Songs, Sphinx and holiday spirit

Congratulations to bandleader Mr. Klemenok and the Kenilworth Junior High School Eighth-Grade Symphonic Band for an outstanding performance during the annual downtown Lighted Boat Parade. The students also performed last Monday evening at the event “Getting Geeky,” hosted by local teachers who brought teachers, parents and community members together to see how technology is being used in local classrooms to increase student engagement.

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On Dec. 5, McDowell School hosted two special guests, County Supervisor David Rabbitt and Assistant Director of Human Services for the County of Sonoma Oscar Chavez. While at the school, both gentlemen visited McDowell’s AVANCE class and spoke to the parents about the importance of being involved in their children’s education. Maureen Rudder, McDowell principal; Carol Waxman, principal of Petaluma City School’s Adult School and Vicki Mayster of McDowell Family Resource Center shared information with the special visitors regarding the programs located on the McDowell campus. 

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Dec. 16 was Lincoln School’s annual holiday performance at the Petaluma Elks Lodge. The production ­- “Christmas at the OK Corral” - was a star-studded event featuring all the students from the country-setting schoolhouse on the edge of the Petaluma/Marin County line. The performance did not disappoint, delivering another memorable night of holiday celebrations.

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This week, members of Sonoma County Taiko treated Penngrove Elementary School students to a live performance. Taiko is a fun, energetic activity blending aspects of dance and music according to the organization’s website (sonomacountytaiko.org).

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Egyptian Day at Harvest Christian School took over the campus last week with third graders in Miss Nave’s class “visiting” ancient Egypt while dressed up in Egyptian costumes. The students spent the day making sugar cube pyramids, writing their names in hieroglyphics, demonstrating Egyptian dance moves, reading books about Egypt, learning about a sarcophagus, painting Egyptian toys, completing Egyptian math problems, performing a ceremonial mummy wrapping and building a pyramid out of cardboard boxes.

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Sixth-grade students at Valley Vista Elementary School built underwater SeaPerch ROVs (remotely operated vehicles). Thanks to a generous grant from the SeaPerch Foundation (www.seaperch.org), with additional support from Valley Vista’s PTA, students were able to cut pipe, solder wires, and build complete, functional underwater robots. On Dec. 10, Mr. Granger’s and Ms. Lounibos’ sixth graders took their ROVs to Petaluma High School to test them in the swimming pool and share with Jen Eaton’s engineering class at PHS. 

Excited students took what could be the first steps toward careers in science or engineering as they piloted their ROVs through underwater hula-hoops and landed on an overturned milk crate on the bottom of the pool. A fun part of the day was when Mr. Granger hopped in the pool in full scuba gear to record underwater footage and to set up challenges. PHS principal Mr. Stirrat came out to view the elementary students’ test of their designs. “It was a great opportunity for authentic learning,” shared Mr. Granger.

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On Dec. 6, 15 Valley Vista students, plus Mrs. Ackman, Mrs. Lounibos, and Mrs. Ortlinghaus, completed the Girls on the Run 5K run. Principal Emily Kleinholz offers congratulations to Grace Ackman, Miyeko Burcina, Annika Bush, Greta Choi, Alicia Christensen, Mary Ryan Christensen, Isis Hernandez, Emma Lofgren, Amaya Lounibos, Jade Navarro, Samantha Norwood, Emma Palmer, Daizey Sondag, Leah Truncale and Lorilai Zmarzly for participating in the school’s Girls on the Run program taking place this past semester.

The young ladies achieved their goal and did both themselves and their school proud. A special thanks to the Valley Vista coaches from Athleta: Tracy, Renee, Jing, Betsy and Ashley for their leadership. The spring season of Girls on the Run for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade girls will begin on Feb. 2 with practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., finishing with the 5K fun run on April 26. Online registration will take place in January. For more information on this program and to register to participate visit www.gotrsonomacounty.org.

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Live Oak Charter School, located at the Petaluma Fairgrounds, is hosting a Winter Craft Faire on Dec. 18.

The event is open to the public, and offers family activities and games, costumed strolling carolers, a Scholastic Book Faire and culinary treats. The faire is open from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Children’s activities are from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. For more information, contact the school at 762-9020. Proceeds from the event, coordinated by school staff, will benefit the mission of the Petaluma Educational Foundation.

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