1 

  Of all the things that make Camarillo a great place to live and work, there is one attribute that stands above the rest. As I write this, the sun is shining (but it’s not too hot). The breeze is blowing (but it’s not too cold). While most of the country is still shoveling snow, we are enjoying the outdoors and wearing short sleeves. In a word, the weather here is perfect- but not just for people. In our climate, fruits and vegetables grow vigorously, which makes Ventura County one of the most abundant and diverse produce centers in the country. Within a 10 minute drive from La Mariposa, you can visit strawberry farms, raspberry farms, and citrus orchards. You can also visit complex farms with numerous crops. Nonetheless, our economy and food habits have driven us to buy and eat foods that are grown in far off places like Chile and Mexico. Our children have very little understanding of the seasonality of most foods, and might not know “where food comes from.” Likewise, we are presented every day with many food choices at stores and restaurants. This all makes it difficult to separate the “good food” from the “bad food.” Part of La Mariposa’s mission is to address the needs of the whole child; not just their academic progress, but the development of responsibility for themselves and others. To that end, the La Mariposa community is expanding our gardening program. On Tuesday, March 8th, LMS teachers, parents, and other community members joined to form the LMS Garden Committee. At that meeting a vision was set for the gardening program: To build and maintain a sustainable, organic garden where all students gain an appreciation for natural beauty and develop a sense of responsibility. By participating in gardening activities that promote learning about local and seasonal produce, students will develop healthy lifestyle habits that support academic standards. A great deal of work will need to be done in order to attain this vision. We will depend on students, staff, parents, and community members. If you are someone you know is interested in lending anything from supplies to seedlings, or expertise to elbow grease, please contact me or come to our next Garden Committee meeting. Check the website, www.lamariposatigers.org for details. In the meantime, make sure you join us for the Family Food Night. I look forward to learning and growing with you and your families. Sincerely, Jay Greenlinger Principal

Principal’s Message: Planting a Seed for the Future I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

PTA Message 2

Dinner Dance

3-4

Website 5

Calendar 6

Science Night

7

Thank You 8

TKD Thurs 8

La Mariposa Pawprint Member of Camarillo PTA Council, Twelfth District PTA, California Congress of Parents, Teachers, Students, Inc. and the National Congress of Parents and Teachers

April 2010 La Mariposa School 4800 Corte Olivas, Camarillo, CA 93012 (805) 987-8333

STAR Test 9

Women in History

10

Growing Green

11

Family Food Night

12

Enrichment 12

Box Tops 13

Play 4 Life 14

Harvest 15

PTA Fact Sheet

16-17

Congratulations  La Mariposa! Together we 

raised $32,500$32,500$32,500   At the 2nd  

annual  La Mariposa dinner dance. 

Begins April 26th See page 9 for more information.

A Word from our PTA President P A G E 2 L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T

TAKE ACTION NOW! Now is the time for all of us to take action to help California's more than 9 million children and those children yet to make their way into our school systems.

In the last two years, $17 billion was cut from public schools and colleges, with more cuts on the horizon. An additional 2.4 billion is now being proposed. Entire art, music and PE programs have been eliminated to balance budgets. If these programs remain in the schools, it

is because the Parent Groups are funding them! More than 16,000 educators have been laid off, with more on the way. Cuts in staff mean we have more kids in the

classroom!

Your child, our teachers, our school administrators and our school district is being threatened. We can’t let his happen. California Education funding must be fixed! Legislators tell us that the most effective method of communicating our positions is through letters. Letters can be mailed or faxed. In a time crunch, phone calls are necessary and helpful, but letters from constituents make the most difference. E-mails are less effective because it is difficult to verify that the sender is a constituent. NOW IS THE TIME to contact your legislature and let them know how wrong this is. To see a sample letter, please click on the links below: Letter to Governor (state & local impact) from parents Letter to legislator (state & local impact) from parents To find your legislator: http://192.234.213.69/amapsearch/framepage.asp. We have placed a copy of a “Fact Sheet” from the California State PTA in this newsletter to help you become familiar with the issues. See pages 16-17.

We cannot race to the top in education if we sink to the bottom in our investment in children.

Regardless of your political views, the funding for our children’s education matters to everyone. Please visit www.cpta.org (the State PTA Organization) and check their Legislative Alert section to stay on top of what is happening in Sacramento. Remember…now is the time to voice your support and remain on top of all the issues facing our children through the budget crises in Sacramento. Remain diligent in your efforts to stay informed about everything going on at La Mariposa through our website. Continue to support your child’s teacher, La Mariposa Administration, School District and your PTA. In the end…we all have a common goal…OUR CHILDREN’S EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS! Thank you for your time and for allowing me this chance to make a difference for all of our children. Kim Dawson RIDDLE: What appears once in a minute, twice in a moment and never in a thousand years?

