1. Art and Diseño

Volume 6, Issue 21 January 28, 2015
The Mission of Daves Avenue Elementary School, as the premier school site of leaders, learners and teachers,
is to create a community of life-long learners and productive contributors to an ever changing society.
Click here to access this week’s
information from our School, District
and Community partners!
Click here to make your H&SC
One and Done donation!
January
Important Dates
29 School Site Council Meeting, 3-4pm, Library
29 LGEF Call-a-Thon, 5:30-8:30pm, Alain Pinel
Principal’s Letter
Dear Daves Avenue Families,
I want to thank staff and parents for your patience during a
significant loss in network performance that affected all of our
internet and phone communication. Our technology department
worked tirelessly to identify the problem and resolve the issue.
30 Future Chefs Ballots Due (4th/5th grades)
Ultimately, the issue had nothing to do with our hardware. Comcast
had a fiber connection loss somewhere in the lines leading to Daves.
By working with Comcast, we were finally able to restore service.
30 - Feb 1 School Play: Totally Awesome 80s!
Blossom Hill MPR
Friday: Gnarly Cast, 7pm
Saturday: Radical Cast, 3pm;
Tubular Cast, 7pm
This network error occurred at the same time we were trying to
administer our second round of NWEA assessments in grades 2-5.
Our teaching staff and students showed incredible patience and
flexibility.
30 Spirit Day - PAJAMA DAY!
Sunday: Radical Cast, 11am
February
2
ABC Readers Meeting, 8:20-9:20am, Room B
2
Kinder Packets Available
2
Authors Day Online Book Orders Open
5
H&SC Meeting, 8:30-9:30am, MPR
6 - 8 School Play: Totally Awesome 80s!
Blossom Hill MPR
Friday: Tubular Cast, 7pm
Saturday: Gnarly Cast, 11am;
Tubular Cast, 3pm;
Radical Cast, 7pm
Sunday: Gnarly Cast, 1pm
9
Completed Kinder Packets Accepted
8am, School Office
16-20 February Recess - NO SCHOOL
23 LGEF Meeting, 7-9pm, District Office
24 District Board Meeting, 6:30-10:30pm,
District Office
25 1st Grade Math Night, 5:30-6:30pm, MPR
26 School Site Council Meeting
3 - 4pm, Daves Ave Library
On a personal note, my wife is due to deliver our baby boy this
Friday. Please welcome Dr. Rhonda Farber in my absence. Rhonda is
a retired Superintendent from the Campbell Union High School
District. Daves is truly in good hands and I am indebted to the team
for this time with my family.
Kit Bragg [email protected]
Principal, Daves Avenue Elementary
Incoming Kinders
Important Dates!
Incoming Kinder Packets will be available all day for pick up starting
Next Monday, February 2nd.
Completed packets will be accepted beginning on Monday, February
9th at 8:00 AM.
You can also visit the district website and Daves Ave School site
(under news and announcements) for updated information.
MPR = Daves Multi-Purpose Room
Page 1
SCHOOL NEWS
Want more science?
You asked for it and we are bringing it to you!
Blossom Hill and Daves Avenue Elementary
Schools proudly present:
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Daves Avenue Home and School Club proudly presents:
FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHTS!
We hope you can join us for a night of
fun, discovery and exploration as your
child participates in an engaging
evening program designed around
SCIENCE. The Home and School
Club, in cooperation with Schmahl
Science, will be doing a series of
FAMILY SCIENCE NIGHTS. Each night
will be targeted to a specific grade level, but
is designed for you to bring your whole family!
Family Science Night will take place at Daves Avenue in
the Multi Purpose Room from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM, and you
can come for any part of the evening that works for your
schedule. Each night will include 4 HANDS-ON science
stations. Details of each station and each night will be
included in next week’s edition of the Wave and also on
the Home and School Club Website.
Family Science Night Dates, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Thursday, March 12th – Fifth Grade
Wednesday, March 18th – Fourth Grade
Thursday, March 26th – Third Grade
Wednesday, April 1st – Second Grade
Thursday, April 2nd – First Grade
Thursday, April 16th – Kindergarten
Have questions? Want to help? Please contact:
Bianca Gruetter ([email protected] /
Performances start THIS FRIDAY!
Purchase your tickets at:
www.seatyourself.biz/blossomhill
Our tribute to the Totally Awesome 80s is here!
