Calendar

Wed.        October 1             PTA General Meeting     8:30 AM, MP Room

Bicycle Safety Class       7 – 8:30 PM, MP Room

October 3 – 17      Sally Foster Sales          All Grades

Sunday   October 5               Harvest Fair                 3 – 5 PM, Blacktop

Wed.      October 8               Walk to School Day       All Grades

Wed.      October 15             3rd Grade Bike Rodeo   3rd Grade Only, Blacktop

From the PTA President

October is a busy month, kicking off with the PTA General Meeting on October 1st, followed by the Palo Verde Harvest Fair on Sunday, October 5th and the Palo Verde Walks and Rolls event on Wednesday, October 8th. Below are details about these events.

On October 1st, the PTA General Meeting is in the Multi-Purpose Room following the morning’s assembly. Everyone is welcome to attend and those who are PTA members can vote on items up for approval. We will be discussing and voting on several important items that directly impacts the school and our community. These include: (1) the PTA 2008-2009 Budget; (2) the PTA-Sponsored Events Calendar; and (3) Measure N, the library bond on November’s ballot. We hope you can join
us and participate in this important meeting.

On October 5th, the Palo Verde Harvest Fair is from 3-5 pm at Palo Verde. This free, fun family activity offers carnival games with prizes for the kids, a bake sale with goodies, hot dogs and drinks and the opportunity to meet and socialize with the Palo Verde community. We hope to see everyone there!

On October 8th, Palo Alto Unified School District students along with children around the globe will choose alternatives to solo driving to school by walking, biking, skating, riding the bus, and carpooling to celebrate International Walk to School Day. Palo Verde’s activities planned for October 8th include a student-created “Foot Power” collage and prizes to be raffled off for participants during the morning assembly.

Kim Amsbaugh
PTA President
Amsbaugh (at) gmail dot com

Send in Your Safeway Receipts and Club Card Numbers!

If you visited Safeway during the Safeway/eScrip “10% Back to Schools” buying period (August 6 – September 9), you may have earned rebates that can benefit our school.  Rebate totals and redemption codes began printing on Safeway receipts on September 12.  Please send any receipts or Safeway Club Card numbers that you collect to school with your child by Monday, September 29.  Every child who submits a valid card number or redemption code will receive a small thank you gift and the classroom that turns in the most card numbers and receipts will win a prize!

If you registered with eScrip before August 1, there’s no need to send in your own receipt or Club Card number.  Your rebates will flow to Palo Verde automatically.  However, we encourage you to collect Club Card numbers and receipts from your co-workers, neighbors, families and friends!

It’s Time to Renew Your Club Card with eScrip!

Current eScrip supporters should visit www.escrip.com to renew your Safeway Club Card before November 1.  There is a password recovery feature if you can’t recall your password.  Please also review and update all of your registered credit cards and debit cards.  Rebates to Palo Verde cease when your cards expire.

Not Signed Up Yet?
Please visit www.escrip.com and www.schoolpop.com today to start contributing to our school when you shop online and around town.  It’s safe, easy, powerful and FREE!

Palo Verde Walks & Rolls on October 8th

On October 8th Palo Alto Unified School District students along with children around the globe will choose alternatives to solo driving to school by walking, biking, skating, riding the bus, and carpooling to celebrate International Walk to School Day. Palo Verde will join the fun!

Activities planned for October 8th at Palo Verde include a student-created “Foot Power”collage, and prizes to be raffled off for participants at the morning assembly.

The City of Palo Alto, PAUSD, and the Palo Alto Council of PTAs have formed a Safe Routes to School partnership focused on reducing risk for students on their school commutes and encouraging more families to use alternatives to driving to school more often.  The Walk & Roll event emphasizes the benefits of using alternatives other than solo driving as often as possible.

Walking & Biking Is A Healthy Habit
The healthy lifetime habit of getting regular exercise is more fun when we do it together. It builds community, bringing friends and family together before and after school. Also, students who get light exercise on their way to school arrive better prepared to learn.

“Safety In Numbers” Works
Parents are more likely to allow children to walk and bicycle when they are in safe company.  Drivers are more alert to pedestrians and bicyclists when they are present in numbers.  Most importantly, fewer cars on school routes means less risk for everyone.

A Greener Planet
We all want to reduce the environmental impacts of automobiles.  Many of us can’t do it every day.  If we do it when we can, even once or twice a week, we can break the habit of picking up car keys every time we go anywhere and experience our community in a new way.  Each reduced car trip helps our planet.

Join the fun!  Walk & Roll to school with your (school name) friends on October (date).

*Palo Alto Council of PTAs thanks Palo Alto Medical Foundation and the City of Palo Alto for their support of this program.

Get Ready for Gift Wrap and Cookie Dough!

Our fundraiser featuring Sally Foster® gift wrap, gifts, and Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough is just around the corner! The funds we raise will go towards school site improvements, funding programs like Noon Art and Noon Games, events such as the Harvest Fair and International Fair, and updating technology in the classrooms, including the purchase of scanners, DVD players, digital cameras, and color printers.

