Covington School Howler - Jan. 27, 2015

Dear Covington Families,

Every Friday, parent volunteers support Covington students by donating their time during lunchtime Run Club. Student punch card boxes, per grade level, are set out; volunteers strategically space themselves at key route points on the field to encourage student runners; another team of parents greet students and hole-punch mile marker cards as children complete a lap around the track. An entire system has been created with the idea that should students choose, there is a place for them to go to run.

For the past couple of months, I have tried my best to be out at the track on Fridays, running (or in my case walking) with the students. I enjoy walking and observing students in motion on the greater playground, and quite frequently, find myself chatting with passing students who need a break and a quick conversation. While ambling along with different students I have learned about upcoming weekend plans, future aspirations for college, younger brothers and sisters still too young to attend school and the latest projects in the classroom. Run Club is an activity where many students flex their muscles, provide a workout for their heart and lungs and enjoy some time during the school day recentering themselves. And Run Club is also an opportunity for students to flex their minds through lively conversation and to strengthen relationships with their peers.

If you get the chance, encourage your child to try Run Club out or, if they already have, ask them what they find valuable about running. You may hear something surprising. And if you want to learn more about how physical activity affects learning, check out this TEDx talk, Run, Jump, Learn! How Exercise can Transform our Schools.

Enjoy the week!

Raquel Matteroli
Interim Principal, Covington School

Important Dates:

Jan. 28 - Dine Out for Covington @ Chevys
Feb. 3 - PTA Science Night 6pm-8pm
Feb. 16-20th - No School for Students, Winter Recess
Mar. 10 & 13 - New Parent Tours @ Blach School
Mar. 19 - Minimum Day: Dismissal at 12:15pm for all students
Mar. 23-25 - Covington STEM Expo
Mar. 28 - Covington Auction: Bombay Dreams
Apr. 25 - Jr. Olympics

Pertussis Booster for Students in grade 6: Students currently in 6th grade must have proof of a Tdap or Dtap (Pertussis or Whooping Cough) booster given after their 7th birthday (after 10th birthday is recommended) in order to begin 7th grade in August of 2015. Please provide a copy of your child's immunization record to your school office by March 13, 2015.

Remember: You must report an absence every day that your child misses school. Email: covingtonattendance@lasdschools.org

ORDER FORMS TO PURCHASE SIGNED COPY OF BOOK
BY VISING AUTHOR MICHAEL NORTHROP
DUE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2

Students in grades three through six will have the opportunity to attend an assembly in February featuring Michael Northrop promoting his first book in a five-part series TombQuest, an Egyptian adventure in the same vein as the 39-Clues.

Pre Order forms to purchase a signed copy of "TombQuest: Book of the Dead" are now available from classroom teachers, in the Covington Library, and the school office. Pre Order forms are due Monday, Feb. 2.

Michael Northrop's visit is made possible at no charge through Peninsula Arts and Letters a nonprofit organization partnered with Kepler's Books in Menlo Park and the Covington PTA.

Maureen Drobot, Covington Library
Lori Parson, PTA Author Visit Chair

Did you Know...K-3 class sizes are 25 or smaller because of LAEF?
The 2014-15 LAEF grant provides funding for the teachers needed to keep class sizes lower. Transitional kindergartens through third grades are limited to a maximum of 25 students per class because of your donations. In addition,first and second grade classes have a trained instructor during Literacy/Reading lessons for 45 minutes, four days a week. This lowers the student-to-teacher ratio even farther. Keeping student-to-teacher ratios lower during these critical educational years is important to LASD parents, and these dollars are hard at work in our classrooms today.

The LAEF grant benefits every student in every grade evenly. We have less than $1 million to go for programs that are currently in place in our classrooms this year.

LAEF cannot fund these programs without your support!

Make your tax-deductible LAEF donation today at www.laefonline.org (or bring a check to the school office)

LAEF Questions?
Web: www.laefonline.org … Phone: 650.559.0445 ... Email:admin@laefonline.org

Thanks in advance for your support of LAEF.

The LAEF parent-volunteer team

Fundraising & Fiesta! Please come dine at Chevys in Mountain View between 5-9 PM on Wednesday, January 28. Chevys will donate 20% of proceeds from Covington supporters to our PTA. Make sure to bring a copy of the attached flyer. Chevys is located at 2116 W. El Camino Real. (650) 691-9955. Please contact manjitabhaumik@yahoo.com with any questions.

