IMPORTANT DATES
REMINDER: 3/12: Pi / STEAM Night — POSTPONED!
3/17: Taste of Temescal
3/25: 7th Grade Bowling Field Trip
3/26: 6th Grade Walking Field Trip to see the movie Harriet
3/26: 8th Grade Bowling Field Trip
3/27: In lieu of Cesar Chavez Day / NO SCHOOL
3/30 – 4/3: Spring Break / NO SCHOOL
From the office
CORONAVIRUS
At Claremont the health and safety of all students, staff, and families is our top priority. We have been doing announcements reminding students to wash their hands throughout the day and use the sanitizer available in the library, lunchroom, office and at both entrances to the PE locker rooms, in addition to the communications that have gone home. We are also working with our custodians to do more intensive cleanings and wiping down of desks.
For now, we are not cancelling any field trips — more info to come as we get closer to those dates. We have postponed all after-school / evening events, and have already held grade level assemblies.
We are monitoring the current situation daily (multiple times), and are prepared to update you immediately should anything change. These links below include up to date news and tips for how to stay well during this time:
REMINDER: PI / STEAM NIGHT IS POSTPONED
The STEAM Team feels it's best to postpone STEAM Knight from March to May. With the withdrawal of SalesForce volunteers until further notice due to Coronavirus, as well as the high amount of illnesses/absences right now, we have decided to act in an abundance of caution and not have a big community event with food, hands-on activities, and crowds at this time. We will let you know the new date once we have it confirmed. Thank you and stay well, everyone!
ANIME CLUB OUT ON THE TOWN
Anime Club went to go watch a movie called My Hero Academia this past Saturday at AMC. Wasn’t an official field trip, just students getting together outside of school to enjoy each other’s company. Thanks for making it happen, Ms. Fortaleza!
NO ONE EATS ALONE
Tomorrow students will be participating in a No One Eats Alone event during lunch. We are having this event because we want to end social isolation, and we want all students at Claremont to feel included. We will do our due diligence to make sure students practice good hygiene, such as using hand sanitizer and limiting hand to hand contact. Remind your students to come to the courtyard during lunch, listen to music, meet new people, play games, and make a pledge to end social isolation so no one eats alone! If you would like to volunteer, please contact Mrs. Anderson.
OAKLAND F-READ-OM CARD
Many students received an Oakland Public Library Card ont he back of their student ID Card. If you student did not receive a library card, but you would like for them to have one, please send an email to Mrs. Anderson with your student's first & last name and grade.
ATTENTION 8TH GRADE FAMILIES
High School placement offers will be available on School Mint starting today, March 12. Parents/Guardians will receive an email and/or a text from the District Enrollment Office with your student's school placement for next school year. You MUST ACCEPT the offer in order to confirm your student's spot by March 26 or it will be released. If your student is on the waitlist at your top choice, we recommend that you accept your school offer for now while they remain on the waitlist at the other school/s. Here are the different ways to confirm and secure your spot:
If you have any questions or need your School Mint username, please email Ms. Pareja.
GOT A BABY PHOTO OF YOUR 8TH GRADER?
If your 8th grade Knight would like to be part of a CMS yearbook tradition, please submit a baby picture or two to s_tanya.molinablanco@ousd.org and add the student's name in the email or drop the photo off in the front office and attach the student's name to the back. Deadline for submitting photos is 3/16.
SCHOOL-WIDE REMINDERS
We want to remind families of a few expectations regarding dress code and cell phones. Hats, hoods, and sunglasses are to be removed upon entering the building. Student's clothing must cover all undergarments, and should be free of slogans that advocate drug & alcohol use, or insignia that is crude, vulgar, profane, or sexually explicit. All shoes need to a back for safety. If your child comes to school with slides or slip on Birkenstock, or any shoes with no backs- they will be brought to the office until they get proper, safe shoes from home.
Also, students should have their cell phones off and put away once students walk onto campus. A lot of students are pulling out their phones during the school day, and as per our school rules, we must take their phone for 1 day or 5 days, depending on how many times they have had their phone taken. If you need to reach your student during the school day, please call the main office at 510-654-7337. We will get a message to your student to call you during breaks, lunch, passing period, or after school.
And finally, please verify your student's absences. We have to properly record all student absences when they are not present at school for any reason. Please be sure you are calling, emailing, or sending a note to Ms. Gonzalez to verify your student's absences. Thank you!
CALIFORNIA HEALTHY KIDS SURVEY, PARENT VERSION
We want to hear from parents and community members about your feelings of our school. Your input and opinions are valued, so we welcome your feedback. Be sure to have your student take a picture of the confirmation page when you finish for extra credit in 6th grade math, 7th & 8th grade science classes. This data is tied to important funding sources as well.
The survey only takes 4 minutes, and is anonymous. Please take a few moments to complete this by clicking on the Claremont parent survey.
IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, A QUOTE
"None of us can know what we are capable of until we are tested." — Elizabeth Blackwell, first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States.
