THE CHALKBOARD: Valley Vista Council leads COTS food drive

At Valley Vista School, the Student Council is made up of two or three students in each of the fourth- through sixth-grade classrooms. These student representatives lead the weekly assembly, coordinate fundraising projects as well as supporting large, school-wide events through their creativity and leadership under the guidance of Mrs. Ackman, fourth-grade teacher. Currently, the group is coordinating a COTS Food Drive collecting non-perishable food items. The fifth- and sixth-grade music students are looking forward to performing fun songs and pieces for a student audience and the school community later this month. It is sure to be a festive performance and a nice way to spread some holiday cheer.

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The Grant School community hosted a donation drive for the Petaluma Animal Services, collecting food, towels, toys and supplies for the animals. “We are touched by all this kindness,” shares the shelter staff. Also helping our furry friends is a group of young ladies form St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School. Eighth graders Amanda, Jane and Zoey participated in a craft fair at Sunrise Assisted Living where they staffed a booth selling homemade dog treats and toys. Anything they didn’t sell, they brought to Petaluma Animal Services. The girls raised $175 from the proceeds so it was a twice the treat for the shelter during this holiday season.

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Crossroad Continuing Day School teacher Mike Watt, who is also a mentor through Mentor Me, recently shared news about the newly funded monthly Club Mentor program started by the McNear Elementary School PTA. The group provided Mentor Me with $1,000 that will cover the special program costs for the year.

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K-U-D-O-S to all the outstanding spellers at Cinnabar School. On Tuesday, the campus held a Spelling Bee where the champion speller was George Mayo in sixth grade. Runner up was Ciera Wallace Berry in fourth grade. A total of 12 students represented their individual classes in grades fourth through sixth participating in the contest in front of their peers. These students will now move on to the regional spelling bee at Corona Creek School in February.

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The holiday spirit was in the air on Tuesday morning at the Mystic Theater. More than 450 local elementary school students attended one of two free showings of the professionally presented “A Christmas Carol” as part of the Petaluma Educational Foundation’s Live Theater Program. This season’s performance was presented by the North Bay Association of Realtors Petaluma Chapter. Students enjoyed the age-appropriate play and were able to participate in a question and answer session with the actors following each performance. A few lucky attendees were selected to join he actors on stage during the play and become part of the story.

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Last week Spring Hill School Upper Elementary students were visited by Petaluma Planning Commission Member, architect and urban planner Bill Wolpert. He spoke with the students about how early cities were formed and planned as well as about Petaluma’s growth, sustainable building, safe bike paths and also shared a vision for the future of Petaluma. Mr. Wolpert’s visit ties into the school’s year-long deep dive research project about Petaluma.

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Diana Spalding of the Petaluma Library announces the Sonoma County Library will offer a free five-hour, two-part, two-and-a-half hour each session SAT preparation course the first week of January for high school students who will be taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test in winter or spring 2017. Registration opened on Dec. 3. Registration forms are available at the three participating libraries: Petaluma Regional Library, Central Santa Rosa Library and Healdsburg Regional Library. Space is limited, and the classes are likely to fill quickly. The classes at the Petaluma Library take place on Jan. 5 from 2:30 p.m. unitl 5 p.m. (Part 1) and Jan.6, from 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. (Part 2). Students are expected to attend both parts 1 and 2, and attendance is limited to 25 students. The class will be taught by local test preparation consultant Ellen Jakes Kelm, PhD.

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