The fundraiser will include:

• Premium gift wrap
• Gifts for everyone
• Chocolates and cookie dough

And, everything is $20 or less!
50% of every purchase goes directly to Palo Verde!
Watch for the Sally Foster catalog coming home on Friday, October 3rd

Celebrate Your Talents!

Come join thousands of other students and participate in the National PTA Reflections Program.

The theme for 2008 – 2009 year program is “WOW.

You can express your creativity through the six categories below.  You may enter as many categories as you wish.

• Literature
• Visual Arts
• Dance Choreography
• Film Production
• Photography
• Music Composition

Please visit the Reflections Program gallery at www.pta.org to see what other kids did last year.
The link to the entry forms and rules for each category is:  http://www.pta.org/2033.htm.

All entry forms are due at the Palo Verde Office by October 17th, 2008.

Please contact Shirley Chin at amchin (at) sbcglobal (dot) net if you have any questions.

Canopy Walk on October 11

Please join visiting certified arborist and Bay Area tree expert Ted Kipping as he leads Canopy’s next Tree Walk through the Palo Verde neighborhood.

Ted has been involved with the selection and planting of San Francisco’s trees for 40 years and worked alongside Canopy’s sister organization Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF) to create some of San Francisco’s most interesting and beautiful allées of street trees.  Now a consulting arborist with Tree Shapers, Ted is still an active volunteer with FUF and provides lectures, demonstrations and workshops on aspects of arboriculture, regional horticulture and specialty pruning subjects.  Ted brings his expertise to Palo Alto and will educate attendees on the interesting variety of trees in the Palo Verde neighborhood.

For more information about the Palo Verde Tree Walk please contact Canopy at (650) 964-6110 or www.canopy.org

When: Saturday, October 11th, 10am-12pm

Where: Meet at the entrance to the Palo Verde Elementary School at 3450 Louis Rd. in Palo Alto

Canopy is a Palo Alto-based non-profit advocate for the urban forest and works to educate, inspire, and engage the community as stewards of young and mature trees.

Community Kiosk

For more information about Community Events please click here.

Let’s Talk About Aspergers

When: Monday, September 22, 2008, 7:30PM

Where: Board Room, 25 Churchill, Palo Alto

This is an information sharing night with parents of students with Aspergers.  It will be moderated by psychologist Janet Dafoe, PhD, of Morrissey/Compton Educational Center.  Let’s explore the possibility of an ongoing support group, or some kind of parent education group.

Question: Call Janet Dafoe 208-1224 or click here for more information.

After School French Program at Palo Verde

We are still accepting registrations for the After School French Program at Palo Verde, which will take place on Wednesdays 1:35 – 2:35 PM.  The first day of class will be September 24, 2008.  We invite all students from K through 5th grade.  For registration and additional information, please visit our website at www.lfafrench.com or call Evelyn at 650-610-0675.

A bientot

CELEBRATE YOUR TALENTS

Missing from the last eNews was the deadline and contact information for this National PTA Reflections program.  All entry forms are due at the Palo Verde Office by October 17th, 2008.  Please contact Shirley Chin at amchin*sbcglobal.net if you have any questions.  For more information, please visit the Reflections Program gallery at www.pta.org to see what other kids did last year. The link to the entry forms and rules for each category is:  http://www.pta.org/2033.htm.

Calendar

Monday   September 15       Early/Late Reading Begins    1st – 3rd Grade

Friday      September 26       Walk-a-thon                        All Grades

Wed.        October 1             Bicycle Safety Class             7 – 8:30 PM, MP Room

               October 1 – 15      Sally Foster Sales                 All Grades

Sunday    October 5              Harvest Fair                        3 – 5 PM, Blacktop

From the Desk of Lupe Garcia

Dear Palo Verde Parents, Students and Community, 

It’s September and we’re off to school!  Thank you for helping us get-off to a relatively smooth start to the year.  I want to recruit your help to ensure that the focus at school and at home is on teaching, learning and growing up to be wholesome and productive citizens.  

Think Safety:  Let’s make SAFETY a top priority around Palo Verde School.  Daily at drop-off and pick-up times there is a confluence of motorists, cyclists and pedestrian traffic.  It is CRITICAL that all adults work together to ensure the safety of all children, regardless of the means of transportation.  Please head the following pointers:

• Leave home with sufficient time.  Quite often, if in a hurry, we are NOT as careful or as aware of our surroundings, thereby putting others and ourselves in danger.
• The drop-off zone on Louis Rd: 
  • Please drive forward as far as possible in the drop-off lane.  This allows 6-8 additional cars to drop off child/ren at any one time.  
  • Have your child/ren disembark the automobile on the sidewalk closest to the school.  
  • Remember: NO U TURNS ALLOWED!
  • Please note the NO PARKING signs across the street from the school.  Violators will be cited.
• Drop-Off on Rorke:  please drive slowly and with caution. The street is quite narrow and there are many parked vehicles along both sides of the street, which creates congestion every morning.  Do note the following suggestions:
  • If at all possible, enter Rorke from the south end and keep the school on your right.
  • Use the drop-off zone closest to room 1 and have your child/ren disembark the automobile on the sidewalk closest to the school.  
  • DO NOT double park or stop in the middle of the street to drop off your child.  This is extremely unsafe for your child, as well for other vehicles trying to drive past your car.

