Friday, December 7 
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Lunch outside

Monday, December 10 
Picture Make Up Day; Multipurpose Room, 10:45 AM-11:45 AM
Student Council Meeting; Room 23, 12:20 PM
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM-3:45 PM

Tuesday, December 11 
Lunch outside
Bargain Book Bonanza; noon
Lafayette School District Board Mtg.; District Office, 7:00 PM

Wednesday, December 12 
Lunch outside

Monday, December 17 
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM-3:45 PM

Thursday, December 20 
Student Council Jamba Juice Sale to benefit SAVE THE BAY, 10:30 AM 

Friday, December 21 
Minimum Day
All K: 8:15 AM-11:35 AM
Gr. 1-3 students dismissed at 11:50 AM
Gr. 4-5 students dismissed at 12:00 PM

Saturday, December 22 
Winter Solstice

Tuesday, December 25 
Christmas 

Wednesday, December 26 
Kwanza begins 

Tuesday, January 1st 2008 
New Years Day 

Monday, January 7 
School Resumes

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGES

A. ABSENCES: Please be aware that each day of a child's absence costs the District $43.50 per student per day regardless of reason for the absence. Certainly, if the child is sick, the child should stay home. We want to encourage families to schedule vacations on non-student days (whenever possible) and for absences of 5 days or more, complete an independent study. We must stress the importance of learning opportunities lost by missing school needlessly. Thank you for your cooperation! 

B. PLEASE NOTE NEXT WEEK's CALENDAR: 

1. Monday 12/10; Picture Make Up Day; Multipurpose Room, 10:45 AM-11:45 AM
2. Tuesday 12/11; Bargain Book Bonanza; noon (rescheduled from last week) 

C. 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!!!

In Mrs. Graham's & Mrs. Quinn's Kindergarten, students make two/three Journal Entries a week. Each student's entry looks different from his/her classmates depending on the writing skills of each. One student may be able to illustrate his/her thoughts on paper, another may be able to label his/her illustration, another may write a simple sentence using invented spelling while another student may write several sentences using both invented spelling and conventional spelling. 

*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. STUDENT COUNCIL JAMBA JUICE SALE TO BENEFIT "SAVE THE BAY" in its efforts to clean up the oil spill in San Francisco Bay. Thursday, December 20, at 10:30 AM. Look for the order form coming home soon! PAY IT FORWARD!!! 

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

C. GIRLS SCOUT TROOP #814 asks you to donate any toiletries (e.g., shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, lotions, etc.) in the bins outside the Springhill Office to benefit the homeless of Contra Costa County starting Monday, December 3, and ending Friday, December 14. Give what you can--pay it forward!!! 

D. GIRLS SCOUT TROOP #1116 asks you to donate old LMYA soccer uniforms and equipment (including shin guards and shoes) until Friday, December 21st. Look for collection bins in the front of the school by the main office. Last year they collected over 600 soccer jerseys that were ultimately shipped to a village near Kenya, Africa . Give what you can--pay it forward!!! 

E. GIRLS SCOUT TROOP #519 Thank you so much for the weeding, planting and gardening you have done on the Springhill campus. Your hard work by the backstop area and kindergarten yard will be realized in the spring when the flowers bloom. Thank you, Meredith Pierce, Allison Merrill, Lia Swan, Becky Barr, Adrielle Thornfeldt, Mia Carvotta, Krista Fetke, Ruby Reid, Anastasia Izmailova & Morgan Rogers and welcome to the Principal's Club! 

Help wanted!! We are in need of a Hot Lunch Coordinator.This is our third year using Children's Choice hot lunch program and all is running smoothly.This role would include maintaining communication between Springhill School, its families and Children's Choice. Also maintaining the volunteer schedule and address issues that arise throughout the school year. For more information or if you feel this position is right for you please contact me ASAP. 

Can't find that brand new sweatshirt or jacket or lunchbox your child had yesterday, last week or last month?? Please check the lost and found located underneath the stairwell as you are walking down the main hallway on the right hand side. There's an abundance of items just waiting to make their way back into your home!! 

If you read the Friday Flyer or take a walk on campus lately you will notice the many opportunities we have to give a charitable donation to the community in some shape or form. Children learn by the example that is set and we are never short in setting our pay it forward example. I know that countless families also contribute in a large variety of ways outside of our Springhill community as well. I would just like to take a moment to thank all of the families here at Springhill Elementary for their overwhelming generosity, whether it is monetary or volunteerism and whether it is here on campus or another location or venue. 

