Thornhill Elementary PFC Newsletter
Volume 28, Issue 5, September 8, 2020
In This Issue
Note from our Principal
Room Parents Needed
Math Book Pickups
Chromebook Pickup
Enrichment Classes - Updates
Individual Class Packets
Shop and Earn for Thornhill
Calendar of Important Dates
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From The Principal
Dear Thornhill families and caregivers,
Hopefully this Labor Day weekend you were able to get some downtime, even though the heat and smoke were not cooperating! I want to sincerely THANK YOU for the amazing work you are doing as parents! We know that this is a new and different way of teaching and learning for both students and teachers. Additionally, it is a very new way for parents to support their child's education and we are keenly aware of how much more work distance learning has added for families. Hopefully you realize that we TRULY appreciate you and your support! Having been in all of the classes and seeing how hard our students and teachers are working, I can only say how impressed I am with our students’ ability to take on this new challenge. Parents and caregivers, you are doing such an outstanding job!
Similarly, I want to acknowledge the tremendous work that our teachers have taken on. Some of our teachers work from school and some from home; we truly appreciate your dedication and flexibility during these times. Thornhill teachers, I must say you ROCK!
Once again, thank you for all of your hard work, patience and flexibility during these uncertain times.
Love,
Mr. Daubenspeck
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Every Super Teacher Needs a Sidekick: Be A Room Parent!
The following teachers are still looking for Room Parents: Thompson, Calkins, Holland, Nobusada, Kloess, and Novak.
Being a Room Parent is a great way to help out your child’s teacher and get to know other families. The time commitment is typically less than an hour a week. We suggest sharing the responsibilities between two parents/families based on interest - but do whatever works for your teachers!
1. Room Parent Coordinator (#1) - Community Building Focus
This coordinator would be responsible for working with your child’s teacher for organizing and planning online parties (birthdays, Halloween, holidays, etc.); coordinating the class gift for your teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week; and coordinating holiday and birthday gifts for the teacher. They would work with your child’s teacher to enlist parent volunteers as needed.
2. Room Parent Coordinator (#2) - Technical Assistance / Konstella Focus
This coordinator would be responsible for posting class-specific information, events, and sign-ups in Konstella in coordination with the teacher. They would provide non-Konstella technical/platform assistance to the teacher and/or families as needed. This role is good for someone who is comfortable with Konstella/email, etc., regularly at a computer, and can keep a pulse on Konstella chatter.
Please email your teacher ASAP if you are interested and to talk about what they are looking for this year in a Room Parent. Help your teachers!
Terri O'Connor
Room Parents’ Chair
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Math Books Are Coming!
Math books will be delivered this week, so parents can come pick up class materials starting Friday, September 11. Parents can come anytime between 8am-12pm on the assigned day. Any parent with more than one child can come on the later pick up day to get all materials at once.
Friday, September 11, 8am-12pm: 4th & 5th Grades
Monday, September 14, 8am-12pm: 2nd & 3rd Grades
Tuesday, September 15, 8am-12pm: Kindergarten & 1st Grades
Wednesday, September 16, 8am-12pm: TK, makeups
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Chromebooks Still Available
If you still are in need of a Chromebook, you can pick one up on Friday, September 11, between 8am-12pm. You do not need to fill out a google form request.
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New Enrichment Classes
We’ve added 2 new enrichment class options for Origami Mami (starts September 17) and Martial Arts and Self-Defense (outdoors, socially distanced, starts September 14). Also, the Berkeley Chess School has added a Thornhill-specific class on Thursdays from 3-4pm starting on October 1, along with its regular offerings.
Additional offerings: ANTS Sports, 3 O’Clock Rock, Jazz Education Ensemble, Nusku Arts, Doug’s Drama, and Spanish.
Read about these new programs and the previous offerings on Konstella.
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Individual Class Printed Packets (No More OUSD Strong Start Packets)
Hello Thornhill Community,
It’s our 5th week of school! Going forward, each individual grade will have different printed requirements/suggestions and you’ll hear directly from your teacher about when there will be new printed materials and how to request them (not every grade will have a new packet every week).
Anything printed that needs to be picked up will continue to be in the same spot —- on the fence near the TK trailer and the Alhambra entrance. Packets will be put out Friday mornings after 8:30am.
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Shop and Earn for Thornhill
Get absurdly fresh groceries and help us earn money for Thornhill — we've partnered with Good Eggs, a local Bay Area grocery delivery service: New customers can use the code tbird5880 at checkout to get $25 off their first order, and we'll get $50 for the school. It's a win-win! Visit goodeggs.com to place your order today!
Christina Gibbons
Merchant Partnerships
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Calendar
Monday, September 14: PFC meeting (5:30-6:30pm, Zoom link in Konstella)
- Friday, September 25: Teacher Professional Development Day - no school for students
- Monday, October 12: No School: in lieu of Lincoln’s birthday
Be sure also to subscribe to the Thornhill Google Calendar here, and download the OUSD District calendar here.
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About the Thornhill Newsletter
The Thornhill Parent-Faculty Club (PFC) eNews team publishes this weekly newsletter each Tuesday in the school year to communicate school, PFC and OUSD news, events and information.
Email submissions to our Newsletter Chair, Jill Evans, at newsletter@thornhillschool.org by 8 p.m. Thursday for approval—nothing sent after this will be included in the following week’s newsletter unless there are extremely compelling extenuating circumstances. It’s fine to include text in the body of the email with links and no formatting, and attach photos preferably as 150 x 150, 72 dpi JPG or GIFs only (not embedded in email or Word file). Submissions may be edited for spelling, grammar, brevity and clarity. Advertising and items not related to Thornhill are not accepted, as we need to keep the newsletter focused on need-to-know info for the community.
THANK YOU to everyone who submits articles and to PFC Board Members, Teachers, VPs of Communications Erin Proudfoot & Evie Nagy, PFC Presidents Rex Crum & Alicia Streight, and Principal Steve Daubenspeck. Member of Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).
Email: webmaster@thornhillschool.org
Website: thornhillschool.org
Location: 5880 Thornhill Drive, Oakland, CA, USA
Phone: 510-339-6800