PTA News:

Oola Dance Fitness and Margarita Party
Date: Jan 30th 7-9pm
Address: 347 1st St, Los Altos, CA 94024
Price: $40 per person

Ditch the workout and join the party! This Ladies night out dance fitness party will be led by Oola Dance Fitness, the Zumba class that has been blasting Los Altos with amazing exhilirating workouts. Check out what the buzz is about. Move to the beat and then socialize with some fabulous treats and Margaritas. Viva O Sol, a Brazilian fitness and fashion boutique will be featuring its line of sexy Brazilian workout wear to try on and purchase, 15% of revenue going back to Covington school.

Friday 2/6 (6:30 - 8:30pm) - 4th Annual Father/Daughter Dance @ Covington Multi
There are still a few spots available for this event. If you are interested, please contact Tracey Leong: tsakumoto67@gmail.com.

Friday 2/27 (5:00 - 7:15pm) - Kinder Movie Night in Covington Library
Come watch a movie and eat popcorn with the fabulous kinder teachers! If you are interested in signing your child up please contact Tracey Leong: tsakumoto67@gmail.com

Covington Auction tickets now on sale! Early Bird pricing available until Friday, February 13th! Act today to secure your discounted tickets - $150 per couple, $75 per individual. For more information and ticket purchase, https://covington.schoolauction.net/auction2015/tickets/ticket_sales

Donate to Covington Auction! In addition to the continued support of local businesses, we are counting on the generosity and creativity of our Covington families to make this year's event a success. Now is the time to share your favorite vacation getaways, your VIP access, your talents, and all of the unique experiences, goods and services you treasure! Donations are due no later than Friday, February 6th. Please direct any questions to our Donations Chair, Lara Sullivan, at lara.sullivan06@gmail.com. Online donations may be submitted here: https://covington.schoolauction.net/auction2015/donate_items/new

Computer skills needed! Do you know your way around Adobe InDesign? Do you, perhaps, possess a particular talent with Pages for Mac? Could you even be, or know someone who is, a graphic designer? Are you, or your friend, willing to volunteer your time, or donate a bit of it, to the Auction Committee in the next few weeks? If so, the gratitude of literally the entire school, especially all the programs funded by the PTA, is yours. As well as a tax write-off, if applicable. Please email Sumaira Nabeel sumaira.nabeel@gmail.com with any leads. Thank you!

Adult Auction Parties: We are looking for hosts for Adult Auction Parties - these parties are hosted by Covington parents for Covington Parents. The host decides the theme, location, date, and number of participants. These fun and creative parties raised $35,000+ for Covington last year. Any idea that shares your enthusiasm for something is a great one! Think about what you and your friends would enjoy, or perhaps special skills you may have to offer.he list is limited only by your imagination and the parties do not need to be expensive or lavish to be a great time! Please email or call Christine Sellers at cyberchristine@hotmail.com / 650-867-7187 if you have questions or are willing to host.

Lost & Found. Just three weeks into the new year, the bin is already brimming! Please check it regularly for clothes, water bottles and lunch boxes. The warmer afternoons means children forget the colder, morning jackets on the playground...
Thanks!! Atossa

YEARBOOKS. Covington will be using TreeRing again this year to produce our yearbooks. If you aren't familiar with TreeRing and how to use the website or need a refresher - here is a link that gives you everything you need to know.
http://www.treering.com/Watch-the-TreeRing-Personalized-Yearbook-Demo#.VMbuUnacybM

To register for your yearbook go here:
www.treering.com/validate?PassCode=1013595707721745

and enter passcode:
1013595707721745

Should you have any more questions, please feel free to contact, Christine Wedner, cwedner@mac.com

CALLING ALL PARENTS! I have decided to try to take a different approach to the yearbook this year. I would like it to be more of a community and collaborative effort. I am asking that one parent from each class be a representative and put together a one page photo collage for their class. In addition, I also need a couple of parents to put together a 2 page spread of the Walkathon and the Junior Olympics. The task involves, collecting photos and dragging and dropping into a template. No design experience required. If you are interested, please contact Christine Wedner, cwedner@mac.com. Thank you.

