Friday, September 5
ROTARY CLUB Dictionaries distributed to 3rd grade

Monday, September 8
Instrumental Music begins, Grades 4-5
Cub Scout Pack 200 Pack Committee Meeting; Library, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM

Wednesday, September 10
PFC Mtg.
      Executive Board: Lounge, 5:00 PM
      General Session: Library, 7:00 PM

Thursday, September 11
PATRIOT DAY
KidzArt; Rm. 25, 2:45 PM
Stanley Back to School Night

Friday, September 12
Springhill PFC Picnic; Lower Field, 5:00 PM

Monday, September 15
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM
Cub Scout Pack 200 Parent Orientation; Library, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM
LSD Board Mtg.; District Office, 7:00 PM

Wednesday, September 17
4th Grade Coloma Gold Rush Camp Parent Orientation; Library, 6:30 PM

Thursday, September 18
KidzArt; Rm. 25, 2:45 PM

Monday, September 22
Autumnal Equinox
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM

Tuesday, September 23
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Minimum Day
      K: usual schedule
      Gr. 1-3 students dismissed at 11:50 AM
      Gr. 4-5 students dismissed at 12:00 PM

Wednesday, September 24
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Minimum Day
      K: usual schedule (Wacky Wednesday)
      Gr. 1-3 students dismissed at 11:50 AM
      Gr. 4-5 students dismissed at 12:00 PM
Cub Scout Pack 200; MP Room, 6:30 PM-8:30 PM

Thursday, September 25
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Minimum Day
      K: usual schedule
      Gr. 1-3 students dismissed at 11:50 AM
      Gr. 4-5 students dismissed at 12:00 PM
TEACHER OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION--- CONGRATULATIONS, ERIN! Concord Hilton, 6:00 PM

Friday, September 26
Parent/Teacher Conferences
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

A. A HUGE THANK YOU to Lucie Paladino (Springhill Alum Emeritus) and the PFC for facilitating the School Supplies program this year! It was a Herculean task ensuring that every student received his/her supplies packet on the first day of school and the school and community cannot thank you enough, Lucie! Well done!

B. ANOTHER HUGE THANK YOU TO Lorraine and Don Miller for hosting our New Families Welcoming Coffee last Wednesday. Your gracious hospitality was most appreciated by all! Many thanks also to Holly Nolan, Beth Brown and all volunteers for their efforts in putting this annual event together!

C. THANK YOU TO ALL who attended our K BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT last week and our Gr. 4-5 and Gr. 1-3 BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHTS this past week! It was a great turnout and your commitment to your children and to Springhill School is greatly appreciated!

D. PARKING: Thanks to everyone's cooperation the parking lots have been running very smoothly. If you are using the front lot please pull up to the front curb as close to the Multi-Purpose Room as possible and a volunteer will assist your child from the car, and direct them to the lower playground where they will be supervised until school starts. The Kindergarten child will be directed straight to the classroom. Please, DO NOT get out of your car, or leave your car unattended. If you need to still walk your child to class after the first week of school you must find a parking stall. If you are using the Briones lot there will be a volunteer to assist your child from the car to the lower field. Thank you for your cooperation. Please remember that the parking lot situation is difficult for everyone. Leave yourself a few extra minutes to get your child to and from school safely. Also, please be nice to the parking lot supervisors. They are volunteers giving their time to keep the parking lots running as smoothly as possible!! Please respect the private property (the blocking of driveways & mailboxes in particular) of our neighbors. Also, San Reliez Court is a private road and the residents have asked that those visiting the school do not park there; you are subject to having your car towed if you do. Thank you especially to the parent volunteers in the morning parking lot. You are doing a fabulous job!!!

E. WE MUST INSIST that students (other than AM kindergarten) not arrive before 8:15 AM as we cannot provide any supervision before that time. Thank you for your cooperation.

F. THANK YOU AGAIN TO PFC FOR ALL THAT YOU DO! WELCOME TO BETH BROWN AS OUR NEW PFC PRESIDENT AND TO ALL OF THE NEW COMMITTEE CHAIRS! PFC IS THE BEST!!!

