Foothill e-Gazette  

  Published by the Foothill PFA                                                           August 2 , 2017
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Important Dates 

Aug 10 -  Walk-Thru

Aug 14 - Orientation
*Camp Griffin for incoming 6th graders @ 9:00am

*New 7th and 8th Graders to Foothill @11:30am

Aug 22 - First Day of School

Aug 25 - Welcome Breakfast for Parents @ 7:45am  

For the complete Foothill calendar, click here.

In This Issue
Quick Facts for Walk Thru August 10
Emergency Card Update Process
Address Verification
Walk Thru Volunteers Needed
Attention 7th Grade Parents
What is the Ed Fund?
Magazine Drive
Lunch Activity Volunteer Update
Shop and Earn for Foothill
Online Parent Community
Community Announcements
                                                                                                                                                   
Walk Thru is Thursday, August 10

Foothill Middle School and PFA are busy gearing up for Walk Thru on August 10. Detailed information is on the Foothill website, but here's a quick recap of what to expect:
  • Walk Thru is August 10 from 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. Scheduled times are by last name, and details are posted on the Foothill website. 
  • In order to obtain your child's class schedule, you MUST update your Emergency Card information online using HomeLink by doing what is called Data Verification. The Data Verification process is open starting today, August 2.
  • You will need to bring a printed copy of the Emergency Card showing proof that you have updated your child's data in order participate in Walk Thru or you will not be able to get receive your child's schedule that day. No Emergency Card = No Walk Thru.
  • Ed Fund donations can be made online via PayPal or in person at Walk Thru.
  • Volunteer help at Walk Thru is needed. We need 90+ volunteers to help ensure a smooth day for all. Click here to sign up.
  • Foothill and ASB contributions will be made in person, so bring a check book with multiple checks (no credit cards or bills over $20.00 if paying with cash).
  • School Supply list can be found here.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
 
                                                                                                                                                   
Data Verification - Emergency Card Process

YOU WILL NEED A PRINTED COPY OF YOUR CHILD'S UPDATED EMERGENCY CARD IN ORDER TO ATTEND WALK-THRU ON AUGUST 10 AND RECEIVE YOUR CHILD'S CLASS SCHEDULE. TO UPDATE YOUR CHILD'S INFORMATION, YOU MUST HAVE A PARENT HOMELINK ACCOUNT.
  
See Foothill Middle School's website for step-by-step instructions on how to do the Data Verification. The window to update your child's data opens today, August 2.

MINI WALK THRU - AUGUST 15
If you are unable to print, do not have access to a computer, or are unable to do the update prior to Walk Thru, Foothill Middle School will have access for you during a mini Walk-Thru on August 15. Please see Foothill's Website Walk-Thru page for times: www.foothillmiddle.org
  
If you have any questions, please email Ellen Martin: [email protected]

Thank you!
 
                                                                                                                                                   
Address Verification for Incoming 6th Graders

Mount Diablo Unified School District will be conducting residency verification for all 6th and 9th grade students entering MDUSD schools at walkthrough registrations in August. This is a requirement for all students who enter these schools. This fall we will ensure this is the case at the three grade levels of elementary, middle, and high school by doing the verification in TK/kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grades. Residency verification is necessary to ensure that MDUSD students attending our schools are residents of their neighborhood school or are on a valid intra-district transfer.

Parents/guardians and students must adhere to the required proof of residency verification for enrollment at a MDUSD school (exceptions are made for Homeless and Foster Youth in accordance with the law).

Families are required to have three original, current forms of residency verification on file, one of which must be a photo ID, in order to attend a MDUSD school. 

Please click here to view acceptable sources of residency verification along with the letter sent by the MDUSD Director of Student Services.

Should you have any questions regarding these residency verification procedures, please contact Mt. Diablo Unified School District - Student Services Office at 682-8000 ext. 4069.

                                                                                                                                                   
Help Needed at Walk Thru  - Volunteer and Avoid the Lines!

  • The more volunteers we have, the shorter the lines will be and the quicker everyone can complete the process! We need about 90 parent volunteers to staff Walk Thru.
    • 6th grade parents - don't be shy! We need your help too and it's a great way to jump in and get to know the school. 
  • Shifts are 3 hours in length. The first hour you go through Walk Thru and get trained, the next 2 hours you are working your shift.
  • If you are unable to help the day of Walk Thru, but want to lend a hand - volunteers are also needed on other days. Be sure to check out the sign up for other opportunities to help.
We appreciate your help with this important day and time of year to get students up and running!

If you have any questions, please contact Katie Dresdow or Anna Saunders 


                                                                                                                                                   
Attention 7th Grade Parents - T-Dap

Now is the time to make sure your 7th grader has his/her T-Dap shot. 

Not having proof by August 4, 2017 may affect your ability to participate in Walk-Thru 
on August 10.   

The Pertussis Booster Immunization (also called Whooping Cough or more commonly known as Tdap) is required for your student to attend 7th grade.  It is the law (California law AB 354). 
 
All 7th grade students will be required to show proof that they have the pertussis booster immunization aka Tdap.  Without proof, you child will not be allowed to attend school on August 22, 2017. 
 
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)  is a very contagious respiratory disease that can be severe and last for months.  The immunity received from early childhood immunization wears off over time, leaving infants, older students and adults susceptible to pertussis.   
 
Immunization with the T-dap booster shot can protect the spread of the disease to infants that are too young for their shot, students, schools, and communities against pertussis. 
 
Your child may have had their T-dap booster shot.  Please provide proof from your healthcare provider by dropping off a copy or emailing proof to the Foothill Office: 
Mary Shepherd  [email protected] 
 
If your child has not had their T-dap booster shot yet, please contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible to arrange a time for the T-dap booster shot.  After the appointment, please provide proof to the Foothill Office. 
 