Common Core Math and LASD February 6, 2015 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Covington School Multipurpose Room. Los Altos School District is integrating the new Common Core Standards into our educational programs. This EdTalk will provide information that separates Common Core myth from fact. Discussion will center around LASD's approach to the Common Core to assure that all students are mathematically prepared for grade level progression. Common Core builds mathematical reasoning and critical thinking through problem solving strategies that are relevant to everyday life. The eight common core mathematical practices remain the same in grades K-12 to build a solid foundational understanding. Join us as we share information, try some hands-on math, and provide an opportunity to have your questions answered.

You may register to attend at Eventbrite by clicking this link:
http://edtalkscommoncoremath.eventbrite.com

School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138&region=54001

Post an Announcement in the Howler? If you have an announcement to include in Howler, please send it to sevard@lasdschools.org. Announcements must be received by 12:00pm on Friday in order to be considered for the Howler scheduled for the following Tuesday.

Covington School Howler - Jan. 20, 2015

Important Message: Covington Voice Mail is Not Currently Working.
We will let you know as soon as it is back online. Please report any student absences to covingtonattendance@lasdschools.org. Please include student's name, teacher and reason for the absence. Even if you let the teacher know, you still need to inform the office via email.

If you need to leave a message for anyone on staff, please use email.

Important Dates:

Jan. 22 & 23 - New Parent Tours @ Egan School
Jan. 24 - Boy's Night Out
Jan. 28 - Dine Out for Covington @ Chevys
Feb. 3 - PTA Science Night 6pm-8pm
Feb. 16-20th - No School for Students, Winter Recess
Mar. 10 & 13 - New Parent Tours @ Blach School
Mar. 23-25 - Covington STEM Expo

From the School Nurse: Flu Season is Here! The following guidelines are indications that you should keep your child home. Thank you for your help, to control the spread of colds, flu, and other contagious illnesses.

LOS ALTOS SCHOOL DISTRICT HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL

Keep your child at home when he/she has any of the following symptoms:
Fever, Chills, Vomiting or diarrhea, Nausea, Sore throat or trouble swallowing,Coughing, sneezing, and/or runny nose, Rash or unusual sores or spots, Headache, Generalized muscle aches and pains ,Wheezing or trouble breathing, Unusually red, crusted or burning eyes.

If you or your child develops a cold that includes a severe cough or a cough that lasts a long time, it may be pertussis (whooping cough). The best way to know is to contact your doctor.

You need to keep your child home until he/she has been symptom free without medication for 24 hours.

Remember: You must report an absence every day that your child misses school. Email: covingtonattendance@lasdschools.org

Author Michael Northrop to Visit Covington in February
Students in grades three through six will have the opportunity to attend an assembly in February featuring Michael Northrop promoting his first book in a five-part series TombQuest, an Egyptian adventure in the same vein as the 39-Clues.

Pre-order forms to purchase a signed copy of "TombQuest: Book of the Dead" will be available beginning this week through classroom teachers, the Covington Library, and the school office. Pre-Order forms will be due Monday, Feb. 2.

Michael Northrop's visit is made possible at no charge through Peninsula Arts and Letters a nonprofit organization partnered with Kepler's Books in Menlo Park and the Covington PTA.

Maureen Drobot, Covington Library
Lori Parson, PTA Author Visit Chair

PTA News:

Mother/Daughter Yoga Party - THIS SATURDAY! Enjoy a unique and enlightening experience with a mother/daugther Yoga Class! While doing simple and fun GroovYoga dance combinations, yoga poses and a guided meditation, you will build trust, connection and have a great time. Taught by Yoga instructor and Covington mom Kathi Donnelly.
Saturday, January 24th, 10:00am Ivivva, Valley Fair Mall $40 per couple
Please email vjcairns@yahoo.com to sign up

Friday 2/6 (6:30 - 8:30pm) - 4th Annual Father/Daughter Dance @ Covington Multi
There are still a few spots available for this event. If you are interested, please contact Tracey Leong: tsakumoto67@gmail.com.

