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Update on Lara
We know many of you are wondering how Lara Akmehmet is doing. Lara, a first-grader at Edna, was diagnosed with leukemia last June and her family has been searching for a donor to give her a life-saving bone marrow transplant. I am thrilled to tell you that a match has been found and Lara will be going into the hospital before Christmas to begin the process! This is joyous news, but it is important to remember that this will be a long journey for Lara and her family. She will be in the hospital for at least two months and for most of that time she will be in almost complete isolation. Please keep Lara and her family in your thoughts during this difficult time.
Since Lara will be in the hospital during Christmas, some in our community have expressed a wish to do something special. On Wednesday, December 10th from 1:30 to 5:00 p.m. you can come to Room A to make cards for Lara. You can also make a donation to a "Christmas Cheer" fund to help Lara choose books, toys, and crafts that will help her through the hospital stay. If you'd like to make a donation, please bring cash or a check made out to “Lara Akmehmet.” Also, Lara's best friend, third grader Maia Ciambriello, has recorded a CD of songs, which is available for purchase in the school office. All profits from the CD will help pay medical costs for the Akmehmet family. Finally, you can always write to Lara at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/laraakmehmet.
The Akmehmet family is thrilled by all the support they have received from the community. They are so thankful that a bone marrow match has been found and they are looking with hope toward the new year – a year in which their daughter will return to school and get back to the business of being a rambunctious first grader.
Holiday Food Drive
This holiday season Edna Maguire is helping The Marin Community Food Bank to donate much-needed food supplies to the community. Given the severe economic downturn, many more people than usual need food and providers are having trouble keeping up with the demand.
Please donate one or more of the highly needed food items shown in the list below. The Ritter Center, one of the food bank's recipients, is also looking for paper bags with two handles and clean egg cartons. You can leave donations in the barrels by the front office between December 8th and December 19th. Food recipients include families with children, seniors, and shut-ins; seniors and shut-ins appreciate any artwork that your child might want to draw on the paper bags.
- Canned green beans and corn
- Rice and stuffing mix
- Canned peaches and mixed fruit
- Dried fruit and nuts
- Canned meats: tuna, chicken, ham, and salmon
- Canned chili, pork and beans, soups, and stews
- Macaroni and cheese
- Spaghetti and canned spaghetti sauce
- Cereal and dry milk
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Rice and dry beans
- Canned vegetables and fruits
- Canned juices, tea bags, and ground coffee
- Paper bags with two handles and clean egg cartons
The Marin Community Food Bank donates food to the following local, non-profit organizations: Canal Alliance, Community Resource Center of West Marin, Novato Human Needs Center, Ritter Center, San Geronimo Valley Community Center, Southern Marin/St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, and the Salvation Army.
Save Time in the School Drop-off Line! SchoolPool is in the District Directory
Stop by to discuss SchoolPool this Thursday and Friday, December 11th and 12th, after morning drop off. Come to the SchoolPool banner at the back parking lot to learn how to use the MVSD Directories (see page 13) to find others in your neighborhood to carpool, walk, or bike to school with and to discuss other carpooling questions and requests for help. SchoolPool can help you save time in the mornings and get the kids to school faster, reducing carbon output and congestion on our streets. Here's your chance to be part of the solution and make your life easier in the mornings! Questions: Deb Cole at dcole@sbcglobal.net
Edna Maguire WasteFull!
On Saturday, November 22nd, a dedicated crew of 19 volunteers worked to recycle electronic waste at Edna with C&T Recycling. From 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., a steady stream of cars from all over Mill Valley and the surrounding communities deposited TVs, computers, cell phones, monitors, copiers, fax machines, and many other types of electronic waste. C&T took away 17 pallets of eWaste to be recycled responsibly, weighing over 10,000 pounds! Check out the pictures! Edna's PTA raised more than $1,500 at this event.
Thank you to volunteer extraordinaire, Janet Fox, for bringing this needed service to the community and working all day to help. Thanks to the folks in the red aprons for lifting the heavy appliances and clipping wires: Josie, Lucy and Marcus Viscardi; Elena Castro; Lisa Zimmer; Julie McCrady; Eileen Immethun; Kyle Trynauer; Ryan Treais; Nancy Felder; Deb Cole; Kira Keene; Jill Anderson; Margot, Claire and Zoe Bishop; Tracy Ginther; and Katrina Kehl. It was an eye-opening experience to work surrounded by so much waste, and it made many of us think twice about purchasing our next gadget.