From the PTA
TASTE OF TEMESCAL
If you like eating, then you'll love the Taste of Temescal coming up Tuesday, March 17, 6-8:30 pm. One ticket allows the privilege of a small plate from 25 restaurants including many of the newest, hottest and best eateries in the OT neighborhood. Tickets are $40 (that's under 2$ per restaurant!). Proceeds from the event go to Oakland Tech, Studio One, La CLinical de la Raza and other local schools.
Volunteer as a ticket puncher at Taste of Temescal and get a FREE TICKET! Sign up here to volunteer and still have plenty of time to enjoy the evening.
If you can’t make it, or even if you can, and you want to sponsor a teacher, email Chris Schreiber to purchase a paper ticket or to let him know that you have an extra ticket waiting for one of our great staff!
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR WINE MINE TASTING PARTY
NEW DATE: Thursday April 9, 2020
Come join us for a festive evening of fundraising and wine tasting at the fabulous local wine shop, The Wine Mine. Wine Mine will be pouring five wines for us to taste and your hosts will provide Tapas to pair. Let's discover a new favorite bottle of wine!
Your hosts: Jennifer Sedlachek, Amy Golden & Genevieve Sexton
Tickets $30 https://claremontms.schoolauction.net/auction2019/catalog?id=380
WE MUST CULTIVATE OUR GARDEN
I recognize there is a lot going on in the world right now. Politics, Coronavirus, Climate change - it can feel really overwhelming out there right now. If you’re not feeling worried, you’re probably not paying attention.
One of the things that has been helpful to me when I’m feeling overwhelmed is to tackle small, concrete tasks where I can really see and feel that I am making a difference.
Luckily, we have several of those opportunities available here at Claremont for next year. You, too, can work with small groups of committed people to really get things done on behalf of our kids. Open positions include President, VP, Fundraising chair and Events chair. As more strain is put on OUSD, these roles become ever more crucial. Volunteering can be rewarding in itself, and also act as a hedge against despair in rough times. If you have any time to give, please join us for the year. - Eleanor Katari
Please contact Amy Golden, Miho Kubota, Eleanor Katari or Kira Don to learn more!
Sports
CLAREMONT GIRLS SOCCER
Claremont Girls Soccer team beat Lionel Wilson on Saturday 4-0 with goals from Natalia Levy, Olivia Pernice, Irina Tudose and Lily Seiberlich. Tara Henry held tough in goal. Thank you parents for coming out in the rain for this game. On Saturday, the girls play AIMS in the final game of the regular season. Go Knights!
CLAREMONT BOYS SOCCER
Claremont rose to the challenge and collectively played a great game to beat the top team AIMS 3-2. Jonathan Martensen and Henry Goodson scored off of corners and Aidan Orias scored off a rebound. Goalie Vincent Pulsipher blocked two breakaway shots.
STILL LOOKING FOR A SOFTBALL COACH
Claremont is trying to start up a softball team this spring, but we need some parents to help coach. The softball team will be co-ed, but I want to strongly encourage girls to participate. It will be slow pitch softball and the season will start on April 11th and will end on May 23rd at the latest. I envision this team to be a fun team that gives students an opportunity to compete and improve their skills. Please contact Coach Doubley if you can help.
If coaches or parents of CMS sports teams have info on games played or coming up, please email to news@claremontms.org to be included in future Knightline editions. We would also appreciate team photos for the Knightline and website.
Community
EARTH DAY
Volunteer on Earth Day, Saturday, April 18th — Oakland’s largest annual volunteer cleaning and greening event! Show your how you’re Oaktown PROUD by leading or joining one of the many projects being planned across Oakland. Projects include cleanups, landscaping, and habitat restoration in neighborhoods, parks, creeks, and open spaces.
Groups and individuals of all ages and abilities are invited to join cleaning and greening projects at approximately 100 creek, park, and neighborhood sites throughout Oakland. All tools are provided. Volunteers are asked to bring water, and wear sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate gear. Earth Day is a rain or shine event. To sign up as a volunteer for yourself or as a group, visit www.oaklandearthday.org.
INNOVATE THIS SUMMER AND SUPPORT CLAREMONT
Camp Galileo is hosting camp at Chabot School in Oakland this summer! From March 2nd through April 12th, Galileo will donate $25 to Claremont for every family that enrolls at Galileo Camps. Galileo engages every kid with the perfect mix of hands-on learning and big summer fun. Supported by the boundless energy of the best staff around, campers from pre-K through 10th grade unlock their inner innovator, learning to creatively solve problems, fearlessly try new things and persist in the face of challenges—all at your neighborhood school. New Families will also get $50 off camp with code 2020SCHOOLREWARDS. Be sure to enter Claremont as the school during checkout (in the camper info section). Scholarships available as well. Learn more at galileo-camps.com or 800-854-3684.
Do you have an item for the Knightline?
Email your submission to news@claremontms.org. Submissions should be brief (100 to 200 words is best) and thoughtfully written, with essential times, dates and contact info included. Please remember that the Knightline is published by volunteers; extra care in preparing your item for publication will help us get your message out to the Claremont community.
