Friday, October 17
Coloma Gold Rush Camp; all 4th grade

Monday, October 20
NATIONAL CHARACTER COUNTS WEEK
RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Blue and/or Yellow/Gold Day representing the Pillars of Trustworthiness & Respect

Tuesday, October 21
RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Orange representing the Pillar of Fairness

Wednesday, October 22
PICTURE DAY; MP Room
RED RIBBON WEEK
Character Wheel of Fortune at Spirit Wednesday
LASF General Board Mtg.; Stanley Library, 7:00 PM

Thursday, October 23
RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Red representing the Pillar of Caring
KidzArt; Rm. 25, 2:45 PM

Friday, October 24
United Nations Day
RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Green and/or Purple Day representing the Pillars of Responsibility & Citizenship
5th Graders plant Red Ribbon Tulips; 1:05 PM

Sunday, October 26
Lafayette Reservoir Run; 8:00 AM

Monday, October 27
Student Council Mtg.; Rm. 23, 12:20 PM
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM

Tuesday, October 28
RAPPORT; DO, 9:00 AM
Wellness Committee Mtg.; DO, 3:15 PM

Thursday, October 30
KidzArt; Rm. 25, 2:45 PM

Friday, October 31
Halloween
Halloween Parade; 2:00 PM

Sunday, November 2
Daylight Savings Time ends (set clocks back an hour)
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk; Heather Farms, Walnut Creek

Monday, November 3
3rd Grade Pilgram Feast; Upper Yard, 10:45 AM
Chess Club; Library, 2:45 PM
Cub Scout Pack 200; Library, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM

Tuesday, November 4
Election Day (Multipurpose Room closed all day)
Lunch outside
Bargain Book Bonanza; 12 Noon

Wednesday, November 5
PFC-Sponsored Poets-in-the-Schools; 4th grade
Countywide Shelter-in-Place Drill; 11:00 AM
PFC Executive Board Meeting; Lounge, 5:30 PM
PFC General Session; Library, 7:00 PM

Thursday, November 6
KidzArt; Room 25, 2:45 PM

Friday, November 7
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; Multipurpose Room; 2:45 PM

Monday, November 10
Holiday

Tuesday, November 11
Veterans' Day; Holiday

A. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENT BODY OFFICERS:
President: NIC WARREN
Vice-President: NATHAN EDWARDS
Secretary: ERIN NOLAN
Treasurer: JULIA LAUER
Sports Chairperson: SABBA JWEAINAT
Congratulations also to all 5th graders who participated. All were very close races. Each of you did an excellent job of demonstrating democracy, responsibility and good citizenship at Springhill School!!!

B. THANK YOU SO MUCH to Corrine Christensen and the PFC for the exceptional gourmet Teacher Appreciation Luncheon last Wednesday. As always, it was unbelievably delicious!!!

C.RED RIBBON WEEK/NATIONAL CHARACTER COUNTS WEEK
Check out the calendar for the variety of activities for Springhill students during this important character building week that will set the character expectations for the rest of the year and beyond. Many thanks to Karen Elliott, Corrine Christensen, Doreen deRoque and Beth Brown for all of their efforts in putting this important and beneficial calendar of activities together! Pay It Forward during Red Ribbon/National Character Counts Week!!!

D. HALLOWEEN is approaching. We will have our annual Halloween Parade through the halls at 2:00 PM on Friday, October 31. All kindergartens will have their parade earlier in the day. Please check the calendar for specific times. Please remember the following: NO costumes of violence (e.g., dripping blood, slashers, Freddie Kruegers, Friday the 13th characters, terrorists, etc.), costumes with weapons or lookalike weapons (e.g., swords, guns, knives, etc.), or any negative representations of currently or historically-maligned ethnic groups or nationalities will be allowed. Thank you.

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

THE SIX PILLARS & PAY IT FORWARD CORNER

CHECK OUT THE SIX PILLARS BANNERS HANGING IN THE CENTRAL COURTYARD!

