Kenvue March 2005

Kensington Hilltop School
Kenvue
November 2005

Oh What A Night!
By Tracy Westphal

The 22nd annual garden party proved to be another wonderful and successful fundraising event, bringing in over $75,000.00 for our school! Over 500 people attended and bid on over 500 items including dinners, massages, getaways and kids art. The Unitarian Church was transformed by special lighting and hand-crafted plant arrangements into an elegant gathering place. Food was plentiful, delicious and the service was first class. How about that cute boy passing out the fish moose on toast?

Table after table was filled with enticing auction items—from wine and massages to car repair. Baskets and items donated from the classrooms brought in $4800. Thank you parents for all your donations! Favorite categories of the Kensington folks seemed to “dining out” and “entertainment.” In both categories people bid over the value of the items donated. The kid’s art and teachers’ donation brought in over $7,700!! The raffle brought in approximately $3200. Great work kids!

The live auction was particularly lively with Bubba at the microphone. Something about having a Superbowl Champ right at your side seemed to keep the bids on the rise. The live auction was the most profitable in terms of value of items vs. amounts bid. The total value of live auction items was $13,705 and total raised in live auction was $17,450. The Dad’Club Full Monty act was a true highlight. Rumor has it there is a video out there that could go for quite a lot at next year’s auction.

Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers who worked together to make this such a wonderful event. A special thank you to the dozen or so volunteers who worked for weeks heading committees or working behind the scenes. And a super big Thank you to Christy Wise, the lovely and calm under pressure, Garden Party Chair.

K-8 Study Committee Presents Report

Before a Kensington PTA audience of about 100, local representatives to the West Contra Costa School District K-8 Study Committee presented a status report and fielded questions from the assembly.

The school district formed the Study Committee this past summer to explore the possibility of turning some district elementary schools into K-8 schools. While only about half of the elementary schools in the district have the capacity to allow such a change, Kensington’s facility could accommodate a K-8 school. In December, the Study Committee will report to the school board with a recommendation as to whether the District should pursue or drop the idea.

“The District’s interest is in keeping kids in the district,” said committee member Marilyn Cassin. Many families currently leave the district rather than send their middle-schoolers to district schools. Proponents of K-8 schools argue that since K-8 schools tend to be safer, neighborhood schools, more families would remain in the district if given this option.

Exactly what Kensington would look like as a K-8 school remains a big question. Kensington currently has an enrollment of 497, but has a capacity of 604. The idea would be to add a seventh grade in one year, then add an eighth grade the following year. “Best practices” has three classes of 33 students per middle school grade in order to provide a large enough student body to support hiring teachers for both required and elective courses. By adding two more grades, with just two classes of 33 students per grade, Kensington would hit its capacity. And if proponents are correct, more sixth grade families would decide to remain at the school, adding more students to Kensington’s current sixth grade. This would inevitably mean accepting fewer transfer students school-wide and limiting the enrollment in lower grades.

Also up in the air is what sort of electives could be offered. “Kensington is fortunate because it already has a science lab, a computer lab, an art room and PE,” said committee member Jill Wolkenfeld. But as fellow committee member Lisa Kirby pointed out, “Middle school students would not have as much to choose from as they would at a true middle school.” Portola Middle School students can currently select from such electives as band, drama, industrial technology, dance, and art. Science and PE are required.

Exactly when a transition to K-8 might happen—if it does happen—is also anyone’s guess. While Wolkenfeld argued that it could happen next year, PTA President Cathy Garza pointed out that the School Board hasn’t even heard a proposal yet.

“You can do it next year if you want it bad enough,” said committee member Mike O’Conner, who was paraphrasing what he heard from Vince Kilmartin, Associate Superintendent for Operations. O’Conner went on, “If the school board decides to pursue the K-8 idea, they would probably roll out a few schools a year. If Kensington gets behind it, it will get on the list.” On the other hand, O’Conner also pointed out that the School board might just decide to spend money for further studies.

