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

PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING
A Message from Lisa Zimmer

Dear Family,

Happy Thanksgiving, and warm wishes for a safe and restful holiday. This is a great time to take a deep breath and just enjoy the company of the people around us, not to mention a great time to eat more than we should on any one day!

Thank you to all teachers and families for a very productive two weeks of conferencing, and to the many parents who spoiled our hardworking staff with delicious snacks and goodies. We so appreciate everything you do for our school!

I am incredibly grateful for the success of our Steeplechase fundraiser, which raised more than $110,000 for our school improvement initiatives. These dollars go directly to our classrooms and students. For more details, visit PTA Dollars at Work. Due to your amazing generosity we will likely be able to fund 40 new laptops for our students! These computers could be up and running in the classrooms as soon as January, which is incredible news. Make sure to read upcoming issues of the Pony Express to stay informed. A big thank you goes to Janie Karp and her dedicated team of volunteers for organizing Steeplechase and working so diligently to meet our 100-percent participation goal.

Last week Mari Allen and Jess Ryan and many, many volunteers hosted our successful "Mustangs Going Green" book fair. It takes a huge amount of time and work to organize such a big event and it is one of our most beloved. All the proceeds go directly to our library to purchase new books for all students to enjoy. I hope you had time to stop by the evening event and enjoy the home cooked food, yummy desserts, and great company!

Finally, I would like to invite all of you to Family Science Night on Thursday, December 4th, from 6:00 to 7:00 for a spectacular laser and music show. It is a great night and appropriate for the whole family.

I am truly grateful to have the privilege to lead this school. It is a pleasure coming to Edna Maguire every day, and this is because all of you are so generous with your time and talents. More importantly, I get to see all of your precious children who make me laugh and remind me that we need to make every day count!

Best Wishes,
Lisa Zimmer

The Book Fair Thanks You
Many, many thanks to the volunteers, parents, teachers, and staff who made this year's Book Fair such a great success. Over the next few weeks, we will let you know the final amount raised for our library. Just know that 20 percent of all of your book purchases supported this invaluable resource at Edna Maguire, as well as one hundred percent of our raffle proceeds (that’s $479.75 from the raffle alone!). THANK YOU for supporting the Book Fair!

To Book Fair Chairs Mari Allen and Jessica Ryan, thank you so much for your incredible effort. Special thanks must go to Janet Fox, our tireless Decorating Coordinator and Raffle Manager!! Many thanks to Edna's Maintenance Man Extraordinaire, Dave, for helping to ensure that the Book Fair went off without a hitch! Gratitude to Globe Makers Janet Fox, Christine Freda, Jennifer Oreste. For her incredible honesty, thank you third grader Faryn Thomure. Thanks to Kit Harris for coordinating breakfast treats for the Teacher Preview and to Julie Zener and Stephanie Ryder for providing snacks for the Book Chat. Thanks to Deborah Huber, first grader Jack Chai, and Margaret Schultz for providing Book Reviews.

Appreciation to the following people for unloading and unpacking the nearly overwhelming number of books: Janet Fox, Annemarie Coen, Christine Freda, Sean Norton, Paula Stetler, Robert Zimmermann, Josie Viscardi, Eric Zener, Kit Harris, Susie Drysdale, Haywood Bowser, Lucy Hampton, Lyra Kelly, Shaila de Leede, Melinda Clemens, Neysa Furey, Jennifer Hollander, Cheryl Reiss, Deb Luster, and Georgia Pung.
Huge applause to our book sellers: Annemarie Coen, Rhonda Campbell, Deb Luster, Julie Zener, Christine Freda, Aniko Molnar, Janet Fox, Karen Olson, Janie Karp, Meeria Dolasia, Margaret Krivoruchko, Julie McCrady, Steph Ryder, Jill Anderson, Leslie Lewczyk, Katrina Kehl, Lauren Snell, Suzanne Alpert, Karen Carr, Deborah Huber, Margot Bishop, Kristin Silmore, Stephanie Philipp, Merrie Jaffe, Lucy Hampton, Melinda Clemens, Debbie Friedman, and Pam Takahama.

And thanks to those who helped clean up: Sean Norton, Christine Freda, Josie Viscardi, Karen Olson, Janet Fox, Annemarie Coen, Deb Luster, Aniko Molnar, Deb Cole, and Neysa Furey.

Kudos: Evening Café at the Book Fair
Thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s Café event a huge success (we once again made more money than the previous year). Here are some photos from the event.

We’d like to single out a few special people who have helped, not only this year but for the last three years.

Thank you to our amazing, terrific, hard-working Café Chair, Christine del Castillo! She was particularly indebted to Josie and Gianluca Viscardi, who helped with everything from planning and set-up to cooking and clean-up. Without actually attaining the title, they operated as co-chairs and we’re truly thankful for them, their enormous gas grill, and their expert grilling of 42 pounds of teriyaki chicken!

Bastiaan DeLeede, for the third year running, was the most valuable clean-up person. He happily ate his plate of food and then asked to be put to work, washing dishes and rinsing recyclables. Bas’ wife Shaila worked the dessert table and helped coordinate money for the event. Edna parent alumna Sandy Janachowski joined her, and we truly appreciate how she has returned year after year to help. Let’s not forget a most astounding newcomer, Karen Stromfeld, who cooked and served, acted as foreman of the first shift, and instructed the second shift to their duties. She was a most welcome addition.