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. COINS FOR A CURE: As one of several initial PAY IT FORWARD Projects this fall, Springhill School is again participating in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) COINS FOR A CURE Program. The drive will begin Monday, 10/13 and will continue through Friday, 10/31, and will consist of a collection can in each classroom for students and staff to contribute any spare change they wish. Collection cans and a packet of information arrives in classrooms on Monday, 10/13. The actual WALK TO CURE DIABETES will take place at Heather Farms in Walnut Creek on Sunday, November 2, Time TBA. Several staff members will be participating. For further information regarding the walk, please contact Mrs. Heidi McLeod at: Heidi@ac3online.com Thank you so much as we begin another successful year of PAYING IT FORWARD!

B. THANK YOU ALL WHO ATTENDED the Annual LIGHT THE NIGHT WALK last Saturday evening at Civic Park in Walnut Creek for Lauren Bishopp's Team and others benefitting the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society.

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 Ms. Sturman's 1st grade, students participate in Reader's Workshops, students are able to select reading materials that are at their own level. We go over what a "just right" book is and how each person is going to have different "just right" levels with reading. Students are taught a strategy to focus on (ie: creating mental images) as a class and then they will choose a special reading spot in the room where they can record mental images independently.

*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.

What a huge turnout we had on Monday night with Ralph The Great and his Pro Kids Show! The stands were packed!!! Thank you so much for bringing your family out to support this awesome program. Our kids really seemed to enjoy the Magic Show and had lots of fun with Roscoe the Puppet! It was fun to see the kids and parents involved up on stage.

Ralph The Great offered an assembly about Character to the kids during the day, too. If I had to choose one line from the day to express the message that Ralph shared with the kids, it would be, "Excellent Character is doing the Right Thing even when no body is watching!" I'd like to thank Karen Elliott, Doreen deRoque and Corrine Christensen for all of the time they spent in putting this wonderful program together. But it's not over yet! They have lots of fun activities in store for the kids next week during Red Ribbon Week. Please remember to wear your Character Color of the Day each day during Red Ribbon Week to show your Springhill Spirit!

Are you saving your box tops for Box Tops for Education? Our first deadline is coming up at the end of this month, so get as many of those box tops turned in as possible. There is a box in the office where you can drop them off. Thank you Shelli Shepherd for coordinating this program! For more information, please contact Shelli at shelli.shepherd@comcast.net.

Welcome back Fourth Grade classes, Teachers and Chaperones! I hope you had a wonderful time at Coloma's Outdoor Discovery School this week learning about California History and the Gold Rush, panning for gold, hiking, learning new songs, learning how to build your own shelter and learning how to bake corn bread over an open fire! What an incredible experience! We can't wait to hear all about it. I'd like to send a special Thank You to all the MOMS and DADS who volunteered to chaperone this event. Without you, this trip would not be possible. And chaperoning this trip is no small gift; with the hard, twin-sized bunk beds, very little sleep (Well? What did you think was going to happen when you were put into a room with one other adult and 12 "parent free" kids, who are way too excited to sleep!!!) small, cold showers, rustic living arrangements and NO STARBUCKS! We can't say thank you enough!! And at the same time, as a parent who has chaperoned this trip in the past, I can say that this experience is also quite rewarding for you, and at the end of the day, I'd be willing to bet you are glad you volunteered at Back-to-School Night to be a chaperone for Fourth Grade Camp.

PS. For all you third grade parents who are now having second thoughts about volunteering next year, no worries! I'm sure that the Spa and Phoofy Coffee House will be built by the time you get there. So don't forget to sign up next year at Back to School Night. You won't want to miss it!

Are you signed up with eScrip? Safeway cards must be renewed by November 1st in order for Springhill to continue receiving your contributions. This is a great, and very easy, way for our school to raise money. Please be sure to register all your credit cards if you have not done so already! For more information on eScrip, please contact Sue Thoren at sthoren2@yahoo.com. Thank you, Sue!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Beth Brown
2008-09 Springhill PFC President
pfcprez@yahoo.com
482-7956

LASF New Family Fall Phonathon Starts This Sunday
Calling all new families to Lafayette public schools! Please make your LASF donation during the Phonathon this Sunday through Tuesday, 10/19 - 10/21. Or beat us to the punch and make your donation before the Phonathon - you can donate online at http://lasf.org/donate.html or over the phone at 299-1644.