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


THE SIX PILLARS & PAY IT FORWARD CORNER

Springhill School has recently sent a team of eight (four parents and four staff members, including myself) to San Francisco for three days this summer where we were introduced to an impressive, character development framework used nationwide known as CHARACTER COUNTS! It has an excellent track record primarily with schools, but also with sports organizations, businesses, nonprofit institutions, etc. We are eager to share what we learned at this workshop with the Springhill community. As parents, you will have opportunities to learn much more about how we might use CHARACTER COUNTS! as a framework for all that we do at Springhill. Through school communications, parent ed presentations from our PFC and your own children, you will be kept apprised of this endeavor as the school year progresses. CHARACTER COUNTS! is based on the Six Pillars: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. We are enthusiastic about every aspect of CHARACTER COUNTS! and are looking forward to introducing its components to the student body. Because of the way in which the framework is designed and the flexibility with which it can be implemented, it can serve as an umbrella under which we will continue our PAY IT FORWARD program and our regular SPIRIT WEDNESDAY activities, and, perhaps, can create the opportunity for a number of additional activities. You will be receiving much more news about CHARACTER COUNTS! as the year unfolds, but you may also access the following website for more information: http://charactercounts.org/

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 made a significant change in the Pay It Forward program last 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 no longer identify the specific students who performed the acts (e.g., "Two 2nd graders had a lemonade sale over the weekend and raised $30 for the school's Coins For a Cure Diabetes Drive.") 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.

A. PAY IT FORWARD: DONATE TO THE KIDS OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: Beginning Monday, September 8, until Friday, September 26, you can donate items such as toys and school supplies to the patients of Children's Hospital in Oakland in bins in front of the school. Thank you to two of our 4th graders and their family for organizing this drive. Well done, gentlemen!!! For a complete list of items you might donate, check out: www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/join/join_other- donations.asp#always


DIFFERENTIATION CORNER

*Differentiated Instruction takes place in all of our classes. Starting this 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. Jarvis' 2nd grade class, students participate in Writing Workshop three days each week. Students apply their knowledge of one or more of the Six Traits of Writing by selecting a topic of their choice about which to write. Students work at their own pace to complete their writings. Some may be drafting, while others may revising or editing with the teacher or parent helpers. All students have the opportunity (but may decline) to share their writing with the class, with a partner, or in a small group.

*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.


STAR TESTING CORNER

Recently, you received the results of your child's STAR Test taken in May, 2008. Throughout California, the STAR Testing Program has become a major part of the information provided parents as to the progress of their children in school. With this in mind, Springhill will be providing a feature in the Friday Flyer for the next several weeks, providing answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding the STAR Program.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the STAR program?
The Standardized Testing And Reporting (STAR) program was authorized in 1997 by State Senate bill 376. The purpose of the STAR Program is to annually measure how well students are learning required academic skills.

Who must take the STAR Program tests?
All students in grades 2 through 11 must take the designated STAR tests. Students learning English and students in special education programs are included. Only students with written parent/guardian requests to exempt them do not take STAR tests.

What tests did the students take in spring 2008?
The STAR Program has four components:
1. California Standards Tests (CSTs): Grades 2- 5
2. California Achievement Tests (CAT/6): 3rd Grade only
3. California alternative Performance Assessment (CAPA)--an assessment produced for students with significant cognitive disabilities, who are not able to take the CSTs or CAT/6

We made it through another week! We've gone to our Back-to-School Night, learned all about our new classrooms and now, we are ready to get this school year started!

Here are some important dates to mark down on your calendars:
- Wednesday, September 10th is our first PFC General Meeting. I really encourage you to attend and participate in these meetings. We will be voting Melissa Johnston in as VP of Communications and Nancy Ishii in as VP of Fundraising. We will also be presenting the budget to be voted in.
- Friday, September 12th is our Family Picnic on the lower field. Please make sure to get your form turned in by the end of the day today. If you have not already signed up to take a shift, please contact Samela Smith at coltrane006@yahoo.com. Don't forget that we are holding a bake sale during the picnic, so start preparing those secret family recipes! You won't want to miss this event.

I'd like to send a HUGE thank you to Holly Nolan and Lorraine Miller for organizing our New Family Buddies Coffee on Wednesday! What a wonderful way to visit with your Buddy Family and nibble on scrumptious food! This program connects all new families who are interested with a "Big Buddy" family to help guide them through the ins-n-outs of Springhill. If you are new to Springhill, and would like to have a Big Buddy Family, please contact Holly Nolan at hollynolan@comcast.net. Thank you Lorraine & Don Miller for hosting this event in you home. We really appreciate your hospitality.

If you would still like to join the PFC and be included in the student directory, please turn your form into the office by Friday, September 12th. Extra forms can be found on the PFC table in the office. We hope to have the directory out in early October.

