Carmeletter
Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
Happy New Year!
El Carmelo Calendar
January 2009
January Character Trait- Problem Solving
Jan. 7 - New Kinder registration begins at district office
Jan. 15 - Visiting Author assembly with Betsy Franco
Jan. 19 - NO SCHOOL
Jan. 21 - Spirit day - "Back in time/ Future day” - kids dress in period clothing
Jan. 20-23 - Give it All Away program
Jan. 24 - Family Community Service day. Help sort and deliver donated items 10am-1pm in MP room
Jan. 29 - Carmeletter article submission deadline
February 2009
Feb. 5 - Lego night 6-8pm in MP room
Feb. 6 - Carmeletter publication date
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
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Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
Principal’s Letter
Happy New Year! As we renew our purpose, after a restful Winter Break,
we are gearing up for the exciting opportunities that await us the rest of
the school year. As we do this, we need to remember some
extracurricular education that the Green Team will provide. Specifically,
the Give It All Away program is coming soon (January 20-24), together
with a Family Service Day on Saturday, January 24. The Green Team met
the first Tuesday after the holidays and has begun to plan events all the
way to April 22, Earth Day. More information will follow, so please keep
you eyes and ears open for ways to be involved in El Carmelo's Green
Education.
Chuck Merritt
Principal
Spanish Translation
¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Mientras nos renovamos en nuestras metas, despues
del descanso que fue las Vacaciones de Invierno, estamos
preparándonos para las oportunidades que nos esperan el resto del año.
Mientras lo hacemos, debemos recordar la educación extracurricular
que now proporciona el Green Team (Equipo Verde). En particular,
aproxima el programa Give It All Away (20-24 Enero), junto con el Día de
Servicio de la Familia, el Sábado 24 Enero. El Green Team se reunió el
primer Martes despues de las fiestas y ha empezado a planificar sus
eventos culminando en Earth Day (El Día de la Tierra) el 22 de Abril. Van
a recibir más información adelante, asi que por favor manténganse
atentos a futuro comunicación para saber como involucrarse en las
actividades del El Carmelo Green Team.
Chuck Merritt
Principal
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
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Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
PTA President’s Letter
Happy New Year to you and your family! I hope you had a pleasant winter
break. This month we have an opportunity to help others and teach our
children about participating in the larger community. The PTA will be
collaborating with local agencies to bring household clothes, books, and
other donated goods to people in great need. Please take a moment to
read Megan Fogarty's article that lists desired items and bring them to
school January 20-24. Also consider volunteering to help sort and
distribute the donated items on Saturday, January 24. This is a wonderful
chance to make community service a shared family activity.
We are also excited that Betsy Franco will be coming to El Carmelo on
January 15 as this year’s visiting author. Betsy, a past El Carmelo parent,
extraordinary volunteer and accomplished author, will be the focus of a
school assembly. Each year the PTA sponsors an author to come share his
or her experience and knowledge with our children. We are fortunate to
have such a talented, enthusiastic and warm-hearted person on our
campus helping our children. Thank you to Betsy for her years of support
and for taking the time to share her expertise with our children.
Finally, I want to thank all the PTA members that have joined together to
support children at a local, state and national level. Your PTA membership
means El Carmelo's PTA can help support our staff in creating a healthy,
safe, environment for our children to learn in!!! THANKS!
Michele Kasper
PTA President
[email protected]
Carmeletter Publication Members
Michele Kasper
Jennifer Mutz
Stephanie Youngquist
Chuck Merritt
PTA President
PTA Exec. Vice-President
PTA Vice-President of Communications
Principal
Maria Whealan
Editor
Jeanette Cheng
Back-up Editor
Wen Li
Christine Hodson
Moises Goldszmidt
Christine Hodson
Layout
Distribution
Spanish Translation
eNews
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
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Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
Kindergarten Registration
Begins January 7th
2009-2010 Kindergarten registration begins January 7, 2009. All incoming
Kinders must register. Go to www.pausd.org and click on enrollment for
details.
Lego Night – February 5, 2009
If you would enjoy a family night filled with tiny plastic pieces, then mark
your calendar for El Carmelo’s Lego Night, February 5 from 6-8 p.m. El
Carmelo students and their parents are invited to join their friends in our
multi-purpose room, which will be transformed into a play space for
everything Lego. Bring your imagination to this evening of Lego creations –
a mega-set of El Carmelo’s Lego bricks will be available for building. If you
have a camera, remember to bring it to take a snapshot of your work so that
you can take home a memento of the evening.
Parents: If you would like to volunteer in helping to organize or run this
event, please contact Ann Holum at [email protected] or call 650 213
9400.
El Carmelo 10 Mile Club
Congratulations to Aaron and Tyler who both reached their goal of 50 laps!
We admire your goal setting and sticking to it. A second congratulations to
Eli who has now officially completed his second round of 50 laps! Super
effort. Since we’ve had some rainy days in the past month, the kids have
been extra enthusiastic about participating in 10MileClub when it’s sunny.
The kids really appreciate the chance to get outside and exercise for fun. We
continue to have new kids join each week as they see their friends enjoying
themselves.
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
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Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
Come Learn about the Connections Program at JLS
Please come and learn about the JLS Connections Program on Thursday,
January 29, at Nixon Elementary School at 7 PM. The Connections Program
is a project- based learning environment that promotes learning in a
community of students, teachers and parents. It is an environment where
hearts and minds are inspired through challenging, innovative and relevant
curriculum and stresses:
Teachers as mentors/facilitators so students take responsibility for their
work & progress.
