Casting Call: Peter Pan

Clifford School PTO and San Carlos Children’s Theater proudly present Disney’s Peter Pan, Jr. as our musical performance this year. Join the fun and sign up to be in Peter Pan, Jr., Clifford’s All-School Theater Production!

Wendy Darling loves to tell stories to her brothers, Michael and John. But when her father announces she must move out of the nursery, Peter Pan comes to visit the children and whisks them away to Neverland. Their adventure introduces them to the Lost Boys, Mermaids, Indians and even the infamous pirate, Captain Hook.

PeterPanJR_4C

Music and Lyrics by Sammy Cahn, Sammy Fain, Michael Tumes, Xavier Atencio, George Bruns,  Jack Lawrence, Frank Churchill, Winston Hibler, Ted Sears, Oliver Wallace and Ray Kelley. Music Adapted and Arranged and Additional Lyrics by  Eric Svejcar. Book and Additional Lyrics by  David Zellnik. Based on the play by J.M. Barrie and the 1953 Disney film.

Main Cast Auditions & Information (Grades 3-8):

**All students (Grades 3-8) who audition will be cast in the play.**

Main cast auditions for 3rd through 8th graders will be Sunday, October 25, with starting time slots at 2pm. All who audition must also sign up for a dance audition on Monday, October 26, either in the 4pm or 5pm time slot. To sign up for auditions, go to www.sancarloschildrenstheater.com. Once on the site click the “Auditions” tab and then on “Peter Pan, Jr – Clifford School”. The audition tips on the site are very helpful.

Cost for being in the show is $75 and due at the acting/singing audition. Families are also required to volunteer a minimum of 30-35 hours toward the show. Rehearsals start on Monday, November 16, and continue up until the performance dates of February 19-21. Rehearsals will be on Mondays and Wednesdays, with a few Fridays, from 3-6pm on the Clifford Campus. If you have any questions please contact Trina Licht at cljl06@mac.com.

Ensemble Information (Grades K-2):

Students in grades K-2 are invited to join our Ensemble Cast which will be led by our amazing duo, Mrs. Jennifer Overbey and Niki Kolokithis. The Ensemble rehearsals will begin on Wednesday, December 8. Rehearsals will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:30pm to 3:30pm. The cost for being in the Ensemble is $40. Families are also required to volunteer a minimum of 10-15 hours, per child, toward the show.

The Ensemble will be the opening act for the main cast performance of Peter Pan, Jr.  The children will learn 2-3 songs with dance moves for the opening act and perform them, in costume, at McKinley Theater before each show on February 19-21.

To register, go to http://www.sancarloschildrenstheater.com. No audition necessary. All who register, pay the fee, and come to the first parent meeting on Wednesday, December 8, will be in the Ensemble. If you have any questions, please contact Trina Licht at cljl06@mac.com.

Key Dates

  • October 25 – Acting/Singing Auditions (Main Cast, Grades 3-8)
  • October 26 – Dance Auditions (Main Cast, Grades 3-8)
  • November 16 – First rehearsal (Main Cast, Grades 3-8)
  • December 18 – First rehearsal (Ensemble Cast, Grades K-2)
  • February 19-21 – Performances (All Cast)

Director-Eron Block, Choreographer-Daina Block, Music Director-Theresa Ames, Ensemble Music Directors-Jennifer Overbey & Nikki Kolokithas
Peter Pan Jr. Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019. Phone: 212-541-4684 Fax: 212-397-4684. www.MTIShows.com

Flyer Peter Pan-1 2016

Flyer in Spanish – Peter Pan

Box Tops for Education

box-tops-logo1

Our school will be participating in the Box Tops for Education™ program again this year! Clipping Box Tops is an easy way for you to help our school buy what it needs. Box Tops are each worth 10¢ and they quickly add up to real cash for our school. To help our school, just look for pink Box Tops on products, clip them, and send them to school. 

Are you a Box Tops member? Sign up at www.BTFE.com to stay updated on our school’s earnings and find a full list of hundreds of participating products. Members also receive exclusive coupon offers and recipes, and can learn about extra ways for our school to earn more cash. **Sign up by September 30, 2015 and earn 5 Bonus Box Tops for our school when you subscribe to the Box Tops email newsletter! You’ll receive:

  • Bonus Box Tops offers / Coupons / Exclusive Free Sample Offers
  • Updates on your school earnings
  • PLUS 5 Bonus Box Tops just for signing up!

Just go to www.BTFE.com/signup to get started! Make sure to enter our Box Tops ID number so our school gets credit for the Bonus Box Tops. Our school’s Box Tops ID number is: 196141.

FALL COLLECTION CONTEST!!!

THE CLASSROOM TO TURN IN THE MOST BOX TOPS BETWEEN NOW AND OCTOBER 21, 2015 WINS A PIZZA PARTY!! Bring your Box Tops to class labeled with your child’s name and classroom number and the BTFE Coordinators will collect the Box Tops from the teachers!!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Box Tops for Education™ Coordinators for Clifford School, Keisha Munroe at kmx6996@hotmail.com and Laura Nelson at lmnelson22@yahoo.com.