The LASF Annual Event: You Gotta Love It!
Your invitation for the Love LASF Fall Party is in the mail! Don't miss this community-wide celebration on November 15th, featuring great food and refreshments, live music and dancing, casino-style gaming, "must win" raffles and fantastic sign-up parties! Pay for your event and raffle tickets via snail mail, online at http://lasf.org/annualevent/, or via phone at 299-1644.

Share Your Love for LASF: Raffle Prize Donations and Party Hosts Needed
· We are soliciting prizes for the "Going All In" Raffle available to casino gamers only - the kind of decadent luxuries you might enjoy while in Vegas. Scotch, cigars, spa treatments? You bet! Please contact Colleen McCarty at colleen.mccarty@yahoo.com to coordinate.
· Do you love to throw parties? Then please share your flair while showing that you care by hosting a Sign-Up Party of your own special creation. Please contact Stephenie Teichman at steichma@lafsd.k12.ca.us for details.

If you have any questions about these LASF events please contact Kathy Hamilton at Katsvetmail@yahoo.com

Sign-ups for this year's 5th grade book groups were on Monday and Tuesday. Small groups of 5th graders will meet in the library once a month to share lunch and to discuss a book they've all read. The first book, which students will be discussing in November, is Clementine, a California Young Reader Medal nominee in the Intermediate category this year. Thanks to Sue Thoren and Kerry Bolen for helping to coordinate this project, which is now in its third year; I couldn't do it without their help.

I've also put out an assortment of books on elections, voting, and presidents as Election Day is drawing closer. Look for them between the big dictionary and atlas.

The wonderful photographs in Ken Robbin's book Pumpkins allowed the kindergartners to visually review the unfolding pumpkin life cycle from seed to pumpkin and back again. They also enjoyed reviewing the life cycle (this time through a pumpkin's eyes) in the colorful book Pumpkin Shivaree by Rick Agran.

With Halloween approaching, decorative spiders and their webs are everywhere (not to mention the real ones!). First graders heard the touching story of Sophie's Masterpiece by Eileen Spinelli. Sophie is a spider who uses her skill at spinning to create a very special gift for a young mother.

Second graders have been learning about all the different skills and occupations that people share to create a community that meets the needs of many. They heard On the Town by Judith Casely, the story of a young boy who learns about his community and some of the people who make it what it is.

Third graders practiced their map reading skills by studying a map of Lafayette and locating different points. We reviewed the meaning and use of a compass rose, a scale, coordinates, and a legend (or key).

Fourth graders always look forward to their Coloma trip; this week they heard The Legend of Freedom Hill to help set the stage for what they would experience. This story by Linda Jacobs Altman tells of two young girls, both outsiders, who had a very special reason for wanting to strike it rich in California during the Gold Rush.

Fifth graders heard a Native American story from the traditional literature genre. I noted that Columbus Day is seen by many Native Americans as ignoring the vibrant cultures that were already flourishing on this continent when Columbus arrived. Our story The Bone Man, retold by Laura Sims with striking scratchboard illustrations by Michael McCurdy, told the Modoc legend of the evil monster that brought a drought upon the land and the young boy who found a way to defeat him through courage, training, and the wisdom of his elders. (The Modocs lived along the California-Oregon border and were later re-settled by the U.S. Army on the Klamath Indian Reservation in southeastern Oregon, and still later, after the Modoc War, to a reservation in Oklahoma.)

Don't forget to check out 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, reason number 6 is "It will help you grow."

