Vol_18_newsletter

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a PTA sponsored newsletter for

Volume XVIII, Issue XIII March 5, 2010

In this issue:

Principal's Message - Student Council - Safety Tips - Food Drive -PQYSA - Preschool Registration - Life Lessons/Character Counts! - PEPP - Cultural Diversity Potluck - AB Art Show - Book Exchange - AB Talent Show -PUSD Interdistrict Transfers - PUSD Kindergarten & New Student Enrollment -Health Corner

Upcoming Events

this week March 6 - 12

Spring Food Drive

Saturday (3/6)

Sunday (3/7)

Monday (3/8)

- Mileage Club

- Food Drive

Tuesday (3/9)

- Food Drive

Wednesday (3/10)

- Mileage Club

- Food Drive

Thursday (3/11)

- College shirt day

- Student store open, first recess

- Early release 12:25

- Food Drive

Friday (3/12)

- Spirit Day

- Mileage Club

- Food Drive Deadline

next week

March 13 - 19

Saturday (3/13)

Sunday (3/14)

- Daylight Saving time turn clocks ahead 1 hr

Monday (3/15)

- Mileage Club

Tuesday (3/16)

Wednesday (3/17)

- Mileage Club

Thursday (3/18)

- Run 2 Play

- Student store open, first recess

- Early release 12:25

Friday (3/19)

- Spirit Day

- Mileage Club

- Cultural Diversity Potluck 6-8pm, MPR

For future events click here

Adobe Bluffs Elementary
Mark Atkins, Principal
8707 Adobe Bluffs Drive
San Diego, CA 92129
(858) 538-8403

Adobe Bluffs PTA
Ron Cole, President
Palomar Council,
Ninth District, Inc. CCPTS
Jennifer Good, Aztec News Editor

Principal's Message - Character Counts

Teaching our students how to be good citizens is closely tied to teaching them to be good students. I was fortunate enough to hear a message from the Director of the character counts program at the Founders PTA breakfast. He said initially some teachers didn’t want to have to add another “thing” to the full calendar of things to be taught. He said now that the program is being used, many teachers understand that character is “the thing”. Each month your children’s teachers focus on one of the six Pillars of Character (Responsibility, Respect, Citizenship, Caring, Fairness and Trustworthiness), helping students understand the meaning of these terms and how to behave in ways that demonstrate these traits. We use these terms as we teach students study skills, how to conduct themselves on the playground, and appropriate ways to communicate with others.

Throughout the day and year, staff members encourage students to think about character and give their best effort. Outside of the classroom, students “caught” showing character may be given Character Cards and have their name announced during the Monday morning announcements. When students make poor choices, we refer back to the character trait that they need to work on. Children need to understand that it wasn’t a poor choice because they got in trouble, but because it showed that they were not acting with appropriate character. Parents may want to reinforce this focus on identifying behaviors by their character trait. As the saying goes, “character is what happens when no one is looking.”

With Aztec Pride,

Mark Atkins

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Student Council

According to student count, we raised $2,563.34 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! That is about $800 more than last year with fewer students.

Mrs. Lowrie's class, Room 3, raised the most money with $410.81. They will receive a pasta party from the Olive Garden Restaurant. Each class that raised $300+ receives a gold pennant, over $200 a silver pennant, and over $100 a bronze pennant. We had the following:

Gold = 1 class
Silver = 3 classes
Bronze = 7 classes

Thank you to all who donated to the Anthony DeWeese Shade Area Memorial Fund, Through your generosity $2,295 was raised in memory of our fellow student.

To help the earthquake victims in Haiti, Student Council is helping to collect any walkers, canes, or crutches that people may have but are no longer using. If you have any of these to donate, please drop these items off in our health office. Thank you!

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Safety Tips - Talking to Children About Strangers

In light of recent events, the following websites provided by PUSD may be helpful.

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Spring Food Drive – March 8-12, 2010

Many students in PUSD receive free lunches at school since their family’s budgets are so tight that they may not receive adequate nourishment at home. Have you ever wondered what those kids do for lunch when school is not in session? The answer to that question, for many of those kids, is to go hungry.

The Palomar Council PTA and the Adobe Bluffs Elementary PTA are organizing a food drive aimed specifically at feeding the kids who will be missing out on their free lunches during Spring Break (April 5^th – 9^th). If we can gather enough food, we’d like to be able to provide food to those PUSD families over the summer as well.

We will be collecting food from March 8–12. Collection bins will be available in front of the school and inside the front office. Here is what we need:

· canned goods (fruits, vegetables, soup, beans)

· peanut butter

· rice

· pasta

· spaghetti sauce

· cereal

· healthy snack foods

Please contact Ron Cole if you have any questions. Sponsored by the Palomar Council PTA and Adobe Bluffs Elementary PTA

Penasquitos Youth Soccer Association - Sunday, March 7, 2010 deadline

PQYSA Soccer is busy preparing for Spring programs and the upcoming competitive season. If you are interested in participating in their programs and would like more detailed information, please visit PQYSA's website.

Preschool Registration – February 1- March 12, 2010

The first step to enroll in a PUSD Preschool is to complete the “Interest Survey” form (for all classes). “Interest Survey” forms for 2010-2011 will be accepted February 1 – March 12, 2010. The form is available and can be completed online at: http://www.powayusd.com/preschool/preRegistration.shtml

Additional copies of the form can be found in school offices. All completed forms must be submitted directly to the Preschool Administration Office no later than March 12^th. A lottery process will be used if the number of surveys requesting a class exceeds openings in the class. Parents will be notified March 22-26 of class placements or wait list status.

