ALMOND THURSDAY WORD, issued on a Friday

March 24, 2017

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

• 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(S)

3 HOST FAMILIES STILL NEEDED

• The responsibility of a host family is to welcome a student from Hangzhou China into your home to allow them to experience what it’s like in America.  They will eat breakfast with you, travel to school with you, go home with you after school, partake in your dinner ritual, and spend the night with you.  The student will stay with you for 5 nights.  If your family has existing commitments (e.g. karate class, swimming), this student will accompany you.  On the day of Junior Olympics, you will transport them to the high school and they will remain with you and your child throughout the day.  On Sunday, you will drop them off at school for their tour to San Francisco and then pick them back up that evening.  The following Monday, they head back to China.
• It is preferable that the host student from Almond is at the same grade level.  However, if we are not able to accommodate this, then we welcome any family at any grade level to host.
• Our visitors are:  4th graders – 13  (3 boys, 10 girls), 5th graders – 9   (7 boys, 2 girls), 6th graders – 2  (2 girls)
• If you are interested, please fill out THIS form and we will be in touch.  
• Mr. Chan will be taking the lead in coordinating this visit.  THANK YOU MR. CHAN!!!!

FINAL CALL TO CELEBRATE LEADERS
Please take the time to celebrate a student, staff, or parent leaders by writing a brief statement about what makes them extraordinary.  These will be compiled during the week of 3/27.  Please submit a different entry HERE for each leader (student, staff, parent) you wish to celebrate.

PTA & SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS - NEW

STEM EXPO VOLUNTEERS

• The STEM Expo is just around the corner and I am looking for volunteers to help on both Monday, 4/3 and Tuesday, 4/4.  
• On Monday, 4/3, I need about 5 parents to help set up the Multi on Monday morning around 7:00 and then check in student projects from 7:50-8:30.
• On Tuesday, 4/4, I am looking for volunteers that are willing to talk with students about their projects. I need 7 volunteers during each time slot:  8:45-10:10, 10:30-12:00, 12:45-2:45.
• I also need volunteers that are willing to run and get students for their interviews. I need about 3-4 volunteers per session for that job as well. Snacks and lunch will be provided for the volunteers.
• The sign ups can be found at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d4cabac2ca3fc1-almond1
• Thank you for your assistance, Beth Leach

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.  

FROM THE ALMOND OFFICE
If your student will be absent for any reason, there are two easy ways to inform the school office. You may call the  Attendance Line at 650-917-5454, or email us at almondsecretary@lasdschools.org. This ensures that we can account for all 543 students every day. Thank you!

LASD NURSE - Pertussis Booster for Students in grade 6
Students currently in 6th grade 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 7th grade in August of 2017. Please provide a copy of your child’s immunization record to your school office as soon as possible!

Become a LIVING CLASSROOM docent... share your love of nature with kids!

• It's time to plant tomatoes, dissect flowers, explore the plants used by the Ancient Civilizations, and harvest and make yummy pretzels from the winter wheat the students planted last Fall!  If you like all those things and more, please consider becoming a Living Classroom docent!  LIving Classroom is looking for docents to help deliver hands-on garden-based lessons to the students of the Los Altos School District.  No experience necessary as we provide all the training needed!  Our Spring Docent Training will take place Monday mornings in March from 9 - Noon on 3/6, 3/13, 3/20 and 3/27.  Please click HERE to view our Spring Training Flyer which lists the locations of each of our trainings.  Apprentice-style training also available to those who can’t make our Monday morning trainings.
• Questions?  Email us at livingclassroom@lasdschools.org or call (650) 947-1103.  For more information about Living Classroom, please visit our website at www.living-classroom.org.

PTA Almond Used Laptop Donation Drive March 20-31
Do you have a working laptop that you don't need anymore?  We can put it into good use.  We are collaborating with a non-profit organization called Equal Opportunity Technology to provide refurbished laptops to needed students at Almond Elementary School. You may bring your working and password-disabled laptop with driver, operating system and charger (if available) to the office from March 20 -31.  All donations are tax-deductible.  For any questions, please email Alice Lee at joy268@hotmail.com.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

ALMOND AFTER SCHOOL PLAY DATE EVENTS - Girl Scout Fundraiser!

• Egan Girl Scout Troop 61015 is hosting several after-school playdates at Almond as a fundraiser for our summer trip.
• The troop will provide supervised play and activities to Almond students in grades K-3, and siblings ages 3 and up who are potty trained. Kids will have a lot of fun with board games, legos, arts and crafts, play time on the playground, and snacks will be provided. Most of the scouts have earned their babysitting badge and are Red Cross babysitting certified. Scouts will run the event, and several adults will be present to assist them.
• The fee for each event is $25 per child and $10 for each additional sibling - you can pay at drop off or pick up. Parents who RSVP will be provided a permission slip to sign and turn in at the event(s). We will have extra copies to sign at check in.
• All events will take place from 2:25-4:45pm in the Almond multi; click on each date to RSVP:  
  • Friday, April 28
• We hope to see your child(ren) there! Please email Sara Elkin if you have any questions.

Speaker Series: Excellent Sheep: Reframing College as a Time for Self-Discovery

• William Deresiewicz will give his perspective on how college should be a time for self-discovery, when young people can establish their own values and measures of success in order to forge their own path.
• Tuesday April 4th, 7:00 pm , Los Altos High School Eagle Theater
• Registration: https:// wderesiewicz.eventbrite.com
• Due to the generosity of our sponsors, admission is free to MVLA Parent Education  Speaker Series events.

Awesome Comedic Jugglers Performing at MVHS on Friday, March 31 at 7 pm

• Fun for the whole family! Mark & Marlo combine the best of clean comedy with the most amazing juggling stunts! Featured on television shows such as the Late Show with David Letterman, America’s Got Talent and Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, their Las Vegas-style production is family-friendly, but also jam-packed with humor for adults.
• Purchase your tickets prior to March 16th for just $10 per person. Tickets purchased on or after March 16th are $12. Tickets can be purchased online through EventBrite at: https://mvhs_comedic_jugglers.eventbrite.com. Hurry, there are a limited number of seats available in the MVHS theatre.
• Check out these awesome performers and get a taste of their show at: http://tinyurl.com/mark-marlo
• This community wide event is being hosted by the MVHS Grad Night Committee. For questions or more info, contact: lowheeler@sbcglobal.net