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Thornhill Elementary PFC Newsletter
Volume 31, Issue 32, April 16, 2024
In This Issue (bolded items are new for this week)
From our PFC Co-presidents
Get Wacky at Thornhill's Walkathon & Carnival
Get Cleared to Volunteer at the Walkathon
California Healthy Kids Survey - Let your Opinion Be Known!
Inclusion and Belonging
Tomorrow is Park & Walk to School!
Zachary's Dine Out 4/24
Ridwell Plastic Film Drive - Help our School Help our Planet!
Join Us for the RESCHEDULED Annual Spring Clean on Sunday May 5, 9am to noon
7 Not-to-be-Missed Hosted Parties!
Oakland EdFund Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Read-in!
OUSD Announcements
Calendar of Important Dates
**PFC MEETING TONIGHT VIA ZOOM!**
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From our PFC Co-presidents
Hi Thunderbirds,
The spring sunshine is here at last, bringing that unmistakable feeling of the season! Can you believe there are only about six weeks of school left? We've got some exciting events on the horizon, starting with the Wacky Walkathon this Saturday! Plus, don't forget to sign up for fingerprinting volunteer clearance during the Walkathon. Even though this school year is winding down, it's never too early to prepare for the next one! And remember, clearance is good for five years, so why not get ahead?
Looking forward, we've also got our Annual Spring Clean, 5th-grade promotion, and I'm sure there will be plenty of end-of-year class party fun, plus a handful of auction hosted parties (see below)!
As we near the end of the school year, we've just got two PFC meetings remaining. These meetings are important, with significant emphasis on the budget. Tonight, not only will we discuss our current financial status, but we'll also dive into the draft budget for the next school year. We have been working behind the scenes to present this to you! A heads up that our upcoming, in-person May meeting will include a vote to approve the budget and board slate for the 2024-25 school year.
And on that note, we also need to kickstart the process of filling openings in the 2024-25 PFC board slate.
If you're currently serving on the PFC board, expect to hear from us soon to discuss whether you'd like to continue in your role. If you're not yet involved but interested, please reach out to president@thornhillschool.org. There truly is an opportunity big or small for everyone! We're all busy parents and caregivers, juggling various commitments, but when we come together, our school community thrives. Many hands make light work and our teachers, staff and students appreciate your involvement!
Please see tonight’s agenda here.
Meeting ID: 832 3060 6543
Passcode: Thornhill
Warmly,
Catrina Vrankovich & Evie Nagy
PFC Co-presidents
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Get Wacky at Thornhill's Walkathon & Carnival
Join us for Thornhill's Walkathon and Carnival this Saturday, April 20 from 10:00 - 2:00pm! This event is a student favorite and the theme this year is WACKY! Kids can walk laps for fun prizes and otter pops. Kona Ice is back by popular demand. There will be carnival games, face painting, tasty grilled food, and drinks for sale.
This year we are excited to use 99Pledges for our Walkathon Fundraising. Like the Readathon, you will be able to reach out to friends and family by email, Facebook, and Twitter using your child's personal page.
You should have received an email with a link to your child’s online pledge page. If you did not receive the email for whatever reason, simply search and find your child’s pledge page here.
You do not need to log in or change anything. All you have to do is make a donation for whatever amount you can, and share your participant's link with friends and family. We are aiming for full participation, and everyone is encouraged to walk regardless of fundraising dollars.
If we achieve 50% participation as a school in the Walkathon, we can earn a school-wide Pajama Day on Friday, April 26th!
$30 or more in donations earns a free Kona Ice and 10 carnival tickets.
Last but not least, please sign up for a slot to volunteer to make this event a smashing success!
Please email walkathon@thornhillschool.org if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Ms. Bunker & Ms. Gustafson
2024 Walkathon Co-chairs
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Get Cleared to Volunteer at the Walkathon
Are you interested in becoming a driver for your child's field trips? Or volunteering in the classroom?
Join us for our LiveScan FingerPrinting event at Thornhill Elementary on Saturday, April 20, starting at 10:00 am (during the Thornhill Walkathon)! Fingerprinting is a necessary step to becoming an approved "unsupervised" parent volunteer, allowing you to participate in field trips and chaperone the 4th/5th grade overnight trips. The cost is $44 per person. Sign up now!
OUSD has a process to becoming an approved parent volunteer:
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California Healthy Kids Survey - Let your Opinion Be Known!
Thornhill parents/guardians, let your voice be heard! Consider completing the California Healthy Kids Survey extended to APRIL 30.
Click on this link for Thornhill's parents' CHKS survey.
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Inclusion and Belonging
Hello Thunderbirds!
We would like to invite you to join us for our first ‘Local Social’, where we’ll be finding cool events taking place around Oakland and hoping to team up and go together. We would love for you to join us!