 
- Thank you from the Foothill Office Staff
 
 
                                                                                                                                                   
What is the Foothill Educational Support Fund (Ed Fund)?
 
The Foothill Educational Support Fund is the Parent Faculty Association's primary source of funds to bridge the gap between public funding and the current, true cost of education at Foothill.

The Foothill Ed Fund picks up the tab for programs and staff positions that would be unavailable to our students through public funding alone.

The Ed Fund provides funding for:
  • Smaller class sizes for math and science in all grades
  • School-wide technology upgrades
  • Lunchtime library access for all students
  • Computer lab instructional assistant
  • Crossing Guards
  • Technology support for students and faculty

The Ed Fund is financed through voluntary donations from Foothill families. We are so grateful for the generous support of the Foothill community. All Foothill students benefit from the enhancements provided through the Ed Fund; all Foothill families are expected to contribute what they can to the Ed Fund.

The suggested donation for 2017-18 is $300 per child.

You can donate in person at Walk Thru on August 10, or you can make an online donation now.

to make a tax deductible donation to the Ed Fund.

We know every family situation is different so the goal of Ed Fund is to achieve 100% participation regardless of the dollar amount.  No amount is too small, and every dollar makes a difference for our school.   Now more than ever, during these times of budget constraints in education, we need the support of every family. Thank you!


Double Your Donation with Corporate Matching!

The donations you make to Foothill Middle School at Walk Thru or online may be eligible for Corporate Matching Funds -- doubling the value of your donation.  In order to make this happen, the employee must make the request to their company.   Most employers now have corporate matching forms online, so no paperwork is needed. If your donation is eligible for matching, request the match from your employer and we will do the rest.  

If you are unsure about your company's policy, search for "matching gifts" on your company intranet, or contact your HR department.
It only takes a minute to submit a matching request and it makes a really big difference for our school. The information you will need is simply 
  • Our name-Foothill Parent-Faculty Association
  • Our address-2775 Cedro Lane, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 
  • Our tax ID number- 68-0015686
  • The date and amount of your gift 
It's that easy!  The Matching Funds Program runs all year long!

Anna Halverson and Camellia Wirig
2017-2018 Ed Fund Chairs
 
                                                                                                                                                   
Foothill Magazine Drive!
 
The Foothill PFA will be conducting our annual magazine  subscription fundraiser from 
September 27 - October 12  this fall. Please save your subscriptions by not ordering directly from the publishers. 
 
If you would like to place your orders early, you may do so now online at  www.apmags.com. Students will receive prize credit for all orders placed from now until the sale's conclusion. 
 
Our school code for online ordering is  FOOTHILLMS .  
 
We have over 650 magazine offers that you may order at special discount prices. You may renew the magazines you already take, order new subscriptions or give them as gifts (gift cards are also available). 
 
This year we will be offering many more digital subscriptions for your computer, iPad, Kindle, etc. The number of titles offered digitally is increasing each year. 
 
Aside from Educational Fund donations, Foothill's  magazine  drive is our sole PFA fundraiser for the school year. Revenues from the  magazine  drive help pay for such PFA-sponsored initiatives as
*   Additional sections of math and science in all grades to reduce class size
*   Lunchtime library access
*   Crossing Guards
*   Computer lab assistant
*   Technology support
Thank you for your support of this worthwhile cause.
 
 
                                                                                                                                                   
Lunch Activity Volunteer update

It's that time again!  As you make your school year plans, pleas e work in a few days to help with Lunch Time Activities. If you have an incoming 6th grader,  this is a great way to get acquainted with the campus and start putting those new names with faces. Dates have been added to the  noon  time volunteer calendar through Winter Recess. Click below and sign up today - volunteering at lunch is a great way to help on campus and connect with your child(ren). There is a wide variety  of jobs available from library to recycle monitor. 
 
Please click here to sign up online or email the  Lunch Volunteer Coordinator

                                                                                                                                                   
Shop for Foothill and Earn

Help earn money for Foothill every time you shop at Amazon and Sports Basement.  

Please bookmark the link below to our Amazon page AND share the link with your family and friends who want to help us maximize this funding. You must use this link for Foothill to receive credit.


This same link is also available on the homepage of the Foothill PFA website. At the top of the page you will see an Amazon banner. Just click through the banner link on the PFA site to shop with Amazon and earn for Foothill. 

Sports Basement  -  Become a Basementeer! Our longtime partner, Sports Basement, is spinning the traditional loyalty program into a win-win for their loyal customers and our community. Basementeer's receive 10% and give 10% back to Foothill. 
  • 10% off every item every day
  • 10% of profits back to your favorite local charity or school
So, on your next visit to Sports Basement, register as a Basementeer or update your account and select Foothill Middle School as your beneficiary!

There is more information available on the  PFA Website

Thanks for shopping for Foothill!
  
                                                                                                                                                   
Online Parent Community

Need to ask a question, get reminders about upcoming PFA activities or connect with other parents at Foothill? Join the  Foothill Middle School Parents group on Facebook. Once logged in, request to join the group.

                                                                                                                                                   
Community Announcements

If you know of an interesting community event or activity that you think the Foothill Community would benefit from knowing about, please send the information to [email protected] so we can pass it along. Community Announcements will be included in the regular e-Gazette that is published the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

                                                                                                                                                   

  
The Foothill PFA publishes the e-Gazette the first and third Wednesdays each month. Our goal is to provide information to the Foothill community in a timely manner. To submit an article for review, please send 150 words or less article as text in an email to [email protected]. Please send picture/clip art that you would like included with your article as an attachment in .jpg format. 

Please click here for the e-Gazette submission deadline and publication dates.