P A G E 3

2nd Annual La Mariposa Dinner Dance

The La Mariposa Dinner Dance and Auction was a tremendous success. Thank you to our teachers, parents, and friends who so generously donated their time, money and talents…TOGETHER WE MADE IT HAPPEN! All who participated had a great time for a great cause. We could not have had such an amazing event without all the hard work of everyone who volunteered to help us. We would like to thank the following parents for all their help. Classroom project chairs- Marion Aune and Tracy Guglielmo Centerpieces/cookies- Keiko Chun Banking- Jenny Chikasawa ,Sheryl Chan and Pam MacCallum Programs- April Marsh Registration- Kari Wetter and Carol Chavez Spreadsheets/Information- Kathryn Masci Teacher Coordinators- Jill Heybl and Kelly Muklevicz Basket Assembly- Keiko Chun, Sheryl Chan, Jenny Chikasawa, Tracy Guglielmo, Pam Holtorf, Kathryn Masci, Janet Mertes, and Danelle Woodson Set up of event- Alan and Nicole Sadawsky, Dave Henderson, Kim Woolley, Danelle Woodson, Jennifer Hunnicutt, Pam Holtorf, Marion Aune, Kamala Nahas. Family Contributors- Ames, Bowers, Borck, Brunett, Caulfield, Dawson, Henderson, Hodges, Holtorf, Kirksey, Long, Marmon, Marsh, Sadowsky, Sanders, Sassower, J. Smith, Utterback, Stubblefield and Woolley. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Romy Henderson and Beth Sassower

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T

Together we raised $32,500.00!

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T

P A G E 4

Thank You to our Generous Donors: Please visit our

website for a detailed list of our sponsors

and supporters. To the following La Mariposa Families: Ames Family, Borck Family, Bowers Family, Brunett, Family, Caulfield Family, Dawson Family, Hodges Family, Holtorf Family, Kirksey Family, Long Family, Marmon Family, Martins Family, Nahas Family, Nancy Thompson, Sadowsky Family, Sanders Family, Sassower Family, Stubblefield Family, Smith Family, Woolley Family. From the Camarillo Community: Albertson’s, Aloha Steakhouse, American Girl Doll, Arabesque, Baja Fresh, Beau Alexis, Bella Cosas, Bella Porta, Best Buy, Bo Jaxon and Friends—B95.1 FM, Boulderdash Indoor Rock Climbing, California Health First, Camarillo Children’s Dental, Camarillo High School, Camarillo Independent Auto Repair, Camarillo Pilates, Camarillo Yoga Center, Canary Hotel, CAPA, Caulfield Consulting Group L. L. C., CC & Ida’s, Chumash Casino, Classic Kids Hair Salon, Coach Patty’s Gym, Coast Woodworking, Coastal Embroidery, The Daily Shake, DHP, Disneyland, Dodgers, Dr. Lynn Jeffers, Dr. Wright, EMS Unlimited, Ferrante Ranch, Four Seasons Biltmore Hotel in Santa Barbara, George Thompson Diamonds, Get Organized/Be Harmonized

Organizing Services, Glow Salon, Gwen Speakes (Taste of Camarillo tickets), Gymboree Play and Music, Hair and Beauty Essentials, Hampton Inn in Camarillo, Hays Automotive, Home Furniture, Hula Kids, H. R. Consult-ing, iFly Hollywood, Jack Deagan Pool Services, Jeanine’s Bakery in Santa Barbara, Jersey Mike’s on Santa Rosa Rd., Jim Hall Kart Racing, John Eversen Acupuncturist, Jolly Jumps, Kid Junction Preschool, La Mariposa VIP parking space, LA Workout, LA Zoo, Laid Back Boards, Los Posas Car Wash, Las Posas Cleaners (Albertson’s Shopping Center), Las Posas Country Club, Laughingbird Softwear, Los Arroyos Mexican Restaurant, Marble Slab Creamery in Ventura, Marie Callender’s in Camarillo, Mark-It Place, Mary Kay: Jennifer Clappsaddle, Consultant, Marriott Hotel in Camarillo, Massage Envy in Camarillo, MB2 Raceway, Michael Kelly Salon, M. A. D. for Cars (Mobile Auto Detailing), Mystique Studio, Nails Company and Spa, Nothing Bundt Cake (donated by Marmon Family), Olas Mexican Grill, Ottavio’s, Outback Steakhouse in Thousand Oaks, Pacifica Suites Hotel in Santa

Barbara, Panther Martial Arts, Pendleton Family Winery, Petropolis, Presto Pasta, Pump It Up!, Ralph’s, Regal (Edwards) Movie Theater, Regency Movie Theater, Revolution, Ric’s, Roadrunner Sports, Rock City Studios, Rocket Fizz, Rock Me Make-up, Ronald Reagan Library, Rosewood Dental Group (Matthew Pizza), Roxy Movie Theater, Safire, Salon Murazo, Santa Barbara Zoo, Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach, Snapper Jack’s, Sitting Pretty Dog Training, Spanish Hills Country Club, Squashed Grapes, Starbuck’s, Steve Thomas BMW (for Chumash Casino), Store Safe Self Storage, Summer Breeze Tanning, Swirl Yogurt, Tan LA, Texas Cattle Company, The Curry Leaf, The Tinturin Music Studio, The Wine Closet, The Pit Camarillo, UCLA Athletics Department, Valley Home Medical Supply, Ventura County Fire House, Ventura County Star, Viceroy Hotel, ViviZ

Photography, White Crystal Nails, The Suit Outlet.

