In this issue...

PTO Meeting - Feb 17

Principal's Message and Family Math Night Photos

Music at Glenshire

5th Graders Heading to Pigeon Point

Dates to Remember

Skiing Fun

Photo Gallery

Loving Solutions Series at Glenshire

Skiing for Schools Dates

Glenshire Elementary PTO Newsletter

February

2012

Dear Glenshire Families and Friends,

The TTUSD will be holding a Board Workshop Meeting on Wednesday February 15 at 5:30 PM. At this meeting, the board will begin taking action to address the district's projected $5 million budget shortfall for the 2012-13 school year. The district's current plan is to address the deficit with a combination of a $1.8 million budget cut and a spend-down of district reserves by $3.2 million. The Glenshire Elementary PTO encourages GES parents to take part in these proceedings, and voice any opinions or concerns on how these cuts will be made and how they will affect our students. Parents' views do carry weight!

The time for public attendance/comments at TTUSD Board Workshop Meeting on February 15 is 5:30, not 4:30. The meeting does start at 4:30 (as listed in the TTUSD calendar), but the first hour is a closed session. The public is welcome for the open portion, commencing at 5:30.

TTUSD Office 11603 Donner Pass Road

Truckee, CA 96161

(530) 582-2500

Board Workshop Meeting Agenda can be seen HERE.

Also, the new District Superintendent Dr. Robert Leri is interested in hearing from parents about their thoughts and concerns about our district. He can be emailed directly at rleri@ttusd.org!

Happy 100th Day of School! Happy Valentines Day! With thanks and appreciation,

The Glenshire Elementary PTO Board

Event Name

10990 Dorchester Dr. Truckee, California 96161 8:00AM-5:00PM

PTO Meeting - Friday, February 17

7:30 - 9:00 AM - Library

Join us at PTO meetings! - Free childcare is provided and we will be serving breakfast for the children.

Tired of losing jackets, gloves, water-bottles? Order your customized, washable clothing & more labels - no need to iron or sew - and Glenshire Elementary PTO receives a small percentage of your purchase. These

make great gifts as well. Come by the front desk and pick up an order form, or log on to the Stuck on You website = www.stuckonyou.biz/usa Just be sure to reference Glenshire Elementary in the "Agent/Fundraiser" field.

Principal's Message

Kathleen Gauthier

Thank you to the students, parents and teachers who attended our Family Math Night on Friday, February 10th. Parent, Katie Pruski stepped forward to coordinate the event for us once again and teachers Terrina Woodard, Kim Lynn, Kilty Highfill, Carol Reed, Jean Fournier, Ken Rae, Bev Roberts, and Darin Veliquette helped families appreciate the beauty, challenge, and usefulness of mathematics. It was such a fun event, one of our new students suggested we have a Family Math Night every month. Hopefully the playing with math will continue at home! This time of year we begin planning for the next school year. It is exciting to be planning with our new superintendent, Dr. Rob Leri. Dr. Leri will be celebrating Read Across America with us on Friday, March 2nd. Stop by our Meet and Greet before school on Friday to say hello. We are also planning for Kindergarten Round up on Wednesday, March 28th. Spread the word with friends and neighbors with children who will turn 5 before December 2, 2012. We are bringing a proposal for a Transitional Kindergarten for students with fall birthdays to our School Board in March and will have details at the Round ups. Our District is incredibly fortunate to have Measure A fund music, physical education, technology, libraries, counseling, advance placement classes etc. We are hoping to add a Science Lab and Science teacher and funding for Artists in Residence at each elementary school in our District with the next seven year round of Measure A funding. Please read about our outstanding music teacher and program in this issue. Thank you community for this support! There are great things ahead for TTUSD.

Family Math Night Photos

As part of our continuing series to highlight our fabulous Measure A classes and programs, this month we present Music.

Please Take Note of Music, Music, Music!

By Claudia Waters

Hello all! I am pleased to get a chance to tell you a little bit about myself and our music program here at Glenshire Elementary School.

I am that tall lady who goes around the school singing, with a microphone attached to her head. I have the pleasure of getting to know all of our students and watching them grow from Kindergartners to Fifth graders while teaching them my favorite subject: Music.

My background is quite eclectic. I majored in Art Education and at the same time I was a singer/songwriter. When I started a family, I moved to Truckee and was part owner of Pied Piper Preschool. In 1993, I sold my partnership and returned to school to finish my teaching credential. I did my student teaching with Kathy Echols right here at GES the year we opened! During my first two years here, I obtained my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Learning Through The Arts.

