Wildcat Wrap: 10.4.13

Dear White Hill Families,

Here’s the Wrap for this week. It’s a long one so take some time to read through it when you have a moment.

Upcoming Events & Important Dates

Wednesday October 9th: iWalk, International Walk and Roll to School Day Be part of an international movement! Students, parents and teachers are all encouraged to walk, bicycle, or skateboard to school. There will be prizes and snacks for all participants. Stay tuned for details...

Saturday, October 12th: Hidden Valley Fall Festival – Check it OUT! Be sure to check out Hidden Valley's new Fall Festival on Saturday, October 12th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It will be fun for the whole family! Thanks for supporting all our local elementary school events!

Tuesday, October 15: Beyond Differences Parent Education Event on Social Newtorking The Marin County Office of Education is inviting middle school students, high school students, parents and community leaders to an important presentation by Matt Ivester, author of "lol…OMG!" Ivester will address the opportunities and dangers of social networks and online behavior, important information to help us all understand how to protect the reputations and lives of kids in our communities. Please see flyer for more info.

Highlights from RVSD Board Brief from October 1, 2013 Meeting

Highlights from the meeting are below. The full Brief is available on the Board Briefs page.

Trustees approved the final version of this year’s District Goals.
Jim Brown will be working with our school community to facilitate our District’s Strategic Plan development this fall and winter. The Strategic Plan is a high impact item that significantly affects and shapse the quality of student learning, the direction, and the culture of our District. Key benefits include positioning the District to address future issues as they arise; effectively allocate resources; focus on the “big picture” of student education; and to tie together goals from across the District schools, administration, and Board.Stay tuned for more!
Builders will wrap up their work at White Hill in three weeks and RVSD staff can proceed with the final steps prior to opening the classrooms on December 4th.
Director of Facilities Maintenance, Bret Joyner, updated the Trustees on the state of our campus’ emergency preparedness. Mr. Joyner noted several areas that need attention including window coverings, CPR/FIrst Aid training, PA system, fire alarm monintoring and emergency phone communication. Mr. Joyner and the school site Principals will prioritize and cost out remedies for each item, and bring their results back to the Board for review.

It's White Hill Magazine Sales Time Again!

On Friday, October 4th, we will kick off the White Hill Magazine Sales Program with an all-school morning assembly for 6th- to 8th-graders in the gym. Last year, the White Hill Magazine Sales Program successfully raised over $30,000 for our school and only required 10 volunteers to run it. Many White Hill students participated in this special two-week program to support our school. Funds raised were used to help support teacher and school wish lists that directly support our kids each day, both in the classroom and around the campus.

Kids can participate this year can in three different ways:

If magazines are your cup of tea.......kids can sell magazine subscriptions (both new and renewals) to their friends, family members, neighbors and more. (Please remember though, this program is not meant for door to door selling.)
If you just aren't interested in magazines or wish to participate in more of a "green" way........you could instead make a direct contribution to White Hill.
And lastly, if you would rather peruse the online store associated with Magazine Sales.... you can do so as well and stock up on some holiday gifts or wrapping paper as an alternative.

Just know that every $10 donation made to White Hill or every item purchased in the online store, is the same as selling one magazine subscription! So kids who participate will earn points for the many prizes that are offered in the program.

Here's How it Works

Tuesday, October 8th (no volunteers needed)
Address Book Turn-In Day-drop off at tables located outside of the 6th grade building

Friday, October 11th-7:30-9:30am (5 volunteers needed)
This will be the first magazine sales turn-in day. Kids will come with their magazine order forms filled out and money (checks/cash) and turn-in at the magazine sales area near the 6th grade building. Any online orders will be tracked on a form that volunteers will have and students can indicate at check-in that they have online orders. Kids who participate will earn prizes at various levels . Please refer to your student's magazine packet for complete information.

5 Volunteers will be needed to help assist kids with their check-in orders. Please contact Anne Migliore at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are able to help out that morning.

Friday, October 18th-7:30-9:30am (5 volunteers needed)
This will be the 2nd magazine sales turn-in day. Just like the first, kids will come with their magazine order forms filled out and money (checks/cash) and turn-in at the magazine sales are near the 6th grade building. Kids will received prizes at various levels. 5 Volunteers will be needed to help assist kids with their check-in orders. Please contact Anne Migliore at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are able to help out that morning.

Your student's magazine packet will provide you with plenty of detailed information. Should you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact parent volunteer Nathalie Kemp at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Thanks so much for your support of this fundraisingeffort for White Hill.

WH Staff Appreciation Coming October 17th

Our third Staff Appreciation event is coming up on Thursday, October 17th Let's repeat the success of the very popular Box Lunch event. We need 60 families to volunteer to prepare a special box lunch for a staff member. (It doesn't have to be in a box!). Be as creative as you wish with packaging, although the containers should be non-returnable. We will display the lunches in the Staff room and they will be able to choose one to their liking, so no lunches for specific staff, just make a special meal that you would enjoy, you can even include a sweet surprise.
You can also sign up for drinks.

