Friday, November 6
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; MP Room, 2:40 PM-5:00 PM

Monday, November 9
Student Council Mtg.; Rm. 23, 12:20 PM
Cub Scout Pack 200 Leaders' Mtg.; Library, 7:00 PM- 8:30 PM

Wednesday, November 11
Veterans' Day; Holiday

Thursday, November 12
PFC-Sponsored Poets-in-the-Schools, 4th grade
PFC Reservoir Run Pizza Winners, Mr. Fisher & Mrs. Newcomb; MP Room, 2:45 PM

Friday, November 13
Visit of Betsy the Fire Engine from Lafayette Library/Learning Center
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; Library, 2:40 PM-5:00 PM
Book Fair set up in MP Room; all day

Monday, November 16
PFC Book Fair; MP Room
7:15 AM: Teacher Breakfast and Walkthrough
11:45 AM: Student Walkthrough begins (schedule forthcoming)
School Site Council Mtg.; Office, 3:00 PM

Tuesday, November 17
PFC Book Fair; MP Room
Lunch outside
RAPPORT; DO, 9:00 AM

Wednesday, November 18
PFC Book Fair; MP Room
Lunch outside
LSD Board Mtg.; DO, 7:00 PM

Thursday, November 19
PFC Book Fair; MP Room
PFC-Sponsored Poets-in-the-Schools, 4th grade

Friday, November 20
END 1st TRIMESTER
PFC Book Fair take down; MP Room
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; MP Room, 2:40 PM-5:00 PM

Monday, November 23
District Inservice Day; Student Holiday

Tuesday, November 24
District Inservice Day; Student Holiday

Wednesday, November 25
District Holiday

Thursday, November 26
Thanksgiving Holiday

Friday, November 27
District Holiday

Saturday, November 28
Eid al Adha

A. DOGS ON CAMPUS: We must insist that you do not bring your dogs to campus at arrival, dismissal or special sharing. Dogs are not allowed on campus for a very good reason--they can become agitated around crowds of children and become a danger to all. Please adhere to this rule no matter how well behaved you think your dog might be. Thank you.

B. PARKING LOT: Please do not enter the EXIT driveway of the parking lot at any time, no matter how convenient or safe it might appear. Set a good example for all of our students by being safe and courteous and following the rules. Thank you.

C. THANK YOU TO WELLS FARGO: Springhill School was the fortunate recipient of a $1000 grant from the Wells Fargo Adopt-A-School Program to assist schools in these troubled economic times. Ms. Mina Gill of Wells Fargo made the presentation at this week's Spirit Wednesday to our Student Body President Brian Hemmenway. Thank you, Wells Fargo!

D. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ATTENDED OUR ANNUAL FALL MUSIC ASSEMBLY: A special thank you to Mrs. Ghulam and the 5th Grade Chorus, to Ms. Clymer and all of our guest musicians and our 1st, 2nd & 3rd grade singers! It was a spectacular show!

E. H1N1 UPDATE: In order to keep you apprised of the latest information we have regarding the H1N1 virus, we have compiled a list of H1N1 FAQs which you can view by going to: http://www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/springhill/

F. PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We are getting ready to introduce our before school reading intervention program. We will be working on reading fluency and comprehension for those students who are in need of support in these areas. We are looking for enthusiastic, conscientious parent volunteers who are willing to put in time before school to work in the computer lab with two teachers, Helen Hirsch (2nd grade teacher) and Jeannine Pitney (retired reading specialist). The program will start on November 2, 2009 and end on January 29th 2010. The program will run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:50- 8:30 am. If you are interested in helping us one, two or all three of these days please contact Helen Hirsch or Susan Manzano at (925) 927-3580.

G. SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL: Congratulations to Mrs. Heidi Plumb, Mrs. Kathy Hemmenway and Ms. Beth Brown who have been elected to represent parents and the community in the Springhill School Site Council. Thank you to all parents who participated in the voting!

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

THE SIX PILLARS & PAY IT FORWARD CORNER

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"
---John Wooden

CHARACTER COUNTS! AS YOU GO FORWARD DAILY, STAND TALL UPON THE PILLARS OF TRUSTWORTHINESS, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, FAIRNESS, CARING & CITIZENSHIP!!!

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.

A. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE PILLARS OF CARING, RESPONSIBILITY & CITIZENSHIP!!!
1. LEFTOVER HALLOWEEN CANDY: Thank you GIRL SCOUT TROOP #33005 for collecting those leftovers for the Contra Costa County Food Bank;
2. HALLOWEEN COSTUMES, MASKS, HATS, DRESS-UP CLOTHES: Thank you to Girl Scout Troop 32154 for sponsoring this worthwhile drive for the homeless children of Shelter, Inc. 3. CHILDREN's HOSPITAL GOODY BAGS: Over 136 Goody Bags were collected by the First Grade Girls Springhill Daisy Troop # 321933 for the kids at Children's Hospital Oakland. Thank you, ladies!!!

B. COINS FOR A CURE: Last chance to participate in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) COINS FOR A CURE Program. Contribute your spare change to the containers in classrooms. Thank you for supporting the Pillars of Caring & Responsibility.

C. DONATIONS FOR OUR SERVICE MEN & WOMEN SERVING IN IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN: DVDs, comic books, toiletries, magazines, etc.---all are welcome donations for Evan Gordon, Campolindo Junior, and his Eagle Scout effort to provide much- needed items for our service members now in the Mideast. Look for the donation bin in front of the Office beginning Monday, November 9. Thank you for supporting the Pillars of Caring, Responsibility & Citizenship!!!

D. THANK YOU TO ALL PARENTS WHO ATTENDED OUR PRIMARY FOCUS/CHARACTER COUNTS! ASSEMBLY LAST NIGHT: As an extension of our RED RIBBON WEEK, it was our culminating activity for Springhill students during this important character building month that will set the character expectations for the rest of the year and beyond. Many thanks, once again, to Karen Elliott and her many volunteers for coordinating all of these beneficial activities!

DIFFERENTIATION CORNER

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

In Mrs. Newcomb's 4th grade, every Friday is Math Menu. Math Menu uses stations to do a variety of hands-on math activities that include Marcy Cook tiles, Versatiles, Hands On Equations, math games and the computer. Each week the activities reinforce the math concepts being learned in class and allows each student to explore that concept at their individual level.

*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.

TEAM GREEN CORNER
THE NEW FOUR Rs: Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle & Rot

A. SPRINGHILL TEAM GREEN: Many thanks for those who participated in Springhill School's TEAM GREEN meeting yesterday. We have many items on the sustainable agenda as we pursue the following:
1. Exploring school and community green pursuits that allow us to better address the State Standards/ Benchmarks as well as the Lafayette School District Strategic Plan;
2. Exploring school and community green pursuits that provide a fiscal benefit to the schools and community;
3. Exploring school and community green pursuits that address and enhance character development programs already in place (e.g. CHARACTER COUNTS! in the Lafayette School District).
Springhill School pays it forward by keeping it green, supporting the Pillars of Caring, Respect, Responsibility & Citizenship!!!

B. REDUCE SPRINGHILL's CARBON FOOTPRINT (and get some exercise as well!!!): Supporting our Pillars of Respect (for the environment) and Citizenship (a community effort), Springhill is once again reinstituting a tradition of Wednesday Walkers--encouraging students to walk or ride bikes to school daily, but particularly on one day of the week. Of course, we would not encourage such a practice unless conditions were safe for our walkers and bike riders. Thank you.

Bruce L. Wodhams
Principal
Springhill Elementary School
3301 Springhill Road
Lafayette, CA 94549

bwodhams@lafsd.k12.ca.us

Can you believe that another week has passed so quickly?

A gentle reminder regarding rules, common courtesies, and carpool lanes:

Briones parking lot is run by East Bay Regional Parks, an organization that turns a blind eye to Springhill parents using the space for the purposes of dropping off and picking up our children. With that said, please observe the following to keep everyone safe and happy:

1. Use the Entrance to Enter and the Exit to exit - they are clearly marked with arrows. You may have to travel around to exit; however, it is imperative that you do to avoid snarls.

2. DO NOT pull up to the gate and park as this causes a back up onto Springhill Road. Back ups can easily be avoided by pulling into a space and parking.

3. Please control your children in the lots; it can be chaotic and sometimes drivers are unable to see your child who is darting in and out between cars.

4. Always be polite and recognize that everyone in the parking lot is there for the same reason - to get their kid and go. The parking lot does not belong to us so let's be respectful of it and of each other. Trust me, you do not want me out there directing. I have a bullhorn and a whistle; I am not afraid to use it!

On that note, let's review some Springhill Carpool niceties:
When pulling into the main parking lot for morning drop off, please pull all the way around, stopping in the middle causes traffic to back up onto Springhill Road. Your child can walk the few hundred feet back.

