Edna Maguire students celebrated Earth Day with two events on Friday, April 22nd: a ladybug release with 1st/3rd grade buddies and the annual Spring Sing. Here are some pictures of the Spring Sing and the Ladybug Release for you to enjoy.

Posted by Tim Schultz on April 27

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

On May 6, Kiddo! launches its annual giving campaign for the upcoming school year. Today, our schools are in an even more difficult situation than last year as the State continues to slash education funding. Our school district expects to see a minimum of $1.5 million in cuts to next year's operating budget.

Although we continue to face financial uncertainty, last year your generous contributions allowed us to maintain core arts programs, as well as provide the Mill Valley School District with vital funding to save technology staff and library and classroom aides. With your support, our children will continue to benefit from the music, arts, technology and other vital programs that make our schools engaging and effective.

As the Mill Valley School District's primary fundraising organization, Kiddo! relies on your unwavering support for our schools. Your contributions translate directly into a high- quality education for 2800 kids in our community. Together, we can make a difference!

The requested annual contribution is again $950 per student, or more if you can manage it, to cover program costs for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. This year's donation day is more crucial than ever, so don't forget to:

Drop, Click, Mail Your Kiddo! Donation on May 6!

Drop - look for donation drop boxes at each school, making it fast and easy to donate
Click - make your donation online at kiddo.org
Mail - send your donation to Kiddo! at 409 Sycamore Ave. Mill Valley, CA 94941

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Leslie Fielder and Elaine Harris do so much for our kids and school. They deserve our appreciation ALL the time, but especially during Administrative Professionals Week, April 25-29. Please stop by the office to thank them for all they do!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

The Kindergarten Garden Work Day is Sunday, May 22 (changed from May 8th), from 2 to 4 p.m. It's YOUR turn to get a little dirt under your nails and prep the garden for spring. We'll also have a scavenger hunt with prizes, plus snacks and drinks from Whole Foods.

And don't forget THE GARDEN CONTEST! The sponsoring grade with the biggest turnout of students for their Garden Work Day wins a party--either pizza or ice cream-- at the end of the year. So tell your friends (especially your fellow kindergartners), bring your family and spend a great afternoon in the garden. As always, all other grades are welcome. Contact Saor Stetler.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Visit your child's class and find out more about what he or she's been learning this year. Take advantage of this opportunity to check out some of the exciting projects our students have been working on and to chat with their teachers.

Please Note: Due to the timing of our fifth graders' trip to Walker Creek, Edna's Open House is on a different date than other schools in our district.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Are you interested in meeting new families and making new friends at Edna? Then here's your chance! The Edna PTA is looking for a few good parents to fill these committee chair positions for the 2011-12 school year:

Community Outreach
Book Fair Evening Cafe
Safe Routes to School
See's Candy Sale                                                                                                    Variety Show

If you're shy, grab a friend and share a position. Get involved and have fun! Everything great that happens at Edna happens because people care enough to put in the time. The teachers and staff, students and parents- together, we are ALL the PTA! Please contact Kit Harris at kitharris57@gmail.com or Janie Karp at jkarpj@comcast.net if you're interested or have questions.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Thanks to the Edna teachers and parents who have bought supplies for various events this year. If you wish to be reimbursed for your purchases, please turn in your receipts with a completed reimbursement form to the PTA Treasurer's (Jeannine Berman) mailbox in the Edna office. You'll find reimbursement forms on our website. Thanks!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Last Friday, Edna celebrated spring with two favorite rituals. The day kicked off with our first graders and their third grade buddies releasing thousands of ladybugs in the garden. These "ladies" will naturally protect our plants from aphids and other pests. Thanks to Ronnie Sharpe for picking up and delivering the ladybugs!

Later, our students sang their hearts out for parents and their peers during our school-wide Spring Sing. Their lovely performance was followed by a fun student-family picnic. Here are some pictures of the ladybug release and the Spring Sing for you to enjoy!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Thank you Edna students, teachers, families and friends for supporting our cranes project! Together, we folded a total of 3,881 origami cranes that have been shipped to Schools Rebuild in Seattle. The organization has promised to donate $2 per crane ( a total of $7762) to help rebuild a school in Tohoku Prefecture, the area most devastated by the earthquake and tsunami of March 11.The cranes we folded will be incorporated into an art installation at the school. Our good wishes will be felt by many, many school children. Arigatou!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Parents, this workshop will provide you with "hands-on" training in Facebook. Get guidance in setting rules for postings, understanding privacy settings and sharing appropriate information. The workshop starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Marin County Office of Education. Space is limited, so register quickly to reserve a seat. Please see the FB Boot Camp flyer.pdf for registration information.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Dr. Michael Kirst, President of California's State Board of Education and Governor Brown's most trusted advisor, will be at Bel Aire School in Tiburon at 6:30 p.m. This is your chance to ask those pressing questions and voice your concerns about California's schools! Check the Dr. Kirst flyer.pdf for more details and information on e-mailing your questions/comments prior to the event.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Mike Riera, Ph.D., bestselling author and nationally known expert on parenting and child development, will speak at the Grattan School in San Francisco from 7 to 8:30 p.m. All proceeds from this enlightening event will benefit the Access Institute's programs for children and families. For more information, see the Riera Flyer.doc. To register, go to www.accessinst.org/events_2.html or call 415-861-5449.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Parents of children with learning differences face many challenges. Our coffees provide a chance for parents to share information and support each other. Please join us at 39 Mountain View Avenue for our final coffee of this school year. If you have questions, contact Strawberry Point School parent, Jade Schoenhoeft (jadelwong@yahoo.com or 388-7749).

