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The Springer Buzz October 31, 2014 |
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In This Issue:
Quick Dates for your Calendar:
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Principal’s Message |
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November is Supportive Month at Springer As part of this year’s “It’s A Springer Thing” program, each month is designated as a character trait that is a key element of being responsible, empathetic and using a growth-mindset. November’s trait is being supportive. We strategically selected this trait because November is the time of year where all of us could use a little extra support. Being supportive is a great way to show empathy. Students are beginning to encounter more challenging curriculum. Teachers are under a crunch to get grades prepared for the end of trimester 1 and prepare for parent conferences. And all of us are feeling a bit anxious for all the tasks that need to be done for the upcoming holiday season. Seems like we all could use some extra support at this time of year! Support for others can take many forms. Actions, of course, can bolster people when they are feeling pressure. Taking the extra time to help a student understand a difficult math problem (use that growth mindset!) is a good example. Equally effective in lending support is the power of our words. Verbal encouragement and praise (“I really like the effort you put into this writing”) can be all someone needs to trudge through a challenging time. Most powerful of all can be words of appreciation for an effort or job well done. We all need to hear it from time to time; a “thank you” can do a lot to lift spirits and make people feel validated in their work. So, let me start the ball rolling for November and say a sincere “thank you” to everyone for everything you do to make Springer such a wonderful place! Your supportive acts and words are powerful! Be careful out there! We could really use a wet winter this year. But, with more rain comes more cars in the streets! I’d like to remind our adults that safe driving is even more important during the wet months. Please reduce your speed, follow all traffic laws (including not making 3 point turns on Rose Ave!), and be ever so vigilant about pedestrians and bicycles. |
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Fall Costume Parade |
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Springer’s Fall Costume Parade is Friday, October 31 at 1:15pm. It will be raining so the parade route will utilize the breeze ways. Grades TK through 6 are invited to participate with their classrooms. No gory or grotesque masks, and no weapons please. Dismissal for TK and K will be at 2:15, and Grades 1 - 6 will be dismissed at 2:25pm. |
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LASD Looking For Volunteer Interpreters |
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Los Altos School District is looking for volunteer interpreters to assist us during parent/teacher conferences, student meetings and district events. We are seeking assistance with all languages but the most needed are: Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Japanese and Korean. Please contact Ann Haigh at 650-947-1180 or at ahaigh@lasdschools.org if you are interested. |
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Walk-a-thon Donations Due Next Week! |
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Don't forget, this WEDNESDAY, November 5 is the deadline to turn in your pledge money and green sponsor card! Simply drop it off in the Walk-a-thon cubby in the office. Be sure to thank all your sponsors... and thank YOU for your participation in our spectacular ROCK-a-thon! As a reminder, checks (to Springer PTA) and e-checks only, please! Full payment instructions and printable tax receipts. And be sure to check out our sponsors! Rock on, Springer! |
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Vision Screening - Monday, November 10 |
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On Monday, November 10, the Los Altos School District Nurse Staff will conduct vision screening for Grades K, 3rd, 6th and SDC Students. If your child is in these grades and they wear glasses, please make sure that they wear their glasses to school that day. |
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Newberry Honor Winner Author Visit’s Springer |
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As part of our upcoming Rock 'n Read Book Fair, we will be having a visit from Newberry Honor Winning Author Kirby Larson on Tuesday, November 4th. Please see the attached flyer for details of the event as well as an order form for those who may want to order a book prior to the event. Books may also be purchased at the event. All proceeds from pre-sales and sales at the event will benefit Springer as part of the Rock 'n Read Book Fair. |
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The Rock ‘N Read Book Fair is Coming! |
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Monday Nov 17 – Friday Nov 21 Open daily in the Multi 8:00 am – 3:30pm Family Night Thursday Nov 20th 5:00-7:30pm |
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Springer Gives Back |
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Donate Your Travel Size Toiletries to Springer Gives Back Have a collection of hotel shampoo and conditioner filling up your bathroom drawer? Travel often and need something to do with all those airline travel kits? Just like the travel aisle? Springer Gives Back is collecting travel size toiletries as part of this year’s community service project. Please bring new and unused travel size toiletries to the bin in the Springer Office. Thanks! Contact Renee Johnsen chefskate[at]gmail.com with questions. |
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LAEF: Order Cards from Tiny Prints - 25% Donated to LAEF |
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This holiday season, order your cards from LAEF's Tiny Prints storefront to benefit our schools. Thanks to Tiny Prints and an anonymous donor, 25% or your order will be donated to LAEF. Choose from a variety of traditional and contemporary cards. Browse cards and order at: http://www.tinyprints.com/storefront/laef Or you can make a tax-deductible LAEF donation today at www.laefonline.net Make your tax-deductible LAEF donation today at www.laefonline.net (or bring a check to the school office) LAEF Questions? Web: www.laefonline.net … Phone: 650.559.0445 ... Email: admin@laefonline.org Thanks in advance for your support of LAEF! The LAEF parent-volunteers |
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Calling All Young Artists! |
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Original Student Artwork Sought for Exhibition The Why it’s Cool to be a Kid in Los Altos exhibition will be launched with opening receptions throughout the downtown for student artists, families and community during the First Friday event on Friday, November 7th from 6-8pm. Submit your artistic view of why you think it’s cool to be a kid in Los Altos and receive a gift. View our flyer for more information. |
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Fun!Visor |
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Lunchtime Fun!visor Activities Continue To Be A Popular Choice! Noontime Fun!visor Programs are very popular with Springer students! Run4YourLife continues to generate great enthusiasm. Hearing that Run4YourLife won't be held this week on Friday because of Halloween one first grader responded this week: "Oh No! No Run4YourLife? All because of Halloween? Run4YourLife is so much more fun than Halloween!" That is quite an endorsement coming from that first grade boy! Run4YourLife runners have collectively ran through Bruce Springsteen's hometown and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in honor of the Walkathon. They are now we are on their way to Plymouth, MA for an ETA into the pilgrim's home of just before Thanksgiving! Questions about Run4YourLife please contact the program lead, Jenni Tellefsen. In other Fun!visor happenings this week, a new Arts and Games program Springer Scribes began on Wednesday. Over fifty students showed up to do creative writing outside on the grass at lunch. Student wrote riddles, diaries, comics and short stories. At the end of the year students will be able to to pick one favorite they wrote at the Club to be included in Springer's first literary magazine. Thank you to Kathy Thompson for leading this initiative and Kimiyo Straw and Christy Flahavan for helping out each week at Arts and Games. Questions on any of the Fun!visor Programs, please contact Noontime Fun!visor Coordinator Laurie Pasmooij. |
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Student Extracurricular Activities: |
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There are after-school activities at Springer for all grade levels. For a list of all of the activities and more information, please go to Springer’s website by clicking here. |
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Parent Education Opportunities |
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Through enriching presentations from local and national experts on topics of interest to parents, faculty and staff, the MVLA Parent Education Speaker Series seeks to contribute to the academic, physical, and emotional health of our students. All events are free of charge and are for parents, faculty and staff in Los Altos and Mountain View public schools. For a schedule of upcoming presentations, please click here. |
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How to Submit an Article to the Springer Buzz |
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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. |