Author: PTSA

Message from District Health Aide!

Attention all 7th Grade students: Upon your arrival on Aug. 6th, please have all immunizations printed and ready to be received. (Immunizations including the updated TDAP and Varicella #2.)

You may have uploaded them through the online system. Please bring printed copies are well.

THANK YOU!

Dear Korematsu Parents,

Please note that because it’s the first year our District is transferring all info required for Registration/Orientation from paper to online, there will be a few bumps along the road. Please remain patient with us as we strive for efficient service.

Thank you,
Korematsu Middle School Office Staff

REGISTRATION/ORIENTATION SEE YOU STARTING TOMORROW!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone next week August 6,7,8 for registration/orientation. We’ll be in the MPR.

We’ve got more than you need to know up on our website.
Check it out all the links here! https://korematsumiddleschool.org/?page_id=3132

If you are unable to navigate PowerSchool, do not worry. We’ll have people on hand to help.

It is certainly our preference to have you come in August 6,7,8. However, if you are unable to attend these events, please come into the office beginning Monday, August 12, and we’ll get you taken care of.

REGISTRATION DAY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Tiffany Jamison, Office Manager Extraordinaire, and our hard-working office staff is hoping some of you can lend your helping hands for Registration Days. Please sign up in the link below and help out if you are available.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VOLUNTEER

JOIN OUR PTSA

We are your forum for community advocacy and volunteer participation. We are extremely proud of our PTSA, and have over 300 members. We were #1 in membership last year in the Bayside Council (30+ units). You may notice that we are a PTSA. We encourage student participation in our unit. Each membership is $15.00. There are three ways to join:

Phone: Take a picture of this QR code with your phone’s camera and it will take you to you to the online site where you can finish the transaction.

Website: https://jointotem.com/ca/el-cerrito/korematsu-middle-school-ptsa/join.
Checks or Cash: Drop off a check or cash at registration or in the main office. The membership form is on the reverse side of this letter. Make checks payable to “Fred T. Korematsu PTSA.”

DONATE TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS

We make a real difference in the programs and services that can be offered at Korematsu. We spend more than $40,000 per year on many campus extras. We’ve employed a math tutor, we’ve paid for the track, cross country and drama programs. We’ve paid for field trips. Every teacher at Korematsu gets $400 to spend on classroom supplies. If every family gave $100, we’d have more than enough to provide for our needs. You can set up monthly donations using the Paypal link on our website: www.korematsumiddleschool.org

Come Visit our table at registration where you can find out what we do and volunteer. We welcome you!!!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT THE PTSA TABLE!

PTSA can use some helpful hands at our table too.

Sign up for An Hour or Two in this Link!

Or contact us! korematsuptsa@gmail.com

PTSA – SPONSORED ALL-SCHOOL ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Join us for our all-school ice cream social Saturday, August 17, 2019, 2:00- 4:00 p.m. Castro Park, 1420 Norvell St, El Cerrito, CA 94530. The whole family – parents, guardians, siblings and students are invited to meet new friends and catch up with old. We look forward to seeing you there!

NO LONGER ATTENDING KOREMATSU?

WANT TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM OUR ETREE?

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to korematsu-ptsa-news+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. We’ll miss you!

8TH GRADE ACTIVITIES

It is time to plan 8th grade activities!

In this link, you will find three tabs:  

* Picnic
* Promotion Rehearsal
* Promotion Ceremony

Please sign up to volunteer if you are able!

We do ask that 7th Grade parents help with 8th grade rehearsal and promotion so that the 8th grade families can enjoy the events!

Sign up for 8th Grade Promotion, Picnic and Other Activities in this Link!!

PROMOTION CEREMONY
LETTER TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS

Please read the attached letter outlining promotion ceremony expectations.

