[Ma-pta-enotes] eNotes 4-28-08

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

*Upcoming Events*
Monday April 14 - Tuesday April 29 - STAR testing; avoid making any medical or other appointments during school hours.
Sunday, May 4, Big Bear Run
Wednesday, May 14, PARENT EDUCATION SERIES, HOW STRESS AFFECTS TEENS, 7PM, M-A Library

*Announcements*

JOIN IN THE FUN!  3rd ANNUAL BIG BEAR RUN ON SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2008
If you havenâ  t been to the Big Bear Run before, you have been missing out on a great M-A community event!  The Big Bear Run is a chance to run a professionally timed 5K course or walk with friends and family through the beautiful neighborhoods around M-A. In addition to current M-A students and families, the race draws alumni who graduated from M-A in the 1970s and â  80s and lots of kids and families from Hillview, Oak Knoll and M-A's feeder schools. Last year participants ranged in age from babies in strollers to runners over sixty.  Awards are given for all age groups.  Come enjoy music, refreshments and entertainment from both M-Aâ  s award winning Jazz Band and our awesome Dance Team.  The proceeds from the event support the M-A Athletic Boosters, a parent-led organization that helps to pay for uniforms, equipment and facility upgrades for M-Aâ  s 52 girls and boys sports teams.   You can  register online at www.active.com or download a registration form at www.m-aboosters.org.     Register now so youâ  ll be ready to run on Sunday the 4th.  Questions:  please contact Beth Harris at elizabethharris60 at comcast.net.

BIG BEAR RUN SHIRTS ARE HERE
If you have registered for the Big Bear Run, or still want to, stop by to pick up your t-shirt and race bib and avoid the race day registration rush.  We will be at the M-A T-lot on Ringwood Avenue on Thursday, May 1st, 1:30 to 5:30PM and Friday, May 2, from 2:30 to 3:30PM.  To register, bring your checkbook.  Entry fees are $20 for adults and $10 for students 18 or younger.   The price increases $5 after April 28. You may also register the morning of race day.  Be ready to run (or walk) at 9AM sharp on Sunday, May 4th.

SAVE THE DATE: BONUS! FINAL PARENT EDUCATION SERIES EVENT
BONUS PARENT ED SERIES EVENT! HOW STRESS AFFECTS TEENS
Wednesday, May 14 at 7:00 p.m., M-A Library. Adolescents Responding to Stress: Street Drugs and Other Brain Abuses vs. Mindfulness Centered Healing. The final speaker in our PTA Parent Education Series is Peter E. Newsom, M.D., a neuropsychiatrist who specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry. As an M-A parent himself, Dr. Newsom is well aware of how stress affects teens, both as a dad and as a practicing psychiatrist. Dr. Newsom will expand on our understanding of the effects of stress on adolescents, begun with Stanfordâ  s Denise Pope and the Stressed-Out Students project. Dr. Newsom will introduce evidence that mindfulness-centered approaches are a way to reduce stress in teens, as well as in parents and the family. He will discuss how lowering teen stress helps prevent some of the more severe disorders seen in clinical psychiatry. Using slides from NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse), Dr. Newsom will show in simple terms what happens to the brain when teens self-medicate with street drugs or prescription medications found at home. He will also demonstrate how meditation and mindfulness practices can have a positive and lasting effect on the brain. Slides and presentation to be followed by Q & A. To RSVP for this FREE event, please contact Charlene Margot, Chair of the PTA Parent Education Series, cmargot at csmconsulting.net. 

DOES YOUR CHILD NEED A SUMMER JOB? HAVE THEM READ THIS
Looking for a little extra cash?  Need the perfect summer job? The "Jobs for Youth" jobs specialist will be in the community resource center this week, Tuesday, April 29 during lunch, to help you with all your job search needs!  Come see Bedilia Ramirez or Miki Cristerna in B-20 Tuesday at lunch!

TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
What a fantastic bunch of teachers we have here at M-A, don't you think?! There's less than 6 more weeks of school 'til summer's here. That means it's almost time for us to leave our teachers! It's YOUR TIME to let them know how cool they are. Next week is TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. Everyday next week we're offering 'apple-grams' for students to sign and show how much you love your teachers! Just a heads up for next week. LET'S SHOW OUR TEACHERS SOME LOVE!

*Athletics*
FOOTBALL MEETING
Is your M-A student interested in playing football next season?  Parents are invited to a meeting today, Monday, April 28 at 7pm in the M-A Library  with Head Coach Bob Sykes to review the spring/summer and fall football schedule and learn more about the upcoming season.  Please contact Coach Sykes at coachrsykes at yahoo.com with any questions.  

SAVE THE DATE, ATHLETICS IN COLLEGE, PRESENTED BY M-A ATHLETIC BOOSTERS  
M-A parents and athletes are invited to an evening lecture by Jack Bowen on Monday, May 19 from 7:30-8:30PM in the M-A Library.  Mr. Bowen's talk is titled "Athletics in College:  The "What" and "How" of the Sports-in-College Decision."  He will explore what it means to be a college athlete at all levels and making the decision to pursue that, including:  A discussion of the various options open to athletes in college: club sports, intramural teams, community college, Division I, II, III, "red shirt," walk-on; How to use athletics to your advantage  --  Mr. Bowen will provide sample athletic resumes and cover letters along with a suggested timeline for the process; What to do--and not to do--when pursuing acceptance to a college or university as an athlete  --  He will reference specific Case Studies in order to highlight the intricacies of the process and the unique timing involved for athletes of all sports and experience levels.  Mr. Bowen graduated from Stanford with Honors in Human Biology; Two-time All-American water polo player at Stanford and an alternate for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team;  Received a Masters in philosophy from Cal State Long Beach, Summa Cum Laude; Taught philosophy at DeAnza College for 8 years and at Menlo School.  He currently serves as Menlo School's Athletic Chair of College Counseling, Menlo's water polo coach, and has worked as a private athletic college counselor for 5 years. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP to maboosters at gmail.com.  Include your family name and the number attending.  You can also sign up at the desk in M-A's front office.  Your RSVP allows us to have a set of hand-outs for you on the night of the lecture.  
 
LACROSSE
Varsity Girls.  With no substitutes available in their game against Castilleja, the M-A Varsity girls lacrosse team stepped up to demonstrate true team effort. With both defense and offense playing strong, M-A was able to keep the ball within scoring range for most of the game. Alex Fanelli led the team with 7 goals, followed by Casey Burnett with 4, Adrian Holland 2, and both Shelly Camarillo and Allie Foraker with one apiece.  Final Score: M-A 15, Castilleja  7.

BASEBALL
Varsity.  The varsity baseball team had a tough week this last week, losing two league games.  M-A lost to Menlo 4-0 on Wednesday and lost to Mills 1-0 on Friday.

TENNIS
BEARS SWEEP PAL DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
For the first time since the 1980s, the M-A Bears Tennis Team took both the Varsity and Frosh/Soph doubles titles in the PAL Individual Championships!  Junior George Horowitz and Sophomore Alec Haley, PAL finalists last year, teamed up again this year and after upsetting the No. 2 seeded Menlo team, took the title by defeating Burlingame No. 2 and No. 3 players in straight sets for the title and an automatic entry into the CCS Individual Tournament, where they will likely be a seeded team.  This was the first PAL doubles title for M-A in over 20 years.  Sophomores Avi Shah and Danny Hartman in a dominating performance, took the Frosh Soph PAL Title, losing only 4 games in the final. Freshman Jonathon Friedman took 3rd place in the Frosh Soph singles tournament.  The future looks rosy for the Bears young squad!
 
Go Bears.   Grrrr.