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June 06, 2008
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Upcoming Events 6-6-2008
UPCOMING SCHOOL EVENTS:
• June 11–Step Up Day
• June 12–Last Day of School for LS Students
• June 13–Graduation! Grades 6–8 required to attend.
• June 18–Board of Trustees, 5:45-8:00 PM
Please check the announcements below for more information about many of these events.
Click here for a downloadable calendar of events for June 2008
Click here for a downloadable 2007-2008 School Year Calendar
Please click below for a copy of the DRAFT 2008-2009 School Year Calendar. Please note, the later start date is due to construction on the second floor (installing new flooring) which predicates a three-day later start to the school year.
Click here for a downloadable DRAFT 2008-2009 School Year Calendar
Announcements 6-6-2008
Final Curbside Coffee of the Year next THURSDAY
Since the last day of classes for the Lower School is next Thursday, there will be a special end-of-year version of Curbside Coffee that morning. Please make plans to stop by to nosh on special treats, visit, celebrate and yak.
From the Parents Association
Check out PEN's (Parents Education Network) last newletter!
http://parentseducationnetwork.org/DocumentHandler.ashx?DocId=11304
AFTER-SCHOOL NEWS
******************
PHS TALENT SHOW
SAVE THE DATE!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Potluck Snacks @ 3:15
Show Starts @ 3:30
ALL performers welcome!
Drama and Guitar enrichment class students will also showcase their talents.
Limited space is available, so sign up today.
Sign-ups will end on Monday, June 9.
*Families please join us and bring a snack for the potluck that starts at 3:15 p.m.
For more information and to sign-up contact Raymi at raymi_orozco@presidiohill.org or 415-751-9318.
The 38th Annual LGBT Pride Parade is Coming Sunday, June 29th. Presidio Hill School is proud to be a participant in this yearly event.
This year's theme is: United by Pride, Bound by Equality
Please come out and show your school and community pride by walking, riding , or skating in the parade. Bring your friends and family. The parade route runs along Market, and we will be meeting at 9:30 to start the celebration. Bagels, fruit, coffee and juice will be provided. Please RSVP to Jaime Thomas @ momjbt@aol.com We also need 2 volunteers prior to the parade to take a 1-time contingent monitor training. Please let me know if you are available
Thanks,
Jaime Thomas
PENNY WARS: THE RESULTS
The 4th graders are the winners for the lower school, and the 5th graders are the winners for the upper school. CONGRATULATIONS!
We will have raised over $400 by the time the counting is complete.
From the Director 6-6-2008
Staffing update
June 6, 2008
More good news on the hiring front. ROBYN MOSS will be joining us as the First Grade Teacher beginning in the 2008 - 2009 school year. Robyn is currently teaching at Children's Day School where she has been a lead teacher in first grade. She has also taught second grade at Children's Day and was a teaching intern at the Town School in San Francisco before that time. Robyn received her Bachelor's Degree from Boston University, has her teaching credential from San Francisco State, and is trained in Responsive Classroom I & II. Robyn has been a member for the last nine years of the Leukemia Society's Marathon, Century Ride, and Triathlon Training Team. Robyn and her husband (who works for the Guide Dogs of the Blind in San Rafael) live in Fairfax with their dogs. Please join me in welcoming Robyn Moss into the community.
Thanks, as always, for all of your help and support during the hiring process.
Sincerely,
Brian
From the Parents Association 6-6-2008
Parents Association Co-chair Thank You!
As the 2007-2008 school year draws to a close, we would like to thank all of you who have given your time, talent, and resources on behalf of the Parents Association, administration, faculty and children of Presidio Hill School. Because of you, the Parents Association has successfully sponsored many fun and community building events throughout the year, and thereby created a positive spirit and supportive environment that we can all be a part of. From the Fall Gathering and the Walkathon to Mayfest and the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Luncheon, the Parents Association offers a full line-up of social events for the PHS community from September to June.
