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.