Corrine Christensen
2007/2008 Springhill PFC President
joeandcorrine@msn.com 

LASF Science Fair 


Have a talk with your children about what they'd like to do for the LASF Science Fair this year. It's not too early to start thinking about it. THE LASF SCIENCE FAIR IS THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008 FROM 6:30-8:30PM. Some projects take some time to develop. You can help them turn an interest into a science fair project by asking them to finish the sentence "I wonder ____" I wonder why ____? (the leaves turn colors) I wonder what happens if ____? (if I put bigger tires on my model car) How does ____ affect ____? (shape affect buoyancy) I wonder ____? (if different sizes and types of balls will roll at different speeds down the driveway). Tell them some things you wonder about to model for them. After coming up with a good question and thinking about it for a while, a child may think they know the answer: this will be their hypothesis. 

Alternatively, a little research at the library or on the internet may be in order to develop a hypothesis. It's important to help your child limit the problem to one or two variables for a successful experiment. "Do bread molds grow on white bread faster in the light or dark?" will lead to a well-defined experiment rather than a broader question such as "How does light affect mold?" The most important things to remember are to pick a subject of interest and have fun. Hold onto that idea, as Entry Forms will be available soon. If you have any questions regarding the Science Fair you can contact: Carol Davis (283-0838, carol_davis@comcast.net< span class="Apple-converted-space"> , Rhodora Del Rosario (962-0438, roepd@hotmail.com ), or Sharon Kidd (274-1747,skidd@calmail.berkeley.edu< span class="Apple-converted-space"> ) 


A Belated but Heartfelt Thank You 
A Belated but Heartfelt Thank You goes out to the following people who volunteered their time to make phone calls during the recent LASF Fall Phonathon: Kerry Bolen, Sally Fonstein, Eric Fromer, Kathy Hamilton, Sharon Kidd , Shay Kurtz, Bonnie Min, Holly Nolan and Laurie Wondolowski 

This Week in the Library

This week in the library the students heard stories about Hanukkah. The roots of Hanukkah date back to more than 2000 years ago when Greeks took over Judea and their King Antiochus insisted that the people worship the Greek gods. In response to being mistreated, Mattathias and his sons organized a group of resistance fighters known as the Maccabees. After three years of fighting, the Maccabees succeeded in driving the Greeks out of Judea. 

According to tradition, when they entered the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, they discovered only enough consecrated oil to light the temple menorah for one day. Then a miracle occurred. The menorah burned for not one day, but eight days. In commemoration of this miracle, a menorah is now lit during each of the eight nights of Hanukkah. One candle is lit the first night using a "servant candle" and an additional candle is lit each successive night. Thus, on the last night of Hanukkah, all eight candles of the menorah are lit. 

This year Hanukkah began at sundown on Tuesday, December 4th and will end at nightfall on Wednesday, December 12th. Hanukkah is a fun festival, especially for children. After lighting the Hanukkah candles together and saying or singing the blessings, families and their guests eat and play games. The traditional Hanukkah foods are rich in oil and are made to honor the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days. A favorite food to eat on Hanukkah is potato "latkes", and a favorite game to play is the "dreidel", which is a spinning top game that is often played by the whole family. Hundreds of years ago, Hanukkah "gelt" was given to children in real gold coins, and today "gelt" is given to children in the form of chocolate coins wrapped in gold and silver. 

New Books in the Library 
When Isobel is invited to her Aunt Luisa's in Hanukkah Moon by Deborah da Costa, she's a little worried that her Aunt might not know how to celebrate Hanukkah because she lives in Mexico. Isobel finds out that in Mexico Hanukkah is called Rosh Hodesh and she is pleasantly surprised by many of the gifts and tasty latkes at Aunt Luisa's house. Isobel wonders about a mysterious late night outing that Aunt Luisa has planned. Will she be scared to be out late at night or will it be the best night of her life? Read this book to find out how Isobel learns just what it means to celebrate Hanukkah in a new and exciting way. The illustrations by Gosia Mosz are stunning with purple and gold muted colors, which create a warm and wonderful mood.