Sherry Mattern, Library Specialist
smattern@LAFSD.K12.CA.US

Measure E Benefits Our Students

With November's election less than a month away, there's one local initiative that is of particular interest to parents. Measure E, the high school facilities bond for the Acalanes Union High School District will provide the funds needed to renovate, repair, and maintain each of the four high schools - Acalanes, Campolindo, Las Lomas, and Miramonte - in the Acalanes district.

Whether your students are in kindergarten or about to enter high school, Measure E will provide benefits for local students for many years to come.

Measure E will repair leaky roofs, upgrade the electrical and data delivery infrastructure, improve classroom technology, replace worn equipment, and more. And, the bonds will be structured in such a way that there will be no increase to our current tax rate.
To learn more about Measure E, go to www.AboutMeasureE.org.

Measure E is an investment in our schools, an investment in our students, and an investment in our future. Please vote Yes on Measure E this November 4th.

If you'd like a yard sign for Measure E please contact our Leg Rep, Karen Guthrie, kfguthrie@earthlink.net or 925.283.7956.

Monday October 20 -RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Blue and/or Yellow/Gold Day. Character Pillar Blue is Trustworthy and Character Pillar Yellow is Respect. Wear all blue, all yellow, or a combination of the two!!

Tuesday October 21 - RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Orange Day. Character Pillar Orange is Fairness. Wear as much orange as possible.

Wednesday October 22 - RED RIBBON WEEK
Spirit Wednesday Red Ribbon Week game is Wheel of Fortune.

Thursday October 23 - RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Red Day. Character Pillar Red is Caring. Wear as much red as possible. Character Counts Scavenger Hunt at lunchtime.

Friday October 24 - RED RIBBON WEEK
Wear Green and/or Purple Day. Character Pillar Green is Responsible and Character Pillar Purple is Citizenship. Wear all green, all purple, or a combination of the two!!

5th Grade Red Ribbon Week Ceremony. The 5th grade classes will plant tulips in front of the school. More details to follow.

Come Hang Out at Hideout
Sign-Ups are now being taken for Tuesday, Nov 11th (Veteran's Day School Closure) and for Thanksgiving Camp. Discounts will be given for early registration! Come joins us for lots of Arts, Crafts, Games, Science and Baking activities. Registrations forms can be found in the school office or at Hideout. You can also download the forms from our website at www.kidshideout.net/Forms, then go to IN-SERVICE DAYS or Camp Registration Forms. For more information, please contact Beth at 283-7808 or beth@kidshideout.net.

THANK YOU for donating to Children's Hospital in Oakland! The items we have collected will put smiles on the little patients' faces. The donations will be sorted and delivered to the hospital before the holidays.

Watch Our Garden Grow
Springhill Garden's next work day is scheduled for Sunday, November 2 from 10-2pm. Bring your work gloves & sunscreen! We are looking for some help with a few larger projects.
If you, a friend or a local business are knowledgeable about:
* installing irrigation throughout the garden
* tree service; we'd like to use tree logs for hillside erosion control
* create an online newsletter featuring updates & progress reports, linked to our PFC website please contact Kathy Hemmenway at khemmenway@aol.com or 933-5266.

Time Management and Organizational Tips for Families with Middle Schoolers
Thurs. October 16, 2008, Noon - 1:30pm, no fee
Walnut Creek Intermediate School, library, 2425 Walnut Blvd, Walnut Creek , CA
Speaker: Beth Samuelson, MA & Founder Student Organization Services SOS
Are you going crazy trying to get your child more organized? Does your child seem to have no concept of time? Do you feel that you have to keep track of everything for your child? Learn what is reasonable developmentally for the middle school student, so that they can begin to take charge of organizing, managing homework and all of their activities.
NEW * NEW * on-line registration * NEW * NEW * on- line registration * NEW * NEW
http://www.acalanes.k12.ca.us/adulted/html/peelement ar ymiddleschool.htm
click the link to Parent Ed. On-Line Registration
For your questions & comments: Vera Babor at vbabor@acalanes.k12.ca.us

Risky Behavior: What is happening? What can we do about it?
Thursday, November 6, 7:30p.m. Stanley Middle School Library
What is 'risky behavior' for our middle schoolers today? Which behaviors should parents worry about? Please join Principal Schrag, Police Resource Officer Birch, Counselors Tiffany Sullivan and John Barakos, Drug, Alcohol and Violence Prevention Coordinator for the County Office of Education Ralph Cantor, Sandra Lessenden MFT, and Beth Feree PhD Psychologist for a lively, up-to-date review of the current risky behaviors in our middle school, and how we as parents can identify and address them.

