You are invited to view the 2008-2009 Reflections Artwork at Irvine City Hall from November 6 until November 13, 2008.

All Visual Art, Photography and Literature will be displayed in the Lobby Area to be viewed during City Hall hours.

Also, please join us for our
Awards Ceremony on November 13th at 6 p.m. inside City Hall Council Chambers where we will recognize the winning entries. All finalists will be notified through their School Reflections Chair.

Primary Division grades K-2 at 6:00 p.m.
Intermediate Division grades 3-5 at 6:30 p.m.
Middle Division grades 6-8 at 7:00 p.m.
Senior Division grades 9-12 at 7:30 p. m.

Irvine Council PTA thanks you for your participation.

Dear PTA Presidents,
 
Do you have questions about how IUSD school budgets are developed? 
Do you ever wonder what items your PTA should and should not be paying for? 
And how does IPSF fit in? 
 
If you have ever asked these questions, or similar ones, please come to our first IUCPTA Council Coffee on Thursday, November 13 at 9 AM.  Representatives from IUSD, IPSF and PTA will be on hand to give presentations and answer your questions.    A flyer is attached with the details.  Please invite your executive board members to attend this informative event as well.  Don't forget to RSVP to Anne Jonas at gijonas@cox.net by November 10.  We also invite you to e-mail Anne with questions or suggested topics in advance to help insure the speakers will address the items most relevant to you.  Hope to see you there!
 
Sincerely,
 
Anne Jonas
Vice President, Programs
 
Steffanie Early
Exec. Vice President
Download Flyer
Council Coffee November 13

September 4. 20008 Volume I, Issue 2


Thank You to the schools that have coordinators for Walk to School Day, Wednesday, October 15, 2008!:

Bonita Canyon, Brywood, Deerfield,Greentree, Oak Creek, Santiago Hills, Turtle Rock, University Park, Vista Verde, Westpark, Westwood Basics,Woodbury, Sierra Vista Middle School, Northwood High School! If your school will participate, please let me know….Debbie Rugani, drugani@ipsf.net, 949-265-6403.

New Partners and Supporters

KIA Motors in Irvine is a presenting sponsor. KIA is committed to healthy communities and a healthy lifestyle for kids and families.
The City of Irvine is helping this year with all our safety concerns, and will coordinate efforts with Irvine Police Department, and school site crossing guards. City Parks and Recreation is helping with volunteer support and publicity.
The Irvine Company Retail Properties will help coordinate of Kick Off event, and supply posters at shopping centers around town!

Information

¬ IPSF will send home a back pack flyer to all elementary families the week of Sept. 17. It is being printed by the IUSD Print Shop and will be delivered to the school sites. You might consider attaching a cover letter, customized to your school site. Check with PTA and your principal.
¬ IPSF will supply round stickers for each elementary student that say “Walk to School – October 15, 2008”. These can be distributed a day or so (?) before as a reminder.
¬ IPSF will supply each site with about 200 silicone bracelets that say “Walk to School – www.ipsf.net.” You can use these as incentives or rewards in whatever way works at your site. I would love to have enough for every child, but our budget is limited.
¬ KIA Motors will donate some reflective vests…probably enough for our youngest walkers….as well as some reusuable water bottles!! As other incentive or in-kind items are donated, I will distribute them equally to participating schools, so you may get more reward or incentive items.
¬ The City of Irvine is providing 40 banners to advertise the event!! More details to come.

Keep “walking” to the next page……

Plans and Ideas
Here are just a few ideas you might use at your school to build excitement and participation:

♣ Irvine and IPSF are starting the year GREEN! Walking is great for your health AND for the health of the environment. Show YOUR support to go ‘green’ by recycling cans and bottles AND walking to school whenever you can!! Our schools win and you do, too! Support the City of Irvine’s Cans For Cash recycling challenge and earn $$ for your school!
♣ Have your students help plan your event. Involve student leaders and others.
♣ Have classes make signs to carry along the way.
♣ Have your students wear their School Spirit wear that day, if your school has it. (You could sell Spirit Wear at school before the walk!)
♣ Have students make and hang posters around school describing the benefits of walking
♣ Reward the class(es) with the most participation
♣ Hold a PTA meeting right after the Walk. Invite a speaker to talk about Health and Wellness and where walking fits in.
♣ Start a moms and dads walking club. Visit www.walkstyles.com for ideas



Resources
New York State has a cool page to teach safe walking to kids: This page features a cool activated chart with things to remember.
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/Kids/kidswalk.htm

Thank you all for your help and support!! More newsletters will be coming to you on a regular basis. PLEASE email back any questions, concerns or GOOD IDEAS you have and I will share them!!

Hello Everyone:  Please add this wonderful community event to your calendar.  It is a great day of food, fun and cultural celebration.  IPSF will have a table in the Community Partners section, so you can drop by and say hello….or even volunteer to help us staff the table!!
Hope to see you there!
 
Welcome to the Irvine Global Village Festival
Make plans to travel the world at the City of Irvine’s Annual Global Village Festival on Saturday, October 4, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Bill Barber Park. Boasting artistic cultural performances on three stages, the Festival’s live entertainment is a mosaic of music and dance representing more than 50 cultures from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Immerse yourself in cultural displays, world religion and demonstrations, indulge in international cuisine, explore our world marketplace and keep the little ones in motion with hands-on art projects, games and activities in a giant, interactive Kids Village.
 
Festival admission and parking are free. Food court tasting tickets are available for purchase at the event. Bill Barber Park is located adjacent to the Irvine Civic Center on Harvard between Barranca and Alton.
 
 
Debbie Rugani Vice President - Community Affairs and Programs Irvine Public Schools Foundation 949-263-8343 949-265-6403 (direct) 949-263-8343 (FAX)

Dear IPSF Ambassadors: 
Thank you all so much for volunteering to work with IPSF this year.  I have attached the Ambassador Alert for October; please share this information with your school or community.
Our Ambassador Orientation Meeting will be held on Monday, October 20, from 9:30 – 11:00 in the IUSD Board Room, 5050 Barranca Parkway, Irvine CA  92604 (This is the school district administrative offices).  Coffee and a light breakfast will be provided.  Our meeting should take about an hour, but I am including additional time for any questions if necessary.
Ambassadors meet together in person only twice each year, at this orientation meeting and a wrap up meeting in the Spring.  Please make every effort to attend this meeting to learn more about IPSF, our goals and activities for the year, and share any questions you may have.  Please confirm your attendance with Emily Sorsher at esorsher@ipsf.net.  Thank you.
I look forward to meeting and working with all of you this year.  Please contact me at any time.
Regards,
Debbie
Debbie Rugani Vice President - Community Initiatives and Programs Irvine Public Schools Foundation 949-263-8343 949-265-6403 (direct) 949-263-8343 (FAX)