This Site is being replaced, VERY SOON :)

Yes, Black Pine Circle School is getting its own real blog.  How cool is that?

Stay tuned...

BPC newsbites

Steven Emerson performing at Jupiter, this Friday night, 8-11pm

Here's a few summer camps that you may not have heard of:

June 24 through August 23
Thingamakids! Summer Camp
Join Thingamajigs' team of artists in a fun and engaging arts camp designed to expand the young creative mind. Through interactive workshops incorporating music, body movement, drama and visual art, campers will gain a unique and well-rounded experience in creativity, collaboration and experimentation.

Learn more and online registration

"Kidpower:  A Musical"

Session II:  July 1 - 12, 2013 (3 spaces open)  

Through the medium of music, campers will learn, practice and teach others effective safety skills to deal with bullying, manage conflicts for stronger relationships and build self-confidence.  This is a unique opportunity to integrate Kidpower's essential and fun "People-Safety" skills into your child's life along with music from Jingle Jeff!  A Certified Kidpower Instructor will work alongside Jingle Jeff during this summer camp.  Thank you to Kidpower.org for your collaboration on this exciting musical.

Got Earthquakes?

Berkeley parents,
Whether or not you participated in Saturday's Earthquake Preparedness Exercise (see article), this is a good time to restock your earthquake supplies.

Here's a nifty slideshow of the Berkeley Exercise.

The CDC recommends you have a 5-day supply on hand (and 1 gallon per person, per day). Energy bars and canned beans tend to last well over a year.

Here's more about all that...

Be safe, be prepared!

Upper School Poster Project

How many of these Upper School kids can you recognize?  Get yours right now!

What's happening behind the scenes with Soiree Planning?

With 6 days til the Online Auction goes live, 

and 14 days til our Oz-themed Soiree, things are moving ahead at full steam!

In the realm of Auction parties,

Thanks to Jill & Angie, there are now 20 compelling parent-hosted and teacher-hosted sign-up events ( a new record ) and whose total potential value is $21,000.

 

Parties include Capture the Flag, Nerf-style with Tim Ogburn, and a soccer and pizza-making party with Coach Michael and Aiai Winoto, 

(plus, Aiai made this gorgeous sign to remind parents to bring a bottle of wine for the Wine Raffle.)

Auction

With Elena's leadership, Marta McLeod, Kelly Marston, Michele Eisenberg and Nisha Mody have brought in all sorts of great items for the auction.

Hank (the Not-Tin-eared Man) took a large gift of premium guitar strings and crafted multiple sale-able lots.

Meanwhile, Sarah Clegg and Tracey Rogers put on their writer's caps to craft witty descriptions of more than 15 themed baskets and the parties.

Gate Sales 

will begin this Tuesday, including Principal for the Day Raffle, headed up by Karen Zukor

 

Live Auction

The courageous lion John Chakan is gearing up for his premier auctioneering gig for BPC, and the slate of items includes such past successes as a Behind-the-Scenes Pixar Tour, a Private Vintner Dinner, and 20 hand-selected, faculty-favorite children's books.

Carla Koren & Neal Parish have stepped up to lead the Auction close-out (accompanied by Cary Whitney on Chromebook).

And though it's his first year with the Extended Day Program, Mr. Mack has stepped up to lead the Childcare.

I'm sure I missed many of you... thank you all for all of your work, named and unnamed, thanked and thankless!

- Evan, Auction Team

Will You Drink Champagne on a Boat?

We busted a few moves to bring you this goofy video.  We guarantee you will be amused and/or amazed!

C'mon, give it up.  Reach out and tell us what this inspired you to do...

email Jill Hughes or Evan Specter

Oh the places you'll find BPC parents!

Look no farther than our own community for these many services!

Got Garden?
1st & 8th grade parent Carly Dennett operates Flowerland on Solano!  This is the time to plant bare root trees, people.

Bonus: on-site coffee bar ( Local 123 ).

Got outdoor furniture?
The Wooden Duck, reclaimed and exotic wood furniture, is an Amy Ferber (7th grade parent) production.

Got Mo-Mo's? 

7th grade family Deepak & Lila Singh make the go-to mo-mos near the center of Solano.

Got an itch to dance?


Hank Maninger (3rd) performs with the swing dance band Stompy Jones

Need a fantastic graphic designer or web designer?  I can personally recommend both Polly Lockman (8th)

and Karen Straus (8th),

who also built BPC's snazzy Digital Annual Report.

Need a Contractor?  Consider Mike Pond (8th) of Berkeley Design Build

Or Matthew Hooven (1st, 8th) of Alhorn Hooven Design Build

Or Ian O'Leary (6th), O'Leary Construction

Or Robert Bell (6th), Belcon Construction

Need an Electrician?

Try Ken Robinson (6th) of William D. White Co. 

or Dave Zhu (7th) of Blue Line Electric

And that barely scratches the surface!

Oh, and if you need help with your company's online presence or search engine marketing, ask me!

wish you were here? do something about it

Aspiring Filmmaker at Home? 5th Annual Bay Area International Children's Film Festival is 1/26-1/27

The Fifth Annual Bay Area International Children's Film Festival ("BAICFF"),
organized by BPC 7th grade parents Lisa Fitzgerald & Don Maszle (of son Carver)
 -- a Playdate for the Imagination -- happens on SATURDAY, JANUARY 26
and SUNDAY, JANUARY 27, 2013.  

Come enjoy live, animated short and feature films for, by and about children.
You can also eat delicious international foods and listen to great music!  

Join us at the beautiful art deco theater, Michaan's Auctions, at 2700 Saratoga
Street in Alameda, California. [MAP]

Doors open at 9:00am and show starts at 10:00am both days.To learn more and to sign up for unique animation workshops, visit BAICFF.com!