Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 9

Kindergarten teacher Lisa Stapp not only organized last Saturday's E-Waste Drive--she also braved the pouring rain to work at the event. Thank you, Lisa, for giving up your morning for us! Thanks also to Kit Harris who stopped by to lend Lisa a hand.

In spite of the soggy weather, Edna families, staff and community members showed up to drop off old electronics and make the drive a success. Thank you for helping the environment and Edna!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 4

The 4th Grade class created the annual Wax Museum - welcoming famous Californian entrepreneurs, artists, authors, chefs, entertainers, sports figures and more! See some pictures of the event here.

Posted by Tim Schultz on June 4

Dear Family:

The end of another great year is already here! This one is especially poignant for me as I feel like I've come full circle. Our graduating fifth grade class started here at Edna six years ago, the same time I did. It is surreal to experience this and to wonder how it happened so fast! I hope you enjoyed this year as much as I did.

A parent suggested a lovely idea that I think our kids will love. This summer, whether you're staying in town or heading out of the country, please mail us a postcard! We'll display all the cards for everyone to enjoy when school resumes. It's always fun to send and receive mail the good old-fashioned way! So share a bit of your summer with us by mailing a postcard to:

80 Lomita Drive
Mill Valley, CA. 94941

This year, we focused on appreciating the many things that have come our way at school and in life. Words cannot adequately express how much I appreciate all of you! Our school wouldn't be what it is today without your support. I also want to extend a special thank you to our PTA co-presidents, Janie Karp and Kit Harris. They have gone above and beyond the call of duty for our school.

Behind them are many, many people who make great things happen at Edna on a daily basis. By sharing your special talents and gifts, you make our children's education and experiences at Edna so much richer. For everything you have given to us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Finally, if you want to keep up with Edna news over the summer, you can follow me on Twitter. Stay well and safe, and we'll see you in September!

All the best to you,

Lisa Zimmer

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

For the third year in a row, Woody's Yogurt Shop is coming to Edna to celebrate the last day of the school year. Owner Woody will be on hand to supply FREE ice cream (one per student -no parents or siblings, please) on the back playground when school lets out (12:30 for kindergarten; 12:45 for all other grades). Dairy and gluten-free options will be available. Thank you, Woody, for making the last day of school extra sweet!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

Summer's almost here, and if you've got excess athletic equipment cluttering your garage, this is the perfect chance to get rid of it. We especially need gently used soccer balls! Footballs and basketballs are also appreciated. Please drop off donations at the front office. Questions? Contact Karen Carr at karenmuntercarr@yahoo.com.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

For having the biggest turn out of students in their grade for their garden work days, the third graders won an end-of-the-year pizza party. You rock,third graders--enjoy your pizza!

A big thanks also goes out to our kindergarteners for making our last garden work day of the year one of the best attended! And thanks to ALL the students and parents who showed up for other garden work days throughout the year. Without you, the garden wouldn't be what it is today! We also extend a special thank you to our Garden Work Day Coordinators: Amy Bonetti Price, Deborah Huber and Merrie Jaffe. They helped get the word out about the work days, along with organizing the monthly scavenger hunts and the end-of-the-year pizza party contest. Their efforts helped our garden thrive!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

Here are a few examples of what Edna students did this year--and will have the chance to do next year--in our "outdoor classroom:"

Kindergarteners planted a butterfly garden to support the butterflies they raise and release.

First graders released 10,000 ladybugs to complement their insect anatomy studies and appreciate how these bugs benefit organic gardens.

Second graders harvested and ate everything imaginable and planted a 10 foot tall "pea tee pee" for children to sit under.

Third graders planted a Three Sisters Garden based on traditional Native Americans farming methods. The project complemented their study of Native Americans and taught them about symbiotic plants.

Fourth graders planted a Sunflower Fort as part of a project sponsored by the UCSF Great Sunflower Project. Next year's fourth graders will conduct a bee count. The results will be entered into a national database to help leading biologists better understand the Honey Bee Population Decline Syndrome.

Fifth graders will be responsible for overseeing the worm bins as the worms decompose our food waste and create rich fertilizer. They will also grow potatoes in potato cages.