Please park on the side off Pleasant Hill Road or in the Briones lot in the morrning, parking in the front/main log creates a problem for teachers and staff members who need to be at work on time.

Do not cut in the line from the middle aisle - very impolite. When pulling in early in the afternoon, please pull over to the left (in back of the parked cars), STAY in your car, and pull forward as people pull into line. Do not park your car, walk to get your child and come back because it creates a snarl. If you do not see your child, keep driving around the lot. NEVER park your car in the circle during drop off and pick up - this a big no-no! Most importantly, respect the teachers who are directing the traffic and the crossing guards (who by the way are volunteers!).

We are currently looking for parent volunteers to help run both lots. For Briones we need parents for the afternoon while in the front lot we need parents for the morning and afternoon. If you are interested please contact me at uvdonlon@aol.com.

The Before and After School Enrichment Team is in the process of finalizing the next schedule - if you have any questions please contact Sharon Kidd at skidd@berkeley.edu or Julie Tobias- Pancoast at toastjb@comcast.net. More information will be posted on the PFC website - www.springhillpfc.org.

The Lafayette Library will officially open next week - November 14th! This will be an exciting day for our community - make sure you come by and check out the festivities!

The Book Fair is coming up November 16th - 19th! This is a great place to buy holiday gifts as well as support Springhill. This year, Papyrus will be on hand to sell stationary items fit for the holidays. Speaking of the holiday season, Honey Bear Trees is offering Springhill Elementary $10 for every wreath a Springhill family orders. If you would like a wreath please fill out a form along with a check written to Honey Bear and drop it off in Jennifer Bielawski's box in the office. If you would like more information please contact Jennifer Bielawski at tjbielawski@gmail.com. Honey Bear will also be having a special for us in their lot - look for more information on that in your child's backpack! Again many thanks to Karen Elliott and the Red Ribbon Week Committee and Parent Helpers - what a way to end the celebration with Primary Focus! If you missed them at Springhill they will be performing at Burton Valley Elementary on November 19th from 6:30 - 7:30.

Many thanks for getting out and voting! Measure G passed! This ensures that the Acalanes School District will continue to benefit from the $189 parcel tax!

As always have a safe and fun filled weekend!

Truly,
Julie Donlon
2009-2010 Springhill PFC President
uvdonlon@aol.com

For Us It's a Grind, For Them It's Great

Before skimming the following fundraising related notices (the grind), take a few seconds to recall what is great - especially the performing arts opportunities available to our kids. Who doesn't thrill to the first few semi-musical squeals produced by your newly minted 4th grade violin or clarinet student, feel proud seeing your Wildcat perform on stage, laugh at the truly funny and talented videos from our high school students or listen in awe at their music showcases? And though we can go on and on about the importance of arts education and how LASF funded programs can help your child become UC eligible, the real fun is right now. As we head into the late fall performance season, we hope you enjoy the show!

#1 eBay Fundraiser

LASF would like to take your gently used extras - cameras, laptops, handbags, video game consoles, etc. - and convert them to cash for our schools. We are partnering with the "I Sold It on eBay" store to sell donated items. LASF gets proceeds from the sale and you - our donors - get a timely tax deduction. It's simple. We are collecting items on Sunday November 15 from 11 AM to 3 PM at the Acalanes High School parking lot. See our website for details www.lasf.org

#2 Annual Event - Starry, Starry Night

On Saturday January 30th, LASF is hosting our major fundraising party for the year with the theme a "Starry, Starry Night". In preparation, we are soliciting items for live and silent auctions at the fundraising event, such as:

- Travel: Hotel nights, timeshares, airline tickets.
- Wine: For auction and for our wine toss game.
- Jewelry.
- Sign Up Parties for adults or children.

- Event Tickets to concerts, plays or sporting events.

- Unique Experiences: e.g., special access to an interesting tour, winery, fabulous garden, lawmaker's office, chocolate factory, etc.

