Friday, January 22
STUDENT COUNCIL SPIRIT DAY: STUFFED ANIMAL DAY
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; Multipurpose Room, 2:45 pm

Monday, January 25
School Site Council Meeting; Office, 3:00 PM
Cub Scout Pack 200 Meeting; Multipurpose Room, 4:00 PM-9:00 PM

Tuesday, January 26
Kindergarten Registration; Multipurpose Room, 9:00 AM-11:00 AM
PFC Sponsored Poets-in-the-Schools, 5th grade

Wednesday, January 27
Kindergarten Registration; Multipurpose Room, 9:00 AM-11:00 AMM

Thursday, January 28
Stanley Early Dismissal; Parent/Teacher Conferences
District Strings Festival; Acalanes High School, 7:00 PM

Friday, January 29
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; Multipurpose Room, 2:45 pm
Cub Scout Pack 200 Pinewood Derby; Multipurpose Room, 3:00 PM-9:00 PM

Saturday, January 30
LASF Function: Starry Starry Night (more information to follow)

Monday, February 1
Cub Scout Pack 200 Leaders' Meeting; Library, 7:00 PM-8:30 PM

Tuesday, February 2
PFC Sponsored Poets-in-the-Schools, 5th grade (see schedule)

Wednesday, February 3
Lafayette School District Board Study Session, Class Size Discussion; District Office, 4:00 PM

PFC Meeting
Executive Board Meeting; Lounge, 5:30 PM
General Session, Superintendent Fred Brill speaking; Library, 7:00 PM

Thursday, February 4
4th Grade Concert; Multipurpose Room, 7:00 PM

Friday, February 5
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; Multipurpose Room, 2:45 pm

Thursday, February 9
PFC Sponsored Poets-in-the-Schools, 5th grade

Wednesday, February 10
SMILE TRAIN: 3rd GRADE FUND RAISER
Lafayette School District Board Meeting, District Office, 6:00 PM

Thursday, February 11
5th Grade Play Rehearsal; Multipurpose Room, 2:45 pm

Friday, February 12
Abraham Lincoln's Birthday; Holiday

Sunday, February 14
Chinese New Year
Valentine's Day

Principal's Messages

A. KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION: Kindergarten Registration for the 2010-2011 school year will take place on Tuesday, January 26, 9:00 AM-11:00 AM, and Wednesday, January 27, 9:00 AM-11:00 AM and all days following. Registration packets may be picked up from the Springhill Office after January 11 and returned on the actual days of registration. Please encourage all those you know in the Springhill community with kindergarten-aged children for next year to register on these dates, even if they are not sure their children are ready for kindergarten yet.

B. 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/

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

D. WARM COAT DRIVE:
Brownie troop #33005 is collecting warm coats for the community outreach program through the First Baptist Church in Pittsburg. They'll be collecting new and gently used coats/ jackets through January 31st in a bin by the front office. Thank you, ladies, for supporting the Pillars of Caring, Responsibiility and Citizenship!!!

THE SIX PILLARS & PAY IT FORWARD CORNER

"Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose."
Evan Esar

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. BE WATCHING FOR THE ANNUAL 3rd GRADE SMILE TRAIN SEMI-FREDDI's GARLIC CROUTON SALE TAKING PLACE WEDNESDAY, 2/10. Every $250 raised sponsors a child's cleft palate surgery somewhere in the world. Semi Freddi's croutons for $2 and apple juice for $1. Let's Pay It Forward and support the pillars of Caring and Citizenship with this worthy cause! Thank you 3rd Grade!!!

B. SPRINGHILL DONATED 328 POUNDS OF DRIED/CANNED FOODS TO THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FOOD BANK IN DECEMBER! WELL DONE SCORPIONS! Thank you for supporting the pillars of Caring and Citizenship!

