Weibel PTO Newsflash - 9/27/2015

School Website: www.fmtusd.org/weibel
School Phone: 510-651-6958
Principal: Catherine Strommen (x47102) cstrommen@fremont.k12.ca.us
Secretary: Dora Vasquez (x47101) dvasquez@fremont.k12.ca.us

PTO Website: www.weibelpto.org
Room Group Email support/requests: tech@weibelpto.org
Send Announcements for Future Newsflash: info@weibelpto.org
Facebook Group (parent organized for misc. Q&A, announcements,... - not associated with school): "Weibel Elementary School"

UPCOMING WEIBEL EVENTS

  • Thu Oct 1 THIS WEEK - Picture Day
  • Wed Oct 7 - International Walk and Roll Day (see below)
  • Sat Oct 10 - 9am-2pm at MUR - Youth Chess Tournament (see below)
  • Sat Oct 10 - 10am-noon - National Chess Day at Weibel (see below)
  • Tue Oct 13 - 7-8pm MUR - PTO Meeting (every 2nd Tues of Month) - This is the budget meeting
  • Fri Oct 16 - Wildcat Run (see below)
  • Oct 26-30 - Library - Book Fair (will need volunteers - details to come)

Early release and holiday schedules can be found at:
Weibel Bell Schedule: http://fmtusd.org/domain/1842
FUSD Online Calendar, Board Mtgs : http://fmtusd.org/Page/2
FUSD 2015-16 Instructional Calendar:
http://fmtusd.org/cms/lib04/CA01000848/Centricity/Domain/10/B.W_Adjusted_8.30.15for_website.pdf

SCHOOL / PTO ANNOUNCEMENTS (Community announcements below)

New Traffic Signs Installed

There are now city installed "No Left Turn" sign at the parking lot exit and "No U-Turn" signs along Grimmer Blvd. during morning drop-off and afternoon pick up
Please be courteous, slow down, and obey the signs for the safety of your children and to prevent traffic back-ups.

Weibel Ice Cream Sales

Every Tuesdays and Fridays PTO will be selling popsicles and ice cream for $1 each. The sale starts at 2:40 outside the MUR by the blue door on the right.
Bring your money and enjoy a cool treat!

Join the fun on Walk & Roll to School Day

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

The students, parents, and teachers at Weibel will celebrate International Walk & Roll to School Day on Wednesday, October 7th. This is a great opportunity to create community and celebrate our health, the environment, and our school spirit. Find a buddy to walk, roll or carpool with!

What's going on?

  • Morning Walking School Bus Groups
  • Bike parking at the bike racks; helmets required, bring your own lock
  • Giveaways for kids
  • A school-wide mode chart to see how we get to school
If you live nearby:
  • You can form a parent-led walking school bus group.
  • Or just walk or bike with your child on your own schedule.

If you live farther away:

  • Bike with your child.
  • Carpool with another family. Spare the environment and reduce morning stress for yourself: connect with other families who live in your neighborhood.
  • Park a few blocks away and walk with your child.
If you are available to help with the mode charts and giveaways on the morning of the event, please contact Kavita at kavitak7@gmail.com. All we need is 45 minutes of your time from 7:45 am - 8:30 am

Wildcat Run Needs More Volunteers

Wildcat Run is only 3 weeks ago and we are very short on volunteers!

We can not have a safe run with 900 kids running on the field without volunteers. We are especially in need of 2 more dads to help us with field set up in the morning and also 5 more Field Marshalls. If you are a dad, and can help, please sign up at the top of the volunteer sheet.

Other tasks that we need help with is providing water for the children while they are running. 30 minutes of running outside will make anyone thirsty, so it is crucial that we have enough volunteers to keep the kids hydrated.

Please sign up here.

WILDCAT RUN SCHEDULE

  • 8:30- 9:20 Transitional K, Kindergarten, 1st Grade
  • 9:30 - 10:00 5th Grade, Rm 12
  • 10:10- 10:40 4th Grade, Rm 22
  • 10:50-11:20 3rd Grade, Rm 1
  • 12:20-12:50 2nd Grade, TKPM, KPM
  • 1:00-1:30 6th Grade
Thank you
WCR Team

Email gitavellanki@gmail.com with questions. All parents are welcome to come cheer on the kids, we hope to see you all there!