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Join us at Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse in Berkeley for an evening of down-home blues and jazz featuring Taj Mahal and Maria Muldaur. Proceeds from this event will support Camilla Barry, who teaches science at Edna Maguire and other Mill Valley schools.

Since 2003, Camilla has been working in Afghanistan to promote hands-on science education and to train teachers. She is there now finishing lesson plans that will be distributed throughout the country. Funds raised from the concert will help make this happen. For tickets, go to www.thefreight.org. Discounts are available for group purchases. For more information, please contact Ginna Fleming at 381-8298.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Don't be late for this very important date! The Storybook Ball, a dance for children ages 4-9 and their parents, will be held at the Mill Valley Community Center from 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person. All proceeds will benefit the Mill Valley Library. See the Storybook Ball flyer.pdf for more information.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

The 2011 Marin County Fair will be held Thursday, June 30 through Monday, July 4. It's a great opportunity for students to showcase their talents in a wide variety of areas! See the Marin County Fair Exhibit Opp-1.pdf for more details; you can also download the entry form.pdf. or visit www.marinfair.org for more information about the fair.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 25

Posted by Tom Slattery on April 24

Join us in Edna's multi-purpose room from 8:35 to 9:45 a.m. for an enlightening presentation by environmental health experts Debbie Friedman (Chair of Mothers Against the Spray) and Stacy Weinberg Dieve (President of Sustainable Fairfax). They'll reveal 10 harmful products you should never buy and other valuable information to help you protect your family and the environment. A light breakfast will be served.

See the EnviroTalk.pdf flyer for more information.

Posted by Tim Schultz on April 20

Edna Celebrates Earth Week!

Earth Week starts Monday, April 18th and culminates the following Friday with the Garden Sing. To celebrate, Edna is getting into the spirit!

On Monday, April 18^th - Eth-Noh-Tec, "Green Grows the Story" Assembly! (Asian mythologies and folk tales for Awareness about the Environment and Global Climate Change.)

On Tuesday, April 19th at 11:15 - EOS Music Assembly

On Wednesday April 20^th - The Green Team will sponsor Zero Waste Day in which staff and students, will be encouraged to produce no waste. Pack a lunch using reusable containers and give the Earth a break.

On Friday April 22nd at 11:15am- The Garden Sing will take place in the MPR Room with the whole school!  Have a picnic lunch with your child on the grounds at their designated lunch time.

Posted by Tim Schultz on April 10

Our third, fourth and fifth grade students met with UCSF Scientists to show off their science projects - which ranged from tests with solar power, magnets, minerals, chemicals and vitamins to tests with soda, mints and bubble gum!

View some more pictures of Edna's future scientists here.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 6

Wow, Edna families, thank you for diving right in to support the Thousand Cranes Project and for contributing $1526.81 to our March 23 Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fundraiser! Thanks to Salesforce.com Foundation, your donations will be matched for a total of $3053.62.This amount will be divided among the following Japan relief organizations:

1) Japan Platform: delivers humanitarian aid
2) Kids Earth Fund: offers mental/psychological support for children
3) ETIC: provides human resources development
4) Second Harvest Japan: gives food aid

To make additional contributions, or for more information, please go to Salesforce.com.

Through April 30, Edna students will continue to work with friends from Mill Valley and across the U.S. to fold origami cranes. A HUGE thank you to third-grader Lara Akmehmet for donating 1,000 cranes from family and friends who are busy folding an extra 2,000! And thanks also to second-grader Simon Dauth for donating 100 cranes! Edna Maguire is on track to donate a total of 4,000 cranes for the children of Japan.

In addition to being a symbolic gesture, the cranes project will also help rebuild schools destroyed by the quake and tsunami. For every paper crane mailed to Students Rebuild, a national initiative helping youth take action on global issues, the Bezos Family Foundation  will donate $2 to Architecture for Humanity. Once 100,000 cranes are received, a Japanese artist will weave the cranes into a piece of art. The piece will be displayed on the property of a Japanese school that Architecture for Humanity will rebuild. For more information, visit facebook.com/papercranesforjapan.