Totally Awesome 80s is a fun, whimsical musical presented by our
very own Blossom Hill and Daves Avenue 4th and 5th grade
students. The play is filled with nods to iconic 80s teen movies
and celebrities and a rockin’ score that captures the hit sounds of
the decade. Come support our students and be part of
this Totally Awesome experience!
Performances run from Friday, January 30th - Sunday,
February 8th at Blossom Hill School featuring the following
casts:
Totally Gnarly Totally Radical Totally Tubular
Fri 1/30, 7pm
Sat 1/31, 3pm
Sat 1/31, 7pm Sat 2/7, 11am
Sun 2/1, 11am
Fri 2/6, 7pm
Sun 2/8, 1pm
Sat 2/7, 7pm
Sat 2/7, 3pm
Cast lists and other play information available at the Totally
Awesome 80s website.
Questions? Please contact Kirsten Grado, Daves Avenue
Producer at [email protected].
SAVE THE DATE! 1st Grade Family Math Night
Focus on Addition, Subtraction and
Number Reasoning
Play games with your child to develop his/her
reasoning, promote the learning of addition facts,
and HAVE FUN!
Make sure to visit our Estimation Station. The
winner will receive a prize!
WHEN: Wednesday, February 25
TIME: 5:30-6:30 pm
WHERE: Daves Avenue Multi-Purpose Room
WHO: 1st Grade Families (and siblings!)
Page 2
SCHOOL NEWS
Future Chefs
Competition
submissions due THIS
FRIDAY!
We are excited to announce our 2015
Future Chefs Competition!
This is a Culinary Competition for 4th and 5th grade
students as well as middle school students. To enter, all
you have to do is submit a ballot containing a
recipe for your favorite healthy after-school
snack. Finalists will compete against 2 other school
districts in a “Cook-Off Grand Finale”. Grand Prizes
include Great America and Santa Cruz Beach BoardWalk
Season Passes and more!!!
Ballots are available in the school office and Ballot Boxes
are located in the cafeteria.
Final Ballots need to be submitted by
THIS FRIDAY, January 30th.
Thank You!
Food Service Department
HIP HIP HOORAY FOR
iPADs!!
The second grade teachers and students
are so excited that we now have four
additional iPads in each of our
classrooms! The kids haven't wasted
any time making full use of them since
we now have one iPad for every two
students!
In each of our rooms, the kids practice math and reading
skills using IXL, Razkids, Spelling City, and other great
apps that allow us to level individually to meet the
specific learning needs of each child. We also explore
story creation, movie making, as well as publishing tools
and typing programs, so that the kids become familiar
with using the iPad as a technological tool for learning
and creating.
Thank you to the Home and School Club for making
this possible for our kids!
It’s NUTRITION MONTH in PE!
We started the New Year off with full on nutrition
information, informing your children about my favorite
treats during the Holidays and how my ‘Green
Drinks’ (which they see me with daily), are back! The
discussions and games below have been varied between
the K-2‘s and the 3-5th graders, but I am amazed at how all
of the children, regardless of age, are ‘digesting’ the
information!
We are in week 4 of games that have taught your children
about ChooseMyPlate.gov (updated thinking on the Food
Pyramid). Your children now recognize the names and
colors of the 5 food groups and are critically thinking about
which foods go where. I’ve given them some difficult tasks
such as: Which food group would BEST fit a cake?
Many of them said that “it would have to be grains due to
(generally) the largest ingredient being flour. But Mrs. Ellis,
it is junk food!” Wow! What a fantastic thought process,
and of course they were correct.
So in week 2, we created a junk food pile colored yellow.
We’ve talked about the fact that junk food and treats are
fun and do have a part in our lives, but will never have a
permanent place on MYPLATE. So we brainstormed on
how to make healthy DAY to DAY choices. To hear some
of the changes they made during the week was
outstanding!
Week 3 was all about good, healthy food that most of them
recognize; but where does it come from? and how close to
the ‘farm or field’ is their food? Two examples were:
homemade french fries versus a baked potato; another
being apple sauce versus the whole apple. We talked about
how nutrients are depleted through processing, and also
talked about the packaging and its environmental impact. I
also made sure they understood that most of our food is
chopped or cooked and that it is indeed very healthy, but
their game was to decipher if a food product was indeed as
close to the farm or field as it could be. There was much
group discussion and many questions were asked, but bit
by bit, by George, they got it!