The highlights:

• Dressy attire for church, synagogue, mosque etc. is recommended. Long gowns, high heels, spaghetti straps are inappropriate.
• Due to the size of the class, only two tickets per student are given. The ceremony is outside of the MPR. Bring a camp chair, or you can stand. Dress warmly, and encourage your student to do the same.
• Students arrive no later than 5:30 p.m. and report to the gym.
• Parents arrive at the Lawrence Street Gate 5:15 – 5:55 p.m.
• Processional starts 6:00 p.m. sharp. No one enters after that time so that we can all enjoy the ceremony.
• Parking is extremely limited. Please respect the neighborhood. Please carpool, and please park several blocks away and walk to the campus.

The Letter is here

WANTED….

7th Grade Parents
TO HELP WITH PROMOTION

7th Grade Parents, it is a tradition to help with 8th grade promotion actives. You watch the kids and facilitate so that the 8th grade parents can enjoy the event.

Sign up in this Link!

END-OF-YEAR EVENTS

There is a lot going on!

The Calendar:

ONLINE HERE!

• Awards Night 5/30 @ 7:00 MPR
• Study Trip (Ms. Davis) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” 5/31
• Art and Jazz Festival 6/3 @ 6:00PM Courtyard
• Promotion Rehearsal 6/5 Morning
• 8th grade Picnic and Softball game 6/5 Lunch – dismissal
• Promotion Ceremony 6/6 @ 6 Courtyard
• LDOS 6/7 – Noon Dismissal
• August 6, 2019 9:00 a.m. – Noon 7th Grade Registration
• August 7, 2019 9:00 a.m. – Noon 7th Grade Registration
• August 8, 2019 9:00 a.m. – Make-up Day Registration
• It is very helpful if you can come and register during the above days/times. It allows us to get the bulk of the paperwork/organization done. If you are out of town for registration, don’t worry. You can come in the following week and take care of things. Dates and times will publish over the summer.

GOOD WORK COMMUNITY!

THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP!
WE STILL NEED YOU!

Great work community, and THANK YOU ALL for stepping up. We were able to fill many key positions last week. We are looking much better for next year.

BAND

Thank you band parents for stepping up. We have one opening left…..

Jazz Ensemble E-Tree
Contact Nancy Kawase nancykawase@hotmail.com

Your involvement is really important. We really do make a better school!

PTSA Positions

HUGE shout out to everyone that stepped up to leadership last week. THANK YOU !!! There are still more opportunities Please review the list below:

STILL NEEDED…….

Vice President of Fundraising – Oversee the various fundraising campaigns of the school year. These include: Annual Giving Campaign, Cookie Dough Fundraiser campaign, Restaurant Night Coordinator, Golden Gate Fields Events, You do not run all of these events; you oversee them.

Restaurant Night Coordinator – Contact area restaurants and arrange “Restaurant Night” events. Promoted the events through the etree. You are not reinventing the wheel. We have all the contacts. You just plug and play. Your new ideas are very much welcomed, however.

Cookie Dough Coordinator – Run Fall Cookie Dough Fundraising Campaign. Contact Vendor, pass out and collect forms, organize the distribution of product when it arrives. You are not reinventing the wheel. We have all the contacts.

Celebrate Korematsu Chair – Head up a team that collects and processes donations for the Celebrate Korematsu auction. The majority of the work is December/January. The majority can be done from home sending out donation letters and entering donations into online software. You are not reinventing the wheel. We have all the contacts. You just plug and play. Your new ideas are very much welcomed, however.

Back-to-School Picnic – Welcome new and returning families to Korematsu by chairing the Back-to-School picnic. Order food, gather volunteers, promote the event through the e tree.

Korematsu E Tree Editor – Do you like to write? Work to write this weekly newsletter.

Korematsu Volunteer Coordinator – Find volunteers to staff events.

Yard Sale Coordinator – We’ve participated in the El Cerrito Citywide Yard Sale from time to time. You would organize a team to collect donations, price items and be on hand the day of sale.

AND THANK YOU….

Korematsu PTSA President
Coordinate and oversee the unit’s activities. Plan the year’s calendar, approve the budget and along with the EVP, run five meetings a year. FILLED. THANK YOU!