Attention all 5th grade boys. Boy Scout Troop 243 invites you and your parents to attend our open house/ice cream social. Come meet fellow Boy Scouts and see all the cool stuff we do! No previous scouting experience necessary.
When: Tuesday, October 28th
What time: 7:30 - 8:30 pm.
Where: Lafayette Christian Church, 584 Glenside Drive, Lafayette, CA
Contact: Eva Woo 299-1047 or evawoogle@gmail.com for more information

SWEET THURSDAY OCTOBER 23 WITH KATHLEEN MCCLEARY
Join the Friends of the Lafayette Library on Thursday October 23 at 7:30 pm for an evening with Kathleen McCleary, rising star and author of HOUSE & HOME, an amazing debut novel about a woman with two precious girls, a thriving business, terrific friends and a sexy husband. She adores her house, a yellow Cape Cod filled with quirky antiques and a million memories. But now, at forty-four, she's about to lose it all. And she'd rather see her beloved home burn to the ground than let another family live in it. Booklist says about HOUSE & HOME that it "has one of the best opening paragraphs in recent memory, and is altogether so superior it's hard to believe that it's a debut."

STANLEY SCHOOL BOOK FAIR - Need that perfect gift for a child or teacher? Start holiday shopping early at the Stanley Book Fair! October 27- 30th 8am-4pm in the Stanley School Library. The Fair is run through Lafayette Book Store so gift certificates are local & make great gifts too! Bring the kids to meet real authors: Author Night Tuesday, Oct. 28th from 6-8:30pm.

Oakland Civic Orchestra Presents a FREE Family Halloween Concert
When: 4:00 PM Saturday, October 25, 2008.
Featuring: New York City based Tugboat Music performing:
"Green Golly and her Golden Flute", a fairy tale featuring Barbara Siesel , Flute and Keith Torgan, Storyteller PLUS Night on Bald Mountain and Pinnochio : A Merry Overture
There will be FREE activities for children and a reception following the concert. Children can also wear costumes!
The Oakland Civic Orchestra is a 50 piece orchestra directed by Martha Stoddard (Artistic Director) and Kate McLoughlin (Assistant Conductor).
The orchestra is sponsored by the City of Oakland and currently in residence at LMUMC.
For more information visit: www. oakland.net.com/parks/programs/civicorchestra.asp

Acalanes Cheer and Dance Clinic
Come perform with the AHS Cheer and Dance Team!!!
Be a part of a night full of FOOTBALL, SPIRIT and FUN!!!

Who: All are eligible from age 2 to 13
When: Clinic: Tuesday & Thursday November 4th and 6th from 4:00-5:30pm
Football Game: November 7th meet time 6:30pm
Where: Clinic: Acalanes High School (follow workshop signs)
Football Game: Acalanes High School football field
Cost: $35 per child if registered before November 3rd
$65 for a family of two, $90 for a family of three or more
$45 if after November 3rd

Details: The clinic will take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, November 4th and 6th. Children will learn a warm-up exercise, a dance to perform at halftime that night, and the different sidelines to cheer the team on during the first half of the game. The game will be held on Friday November 7th. Participants will need to be there by 6:30 pm. Parents and family members need to purchase their own tickets. Each child will receive pompoms and a t-shirt for the game, snacks and drinks at the clinic, and an experience of a lifetime! GO DONS!!

Email or send in registration form to reserve your spot today!! Questions? Want to Register? Contact Alyson Thomas at AcalanesSpirit@gmail.com

To submit entries to the Friday Flyer, email Traci Lawrence: 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