From the office
IMPORTANT DATES
2/07 – PTA meeting 6 - 8 p.m. TONIGHT
2/08 – OUSD Registration Deadline TOMORROW
2/18 – President's Day/NO SCHOOL
2/21 – Black History Month Celebration 6 - 7:30 p.m.
2/22 – 6th grade dance
2/23 – CMS Pancake Breakfast (see ticket info below)
3/14 – Pi Night
3/19 – Taste of Temescal
3/20 – Latin Heritage potluck 6 - 7:30 p.m.
MLK ORATORICAL
Thanks to the amazing orators who competed in the CMS oratorical festival, held Thursday, 1/31 after school.
This marks the 40th annual MLK Oratorical Festival in our school district. All the orators amazed the audience and panel of judges with their poise, strong performance, and maturity. It was a close competition. We are proud to announce the following students will go on to represent CMS in the district-wide competition on February 12th, in no particular order:
- Manyiah Sutton and Olivia Pernice for their recitation of “Negro Mother”
by Langston Hughes.
- Jayde Warfield for her recitation of MLK’s speech “I Am Black and I Am Beautiful”.
- Joslin Schreiber and Cammie Garrett for their recitation of “Phenomenal Woman”
by Maya Angelou.
Congratulations to all the orators who participated. We are so proud of your efforts!
Special shout out to:
Ms. Lozito and Ms. Thomas for their support of the students in preparation for this event.
Matt Martin, Sophia Tudose, and Katie Garrett for being phenomenal parent supporters of this event.
ENROLLING IN HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR?
OUSD is accepting high school registration signups through TOMORROW, Feb. 8. Signups must be done online this year through the district's website. Click here to apply.
CALIFORNIA HEALTHY KIDS SURVEY
What: The California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is an anonymous, confidential survey of school climate and safety, student wellness, and youth resiliency. It enables schools and communities to collect and analyze data regarding local youth health risks and behaviors, school connectedness, school climate, protective factors, and school violence.
Who: All students, parents, and staff members in OUSD.
How: Click this link to take the survey online Claremont PARENT CHKS Survey or you can pick up a paper form in the school office.
When: We need all students, parents, and staff to complete the survey before February 28, 2019.
Why: The CHKS is part of a comprehensive data-driven decision-making process on improving school climate and student learning environment for overall school improvements.
Questions: Contact mika.zelie@ousd.org or jill.mammano-neely@ousd.org
6TH GRADE DANCE DONATIONS
6th grade leadership is asking for soda and water donations for our dance on 2/22. We'd also love donations of plates, cups, and forks. Please bring to office, and have them labeled with Lefkowitz, or dance 2/22. Thanks so much!
NEED CLAREMONT GEAR? NOW YOU CAN ORDER ONLINE
The PTA has made dressing your Knight in CMS t-shirts and hoodies easier than ever! T-shirts are $15 for one or $20 for two. Zippered hoodies are $25. All proceeds go to the PTA! Order here.
School News & Announcements
A WAY TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS
If you want to show your support for Oakland's public school teachers and their fight for better schools, please visit
HellaHeartTeachers.com and get a t-shirt or hoodie. All proceeds are being donated to the OEA's membership assistance fund which will provide strike hardship grants to teachers who are actively participating in a strike. Please share the website on your social networks and we'll turn The Town red!
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
More detail from OEA update this week:
1. Recent vote to allow OEA Executive Board to initiate strike if they find fact finding proposals to be unacceptable: 84 percent of OEA members voted in election. The result was 95 percent voting yes (to give strike power to EB). This is the highest strike vote turnout in OEA’s history.
2. Strike timeline: fact finding
ends 2/15/19. The District then may have 10 days for public hearings on fact finding. The District may then impose what they consider their last best offer which currently is 5% raise, half of what the OEA is demanding. Here is a document answering
FAQs about a possible strike.
And here is more information about OUSD’s
Community of Schools Initiative from Superintendent Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammell.
PARENT INFO MEETINGS FOR PROBABLE STRIKE
Claremont is offering two parent informational meetings about a probable upcoming strike. If interested, the same info will be offered at each meeting, so you only need to attend one.
WHERE: Room 5 – Ms. Zelie’s room
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 8th from 3:45 - 4:30 p.m.
OR Thursday, Feb. 14th from 5 - 5:45 p.m.
