Category Archives: Volunteering

PTO Meeting, Thurs. November 10th – Library

pto_coffee_mugJoin us for the November PTO meeting. We will be discussing upcoming events, hear from our principal about what is new and ongoing at our school, and more. Children are welcome to come and read quietly in the back of the library. As always we will provide a light dinner and much socializing. Come and find out more about our wonderful school.  After the meeting we will be heading to Main & Elm in Redwood City to start off the long weekend.


Junta del PTO, jueves, 10 de noviembre en la biblioteca

Acuda a nuestra junta de la PTO de noviembre. Hablaremos de los eventos que se aproximan, escucharemos a nuestro director hablar sobre lo que es nuevo y lo que sigue igual en nuestra escuela y más. Los niños pueden venir y leer en silencio en la parte de atrás de la biblioteca.  Como siempre, proveeremos una cena ligera y socialización. Acudan y aprendan más sobre nuestra escuela maravillosa. Después de la reunión nos dirigiremos a Main & Elm en Redwood City para comenzar el fin de semana largo.

Measure U Update

It’s coming down to the end of the campaign and a lot of hard work has gone into passing Measure U. But, we need to make a last push to get this critical school funding renewed! Here’s how you can help:

VOTE!!!

Of the approximately 30,000 absentee voters only 6,000 have returned their ballot so far. Send in your ballots! Or if you are voting at the polls on Nov. 8, don’t forget to get to the end of the ballot where Measure U is and vote YES!  Please encourage your friends and family to vote as well.

VOLUNTEER!!!

  • Phone banking We phone banking through Monday, Nov. 7, come and help any night.
  • Precinct Walk SATURDAY, NOV. 5th. We’ll be dropping off door tags to targeted homes. No talking to people, just dropping off a door tag.
  • Precinct Walk Packet Prep FRIDAY morning, Nov. 4th. If you have a spare hour to help out, you can help us prepare for the precinct walk.

To sign up for any of the volunteer opportunities, go to our SignUpGenius page.


Medida U Actualización

Está llegando al final de la campaña y se ha dedicado mucho trabajo a aprobar la Medida U. Pero, ¡necesitamos hacer un último esfuerzo para renovar esta crucial financiación escolar! Así es como puede ayudar:

¡¡¡VOTAR!!!

De los aproximadamente 30.000 votantes ausentes sólo 6.000 han devuelto su boleta hasta ahora. ¡Envíe sus boletas! O si usted está votando en las urnas el 8 de noviembre, no olvide llegar al final de la boleta electoral donde está la Medida U y vote SÍ! Por favor anime a sus amigos y familiares a votar también.

¡¡¡VOLUNTARIO!!!

  • Operaciones bancarias por teléfono Llamamos a la banca hasta el lunes, 7 de noviembre, venga y ayude cualquier noche.
  • Recorrido del distrito SÁBADO, NOV. 5ª. Vamos a dejar las etiquetas de la puerta a las casas de destino. No hablar con la gente, simplemente dejar una etiqueta de la puerta.
  • Precinct Walk Packet Prep Viernes por la mañana, 4 de noviembre. Si usted tiene una hora libre para ayudar, puede ayudarnos a prepararnos para la caminata del recinto.

Para inscribirse en cualquiera de las oportunidades de voluntariado, visite nuestra página de SignUpGenius.

Casino Night Fundraiser

Get your tickets and come join us for a fabulous night of fun!

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We will have food, drinks, and casino games to raise funds for Clifford School PTO at Sparky’s Hot Rod Garage in San Carlos on Friday, November 4th at 6pm.

Silent and Live auction items includes Police Ride Along (your kid gets a ride to school by police officer!), a trip to Las Vegas with $500 script, a weekend getaway to Sonoma, and many more!

Tickets are $50 in advance and $70 at the door.

Need a babysitter for Casino Night? UrbanSitter is offering a discount!

UrbanSitter is a website and app that helps parents find and book their community’s most trusted babysitters and nannies. Here’s the list of sitters Clifford Elementary parents personally recommend: https://www.urbansitter.com/school/clifford-elementary-redwood-city-ca. Sign up for free and use code VIPOFFER for a $50 credit towards your first booking, good until November 30, 2016.

SPECIAL THANKS

We are excited to announce Canyon Inn will do the catering services for Casino Night 2016! The owners of Canyon Inn, Stephanie and Tim Harrison, are Clifford Parents! The Canyon Inn is a family friendly restaurant in the hills of Redwood City.

Chad Carvey will be our esteemed auctioneer, bringing a lot of fun and great energy to the evening!

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Portrait of confident man sitting in office

Rim Orthodontics is a Proud Sponsor of Casino Night!  Go Smile Clifford!

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It Starts With U!

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Did you know that the current parcel tax, Measure W, expires this year? Clifford receives approximately $120,000 each year from Measure W. For the current year, this pays for three part time teachers: two reading intervention teachers and a technology curriculum teacher.