I have taught first through fifth grades here at Glenshire. I love teaching all ages but when I became the Music Teacher here in 2002, I found my bliss. While teaching music, I have obtained my Level I Orff Certificate and an Endorsement for Teaching Music from the state of California, by continually taking classes on evenings, weekends and during summer vacations. I am truly blessed to get to spend every day sharing what I love best. Music!

Because of Measure A, all students in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District attend at least one Music class per week. You might be curious to know what that means for your student.

All students learn the basic elements of music through listening, learning, playing and performing with their voices and with instruments. The foundation for teaching these to our students is the Orff Schulwerk method. Please take the time to visit this website: http://www.aosa.org/orff.html. It will give you a fantastic overview of the Orff method. In a nutshell, we use what children already do naturally (chant, sing, and move) to teach music.

You do not need to read music to play Orff instruments. That's why even Kindergartners can play them!

Kindergartners see me once a week for 35 minutes. First and Second graders see me twice a week; one time for 40 minutes and once again for 25 minutes. The second time each week is used for further understanding of whatever concept was taught in the first visit. Third, Fourth and Fifth grade students see me for 40 minutes, once a week. Each grade participates in at least one music production on our stage per year. A by-product of our music productions is the poise that our students gain from speaking and singing in front of a large audience. This serves them well for the rest of their lives.

During the school year, third through fifth grade students have approximately six weeks of recorder instruction and six weeks of guitar instruction. Once our newly ordered ukuleles arrive, even second graders will start learning to play an instrument as second through fifth grade students will get to play them.

By the time our students leave Glenshire Elementary, they have all been exposed to basic treble clef note reading and the understanding of music symbols. This is truly another language; almost a secret code. That's what makes it fun!

Through all of these activities this, some students find out that Music is indeed their passion. All students end up with at least an appreciation for Music, whether or not it is their favorite subject.

We have been the happy recipients of Orff Instruments and recorders from Measure A monies. Excellence in Ed has funded the purchase of guitars and ukuleles. Parents and teachers have also donated instruments to our music department. We are very grateful to everyone for the richness of our program.

In addition to classroom music, I lead the First Grade Singing Club and the Glenshire Eagle Chorus. These students come to the music room once a week at lunch recess (a different grade each day). This gives these students extra opportunities to perform on the stage during the school year. We even perform for Rotary, senior citizens, The Resort at Squaw Creek, Martis Camp and the town of Truckee.

We have Enrichment Music Classes for students as well. I teach guitar classes before school in my classroom. Colleen Jackson teaches keyboards, Steve Kershisnik teaches drums and guitar and Emily Tesmer teaches voice. Be sure to check the Enrichment Class Schedule if your child is interested in any of these.

Finally, if you are interested in any type of private music lessons for you or your child, please stop by my music room. I try to keep an up to date list of names and phone numbers of local music teachers on the wall inside my door.

I hope this have given you a greater understanding of the musical opportunities at our school!

5th Graders Are Heading to Pigeon Point! by Jada Brown, 5th grader

Our fifth grade classes are headed to Pigeon Point on April 30-May 2, and we are super excited! Pigeon Point is well known for its very interesting lighthouse perched on a cliff on the central California coast. But, we will be learning about a lot more than just the lighthouse. We will be exploring the cool tide pools nearby where we will be able to get a glimpse of some of the wonders of the ocean. We will also be visiting Ano Nuevo State Reserve where we will have the rare opportunity to see huge elephant seals. And, we will also explore another California treasure, a Redwood forest. On behalf of the entire 5th grade, I would really like to thank our parents and our generous PTO for their great support of this awesome 5th grade tradition! We can't wait to go!!!

2011-2012 School Calendar & Winter Dates To Remember

2011-2012 School Calendar Wednesday, February 15 - School Board Workshop Meeting. 5:30 public comment. 11603 Donner Pass Road Thursday, February 16 - Peace, Love and Understanding Show by 3rd and 5th Graders & Eagle Chorus. 9:30am and 7:00pm Friday, February 17 - PTO Meeting. 7:30am-9:00am. Library. Childcare and breakfast provided for children. Monday, February 20-24 - Ski/Skate Week - No School. Wednesday, March 14 - Early Release Day - 12:50. Minimum Day Ski Madness at Tahoe Donner Downhill. See info below. Wednesday, March 28th - Glenshire Elementary Kindergarten Roundup. 6:00 p.m.

Check out the wonderful mural by the front office for dates and

happenings!

Skiing Fun on March Minimum Day!