And now for the rest of the amazing Edna parent volunteers who made the 2008 Book Fair Evening Café such a success …

It wouldn’t have been dinner without you: Karen Stromfeld, Lisa Orloff, Anne Fretes, Carolyn Preis, Lori Fineman, Linda Berlinger, Madeline Gish, Barb Gerraty, Karen Olson, Marybeth Gilliam, Deborah Meagher, Atlanta Kane, Nicole Ferguson, Adrienne Lawrence, Shaila DeLeede, Aniko Molnar, Katrina Kehl, Amy Whitelaw, Sheila Brear, Julie Coulston, Shannon Constant, Michelle Zimmerman, Courtney Wimmer, Jill Anderson and Kirsten Bastian.

Happenin’ Food Handlers who set up and cleaned up on either end of their food service: Karen Stromfeld, Cheryl Reiss, Josie Viscardi, Margo Bishop, Athena Christodoulatos, Courtney Wimmer (you rock!), Julie Zener, and Dena Davis.

Dessert Denizens: Karen Tripp, owner and operator of downtown Mill Valley’s delicious new dessert joint “Frosting," provided delectable cupcakes and cake bites. Deb Luster, Ronnie Sharpe, and Erin Salcuni resurrected the famous brownie dessert developed by our classic Café organizers: Adrienne Lawrence and our beloved and sorely missed Liane Glave.

Cashiering Chicas: Katrina Kehl, Leslie Lewczyk, and Suzanne Alpert, with help from Julian del Castillo, Navid DeLeede, and Marcus Viscardi.

One Creative Cat: Justine Corey-Whitehead who took her inspired “Mustang" logo and made the delightful flyers and menus.

The Dolls That We Love, Love, Love: Those wonderful women who offered “Whatever You Need": Josie Viscardi, Nicole Ferguson, Shaila DeLeede, Michelle Zimmermann (even with her messed up shoulder), Courtney Wimmer, Ronnie Sharpe, Karen Olson, Kirsten Bastian, and Jill Anderson. You are the stuff of Committee Chair Heaven.

Last but of course not least, thank you to the Edna Maguire community, who happily attended, ate well, and supported our library. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Tuesday, November 25 – Crazy Hat and Hair Day
Tomorrow, students and teachers will wear their favorite hats to school or come with outrageous hairstyles. This can include anything from their favorite baseball caps to crazy hats. Think colored gels and sprays or mixing ponytails and braids! Hats or Hair? So many choices!

Prismatic Science/Laser Show
Thursday, December 4th
Family Science Night is coming soon, with a fantastic laser show focusing on the importance of diversity and racial tolerance. On Thursday, December 4th, students will see the show at 1:30 and the whole family can come from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

You’ll see a live science presentation followed by an exciting laser show that features the profound contributions of African Americans in our nation’s history. The assemblies will focus on laser applications and careers in technology through songs from Louie Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Ray Charles; a powerful tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and a crescendo of current pop artists of varied races and ethnicities. It will show that great vision, like great music, transcends racial differences.

For more information please see the Prismatic website.

Holiday Toy Drive
In keeping with tradition, Edna Maguire is sponsoring a toy drive for the holiday season. This year we are collaborating with the Toys for Tots program. We ask that Edna Maguire families donate one or more unwrapped toys for children between the ages of 2 and 14. Please place donations in the barrels by the front office between Monday, December 1st and Monday, December 15th.

Thanks for helping make a child smile. Happy Holidays to all! If you have any questions, please contact Mari Allen at allenmari@hotmail.com or Erin Griffis at erin.griffis@sbcglobal.net

We Need Your Vote at the PTA Association and Executive Board Meeting
The December PTA meeting has been changed to an Association and Executive Board meeting, which will take place Wednesday, December 3rd at 8:40 a.m. in the Teacher's Lounge. The PTA will convene a vote to allocate approximately $56,000 in Steeplechase and general funds to the School District to purchase laptop computers and related carts and software. Please come and make your vote count. If you have any questions about this vote and/or cannot attend the meeting, please contact Katrina Kehl at kkehl@pacbell.net.

Edna Families Helped Mill Valley Get
Big Federal Safe Routes Grant
The city of Mill Valley has been awarded a federal Safe Routes to School grant for $565,290 to improve biking and walking safety at specific problem areas in Mill Valley. Letters of support from numerous Edna families accompanied the grant application -- the most letters of support a grant like this has ever received.

The grant will fund rebuilding a multi-use path along Camino Alto from Miller to Sycamore Avenues, a more pedestrian-friendly crossing of Miller Avenue at Almonte, and safer and shorter school crosswalks at Miller Avenue and Camino Alto. These improvements will be a big help for families who want to ride to school but cannot get to the bike path safely as well as for all kids walking and riding to Edna and the middle and high schools.

Make Cards for the Homeless
Warm Wishes is a local organization that supplies more than 5,000 pre-packed fanny packs (gloves, hats, socks, rain poncho) to help keep the homeless warm this winter. They would like to include holiday cards drawn and signed by students with each pack. We are hoping to contribute 500 cards to this project. Here is how your child can contribute:

• Make a card or cards with crayons or colored pencils only (NO markers, NO glitter, NO stickers)

• Sign the card "Warm Wishes! Love, Johnny" (must say "warm wishes" and the child's first name only)