I am hearing the children are indeed bringing home some
interesting food facts to your tables, and I hope you
continue to support them in their excitement as they learn
about making healthy choices!
Yours in health,
Sally Ellis, PE Teacher
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SCHOOL NEWS
Cornerstone Corner
The 80s, cliques, Upstanders and Spark Champions
presented to you by our 4th and 5th graders!
We are truly blessed to have community programs that
nurture many of the 40 assets and hopefully contribute to
making our children thrive. Our annual 4th and 5th grade
musical is one of them. Have a look at all the assets we
reach through a program like this!
The Assets:
The acting children develop a Sense Of Purpose (Asset
#39) and Self-Esteem (38) by performing to their
community. By watching the show you Value The Youth
In Your Community (7) and our Youth Is A Resource
With A Contributing Role for the community (8). By
Being Part Of A Youth Program (18) they Take On
Responsibility (30) and develop Social Competencies
like Planning And Decision Making (32) and
Interpersonal Competence (33). Throughout the
months of rehearsals they saw a lot of Positive Parent
Involvement (6) to make the show happen. All this could
only happen thanks to High Levels Of Family Support
(1). When you come to the show you will notice former
actors, now Fisher students, giving their Service To
Others (9) by selling concessions to you or doing House
Management (asking for your ticket!). Acting, dancing and
singing are very Creative Activities (17) and there are
High Expectations (16)to give a super performance.
The Musical:
Most of us were teenagers in the 80s and we will all love
the encounter with our teenage years. And even if you are
not quite in that age range, you will surely love seeing our
4th and 5th graders acting out their best 80s style!
Kind of funny to think that how we grew up is now cult makes me feel kind of old - just a bit :-)
The group dynamic, that we all remember and that is
being portrayed in this show, teaches our youth very
important life lessons. Many of these concepts are part of
the ABC reader lessons your children get every month.
We have talked about:
• cliques and how it is most important to be popular with
yourself rather than seeking popularity in a group
• true friendship and how you can be yourself to be
accepted by real friends rather than having to follow a
leader and fit in
• the perceived need to pretend to be someone that you
are not
• being an Up-Stander for your beliefs rather than remain
a passive By-Stander when you observe something
wrong going on
• the courage it takes to move from being a passive ByStander to being an Up-Stander
The social dynamic in this show is strong. Posh cliques
rule. A tough climate dominates the school. Kids feel
inhibited and threatened. Other kids don’t want to accept
the status quo and stand up for their beliefs. Will they
figure it all out and let it come to a good ending?
Truth is, the social dynamics are starting to become
challenging at our kids’ age. By discussing these dynamics
with your children and expressing empathy that group
dynamics can be a challenge, you open up a good dialog
between you and your child. The 80s theme forms a link
between your youth and your child today. We don’t need
to give our children the solution to their problems, but
being a good listener to their concerns is a key to a lasting
relationship. Empowering your child to be an Up-Stander
for their own beliefs and values will give them inner
strength to cope and grow up to their potential. As a
parent, be a mindful observer if you get the impression
your child is a follower in a group with strict rules about
how they have to act, dress or treat others! Is their
friendship group giving them the space to be their true
self?
I love the homage to all passionate teachers and how they
can spark the child’s imagination and change their lives
forever. Open your mind to a beautiful world! Thank you,
teachers!
I hope you get a chance to visit the show with your kids
and talk about it afterwards!
Most of all, enjoy the Totally Awesome 80s music and
your journey into the past!
Education and fun can be combined in such an
entertaining way over the next two weekends!
Reading recommendation: Trevor Romain: Cliques,
Phonies, & other Baloney
Andrea Anderson, Project Cornerstone (and a teenager
from the 80s!)
Page 4
H&SC
One & Done Benefactors
SAVE THE DATE
NEWS
Sponsors’ Spotlight
Tuesday, March 10th, 11:00 am
Lunch with Kit Bragg and MORE!
If you have not done your One & Done
yet and would like to be a Benefactor
and participate in this special lunch, please click here to
make your donation TODAY!
If you are not certain if you donated at the Benefactor level,
please contact Nicole Reginelli, VP, H&SC
www.drrabitz.com
A former Daves Avenue Pirate himself, Dr. Rabitz is proud
to support the Home and School Club. He especially
enjoys seeing many Daves Avenue children and their
families for dental visits!
Questions about our Community Sponsorship Program?