Truckee Elementary is presenting a Minimum Day Madness on March 14th at the Tahoe Donner Ski Hill. Let's have all the kids and parents (and hopefully some teachers) come out for some fun and camaraderie! The Giant Slalom Course will be set, and BBQ style food will be available for purchase. Possibly live music and guest appearances!

Tickets are only $10!!!!

Tickets and equipment are also only $10!!

Tickets, Equipment and a group lesson, only $15!! Proceeds from tickets sales at Glenshire will go to Glenshire PTO!

Watch for more information and when tickets will be available for purchase.

We are going to have some FUN!

Photo Gallery

Winter Art and Poetry

Mrs. Woodard's Class working on 100 Acts of Kindness

100 Day of School Project

More 100 Days of School Projects - 1st grade

Loving Solutions Parenting Series

Offered at Glenshire Elementary by the Family Resource Center of Truckee

How many times have you heard yourself repeating the request for your children to clean up their toys or get ready for school only to be ignored? What works? Learn simple strategies through the Loving Solutions Parenting Series. Improve your children's behaviors and the parent-child relationship through discussions and hands-on activities. Loving Solutions is a research-based Parenting Series for Loving Parents. Through active participation, parents will create a solid foundation for a healthy family. This 7-week, research-based, parenting series is geared for parents of children preschool through elementary school ages. Join the series for strategies and tips that will help you build parenting skills through easy techniques. Utilizing a workbook format, group interaction and home activities, parents will be able to start using tools at home after the first session! The facilitator is Susan Bower, M.A. The series is $125.00, with workbook and class materials included. Scholarships are available. Classes will be held from 5:30-7:30, beginning March 7, 2012, with childcare available. Call the Family Resource Center of Truckee: 587-2513, Ext. 110 to sign up for the class or for more information. Some skills local parents have reported learning: Power of silence: think before you speak The power of positive strokes, action plans and "I love" statements Consistency Not engaging in arguments Active listening Don't yell Plan responses before talking with your children

Comments about the class: Did a wonderful job of sharing skills with us Highly recommend this class to everyone It was incredible!! I would take it again. All the info helped me a lot. Open discussions and visuals make it easier to learn About the facilitator: SUSAN BOWER, M.ED Susan Bower is a mom of an 8 year old and 5-year-old identical twins. She has been teaching parenting classes locally for the past 4 years. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and a M.S. in Education from the University of New Hampshire. She has been a teacher for 10 years and now is at home with her 3 boys. She is an avid adventure racer. Flyer available - click here.

Skiing for Schools

Excellence in Education

2011 - 2012 Skiing for Schools Dates On selected days, the participating resorts are offering skiers and snowboarders special discounted lift tickets and the opportunity to support education. The proceeds from your lift ticket purchase go directly to the Excellence in Education Foundation, which provides enhanced educational opportunities for our local students. Sugar Bowl - Saturday - Friday, March 24 -30 - $35 lift tickets valid any one day from March 24 -30. Purchase tickets the week prior at Porters Sports. Squaw Valley USA and Alpine Meadows - Sunday, April 15 to end of the season - $35 lift tickets valid any one day at either resort from April 15 to the end of the season. Purchase tickets the week prior at Porters Sports. Homewood * -DATE TBD Purchase downhill ski tickets in advance at Porters Sports locations (Truckee and Tahoe City). Purchase cross-country passes in advance at Paco's in Truckee and Alpenglow in Tahoe City. A limited supply of tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and will not be available at the resorts the day(s) of the event. Check and cash are preferred form of payment. Tickets are not refundable. All Skiing for Schools proceeds are donated to Excellence in Education through your lift ticket purchase and the generous support of participating ski resorts. For more information, please call 530-550-7984

Follow-up Links

Glenshire Elementary

Arts for the Schools

Excellence in Education - Skiing for Schools

2011 PTO Roster/Board

Co-President: Sue Steph notanysue@aol.com Co-President: Anna Koenig annamigo@yahoo.com

Vice President: Kathy Tanner kat_tanner@yahoo.com Treasurer: Cari Guthiel Carigutheil@yahoo.com Secretary: Katrina Veit katrina.veit@sbcglobal.net Enrichment Coordinator: Tina Peek tpeek@suddenlink.net Volunteer Coordinator: Susanna Neave susannaneave@gmail.com Past co-Presidents: Kerry Stendell & Lauren Van Loon Newsletter Editors: Kerry Stendell kerry_eastman@yahoo.com

Brooke Chabot bchabot9@yahoo.com