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Alameda NewsNotes for February 22, 2018
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In This Issue

Save the Date

Feb 23: Passport Club
Mar 2: Classroom Portraits
Mar 3: Alameda Auction!
Mar 7: Parent Coffee Break
Mar 8: Dyslexia Community Meeting

For more visit our School Calendar.
NewsNotes is brief this week due to the holiday, snow day and late start! Look for an update from administrators in our next edition. In the meantime, here are a few important reminders/notices...

PASSPORT CLUB:
We need help tomorrow!

We could use 7-10 more volunteers tomorrow!  The "passport check" runs from 8:50am - 11:00am and it’s a really fun way to interact with our great Alameda 2nd-5th graders. Please do not let your lack of geography knowledge hold you back from volunteering. Volunteers get to have a cheat sheet with them at all times. We have a blast!

If you can help, please sign up online.

Tomorrow is the final day of Alameda Spirit Week!

Show your school pride and have a little fun!

It's Sports Day

Jump Rope for HeartJump for Heart supports the American Heart Association & ALAMEDA!

Donation Envelopes are Due Now

Alameda's Jump for Heart event is happening now in PE class. If your child was scheduled for PE on Wednesday or early Thursday and missed out on the opportunity to participate in the Jump, don't worry they'll jump next week.

In the meantime, please send in their donation envelopes as soon as possible. Every donation helps the American Heart Association but it also supports Alameda by earning new P.E. equipment for our school so we can keep our kids moving!

Courageous Conversations

Issues of Race and Racism at Alameda

February's Courageous Conversation will occur on Tues 2/27, 6pm - 8pm in the library.  Childcare and dinner are provided starting 5:45. 

RSVP
Please RSVP to Meg Johnson, vpcommunity@alamedaschool.org, if you plan to attend and/or would like childcare. 

ABOUT THIS SESSION
This session will build on the previous two sessions introducing and working with community circles.  The circle format will be used and all participants are invited to answer the question, "How have issues of race and racism shown up for you at Alameda?"  The circle will honor the 4 Agreements and 6 Conditions of Courageous Conversations and typical circle guidelines.  If you missed previous sessions on community circles in restorative practice, this primer will help.  Sidney Morgan and Matti Giardi of PPS will facilitate the circle.  To assist us in holding the Agreements and Conditions of Courageous Conversations, we will use these definitions of "race" and "racism": 
 
RACE (used in PPS's Racial Equity Policy): "A social construct that artificially divides people into distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance (particularly color), ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, ethnic classification, and the social, economic, and political needs of a society at a given period of time. Racial categories subsume ethnic groups.” Maurianne Adams, Lee Anne Bell, and Pat Griffin, editors. Teaching for Diversity and Social Justice: A Sourcebook. (2007)
 
RACISM (from The Aspen Institute
  • Structural Racism: A system in which public policies, institutional practices, cultural representations, and other norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial group inequity. It identifies dimensions of our history and culture that have allowed privileges associated with “whiteness” and disadvantages associated with “color” to endure and adapt over time. Structural racism is not something that a few people or institutions choose to practice. Instead it has been a feature of the social, economic and political systems in which we all exist. 
  • Institutional Racism: Institutional racism refers to the policies and practices within and across institutions that, intentionally or not, produce outcomes that chronically favor, or put a racial group at a disadvantage. Poignant examples of institutional racism can be found in school disciplinary policies in which students of color are punished at much higher rates that their white counterparts, in the criminal justice system, and within many employment sectors in which day-to-day operations, as well as hiring and firing practices can significantly disadvantage workers of color.
  • Individual Racism: Individual racism can include face-to-face or covert actions toward a person that intentionally express prejudice, hate or bias based on race. 

Celebrate the BOB Community of Readers!

The Holy Cows to Represent Alameda

In the nail biting final battle of the 2018 Alameda Battle of the Books, The Holy Cows! and The Bookaneers faced multiple tie breakers. The Holy Cows ultimately took the win and will represent Alameda at the regional battle on March 10th. Way to go ladies!

And congratulations to all of Alameda's BOB participants. We are very proud of all our amazing Alameda readers!
Alameda Auction | March 3, 2018

The Alameda Auction Needs You!


Volunteer at the Event

Our annual Auction is a fun evening and important fundraiser for Alameda. The event depends on all of us and volunteer support is crucial to our efforts! There are still a number of volunteer slots to fill! Please find a shift that works for you and a lend a hand.

Bid on Classroom Projects!

Ready to bid on some gorgeous classroom art projects? Online bidding is now open! https://alameda.schoolauction.net/2018auction/catalog

You don’t need to attend the auction to bid on the class art projects, so be sure to pass the link on to grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc!

Bidding closes 3/3/18 at 7:30 p.m. Good luck!


For more information, please visit the Auction web page or contact Jennifer Bertapelle or Andrea Hoffelt at auction@alamedaschool.org.

PTA Meeting Rescheduled

Talking to Your Kids About Sex, Sexuality & Relationships

Unfortunately we had to cancel our PTA meeting on Wednesday night due to the weather. Not to worry! Plans are in the works to reschedule this. Stay tuned for more details soon!

Follow us on Facebook

When you "like" the official Alameda Elementary Facebook page you'll be sure to get all the postings from our school, our PTA and our Foundation!

You might also like to follow the Alameda Foundation's Facebook page for fun and frequent updates on the 2018 Alameda Auction, including picture previews of live auction items, class projects and sign-up parties.
Copyright © 2018 Alameda PTA, All rights reserved.


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