C. SOLES4SOULS:
As we all know the earthquake in Haiti has devastated the country.The amount of lives lost and the destruction is so overwhelming that it is hard to know how to even begin to help. While it might seem small compared to all that is needed, one way to help is to donate gently worn shoes to the relief effort. People are in immediate need of the most basic necessities, like food, water, AND SHOES. Soles4Souls is working to provide millions of pairs of gently used boots and shoes to help survivors locate others trapped in the rubble and begin the rebuilding process. As you can imagine, the amount of broken glass, twisted metal and raw sewage is staggering. Now through January 30th, Sports Chalet is offering to ship for free gently worn shoes to Haiti through the Soles4Souls organization. Once received Soles4Souls will rush this protective footwear to Haiti as quickly as possible.

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:

Go through your closets and collect gently worn or new shoes.

Gently worn is defined as shoes that you would still wear. They should have solid soles with no holes, laces if applicable, clean -no mud Soles4Souls accepts all types of shoes both for adults and children: athletic, running, dress, sandals, pumps, heels, work boots, cleats, dance, flip flops, just as long as they are new or gently worn. Tie the two shoes together if they have laces and also band them with rubber bands.

There will be a collection bin in front of the Springhill School Office for the next two weeks for shoes. Please support the Pillars of Caring, Responsibility and Citizenship! Thank you!

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. Miller's kindergarten classroom, students work on their Sight Word Books. They practice/learn the 25 required sight words in their very own Sight Word Book. The students have 4 boxes to "practice" the Sight word:

In box #1 - they write the word 3 times in pencil

in box #2 - they rainbow write the word using twistable crayons- 3 colors

in box #3 - they cut apart the word and rebuild it on the page gluing it down in the correct order.

in box #4 - they stamp the word using letter stamps

Challenge - On the sentence line those that are able are asked to write a sentence using the sight word.

*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. LOOK FOR AN UPDATE NEXT WEEK ON WHAT TOOK PLACE AT SPRINGHILL's GREEN TEAM MEETING.

B. WHAT SUGGESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR SPRINGHILL TEAM GREEN? Help us find ways to:
1. Explore 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. Explore school and community green pursuits that provide a fiscal benefit to the schools and community;
3. Explore 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!!!

C. SOLAR ENERGY - Springhill School should be "flipping the switch" to solar energy within the next month and will have its own ceremony. At that time, we wish to acknowledge certain people who made solar energy a reality for the entire district: former Springhill parents Leon and Marion Lee; former PFC Presidents Kathy Hemmenway & Corrine Christensen; Science Teacher Kim Brast; and James Hatfield who provided two years of consulting free of charge to Springhill School when he worked for Solar City and Sun, Light & Power. We will let you know when the special day arrives!

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

bwodhams@lafsd.k12.ca.us

What a week! I haven't seen this kind of rain since we left Seattle! Thankfully we will get a break this weekend - get out there and enjoy it!

Our next PFC General Meeting is February 3rd with Dr. Fred Brill- please mark your calendars and plan on attending. The information that will be presented is crucial to understanding the crisis our schools are in right now. These are hard times for education in California - expectations are higher and financial support is lower - so come be a part of the solution. The meeting will start at 7pm sharp. You can also sign up for our District updates on their website. Also check out Karen Yuen's Legislative update for more information regarding the upcoming trip to Sacramento.

Carpool is working well these days - thank you! Continue to listen and follow directions to keep it running smoothly. The safety of our children is the #1 priority.

The 5th Grade Play is approaching. Thank you Kim Stewart and Doreen DeRoque for all your hard work! The 5th grade and the many parent volunteers are working like mad to put on a fantastic show - we can't wait!

We are looking for a few good people - if you would like to join the PFC fun please contact me at uvdonlon@aol.com or Jean Follmer at jeanfollmer@yahoo.com if you are interested. Many hands make light work so consider jumping in and making a difference at your child's school and in your community!

Have a great weekend!

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

More Budget Cuts
California State PTA recently wrote, "Contrary to the Governor's pledge to protect education in his State of the State speech, the budget proposal actually reduces payments to schools by $2.4 billion over two years!"

You are encouraged to get informed and to participate in the following events:
Jan. 25th - School Finance 101, a PTA presentation on how our schools are funded. Monday, Jan. 25th at 7:00-8:30pm, at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek. Click here for more info: http://www.lastrampaspta.org/school_finance12510.pdf

February 3rd - PFC General Meeting, Wednesday at 7:00 pm in Springhill Library. Fred Brill, the Superintendent of Lafayette, will be coming to speak to us about the budget cuts that we will experience for 2010-11. Please come!

