FAQ about Room Parenting

Q: Are Room Parents and Parents' Circle two different things?  At my old school, room parents helped the teachers, and the PTA did fundraising.

Kairos Youth Choir May 20th: Five BPC 6th Graders are performing

"I want to feel my heart coming alive again...!" 

-from the song "Before the Parade" by J. Herman & M. Stewart

Drumming Class for 7-11 yr olds starting up

 


A new drum circle studio just opened in North Berkeley (next to Mr. Mopp's).  Katie Specter went to the first session of a new Wed afternoon class (5-6pm) and it was GREAT. There's still room if you're interested.  I (Katie's Dad) would pick up a kid from aftercare, even.

Music Connects offers weekly drum circles for children age 7-11, starting a 6 week
cycle May 2nd- June 6th on Wednesdays from 5pm-6pm. Costs per child: $150

Donkey & Goat's Summer Solstice Fête

Donkey & Goat's 

SUMMER SOLSTICE FÊTE

SATURDAY, JUNE 23 1-4PM
AT THE WINERY
1340 FIFTH STREET, BERKELEY 

There is no charge for admission but PLEASE read below.

Join us to celebrate summer's official arrival and with it our new summer wines:  2011 Improbable Chardonnay, 2011 Grenache Blanc and 2011 Grenache Noir.

There is no charge for admission to taste the new wines (we normally charge $10 in our tasting room)  and enjoy the summer afternoon while grooving to the tunes of The Tear Jerkers.  For noshes Pizza Politana will return with their wood fired, clay pizza oven  and offer their scrumptious pizzas for sale.  And for anyone wanting more than a taste, we will also have glass pours (and bottles) for sale.  For more information contact tracey@adonkeyandgoat.com or call the winery at 510-868-9174.

A Fundraiser at Donkey & Goat Winery to Support a Sunday Street-closing event this Fall

a FUNDRAISER for Sunday Streets Berkeley

at Donkey & Goat Winery, 1340 Fifth Street in Berkeley

Wine, beer, food, live music and activities for kids!

This fall, Sunday Streets Berkeley will close the Downtown to cars on a Sunday, turning the Downtown into a paved park where people can bike, walk, jog and dance, meet up with friends and play in the street.

But we'll need your help to make Sunday Streets a reality... all you need to do is come to a party hosted by Donkey & Goat Winery with Trumer Brauerei.

When: Saturday, May 12, 2-5pm 
Where: Donkey & Goat Winery (just around the corner from Picante)

TICKETS are $10 or FREE when you join Livable Berkeley. JOIN NOW and get free drink tickets!

The GO STREATERY food truck will be at the party!

We are so excited to have LIVE MUSIC by the DON'T LOOK BACK STRING BAND!

Plus, we'll have fun ACTIVITIES for KIDS and great RAFFLE PRIZES!

BUY YOUR TICKETS EARLY to be entered in our raffle... stay tuned for details!

Divino heralded as Up-and-Coming in SFChron

"Divino is a contemporary neighborhood restaurant in central Berkeley opened two months ago by owners with young children. Chef Joan Gallagher produces simple, deeply flavored food sourced from local purveyors. The menu isn't cluttered with farm names or smart descriptions. " 

"Lively salads, starters and desserts are so good, consider ordering multiple courses and dining family-style. Gallagher's addictive appetizer of warm goat cheese and olives ($8) comes with a bushel of Acme toast points. The antipasti plate ($14/$18) includes a lush and sharp crescenza (the cheese of the day) and a generous trio of locally cured meats, including a meaty prosciutto. Croquettes ($7) are just plain fun - golden fried balls of saffron risotto and molten mozzarella in a bright tomato sauce."

Read More about Berkeley's Divino Restaurant

Join the Parents' Circle by Becoming a Room Parent

We're still looking for Room Parents in (next year's) 7th & 8th

Won't you be one of them?

Many Hands Make Light Work!

To join up, email your room parents or parentcircleheads@blackpinecircle.org today

and join us May 8th for the dinner party & orientation at Laura Wolff's home.

Jerry Kennedy's Beatles Rock Camp 2012!

