important dates & district news | |
Click on the calendar to see full PTO calendar. | |
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PARENT EDUCATION
- 4/27: Igniting Voices and Taking Action, 6 pm
- 4/29: Supporting Learning Differences While Distance Learning, 7 pm
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5/3-5/7: Staff Appreciation Week (SAW)
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4/19-23: Staff Appreciation Week (SAW)
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Superintendent Question/Feedback Form
Do you have a question for the Superintendent or feedback you'd like to share? Click on this link: https://bit.ly/PVSDFeedback
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AMAZON SMILE
Did you know that last quarter AmazonSmile made a charitable donation to the PTO in the amount of $524.89 as a result of qualifying purchases made by customers who have selected this charity. Make your Amazon purchases through Amazon Smile and you could help send up to $10K more to our schools!
Go to smile.amazon.com and select "Portola Valley Parent Teacher Organization" as your designated organization. More info here.
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supeRfood recipes
April's Superfood is Strawberries. Here are some fun recipes to try.
Strawberry Breakfast Tacos
2 tbsp butter
6 flour tortillas
1/3 cup cream cheese (softened)
1 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1 3/4 cup quartered fresh strawberries
1. Heat 1 tsp. of butter in a pan over medium/low heat. Add one tortilla and cook each side until golden. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining butter and tortillas.
2. Beat cream cheese, honey and cinnamon together. Slowly mix in the yogurt until blended.
3. Spread mixture onto tortillas and top with strawberries. Fold in half to serve as a "taco" or open faced to serve as a "tostada".
Strawberry Basil Refresher
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1-2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Ice
1 liter bottle of chilled club soda
1. Blend lemon juice, sugar, strawberries until smooth. Add basil and pulse one to two times to combine.
2. Divide mixture between 12 cocktail glasses. Add ice and fill with club soda.
3. Can serve with a sprig of basil or a slice of strawberry to make it fancy!
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Hello Garden Friends!
April is the busiest time of year in the garden and for good reason. With longer days and warmer nights, we will start to see our seeds sprouting much faster than during the colder seasons. You may be inclined to plant everything all at once for your Summer Garden but resist! Sowing some seeds this week and a few more next week will give you a longer harvest season and a greater abundance! Plus it makes the learning process more enjoyable for the whole family.
Here's what we are planting together during Garden Thyme:
We started out the month by planting our HERB GARDENS. If I was living in NYC and had only one pot on a tiny balcony, this is where I would start. Herbs give you HUGE FLAVOR and PLANT MEDICINE for the small amount of space that they occupy in your yard or garden. You can plant in your black garden bag, your family garden, or a simple pot in a sunny location. Plus, herbs attract butterflies so when you plant a herb garden you are simultaneously creating BUTTERFLY HABITAT. I was actually lucky enough to watch a tiger swallowtail spread its brand new wings for the first time this week on bronze fennel. A magical moment I will never forget!
Here and the HERB seeds to SOW:
Basil
Chives
Dill (We will be planting cucumbers soon to go with this!)
Fennel
Parsley
This coming week we will be planting our THREE* SISTERS GARDENS. Native Americans realized hundreds of years ago that when your plant vegetables in plant communities they often can benefit each other than if they were planted apart. Just like the Ormondale community, they are stronger together! Traditionally this is used for corn, beans and squash (including pumpkins.) It was thought for many years that there were only three vegetables planted using this method but recent archeological studies found evidence of flower seeds in these garden communities so there actually were FOUR sisters including the POLLINATOR friendly flowers within the garden. The more flowers you have in or near your garden, the more beneficial insects it will attract, including our precious pollinators. The more pollinators the more flowers that once pollinated, turn into fruit (e.g. tomato, bean, squash, bell peppers.) Pollinators are crucial for our gardens and the food we eat! many students have noticed this wonderful pollination process on their sugar snap pea plants. First they find a flower. Then they notice that it turned into a tiny pea. They anxiously wait for it to grow large enough so that they can enjoy their harvest. THANK YOU POLLINATORS!
Here are the THREE (ahem, FOUR) SISTERS seeds to sow:
Corn
Beans
Squash
Cosmos (my favorite flower to attract beneficial insects)
Remember to HAVE FUN and eat your veggies, whether you GROW THEM or not!
Giant Garden HUGS!
Mrs. Coffee
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important update for on campus middle school students:
Starting next week- Monday, April 19th- All Middle School Students will need to come to CMS for on campus, live instruction 4 days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday).