Bookmobile at Weibel this Fall

Come check out Books, DVDs and CDs...
Attached is a flyer for our stops at your school this fall.
It comes to Weibel from 4:30 - 5:20pm on various Tuesdays - please see flyer for dates
We are looking forward to seeing you soon!

Gina Rose
Bookmobile Librarian
Alameda County Library Extension Services
Office 510-745-1476

Noon Supervisors

Noon Supervisors still needed - Paid Positions (PTO will reimburse for TB test and fingerprinting - contact: info@weibelpto.org) Do you enjoy interacting with children and have a talent for helping them solve problems in a fair way? We need adults like you to assist with lunchtime supervision. Moms, dads, grandparents, anyone over 21 is welcome to join us. This is really a fun way to connect with your child and their friends. The more adults we have, the safer our lunch time will be! This can be either a paid or a committed volunteer position. If you can commit to at least one day a week from 11:25 AM to 12:50, please email Mrs. Strommen (cstrommen@fremont.k12.ca.us) Even those times are a little flexible, and you don’t have to commit to 5 days per week. A current (last 30 days) TB test and fingerprinting are required. The PTO will reimburse for these cost. Please contact: info@weibelpto.org for more info.

National Chess Day at Weibel and Youth Chess Tournament

Weibel Chess will be celebrating National Chess Day on Saturday, October 10, from 10 AM to 12 Noon outside the MUR.

There will be numerous activities at Weibel that day from learning how to play chess to well-known chess players helping students to improve their tactics and strategy in the game of chess. We will also have stations where children can have a pick-up game of regular chess, Chinese Chess, Celtic Chess and four way chess.

There is no charge to participate in these activities.

On the same day there will be a youth chess tournament from 9:00 AM until 2 PM offering three games of chess to those that participate. Trophies will be awarded to those that win their sections. Sections consist of four players each with similar skill sets and age. There is a minor charge for this event EXCEPT for any children who have never entered a U.S. Chess Federation tournament before. These children will, however, have to join the U.S. Chess Federation which charges $17 for a year's membership. Membership can be applied for on the application for the tournament. You can find further information and an application at: http://www.calnorthyouthchess.org/Applications/FallQuads15-GP

Further information about the Weibel Chess Club and the National Championship Weibel Chess Team can be found at: http://www.WeibelChess.org

Chess is Forever,
Alan M. Kirshner, Ph.D.
Director, Weibel Chess
U.S. Chess Federation National Champions, 2010 & 2012
Girls National Champions, 2011 U8 & U10, 2013 U12, 2014 U12, 2015 U12
http://www.WeibelChess.org
Alan@WeibelChess.org

Save the Date - Nov 6th - Movie Nite for Parents Only

The PTO is sponsoring a free viewing of the movie, "Most Likely To Succeed"
See more info at www.mltsfilm.org

PTO Newsflash Info

The PTO Newsflash is a weekly collection of upcoming school and community events and announcements sent out via the classroom email groups and is created by parent volunteers. We try to limit the announcements to once a week, but if there are things we missed which cannot wait until next Newsflash, we will send follow-ups announcements. We welcome non-school announcements from community groups, clubs, classes, etc... which may benefit the Weibel Community.

Please send newsflash items to: info@weibelpto.org

Allow 1-2 week lead time as the Newsflash will be sent the upcoming weekend. Makes no sense to announce an event happening on the weekend the newsflash is sent. Indicate if the announcement is to be repeated in future newsflashes.

Preferred Format of newsflash item (in final-no-need-to-edit form):
===
Title of Item
Short summary of what, when, where, contact info (email, phone, website, ...) and any attachments.
===
Please, no fancy fonts (bold/italic is ok), colors, layouts, graphics...in the summary. All items will be grouped one after another in a plain text message w/ any attachments.

PTO Needs New Webmaster

The PTO needs a new webmaster to help update our website: www.weibelpto.org
Currently using PHP. Weekly duty of adding the Newsflash to website, and occasional updates to other pages
Contact tech@weibelpto.org if you are willing to help out.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Public Speaking and Debate Classes begins Monday at MUR (3-4 pm)
1-6 grade students. You can still register before class.
More info: 510-573-2497
Gurus Educational Services
GURUSEDUCATION.COM

3rd Grade Girls Volleyball Team needs a few more players
To parents of 3rd grade girls,

Many of your daughters are either involved in sports or thinking about becoming involved. Have you considered volleyball? Our family has been involved in CYO League volleyball for the past three years with our older daughter. It starts at grade 3, and our daughter Natalie will be playing for the first time this year on a team that Mike will coach. So far, only six girls have signed up and the team ideally use 3-4 more.

