From Erin Green, Principal

Dear Covington Parents and Community Members,

Thanksgiving is next week!  This holiday gives us the opportunity to take a break from all of our daily routines and spend time with family and friends.  Regardless of our ethnic origin or religious affiliation, we can reflect upon all that for which we can be thankful.

Conferences are upon us!  November 19 and 20 are designated conference days.  

Like all good conversations, parent–teacher conferences are an opportunity for both people to talk and listen. The conference is a time for you to learn about your child’s progress and engagement in school. This should focus on the whole child including academic progress, and also how your child connects with his/her peers and participates in ourschool community.  This is also a time for the teacher to learn about what your child is like at home. Be sure to bring a list of questions that you would like to ask the teacher.  Follow up after the conference by writing down the things that you and the teacher will each do to support your child.  We all look forward to seeing you during these two very important days.

Important Safety Reminders:

The safety of your children is a top priority.  Please remember the following school policies:

-       Drop children at the curb, not in the middle of the parking lot.

-       Use the cross walks and please be courteous to our volunteer traffic duty parents.

-       Do not leave your car when in the drop off lane, if you need to get out to walk your child; park in the lot.

-       Pick children up promptly upon dismissal; there is no supervision for children after school.

Please join us for our November indoor assembly tomorrow morning after the flag salute.  The Coyote Chorus will be singing and Santa Rita students are coming to share information with us about the upcoming annual LASD Film Festival.  I wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Erin S. Green

Principal

School News

School Photo Questions/Issues

If you have any questions or issues regarding school photos/ordering, please call Shooting Stars at 800-311-7784 or 415-695-1013.

Lost & Found Is Overflowing

The Lost & Found is overflowing with sweaters and jackets.  When you come for conferences next week, please check to see if any of these items belong to your child.   Items that are not picked up by next Tuesday, November 20^th will be donated to charity.

From the Student Council

Student Council News!

Tomorrow, Friday, November 16, will be Pajama Day! Students can just roll out of bed and come to school in their P.J.'s! Thank you, Coyotes!

From the PTA

SCHOLASTIC BOOKFAIR - NOV. 26th-30th

We invite you to visit our Scholastic's All Star Book Fair and experience a celebration of reading!  November 26 - 30, the Covington Multi will be transformed into an amazing bookstore filled with engaging, fun books.  Come browse a large selection that includes teacher and librarian favorites, bestsellers, award-winning literature, exciting new titles,easy readers, fiction, non-fiction, historical novels, classics and much more!!

The Book Fair is one of the PTA’s primary fundraisers:  25% of all proceeds go directly to the PTA to fund technology, music/art, and PE to name but a few. 

Hours:     Monday, 26th - 12:00 to 3:30; Tuesday, 27th - Friday, 30th - 8:15 to3:30                       

Parents & Pastries:      Tuesday, Nov 27^th  8:30am – 10:00am

Family Night:         Wednesday, Nov. 28^th  6:00pm – 8:00pm 

Our Book Fair needs volunteers as well as shoppers!  Sign up with a friend, spend some time with our students and faculty, get to know other great Covington parents, and, of course, check out all the awesome books.  No experience necessary!

Please sign up through SignUpGenius http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080848ABA92CA64-covington and enter password bookfair.  Questions?  Contact Sandy Furuichi (sfuruichi@hotmail.com), Mara Starkey (marastarkey@gmail.com) or Jessica Schantz-Taneja (jessica.schantz@gmail.com).

AMAZON SHOPPERS – Make Your Holiday Shopping Count for Covington!

Earn referral fees for Covington on purchases of books, CDs, electronics, toys, and more.It’s EASY and DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING! Go to www.covingtonschool.org, click the Amazon logo to go to the Amazon website, then 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. Questions? Contact Dale Tritschler at cdks@pacbell.net.

Girls On The Run (GOTR) Registration:  

We are excited to offer this great program to the 3^rd-5^th grade girls at Covington this coming spring! GOTR will meet on Monday and Wednesday after school until 4PM, for 10 weeks beginning the week of March 4^th.  The girls will train for a 5k run/walk event to be held on Saturday, May 18^th in Vasona Park, Los Gatos.  Registration will be ONLINE ONLY and will open on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1^st at 8:00am.  Space is limited and girls will be registered on a first come/first serve basis.  Check out www.gotrsv.org for more information or contact Covington head coach, Suzy Allison (suzykallison@yahoo.com).

Family Giving Tree

Covington has signed up with Family Giving Tree to fulfill Holiday Wishes in and around bay area for 2012! The wish cards are posted in all the classrooms and in front of the office and at the staff room. Feel free to pick a wish- card and drop off an unwrapped gift with the wish card securely attached, in the huge box up in front of the office.  Also, this year we have a virtual giving tree set up for all those who would rather do it online. Here is a link to the virtual giving tree-

http://vgt.familygivingtree.org/covingtonelementaryschool

Adopt-A-Family

The 4^th grade Junior Girl Scouts are participating in an Adopt-A-Family program this year.  Please help us raise money to provide a nice dinner and presents for low income families this holiday season.  Starting today, you can make donations in the office in the “Adopt-a-Family” box.  The deadline is Friday Nov. 16^th.  Please help us support this cause by donating. Thank you Covington!

Coyote Pack News

Get ready to run with The Pack! Sunny days ahead means The Pack will run at lunch this Friday!

We've designed Coyote Pack Run Club t-shirts for all of our runners to wear to school and at local runningevents!  We plan to distribute the t-shirts in time for the New Year's Day Fun Run 5k in downtown Los Altos. Imagine the sight...a hundred Covington runners sporting their run club t-shirts at this great community event! Theevent is free; no registration required...more info about the New Years Day 5k in The Howler in December.  WE NEED YOUR HELP!! If your business would like corporate sponsorship (& add your company logo on our run club t-shirts!!) please contact Jen Roy McGuigan (jenmcguigan@me.com) before November 30th.

From Los Altos School District

SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY NEWS:

Follow this link for the School & Community News http://www.lasdk8.org/PDF_Files/Current_School_News.pdf

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For Howler submissions, please email sevard@covingtonschool.org by Monday for that week’s Howler.