Edna's Rainbow of Cranes will Soon Fly to the Children of Japan

Bingo Night Fundraiser
In addition to the crane project, Edna's Family Bingo Night raised an extra $1000 for our earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. We sent this money to the Brookstone Company, which matched our donation. Edna students should be especially proud to know that $2,000 will go to Save the Children, an organization that is helping Japanese children in the regions affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 4

Auditions for the seventh annual Edna Maguire Variety Show are TOMORROW, April 6, from 2 to 6 p.m., in the multi-purpose room. Come and dream big! This popular event encourages and showcases our kids' diverse talent and creativity in the performing arts. We look forward to seeing your practiced, stage-ready act! We're also looking for students to fill technical production roles, such as announcer, stagehand, usher and show hosts.

See the 

Variety Show 2011 Information and Schedule.pdf for more details. Or pick-up a copy in the office. We look forward to another exciting production! Questions? Contact Jody Branham: jodyvera@pacbell.net, (415) 388-1282.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 4

The Student Council's next Spirit Day is this Friday, April 8, the last day before Spring Break, April 11- 15. Let spring fever go to your head--whip up a wild hairdo or don a wacky hat. Better yet, do both! And have a fantastic break!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 4

Many kids get head lice at some point in their elementary school career. These pesky bugs don't pose a health risk and can infest even the cleanest of hair. But having them--and removing them--sure isn't fun! Please take a look at this presentation, Lice_Info.pdf, for helpful information about preventing, and getting rid of, lice. We will conduct our final lice check for this school year the week we return from Spring Break.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 4

Leslie Fielder and Elaine Harris do so much for our kids and school. They deserve our appreciation ALL the time, but especially during Administrative Professionals Week. Please stop by the office to thank them for all they do!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 4

What better way to spend a warm spring evening than learning some new things at the first annual Edna Maguire Science Fair! Thanks to student scientists Lukas Affeltranger, Lara Akmehmet, Lucy Allen, Hannah Alpert, Sebastian Ames, Nikki Batroff, Mariam Bham, Hannah Bishop, Jake Bourdages, Eloise Breckbill, Natalie Bricker, Kyra Carney, Jack Chai, , Kennedy Cook, Connor Dargan, Anya Dimaio, Andrew Dunne, Jason Dunne, Ellie Evans, David Fineman, Kate Freda, Madeline Furey Peters, Carina Kelly, Audrey Herrera, Shanzeh Iqbal, Luke Jessup, Lilly Ignon, Sophia Krivoruchko, Samantha Locke, Tomas Ludin, Cooper Marshall, Lucy Meisler, Keri Nakae, Amina Nakhuda, Khadija Nakhuda, Dara Noonan, Juliet Oreste, Avi Perkoff, Zoe Philippides, Alex Podesta, Ian Pratt, Joe Rico, Piper Santos, Olivia Shine Harris, Katie Southern, Mikaere Todd, and Georgia Westfall for sharing your work with us. Your projects were AWESOME! 

Thank you to everyone who donated refreshments for the Science Fair Open House. And a special thanks to the following parents and staff members for making this event a success: Ann Eshoff, Kit Harris, Deborah Huber, Janie Karp, Julie McCrady, Lisa Orloff, Jo Southern, Kate Sprague and Lisa Zimmer

We also want to congratulate Georgia Westfall, the lucky winner of our drawing for a free week of summer camp at Camp Galileo. Thank you to Galileo Learning for donating this generous prize. At Camp Galileo, kids engage in hands-on art, science and outdoor activities, plus have tons of fun with camp traditions like dress up days, Waterball and the rubber chicken cheer. Visit the Galileo website to learn about four brand-new innovative themes for 2011.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 4

Help us finish strong by joining Edna's walking/cycling "school bus" at the Mill Valley Community Center on Wednesday, April 6. The bus leaves at 8.10 a.m. And please continue to travel green to school. Here are just a few reasons why it's worth the effort:

• Wake up your child's brain, and make her more alert for school, with fresh air. (California Department of Health Services studies show that children who are physically fit score better on tests.)
• Reduce traffic in your community and decrease greenhouse gas emissions by breaking the habit of driving to school every day and taking fewer singly family car trips.
• Help your children gain confidence and independence by teaching them to use their feet to get where they need to go.

 Questions? Contact rhonda@kcfilm.net or lisa.gilmore88@gmail.com

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3

The Marin County Office of Education and the Marin County Chapter of the ACLU of Northern California are hosting a workshop on bullying prevention for educators, school administrators, school counselors, teachers, campus supervisors, instructional assistants, and parents. The workshop will highlight the serious nature of the widespread problem of bullying and offer strategies for preventing it. A panel of experts, including No Bully Executive Director Nicholas Carlisle will lead a discussion, answer questions and provide resources on effective action steps shown to reduce bullying in schools.