February 4th - Superintendents' Forum, Thursday at 7:00 pm, located in the small theater at Acalanes High School. All of our 6 local Superintendents will discuss the budget crisis and its affect on their school districts. Bring your questions.

February 17th- Advocacy Day - Bus trip to Sacramento, Wednesday from 7:15am to 4:30pm leaving from Lafayette. "California Schools in Crisis: Advocating for Solutions." We will hear from and communicate with education experts and our legislators on school funding, education reform, and budget reform. Registration deadline Feb. 1st. Please click here to register: https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=Y12V2K7
Click here for the flyer and Itinerary: http://www.srvcouncilpta.org/Public/teacherimages/advocacy%20day%202010%20registration%20flyer.pdf

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

LASF SCIENCE FAIR

The LASF Science Fair will be taking place on Wednesday, February 17th from 6:30-8:30PM.
SIGN UP FORMS ARE DUE TODAY (PLUS $5 IF YOU WANT A DISPLAY BOARD)! Remember you can also enter online at http://tinyurl.com/SpringhillLASF2010ScienceFair .

I have my science question, but how do I test it? The answer is - keep it simple and test only one aspect or variable. A variable is something you purposefully change during your experiment to see what will happen. It's important to keep everything else in your experiment the same and allow only one variable to change. You can tell then if the change is due to that variable alone. Let's say you'd like to know how a fertilizer affects plant growth. You would need two sets of plants. All plants would receive the same amount of light and water but one group would receive a fertilizer while the other would not. You have only changed one variable, the fertilizer, so you will know that any differences will be due to the fertilizer. If you have the time and resources, it's a good idea to repeat the experiment several times to ensure that the answer to your question was not just an accident.

Need some inspiration? Check out the LASF Science Fair idea binder in the Springhill library.

SCIENCE FAIR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!! FUN POSITIONS AVAILABLE!!
We are looking for Guest Scientists....Real "Science" degrees not required! Our Guest Scientists will be interviewing students DURING THE SCHOOL DAY on Wednesday February 17th. Watch for an email from your LASF room representative for shift times. We also need help before, during, and after the LASF Science Fair. There are shifts during evening hours and before school for working parents. If interested please contact Heidi Plumb. Any other questions? Feel free to contact the LASF Science Fair coordinators - Kari Dalen (935-9018 or Kari@Dahlen.com ) or Heidi Plumb (935-2108 or plumbnest@mac.com ).

Raffle Prizes for "Starry, Starry Night" Annual Event
We have some terrific raffle prizes this year so buy your tickets now! First prize is a ladies 14k tennis bracelet set with 60 round, brilliant cut diamonds. The bracelet is absolutely GORGEOUS! Second prize lets you relax for a night at the beautiful Lafayette Park Hotel, including breakfast in bed and two sumptuous robes to take home. And our third prize is a case of 2003 Ravenswood Merlot - ready to savor right away or better yet, to cellar for a few years.

Raffle tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100. You can purchase raffle tickets with your RSVP for the event or call the LASF office at 299.1644. Sorry..we can't sell raffle tickets on our web site due to PayPal restrictions. Raffle tickets will also be sold before/after school next week weather permitting.

Lamorinda Community Night with the Golden State Warriors is Feb 27th
Buy discount tickets to watch the Golden State Warriors vs. the Detroit Pistons at 7:30 PM on Saturday, Feb. 27. Download ticket order form from LASF web site http://www.lasf.org . A portion of each ticket sold goes directly to LASF and EFO.

Remember, there are over 100 reasons to read. This week reason number 16 is "You won't have to judge a book by its cover."

I'm beginning to read the books that have been nominated for this year's California Young Reader Medal to the 1st-5th graders. Each year a committee of people who work with children's books takes all the recommendations from students and librarians and puts together several categories of books based on grade levels that students across the state read (or hear) and vote on. The books must have been published within the last four years and still be in print, be original works of fiction available in English, and the authors must be alive. All votes are due on March 31. Then committee members tabulate the votes and announce the winners online on May 1. Each year our students look forward to hearing or reading the books and to voting for their favorites. Some years the books we choose here at Springhill are the same as the ones that win statewide, and some years they're not; it's always fun to see what happens.

