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
Constitution Day
4th Grade Coloma Gold Rush Camp Parent Orientation; Library, 6:30 PM

Thursday, September 18
KidzArt; Rm. 25, 2:45 PM
5th Grade Play Parent Mtg.; Library, 6:30 PM

Saturday, September 20
Lafayette Arts & Wine Festival

Sunday, September 21
Lafayette Arts & Wine Festival

Monday, September 22
Autumnal Equinox
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM
Girl Scouts Parent Mtg.; Library, 6:30 PM-7:30 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
RAPPORT Mtg.; DO, 9:00 AM

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

Saturday, September 27
PFC Parent Garden Workday

Sunday, September 28
PFC Parent Garden Workday

Monday, September 29
Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM

Tuesday, September 30
Rosh Hashanah

Wednesday, October 1
PFC Executive Board Mtg.; Lounge, 5:30 PM

Thursday, October 2
KidzArt; Rm. 25, 2:45 PM

A. SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL: The School Site Council is a team which includes the principal, teachers, other school personnel and parents, all of whom are elected by their peer groups to represent them on the Council. The Council meets monthly to address the changing needs of our students by developing a School Site Plan and implementing the goals of that plan. The School Site Plan attempts to address the special and unique needs of our community and includes such items as review and allocation of the School Improvement Plan (SIP) budget for teacher aides and possible other programs. Equally as important, it is the job of the Council to address areas of concern and to carry out effective solutions. For more information about the School Site Council, including agendas and minutes of recent meetings, please check out the Springhill School Website at: http://www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/springhill/ There are four parent positions currently vacant on the Council. If you would be interested in running for these positions or have questions about the School Site Council, please call Bruce Wodhams at 283-8281 or e-mail at: bwodhams@lafsd.k12.ca.us. Thank you to our three departing parent members for the outstanding job they did: April Raffel, Stephanie Coate & Heidi Felt!

B. THANK YOU TO Mrs. Samela Rucker- Smith and to all parent volunteers for putting together tonight's (9/12; 5:00 PM-8:00 PM) Springhill Picnic! Hope you can make it!

C. A HUGE THANK YOU to the Lamorinda/Sunrise Rotary Club and their annual donation of dictionaries to every student in the 3rd grade at Springhill School and every other Lafayette School. This is a huge benefit to our students and is much appreciated. THANK YOU, ROTARIANS!!!

D. ONCE AGAIN, 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!

E. AGAIN, 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!

F. THANK YOU TO ALL who attended our first PFC General Meeting last Wednesday. It was a good turnout and your commitment to your children and to Springhill School is greatly appreciated! Welcome to the new PFC Executive Board and its new President, Beth Brown!

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. Finta's 1st grade, Math Journals are used to record multiple ways to solve a problem. Journals are used to establish the "strategy of questioning" that develops and stimulates thinking and reasoning. Students are taught that there is more than one way to solve a problem. For example, while learning about money, the class would be asked to show all the different ways to make 25 cents. They can draw the problem, write it out using words and / or number equations. Everyone shares their thoughts so others can hear and process alternate ways of looking at the same problem.

*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 held our first PFC General Meeting on Wednesday night and we are off to a good start! I'd like to thank all of you who were able to attend. We voted in the VP of Communications - Melissa Johnston and VP of Fundraising - Nancy Ishii. Welcome aboard!

The PFC is always striving to keep the lines of communication open between the Executive Board, Committee Chairs and general membership. Here are a few ways that will facilitate communication:
* PFC Communication Center - you may notice the In/Out boxes in the school office. Please feel free to use these to communicate with the Executive Board and Committee Chairs--we hope this center will make staying in touch easier.
* Communication Guidelines - if you or your committee would like to include flyers in the Friday Folder or post a notice in the Friday Flyer, please review the Communications Guidelines. These are posted at the PFC Communications Center and on the PFC website.
* PFC Website - don't forget to check the PFC website for school information, calendar, volunteer opportunities and more. New content is being added weekly on www..springhillpfc.org .

Thank you to Samela Smith and the many, many volunteers for helping organize this year's Family Picnic tonight. Also, don't forget to bring you favorite recipes for the bake sale! This is always a very fun event. Can't wait to see you there!

Do you have an accounting background? Are you familiar with Quikbooks? Are you looking to get involved with the PFC? We are looking for someone to fill the Treasurer of Budgeting and Reporting position. If you are interested, please contact me!

Show that Scorpion Spirit - don't forget to turn in your Spirit Wear order forms!

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

Thank you to all the parents who have volunteered to be LASF room reps this year! We have an outstanding team and look forward to working together this year. Next week we will post any LASF positions that are still available.

