[Ma-pta-enotes] eNotes

[ma-pta-enotes at listserv.seq.org]

*Announcements*

PSATs

Don't forget to sign up for the PSAT test. Students can sign up directly with their English teachers.  The cost is $25. Checks can be made payable to "MA PSAT". The deadline for sign-ups is Wednesday, Oct 10!!

HOUSING NEEDED - PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING ONE OF OUR OWN We have a male exchange student from Denmark enrolled in the 10th grade at M-A.  He needs to find a permanent home for this academic year ending June 7, ideally with an M-A family.  For more information, contact Miki Cristerna, Student Support Coordinator at M-A, mcristerna at seq.org or 322-5311, x5254.

PTA GENERAL MEETING

M-A PTA welcomes everyone to our second general meeting of the year. It will be held on Wednesday, October 3rd at 8:30 a.m. in room F-15 which is located near the rear of the M-A campus.  Our guest speaker will be M-A Instructional Vice Principal, Mr. Steve Lippi, who will discuss enrollment, class scheduling factors, STAR testing logistics, and more.  We will also discuss and allocate approximately $20,000 of PTA Mini-Grants to pay for classroom and campus needs.  Refreshments will be provided.  For a campus map and a special on-campus parking permit for this important meeting, go to  www.mabears.org  and click on the PTA Parking Permit and Map document located in the Parents & Support /PTA section of the website.  We look forward to seeing you there! 

9th GRADE PARENTS PLAN ON MEETING GUIDANCE COUNSELORS OCTOBER 4 The Guidance Advisors would like to invite all 9th grade parents to an information evening hosted by the Guidance Office.  The meeting will be held on Thursday, October 4th at 6:30pm at the M-A Library. For our Spanish speaking parents, the meeting will be held in Spanish in the Guidance Office classroom (Rm. B-14) at 6:30 pm.  This meeting is to give parents information about graduation requirements, classes they need to take to get accepted to 4 year colleges, and other information about our office.  We are look forward to meeting with you on Thursday, October 4 at 6:30.  M-A Guidance Advisors, karen Ramirez, Francine Andrade, Karina Escobar-Weaver, Paula Kousounadis, Silvia Torres and Julie Watts.

CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP FEDERATION

Upper Classmen Only - California Scholarship Federation sign-ups are October 22-26 during lunch outside B-22. Applications are available from your English teachers the week prior or you can download.  Required: Completed application and Spring 2007 report card or transcript along with $3 fee. If you need to request a copy of your transcript, $1 fee will be added. Queries: Alice Hom dnahom at aol.com More information is available at http://www.csf-cjsf.org/Students.html

VISITOR PARKING PERMITS

Parents, if you come to visit the school, remember to come to the Administration Office to pick up a one day visitor parking permit.  They are available through Aubrey Orcutt and Sandy Nelson, and may be picked up in advance if needed.  Also, remember that the visitor parking is located at the beginning of faculty lane (the first ten spaces along the fence) or just past E-Wing in the gravel area on the right.  If visitors do not pick up a parking pass, they run the risk of being ticketed by Menlo-Atherton or Atherton P.D.  If they are ticketed, the school will not be able to void or take back the ticket.  If your visit will be ten minutes or less, you will not need to come get a parking permit.  We will not ticket cars without permits in the staff/visitor lot who have not been there for an extended period of time.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Aubrey Orcutt, Vice Principal's Secretary, at extension 5133.

ID

Identification is very important!  Please pick up your ID card in the AVP office as soon as possible.  You will not be let into any dance this year without it and that includes Friday's Fire It Up dance.

ATTENDANCE

Don't forget to clear your attendance.  Anyone with 6 or more period cuts will not be allowed to attend the Welcome Back Dance this Friday.

We will have a list at the door and you will be denied entry.  Check the list on the Attendance Office door or check the PAM sheet in your 4th period class if you are concerned.  Parents can check attendance on line.  Ensure that attendance is cleared before dropping your child off at the dance.  We want EVERYONE to come on Friday and have a great time but you've got to take care of your academic business first.  Questions?

See Mr. Kessler in the AVP office.

HOMECOMING

The Homecoming dance is on Saturday October 27 at Bay Meadows from 8-12 pm. Tickets go on sale next week for a PAL singles price of $25 (no couples). Buy your tickets before ticket prices go up. Go Bears!!!  If you are bringing a guest, you must have the guest pass filled out BEFORE purchasing your ticket!  No guests over the age of 20 years old.  If you have fees and fines they must be cleared before buying a ticket!  See the bottom of this eNotes for detailed info on the Homecoming Dance ticket prices.  

CHALLENGE DAY OCT. 29 & 30

1.) You did it MAHS Parents and Community! Bless you, people! We got 100 small group leaders, 22 registration helpers and 18 lunch helpers! With that minimum, we are good to go! And yes, we would still like to have some more small group leaders so that we can be assured that each of the groups will have only 5 kids vs. 6 kids - the smaller the group, the better the sharing. So, keep those emails coming - doesn't need to be a parent; how about a cool grandparent? Email Betsy at betbowe at earthlink.net.

