The Cove Connection 

Sunday, April 23th, 2023

Issue #33

For Previous Issues Click Here

Principal's Message

Golden Bell Outstanding Educator Award Recipients 

Congratulations to our 2023 LCMSD Golden Bell recipients. We celebrated these individuals and groups in our Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, April 19.

• Certificated Educator: Amy Jehling, Kindergarten Teacher at Cove 

• Certificated Educator: Lisa Capobianco, Reading Intervention and EL Teacher at Cove

• Certificated Educator: Kath Irving, EL and English Teacher at Hall

• Classified Employee: Amita Puri, Specialized Paraprofessional at Cove

• Classified Employee: Manny Gerbremichael, LCMSD Lead Maintenance

• Classified Employee: Cindy Traverso, Library Clerk at Neil Cummins

• School Community Partnerships: Chief Michael Norton and School Resource Officer Daniel Novoa, Central Marin Police Authority

This honor is peer-nominated and peer-selected. Here are the nominations of Cove’s three 2023 Golden Bell Award recipients: Amy Jehling, Lisa Capobianco and Amita Puri. 

Amita Puri is a wonderful person to work with and steps up to every situation calmly, confidently, efficiently and humbly. She is very thoughtful, diligent, reliable and top-notch. She works with a lot of students from different grades and forms positive relationships that result in students becoming more successful and valuing their studies.

Lisa Capobianco is kind, optimistic, considerate, hard working, and shows empathy to students, parents, and staff. She teaches engaging reading/phonological interventions in a fun yet structured approach to learning. Students (and staff) flock to her room during recess because she is so well loved, and they understand that they can always go to her with a problem or if they just need a moment in a room that feels safe and welcoming. As a colleague, she is welcoming, supportive, and collaborative. She shares meaningful insights and materials about students, and I value her professional opinions very much. Lisa works with students of all backgrounds, and she differentiates instruction for each student, often staying late at work to make sure she is well prepared. She has a smile each day, no matter what!

Amy Jehling is the most positive, hard working coworker. She has so much love for her students, which has been shown throughout her many years of service. She is dedicated inside and outside of the classroom (in sporting games, plays, etc).  She never complains, even when she has challenges with her class. Instead, she goes above and beyond to brainstorm solutions and support all learners. You can tell how effective she is by how successful her students become later in life. She is also an excellent friend to her colleagues. 

We are grateful for their dedication to Cove and our students. Please join me in congratulating all of our recipients on earning this well-deserved award!

Sincerely,

Michelle Walker, Principal

School & PTO News

Cove Art and Recess Night is THIS Wednesday April 26th 5-7pm. Our beloved specialists, Coach Arroyo and Ms. McKee have put together a fun evening of blacktop games and a multitude of art activities! There is also face painting and much more. You don’t want to miss this special Cove event!

Abel’s Taco Truck will be on the blacktop for cash or Venmo purchase or bring your own picnic. Plus there is a new surprise this year: Kona Shaved Ice for an after-dinner treat!

From The Art Room Have newspapers lying around the house? Please drop off any old newspapers in the gallery this coming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 24-26th!  We will be using them in the Art Room on Wednesday evenings Cove Art and recess night.  

Safe Routes Walk & Roll J.E.D.I. Challenge - Final Day This Wednesday, April 26th! This is the last in our series of four challenge days! Have your child check in at the table under the shade structure on the blacktop to be entered into our exciting raffles! Any student who participates in ALL FOUR will have their name entered into a raffle to win a custom-fit Cleary bike and a helmet from Mike's Bikes! Plus, any student who participates in any of the four J.E.D.I. Wednesdays will be eligible to win additional prizes in a separate raffle. We'll celebrate all of our hard work Wednesday, May 3rd - the official National Walk & Roll to School Day! Walking, biking, skating, scooting, carpooling, parking and walking or taking the bus all count! Just be sure to check in at the tables on the blacktop. RAIN or SHINE! 

May 1-5 is Staff Appreciation Week. More information to come, but in the meantime if you want to start preparing: Flower Day is Monday, May 1- Have your child bring a single flower for their teacher/s and anyone else they want to appreciate. You can divide up a bouquet for a few special adults to appreciate if you want! Card Day is Tuesday, May 2- Make a card at home for your teacher/s and any other staff members at Cove.

Parent Ed Opportunity Raising Resilient, Persistent Kids with Nina Kaiser, Ph.D. May 3rd, 7pm, in the Gallery. Sponsored by The Cove and Neil Cummins PTOs.

How does SPARK raise $1.5M? You probably know that Annual Giving is the largest revenue source for SPARK (nearly 75%), but did you know that fundraising events like the Online Auction and the Spring Gala (which includes a live auction and paddle raise) are also critical to reaching our goal? Without SPARK and without your generous support through Annual Giving donations, Corporate Match, online auction participation, and attendance at our Spring event Flannel, Fur & Fizz, our schools would look very different. Learn more about how SPARK funding works here. 

Purchase tickets for Flannel, Fur & Fizz!  Book the babysitter, and join us Friday, May 5th at the Junction in Mill Valley for cocktails, food, dancing, live music, live auction, and paddle raise. This is the largest SPARK fundraiser of the year and this event is always a good time.

• Purchase tickets here

• Event FAQ here

Online Auction Sign-up Party spots are still available! Check out teacher and staff events, parties for kids, grade level hikes, and parent parties. Click here.

SPARK Open Board Positions Volunteering with SPARK is super rewarding. We are looking to fill the following positions. Please click here for more details and job descriptions.   

• Cove VP: One person to shadow the current VP’s in the role for 2023-2024, who will set up to be a co-VP in 2024-2025. 

• Annual Giving: One person to shadow current AG Co-chairs in 2023-2024, who will step up to co-chair 2024-2025.

• SPARKBiz: Two co-chairs.

District News

Board Updates

At the April 19 Board Meeting Golden Bell Awardees were celebrated. Congratulations Lisa Capobianco, Kath Irving, Amy Jehling, Cindy Traverso, Amita Puri, Manny Gebremichael, and Central Marin Police Authority – Chief Norton and Officer Novoa! Trustees approved the tentative agreement with CSEA (classified employees association). Additionally, the LCAP survey results were presented and discussed. The next meeting is scheduled for May 17 at 6:00 in the Hall Library.

Community News

Please click link for Community News that includes updates from:

• CM Rec Camps and Classes

• Steve & Kate’s Summer Camps

• Camp Catalyst, 2 Week at Neil Cummins

• Marin Ballet Dance Camp 

• The Friends of the Larkspur Library Touch Trucks

• I Can Dig It Volleyball Camp with Ms. Estes

• Larkspur Rec Classes & Camps

• Nike Field Hockey Camp

• Painted Bins Art Unveiling Event Sunday

• Marin Tennis Club Summer Camps and Classes

Follow Us! #CoveSchool  #WeAreLCMSD

ABOUT THE COVE CONNECTION The Cove Connection is a digital bulletin published by the CovePTO and distributed to The Cove School community each Sunday via email. To submit content to the Cove Connection, please email info@covepto.org. To receive a subscription to The Cove Connection, or to change your email address, send a note to  covesecretaries@lcmschools.org.