We look forward to seeing all of your students back at school, rested and ready to learn on Monday, January 5th.

As the holidays draw closer, frazzled parents wonder how to fit in time for their families. Accept that you can't do everything. You don't have to prepare that dish just because your mother always did. Your kids will only be young once. The time you spend with them is one of the most precious gifts you can give them. Once the time is gone, you will never get it back. When you think back to holidays from your childhood, do you remember "things" or time with your family? Here's a list of really important gifts for children:

• Time spent together
• Understanding
• Forgiveness
• Support
• Peace
• Unconditional love
• Acceptance
• Humor
• The love of reading
• Empathy
• Tolerance to allow children to be who they are, not who we want them to be
• Most importantly, being the best parent you can be!

Pat Belvel will be teaching a class on parenting skills beginning on Tuesday, January 20th and running for five sessions. Classes will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in the GLC on Tuesday nights through February 24th. (There will be no class during the February vacation.)

A flier with more information with a sign-up sheet is available in the office. Be sure to return the form as soon as possible as space for the class is limited, and it will be open to other schools in the district.

Our lost and found bags are overflowing with shirts, jackets, lunchboxes and backpacks. Please remember to check the bags located near the restrooms. Any unclaimed items as of December 19th will be donated to charity. We would like to suggest that items the children bring to school be labeled, so they could be returned in case they are lost and found.

Kindergarten registration begins on February 2, 2009. Registration packets may be picked up by the parent at the neighborhood school beginning January 26, 2009. Any child who will be five years old on or before December 2, 2009 is eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2009-10 school year. Registration requirements:

1. Verification of date of birth (original birth certificate or passport)
2. Complete immunization records
3. Proof of residence (rental/lease agreement or property tax bill with an original, current PG&E bill). If you have not received your first PG&E bill, you will be given a 30-day conditional registration.
4. One additional form of identification (California driver's license, bank statement, pre-printed check, car insurance, etc.)

Students must be residing in the district at the time of registration. All in-district kindergarten students must be registered at their neighborhood school before requesting open enrollment or an alternative program.

If you have any general questions regarding kindergarten registration, open enrollment or alternative education, please call (408) 252-3000, ext. 110, or check the district website at http://cupertino.ca.campusgrid.net/home

Our School Site Council met on December 11th. The following was discussed:

• Budget
• District/State Budget
• Response To Intervention
• Project Cornerstone

To be successful in school, children must learn to share and become less selfish. A little philanthropy - giving to others - will help your child do this. There are many ways parents can promote giving this season and all year long. Here are a few ideas:

• Introduce the word philanthropy. It means sharing your time or talent to help other people.
• Identify volunteers and other people in your community who give. Talk about how special and important these people are.
• Let your child see you giving and let her participate. Take her with you when you volunteer. Ask what charities she'd like to help.
• Help your child make simple gifts to give to family and friends or to distribute at a shelter. She'll discover the joy of giving something she's made.
• Have your child gather toys and clothes she's willing to donate to a charity. Be sure to take her with you when you drop them off.
• Cook soup or bake something together to take to a sick or elderly neighbor.
• Praise your child when she gives to others. Point out how good it makes her feel to share with other people and to know she has made a difference in someone's life.       - Source: Parent Institute

The Cupertino Union School District announces an opening on the District's Board of Education. Eligibility for membership on the school board is described in the Education Code excerpt below. The position will be filled by appointment extending until the next general election in November 2009.

Citizens who are interested in membership on the school board may enter the appointment process by filing a completed application packet with the Superintendent on or before January 14, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Application packets will be available starting December 17, 2008, during normal working hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) from the Office of the Superintendent, Cupertino Union School District, 10301 Vista Drive, Cupertino. Application forms will not be mailed. Please note that the District Office will be closed from December 22, 2008 through January 2, 2009, for Winter Break.

The Board of Education will conduct applicant interviews in public session starting at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, January 26, 2009.

ELIGIBILITY
Any person, regardless of sex, who is 18 years of age or older, a citizen of the State, a resident of the school district, a registered voter, and who is not disqualified by the Constitution or laws of the State from holding a civil office, is eligible to be elected or appointed a member of a governing board of a school district. (Education Code Section 35017)

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION
An understanding of a public school district and the role of a member of the Board of Education is desirable.

Given the unprecedented magnitude of the state budget crisis and the uncertainty surrounding Cupertino Union School District's funding, Superintendent Phil Quon will be holding a number of budget impact meetings throughout the District during January 2009. The Superintendent would like to invite all interested parents and community members to attend and hear what steps the district is taking to try and weather the state budget crisis. Please attend any meeting that is convenient for you. Here is a list of schedule and location of the meetings:

• Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 6:00-7:30pm
  Cupertino Middle School, Gymnasium (1650 S. Bernardo Avenue in Sunnyvale)
• Monday, January 12, 2009 - 6:00-7:30 pm
  Hyde Middle School, Multi-Purpose Room (19325 Bollinger Road in Cupertino)
• Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 6:00-7:30pm
  Lawson Middle School, Event Center (10401 Vista Drive in Cupertino)
• Thursday,January 15, 2009 - 6:00-7:30 pm
  Kennedy Middle School, Multi-Use Room (821 Bubb Road in Cupertino)
• Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 7:00-8:30 pm
  Miller Middle School, Gymnasium (6151 Rainbow Drive in San Jose)

If you have any questions, please contact Jeremy Nishihara at (408) 252-3000, Extension 323.