SunRidge Bulletin
SunRidge School
Main Office/Town Campus:
7285 Hayden Avenue
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Country Campus:
487 Watertrough Rd.
Sebastopol, CA 95472
Phone: 707.824.2844
FAX: 824.2861
www.sunridgeschool.org
Calendar
Monday, February 10, 6:30 -8:30:
Beyond the Birds & the Bees; Parent Ed
with Myra Polikoff in the town campus library
Tuesday, February 11, 6:00-9:00pm:
Charter Council Meeting in Library
Wednesday, February 12:
Class 1 Parent Evening
Thursday, February 13, 6:00pm:
Class 6 play
Friday, February 14: Early Release Day
February 17 – 21: School Closed for
Presidents’ Week Break
Wednesday, February 26, 6:30-8:00pm
Being Adept Parent Ed (see article)
Monday, March 3, 7:00-9:00pm:
Parent Council Meeting in Library
SunRidge On-Line Auction:
March 6-20
2-5-14
Calendar Change: No Community Dance this Friday
If you happen to check our school calendar you may have noticed that a “Community
Dance”, hosted by the 6th grade as a class fundraiser, was scheduled for this Friday,
February 7. That event was scheduled last spring, but in the meantime, the 6th grade
has decided to not take it on, so this dance will not happen as originally planned. If
you were really looking forward to a SunRidge dance, this type of event is run
through the Parent Council, so please communicate your interest in helping with a
school dance to your Parent Council rep.
Change in Charter Council Meeting Plan from Mark Rice
On behalf of the Charter Council, I recently sent out information about the Charter
Council’s January 12 special meeting to address the question of the future location of
the Kindergartens. In that letter, it stated that the Charter Council would place that
decision on their February 11 meeting agenda for action. Since that communication,
the Charter Council has decided to delay a final decision until such time as we have
secured a new, long-term lease for our town campus (negotiations are underway on
that, but it is a slow process). Any decision about future kindergarten location made
now would need to be conditional (e.g., if we have a long term lease for the entire town
campus), and it makes less sense to decide conditionally now, than it does to wait to
make a clear, unconditional decision when that is possible. This delay also allows us
time to have more conversation about the vision for possible future uses of the
country campus, before a final decision about the kindergartens is officially made. We
will keep you posted on any new developments on this very important issue as they
happen.
Beyond the Birds and the Bees with Myra Polikoff, MA, LMFT
How to discuss sexuality with children, especially for K-5 parents. Next Monday,
February 10, 6:30 - 8:00 in the town campus library. Childcare will be provided
by donation by the 8th Grade. Kindly RSVP to Carol in the office. Please note that
the 3rd Grade will meet early at 6pm in their classroom to also discuss Moon Circles
and Father/Son groups, with childcare available from 5:45.
Great Auction Energy! from Mark Rice
It was exciting to see the auction enthusiasm at the Parent Council meeting last night.
We have a great team of auction volunteers led by a dynamic trio of leaders, and each
class has some special auction items they are creating for the event. Many exciting
auction items have already been procured and if many of us help out, this will be our
most successful auction yet. Please see page 4 for more auction details.
Feeling Pledge Gratitude
What a gift of beautiful education each pledging parent bestows on every SunRidge
child when they donate each month! Pledge funds directly pay for the salaries and
supplies associated with programs/classes in Handwork, Gardening, Instrumental
Music, Recorder, Choir, Eurythmy, Woodwork, and Exploratory Middle School
courses, as well as all food supplies for our kindergartens, and much of the salaries of
our teaching assistants in Kindergarten and grades one through four. The children
may not understand how it happens or who is paying for it, but know that what you
give is gratefully transformed into priceless gifts for the children every day, and those
gifts will have reverberating positive affects throughout their lives. Feel great about
pledging!
Valentine's Day Truffles
The 3rd grade class will be selling sampler boxes of homemade, delicious Truffles for
Valentine's Day featuring four flavors: Salted Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate
Coconut, Strawberry White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Raspberry. The class
SunRidge Bulletin, page 2
will not be pre-selling the truffles, but you can purchase them
for $6 a box during pick-up the week of Valentine's Day 2/102/14. Questions? Contact Ryn Longmaid at
[email protected] or text 707-696-1406.
Open Application Period: February 3- March 10
Interest is high in SunRidge School! We have added 4 new
students in the last month or so, and we have had many more
interested parents requesting information and attending our
tours than in previous years. Our “Open Application” period is
February 3 through March 10. During that time we accept
applications for 2014-15. Only those that apply during that
period are included in the lottery, which is conducted for most
grades as we have more applicants than available spaces.
If you have friends who are interested in SunRidge, please let
them know about our Open Application period and have them
call the office or go to our website for information about
tours, our open houses, and the required orientation meeting.
Also, parents of a current SunRidge student who have another
child they wish to enroll for the first time next year need to
follow the same application process. Current students do not
need to re-apply. Please talk to Theresa if you have any
questions.
SunRidge Valkyries are Back on the Court
Coach Mr. T. is proud to announce that our middle school
girls’ basketball team is hard at practice and games begin next
week. The first game is Wednesday, February 12, at
Presentation School in Sonoma, followed by a game on Friday,
February 14, at Windsor Christian Academy. Both games begin
at 4:00pm. Team members should arrive by 3:30pm. Go
Valkyries!
“Being Adept” Parent Education at SunRidge
On February 26th from 6:30-8:00pm in the town campus
library, parents will be treated to a specially designed
evening workshop with tools designed to facilitate a vital,
ongoing dialogue with their pre-teens and teens on the
subject of substance abuse. This parent workshop is being
done in conjunction with a 5-week Being Adept course for
our 7th and 8th graders.