Lastly, I would like to thank all of the parents who volunteered (OK - or had your arm twisted - wink, wink) to be Room Liaison in your child's class. We really appreciate the support this gives the teachers and our classrooms.

Beth Brown
2008-09 Springhill PFC President
pfcprez@yahoo.com

Hope you survived all the back to school night activities and had a chance to volunteer for LASF room representative in your classroom. If so I will be contacting you shortly with more details.

To help our program run smoothly at Springhill we have a spectacular team heading up LASF this year. We are always looking for motivated parents to join our team at the chairperson level. Many of the positions can be shared and we encourage any interested individuals to consider shadowing our current team members if you would like to become more involved in LASF. Allow me to introduce:

Springhill K-5 Head Representative: Kathy Hamilton
      Co-Head Rep (shadow): Sally Fonstein
      Co-Head Rep (shadow): OPEN
Fundraising Chairs: Julie Novak and Laurie Wondolowski
      Fundraising shadows: OPEN
Science Fair Chairs: Rhodora Del Rosario and Sharon Kidd
      Science Fair Shadows: Kari Dahlen and Heidi Rahlmann Plumb
Art Fair Chairs: Holly Nolan and Kerry Bolen
Publicity: Shay Kurtz
Billing: Bonnie Min

We still have open board positions available. This week we would like to highlight one particular shadow position for your consideration:
LASF Fundraising Rep
To be the communication link between the LASF Fund- raising Committee and Springhill and to assist in the coordination and implementation of LASF fund raising activities. Responsibilities include: 1)finding phonathon volunteers for Fall New Family Phonathon and the Spring Phonathon campaigns 2) attending monthly fund raising committee meetings (evening) 3) verifying parent information pages for phonathon 4) promoting and coordinating special events such as raffle, event sign-up.

Please contact Kathy Hamilton katsvetmail@yahoo.com or Sally Fonstein if interested in shadowing fundraising or other chair positions.

Welcome to the Health and Wellness corner of the Friday Flyer. In this section we will, as usual, be addressing how to keep ourselves and our children Healthy and Well. In the coming months we will address topics that affect you and your family. Please let me know if there is a topic near and dear to your heart that you would like me to address and I will do my best to research and report back.

Now that school is back in session we are all very busy with school and fall sports and homework and dance class and boy scouts and, wait... what was I talking about? I lost my concentration. I am sorry I did not get to bed last night until 11 pm what with getting back packs together and finishing e-mail and I had to get the kids up early for school to pack lunches and...I am suffering from SLEEP DEPRIVATION!!! And you probably are too; and perhaps your children as well. This is the perfect time of year to remind ourselves that we need our sleep! Children age five should be getting 11 hours a night! That means my son Nate needs to be snoring by 8pm if I want to wake him by 7am. That is a tall order in our house. Do you have a 9 year old? They need 10-11 hours of sleep a night. According the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who do not get enough sleep can not concentrate well in school. According to the Society of Small Trux Children, parents who do get enough sleep are very, very cranky. Sleep helps our children grow and develop their bodies and their brains and is so essential to their overall well being. But somehow in the quest to prepare our children for their future and still let them have fun, there is never enough time for everything and the bedtimes seem to slip. So everyone get out those schedules and do what you have to do to factor in SLEEP! Here are some websites to remind us of all the symptoms of sleep deprivation in our children (and parents) and charts that show age/required sleep. Good Luck and Sleep Well.

Shary Trux
Coordinator, Health and Wellness
bucktrux@comcast.net

"Sleep is important especially in growing and developing children. Not only does sleep provide an opportunity for the body to physically rest, it's the time during which, according to recent research, a the brain consolidates or reinforces what a child has learned or observed during the day. Not surprisingly, sleep deprived children tend not to do well at school. Other symptoms of sleep deprivation in children include the obvious ones such as fatigue, inattentiveness and listlessness. There can also be less obvious symptoms including irritability, impatience, fussiness and even aggressive behavior. I think we have all experienced these feelings at one time in our lives. Chronically sleep deprived children(and adults) experience these daily."
www.drpaul.com/library/SLEEP.html

"We know, based on common sense, that inadequate sleep makes kids more moody, more impulsive, and less able to concentrate. We've known for more than 20 years that sleep deprivation makes it difficult to learn (Journal of Experimental Psychology, Mar 1975). "
http://www.drgreene.com health topics- featured topics - sleep-getting enough sleep

"Create a bedtime routine. Bedtime routines are important, regardless of a child's age. It should include at least 15-30 minutes of calm, soothing activities. Discourage television, exercise, computer and telephone use, and avoid caffeine (found in beverages, chocolate and other products)."
http://www.sleepfoundation.org children and sleep

Welcome back, everyone! And a special welcome to all of you who will be volunteering in the library this year! All classes will start coming the week of September 8 and I can hardly wait! I'm looking forward to another year of exciting stories and useful information literacy skills lessons with your students. And of course, I'm already anticipating this year's Book Fair, which will be November 17-20 here at Springhill.