Friday 2/27 (5:00 - 7:15pm) - Kinder Movie Night in Covington Library
Come watch a movie and eat popcorn with the fabulous kinder teachers! If you are interested in signing your child up please contact Tracey Leong: tsakumoto67gmail.com

Covington Auction tickets now on sale! Early Bird pricing available until Friday, February 13th! Act today to secure your discounted tickets - $150 per couple, $75 per individual. For more information and ticket purchase, https://covington.schoolauction.net/auction2015/tickets/ticket_sales

Donate to Covington Auction! In addition to the continued support of local businesses, we are counting on the generosity and creativity of our Covington families to make this year's event a success. Now is the time to share your favorite vacation getaways, your VIP access, your talents, and all of the unique experiences, goods and services you treasure! Donations are due no later than Friday, February 6th. Please direct any questions to our Donations Chair, Lara Sullivan, at lara.sullivan06@gmail.com. Online donations may be submitted here: https://covington.schoolauction.net/auction2015/donate_items/new

Computer skills needed! Do you know your way around Adobe InDesign? Do you, perhaps, possess a particular talent with Pages for Mac? Could you even be, or know someone who is, a graphic designer? Are you, or your friend, willing to volunteer your time, or donate a bit of it, to the Auction Committee in the next few weeks? If so, the gratitude of literally the entire school, especially all the programs funded by the PTA, is yours. As well as a tax write-off, if applicable. Please email Sumaira Nabeel sumaira.nabeel@gmail.com with any leads. Thank you!

Adult Auction Parties: We are looking for hosts for Adult Auction Parties - these parties are hosted by Covington parents for Covington Parents. The host decides the theme, location, date, and number of participants. These fun and creative parties raised $35,000+ for Covington last year. Any idea that shares your enthusiasm for something is a great one! Think about what you and your friends would enjoy, or perhaps special skills you may have to offer.he list is limited only by your imagination and the parties do not need to be expensive or lavish to be a great time! Please email or call Christine Sellers at cyberchristine@hotmail.com / 650-867-7187 if you have questions or are willing to host.

Covington Boy's Night Out at Area 151. Pizza/Soda/100Tokens
Saturday January 24th / 5:30 - 7:30PM / $25 per person/ $50 for Father and Son
Pizza and Soda at Area 151 at 6PM. To save your spot please email John Crawford at jbcrawfo@aol.com by January 10th. Make checks payable to: Covington PTA Boy's Night Out box in Office

Girls on the Run Program Registration Closes Soon! Girls on the Run is a fun, life-changing, after-school program for (3rd-5th) grade girls. The 10-week program teaches girls life skills such as confidence, how to be a good friend and how to stand up for themselves and others while inspiring them to be joyful, healthy and confident by using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running.

Girls on the Run begins the week of March 2, 2015, and concludes the week of May 18, 2015. The Covington team will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:40-4:30pm. There will be no lessons the week of spring break. The culminating event of the season is the Girls on the Run 5K, on Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Vasona Park in Los Gatos, where program participants and community members come together for this celebratory fun run/walk.

Program registration is online only at www.gotrsv.org and will close on Thursday, January 22. Space is limited and girls are registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Common Core Math and LASD February 6, 2015 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Covington School Multipurpose Room. Los Altos School District is integrating the new Common Core Standards into our educational programs. This EdTalk will provide information that separates Common Core myth from fact. Discussion will center around LASD's approach to the Common Core to assure that all students are mathematically prepared for grade level progression. Common Core builds mathematical reasoning and critical thinking through problem solving strategies that are relevant to everyday life. The eight common core mathematical practices remain the same in grades K-12 to build a solid foundational understanding. Join us as we share information, try some hands-on math, and provide an opportunity to have your questions answered.
You may register to attend at Eventbrite by clicking this link:
http://edtalkscommoncoremath.eventbrite.com

School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138®ion=54001

Post an Announcement in the Howler? If you have an announcement to include in Howler, please send it to sevard@lasdschools.org. Announcements must be received by 12:00pm on Friday in order to be considered for the Howler scheduled for the following Tuesday.

Covington School Howler - Jan. 13, 2015

Dear Covington Families,

This week I want to highlight two upcoming events that affect Covington students and also LASD students as a whole. The first happens next Tuesday, January 20th, when school will be closed for students but open for LASD staff. The adults in our district will be engaging in professional learning around the new Common Core Math standards. The day-long event will require educators to delve deep into the standards by collaborating with other teachers across the district at their grade level and communicating with each other on how students progress from one school year to the next. They will be asked to critically think about what it means to "meet the individual learning needs of all students," one of our district goals, and to work together to come up with creative solutions to do so. This great work will have a direct impact on your child's learning!

The other event I wanted to bring attention to is the Los Altos School District's STEM Expo, which invites students in grades K-6 to participate! While engaging in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) projects, students will have an opportunity to design hands-on projects while exploring just how fun STEM can be!