Korematsu PTSA Vice President
Ideally be a 7th grade parent ready to be the president in 20/21. Along with the president, coordinate the unit’s activities – mainly Celebrate Korematsu. Plan the year’s calendar, approve the budget and along with the President, run five meetings a year. FILLED THANK YOU!

Korematsu PTSA Membership Chair
Process PTSA memberships. Most of the work occurs in August and September. The work is largely online, and can be done from home. FILLED THANK YOU!

Korematsu Teacher Treat Day Coordinator(s) – Coordinates monthly teacher luncheon. Use email to solicit donations of food and volunteers. Set up staffing schedule. FILLED THANK YOU!

Golden Gate Fields Coordinator – Contact Golden Gate Fields to secure at Dollar Days Date, promote event to ensure enough volunteers are on hand, attend event and assure its smooth running.FILLED THANK YOU!

Science Fair Coordinators – Work with the science teachers to grade science projects and plan Korematsu’s science night. Order awards if necessary. Assist when projects move to District, County and State science fairs. FILLED THANK YOU!

Yearbook – Work with Korematsu staff and teachers to produce the yearbook. Advertise various deadlines to the school community. FILLED THANK YOU!

Incoming School Mixer/Ice Cream Social Chair – Welcome new and returning families to Korematsu by chairing the August Ice Cream Social. Ensure we have treats on hand, promote the event through the e tree. FILLED THANK YOU!

CONTACT US: korematsuptsa@gmail.com

SUMMER READING

Lots of ideas about how to keep up with summer reading here.
Read from a phone, a table, a computer….all summer! Free! Here!
https://www.smore.com/dg78f-wccusd-library-services

WCCUSD May Newsletter

WCCUSD May Newsletter in this Link!

Youth Summer Camps for Public Speaking THE PRACTICE SPACE!

If you enjoy debating, acting, telling stories, or giving speeches, join our summer camps! We build your confidence through fun activities so you can share your voice with the world. Spaces are limited, so register today at https://www.practice-space.org/event-directory/.

We offer 4 camps:

Young Speakers Camp, Ages 8-11, June 17-21, 8:30am-2:30pm. This one-week camp for elementary students builds confidence through presentation, basic debate, and storytelling, with games imagination and fun. Learn to speak your mind, tell your story, and listen to what others have to share. This camp helps students of all levels, whether they are shy or outgoing.

Middle School Speakers Camp, Ages 11-13, June 24-28, 8:30am-3:30pm. This one-week camp for middle schoolers is for beginning debaters and actors who want to develop confidence and improve their speaking skills. Choose between basic debate or dramatic monologues, so this camp helps you whether you are more argumentative or more creative at heart. This camp is a good option for those who want to try public speaking through a gentle introduction.

Persuasive Debaters Camp, Ages 13-18, July 22-26, 8:30am-3:30pm (optional add-on week: July 29-August 2). This in-depth debate camp builds skills in argumentation, logic, and strategy through parliamentary-style debate. It is helpful for students interested in debate competitions during the year – sign up for 1 week of classes or 2-week option with advanced practice rounds.

Confident Communicators Camp, Ages 11-18, August 5-16, 8:30am-3:30pm. This two-week camp helps middle and high school students express themselves and find their unique voice. Choose to major in persuasion and debate, performance and acting, or podcasting and storytelling. Meet students from all over the Bay Area and receive lots of coaching to improve your skills.

Check out our website for more information!

Or email us at: admin@practice-space.org

EMPOWER THROUGH DESIGN

Are there students at your school interested in architecture, design, or urban planning? Registration is now open for the 2019 SFNOMA Project Pipeline camp. Now entering its ninth year in the San Francisco Bay Area, the camp introduces middle school students ages 11-14 to the environmental design profession and strengthens STEAM skills with fun and creative design thinking curriculum, while also building confidence in public speaking and interest in civic engagement.

We would love to have a couple of young people from your school attend the camp this year. We have full scholarships available for families who need it and have a promising student that wants to attend. This year we will have a shuttle bus leaving from the West Oakland BART station to bring students to and from camp, which is held at the California College of the Arts San Francisco campus.