Community
MUSIC ROOM MAKEOVER
Thanks to everyone that worked over the last few months to transform the music room from a cluttered mess into an open and bright studio for music. In addition to demolishing some old cabinets and fixing others, the crew made custom windows panels to fill the inside with color and cover the outside with a musical score. Mr. Brown and the students greatly appreciate the new space.
This project was made possible by the financial support of the PTA and others. Next school year we plan to make-over another space at Claremont, if you would like to help please contact
Steve Wiersema.
HOUSING WANTED
Claremont family looking for housing in Tech district: We need min. 2 bdrms, house or apt. We're a teacher and massage therapist, and Claremont student. Any leads would be super appreciated! Contact
Amy.
Upcoming Events
PTA MEETING TONIGHT
Robert Dousa, a behavioral health education manager at the school district, will speak at tonight's PTA meeting about drugs and alcohol and our youth. He typically covers "drug trends, signs of use, how to talk to your child and what to talk about," he says. We also hope to hear from teachers about the labor issues. Please join us for a community dinner at 6:00 in either the staff room or music room (to be determined) with the meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the newly refurbished music room.
PUBERTY ED PARENT NIGHT
Puberty and Sex Ed Health Night will be on Wednesday 2/13 from 5:30-6:30pm in Room 1. This is for parents and guardians only and is a time for 6th and 7th grade parents to learn about the curriculum and ask questions! Learn more here.
CMS PANCAKE BREAKFAST
The Oakland-Durant-Rockridge Masonic Lodge and the Claremont Dads Club invite you to our 10th Annual Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 23. This North Oakland community fundraiser supports educational programs and extracurricular activities at our neighborhood public middle school.
The hearty menu will include a full breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit, coffee and tea. It's also a rare opportunity to tour the interior of the historic Masonic Lodge in the heart of Rockridge. The lodge is a few blocks south of Rockridge BART at 5449 College Avenue (between Forest and Hudson).
ADVANCE TICKETS are $10 each, with NO service charge for online reservations. Children under 5 years old eat for free (and do not require a ticket). You can pay using a credit card or PayPal.
http://buytickets.at/claremontmiddleschoolpta/235323
There are THREE seatings: 8:00, 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. All tickets are time specific, so be sure to select the seating time you prefer. Seating is limited, so reserve your breakfast tickets early!
OTHER WAYS TO PAY: Contact
Kai Drekmeier to purchase advance tickets using cash or a personal check. Tickets purchased at the door will cost $12 (on a space available basis). Payment for tickets purchased at the door may be made using cash, check or credit card.
LOCATION: Rockridge Masonic Hall, 5449 College Avenue, 94618
ADVANCED TICKETS: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/claremontmiddleschoolpta/235323
TASTE OF TEMESCAL
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary, Taste of Temescal returns for 2019, on Tuesday, March 19th, 6:00- 8:30 p.m.! Scintillate your palates with this culinary crawl (like farm-to-table trick or treat), one of Temescal's most delectable annual events! Enjoy an evening of food, drink, live music and fabulous prizes (including gift certificates to your favorite local eatery), along Telegraph Avenue from 40th to 52nd Streets, Temescal Alley, and Claremont Ave. This is a green event too!
Proceeds will benefit the following organizations:
Claremont Middle School
Emerson Middle
Oakland Technical High School
Sankofa Academy
La Clínica de La Raza
You may choose which organization your ticket sale will directly support! Get your tickets right away since we limit sales to 500 (ticketing website info to come).
The 2019 Participating Restaurants include:
Asmara Restaurant
Bierhaus Oakland
Burma Superstar
Dona Tomas
Hawking Bird
Hawk and Pony
Prima Materia
The Well
+ more!
You'll pick up your ticket at the will call booth, located in front of Kasper's at 4521 Telegraph Ave b/t 45th St & 46th St, the night of the event. LIVE MUSIC will accompany your feast along the path.
To help with the Claremont booth AND earn a FREE ticket to the event, sign up here.
GIRLS IN ENGINEERING SUMMER CAMP
UC Berkeley’s Girls in Engineering summer camps is now accepting applications! All Bay Area girls who are currently in 5th, 6th, or 7th grade can apply to our camps. For more information, please visit our website.
While there is a fee for our camps, camp is free for families who demonstrate financial need (by qualifying for free or reduced price lunch, CalFresh, or Medi-Cal). No scholarship application is required.
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