Vote Yes on Measure T: $4.78 million for Clifford School! 

Measure T is a bond measure on the November 3rd ballot to ensure that elementary & middle schools in the Redwood City School District have access to 21st-century classrooms, labs, libraries and technology. If this bond passes, Clifford Elementary will receive $4,784,000 to be used towards modernizing some of our classrooms, upgrading many of our buildings, improving safety & security and adding technology infrastructure.

It is extremely important that we as Clifford parents get the word out and vote YES on T!  The best way to help is to join us during a phone bank or to walk the precincts.  Please see below for sign ups.

Phone Banking

Having participated in one, I can tell you that it was a lot easier than I thought it would be! You are not expected to sell or persuade, just simply to inform our community about the bond measure.  For me, it was a positive experience and you are provided with a packet of instructions that tells you everything you need to know. Of the calls made so far, 65% of people called said that they will vote YES for Measure T, which is a great percentage for us!

We thought it could be fun if a group of Clifford parents could make the Phone Banks on either Wednesday, October 14 or Monday, October 19 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm.  You can join for all of it, some of it or any other day if those days do not work for you.   Use the link below for signing up.  Thank you, thank you!

Please register here for phone banking.

Precinct Walks

We need volunteers for the precinct walks, which take place on the weekends of 10/3-10/4, and10/31-11/1. We need at least 5 people from the Clifford community to participate in the walks. This will help us get closer to our goal, so that we can contact as many individuals as possible. Precinct walking is a fun activity that you can do with friends or your whole family. We will provide you with all of the information and training you need, you can pick whatever neighborhood you like, and the timing is flexible for this event (you can select the day and time that works best for you).  Thank you, thank you!

Please register here for the precinct walk.

DUG THE T-REX SHIRTS #TRex4T

Our local celebrity dinosaur is hosting a fundraiser for Measure T. All proceeds from these sales will be donated to the campaign. Tees, tanks, hoodies, kids and women’s tees are available. They are only available for purchase until this Tuesday 9/29 so shop now and please spread the word!!

Shop Adults: http://teespring.com/t-rex-4-t

Shop Kids: http://teespring.com/t-rex-4-t-kids

If you have questions, please reach out to Diane Sweet, Clifford Site Leader for Measure T, at dsass29@yahoo.com.

Art in Action: Are You Ready for Action?

New_AinA_logo

Art in Action for some classes at Clifford has already begun, and we are excited to have parents sign up to volunteer.

 

What’s it all about? 

In case you are new to Clifford School or haven’t heard about it before, Art in Action is a PTO-funded and parent-driven art program for our students, from 1st Grade through 5th Grade. (We have a plan to bring Art in Action back to Middle School – stay tuned!)

A parent, along with a merry band of helpers, facilitates a brief discussion of a work of art – a painting or a ceramics piece, for example — and then leads the students through a fun creative process. All the art supplies are assembled for you, as long as you give us a few days’ notice. A typical Art in Action class will take about an hour – or less, or more — depending on the amount of time you have and how detailed you want things to go.

It’s a wonderful program; the students dig it. And we need volunteers!

Oh, and in case you’re wondering. . . .

NO: You don’t need to work in design or feel “artsy” to lead a class. Nor do you need to have a background in art history or be a whiz with watercolors – or anything like that!

(Full disclosure: The writer of this post, in fact, can’t draw her way out of a paper bag, and has adored teaching Art in Action for five years.)

All you need is a willingness and enthusiasm for leading students through a creative process — and you can rely on Art in Action’s helpful resources online (and other parents, of course) to make your class happen! Plus, you will have a captive audience. We’ll say it again: Students love having parents teach Art in Action.

Art_Selection_Maze
A selection of artwork on display during Maze Day.

 

You can volunteer in three ways:

  1. Lead or facilitate a class (consider sharing the role with another parent)
  2. Assist during class (hand out art materials)
  3. Help in your own time at home (prepping supplies, mounting artwork, and so on)

To volunteer, sign up during Back to School Night (September 24) and/or tell your child’s teacher that you are interested in leading a class or helping out!

 

New from Art in Action

If you are leading a class and want to access Art in Action’s online resources — video tutorials and lesson guidelines, for instance — you need to create a new account at the new Art in Action website. (Your old login/password won’t work past November 30, 2015, says Art in Action.)

To create a new account:

  1. Visit the Clifford-specific registration page.
  2. Fill out the details.
  3. Enter the access code:  Clifford2015

 

What’s the next step?

After creating an account, you can browse through the respective Grade-level lesson plans if you’re leading a class. You choose the lesson and then coordinate with your child’s teacher. (Some teachers may request specific lessons for their students.)

You can teach in your child’s classroom — or in Room 10 or Room 12 — depending on your preference and the teacher’s. Note: You’ll need to reserve Room 10 and 12 through the school office — and the rooms may not be available when you want them.

