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View the complete calendar for the 2008/2009 school year.

Walk and Roll to School This Wednesday!
This Wednesday, October 8th is International Walk and Roll to School Day. Edna Maguire is proud to be joining millions around the world by encouraging families to park the car and walk, bike, skate, or scooter to school. We'll be giving away special treats to all children who participate. Live too far away? Then carpool or take the bus. Better yet, join Ms. Zimmer and Mr. Frierson at the Mill Valley Community Center at 8:00 a.m. and walk or roll with the group!

Let's fill the bike racks and the sidewalks, not the gas tanks! For more information or to get involved, contact Lisa Gilmore at lgilmore@iapsf.com or Rhonda Campbell at rhonda@kcfilm.net.

Spelling Bee Contestants
The following students will represent Edna Maguire at the Regional Spelling Bee at Park School this Wednesday, October 8th, at 3:30 p.m.: Kimo Karp, Bennett Keane, and Blake Villanueva. Finalists included Bryn Evans, Jessica Fierro, Nell Mitchell, Ben Friedman, and Jordan Cole. We are very proud of all the students who participated!

Steeplechase Permission Slips Due NOW
Steeplechase permission slips are due now. Please don't let your children miss out on this fun event on Friday, October 17th. Without a completed permission slip, your children will not be able to participate. Return all completed permission slips to your children's teacher or to the office.

We Need YOU to Join the PTA and Purchase Emergency Kits!
Currently, less than 25 percent of Edna families are participating in PTA membership and Emergency Prep. We need 100-percent participation to run all of the wonderful programs that benefit our kids, teachers and classrooms! Please download a PTA One Stop form and return it to the office immediately. Membership is only $7 per parent, and emergency kits are only $5 per child. Emergency kits provide water, food, first aid, blankets, and more during a natural disaster or other emergency, and are a necessity for our children! If you can't remember whether you've joined PTA or purchased kits, contact Kathy Bishop at kathy.bishop@gmail.com and she will let you know.

This Thursday, October 9th, the PTA will have membership tables set up next to our Farmer's Market. We will have sample emergency bags, One Stop forms, and information on who has contributed so far. Please bring cash or your checkbook and contribute to PTA and Emergency Prep!

Terrific Tuesday at E&O Trading Company Tomorrow, October 7th
This week's Terrific Tuesday is at E&O Trading Company in Larkspur.  The food is amazing southeast Asian grill, the service outstanding, and they are giving Edna Maguire 20 percent of all sales served to Edna families. Just tell your server you are with Edna Maguire School and write Edna Maguire on your restaurant bill.  You'll be treating yourself and helping support your children's education.

Did You Know?
Did you know that you can update your hot lunch order through Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. for the following week's lunches? You can order lunch or change your selection any time via our website. Place your order now for lunches through November 26. We're now offering pizza twice and month, and macaroni and cheese starts in November! Friday, October 10th is a “no school” day. If you ordered lunches for that day, your account will be automatically credited.

Edna Community Nutrition and Wellness
The Nutrition and Wellness Committee is here to facilitate a deeper sense of wellness for the entire Edna community. We will be closely linking ourselves with the Children's Garden, Revolution Foods, Next Generation, the Green Team, Cool the Earth, and Safe Routes to Schools. Watch for helpful information in upcoming issues of the Pony Express. Our goal is to create a web throughout the school, from teacher to classroom to child and family, that pulses with vibrant and rich ideas to improve your health, nutrition and wellbeing.

Thanks so much to everyone who has already made an incredible effort toward Edna's wellness: peanut awareness at school and in classrooms, healthy snacks or small surprises for birthdays instead of sugary treats, Schuyler Harvey's efforts in bringing in the PTA-sponsored organic fruit snacks, and the ever-nutritious treats from the vine, bush, and tree in our Children's Garden.

Kiddo!
THANK YOU to the more than 1,000 families who have already donated to the 2008 Annual Campaign. Our family participation rate is just 60 percent, which means that almost 700 families have not yet made their Kiddo! donation for this school year. Please check the updated donor list if you are not sure whether you've made your donation yet. Help us continue to preserve important programs for our students by making your donation now. The recommended donation is $750 or more per student. Contributions at all levels are appreciated and our goal is 100 percent family participation. Donate online at www.kiddo.org, mail your contribution to Kiddo!, 409 Sycamore Ave., Mill Valley, 94941, or call the Kiddo! office at 389-7789 to arrange for an installment plan that meets your family's needs. Thank you for helping Mill Valley kids reach their full potential!

Last Call for Golfers at 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 (which 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 (which includes 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 office. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Support Kiddo! – Sign Up for eScrip
Last year, Kiddo! and Mill Valley schools received over $100,000 from eScrip contributions. This donation program costs you nothing, but you must sign up or renew your grocery loyalty cards (e.g. Safeway) and update your credit and debit card information by October 31st in order for your purchases to continue generating rebates.

Go online to www.escrip.com to enroll or update your information, or complete the 2008 Shop-4-Kids Sign-Up & Renewal Form available in the school office.

Our goal is 100-percent parent participation. Remember that grandparents, relatives and friends can also register with eScrip. Please call Patty Flax at the Kiddo! office 389-7789 with any questions or to get more forms.

Spring Auction Committee Needs Volunteers
Kiddo! is looking for volunteers to help with the Gala Auction, which is set for March 14. If you'd like to help solicit, please contact Kelly Reade and Antossa Fullerton: ksreade@comcast.net or 307-5971. Thank you!

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Indoor Soccer
Dave Frommer's winter indoor soccer league is open for registration. The season is scheduled to begin the weekend of January 10, 2009. The league is for boys aged 4 to 16 and girls aged 4 to 18. The indoor soccer season includes a series of eight weekend games (no midweek practices) at locations throughout Marin County. This program, which features exciting off-the-wall action and continuous play, is open to players and teams of all skill levels, beginning through advanced.

Players may register as individuals or as members of a team. Early registration is encouraged because space is limited and the program always fills to capacity. For more information, contact Linda Price at 383-0320 or info@davefromersoccer.com.