Thornhill Elementary PFC Newsletter

We hope you can join us tonight on Zoom for the PFC meeting! We'll be holding an important vote and sharing other key school updates.

When our school administration identifies a need that OUSD cannot fully fund, the PFC steps in to offer support for vital programs and/or personnel. Recently, Principal Daubenspeck has recognized a need for enhanced mental health services to support Thornhill students, and thanks to our community’s generous contributions and careful budgeting, the PFC is able to help fund this initiative.

School-based mental health services provide critical support, including counseling, brief interventions, and crisis response, all aimed at removing barriers to learning and promoting student well-being.

To meet this need, Thornhill is excited to partner with Hope Reimagined to support students by building accessible, healing-centered support systems tailored to our school community’s unique needs.

Per our bylaws, since this funding was not part of our approved 2024-25 school year budget, we need to hold a VOTE to approve the $15,000 allocation for mental health services. This vote will take place during our PFC meeting TONIGHT at 6:00pm via Zoom.

We hope you'll join us to learn how these mental health services will support our students. Your input is invaluable! This meeting is also a great opportunity to hear about our partnership with Hope Reimagined and ask any questions about the program.

Please see the meeting agenda here.

Warmly,
Catrina Vrankovich & Becky Gonzales
Questions? Email us at president@thornhillschool.org

We want YOU to join the Auction Committee!

Thornhill's 39th Annual Benefit Auction & Dinner will be held Saturday, March 15, 2025 at The Bridge Yard.

URGENT! We need your help to make this year’s Auction a success! Check out the open Auction Committee roles—whether you want to take on a big role or a small one, you can even team up with a friend or two! Every helping hand makes a difference and teamwork lightens the load. Please email Bart Lounsbury at benefit@thornhillschool.org if any of these roles appeal to you.

Being an experienced party planner is not a requirement. You’ll receive guidance and insight shared by past committee members. Help us plan a super FUN party that raises money for our school!

DATE: Wednesday, November 20, 7:30-8:30 pm

LOCATION: ZOOM

Meeting ID: 835 3450 2882

Passcode: Auction

SALES ARE STILL OPEN for the Thanksgiving Pie Pop-up. We have a tantalizing menu of delicious treats ready to grace your holiday table - or feed your family post-holiday breakfast.

Only a few left:

• Pumpkin Pies

• Pecan Pies

• Cherry Brown Betty

• Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

• Basque Cheesecake

• Chocolate Chess Pie

• Classic Coffee Cake

Simplify your holiday celebration by getting a little help from Thornhill friends - you can pretend you made it yourself! Or, show your thanks and buy a pie for a favorite teacher!

Pre-purchase by November 20 and pickup on Sunday, November 24. Order early to reserve your favorite - because of the very limited supplies, it’ll be first come, first served. Just $45 to dazzle your family or show thanks to your friends. Tips welcome - all funds go to the kids.

As a reminder, these bake sales are to offset costs for the annual overnight field trips for 4th and 5th graders - a Thornhill tradition and incredible learning opportunities for the kids. Due to increased trip costs, the fundraising need is sizable: we need to help raise close to $10k.

Please email bakesale@thornhillschool.org to place your order. And spread the word to fellow sweet-tooths beyond the Thornhill community!

In December, look forward to the second annual Great Big Holiday Bake Sale, in partnership with the kid-craft spectacular Holiday Market. The awesomely fun, festive event will take place at school on Saturday, December 14. Mark your calendars and keep an eye out for more info soon.

Thank you for your partnership,
Laura Borrman and Chelsea Boniak

Hey there, amazing families! We're excited to announce a fantastic opportunity to support our school while enjoying some delicious food from our very own Joey Frankel, a dedicated school parent and owner of Taps & Takeout!

Mark Your Calendars!
Join us on Wednesday, 11/20 and Thursday, 11/21 for a dine-out that gives back! Joey will generously donate 20% of all orders to our school!

Why not treat your taste buds and contribute to a great cause at the same time? You can start placing your orders as early as 4:00 PM or wait till 7:30 PM to dodge the dinner rush! Remember to mention Thornhill Elementary when placing your order.

Don't miss out on this tasty opportunity to support our school community. Gather your family, spread the word, and let’s make it a fun dining experience together!

