School News
HARVEST FAIR THANK YOU–Whether you volunteered at the Fair and/or brought your kids and enjoyed the day, thank you! Despite the rain and wind, it was a terrific four hours of fun. Special thanks go to Victoria Danby for serving as Harvest Fair chair. We’d also like to thank all the volunteers who solicited donations from businesses, dreamed up games, crafts and entertainment, played music, came early and stayed late, and worked shifts throughout the day. We owe you all a well-deserved round of applause. Thank you!
PARENT/GUARDIAN-TEACHER CONFERENCES NOV. 18-19: This is a great opportunity for you to meet with your child’s teacher to hear about his/her progress and discuss any challenges he/she may have. Conference days are not vacation days and families are expected to schedule meetings on these days, as teachers can’t accommodate conferences other times. Also, teachers will have one conference per child so if you need an additional one contact Ilana Kaufman or Kevin Jacobson. Elementary School parents/guardians can sign up on their child’s classroom door or reply to the email each teacher sent. Middle School parents/guardians can schedule a conference through the Windrush website!
SIGN UP FOR NOV. 5 PLAY DAY BY MONDAY–Aloha! While teachers are busy writing progress reports, your children will shake their hips to Hawaiian tunes in the Afterschool room, which will be transformed into a Hawaiian paradise. Activities will include making leis, grass skirts, hula dancing, limbo, Tiki punch and more! Students are encouraged to come dressed up for the occasion. As always, the children will also have the opportunity for self-directed activities in arts and crafts, as well as free play in our living room and outdoors. Check out this flyer for more information and to learn about Middle School activities click here. The registration deadline is Monday, Nov. 1.
SIGN UP FOR NOV. 18 & 19 CONFERENCE PLAYDAYS–Children can participate in an array of activities such as arts and crafts, cooking, sports and games. On Friday afternoon, we will have a big karaoke party! Check out the flyer for more information. To learn about special Middle School activities, check this flyer out. The registration deadline is Nov. 12.
DIGITAL PROGRESS REPORTS–For the first time, Progress Reports will be sent to you both on paper via postal mail and electronically in PDF format. On Nov. 12, you will receive an email message from the school with a link. You will be prompted for a password that we will transmit to you separately, then you will be able to retrieve a digital copy days before the paper copy arrives! The Technology Department ensures this system to be safe and secure. Please email Technology Director Maer Ben-Yisrael with questions.
ELEMENTARY P.E. HEALTH ALERT AND SHOE REMINDER–According to many health experts and podiatrists, parents should know there are health problems associated with girls younger than 12 wearing heeled shoes. Podiatrist Dr. Shelley Plumb told WPBF 25 News, “Their bones, tendons, muscle ligaments and bone structures are not developed yet.” She explained that from a muscle-skeletal standpoint, girls’ feet aren’t ready for heels, including heeled boots. She added that wearing heels too early could cause irreversible problems such as hammertoes, a condition causing one’s toes contract up. Other health effects include numbness, arch strain, and ankle, knee and back pain. Plumb said she wouldn’t let her own daughter wear heels and advised parents to buy shoes that are healthy for feet, but cute and fashionable. P.E. Reminder: Please ensure your child wears athletic shoes on P.E. days–Mondays: All Elementary, K – 5; Tuesdays: Pegasus, Phoenix; Wednesdays: Kindergartners, Alvens, Hobbits, Antares, Griffins
WINDRUSH’S GREEN COMMITTEE GREEN NOTES–Fact 1: Cigarettes are the most littered item in the world. More than 130 million butts were tossed last year in Texas alone. As they degrade, these harmless looking pellets release toxins that get into our water and poison wildlife. Fact 2: It takes 500 years for one plastic water bottle to break down and it never disappears entirely–it turns into tiny plastic polymers that never go away.