For our first outing, we will be attending the Burn the Wagon live podcast recording at the Oakland Museum of California on Sunday, April 21 at 1pm. Here's a bit more about the event:
Join Juan Dominguez C’ya T’as (red hawk) and Morning Star Gali of the Pit River Tribe and founder of Indigenous Justice, for a live recording of Burn the Wagon podcast as they dive into Climate Action Month and explore issues centering environmental justice including climate change, Indigenous sovereignty, and decolonization. The event will begin with a vibrant opening performance by Yuki Resistance, a Pomo dance group from Covelo, California and conclude with a Q+A session with the audience and a call to action resource table by Indigenous Justice.
You can learn more about the event here and check out the podcast here. Thank you to Thornhill Parent, Christine Fry, for suggesting!
If you would like to join us please contact Sophie Astier via Konstella or email diversity@thornhillschool.org so we can ensure we reserve a spot for you.
We will also be coordinating a tour of the African American Museum and Library at Oakland on May 11 from 12:00-1:00pm followed by drinks, so please add the date to your calendar!
As always, if you would like help to celebrate your culture or identity at Thornhill, please feel free to reach out to us at diversity@thornhillschool.org anytime!
Thank you,
Inclusion and Belonging Team
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Tomorrow is Park & Walk to School!
Tomorrow is the second to last Park & Walk to School Day of the school year! Hop in your car in the morning and head to a parking station near the school to walk along Thornhill Drive with other families! Last month's Park & Walk to School showed a sweet increase in participation, per this photo of Deepa Lounsbury (Green Team) holding the day's mode of transportation chart.
WE CAN DO BETTER! Let's collectively move the stickers from the "car" to the "walk" or "roll" mode of transportation. This multi-benefit initiative brings a healthy boost to the body and mind, community, and planet. There are only 6 weeks left of school and with an earlier sunrise, what's better than a morning stroll talking with fellow school families, keeping our atmosphere clean of pollution, and keeping our roads safe? Lead or join a walking train to Thornhill, be creative, add some tunes on the way or create fun signs! Find your meeting station here!
Thank you,
The Green Team
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Zachary's Dine Out 4/24
Date: Wednesday, April 24
Time: 11:00 AM - 9PM
Location: 5801 College Avenue
Zachary's is giving back! They will generously donate 15% of your pre-tax bill to Thornhill Elementary to support our school. Simply present the event flyer, show on your smartphone or make mention you're with Thornhill Elementary in person.
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Ridwell Plastic Film Drive- Help our School Help our Planet!
Join Ridwell to help Thornhill Elementary recycle plastic film next school year! You can also help Thornhill Elementary recycle our school’s plastic film for the entire ‘24/’25 school year! Be sure to use get.ridwell.com/Thornhill to join Ridwell with an at-home membership by May 31, 2024. If we sign up 10 or more new members by this date, we will be awarded monthly Plastic Film pickups for our school next school year!
Save up your Plastic Film during April and May!
Thornhill Elementary is keeping plastic film from landfills with Ridwell this spring! As part of this limited-time drive, you can bring these types of plastic film to school on April 22 and May 10 and Ridwell will make sure they stay out of landfills and are turned into new decking materials instead! Start collecting these items at home now. Look for the signs and collection bins by the front gates.
Learn more about Ridwell:
Thank you,
The Green Team
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Join Us for the RESCHEDULED Annual Spring Clean on Sunday May 5, 9am to noon
Update: with the rain mid-April, we rescheduled the Spring Clean to a drier day on Sunday May 5.
It's time for our annual Spring Clean! This is a great event where we come together as a school and neighborhood community to help give care and attention to our school grounds. We will be clearing trash and weeds from the front of the school, clearing garbage and leaf debris from the front and back school yards, weeding in the school garden areas, clearing mud and debris from the drainage grates around the school, and generally spiffing up the school (details to follow). Any amount of time and dedication will help get this important job done! All sized and aged hands welcome! Let's get our campus looking its best before the Graduation Ceremony!
Sign up here.
Thank you,
The Green Team
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7 Not-to-be-Missed Hosted Parties!
Hey Thunderbirds! We have 7 opportunities for fun and to raise funds for our wonderful school. There are just over 30 school days left so let’s party our way through the home stretch! Pick a party...
Sunday, April 28: Family Kickball Tournament!
What: Show off your mad kickball skills in a family-friendly Thornhill showdown: The Recess Ramblers vs. The Ballbarians will take the field on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Roberts Regional baseball diamond!
Included: Drinks (beer and nonalcoholic bevvies), snacks for kids and grownups, and team paraphernalia provided.
