Springer Star Newsletter

March 16th, 2012

In This Issue

Calendar Dates

Principal’s Letter

News and Announcements

Student Extracurricular Activities

Parent Education

How to Submit an Article to the Springer Star Newsletter

Quick Dates for your Calendar

March 19-23: Book Fair

March 21, 6-8pm: Book Fair Family Picnic

March 22: MINIMUM DAY (12:15 1-6; 11:35 K)

March 24: Springer Auction

March 30: Coffee with the Principal

April 5: Open House

April 6: MINIMUM DAY

April 9-12: SPRING BREAK

April 28: Junior Olympics

Letter from the Principal

Renaissance Students

Being a former history teacher, one of my favorite periods to learn and teach about was the Renaissance in Europe.  To refresh your memory, the Renaissance took place, roughly, from 1450 through the 1600's.  It was a period of enormous creativity and growth within Europe.  The Renaissance brought in a new mindset which said that every individual had talents and that it was appropriate (even encouraged) to foster as many of those talents as possible.  The term "Renaissance" person, which describes an individual with deep knowledge and talents in numerous fields, comes from this belief.

Enough of the history lesson.  But, I did want to point out that my thoughts about our own Renaissance students came to me within the last several days at Springer.  On Friday, March 9th, we were enthralled and entertained by our Kindergartners through 3rd graders singing musical pieces with great skill and talent.  The concert was a celebration of the great work the Starting Arts program has done in just its first year at Springer.  Teacher Diana, as the students call her, was able to tap into the students' love of music.  Our Renaissance singers showed off vocal skills along with choreographed movement.  One couldn't help but be impressed by our young musicians.  Our students who looked into the audience, seeing teary eyes and wide smiles, learned the innate value of music.

Move ahead just 4 days later to the Science Faire, held on Tuesday.  Here, our students were demonstrating  their talents and thinking in the entirely different field of science.  The scientific method was on full display.  Many of the student exhibits showed a great attention to detail in the gathering and presenting of data.  And many of the experiments showed that our students view science as an everyday part of our world as opposed to just a subject we study in school.  One of my favorite experiments of the event tried to determine why soapy water cleans better than just water!  Great stuff.

A music concert and a science faire within a week period is just a snapshot of time at Springer, but it shows that we have students who are able to shift from one skill set to another with success.  In some educational circles, we might be accused of having "well-rounded" students.  The history teacher in me prefers to label our kids, "Renaissance Students".

News and Announcements

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Throughout the year we try to acknowledge, a few groups at a time, the many generous and hard working volunteers who make our school hum.  We are appreciative of all the contributions and kindnesses that our community shows the school, but in this issue, we'd like to highlight the following folks.  Thanks for all you do.

Project Cornerstone: Project Cornerstone has become part of the fabric of Springer and is a major contributor to the positive climate we all enjoy today. Special thanks go to Lara Daetz and Tina Klaassen and their group of gifted docents for their continued leadership with the program this year and for expanding it with meaningful events like the Speaker Series and the Expect Respect program in 5th & 6th grade.

Tech Committee: Did you know that we have a dedicated group of knowledgeable parents who gather each month in the wee hours of the morning to discuss technology trends, the needs at Springer and make recommendations? These folks deserve a round of applause for helping us stay on top of the ever changing technology landscape.

Site Council: We'd like to thank the site council for all the work they've done over the last few months to develop the site council survey, administer it, tabulate the results and make recommendations for next steps. Your feedback was heard and many of the recommendations are being implemented. Thanks to our enthusiastic site council team.

Boys & Girls Night Out: Everyone needs a night out with that special someone and in this case, kids and parents got a chance to bond and have fun at the Boys and Girls Nights Out. Our thanks to Dani Thompson and Linda McCartney for coordinating Boys Night Out and Celandra Hamilton and Diana Steele for their work on Girls Night Out.

Hospitality: Ever wonder how the hot coffee gets to the PTA meetings and Coffee With The Principal? We can all thank Jennifer and Brian Blatnik for diligently picking up the coffee and making sure it arrives just in time to keep us all warm and caffeinated.