Don't forget to explore our website at http://www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/people/smattern/index.htm. You can find monthly updates on what's happening at the Springhill Library, an updated library wish list, reviews of new books, and links to many helpful resources.

For those of you who might be wondering what happens here before the classes start their regular library visits, here's a partial rundown. I've been busy since before school began. My first job was to unpack the many boxes of new textbooks that came in at the end of the summer, check them against my purchase orders, and get them counted out and distributed to the teachers. Then I began the work of preparing for this year's classes-confirming class visit times with teachers and finalizing the June draft schedule; moving returning students to their new classes in the library database and adding new students; making library cards for our new students and moving returning students' cards into their new classes; working with my volunteer coordinator on scheduling and orienting both returning and new volunteers so that I can officially start working with all classes next week. Then, of course, there is the library to make welcoming and the new books that I have been buying over the summer to catalog and prepare... And so it goes.

Last week I got my first look at our newest additions to the Springhill family when each kindergarten class came looking for the gingerbread man. Sadly, he had only hurried through the library.

But this past Wednesday I got to share a Western version of the story with the kindergartners, Janet Squires's book, The Gingerbread Cowboy. Ask your student which details made this version "Western."

Remember, there are over 100 reasons to read, beginning with "It's fun!"
Sherry Mattern, Library Specialist
smattern@LAFSD.K12.CA.US

Thinking about more ways to contribute to the Springhill community? Here's a list of the ways you can get involved! There are job shares available.

Contact Melissa Johnston if you're interested and she'll point you in the right direction: johnstonfam@comcast.net

Auditor
This position requires someone who is familiar with standard accounting practices to audit the PFC when necessary.

Before and After School Enrichment Coordinator
Our second opening is Before & After School Enrichment Coordinator. Before and after school enrichment includes programs such as One on One Basketball, Stick School for Kids and Viva El Espanol just to name a few. This person would consider the many requests we receive for such programs to come onto our campus. This person would also work with Mr. Wodhams in deciding what programs might be a good fit for our families and if we have the availability to have the programs here on campus.

Bulletin Board
This position requires weekly posting of notices on the bulletin board located in the quad. Weekly flyers include a hard copy of the Friday Flyer and any other notices that are sent home. Items posted must be approved by Principal. Rotating seasonal backgrounds are encouraged.

Club Fit Field Day (5th grade parents)
Every Spring our fifth graders participate in this half- day event. Kids rotate through stations that review most of the lessons learned during the year in Club Fit. Coordinate event volunteers, rotating stations, picnic lunch & games.

Earthquake Preparedness
The school district is updating the emergency procedures and we need a liaison for this school year.

Friday Flyer Editors-- 2 open positions for this team
Friday Flyer is a weekly online publication and is an important resource that the PFC provides to the school parent community. The team of Friday Flyer editors take responsibility for creating the Friday Flyer which is typically distributed on Friday mornings. Each member of the editorial team is responsible for approximately 6 - 8 weeks during the school year to create the online newsletter. Approximate time that it takes to complete the Friday Flyer is four hours weekly, on Thursdays. Constant Contact is the program used to create the newsletter but prior knowledge is not required. This is a great opportunity to stay tuned into what is going on at Springhill. Perfect for parents who want a job they can do at home.

Young Authors (4th and 5th grade parents)
Every year, the 4th and 5th graders publish projects that they have worked on throughout the year. Coordinate volunteers needed to assist in the binding process with all the students.

School Supply Coordinator
Work with the Springhill staff to determine supplies for the following school year, place the order, and deliver supplies. This position takes place in the Spring and Summer.

Unsubscribe How-to
If you're no longer a Springhill family go to the end of this Friday Flyer to the Safe Unsubscribe link.

Scorpion Days
Please make sure all Scorpion Day paperwork is turned in to the box in the office by today, Friday, Sept. 5th. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Katie Sowarby katiesowarby@comcast.net or Amy DeLong-Martin mikeamymartin@comcast.net.