What is LASF Art all about?
In an effort to give Lafayette's children the opportunity to understand, interpret and appreciate the visual arts, LASF supports art-related programs at all schools. Programs at the elementary school level include hands-on art classes. Specially trained LASF art instructors, some working professional artists in their own right, teach art lessons covering a range of artists, styles and media. Children learn about art history, criticism, aesthetics and production, and then go on to create their own masterpieces! The year culminates with an art fair, held at each school, as well as each student bringing his or her art portfolio home. To read more about the elementary art program, please click here!

So there I was in front of Ms. McNaught's Kindergarten classroom waiting for my son and wondering what exciting topic I could talk about in this week's health and wellness corner. Out came my son holding the answer to my musings.... AAAACK... HEAD LICE ALREADY!! Are you kidding me? That has to be a record; 10 days into school and the bugs have already invaded. Well - that's exciting.

Unfortunately, the Trux family had not been spared the joy of dealing with head lice. We had our first experience with it last year and let me tell you I am a wiser person for it. I learned the valuable life lesson of: There is no quick fix to really buggy problems. A quick internet search will fill your head (lice ridden that it is) with delusions of magical products that will rid you of lice, lickity split. Don't believe it. Even the really toxic poison they sell in the drug store is no match for this tiny specimen's quest to reproduce itself. There is really only one thing you can do, and you are not going to like it. You must actually physically comb each and every nit out of your child's hair. Leave even one nit and it will hatch into the next generation of problem for you. The good news is that lice can not live for very long anywhere except on a scalp. So during lice season your main goal is to stand as a physical barrier between your child's head and the lice. You do this by checking for lice and nits every single day until lice season is over (is it ever over?). This task is best performed in the direct light of day. The nits are really easy to see in the sunlight. They will be attached to the hair follicle and will not fall off easily as they are attached by some sort of crazy vice grip. The lice bugs will crawl around looking for a dark place on your child's scalp. Their motion will give them away.

If you find bugs or nits on your child's scalp here is what you do. Take all your bed linen, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals and other bedroom accoutrements, put them in your back yard and burn them. If you want to keep your stuff, or are concerned with fire danger, you need to wash everything in hot water. If it is not washable, put it in a sealed bag and keep it there for a couple of weeks. Lice need a scalp to live. Follow your instincts here - vacuum the house, dishwasher all brushes, bag up all hair bands, barrettes, etc. Take all the lice ridden scalps in the house and completely coat the scalp and hair in conditioner. This immobilizes the bugs. Then take a lice comb and get to work. Do not leave a singe bug or nit. A thorough job will pay off. Leaving one nit will result in round two. If you do not want to perform this task LOVE BUGS will do it for you. We availed ourselves of this wonderful service last year after round three. They do not rely on magic potions so much as old fashioned elbow grease. They strap on magnifying goggles and do the dirty work for you. Watching them made me understand what a thorough job you must perform to stop the cycle. If we all do a good job RIGHT NOW we can stop these bugs in their tracks. This is one example of your hard work directly affecting the greater community.

One more thing - these bugs have a powerful unexplained psychological effect. Have you started scratching your scalp while reading this? I've been scratching mine since I started writing this. Hmmmmm.

"In keeping with current guidelines from the California Department of Health Services, and in light of current research, the Lafayette School District adheres to a no- lice policy that includes the following procedural components:
· Early detection of, and response to, head lice infestations.
· Distribution of educational material to school staff and parents on head lice, nit combing, and treatment.
· Procedure for readmission to school after treatment for pediculosis."

See full Lafayette School District policy at www.lafsd.k12.ca.us - HeadLicePolicy

"Head lice can survive on a human host for approximately 30 days. They generally cannot survive longer than 24 hours off the host. A female louse lays 3-5 eggs a day. The eggs hatch in 7-10 days and it takes another 7-10 day for the louse to mature and lay their own eggs." Headlice.org FAQ

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

We're well and truly underway in the library. Each class has now made the first class visit, during which time we reviewed the Three Library R's, library procedures, the care and choosing of books, and the library layout. And, of course, most importantly, students got to check out books! Our shelves aren't nearly so crowded now and your students have some great library books to read!

Kindergartners heard a book about a group of animals who miss the children they've played with all summer when those children go back to school. They decide to go to the library, but the librarian can't understand what they want until... Ask your student what finally happened in Deborah Bruss's delightful story, Book! Book! Book!

If you would like a review of the Three Library R's and library schedules, procedures, etc. check out the "Our Library" page on 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 on the website, too.