Order Your Edna Spirit Wear in Time for the Holidays
The Edna Maguire homepage now has a link to Lands' End spirit wear. Lands' End will add the Mighty Mustang Mascot to a huge selection of clothing, hats, backpacks, lunchboxes and totes. There's still time to order a t-shirt or tote for your favorite teachers! Ordering is easy. Just use our preferred school number (#9001-2976-8) when ordering online or by phone at (800) 963-4816. Check the Edna Maguire Spirit Wear page for samples and ordering instructions.
Amazon.com Gives up to 10% to Edna Maguire!
Through Amazon's School Rewards Program, Edna Maguire can earn up to 10 percent of every purchase made at Amazon.com through our special link, including products sold through Amazon by other companies. You can always access the link from the right sidebar of Edna's website. Then start shopping – it's that easy!
To bookmark the link for future purchases, you'll need to right-click on the link labeled "Amazon.com School Rewards Program" on the Edna website and then, depending on which browser you use, do one of the following:
- Internet Explorer: Select "Add Favorite"
- Firefox: Select "Bookmark this Link"
- Safari: Select "Add Link to Bookmarks"
Once you are on the Amazon site, it will not look any different than usual, but trust us, Edna will get credit for your purchase! Please feel free to pass this link on to your friends and family. Simply have them visit the Edna website and click on the Amazon.com School Rewards Program logo in the right-hand sidebar.
What better way to shop year-round and raise money for our students?
Composting Alert
Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of garbage that gets sent to the landfill while producing a valuable fertilizer to feed our garden. Edna diverts a lot of food waste right into our garden compost, through the worm bins in the tool shed and the compost pile at the back of the garden. Please remember to put food waste into the worm bins only and not on the compost pile. Food can attract wildlife and rodents, so it should only be added to the worm bins, which are sealed. We hope to add more worm bins for use just outside the tool shed so that there will be plenty of capacity. Thanks for keeping Edna green!
Psychologically Speaking
In this month's column, Claudia Trinklein-Engman addresses questions about bullies that parents raised at last month's It Takes A Village event.
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 by Monday, December 15th.
Candy Drive a Success
Capt. Wodakowski of the Third Armored Cavalry Division sent this email after receiving all the Halloween candy that Edna Maguire families donated to soldiers in Iraq.
"Holy moly! We received 35 or so boxes of candy. I wasn't expecting so much...thank you! It's been tough to keep our hands out of it, but we'll be passing it out on our patrols and to the kids in the area. Thank you so much. Please pass on our appreciation to Edna Maguire Elementary."
Kindergarten Registration for School Year 2009-10
Priority registration dates for next fall's kindergarten class are January 12, January 15, February 2, and February 5, from 1:00 to 7:30 p.m. each day at the District Office, 411 Sycamore Ave. All registrations made on these dates will be considered regardless of date or time of registration. Information on what to bring and answers to frequently asked questions are available on the District website.
COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Upcoming Events at the Richardson Bay
Audubon Center
Nature of the Bay Lecture Series
Thursday, December 18th, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Gina Barton of the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory will discuss "The Shorebirds of San Francisco Bay." The lecture series is held on the third Thursday of every month, October though March, coinciding with closing the bay to all boat traffic. Come and learn about all the wildlife that will be using the bay while we are not! RSVP: 388-2524.
Wet n' Wild Winter Camp
December 22nd through 24th, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Rain or shine, campers ages five to seven will explore the Sanctuary in true naturalist fashion. Cost: $150 per child. To register: 388-2524.
Family Winter Nature Programs
December 29th through 31st, 10:00 a.m. to noon
Families can enjoy the holidays and a little bit of the outdoors by joining us for three family programs. Specific program themes will be finalized soon. Please check our website for more details. Programs will run rain or shine and will be appropriate for all ages. Cost: $10 adult / $5 child. RSVP: 388-2524 |