Special thanks to all of the Parents Association Room Parents, Event Chairs and Ongoing Activities Chairs for their tireless work in chairing and assisting with Parents Association events this year. Thank you to the following parents who served as Room Parents, keeping everyone informed and involved throughout the year: Irene Merry, Christina Murphy, Stace Remy, Jill Chase, Audrey Yee, Amy Sparrow, Laura Roe, Laura Rattay-Maloney, Louise Gregory, Claire Barnum, Jaime Thomas, Janey Colosimo, Erin Roach, Nicole Leong, Rita Fahrner, Michial Arnold, Louise Bonham and Tracy Schafer. Thank you Laura Rattay-Maloney, Tineke Triggs, Jo Cummins, Kathie Albayrak, Jill Chase, Ronice Lee, Darlene Fong, Noel Kaufman, Kate Moses, Liz Ranieri Kuth, Leslie Roberts and Ed Barosky for the wonderful job you did working with Amy Pearson in Admissions. Jaime Thomas and Dorte Lindhardt, thanks so much for organizing a wonderful Fall Gathering. Thanks to Minette Kwok, Jaime Thomas, Biz Morris and Julie Marcus for well executed and high spirited Walkathon. The Book Fair was not only fun, but keeps us all reading, thanks to Leslie Roberts. Jaime Thomas provided Grandparents and Special Friends with a very special day here at PHS with their host students. Thank you to Audrey Sadler and Nicole Grindle for this spring’s fabulous Mayfest celebration. Jaime Thomas and Kathy McBride will be presenting a beautiful luncheon to faculty and staff in June. Heartfelt thanks to the chairs of the many ongoing events here at PHS. Irene Merry made sure that there were always curbside greeters welcoming the children each and every school day. John Musgrove gave the community a place to gather each Friday with Curbside Coffee. The faculty and staff loved the Soup days that warmed the rainy winter days and look forward to next year’s menu.
Thank you to the volunteers who support all the Chairs and Room Parents throughout the year. So many of you parents out there volunteer in innumerable ways—large and small—that keep our school and classrooms running smoothly. Without you there would be no Parents Association. Although we can’t name you all here, your hard work and dedication are felt each and every day.
Lastly, we would like to thank Brian Thomas, Namrata Gupta, Ann Meissner and Lisa Jeli for your input and ongoing support. Thank you to Tania Hurter and Martin Gross for helping us learn the ropes and supporting our efforts.
We’ll be back as Parents Association Co-Chairs next year and we look forward to working with PHS parents whose spirit, energy and enthusiasm make our jobs easy. Thank you everyone for making this a great year. Wishing you a relaxing, restful, and restorative summer vacation.
Kimberley Spears
Regina Casciato
From the Director 6-6-2008
RECOMMENDED SUMMER READING:
A BOOK IN COMMON
THE COLOR OF WATER
ARTEMIS FOWL
Looking back on last year’s summer reading selections, the theme of parenting in the 21st Century comes to mind. As you recall, we recommended a raft of books for adults including A Whole New Mind, Blessings of a Skinned Knee, and The Price of Privilege. We also recommended that the children read The Golden Compass, which definitely speaks to the opaqueness and the resiliency of children and the pitfalls of absentee parenting.
This year’s adult selection is topical for our current time in history because it involves race and being “the other” in society. Have we as a country changed (when it comes to race)? Absolutely! Do we still have a way to go before there is true equity and justice in this country? Also, a resounding, 'Yes!'
The Tenth Anniversary Edition of The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother is out, and it could not be more timely in our nation's history. The Color of Water resonates even more deeply today due to Barack Obama’s political rise as well as his own racial excavation and biographical narrative about his (Barack’s) mother’s trials and triumphs in raising a family that doesn’t fit into the “myth of normalcy.” Color also speaks to a generation of children and adults, in and out of our school, who are looking at identity in an exciting way. Indeed, children living in multi-racial and transracial households hold a particular resonance in society at this time not because of the presumptive nominee of the Democrat Party but because many of these people exist in a world that is beginning to understand the complexities of the concept of race and family origin. The questions of identity are not just about “the other,” but are about all of us.