Penguins are endlessly fascinating for our youngest students and they love hearing stories about penguins. Little Turtle also loves the book about penguins that his father reads to him. One night he dreams he is a penguin. Kindergartners loved seeing how Little Turtle made his dream come true the next day in Valeri Gorbachev's book Turtle's Penguin Day.

Pauline Poulet hears that the farmer is planning on a chicken pie dinner so she sets off through the woods in a desperate attempt to escape. One thing leads to another and first graders wondered if Pauline would ever be safe as they listened to Ellen Kelley's book My Life as a Chicken.

Mr. Rabbit's new neighbors are otters. He knows nothing about otters and wonders what he will do if they don't get along with one another. He's reminded of the old saying, "Do unto otters as you would have otters do unto you". Second graders enjoyed the combination of words and pictures Laurie Keller used to cover some of Mr. Rabbit's thoughts about how he would like otters to treat him in her book Do unto Otters.

Velma's two older sisters were practically perfect first graders but her teachers and classmates can hardly even remember Velma's name. When the class makes a trip to the Butterfly Conservatory Velma is in her element, curious and fascinated by everything she sees. And then the most amazing thing happens. Third graders enjoyed hearing what Velma did next in Alan Madison's book Velma Gratch & the Way Cool Butterfly.

On a rainy night in 1888 a stray mutt slipped into the Post Office in Albany, NY. Nobody claimed him and the dog, named Owney by the postal workers, became a valued guard of the mail pouches. Before long, he hopped on a mail train and began traveling all over the U.S., guarding the mail and the workers in their blue wool uniforms. The postal workers in Albany bought Owney a harness and tied a note to it asking workers who saw him to attach their depot tags to his collar. Over the next few years Owney visited cities in the U.S. and Canada. His true story is told by Mona Kerby in the book Owney the Mail-Pouch Pooch. Next, An American teacher, Senor David, came to the dump in Tijuana, Mexico one summer and set up an impromptu school on a blue tarp for the kids whose families lived there. When a fire devastated the colonia, Senor David helped the families to rebuild their homes and, using money from a woman in Tijuana, to build a "real" school with walls. Edith Hope Fine and Judith Pinkerton Josephson wrote about David Lynch and his inspiring work in their book Armando and the Blue Tarp School. Fourth graders heard both these CYRM nominees this week.

Check out our website at http://www.lafsd.k12.ca.us/people/smattern/index.htm. 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.

Sherry Mattern, Library Specialist

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
Please turn in all Box Tops for Education coupons to the box in the main office. The deadline is aproaching soon so please turn them in as soon as possible. Box Tops for Education coupons can be obtained from General Mills and Pillsbury products. Springhill receives 10 cents for every box top. It all adds up when we all pitch in. Any questions email wendykmurphy@yahoo.com

BARGAIN BOOK BONANZA DONATIONS NEEDED
We have had an awesome turn-out for our book sales this fall, selling most of our inventory! We are in need of book donations for all grade levels, from kindergarten picture books to chapter books. We will have our next sale on Tuesday, February 2 at lunch. So please consider cleaning your book shelves and donating your used books. All proceeds go to our fantastic library. Please bring your books in boxes or paper bags to the foyer of the multi-propose room and label them "bargain books". If it is easier for you, 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. Any questions, please call Farrel Vance 937-8230 or e-mail fvance5@comcast.net

MATH LEAGUE CONTEST FOR FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS
Ye Liu, parent of fifth grader Alexander Wang, would like to organize a group of fifth graders at Springhill to participate in the Math League contest after April 15th. The team is endorsed by Springhill PFC. The contest is voluntary and free. Study materials for interested students are available to use for study either together or alone. If needed, Ye Liu can help the students on the problem solving issues. If you are interested, please email: weiruandye@gmail.com .

To submit entries to the Friday Flyer, email Sharon Doi Swan: 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