Monday is a National Day of Service to commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a world-famous civil rights campaigner. "He is considered one of the great orators of modern times, and his speeches still inspire many to this day," (ducksters.com). Check out places to volunteer in your home community, read non-fiction books together at your local library (there are plenty of children's books on civil rights), or look up Martin Luther King, Jr. online to read about his contributions and help continue the conversation at home at an appropriate level. There are so many more ways to contribute.

Here are just a few resources to check out:

• PBS NEWS: "Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a U.S. holiday and national day of service. It took a long time for the country to get there"
• City of Oakland: "Oakland MLK Service Day"
• Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: "MLK Weekend of Service"
• National Geographic Kids: "10 Facts About Martin Luther King"

Please join the community in celebrating the life and legacy of this very important man.

Stay Strong, Bulldogs!
Danny Martin
Principal

INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS (IEPs) AT STANBRIDGE
   I hope everyone has had a smooth transition back to the real world following break! As spring begins to approach, it is possible that you have an upcoming IEP meeting. I just wanted to send out a reminder of some ways that Stanbridge can support you through this process.

• Annual meeting: Reach out to gather present levels. Let the district know that you would like someone from Stanbridge to attend. Share my email for meeting scheduling.
• Triennial meeting: Reach out to gather present levels. Have the district connect with Alyssa to fill out any rating scales, or forms for the re-evaluation process. Let the district know that you would like someone from Stanbridge to attend. Share my email for meeting scheduling.
• IEE/Additional Testing: If you are having a provider from outside of the district conduct testing, please connect to Alyssa to assist with scheduling and collecting information.
• Observations: Observations are typically conducted by outside providers or districts to aid their IEP Process. Please connect with Alyssa to coordinate scheduling.

   In all cases, it is best to connect the district/provider directly with myself. This eliminates the middle man and can help make the process more efficient. If you are concerned about this immediate connection, please let me know and all correspondence can be connected with you as well.
   For your knowledge, ALL testing can be completed at Stanbridge. It is where your student is comfortable and feels supported!
– Alyssa Dew, Learning Specialist

POST-SECONDARY TRANSITION SUPPORT

• “Your life is a story of transition. You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving on to the next.” – Anonymous

   The flow of the school year is in constant motion – while students are continually moving to the next unit of study and the next semester, they are building on what they learned and stretching past their comfort zone to take on new challenges. Our seniors are about to start their last semester at Stanbridge and are both ready for and nervous about their next chapter.
   We spent time last semester creating a multi-pathed flowchart that took them from graduation to independence. We traveled to the College of San Mateo, as it was on many of their flowcharts. Our students enjoyed hearing from two alumni, as well as seeing one of the recording studios and their resource center. On February 11th, our Juniors and Seniors will visit San Francisco State and learn more about how they support students.
   In March, we’ll be hosting alumni panels so that both parents and students can hear from alumni. The dates and details will be announced shortly.
– Cindy Schlesinger, Dir. of College Counseling & Transitions

ONLY AT STANBRIDGE
We ended the year with a visit from the one-and-only Stanbridge Santa and lively performances at the Annual Holiday Concert. A highlight of the concert is the leadership of performance arts teacher Tobias Banks, he certainly makes our students shine bright. Thank you all for supporting this annual event. (Stay tuned to social media over break for lots of pictures... and get a sneak peek in the weekly collages below!)

Thank you to the Stanbridge community for your thoughtfulness, generosity, and support. We appreciate the gifts and the snacks that were brought in for the staff on Tuesday, as well as through the rest of the week. We were able to feast on savory and sweet treats all week long!

ANNUAL FUND UPDATE
We have now reached over 85% participation in the 2024-25 annual fund from our parent community! A special thank you to our Advancement committee members Cindy Kuenhle, Kinga Czegeni, and Sherrie Shagong for sending emails and making calls to help us close the gap. It takes a village – we appreciate all you do for our community.

We all wish you health and happiness as you head off into Winter Break to celebrate the holidays. Spending time with friends and family to laugh, relax, and recharge.

Wishing you joy to come in 2025. Happy Holidays!
Julie Smith & Danny Martin

Talking With Your Child About Their Diagnosis
Parents often ask our counselors how and when to talk with their children about their diagnosis. This excellent article from the Child Mind Institute gives guidelines for beginning and continuing this conversation. Even if you have discussed this with your child, the article may be helpful. You'll discover how the ongoing conversation may change as your child grows into adolescence and adulthood. There are additional links on the web page to insightful articles about how to talk with relatives and others about your child's diagnosis.