PTA Update: Can you believe it's that time already? Time to start planning for the next school year!  Please come to our next PTA meeting on Wednesday, April 4, at 8:45 am.  We will vote on the 2012-2013 PTA Officers and start talking about PTA programs for next year.  Join the discussion to help guide planning.  If you aren't able to make it to the meeting, please give us your feedback anyway!  Email or phone your ideas to Kelly Toshach or Brooke Schiller. See a summary of the March meeting on the PTA Meetings webpage.

MINIMUM DAY: March 22  Please make a note on your calendar!  The day ends at 12:15 for 1-6 grades; 11:35 for all kindergarten classes.

SPRINGER BOOK FAIRE March 19th-23rd in the Springer Multi.  

Aloha Community members,

“Springer Book Fair Luau” preparations are underway! This year’s Book Fair features a Family Picnic Wednesday, March 21, from 6-8 pm, by the Multi.  After shopping for scholastic books, listening to our own hoku Mrs. Ingram read a story, and attempting the hula-hoop contest, let's picnic together Luau-style!  You can purchase dinner off the "MoBowl" and IZ-IT food trucks that will be at Springer.

Favorite menu items from the "MoBowl" truck include –

- Lightly fried chicken wings topped with sweet & spicy sauce, sesame seeds, and mint.  

- A Five-Spice Pulled Pork bowl

- Vegetarian-friendly option Umami Tofu

- Dessert Cheesecake Egg Rolls with a Cracked Pepper Pineapple Coulee

For more details, check out their website at www.eatmobowl.com

Or you can buy from the “IZ IT” Truck, a Hawaiian and Pan-Asian-inspired mobile food truck known for its iconic fried chicken, kickin’ tacos, and SPAMMED OUT Masubi.  See more at www.iz-it.com.  

See the Book Fair flyer for more details.

Let’s celebrate Spring, not having to cook dinner, and the joys of reading!

Questions, please call/text Karen at 415-297-5852.

SPRINGER'S 2012 AUCTION'S SUNSET ON THE SERENGETI: March 24, 2012

AUCTION TICKET DEADLINE: Friday, March 16!

Do not miss your chance to attend the Springer party of the year! We have an exciting, fun-filled night planned, so mark your calendars and buy your tickets now! Click here to access and print the Auction ticket purchase form.The cost is $50 per person and includes entrance to the Elks, dinner buffet, no-host bar, live music, dancing and, of course, the chance to bid on some fabulous items, service and parties via the silent and live auction activities! Submit your completed form and your payment in the auction cubbie (located in the school office). Payment is by check only.

If you miss this Friday's deadline, you can still purchase tickets onsite at the Elks but please note that there will be a nominal processing fee to do so.

AUCTION CATALOG: Every Springer family will be getting a copy of the "Sunset on the Serengeti" catalog in their Friday folder this week. Get a head start and mark the items you want to bid on in advance! Then, when you arrive at the Elks, you can make a bee line to those items and place your bids! Also, some of the parties fills up fast, so get your name(s) on the list early!

GOT VACATION PLANS? We have some awesome getaways up for grabs that have specific dates or restrictions attached, so check these out and see if you can fit them into your summer vacation plans (there are others where the winner works out the dates with the donors):

- Honolulu Condo: June 23 - June 30, 2012

- Newport Coast Villa Vacation: August 3 - August 10, 2012

- Russian River Getaway: available any week except in July and August (and subject to availability)

- Back to School Mom's Escape (Tahoe): September 14 - September 16, 2012

AUCTION RAFFLE TICKETS: Raffle tickets are now on sale! Get two chances to win with each raffle ticket! Buy a raffle ticket for $10 and the ticket is automatically entered into both the

adult and student raffles for great prizes! The student winners will be drawn during the morning assembly on Friday, March 23rd and listed below are the fabulous prizes that will be given away:

- iPod Touch, 32GB with a $25 iTunes card

- Two (2) Lower Box San Francisco Giants tickets

- Two (2) passes to California's Great America

- Four (4) passes to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

The adult winner will be drawn during the "Sunset on the Serengeti" auction event the evening of March 24 and will win a getaway to the beautiful Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay!