Go to http://signup.marinschools.org/safeschools.asp to register or click here: Bullying Prevention Workshop.pdf, to see the flyer.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3

Kids today are becoming dependent on cell phones at younger and younger ages. Get the latest information on the risks, including brain tumors, cell phone radiation poses to kids from a panel of experts. The speakers will also share steps you can take to reduce such risks. This event will be held at the Tam Valley Community Center. Please download the DCOflyer.pdf for more information.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3

Join us at Park School from 7 to 8 p.m. for this important panel discussion for parents of children facing one of the key transitions in their education, such as starting elementary or middle school.

Panel Members

Pre-K to Elementary - Peg Katz, Claudia Trinklein-Engman, Lisa Zimmer
Elementary to Middle School - Jennifer Boyd, Matt Huxley
Middle School to High School - Karen Mates

This event is presented by the Edna Maguire PTA and It Takes A Village Special Education PTA. For more information, contact ITAV Education Chairperson, Marianne Shine, marianne@bssp.com.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3

Join us in Edna's multi-purpose room from 8:35 to 9:45 a.m. for an enlightening presentation by environmental health experts Debbie Friedman (Chair of Mothers Against the Spray) and Stacy Weinberg Dieve (President of Sustainable Fairfax). They'll reveal 10 harmful products you should never buy and other valuable information to help you protect your family and the environment. A light breakfast will be served. See the EnviroTalk.pdf flyer for more information.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3

This informative one-day conference will focus on promoting social skills, executive functioning and socio-emotional skills in children. It will be held at Berkeley's Clark Kerr Conference Center from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Registration fees go up after April 26. To register online and for more information, go to http://bit.ly/schoolpsyc.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3

A giant THANK YOU to all who volunteered for and attended the Kiddo! Spring Gala on March 12. The gala's success was truly a community effort--school families contributed their musical, culinary, design, organizational, technical, and sales skills to making this year's gala one of the best ever! 

With tremendous gratitude for their outstanding efforts, we thank our gala chairs Kellie Kessel, Sophia Ferro and Michele Brass. It was a pleasure to work with you throughout the process - you were always positive, willing to take risks, and work through problems in a professional manner. We thank you for your leadership and for making the evening so successful! 

And to all who volunteered on a committee or worked at the event, your efforts made for a perfect evening. The tent was beautiful, the lighting great, the decorations elegant, the food outstanding, and the drinks perfect. The dance floor was packed, thanks to our very own Mill Valets. The live auction was as entertaining as it was profitable, thanks to our auction chairs, Kathy Piombo and Paige Wright Kintz, and the auction team, who enticed us with irresistible travel and dining opportunities. It was inspiring to see our community pool their considerable talents on behalf of our children! 

Thank you for your tremendous outpouring of support for our public schools. You can view photos and read a full report on the evening at www.kiddo.org.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3

April 11 - 15: Spring Break Film Festival. Hang out in the Creekside Room and watch FREE family movies on the big screen. We'll screen Marmaduke (M), Megamind (T), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (W), Tangled (Th), and Legend of the Guardians (F). Plan to join us - free popcorn for everyone! (All ages, show time at 3:30 p.m. daily, full details available on our website.)

The Marin Humane Society SHARE-A-Book dogs will return to the Children's Room on Friday, April 15 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Call to make a 15-minute appointment to read aloud to a four-legged listener in a fun, supportive environment. (For kids in Kindergarten and older, advance sign-up required.)

Celebrate Earth Day with Insect Discovery Lab on Friday, April 22 at 3:30 p.m. Hold giant rainforest insects in your hand and find out why we should respect and protect them. (Creekside Room, kids in Kindergarten and up, no sign-up needed, parents & caregivers welcome).

Observe El Día de los Libros/los Niños on Wednesday, April 27 at 3:00 p.m. Celebrate books and children with bilingual storyteller and songstress Mariela in the Creekside Room. (Ages 1-6 years, no sign-up is necessary.)

You're the expert! Fill out a Kids' Picks form and tell other kids about great books. We'll post your recommendations on the wall in the Children's Room. If you're looking for a good book, be sure to check out the Kids' Picks wall.

Save the date: Saturday, May 7 at noon. Join us for a reprisal of the Old Mill Creek Paper Boat Races (a yearly tradition during the 1970s). We'll build origami boats to float down the creek - stay tuned for details!

Follow our 100 Great Children's Books blog at http://www.millvalleylibrary.net/blog/. Watch our website for upcoming Centennial events and for details about all of our children's programs, including My First Library Card, HelpNow online tutoring, Little Pim online language instruction, and Personalized Reading Lists for grade 4 and up - or call 415-389-4292 x106 for more information.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on April 3