The Cove Connection 

Sunday, May 14th, 2023

Issue #36

For Previous Issues Click Here

Celebrating Neurodiversity Joy 

This month, we are celebrating Neurodiversity Joy!  Just like fingerprints, we each have different brains that give us gifts and abilities that make us uniquely…well us!  Unlike race and ethnicity, neurodiversity is something experienced by many, but not visible to most.  Neurodiversity is about acknowledging and embracing the differences in the way each of our brains work.  We want to dispel the notion that there is one “correct” type of brain or one “right” way to interact with the world.  

Along with Sarah Jordan (ed specialist) I led an assembly about neurodiversity on April 28. We viewed this book: JUST ASK by Sonia Sotomayor Read Aloud (7 min video). Here are some resources for discussing neurodiversity at home. You can adapt these to your child's development level. Thank you to Kristen Sperling, an inclusion specialist, who helped me prepare the assembly and gather these resources:

• Ability Awareness - similarities and differences

• Favorite Children's Books on Disabilities

• Just Like You (21 min video on autism) 

While there are many different types of neurodivergence, we are using books to create mirrors, windows, and doors into those that are representative of many in our learning community - autism, anxiety, ADHD, dyslexia, and trauma. We would like to share the thoughtfully curated list of books we are engaging with so that you can read alongside us at home.  These books (and more!) are also available at our school and local libraries.  

We are choosing to focus on an agent of change (defined as someone who has made a difference within the identified group of focus), Greta Thunberg.  She is neurodivergent, but MORE importantly, she is a changemaker.  We hope that students will begin to surface similarities in traits and qualities, across differences. You can use these questions as entry points for discussion.  We invite you to join us as we learn about Greta Thunberg and take inspiration from her powerful message - “No one is too small to make a difference.” 

Sincerely,

Michelle Walker, Principal

And the LCMSD Book Project Team (including Kristie Martinez, Jane Osterman, Danielle O’Reilly and Emily Bedecarre)

School & PTO News

Save the Date! Friday, May 19th our School and PTO will be hosting an Appreciation Assembly and breakfast for everyone who has helped the Cove this year! That means YOU! Come mingle and be appreciated! We will have coffee and light bites. Cove Gallery & Courtyard 8:15am-9:00am. 

Bus Passes for the 2023-2024 School Year are now on sale. Click here for routes, information, and to purchase

Lost and Found Updates  Come and Collect Your Things! Two Walk Thru Dates: May 16 & May 17 Lost & Founds Sale Date: May 26, 7:30am-8:30am everything for $1. All items, regardless of ownership will be for sale. 

READ-A-THON Dollars at Work

 The second grade teachers applied for a 'Teacher Mini Grant' from the PTO and were awarded the money to take both classes to visit Slide Ranch. They milked goats and drank the milk, held the chickens, and harvested organic farm vegetables to eat in our

 "gratitude meal" at the end of the day.

Our Coyotes had a successful Walk n Roll Year and to cap it off Safe Routes is holding a Bike Hero Contest!

Each May, Parents, Administrators, Teachers and Friends are invited to nominate a student Bike Hero.  A Bike Hero is any student who gets up early to ride regularly, inspires others to bike, eagerly rides as a passenger on a cargo bike, obeys all rules of the road, and has FUN biking. Four Marin County students (2 elementary, 2 middle) will be selected to win $50.00 gift cards to a store of their choice.

To nominate a student, click here.

Paddle Raise: Thank you to the more than 63 families who raised their paddles Friday night to help fund the gap. We invite all families who have not yet contributed to Annual Giving or made a payment towards their pledge, to do it now so that we can reach our $1.5M year-end fundraising goal! Click here for more info.

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 The Board will be meeting on May 17, 2023 at 6:00pm in the Hall Library. Cove’s Zero Waste program will be celebrated. The Board will vote on the Facilities Master Plan and a Resolution for National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Additionally, Trustees will be presented with the LCAP draft and a wellness report. The meeting will also be live streamed via Zoom (link; passcode - lcmsd). Please know, public comments will only be taken by in person attendees; public comments via Zoom will not be available. If you cannot attend the meeting, public comments are welcome via email (mokeeffe@lcmschools.org) and will be included in Board Meeting minutes. We hope to see you there.

Community News

Please click link for Community News that includes updates from:

• CM Park and Rec Offerings & Camps

• Marin Chinese Cultural Association Lion Dance at The Library

• San Francisco Boys Chorus

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.