Just the Facts
Woodland Star Weekly Update
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Learning to think, to care, to create
UPCOMING SCHOOL EVENTS
Wednesday, October 22nd, Charter Council Meeting, Main Hall, 6:30 PM
Thursday, October 23rd, Carve a Pumpkin outside aftercare, 1-4 PM
THIS SATURDAY, October 25th, 5-8 PM, SPRITE'S NIGHT FESTIVAL!
Tuesday, October 28st, Community Education Night with Penni Sparks,
7-8:30PM. "Growing and Guiding your Young Child"
* FREE childcare for those w/an advanced reservation *
Wednesday, October 29th, 8th grade parent evening, 6-7:30 PM
Saturday, November 1st, All Parent Party & Fundraising Kick-off event, 7-10 PM
October 1 - December 31, Nickels for Nonprofits at Whole Foods
FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR
Come
one, come all! We have a great event to
launch our fundraising season and hoping you'll join us for the All Parent Party & Fundraising
Kick-off event, Saturday, November 1st,
7-10 PM, Burlingame Hall (location of last year's winter assembly).
We're thinking that by November 1, parents might need a break after the sugar
and excitement of Halloween. Get the babysitter lined up and come have a little
adult time. Join us for an evening of cocktails, fabulous appetizers, great
live music and the unveiling of the WSS 2008-09 Fundraising Calendar of Events.
We'll talk about upcoming events, present opportunities for you all to get
involved in whatever capacity you can, and then dance the night away. You won't
want to miss this night to learn about some exciting, clever and new
fund-raising ideas that have never been done in Sonoma before. Once again, the WSS
fundraising team is setting the trends and leading the pack.
No need to bring anything but yourselves....we'll provide the rest. We look
forward to strategizing and celebrating with you all.
Related to fundraising, Woodland Star Education Foundation (WSEF) is seeking a development director to guide fundraising efforts at WSS. The WSEF is taking applications for a person to direct and coordinate programs for fundraising, grant writing, family giving and other avenues to maintain and grow our budget to insure the quality of our education and programs. The primary objective of this position is to consistently raise a minimum of $150,000-$200,000 per year. This will start as a part time position, initially funded by private individuals who will donate to the Education Foundation to cover the first year's salary of $20,000. Please see the flyer in the office for more details.
Penni Sparks is offering another fabulous community education event: "Growing & Guiding Your Young Child" on Tuesday, October 28th, 7-8:30 PM in the Main Hall. Join Penni for a night of wisdom, ideas and humor related to enjoying life with your young one(s). FREE childcare with an advanced reservation and FREE admission with a completed e-scrip or family giving form!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Saturday, October 25th,
5-8 PM, Sprite's Night ~
Seasonal
festivals mark the year in the life of a Waldorf School. They accentuate the seasons, helping us keep
hearts and minds attuned to the earth and its rhythms and cycles. For ancient humanity, festivals were a true
observation and celebration of life - planting and reaping, the return of
spring, the rebirth of the natural works, and the descent into the darkness of
winter. Today, the celebration of
seasonal festivals reconnects us to the earth and our natural origins.
Sprite's Night is the school's first festival of the school year. This year the festival will be held on Saturday, October 25th, 5pm to 8pm. Sprite's Night is a magical event put on by the parents for the children. The classrooms are transformed into scenes from fairy tales, myths, fables or historical times. Small groups of children and adults travel from classroom to classroom where they meet characters both realistic and fantastical - pioneers and knights, gnomes and wizards. At each vignette children are given a simple memento. There is entertainment in the playground and homemade food is served.
Each class will create a vignette, except for the kindergartens. The parents of each grade set up their classroom vignette, act in the vignette and break it down. Kindergarten parents are responsible for the set up and break down of the outside décor. Parents also volunteer as guides and ticket sellers. If you are a musician, story teller or palm reader, please sign up to work for an hour or two.
Look for sign-up sheets outside each classroom. Volunteering for this festival is a fun way to start the 30 hours of volunteer time required by each family.
This year will feature healthy food, wonderful entertainment, haunted house, dancers and more. Sprite's Night is a community event so please invite your friends and family.