Life Lessons/Character Counts! After School Program - Friday, March 19, 2010 Deadline

Are you looking for fun classes that help build great character and strong bodies for your children? The time has come to sign up! These classes focus on how your child can be stronger on the inside by making good choices, and stronger on the outside with exercise and karate techniques.

The following four classes will be taught from 2:15 – 3:00 beginning March 22, for only $69.00.

Adobe Bluffs Educational Foundation receives 100% of these funds. These classes will be taught in the Adobe Bluffs’ MPR by nationally certified karate instructor and Poway Unified School District teacher, Nay Flinn.

Life Lesson One: Courtesy/Caring/Respect Mon. March 22
Life Lesson Two: Integrity/Trustworthiness Wed. March 24
Life Lesson Three: Perseverance/Fairness/Self Control Mon. March 29
Life Lesson Four: Responsibility/Citizenship/Indomitable Spirit Wed. March 31
Life Lessons Graduation: Belt promotions, medals, trophies & demonstrations Wed. March 31

A graduation for this program will be held on Wednesday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m.

First time students will receive a white belt at graduation. Repeating students will receive a medal. All currently enrolled Family Karate students will earn a community service trophy.

Your child will bring home a registration form on March 5. Please turn it in no later than Friday, March 19. Additional forms are located in the office. There is limited space. Don’t miss out! These classes are only offered one time this year!

Poway's Extended Primary Program (PEPP) - Thursday, March 18, 2010

parent informational meeting @ Painted Rock Elementary

Poway's Extended Primary Program (PEPP) is a developmental program designed primarily for our younger kindergarten students, born between June 1st and December 2nd and students with individual needs who would benefit from two years in a Kindergarten class. There will be a PEPP Parent Information Night held March 18th at 6:30 pm at Painted Rock Elementary School.

Click here for more information.

Cultural Diversity Potluck – Friday, March 19, 2010

Get ready for the 2nd AB Cultural Diversity Potluck! It will be held on Friday, March 19, 6-8pm in the MPR. Bring your favorite International food dish: appetizer, main-dish, vegetables/fruits, snack or dessert. Share your culture with friends and neighbors. There will also be international sidewalk games for kids of all ages like Escargot (French hopscotch) or Chinese jump rope. Bring your own game to teach your friends!

Look for the flyer coming home soon! Hope to see you there.

Questions? Contact Patty Verhage 858-484-5743.

Adobe Bluffs 2010 Art Show - 6-8pm, Thursdsay, April 1, 2010

The Adobe Bluffs Art Show will be Thursday April 1^st from 6pm to 8pm. Each student will have a piece of art work displayed in the MPR. Please come and enjoy and see how talented the students are.

If you would like to help with matting or hanging the art work please contact me. I 'm also looking for someone to chair this event next year seeing that this is my last year having a student at Adobe Bluffs.

If you can help please contact me, Kathy Carleton at 484-8156

Adobe Bluffs Book Exchange - April 2010

Start sorting through your bookshelves for those books you have outgrown, reread or maybe never read. The book exchange will be held at the end of April. More information coming soon.

Adobe Bluffs’ Got Talent? – Friday, May 21, 2010

So you think you can dance? Sing? Play an Instrument? Can make us laugh with a humorous skit or monologue? Perform a martial arts routine? Yes, Aztecs, it’s that time of year again…..Aztecs are awesomely talented and we are asking you to share your talent(s) with the Adobe Bluffs community. Show your stuff , show your pride in your talents extraordinaire! The Adobe Bluffs Talent Show is back!! Mark your calenders for May 21. It will be the hottest ticket at Adobe Bluffs!

The show is open to all Adobe Bluff’s students.

Showcase your talents as a solo act or as a group act with your friends. Acts are limited to 2 minutes. Audtions are scheduled for April 15th. Be on the look out for informational flyers and sign ups. Remember, at the audition, your act MUST be show ready! So be sure to practice for the auditions.

Questions can be directed to Darlene Hart or Jennifer Wright.

PUSD Interdistrict Transfer Requests – currently accepting

It’s that time of year for parents to complete an IDT (Interdistrict Transfer) Request for the 2010-2011 school year. This form must be completed annually by those families that reside outside of the PUSD boundary. As of March 1^st the District will be accepting and processing the IDTs.

Please go to the PUSD website www.powayusd.comà Hot Topics à FAQ’s – Enrollment & Transfers, scroll down to Question (Q) “What if I would like my student(s) to attend a district other than my district of residence? See answer below, with necessary steps for completing the IDT process:

The procedure for requesting an Interdistrict Attendance Permit is as follows:

Parent obtains Application for Interdistrict Attendance Permit (SDCOE for 341) from district of residence. (Form is available online at the District website).
Complete all sections of Part A of Parent’s Request for Interdistrict Attendance Permit (SDCOE Form 341) and fill in the reason for request in the space provided. Sign request.
Obtain approval of the authorized school administrator of the district of residence.
Take the request form to the administrator of the school district of desired attendance.
Parent/guardian will be notified by mail of the final decision from the Office of Student Attendance and Welfare on the request.
If the request for transfer is employment related, verification of employment is needed.
If the request for transfer is childcare related, verification of childcare is needed. (PUSD Form C-48).
The request will not be approved if the additional cost to educate the student exceeds the amount of state aid received as a result of the transfer.

PUSD 2010-2011 Enrollment - Kindergarten and New Students

Wednesday, May 12 – Kindergarten Enrollment will begin for the 2010-2011 school year

Thursday, May 13 – Enrollment for new students in all grades will begin

Health Corner - May 28, 2010 deadline

Parents of Kindergarten and new First grade students must have a dental check up by May 28th. Please check with Karen Serafin in the HEALTH office if you need a form or are not sure if your child has had his/her visit. This form must be turned in no later than May 28th.

Thank you,

Karen Serafin

Health Tech