Inspire Insider
Bringing families together, one newsletter at a time!
Monday, December 3, 2018
Quote of the Week

School News and Important Dates
Costa Mesa Lending Library Closure Dates

Students in 5th, 7th and 9th grade
The State of California requires all public schools to administer the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) to students enrolled in 5th, 7th, and 9th grades. Inspire’s Physical Fitness Testing window is February 4, 2019, through March 21, 2019. We ask that parents bring their students to a test location and stay at the location during testing. Most students are finished in about an hour (test time may be a little more or less depending on the size of the location). For more information, see this link and for locations, click here.
Student Entrepreneur Fair
The Orange County Team is so excited for our first student Entrepreneur Fair, where the students will be buying and selling from one another! The Entrepreneur Fair is coming to Tewinkle Park on December 13th and we are hoping to see all of you there! You could be as creative as you would like. Details are listed on the flyer below.
Some ideas: homemade slime, bath bombs, baked goods, decorations, jewelry, etc
If you are interested in participating please RSVP as soon as possible, but no later than December 11th.

Upcoming Field Trips
Park Days
December 7th: TeWinkle Park, Costa Mesa. Time: 1-3pm
December 19th: Sweet Shade Community Park, Irvine. Time: 10.30am-12.30pm.


Educational Tools
WInter Break Homeschooling
Do you homeschool over the winter break? With some parents using the time to catch up on subjects, and others choosing not to do formal schoolwork, we're sharing one family's winter break homeschooling plan here.
Help! My Child Hates Writing!
"My suggestion whenever a child hates anything is to take a complete break from the current routine and have some fun.
The writing games I’m sharing here are not the kind you find on educational websites or in books of writing “games”. {A quick search of those resources turns up a list of exercises I’d rather gnaw off my own writing-hand than have to endure.}
Here you will find genuinely fun games that adults will enjoy playing as much as children. In fact several have been enjoyed by adults since Victorian times or even earlier. My mildly dyslexic and dysgraphic son adores them too."
We love this post detailing five writing games that are fun for both kids and adults!
Learn to Code at Code.org
This free resource provides hours of educational fun! Find more information and try their Hour of Code here!
Events
Huntington Harbour's 56th Annual Boat Parade
Helena Modjeska Historic House and Gardens at Heritage Hill Historic Park
Docent led tours of the historic house and gardens are currently offered 10 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, by advance reservation. This walking tour will take you through the years Madame Modjeska resided in her canyon home, and along the rock lined pathways of what she so fondly called the Forest of Arden. Tours are approximately 1 1/2 hours.
Park patrons are welcome to enjoy the self-guided grounds on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sawdust Art Festival
When: December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16
Time: 10am to 7pm
Where: 935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
For tickets, book here.

Community and Connection
Orange County Parent Resource Site
Facebook Page
Instagram Page
Ladan Rashidi - OC Family Liaison
Shaemanique King - OC Family Liaison
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