Covington Howler

October 20, 2015

Message from the Principals

Dear Covington Families,         

  During our Minimum Day this week,  staff will continue our work around Standards Based Reporting.  We are currently working within a “season of experimentation and prototyping.”  Teachers are working on different rubrics and types of assessment as well as having deep conversations about defining mastery of a standard. Our work is challenging and we are pushing each other’s thinking around traditional models and long held assumptions. We know that many of yesterday’s practices are outdated and we are working to reframe and unlearn many of our routines and thrive in a world of “what if?”

  Sound familiar? It is a current state of being as we live in our new exponential world of rapid growth. New infrastructures require new skills, new ideas, and new models. We are constantly needing to play with change. So how do we do that? We imagine, create, tinker, and experiment. We assess, ask questions, gather feedback, and redesign. “We make the strange familiar through knowing, making, and playing.” -John Seely Brown (Learn more here.)

  As we move into conferences and reporting, please know that we are in a process. We consider students and parents as partners in our process and look forward to feedback and questions as we move ahead through this season of change.

Have a great week!

Erin S. Green and Kami Thordarson

*Coming in Next Week’s Howler: Information about our Halloween Festivities and Parade, happening on Friday 10/30/15.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: TODAY Tuesday October 20th, is a Minimum Day.  All STUDENTS attend from 8:30am-12:15PM.  No Regular After school Programs (i.e. No Chess, Mad Science or Bald Eagle Sports). NO HOMEWORK CLUB.  LUNCH IS TO GO for Anyone Who Ordered Hot Lunch: take lunch to the park or home and enjoy the afternoon. Please pick your children up promptly as the office staff and teachers will be participating in staff development.   No supervision is provided after dismissal at 12:15pm.

School News

Snow Cone Sale: Come support Covington's 6th grade class for a Snow Cone Social, this Friday 10/23 after school! Every snow cone you buy helps the 6th grade class raise funds to commemorate a special gift to our school. Cool off with a yummy snow cone and help your classmates at the same time :-)For more info contact Gabri_gallo@yahoo.com or  nadiah@dishdash.com.

Socktober Sock Drive: Our kindergartners are excited to host our second annual Socktober Sock Drive (inspired by Kid President's pep talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCtVlNcmCgw). To help the homeless, we are collecting new pairs of socks.  Last year, we collected 467 pairs of socks… We're hoping to top that with your help!  Please put donations in the boxes by the kindergarten playground by Friday, October 23.  Donations will be given to Haven Family House and Redwood Family House.  Thank you!

Covington Auction

Covington Auction: Save the Date

March 19, 2016

5:30pm @ Clover Headquarters    

Combined Payment Forms Still Needed

Back to School Combined Payment! We are halfway to our goal. Keep those donations coming to help pay for field trips, assemblies, school supplies, class parties etc.  We depend on your generosity to make our school great. If we don’t meet our goal, some field trips and assemblies will need to be canceled.  You can find the form online and pay by echeck: http://covingtonschool.org/covingtones/4770-Back-to-School-Purchases.html

Paper forms are also available in the school office, in the Combined Payment cubby.

Thank you from the Covington PTA.

Vision Screening

The LASD Nurses will be doing vision screening, at Covington School for all Kindergarten, 2nd and 5th grades on Thursday Nov. 5th.  If your child has glasses or contacts, please make sure that they wear them to school on the day of the screening. The nurse will mail a referral form to the parents of students who do not pass the vision screening.

PTA NEWS

Dine out for Covington: Step up to The Counter on Wednesday, October 21 and have a burger for Covington!  Burgers include vegetarian, poultry and seafood options. The Counter will donate 15% of all earnings to the Covington PTA.  The flyer is required and is available on our website: http://www.covingtonschool.org/covingtones/8151-dine-out.html

The Counter is located at 2580 W. El Camino Real.  (650) 948-2333.  Please contact manjitabhaumik@yahoo.com with any questions.  Flyers will also be available in the school office.

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We have some spots left! Please join us for: An Afternoon of Middle Eastern Food, Dance and Henna (Auction Party). Date: Saturday, 11/7/15, 3pm -  Location: Dishdash Restaurant, Sunnyvale. Cost: $50 per person, please email nadiah@dishdash.net to sign up and drop off a check in the office made out to "Covington PTA"

Want to learn how to shake what your mama gave you AND get a henna tattoo? Take the opportunity to learn some sultry moves from a professional belly dancer, and get a temporary henna tattoo all while munching on authentically delicious Middle Eastern food from Dishdash Restaurant in Sunnyvale. For centuries, the art of henna painting on the body has been practiced in India, Africa and the Middle East. A paste made from the crushed leaves of the henna plant is applied to the skin in the form of distinctly unique designs, and when removed, leaves a temporary work of art that may last for up to 1 month.  Join us for an afternoon of good food, unique dance moves, and henna art.

Registrations for the Covington PTA 2016 musical, Aladdin Jr., will begin in November.

All 4th-6th graders are encouraged to participate!

Auditions will be held the week of December 14th (details coming soon).

Rehearsals will begin January 5th, Tuesdays and Fridays 2:45-4:30.

Performances will be on Sat and Sun April 23rd and 24th.

Registration is $250 which includes a Tshirt.

Scholarships available. More details and info will follow in the coming weeks.

Please contact Arezou Bahman (arezoua@yahoo.com) with any questions.

LAEF

It’s LAEF Phonathon Week!

Our volunteers and LASD staff are busy making calls to help LAEF meet our $3.5M goal and to encourage 100% participation from every district family. It’s not too late to help LAEF pay for our amazing enrichment teachers, staff, and smaller class sizes in K-3 and 7-8 this year. To learn more, pledge or donate at LAEFonline.org.

The LAEF Annual Report 2014/15 is Here!

Our board of parent volunteers would like to recognize the amazing difference our community of supporters made in our classrooms last year. We are pleased to share our 2014-15 Annual Report. Check it out at LAEFonline.org and you’ll learn more which programs received 59% of our grant, why 2,285 donors contributed and how 400 families doubled their donation. Thank you!

LASD & Community Announcements

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

How to Submit an Article to the Covington Howler

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.