February 26, 2008

Dear Pennekamp Families,

            Welcome back after Mid-Winter Break. Hopefully it provided you with an opportunity for some well-deserved recreation and relaxation, whether in the form of a winter vacation or simply some quality time with your families at home. By all accounts, our current schedule of having a full week off in February is a big hit. On behalf of MBUSD, we appreciate families taking their winter ski vacations during our Mid-Winter Break, so that children don’t miss school and the district doesn’t lose funding.

            Now that we are in the final week of the month of February, we are also less than a month away from the end of the winter season. Over the course of the next several weeks we have a number of important school events in the offing here at Pennekamp. Please take note of the following.

Dr. Rohrer at PTA Mtg. Tuesday Night – We strongly encourage all parents to attend this important meeting at 6:00 p.m. in our Cafetorium. As you know, we face challenging times for education in the state of California. Dr. Rohrer will be addressing the current budget and its implications for MBUSD and our students during these tough times. In addition to Dr. Rohrer, MBUSD Board of Trustees President, Amy Howorth, and MB Mayor ProTem Richard Montgomery will also be featured speakers. Childcare will be provided. 
PTA Meeting Agenda   MBUSD Letter Regarding Budget Issues from Sup't Rohrer

Talent Show on Friday – 6:00-9:00 p.m., Mira Costa Auditorium. The excitement is building for this annual extravaganza! Parents, relatives and friends are all cordially invited to this showcase of “home-grown” PK talent. Come out to see kids from all grade levels perform their entertaining acts. Don’t miss this big event!
Talent Show Flyer

4th Grade Writing Test – Tuesday, March 4^th. This is the first of the annual California Standards Tests (CST). All other CSTs will be given during the weeks of May 5-16 for 2^nd-5^th grades. Please avoid scheduling appointments or trips during testing dates.

Registration for 2008-09 – Starts Wednesday, March 5^th at 8:00 a.m., PK Cafetorium. Parents of next year’s Kindergartners and new students in 1^st-5^th grades are encouraged to register ASAP. Registration packets are now available in the school office. We recommend that parents pick up packets for each new student, and bring the completed packets to registration. Parents can pick up packets for their own children only. 
Kindergarten Registration Information  

2008-09 Kdg. Parent Orientation – 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 18^th, PK Cafetorium. Come out to learn about your children’s first year at Pennekamp. This meeting is for parents only – No kids, please!

Report Cards are Coming – On Friday, March 14^th, report cards for the 2^nd trimester will be sent home with students.

                    As the month of February draws to a close, we are on the verge of going to a more paper-free pattern of communication. Beginning next week, the weekly Green Sheet will only be given as a hardcopy in the first Tuesday Envelope of each month. In subsequent weeks, it will be available online in our weekly PTA Dragon eNews. Help Pennekamp “Go Green” by subscribing to Dragon eNews, if you have not already done so.  Don’t forget to come to the PTA Meeting tonight and the Talent Show on Friday!

 

Sincerely,

Dale Keldrauk

 

Instrumental Music Mini Concerts – On Monday, March 31^st, our instrumental music students will be performing mini concerts throughout the school day.  Parents are invited to attend these informal concerts which will showcase our strings, recorders and band students. The concerts will be in the Pennekamp Cafeteria and will last about 35 minutes each. The schedule is as follows:  8:20 a.m.-3^rd gr. Recorders and strings (Hooper, Moreno),  9:00 a.m.-3^rd gr. Recorders and strings (Horowitz, Hunt),  10:30 a.m. 4^th gr. Strings and band,  12:50 p.m. 5^th gr. Strings and band.  Please contact Ms. Johnson at BandisFun.com or Mr. Mollick at mbstrings@gmail.com with any questions you may have.