Here is the schedule for next week:
Monday, April 19: 4/5/6/7/8 on campus
Tuesday, April 20: 4/5/6/7/8 on campus
Wednesday, April 21: No change. All students stay at home for morning session/ office hours
Thursday, April 22: 4/5/6/7/8 on campus
Friday- April 23: 4/5/6/7/8 on campus
This schedule, with 4 days a week of on- campus instruction will continue until the end of this school year.
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cms cross country
Are you interested in your student leading an active lifestyle while enjoying a school sponsored running program with their friends? CMS students have an awesome opportunity to participate in the spring Cross Country program. We will be running and training right around campus.
Coach: Holly Nybo
Location: CMS
Season: Monday, 4/26 - Thursday, June 3rd
Days/Time: Monday and Thursdays from 3:00-4:00
Grade Level: Open to all 5th - 8th graders
Donation: $125
We will follow all school guidelines. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Flahavan ([email protected]).
Registration is now open and ends on Thursday, 4/22 at 5pm. To Register, please click on the link below: CMS Cross Country - Registration Link
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Seeking Common Ground Member School Representative
Hello Parents! Would you like to be a Common Ground Member School Representative for the next academic year? PVSD’s membership to the Common Ground Speaker Series is generously paid for by our PTO and a great resource for parent education. The time commitment of a Common Ground School Representative is only ~2 hours per month b/c of Covid, which includes a monthly General Meeting & sharing a weekly Common Ground Newsletter details with our PTO Newsletter.
For more details about the role & for future responsibilities w/o Covid, please see Member School Information and Job Description. Please contact Teri Wolf ([email protected]) or Anne Fazioli-Khiari ([email protected]) if you have any interest & thanks for considering!
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Common Ground Panel Discussion
Igniting Voices and Taking Action
A Panel Discussion on the Asian American Experience and Anti-Asian Racism and Violence
A Pop-Up Event in collaboration with St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School Featuring Kristen Sze, Jose Antonio Vargas and Ro Khanna in conversation.
Moderated by Ralph Wales, Head of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Day School
Tues, April 27
6pm-7:15pm PDT
Online Zoom Webinar: Register to Attend (Registration closes 2 hours before the event)
The recent increase in incidents of violence directed toward Asian American/Pacific Islander communities has elevated awareness of the bigotry and hurt that has been a persistent part of these communities’ American experience. A diverse panel of key voices will discuss how they are leading the charge to change these disturbing patterns of discrimination through education and civic action.
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Supporting Learning Differences While Distance Learning
Presented in partnership with Children’s Health Council
Featuring CHC experts Chris Harris, MEd, and Kendra Fraka, MSW
Moderated by author Deborah Reber
Thurs, Apr 29
7pm–8:15pm PDT
Online Zoom Webinar: Register to Attend (Registration closes 2 hours before the event)
Children’s Health Council experts share best practices for parents who are supporting students with learning challenges at home, with a significant emphasis on mental health, promoting executive function skills, social emotional learning and academics.
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business partner SPOTLIGHT | |
Langley Hill Quarry
For all of your septic system needs, please contact Pat and Kathe Dempsey at Langley Hill Quarry.
Phone: 650-851-0126
Email: [email protected]
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YES on S!
For students attending our local Portola Valley elementary and middle schools, May 4th is more than just another election.
YOUR YES VOTE ON MEASURE S IS CRITICAL. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!
Take a minute to protect the outstanding quality of education students receive at Portola Valley School District schools. There is nothing more important for our local school children than passing Measure S. The Almanac Endorsed Yes on S!: https://www.almanacnews.com/news/2021/04/09/editorial-vote-yes-on-measure-s
Mail your ballot in TODAY! The last day to vote is May 4th.
You should have already received your Vote-By-Mail ballot for Measure S. If not, please contact the San Mateo County Registrar of Voters (ROV) at: (650) 312-5222 OR visit their website at: www.smcacre.org to request a new ballot or get information on how to vote provisionally.
For more information on Measure S, visit: Yes4PortolaValleySchools.com
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click on LOGO to view Yes on S Video | |
All community news is posted on the pto website
HERE ARE THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS!
For details, click the orange Community News button below and scroll through the listings.
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LOOKING FOR A SUMMER NANNY? Call Tori Grech - click on the Community News link for contact information
Portola Valley Theatre Conservatory (PVTC) SPRING CLASSES & SUMMER CAMPS LEGARZA SPORTS SPRING HIP-HOP TIME, KIDS AND ADULTS! - ALPINE STRIKERS
- HELP STUDENTS WHO NEED YOU MOST - ALL STUDENTS MATTER TUTORING
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YOUNG MEN'S SERVICE LEAGUE (YMSL)
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