Come and see your favorite Courreges teachers as they “work behind the scenes” at the SeaCliff Village McDonald’s.  25% of your food and drink purchase will come back to our school!  Just bring your flyer to turn in with your purchase: McDonald’s Fundraiser, February 2, 2012

To be sure you see your favorite teacher, please check the time she is scheduled to work:

5:00-6:00                               6:00-7:00                                     7:00-8:00
Villarreal                                 Ostovarpour                                McCombs
Ostovarpour                           Epling                                          Ostovarpour
Whelan                                   Brekke                                         Gauldin
Melcer                                     McCombs
Ofner                                      Webber
Gersi

SAVE THE DATE for the Grade 3-5 Teachers — March 8.

On Saturday, February 4^th, from 10:00 to 2:00 pm, children and families can learn everything about the California Western Monarch Butterfly and its habitat with an up-close look at the magnificent creatures while they flutter through the Butterfly Garden and inside a netted butterfly enclosure in the park’s Camp Sycamore. Children can help the Butterfly Garden continue to grow by planting native plants in the garden to attract Monarch Butterflies. More than 140 plants will be available for planting on February 4th. Butterfly experts will also be on-site to provide educational information and answer questions about the beautiful and unique specimens. Additional event activities include children’s crafts, face painting, guided nature walks through Mile Square Regional Park’s nature area. Each child in attendance will receive native seeds as a take away to continue to help build safe habitats for Monarch Butterflies and other creatures.

Event Fee: Event is free
Parking Fee: $5 per vehicle
Age: Recommended for ages 4 to 12

Mile Square Regional Park
16801 Euclid
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714)973-6600 or (714)973-3197

Special Instructions: Please be advised rain will cancel the event.

It’s a chance for everyone to show off your new Courreges Spiritwear and show your ‘Cougar Pride’.  Students are encouraged to dress in the school colors (blue and yellow).  Those that got new T-shirts or sweatshirts, should wear them!

Enjoy a great meal with family and friends. Come for lunch or dinner, or take a pizza to go! A flyer is required, just turn it in when you pay the bill and CPK will donate 20% of those sales to the Courreges PTA. The flyer is good all day, for both dine-in or take out. Look for your flyer in your oldest child’s Monday envelope or print your own copy here.  (There are two on a page, so you can give one to a friend.) CPK Fundraiser January 19, 2012

Let’s get moving and raise a some money for our school, too!!! Please join us at our fund-raising roller skating party on Thursday, January 12. Please click here for the details: Roller Skating January 12

Agenda items for the upcoming meeting include the Working Parents Forum and funding approval for the Apple iPads for our teachers.

Working Parents Forum:  The challenges and options for Courreges families vary, but one thing we all agree on, is that we want the best for our kids, and the more we come together and understand each other as parents, the better.  Please attend a working parents forum led by Staci Fujita at our next Association Meeting.

Thank you to all who have helped so far.  We have only one more week to label all the books in the Courreges library before the equipment must be returned.  If you have any time available, please sign up here: Accelerated Reader Labeling Help

PLEASE remember, we must get the library books labeled before we can make the equipment available for classroom labeling.

Did you know your kids will have a chance to SHOP for holiday gifts on their own and play GAMES on December 15th for the Courreges Winter Festival?  Kids will be able to bring in money, much like the book fair, to purchase items ranging from 25¢ to $15.  Please click here to read all the details: Winter Festival Details and Planning

Parents we need your help to make this a success…  We’ll need parents for setup, cleanup and to work shifts from 9:00-12:20 on Dec 15th. We’ll also need some cashiers and helpers at checkout. Talk to your room parent to see where you can help or click here to sign-up: Winter Festival 2011 Sign-up

Only volunteers will be allowed in the BOWL that day so kids can shop on their own and surprise you.