Remember, there are over 100 reasons to read. This week, it's "You'll know more."
Sherry Mattern, Library Specialist
smattern@LAFSD.K12.CA.US

Donation to the District Proposal - Explanation of Why it did Not Happen

As some of you may recall, in January of last year our Springhill Library Aide went to work for the Stanley Library. The district had every intention of replacing her but unfortunately a hiring freeze was put into effect in February due to the severe budget cuts Lafayette School District received from the State of CA. In May of last year a proposal was put before the Executive Board to bridge the gap of district funds by paying for the Library Aides for the district. The amount totaled $67,824. Although Stanley does not have a library aide this amount does include an equal portion of funds to be used in their library. The reasoning behind giving Stanley an equal portion of funds was that the majority of the money in Springhill's account was raised by parents of children that are no longer attending Springhill but do have students attending Stanley. Parents of former Springhill students would have then benefited from their fundraising efforts.

Our PFC Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation state that the purpose of the PFC shall be to promote child welfare in Springhill School, the home, and the community through the cooperative efforts of parents, teachers and administrators. This single proposal regarding the library aides was truly generated from a generosity of spirit that is intended to role-model the pay-it-forward culture that we believe is important, not only for the Springhill community, but also for the Lafayette community at large. Namely, we are one community and can and should collaboratively work together to provide the best possible education to our children.

Time and time again, the Executive Board had discussions regarding how Springhill PFC was in a much better financial condition than parent organizations at other schools, and that "bridging the funding gap" meant for our district as a whole. Our pay it forward proposal was merely one way to contribute towards closing that funding gap for the Lafayette School District. Losing the Library Aide at Springhill has meant that our library specialist, Sherry Mattern, has less time to spend on preparing quality lesson plans due to the attention demanded by administrative needs. Additionally, the Library must be closed at lunchtime eliminating a safe haven and quiet work place for many students.

This proposal received a fair amount of support as well as criticism. Due to the timing at year-end, the Executive Board would have been seeking general membership approval in the fall during the presentation of the budget. There were discussions regarding trying to get approval prior to the fall in order to allow the hiring of library aides before the start of the school year, but we ran into difficulty with how to best communicate this to a parent community that had it's eyes focused on summer. Besides the Springhill community's approval, this donation would also have needed the approval of every Principal from the 5 schools as well as approval from the School Board since it is a restricted donation.

Due to the sudden resignation in June of the LSD Superintendent, Dr. Frank Tom, the Springhill executive board was informed that the proposal would no longer be considered by the School Board or the Principals for the 08/09 school year.

Now that our projected budget for the 08/09 school year has more expenses than income this proposal is no longer considered to be the best use of funds.

If you have any more questions regarding this matter please feel free to contact Corrine Christensen at joeandcorrine@msn.com.

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.

Bargain Book Bonanza Donations Needed
We had an awesome turn-out for our book sale last spring, selling most of our inventory! We are in desperate need of books for all grade levels, from kindergarten books to chapter books to non-fiction. We will have our next sale on Tuesday, October 7 at lunch. Please bring your books in boxes or paper bags to the foyer of the multi-propose room or you can call me to arrange pick-up. Thank you ahead of time for the continued support of this fun sale for the kids. They love coming by to see the new books and purchasing them for only 25 cents. All proceeds go to our fantastic library. Any questions, please call Farrel Vance 937-8239 or e-mail fvance5@comcast.net

Watch Our Garden Grow!
Springhill's garden, located on the Upper Playground, has some exciting plans for the Fall!
Next up is a weekend work party on Saturday, September 27 (9-12pm) & Sunday, September, 28 (2-5pm) to build vegetable/herb beds, trench irrigation lines, treat the new worm/compost bins & a few other small projects.
Bring your work gloves - stop by for an hour or two!
For more information, contact Kathy Hemmenway at 933-5266 or khemmenway@aol.com

Wal-Mart Kids Recycling Challenge
We have again enrolled in the Wal-Mart Kids Recycling Challenge. This provides the opportunity to reduce waste and to educate children on the importance of recycling. Please send your clean and dry plastic grocery and shopping bags to school with your child to be recycled. This includes plastic dry cleaning bags and newspaper bags. Springhill receives $5 for each filled collection bag. A collection bin will be in the office.

Attention Third Grade Parents:
In this week's Friday Folders you should receive information about the OLSAT (Otis Lennon School Abilities Test), which will be given to all third graders in the Lafayette School District during the week of October 13th. The OLSAT is a standardized cognitive abilities test that is taken by children all over the nation. It will be used in planning the best possible educational program for your child.
Please return the permission slip for testing to your child's teacher by October 10th. If you wish more information, you are invited to attend a parent information meeting on Tuesday, October 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Lafayette School District Office Boardroom. Questions may be directed to Rachel Zinn at the district office at 927-3511.

