November 16 – November 20, 2009

Monday

11/16

District Reflections Showcase 6-7:30pm at Iron Horse Middle School.

Community Forums 6:30pm California High School. See notes.

Tuesday

11/17

Deadline – Cookie Dough & Desserts fundraiser sales due.

Deadline – Yearbook Cover Contest deadline extended to today. See notes.

Wednesday

11/18

New – Breakfast Book Club 7:45am in the MPR. For our kids’ safety sake, no drop off in the MPR parking lot or red zone. Take a moment to park and walk your child to the building.

PTA Meeting 8:45am in the MPR. Parent Ed Internet Safety Speaker. Everyone welcome.

SCRIP Orders Due. Fill date is Tue, 12/1.

5^th Grade “Green” Re-usable Bags sales after school in front of the office today thru Fri.

Thursday

11/19

5^th Grade “Green” sales. See notes.

Friday

11/20

5^th Grade “Green” sales. See notes.

N o S c h o o l n e x t w e e k !

Looking Ahead:

• M-F, Nov 23-27:	No school; Thanksgiving Recess.
• M-F Nov30-12/4	*New –* Gift Drive (formerly Holiday Helpers); drop donations off in class. See notes.
• Thu, Dec 3:	Enrichment begins for Carpentry K-5 3-4:30pm in the MPR
• Fri, Dec 4:	Holiday Kids Shoppe 3-7pm in the MPR.
• Thu, Dec 10:	*New -* Cookie Dough/Desserts delivered. Stay tuned for time & location.
• M-F Dec21-Jan1	*New –* Winter Break; no school.

Links/Flyers:

· The Weekly Gazette (address updates) http://www.ges.srvusd.k12.ca.us/gazw/weekly.htm

· Monthly Gazette http://www.ges.srvusd.k12.ca.us/gazm/Monthly.pdf

· Greenbrook Website www.ges.srvusd.k12.ca.us

· Greenbrook Parents Page http://www.ges.srvusd.k12.ca.us/parents.html

· SCRIP Order Form http://www.greenbrookeaglefund.com/ScripOrderForm.htm

· SCRIP order/fill dates http://www.greenbrookeaglefund.com/scrip.html

· Enrichment Classes http://www.ges.srvusd.k12.ca.us/enrichment/index.html

· Lunch Menu http://chartwellsschooldining.com/sanramonvalleyusd/content/menus/ElementarySchool/current_elemmenu.pdf

· Volunteer Video/Clearance Form http://www.srvusd.k12.ca.us/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=73887&type=d&rn=2178443

· New – Gift Drive Flyer http://www.ges.srvusd.k12.ca.us/docs/GiftDrive_2009.htm

Notes & Reminders:

Principal’s Message:

· Congratulations Greenbrook! Last week, we received word from the State Dept. of Ed that we were one of seven schools in the district to receive a nomination for California Distinguished School! The nomination is based on our high STAR scores, our continual academic growth and our work in closing the achievement gap. A team of staff members will be writing the application which is due December 18th. We will receive a site visit during the months of February or March and we should get final notification of our award in April. We know that this honor is the result of our entire community coming together to maintain high expectations, provide for essential interventions and to support programs that enrich and provide opportunities that challenge our students to be the best they can be.

· The end of the first trimester is today, Nov. 13^th. Report cards will be sent home with your student on Wed. Nov. 18th. Please sign the envelope and return it with your student.

· Thanks to all parents who volunteer here at Greenbrook! So many of you give of your time and talents! It makes a difference. It’s wonderful to see you here!

· New – Tardies: Please sign your child in if they are late to school. Your child will be marked absent if they do not sign in at the office. There is no way for the attendance office to know whether or not your child is in class. It is an interruption to the entire class when the office needs to verify if a student is sitting in their seat. Thanks for your understanding.

· Updated - Community Forums: Last one is Monday, 11/16 at California High School 6:30 start. Be involved in our school and district’s vision by attending one of the annual community forums. Your input is requested around issues such as:

1. How best to prepare students for success in a changing competitive, global environment, and what this means for teaching and learning.

2. Technology and expansion of world language education.

3. A possible restructuring of the senior year experience, allowing these students more time off campus in order to have a job, engage in community service or political advocacy, and/or take college classes.

4. How to best meet all of our facilities needs in terms of growth, modernization of older facilities and energy conservation.

· Reflections Update! We are very proud of all of our Greenbrook artists and enjoyed seeing their work displayed in our gallery last week. We would like to congratulate the seven Greenbrook artists who will be moving on to the district showcase this month. Music composition - Lyndsay Earl, literature - Anya Gupta, film production - Evan Dorris, photography - Charlie Nickelson and Cole Garff, art - Hayden Alway and Breeana Earl. We are also so grateful to our community of judges who came out to admire all of the amazing art! They had a very hard job to do. The district Reflections showcase will be held on Mon, 11/16 from 6-7:30pm at Iron Horse Middle School. We invite all to attend! There should be some beautiful things to both see and hear! Jen Garff and Taressa Earl

· New – Yearbook Cover Contest extended - New Deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 17^th! Theme is “The Greenbrook Book of World Records.” Be sure to include the words “2009-2010 Greenbrook Yearbook.” Please hand-draw on a plain white 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper using vibrant colors. Also, put your name and grade in one of the bottom corners. Questions, contact Jill Evans jill.evans4@sbcglobal.net or Kathy Cima kpcima@earthlink.net .

· 5th Grade “Green” Sales: help support the 5th grade class and be green! The 5th grade class will be selling reusable bags in 4 different sizes and many fun stylish patterns Wed-Fri, 11/18, 11/19 & 11/20 outside the office at pick up time. The cost of the bags will range from $5 - $12 and are a great gift or perfect for your own shopping. Look for a brochure coming home with your child and submit your order to the office or drop by our table Nov 18^th – 20^th. Questions? Contact Debbie Bliss at debbiebliss@wwdb.org or 837-3187.

· Rainbow Cookie Dough and Desserts fundraising sales Wed 11/4-11/17. All money raised will be used to support the Rainbow Program at Greenbrook. Gourmet cookie dough (tub or preformed), cheesecakes, brownies, Cinna-Rolls, pizza's and more! Delivery date is 12/10. Questions? Call the Rainbow room 855-5337.

· New – Gift Drive coming soon: Our 2009 Gift Drive (formerly Holiday Helpers) will be held 11/30 – 12/4. Donations will help assist the Contra Costa County’s Volunteer & Emergency Services Team in Action (VESTIA) provide gifts to the many underprivileged children and families in Contra Costa County. New and Unwrapped gifts will be collected in your child's classroom. For more information and donation ideas please view links. Questions, contact Lori Dawson dawsonclan@sbcglobal.net or Cathleen Stoutt cstoutt@aol.com Thank you for your support!

· H1N1 – A note from the District about H1N1: If a child has flu-like symptoms and the child is out sick, parents should report it to the office as the flu. If the child is tested and has a confirmed case of H1N1, parents should report that information to the office. The office will then log ONLY the H1N1 tested and confirmed cases (for District tracking purposes). Staff will notify the child’s teacher. Per district policy names will be kept strictly confidential.