AUCTION NIGHT BABYSITTING SERVICE: There are still spots available for Abracadabra's Parents Night Out service during the night of the auction! Reserve your spot before they run out! Submit your application and waiver form directly to Brandy at Abra ASAP.

Questions? Please contact Linda McCartney (LM28476[at]gmail.com) or springerauction@gmail.com.

Still looking for a few Auction Night volunteers!

Thanks to those who have already signed up to work during the auction. These are key jobs that help us make the night a success. We are still looking to fill a few jobs:

Registration tables (7-8:00) - 3 slots

Registration tables (8-8:30) - 2 slots

Auditors (8-8:30 or 8:30-9) - 2 slots

Live auction spotters (9:15) - 5 slots

Check out (10:00) - 4 slots

These can be filled by anyone, whether or not you're attending the auction, so please consider signing up!   Click here

Hot Lunch volunteer opportunity on Fridays

The Hot Lunch team is looking for a server to join the crew on the following Fridays:

3/16, 3/30, 4/27, 5/11, 5/25

If you're interested and available, please contact Hilary Burcell (hilary[at]burcell.com) or Anita Leo (amleo73[at]yahoo.com).

LASD Student Film Festival

The LASD Student Film Festival is designed to showcase and celebrate the creative works of our students using video technology to cooperatively construct film.  All LASD students, grade K through grade 8 are eligible to enter films.  Student films may be submitted between February 27 and April 6.  Winners will be chosen and notified by May 3. For more information on submission guidelines please visit  www.lasdfilmfestival.org

Springer Yearbook needs your Pictures!

The yearbook team is collecting pictures for the yearbook and we need your help.  If you have any pictures of school or classroom activities, please upload them to our yearbook site at: www.entourageyearbooks.com

Due to some problems with the general upload function, you will need to login to upload pictures.  Please use:

Username: springer

Password:  springer

Thanks!!  Let me know if you have any questions or problems.

- Michelle Koblas   mrkoblas[at]gmail.com

Springer Day at the San Jose Giants: Mark Your Calendar!

Continue a Springer tradition with Springer Day at the San Jose Giants, Saturday May 12th. A Springer student will throw out the first pitch (auction item) and the Springer Singers will sing! Join in the fun!  More details in future editions of the Springer Star!

Springer Family Dinners Out

Raise money for Springer simply by enjoying dinner out with your family and friends! Springer receives 15-30% back from the restaurants when you dine at their establishment on Springer's selected dates. Takeout orders qualify as well! Listed below is a list of participating restaurants and the applicable dates during the 2011-2012 school year. Please present the restaurant flyers/coupons* to ensure Springer gets the credit. Enjoy!!

Mountain Mike's Pizza      (1724 Miramonte Ave, MV): Every Thursday & Sunday

Chevy's                               (2116 El Camino Real, MV): Every 3rd Thursday of Month

Pizza My Heart                   (El Camino @ El Monte): June 6

Flyers are available in the office, Abracadabra and online via the Star newsletter.

Questions? Contact Contact Lara Rahn at lara.rahn[at]yahoo.com

Student Extracurricular Activities

Summer Fun at Starting Arts

- Summer Arts Escape (grades K-8)

Can’t decide between music, art, dance or drama? Take one of each—customize your camp experience by choosing up to 4 different classes during our 2-week sessions.  Classes include Pottery, Photography, Fabric Art, Real Rock Band, Stepping, African Drumming, Actors Workshop and much more! Session 1: June 18-29 & Session 2: July 2-13.

- Film Camp (grades 6-12)

Create and star in the fantasy-adventure film,TERRA, using professional cameras, sound and lighting equipment.  Learn all aspects of the editing process. Camp will combine studio and location shooting. July 16-August 3.

- Musical Theatre Camp (grades 3-12)

Join this summer’s full-scale production of Footloose.  This 4-week camp will culminate in performances of this electrifying musical on July 12-14.  Camp dates: June 18-July 14.