Students will be guided through a myriad of activities: STEM lunch clubs, opportunities for special class projects, and/or providing grade level support. This event lends itself to a variety of learning experiences either within the class or at home, working individually or collaboratively with their peers or with adults amongst a wide range of STEM categories. Ultimately, students get the chance to showcase their science work in a fun and unique venue, with learning opportunities for the entire family.

Check out the 2015 STEM Expo Trailer here. For information on signing your child up to participate, please see Covington STEM teacher Katie Farley's write up further below in the Howler.

Thank you LAEF for supporting our STEM program!

Enjoy the week!

Raquel Matteroli
Interim Principal, Covington School

Important Dates:

Jan. 13 & 16 - New Parent Tours @ Blach School
Jan. 16 - PTA Meeting & Principal Coffee, 8:30am
Jan. 19 & 20 - No School For Students, MLK Holiday & Staff Development Day
Jan. 22 & 23 - New Parent Tours @ Egan School
Jan. 24 - Boy's Night Out
Jan. 28 - Dine Out for Covington @ Chevys
Feb. 3 - PTA Science Night 6pm-8pm
Feb. 16-20th - No School for Students, Winter Recess
Mar. 23-25 - Covington STEM Expo

From the School Nurse: Flu Season is Here! The following guidelines are indications that you should keep your child home. Thank you for your help, to control the spread of colds, flu, and other contagious illnesses.

LOS ALTOS SCHOOL DISTRICT HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT: WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL

Keep your child at home when he/she has any of the following symptoms:
Fever, Chills, Vomiting or diarrhea, Nausea, Sore throat or trouble swallowing, Coughing, sneezing, and/or runny nose, Rash or unusual sores or spots, Headache, Generalized muscle aches and pains ,Wheezing or trouble breathing , Unusually red, crusted or burning eyes.

If you or your child develops a cold that includes a severe cough or a cough that lasts a long time, it may be pertussis (whooping cough). The best way to know is to contact your doctor.

You need to keep your child home until he/she has been symptom free without medication for 24 hours.

Remember also you must call the Attendance Line Every Day that your child is absent: 650-947-1101.

Covington Stem Expo Information:
The STEM Expo is coming soon! If your child would like to participate in this engaging adaptation of a science fair, he or she will need to complete an Intent to Participate form by February 24, 2015. This form merely states your child's intent to participate in the STEM Expo this year. Before completing the form, your child must be prepared to enter the following information:

Independent/Partner/Group/Class Participation
Name(s)
Email address(es)
Grade level/Teacher
Category of project (invention, robotics, etc.)
Title for project
A brief description of project

A few things to note:

1. If your child plans to participate as an individual, and is in 3rd grade or below, please complete this form along side your child.
2. If your child is participating as part of a class project, his or her teacher will take care of the form.
3. If your child plans to participate as part of a partnership or team of three, all participants should be present for the completion of the form.
4. A parent or guardian's email address may be used in place of a student email address.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Looking forward to the STEM Expo from March 23 - March 25!
tinyurl.com/covingtonstem
https://sites.google.com/a/lasdk8.org/covington-stem/class-newsletters

PTA News:

PLEASE NOTE: The Allergist scheduled to speak at the PTA General Meeting has had a family emergency and is unable to speak at this week's meeting. Currently we are working with her to reschedule for our March PTA meeting. However, we will still be conducting regular business including: discussing a bike and pedestrian safety resolution, this year's STEM Expo, financials year to date and updates on happenings around Covington.

Covington Auction tickets now on sale! Early Bird pricing available until Friday, February 13th! Act today to secure your discounted tickets - $150 per couple, $75 per individual. For more information and ticket purchase, https://covington.schoolauction.net/auction2015/tickets/ticket_sales

Donate to Covington Auction! In addition to the continued support of local businesses, we are counting on the generosity and creativity of our Covington families to make this year's event a success. Now is the time to share your favorite vacation getaways, your VIP access, your talents, and all of the unique experiences, goods and services you treasure! Donations are due no later than Friday, February 6th. Please direct any questions to our Donations Chair, Lara Sullivan, at lara.sullivan06@gmail.com. Online donations may be submitted here: https://covington.schoolauction.net/auction2015/donate_items/new

Computer skills needed! Do you know your way around Adobe InDesign? Do you, perhaps, possess a particular talent with Pages for Mac? Could you even be, or know someone who is, a graphic designer? Are you, or your friend, willing to volunteer your time, or donate a bit of it, to the Auction Committee in the next few weeks? If so, the gratitude of literally the entire school, especially all the programs funded by the PTA, is yours. As well as a tax write-off, if applicable. Please email Sumaira Nabeel (sumaira.nabeel@gmail.com) with any leads. Thank you!