Pre-1970s, whether a person grew up in a very segregated city like Chicago as I did or anywhere else in Civil Rights era America, every interaction could be about confronting one’s identity. GLBT folks, women, the poor, recent immigrants, and people of color were often reflecting on who they were—not always because they wanted to but because the era demanded that they do. Whether there were epithets yelled from a passing car, unflattering pictures on television or in the newspapers, lack of support from the parents and relatives of a person that one loved, hatred or even subtle bigotry reared its proverbial head in our society. James McBride’s incredible story about his search for meaning from the lesson’s learned from his white mother and what that meant to him (and to the reader) was a precursor to Obama’s own story about his multiracial past. James McBride’s The Color of Water is our summer reading selection. Recommended for 7th Grade through parents.
The other book recommended this summer is actually a series, Artemis Fowl, which will have a sixth book added to its incredible run on July 15th. Selecting a book that is actually a part of a series means that you always have more fun to look forward to. The Irish writer Eoin (pronounced “O-wen”) Colfer has crafted an ingenious series of mysteries that intrigues, delights, and engages without ever talking down to kids. Artemis Fowl is a boy genius who is also a criminal mastermind. It doesn’t really matter which Fowl book you start with; they all are good and Colfer does an excellent job of catching you up with what has happened in the past. The main reason I recommend Artemis Fowl for our children’s summer reading selection is because it’s a tremendous read and the audio CD is some of the most entertaining work ever done by a voice actor. Plus, look for the allegory in the book about how different races, ethnicities, and people get along despite their various interests. Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series is our other summer reading selection. Recommended reading or listening for grades 2nd through parents.
Warning: The Artemis Fowl series of books can be a bit on the violent and big explosion side (like a PG-13 movie), so families who don’t care for that sort of thing should pass on Artie, the boy genius or, at the very least, preview the book or CD before your kids read or listen.
Both books will be available at Books, Inc. in Laurel Village or you can order copies from a bookstore near you or online. The public library should also have plenty of copies. We here at PHS will also have two copies of Color of Water and the first Artemis Fowl book for lending at the front desk. If you do borrow our books, try to take no more than two weeks so that others might take enjoy them, too.
Book Descriptions from Ammazon.com
The Color of Water: Please don't be put off by [this books] pallid subtitle, A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, which doesn't begin to do justice to the utterly unique and moving story contained within. The Color of Water tells the remarkable story of Ruth McBride Jordan, the two good men she married, and the 12 good children she raised. Jordan, born Rachel Shilsky, a Polish Jew, immigrated to America soon after birth; as an adult she moved to New York City, leaving her family and faith behind in Virginia. Jordan met and married a black man, making her isolation even more profound. The book is a success story, a testament to one woman's true heart, solid values, and indomitable will. Ruth Jordan battled not only racism but also poverty to raise her children and, despite being sorely tested, never wavered. In telling her story--along with her son's--The Color of Water addresses racial identity with compassion, insight, and realism. It is, in a word, inspiring, and you will finish it with unalloyed admiration for a flawed but remarkable individual. And, perhaps, a little more faith in us all.
Eoin Colfer describes his new book, Artemis Fowl, as "Die Hard with fairies." He's not far wrong. Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. With two trusty sidekicks in tow, he hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairyfolk of their pot of gold. Of course, he isn't foolish enough to believe in all that "gold at the end of the rainbow" nonsense. Rather, he knows that the only way to separate the little people from their stash is to kidnap one of them and wait for the ransom to arrive. But when the time comes to put his plan into action, he doesn't count on the appearance of the extrasmall, pointy-eared Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaisance) Unit--and her senior officer, Commander Root, a man (sorry, elf) who will stop at nothing to get her back.