PVSD Staff Ditches the Work Out and Joins the Party… Beginning in February and continuing through March, La Mariposa hosted Zumba classes for PVSD Staff. Classes were led by Kathy Gonzales, La Mariposa parent and certified Zumba Instructor and were open to all PVSD employees. Taking Zumba is a great way to get moving, have some fun, and blow off a little steam all at the same time. The La Mariposa PTA hopes to bring Zumba to the entire La Mariposa Family sometime in the next school year. La Mariposa will also be hosting a PiYo classes for staff following Spring Break led by Ami Marchlik, also a La Mariposa parent. Staff Wellness classes are offered free of charge to all PVSD employees thanks to the generosity of our instructors. If you or someone you know would be interested in providing instruction for our dedicated district staff, please contact Kamala. Kathy Gonzales also teaches ZUMBA at Contours Express. If you'd like to arrange a Zumba Party or just some

private instruction you can email kathy at Kathygonzales77@yahoo.com.

P A G E 5

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T

La Mariposa’s Website Are you aware of all the information available to you? Do you know La Mariposa website has most of the answers to your questions – 24/7? In this article, we decided to highlight a few areas of our website we feel might be a great resource for you. Check it out…. Classroom Information – Each teacher at La Mariposa has a web-page where you can find current information, helpful links for your student and their email address for communication to your student’s teacher. Current Events/Calendar – All current events and calendars can be found on the home page of our website. It could not be easier to see what is happening at La Mariposa! We even have a calendar at a glance (found in the PTA section) for year round planning. Zangle Connection – 4th and 5th Grade Parents window to their children’s progress, test scores, missing assignments, absentee report and contact information. Links to Learning- Under the Forms and Reference section, you have links to all the subject areas being taught to your children. Supply List – Don’t know what your child needs for supplies? Check out our supply listing here on the website! PTA - Community Sponsors – We have a wonderful community here in Camarillo and it is through their generous support we are able to provide all the wonderful programs and events for our kids. Please be sure you visit our Community Page and support those businesses that support your children. PTA - Play For Life – Anything related to being active and being healthy can be found here. From our Family Food Night to our Taek-wondo Thursdays! Events around town your family can take part in to stay active can also be found in this section. Links to the local sports organizations are here for your convenience. Be sure to check this section out! PTA - The Money Bag – Ever question what the PTA is spending your money on? Then this is the place for you. You can see, through your generous support of PTA, were the money is going. Your PTA – Descriptions of our various Committees, contact information for all of our PTA Board and Committee Chairs, along with financials, minutes from the meetings and forms are here for your review. PTA Links - Helpful links for you as a parent, including information on STAR Testing, Parent Organizations (both State and National), Park and Recreation, Library and local Music opportunities. PTA Newsletter – A compilation of current events, recaps of events which have taken place and reminders to our parents of upcoming important dates. This is only SOME of the valuable information available to you. PTA and the La Mariposa staff have worked very hard this year to make our Website a valuable source for you. We hope you agree and invite you to check it out any time.

If you have any questions about our website, or any ideas on how to make it better, please email us your thoughts any time.

 

P A G E 6

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T

AprilApril 5-9 Tool Round Up 5-16 Pennies for Patients 7 Walk or Wheel Wednesday 8 Spirit Wear Sale on Campus 9 Kindergarten Tour 13 Family Food Night 15 Volunteer Tea 16 Razzle Bam Boom Assembly 19 No School 20-23 Earth Week

20 PTA Meeting (am) 22-23 Kindergarten Plays 26-5/7 STAR Testing

Save These Dates in May

3-10 Staff Appreciation Wk 5 Walk or Wheel Wed. 6 Spirit Wear Sale 7 Kindergarten Tour 18 PTA Meeting 20 4th Grade Plays 22 PVSD Creekside 5K 24-28 Buck a Book Sale 24-28 Tiger Olympics 27 Open House 31 No School

Be a Volunteer Next Year La Mariposa elected a new executive board and they need your help. Many of our hardworking volunteers are moving on and there are new positions available for groundbreaking projects. It always fun to grab a friend and do the project together. Here are a few of the committee chair positions we are seeking: Newsletter Editor Assemblies Jog-a-thon (grab a buddy and do it together) Honorary Service Awards Tap Room Coordinator Garden: Parent/Staff Liaison Garden: Care Coordinator Here’s a few committee chairs that need help: Art Docent co-chair (learn it the first year, lead it the next year) Book Fair co-chair Emergency Prep co-chair (learn it the first year, lead it the next year) Membership co-chair (learn it the first year, lead it the next year) Spirit Wear co-chair Tap Room co-chair Tiger Olympics co-chair Website co-chair We will have more positions opening up in the months to come--contact Kamala if you are interested in making La Mariposa a better place to learn and grow in 2010-11.