BRING A PUMKIN, CARVE A PUMPKIN! ~ Please bring a pumpkin to school by THURSDAY, 1:00PM. We will be carving them outside aftercare from 1-4; please stay and HELP CARVE if you can!! Or, if you prefer, please bring a carved pumpkin to school by FRIDAY. If you put your name on it, you may bring it home with you after the event; otherwise they will be composted. There are several classes going on field trips to the pumpkin patch this week...please get your pumpkins and share them for Sprite's Night! Pumpkins are great decorations, and we need a lot of them!
SIGN UP and DRESS UP! ~ Please sign up (on the easel outside the office) to help with our Sprite's Night Festival...we need everyone's help! This is a SUPER fun event for everyone! The children, as well as many adults, dress up in costume...who or what will you be???
BOUNTIFUL BAKERS! ~ Those of you not able to help with vignettes, set-up or clean-up for Sprite's Night can help by baking organic cupcakes and/or organic cornbread muffins and delivering them to the school by FRIDAY afternoon. We need many, so that we can sell them (and eat them!) It's not 100 degrees outside, so BAKE, BAKE, BAKE!
escrip ~ 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!
GREAT NEWS! ~ Receive FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDCARE COSTS! You may be eligible to receive HUNDREDS or THOUSANDS toward your childcare costs!! Here are FOUR different ways:
1) Apply for a Block Grant (CCDBG) @ www.naeyc.org/policy/federal/ccdbg.asp or @ www.nccic.org
2) Look to publication #503 entitled, "Child and Dependent Care Expenses" @ www.its.gov or you can call 800-829-1040
3) OFA runs Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). They help locate grants that pay for childcare. By contacting state agencies, they can find a program that is right for you. You can learn more @ www.act.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/
4) Check out other opportunities @ www.childcareaware.org or www.workfamily.org
CLASSIFIEDS
"Girls Rising" ~ Specifically for 6th through 8th grade girls ~ Discover adolescence, self-confidence, agency, creativity, compassion, mindfulness, and learn to be yourself! We will: share stories; write a play and poems; perform; sing; paint; make collages; cook; hike; garden; play; serve in the community. We meet at Woodland Star on Thursdays, 1:15-2:45 PM October 23rd & 30th, November 6th & 13th, December 4th & 11th. Girls' parents will meet twice during the six week sessions, dates to be determined. The cost is $100-$150, sliding scale, per child for 6 sessions + 2 adult sessions. To reserve a spot or for more information, contact: Kathy Hargitt, M.A., at (707) 235-8488 or/and kathyhargitt@vom.com
Help Needed ~ Gianna, single mother of four, is looking for a house to rent ASAP!
2-3 bedroom, no more than $1500 per month. Please call her @ 935-7865 or 695-2348 if you
have any information.
Support First Bell Celebration While You Do Your Holiday Shopping!
Baksheesh in Sonoma, is hosting a benefit shopping night for First Bell Celebration in support of students and teachers. First Bell shows students that being a student is an honorable and important role in our society. It honors teachers and shows them much needed appreciation. And it rallies the community in support of education in a very joyous way. On October 24, from 6 to 8 PM, 15% of their gross sales will be given First Bell!
You may select your items at any time before 8 on the 24th! You may purchase gift certificates that evening or in advance. Baksheesh will even deliver your purchases to you.
Dazzle Dance Studio ~ WSS parent Melissa Barnett has recently opened a pre-school and dance studio across from Parson's Hardware featuring tumbling, yoga, infant massage, dance, circus arts, arts & crafts, drop-off playtime and more. For more info, call 938-7107 or check out the schedule inside the glass display case by the office.
Escape to Oregon ~ Fly fishing, hiking, sight-seeing...sound good? Offered is a one week rustic camp retreat, suitable for up to 4 people. "Alkali Flat Wild Life Refuge", 50 miles east of Bend, Oregon, approximately 10 hour drive from Sonoma. This is your very own 340 acre camp site, which includes a 12' X 16' cabin with sleeping loft wood stove, and generator; no electricity. All this for only $335! Based on availability, please arrange 30 days in advance, flexible expiration date is 3/8/09. Please call Sue Pitman at 812-3720
"Beyond Zero Tolerance: Restorative Practices in Schools" at the Sonoma Valley Library: Monday: October 27th 7pm-8pm. 25 minutes video presentation followed by 30 min discussion.