Parent Party and Silent Auction– Pennekamp’s 4^th Annual Parent Party and Silent Auction will be held on March 14^th.  Seats are still available.  Checks must be received no later than March 7^th and can be dropped off in the office. Credit cards will be accepted the evening of the event for your auction purchases.  However, The Portofino Inn will only accept cash for the no-host bar and parking.  We look forward to seeing all of you at this fun and memorable event! Auction donation forms will be coming home in this Tuesday’s envelope.  Please contact us for questions or donations: Shannon Coyle (310) 941-1988, shannoncoyle1638@msn.com or Zena Cronyn (310) 766-6857, zcronyn@gmail.com 
Silent Auction Class Basket Donation List   Parent Party Ticket Order Form 
Silent Auction Donor Form

STAR Winter Classes – The STAR Winter enrichment classes have begun. The classes are more exciting than ever!  Although many of the classes are filled there is still space available in the following: Eco Station, Lego Building, Kinder Spanish, Art, Woodworking, Science, We Play Pokemon, Soccer, Martial Arts and Literacy.  We have added a new Jazz/Hip-Hop class on Thursdays to replace gymnastics.  Our Spring session brochure will be coming out in mid March.  Please contact Beverly Powell, STAR Director at (310) 877-9047 or by email at  pennekampstar@hotmail.com for class information.    

Green Ideas – Drive less – By saving just one gallon of gasoline (20-30 miles of driving for most conventional cars) you can prevent about 20 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. To save that gallon, consider these ideas:  take public transportation or carpool to work one day a week, plan a route to make running your errands more efficient or start a program to walk or bicycle for part of the week.  Many Pennekamp families are now using walk-pools to get to and from school on Wednesdays.  Consider joining or starting a group of your own.  Please direct any questions to Heather Spadone at teamspadone@yahoo.com.       

1st Friday Speaker Series – On Friday, March 7^th, the MBUSD will present Sharon Rosenbloom, author of Beneath and Beyond Autism and A Speech and Language Pathologist, at the Manhattan Beach Preschool Auditorium located at 1431 15^th Street from 9 a.m.-11 a.m.  All parents are welcome to attend.

Scrip News – Our March Madness contest is here!  Help your child earn free ice cream on Ice Cream Friday!  We will track each order for the entire month of March and the class that buys the most scrip will earn a free ice cream. The teacher of that class will also receive dinner and movie tickets.  Let’s help our school!  Your children and their teachers could also benefit!  Thank you so much for supporting the scrip program.  If you have any questions please contact Christy Mancilla at (310) 679-2093. 
Scrip Order Form

 

IMPORTANT DATES

·          Tues.  Feb 26^th - PTA meeting, tonight at 6:00 p.m. – Pennekamp Cafeteria.  Please plan on attending.

·          Wed. Feb 27^th – Registration packets for 2008-2009 available in PK office.

·          Wed. Feb. 27^th – School Board meeting 6:30 p.m. District Office.

·          Wed. Feb. 27^th and Feb. 28^th - 4^th grade GATE

·          Thurs. Feb. 28^th – Talent Show dress rehearsal – MCHS auditorium 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

·          Fri. Feb. 29^th – Flag Ceremony – PK Cafeteria – 9 a.m. 4^th and 5^th grades,  10 a.m. 1^st- 3^rd grades

·          Fri. Feb. 29^th – 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Pk Talent Show at MCHS Auditorium

·          Wed. March 5^th – Kindergarten registration begins, 8 a.m. Pennekamp Cafeteria

·          Wed. March 5^th – School board meeting – 6:30 p.m. District Office

·          Fri. March 7^th – 1^st Friday Speaker Series – Sharon Rosenbloom, author of Beneath and Beyond Autism at MB Preschool Auditorium 1431 15^th St.

·          Fri. March 14^th – 2^nd trimester Report Cards go home

·          Fri. March 14^th – Parent Party and Silent Auction at the Portofino Inn

·          Tues. March 18^th – Kindergarten Parent Orientation for 2008-2009 at 9 a.m. Pennekamp cafeteria

·          Fri. March 21^st – School Holiday

·          Mon., March 31^st - Instrumental Mini Concerts – Pennekamp Cafeteria, 8:20 a.m. (Hooper, Moreno), 9 a.m. (Horowitz, Hunt), 10:30 a.m. all 4^th grade, 12:50 p.m. all 5^th grade