GREEN THE FRIDAY LUNCH PROGRAM–In order to reduce the amount of paper plates used in the Friday Lunch Program, please send your child to school with a reusable plate/container. We currently use compostable plates, but reusable plates will further reduce trash and save resources!
THIS WEEK’S FRIDAY LUNCH–Pizza lunch. If you are not signed up and would like to, you may still do so by contacting Teresa in the Front Office.
IN DIRE NEED OF CHOW MEIN LUNCH COORDINATOR! We still need a Chow Mein Lunch Coordinator for the five Friday lunches this year. The coordinator orders and picks up lunch from Chef’s Chinese Food in El Cerrito and directs parent volunteers. Email Maya Varian for more information.
TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR A NEEDY CHILD? When your children venture out on Halloween to trick-or-treat, they can gather goodies while also helping to improve other children’s lives! The Elementary Student Council–who has spearheaded the effort–has already informed students how they can collect money to support the United Nations Children’s Fund. UNICEF boxes should be returned to students’ classrooms.
HALLOWEEN PARADE! On Friday, we will have a haunting good time at Windrush with our Halloween Parade! The parade begins at 2 p.m. in the circle drive. Please feel free to park in the lower parking lot and join us along the sidewalk to cheer on students. Each class will have a Halloween placard raised high as they parade so you can be sure to spot your goblin, ghoul or ghost. The parade will take two loops around the circle drive. During the second loop, middle school students will join their buddies and everyone will march together. Monster music will be provided by our middle school elective Jam Band class thanks to Jeannie McKenzie! If it’s raining the parade will be in the gym. Contact Rebecca in the Division Office with questions.
SIBLING SUMMONS–The admissions season for the 2011-12 school year has begun! If you have a younger child, please come by the Admissions Office to obtain more information regarding tours, open house events, and to pick up an admissions packet. Please submit your application by Jan. 10. We look forward to meeting your potential Dragon!
Upcoming Events
WFA MEETING WEDNESDAY–Do you have an idea you want to share with the Windrush community or are you interested in taking on a leadership role? Please come to our WFA Organizing Meeting from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 3 in the multipurpose room. We hope to see you there! We’ll have snacks and fruit available, so if you plan on attending Windrush Presents at 7 p.m., you won’t go on an empty belly.
FIRST WINDRUSH PRESENTS IS WEDSNESDAY! Parent educator and coach Amy McClain will speak about Raising Healthy Boys, Curbing Aggression, Cultivating Character from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 3 in the Library. Limited childcare is available for $12. To reserve please email Marisa Palomares or call ext. 219. Soul Shoppe facilitator, trained parent educator and a mother, Amy has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, and 12 years experience using and teaching the tools presented in her classes. In addition to teaching parenting, she teaches bully prevention and character development for K-8 students, parents and educators. For the last five years, Amy has facilitated assemblies and classes for hundreds of schools throughout California. She brings experience in everything from brain-based learning models to anti-bullying programs to Waldorf education to providing powerful parenting tools designed to take the struggle out of parenting.
K-8 ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE NOV. 14–Participants will hear from current parents and teachers and learn about the Windrush philosophy and what sets us apart. Each One, Reach One: Chances are you heard about Windrush through word of mouth. Please spread the word to at least one prospective family about our open house that will take place from 2-4 p.m. on Nov. 14.
• Invite a friend or neighbor who has a preschool or school-age child. An invitation will be sent home with your child next week and they are available in the Front Hall.
• Forward this flyer to an online group you are involved in or post it at a local business that gets family traffic.
Attendees do not need to RSVP, and prospective Middle School students are welcome to join their parents. Call David Bond at ext. 203 or email him with questions or to schedule a tour.
WINDRUSH BOOK FAIR IS NOV. 15-19! Our annual book fair will take place Monday, Nov. 15-Friday, Nov. 19 in the Library. We are open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and also on Conference Days: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Thursday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Friday. Hicklebee’s Book Store–an independent book store specializing in children’s and young-adult books since 1979–will supply their handpicked selections. Proceeds go directly to the Library’s book budget. We need volunteers to staff the fair. Please email Jill if you can help.
