Friday, November 16
Book Fair
Lunch Outside
End 1st Trimester

Monday, November 19
Staff Inservice; student holiday

Tuesday, November 20
Staff Inservice; student holiday

Wednesday, November 21
Holiday

Thursday, November 22
Thanksgiving Holiday

Friday, November 23
Holiday

Monday, November 26
School resumes
Student Council; Room 23, 12:20 PM
School Site Council Meeting; Office, 3:30 PM

Wednesday, November 28
Cub Scout Pack 200; Multipurpose Room, 6:45 PM-8:30 PM

Friday, November 30
REPORT CARDS GO HOME WITH STUDENTS

Monday, December 3
Cub Scout Pack 200; Library, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM

Tuesday, December 4
Hanukkah begins at sundown
Bargain Book Bonanza; noon

Wednesday, December 5
PFC Teacher Appreciation Luncheon; Lounge, 12:00 PM-1:00 PM

Thursday, December 6
RAPPORT Mtg.; District Office, 9:00 AM

Friday, December 7
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Lunch outside

A Big THANK YOU - YES on Measure J

Thank you parents and volunteers for your attention, help, and vote for Measure J. As you know, Measure J passed with a 73% approval rate, and turned out about 55% of Lafayette's voting population. With the funds from Measure J, we will be able to continue to fund the excellent programs this District provides for our children. It was a pleasure serving this community as Campaign co-chairs particularly because parent involvement was so apparent and enthusiastic along the way. Thank you very much for your hard work. Please feel free to recycle your Yes on J yard signs!

Mary Newman, Teresa Gerringer, Elizabeth Domagalski

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGES

A. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO VOTED last Tuesday and made the much-needed MEASURE J Parcel Tax a reality. It is much appreciated and the students and community of Lafayette will benefit greatly for many years to come due to your efforts! A special thanks to Doreen deRoque, Kathy Hemmenway, Corrine Christensen and the countless other parent volunteers whose tireless efforts came together for such a welcome result! Well done, Springhill Community!!!

B. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED THE BOOK FAIR!!! Our annual Book Fair commenced on Tuesday, 11/13, and wraps up today, Friday, 11/16. Many thanks to Darcy Cole, Melissa Johnston, Gabrielle Ohleyer , Sheryl Lauer and Sherry Mattern for making this fabulous event all happen! What a fantastic selection of reading material!!! Today is your last chance to do your holiday shopping at the Book Fair!!!

C. ONCE AGAIN, MANY THANKS TO THE PFC FOR THE DELICIOUS STAFF APPRECIATION LUNCHEON LAST WEDNESDAY! IT WAS DELICIOUS AND MUCH APPRECIATED!!!

D. CONGRATULATIONS TO TEAM #1: INTRAMURAL FLAG FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS!!!
Sam deRoque & James Felt, co-captains; Chris T, Andre J, Fiona S, Miles H & Brooke F.
CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO TEAM #5; 2nd PLACE:
Tommy Nimura & Hannah Barnes, co-captains, and to all other students who participated in a great flag football season!

E. Join the PFC! Register for e-SCRIP!!

DIFFERENTIATION CORNER

*Differentiated Instruction takes place in all of our classes. Each week, we will be profiling a particular teacher's implementation of Differentiated Instruction every week in the Friday Flyer. Don't miss it!!!

Once a week in Mrs. Newcomb's 4th grade, students participate in a math station program called Math Menu. Students work in groups of four or five at various hands-on math activities. They move through the activities at their own pace. Activities include Hands On Equations, Versatiles, various Marcy Cook sets, number puzzles, math activities on the computer and a variety of other math manipulatives.

*Differentiated Instruction is not individualized instruction, but rather the delivery of curriculum to students in a manner that complements their learning style while always challenging them at their ability level.

PAY IT FORWARD CORNER

Every week we will be including different aspects of our Pay It Forward theme for this year in the Friday Flyer. Character development should be a major component in any well-rounded educational program and it has been for many years at Springhill. Ask your children what their classes are doing for Pay It Forward. Come to Spirit Wednesday, 8:30 AM every Wednesday morning in the main courtyard and find out how we promote character development at Springhill School. We do have a significant change in the Pay It Forward program this year. If you are familiar with how this program was originally designed, you know that all of the "pay it forward" efforts remained anonymous in order to promote the altruistic and selfless nature of the act. Although we will acknowledge all of the acts themselves in the weekly Student Bulletin, at Spirit Wednesday and in the Friday Flyer, we will no longer identify the specific students who performed the acts. We are hopeful the enthusiasm for the program will continue to be as strong as it has been the last several years with this change. Thank you.
Keep up that PIF Spirit!!!

A. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE NEXT SPRINGHILL STUDENT COUNCIL JAMBA JUICE SALE COMING UP SOON TO PAY IT FORWARD!!!

B. CONTRA COSTA FOOD BANK will have its barrels here to collect dried food and canned goods for the needy from November 26 to December 21! Please give what you can!

LASF gives parents a kid friendly activity for the upcoming break!

Make your very own mock rocks, like those used in the LASF "Exploring our Earth" unit.

Mix dry ingredients: 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup salt, 1 tsp. alum.

Mix wet ingredients: 1/4 cup water, food coloring - 2-3 drops red, 2-3 drops blue, 2-3 drops yellow.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Mix in 1/2 cup sand and 1/4 cup gravel.

Divide into 8 or 9 pieces. As you form "rock shapes", mix in a few extra items such as crushed shells and colored confetti. (Flat rocks dry faster than thick, round rocks). Place rocks on paper towels on a cookie sheet. Turn daily for 5 to 7 days. Let dry in the sun or in a warm place.

Have fun during the Thanksgiving break, and remember to be thankful for the wonderful Arts and Sciences that our children benefit from every week, at all grade levels and throughout their elementary, middle and high school years.

This Week in the Library

Turkeys usually like to forget about Thanksgiving, and most people love to celebrate with a nice and juicy turkey! This week the kindergartners heard a story about eight school children who go on a field trip that ends up being quite a Thanksgiving thrill. Ask your kindergartner what the children do with all the turkeys.

Turkeys love to fan out their feathers, fluff out their tails and strut-strut-strut. As all Momma turkeys point out, it's a good idea for little turkeys not to strut too much. The first graders heard a story about Tom Turkey the youngest and smallest turkey who learns a lot about growing up in turkey style. Ask your first grader what Tom does to try to be like Big Gobbler.

Did you know that there were cats on the Mayflower? Yes, that's right, they were probably there to catch mice on the ship. This week the second graders heard a story that follows a cat and a young girl on the Mayflower and their rough trip across the ocean, their arrival in Plymouth, and the building of the new colony. Ask your second grader what the young girl named the cat.

How do boiled eels sound for a side dish on Thanksgiving? Not too good, I say. The third graders heard a story that told about the first feast at Plymouth Plantation in 1621 that we now refer to as Thanksgiving. This feast lasted for three days. Now that sounds like my kind of feasting! Ask your third grader what dish took the place of boiled eels.

Thanksgiving celebrations are in the air this week. Many different families will be celebrating in their own special way. The fifth graders heard a story that captures the warmth and special energy of the most unusual celebration. Ask your fifth grader what they think is special about Thanksgiving.


New Books in the Library

In The Perfect Hamburger and other Delicious Stories, by Alexander McCall Smith, you get three hilariously cooked up tales all in one book. First, in The Perfect Hamburger, Joe's favorite hamburger joint is going out of business unless he can figure out the ingredients for the perfect hamburger. Will he get it right before it's too late? Second, in The Spaghetti Tangle, John and Nicky would love to eat spaghetti for every meal, but instead they get vegetarian dishes. To get a decent meal, they enter a recipe contest. When they win a visit to Mr. Pipelli's spaghetti factory, they are thrilled! But what happens when the meet up with the spaghetti spinner? And third, in The Doughnut Ring, Jim tries to help Mr. Pride by selling doughnuts to raise money. He decides to send out tons of emails asking for donations. This seems to work but it soon gets out of control and Jim finds himself practically covered in doughnuts! Will he be able to sell all of his yummy treats, or will he be stuck with the sticky goods forever?

Happy Birthday to our Author of the Week
Happy November birthday to Ed Young! Some book titles by Ed Young are I Doko, Lon Po Po, The Sons of the Dragon King, and What About Me?. Check out these and many more of his books at the Springhill Library.

Springhill Library Website
Explore our website at http://www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/people/smattern/index.htm . You can find a full update on what's happening at the Springhill Library, find more reviews of new books and links to many helpful resources.

Sherry Mattern, Library Specialist
Kimberli Sparks-Buckley, Library Aide

Looking for fun ways to keep your kids active during the winter months? Below are a few local resources for fun, physical activities to keep your kids' bodies busy and help stave off cabin fever during the rainy season.

Indoor Rock Climbing Gyms

Ice Skating Rinks

Other:
Exploratorium Tactile Dome
Lawrence Hall of Science

THANKSGIVING CAMP - HIDEOUT STYLE

Last chance for registration for Thanksgiving Camp at Kids Hideout! We will be open from 8 AM to 6 PM on Monday and Tuesday (the 19th & 20th). We will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (the 21st, 22nd & 23rd).

