Valley View Newsletter: Donors Choose, Ice Cream Party, Lice & More

PTA NEWS Ice Cream Party! 

The Ice Cream Party for our calendar sellers was terrific! Thank you to ALL the parents who organized, helped with set-up, serving, clean-up and making the event such a success. And thank you most of all to the kids (and parents) who sold their calendars to make this fundraiser a huge success, netting nearly $8,500!

A few Quarter and Dollar Grab winners were not at the ice cream party to redeem their prizes. So the upper graders will have their opportunity at this Monday morning's assembly. And the Kindergarteners grab will be at Tuesday morning lineup.

Two of Valley View teacher's projects through DonorsChoose have been fully funded! Unfortunately, we received word that all of the funding for the gift cards has been used up. However, please hang on to those unredeemed DonorsChoose gift cards or turn them in to the office, in case we get word the situation will change.

Coming soon... Moveathon will be back in action. Be on the lookout for information in next week's newsletter.    Fundraising Corner Celebrate Good Times! Last Friday 130 Valley View students, who sold at least 5 calendars, were invited to share ice cream and cheer on their friends who won prizes at the Calendar Sales Ice Cream Party.  Thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the event so successful and to all the kids who sold their calendars. We raised over whopping $8400 for our school programs - funding that is critical for our success - beating our goal by $1400. Of course, there's no rest for the weary.... with the wrap up of Calendar Sales, we will now begin planning the Inaugural Valley View Move-a-thon - a new fundraising and health initiative. We are recruiting Committee Members and volunteers. Contact Lucie at fundraising@valleyviewelementary.org to help with the exciting new spring event.  After School Enrichment New Classes Coming Our Way! 

This is our last week of this session of Parker Anderson's paid after school enrichment classes.

The new session of classes will begin on 2/21. To enroll, visit www.parker-anderson.org. Call (818) 249-5599 for more info.  Cost is $70 per 7-week program. Financial assistance is available. Deadline to enroll: Monday, February 20th.

Starting this session, teacher student ratio will now be 12:1. Class size will be capped at 24 students, so enroll early!

See flyer.

GLEE! Dance Crew

THURSDAYS: 2/23, 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22, 3/29, 4/12

GLEE! Dance Crew will get the hottest most exciting moves going as kids learn a dance routine and a lip-sync that is tons of fun! Full of energy and song, you don't have to be a singer or a dancer to have fun! Students will perform songs from the GLEE soundtrack at the end of session.

Junior Detectives: Spy Kids!

WEDNESDAYS: 2/22, 2/29, 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 4/11

Learn all about crime scene investigation and forensic work. In this class you will learn how to take fingerprints, decode secret messages, search for clues and so much more! Explore the fascinating world of solving mysteries and develop observation and reasoning skills. $10 materials fee.

Chess Club!

TUESDAYS: 2/21, 2/28, 3/6, 3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/10

We introduce chess to students in a fun and exciting way! For all students and all levels, we teach students to play chess and help them succeed in school by stimulating their problem solving skills, analytical skills, and critical thinking.

Classes are split into two groups: Beginning and Intermediate/Advanced. Win certificates, medals and trophies!

LICE! You are not alone Heads Up

Some children were sent home the last few weeks when lice was found in their hair, but don't despair-you are not an unfit parent, you don't have a dirty home, and as Ms. Kim says, "It happens to the best of us" (Yes, even her: See story here)
Here are a few simple steps:*Tell your child not to share combs, brushes, hoodies, jackets, hats or anything that goes in the hair.* Lice likes CLEAN hair, but that doesn't mean keep your child's hair dirty. Lice do not like oils on the scalp, and putting product (spray, gel, etc.) in hair can keep bugs away.* Cutting off all a child's hair won't prevent or cure lice, they burrow into the scalp, and will need treatment.* You will need to do a few loads of laundry for all clothing and sheets and bedding, but lice will die in two days if they are not on a scalp. So, if you put stuffed animals, clothes, headphones, in a box or away from humans for two to three days, all the lice and their eggs will have died off. (You can put them in plastic bags, but it's not necessary.)* Animals don't carry lice. Fleas are another story.
Check out more helpful advice and articles here. (http://patch.com/A-htV5) Field Trip Highlight Your PTA dollars at work

This week, our 5th and 6th graders will go on a bus field trip to Griffith Observatory, on Wednesday 2/8.  