Several members of both the committee and the audience raised the concern that the K-8 move may be seen as racist or elitist. “The whiter schools can do this [because the capacity of the hills schools enables it]. It’s a concern.”

Kindergarten teacher Janet Dey elaborated: “Twelve years ago, Kensington tried to do this. A very activist flatland parent walked down the aisle at the school board meeting waving her finger and shouting, ‘Shame on you, Kensington’ because there is a serious concern that we will draw off the best students and resources from the middle school.” Portola teachers reportedly oppose Kensington going K-8 for similar reasons.

When one parent suggested those families could just transfer to Kensington, others countered that transfers are not so easy. And if more Kensington families indeed stay for three more grades, then even fewer transfer spots will be available.

There is currently one K-8 school in the district, Stewart School in Pinole, which made the transition from K-6 to K-8 twelve years ago because the parents there pushed for it.

Kensington parent David Lewis said, “If we feel as Kensington parents that we want our school to be K-8, we shouldn’t wait for the school board to vote.” Other parents echoed the need to get organized into a vocal lobbying force.

A unanimous voice vote of those present at the PTA meeting underscored the general feeling of the crowd. With many questions still unanswered, the PTA adopted a vaguely-worded resolution supporting “an intention to pursue K-8 at Kensington.”

Wizardry Enlightens Astronomy Night

The universe is a pretty huge place, which may account for why AstroWizard Dave Rodrigues had trouble finding Kensington School last Wednesday night. That, and the fact “You have some pretty curvy streets up here,” the self-proclaimed wizard said.

Thanks to an inspiration by principal Jon Stokes and legwork by parent Claire Lavery, the PTA sponsored Astronomy Night at Hilltop. The evening threatened rain, and lightening heralded the AstroWizard’s arrival. But after an hour-long presentation by the AstroWizard himself, the clouds parted and over a hundred students and parents were treated to a look at the night sky through telescopes provided by members of the Eastbay Astronomical Society.

Days later, children (and grown-ups) who saw the AstroWizard’s slideshow are still repeating key facts he had the audience repeat after him: “The earth is 8,000 miles across… Our sun – an average star – is a million miles across… So we are tiny tiny tiny!” If we imagine the sun the size of a beach ball, our solar system would fit into the playground at that scale. But at that scale, the next nearest star would be at a school somewhere in Tokyo. Rodrigues also showed images depicting the size of the earth relative to other planets (for those who will be taking the pop quiz at the next PTA meeting, the distance across Saturn’s rings is the distance from the Earth to the Moon).

The Kensington School playground provides an ideal viewing spot for amateur astronomers, with its relative isolation from light pollution and wide vista. Members of the Eastbay Astronomical Society set up three telescopes on the yard, two trained on the moon and one trained on Mars, which is nearly as close to the Earth as it will be for the next twelve years. Those who were patient enough to wait for the clouds’ passing were able to see the reddish disk of Mars and a detailed view of hundreds of lunar craters.

Kensington School may be a pretty insignificant speck in the universe, but last Wednesday night, it was the place to be.

DADS' CLUB SAYS THANKS!

The Dads' Club would like to thank the following parents for their help with the Garden Party. Over 50 Dads’ Club volunteers spent many hours over 4 days helping to make the 2005 Garden Party a huge success. Thanks to all for making this such a memorable event!

Adam Lehman

Al Wanger

Alan Meacham

Alan Steinheimer

Andrew Duquet

Bo Nolan

Bonnie Bergerud

Cyril Giraud

Dave Concepcion

Francis Wall

Frank Mercurio

Fred Hyer

Gregory Lewis

Janet McKnight

Jason Kaneko

Jay Bunker

Jenel Mejia

Jim Bruce

Jim Jones

Jim Thomsen

JJ Bodell

John Cain

John Wong

Jon Meurer

Judy Hicks

Kevin McCarthy

Larry Polito

Matt Willis

Michael Ogul

Michael Waxman

Mike Barry

Paul Gilbert-Snyder

Paul Normington

Rae Dingwall

Rafael Godoy

Ranger Ricks

Rich Newman

Robert Grant

Rodney Dunican

Ron Ricks

Rune Hoyer-Nielsen

Scott Liddicoat

Sean Robertson

Shanae LaSalle

Stace Frame

Stephen Franaszek

Stephen Godfrey

Tim Eisler

Walt Gill

Photo Stephen Godfrey, Paul Normington, Walt Gill, Larry Polito, Bubba Paris, Dave Concepcion, Jim Thomsen. Rod Dunican