The scholarship application is the last page of the registration application. Scholarship applications need to be submitted by June 5th, and regular applications need to be submitted by June 14th.
To see a video of a previous camp and to register for the camp please go to http://www.sfnoma.net/project-pipeline.html

If there are any questions on the camp, please email camp@sfnoma.net, or if you would like someone to give a presentation about the camp to your students, please let know.

Thank you for spreading the word.

—
Prescott Reavis
SFNOMA Project Pipeline Camp Director & Co-founder

Annette Diniz
SFNOMA Project Pipeline Volunteer Coordinator

SUMMER REGISTRATION

Tuesday, August 6, 2019
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Incoming 7th Graders

Wednesday, August 7, 2019
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Incoming 8th Graders

Thursday, August 8, 2019
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Make-up Day

It is very helpful if you can come during the above days and times.

It allows us to get the bulk of the paperwork/organization done. If you can’t make it, don’t worry.
You can come in the following week and take care of things. Dates and times will publish over the summer.

PICK UP LOST AND FOUND ITEMS TODAY AND FRIDAY

Friday they will all be donated (or burned).
Please come and collect you things.
The pile is outside the main office on the tables.

Korematsu “RECLASSIFIED” Students Celebrated at Richmond Auditorium!

Congrats to our newly “Reclassified” students! For those that aren’t familiar with “Reclassification,” these students were English Language Learners and tonight they were “Reclassified” to proficient English speakers! They’ve mastered both academic and conversational English and have met the state and district criteria for fluent English proficiency. It’s a lot of work! We are very proud of their achievements!! And, congratulations and thanks Ms. Soto, their teacher, who works tirelessly with them. We love you!

AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS OF HONOR CELEBRATED AT CRANEWAY PAVILLION

Congratulations to our African American Students of Honor!

These students earned a 3.3 GPA or higher in all academic areas.

They were honored earlier this week in a grand ceremony at Craneway Pavillion! CONGRATULATIONS!

KOREMATSU SPRING DANCE PERFORMANCE

TONIGHT!
May 22 and 23, 2019
7:00 p.m.
MPR

Did you know Korematsu has a thriving Dance program? Are you coming to Korematsu next year? Are you already enrolled?

Join us and support our students as they perform their work. This is the perfect performance for elementary school students!
Suggested contribution: $4.00. We’ll be in the MPR.
Hope to see you there!

END-OF-YEAR EVENTS

There is a lot going on!

The Calendar: https://korematsumiddleschool.org/?page_id=13

• Dance Performance 5/22 – 23 @ 7:00 MPR
• Faculty Vs Student Volleyball 5/24 1:00 PM
• Memorial Day Holiday 5/27
• End of year band concert 5/29 @ 7:00 MPR
• Testing Pie-in-the-face Event May 22, 2019, 7th last period of the day – Gym
• Awards Night 5/30 @ 7:00 MPR
• Study Trip (Ms. Davis) “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” 5/31
• Art and Jazz Festival 6/3 @ 6:00PM Courtyard
• Promotion Rehearsal 6/5 Morning
• 8th grade Picnic and Softball game 6/5 Lunch – dismissal
• Promotion Ceremony 6/6 @ 6 Courtyard
• LDOS 6/7 – Noon Dismissal
• August 6,7,8 Registration

HELP WANTED

GOOD WORK COMMUNITY!
THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP!
WE STILL NEED YOU!

THIS WEEK’S DIRE NEED IS….. BAND

Great work community, and THANK YOU ALL for stepping up. We were able to fill many key positions last week. We are looking much better for next year. We are still in dire need of Band Parents. The Korematsu Music Parents group runs as a large “committee” under the Korematsu PTSA. As many of you know, we have an elaborate music program run by ONE PERSON (Tiffany) on a completely anemic budget. She needs help!

That’s where you come in. The Korematsu Music Parents group provides volunteer labor and some funding for our amazing program. We provide many of the extras that we need to run this program. We provide volunteers for concerts and events, printing of programs, funding for reeds, sheet music, musical instruments and more.

