Just the Facts
Woodland Star Weekly Update
Monday, September 15, 2008
Learning to think, to care, to create
UPCOMING SCHOOL EVENTS
Wednesday, September 17th, Charter Council Meeting, 6:30 PM
Friday, September 19th, Character Education Meeting, 8:30-9:30 AM
Saturday, September 20, Aftercare Refreshing Day, 10 AM - Noon
Tues, September 23rd, Surviving & Thriving with your Adolescent w/Penni Sparks,
7-8:30PM, **FREE childcare offered for this event**
Wednesday, September 24th, SCHOOL PORTRAITS!!
Thursday, September 25th, Parent Tea with Penni Sparks, 8:30-10 AM, Main Hall
Friday, September 26th, Harvest Festival, 6-8PM, fun for the whole family!
October 1 - December 31, Nickels for Nonprofits at Whole Foods
FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR
Class Supply Fees Contest ~ Have you noticed all of the thermometers located outside of each classroom detailing where each class is at with respect to class supply fees collection? Take a look and if you haven't already done so, please submit your payment and watch your class mercury rise! Each class budget is composed of two funding sources; 1 the parent payment of supplies fees and 2. the school general fund contribution. Last year in order to balance our budget, the general fund contribution was decreased by 10%. That means we are relying more heavily on parent funding in order to meet our class budgets. Your contributions are so critical and so appreciated! If you can give the upper end of the range, please do so. If you can only meet the lower end of the range, we appreciate your contribution. This is not an optional contribution, rather it is paying for the basic necessities of the classroom specifically paper, pencils, paint, crayons, beeswax, main lesson books and fieldtrips. The materials we need to deliver this program to your children. We expect full participation in whatever capacity you can give.
In order to provide a little extra incentive, we are holding a contest. The class that is the first to meet their financial goal will receive an extra $300, the second to reach their goal, an extra $200 and the third, $100. These prizes were generously donated to WSS in the hopes of getting all parents on board and accountable. Let's work together and get this task done!
Great News from Whole Foods ~ WSS is next in line as a recipient of the Nickels for non-profits program. When you shop at Whole Foods between 10/1/08 and 12/31/08, be sure to bring your cloth bags so you can donate the 5 cents per bag refund, to the WSS Library program. Since the WSS community makes up such a big percentage of the Whole Foods customer base, we expect to see a nice return from this program. We'll keep you updated as to how much we receive from this program.
Other great community support~ Don't forget to sign up and/or update your credit cards on e-scrip.com. It is a free and easy way for WSS to be earning funds and it doesn't cost the donor any money. Did you know that WSS can earn a portion of your bill directly when you grocery shop at local merchants: Safeway, Sonoma Market, Glen Ellen market and Planet Organics. Simply register on-line and when you use that card at any of the above listed merchants, WSS automatically receives revenue. Let friends and family know also as they can be shopping in Omaha, Nebraska and WSS can be receiving the bounty!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Miss Gaylan's 2:30 Club ~ We are respectfully asking parents to either pick up their children at 2:30 or send them to aftercare for the 2:30-3 pm timeframe (see below for great offer). This allows your child to experience aftercare and its magical offerings, at a very affordable rate all the while being well supervised. If you are in need of scholarship assistance, please see Miss Gaylan.
A special offer for 1st and 2nd grade students waiting for parents who pick up older siblings at 3 pm. Come join the fun in Aftercare for a mere $25 per month! Parents can be rest assured their children are well looked after, the children can enjoy the extra play time and the office staff can be certain the children are safe and accounted for. It works for everyone! No aftercare supply fee is required and at $1.25 per 30 min session, compared to the $5 per 30 min drop-in rate, it is an incredible deal!
Character Education Group ~ Join us for our first meeting of the year as we continue working towards bringing conflict resolution/community building programs to WSS. Friday, September 19th, 8:30-9:30 AM in the Main Hall.
Aftercare Refreshing Day ~ Saturday, September 20, 10 AM - Noon. Please come help us clean and beautify our aftercare room! This will be a monthly activity, to keep everything neat and tidy. Please sign up with Miss Gaylen; you may bring your children. Thank you!
Surviving and Thriving with your Adolescent with Penni Sparks ~ Tuesday, Sept. 23rd, 7-8:30 PM. Hear Penni's inspiring and practical ideas on navigating the stormy seas of adolescence. FREE childcare to those who sign up in advance and FREE entry to anyone bringing in either a completed Family Giving or E-scrip form. What a deal!!
