11/21/2008

WORDS OF WISDOM:  Some of you may have heard me in the morning reading our daily Words of Wisdom.  Here are some thoughts about Thanksgiving:

Isn’t Thanksgiving a great American holiday – all that turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie?  In America, we are very fortunate because most of us can simply walk into the nearest grocery story and buy everything we need for a great Thanksgiving feast!    Since Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks, I want you to think about this when you sit down to your Thanksgiving meal.  Think about the many hands that worked long and hard hours to bring all that food to your table.  Be grateful, not just to those who cooked the food, but to everyone who made it possible, from the farmer to the produce man to the truck driver to the grocer!  The Vietnamese say it this way, “When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree I am thankful for each of you!”  From our littlest preschool Trailblazers to our amazing “old”  fifth graders.  Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving week!  We’ll see you back on December 1^st. 

AND THANKS FOR OUR TROOPS: When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address.   If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.   When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Guidelines for cards at http://www.redcross.org/email/saf/

The Giving Tree

Thank you so much to those of you who've stopped by Stone Ranch's Giving Tree to take an ornament. Many needy families in the Poway Unified School District will be helped by your gift card donations. If you are unable to stop by and take an ornament but would still like to get a gift card to donate, please feel free to do so. We would love cards to the following: Target, Walmart, Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Stater Bros, Chevron, Arco, Westfield Mall.  Please turn in the cards with the amount written on it by Dec. 4th. If you have questions, please contact Eve Grewe evegrewe@cox.net

AND THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTION:  A parent recently emailed me and asked if I’d just send the Bulletin without its accompanying voice mail message.   So, to avoid information overload, I’ll be sending the Bulletin strictly via email, unless there’s an important message that needs your immediate attention.  So, those of you who gathered around the phone to hear my happy Friday voice will just have to come around school more often and chat!

ANOTHER HOLIDAY MESSAGE:  Struggling to find just the right gift for your girlfriends?? How about the gift of YOUR TIME with a “shopping express pass”! Skip the after thanksgiving madness sales for the Girls Night in the 4S commons on December 4^th! Buy a BLOCK of 10 tickets for all your friends and treat them to a great night! All the tickets are only $10.00 and 100% of the proceeds go to Stone Ranch. When you buy your holiday gifts, a portion of you sales comes back to our schools! Awesome opportunity drawing prizes, free appetizers at Capri Blu and desserts at East of Eden.  Tickets available for sale at Stone Ranch before and after school Dec. 1^st –Dec. 4^th. If you pre-ordered a ticket, they will be delivered to your classrooms December 1^st.  

BATTER UP:  4S Ranch Little League Signups are here!  The fifth year of the 4S Ranch Little League and Girls Softball is ready to begin.  Kids aged 5-14 are encouraged to play and be a part of this great league.  The next registration will be at Frozen Ropes 10710 Thornmint Rd Saturday December 6 (9:00 am – 2:00 pm).   New players, please bring a copy of your birth certificate.  Also visit www.4srll.com for more information including other registration dates in the coming month

Our Jr. Achievement Experience by Mrs. Moyer’s Second Grade:  Recently the second grade students in G-5 had the exciting opportunity to participate in the Jr. Achievement program entitled “Our Community.”  Through a series of five classroom lessons, students learned how a community operates as people live and work together.  They discovered a variety of community occupations and businesses.  Each had a chance to produce donuts for a local donut shop using both unit and assembly production methods.  They realized their roles as citizens of a community. They understood more clearly how the government works to support the services for all citizens of a community.    Each lesson provided engaging, hands on activities along with appropriate vocabulary that aligned with our curriculum standards.  As students and members of our own 4S Ranch community, we all feel very fortunate to have had this wonderful learning experience.