Provides for meaningful, challenging & relevant curriculum that is enhanced
via field trips, guest speakers and specific attention to current events.
Encourages parents to participate in the classroom community.
Inspires both the hearts and minds of students so they become
well-rounded, thoughtful and socially responsible life-long learners.
If you and your 2009-10 6th grader are interested in this type of learning
environment please join the Connections' Staff for an informational
evening.
Current 5th Graders are Encouraged to Attend
Where: Nixon Elementary School Theater, 1711 Stanford Ave., Stanford, CA
94305
When: Thursday, January 29th from 7 PM to 8:30 PM
There will also be three opportunities in January for incoming 6th graders
to observe Connections in action at JLS: January 13, 21, and 29. For more
information, visit the Connections website or contact Stephen Carothers at
[email protected].
Open to All PAUSD 2009-10 Incoming 6th Graders
Check out our website: http://www.jlsconnections.org/index.html
Questions ??? E-Mail Lynne Russell: [email protected]
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
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Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
El Carmelo Auction 2009
This year's preparation for the El Carmelo Auction April 18, 2009, is underway and we need your help
to continue the great success of previous years. All proceeds of the auction go directly to our school
and children.
There are many ways you can participate; no contribution is too small or too big! Here are just some
ideas:
• Donate a service – computer consulting, interior decorating, image consultant, babysitting,
gardening, housekeeping, baking desserts, cooking dinner, massage therapy, manicures/pedicures.
• Host a party or event – BBQ, wine tasting, movie night, arts and crafts class. You can team up with
some of your friends and have double the fun.
• Donate gift certificates, theatre tickets, sporting events tickets.
• Give lessons in languages, dance or sports, photography, chess.
• Donate a vacation home, sailing trip, frequent flyer miles.
The list goes on and on, so get as creative as you want!
If you own your own business, consider donating your services or supplies. It will be a great way for
your business to gain exposure and it’s tax deductible.
Donation forms are due on Feb 20, 2009 but we appreciate early submissions. Forms can be found at
the school office or online at http://www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org/forms.html.
Kindergarten through Second Grade:
Jeannette Cheng
(650)843-1116
[email protected]
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
Third through Fifth Grade:
Cynthia Tham
(650)325-9258
[email protected]
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Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
Going Green at El Carmelo
Give It All Away Week and Family
Service Day
January 20-24, 2009
As part of our efforts to promote reuse of household items, the El Carmelo PTA and Green Team present
El Carmelo’s First Annual Give It All Away Week and Family Service Day.
This is an opportunity for you to sort and teach your family about giving to others!
All items must be clean and in excellent shape - what you would want to receive from others!
January 20-23: Collect, Bag, and Drop in Box at Office:
Children’s Music CDs
Children’s puzzles (must have all the pieces) for Compton Elementary
Kids Magazines and copies of National Geographic, Real Simple or Sunset
Books (grades 3-5) for El Carmelo and for all ages for Friends of the Palo Alto Library
Party favors, complete boxes of crayons, kids markers, unused pads etc.
Youth sports uniforms, shoes, and equipment
Hotel Toiletries
Coats and sweatshirts, jeans, t-shirts, socks for all ages – clean and no stains.
Baby clothes – clean and no stains
Women’s and Men’s Career Clothes – clean and no stains
Towels and Twin Bed Fitted Sheets
Twin and Queen comforters or blankets
Saturday, January 24th, 10:00-1:00 in MP Room: Sign your family
up to help sort and/or deliver donations! Email: [email protected]
Some of the agencies we will help:
Asian Americans for Community Involvement - http://www.aaci.org/home.htm
Career Closet - http://www.careercloset.org/
Friends of the Palo Alto Library - http://www.friendspaloaltolib.org/
East Palo Alto YMCA - http://www.ymcamidpen.org/eastpaloalto/index.html
InnVision - http://www.innvision.org/about/index.php
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
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Issue 5
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
Going Green at El Carmelo
Green tips from the Green Team:
Burning Question: Do you have to clean items before you throw
them in the recycle bin?
I have always wondered about this so I asked Wendy Hediger who manages the City of Palo Alto Zero
Waste Program. She answered a resounding YES. Not only does washing items reduce smell and pests in
your refuse area but it is also helpful to the people handling items further down the process. Emptying
all food and light rinse works (don’t waste water)!
Another "green" tip:
The Palo Alto Recycling Center is changing due to the impending closure of the adjacent landfill. As of
January 12, the site will be downsized and the entrance will be moved north of its current location. More
importantly, the drop off center will stop accepting milk and juice cartons until July and all polystyrene,
including foam blocks and peanuts. One way to avoid some of this new trash is to stop purchasing milk
and juice packaged in cartons. Look for products sold in recyclable plastic or glass containers. You can
recycle packing peanuts at the downtown UPS Store (or other UPS locations). Contact them
(650/326-5555) for details.
Unfortunately, polystyrene foam blocks are difficult to recycle. It's best to avoid products packed in the
foam blocks.
‘Thank you’ to all these volunteers ...
…to Nita Sharma for organizing the giving tree event. Your efforts helped make many children
happy...in the giving and the receiving.
… to Asmita Runge, Sherwin Wong, Oiha Lam, and Ana-Maria Dias for helping with lunch yard duty to
allow El Carmelo's regular staff to enjoy a catered lunch.
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
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Issue 5
www.elcarmelo.paloaltopta.org
El Carmelo PTA Newsletter
January 16, 2009
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