Measure U is on the ballot this November to renew this critical funding that Clifford and all the Redwood City School District schools count on. We need 67% voter support so we are counting on you to make sure we secure $1.9 million annually for our students.

On September, 15, the Clifford PTO voted to donate $5,000 to the campaign to pass Measure U! That is a wonderful show of support from our community, thank-you!

We have a lot of work left to do though, and there are many ways you can help support Measure U, here’s how:

1. Phone Banking. We have two nights specifically for the Clifford community to come and make phone calls in support of Measure U. You will be provided a simple script and be asked to call folks who we think are sympathetic to our cause. We won’t ask you to convince people to support Measure U, just ask them if they support it and give them some basic information.

The Clifford specific evenings are: Monday, October 3rd and Tuesday, October 4th, 6-8:30. The location is WL Butler Construction, 204 Franklin St, RWC.

Special Bonus: After we are done, Roy will buy anyone who attends a drink! He may even bring wine to drink while we phone… If you can’t attend one of the Clifford nights, you can still come on any other available night and help out.

Sign up with SignUpGenius

2. Donate. Running a ballot measure campaign during a presidential election is expensive. We have a lot of potential voters to reach and the mailers we intend to send them are costly. If you can afford to contribute to the campaign it would be appreciated.

Donate to our grassroots campaign

3. Endorse Measure U. You can show your support by endorsing Measure U.

Endorse Measure U

For more information contact the Clifford site leader, Roy Dorling @rrdorling@hotmail.com.

Art in Action Volunteers Needed

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Our students love their Art in Action lessons! We need parent volunteers in every classroom, grades 1st-5th, to make sure all students get these fabulous, fun lessons that teach our kids how to talk about art and express themselves through drawing, painting and sculpture. Each classroom needs a parent docent, and a few classroom helpers for a 1-2hr lesson, once per month (scheduling is flexible!). No art experience necessary. All the lessons are pre-planned and materials are provided. If behind the scenes is more your style, we also need helpers who can prepare art supplies at home.

To find out more, email one of Clifford’s Art in Action Coordinators: Rachel Winmill (wade_rachel@hotmail.com) or Kay Rim (kaysuzu70@yahoo.com).

Already know you love Art in Action and can’t wait to get started? Sign up for one of the hands on training sessions at AiA headquarters in Menlo Park. These fun, free, hands on lessons are open to anyone interested in volunteering, and will guide you through the curriculum and give you a chance to make some art of your own! Training sessions are offered throughout September and early October, check the Art in Action website for dates.

Lap-a-Thon 2016

The Annual Clifford Lap-a-Thon is fast approaching! Help us raise money for our PTO which is fully funding our K-5 PE teacher Mr.W and supporting our middle school program with teacher Lena. We extend our tremendous thanks to our sponsors Canyon Inn Restaurant and the Peninsula Community Center!

Read on for more information, including the day’s schedule and student prizes!

Sign up to volunteer at the Lap-a-thon!

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Fun for the Clifford Community

Students, get ready to wear your sports gear, exercise clothes, or dress as your favorite athlete as you run laps to raise money for the school. If you run more laps than your teacher, Mr. Swerdlow or Mr. Noyes they will wear a funny headpiece at the start of the day Monday, April 25th!

Parents, come join your student if you can on Friday, April 22. Volunteer opportunities are available via Sign Up Genius or you can contact Kathryn Snow at nursesnow@sbcglobal.net or Melisse Long at melisselong@yahoo.com.

Help Raise Funds for Our School

Ask loved ones and friends to donate money for each lap your student runs or give a flat donation. Pledges are due one week after the lap-a-thon, on Thursday, April 28, in order to be counted toward the rewards. Pledges can be made in cash or check, turned in to your teacher or donated online here via PayPal . If pledges are turned in after the due date please turn them in to the black PTO box in the office.


Student’s Name (mandatory)
Grade


Hey Kids! Win Fun, Exciting Prizes

Earn extra recess time for the class at each grade level that earns the most money. A Jamba Juice party will be hosted for the highest earner from both K-5 and from middle school. The highest earner in the whole school wins a GoPro!

2016 Sports Day Lap-A-Thon Timeline

8:30 – 9:00am – 1st & 8th grade (Part 1)
9:10 – 9:40am – 1st & 8th grade (Part 2)
9:50 – 10:10am – Kindergarten / TK / Pre K
10:20 – 10:50 – 7th & 2nd Grade
11:00 – 11:30 –7th & 2nd Grade
11:40-12:10 – 6th Grade
12:20-12:50 – 3rd Grade
1:00-1:30 – 4th Grade
1:40-2:10 – 5th Grade

Art in Action: Top Tips for Clay Classes!