Order your School Toolbox in April Get all your child's school supplies delivered to their classroom on the first day of school. It's easy when you order school tool boxes. Watch for details and order forms mid-April.

Laptop Lunches Healthy, waste free lunches just got easier with Laptop Lunch Kits. See them in action at our Family Food Night and buy them at a discount from us. Click here for more information and discover how easy it is to pack waste free, easy, affordable, and healthy lunches for your kids.

the letter

M

P A G E 7

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T

By Christie Pantoja

Launching rockets and playing with worms might simply sound like your typical childhood fun, but for over 115 La Mariposa Elementary School students, having fun means learning. Teachers have known for years that experiential hands-on activities are the best strategy for engaging children and helping them to acquire new and often difficult concepts. On a Tuesday in February these students had the opportunity to have fun through science during the school’s 3rd annual science night. Closely correlated with state science standards, students had the opportunity to navigate seven interactive science stations. These stations were based on scientific principles such as: motion, polymers, matter, atoms, chemical reactions and static electricity. To accommodate the large number of students expected, the event ran from 3:30 to 9:00 p.m. La Mariposa Principal, Jay Greenlinger said, “These were not randomly selected activities. They’re based on concepts students have already learned or what students will learn in later years at La Mariposa.” This type of presentation of curriculum is what educators call frontloading and is a critical concept in student’s abilities to retain and make meaningful connections with information. Through the guidance of volunteers and parents, students journeyed through each of these stations and participated in an associated experiment or interactive module. The spiraling nature of elementary curriculum is such that students from kindergarten through fifth grade benefited from each of these centers. “Students had a chance to have authentic learning experiences. They’re not just watching a video or reading a textbook but learning by doing,” said Greenlinger. Science night, sponsored by the La Mariposa PTA, family and corporate donations is hosted at no cost and open to all La Mariposa students. Kamala Nahas, science night chairperson said the impetus for starting science night three years ago and the goal for continuing it was to “create something fun and high impact that kids are going to love and remember science by.” Nahas added, “science is the best way to teach critical thinking to kids. It teaches them how to ask questions and how to find answers and solve problems.” With local districts looking at multimillion-dollar shortfalls for the next school year, programs such as these prove increasingly valuable as a way to support and enhance what teachers are doing in the classroom. “No matter what the budget news is teachers and parents are going to do whatever they can for the kids,” said Greenlinger.

Science Night 2010

Camarillo Library News Jumbo Shrimp Circus in a Box

Sat. April 10, 2010 at 10am Camarillo Library Community Room

Click Here for more info about Jumbo Shrimp Circus in a Box

Click here for Camarillo Library Kids Page Max views a variety of human cell tissue under a micro-scope as Bisource employee and La Mariposa parent looks on.

Kindergartener Kendall produces CO2 with baking soda and vinegar in order to extinguish a candle flame.

Parent volunteer Cathy Lieb talks 4th Grader Brycen through triggering a Venus Fly Trap as Jaxon and Tyler look on.

Thank you to all of our Science Night volunteers:

Jennifer Flittie for being my partner in crime. The Long Family, The Bramwell Family, Linda Chen and Bio Source, CSUCI Chemistry Department, Mrs. Gonzales and Las Colinas, Alvy Davis, Jennifer Flittie, Target, VONS, and Staples for their material contributions--both lent and do-nated. Our unsung heros of preparation and tedious tasks: Linda Adams, Patty Stouch, Tracy Tarkiainen, Aaron Laskey, Kelly Long, Pam MacCallum, Theresa Russell, and a few TAP par-ents that got wrangled into the mix. My Lab Leaders: Cathy Leib, Bridgette Thornton, Venu Sunkara, Denise Bolish, Catherine Peredes, Stu Long, Linda Chen and her colleagues from BioSource, and Professor Phil Hampton with his students from CSUCI. A special thank you to La Mariposa's big brothers and sisters for all their assistance: Luke Gonzales, Mitchell Marsh, Tyler Duffy, Tommy Thornton, and Randi--our check in girl for most of the night.  ...and finally to Mr. Greenlinger for having an open mind and a trusting heart. Sincerely, Kamala Nahas Science Night Chair

Alvy Davis and her wonderful Women in History actresses: Julie Yousefi, Shauna Black, Nina Ruhland, Jennifer Flittie, Tracey Anthony, Esther Suhr.

All our Science Night volunteers.

Kristi Krakower and her committee for their work on HSA.

Beth Sassower, Romy Henderson, and their committee for a fabulous and fruitful Dinner Dance.

Danelle Woodson, Kim Wooley, and Nicole Sadowsky for serving on our ex-ecutive board and representing the interests of our parents, staff, and stu-dents.

Cindy Laudato for making sure the email blasts are on time and accurate.

 La Mariposa couldn't be the school it is

without all of our volunteers.