To donate, please contact our Auction Coordinators, Mary Bakos at (925) 284-4795 or mlbakos@yahoo.com or Carrie Barlow at (415) 606-4949 or purecurls@mtbarlow.com. If you have any questions or need ideas on how you can help, please don't hesitate to contact your school site rep, Sally Fonstein at (925) 285-9608 or sfonstein@comcast.net

Measure G passed with 74% of the vote continuing the current annual parcel tax to support the schools in the Acalanes Union High School District. To continue the dialog as to how we can help our schools, the Chinese America Political Association presents "Creative Solutions to the Education Crisis." The meeting will be held this Sunday, November 8th, from 2-4:40pm, at the Walnut Creek Civic Park Community Center. Speakers include: Tom Torlakson (California Assemblymember), Judy Walters (DVC President), Michael Beseda (St. Mary's College Vice Provost), Nancy Vandell (California State PTA), and Bill Clarkson (San Ramon Valley School Board President. Here's a link for more info: www.z2systems.com

Questions? Contact Springhill's Leg. Rep. Karen Yuen at kyuen@fbm.com or go to the Leg Team website at www.lastrampaspta.org

Remember, there are over 100 reasons to read. This week reason number 8 is "You can dream about the future."

Our Book fair is coming November 16-19! Plan to come by and see all the great books the Storyteller is offering for sale. We have a great crew who will be setting up and staffing the fair and they have some special new events planned for all of us to enjoy.

November is National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. To tie into this theme I read American Indian folk tales to most of the classes this week. Native storytellers used these stories to teach values and ways of doing things, to explain why what their listeners observed was the way it was, to pass on important traditions and customs, and to entertain.

What can you do if you're a coyote who wants to fly? You could try asking Old Crow to help you, but will the results be what you were hoping for or will you be disappointed? Kindergartners heard the Zuni story Coyote by Gerald McDermott and enjoyed predicting what they thought would happen.

Iktomi is a Plains American Indian character who sees some bright red berries in the water. But when he tries to get them he finds it impossible. Iktomi and the Berries by Paul Goble had the first graders laughing at Iktomi's foolishness and then reflecting on what the story was saying to its listeners.

Learning to find books in a library by using a call number is a skill that takes lots of practice. Second graders had a short lesson in how to decipher the numbers and letters in a call number and then how to look at a spine label to match the numbers. Next they had a chance to practice what they had learned by finding two books using call numbers they were given.

When people in a Zuni village had so much food that they decided to hold a village-wide food fight for all the neighboring villages to see, the spirits of the Corn Maidens decided to punish the villagers for their wastefulness and lack of respect by sending a drought and time of famine. A boy left in the deserted village creates a "butterfly" out of an old cornstalk for his young sister and through that creature the children are saved. Third graders heard the book Dragonfly's Tale by Kristina Rodanas, which tells this riveting story and discussed what the storyteller might be trying to convey to her listeners.

As we begin to teach information literacy throughout the district, Barb Stevens, our district (and Stanley) librarian, felt that an assessment would help us to see what our students already know and would guide us in planning how to teach what they still need to learn before they head off to middle school. I had the students take the online assessment Barb developed this week. During our inservice days later this month all the librarians and computer specialists will discuss the results and formulate a strategy to help prepare our students to be effective twenty first century learners. We also had time to read a couple of stories about coyote from Tom Pohrt's book Coyote Goes Walking. In these Assiniboine American Indian stories coyote is a creator as well as a trickster.

I didn't see the fifth graders this week as I was still out of town, but I had prepared a cart of materials which all the classes used in here as they began their research on Native Americans.

Check out our website at < www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/people .You will find updates on what's happening at the Springhill Library, a revised library wish list, reviews of new books, and links to many helpful resources too.

Sherry Mattern, Library Specialist

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BOOKFAIR
HELP MAKE THIS YEAR'S BOOK FAIR A HOME RUN!
NOVEMBER 16th - 19th
Come do your holiday shopping and raise money for Springhill's Library and PFC with your purchase of great new books and holiday gifts provided by the Storyteller and Paperweight. 50% of all proceeds go the library and 50% to the PFC.
BOOK FAIR HOURS:
Monday 11/16 - Wednesday 11/18, 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Thursday 11/19, 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
(please note start time is 8:00 a.m., not 7:30 a.m. as stated on flyers distributed to students)
DON'T MISS THIS YEAR'S FUN EVENING EVENTS: Tuesday November 17th, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.: FAMILY SHOPPING NIGHT! Take the night off from making dinner and peruse the Book Fair while your kids eat pizza (6-7pm), make a craft and play a carnival game. Pizza slices $2, pizza & drink $3. We'll even gift wrap your books for free!
Wednesday November 18th, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.: SPORTS NIGHT!Come sing "Take Me Out To The Ballpark" and other school favorites with Mr. Wodhams and participate in the Book Fair's exciting Sports Raffle and Classroom Pizza Party Raffle. Sports Raffle prizes include an autographed Giant's baseball plus Warriors, Sharks and Giants tickets ... and more. Wear your favorite baseball hat and jersey and receive a free licorice rope!
RAFFLE TICKETS: For every $25 spent at the Book Fair, receive a raffle ticket to enter the Classroom Pizza Party drawing. Tickets for the Sports Raffle are $1 each, 7 for $5 or 15 for $10. CASH & CHECKS ONLY! Credit card purchases significantly reduce Book Fair profits. Please call Catherine McCarthy, 256-9464 or Sheryl Lauer, 962-9388 if you have any questions.