General garden tasks included installing owl boxes, tending to compost, planting, pruning the roses and trees, harvesting and lots of eating!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

Calling all Edna Maguire families! Thank you to those of you who have been saving and bringing in your box tops. Each little pink square coupon is worth 10 cents! So far this year, we've collected 1200 box tops. Good, but if we all pitch in, we can beat that number next school year! Please remember to save your box tops this summer and bring them to the office in September.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

Did you know that all of your Amazon.com orders can benefit Edna Maguire? Amazon.com will give 10 percent of your total purchase back to Edna. Just use this link next time you make a purchase on Amazon or shop via the Amazon School Rewards logo on ednamaguire.org.

You can also support Edna by shopping at Book Passage in Corte Madera. The store contributes 5 percent of all purchases to our library. Just mention Edna to the cashier when you're ready to pay. Questions? Contact Stirling Somers at stirlings100@gmail.com.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

Thank you Dorothy O'Donnell, our Pony editor, Tim Schultz, our Web master, and Linda Dunne, our calendar guru! Without their tireless efforts, we wouldn't have our Pony every other week or an up-to-date school calendar and website. These Edna parents put in many hours to make sure we get the information we need in a timely, lively fashion. We are lucky that all three of them have agreed to come back for more next year--thank you!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

The 2011 yearbooks are complete and will be distributed soon. They look fantastic! We wouldn't have been able to pull off this huge project without the creative direction, photographical expertise and computer skills of Justine Whitehead. Thank you, Justine, for all you do to make this book so special! In addition, a big round of applause goes to the members of Justine's team: Mari Allen, Suzanne Alpert, Mike Bishop, John Carney, Mara Conner, Kristi Duchon, Nancy Ericsson, Leslie Fielder, Lisa Gilmore, Kira Keane, Donna Wenig, Anne Zarraonandia, Lisa Zimmer, Michelle Zimmerman. Thanks as well to all of the event photographers, room photographers, room parents and teachers who helped. We couldn't have done it without all of you!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

Edna's fundraising efforts for the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami are already yielding positive results! Below are some highlights from Students Rebuild of how the origami cranes you folded, and the money you generously donated, are helping Japan.

Setting the foundation - Cameron Sinclair, cofounder of Architecture for Humanity, blogs from Tokyo on the budding efforts in Japan, including some clues as to the project undertaken with Students Rebuild funds!

Japan TV spotlight (link)- NHK Broadcasting in Japan features your amazing efforts to fold over 1 million paper cranes for Japan--both in Japan and worldwide! During this terrific segment, Los Angeles teen Kelsey Kwong shares her story in a live interview  English version).

Stay tuned - In early June we will launch the new www.studentsrebuild.org, which will feature your stories, letters and wishes for Japan. Share your story by emailing info@studentsrebuild.org, subject line: Story!

Contribute to the virtual collage - While the deadline to mail cranes has passed, you can show your support for Japan by posting photos of your cranes on the Paper Cranes for Japan Facebook page.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

School's out on June 9 - what are you doing on June 10? Join mesmerizing magician Alex Ramon on Friday, June 10 for a FREE magic show. Don't miss this dazzling display of incredible marvels on the Old Mill Park Amphitheater stage at 3:30 p.m. (All ages, everyone welcome.)

Join us for Summer Reading 2011 - It's a Blast from the Past! Celebrate the Library's Centennial and summer by participating in our amazing Summer Reading Program. We'll be offering 10 full weeks of free children's programming, including our reading game, outdoor entertainment, classes, author visits, movies, and more, starting on June 13. Watch for the orange flyer in your child's backpack or download one at www.millvalleylibrary.org.

Get a free customized summer reading list! You'll never run out of stuff to read with your very own PeRL (Personalized Reading List). Tell us what you like (and don't like) to read and we'll create a list of at least 15 titles we think you'll love. Call to schedule a 30-minute interview. (Grades 4 - 8)

Have a great summer! Watch our website for upcoming events and for details about all of our children's programs, including My First Library Card, HelpNow online tutoring, and Little Pim online language instruction - or call 415-389-4292 x106 for more information.

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3

Get the scoop on the Bay Area's hottest summer activities for kids at http://marinhood.wordpress.com. Started by two Marin moms, including Edna parent Ronnie Sharpe, Marinhood is your one-stop source for info on fun activities and events-- in our own backyard and beyond!

Posted by Dorothy Odonnell on June 3