Please consider stepping up for one of these positions. It is really important!

Chair
Treasurer

Jazz Ensemble E-Tree
Contact Nancy Kawase nancykawase@hotmail.com

Your involvement is really important. We really do make a better school!

PTSA Positions

HUGE shout out to everyone that stepped up to leadership last week. THANK YOU !!! There are still more opportunities Please review the list below:

STILL NEEDED…….

Vice President of Fundraising – Oversee the various fundraising campaigns of the school year. These include: Annual Giving Campaign, Cookie Dough Fundraiser campaign, Restaurant Night Coordinator, Golden Gate Fields Events, You do not run all of these events; you oversee them.

Restaurant Night Coordinator – Contact area restaurants and arrange “Restaurant Night” events. Promoted the events through the etree. You are not reinventing the wheel. We have all the contacts. You just plug and play. Your new ideas are very much welcomed, however.

Cookie Dough Coordinator – Run Fall Cookie Dough Fundraising Campaign. Contact Vendor, pass out and collect forms, organize the distribution of product when it arrives. You are not reinventing the wheel. We have all the contacts.

Celebrate Korematsu Chair – Head up a team that collects and processes donations for the Celebrate Korematsu auction. The majority of the work is December/January. The majority can be done from home sending out donation letters and entering donations into online software. You are not reinventing the wheel. We have all the contacts. You just plug and play. Your new ideas are very much welcomed, however.

Incoming School Mixer/Ice Cream Social Chair – Welcome new and returning families to Korematsu by chairing the August Ice Cream Social. Ensure we have treats on hand, promote the event through the e tree.

Back-to-School Picnic – Welcome new and returning families to Korematsu by chairing the Back-to-School picnic. Order food, gather volunteers, promote the event through the e tree.

Korematsu E Tree Editor – Do you like to write? Work to write this weekly newsletter.

Korematsu Volunteer Coordinator – Find volunteers to staff events.

Yard Sale Coordinator – We’ve participated in the El Cerrito Citywide Yard Sale from time to time. You would organize a team to collect donations, price items and be on hand the day of sale.

CONTACT US: korematsuptsa@gmail.com

8TH GRADE ACTIVITIES

It is time to plan 8th grade activities!

In this link, you will find three tabs:

• Picnic
• Promotion Rehearsal
• Promotion Ceremony

Please sign up to volunteer if you are able!

We do ask that 7th Grade parents help with 8th grade rehearsal and promotion so that the 8th grade families can enjoy the events!

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER IN THIS LINK!

NEW TECHNOLOGY COMING!

This summer, the District is purchasing and/or refurbishing all student tablets. In August students will return to newer, faster and more secure devices! YAY!

In order to accomplish this, all student tablets will be collected before the last day of school on June 7th. (Your principal or school administration team will communicate the specific collection plan for your particular school.)

Remind your student to prepare for collection with this one step:

● If there are files stored on the tablet’s hard drive or their H:\ drive, please remind your student to move those files to Google Drive before tablet collection, so that they can be accessed from the new device. Once tablets are collected, anything stored on the hard drive of the computer will not be retrievable. Some computers will be retired and some will be completely refurbished. Your student will not get the same machine back.

Also know:

● Students will take a tablet home if they have an IEP that specifically calls for a tablet.
● Summer schools will have devices. Seniors doing independent study will be able to take them home.

Thanks for your support in the transition!

¡YA VIENE LA NUEVA TECNOLOGÍA!

Este verano, el Distrito comprará y/o renovará todas las computadoras portátiles (tabletas) para estudiantes. ¡En agosto, los estudiantes contarán con dispositivos más nuevos, más rápidos y más seguros! ¡HURRA!

Para lograr esto, todas las computadoras (tabletas) de los estudiantes se recogerán antes del último día de clases el viernes 7 de junio; (el director o el personal de administración de su escuela le comunicarán el plan de recolección específico para su escuela en particular).