During Hideout camp, we will be making individual Holiday pies,"hand-made" turkeys, exploring science with Gak, Clean Mud, Ooblek and Bubble Wrap art, playing outdoor games, and much, much more.

Please stop by the School Office (or Hideout) for a registration form. You can also contact Beth at 283-7808 or beth@kidshideout.net

Chess Challenge!

If you are new to chess or polishing your skills, come develop your understanding and enjoyment of the king of games! Lessons and play combine the skills of thinking and creativity with the thrill of sport.

Classes include 20 minutes of instruction and 40 minutes of play. Boards and sets are provided. All levels are welcome.The winter session of chess class will begin December 3 and end February 11.The fee is $120 for the eight week class. Classes are from 2:45-3:45, Mondays. You can join for a pro-rated fee at any time. Class minimum is ten students and maximum is twenty.To register online, go to Berkeleychessschool.org, or call 510-843-0150 and speak to Judy or David. For more information, please contact our parent liasion Sonia Shiri at shiri@berkeley.edu. There will also be flyers with detailed information in the Springhill office.

Chill Out With A Good Book - LAST DAY

Today is the LAST day of the Springhill Book Fair. Choose from a variety of books for all ages provided once again by the wonderful Storyteller Bookstore in Lafayette. The book sale proceeds are the one re-occurring source of income that the library receives each year. Get your holiday shopping done and help Springhill's library at the same time!

Sugar and it's Many Disguises

Have you ever noticed your child's behavior changing after eating sweets or certain foods? Are you concerned about your child's moods, ability to concentrate or his/her overall health?

Learn all about sugar and its effect on the brain, body and health of your child. You will learn about simple carbohydrates vs. complex carbohydrates and how each affects the body. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties and crankiness in children.

Tuesday, December 4th at 7:pm
Parkmead School Library, 1920 Magnolia Way, Walnut Creek,
Please rsvp to Angela Lambert at angie@inspiringwellness4u.com or 254-3157. Brought to you by Parkmead PTA.


Body Image - Parent Education Event

Katie Censky, MA, MFT will describe the term 'Body Image' and the common causes of eating disorders. Information about the signs of eating disorders, as well as preventative actions for families is presented. The presentation focuses on both genders as boys are starting to face the same media pressures that girls have faced for decades.

Thursday, November 29, 2007, 7pm
and
Thursday, January 17, 2008, noon - 1:30 pm
Walnut Creek Intermediate School, Library. 2425 Walnut Blvd, Walnut Creek. No fee, register in class
Please rsvp to Vera Babor at vbabor@acalanes.k12.ca.us


Engineering with Legos program - Possible Winter After-School Enrichment

Would your son/daughter be interested in learning about engineering & architecture through Legos? The curriculum (designed by engineers) builds off the math and science skills students learned during the school year, and applies them in real-world engineering scenarios/challenges utilizing hundreds of thousands of Lego bricks and pieces as a manipulative. This program would take place at Springhill and begin in January.

Please contact Lori Suppiger at lesupp@comcast.net or 962-9925 if you are interested or have any questions.


Hot Lunch Message

As we enter into the hectic holiday season, a friendly reminder to pre-order hot lunch. Children's Choice provides extra lunches based on their experience and statistics; however, when too many children haven't pre-ordered, it creates a situation where some children will receive a lunch they didn't select. No child is ever denied lunch, they may receive something they didn't pre-order.

Did you know that your child may have as many fruits and vegetables they want for hot lunch? Yes, they can come back for seconds and even thirds. This may be a good opportunity to encourage and remind your children about how important it is to make healthy choices for lunch. If you need information about Springhill's hot lunch program, please contact Victoria Renfro renfros@hotmail.com


Reminder 5th Grade Parents: STRIKE UP THE BAND!!!!

The Music Man! Today, Friday, November 16th is the last day to turn in your form! Please return the form to the Drama Box on the PFC Table in the office. The productions will be on Monday, May 12 & Tuesday, May 13 at Town Hall Theater. Questions? Contact Kathy Biro at thebirofamily@gmail.com or Kristi Buck at 4Bucks@buckfamily.com


Santa's Bag Boutique at the Lafayette Community Center

More than 50 local craftspeople will be displaying their ceramics, oil paintings, cards and clothing. Some of our Springhill parents are participating! A great opportunity for unique Christmas gift shopping.

Friday, November 30, 2007, 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 1, 2007, 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Sunday, December 2, 2007, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Lafayette Community Center
500 Saint Marys Road

To submit entries to the Friday Flyer, email Sharon Swan: fridayflyereditor@yahoo.com

925-280-0141 All entries due Wednesday before 3:00pm. Entries must be kept brief, please.
Subscriber info: annmariemwarren@yahoo.com

Web: http://www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/springhill