Springhill 5th Grade Production of Willy Wonka jr.
If you have a 5th grader (s) interested in participating in this year's Springhill Production please attend a mandatory meeting on Thursday, September 18, 7:00pm in the Springhill Library.
Thanks and hope to see you there!
Lyenne Denny and Cindy O'Connor

Kidzart Class at Springhill
At Kidzart, We believe art can be created by everyone:
KidzArt is a drawing-based art program that's fun, noncompetitive, and builds confidence. Kidzart was developed as a fun program designed to help children become creative thinkers and problem solvers. The cool thing about Kidzart is that it's not just for the "artistic" Children our classes are designed to reach every child, from the Picasso in training to children who thought they could never draw. Kidzart never repeats projects and uses the highest quality materials.
Join us Thursday's from 2:45 - 3:45 in the Music Room, Room 25. Fall classes will begin on 9/11 and end on 12/11, with no class on 9/25. Please go to the Springhill website to download registration forms@ www.springhillpfc.org. You may call Jessica at 510- 333- 4223 if you have any questions.

Chess Club at Springhill
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 fall session of chess class will begin September 15 and end on December 15, with no classes on November 10 and November 24.
The fee is $180 for the twelve week class. Classes are from 2:45-3:45, Mondays, in the library.
You can join for a pro-rated fee at any time. Class minimum is ten and maximum is twenty.
Please go to Berkeleychessschool.org in order to register online, or call 510-843-0150 and speak to Judy or David to pay by credit card. You may also pick up registration forms in the Springhill office.
Sonia Shiri is the parent liaison (510) 520-6026, shiri@berkeley.edu

Donations for Children's Hospital Drive
Monday, September 8 - Friday, September 26
Please join our 4th graders Stanley and Daniel Kvitko in their effort to collect donations for the kids at Children's Hospital in Oakland. Your donations of toys and supplies will help supplement the activities and entertainment provided for the patients.
Notebooks, pencils, books and magazines, balls, toys, rattles, and dolls - these are just a few items that will make a child's stay at the hospital more comfortable. For a complete list of items please visit: www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/join/join_other- donations.asp#always
For more information please contact Galina Kvitko at 925-299-9200

Springhill Spirit Wear
It's not too late! You can still order Springhill Spirit Wear until Friday September 12. Pick up your order forms in the office. Return your order form (with check made out to Springhill PFC) to the spirit wear box in the office. Let's show our school spirit by wearing our Springhill t-shirts (or sweatshirts) on Spirit Wednesdays! For any questions, you may contact Katie Sowarby katiesowarby@comcast.net or Amy DeLong-Martin mikeamymartin@comcast.net.

Attention Camp Read-A-Lot Campers
It's that time of year to turn in your Camp Read-A-Lot forms to claim your prize. Don't worry if you've lost the form, just write down the titles of the books you read, put student's name at the top with current teacher and parent signature, that's all you'll need for a winning ticket. Prizes will be distributed the week of September 15th so hurry, hurry, hurry and turn in your Camp Read-A-Lot record sheet. Additional sheets can also be printed from the school website under Camp Read-A- Lot.

Buddy Families
ATTENTION NEW FAMILIES!! Are you a new family to Springhill School this year? If so, we would like to give you a "big buddy" to help you through the transition. This person will welcome you to the school and be able to give you an overview of the Springhill community and answer any questions you may have. If you would like to have a big buddy, please contact Holly Nolan at HollyNolan@comcast.net or (925) 988- 0865.

1st and 2nd Year Spanish Classes Offered Daily on Springhill Campus
Based on the successful before-school Spanish program offered on campus last year, Viva el Espanol (a local Spanish language organization) will be back to Springhill for the 2008- 2009 school year. Daily classes will be offered before school from September 2 - May 29. The program uses a full- immersion approach and the instructors are native Spanish speakers with experienc e working with and teaching children.
Spanish classes will be held from 7:45-8:15 AM Monday-Friday and are open to all grade levels. Students will be divided into two groups, with 2nd year students being taught a more advanced curriculum that continues from what they learned last year. In order to create the best environment for our children to learn (and speak!) Spanish, we will have two instructors and space is limited to 20 students combined for both groups. Registrations will be confirmed on a first-come first- serve basis. Registration information is available by calling Viva el Espanol at 925-962-9177 and via the Springhill school website.

