Clifford Frog Pond is a Certified Wildlife Habitat

The writing's on the wall: a photo of the official certificate in the Clifford School office
The writing’s on the wall: a photo of the official certificate in the Clifford School office

We are absolutely thrilled to report this exciting news — in case you haven’t heard by now!

Over a year after breaking ground, the Clifford School Watershed Sanctuary has officially been certified as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The marshy area to the west of the Middle School lawn is better known to the Clifford community as the “Clifford Frog Pond,” home to a tiny native frog called Pseudacris sierrae, or the Pacific Chorus Frog.

Every year, the pond fills with tadpoles in the small amount of water — usually just a couple of inches — that accumulates during the rainy season, despite the severe drought hitting California right now.

This tiny native frog is called Pseudacris sierrae, or the Pacific Chorus Frog.
This tiny native frog is called Pseudacris sierrae, or the Pacific Chorus Frog.

Dreaming Things Up & Making Things Happen

Thanks to the vision of Gwen Minor, Middle School teacher at Clifford School, students, teachers, and parents worked together to revitalize the Clifford Frog Pond in the upper yard as a respected habitat and learning environment. This huge project started during the 2012-2013 school year. The non-native pampas grasses were removed in December 2012. Then, with some fundraising, community support, and lots of hard work, the landscape plan was executed in March and April 2013.

Kudos to Clifford’s Middle School students for a thorough clean-up job of the area — removing all the garbage that had piled up.

On the fundraising side, we received a $3,000 grant from the San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program.

Clifford students themselves raised close to a whopping $5,000 in a fun-filled fundraiser, complete with leap-frog contest and froggy green bake sale.

Habit Profile

The pond habitat includes a redwood observation deck, a stepping stone walkway, and a small footbridge. The redwood observation deck next to the pond provides students a sturdy footing from which they can witness “real life science” as nature unfolds.

The stepping stone walkway has 12 concrete steps engraved with messages from the donors who helped sponsor the bridge. It leads to a small wooden bridge that serves both to provide an additional viewing spot for spotting tadpoles and other wildlife. A short wooden and cable fence protects the area.

Areas certified as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation provide for five basic needs: water, food, cover, a setting to raise young wildlife, and freedom from chemical treatments, such as pesticides. Having a Wildlife Habitat directly on the campus not only provides Clifford students with the opportunity to experience the amphibian life cycle, but also teaches students the importance of ensuring healthy and safe environments for the animals and plants that surround us.

–Estelle Weyl

Here's how the Frog Pond looked after the first rain of the season (December)--before construction began.
Here’s how the Frog Pond looked after the first rain of the season (December)–before construction began.

MASSIVE, MASSIVE THANKS

It takes a village: We are immensely grateful to the following people who made the Frog Pond happen. We thank you for your generosity with your donations, your time volunteering, your energy, and for seeing things through.

Gwen Minor: The Frog Pond project champion! Your vision, passion, planning, getting students excited and involved — your evangelism.

Lorraine Akemann: Your incredible management of the entire project, from start to finish, including  your assistance with the removal of non-native pampas grasses from the area. This project could not have succeeded without your tireless efforts.

Jeff & Lisa Adasiewicz, Evolution Construction Inc: Your kindness with all your donated resources and huge amount of time “on the job,” including building the deck and installing the posts.

Sione Unga & Michelle Clark, Sione’s Concrete Construction: Your donation of all the poured concrete.

Rick Thall & family: Your valuable assistance in paying special attention to the environment and natural habitat, ensuring that the materials were frog-friendly, your planning and architectural expertise, your design for the redwood observation deck and surrounding landscape, along with the string wire fencing.

Lorraine Akemann & Lisa Adasiewicz, with help from Sione Unga, Michelle Clark, and family: These parents kindly organized a hand-print stepping stone fundraiser that drew family donors on a weekend.

Derek Overbey: For acting as technical liaison and for his assistance with the pampas grass removal.

Don Dias, RCSD Facilities, and Clifford Custodians: We appreciate your assistance along the way.

The Clifford School PTO supported this tremendous project every step of the way, and the PTO also paid for all the following: column bases for the fence and deck, cement, fence and deck hardware, lumber and related supplies for the observation deck, posts, labor costs for carpenters/crew and construction.

Lastly, thank you to a host of additional Clifford parents — not named here — who helped in all kinds of different ways: donating time, money, resources, expertise, writing & photography skills, and more.

Thank you.

Finally, for some wonderful photos, additional details about the phases of the project, and more, check out the blog, Clifford Frog Pond.

Ribbit.

NWF

Art in Action: Your Students are Ready for Action

New_AinA_logoThe Art in Action lesson sign-up sheet, 1st Grade through 5th Grade, for 2014-2015, is now available here!

