THE CHALKBOARD: Ritzy Doyle gives incentive to Lincoln students

Lincoln School students are getting some extra special acknowledgment for getting their work done quietly, doing an extra-good job on their assignment, or just being a good friend to someone in class, says Principal Sandy Doyle. When Doyle observes these behaviors in her students, she invites them to have one-on-one time with Ritzy Doyle, the campus’ new pup, for some quiet reading time with this cuddly companion.

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Author Eric Dinerstein visited several campuses recently to meet students and share passages from his new book, “What Elephants Know.” These visits were arranged by Copperfield’s Bookstore. One of his stops was at Grant Elementary School. Dinerstein engaged fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders in a conversation about the new book. McNear Elementary sixth-graders listened to Dinerstein talk about his work in Nepal. He also read parts of his book to the group of students. Students were able to get a signed copy of his new book during the visits. Lincoln School was another stop on the author’s tour of local schools where students gathered around to ask questions of the author and hear about his adventures.

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The second annual Touch-A-Truck/Alex’s Lemonade Stand hosted by River Montessori Charter School was a big hit. Generous community participants who provided a hands-on-learning opportunity for children at the event included: PG&E, United Parcel Service, United States Postal Service, Verihealth, Petaluma Police, California Highway Patrol, Petaluma Fire Station N0. 3, Pace Sweeping and Ghilotti Construction, along with some of River Montessori Charter School families who provided a horse trailer, dune-buggy, welding truck/equipment, stone mason crane, forestry ranger truck and even a motor home. The event had an estimated 300 children and their families exploring and donating to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. The event is a platform to showcase Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to raise awareness and funds for research/battle childhood cancer. The RMCS tag line for this event is “Kids fighting Kids’ Cancer.” Visit the RMCS/Alex’s Lemonade Stand Facebook page to learn more about the event.

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Goats at Valley Vista! the Petaluma City Schools maintenance department contracted with Billy’s Mini Goat Grazing to bring a herd to Valley Vista Elementary this week. These hungry critters are clearing a piece of the school property that is heavily wooded, steep and rocky. What a scene for students to see as they spot these critters working hard as they munch and climb around the hillside around campus. The goats come with a llama that guards the herd from potential threats. Principal Catina Haugen shares they plan to affectionately refer to this goat protector as the Guard Llama.

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Cinnabar School is off to a great running start with the school’s “Every student is a Marathon Runner” program, according to Principal Tracie Kern. All transitional kindergarten through eighth-grade students have started running their laps, and are keeping track of their marathon goals. Students learn how to record and graph progress on their marathon goals in class. Cinnabar’s monthly student assemblies recognize each student’s running benchmarks. The running program is an important part of campus Health, Wellness and Fitness programs, shared Kern.

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Carpe Diem and Sonoma Mountain high schools enjoyed their first hike of the year to Tennessee Beach in Marin County. While at the beach, the students were met by deputy chief ranger Chad Marin and chief ranger Randy Lavassuer of the National Park Service. The rangers spoke to the students about internships and career opportunities with the National Park Service, reports Principal Greg Stevenson.

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Stevenson also is excited to share that science teacher Jessica Dennen was awarded a “Solar Suitcase” grant sponsored by PG&E. Sonoma Mountain High and Carpe Diem High are two of only 17 high schools selected in Northern California for the project. Along with the solar project, the students also will be completing a sustainability project in conjunction with Friends of the Petaluma River. Based on the quality of the projects in total, two of the 17 schools will be selected to escort the solar suitcases to Kenya. The suitcases, provided by We Share Solar, will provide electricity to people who currently live without it.

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Harvest Christian School’s Parent Teacher Fellowship Group has received honorable mention in the nationwide PTO Today Parent Group of the Year search for 2016. “We are so thankful for the recognition,” says Kerri Peterson. Kudos, Harvest.

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The free Path to College workshop series continues at the Petaluma Regional Library this fall with free educational programs for high school students and their families. “How to Tackle the Application Essay & UC Prompts” will be held on Sept. 24 from 2-3:30 pm. This hands-on workshop is intended for high school seniors writing application essays and answers to the University of California personal insight prompts. The workshop covers how to determine which topics to choose and how to approach them, and includes free writing and brainstorming exercises, plus sharing your stories, and crafting an essay that is authentic, introspective, and captivating to the reader. It is suggested you bring your laptop to begin writing your essays. This is a free program and is limited to 12 students. “Demystifying & Simplifying the College Admissions Process” will be held on Oct. 1 from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. This is a free, bilingual English/Spanish workshop for students and parents to explore options, and discover how to choose the right colleges, plus learn how to create a strategy that will allow you to approach the process with confidence, according to instructor Christine Lee. Topics include SAT and ACT testing, college selection, financial aid and essay writing. Both workshops will be held at the Petaluma Regional Library. For more information and to register, call 763-9801.

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(Maureen Highland is a Petaluma mother and executive director for the Petaluma Educational Foundation. She can be reached at schools@ar guscourier.com)