The goal setting conferences will take place October 5th - 13th. Please be prompt in picking up your child at dismissal time (12:25pm).

Schedule: All Grades 8:00-12:25

• Recess: 10:00-10:20
  
• Lunch:
  
  Grade K     11:20 -11:50
  Grades 1-2     11:30 -12:00
  Grades 3-4     11:40-12:10
  Grade 5     11:50-12:20
  

Children may not remain on the school grounds unsupervised while waiting for a parent to arrive for a conference or during the conference. Students may be included in the conference, if specifically arranged by a teacher.

Please take the time to check your schedule to assure you will be able to attend at your scheduled time. It is very difficult to reschedule if you wait until the week of conferences. It is also important that you show up on time, as teachers have to adhere to a strict schedule to ensure that they are able to meet with all the parents in their classroom. Also, please be prompt in picking up your child at dismissal time (12:25pm). Thank you.

The PTA invites you to submit an entry to the PTA Reflections Competition. This year's theme is "Beauty is...!". Competition is open to all students from grades K - 5. The deadline for submissions is 3 pm Friday, October 16, 2009. Entry forms for each category are available in the office. For additional information, please contact Suneetha at nimitzreflection@gmail.com.

Listed below are some questions to assist you in making the most of your conference.

• What skills will my child be expected to master this year? If you know that he's expected to know his multiplication tables by the end of the year, then you'll be prepared to help him master them. If fifth graders do a big project on ancient Egypt, then you'll be prepared.

• How will you evaluate my child's progress? Schools use testing in different ways. Kids who don't do well on some tests might have to go to summer school. Other tests could decide who gets into a special program.

• What can I do at home to help? As a parent, you have a critical role to play in helping your child. Ask the teacher how much time your child should expect to spend on homework. Ask if there are other ways you can support learning at home.

• What is the best way for us to communicate with each other? You're still the best expert on your child. You'll know the day he's sad because his goldfish died - or the day he struggled with his math homework. The more you can share those things with the teacher, the better your child's year will be.

     -Reprinted with permission from Parents make the difference!®

In an effort to save paper and reduce duplicating costs, the Dolphin Newsletter will be emailed to parents who have signed up as part of the parent email group beginning October 8th. In addition, a paper copy of the Dolphin will be sent home with the youngest or only child of each Nimitz family. This will greatly help the school by saving over 15,000 sheets of legal-sized blue paper for the school year! Please note that all communication from teachers will continue to be sent home with each child. If you would like to be included in the parent email group, the forms are available in the office. If you do not receive an email or a paper Dolphin newsletter on October 8th, please email nelsen_kristen@cusdk8.org.

Please remember that adults volunteering in any capacity, including noontime supervisors, classroom volunteers and field trip drivers, must have a current (dated within the last four years) negative tuberculin test on file with the school. The Intradermal Mantoux PPD Skin Test is given at most medical clinics. A voucher from the Cupertino Medical Clinic is available in the office. The test costs $15.00. Please bring documentation of your negative PPD Skin Test or X-Ray to the school office as soon as possible. Thank you!

It's a fact that schools need $$$. It's also a fact that grocery shopping through the eScrip program is the easiest way to raise money for our school. Everyone grocery shops; therefore, everyone can easily raise money for Nimitz! Your participation can help raise up to $4,000 per year simply by doing your grocery shopping at eScrip merchants such as Safeway, Pak -n- Save, PW Supermarket, and Andronico's! For even more earning power for Nimitz, register your credit and/or debit cards and shop at participating merchants such as Eddie Bauer, Macy's, and Sierra Trading Post. For a complete list of participating merchants, visit the eScrip website at www.escrip.com. Your contributions through your grocery shopping help support Nimitz school wide assemblies and other wonderful programs that students enjoy throughout the year. If you are not yet an eScrip member, sign up today! It's fast, simple, and FREE!

It's so easy to sign up!

• Go to www.escrip.com.
• Click on "welcome" then "sign up".
• Enter our group ID#: 138057496.
• Register your grocery club cards, credit and/or debit cards.

Want more information about eScrip? Visit www.escrip.com or contact your eScrip Coordinator, Fiona Sadowski, at (408) 530-9440 or at fiona_mackellar@yahoo.com. You shop - our school earns dollars!

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 update meetings throughout the District during October 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:

• Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 - 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
  Hyde Middle School, Multi-Purpose Room (19325 Bollinger Road in Cupertino)

• Monday, Oct. 12, 2009 - 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
  Kennedy Middle School, Multi-Use Room (821 Bubb Road in Cupertino)

• Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 - 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
  Miller Middle School, Gymnasium (6151 Rainbow Drive in San Jose)

• Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009 - 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
  Lawson Middle School, Event Center (10401 Vista Drive in Cupertino)

• Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 - 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
  Cupertino Middle School, Gymnasium (1650 S. Bernardo Avenue in Sunnyvale)

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

The Santa Clara County Public Health Department guidance recommends that, based on current flu conditions, students and staff with flu-like illness stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications (any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).

You can help keep our schools healthy by adhering to the following guidelines:

• Continue to enforce proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette - The recommendations continue to emphasize the importance of the basic foundations of disease prevention: stay home when sick, wash hands frequently with soap and water when possible or alcohol based hand sanitizer, and cover noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available).

• Leave accurate information as requested on the school's absence line if your child is sick. This will help the school identify any potential issues as soon as possible.

• Promptly pick up your child from school if they are sent home for being ill. The school will keep ill students separated from others until they can be sent home. Please make sure that the school office has your updated contact information.

• Any returning students after an illness with a fever will need to have their temperature taken in the school office before returning to class. Teachers will be sending returning students back to the office to have their temperatures taken if they arrive directly to the classroom without being cleared.