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February 17, 2017

ALMOND THURSDAY FRIDAY WORD
February 17, 2017

 

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

  • Friday, 2/17 - Crazy Hair Spirit Day
  • Monday thru Friday, 2/20 to 2/24  - Holiday, Winter Recess (NO SCHOOL)
  • Wednesday, 3/1 - Family Science Night (Multi, 6:30-8pm)
  • Friday, 3/3 - Incoming 7th Grade Parent Tours (Egan Multi, 9:30am)
  • Tuesday, 3/7 - Minimum Day, School Ends at 12:15pm
  • Thursday, 3/16 - Bookwave Blast (Multi, 6-8pm)
  • Thursday, 3/30 - Incoming 7th Grade Parent Panel (Egan Library, 7:00pm)
  • Friday, 3/31 - Incoming 7th Grade Student Tour & Elective Faire (Egan, 8:30am)
  • Monday, 4/3 - STEM Expo School Day Showcase
  • Tuesday, 4/4 - STEM Expo Community Night (Multi, 4:30pm - 6:00pm)
  • Monday thru Friday, 4/10 to 4/14 - Spring Break (NO SCHOOL)
  • Saturday, 4/29 - LASD Junior Olympics (MVHS, 8am - 4pm)


SCHOOL MESSAGE

...from the Almond Staff

The following are highlights from each grade level in regards to the current focus of instruction.

TK

Counting to 20 and beyond.  Learning to put sounds together to make words and to chunk words.  Writing complete sentences with correct capitalization.  Learning about our 5 senses. Learning about our emotions and that it is “OK to be mad but not OK to be mean”.

K

Celebrated the 100th day of school: did 100 exercises, counted 100 snacks, made a 100 bead necklace.  Science - Arctic animals, wood and paper, went to Youth Science Institute: pond animals, insects, nature walk

1

Paying it Forward video (collaboration with buddies to film and edit) Finishing up Foss Plants and Animals. About to begin NGSS Light and Sound Unit. Opinion Writing. Place Value in math.

2

Second grade has been very excited as we begin our unit on our earth. We are integrating science and language arts and students become geologist and study rocks and their formations.  We have been able to compose written pieces describing rocks, their properties, and how they formed using nonfiction texts and observations.

3

Next week every third grader will have an opportunity share what they learned about one Famous American. They will use their presentation skills to teach others about people who have contributed much to make our country great.  They have been learning about character traits and what it takes to accomplish greatness.

4

In 4th grade we are working on math talks.  Students are given the same problem (this month is long division)  and they share different strategies to solve the problem.  This promotes student ownership of learning.  The students lead the discussion as the teacher becomes the recorder/ facilitator.  Verbalizing their process allows students to move from knowledge (the how) to understanding (the why/ what the number sentence represents).

5

In 5th grade we are working on taking ownership over our learning and sharing our learning with others.  Each 5th grader became an expert on one element on the periodic table and created posters to teach about that element.  Together, the 5th graders have nearly re-created the entire periodic table with element expert posters.  Students can’t stop admiring each other’s work and learning about our amazing elements!  

6

Many of our sixth graders are owning their learning by fulfilling their responsibilities to complete work, but others are not.  We are working hard to determine whether it is a “skill” vs. “will” issue.  What that means is - are students not participating because the learning is not accessible - OR - is it the will of the student who is not motivated to do so.  We are exploring how we might celebrate those owning their learning and better motivate those not doing so. Ask your child what they are getting accomplished in class. Are they coming prepared to class? Are they owning their learning?  Or evading the hard work of growing their brains?

STEM

Almond STEM celebrates Engineering Week with the Pasta Challenge! TK-6 students are invited to build something completely from pasta and bring it to school for display on Friday, March 3, 2017 to Room 5.

General

Students from China will be visiting in April.  We’re starting the planning process.


PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW


STUDENT COUNCIL

  • Please help us fight homelessness! Our goal is to raise $2,750. Money can be donated by check or case to the containers in each classroom.  All donations will be donated to Almond has decided to fight homelessness this year. Ilanit, Nisha, and Shannon are helping the student council fight this cause.  Our donations to (CHP) Community Housing Partnership will help buy materials for their Learning Academy, which trains and prepares people without homes to get and keep a job. The class with the most money donated for March will get a pizza party, the class with the most money for April will get an ice cream party, and the overall class with the most money will get a popcorn and movie party. Keep your eye out for the informational posters hung around school created by the 3rd-6th grade Student Council Representatives.
  • Tomorrow is crazy hair day! We look forward to seeing lots of crazy hair! Make sure to get as creative as possible.
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LAEF:  Get Matched in February
Love is in the air this week, and two LASD families have offered to match your LAEF donation! That means that all NEW donations and any dollar you give OVER your donation amount last year will be doubled, up to $20,000. Celebrate this Valentine’s Day and get matched by giving to LAEF at www.LAEFonline.org.

 

LAEF Celebrates the 100th Day of School
Did you know that LAEF pays for teachers at every school enhancing your child’s education every day? LAEF funds STEM, PE, Art, Computer Science, Music, Library, smaller class sizes in K-3 and an Instructional Support Teacher for Math.  Learn more at www.LAEFonline.org about what your child has learned in his or her first 100 days, thanks to contributions to LAEF.

 

Family Science Night is Wednesday March 1st 6:30-8 pm. 
It's an Almond PTA sponsored event with a pizza and bake sale too! Enjoy a fun night, where children (TK-6th) can explore 25+ hands on stations. Check out Stanford Optical Society's lazer maze, make slime, create with Kidizens in the STEM lab, observe Bees, Bats, Reptiles and more!

 

HOT LUNCH SESSION 3 IS NOW OPEN FOR ORDERING!!!
MARCH 6TH-JUNE 7TH 2017

  • Don't forget that you can order Hot Lunch by midnight every Sunday for the upcoming week!
  • You can always change, add or cancel orders during the session. There is a lot of flexibility in the ordering system so your child always has the option of trying something new.
  • It is advised that you print your child's calendar to verify that you have orders for the week. This will give you the opportunity to view all days ordered and to check for accuracy.
    If you used the Quick Order Option, please double check all entries when viewing your child's calendar. This option will only select 120 days of orders per session.
  • Thank you!
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BOOKWAVE BLAST

  • Please join us for the 2017 Bookwave Blast.  The event will be on Thursday, March 16, from 6-8 pm.  Bring your family and peruse all of this year's books, be inspired by our guest author, Arree Chung, and take home your child's masterpiece! It promises to be a fun family evening.  Light refreshments will be served.  No author at your house this year?  You can still join us for the Blast.  This is an Almond Community event and all are invited to come!  Please complete the google form here to RSVP for the event, so we can plan accordingly.  ~ The Bookwave Team
  • About the Author:  Arree Chung makes picture books, but he did a lot of other things before finding his true passion.  Arree began his career in consulting where he made lots of spreadsheets.  Arree left the consulting field for an opportunity at Pixar.  At Pixar, Arree learned the secret to success: loving what you do.  To pursue his passion, Arree enrolled at the Art Center College of Design where he learned to draw, paint, and think differently.  In Steven Turk's Children's Book Illustration class, Arree discovered his love for creating children's picture books and the rest is history!  In the past decade, Arree has worked in the games industry as a Designer and Art Director.  Arree’s first debut picture book, “Ninja!” hits shelves June 3rd, 2014.  When Arree is not practicing his Ninja moves, you can find him playing basketball or riding his bike.
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DELAC – (DISTRICT ENGLISH LEARNER ADVISORY COMMITTEE) MEETING
The district will hold a DELAC (District English Learner Advisory Committee) meeting on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at 8:45am in the district Board Room. All are welcome to attend.