Recuérdele a su hijo/a que se prepare para la recolección haciendo lo siguiente:
● Si hay archivos almacenados en la memoria de la computadora o en su unidad H: /, recuérdele a su hijo/a que transfiera esos archivos a la Unidad Google antes de la colección de las computadoras, para que pueda tener acceso a estos archivos desde el nuevo dispositivo. Una vez que se recojan las tabletas, cualquier cosa almacenada en la memoria de la computadora no se podrá recuperar. Algunas computadoras serán retiradas y otras serán completamente renovadas. Su hijo/a no obtendrá la misma computadora de vuelta.

Además debe saber lo siguiente:
● Los estudiantes llevarán una computadora (tableta) a casa si tienen un Programa Individualizado de Educación (IEP) que específicamente requiere del uso de una tableta.

● Las escuelas en las cuales se realizará el programa de verano tendrán dispositivos. Los estudiantes de doceavo grado que realicen estudios independientes podrán llevar las computadoras a casa.

Summer Programs with the Bay Area Writing Project

Stay tuned for more information about 2019-2020 Orientation in July.

3 steps to Prepare for Korematsu 2019-2020 School Year.pdf

TEACHER LUNCHEON

SIGN UP HERE!

SBAC TESING AGAIN NEXT WEEK

Here are some important reminders:

• Please have students bring their tablets and chargers with tablets fully charged. The test is taken on the tablet.
• If, for some reason, students are not routinely bringing tablets to school, please have them bring the tablets because tablets might need software updates, and the updates can only be done at school.
• Please have students bring headphones if they have them.
• Students should bring home SBAC brochures, where they recorded the testing targets they hope to reach. Ask your student about it, and review it together.
• Please schedule all non-emergency appointments (Dr. dentist, etc.) after school hours so that all students can test.
• Please make an extra effort to have students show up on time.
• Students should eat a good breakfast prior to the test and get a good night’s sleep.
• These efforts will help to make the testing period smooth and orderly.
• Thank you for your help!

Practice Tests can be found here.

Multicultural Night at Korematsu

Tuesday May 14th 2019 is Multicultural Night at Korematsu.

Everyone is invited to join us in the MPR for a multicultural potluck. Bring a dish to share.

6:30 p.m. Dinner – LOTS of yummies!!

7:00 PTSA business and elections

7:30 p.m. Socialize, enjoy student art and projects and learn about all the cultures that make Korematsu amazing!

AmazonSmile

Still shopping for Mom? Remember us and shop Amazon Smile. Instructions here!

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support us every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, the same Prime benefits, the same vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. You can choose from nearly one million organizations to support.

How does it work?

• Log into AmazonSmile with your existing Amazon password.
• Choose Fred T. Korematsu Middle School, El Cerrito, CA as your charity.
• Shop as you normally would, and we collect .5% on eligible purchases.
• Consider installing the Amazon Assistant to your Chrome bar so that AmazonSmile is always a click away.

KOREMATSU PTSA NEEDS YOU!

Every PTA unit needs a president in order to be a complaint, functioning unit. We need a president.
We have a wonderful unit with over 300 members! We support the school in a lot of really important ways.
We provide very generous classroom grants to teachers, we pay for numerous field trips, the drama program,
we run the teacher luncheons and publish this e tree every week.

We need a leader! The secretary and treasurer positions are filled with competent and reliable people.
We need you to lead the way! Take a chance of leadership! You’ll have fun and we promise a rich and rewarding experience.

The vice president supports, with the objective of becoming a leader the following year.

We are also looking for a membership chair! We have over 300 members and we are very proud of this! We are #1 in membership in the entire Bayside Council of PTAs. The majority of the work occurs in August and September, and has been made much simpler due to new online software! This is a good position for someone who is detail-oriented and doesn’t mind using a computer to enter names and addresses.

Please contact us! korematsuptsa@gmail.com

BODY LANGUAGE 2019

Coming to ECHS? Interested in Dance? Want to support our youth? Come see Body Language!