Thank You! A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to

all our La Mariposa volunteers:

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T P A G E 8

Spring Cleaning Pass along your gently used books:

La Mariposa will be hosting our first ever Buck a Book Sale May 26-28. In these primary years kids seem to outgrow their books faster than their shoes. We'll be collecting both children's and adult books mid-May and you'll have the opportunity to buy them a $1 a book just in time for Summer Reading. So save your books for us and stay tuned for more information coming in May.

Donate your old gardening tools: La Mariposa will be holding our first Tool Round Up April 5-9. Bring us your old, neglected gardening tools and we'll put them to use working the soil in our new planter boxes. Kid-size tools welcome, too! If you'd

like to contribute some old fashioned hard work and sweat to our garden, please email Jay Greenlinger.

 

GATE Update

Wed, 4/7/10 in the Library of La Mari-posa, 7-9pm: Parent meeting to plan extracurricular GATE activities.

Sat, 4/10/10 at Camarillo Heights, GATE testing for Grades 2-5. Exact time TBA.

See PVSD website for link to GATE information or email our school's parent representative, Cathy Kim, kimlieb1@yahoo.com with any questions.

Tae Kwon Do Thursdays In each of the four Thursdays in March, about 25 La Mariposa students participated in a free afterschool program: TaeKwonDo Thursdays. TaeKwonDo builds confidence, concentration, respect, positive attitude, discipline, flexibility, agility, and courage. Our La Mariposa program focuses on fun, basic movement, and reinforcing core values. TKD Thursday's is part of the La Mariposa PTA's Play 4 Life Health and Wellness Program. Parents of participating students could donate $10 for the classes which will help fund other Play 4 Life events such as our Tiger Olympics and Family Food Night. The La Mariposa PTA would like to thank Master Nick Quan at Tae Ryong Tae Kwon Do for donating his time and talent for the second year in a row.

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T P A G E 9

STAR Testing:    5 Ways to Set Your Child Up for Success by Kamala Nahas  What is STAR Testing? According to Wikipedia (you can read the full article here),  "Each spring, California students in grades 2 through 11 must take a series of tests that comprise the state's STAR program. ... The California Standards Tests (CSTs) are designed to match the state's rigorous academic content standards for each grade. Grades 2 through 8 tests cover mathematics and English/language arts ... (and) science for grades 5 and 8. Except for writing, all questions are multiple­choice."  What can I do as a parent? Okay, I'm not an expert, just a parent like you.  When I wanted to know how I could help my daughter do well on her STAR Tests I did what any self respecting parent would do... I googled it.  There is actually quite a bit of information out there on how a parent can help their child, from reviewing test taking strategies and printing sample tests for practice, to common sense habits that we should probably have anyway.  Knowing the strength and professionalism of my daughter's teacher (and all the teachers at La Mariposa), I figured I'd focus on the thing they can't do­­deliver my daughter to school stress­free and focused.    1.  Make sure your child gets to school and stays at school...at least until lunch.  STAR Testing week is not a week to schedule dentists appointments or family trips.  2.  Make sure your child gets a good, balanced,  breakfast­­toast and cereal is not enough.  They need a some protein and a little fat to make that food stick with them and get their brains focused.  And while you're at it, pack 'em a good snack, too.  3.  Make sure your child gets enough rest.  Yup, that means no late practices that week and no staying up late read­ing books.  Most experts agree school age children need about 10­11 hours a sleep per day.  So get 'em to bed before 9:00.  4.  Create a stress­free morning.  It happens in my house, too:  Where's your shoes?  Why are you wearing your little brother's jacket?  Rush, rush...too late to walk...get in the car...GET IN THE CAR.  When my family is on the top of our game, we prepare for the morning the night before.  I call it mitigating the madness.  Pack lunches, lay out clothes, locate shoes...kinda like the first day of school.  Maybe this is a good idea for everyday?  ...and finally  5.  Walk to school.  Studies show that twenty minutes of moderate physical activity, like walking to school, increases attention span, concentration, and specifically the ability to answer  tougher questions accurately.  No surprise this increased focus leads to higher achievement (equivalent to as much as a full letter grade) on standardized tests.  Live too far away?  Park at Pitts Ranch Park or a friends house and walk from there.  STAR TESTING BEGINS APRIL 26, 2010.  For all you type "A"s, here are some links:  STAR Program Resources including sample tests: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/resources.asp  Test Taking Strategies and Preparation http://www.ehow.com/how_4929446_child­california­star­test­math.html  Study on Walking and Academic Success http://www.news­medical.net/news/2009/04/01/47740.aspx  

Women in History This year's Women in History Program, sponsored by AAUW took place the week of March 1, 2010. Ten women of diverse backgrounds and cul-tures were portrayed by volunteers from La Mariposa and the AAUW. The following phenomenal women came to life at La Mariposa: Georgia O'Keeffe (famous American artist), Lynn Cox (Long distance open water swimmer), Beatrix Potter (British author), Emma Lazarus (Poet), Sacagawea (A Shoshone native American), Sylvia Earle (Oceanographer), Biddy Mason (landowner and philanthropist), Juana Briones (landowner, businesswoman, humanitarian), Tye Leung Schulze (federal government's first Chinese American civil servant), Deborah Samson (Revolutionary War Soldier),

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T

P A G E 1 0

La Mariposa student leadership is up to something new: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Pa-tients. From April 5 to April 16, your child will have the opportunity to learn first-hand, the powerful feeling that comes from helping others. Pennies for Patients is a learning programs in which kids collect spare change to help people with blood cancer. Please watch your email and check www.lamariposatigers.org for more information.