SCRIP is Fundraising while you shop!  Don’t miss an easy opportunity to make money for our school.  Here is how one SCRIP customer used SCRIP one day this week:

• Ordered Christmas cards from Shutterfly.
• Filled her tank with gas at ARCO.
• Did grocery shopping and purchased other household items  at Albertson’s and Target. 
• Bought Christmas presents from Amazon.com.
• Took her kids to Baskin Robbins after school.
• Enjoyed a cup of Starbuck’s Coffee.

With these purchases, $38 went to Courreges PTA.  It’s simple and there is no extra cost to you.  Where will you be shopping or dining this week?  What gifts do you still need to buy for the holidays?  Visit the SCRIP table on Monday after school and all your shopping needs can be met.  Click on this link for a list of available SCRIP products:  www.shopwithscrip.com

If you have any questions, please contact CC Nelson at (714) 791-0753 or cnelson@eposonline.com.

CC Nelson continues to make SCRIP available throughout the school year, however you must contact her directly to place the order.

Parents-  we still need VOLUNTEERS to help our shoppers on Dec 15th, Winter Festival from 9-12:20 at the Penguin Patch on stage.

We need 2 volunteers/ teacher and 20% will go back to your classrooms. Click on our Google doc and enter your name under a numbered slot (insert google doc): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ag-dlwK5wvEvdGdGeGJEMzVSM1doMm50eHM0dVhTMWc&hl=en_US#gid=0

Items at the Penguin Patch include: personalized mugs, key chains, flashlight tools, notepads, jewelry, brother/sister pen, scented lip glosses, aunt-grandma- mom bulb ornaments, coin purses, lots of mini toys, grandpa- dad- uncles tape measures, coat holders, paperweights, plush toys, #1 dad trophy, ceramic bowls, mom frame, baby bibs, guitar necklaces, ring holders, piggy banks, dog tags, luggage tags, etc, etc plus some over $10 and over items like snowmen salt and pepper shakers, glass bowls, animal stocking caps, etc

The gifts range in price from 25 cents to $15 but 60% of the items are 3$ or less.

Classrooms are selling cute bird seed feeders, cool survival bracelets, cupcake in a mug gifts, snowman and reindeer ornaments , yummy baked goods and treats, fancy hair bows, Hot cocoa, and other hand-made items. These range from 50cents – $5 with most about $1-3.  Your children will want to purchase these items for friends and family. See your room mom or teacher if you want to help out here.

We will also take any DONATIONS for the all-school table of any small gifts for kids to purchase, small game prizes and craft supplies (glue, glitter, stick-ons, markers,etc). Place these in the Winter Festival donations box across from the office.

There will be 8 games to play. All games are 50 cents . Games include: Cup cake walk (Fancy ones from Pinky’s), Snowman toss, Fishing booth, Basketball, Lollipop Tree, Wheel of Fortune, Bowling, and Estimating ( # of candies). Most games have consolation prizes or larger prizes to win.

BUDGET envelopes are coming home this week or in your Monday Envelope packet to help you and your child decide who to buy for and how much to send in. They will have the pride of selecting their own gifts and have time to play some games on Dec 15th for about an hour.

FREE craft supplies and bag decorating/ wrapping will be available. Kareoke (sponsored by Perez- Meuller’s class) and push pin art (sponsored by Ms Melcer’s class) will be free as well.

Helps make this a fantastic winter festival…VOLUNTEER your time, DONATE small gifts or craft supplies, and/ or BUDGET with your children so they can shop on their own.  It’s an all- school celebration.

Questions.. contact jfedmonds@verizon.net or your room mom.