Please contact Becky Hanson or Kim Simon,
Community Sponsorship Program Chairs.
Carnival Craft Booth
Volunteer(s) Needed!
Invites with RSVP information will be going out in February.
It is not too late to get your free tickets…pay your One and
Done at www.davesavehsc.org today!
To donate auction items or for any questions, please contact
Circus After Dark chairpeople:
Kim Simon - [email protected],
Janae Ghaziani - [email protected], or
Liz Olson - [email protected]
Calling all Pinterest addicted, crafty
parents! We need someone to
volunteer to lead the Craft Booth at
this year's school-wide year end
Carnival. The date of the carnival is May 15th. The
position requires:
•
Develop fun and affordable crafts for kids to
participate in during the carnival. In previous years
we've done face painting and beading projects.
•
Develop a budget and purchase the required
supplies.
•
Set up the craft stations on day of carnival.
•
Clean up craft station at end of carnival.
•
Craft Booth Committee Lead will work directly with
the Carnival Chair, Lee Ann Wade.
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer for the
position email Lee Ann at [email protected]
Page 5
SCHOOL NEWS
Authors Day is Back!
On March 19 we will have the pleasure to have 3 fantastic authors visiting our school.
Every grade will get the opportunity to listen to a presentation by an author and have the
chance to purchase a book signed by the author.
All books must be pre-purchased and online sales will go live on February 2nd.
In an effort to help you choose a book for your child, we have provided here (on this and the following page) an overview
of the books that we will be offering.
If you have any questions please email Catrin Anckarman, [email protected] or Vivian Gabel,
[email protected] .
This event is generously sponsored by Grosvenor, Summerhill Homes and Eden Housing.
Todd Parr will be visiting
grades K-1 and we have 5
books to choose from:
Todd Parr's books have reminded kids to
embrace differences, to be thankful, to
love one another, and to be themselves.
It's Okay to Make Mistakes embraces
life's happy accidents, the mistakes and
mess-ups that can lead to self discovery.
Reading Makes You Feel Good will
inspire and encourage young children to
delight in the joyful, rewarding
experience of reading. Kids will learn that
reading isn't something that just happens
at school or at home-it can happen
anywhere!
Todd Parr explores the important, timely
subject of environmental protection and
conservation in this eco-friendly picture
book. Featuring a circular die-cut Earth
on the cover, and printed entirely with
recycled materials and nontoxic soy inks,
this book includes lots of easy, smart
ideas on how we can all work together to
make the Earth feel good - from planting
a tree and using both sides of the paper,
to saving energy and reusing old things
in new ways.
The Peace Book gives parents and
teachers a valuable tool in talking about
a challenging subject. Todd's bright,
child-friendly pictures and simple,
inspiring text aims to tell kids just what
they need to know.
With his signature blend of playfulness
and sensitivity, Todd Parr explores the
subject of all things scary and assures
readers that all of us are afraid
sometimes.
Page 6
SCHOOL NEWS
Ann Nagda will be
visiting grades 2-3 and
we have 5 books to
choose from:
Jenny is discouraged when her
second grade penpal turns out
to be a new student from Saudi
Arabia who does not speak
English very well, but as she
works with her they slowly
become friends.
For Kevin, who struggles with
ADHD, school is definitely a
trial. Staying in his seat, paying
attention, and not getting
distracted are hard for him.
Fortunately, Kevin's teacher,
Mrs. Steele, understands him.
However, when Mrs. Steele
goes on an extended trip to
Africa, she is replaced by the
worst substitute in the world.
to do all the work himself. And
when he decides to stand up
to Kevin on behalf of a
frightened second grader.
Richard worries that: the
project, and his well-being,
might suffer the
consequences. But all’s fair in
cereal and war, and it’s
Tarantula Power to the rescue!
.
Cheetahs are very fast--and very
shy. When two young cubs come
to the nursery at the San Diego
Zoo, the staff hopes they will
help visitors learn more about
the plight of cheetahs in the
wild. Majani and Kubali are shy,
but with the help of their dog
buddies they become perfect
animal ambassadors.
Kids can learn all about division
from these baby cheetahs and
their canine friends.
Gennifer
Choldenko will
be visiting
grades 4-5.