Fantastic stuff from beginning to end, Artemis Fowl is a rip-roaring, 21st-century romp of the highest order. The author has let his imagination run riot by combining folklore, fantasy, and a fistful of high-tech funk in an outrageously devilish book that could well do for fairies what Harry Potter has done for wizardry. But be warned: this is no gentle frolic, so don't be fooled by the fairy subject matter. Instead, what we have here is well-written, sophisticated, rough 'n' tumble storytelling with enough high-octane attitude to make it a seriously cool read for anyone over the age of 10. --Susan Harrison
From the Associate Director and Middle School Dean 6-6-2008
Friday Letter
June 6, 2008
Thank you to everyone for your support in helping make 2007-2008 a very successful year in the middle school. It is a team effort and everyone’s engagement is critical to our success. While there are several staffing changes in the middle school for next year I am confident we will be able to build on the strength of our program and continue to provide a terrific middle school experience. One of the candidates for a teaching position asked the class during the demonstration lesson what they like about Presidio Hill School. I was impressed with the qualities that emerged as important and evident to the kids. These are certainly qualities that I value as well.
• Sense of community
• Friends
• Learning as fun
• Teachers are open and relationships with students are strong
• Classroom activities work well for all different kinds of learning styles
Enjoy your summer and the change in routine this brings. See you September 8th!
Ann Meissner
From the Lower School Dean and Librarian 6-6-2008
Friday Letter
June 6, 2008
Lisa Jeli
I know the year is really coming to a close when I’m filling in dates on my 08-09 school year calendar and starting to picture and plan for the upcoming school year more than this one. But the last few days of school always pack quite a punch. There is only about a week left of school, and as I write this, it is the night before the annual trip to Valley of the Moon in Sonoma County. I will be accompanying the second and third grade classes to sunny Glen Ellen for this wonderful overnight excursion. (I still have to pack!) When I first came to Presidio Hill School back in 1990, the whole school went to this tiny little camp together, first graders through eighth graders, for multiple nights … and the kindergarteners came up for a little peek on one of the afternoons. We wouldn’t all fit there, now, that’s for sure! Last year, as a parent picking my own child up, I went back to Valley of the Moon for the first time in many, many years. The memories were strong and wonderful, and I look forward to being there again and spending time with the students in this way. It’s a great way to kick off the summer break. Have a wonderful and relaxing summer with your families, best wishes to the terrific class of 2008, and I’ll see most of you again in September – when I hope you’ll all share with me all the favorite new books and authors you discover!
Curriculum Spotlight: Middle School Math and Science
Friday Letter
June 6, 2008
Todd Ditto
It has been a wonderful adventure being new to the Presidio Hill community! I have been thrilled to be witness to our students eagerly building and strengthening community, developing and honing skills, and solidifying their personal characters.
I had the pleasure of accompanying each grade on unique journeys, each journey resulting in significantly greater trust and connection within the student body. Each journey afforded students opportunities to develop enduring friendships, to meet and learn about new people, and to work on the skills required to work/succeed as a team.
The Class of 2008 ventured to Lands End to take on low ropes and high ropes initiatives and returned to PHS to lead the entire middle school in low ropes initiatives demonstrating real leadership and powerfully sharing their learning and experiences with the entire middle school.
The Class of 2009 journeyed to Yosemite for 3 days packed full of outdoor challenges. All students took on leadership roles as well faced the risk of completely trusting their teammates. Trust was always the key to safely achieving their goals. The Class of 2010 traveled to Pt Reyes to get to know all the new faces, to challenge their creativity, to fully connect to their biology, and to become conscientious stewards of our precious planet.
All the evidence is in! PHS students love learning and take on every activity and concept being presented as if it is their very favorite! My favorite concept to teach is always the one being explored and conquered now!
The scientists of our class of 2008 are exploring the phenomenon of motion and are deep in the process of designing and building motion carts as teams. Their designs must meet three challenges, to be fast, to be strong and durable, and to be beautiful. Students are experiencing success and the overall joy of seeing their motor designs and carts in motion!
The mathematicians of 2010 strive to keep their learning connected to the real world! Recently they skillfully applied their understanding of metric measures, scale and proportions to create models of viruses, bacteria and blood cells!
At the end of each day I come to the same conclusion; PHS is a community of big hearted, happy young people, who care deeply and who love learning!