Cost: $30 per family
Saturday, May 4: Learn to Ride a Bike with Cleary Bikes (one ticket left)
What: Yearning for your kid to finally learn how to ride a bike? Jeff Cleary of Cleary Bikes (and 3rd-grade Thornhill dad) will handle that! At Cleary Bikes headquarters, Jeff and his team will meet with the kiddos in a secured, no-car zone and teach them how to ride, in under two hours (amazing!)
Cost: $50
Saturday, May 4: Guided Scenic Ride Along the Bay
What: Join Jeff Cleary of Cleary Bikes and his team for this invigorating 10-mile waterfront mountain bike ride - for families who know how to ride.
Included: Experienced guides, snacks, coffee, camaraderie, and that feeling of getting an incredible jump on the day with this fun family activity!
Cost: $30 per family
Saturday, May 4: Wine, Whiskey & Poker Night. Taste the whiskeys of the world!
What: Taste and learn about a variety of top shelf whiskeys from around the world and also sample high quality wines from the cellar of a Thornhill family. This whiskey tour will travel through the Scottish Highlands and Isles, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, and Bourbon country.
Included: Food plus Texas hold ‘em poker and other games for an optional $50 buy-in (for charity) with all proceeds going to Thornhill.
Cost: $150, adults only
Sunday, May 5: Sundaes on Sunday for 4th Graders! *Drop-off party*
What: Ice cream party! Calling all 4th graders! Get ready to build your own creative sundaes, run around on the grass, and have a great time!
Cost: $45
Saturday, May 11: Family Capoeira Dance lesson with Ms. Novak!
What: Learn the dynamic Afro-Brazilian art form of Capoeira Angola from our very own teacher Maya Novak. You will be introduced to 30 minutes of music – learning the names of instruments, play rhythms, and singing - followed by 30 minutes of learning basic Capoeira Angola movements.
Included: Take-home coloring pages and light snacks after the lesson.
Cost: $35 per family (one parent, one child)
Saturday, May 18: Karaoke Party at everyone’s favorite pub - Taps and Takeout!
What: Owner and Thornhill dad, Joe Frankel, has lined up an all-inclusive night out that includes: Karaoke, great food and drinks (booze and nonalcoholic alike) and a rollicking good time! Gather with other Thornhill folks for a great party the last weekend before the end of the school year. Make it a grownup night out - OR bring your kids if that's easier.
Cost: $65 per adult (and include one kid if you'd like, or don't have a babysitter for the night).
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Oakland EdFund Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Read-in!
Thornhill will be participating in the Oakland EdFund Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Read-in! On Friday, May 3 from 1-2:30pm, screened volunteers will visit classrooms for twenty minutes to share a read-aloud in celebration of the national heritage month and literature!
We would love to have community members from Thornhill visit classes to read. We will provide a great selection of books, or you can bring one that you would love to share.
Please let Ms. Fox know on this form if you would like to participate in the Read-in!
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Calendar
Tuesday, April 16: PFC Meeting via Zoom @ 6:00 PM
Wednesday, April 17: Walk to School
Saturday, April 20: Walkathon & Carnival 10am-2pm
Saturday, April 28: Auction Party: Family Kickball Tournament! (buy tickets here)
Friday, May 3: Oakland EdFund Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Read-in @ 1:30pm
Sunday, May 5: Annual Spring Clean
Tuesday, May 14: Last PFC Meeting of the school year IN PERSON @ 6:00 PM
Wednesday, May 22: 5th Grade Promotion
Thursday, May 23: Last Day of School
Be sure also to subscribe to the Thornhill Google Calendar here, and download the OUSD District calendar here.
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About the Thornhill Newsletter
The Thornhill Parent-Faculty Club (PFC) Communications team publishes this weekly newsletter each Tuesday in the school year to communicate school, PFC and OUSD news, events and information. We all have plenty of other things to do, but please try to read it weekly, as it will more than likely answer most questions you have about what’s up at school. Information about how to submit to the newsletter is below, but you can reach out at any time at newsletter@thornhillschool.org.
Email submissions to Annie Sartor, at newsletter@thornhillschool.org by 8 p.m. Thursday for approval—nothing sent after this will be included in the following week’s newsletter unless there are extremely compelling extenuating circumstances. It’s fine to include text in the body of the email with links and no formatting, and attach photos preferably as 150 x 150, 72 dpi JPG or GIFs only (not embedded in email or word file). Submissions may be edited for spelling, grammar, brevity and clarity. Advertising and items not related to Thornhill are not accepted, as we need to keep the newsletter focused on need-to-know info for the community.
THANK YOU to everyone who submits articles and to PFC Board Members, Teachers, VP of Communications Jill Evans, PFC Presidents Evie Nagy and Catrina Vrankovich, and Principal Steve Daubenspeck, member of Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).
Email: webmaster@thornhillschool.org
Website: thornhillschool.org
Location: 5880 Thornhill Drive, Oakland, CA, USA
Phone: 510-339-6800