Gift from Pacific Life Foundation

I am pleased to let you know that we recently received a $4000 grant from the people at Pacific Life Foundation. Because several of our Melinda parents are employed at Pacific Life, the company offers this grant to improve our technology (among other things). Though the amount we receive varies from year to year, this is the fourth year in a row that we have received this kind of support. I want to express our heartfelt appreciation to our parents and the staff at Pacific Life!

Help For Parents

Parenting Magic for Early Childhood   

March 18^th, 2010 @ 5:30 p.m. 

SVUSD CENTER FOR FAMILY, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS 

Los Alisos Intermediate School - Portable # 1

This class will focus on the building blocks of parenting.  We will address goals of misbehavior, practical parenting concepts, discipline, and creative solutions to everyday problems.  With these tools you’ll be able to enjoy every stage of your child’s development and a life time of joy from them.

For further information and registration, please contact Mrs. Dorina Faz at (949) 770-2548.

Free Bike Helmets

Saddleback Valley Unified School District Center for Family, School and Community Partnerships, Orange County  Sheriff, City of Mission Viejo Police Services and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center are glad to offer FREE helmets to the first 70 - third, fourth, fifth and sixth grade students to register

• Bike Safety Presentation March 4, 2010 at Los Alisos Intermediate School  -  3:30 to 5:30 pm.  
Presentation and information program by Mission Viejo Police Services - Sheriff
Of Orange County, consent form signing and helmet measuring  for the first 70 upper grade students
 
• Distribution April 23, 2010:  at Los Alisos Intermediate School - 3: 30 to 5:30 pm.  
     Helmet distribution

The sponsors are hoping that low income families who can not afford a bike helmet for their children will call the SVUSD Center at Los Alisos for a helmet voucher number . They may call  (949) 770.2548 or  
bring their completed form to  SVUSD Center for Family, School land Community Partnerships located 25171 Moor Ave. Mission Viejo, CA 92691 at Los Alisos Intermediate School portable#1

Growth and Development Film Previews

Parents of 5th and 6th graders may preview the Growth and Development Films on the first Thursday of each month (March 4th, April 1st, and May 6th) at La Tierra School - 24150 Lindley St, Mission Viejo, CA 92691. This event is for adults only - no students.

Specific Times (all days):
7:00 am - Parents of 5th Boys
7:30 am - Parents of 5th Girls
8:00 am - Parents of 6th Boys & Girls
2:30 pm - Parents of 5th Boys
3:00 pm - Parents of 5th Girls
3:30 pm - Parents of 6th Boys & Girls

The films will be shown to students with signed permission slips on Tuesday, May 25th.

Gold Medal for Melinda

The Orange County Register recently ranked all of the schools in Orange County, using criteria such as API scores, Federal ratings, student behavior, and others. I am very pleased that Melinda Heights received a Gold Medal. If you visit the OC Register website, you can see the article and the rankings of all schools. Go to:

http://www.ocregister.com/news/best-232770-elementary-county.html

Recycling Program/Fundraiser

In partnership with CR&R, we have started a new recycling program at Melinda Heights. We will be recycling plastic bottles and aluminum cans only. If you look near the back entrance to the school, you will see a large metal container from CR&R. When will fill this will cans and bottles, CR&R will pick it up, weigh the recycled materials, and give %100 of the money to Melinda Heights. So we will be helping the earth while we help our school. You can help too. You can send us your aluminum cans and plastic bottles. Here are the rules:

• All bottles and cans must be sent in CLEAN tall kitchen bags or larger - no shopping bags
  
• Bag bottles and cans is separate bags - do not mix them
• Do not include other materials: glass, paper, cardboard, etc.
• You do not have to rinse or crush cans or bottles, but please empty them
  
• Make sure your bags are free of dirt, food, garbage or other waste
• Have you child bring bags to their classroom
• All bottles and cans must have CA CRV logo

Thanks for helping us out. We will be collecting every Wednesday.

School Choice

Due to the California Fiscal Crisis, School Choice Bulletins will not be printed and distributed to all families this year. Information about the 2010 School Choice timeline and process is available on the SVUSD School Choice website www.svusd.k12.ca.us <http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/> (Featured Links: School Choice Information”).  The elementary window is February 22 – March 12, 2010.

PPP - PTA Parent Participation

At every PTA meeting, we will be holding a drawing for 15 minutes of extra recess time for some lucky student's whole class. Every parent who attends the monthly PTA meeting can fill out a PPP ticket (one for each of their children) to enter in the drawing. If your child's ticket is picked, his or her class will win 15 extra minutes of recess the next Friday. So come to the meeting. Who knows? You might be a winner!

The lucky winner from our March meeting was Justin Brosnan. Mrs. Charter's class will get an extra 15 minutes of recess on 3/3/10!

A Few Upcoming Events

3/2 - PTA Meeting - 7:00 PM, MPR
3/4 - Health Film Preview for parents (see above)
3/12-3/19 - Parent Conferences/Minimum Days
3/12 - 4th Grade Treasure Island, MPR @ 6:00 & 7:15 PM
3/13 - Orange County History Day Competition
3/15-3/19 - PTA Book Exchange before school each day
3/19 - PTA Book Exchange Night, MPR from 6:00-8:00 PM
3/26 - PTA Basketball Assembly
4/1 - Health Film Preview for parents (see above)
4/5-4/9 - Spring Break, no school
4/13 - PTA Meeting - 7:00 PM, MPR
5/6 - Health Film Preview for parents (see above)

Budget Update

For a complete update on the current budget crisis situation in Saddleback Valley Unified School District, please go to the District web page at: http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/