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Steeplechase
Steeplechase is a lap-a-thon to raise money for your child’s education. Students will obtain sponsors and then run around a course and answer questions after each lap for an hour (a half hour for kindergarteners) on October 17.
We need to raise $125,000 this year to provide everyday supplies to the classrooms, programs such as Family Math Night, Science Night, Wildcare, EdventureMore, and 60 laptop computers.
To reach this goal, we need each student to raise $300 or more. Every dollar makes a difference and everyone’s participation is greatly appreciated, at whatever level you can.
Questions, contact Janie Karp, Steeplechase Coordinator, at jkarpj@comcast.net or 383-6730. Download the One Stop Shopping Form (pdf) or for more information about Steeplechase download the Steeplechase flyer (pdf). We have also posted a list of frequently asked questions that describes the various fundraisers for the district and Edna.
Kudos!
A special thank you to all the picture day volunteers who lined up our kids, combed their hair and made funny faces to get them to smile: Mari Allen, Karen Olson, Justine Whitehead, Erin Griffis, Stirling Somers, Lisa Gilmore, Kathy Bishop, Shaila de Leede, Lisa Joss, Kirsten Treais, Janet Fox, Teresa Baradaran, and Christina Michael.
Thanks to saintly volunteers Karen Olsen, Michele Barenbaum, Erin Griffis, and backups Mari Allen and Margaret Schultz for driving up to St. Vincent’s twice a week. They bring the uneaten food from our lunch program to help those in need at the St. Vincent’s kitchen.
Thank you to the hosts of the First Day Coffee: Margaret Krivoruchko, Christina Michaels, Nancy Felder and Val Wynn. You made the first morning back to school so inviting. A special shout out goes to fifth graders Ethan Lawrence and Brooks Ryder. Thanks to Saor Stetler for making the garden look lovely as ever.
Many thanks to Jennifer Oreste for keeping us informed with the creative signboards at the front and back of school and various banners announcing school events.
The first garden work day and campus clean-up was a success thanks to Linda, Andrew and Jason Dunne; Bruce Cardinal; Barbara Bleckman; Cheryl Reiss; Karen Olson; Jill Anderson; Matt, Rachel, and Hannah Whitelaw; Lori Fineman; Ken Campbell; and Avi from Tam High.
The collating party before the start of school went quickly and smoothly due to the tremendous efforts of Josie Viscardi, Deb Luster, Lyra Kelly, Kristin Silmore, Anne Freitas, Christine del Castillo, Karen Munter Carr, Jeanine Berman, Ronnie Sharpe, Mari Allen, Michelle Zimmermann, Shaila de Leede, Steve and his wife, Kathy Bishop, Amy Sherman, Margot Bishop, Val Lindsay, Leslie Fielder, and Bethany Conybeare. Thank you all!
Lunch Help Needed
Our popular and valuable PTA hot lunch program is in need of more volunteers. Ideally, we need volunteers to work every other week for one hour from 11:20 or 11:30 to 12:20 or 12:30 p.m. Please contact Josie Viscardi at jv64@sbcglobal.net or 686-0291.
We need two volunteers on Mondays, one on Wednesdays, and three on Fridays to continue offering a nutritious lunch option. This is a big program and we appreciate all the wonderful people who make it happen!
Garden News
Farmer’s Market
Last Thursday’s Farmer’s Market was a huge success, raising more than $315! Check out the garden blog to see some amazing pictures of this weekly event. Big thanks to everyone who helped make this market happen: Barbara Bleckman, Karen Olson, Jody Branham, the bakers in Ms. Lackey's class, the harvesters in Ms. Stewart's class, Mari and Thomas Allen, Linda Dunne, Stirling Somers, Steph Ryder, and Lisa Santos.
Garden Fundraiser: Fall Garden Shopping at Sloat
Thinking about fall plantings? Need to purchase some garden furniture? Sloat Garden Center is sponsoring Growing Up Green Week, September 19 through 28, 2008. During this time, bring in an Edna flyer and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to the Children's Garden by Sloat. Don’t forget to print out the flyer and present it with your purchase.
Terrific Tuesdays Start This Week, September 16
Want a night off from cooking and doing the dishes? Want to see some of your friends for dinner and have a nutritious and delicious meal? Want to spend locally? Want an easy way to support and raise funds for Edna Maguire?
Come to Pizza Antica in Strawberry Village every third Tuesday of the month and 20 percent of your dining bill will come back to our school. Just tell your waiter you are with Edna Maguire School and be sure to write Edna Maguire on your restaurant bill. It's that simple! The more you eat, the more we make!