The two-and-a-half-hour school program experience is one of the most rigorous and carefully choreographed field trip programs in California. The program uses the Observatory's telescope, exhibit, and building content as well as programs in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater.Each of the three elements of the program is designed to complement and reinforce the others and provide a wide array of learning approaches to suit a variety of learners.  

One-man Play by Valley View Dad How Odin was adopted

A dramatic story about how fourth grader Odin O'Callaghan (a boy from Uganda) was adopted by his actor dad Johnny (on Stargate: Atlantis), is all detailed in a play called "Who's Your Daddy?" that is extended for the next two weekends at the Victory Theatre in Burbank.
It's not something for the whole family (it gets a bit R-rated), but it does give a brave insight into a gripping personal drama. Click here for a review and more information about the play.  FIVE QUESTIONS Bella Substitute Bella Ter-Margaryan I began substitute teaching at Valley View Elementary in 2008 and before long, it became one of my favorite schools. As a mom of then a two year- old, I kept envisioning my little girl getting lost in a big campus someday, so I immediately came to love and appreciate the sense of shelter and security Valley View offered by the sheer virtue of being small. Needless to say, my daughter now attends school here. By the way, if you see me ducking behind the bushes or hiding out in the corners of the hallway, please do not become alarmed. It's most likely because I'm trying to evade her (insert separation anxiety).   It's a small campus, after all!.   

Q1: Where were you born? BT-M: In the second largest city of Armenia, which was called Leninakan at the time.   It was named after the Marxist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin and renamed Gyumri after Armenia broke away from the Soviet Union, gaining its independence from Russia. Other past names for the city have included Alexandrapol and Kumayri. Q2: What is your favorite occupation?BT-M: A musician. Both of my parents were professional musicians and from the time I was little, I've been surrounded by the sounds of instruments tuning and arpeggios galore. I can honestly say that I've learned some of life's most important lessons through marching band and symphonic orchestra. When I couldn't speak a word of English, music defied the barriers of language; when I felt out of place in the real world, I found comfort and acceptance in my school band; and while most things depended upon individual effort, music taught me that while alone we can shine, there is a richer, more fulfilling and brilliant luminosity created when we play in harmony with others. Q3: What is your favorite book?BT-M: One of my favorite books of all time is Heidi by Johanna Spyri. My cousin gave it to me when I first moved to the U.S. at the age of 11. I immediately connected with the main character, who was homesick and missed her loved ones, much like myself.
Q4: What is your greatest fear?BT-M:  I suspect it's the same fear that is endowed upon parents the second their child comes into this world; the inability to prevent them from harm and misfortune. I also think I have a fear of tornadoes because I am often being chased by one in a dream. Q5: What is your favorite word?BT-M: I like the word melancholic. Using only the letters in that word (but more than once), I can spell Melania - my daughter's name, colic, and alcohol.  CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS
Upcoming important dates:  

Tues Feb 7th            CHESS CLUB! Last class of session 1:30-2:30

Wed Feb 8th             Griffith Observatory Field Trip (5/6th grades)

       SCIENCE EXPLOSION! Last class 2:30-3:30

Thurs Feb 9th           HIP HOP DANCE CREW Last Class 2:30-3:30

Wed Feb 15th           Aquarium of the Pacific field trip (2nd grade)

                       PTA Voting Meeting 8:05am to 8:55am

Mon Feb 20th           SCHOOL CLOSED for Presidents Day

Tues Feb 21st          CHESS CLUB! New session Tuesdays 1:30-2:30

Wed Feb 22nd          100th Day of School

                             JR DETECTIVES:SPY KIDS! New ClassThursdays 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Thurs Feb 23rd         GLEE! DANCE CREW New Class Thursdays 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Tues Feb 28th          NO EARLY DISMISSAL (School is out at 2:24pm)

Wed Feb 29th          Taking Flight assembly (all students)