Order up, and thank you for your support,

Jessica Serratos
Thornhill Dineouts Chair
dineouts@thornhillschool.org

At Thornhill, we’re committed to fostering a safe, mindful, and responsible environment for every student. To support this, we ask each family to create a personalized Student Comfort Pack for each child. These packs will be stored on campus with our emergency supplies and distributed if students need to remain on site for an extended period before reunification.

Why Comfort Packs?

While Thornhill maintains essential food and water supplies, a familiar snack, comforting item, or note from home can help children feel more secure in a stressful situation.

How to Prepare

Please put together a small Comfort Pack for your child following the instructions on the enclosed PDF. Suggested items for the packs include high-energy, low-salt snacks (like granola bars or dried fruit), a comfort item (such as a family photo or favorite very small toy), and a simple activity (like a deck of cards or crayons with paper). By providing thoughtful items, you’re helping your child feel supported and safe.

Important: Please send completed Comfort Packs to your child’s classroom by this Friday November 22, 2024. Update and expand your emergency contacts in Aeries, as only listed individuals can pick up your child in an emergency. For questions, contact your child’s teacher or class room parent. Thank you for being a part of keeping Thornhill prepared!

This school year we’re excited to host a series of joint 4th and 5th-grade fundraisers to support scholarships and chaperone costs for two beloved Thornhill traditions: the 4th grade’s trip to Coloma Outdoor Discovery School and the 5th grade’s adventure to the Marin Headlands.

Due to rising trip costs, we’re raising funds to make these trips accessible for everyone. To help reach this goal, we’re thrilled to invite you to the kid-crafted Holiday Market & Winter Social! This festive event, held alongside the The Great Big Holiday Bake Sale, promises an afternoon filled with fun and delicious treats—all for a great cause.

Event Details:
Date: Saturday, December 14

Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Location: Thornhill MPR & Lobby

The Holiday Market will feature handmade crafts by our talented 4th and 5th graders, as well as some Thornhill swag perfect for holiday gifting. All proceeds will go directly toward funding the 4th and 5th-grade overnight trips.

Who Can Participate?

• Sell: Any 4th or 5th-grade student interested in selling their homemade goodies and crafts is welcome to join! The hard deadline to sign up is December 2. Please contact Ms. Katy Geisert at holidaymarket@thornhillschool.org for the link to sign-up.

• The Great Big Holiday Bake Sale: Sign up here to volunteer or to bake. Email Laura Borrman and Chelsea Boniak at bakesale@thornhillschool.org for more info. Regardless of your child’s grade level - all are welcome to join the fun.

• Buy: EVERYONE is invited to the Holiday Market, spread the word to friends, family, and neighbors!

As part of our mission to give Thornhill families opportunities to socialize and get to know more of Oakland as well as each other, we would like to invite you to join us for Creative Growth’s Annual Holiday Show, a vibrant and festive showcase of art created by local individuals with developmental disabilities. This special event highlights the work of artists from Creative Growth, the oldest and largest nonprofit organization of its kind and a true Oakland institution!

We will meet at 6:00pm at the gallery (address below) and spend time enjoying the art and checking out the many unique treasures (perfect for holiday gifting) before moving next door to enjoy some holiday cheer at Two Pitchers. By attending, you’re not only supporting local artists, but also contributing to a meaningful cause that promotes inclusivity and celebrates the beauty of diverse creative voices.

Entry to this event is free and open to all, including kiddos, so please join us and make new Thornhill friends as we celebrate the season of giving, community, and artistic expression!

Date: Friday, December 6
Time: 6:00pm
Meet at: Creative Growth Art Center, 355 24th Street, Oakland, CA 94612

Thank you,
Ibby Sasso and Thornhill’s Inclusion and Belonging Team

ShopRaise Partnership
We’re also excited to introduce our new partnership with ShopRaise this year! Whether you're buying daily essentials like groceries, shopping for home office furniture, or booking your next trip, the ShopRaise app allows you to raise funds for Thornhill Elementary while you shop online—all at no extra cost to you. Now, your everyday shopping can directly support our school. Click the link here to learn more and download the app.

The Thornhill Parent-Faculty Club (PFC) eNews 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 to us at any time at newsletter@thornhillschool.org.

Email submissions to our Newsletter Chair, 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 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, PFC co-Presidents Becky Gonzales and Catrina Vrankovich, VP of Communications Jill Evans, and Principal Steve Daubenspeck, member of Oakland Unified School District (OUSD).