October 16, 2007

Dear Pennekamp Families,

            With the coming of the ides (15^th) of October, autumn is now fully upon us. From the brisk and cool weather, to the majestic harvest moons, to the onset of spectacular fall colors, the manifestations of the new season abound. It is as if we are in the midst of a time of transition and transformation, not only in our surrounding environment, but also in the energy and vibe of the folks in our community. Fall is unmistakably in the air! 

            In what has become an annual, autumnal rite, the specter of Halloween looms large in the eyes and imaginations of the children during the month of October. All around the campus, one can readily perceive the swirl of excitement, which grows with each passing day. No other holiday seems to hold the same allure. Children are already abuzz with anticipation as the big day draws near.

            This time of year, children (and their parents) often face the quandary of “What can I wear for Halloween?” Any parent can tell you that this is hardly a trivial matter. As you know, a great deal of thought and preparation, and even anxiety and expense can go into selecting just the right outfit for the event. With Halloween a mere two weeks away, it is getting down to “crunch time” in terms of that all-important decision on what to wear. Ultimately, you will want to choose attire that is appropriate for a number of uses, including Pennekamp’s annual Halloween Parade, trick-or-treating that evening, and/or perhaps a party or two.  

            For PK’s Halloween Parade, we ask that parents be selective about the costumes that their children wear to our parade. We certainly realize that the spirit of Halloween is one of portent, ghosties, ghoulies, long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night, which is part of the fun of it all. Nonetheless, we are a public school, and as such we have a fiduciary responsibility to try to keep the event in good taste. Please avoid themes that are risqué, violent or overly morbid. Costumes that are the hit of an adult party might well be “over-the-top” for a school function. Many appropriate and reasonably-priced outfits were available during last week’s costume sale at Pennekamp. Whatever the source, your efforts to stay within school guidelines are greatly appreciated.

            So mark your calendars for 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday, October 31^st for PK’s annual Halloween Parade on our field. On that day all kindergarten and DK students will be on Early Schedule, 8:00-11:20 a.m. (K+ will be 8:00 am. – 1:00pm.) so that they can be part of this great event. Students can wear costumes to school that morning. We ask that students bring a change of regular school clothing to change into after the parade. It will be “business as usual” for the remainder of the day.

Parents, younger siblings, grandparents, etc. are all cordially invited to attend the Halloween Parade. It is fun, celebratory event that you won’t want to miss. You are also invited to attend the Pumpkin Race at MB Pier from 1:00-6:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 28^th. We hope to see you all at both events!

 

Sincerely,

             Dale Keldrauk                

 

Pride Day a Big Success – Last Saturday, a sizeable contingent of PK students and parents came out to assist in this semi-annual, school-beatification effort. The gardening, planting and general clean-up left our school looking great! Kudos to event coordinators, Kim Wilson, Maureen Gold and Lisa Petillon, for orchestrating this event!  Thanks to John Maher and Rigo Becerra of District’s Maintenance and Operations for their hard work. Also, a big thank you goes out to Jeff Wilson for building and donating two attractive wood planters to the kindergarten yard, and to John Holliday for getting the new umbrellas for our 4^th/5^th Grade Quad. In all, 77 Gold Cards were given to students who helped out on Pride Day. Now that’s school spirit! 

Dragon E-news – You can get the majority of your information electronically by subscribing to pkpta@hotmail.com and reducing our paper usage.  Every Monday night receive the latest information about what’s happening at PK and get your Tuesday envelope electronically.  It’s a great way to be “in the know”.

Special Programs Offered  - MBUSD’s Student Services department is offering the following great new programs for students and parents: 1. First Friday Speaker’s Series  2. Discussions and Solutions  3. Social Clubs.  Flyers are available on the MBUSD website, as well as on the Pennekamp website.

Gift Wrap Numbers are in! – We grossed $27,129 in sales which means a profit to Pennekamp of $13,564!  This is 35% over budget!! Mrs. Hunt’s class had the highest participation and won the teacher basket.  Way to go room 20!  If anyone still wishes to place an order, you may do so online at www. Innisbrook .com http://www.innisbrook.com/.  Your order will be sent directly to your home and shipping is free for orders over $75. Many thanks to all who participated!!

Blood Drive  - Pacific School will having a blood drive on Oct. 23^rd in the Art Room from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  To make appointments, please email patti.bundy@gmail.com or call her at (310) 545-1646.

Shopping for Students fundraiser – Don’t forget log in your receipts from the Manhattan Village Mall dated Sept. 1^st, 2007 through April 30^th , 2008.  Pennekamp earns five (5) points for every dollar spent at any store.  If you can’t make it to the mall, drop off your receipts in the PK office. Receipts will not be returned.  Contact Christine Dillon for more information at cdillon7466@aol.com.

Parent Volunteers – Please remember to turn your volunteer information along with your TB clearance to the office. You cannot work in the classroom without having turned these in.  Thank you.

Soccer Sign found – A Green Goblin soccer sign was found blown down from the fence that borders Peck Ave. near the playground.  The owner may pick it up in the Pennekamp office.

Tardies – There has been an alarming amount of children coming in late to school. We understand that sometimes being late is unavoidable, but please make every effort to ensure your children are on time for class.  Thank you!

 

Important Dates

·          Tues. Oct. 16^th – School Photo Make-ups

·          Tues. Oct. 16^th -  5^th Grade field trip to MB Roundhouse

·          Family Photos – Sunday, Oct.21^st at Polliwog Park and Monday, Oct. 22^nd in the PK cafeteria

·          Oct. 23^rd - 31^st – Red Ribbon Week

·          Thurs.  Oct. 25^th – 5^th Grade field trip to Griffith Park Observatory

·          Wed. Oct. 31^st – 8:45 a.m. – Halloween Parade – Pennekamp Field