Covington Howler

December 1, 2015

In This Issue:

• Message from the Principals

• Message from the Front Office

• News and Announcements

Quick Dates for your Calendar:

• Nov 30 - Dec 4: Book Fair

• Dec 2: Book Fair Family Night

• Dec 3: Kinder & New Student Information Night 7pm

• Dec 8: Music Concert Grades 4-6, 1pm.

• Dec 9: Dine Out for Covington @ Maltbys

• Dec 21 -  Jan 1: Winter Recess: No School.

• March 19: Covington Auction: Save the Date!

Message from the Principals

Dear Parents:

This week is the annual Covington Book Fair and it has already been a busy and bustling two days! At the end of every recess, there is a mass exodus of students swarming out of the multi exits holding blue book request forms filled-to-the-brim. The love of books is an incredible and wonderful sight to behold.

Through books, we laugh, we cry, we surrender to silliness, and learn how to be brave in the face of our deepest fears. Books can provide a gateway to explore the human condition in every possible way.  If you would like to plan a trip to the Book Fair this week, please see the schedule below (25% of all proceeds go directly to the PTA to support Covington students!) :

Hours:                                Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 8:15am-3:30pm

Family Night:                     Wednesday, December 2nd, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Kindergarten & New Family Information Night, this Thursday Dec.3th at 7pm: We will hold our Kindergarten/New Parent information night for students entering Kindergarten or moving to our district for the 2016-2017 school year.  Information will be presented on our district and school programs, highlights and registration.  If you have a child who will be entering kindergarten in the fall, you won't want to miss this night!  Please join us at 7pm in the library on Thursday night.

Connecting with the Principals

Connecting and being available for our students and parents are of high priority for us. As a principal team, we value our partnership with you.  If at any time we can assist you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Covingtonprincipal@lasdschools.org. We welcome visits and / or emails. To make an appointment with one or both of the principals, call the school office at 650.947.1100.  

New Clerk Joins Covington

Please welcome Beth Wolff who is joining our Front Office as Clerk.  Feel free to stop by and say hello when you are on campus.

Warmest regards,

Erin S. Green and Kami Thordarson

Message from the Office Staff

This might shock you. But most the children who come the office to use the telephone, don’t know how!  Yes, even 5th and 6th graders!  Please take a few minutes at home to teach your children how to use the telephone.  

Here are some helpful hints:

Teaching Kids to Use the Phone*

There are a few reasons kids need to know how to use the phone:

• Safety – Have you heard the stories about young children who’ve saved their parents’ lives by calling 911? These are extreme examples, but as kids get older it’s important that they know how to call for help. This is especially true when they’re away from home, and need to reach you in a hurry.
   

• Family Connection – While using the phone is falling out of vogue for younger generations, the odds are pretty good that your kids’ grandparents and great-grandparents still rely heavily on the phone. If your kids know how to call them, it can help foster that family relationship.
   

• Life Skill – The phone is still the most efficient way to make most appointments, get a quick question answered when you can’t find the information online, or interact with many businesses. As your kids get older, you’ll want them to know how to do these things themselves.

Tips for Teaching Kids About the Phone

In a day and age when the phone is used less and less often, how do you teach your kids how to use it? We have a few tips.

1. Keep the Land Line – Long before your kids are old enough to have cell phones of their own, they can use the landline to make and receive calls. Not only is it easier to use than a smart phone, it doesn’t have all the features to distract a young child. If you hand a seven-year-old your iPhone to make a call, for instance, you’re just as likely to find them playing Angry Birds as talking to Grandma.

2. Tell Your Child What to Say – It may seem obvious to you how to place a call or answer the phone, but if your little one has never done it before, they may need coaching. Explain how the ringing works, what a busy signal means, and what voicemail is. When your child places a call, explain what to say when someone answers. When your child answers the phone, explain what to say then, as well.

3. Make Sure Your Child Knows Their Phone Number – If you’re going to be using the phone, it’s important that you know how other people can reach you. It’s also a safety issue, as it will allow your child to call home if needed. Kids as young as four or five can start to learn a phone number. You can also write it in a school backpack or on a coat, so that if your child is away from home they know how to find it.

4. Practice Makes Perfect – The best way to get better at anything, including using the phone, is to practice. Have your child answer incoming calls at home, especially if you happen to know someone friendly is calling. Have your child place calls to friends and family members. As they get older, you can even have your kids use your phone to relay messages to your partner while you’re driving.  

*article from http://torontomomnow.com/2013/teaching-kids-to-use-the-phone/ by Amber Strocel.

PTA NEWS

MONSTER BOOK FAIR and BOOK DRIVE - Happening Right Now!

11/30/15 - 12/4/15

Daily Hours:   8:15am - 3:30pm, November 30th - December 4th

Family Night:  Wednesday, Dec. 2nd   6:00pm - 8:00pm

During the upcoming MONSTER Book Fair, we will be hosting a Book Drive to benefit The Children's Book Project.  They are a local non-profit that distributes books to schools and other non-profits in the Bay Area and beyond. (http://www.childrensbookproject.org/).

How you can help the Book Fair AND the Book Drive:

1. Donate gently used children's books (K-6 only)

2. Purchase books at the fair to donate (This helps raise funds for the PTA too!)

3. Donate spare change in the All for Books boxes at the register

4. VOLUNTEER!

We still need volunteers! No experience necessary!  Please sign up through SignUpGenius through the Covington Website, or by clicking here: Volunteer for Monster Book Fair!

www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044DACAD2FAA8-2015

Questions?  Ask Mara (marastarkey@gmail.com) or Elise (elise55@gmail.com)

HOLIDAY AMAZON SHOPPERS – Make Your Holiday Shopping Count for Covington! Earn referral fees for Covington on purchases of books, electronics, toys, and more.  It’s EASY and DOESN’T COST YOU ANYTHING! Please use this link or go to www.covingtonschool.org, click the Amazon logo on the lower right side to go to the Amazon website, then select and purchase your items as you normally would.

Covington will automatically receive a referral fee from Amazon.  No sign-up required. Questions? Contact Jennie Ebbitt at jtebbitt@gmail.com.

Aladdin Jr. Registration Deadline for the Covington PTA 2016 musical, Aladdin Jr. has been extended to December 10th. Sign up early to ensure a spot. All 4th-6th graders encouraged to participate. Registration forms are in the office.

Auditions: December 15th and 18th 2:45-4:30pm (must attend both)

Everyone gets a part!

Rehearsals: Tuesdays and Fridays 2:45-4:30pm starting January 5th.

Performances:  Sat and Sun April 23rd and 24th.

Registration: $250 includes a Tshirt.

Scholarships available.

Students must attend ALL  rehearsals and performances.

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

LAEF

Donate to LAEF on #GIVINGTUESDAY 12.1.15

We have a day for giving thanks. We have two for getting deals. Now we have #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, December 1st, charities, families, businesses, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

We are pleased to announce that DeLeon Realty will match every dollar you give to LAEF on #GivingTuesday, up to $10,000. Pledge today at LAEFonline.org (click on the “Donate” button and select option #5) and we’ll get in touch to ensure your donation is processed (and doubled!) on December 1st. 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.