[Ma-pta-enotes] eNotes for Monday

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*Announcements*

 

M-A 101: ORIENTATION TO MENLO-ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL

Reminder, you can meet Mr. Matt Zito this Wednesday, Sept. 26, 10-11:30 a.m. or 6-7:30 p.m., M-A Library.  Want to know more about M-A? Dazed and confused? Join Principal Matthew Zito, members of the Guidance staff, and current and returning students for an orientation to Menlo-Atherton. Mr. Zito will provide an M-A "how to" for new parents or anyone wanting to know more about "how M-A works." 

There will be an open Q & A at the end of each presentation. Parking is available in any legal space at M-A or in the gravel lot behind the E-Wing. You can download a one-day Parking Permit from the M-A web site. Go to http://www.mabears.org, go the Parents and Support section, and scroll down.  Contact PTA Parent Education Co-Chairs Charlene Margot, charlenemargot at yahoo.com, or Darcy Prime, darcyprime at sbcglobal.net.


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.

ARE YOU COMING TO M-A TO VOLUNTEER, HELP, ETC?

Please 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, please remind them that the visitor parking is located at the beginning of faculty lane (the first ten parking spaces along the fence) or just pass 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 by Atherton P.D.  If they are ticket by APD, the school will not be able to void or take back the ticket.

Once again, please remind all visitors of this information.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Aubrey at extension 5133.


SENIOR SUNRISE

Attention Seniors!  That is Attention ALL Seniors!  This Thursday, September 27 we will be holding our first ALL senior event!  We will be gathering on the Football Field at 6 AM to watch the sun rise!  There will be lots of free food and it is a great way to bond with your class!  Come watch the sun come up as our days count down!

TOIL FOR TIX!!!

Let the sign ups begin!  Stop by Mrs. Toddâ  s office in B-20 to sign up to work for your Homecoming dance ticket.  One hour of work equals $10 towards your dance ticket.  You must be a freshman or sophomore and responsible. Once you sign up, Mrs. Todd will e-mail you your teacher and their contact information.  All work must be completed and verified by Friday, October 19.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to stop by and ask.  Money should not stand in the way of you dancing the night away.

WANTED:  OLD COMPUTERS, WORKING OR NOT, FOR HARD-WORKING DESERVING M-A STUDENTS.  The PTA will pick up your old computer, securely erase all the information off the hard drive, refurbish the machine, and send it home with a student who has no access to a computer at home.  We especially welcome corporate donations!  To donate, contact Sue Kayton, kayton at alum.mit.edu <mailto:kayton at alum.mit.edu> , 650-853-1711.  We also need monitors and HP laser printers, and volunteer parents to help deliver the machines once they are ready to go home with students ALSO NEEDED:  Volunteers willing to help deliver computers to homes!!   Please contact Julie at brodyfamily.net or Sue Kayton, Kayton at alum.mit.edu.  We are ready to deliver computers to needy families as soon as possible.  Thank you!


SAFETY ED/DRIVER ED.

For many years, and for various reasons, some in the M-A community considered Safety Ed./Driver Ed. to be "that useless, dreaded requirement."  Some of our students avoid taking it, choosing to satisfy the requirement with an online course.  Some students put off taking this course because they are busy with AP courses, they turn 15 ½ prior to 10th grade, etc...

Well, I'm teaching it for the first time in many years, and I want to publicize the usefulness of this course for ALL M-A students.  Thanks to Ken Gradiska, the Safety Ed. Guru, this is a power-packed, fast-paced semester of relevant information.  The carefully selected speakers and films are up to date and informative.  The issues studied are very applicable to the lives of 10th graders (all grades).  My students are interested each and every day.

My hope is that we all make an effort to spread the positive word about Safety Ed./Driver Ed. whenever you speak to incoming or current M-A students, and other community groups.  It's time to change to a new, more accurate perception of the value of this course. 

Thanks to Ken Gradiska and the other long-time Safety Ed. teachers throughout the district, and the District Resource Teachers, David Lee, Brandon Lee, and Bob Fishtrom, who recently wrote and distributed SUHSD Safety Ed. Standards and worked to update the course. Sincerely, Mona Klein (contact me at:  mklein at seq.org).

HOW ABOUT TAKING THE BUS TO M-A?