Happy Birthday to our Author of the Week 
Happy November birthday to Eve Bunting! Some book titles by Ed Young are The Memory String, Cheyenne Again, Butterfly House, and One Candle. Check out these and many more of Eve Bunting's 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

Beating Holiday Stress

The holidays really are the best of times and the worst of times. Our tidings of comfort and joy can so easily be devoured by the insatiable stress to do it all, be it all, and buy it all. And that stress is nothing to ho, ho, ho about, either. It increases your risk of illness. 

Yet it is possible to survive the holiday frenzy without feeling frantic, if you know how. Here are top tips from some of the nation's leading stress experts: 

Stress Master: 
Psychologist Alice Domar, director of the Mind/Body Center for Women's Health at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, and author of the book Self-Nurture.

Strategy: Cut yourself some slack!

Tip 1. Shop so you don't drop. 
Domar's ritual is to take a personal day off work in the middle of the first week of December. "I hit the mall as soon as the doors open, carrying nothing but an empty backpack and my credit cards,'' she says. Click on the website below for more on Tip #1. 

Tip 2. Treat yourself. 
All that hustling and bustling can drain you. Domar suggests that for every 10 presents you buy for others, you select a little indulgence for yourself. "I might go with a little Godiva truffle or a Dave Barry calendar -- nothing expensive, just a little pick-me-up.'' She also recommends regular exercise. Click on the website below for more on Tip #2

Tip 3. Skip the Nutcracker. 
Or if that is simply too much heresy, go ahead and take in the ballet but forgo the big menorah lighting, or the Santa parade, or the holiday ice show. The point is, don't drag yourself or your family from event to event. Think quality, not quantity Click on the website below for more on Tip #3 

Tip 4. Stretch the season. 
If December is a hotbed of socializing, the weeks that follow tend to be a wasteland. That's why Domar proposes people schedule their holiday bashes for mid-January (her own office party is set for Jan. 14.) Click on the website below for more on Tip #4. 

More tips at www.webmd.com 
By Vicki Haddock WebMD Feature

Fall Fundraiser Announcement 

Quake Kare earthquake kits and supply orders are being shipped Friday, December 7, and will be mailed to your home (or whatever address you noted on your order form). Prizes will be delivered to the classroom around December 14. Thank you for your orders. If you have any questions, please email Kathy Langner atklangner@comcast.net. 


Springhill Mileage Club Announcement 

This is the time of year when outside activity slows down for kids. Why not sign up for the Springhill Mileage Club and get some running in before school starts? (We will skip Mileage Club on rainy days.) This program will continue until the end of the school year. Look for permission slip in your Friday Folder this week. Parents and students please sign and return to marked box in the office. Note: Children will not be permitted to participate without this slip on file. 


Girl Scout Troop #814 - Holiday Community Service Project 

How many hotel soaps and little shampoo bottles do you have in the bottom of your drawers or cabinets? Do you have a tube of toothpaste you could spare? We are collecting toiletries such as soaps, lotions, toothbrushes, toothpastes, dental floss, etc., to organize and distribute to three organizations: Shelter, Inc., The Monument Crisis Center and the Contra Costa Interfaith Coalition. These organizations provide assistance to families who are in need of emergency and/or temporary housing and need basic personal care items. Please drop any items you can share into the labeled bins in front of the Office. Thanks for helping Troop 814 Pay It Forward during the Holidays! 


Girl Scout Troop #1116 - Soccer Uniform Collection Project 

Lafayette Girl Scout Troop #1116 is still collecting LMYA soccer uniforms if you missed the first call and still want to donate! We have started to ship team uniforms off to needy youth/kids in Africa, but we would love to collect any additional old LMYA uniforms (including shin guards and shoes too) and soccer balls! Boxes will be located in the office until Friday, December 21st. Thank you for your participation! Questions? Contact Caroline Sjostedt Davis at 925-287-6621 or caroline_sjostedt@keybank .com. 


Town Hall Kids Theatre 

Registration is now open for Town Hall's world-class theater arts classes for kids and teens. Join us this January! The Bravo program is for kids 7-11, which will present "Of Mice and Mozart," the story of Mozart's life as told by the mice who live in Mozart's house. For preschooler and kindergarteners, join our Rising Stars program for "It's Magic," and celebrate all the magical things around us. Our middle school Encore program will present the hilarious pie-slinging comedy "Bugsy Malone". Town Hall's teen programs will present the wild-west musical "Annie Get Your Gun" as well as Shakespeare's "As You Like It" (auditions required for As You Like It). For more information and to register on-line visit www.townhallkids.com or call 925-262-1159. Hurry, classes do sell out!