3rd Graders create their own clay shields, and decorate them with beads and feathers, inspired by Native American Art.
Here is a sampling of 3rd Grade artwork inspired by Native American traditions: The students use clay and glazes to create their own shields; then they decorate them with beads and feathers.

WORKING WITH CLAY

Thank you for leading a clay class, as part of Art in Action — or for helping out during a lesson! Clay is such a fun medium to work with; our students love it!

Scroll to the end of this post for some handy definitions.

And have fun!

Firstly, here are some lesson tips:

  • Clay fresh from the bag has been pre-wedged; all of the air bubbles have been removed. Since air bubbles in the clay can cause pieces to break when fired, encourage students not to overwork the clay, and keep this in mind when recycling extra scraps.
  • Try to keep finished pieces not more than about an inch thick. If too thick, the clay may not be able to dry completely and can break when fired. If a sculpture is thicker, you can carve out clay from the base or poke a hole to make it hollow.
  • Etch the students’ initials, name or student number on the bottom of each piece.

After your class with raw clay is complete:

  • DO NOT ALLOW CLAY TO GO DOWN THE DRAIN! Always have students rinse hands in a bucket of water, and dump the bucket outside.
  • Place finished pieces in cardboard flats–extras are available in the art closet–and label the flat with the teacher/grade and the date it was finished.
  • Place boxed pieces on the shelves in the back right of the art closet to dry. They will dry for 2-3 weeks before being bisque fired. When fired, they will be returned to the shelves (leave your name and # on the box if you want to be called when they’re done).
  • After the pieces are fired, if you want to add color, they can be painted with Tempera, then sprayed with a clear varnish, or glazed with the ceramic glaze. When painting with the ceramic glazes, 2-3 coats should be used for best color (the glaze dries very quickly and extra coats can be done immediately).
  • After glazing, the pieces will need to be fired again, so use the same boxes and labeling as described above, and put them back on the drying shelves to wait for the next firing.

Some definitions:

Kiln: The oven used to harden clay. When clay is “fired” in the kiln (typically at 1800-2500 degrees F), all the water is removed and the clay is chemically changed so that it is permanently hardened.

Slip: Clay mixed with a lot of water. Slip can be used as a glue to hold pieces together. First scratch or “score” the clay surfaces to be connected then apply slip like glue and make sure the pieces are well connected so they don’t fall apart as the clay shrinks in the kiln.

Wedging: This is a method of carefully kneading clay to remove any air bubbles . Air bubbles in the clay can cause pieces to explode in the kiln.

Bisque: This is the first firing. After a piece is bisque fired, it can be glazed, painted or left as is.

Glaze: This is like a “liquid glass” that is painted on bisque fired clay to add color and give the piece a smooth shiny finish. After glazing, pieces will require a second firing to finish.

–Rachel Winmill

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Clifford Art Exhibit Topped with Hot Chocolate

 

Two artists pose for the camera with fun "arty" props during the Clifford event in October 2015.
Two Clifford artists pose with fun “arty” props during our first Peet’s event in October 2015.

 

What do you do on a (potentially) chilly Monday afternoon in March?

Why, you go to Peet’s in San Carlos, of course!

Come soak up our students’ artwork, enjoy fun activities, and sip – or knock back – Peet’s delicious beverages. And/or eat!

Clifford families, teachers, and staff: You are all invited to this special Art in Action show!

Thanks to classes taught by parent volunteers, 2nd and 3rd Grade artwork will be on display.

Here are the details:

What: Clifford Art Show & Cocoa Night
Where: Peet’s Coffee & Tea, 677 Laurel Street, San Carlos.
When: Monday, March 7, 2016
Time: 4:00-6:30PM

2nd Graders and 3rd Graders will be entitled to a coupon for one free hot chocolate to be used on March 7 at Peet’s during our event (check your 2nd or 3rd Grader’s folder for the coupon to bring to Peet’s, closer to the time).

Back in October, Peet’s very kindly let us celebrate 1st Grade and 4th Grade artwork with our debut Art Show & Cocoa Night, so we are grateful to Peet’s for welcoming the Clifford community again.

Questions? Contact us.

Presented by Clifford’s Art in Action team.

4th Grade artwork inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe.
On display at Peet’s during our Hot Cocoa gathering: Artwork inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe (4th Grade, above) and Marc Chagall (1st Grade, below).

One Warm Coat Drive

Screen Shot 2015-11-22 at 10.39.20 PMOur Clifford Student Government will be coordinating a One Warm Coat Drive this season from November 30th to December 11th! Clifford is registered with “One Warm Coat” and will be giving the coats to a local charity in need.

There will be a class competition, so in order for a student to get credit for the coat they have brought in, they will need to turn it in to their teacher (homeroom for middle school) who will email the count to the council.  Each Friday the Student Council will pick up the jackets from each classroom at the end of the day. Prize for competition is a class pizza party!

Art in Action: Are You Ready for Action?

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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.

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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!