Springhill School PFC Student Directories will be distributed in the Friday Folders this Friday, Nov. 6. They will come home with the oldest child in each family. It's not too late to join the PFC. A limited number of directories are available for $10 if you join now. Please email Melissa Lee at tandmlee@msn. com if you have questions or to join.

"MRS. NEWCOMB AND MR. FISHER'S CLASSROOMS HAVE WON THE ICE CREAM EXTRAVAGANZA PARTY"
Date: Thursday, Nov. 12
Time: 2:40-3:15
Where: Multi Purpose Room at front of school

We had a great turnout from Springhill at the Lafayette Reservoir run. The money raised during this fun family event will be divided among the lafayette schools and an additional @10 of each registration comes back to Springhill for Springhill runners. 12 classes in our school participated in the run which was a terrific showing. The runners bibs were turned into class the following day and counted. An honorable mention goes out to Mrs. Quinn and Mrs. Thompson's classes who tied for third place. Mr. Fishers class came in second and Mrs. Newcomb'c class was the clear winner. Both first and second place classes are invited to a special after school ice cream party courtesy of Oakwood Club Sport.

Holiday Wreath Sale
The PFC will be kicking off the holidays with a wreath sale with Honey Bear Trees. The wreaths are 24" mixed greens and pine cones and sell for $28 each. Honey Bear Trees will generously donate $10 from each wreath sold back to our PFC! When it's time to get your tree, the same lot (the lot across the street from Acalanes High School) will donate 20% from your purchase price back to us! To order your wreaths, please contact Jennifer Bielawski at TJBielawski@gmail.com or 949-8822.

Thanksgiving Camp at Kid's Hideout
Are you looking for something for your kids to do during Thanksgiving Break? Kids Hideout is accepting registration for the Thanksgiving week. Springhill will be closed the whole week. Hideout will be open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Please join us for Holiday crafts, games and activities. Each child will bring home their own mini- pie on Wednesday. You can download the form at www.kidshideout.net, then click on the "Forms" tab. If you sign up and pay for all three camps (Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring Break) by Friday, October 30th, you can take 20% off the "Camp rate" for all three weeks. (Please note: The deadline has been extended!!) For questions, please contact Beth at 925- 283-7808 or beth@kidshideout.net.

Boy Scout Troop 243 Welcomes all 5th Grade Boys
We welcome all 5th grade boys to come to a troop meeting where they can meet the scouts and learn more about our troop. They'll get to hear about all the fun adventures and activities our troop offers, including white water rafting, rock climbing, ski trips, snow camping with wilderness survival, and the private ranch that our troop is invited to each year for a weekend in the spring. Many leadership opportunities with older scouts guiding the younger ones. Located behind the Lafayette Christian Church across the street from Las Trampas pool. Our troop has celebrated over 50 years in Lafayette and continues the tradition of fun! Please contact our troop coordinator for new scouts, Kelly Troxel, at ktroxel@earthlink.net. The troop meets on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. If you are interested in attending a meeting, we are offering the following dates: 11/10 and 11/17 with advance notice. Parents are welcome and a separate presentation for parents by our Scoutmaster will be provided.

Announcing: "How Drugs Hijack the Teenage Brain: Do you really know how marijuana and alcohol interfere with the learning that is supposed to take place during the teenage years?"

A Parent Education Evening with Ralph Cantor, Tuesday, November 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the MUR at Stanley.

Adolescence is the time when teens are supposed to be working on self identity, dealing with stress, boredom, emotional growth, intellectual development and learning to socialize with others. Drugs and alcohol not only impair decision making abilities but also interrupt your child's ability to master these developmental tasks. Join us at Stanley for an informative evening and Q & A with esteemed Drug Educator, Ralph Cantor and the Stanley Counseling Staff. Sponsored by the Stanley PTA.

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