DAC Meeting
The first DAC (District Advisory Committee) meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at the District Office Boardroom. This meeting is open to all parents interested in differentiated instruction. Please call Rachel Zinn at 927-3511, for more information.

Kid's Hideout is accepting registration for the Parent/Teacher Conference Minimum Days from September 23rd through September 26th. You can download the registration form from our website: www.kidshideout.net, under the FORMS page, or pick up a copy at Hideout. For more information on the Minimum Day sign-ups, or for Registration in our regular program, please contact Beth at 283-7808, beth@kidshideout.net. Register soon. Space is limited!

Ocean's 11 Martini Party
There are a few spots left for this party sponsored by Springhill parents on October 4th from 7-10 p.m. Here is a chance to enjoy an evening with other Springhill families, savor appetizers and listen to Frank Sinatra. Ticket proceeds support Springhill School ($75 p/p). If you are interested, please contact Maria Nelson at mariasoledad@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

After School Hoops at Springhill
Introducing AFTER SCHOOL HOOPS®, a weekday afternoon basketball program for aspiring young players. The one hour instructional sessions combine fundamental skills instruction with organized team competition with the goal of providing an enjoyable and educational after school athletic event. Developing players benefit by improving their individual skills such as passing, dribbling, shooting, rebounding, and defending while, at the same time, learning how to work within the framework of a team. Boys and girls of all skill levels are encouraged to join. One of the many merits of AFTER SCHOOL HOOPS® is that it provides school children with an organized after school event at which they can learn, socialize, and most of all, have fun. You can register online at www.1on1basketball.com/eastbay or download a registration form at springhillpfc.org. Please call Brent Wyse at 925 451 5888 if you have questions.
Day: Tuesday
Dates: October 7 thru December 9 (No Class November 25)
Weeks: 9
Cost: $100
Time: 2:45-3:45

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
We are continuing to collect donations for the patients of Children's Hospital in Oakland. Please make sure the items (except books and magazines) are NEW and UNWRAPPED as some of the children have compromised immune systems. High demand items are: arts and crafts supplies, baby toys, stickers, colored pencils, toy cars and dolls. For a complete "wish list" please visit: www.childrenshospitaloakland.org/join/join_other- donations.asp#always
For more information please contact Galina Kvitko at 925-299-9200

Chinese Language Classes
Would you like your children to learn Mandarin as a second language? Contra Costa Chinese School (non- profit organization) has been offering Saturday classes for over 30 years in this area for students from Pre- kindergarten to high school. Adult beginner class is also available. Registration is now open for the 2008/2009 school year. Please visit www.cococs.org for more information and to register online.

Dance and Cheerleading "Kids Camp"
Don't miss 2008 Dance and Cheerleading "Kids Camp" brought to Acalanes and Campolindo High School by Cassandra Montgomery of All That Entertainment. Perform with the High School Dance & Cheer Squads during half-time at a varsity home football game!
Students in K - 5th grades. Only taking 100 participants each camp so sign up now!!!
Campolindo High School / Sept 10 - Sept 12
Acalanes High School / Sept 23, 25 and 26
Registration forms and more information: www.AllThatEntertainment.com

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.

Measure E: Local High Schools Need Our Help
Maintaining our schools to meet the challenges of today requires an on-going investment- that's why the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) has placed Measure E on the November ballot.
Measure E is a $93 million bond measure that will fund necessary improvements to AUHSD's four high school campuses: Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, and Miramonte, as well as the district's adult education center.
Because the high school district is able to rollover existing bond funding, Measure E will not increase your current tax rate.
Measure E will bring technology upgrades to each of the high schools, allowing students and teachers to take full advantage of the communication and technology tools that are commonplace in classrooms and workplaces across the country.
Measure E will replace worn roofs, aging classrooms, and antiquated plumbing and electrical systems.
The Acalanes District serves students in Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, and portions of Walnut Creek ¬ it's our high school district. So please take a minute to learn about this important ballot measure and, if you have the time, volunteer to help on this important campaign.
Learn the facts and endorse the measure by going to http://www.AboutMeasure E.org/

Injury Free Zone - for families involved in sports
Thursday, September 18, 2008, noon - 1:30pm
Walnut Creek Intermediate, 2425 Walnut Blvd, Walnut Creek, library
Free, register in class
Rsvp to Vera Babor at vbabor@acalanes.k12.ca.us

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.

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