Friday, January 28th is Show Your Spirits Day for the Gardner Grammys Auction.  Why should kids have all the fun?  Grown ups, show us your Spirits by bringing in your auction donation or completed donations form of your favorite Spirits.  Wine!  Other Spirits!  Baseball Tickets!  Vacation homes!  Spa treatments!  What lifts your Spirits?  Share your passion with the Gardner Bullis community and in appreciation for your donation, we will have coffee and donuts at drop off.  Please bring alcoholic donations to Yuki Hata-Kita's house at 24931 Oneonta Drive, Los Altos Hills or arrange for pick up with Nikki Selden.  All other donations and donations forms gladly accepted!   Questions?  Contact Nikki Selden at nrselden@aol.com.

Dear Gardner Bullis Parents and Friends,

Attached you will find the Gardner Bullis Code of Conduct, the Behavior Expectations and a copy of the Misconduct Report used at our school. Since the beginning of the year, and with the introduction of Project Cornerstone, we have experimented with a few different ways of approaching both positive and negative consequences. With the New Year comes a back to the basics approach.

Our hope is that by making our code of conduct and the consequences for inappropriate behavior as simple and clear as possible, our children will be more comfortable both inside and outside of the classroom. When a child feels safe and heard (s)he has a much easier time focusing in the classroom and will also be more free to really enjoy playground time as well.

While I recognize that there is a great deal of gray in children’s behavior, I feel it is very important to offer clear guidelines for teachers, staff, students, yard duty and parents. If we are all on the same page then we will have a clear point of departure when questions and concerns arise.

We can all agree that we want our children to feel safe. We can also hopefully agree that consistent follow-through with both positive and negative consequence can help our children feel safe. Knowing what is expected of them by setting clear boundaries regarding behavior ensures that the children can focus more on playing and learning than on fear or aggression.

I encourage you to read through these documents, discuss them with your child(ren) and perhaps even hang them in a visible place in your home. Thank you for supporting our attempt to make Gardner Bullis School a nurturing and stimulating environment for all of our children.

Sincerely,


Erica Gilbert, 
Principal 

In February, students in grades 4-6 will be taking the Fitnessgram which is the designated physical fitness test for California students.  The schedule is dependent on the weather but all students will have advance notice of testing dates.  Only scores from 5^th grade students are sent to Sacramento and you will get a report in the fall of your student's 6th grade year.  This is not a stressful test and students should not be concerned.  The PE staff does a wonderful job making sure that all students are comfortable and successful.   The fitness test is just a snapshot in time and the standards of our physical education program are success for all students regardless of their physical ability.  Below is a link for more information about the test.

California State Fitness Testing Information

On Friday, January 14^th, books and comics will come alive as students and staff come to come to school dressed like a character from a book or comic.  Harry Potter, Madeline, Superman, The Velveteen Rabbit, Greg, the Wimpy Kid. . . Who will you be?  

Join us on Thursday, January 13^th from 10:30-11:30 am for the final round of the Gardner Bullis Spelling Bee!  Featuring finalists from the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th grades, it will be a really f-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c event!!

Beginning Jan 3^rd, the 1^st Monday after Winter Break, Scott Vanderlip will be offering another play - Mary Poppins.  Rehearsals will be held Jan. 3^rd-Feb 14^th on Mon. and Wed. from 3-5pm with performanceson Feb 15^th and 16^th.  Parent Orientation and Student Casting will start on January 3. For more details and to sign up, see the attached flyer and sign up using this link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/mary11

A Night at the Gardner Grammys

Celebrating Excellence in Music
Achieving Excellence in Education

Check out our Auction Catalog HERE!

Don't Miss The Most Memorable Evening of the Year! With a rich and diverse history, the Grammys represent the epitome of musical achievement. This year, we look to the Grammy as inspiration for our auction to help us achieve excellence in education for our children. From Madonna to Sinatra to Eminem to Pavarotti, the Grammys are presented to the best in the field. Let's help make Gardner Bullis the best!

Come join us at the Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club on Saturday, March 12, 2011, for an evening filled with music, merriment and, of course, magnificent items! Be named "Artist of the Year"! Party like a rock star! Acquire some bling! Bid on an exotic vacation! It's all available at the Gardner Grammys. The auction is one of two major PTA events and provides the funds for the Starting Arts, physical education, computer technology, classroom and library materials, and campus improvements.

Event Details:

Saturday, March 12, 2011
Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club
6 pm

Glamour or GaGa - How will YOU walk the red carpet?