Visit www.startingarts.com for more information.

Summer Camps and Lessons at Foothills Tennis & Swimming Club

Foothills’ variety of summer programs open to non-member sign-ups starting April 21. At Camp Miranda, kids ages 5-8 spend the day with tennis instruction, crafts, lunch, and swim play. For more tennis focus, our Sparks, Flames and Fireballs programs offer fun group instruction for kids ages 4-16. Swim lessons will also be open for sign-ups. For more info see www.foothills-club.org or phone (650) 493-8540.

13th Annual Run for Zimbabwe Orphans and Fair

MARCH 17 at 11.00:  Join Ellen Clark at THE LINDEN TREE for an African Folk tale!

The RUN: Sunday April 1, 2012 at St. Joseph School, 1120 Miramonte Ave.

Enjoy Zim bands: Chinyakare and Sadza!  Also children’s arts, crafts and games, African animal mascots and a Sadza Buffet.  Admission to the fair is free.

The races:  220 yards for pre-school; ½ mile for kindergarten; one mile races for grades 1-8, high school and adults.  11 races in all!  Three ways to sign up to run:

#1. Log on to SLF’s web site: www.ZimbabweParaguay.org The entry fee is $5.

#2. Log on to Active.com

#3. Sign up at the run.  First race starts at 1 p.m. sharp.        

To exhibit art:  Kids in pre-school through high school,  bring your art between 10 a.m. and noon to St. Joseph School on April 1 & retrieve by 4 p.m.  Art must pertain to Africa.

Lion T-shirts:  Optional purchase at the run for $12 each.

Shoe Drive:  Bring those gently used shoes for FootStock.

SUMMER 2012 SPARTAN SPORTS CAMP

Baseball, Basketball, Softball, Soccer, Track & Field, Tennis, Water Polo, Football & Volleyball.

Register at www.SpartansSportsCamp.com. See flyer for more details.

DezignKidz Summer Camp 2012 registration is open!

Fashion Dezign for kids, week-long programs starting 6/18 at Covington School.

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

MVLA Soccer Club Wednesdays, 2:45pm - 3:30pm for grades 1 - 3. Classes start 3/7. Details at www.mvlasc.org 

ScholarKids, Summer 2012

Summer enrichment program for incoming 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade, held at Egan Junior High from June 18.  Signups are online at www.scholarkids.net .  

CTC Summer Theatre Conservatory 2012: Programs for Ages 5-14

For more details including costs, dates and locations, click here.

For further information, visit the CTC website www.ctcinc.org, or email education@ctcinc.org or call (408) 245-2979.

Los Altos KidzAdventures (LAKA) summer school program for grades K – 4 at Gardner Bullis School in Los Altos from June 18. Details at www.lakakidz.com 

Academic Chess at Springer: Thursdays 2.30-3.30, starting March 1.  See flyer for details.

Parent Education

Parent Education Opportunities Available through the Palo Alto JCC

Parenting Matters with Zvi Weiss Mondays, February 27-April 2

Study Skills: Working Smarter, Not Harder Thursday, May 3

Miss Representation - Film Screening & Panel Discussion Tuesday, May 15

For more information or to RSVP for a program, click here 

Call for Participants – Children’s Dream Research

Does your child have vivid or unusual dreams? Cindy Sauln, a doctoral student who is a psychology intern at Springer School from Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC), is conducting her dissertation research with children ages 8 through 11 years (3rd through 5th grade) about their significant or meaningful dreams, which may also appear as nightmares. With parental approval, the research will consist of an interview and 2 short questionnaires, and all information will be treated confidentially, with no identifying names of children or families included in the final report. All parents who might allow their children to participate are invited to view more about this research and the researcher in the attached flyer.

How To Submit an Article to the Springer Star

Please send your submission to the editor at springer_star@yahoo.com by noon on Monday for inclusion in the next edition. All flyers must be in either WORD or PDF format, accompanied by a brief summary of the activity in the email.

Late arrivals will be included if possible but can’t be guaranteed!