HS Social Learning
High School students are using Social Learning time to consider how we communicate with words, body language, and gestures. We've looked at slang and when it should be used, how to determine whether teasing is friendly, annoying, or malicious, and the pros and cons of gossiping. Students have had robust discussions about using group chats and how to keep them positive.
​– Mary Stadler, Director of Counseling

It's hard to believe that we have just one more week of school before Winter Break and the new calendar year! It will be a busy week ahead full of festivities and, of course, continued learning. We hope to see all of you on campus for our All School Holiday Concert on Friday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Thank you for your generous response this Giving Tuesday in support of our annual fund. Our community has raised over $160,000 so far with over 70% of our parents contributing. Our annual fund supports all aspects of our program – from Social Learning to scholarships, from Middle El's extensive civic studies to High School Student Government. Application approval for outside grant funding often relies on 100% participation from our community, including trustees, staff, and the parent body, too. There is still time to make a year end gift to our school and to help us reach 100%! Our Board and Parent volunteers will be making phone calls soon to get us to 100%, so avoid the call and make your gift today. Every gift, of any amount, is an appreciated investment in a child’s future here at Stanbridge, and will make a real and significant impact.

Stay Strong, Bulldogs!
Julie Smith
Head of School

   As we head into our Break, many of our families will be observing Thanksgiving. We hope you will have the chance to gather with friends or family and enjoy some special time together. These times, building family traditions and having time together away from the hectic pace of everyday life, form amazing memories for your children.
   Now that the holiday season has begun, we would like to express our deep gratitude to the entire Stanbridge community. To our families that entrust us to care for and educate your children in an environment where they are seen for their individual talents and skills. To the students who continue to grow academically, socially and emotionally and who bring their unique talents to school everyday. And to our faculty and staff who support the learning and holistic health of our students, you are the heart and backbone of our school.
   We hope the week ahead will be restful and joyful! When we return from break, there will be many holidays that are celebrated by our diverse community. We wish each of you a restful season with family and friends as you gather to share time together. 

Stay Strong, Bulldogs!
Julie Smith
Head of School

Our Thanks to You!

ELEMENTARY
It's time to to give thanks for our loving teachers, staff collaboration, family support, school maintenance, opportunities to explore, and our hardworking students. Each day students are learning, growing, and exploring the world around them. This week we had a couple reflection times and just 'paused' to be collectively in the moment with nothing to distract us. I am so grateful I can share joyful moments with them.
– Michele Sumpton, Elementary Division Lead

MIDDLE  SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL
(Tasha is heading back from the Marin Headlands with Middle School today.)
   As Tasha & I reflect back on Q1, we are filled with gratitude. The amazing experiential trips we went on and all the memories we created bring a smile (& playful groan) to our faces. All the constructions, labs and activities the students crushed in our Science classes were great to witness. The pumpkins we carved and the brilliant Halloween costumes made October inspiring. What a phenomenal three months we have had!
   But what we are most grateful for is the trust and support the families have given us. Trusting us with your children and partnering with us to help unlock their full potential makes this endeavor magical. Yes, this is our job, but it's also our fuel. Watching a shy student speak out in class, witnessing an "aha" moment, and working with a student to sculpt their idea into a masterpiece is unique to the field of teaching and especially singular here at Stanbridge. We are so lucky to be here and your child helps make Stanbridge a safe, welcoming, and transformative place.
   Thank you for allowing us to get to know your children, grow with them, and be a part of your lives!
Sincerely,
– Jay Huston, Head of High School
– Tasha Hudick, Middle School Division Lead

SAVE THE DATE!

Dear Stanbridge Parents,
It is hard to believe that November has arrived. The Book Fair is here, Turkey BINGO is right around the corner, Winter Clubs will come out next week, and we are looking ahead to the end of our first semester. It’s been an incredible school year already…with so much more to come!

This Monday is a day off for students for the second day of online Parent-Teacher Conferences. For those who served in the military or have family members who served, Monday is also for you – we humbly thank you for your service this Veteran's Day and every day.

We have a large internal class of 5th graders this year. As such, we have decided to hold another “Stanbridge family only” Open House–this time for incoming Middle School families–to learn more about our amazing program. Upper Elementary families are welcome to join us on the morning of December 3rd from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Come learn about the middle school program, tour classrooms, and get questions answered the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The heart of our school is our students and we hope that you will continue your journey here with us! (To accommodate the tremendous interest in our Middle School program from families outside of Stanbridge, we will host an Open House for the public the following Tuesday, December 10th.)

Read about the Book Fair, learn our first day total, check out next week's hours, and see more pictures by CLICKING HERE!

Stay Strong, Bulldogs!
Danny Martin
Principal

The Book Fair is finally here and what a successful day we had! On opening day, all classes walked through to view and make purchases. Today alone our families purchased nearly $2,000 in books and merchandise! (That's $500 in Scholastic credit for the Stanbridge Library!)

If you are coming in to look at the book fair or to buy your child's books, please plan to park in marked spaces and walk in. (Construction on Claremont is finally done, too!) Cars left without drivers in the drop-off/pick-up line, even "for just a few minutes," can cause lengthy traffic jams in the paring lot. Appropriate parking will help our arrival and dismissal times to run more smoothly. Thank you for your consideration.

