventh grade in August of 2014. Please provide a copy of your child’s immunization record to your school office as soon as possible!

Parent Education Opportunities

 NO PARENT LEFT BEHIND: Common Core Standards Workshop
 Saturday, May 3, 2014
 10.30am-12.00pm at Peterson Middle School, 1380 Rosalia Ave., Sunnyvale
 FREE: registration required
 Understand how you can impact your child’s learning using academic enrichment activities with common core standards in English language arts and mathematics.
Register here or contact brenda_mariano-paz@scoe.org for more details.

Common Core & Students with Learning Challenges
 Wednesday, May 7, 2014
 Hospitality: 6:45 PM
 Meeting: 7:00 PM
 Egan Middle School Multi
 100 West Portola Ave, Los Altos, CA 94022
 Click here for more information

Student Extracurricular Activities

DezignKidz Summer Camp @ Springer this Summer!

DezignKidz, a fun, locally-run program for aspiring designers (which made its debut at Springer in 2009) is returning to its roots on Rose Avenue with even more options for creative kids.

Choose from our popular Fashion and Accessory Dezign sessions (including Fashion Dezign 3 for middle school fashionistas), add some style to your space with Interior Dezign, create beautiful handprinted fabrics in Textile Dezign, perfect your fashion sketching skills or try our BRAND NEW SESSIONS in Plush Toy Dezign and Cutting -Edge Quiltz.  "Dezigners" will learn turn hand and machine sewing and other textile arts techniques as they turn their ideas from sketches into completed garments, accessories or home decor items. Check out our web gallery for photos of last year’s fun!

Week-long programs run 6/16-6/20, 6/23-6/27, 6/30-7/3, 7/7-7/11 and 7/14-7/18.

Sign up online at www.dezignkidz.com or call 650 346-5896.

How to 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.