The Walkie Talkie
Joaquin Miller Elementary Newsletter, May/June 2017
Principal's Message
Dear Joaquin Miller Families,
It’s hard to believe this school year is winding down and that summer vacation is around the corner! We have Open House coming up on May 24th from 6:00 – 7:00, and I hope to see many of you and your kiddos in attendance. We will also be having a potluck organized by the PTA, so check out the information on Konstella to find out what you can bring.
In the coming weeks, the teachers and I will be meeting to create next year’s classes. This is a complex and involved process that we take very seriously. There are multiple factors we take into consideration when creating classes including, but not limited to, academic levels, specific student needs, gender, ethnicity, behavioral concerns, and friendships. It is our goal to develop equitable classrooms that are representative of our school’s diverse student population. We do NOT take teacher requests. Should you have any specific questions or concerns pertaining to your child’s placement for next year, you may reach out to your child’s teacher or to me. We simply ask that you trust this process and understand that we have your child’s best interest in heart when developing classes.
As this will be my final Principal’s Message of the year, I’d like to end with my appreciation for all that you do as parents in our community. Our school is what it is because of all you do. From reading with students and organizing classroom or school events to serving on the PTA or assisting with fundraising for our various programs, our Joaquin Miller parent volunteers ROCK! To express our gratitude, the teachers and I cordially invite you to attend a Parent Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast in the Multi-Purpose Room on Friday, June 2nd from 7:45 – 8:45.The teachers and I will monitor the students on the playground while you come in for a cup of coffee and some breakfast treats. I hope to see you there!
With appreciation,
Sara Green
Upcoming Dates to Know
May 16 - Grandparents Day
May 19 - Last Day for Jump Rope for Heart Donations
May 22 - Yemeni Take Home Dinner
May 24 - Open House & PTA Potluck
May 25 - Field Day
May 26 - NO SCHOOL
May 29 - NO SCHOOL
June 1 - Spirit Day, Movie Character
June 1 - 4th & 5th Grade Talent Show 6:30pm
June 2 - Parent Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
June 2 - Italian Ice/Snow Cone Day
June 5 - Final JM Choir Concert 6:30pm
June 7 - 5th Grade Promotion
June 7-9 - MINIMUM DAYS
June 9 - Last Day of School!!!
PTA Update
Open House Potluck 5/24
The PTA is hosting our BIG POTLUCK before Open House from 5-6pm (Open House is from 6-7pm). Please sign up on Konstella to bring the type of dish assigned to your last name:
- A - D - Beverages (non-alcoholic)
- E - K - Side Dish
- L - P - Main Dish
- Q - U - Salads
- V - Z - Dessert
Don't forget to label your dishes & bring serving utensils!
New PTA Board
Elections are done and we have a new board! Find them around campus thank them for volunteering their time and energy to JM in this important way!
2017-2018 PTA Board:
President – Loren Taylor
Executive Vice President – Andrea Johnson
Treasurer – Gregor Dodson
Fundraising VP – Sutapa Balaji
Financial Secretary – Kristine Kopchik
Membership & Family Engagement VP – Cathy Carr
Volunteering VP – Sheila Kopf
Recording Secretary – Jessica Dame Carroll
Historian – Hana Solomon
Parliamentarian – Stephanie Leroux
Let's give a HUGE THANK YOU! to our outgoing PTA board volunteers - especially outgoing President Danielle Morse - for the hours of time and commitment you gave to the school community. It is deeply appreciated by all of us at JM.
Science Fair Finalists!
Everyone who participated in the JM Science Fair did an amazing job! A few of our students so impressed the judges that their projects moved on to the Oakland Unified District Science Fair at Chabot Space and Science Center May 16-18. Congratulations and good luck at the district fair to the following students:
Sonja Abid and Lena Fahey: “Best Way to Remove Stains”
Aleksandar Nikolic and Levi Gharagozian: “Baseball Physics”
Rowan Astorquia, Ella Matthee and Ian Cook: “the Compost Oven”
Elias Korchin: “Dust in the Wind”
MiKael Akpala: “Making Cents our of Batteries”
Emily Barajas and Lily Reed: “Bacteria”
Thank you to partner school auction volunteers!
Our fall auction was a huge success due to the help of our parent school volunteers. We reciprocated the help by providing our partner schools with JM volunteers at their auctions. JM Auction Volunteer Coordinator Veronica Tril would like send a special thank you to the following JM volunteers for taking time out of their weekend to help volunteer at our partner schools auctions. Your contribution is very much appreciated and was essential to the overall success of our partner school auctions. It was a pleasure working with all of you!
- Janie Johnson
- Joyce Zonca
- Rasheedah Noble
- Jessica Dame Carrol
- Karin Gregg
- Jill Evans
- Yonchu Jenkins
- Robin Erickson
- Hilary Altman
- Kevin Schwartz
- Jane Groulx
- Jennie Edwards
- Loren Hudson
- Veronica Tril
Help Joaquin Miller Safety Patrol provide Comfort Kits for Children's Hospital
For our service project this year, JM's Safety Patrol is helping parents who stay overnight with their children in intensive care at Children's Hospital to have some comfort. In collaboration with the Family Resource Center at the Oakland Children's Hospital, we are asking for donations of the listed items. Safety Patrol members will put these together into "Comfort Kits." The kits will be distributed to families who have children staying overnight at the hospital.
The area where they stay (in a chair next to their child's hospital bed) is not very private, so items like ear plugs and eye masks are wonderful! Deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes help parents take care of themselves, while they also care for their sick children.
Here is the link for the wishlist (items ship directly to Joaquin Miller):
Children's Hospital Family Resource Center Wishlist
Please do not hesitate to email the coordinator, Hilary Altman (Mom of Milana, 4th grade) with questions.
Blueprint for Quality Schools
This month, Oakland Unified School District is launching the Blueprint for Quality Schools and we need your collaboration. The Blueprint for Quality Schools is a long-term plan for meeting the changing facility, program and educational needs of the district. This plan will contain a needs assessment for every school in the district, as well as recommendations on school reconfiguration and rehabilitation to provide equity, quality and opportunity for ALL OUSD students. Families, community members, and an experienced team of professionals will work together to develop the plan for creating better spaces and programs for our children to thrive.
Please make sure your voice is heard! Opportunities to participate in the process will begin on May 25th and continue throughout the fall. The Blueprint for Quality Schools kickoff is on Thursday, May 25th, there will be four identical meetings held throughout the city. Pick the time and location that works best for you!
Morning Meetings: 9:00-11:00 am, 5/25 Evening Meetings: 6:00-8:00 pm, 5/25
Fruitvale/San Antonio West/Central Oakland Westlake Middle School, 2629 Harrison Street
Manzanita Recreation Center, 2701 22nd Avenue
East Oakland Tassafaronga Recreation Center, 975 85th Avenue Fruitvale Fremont High School, 4610 Foothill Boulevard
Please RSVP at www.ousd.org/blueprintforquality.
Snacks, childcare, and translation services will be provided.
school librarian Cindy Gullikson if you'd like help getting any library resources: cindy.gullikson@ousd.org
Don't forget JM Over the Summer!!!
Stay Connected with JM
Email: info@joaquinmiller.org
Website: www.joaquinmiller.org/
Location: 5525 Ascot Drive, Oakland, CA
Phone: (510) 531-6688