Rotary track The 50th Annual Hap Rapp Memorial Track Meet sponsored by the Camarillo Rotary Club will take place on Saturday, May 1, 2010. La Mari-posa will send a team of 4th and 5th grade students to participate in this event. Signups will take place the week of April 5-9. There will be a meeting/practice for all those interested in trying out for the team after school on Monday, April 12. Because we are only allowed to send a specific number of athletes per event, there will be tryouts for the track team after school on Wednesday, April 14 (location TBA). Please watch for sign-up information to be posted the first week in April.

La Mariposa was recently named to the California Business for Educa-tion Excellence 2009 Honor Roll. The 2009 Honor Roll includes 1,317 California public elementary, middle and high schools that have been recognized by California’s busi-ness community for having demon-strated consistent high student aca-demic achievement and have made significant progress toward closing achievement gaps among all their students.

Shauna Black portrays Georgia OKeeffe to Mrs. Espinoza's fourth grade class.

Jennifer Flittie as Sacagawea

Spirit Wear Sale! Thursday, April 8, 1:30-2:30 at the Main Gate.

All Tiger Pride T's will be $10 when you mention coupon code: STRIPES. This will be your last chance to pur-chase spirit wear in person this year

The La Mariposa PTA is now 96% Paperless!

(We have a small paper distribution list for families that have requested it.)

So far this year we have saved: 49,015 sheets of paper, the equivalent of 5 1/2 trees*

AND $1,609.44 in printing and materials, About what it costs all the teachers in two different grades to set up

their classrooms at the start of the year.

*A tree yields about 9,000 sheets of copy paper. The actual number, of course, depends on the tree and on the type of paper. Paper may also

include cotton or linen depending on its type, as well as other products to make it glossy. Nearly 4 billion trees worldwide are cut down each year for paper, representing about 35% of all harvested trees.

Growing Green Check out La Mariposa’s newest program. The mission of Growing Green is to help the students of La Mariposa develop a connection to the environment through both learning and experience. Check out the website for more information: GROWING GREEN Here are some examples of what we’ve been working on:

Recycling at La Mariposa is Easy!!

Drop your used batteries, ink cartridges, and cell phones in the marked containers in the office lobby. Encourage your child to place their cans and bottles in marked receptacles throughout our campus.

Participate in our annual E-Waste event and Coastal Clean-Up.

Watch for several new recycling opportunities and waste reduction programs in the near future.

Did you know you can recycle juice boxes and Clif bar wrappers and earn money for La Mariposa at the same time? Click here to check out La Mariposa's partnership with Terracycle and to see how you can turn your trash into dollars.

Recycle your newspaper, cans and bottles at La Mariposa.

Every Wednesday you can donate your cans, bottles, and newspaper to La Mariposa for recycling. Just bag up those cans and bottles and bundle your papers. We'll have the gate open for you to bring it all right into our recycling station. (You know, the area at the end of the carline with the big green gate.)

Family Food Night and Recipe Exchange 

"Kid Approved Healthy Meals with  Fresh Local Ingredients" 

April 13, 2010 6:00­8:00 PM 

La Mariposa MPR Make your reservation here. 

Cooking Demos: Chef Raquel Renteria and La Mariposa parent and  will be on hand to show you how eating fresh, local produce is fun and easy!  Recipe Exchange: Sample the best of La Mariposa Families' Recipes.  Interactive Kid's Cooking Zone: Kids can cook, too!  They will be preparing some yummy snacks...all by them­selves! Fresh Mini Market: A McGrath Family Farms will be here to sample some of what's available this Spring and talk about how easily you can get it.  The Lunch Box: Great lunches packed inexpensively and waste free.  See just how easy it is to be healthy, green, and budget conscious with your family's lunch box.  You'll also have the opportunity to purchase a Lap Top Lunch Kit at wholesale­­we are passing 100% of our sav­ings on to you!     Door Prizes: Win a medium box of fresh, local fruit and vegetables from Farmer Fresh to You!  Farmer Fresh to You buys locally grown produce and delivers it to your home or business.  

After School Enrichment You never know if you're good at something until you try… That's just what La Mariposa students are doing in this winter's After School Enrichment Program. We were able to offer chess, golf, draw-ing, and science this session. Learn more about the After School Enrichment and other PTA Programs at www.LaMariposaTigers.org.

L A M A R I P O S A P A W P R I N T P A G E 1 3

 

Congratulations to all of our Box Tops Collectors. What an amazing job you all did. Through your efforts, we collected $2,466! We did not make our goal…YET! We will continue to count

those box tops in order to raise $534 more to complete our goal. Let’s keep going and see if we can reach our goal before the end of the year. 

