The Phoenix September 14 2017

TODAY, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 14, IS A MINIMUM DAY.

School is out at 1:25 PM.

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 6:30-8 PM

Note from Principal Burnham:

Dear Parents and Guardians,

You are cordially invited to “Back-to-School Night,” an orientation for parents. You will follow an abbreviated daily schedule, meet your child’s teachers, become familiar with the scope and sequence of standards-based curricula, and see classrooms and displays. Students should not come to this event.

It is essential that you bring your child’s schedule with you so that you know where to go. Please take a few minutes to write the schedule on the paper below (LETTER ATTACHED). Your visit in each class will be ten minutes in length and there will be a few minutes in between each period (passing period).

Physical education classes will convene in the gymnasium or dance studio. During your student’s lunch period, please take the opportunity to walk around the campus or visit the Korematsu Library in Room B220. Come see the library space, find out what we have to offer and meet Ms. Bogie.

We are looking forward to a spectacular evening. See you there!

Matt Burnham, Principal

ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN 2017

California K-12 public schools are still underfunded. At our school, your contribution will help pay for much-needed extras such as a math tutor for enrichment, remedial, and after school homework help, classroom grants for our teachers, library books, paper, assemblies, and more. Please give to our Annual Giving Campaign 2017! For 50 days, from now to October 31, our goal is to raise $50,000. Every little bit counts. 55 cents a day would amount to almost $100 over the course of our school year. If every family donates $100 or more, we would surpass our fundraising goal. Please contribute what you can! For more details, see our flyer, and donate now!

THE CENTENNIAL “BIG BASH WEEKEND” IS THIS WEEKEND!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 – FAMILY NIGHT AT CERRITO VISTA PARK

Bring a picnic dinner and your own blanket or low-back chairs and enjoy a free screening of Pixar’s TOY STORY followed by the 1917 Charlie Chaplin film, THE IMMIGRANT. Movie starts at dusk at Cerrito Vista Park (950 Pomona Ave). Snacks will be available for purchase.Co-sponsored by Soroptimist International of El Cerrito

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 – EL CERRITO SHOWCASE PARADE

Watch one of El Cerrito’s largest parades featuring outstanding citizens, businesses, clubs, organizations, schools, city representatives, pioneer families and more! Great viewing opportunities along Richmond Avenue or in Cerrito Vista Park.
Parade starts at the Safeway/PetFood Express parking lot at 10am, travels along Hill Street > Elm Street > Richmond Street > Moeser Lane and into Cerrito Vista Park.
After the parade, stay and enjoy free entertainment from noon to 3pm including live music, bounce houses and chalk art for the kids, free sandwiches and cupcakes for the first 1,000 people, as well as food for sale by:

  • Plaza Girabaldi – offering nachos, tacos, burritos, quesadillas
  • Fillmore West Vineyards – serving Pinot and Pinot Rose
  • Kiane’s Shaved Ice – with a rainbow of topping choices!

We are looking for students and families who want to walk with the Korematsu community in the El Cerrito Centennial Parade on Saturday. We will meet Saturday morning about 9:40 am in the Safeway parking lot with the other parade participants. We hope to have a loud and cheerful group as we walk in the parade from 10 am – 12:30 pm on Saturday. Come out and support our school and the City of El Cerrito!

Thanks,
Matt Burnham, Principal
Fred T. Korematsu Middle School

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 – EL CERRITO’S YOUTH DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY

Middle school students (grades 6–8) are invited to an all-school mixer at the Community Center for games and dancing from 6 to 9 pm. Free admission, but pre-registration is required. Register to Attend Now!

KOREMATSU SITE COUNCIL

If you would like to serve on Korematsu’s School Site Council click on the link below for more information.
Korematsu 2017 SSC Declaration To Run Form.pdf
OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS: KOREMATSU LIBRARY

Students are welcome to come any day of the week during class with a pass from teacher; during lunch, after checking in with the security guard; and after school until 2:55 PM on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (may be closed on some days without advance notice).

All students must have their ID to come to the library. They will need to scan their IDs so that the library can record library usage and keep track of room capacity at lunch. Students may check up to 4 books, and loan period is 3 weeks with renewals available. Library catalog is at WCCUSD.follettdestiny.com, then choose “Korematsu.”

LIBRARY RATS RETURNS SEPTEMBER 19!

Ms. Bogie’s LibraryRATS Club is coming back! Library RATS starts Tuesday, September 19, from 2:30 to 3:30 PM. In that hour, club members will play games and work on book projects, as well as technology and engineering-related projects (e.g. building circuits). The club is open to ALL students. Interested students must register with Ms. Bogie at the library.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SCHOOLS: BECOME A WRITERCOACH CONNECTION VOLUNTEER

WriterCoach Connection brings teams of trained volunteers to help students one-on-one with their classroom writing assignments. Coaching is a low time commitment (only once or twice a month for 1-2 hours) but very fun and rewarding. Watch a two-minute video intro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxewKjDID60

We provide all the training you’ll need to be a terrific coach! Register for a free training at http://www.writercoachconnection.org.

SEND SHIVERS DOWN SPINE: “FRIGHT WRITE” ART AND WRITING CONTEST STARTS SOON

“Fright Write,” an annual story and art contest open to ALL Korematsu students will start next week and end on Thursday, October 5. Details will be sent out soon.

We need volunteers to review the submissions. Please sign up to serve as judge for the contest! You can do this work at home on your own time. Your only requirement is a healthy interest in reading. Email korematsuptsa@gmail.com, if you are interested.

CALLING FOR FRIGHT EXPERTS!!!

Is Halloween your favorite holiday? Consider becoming the Fright Fest facilitator! It involves coordinating Halloween-related activities such as mummy-wrapping contest and pumpkin weight guessing. Please email korematsuptsa@gmail.com if you are interested.

SAVE THE DATE: KOREMATSU YARD SALE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 9 AM – 4 PM

We need donations of gently-used household items, toys, sports gear and equipment, small furniture, etc. Many volunteers are needed to sort out items on Friday, Oct. 13, 5-9 PM & on Saturday during the sale itself.

Speakers Series  – Richard Rothstein

Monday, September 25,
7:00 pm
El Cerrito High School Auditorium
540 Ashbury Ave

West Contra Costa Unified School District and the El Cerrito Family of Schools presents Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.

Join us for a great discussion with Richard Rothstein, author and Research Associate at the Economic Policy Institute. Rothstein will offer insights into how residential segregation in America—the incessant kind that continues to dog our major cities and has contributed to so much ongoing social strife—is the intended result of racially explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels.

This event is free to all.

COLLINS ELEMENTARY SATURDAY!

WCCUSD welcomes and encourages your volunteer work at school sites! But, get screened first!
Two steps to the process: First, follow the link and instructions for the BeAMentor process.
https://www.wccusd.net/domain/93
Next, come out to any site for free fingerprinting!

  • Saturday Sept 16 Collins
  • Saturday Sept 23 Lupine
  • Saturday Sept 30 DeJean

FLIER HERE!