Portola To Present Info Night

The renowned Portola Jazz Ensemble will headline an orientation to the school for parents and children alike. The Information Night will take place in the Portola Gym on November 30th at 7:00pm.

Speakers so far include Principal (and Kensington parent) Kal Phan, School Board member Karen Pfeifer, and District Operations Asst Superintendent Vince Kilmartin. Speakers will talk about secondary education at Portola, and address the issue of the reconstruction at Portola. Some of them can talk about the K-8 proposal that would turn Kensington into a K-8, and its potential impact on Portola. In addition to having the Portola Jazz Ensemble (led by Keith Johnson) play, faculty and students will be on hand to speak and answer questions.

If you have questions about the Info night, you can email joni.hiramoto@post.harvard.edu. If you have questions about Portola Middle School, you can email the principal, Mr. Kal Phan, at kal.phan @ gw.wccusd.k12.ca.us

Student Council
by Alexander Wing and Analise Pappastergiou

Student Council is a student run organization whose purpose is to represent the student body, promote school service to the community, and work together with the principal and staff to create a harmonious school community.

The first Student Council meeting was held on October 4th and future meetings will be held on the first Tuesday of every month. At the first meeting we discussed upcoming events such as the Contra Costa Food Drive (now through December 14). In February we will have the student body make Valentines for senior citizens and in March we have Read Across America.

We have two Student Council members from each 4th-6th grade class. From Mr. Gill we have Deena Mufti and Kian Vafai, fom Ms. Goldbeck we have Olivia Lee and Amira Cohan, from Mr. Aiken we have Pasha Flannery and Cory Roehl, from Ms. Henry we have Alexander Wing and Analise Pappastergiou, from Ms. Tobin we have Sonya Balsara and Elliot Spector, and from Mr. Baum we have Jennifer Welden and Dan Marsh.

Our goal as the Student Council is to do what we can to make our school a better place.

Mr. Aiken's Class Donates to the Youngest Katrina Victims
By Amy Kurzer

In response to a request for help from a shelter in Baton Rouge housing pregnant women and newborns displaced by hurricane Katrina, Mr. Aiken's students made "Congratulations" cards and donated wrapped new baby gifts for each new mother. The kids did a wonderful job and wrote very heartfelt messages for the new moms. This project gave the students an opportunity to personally connect with people affected by the disaster and think about what evacuees are actually going through. The students and their families were so generous that additional clothing was sent and forwarded by the shelter to other needy families as well. The students should be very proud of themselves for taking the time to help out those in need.

Scholastic Book Fair
November 29, Tuesday - December 2, Friday, Kensington School Library
Proceeds from the book fair will go to our library
Any questions?? Or if you would like to volunteer during the fair, please contact Debbie Hayakawa-Wing at 528-8803 or dhayakawa@sbcglobal.net

Did You Know??
Kensington School has its own website, www.kensingtonschool.org. Missed a Kenvue? Missed a Thursday packet? Want the latest update on upcoming events. Find it at www.kensingtonschool.org. As opposed to the official District site, www.kensingtonschool.org contains information specific to our wonderful school. Created and maintained by dedicated volunteers, www.kensingtonschool.org is updated at least twice a month. To submit information for consideration for this site or to be added to the email mailing list (etree), email : kensingtonedit@ hotmail.com or drop a note in the office labeled Attn: Web.


			Kenvue Archives October 2005 May-June 2005 March 2005
			Kenvue Archives October 2005 May-June 2005 March 2005