Kindergarten parents, along with parents in Middle School, are also invited to volunteer!

Students LOVE art class! They ADORE Art in Action. Let’s make it happen!

For more information about how to volunteer in class, please contact Kay Rim at kaysuzu70@yahoo.com.

Art in Action Coordinators: Contact information

Kay Rim (Volunteer coordinator): Kaysuzu70@yahoo.com
Rachel Winmil (Art supply coordinator): wade_rachel@hotmail.com
Sajana Sagar (Art show & Clay coordinator): sajana_sagar@yahoo.com

Thank you.

Delightful characters: 1st Grade students sculpted sea creatures using clay
Delightful characters: 1st Grade students sculpted sea creatures using clay

 

Box Tops ‘R’ Us!

thClifford families:

Help us earn money for our school by collecting “box tops,” October 1st through October 24.

If you’re not familiar with box tops, these are special logos, found on the packaging for hundreds of products from your grocery store (e.g. cereal boxes, Ziploc boxes). You need to carefully cut out these box tops and send into school.

Watch out for expired box top dates (expiry dates are indicated on the packaging).

Classes will earn cool prizes for the most box tops collected.

Start collecting now.

Questions? Want to help? Contact Keisha Munroekmx6996@hotmail.com

th-1

Clifford School Garden: Fruits of our Harvest

 

How does your garden grow?!

 

Throughout the year, Clifford students plant various varieties of vegetables, flowers, and fruit.

2013-09-20 15.41.31Thanks to a number of parent volunteers, children visit the Clifford School Garden (located behind the K-2 row of classrooms) frequently. They learn about all about the planting & growing process–from planting the seeds to harvesting the goodies!

We offer garden sales at Clifford school regularly! Come back to this web site and/or keep an eye out on the campus for fliers about upcoming garden sales!

2013-09-20 15.14.41

 

First PTO Meeting of the Year, Sep 11: All Families Welcome!

First PTO gathering is 9/11: "Bee" there or be square!
First PTO gathering is 9/11: “Bee” there or be square!

 

Clifford families,

Kick off the back-to-school season in style, and come join us at our very first PTO meeting of the 2014 / 2015 school year!

When: Thursday, September 11, 2014
Time: 7PM
Where: Library
Who: Parents, Students & Staff

Meet new & returning families, and learn about what is happening in our amazing school!

We will be serving a light dinner.

Your children are welcome to come; they can read or play card games quietly in the library, for instance; plus, we will have balls outside for them to play with, too!

(Oh, have you signed up to receive the PTO Newsletter via email? If not, click here.)

View the Agenda here (PDF).

Some highlights on the Agenda for the Sep 11 meeting:

  • Meet our new Principal, Jane Egashira
  • Budget approval
  • Direct campaign report
  • Fall fundraiser, beginning September 19
  • The Little Mermaid school play/musical
  • 8th Grade Graduation planning
  • Clifford Logo wear
  • Traffic reminders

We look forward to seeing you there!

It’s Show Time: The Little Mermaid Opens Friday!

LittleMermaid

QUICK LINK: BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE HERE!

 

Psh, psh, psh. Swish, swish, swish. Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle.

These are some of the sounds you might encounter roaming around under the sea: gliding mermaids, thriving fish, oceanic plants swaying — along with the thrill of a bubbling and gurgling world under water!

Clifford School PTO and the San Carlos Children’s Theater proudly present Disney’s LITTLE MERMAID JR, February 6, 7, and 8, 2015.

As you read this, rehearsals are concluding, sets are designed and almost complete, costumes are getting perfected, makeup plans are in motion–and teams of other parents are focused on ticket sales, program print production, actor biographies, concessions, and more!

Join us as we journey under the sea with Ariel and her aquatic friends. Clifford students, from Kindergarten through 8th Grade, will be performing in this colorful and enchanting musical based on the 2008 Broadway hit.

The Little Mermaid will have you singing popular songs like “Part of Your World” and “Under the Sea” long after the show’s over!

Performance information

Dates
Friday, February 6th: 7PM
Saturday, February 7th: 7 pm
Sunday, February 8th: 1 pm

Venue
McKinley Middle School Auditorium, 400 Duane St., Redwood City

Ticket prices
$15 reserved
$12 general
$14 at the door

With just 3 performances, it’s sure to be a sell-out.

Purchase Tickets

  • Tickets will be available in the school office, starting Monday, January 12.
  • The week leading up to the show, you can buy tickets at outside tables before and after school.
  • Click here to buy your tickets now via PayPal (a small fee will apply for your online transaction). You don’t need to have an account with PayPal to buy tickets — just use your credit card.

Note: If you buy online, pick up your tickets at will call before the performance.