Penngrove Press
November 7, 2018
A Message from Mrs. Fadeji
Dear Families,
I know the schedule during the conference weeks can be challenging for many of you. I must say that despite the early releases (it's hard on us too!), we are SO SO SO grateful to have the opportunity to meet with each of you about your children. Our teachers spend hours pouring into assessments, report cards, written comments, and thoughtful planning about what they want to share with you during your parent/teacher conference. I certainly hope that you find this experience meaningful and positive. I would love any feedback you'd like to share about how your parent/teacher conference went. Feel free to email me or stop me in the halls. Thank you for rearranging your schedules during this time to make sure we have the opportunity to meet with 100% of Penngrove families. We are grateful.
As I think about conferences, I can't help but wonder what I'll hear from Sam's teacher in just 4 short years. Is he kind? Does he sit next to the new kid? Does he love reading? Does he persevere when things get tough? What happens when he makes a mistake? Does he hold his pencil correctly? Does he flush? Wash his hands? Open the door for those around him? Does he include others? How is his letter and sound recognition? Am I doing enough? Not enough? Do I pack healthy snacks? What should I do for his birthday? Should I pass out party invitations at school? (P.S. the answer is always no). Does he listen well to adult instruction? What do you (his teacher) see as his strengths? Where does he struggle or need help? Does he lead or does he follow? What can I do at home to support his academic achievement? Do you need a latte? (The answer to this one is always yes).
The thoughts of my first parent/teacher conference are both terrifying and exciting. As a staff, we talk about this. We know some of you are excited. We know others are anxious. We know a handful of you are being pulled in a million different directions and your patience is thin. Some of you are tired. Others are worried. We know many of you are proud. Some are surprised. As educators, we know each of these feelings, and all the others in between. Not only are we aware of these feelings, but we feel them ourselves. As a staff, we stop, we talk, and we acknowledge that each person comes into a parent/teacher conference with passion, knowledge, and positive intent. We all walk around with our own memories of school, our own successes and failures. Our proudest moments and our insecurities. I don't want you to think for a minute that anyone on our staff takes these feelings lightly. We see you. We hear you. And we love your children.
I hope one day, when you look back on your time at Penngrove Elementary, you'll leave with the confidence and assurance that we treasured your children beyond your wildest imagination. We know that each and every day you hand over your most prized possessions and you trust them into our care. And that in itself, is something that weighs heavily on our hearts in all the right ways.
Enjoy your conferences and know that we consider it our greatest joy to be educating your children who we treasure and delight in daily.
With gratitude,
Amy
What's Happening at Penngrove?
Halloween at Penngrove
Halloween at Penngrove
Halloween at Penngrove
Halloween at Penngrove
Halloween at Penngrove
Halloween at Penngrove
6th Graders helping with fundraising for camp!
Penngrove's finest at Halloween!
Lovely examples of our fall lifeskill: Giving
Harvest Festival Success!
Thank you to our amazing PTA and the wonderful parents who helped make our Harvest Festival success! We could not put on school-wide events like this without the help of all you generous parents! Special thanks to McClelland’s Dairy and the Scarpete Family for their pumpkin and hay donations!
Our next family fun night is all about stem!
Copperfields Book Fair going on all this week in the library! Open at lunch and after school!
Message from your PTA
Our first Student PTA Meeting was held last week. Students enjoyed a pizza lunch, participated in a lesson around how PTA meetings work, and had a chance to vote on playground and campus improvements. Due to the positive feedback, we are planning more of these in the future!
We are looking for assistance with various upcoming campus improvement projects such as building lego tables for recess activities, installing new items on our playgrounds and more. Please contact fopptatreas@gmail.com if you have a few hours to spare and talents to lend. Dates and times are flexible based on what works best for you!
The PTA Membership Drive Winning class is……….Law/Sartori!!
This class had the most members join and wins a party of their choice!
PTA membership has its perks! Available discounts include ice cream and Legoland!
Membership cards are available online at https://jointotem.com/users/login.
Please email fopptamem@gmail.com with any questions.
Acceptance and Inclusion Assembly: We will hold a special assembly and school wide activity about acceptance and inclusion on Tuesday, November 13th. This assembly will be led by Jessica and Larkin, mothers of two exceptional children who happen to have Down syndrome. Read more about them in this March 2018 article from The Press Democrat. The duo will read a book and talk about the many differences and similarities kids can have. Students will participate in three activities to gain a better understanding of what it’s like to have a disability. All students will receive a take home letter with additional details about what they learned during the assembly and activities.
Volunteers are needed to assist with the activities from 11:15 - 12:15. The sign-up sheet is located here. Please feel free to join us for the assembly as well to learn from these two amazing mothers!
What’s on your mind?
Please email your questions, comments, ideas, ramblings: pennparentvoice@gmail.com.New Logo Wear is Here!
Ready for a night out? Click on the flyer below to register your child for some fun with their teachers!
Silver Graphics Art Fundraiser
Silver Graphics art forms were sent home last week. Orders are now due! There are so many cool things to choose from, all with your child's art printed on them. These are great ideas for Christmas presents for family. All proceeds go right back into our Penngrove art program for more art for your child!
If you have lost your form, go to silvergraphics.com/shop, enter school access code: PenngroveArt18 (case sensitive), and search for your student's art and student access number by grade/class. You may use that access number to place your order. Online orders are easier, however, manual orders must be brought to the office as soon as possible. Questions? Email kthomason@petk12.org.
Thank you for supporting our Art Enrichment project!
Lights, Camera, Action!
Message from Outdoor Education, Class of 2019
Thank you to our 6th graders for putting on a spooooooky haunted house at the Harvest Festival!
This Sunday, November 11 at 7pm is our next fundraiser to help send our 6th graders to camp. Join other parents and come see our stand-up comedians give us some good laughs all for a great cause. Tickets are $15, show is at Sally Tomatoes in Rohnert Park. Purchase your tickets in the office, on eventbrite, or from our adorable 6th graders who will be selling them in the parking lot this week!
Also our last dine and donate of the year is at Amy's Drive Thru on Wednesday, November 14th! Their chili cheese fries are the bomb!
See's candy is on sale just in time for Christmas. All proceeds go towards 6th grade camp. Order forms will go home this week. Orders due by November 30th.
Thank you for your continued support of Outdoor Ed, Class of 2019! Woo Woo!
Message from Penngrove's Art Enrichment Program
Your children have been working hard in October to complete their Fall, Halloween, and Dia de los Muertos art projects. They have all been hung up in our office hallway for the school to enjoy. Come down and check out their amazing and creative work!
From the STEM Program
Message from the G.E.E. Program
Fifth graders are on a school beautification spree. With a Kiwanis Club mini-grant they were able to install soaker hoses in 6 dry flower beds around campus. Also, a neglected area in the garden is now a perennial flower border.
All students tasted many types of apples and some made apple juice at the Harvest Festival.
Scraps left over from the copier and art projects were turned into new paper by many students this month.
Kindergartners made leaf necklaces.
Check out the Garden twitter for photos!
GATE Updates from Petaluma City Schools
Parents of 3rd - 6th graders, Please see the letters below with information from Cliff DeGraw, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.
3rd - 6th grade English LetterPenngrove Elementary School
Email: penngrove@petk12.org
Website: www.penngroveelementary.com
Location: 365 Adobe Road, Penngrove, CA, United States
Phone: 707 778 4755
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Penngrove-Elementary-School-323595021067904/
Twitter: @pennpanthers