The online auction is closed! Now the live action begins.

If you haven’t purchased your auction passes, click the ticket button at left to buy online. Tickets are $10 in advance, and $15 at the door—so buy ahead! Your name will be on the list if you buy online, so don’t worry if you don’t have a paper ticket.

For the full auction scoop, click the Uptown logo at left. You’ll also find an electronic copy of the full auction catalog.

This adult-only event is open to the community — come one and all!

Peralta is one of just two schools in Oakland Unified to win a state Title I Academic Achievement Award for excellence in overall academic achievement, as well as high performance among socio-economically disadvantaged students. The 2009-2010 awards were announced Feb. 11.

Title I is a federal funding program for schools with a significant percentage of lower income students. Just 238 schools from among the 9,000 in the state received the honor this year. Peralta and Lincoln Elementary were the only Oakland Unified schools on the list, though four Oakland public charter schools were also honored. Peralta’s API score (the primary state measure of school achievement) has risen to 892, and it’s one of just 57 schools in the state where the average API score for African-Americans tops 800.

Upon hearing the news, Principal Rosette Costello said, “Peralta is a community of learning leaders, committed to maintaining the highest standards for ourselves while we support our individual and collective growth. Our dedication to joyful, enthusiastic learning has a strong grounding in the arts. We are determined to model and provide our students lessons of respect and caring for each other, for our elders and for our world. The arts provide an essential link to make that learning relevant for all our students.”

Read the California Department of Education announcement.

Read the full OUSD press realease

Read the Oakland Tribune coverage (Katy Murphy’s blog)

Join us at the February PPTG Meeting on Wednesday, February 3 in Peralta’s Multipurpose Room. Come hear a report from Principal Costello — she always has something interesting to say! — as well as updates on the budget and technology upgrades. We’ll also talk about the upcoming auction and Peralta in Bloom spring festival.

Arrive at 6 p.m. to enjoy the special dinner made by Ellen Oppenheimer’s after-school cooking class. These chefs always get rave reviews! The meeting will start promptly at 6:30pm. Childcare is free.

Check out this recent article in the New York Times on the national public health movement to move recess before lunch. Research shows that when kids play first, they tend to eat better and return to class more focused than when they rush in from the playground. Peralta made the switch this year –ahead of the curve!

The Peralta Auction is coming up March 6th, but the donations are due Feb 12th. If you have an item, an event, or an idea to contribute (or know someone else who does), find the right document for you! Below are links to online forms, as well as documents to download and print.

Links to online donation forms:

Online Form for Merchants

Online Form for Class Gifts

Online Form for “Pay to Play” Events

Online Form for Parent Gifts

Forms to download, print and return to Peralta:

Merchant Donation Request Word Doc

Parent Donation Form PDF

Congratulations to fifth grader, Lilah August who last Thursday became the Peralta Spelling Bee Champion and will represent Peralta at the District Spelling Bee on February 4. Cheers to fourth grader, Max French who will be an alternate.

Congratulations also to all 4th & 5th grade participants invited to the second round based on their performance on a written spelling assessment: Josie, Jayla, Stewart, Lincoln, Kai, Lucas, Kobe, Josh, Darian, Jazmyn, Adrian, Leila, Alma, Tiana, Devin, Eddie, Luca, Gus and Ruby.

Great Job!!!

OUSD Spelling Bee (Elementary School Level)
When: Thursday, February 4, 2010 | 5-6:15pm
Where: Havenscourt Campus Auditorium, 1390 66th Ave.
Who: School site winners in grades 4 & 5, site coaches and coordinators, interested parents and observers
What: Oral competition with multiple rounds of increasing difficulty resulting in a winner and several runners-up who will go on to county competition.
Why: Celebrate excellence, honor student achievement, and prepare for county competition!

Click for more information.

There’s a writer in every child, just waiting for a little encouragement!

Come learn tips from writing coach Anne Diskin on how to encourage your child/ren to be successful, confident writers. Get practical advice and strategies to help your children further develop their writing skills and incorporate writing into their everyday lives. Learn about the development steps all children go through, at their own pace, to master writing. You’ll use this information for years to come!

The sessions are Monday, January 25 for grades K-2 (7-8:30pm), and Tuesday, January 26 for grades 3-5 (7-8:30pm). This is a FREE event for parents and caregivers. All costs covered by Peralta/OUSD & PPTG. Childcare is provided. Please let Rosette or Hellen in the office know if you can attend, so they know how many people to expect (879-1450).

In the short, dark days of winter, when the roads are wet and the wind does blow,
When the salamanders cross the road to breed under the moon’s glow
It’s time to put on the rain gear from head to toe
And walk or ride to school like Henry David Thoreau
Thursday, February 4 is the day to break the status quo, the car keys you shall forego
and while your at it turn off that t.v. show
It’s time to do your part and walk or roll to Peralta with the family in tow
Even carpooling or public transportation is a go, go, go
So walk, roll, carpool or take mass transit with your radiant glow
And look for the table in the yard in front of the fence where the sunflowers grow
If you arrive early there will be cool treats to bestow

Contact Raphie Breines (raphiebreines AT gmail DOT com) with questions or to offer your assistance.

In addition, Peralta’s Safe Routes to School Site Coordinator will be at Peralta the morning of February 4 recruiting to start Walking School Buses, which is a program that forms walking groups comprised of students and adults that walk to and/or from school together.