Lafayette Community Center Fall Classes
The Lafayette Community Center has a fall class for you. Call now to register for new classes like Drawing or High School Musical or check out a great old standby like Carpentry, Tennis or Gymnastics. Don't forget our great RINK where you can play Hockey with skates or tennis shoes, Basketball or Lacrosse. Come see us at the Lafayette Community Center for great Mad Science classes, Berkeley Chess School and don't forget Dodge Ball. Classes start soon so remember to call us at 284-2232 or visit www.lafayetterec.org to get your spot in a great fall class.

Swim Golden Bear-- fall swim program
Swim Golden Bear offers the opportunity to learn the newest and most innovative aspects of swimming. Our fall swim program will focus on having fun while learning great technique. Our goal at Swim Golden Bear is to focus on the race specific details that are essential for success in swimming. Swimmers at Swim Golden Bear will have access to the information that has helped make the swimmers at The University of California Berkeley into NCAA Champions, American Record Holders, Olympians, Gold Medalists, and World Record Holders!
Located at Sun Valley Pool, just off the freeway in Lafayette
Program begins September 8th
Visit swimgoldenbear.com for more details

Town Hall Kids Fall 2008 Theatre Arts Classes
Join Town Hall Theatre this fall on Fridays for the Bravo program's production of "The Aristocats!" Class starts on Friday September 12th. This class is for kids ages 7 to 11 years old, and features all the great songs and characters from Disney's animated movie. We have many more classes for preschoolers, middle-school kids, and teens. Town Hall's classes expose children of all ages to theatre arts while developing self- esteem, confidence, and leadership skills. Each class culminates in a performance. Hurry, space is limited. Located at 3535 School Street, Lafayette. For more information and to register on-line visit www.townhallkids.com, call 262-1159 or email classes@townhallkids.com.

Lamorinda Water Polo Club
Registrations are currently being accepted for our Fall 10un, 12un and 14un programs (both genders), Sept.- Nov., 2-3 nights per week w/ USAWP tournaments/scrimmaging arranged. Basic swimming skills are needed but no experience required. Registration @: www.lamorindawaterpolo.org E-Mail: lwpinc@comcast.net

Orinda Idol 2008 Finals
The Orinda Arts Council presents the third annual Orinda Idol at the Orinda Theatre on Sunday September 7, 2008 from 11:00-6:15pm.
Join the OAC as local TV news personalities host a showcase of the singing talent of Orinda's youth. Thirty-five Finalists from Grades K-12 will compete over the course of the afternoon and will be judged by performance professionals and audience vote to choose Orinda Idols from four grade categories! Admission is free, so come early to secure a seat. For more information, visit www.orindaartscouncil.org/orindaidol

The 2nd Annual Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) Walk for Food Allergy will take place in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, September 20th. Check-in starts at 8:30 AM; 2-mile walk kicks off at 9:30 AM. Details at foodallergywalk.org.
More than 12 million Americans have food allergies, and 3 million of them are children. It is more important than ever to find a cure.
Each year, the Walk events, and the funds raised from them, make it possible to advance FAAN's mission of education, advocacy, research, and awareness.

Sweet TUESDAY: Annie Barrows, author of NY Times Bestseller The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and the Ivy & Bean Books
The Friends of the Lafayette Library launch their 08/09 literary season with bestselling author, Annie Barrows, on Tuesday September 9 at 7:30 pm at the Lafayette Library. Barrows, co-author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society with her aunt Mary Ann Shaffer, will read from the book, share details about the process of writing with her aunt, and talk about the unforgettable and inspirational characters who inhabit this island of Guernsey in the aftermath of WW II.

Smart Discipline for Parents Seminar
The nationally acclaimed Smart Discipline for Parents Seminar will be presented on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at St. Stephen's Episcopal Parish Hall. This fun-filled, information- packed two-hour seminar, which is based upon Dr. Larry Koenig's best-selling book of the same name, will be presented by the national spokesperson, Dr. Dale Hancock. Parents will learn proven ways to help their children take responsibility and control for their behaviors and bring back a sense of peace and cooperation within the home. The presentation will also focus on how parents truly are the main influence in the development of positive self-concepts in their children. Please call 925-254-3770, ext.10 or e-mail office@ststephensorinda.org to reserve your seat for this empowering evening of learning and laughter. Admission is $15 per person.. You may also visit www.smartdiscipline.com for further information.

To submit entries to the Friday Flyer, email Beth Roosa: fridayflyereditor@yahoo.com

All entries due Wednesday before 3:00pm. Entries must be kept brief, please.
Subscriber info: bethhutson@comcast.net

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