THE KEITH SHOW! Windrush School and The Buddy Club Children’s Shows present The Keith Show, a hilarious fundraising show starring a world-renowned comedy juggler. 100% of the proceeds will benefit Windrush and only 100 tickets are available so buy yours early! The show is at 1 p.m. on Dec. 12 at The Jewish Community Center of the East Bay Theater, 1414 Walnut St. in Berkeley. The cost is $10 per person (free for kids under two). For more information go here. You can buy tickets by emailing Ann or calling ext. 231.
Middle School News
MSAS PLAY DAY NOV. 5–Come join us for lunch and a movie. We will venture to downtown Berkeley to eat at Cancún Taquería and watch a movie on Shattuck Ave. Students should bring money for lunch and the movie. Please remember: students on campus before 9 a.m. must sign into Elementary Afterschool. Low enrollment could result in the combination of Middle School with Elementary Play Day. Deadline to sign up is Monday, Nov. 1. You can sign up here.
MSAS NOV. 18 & 19 CONFERENCE PLAYDAYS–MSAS will enjoy a Thursday full of our favorite arts and crafts and lots of games of Knock Out! On Friday, we’ll have our Annual Iron Chef competition when students will create dishes containing a secret ingredient. Please feel free to contact Johanna with questions at ext. 279. For more information see this flyer.
MSAS NOV. 24 AFTERNOON PLAYDAY–On Wednesday, Nov. 24, students will be dismissed at noon. If you need childcare that afternoon please contact Johanna at ext. 279 or via email. See this flyer for more information.
YOSEMITE TRIP–Please complete, sign and return the blue portion of the Yosemite packet to the Division Office by the end of October. The “Big 3” (hiking shoes, warm coat and sleeping bag) should be labeled and brought to the Division Office on your conference day.
WINDRUSH MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE–We will host our first middle school dance of the year from 7-9:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. Please make sure your students have a signed permission slip. Students from our Student Leadership Elective class will help create flyers, song request forms, and decorations for this event. Please email Rebecca in the Division Office with any questions.
WINTER ELECTIVE PREFERENCE FORMS–Students received these forms on Oct. 26, which are due back to the Division Office by Nov. 1. Students currently in Lisa Hensley’s Drama Elective will automatically be placed in the elective again so those students do not need to submit a form. Winter trimester elective classes begin Nov. 15.
CAREER CHOICES SPEAKER SERIES–On Friday, Oct. 22, our students in Grades 6 & 8 heard from Penny Finney, co-founder of Askjeeves.com and owner of Bittersweet Chocolate Café located in Rockridge. Her talk traced her experiences as a Princeton University art student, a computer programmer at the forefront of the Internet’s formation, a web-based business owner, and finally a chocolate café owner. Our students asked a range of thoughtful questions from “What programming software did you use?” to “Where does Bittersweet’s chocolate come from?” Thank you to Penny for sharing her fascinating career path, and thank you to our students for their mature manners and interest!
MORE INFO. REGARDING PARENT/GUARDIAN-TEACHER CONFERENCE SIGN-UPS: You are now able to schedule your conference with your student's advisor through the Windrush website! If you have not logged onto the site and need assistance, please see this document. You have to log onto the website to schedule a conference!
UPCOMING HOME SPORTING EVENTS:
Soccer vs. Black Pine Circle: 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 (Canyon Trail Park)
IMPORTANT HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION:
HSPT Dates (register with schools)
St. Mary’s, Salesian and Bishop O’Dowd–Jan. 8
ISEE Dates (register online)
Redwood Day School–Dec. 4 & 11
Ecole Bilingue–Dec. 11
College Prep–Jan 15 & 16
Head Royce–Dec. 11 & Jan. 8
Prospect Sierra–Jan. 15
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