Thank you for your support as we know this is a busy time of year. Talk to your room moms or sign up to volunteer. Google doc / Sign up form for volunteers is at:
Volunteer Sign Up Form 
Or email jfedmonds@verizon.net

WHAT: Winter Festival of games and shopping booths for the kids to purchase gifts for others and have some fun- more details on activities below
WHY: Help teach the joy of giving as kids can purchase items for friends and family themselves
WHO: All K-5 students are invited; parent volunteers will run booths (kids can help as teacher allows)
WHERE: in the Lunch Bowl- one entrance/exit that day across from office
WHEN: Thurs Dec 15th – each grade will have 1 hour in the Bowl to shop and play games

Tentative schedule for your grade in the BOWL- Winter Festival
Grades 4 & 5 in the Lunch Bowl 9:00-10:00 AM
Recess 10-10:20- may allow responsible shoppers in without teacher- TBD
Grades K & 1 in the Bowl 1020-11:20 AM
Grades 2 & 3 in the Bowl 11:20-12:20

Priority shopping for Penguin patch items enclosed on the stage will be
5th grade: 9-9:30
4th grade: 9:30-10
K:              10:20-10:50                              
1^st :            10:50- 11:20
2nd :          11:20-11:50                              
3rd :           11:50-12:20

Activities Planned

The general association is scheduled for this Thursday, December 1st, STARTING AT 6:30PM. This is an important meeting because we will see a demonstration of the technology that will take our classrooms into the future and we will be voting on the contract to make that happen.  Please plan to attend.  For questions, contact Jim at jimpfred@yahoo.com.

Just a reminder that Jog-A-Thon pledges are due Friday, December 2nd.  In order to be eligible for Prize Day, all money needs to be turned in by December 2nd.

The Holidays are upon us and SCRIP Fundraising is available again this year! SCRIP is fundraising while you shop! Gift cards are available from over 100 retailers For every gift card you purchase, Courreges will receive a percentage back. Why not support your school, while you shop? Here is some important information in order to get started:

1. Go to www.shopwithscrip.com and register today! Enter enrollment code: 5L3246185886 to link your account to Courreges. From there, you can set up a PrestoPay account and your payment will come directly from your checking account.
2. On Monday afternoons, beginning Monday, November 14, there will be a SCRIP table set up during school pick-up. Come visit the table to purchases gift cards, order gift cards, or receive more information about the program.
3. To view the complete list of available SCRIP, please click here:  SCRIP Product List
4. If you have any questions, please contact CC Nelson at 714-791-0753 or cnelson@eposonline.com

Parents may nominate their child to test for the GATE program. Nomination forms will be available in the office from November 1 – 14 and must be turned in by November 14. To help determine if you should nominate your child for GATE testing, please click here to review characteristics of GATE children: GATE Parent Nomination

Let’s get moving and raise a some money for our school, too!!! Please join us at our fundraising roller skating party on Thursday, November 10. Please click here for the details: Roller Skating November 10, 2011

All parents who want to volunteer at school, must have a current (in the last four years), negative TB test. If you would like to volunteer at school, please print and return the TB testing form indicating your negative status or the time you would like to go to the District office for a free test. The last scheduled date for free TB testing at the District office is Monday, November 7. Please click here for the form: TB Testing 2011

School picture make-up day is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9.  Pictures can be ordered online at: http://www.cantrellorders.com/photocart/index.php?do=photocart&viewImage=100359 and entering our school access code “COU”, or by using the hard-copy order form that will be in your Monday Envelope.  You may also print the form here: Make-up Picture Day 2011

This is Win-Win-Win! Bring in your excess, unopened Halloween candy on Tuesday and Wednesday and it will be donated to “Operation Gratitude” which sends care packages to our troops overseas. To promote this wonderful cause, a local pediatric dentist will award $1 per pound to the school that brings in the most candy (up to $1000), 50¢ per pound (up to $500) for second place and 25¢ per pound (up to $250) for third place. Save your kid’s teeth, help the soldiers and maybe even raise some money for Courreges, what could be better? Please click here for all the details: Got Candy

The votes have been tallied and the winner is … Option #2 (large paw print in the middle)

 Be sure to get your orders in by Friday to get your new Courreges Spirit Wear. We have a wonderful new design for our Courreges Spirit Wear, selected by a student vote. The new design is available on t-shirts and sweatshirts and can be viewed on the order form. A keychain with a very cute stuffed Cougar wearing a t-shirt that says, “I (‘heart’) Courreges” is also available. Please click here for the order form: Spirit Wear Order Form 2011