The eWallet option is very helpful for students and families. It is important to let your child know if you have set up an eWallet for them as some students may erroneously think they have money available. CLICK HERE to get started with eWallet (especially important for shuttle riders)! Anyone can contribute to your child's eWallet, just share the link with family members far and wide for easy gift giving for the holidays – we still get the credit if purchased online by Nov 21. And there's a warehouse full of books online, too! Just create an account so we still get the 25% credit from your purchase before November 21.

Finally, we know how exciting the Annual Book Fair is (we are excited, too!). Middle Schoolers may have big feelings that they will be missing part of it due to the awesome Nature Bridge overnight to the Marin Headlands this Wednesday (Nov 13)-Friday (Nov 15). We’ve got great news – they will get additional class time in the Book Fair! MS students can shop the Book Fair during the entire 1st Period on Wednesday morning before they leave on their trip. They can buy a book or two to bring with them (we suggest writing their name in it). Or they can store purchases at school until they return, if they are worried about it getting lost.

Dear Stanbridge Parents,
     Thank you to all the families, alumni, and friends who showed up last Sunday at the Burlingame Community Center park for our annual picnic and Annual Fund Kick-off. We were very successful and are at 60% of our goal of 100% participation from parents. If you haven’t had a chance to make your Annual Fund gift, please click here to help us meet our goal. If you are giving through a platform such as Bright Funds, Benevity, Cybergrants or Front Door, please send Arielle Hendel, Advancement Director, an email to be on the look out for your gift. Giving through these platforms often triggers a matching gift which amplifies your gift and is very much appreciated!
     The Annual Fund bridges the gap between our expenses and the costs to run the school. Every gift helps! When we look for outside funding from foundations and community partners, they want to know that our community believes in itself enough to provide as much of its own support. Thank you to the families who have already made their gift or pledge. We appreciate you very much!
     Thank you as well to all the Middle School families that joined us over the last few weeks for our Transitioning to High School meetings. If you missed the meetings, you can view the slide deck here. If you have any questions about your 8th grader transitioning next year, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. 

     Student Government is excited to announce an important update with regard to the monthly Pizza Sale. As has been alluded to in a few of the Bulletins this school year, Student Government has been researching other options with which to get our pizza from for the Pizza Sale. Student Government felt that it was an appropriate time to find another restaurant that was reasonably priced but also offering quality pizza which the students could enjoy. 
     Several members of Student Government researched different pizza places, looking at their prices, checking to make sure we had a gluten free option, and seeing the reviews of various pizza establishments. We narrowed it down to two new options which we then decided to taste-test to see if we felt the quality of the pizza was up to snuff for our student body. We taste tested Costco pizza and also Little Caesars pizza. We had our vote in this week's Student Gov meeting and have decided to switch to Costco pizza! 
     We will continue to offer cheese and pepperoni pizza. What has changed is that we won't be selling gluten-free pizza anymore, but rather selling a chicken Caesar salad, which will be our gluten-free option. The Costco chicken Caesar salad comes with croutons, but they come in a separate pouch, so those who are gluten free simply don't have to have the croutons. [Caesar dressing is also not gluten free, but also comes on the side. We have ordered ranch dressing pouches for gluten-free students ordering salad.]
     Student Government is excited to make this switch to Costco pizza, starting with the next Pizza Sale–Friday, November 8th. The Pizza Form, included in this Bulletin, has been updated to reflect the slight changes in what we will be selling for the Pizza Sale. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this switch, please don't hesitate to reach out. The members of Student Government are super excited to make this switch, which has been months in the making, and we look forward to seeing students' reactions to the new pizza!
–Kenny Katz, Student Government Faculty Advisor

 Dear Stanbridge Community,
   We look forward to meeting Parents and Guardians at our “Back-to-School Night” this coming Thursday, September 19, on campus. Please plan to arrive early for parking in the surrounding neighborhood and attendance in person.

Elementary Division – 2:00 PM on campus before pickup
   We invite Elementary Parents and Guardians to attend our Back to School Open House from 2:00-2:45 PM. Hear from school leadership, see the classrooms, meet fellow parents, and hear from your child's teacher. 

Middle School and High School Divisions – on campus from 6:00 - 8:00 PM
   Be sure to pick up your schedule in Hayden Hall before joining us outside for the introductory part of our evening. We expect a full house! Meet and greet School Leadership at 6:00 in the Courtyard for introductions and an informative slide deck. Afterwards, Parents and Guardians will rotate through their children's classroom schedule to meet the teachers and hear about the coming year. We are thrilled to see returning parents and new families alike!
​
   A reminder that Friday, September 20th is a Professional Development Day.  Students do not have classes next Friday.
Stay strong, Bulldogs!
– Danny Martin, Principal

   The Bulldog Blog is back! This year you will be able to review weekly divisional postings from the Bulldog Bulletin, as well as classroom happenings, student work, and photos from Stanbridge events and around the campus. The blog is public and categories are searchable in case you want to find or share something, too.
    Let's kick it all off with fun things our staff did this summer!