A few facts:

  • Volleyball is a great sport for girls. Both Horner Junior High and Irvington High School have VB teams and many in CYO develop skills at a level that allows them to play for their school starting in Junior High.
  • CYO is a great place to develop new friendships. If your daughter sticks with it, it is likely she will have the same teammates on her CYO teams through 8th grade.
  • There are typically two 60-90 min practices a week, held weeknights at a local gym (usually the Irvington Community Center or St. Joseph Church). The exact day depends on gym availibility so that is not known yet. Games are on weekends and last an hour with a 1/2 hr earlier arrival. There are typically 10 games played over a period from November through January.
  • Many kids in Weibel are involved in CYO sports, with the most common sport being basketball. While we are in the catchment area for St. Joseph parish in Fremont, there is no requirement of any particular religious affiliation.

Please email us as soon as possible if you are interested, as registration is about to be closed off. If you let us know, we can hold a spot for you. Also contact us if you would like additional details, as we'd be happy to provide.

-Denise and Mike Brahan: brahan@comcast.net

Youth League Tennis
Attached is our Youth League Tennis flyer

YLT is pleased to continue to provide unlimited scholarships for your students to play in our community grassroots tennis league.

Thanks,
Laura Kassirer
President
Youth League Tennis
Direct: (818) 340-9815

Want to be a part of FUSD Time Capsule?
Fremont is creating a time capsule to celebrate the City's 60th anniversary and you can get involved! For more information, download the registration form at www.fremont.gov/timecapdule starting Tuesday, Sept 15 or email: timecapsule@fremont.gov.
Essay and Art Contest, Instagram Contest, Survey...
Please see attachment

ALERT: ACWD plans to raise water rates for next FOUR YEARS at one meeting:
Currently, the ACWD Board proposes and approves water rate increases one year at a time.
The Board wants to change this process and approve FOUR annual rate increases (for 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019) all at the next rate increase public hearing (which has not been scheduled yet). ACWD projects 8% rate increases for each of the next four years.
Regardless if you support or oppose rate increases, this is a significant policy change that will reduce accountability, transparency, and public engagement and it must be stopped.
The last public hearing in April was standing room only and residents were eager to voice their opinions (for and against the rate increase). ACWD also received 1,500 emailed comments.
However, if the Board changes this annual rate increase process to once every four years, there will be NO public hearings in 2017, 2018, and 2019 because rate increases for those years will have already been approved. The Board will be able to fly under the radar without public scrutiny for the next several years because, the fact is, people only pay attention when there's an imminent rate increase. Even if drought conditions change significantly in 2019, the Board will not have to justify the 2019 rate increase in 2019 because it was approved in 2015.

Please contact the ACWD Board of Directors and urge them to consider only one rate increase at a time.

Methods to contact the Board:
1. Email the Board Secretary and ask to have your comments included in the next Board meeting:

  • gina.markou@acwd.com

2. Email the Board directly:

  • james.gunther@acwd.com
  • judy.huang@acwd.com
  • martin.koller@acwd.com
  • paul.sethy@acwd.com
  • john.weed@acwd.com

Sample Email to Board
----
The Board is considering proposing and approving four annual rate increases all at one time. Changing the annual rate increase process to once every four years will significantly reduce accountability, transparency, and public engagement.
As you know, the last public hearing in April was standing room only and ACWD received over 1,500 emailed comments. Clearly, the public wants to be engaged in the rate increase process. However, if the Board changes the process to every four years, the Board will not give the public ample information and opportunity to voice their opinions. Because there is not much media attention on ACWD, the public relies on the Prop. 218 mailers, town hall meetings, and public hearings, which would not occur every year if the process is changed, to learn about rate increases.
Since it is difficult to predict conditions in one year let alone in four years, it will be tough to justify a rate increase for 2019 today. This may be why the Board does not produce four year budgets. To ensure rate increases are economically justified, rate increases should be proposed, justified to the public, and voted on one year at a time.