Parent Tea with Penni Sparks ~ Thursday, Sept. 25th, 8:30-10 AM. Join Penni as we follow up topics discussed from the previous Tuesday lecture and explore new topics alive within our parent body. If you have a specific question for Penni to address at the tea, either place it in her box or email her at penni@woodlandstarschool.org
SCHOOL PORTRAIT DAY ~ Wednesday, September 24. Individual and class photos will be take by Sari Singerman Photography. Look sharp!
Harvest Festival! ~ 6 - 8 PM. Join us as we celebrate harvest together! We will have music, dancing, activities for the kids, potluck dinner, and endless socializing...fun, fun, fun! Please sign up on your classroom bulletin board to bring something to share. Please bring your own picnicware and blankets to sit on.
Nickels for Nonprofits at Whole Foods ~ October 1 - December 31. We are the next recipients of the cloth bag refunds from Whole Foods. For each bag you bring in when you shop, Whole Foods will give us 5 cents. Please remember to BRING YOUR BAGS with you and request that your nickels go to Woodland Star Charter School. Just in time for all of the upcoming the holidays...spread the word and shop, shop, shop!
Family Giving Update ~ Thank you to all that participate in WSS's family giving program. If you had filled out a participation agreement and had monthly deductions last school year, we need you to update your account by filling out a participation agreement for this school year. Attached to this newsletter is the 2008-09 participation form. For those of you who haven't participated and would like to, please fill out and submit the same form. Family giving is a critical way of financially supporting the school to deliver the rich and varied Waldorf curriculum. The funding that we get from the state falls short by approximately $2,000 per child from what it costs to educate a child in the Waldorf curriculum. Any and all donation amounts are most welcome and appreciated! For further information, see Sheila or Janis in the Business office.
Class Parent Meetings ~ Check the website: woodlandstarschool.org for the dates of the various class parent meetings. Childcare is provided for these meetings at a cost of $5 per child. Please sign up in advance (in the office) and pay the childcare provider directly.
Lost & Found ~ We already have a hefty supply of "lost" garments and accessories. Have your child check the box regularly and please label items.
Wish List ~ We have several items that we are in need of for the school and aftercare program. Please check to see if you have any of these items available to donate. This list will be updated regularly and posted outside the office and in the JTF. Thanks in advance for your help!
Bookshelves: either short and wide or tall and narrow
Floor lamps
Love seat or small sofa
Balls: rubber, tennis and basketball
Frisbees: foam or silicone
Classical marble or wooden Chess set
Slipcover for a loveseat or queen futon
Corduroy winter curtains
Clean, untreated lumber for outdoor play
Food supplies: ketchup, mustard, olive oil, organic fruit, organic vegetables
From Miss Gaylan: Dear families, sharing food and feeding the hungry is what we do for children, faculty, visitors and parents. We need your help. Please share your bounty whether it be an abundant crop from your garden or fruit trees or maybe from a shopping spree at Costco or leftovers from parties. Whatever you can bring we will gratefully accept and share with all.
Let's Make a Deal ~ You choose which deal works best for you, several options are available: You can pay the annual aftercare registration fee ($40 for 1st child, $35 for the 2nd) and contract for 2 hours of aftercare per week (8 hours per month) at an amazingly low cost of $5.95 per hour. You may schedule the 8 hours per month in anyway/time that is flexible via a drop-in contract. If you choose not to pay the supply fee, but do contract for 8 hrs, the rate is $8 per hour. Without a contract or supplies fee, the per hour rate jumps to $10 per hour. We have several options to fit your budgeting needs. Please see Gaylan in Aftercare if you have any questions.
‘Tis the Season ~ Unfortunately, the season is for head Lice and they have been appearing on campus. Please check your child's head weekly or more frequently if they show any signs of itching or irritation. Lice and nits are treatable but do require vigilance on the part of parents and education for the children. Discourage your children from sharing any hats, brushes combs, etc and bring your own pillow to sleepovers! If we all work together we can eradicate this and a lot of extra work for the whole community.
CLASSIFIEDS
Glen Ellen House for Rent ~ Beautiful private road (cul de sac). Creekside, large yard (almost 1/2 acre property), great neighborhood & safe 4+ bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, basement (with laundry room and plus room), garage $3000/month. Call Nicole 495-6707
Guitar Class for WSS students ~ This guitar class is an exclusive offer to Woodland Star Students on Thursdays beginning at 1:30p.m. The class will be a beginners' guitar class with a limit of 8 students per one hour session. The cost is $15 per session paid monthly. Classes will be held at Sonoma Music Arts School on Broadway. For scheduling and more info call Ralph Cetola @938-1357.