Covington Howler

October 13, 2015

In This Issue:

• Message from the Principals

• Combined Payment Donations

• News and Announcements

Quick Dates for your Calendar:

• Oct 20:  Minimum Day, 12:15pm dismissal

• Oct 21: Dine Out for Covington @ The Counter, MV

• Oct. 30: Halloween Parties & Costume Parade

• Nov 5: Vision Screening: K,2,5

• Nov. 11:  Veteran’s Day: No School

• Nov 23 & 24: Parent-Teacher Conferences. No School for Students.

• Nov 25 - 27: Thanksgiving Holiday: No School for Students.

Message from the Principals

Dear Covington Families,         

Covington Walkathon: Thank you so much to David Trescot, our Walkathon Chair for orchestrating such a fantastic and fun event.  Thanks also to his committee of dedicated volunteers:  Colleen Farley, Jessica Speiser, Mary Field, Jeff Bernhardt, Mary Bernhardt, Richard Townhill, Jennifer Townhill, Laurie Kurgas, Dolly Eckinger, Katherine Lyon, Ingrid Choong, Diana Ekstrand, Sonia Brunner, JD Lyon, Mara Starkey, Mona Parekh, Sarah Anderson, Kirsten Burns, Jennifer Ebbit, and Kendra Muscarella.  Our parent volunteers are an essential part of making Covington such a great school for all our students.

Los Altos Educational Foundation Update: Save LAEF a call...donate by 10/15.

LAEF’s goal this year is to raise $3.5M to fund enrichment programs and smaller class sizes for all nine schools, benefiting every child K-8. That’s why LAEF strives for every family to donate. Did you know the LAEF Board of parent volunteers is matching donations, up to a total of $100,000? If you are a new family or first-time donor, 100% of your gift will be matched. If you have donated in the past, any amount contributed over your last gift will be matched. Make your tax-deductible donation before October 15 at www.laefonline.org (or bring a check to the school office for the LAEF cubby) to double your donation and save LAEF a call during their Annual Phonathon next week.

Google Expeditions Visited Covington. If you haven’t heard about the recent excitement at Covington , we wanted to share with you that Google Expeditions visited Covington last Tuesday.  Students had the great fortune to interact with Google Cardboard, a type of virtual reality device. Students  used these learning devices to explore amazing places such as the surface of the moon, the bottom of the sea and the Acropolis of Athens.

Here are two links to information about Google Expeditions:

https://www.google.com/edu/expeditions/

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/89441/20150930/google-expeditions-takes-

schoolchildren-on-a-virtual-reality-field-trip-to-the-great-wall-of-china-

and-more.htm

Here are some of our favorite quotes from our students about Google Expeditions:
 

   It felt like we were really there

We look forward to providing many more exciting learning adventures for our students.

Have a great week!

Erin S. Green and Kami Thordarson

Combined Payment Forms Still Needed

Back to School Combined Payment! We are halfway to our goal. Keep those donations coming to help pay for field trips, assemblies, school supplies, class parties etc.  We depend on your generosity to make our school great. If we don’t meet our goal, some field trips and assemblies will need to be canceled.  You can find the form online and pay by echeck: http://covingtonschool.org/covingtones/4770-Back-to-School-Purchases.html

Paper forms are also available in the school office, in the Combined Payment cubby.

Thank you from the Covington PTA.

Vision Screening

The LASD Nurses will be doing vision screening, at Covington School for all Kindergarten, 2nd and 5th grades on Thursday Nov. 5th.  If your child has glasses or contacts, please make sure that they wear them to school on the day of the screening. The nurse will mail a referral form to the parents of students who do not pass the vision screening.

PTA NEWS

WALKATHON NEWS: We Did It! Thank you to all the students, parents, teachers, staff, and volunteers who made this year’s Walkathon a success. The kids had a tremendous amount of fun, and the money raised will help improve our school and our children’s educations. Special thanks to the Walkathon Committee, which included: David Trescot, Colleen Farley, Jessica Speiser, Mary Field, Jeff Bernhardt, Mary Bernhardt, Richard Townhill, Jennifer Townhill, Laurie Kurgas, Dolly Eckinger, Katherine Lyon, Ingrid Choong, Diana Ekstrand, Sonia Brunner, JD Lyon, Mara Starkey, Mona Parekh, Sarah Anderson, Kirsten Burns, Jennifer Ebbit, and Kendra Muscarella

Pledges.  Walkathon sponsor cards are coming home in the Thursday folders this week. Please collect the pledges from sponsors over the next three weeks, and return all checks to the Walkathon box in the school office before Friday, November 6th.

                                    ------------------------------------------------------------------

We have some spots left! Please join us for: An Afternoon of Middle Eastern Food, Dance and Henna (Auction Party). Date: Saturday, 11/7/15, 3pm -  Location: Dishdash Restaurant, Sunnyvale. Cost: $50 per person, please email nadiah@dishdash.net to sign up and drop off a check in the office made out to "Covington PTA"

Want to learn how to shake what your mama gave you AND get a henna tattoo? Take the opportunity to learn some sultry moves from a professional belly dancer, and get a temporary henna tattoo all while munching on authentically delicious Middle Eastern food from Dishdash Restaurant in Sunnyvale. For centuries, the art of henna painting on the body has been practiced in India, Africa and the Middle East. A paste made from the crushed leaves of the henna plant is applied to the skin in the form of distinctly unique designs, and when removed, leaves a temporary work of art that may last for up to 1 month.  Join us for an afternoon of good food, unique dance moves, and henna art.

LAEF

Save Us A Call! LAEF’s Phonathon is next week.

Have you made your annual donation to LAEF? We would love to take you off our call list, so please go online today atLAEFonline.org and make your tax-deductible donation before October 15th.  If you’re a first-time donor or if you choose to increase your gift to LAEF this year, it will be doubled by the LAEF Board, up to a total of $100,000!

Are you an LAEF supporter? Join the fun and help us meet our $3.5M goal by signing up for our phonathon on Monday 10/19or Wednesday 10/21. It’s a wonderful opportunity to thank parents for all they do for our kids, to build community spirit and to educate our new families about the enrichment programs we fund. There are many ways to help, both on the phone and behind the scenes. Sign up at LAEFonline.org.

LASD & Community Announcements

School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138&region=54001

District English Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting: On October 19 from 8:15-9:30 am in the District Office Board Room, 201 Covington Road, Los Altos, there will be a district-wide meeting about the English Learner program in LASD. The following topics are on the agenda: Public Comment, Introduction to the EL Standards, Criteria for Reclassifying students, Election, and Meeting Dates. This is a public meeting and all who are interested are invited to attend. Please contact Ann Haigh at (650) 947-1180 if you have questions.

How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler

Post an Announcement in the Howler? If you have an announcement to include in Howler, please send it to sevard@lasdschools.org.  Announcements must be received by 12:00pm on Friday in order to be considered for the Howler scheduled for the following Tuesday.