Adult Auction Parties: We are looking for hosts for Adult Auction Parties - these parties are hosted by Covington parents for Covington Parents. The host decides the theme, location, date, and number of participants. These fun and creative parties raised $35,000+ for Covington last year. Any idea that shares your enthusiasm for something is a great one! Think about what you and your friends would enjoy, or perhaps special skills you may have to offer.he list is limited only by your imagination and the parties do not need to be expensive or lavish to be a great time! Please email or call Christine Sellers at cyberchristine@hotmail.com / 650-867-7187 if you have questions or are willing to host.

Covington Boy's Night Out at Area 151. Pizza/Soda/100Tokens
Saturday January 24th / 5:30 - 7:30PM / $25 per person/ $50 for Father and Son
Pizza and Soda at Area 151 at 6PM. To save your spot please email John Crawford atjbcrawfo@aol.com by January 10th. Make checks payable to: Covington PTA Boy's Night Out box in Office

Girls on the Run Program Registration Closes Soon! Girls on the Run is a fun, life-changing, after-school program for (3rd-5th) grade girls. The 10-week program teaches girls life skills such as confidence, how to be a good friend and how to stand up for themselves and others while inspiring them to be joyful, healthy and confident by using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running.

Girls on the Run begins the week of March 2, 2015, and concludes the week of May 18, 2015. The Covington team will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:40-4:30pm. There will be no lessons the week of spring break. The culminating event of the season is the Girls on the Run 5K, on Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Vasona Park in Los Gatos, where program participants and community members come together for this celebratory fun run/walk.

Program registration is online only at www.gotrsv.org and will close on Thursday, January 22. Space is limited and girls are registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138&region=54001

Post an Announcement in the Howler? If you have an announcement to include in Howler, please send it to sevard@lasdschools.org. Announcements must be received by 12:00pm on Friday in order to be considered for the Howler scheduled for the following Tuesday.

Covington School Howler - Jan. 6, 2015

Dear Covington Families,

I hope you had a restful and relaxing break from school. I always find the time away to be a great opportunity to reflect on the work that has been done and what is yet to be accomplished. The turn of the year always brings with it renewed energy for new and on-going projects. Looking at the calendar from January to June, there are many exciting events coming up from the STEM Expo to the Junior Olympics to the LASD Film Festival. I look forward to our continued partnership together in the months to come.

Just a reminder that the open enrollment period for Kindergarten 2015 is now in progress until February 6th. If you have younger children who will be joining Covington in the Fall 2015, please stop by the office and pick up a registration packet.

Enjoy the week!

Raquel Matteroli
Interim Principal, Covington School

Important Dates:

Jan. 16 - PTA Meeting & Principal Coffee, 8:30am
Jan. 19 & 20 - No School For Students, MLK Holiday & Staff Development Day
Jan. 28 - Dine Out for Covington @ Chevys
Feb. 3 - PTA Science Night 6pm-8pm
Feb. 16-20th - No School for Students, Winter Recess
Mar. 23-25 - Covington STEM Expo

PTA News:

Covington Boy's Night Out at Area 151. Pizza/Soda/100Tokens
Saturday January 24th / 5:30 - 7:30PM / $25 per person/ $50 for Father and Son
Pizza and Soda at Area 151 at 6PM. To save your spot please email John Crawford at jbcrawfo@aol.com by January 10th. Make checks payable to: Covington PTA Boy's Night Out box in Office

Registration for Covington PTA's next Musical Theatre, THE WIZ, is now open for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders! Start Date: Thursday, January 15th, 2015
Rehearsals: Thursdays and Fridays, 2:45-4:30pm in multi* (Different start times on some days- Please see registration form in office for full schedule)
Mandatory Tech Week Rehearsals: April 13-17, 2:45-6:00pm
Performances: Sat April 18th @ 7pm and Sun April 19th @ 3pm (Must be able to attend both performances to be part of cast) Cost: $300 (includes t-shirt)
Refunds must be requested prior to the first class meeting. Two ways to register:

1. complete the form in the office "WIZ" box, attach payment, and drop back into the "WIZ" box.

2. complete online form: http://goo.gl/forms/xU5K7IM9qS
You must still drop off check in the office "WIZ" box. Checks to be written to Covington PTA. Please contact Arezou (arezoua@yahoo.com) for questions.