All of us want our children to be safe.  However, we must model that SAFE behavior on a daily basis.  Children are watching—and they will emulate what they observe.  Let’s do work together to keep them safe!

Site Council Vacancies: The Palo Verde Site Council has two parent vacancies for two-year terms beginning this year. If you would like more information about the Site Council, please read the article in this edition of the Voice about this topic or feel free to contact one of the current members: Parents–Joanna Schloss and Geoff Butner, or one of the staff members—Sheri Cundall or Chris McGranahan, or Lupe Garcia, Principal.

The staff and I are quite excited about the year ahead.  Join us in our efforts to provide the most enriching experiences for all our students. Ongoing communication between you and the school is critical to your child’s success.  Let’s stay in touch!

Warmest regards,

Lupe García

From the PTA President

Welcome to all new and returning Palo Verde families. The year is off to a great start and we look forward to another successful year. Throughout the year, the PTA will use this space to highlight upcoming events and programs the PTA is involved with that may be of interest to parents.

With that, two events are coming up – The 4th Annual Palo Verde Walk-a-thon and Bringing Up Bicyclists, a bicycle safety class for parents.

Walk-a-thon

This event is Friday, September 26th, on the Palo Verde field. The event’s purpose is two-fold: First, encourage students to exercise and get excited about the upcoming kick-off to the Palo Verde Walking Club; and Second, raise money for Palo Verde Elementary School. Students participate by walking around the school’s field as many times as they can during their grades’ designated times. Rather than seeking per lap sponsorships, we ask that donations be made for participation. Donations are tax deductible and the forms are in your students’ Friday folders today, as is additional information on the event.

Bringing Up Bicyclists

On Wednesday, October 1st, from 7-8:30 pm, the Palo Verde and Fairmeadow PTAs are sponsoring this free bicycle safety class for parents only in the Palo Verde Multipurpose Room. The class helps parents determine their children’s bicycle skills and provides tips on how to help children become safe bicyclists.

See you the 26th and the 1st!

Kim Amsbaugh, PTA President, Mom of Ritter, Charlotte and Sherwin 

amsbaugh*gmail.com

School Site Council Vacancies for 2008- 20010

The Palo Verde Site Council has two parent vacancies beginning this year.  The term of office is for 2 years.

The School Site Council is a decision making body that is composed equally of four parents and four staff members from Palo Verde School, plus the Principal.  The purpose of the council is to work as an advisory group to the principal, in developing a comprehensive school plan and in approving a school improvement budget that is supportive of said plan. It meets once a month.  The specific day and time for this year is to be determined, pending the election of new members.

The term of office for all members of the site council is two years, with the exception of the principal, who is a permanent member.  Two of our parent members’ terms expired in June of 2008. Typically, elections take place in the spring, but due to the change in principal, this did not happen and will need to take place by the end of September.  Therefore, we are seeking interested candidates for these all-important positions.

If you would like more information about the Site Council, feel free to contact one of the current members: Parents-Joanna Schloss and Geoff Butner, or one of the staff members—Sheri Cundall and Chris McGranahan, or Lupe Garcia, Principal.

If you would like to run for this office, please write a brief paragraph about yourself and why you would like to be on the Site Council. Give it to Lupe or Chris McGranahan in the Main Office by Friday, September 26, 2008.  We will add your name and statement to the ballot.  In addition, the ballot (with the candidates’ names and statements) will be sent out to the community via Enews and will also be posted on Main Office windows and school bulletin boards for the community.  The election will be held the last week of September 2008.

Lupe Garcia

Start Collecting Safeway Receipts & Club Card Numbers!

The Safeway/eScrip “10% Back to Schools” promotion has ended.  If you shopped at Safeway this summer and used your Club Card at checkout, then you may have earned valuable rebates that you can donate to our school.

If you are not registered with eScrip, (or if you registered after July 31, 2008) there are two ways to help:

1) Send us your Club Card number!  Palo Verde can claim your rebates by entering your number at the redemption web site.

2) Send us your Safeway receipt!  Receipts with redemption codes will begin printing on September 12. Turn in any one receipt and we can claim the rebate.  (Please don’t give your coded receipt to more than one school, or send more than one receipt to Palo Verde.  The code can be redeemed only once).

If you ARE registered with eScrip, do not send us your own Club Card number or receipt.  Your rebates will be credited to Palo Verde automatically.  However, we encourage you to collect Club Card numbers and receipts from your co-workers, neighbors, families and friends!

Look for the envelope in today’s Friday folder and send as many Safeway Club Card numbers and receipts as you can to school with your child by Monday, September 29. Every child who turns in a valid card number or redemption code will receive a small thank you gift and the classroom that turns in the most card numbers and receipts will win a prize!

Dear Palo Verde Families,

Please remember that Wednesday, August 27, 2008 is our first Wednesday minimum day.  Grades 1-5 will follow the schedule of 8:15 – 1:25, kindergarten students 8:15 – 11:45.

Thank you,

Chris

Palo Verde Office