2.) FYI - Challenge Day is sponsored by the MAHS PTA. The PTA has been extremely generous to now offer all four classes at MA, freshmen through senior, an experience with the professional staff from the Challenge Day organization. We are one of only a few schools that have had their whole student body go through a Challenge Day. Many schools just offer their leadership students the opportunity. Our administration believes every student is capable of learning new leadership skills. Challenge Day is just the beginning foundation from which the Freshman Transition team at MAHS conducts follow up activities and revisits with the freshman students throughout the year so they can build on what they learned in Challenge Day. One such activity this fall will be the Rumor Elimination session that the students will go through. 

3.) Small Group Leader Training:  one hour optional training for all small group leaders is Oct. 20, Sat., 9-10:00, Leadership Room B-21. Pete's coffee, video, Pete's Coffee, logistics, Pete's coffee, common scenarios, Pete's coffee, questions, did we say Pete's coffee yet?

Betsy Bowersox (Hannah 2010) betbowe at earthlink.net and Teri O'Neel (Danny 2011) Challenge Day - PTA Coordinators


*Fashion Show*

PTA Fashion Show tickets now on sale!  The ticket order form can be found on the MA website: www.mabears.org <http://www.mabears.org/>  -- find 'downloads' heading on the top, go to 'PTA' (then to page two.) Print out an order sheet and follow the directions. Come to the lunch show and enjoy a delicious chicken salad donated by Jeffreyâ  s Hamburgers. Sign up as a table for 10, or request to be seated with your friends.  Donâ  t miss out on this great fundraising event. Questions? Contact Nancy Sterling: N.Sterling at comcast.net.


Special note to FRESHMAN FAMILIES

The PTA Fashion Show offers new lunch option for Freshman families!  Start the tradition and gather a group of your friends to come to the lunch show. New this year, we will put you at the same table with other freshman families. Meet some new people while you support our PTA. You can also request to be seated with a friend.


*Clubs*

ROBOTICS TEAM INFO NIGHT

Interested students and their parents are encouraged to attend an Information Night for M-A's Robotics Team on Wednesday, 10/3, 7-8:30pm, in S-1 (next to tennis courts).  Find out what's involved, see a robot demo -- maybe get a chance to drive a robot!  No prior experience is required.


GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE

The Gay Straight Alliance club meeting will be moved to Fridays so more of you can attend. The GSA is for open minded people like you who are interested in creating a positive and safe school climate. Remember the GSA is for anyone, whether you are gay, straight, or somewhere in between. Come visit our table at club rush, and come to the GSA Fridays at lunch in C13.

SPEECH AND DEBATE CLUB

Anyone interested in practicing their speech, literacy, and communication skills?  Whether or not you are one to write an essay, give a dramatic monologue, argue current events, or team up with friends to debate students from other schools nationwide, speech and debate has an event for you!  Meetings are in C-0, every Thursday during lunch; hope to see you there!  M-A is hosting a varsity tournament this Saturday 9/29/07 from 8-4. Check it out!

*Guidance Office/College & Career Center*

Colleges visiting the Career Center next week include: U.C. Berkeley, Willamette, Pitzer, Washington U. in St. Louis, Linfield, Dartmouth, University of Chicago, Arizona State, Oberlin, Notre Dame de Namur, Occidental.  Please come to the Career Center in advance for times, dates, and passes to attend.

*ALL THAT JAZZ*

The M-A Jazz Ensemble has released a new CD! You will want to have your own copy and buy a few as gifts for your jazz-loving friends (plan ahead for the holidays!).  All proceeds benefit the Menlo-Atherton High School music program.  The CDs sell for $10 each, plus an additional $1.50 for

postage.   Send checks payable to M-A Band Boosters c/o Perryn Rowland,

341 Linfield Dr , Menlo Park , CA 94025 . You can also email Perryn at perrynkrowland at yahoo.com for more information or to pick up a copy. CDs are also available at the store Occasions, 826 Santa Cruz Ave.

*Athletics*

Congratulations to the varsity football team for their impressive victory over perennial powerhouse Aragon, 21 - 14.  Troy McCabe connected with Sam Knapp for a 35-yard touchdown, Willie Latu scored the second touchdown with a 24-yard run and Jam Wilkins ran for the third touchdown with a 15-yard run.  The defense came up huge with an early interception by Nick Dove, a forced fumble by Shaka Pahulu and a great goal line stand in the last few seconds of the game.


GO BEARS!  Grrrrr.

*Homecoming Ticket Prices 2007*  

October 1 - 5

PAL Discount this week only

Singles Only $25

October 8 - 12

EVERYONE CAN BUY!

(No PAL Discount)

Single:  $35

Couple: $60

October 15 - 19

EVERYONE CAN BUY!

(No PAL Discount)

Single:  $40

Couple: $70

October 22 - 25

EVERYONE CAN BUY!

(No PAL Discount)

Single:  $45

Couple: $80

October 26

EVERYONE CAN BUY!

(No PAL Discount)

Singles Only $50