Before your class, find fell0w-parents to assist you (your child’s teacher will probably know who has expressed an interest in helping). If you need help recruiting a volunteer or two, contact us.

 

Special plea

If you’ve already assisted in class – handing out paint brushes and refilling water containers, for example – please consider leading a class yourself next time! If you need help figuring this out, contact us.

 

Additional resources

To see an overview of Art in Action lessons, 1st through 5th Grade — and to add your own scheduled classes, when firmed up — please use this online spreadsheet. Thank you.

Check out the PTO’s Art in Action page, where you’ll find details about logistics, links to training info, photos, and more.

Keep an eye out for emails from Clifford’s Art in Action coordinator along with updates in the Clifford School PTO email newsletters (here’s where you sign up to receive the newsletter).

Here’s the latest Art in Action flyer: English and Spanish.

We look forward to a terrific year of Art in Action!

Strike a pose: Each 4th grader had to create a version of themselves with wire!
4th Grade students use wire and other materials to create an upright model of themselves!

 

High School Shadowing for 8th Graders

Parents of 8th Graders:

Even though  the school year has just begun, it is already time to think about high school for our 8th grade students.  All the high schools in our area provide some sort of introduction to their high school program.  Most begin in the fall with Parent Nights, followed by shadowing opportunities through fall and winter and welcome events in the spring.  It is very common for 8th graders to shadow at least one high school.  Shadowing allows eight graders to visit a high school of interest, interact with high school students, and get to know a day in the life of high school student.

Included below are the web addresses of some of the local high schools.  Find the high school home page and look under Parent/Community tabs.  Look for key words such as 8th grade transition or parent information night or student shadowing.  You should find all the information on the website.  Alternatively, you can call the school directly for information.  Please remember that shadowing slots fill-up quickly.

Sequoia http://www.sequoiahs.org/frontpage
Carlmont http://www.sequoiadistrict.org/chs
Woodside http://www.woodsidehs.org/
Menlo Atherton http://www.sequoiadistrict.org/mahs
Everest http://www.everestphs.org/
Summit http://www.summitprep.net/
Serra http://www.serrahs.com/
Saint Francis http://www.sfhs.com/
Mercy Burlingame http://www.mercyhsb.com/
Notre Dame http://www.ndhsb.org/

Clifford Fall Dinner Auction 2015 Update

Tickets

Tickets are selling fast.  Be sure to get yours now!

Volunteer

Want to go to Clifford Fall Dinner Auction 2015 for free and make a meaningful impact for Clifford? Volunteer to be a VIP waiter! No previous waiter experience necessary!

What is VIP waiter?

As a VIP waiter, you will be responsible to assist with set up and clean up of your table, serve appetizers, dinner, desserts, drinks and entertainment to your guests. Guests will be encouraged to “tip” the waiter. All the tips will be collected and allocated to a variety of enrichment programs and educational experiences for Clifford School students!

I want to be a VIP Waiter!

We are recruiting 15 VIP waiters by September 19, 2015. First come, first serve–get your spot now by emailing Trina Licht at cljl06@mac.com.

Sponsors and Donations Reminder

  • All sponsorship to be turned in by September 19th
  • All donation forms filled out and completed by September 19th
  • All donation items to be arranged to be pick up, delivered or mailed by September 26th

Any questions, please email Trina Licht at cljl06@mac.com.

Easy Money: Earn eScrip Dollars for Clifford!

eScrip

Did you know that by changing a few shopping habits, you can help raise money for Clifford with little effort? Anyone can earn eScrip Dollars for Clifford School–you can even rally your friends and family members to help out! Get started by going to www.escrip.com to create your membership profile and select “Clifford School” as your school/nonprofit. Clifford’s eScrip ID is 118392687. Already a member? Please make sure your cards are up-to-date!

After you set up membership for eScrip, be sure to:

  • Register your debit and credit cards (it’s a secure site). Every time you use the cards at any participating store, or online, a portion of what you spend will be given to Clifford School!
  • Bookmark the eScrip Online Mall and shop from 800+ participating stores. Find your fave store and click the “Shop Now” button–this is crucial in providing a signal to the store that you are shopping via eScrip.

There’s a strong chance some of your favorite stores–including major department stores and brands like Target, Nordstroms, Apple, Kohls–are donating portions of sales via eScrip, so we encourage you to make the Online Mall your first stop when shopping online. Whether you’re shopping for products or booking travel, a percentage of your purchases will go to Clifford. Win-win!

Read on to learn how shopping at Amazon Smile and Lucky’s supermarkets can result in even more donations to our school!

 

Cardinal Kids Day

Cardinal Kids Day at Stanford on September 12th!  A family fun day of kid activities, inflatables, virtual reality station, food trucks and more.  The best part is that students will watch a collegiate football game between Stanford and Central Florida for FREE with the purchase of 1 adult ticket!  Please read the flier below and go online to reserve your tickets.  First come, first served, supplies are limited!  Use the promo code on the flier to claim your free tickets!  Hope to see many of our Clifford Community there!!

Cardinal Kids Day