People can also log onto www.samtrans.org <http://www.samtrans.org>  for any other information.  The schedules that will be most useful to the students/staff/volunteers or anyone coming from our usual attendance areas are Route 85, Route 295, and Route 296.  Link listing all Samtrans Routes http://www.samtrans.org/schedules.html <http://www.samtrans.org/schedules.html>.


WE STILL NEED ESL TUTORS!!!!!

No experience or foreign language skills required, just a willingness to commit to a time slot of approximately one hour per week. 

You will be helping our ESL (English as Second Language) students to develop their understanding of English by working one-on-one, one-on-two or in small groups on reading, writing and conversation during class time. 

We have openings in our ESL 1 Class on Thursdays between 10:20am and 11:20am and openings during the first semester in the "Connections" class on Tuesdays between 11am and noon. In both of these classes you will find many students who are new to the US struggling to complete high school classes with a limited knowledge of English. Experience has shown that even an hour a week consistently working with the same students can really help them to succeed in overcoming the many obstacles they face. We also have openings in the ESL 3 class which meets on Wednesday mornings at 7:50am for an hour. The students in this class will be working on improving their reading and comprehension levels to be able to transition into regular classes.

ESL 2 also has many opportunities to tutor with a teacher who encourages volunteers in her classroom during a variety of periods.

Please let either Sally or Cathy know if you would like to know more about the program and can spare an hour a week to work on campus in the classrooms. You will find tutoring a very rewarding experience. Contact : Cathy Fairgrieve  854-4206 cfairgrieve at mindspring.com or Sally Fundakowski  325-7615 salfun at comcast.net


*Clubs*

SPANISH

Interested in spending spring break speaking Spanish, swimming with sea turtles, and visiting the Andes? Join Spanish teachers Ms. Fox and Mrs. Cho on a spring break adventure to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. This peaceful nation, located directly on the equator, provides safe travel conditions and a consistently moderate climate in which to spend an unforgettable spring break.  Information session Wednesday, September 26 @ 11:25. Please arrive on time!  


QUIZ BOWL CLUB - New members of all grade levels are invited to come check out the Quiz Bowl club.  Our first meeting will be Tuesday Sept. 4 in the library at lunchtime and then we will pick a regular meeting date.  We have fun buzzing in to answer questions about a wide variety of topics including literature, pop culture, science, sports, art, geography, current events, math, language, and much more!  M-A has been the Bay Area champ for 4 of the past 8 years, and has gone to Nationals twice.  Student who love Jeopardy or Bay Area Quiz Kids, will LOVE quiz bowl.  For more information, contact Sue Kayton kayton at alum.mit.edu, 650-853-1711.


*Guidance Office/College & Career Center*


Seniors

Register your child before the October 2 deadline for the November 3 SAT -- only 10 days left.

http://click.collegeboard.com:80/99702308.65357.0.27011 <http://click.collegeboard.com:80/99702308.65357.0.27011> 

If your child has already taken the SAT, the November test may be the ideal opportunity to improve his or her score. More than half the students who take the SAT take it more than once, and most students do better when they take it again.

Not sure if your child is going to college next fall? It's still a good idea to take the November SAT, just in case. This way, your child won't be limiting any options.  http://click.collegeboard.com:80/99702308.65357.0.27011 <http://click.collegeboard.com:80/99702308.65357.0.27011> 


*Athletics*


Tennis

MENLO Girls Tennis EDGES BEARS Tennis FOR 1ST PLACE


In the most competitive match since they joined the league, the Knights of Menlo snuck past the Lady Netters of M-A by one point, to take sole possession of 1st place in the PAL.  The Bears led 3-0 after victories by Marietta Tuionetoa, Marjorie Adams and Julia Peck/Anna Murveit, needing only one more win to be the first team ever to beat Menlo in the PAL.  Sadly, it was not to be as the Bears dropped 4 close matches to lose the match.  However, the Knights come to Bearsland for the last match of the season and the Lady Bears plan to reverse their fortunes and get the win! 

Golf

In a three way tournament on Thursday September 20, Menlo-Atherton Girls' Golf Team decisively beat San Mateo High 196 to 228.  Aragon HS squeaked by M-A 192 to 196.

THE BEAR WILL NOT QUIT...THE BEAR WILL NOT DIE!!!!!

Go Bears!  Grrrrrrrrrrr.