Lower School E-News Blog

 Dear Parents:

The Lower School has been a hive of activity this week including Homecoming festivities that featured spiritwear sales, banners, balloons, cheerleaders, football player visitors, and a pep rally; we also saw popcorn sales, multiple assemblies, a parent coffee, parents' meetings and gatherings, dress-down days, a bbq and more energy than you can imagine.  

The adult horsepower behind these activities is both remarkable and inspiring to me.  Looking back over the last 36 years, I can see how the school has evolved in such a glorious way into a first-class educational institution while also clinging so tightly to its foundational roots: the growth and development of the individual student and the importance of the family-school collaboration.

From my perspective, the roots have never been more intact, nor have they ever been so well-positioned for continued growth.

Sincerely,

Bob Gillingham 

 Kids' News Day is Tuesday, October 25!

Look for the Fourth Grade Junior Girl Scouts selling the Union Tribune Kids' News Day Special Edition for Rady Childrens' Hospital in front of school Tuesday morning. Your $1 purchase of this paper directly supports Rady Childrens' Hospital.
One dollar, one paper, one day! You can make a difference!

Food Day

Parker's new CFO/COO, Mike Rinehart, writes: "For those of you who may not know, Monday, October 24th has been designated as Food Day by an organization seeking to, among other things, promote healthy eating habits (www.FoodDay.org).  Prominent scientists, physicians, authors, politicians, and others (including individuals from the Parker Community) are leading this grassroots movement.  At its core, Food Day is about inspiring Americans to change their diets to include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat animal products - and, conversely, to reduce the amount of so-called junk food we eat.  Food Day is also about promoting the use of local, organically grown products whenever possible.  

With these health-related goals in mind, Francis Parker School is proud to embrace the Food Day slogan of "It's Time to Eat Real!"   In support of Food Day, our Food Services team led by Ed Glunt will be serving the following lunch menu on Monday, October 24th:  

- Whole grain, gluten-free Penne Pasta with fresh tomato sauce and herbs;
- Black Kale;
- Sandwich bar with bread from a local bakery and oven-roasted turkey (not frozen) and roasted red peppers;
- Organic garden and Caesar salads with homemade dressings;
- Fresh fruit and organic yogurt with homemade granola; and
- Cantaloupe agua fresca to drink

In reality, the foods being served on Monday, October 24th are really not different than the foods found on our lunch menu any other day.  In fact, for many years, our Food Services team has been preparing homemade meals using fresh ingredients, many of which are organic and/or are from local sources.  So, in addition to supporting Food Day, I encourage you to recognize our Food Services team for being real leaders in the healthy eating movement.  We are truly fortunate to have a team that is dedicated to serving wholesome foods.

Thanks and regards"

Halloween News

The Halloween Carnival is almost here...it’s this Friday, October 28th from 1:15 to 4:00 p.m. and it’s an event you don’t want to miss.  A haunting spell will be cast over the campus transforming it into a Spooktacular Halloween extravaganza that is sure to be fun for all!

This year will feature a few new highlights including the Fifth Grade Creepy Haunted Hotel, a spooky living forest Trick or Treat Lane and fortune telling by Madame and Master Zora. Favorite booths will be there too, including: Close the Coffin, Cake Walk, Balloon Busters, Rat-A-Pult and Glamour Ghouls.
At the strike of 1:00 p.m. the caldrons will boil and the Costume Parade will start the halloween festivities in the school Courtyard. The JK and SK students will march to the Carnival first at 1:15 p.m., then followed by grades 1-5 at 1:30 p.m. The haunting will continue until 4 p.m. when spell is broken.
Don’t forget to mix up your chocolaty eye of newt and candy hair of dog and enter the Cake Decorating Contest. Just pick up a tag in the Office and attach it to your masterpeice, then drop it off at the front gate between 7:15 and 8:15 a.m. on the Carnival day. Results will be announced at Monday flag raising.
So put on your costume, grab your camera and join the fun at the Halloween Carnival 2011.  For more information, contact Halloween Carnival Chairs, Nicole Brown at snhall@me.com or Narma Kaid at narmakaid@yahoo.com.

 Candy Buy Back

This year, you have a chance to rid yourselves of your children's candy at a much faster pace, and all for a good cause! 
Parker Girl Scouts will be collecting leftover (excessive) candy on Monday, Oct. 31 and Tuesday, Nov. 1.  70% of the candy will be exchanged with a generous Eastlake dentist for $2 per pound, then sent to American troops serving overseas.  Funds generated will be split between the Girl Scouts and Rady Children's Hospital.  The other 30% of the donated candy will be bagged by the Girl Scouts and donated to underprivileged Central Elementary School students.  Look for special decorated boxes by the front gate on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

 Boy Scouts Popcorn Sale

The Popcorn Sale continues this week, Monday through Wednesday.

 Lower School Menu October 24-28

Mon.                Whole Grain Penne Pasta W/Fresh Tomato Sauce & Herbs

                        Gluten-Free Pasta

                        Black Kale
                        Pb & j, Fresh Oven Roasted Turkey Sandwich On Bread & Cie Bread
                        Organic Garden Salad & Caesar Salad W/Homemade Dressings
                        Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
                        Fresh Fruit & Organic Yogurt Bar W/Homemade Granola
                        Apple Cider
                       
Tues.                Baked Lemon Chicken
                        Mashed Potatoes
                        Honey Glazed Carrots
                        Pb & j, Egg Salad Sandwich On Wheat Bread
                        Garden Salad
                        Vegetarian Mushroom & Barley Soup
                        Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Bar
                        Apple Cider
 
Wed.                Steak Or Tuna Wraps
                        Tri-Color Baby Potatoes
                        Pb & j
                        Garden Salad
                        Vegetarian Vegetable Noodle Soup
                        Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Bar
                        Apple Cider
                       
Thurs.              Fish Sticks
                        Steamed Rice
                        Green Beans
                        Pb & j, Chicken Salad Sandwich On Wheat Bread
                        Garden Salad
                        Vegetarian Vegetable Chowder
                        Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Bar
                        Apple Cider    
 
Fri.                   Bean & Cheese Burritos
                        Refried Beans
                        Mexican Cornbread
                        Pb & j, Black Forest Ham Sandwich On Wheat Bread
                        Garden Salad
                        Albondigas Soup
                        Fresh Fruit & Yogurt Bar
                        Apple Cider