 

Kindergarten – Mrs. Celic First Grade = Mrs. Wadley 

Second Grade = Mrs. Quiles/Mrs. Kyriacou Third Grade = Mrs. Julie Hughes Fourth Grade = Mrs. Sadowsky Fifth Grade = Mrs. Pearson 

 

Shea Sadowsky Tyler Richards Robert Goodson Eric Burschinger Cecilia Galera Megan Norris 

 

Dilynn Roth (Mrs. Celic) Jack Masci (Mrs. Mier) Sean Palmer (Mrs. New) 

Kendall Kelley (Mrs. Rockwell)  

The Classroom who collected the most Box Tops in each Grade Level: Each Classroom will receive a special Box Tops Recess along with a very special Box Tops Trophy for their

Class to hold until next year.

Congratulations to our Top Collectors: Each Person will receive a $20 Toys R Us Gift Card for their efforts

Congratulations to our Kindergarten Classes All those who submitted were thrown into a hat and 1 person from each classroom was randomly chosen to receive a

$10 Blockbuster Gift Card

Play For Life

Here are some of the activities going on now:

Do you have a passion for REAL FOOD?!! La Mariposa is planning our first Family Food Night and recipe book. If you are interested in joining our committee please contact Kamala. Save the Date! PVSD Presents: The Creekside Chase 5K and Family walk/run Saturday, May 22, 2010 This is a free event put on by the PVSD Wellness Council. Race at your pace and choose your distance: 1 mile, 2 miles, or 5K (a touch more than 3 miles). Out and back and mostly flat non-intimidating course. Bring your whole family. Watch your emails for more information.

Local Events There are many events going on at any given time in Ventura County. Active.com is great place to find local events and most raise money for non-profit organizations. Putting an event on your calendar helps you stick to an exercise routine and gives you something to strive for. Here are some great local events coming up in the next few months: Camarillo Kiwanis 32nd Annual 5/10k Run - 4/10 Registration starts at 6:30am ~ 5k starts at 7:30am 3.1 miles through the central Camarillo area. 10k starts at 8:00am through the scenic Camarillo heights area. Aid stations at the 3 mile and 5 mile mark. Interval times at the 1. 3. and 5, mile marks for the 10K and at the 1 and 2 mile marks for the 5k. Gold Coast Ride for Literacy (Bike) - 10 mile family ride and individual rides 30-100 miles - 4/17 The 10 mile family ride follows the Ojai bicycle path to Foster Park.

NCTC/NVBC MudRun - 5/15 - Port Hueneme Naval Base MTVR Mud Pits Sorry kids--it's time for your parents to play in the mud. This challenging and unique event will start with a 2 mile run beginning at the Naval Construction Training Center Headquar-ters and will finish with a romp through the challenging and sometimes deep mud and obstacles at the MTVR Mud Pits. All competitors will be timed via timing chip. Boots and/or sneakers are recommended for this event. This event is a point to point run and all athletes will be returned to the starting area via Navy Utility Vehicles. Camarillo Duathion - Sprint or Olympic - 5/23 Sprint.... 1.5 mile run / 10 mile bike / 1.5 mile run ......Olympic course.... 3 mile run / 20 mile bike / 3 mile run.... All flat and blaz-ing fast! This is a great way for beginners to get a taste of multi sport or veterans to tune up for bigger events.

Registration for Fall sports going on now! SOCCER: AYSO Camarillo Region 68 Registration begins April 1st. FOOTBALL AND CHEER: Camarillo Roadrunners Football Online registration  Available now or in person Thursday 5/4, 6:00-9:00 PM Saturday 4/17, 10:00-2:00 at the Boys and Girls Club of Camarillo. Check their website for details.

Camarillo Cougars Football Online registration available now or register in person: Saturday 4/10, 12:00-4:00 at the Camarillo Community Center. Check their website for details.

