2008 SPORTS GALLERY - SILENT AUCTION ITEM LIST
The following Sports Memorabilia items will be available at the silent auction:

Los Angeles Dodgers:
Tommy Lasorda Signed 8×10
Joe Torre Signed 8×10 “Dodgers”
Rafael Furcal Signed 8×10 “Dodgers”
Nomar Garciaparra Signed 8×10 “Dodgers”
Orel Hershiser Signed 8×10 “Dodgers”
Jeff Kent Signed 8×10 “Dodgers”
Sandy Koufax Signed Baseball
Rafael Furcal Signed Baseball
Tommy Lasorda signed Baseball w/ HOF Insc.
Andruw Jones Signed Baseball w/ SPCL INSC
Don Sutton Signed Baseball

Los Angeles Galaxy:
David Beckham Signed 8×10 “Galaxy”

Angels:
Garrett Anderson Signed 8×10
Francisco Rodriguez Signed 8×10
Vladimir Guerrero Signed 8×10 “Angels”
Chone Figgins Signed 8×10 “Angels”
Torrii Hunter Signed Baseball
Vladimir Guerrero Signed Big Stick Bat
Howie Kendrick Signed 8×10 “Angels”

Los Angeles Lakers:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Signed 8×10
Kobe Bryant Signed 8×10

University of Southern California:
Bush & Leinhart Dual Signed 16×20 “Bush Push”
Ronnie Lott Signed USC Mini Helmet

Hot off the press! Added to the incredible silent auction items are the following gifts of service. This is a wonderful way to create a memory for your child. There are several terrific opportunities to spend time with a treasured member of the Los Cerritos family!! I have a special eye on the quilt lesson… See you at the auction!

Official Carnival Teacher Donation List
• Mrs. Price – lunch and a movie (winner + 2 friends)
• Mrs. Hedley & Mrs. Ross – trip to Cold Stone after school (winner + friend)
• Mrs. Cangiano – make a necklace and bracelet in her classroom OR tea at a teahouse with (winner + guest)
• Mrs. Spenker – Jamba Juice after school (winner + 2 friends)
• Mrs. Wariner – Baskin Robbins after school (winner + friend)
• Mrs. Goncalves – picnic lunch at Los Cerritos Park (winner + friend)
• Mrs. Henderson – nature walk @ El Dorado Nature Center, picnic, & memory box (winner + 2 friends)
• Mrs. Finley – pizza lunch on the Room 11 Veranda (winner + 2 friends)
• Mrs. Nadeau – pizza lunch and a funny book reading (winner + 2 friends)
• Mrs. Stine – picnic at Los Cerritos Park (winner + 2 friends)
• Mrs. Arvanette & Mrs. Ross – make a patchwork and applique pillow or small quilt…3-4 session project, no sewin experience needed, & all supplies provided (winner + 3 friends)
• Mrs. Garcia – Capoeira (the art of dance, music, & games with movement) lesson at Los Cerritos Park (winner + 5 guests)
• Mrs. Lowe – computer lesson of student’s choice & oatmeal choc. chip cookies
• Mrs. Pruiet (Ms. Vanessa) – lunch from a local restaurant, dessert, and goody bag in a special VIP section in the cafeteria (winner + 4 friends)
• Ms. Bari – board game party and a snack after school (winner + 3 friends)
• Ms. Debi – trip to Cold Stone Creamery after school (winner + friend)
• Ms. Marissa – make cookies and pizza for lunch in preschool room (winner + 3 friends)

Civilization’s last chance, is the title of an article about the planet’s tipping point on climate change. I don’t know what to say…just read it and weep. The article in the Times by Bill McKibben is available in a longer version on the site TomDispatch. Environmentalist McKibbon’s site, Earth 350 has some alarming facts that should bolster your commitment to green changes in your life.

Okay, are you on board yet? Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and join the Green Team! We can make a difference if we work together. To save the world all Nations will have to make a cooperative effort to realize change. If we are to expect progress on that level, we must demand progress on the ground level. And that means us, our daily life. Be a part of the effort at school. Let’s disseminate the information together and take it to the next level! The Green Team will meet monthly to discuss ideas and organize, on the 2nd Wednesday in the garden right after school.

Now that I am a parent of a 4th grader, I feel like this is really my best grade! Looking back on it, I think it was always my favorite grade and I wish someone had recognized that and pushed me in to a California History Major! Growing up in this neighborhood afforded me the opportunity to ride my bike, almost daily, to the Rancho. I used to sit in the Gazebo and imagine getting married there…somehow I misread those tea leaves and catered weddings for 20 years!

I was intrigued by a Times article about Mexican Baroque, Mission composers and early California music. The Chanticleer Group, a male vocal ensemble of 12, is performing at 8 of the missions beginning Thursday. Unfortunately, they are all North of San Luis Obispo! They have cds though and the whole history of the music is really amazing. Wouldn’t they be a great act to see at the Rancho Los Cerritos…hmmmm.

Here is the article from the times:

By Chloe Veltman, Special to The Times May 11, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO — MOST California schoolchildren learn the basic facts about the state’s mission history in the fourth grade. Established from 1769 to 1823 by Franciscan monks from Spain to spread the Roman Catholic faith among the area’s Native American population, the series of strategic-religious outposts spanned 650 miles of California coastline, from San Diego to Sonoma, providing Spain with a powerful presence on the Pacific frontier. Today, these monuments are among the state’s oldest buildings and most popular tourist destinations.

Yet despite the importance of the missions to California’s development, relatively little is known about the music that formed the backbone of Franciscan rituals and teaching. “The repertoire that was jotted into the mission choir books still remains largely unknown, even to musical historians,” says Craig Russell, an expert on Mexican Baroque music at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. “Similarly, the musical archives in Mexico City Cathedral preserve stacks of gorgeous and erudite sacred music that are largely neglected but worthy of professional attention and performance.” Continue reading →

The Dominguez Gap Wetlands? I never knew this little slice of urban neighborhood back country had a name! Located right behind the school with the entrance on the left side of Del Mar. We take the dogs out there often…and have enjoyed watching the transformation. They have been creating this amazing little habitat right in our own backyard! Evidently it has been 10 years in the making. This is a major success story for the area!

The Signal had a great article this week which details the project….Here is some of it…Approximately 1.5 million square feet of land on the slopes above the water were planted with 50,000 plants from one-gallon containers. Other areas were treated with hydro seeding. The goal is to cover the slopes with natural riparian vegetation whose root system will prevent the area from being taken over by invasive weeds. A landscape maintenance company under contract with the county has employees pulling out weeds by hand on a regular basis in order to allow the riparian plants to establish themselves. Those plants include goldfields, tidytips, baby blue eyes, owl clover, purple lupine, deer weed, and coastal sage shrub. More and more animal species are moving into the wetlands, attracted by the water as well as the proliferation of plant life in what was once a barren ditch. There are gold finches, ducks, red-winged black birds and one turtle. The Palos Verdes Blue Butterfly, which almost became extinct a few years ago, is also beginning to thrive in the area. Deer weed is its primary source of food. I guess we’ll have to plant some deer weed in the school garden too. This sounds like the epitome of a perfect field trip! The kids could walk there in about 10 minutes…Visit with your family, take the bikes or walk…it’s a great little adventure. Read more about the Palos Verdes Blue butterfly If you’re interested in finding out more about local wetlands restoration and the Los Cerritos Wetlands, you can get involved by checking out the site, here.

Thursday May 8th at 7:45am they are having a grand opening ceremony. See you out there!