Starr King News 2/1

For your calendar:

Feb. 3, Friday – Free Dress Day Feb. 5, Sunday – Garden Committee, 9am–1pm Feb. 6, Monday – New Year’s performance at assembly Feb. 8, Wednesday – PTA Meeting Feb. 11, Saturday – Chinese New Year Parade Feb. 14, Tuesday – Valentine’s Day Feb. 17, Friday – Furlough Day, no school Feb. 20, Monday – President’s Day, no school Feb. 21 – Dine out and raise money for Starr King March 2, Friday – Free Dress Day March 2, Friday – School Walk-a-thon to benefit the Wellness Team and Nutrition Program

March 16, Friday – Furlough Day, no school March 26–29, Monday–Friday – Spring Break March 30, Friday – Cesar Chavez Day, no school April 6, Friday – Furlough Day, no school April 17, Tuesday – Skating at Yerba Buena April 23, Monday – Staff Professional Development Day, no school April 28, Saturday – Spring Fling May 4, Friday – Free Dress Day May 25, Friday – Last day of school

ELAC NOMINATIONS!!
A nomination form for our newly forming English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) are coming home in the backpacks of all students. These nomination forms will be used to create an ELAC Ballot and parents of English Learners will be invited to vote. If you can check your child’s backpack, you should find the appropriate forms there. Thanks in advance for in nominating good candidates for this advisory body!

Greening Committee
After a few weeks of planning we are now ready to start upgrading Starr King’s “curb appeal” and need YOU to come help us with our first planting.

On Saturday, Treeshapers Arborists (www.treeshapers.com) are removing the old shrubs and hedges, and grinding stumps along the Coral St. fence.

On Sunday morning, starting at 9am, parent volunteers (that’s YOU) and their helpful kids will plant dietes (a type of lily) in those beds. We’ll be done by 1pm so there is plenty of time to make it to your Super Bowl party and grouse about how much better it would be to watch the 49ers play the Patriots. (That’s what I’ll be doing!)
We will provide coffee, juice, bagels, spreads and some chips. 
You need to bring a trowel, gloves, sun hat, sun block and a shovel if you have one. 

I would like to get a head count, so let me know if you plan on attending. 
Here comes the Green Machine!


Rennie
Chair, Green Schoolyard Committee

Attention incoming Kinder parents
Friday, Jan. 27 is the deadline to apply to Kindergarten. Even if you already have a child at Starr King, you need to apply for your incoming Kindergartener. The office has the forms.

Attention Chinese New Year parade participants:
Monday, Feb. 6. 8:15 AM The students who will march in the Chinese New Year Parade will be performing at Monday morning assembly on Feb. 6. If you child is in the parade, please bring them to school EARLY on Monday, Feb. 6. Students will assemble in the cafeteria by 8:15am so they can get into their costumes and drums and get the dragon ready.

PTA Meeting
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 6–7:30pm General PTA Meeting – NEW TIME!

Childcare and food provided.

Valentine’s Day
This year Valentine’s Day falls on Tuesday. Some students like to bring Valentine’s day cards for their classrooms. If your child wants to, please make sure there’s one for every child so no one feels left out.
As part of our school’s commitment to teaching children healthy eating habits, we ask that you not send cookies or candy on Valentines Day. (Note: It’s not clear if those candy hearts with phrases on them count as candy, does anyone actually eat them?)

Some possible alternatives:

• Dried cranberries, raisins or other fruit
• Cuties (easy-to-peel tangerine oranges)
• Pencils, erasers (available in Valentine shapes!)

Starr King Restaurant Night
Dine out Feb. 21 and contribute to the PTA! You have to mention that you’re there for Starr King, so don’t be shy! Three restaurants in Bernal Heights will be giving 20% of food and drinks purchased that evening to Starr King. Vinorosso, at 629 Cortland Avenue; Vega Pizza, at 419 Cortland Avenue, and Liberty Cafe, at 410 Cortland Avenue, are participating. Spread the word to friends and family, as it will never be that easy (and tasty) to raise funds for the PTA. Thanks to Vega and Giuseppe, the restaurant owners, for this event. Vega and Giuseppe have children in public schools and plan on hosting one dine-out night for every elementary school in the city.

Nutrition Walk-a-thon
Please mark your calendars for our 2nd annual walk-a-thon on Friday, March 2nd, 2012 during morning recess. Last year we raised over $2,500 for Wellness Programming, which included nutrition and physical activity promotion, Mentor Program, parent wellness workshops, and spare uniforms/backpacks. This year, let’s set a goal of raising $5,000 for funding our Nutrition instructional resources and Wellness Programming. Please look for pledge envelopes that will go home with your child in the next few weeks. All pledge envelopes should be returned to the main office by March 6th, 2012. We are looking for parent volunteers to help organize the event. If you are interested and available, please contact Ms. Frances, our Site Nutrition Coordinator, in Bungalow A or through email at: wongf2@sfusd.edu (wongf2 null@null sfusd NULL.edu).

Rainbow, Good Life, Canyon Market & Goat Hill Pizza Scrip
If you shop at Rainbow, Good Life or Canyon Market or eat at Goal Hill Pizza, don’t forget to stock up on Starr King scrip! When you use scrip to pay for your groceries, Starr King earns 10% at no additional cost to you. Think of it as a prepaid grocery purchase with a nice commission to the school. You can buy scrip from Maureen Persico in multiples of $20 and $50. Make checks payable to STARR KING PTA. You can also send a SASE to Maureen Persico, 4026 Folsom St., SF 94110 with a check made out to Starr King PTA and a note specifying which grocery store scrip you want.

Chinese History
This month marks the birthday of Sun Yat-sen 孫逸仙 (12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925). Dr. Sun was a Chinese revolutionary and president. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is referred to as the “Father of the Nation” in the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the “forerunner of democratic revolution” in the People’s Republic of China. Sun played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty during the Xinhai Revolution. Sun was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was founded in 1912 and later co-founded the Kuomintang , serving as its first leader. Sun was a uniting figure in post-Imperial China, and remains unique among 20th century Chinese politicians for being widely revered amongst the people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Although Sun is considered one of the greatest leaders of modern China, his political life was one of constant struggle and frequent exile. After the success of the revolution, he quickly fell out of power in the newly founded Republic of China, and led successive revolutionary governments as a challenge to the warlords who controlled much of the nation. Sun’s chief legacy resides in his developing of the political philosophy known as the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and the people’s livelihood.

Compiled by Beth Weise, Starr King PTA Newsletter Chair. If you have items you’d like to have in an upcoming newsletter, please email me at weise@well.com (weise null@null well NULL.com) or call 452-0311. Deadline is Tuesday morning. If you’d like to profile a staff person – please drop me a line! We’d love to cover the entire staff.