FACT SHEET  Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed 2010­11 budget calls for cutting education by at least an­other $2.4 billion and decimating children’s healthcare and family services. PTA strongly opposes this proposal. The time is now for the Governor and Legislature to put children first.  There are 9 million AND FIVE reasons why we must speak up for children.   1. California’s more than 9 million children are our future. It is our duty to protect their well­being and invest in their education.   The Governor and Legislature must take the lead in providing adequate resources to support children’s health, safety and education. The Governor’s Commission on Education Excellence states, “Successful schools are critical to the health of our democracy and the future economic health of our state.” Every time California de­cides to underfund programs to protect the well­being and education of children, it falls further behind in its abil­ity to produce a healthy, well­educated population to lead us forward.   2. In the past two years, the state has cut $17 billion from schools, and deep cuts to social services have added to the burden borne by the children and families most in need of help.   Last year was a devastating year for California’s children. When the going got rough due to the state’s budget crunch, children suffered the most. Clearly, these are tough economic times in our state, and careful budget planning is needed. However, the economic climate cannot justify the shortsighted decision­making regarding investments in children.  California's education system already ranks nearly last in the nation in terms of per­student funding. This has resulted in some of the largest class sizes in the country, and the highest number of students per counselor, school nurse or other critical support staff members. Make no mistake, the last two years of cuts will result in a serious decline in the quality of our schools, as school districts are forced to significantly increase class sizes and cut academic support classes, lay off reading specialists, counselors, librarians and school nurses. We will see fewer arts and music classes. And our ability to provide students with up­to­date technological resources and hands­on science programs to prepare them for the global economy will continue to be jeopardized.  The final 2009­10 budget cut more than $2 billion from California’s healthcare system, primarily by cutting or eliminating services for low­income patients and providers, community clinics, children, rural residents, and other programs for those most in need of help. The $528 million cut in the CalWORKs program to aid families living in poverty additionally hurt these families.  Last year, about 93,000 children waited uninsured for Healthy Families coverage until the cut was averted by non­government donations and higher cost sharing for 269,000 children on the program. This year, the Gover­nor proposes to entirely eliminate both Healthy Families and CalWORKs, along with cuts to other programs, unless the federal government comes through with a bailout.   3. Investing in children benefits all California taxpayers.   In its 2009 Report, The Benefits to Taxpayers from Increases in Students’ Educational Attainment, the RAND Institute found, “Raising students' levels of education yields net benefits to the public budget through higher tax contributions and reductions in spending on social support and incarceration.”  Investing more in children’s health and education is necessary, and it is critical to California’s ability to achieve long­term economic recovery. A study released by Children Now, a leading nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, shows the issues weakening California children’s well­being are undermining the economic prosperity of the state as a whole. The 2010  

California Report Card: Setting the Agenda for Children shows that the current deficiencies in children’s health and education policy are leading to significant, negative outcomes for all Californians. These include increased healthcare costs and decreased economic output. For example, 1 million children in California are expected to be without health insurance. It costs Californians an estimated $7,000 every time an uninsured child visits a hospital for a preventable ailment. In contrast, only 17 percent of that amount ($1,200) is needed to provide health cover­age for each uninsured child.  A 2009 report by Georgetown University (Weathering the Storm) found that despite unprecedented fiscal chal­lenges, 23 states found a way to invest more in children’s healthcare by actually increasing the number of chil­dren and families receiving health coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Care Program (CHIP). And 18 states increased their Medicaid and CHIP income eligibility levels so that more families could afford health coverage. California was one of only three states to reduce coverage.   4. The majority of Californians support new revenues to protect our schools from further cuts.   The general public wants to see more investment in our children! PTA and all Californians have consistently sup­ported public education and children during both prosperous and unstable economic times. According to the Pub­lic Policy Institute of California survey (January 2010), the majority of Californians feel strongly that K­12 public education is the most important area to protect from budget cuts. The survey also revealed that most Californians would be willing to pay higher taxes to maintain current funding for public schools. The Governor and the Legisla­ture have run out of excuses – the fact is Californians want students protected from budget cuts.  PTA supports changing the state budget legislative vote requirement from two­thirds to 55 percent. California is one of only three states in the nation with this supermajority requirement. It’s time break the legislative gridlock that has resulted in chronically late budgets with insufficient resources for education and children’s programs.  In addition, PTA supports The Local Control of Local Classrooms Funding Act, a proposal that would allow local school funding measures for school district programs to be approved by a 55 percent vote (instead of the current 66.7 percent requirement). It will allow the voter threshold for passage to be the same as for local school bond measures – with requirements that all programs to be funded be clearly defined and presented to voters, and that there be a provision for independent oversight as funds are spent. If approved by voters, the act would support quality education and strengthen local control by letting communities commit stable, reliable local funds to their schools. PTA is participating in the signature­gathering effort to qualify this proposition for the November 2010 ballot. A legislative proposal by Senator Joe Simitian (SCA­6), also supported by PTA, would authorize a similar measure to be placed before voters.   5. The time is NOW. Our children do not have the luxury of waiting without devastating consequences.   We cannot sit on the sidelines while budget cuts threaten an entire generation of children. New cuts to schools would contradict educational policy reforms as part of the state's application for federal Race to the Top funds. Further cuts to programs supporting children’s health and safety would be intolerable and unconscionable. Our state budget should reflect the values of our citizens. We can't race to the top if we sink to the bottom in our in­vestment in children.  PTA, the largest child advocacy organization in California, invites you to join with us at this critical mo­ment.  We are calling on the Legislature to do the following.   Provide additional stable revenues in the 2010­11 state budget to invest in children and in Califor­nia’s future.   Reduce the voting margin for passage of both the California state budget and revenue measures in the California Legislature, as well as local school program funding measures, from the current two­thirds to a 55­percent vote or simple majority.   

Click here to join PTA! Anyone who cares about children and youth is welcome.  

Speak up for children.  (How many more reasons do you need?)  

Please visit the California State PTA website – www.capta.org – for more information.