The following
5 books will be
offered:
Today I moved to
a twelve-acre rock
covered with
cement, topped
with bird turd and
surrounded by
water. I'm not the
only kid who lives
here. There's my
sister, Natalie,
except she doesn't
count. And there
are twenty-three
other kids who live
on the island
because their dads
work as guards or
cook's or doctors
or electricians for
the prison, like my
dad does. Plus,
there are a ton of
murderers…
of them all, Al
Capone, for help.
But when that
convict comes
through for you
and then asks you
for a favor in
return. Suddenly
it's a whole
different ball
game.
Alcatraz Island in
the 1930s isn't the
most normal place
to grow up, but it's
home for Moose
Flanagan, his
autistic sister,
Natalie, and all the
families of the
guards. When
Moose's dad gets
promoted to
Associate Warden,
despite being an
unlikely candidate,
it's a big deal. But
the cons have a
point system for
targeting prison
employees, and his
dad is now in
serious danger.
Learn about different ways to
measure time by following the
growth of a baby chimp
Richard is excited about the
“Invent a Cereal” class
project, but he’s not so
excited about having Kevin,
the school bully, for his
partner. Inspired by the class
pet, a tarantula. Richard
works hard on his Crunchy
Critters cereal. He thinks it’s
sure to top his classmates’
projects. even if he does have
Late one night, a tiny
chimpanzee is born at a zoo in
Kansas. He seems very weak,
and the staff is worried. Will he
survive? When the mother
shows no interest in her baby, a
pediatrician comes in to care for
the little chimp. The baby grows
strong and healthy, and soon he
is big enough to be moved to
the Denver Zoo. He is named
Jiggs after the doctor who saved
him.
What do you do
when your
neighbors are a
bunch of hit men,
con men, and mad
dog murderers?
Well, if you're
Moose Flanagan,
you ask the most
notorious convict
turn when their
plane lands in a very
unusual place. A
mysterious driver
meets them at the
airport; when he
drops them off at
their "destination,"
each kid suddenly
has a clock with a
different amount of
time left. If the time
runs out, they have
to become
permanent citizens
in a place they don't
recognize or
understand.
Living in a family
with two perfect
sisters and parents
who just don't get
her, Ant MacPherson
finds it easier to lie.
After all, the only
one who appreciates
her is her dog,
Pistachio. But when
a concerned teacher
sees the truth
behind Ant's lies, it
seems as though
she might be in for a
change . . .
Siblings India, Finn,
and Mouse are
stunned when their
mom tells them they
are flying that
night--without her-to their Uncle Red's
home in Colorado.
But things take an
even more dramatic
Page 7
DISTRICT NEWS
LGEF Call-A-Thon
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Please help LGEF reach our $750,000 goal -- we are 60% of the way there but need your help for the last push!
Thursday, January 29th
5:30pm to 8:30pm
Stop by for all or a portion of the evening to help us. Even if all the time you can spare is 30 minutes – that is equivalent to 10
or more calls!
Location:
Alain Pinel Realtors
750 University Avenue, Los Gatos
Please arrive through the back entrance accessible from the back parking lot.
If you cannot make the January Call-A-Thon, we will also be holding a
daytime Call-A-Thon on Friday, February 6th, from 9:00am to 12:00pm at the Nippress/Tripier Residence.
For more details, contact Liz Olson at 408-335-2229 or [email protected].
Los Gatos Education Foundation
Questions or concerns?
Daves Avenue Elementary School
17770 Daves Avenue
Monte Sereno, CA 95030
Kit Bragg, Principal
[email protected]
Are you a H&SC Committee Chair, Daves Teacher or Administrator, or Community representative? Do you
have school-related news or events you want the Daves community to know about? Submit your item by
Friday at noon to the Wednesday Wave editors at [email protected]. Items should be in
text (email, Word, Pages, etc.) format, not in PDF or other image file type.
The Wednesday Wave is approved by the H&SC Board and Principal Kit Bragg for posting to the Daves
Avenue and H&SC web sites on Wednesday, with an email link sent to parents the same day.
The Wednesday Wave Newsletter is written exclusively to provide the Daves Avenue community with school
information. Articles, information, calendars, etc. may not be duplicated or re-printed in any manner without
the permission of the Home and School Club or the Daves Avenue school administration.
Phone: 408-335-2200
Fax: 408-395-6314
Attendance Line: 408-335-2245
Website: www.daves.lgusd.k12.ca.us
Daves Avenue Home & School Club
(H&SC)
Becky Hanson, President
[email protected]
Website: www.davesavehsc.org
Page 8