Food Allergy Information: Did you know that we have many moderate to highly allergic kids in our Covington community with roughly 2 food related allergy sufferers per classroom? Did you know that for some of these kids just touching the food allergen found on another person, a table or the jungle gym can cause severe and/or life threatening problems? Would you like to hear more about how we as a community can make a safer place for all of our children? You do? Then come to our next PTA General Meeting on January 16th at 8:30 am in the Staff Room.

Covington Stem Teacher Links:
tinyurl.com/covingtonstem
https://sites.google.com/a/lasdk8.org/covington-stem/class-newsletters

School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138&region=54001

Post an Announcement in the Howler? If you have an announcement to include in Howler, please send it to sevard@lasdschools.org. Announcements must be received by 12:00pm on Friday in order to be considered for the Howler scheduled for the following Tuesday.

Covington School Howler - Dec. 8, 2014

Dear Covington Families,

There are two very exciting events going on this week, both made possible thanks to the tremendous parent support Covington school receives from the Los Altos Education Foundation. Read below to find out more!

Upper Grade 4-6 Music Concert Tuesday afternoon. Tomorrow at 1:00pm is our Upper Grade Winter Music Concert. Please join us in the Multi to experience the musical talents of our wonderful Covington students!

Hour of Code:
This week, December 8-12, is Computer Science Education Week. During this same week last year, code.org started the Hour of Code initiative to increase coding across the country. In LASD we have been teaching coding for years, this week simply allows us to spotlight and build upon the great experiences that our kids already have.

In preparation for the week, please take 2 minutes to watch the video on the Hour of Code initiative -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH7AjDMz_dc#t=65

To celebrate Computer Science Education Week and the Hour of Code activities, LASD is encouraging our community to CODE Together.

Please see a message from our STEM teacher Katie Farley (further down in the Howler) for opportunities to join your child in Hour of Code activities!

Enjoy the week!

Raquel Matteroli
Interim Principal, Covington School

Important Dates:

Dec. 9 - 4th-6th Grade Winter Concert 1pm
Dec. 9 - Dine Out for Covington @ Maltbys.
Dec 12 & 13 - PTA Play, Alice In Wonderland
Dec. 15-19 - 6th Graders to Walden West
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 - December Recess, school resumes on Jan 5th.
Jan 19 & 20 - No School For Students, MLK Holiday & Staff Development Day

Friendly Reminder: Rainy Weather is here. Please plan for extra time to travel to school in the morning to avoid an unexcused tardy.

From Ms. Farley our STEM Teacher:
This week (December 8th-12th) is Computer Science Education Week, a week dedicated to showing students in grades K-12 the importance of computer science education. This fabulous opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for computer science is organized by code.org with the goal to get as many students as possible of all ages (and adults, too!) to participate in one hour of coding during that week- appropriately called the "Hour of Code"!

According to code.org, "90% of K-12 schools in the U.S. do not teach computer science." Los Altos School District, thanks to funding from LAEF and an unbelievably supportive community and staff, is fortunate enough to fall within the 10% of U.S. Schools that are offering every student the opportunity to learn computational thinking through the STEM and C-STEM program.

During Computer Science Education Week, each student at Covington and throughout LASD will be participating in at least one computational thinking/coding lesson.

Grade Level Lessons During Computer Science Education Week

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
Code.org tutorials
Scratch, Jr (http://www.scratchjr.org)

3rd - 5th grade
Code.org tutorials
Scratch: http://scratch.mit.edu/

6th grade
Will continue with c-STEM curriculum

Both days of LEGO Lunch in the STEM Lab will also be dedicated to allowing students the opportunity to engage in computer programming. LEGO Lunch is held on Tuesday for grades 1 and 2, and Wednesday for grades 3 - 6 at lunch recess in the STEM Lab. We are strongly encouraging parents to join their children during LEGO Lunch on either day!

Don't hesitate to contact me (kfarley@lasdschools.org) with any questions or concerns. We sincerely look forward to your participation in this year's Hour of Code next week!

"Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer…because it teaches you how to think."- Steve Jobs

PTA News:

Dine out for Covington: Please come by and enjoy some classic comfort food at Maltby's in Los Altos Tuesday, December 9th. Maltby's will donate 15% of proceeds from Covington supporters all day. Please remember to mention Covington. Maltby's is open for lunch from 11:30-2:30 PM and for dinner from 5-9 PM. Maltby's is located at 101 Plaza North. (650) 917-8777. http://www.maltbys.com/

Holiday Crafting Workshop! Calling All Elves! Join your friends in Santa's workshop for a Holiday Craft and Cookie Party. Enjoy some holiday treats while you make some fun crafts and decorations, and cookies to take home!
Sunday, December 14th 2-5pm, Covington Multi ,$30 per student
Please contact Valerie Cairns vjcairns@yahoo.com to sign up

Mother/Daughter Yoga Party. Enjoy a unique and enlightening experience with a mother/daugther Yoga Class! While doing simple and fun GroovYoga dance combinations, yoga poses and a guided meditation, you will build trust, connection and have a great time. Taught by Yoga instructor and Covington mom Kathi Donnelly
Saturday, December 13th, 10:00am Ivivva, Valley Fair Mall $40 per couple
Please email vjcairns@yahoo.com to sign up

LEGO ENGINEERING WORKSHOP Join your friends and Play-Well TEKnologies for a workshop using the LEGO building System. Explore concepts in Physics, mechanical engineering, structural engineering, and architecture while playing with your favorite creations. Thursday, December 18th, 2:30-4:30pm, Covington Multi. $30 per student Please email vjcairns@yahoo.com to sign up

Winter sessions for after-school enrichment programs are now accepting enrollment: http://covingtonschool.org/covingtones/4757-After-School-Programs.html
We have new sessions of Mad Science, Speech/Debate, Yoga, Spanish, Basketball, Technology, Art (CSMA) and Drawing (Young Rembrandts).
Sign up soon so you can reserve your spots!
Contact kathrynhan@gmail.com if any questions.

Girls on the Run Program Registration Opening Soon! Girls on the Run is a fun, life-changing, after-school program for (3rd-5th) grade girls. The 10-week program teaches girls life skills such as confidence, how to be a good friend and how to stand up for themselves and others while inspiring them to be joyful, healthy and confident by using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running.

Girls on the Run begins the week of March 2, 2015, and concludes the week of May 18, 2015. The Covington team will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:40-4:30pm. There will be no lessons the week of spring break. The culminating event of the season is the Girls on the Run 5K, on Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Vasona Park in Los Gatos, where program participants and community members come together for this celebratory fun run/walk.

Program registration is online only at www.gotrsv.org and will open at 8:00 am on Saturday, December 13, 2014. Space is limited and girls will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Amazon Shoppers: If you're shopping at Amazon, please use the Amazon link through the Covington home page, instead of the Amazon link through eScrip. Covington will obtain a much higher percentage back to the school from our direct link. Thanks!
Go to www.covingtonschool.org
Click the Amazon logo on the lower right side to go to the Amazon website
Select and purchase your items as you normally would. No sign up required!

LAEF: What a week! #GivingTuesday, Winter Concerts, & Computer Science Ed Week. With the amazing support of this community, LAEF met our #GivingTuesday challenge match from the Cairns, House-Meyn and Tuch families. Thank you!
Coming up next are two programs LAEF is proud to fund:
- The Winter Music Concerts for grades 4-6 celebrate students’ participation in a full range of music experiences including: learning to read music, playing the recorder, chorus, band and orchestra.
- Computer Science Education Week will focus on collaborative coding for grades K-8, strengthening LASD’s commitment to every student learning computational thinking through the STEM and C-STEM programs in K-6 and through coding in science classes at Blach and Egan using the STAR Logo Nova program.

Show your support for these programs by giving to LAEF today!

AMAZON SHOPPERS: Earn referral fees for Covington while purchasing books, electronics, holiday gifts, and more. It’s EASY and DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING!
Go to www.covingtonschool.org
Click the Amazon logo on the lower right side to go to the Amazon website
Select and purchase your items as you normally would.
Covington will automatically receive a referral fee of at least 6.5%! No sign-up required.

Covington Stem Teacher Links:
tinyurl.com/covingtonstem
https://sites.google.com/a/lasdk8.org/covington-stem/class-newsletters

School & Community News now found via Peachjar: https://www.peachjar.com/index.php?a=28&b=138&region=54001

Post an Announcement in the Howler? If you have an announcement to include in Howler, please send it to sevard@lasdschools.org. Announcements must be received by 12:00pm on Friday in order to be considered for the Howler scheduled for the following Tuesday.