Reminders
Please download and turn in your One-Stop Shopping Form as soon as possible to support the PTA and to order birthday books and yearbooks.
Don’t forget to order hot lunches from Revolution Foods. Click here to view the ordering instructions. Orders are due this Wednesday for lunches next week and beyond.
Lice check is this Friday, September 19th. We still need volunteers, two for each classroom; please sign up on the sheet outside your classroom door. Don’t forget to send your children to school on Friday with clean, loose hair.
Thursday, September 18th is the 11th Annual Mill Valley Community Block Party from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. outside Peet’s Coffee in downtown Mill Valley. There will be clowns, face painting, kids games from Steve & Kate’s Camps, food treats from Small Shed and Vasco, lots of great music and very special guests! Proceeds will benefit both the Bob Griffin Children’s Fund and Kiddo!-funded art programs.
District Advances Measure A to Fill Funding Gap
State cuts in education funding have put the Mill Valley School District in a difficult financial environment. Rising enrollment and a slumping economy have also contributed to the District budget crunch.
The District was forced to cut $600,000 from its budget this school year, including laying off staff and cutting programs and supplies. Much deeper cuts will be required in the coming years as the funding gap continues to grow.
The District has placed Measure A on the November ballot to fill its growing funding gap through an amendment to the school’s existing parcel tax. Measure A would increase the assessment by $193 and extend its duration by four years, thus raising $2 million annually in local funding that would be immune to state budget cuts.
Community volunteers have organized a campaign committee to promote the passage of Measure A. While no organized opposition has emerged, it remains to be seen whether Measure A can garner the two-thirds voter approval it needs to pass in a community where 80 percent of voters do not have children enrolled in the district.
Mill Valley’s K-8 school district is one of the ten highest performing districts in the state. The Edna Maguire PTA urges school families to become informed about how the success or failure of this important measure will affect our schools and our community. Please register to vote, if you have not yet done so, and vote on November 4, 2008.
Kiddo!
Mill Valley Art Festival
Come to the Mill Valley Art Festival September 20 and 21. Support Kiddo! and check out the great children’s entertainment and activities at Old Mill Park. Visit www.mvfaf.org for more information.
Kiddo! Fourth Annual Golf Tournament
Get your clubs ready for Kiddo!’s Fourth Annual Golf Tournament, which will be held on Friday, October 24 at the San Geronimo Golf Course. The $300 cost per player includes:
- Barbeque lunch and golf cart
- Prizes and contests on all par 3s and longest drive
- Prizes for overall team scores
- Dinner and Awards Banquet (includes live music and a hosted bar) at the Mill Valley Outdoor Art Club. Additional banquet tickets can be purchased for $125.
Sponsorships are available for $2,000 including four players’ registration and banquet, or $1,000 without golfers and party. Please email Louis Stervinou, Tournament Chair, at lstervinou@eastdilsecured.com for registration forms and sponsorship information. Registration forms are also available at the school offices. Space is limited, so sign up today!
2009 Gala and Auction - Volunteers Needed!
Kiddo!'s biennial Gala and Auction will be on Saturday, March 14, 2009 and will be, once again, a fabulous, fun-filled evening with all proceeds going to our Endowment Fund. Kiddo! is looking for volunteers to help with the Gala Auction. If you’d like to help solicit, please contact Kelly Reade (ksreade@comcast.net or 307-5971) and Ahtossa Fullerton (ahtossa@hotmail.com).
Community Connection
Back to School – Back to the Mill Valley Public Library!
September is New Library Card Sign-up Month and the Annual Bookmark Design Contest for kids 12 and under. For details and further information on all our programs, please call the Children’s Room at 389-4292 x106 or visit our website.
Girl Scouts Information Event September 23
Are you interested in joining Girl Scouts? Girl Scouting is for every girl, everywhere. Girl Scouts build character, gain self-esteem, and serve their communities: the core goals of Girl Scouting. Edna Maguire has several Girl Scout troops, and we are looking for volunteers to start some new troops. To learn more about Girl Scouts, visit the Girl Scout website or go to an information meeting on September 23 at Scout Hall in Mill Valley. You can also contact Jennifer Oreste at jenoreste@pacbell.net or 388-7938 for more information.
Book Passage Speaker Event
Rick Phillips: Safe School Ambassadors: Harnessing Student Power to Stop Bullying and Violence
Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Location: Corte Madera Book Passage
Rick Phillips talks about Safe School Ambassadors: Harnessing Student Power to Stop Bullying and Violence ($19.95). This book helps empower young people to prevent everything from simple put-downs to physical assault. The author explains a unique and effective method for dealing with this troubling issue. For more information, visit the Book Passage website. |