We are accepting taking sign-ups for Beatles Rock Camp 2012 !Once again we'll be bringing you great instructors in a rocking and fun environmentt!!! We have expanded our dates this year to July 30th - August 10th, Monday- Friday from 10-2pm. You have the option for one or two weeks... 

We will once again take your child through a whole host of "Beatles" repertoire and history.  They will practice in various groups and will perform daily at our own version of the Cavern Club. They will also get to perform for friends and family at the end of each week. 

Age for BRC Camp is 7 & up, and all instruments are welcome. Last year we had a blast and learned so much . I'm looking forward to an even better camp this year including a teen group for kids 13 and up. We hope that you will consider us again for your child summer camp activities! 

Please note : Attached is a flyer regarding the camp and a registration form. *I will be sending out more info on the camp. Please let me know if you may be interested ASAP.

Click to view the Camp Flyer

Click to view & print the camp registration form

Are TV and Video Games Making Kids Fat?

"Talk about a disparity between theory and practice. The American Academy of Pediatrics tells parents that children’s total entertainment media timeshould not exceed two hours daily. According to theKaiser Family Foundation, average kids watch at least twice that much television. They also spend more than an hour per day online and another hour on video games. These activities, collectively called “screen time,” are widely blamed for thetripling of obesity rates in children since the 1980s."

By Darshak Sanghavi


read full article

Soirée 2012 Culminates in Hijinx and High Auction Results!

The FAD, transformed!

Head of School John Carlstroem leading the Live Auction

How about the Fundraising?    We don't have final numbers on money raised, but it's clear that we set a new record!

Fun-raising?  No doubt, this was the favorite Soirée of all time for many folks who attended last night!

Here are answers to the top questions we've been asked:

Where is the stuff I won at Auction?
In Greta Wong's office, in the portable building closest to the main building on the Upper School campus.


Can we still sign up for parties?
YES, just go to bpcsoiree.com.
Many parent parties and Kid Adventures still have spaces available!

Will I receive reminders about those great parties I've signed up for?
YES, they will come from jillandbill@mac.com (add to your address book to be sure you receive them)

Need to settle your bill?

If you receive an email from clwhitney@gmail.com, 
just click it and you can pay your bill that way. Or pay with Greta at the Upper School office.

I wanted to Raise the Paddle to support that 2 for 1 challenge. Did I miss my chance?
Not too late!  Click here


More...

Take good pictures of the event?  Email them (or a link to your album) to parentscircle@gmail.com.

Curious about the Soirée Childcare/KidParty?  Check out 4th grader Luka Specter's blog.


As one parent put it:  "I had so much fun!!!!! I HAVE NOT BEEN OUT IN SO LONG!!!"

More Pics from Soirée!

Got good pictures from the event?  Send 'em our way, please!  (to parentscircle@gmail.com)

Who made all the Fire & Ice happen?

An amazingly talented team!  
Let these folks know you appreciate all their work on behalf of our school!


Soirée

• Stephen Corlett & Robin Dandridge, Soirée Producers
• Erin Gillett, Anne Marie Elliot & Charlie Martinelli, Theme, Decor & Invitations
• Deborah Owen, Karen Straus, Lesley Jones & Lucy Morris, Communications
• Karen Zukor, Cary Whitney & Bill Shea, Ticketing
• Stephen Corlett & Eli Bishop, Beverages
• Joan Gallagher & DIVINO Restaurant, Dinner
• Thang Nguyen & Nguyet Vo, Photo Booth
• Jana Good, Catering & Rentals
• Carly Dennett (Flowerland), Flowers
• Lucy Morris & Menna Stern, Soiree Childcare
• Jo Ann Carter, Finance
• Bill Webb, Ali Mitchell and Andra Marziano, 8th Grade Wranglers
• Marcel Hawiger, Clean-up

Auction

• Elena Kaloyanova with Marta McLeod & Angie May, Solicitation
• Cary Whitney, Online Auction
• Jill Hughes, Parent-created Events & Items
• Angie May, Teacher-created Events & Items
• Elena Kaloyanova, Class Art Projects
• Evan Specter, Live Auction & Instant Wine Cellar
• Catherine Atcheson, Close-out