Tiger Tracks San Jose Christian School | May 4, 2015 This Week at SJCS Monday
5/4
Service Project - Grades, 5-8 4th Grade depart for Gold Country multi-day trip.
Tuesday
5/5
3rd Grade Field Trip - Depart 8:45am Chess Wizards 3:15pm - Room 19
Wednesday
5/6
6th Grade depart for Environmental Studies multi-day trip. Minimum Day - Early Dismissal at 11:45am
Thursday No Events
Friday
5/7 5/8
No Events Advanced Dates See Page 3 for a list of upcoming events!
Attendance Line (408) 371-4815
Tiger Stripes Reflections on Who We Are by: Bart Den Boer Reflections on Who We Are: Educational Excellence and Outstanding Teachers
We value proactive innovation, carefully assessing the need for change and seeking new methods to improve education when appropriate. (From Core Value #2: Educational Excellence) Sometimes change is necessary. Sometimes change is expensive. We reserve change for the times it serves excellence. Next year changes to math and phonics add up to almost $30,000 just in materials cost, a sum over and above general fund expenditures. We value outstanding, passionate and faith-filled teachers, who meet the highest professional standards and are flourishing both personally and professionally. (From Core Value # 4: Outstanding Teachers) We do our best to hire, retain and maintain outstanding teachers. Maintaining outstanding teachers in mathematics and phonics will mean almost $15,000 in professional development for our teachers this summer. The above are possible because God used many of you via the Spring Auction. We are who we are (and will be even better next year) because you are who you are. Thanks!
Gardeners Needed Our campus landscape needs some pruning and weeding before Grandfriends Day on May 15. You don’t need a green thumb to help us out, so please contact Betsy Phillips in the office. There are lots of spots available for volunteers. Spread the word!
SJCS Summer Camp Looking for a great summer experience for your child? Look no further than our very own SJCS Summer Camp! Please check out our American Adventure brochure on-line at www.sjchristian.org/summercamp.
After School Enrichment
SJCS Facebook Challenge! Are you following SJCS on Facebook? If you are a Facebook user we need you! We currently have 295 “LIKES” and we want to get to 500! Help us reach our goal so that we can promote SJCS to more families!
Our chess club has been a wonderful new opportunity for students this year, and we would like to offer similar third-party opportunities for students next year. In the next 48 hours we will email a survey to gauge interest and gather ideas for some fun and educational activities that can be done in upcoming school years. The survey will be very brief, so please take a minute to share your thoughts and ideas.
Tiger Tracks Tiger Cubs|Preschool Info Article "W" Sitting What is "W" sitting? "W" sitting refers to the position in which a child will sit on their bottom with their legs bent and turned outwards. If you face the child, their legs form a "W." What is wrong with "W" sitting? Young children can often be found sitting in the "W" sit. It is a comfortable position, yet it can affect a child's ability to rotate from side to side. In addition, it can negatively affect a child's joints and muscles over time. It is often helpful to encourage your child to sit with their legs in a different position.
Sports this week
Girls Soccer:
Girls Soccer: Monday: SJCS vs. Campbell Christian @ SJCS 3:30 Tuesday: SJCS vs. Campbell Christian @ Campbell Christian 3:30 Wednesday: Practice 3:15-4:45 Thursday: TBD
Boys Volleyball: Monday: SJCS vs. Legacy @ Morgan Hill Recreation Center 3:30 Tuesday: SJCS vs. Campbell Christian @ Campbell Christian 3:30 Wednesday: Practice 3:15-4:30 Thursday: No practice
SJCS Association Meets May 11
Each May, we hold the annual SJCS Association Meeting in which our Association members vote in new trustees and approve the budget for the upcoming school year. This year’s Association meeting is Monday, May 11 at 7pm in the SJCS Auditorium. If you’d like to join the Association, contact Betsy Phillips in the office (bphillips@sjchristian.org).
Teacher Tales Periodic Plates—Spotlight on Middle School Science Check this section each week for exciting stories about teachers doing great things in the classrooms of San Jose Christian School. Have you seen an interesting license plate that made you wonder who was driving the car? In science class, 7th and 8th grade students created their very own license plates using the elements on the periodic table. Each student used 3~4 different elements to describe himself or herself. First, the students came up with 4 words that described who they are and got to pick the best one. Spelling did not matter, but the chemical symbols had to be accurate and anyone must be able to read the word and understand it. For example, one student said that she is an artistic person. Ar stands for argon. Ti stands for titanium. S stands for sulfur and C stands for carbon. Her license plate said, “ArTiSTiC.” It was not easy to create a word using the elements. Here are few comments that were overheard. “Is there a T or Z?”” “Does this make sense? No? I will try again….” “That is a SILENT h! So, it makes sense.” There were plates that showed students’ favorite memories or hobbies. After exploration, the students got to decorate their own license plates. They were free to do whatever they desired. Some made it look like an actual license plate while some poured out their creativity and imagination. Students’ names were purposefully put on the back so that people had to guess who made it. The license plates and the element words very accurately described their designers. They also taught the audience about the person and sparked fun conversation among different grade levels. 6th grade students had fun figuring out who made which license plate.
UPCOMING EVENTS!
Tiger Tracks May 11 Association Meeting | 7pm SJCS Auditorium May 11-15 SJCS Spirit Week May 15 GrandFriends Day | 8:45am SJCS Auditorium May 15 Field Day | 12:30pm MS Field May 21 Concert on the Green | 6:30pm | Elementary Field May 27 Sports Awards Event | Campbell Community Center, Orchard Ballroom May 29 SJCS Annual Jazz Show | SJCS Auditorium June 1 Middle School Awards Ceremony | 8:40am | SJCS Auditorium June 1 SJCS Graduation | 7:00pm | Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church June 3 Last Day of the 2014-2015 School year June 8 Kick Off – SJCS Summer Camp 2015 – American Adventure!
GRANDFRIENDS DAY May 15, 2015
All students are encouraged to invite grandparents, parents and friends to the annual GrandFriends Day Celebration on May 15, 2015. SJCS will host lunch for your guests. Please watch for the informational email coming to you on Tuesday! DRAFT Program Schedule 8:30 AM Welcome Coffee 8:45 AM Student Program (all guests enjoy all performances during this time) 11:00 AM Activities in the Classrooms 11:30 AM Grand “Friends” Luncheon 12:30 PM 1st -8th All Student Field Day* * Field Day is an afternoon of fun competitive team activities for the students. Parents and Grand”Friends” are welcome to stay and cheer on their students if they wish. This event is mandatory for students grades 1 through 8.