 

ALMOND COMMUNITY SERVICE - Planting Vegetables at Hidden Villa!  RSVP Required
When:  Saturday, March 11, 10-12 pm 
Where:  Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills
What:  Let’s get dirty, build community and help a wonderful local organization!  Come help Hidden Villa prepare their fields and plant vegetables!  Volunteers are welcome to stay after to hike and see farm animals.  We have reserved a covered area for those who want to stay for a picnic afterwards.  Light snacks will be provided.  Hidden Villa has 11 acres of sustainable, organic agriculture contributing to our local food security. The food they grow is sold at the Los Altos Farmers Market and is available to "shareholders" of the Community Supported Agriculture Program.  They also donate 25% of the annual harvest to our low-income neighbors through the Community Services Agency of Mountain View.  
RSVP:  Space is limited so please email polly@beau-coup.com to reserve your space and indicate number of people attending.  First come, first served.  

 

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - REPEATED

REMINDER OF LOST & FOUND PURGE PROTOCOL
Starting with January, we will clear out the Lost & Found at the end of each month to keep it from getting ridiculously full.  Please put your child's name or at least a family name in your children's clothing and we will do our best to return it to you.  Remind your children to look in the Lost & Found regularly.  


COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Los Altos Library to Celebrate Extended Hours

  • Hosts Puppet Show featuring The Fratello Marionettes on Sat. Feb. 18
    • WHO: The Los Altos Library
    • WHAT: The Los Altos Library will host a special celebration in honor of the library’s new extended hours of operation.
      • New hours as of Tuesday, January 3, 2017
        • Monday – Thursday: 10 am – 9 pm
        • Friday – Sunday       10 am – 7 pm
    • WHY: In October 2016, the North County Library Authority voted unanimously to fund an additional five hours each week in the library’s schedule. The new hours are reflective of the suggestions and wishes of over 500 Los Altos Library users who completed a SCCLD survey last spring. Their responses provided valuable input into various library offerings, including additional hours of operation should funds become available.
    • WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, February 18, 2017, 11 am, Los Altos Library, Orchard Room, 13 S. San Antonio Road Los Altos, CA 94022, 650-948-7683
  • ABOUT THE SHOW: The public is invited to join The Fratello Marionettes as they perform “Aladdin,” a free puppet show in the Orchard Room of the Los Altos Library. “Aladdin,” one of the most popular legends from “1001 Arabian Nights,” tells the story of a young boy who finds himself enlisted by an evil sorcerer in search of a magic lamp.  Watch as Aladdin thwarts the evil sorcerer, discovers the magical lamp, befriends the powerful genie, and saves the princess.  Traditional music and intricate costumes showcase storytelling from ancient cultures of the Far East.
  • The event is free and open to the public. No reservations required. Remarks from local dignitaries will follow the performance. For more information on the Santa Clara County Library District, visit: www.sccl.org.
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LAST CHANCE TO SAVE $10 ON SRVCPTA'S PARENTING CONFERENCE!

  • Time is running out for Early Bird fee discount so register TODAY for SRVCPTA’s Parenting Conference and save $10 off of the regular $45 registration fee by Friday, February 17! Whether you are a parent, educator or someone who works with kids & teens, you’ll want to check out our great lineup of speakers & topics for this year. Along with a keynote address and book signing by Michele Borba on her recent book, UnSelfie: How Empathetic Kids Succeed In An All-About-Me World, there will be 17 session selections for you to choose from. Topics include: Executive functioning for kids & teens, Preparing your child for the online world, Nutrition for healthy sleep and stress reduction, College preparation & funding strategies, Multi-cultural parenting, How to talk to kids about LGBTQ issues, Raising a special needs family, Manifesting mindfulness to kindfulness, and much more! Continental breakfast bar, lunch, and the opportunity to pick up information from our Vendor Row are also included in this day of learning!
  • For updates, full descriptions of session topics, speaker bios, conference schedule and more information on the Parenting Conference, go to 





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