Please sign-up at http://www.timetosignup.com/whitehill/signupsheet/20026 if you are able to provide a hearty lunch. Please deliver your lunch to the school office by 10:30 Thursday morning, 10/17 so that we can be sure there is a lunch for each staff member. We have some refrigerator space and carpooling your lunch is encouraged.

If this event doesn't work for your schedule please consider signing up for one of our upcoming events. See the proposed dates to the end of 2013 listed below.

Thursday, November 14th: Soup and Salad Luncheon
Thursday, December 12th: Holiday Cookie Exchange

The Staff really looks forward to these events and we can only make them happen with your support. Thanks for considering signing up for one or more events so we can let them know how much we appreciate them.

Thank you,

Robin Goebel
Staff Appreciation Chair
White Hill Parent Club

No Energy Drinks or Soda at School (and hopefully none before school as well)

Thank you for supporting us in teaching your children by not sending them to school with an energy drink or soda. We’d also appreciate it if your kids did not have these drinks before school. Picture 27-30 middle school kids, one classroom, one teacher, 3 kids on an energy drink. Not a pretty picture. Thank you!

Drug Take Back Day: Disposing of Left-Over Pain Medications and Other Drugs

Please see flyer for information on how to dispose of your left over pain medications or otherwise. A Take Back Day is coming to our area soon!

8th Grade Washington DC Trip, 2015

Attention current 7th-grade parents! If your 7th grader is planning/hoping to go to Washington DC in 8th grade (Spring Break, 2015) and he/she would be interested in fund raising to off-set some of the costs please let Beth Malloy (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) know by October 20th. We will be meeting to discuss options and next steps once we have heard from you!

Looking for some parent support regarding your child with learning differences?

FLO (FLexible Learning Opportunities) will be hosting three parent coffees this year at private residences in San Anselmo. The dates and times are as follows: 10/25, 1/24, and 3/28 from 8:30 -10:30 a.m. These coffees are an informal way to meet other parents and gain support or advice regarding your child with learning differences. Please RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for our first coffee. We will email you directly with the location of the event. Also, please check out our website at flo.groupcafes.com .

Student Services Newsletter 2 available here.

Important! Messages for Kids Should be for Emergencies Only

Please refrain from calling in messages to kids during the school day that pertain to play dates, who is going on what bus, change in soccer practice times, etc. unless it is absolutely essential that your child has this information and you were not able to get it to them before they left for school. We could hire a full time person to simply run messages around campus all day and we’d still not get to everyone! Please do your very best to give your kids the information they need for the day before they go to school. We completely understand that things come up and we are happy to help but it should be a last resort. Thank you for your understanding.

Independent Study Requirements

Please make sure that you give White Hill 5 business days or more notice for any independent study trips that you set up with your family. Independent studies can be set up for any child missing a minimum of 5 consecutive school days but we must have at least 5 days notice to prepare the study packets. Contact Vicki Bornstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. arrange for an independent study trip or with any questions.

Biking and Walking Safety!

Please remind your kids what it looks like when they walk and bike (or skateboard) safely to and from White Hill. We have had several near misses on SFD and we need your help. Kids need to be reminded to look both ways, wait until the car/bike clearly sees you and stops, and then proceed. We communicated this information to your kids at school this week but a little reminder would be helpful. Thank you!

Full Color White Hill Yearbooks For Sale Now! – 36.50 - Get your yearbook today by ordering online!

Order your yearbook online at http://jostensyearbooks.com?REF=A00597768.

Financial assistance is available for families in need. Forms for check purchases and financial assistance information are available. If you have questions contact Yearbook teacher- Emma Beauchamp at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Forms are also available in the main office. All yearbooks must be ordered on or before Dec. 20, 2013. Sorry, yearbooks are not available after Winter Break. Please order your copy today!

Art Room Needs

Paper bags with handles, please! You can drop them off in the office! Thank you.

Parent Club Meeting Dates! Next Meeting is October 17th

Please join us for our parent club meetings this year. We want your input and need your help! We have lots to do and would love to capture the energy of our entire parent community.
October 17th 7-8 pm WH Library – Agenda: 2013-2014 Draft Budget Review/Fundraising Plans/Volunteer Needs
January 29th 7-8 pm WH Library – Agenda:TBD
Spring Date: TBD

White Hill Sports and Activities are all sponsored by the YES Foundation! Go YES!

Your generous contributions to the YES Foundation support all of our awesome activities and sports at White Hill!

TLC Homework Club at White Hill

Directors: Bonnie and Mike Zaleski

Homework Help and Foundation Review, Improve Study Skills and Organizational Skills, Prioritize Workload, Learn How to Keep up with your Planner, Supervised Tutoring Instruction

Tutors:       Excellent, Responsible, Knowledgeable, Accessible

Hours:        1.5 hrs after school Mon-Th

                     Mon/Tu/Th:       3:15-4:45pm

                     Wed:                 2:15-3:45pm

Where:       Room 103

Fee:            $30 per hour (1 time per week minimum participation)

Register:   Contact TLC Tutoring directly at 415-453-1852 or email us This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.tlctutoring.org.