Please be sure that costumes are comfortable, provide good visibility, and are easy for your child to remove. All costumes must be non-violent in nature and follow our Zero Tolerance policy. Weapons (guns, swords, knives, martial arts weapons, etc.), fake blood, and hairspray containers must be left at home. Children must bring a set of school clothes in a bag, clearly labeled with name and room number.

Congratulations to our newly elected student council officers. Forty-six students ran for office, and each of them spoke in front of the entire school! Our newly elected officers are:

Nimitz' curriculum addresses refusal skills and drug, alcohol and tobacco awareness. Teachers will have grade level appropriate discussions and projects in their classrooms designed to help our students begin building their own value system that will make them able to say "No" to the peer pressures involved in drug abuse.

You can support our curriculum through discussions at home on your values. A strong value system can empower students to make educated decisions rather than simply be influenced by peer pressure.

Our Nimitz students were captivated while learning about the important role these animals play in the circle of life. A big thank you to the PTA for funding the assembly.

If you wish to order a portrait, please complete the order envelope and return it with your payment to your student's teacher. We are in need of three parent volunteers to help with pictures. If you are available, please call the office at 736-2180.

Due to state budget cuts, the School Site Council is seeking alternate sources of funding for Nimitz. There are many grants available for schools. We are looking for volunteers who have grant writing experience or would be willing to learn about the grant writing process. There is a Grant Writing Workshop on Tuesday, November 17th from 1:30-4:30pm sponsored by the Santa Clara County Office of Education. If you are interested, please contact Russ Ottey at (408) 736-2180.

I am challenging the families and staff of Nimitz Elementary to increase our PTA membership by 50 new members by the end of October. Your tax-deductible membership dues help to fund educational programs, family events, and student welfare activities sponsored by the PTA. Your PTA membership card allows you access to National PTA member benefits, discounts and parenting resources. You will also receive a voucher for a free admission to Legoland California. So, dig out that membership form and return it to your child's classroom or the school office. If you need additional forms, they can be found on our website at www.nimitzpta.org. When the PTA gets involved, children benefit. When you get involved with PTA, the child that benefits most is your own. Any questions, please contact Debbie at johnczyz@att.net.

Research shows that attendance is the single most important factor in school success. Here's how you can improve your child's school attendance.

• Talk with your child about the importance of attending school regularly.
• Avoid scheduling family trips or doctor appointments during school hours.
• Make sure your child stays healthy by eating nutritious food and getting enough sleep and exercise.
• Don't accept excuses for why your child "must" miss or be late for school.
• Discuss with your child what happened at school each day.
• Support school rules and consequences for skipping class and being tardy.
• Show your child why education is important. Give specific examples of how education helps people succeed.
• Lead by example. If children see parents taking off work for no real reason, they may expect to be able to do the same thing.

    From "Parents Make a Difference!

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:

• 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.