This parent workshop is led by Jennifer Grellman, LMFT, an
Adolescent Psychotherapist and founder of Being Adept.
Accompanying Jennifer will be youth leader and Director of
School Programs, Kathryn Chavez, who will be working with
the students in the classroom.
Community Events
Begin with the End in Mind
Monday, February 24, 6:30pm at the Sebastopol
Independent Charter Assembly Room.
Davina Muse, LMHC and Simplicity Parenting Coach, will
explore with you the developmental stages of childhood and
the four consecutive roles we play as parents during our
children’s development from birth to age 28: Sovereign,
February 5, 2014
2013-14 Pledge Report
Pledges received to date:
$132,500
With 55% of the year
elapsed, our received todate amount should be:
$132,000 (see gray bar)
Parent pledges pay for 12%
of the cost of your
children’s education at
SunRidge.
Please give generously!
$240,000
$210,000
$180,000
$150,000
$120,000
$90,000
$60,000
$30,000
Farmer, Shepherd, and Consultant. For more information
call: 824-9700.
Creative Discipline with the Young Child;
Beyond Sticks and Carrots
A workshop with Steve Spitalny, Saturday, March 8,
10am to 4:00pm, Sebastopol Charter School Assembly
Room, 200 South Main Street, Sebastopol, CA.
This workshop will address how to develop a
communication style that makes for fewer conflicts and
easier resolution in interactions with your young children.
The basic theme is learning how to truly connect with young
children. This workshop is open to anyone who has young
children in their daily lives.
Early childhood consultant and author Stephen Spitalny
offers inspiring lectures, workshops and mentoring to
teachers and parents around the world, most recently in
China and Indonesia. Steve was a kindergarten teacher at
the Santa Cruz Waldorf School for 24 years.
Steve’s website is: http://chamakanda.com
$50 registration at Brown Paper tickets http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/562222
for more info [email protected]
Volunteer Host Families Needed for Summer
Cultural Exchange!
Educational Homestay Programs, a non-profit organization, is
seeking interested families to host Norwegian, Spanish and
Italian High School students arriving to the Santa Rosa area
June 25th – July 21st for a 3 ½ week Northern California
experience! Students attend English language classes
and organized cultural activities, M-F. Host families are
invited to join us in these activities! Make a lasting impact
on a young person’s life by opening your home and heart to
one of our students. Students do not need their own
room. EF can provide a temporary bed for a host family
that has the space, but is in need of an extra bed. A
SunRidge Bulletin, page 3
network of host families is developing to coordinate summer
time gatherings to heighten the cultural exchange and
community experience our programs create. For more
information, please contact EHP Site Director: Lisa
Breschi at 707-304-1739 - email:
[email protected] To learn more about EF Homestay
Programs: www.ef.edu/ehp/
Classified
(We can list rentals, parents selling used items, free items, lost and found, or
trades. With the exception of private, after-school care available for
SunRidge students, we do not list for-profit business ads)
Rental Needed
Looking for 4+ bedroom house to rent in Sebastopol for
Multi Generational family. [email protected] or 415-5330689.
Seeking a mother’s helper
My work schedule has changed and I need help with rides to
and from school every other week for my 5th and 8th
grader. We live near the country campus on Elphick Road. If
you're interested in earning a little extra cash please call 3318153. Thanks!
February 5, 2014
SunRidge Bulletin, page 4
February 5, 2014
Auction Action
The Data Entry team is ready
for your auction items!
We need more volunteers to help contact our local wineries and restaurants. Please send an
email to [email protected] if you can make some calls or send some emails to
potential donors.
Here are some of the auction items your classes are creating: DF - Child’s Woodworking Table
& Craft Basket, M* - Birdhouses & Bird Watching Basket, Class 1 - Wool Felted Rug &
Culinary Basket, Class 2 - Beeswax Candles, Candle Holders and Party Basket, Class 3 Weave on a Hanging Loom & Wine and Cheese Basket, Class 4 - Birds in a Tree – Pastel
Mosaic on Matte Board & Wine and Chocolate Basket, Class 5 - Wet Felted Scarves & In
Town Basket of Fun, Class 6 - Bee Boxes & Honey Basket, Class 7 - Knitted Farm Animals
with Farm & Date Night Basket, Class 8 - Wooden Bench & Reader’s Basket
We can’t wait to see these beautiful and creative items!
Contact your PC or Auction Rep to find out how you can help with your class projects and
baskets!
The little auction,
that could!
[email protected]
(707) 861-3084
SunRidge Educational
Foundation
Our mission is to raise funds
for campus beautification
and playground equipment
for our youngest students at
the town campus.
J The auction will run March 6-20.
J Auction Items due by Feb 28th.
J Auction site:
Have you brought in your auction item yet? The data entry team is ready
to go! Please see the folder on each classroom’s board with the auction
request letter and donation receipt. Also, please add your donations to
the list on your classroom’s board or send an email with your donations
to [email protected] so we can update the master list. Please
check the Master list to avoid contacting businesses multiple times:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ApNnrjwbJvwmdDg0LS05VXAt
QlEybFQ0R05nNVZMelE&usp=sharing
Drop off location for the auction items: In front of the main office – All
items require a completed donation receipt.
Thank You from your SEF Auction Team Leaders!
Cheryl Koskela – Auction Chair
Jill Lowry – Procurement Team Leader
Hassanah Meechan – Auction Administrator
www.biddingforgood.com/sunridge
J The auction is our biggest
fundraiser. Over the past 5
years, it has raised over
$140,000 for SunRidge!
There is still time to join in,
call or email us if you would
like to help.
Call or email at anytime
with questions!