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Almaden Community Center Holiday Events Begin!

Almaden Community Center holiday eventsThe Almaden Community Center holiday events are about to begin! Here’s what’s in store for us the first part of December…

December 3, 2016: Holiday Brunch for Seniors

The celebrations begin with the Annual Holiday Brunch for Almaden Community Center senior members on Saturday, December 3. This festive buffet will serve egg frittata, grilled ham slices, potatoes O’Brien, breakfast pastry, mimosas and beverages. Tickets: $8 for members and $10 for non-members; can be purchased on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:40 am to 10:00 am at the Almaden Community Center. For more information, call 408-268-1133.

December 6, 2016: Thunder Valley Casino Fun Trip

On December 6, the Senior Association is taking its members on a fun trip to the Thunder Valley Casino. The trip costs only $35 per person. It includes a $15 slot play or table play card and a $5 food players card. To join in, please arrive at the Almaden Community Center at 6445 Camden Avenue, San Jose, at 7:30 am. Tickets are available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the Almaden Community Center lobby. For more information, call Sally at 408-826-9619 or Bea at 408-761-4002.

December 10, 2016: Breakfast with Santa

The Community Center’s littlest patrons have a special treat coming up for them on December 10: The Annual Breakfast with Santa event. The morning begins with a breakfast full of special treats and a guided session of holiday arts and crafts. After that, Santa will make a special appearance giving the tiny tots an opportunity to sit on his lap for that wonderful photo moment. To participate in this event, your child must be registered, so remember to do so and make sure you carry your camera. If you have a child under one and half years, please call 408-268-1133 to ensure your child has a seat on the day of event. Time: Between 9:30 am and 12:00 pm.

For general information about these and other events at the Almaden Community Center, browse their new 2016-2017 Winter Catalog (https://issuu.com/sjparksandrec/docs/almaden) or find them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AlmadenCCSJ).

Almaden Valley Thanksgiving Events 2016

Almaden Valley ThanksgivingIt’s November, and there are a number of Almaden Valley Thanksgiving events happening throughout the month. Here’s a round-up…

Almaden Community Center Senior Association Thanksgiving feast, Nov. 16, 2016

The Almaden Community Center Senior Association is sponsoring a Thanksgiving feast on Wednesday, Nov. 16 between 2pm and 4pm at the Almaden Community Club. Come join in with family and friends for a sumptuous meal of traditional turkey, stuffing, potatoes, green beans, bread and dessert. Tickets are $12 for members and $15 for non-members, available at the Almaden Community Center. For more information, call 408-268-1133.

Almaden Country School Thanksgiving feast, Nov. 22, 2016

The Almaden Country School’s annual Thanksgiving feast is a tradition of long standing. On Monday Nov. 21, parents and children will gather in school to prep and cook up a dish to serve at the feast the next day, Nov. 22. No prior cooking experience required. Come with a turkey and an oven bag. Happy cooking! For more information, visit https://www.almadencountryschool.org/appleseed/index.aspx.

Turkey Trot, Nov. 23, 2016

Castillero Middle School is doing its bit to give back to the community and the school during Thanksgiving. Castillero’s PE department is sponsoring its 2nd Annual Turkey Trot on Wednesday Nov. 23. During the Turkey Trot, students will have a choice of trotting through two events – a competitive mile lap and a non-competitive track lap. Spirit t-shirts will be sold for $10 each and all funds will go towards the Castillero Middle School PE department. Those who sign up will also donate one item of canned food for the Second Harvest Food Bank Thanksgiving donation. For more information, visit http://sjusd.org/castillero.

Run Turkey Run 5K / 10K, Nov. 24, 2016

On Thanksgiving morning, hundreds of Almaden families will gather at Leland High School to participate in the Run Turkey Run 5K / 10K. This annual Thanksgiving event is organized by the Bret Harte Booster Club.

The run/walk event begins at Leland High School at 8.30 am. Both the 5K and 10K sprints will be done on level terrain on the paved trails along the Los Alamitos Creek trail, and will end in a loop at Leland High.

Registration is $15 for kids 12 and under and $20 for adults. You can also purchase Run Turkey Run spirit t-shirts for $15 at the time of packet pick-up and on race morning. All proceeds go towards supporting Bret Harte Booster Club activities. For additional information, visit http://sjusd.org/bretharte/clubs/booster-club-athletics.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Back-to-School Tips for Parents

Back-to-school tipsSummer is over and school is officially in session! Here are some back-to-school tips to ensure that your child’s school year proceeds smoothly.

Plan healthy meals and snacks. Be sure your child gets breakfast before the morning school bell rings, because breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For lunch and snacks, make sure your child has a combination of protein, fruits, and vegetables to give them energy to last throughout the school day.

Meet the teacher(s). Attend open houses and orientations, and make personal contact with each of your child’s teachers sooner rather than later to let them know you are involved in your child’s education and eager to stay connected with them.

Set up a routine. Routines help everyone stay on track, including you as a parent. In addition to night and morning routines, have an after-school routine as well. Consider allowing for a little bit of playtime before getting started on homework or beginning after-school activities. Most importantly, make sure your child gets some rest between activities and plenty of sleep at night.

Bullying. Talk to your child about the right course of action to take when he or she encounters bullying at or outside of school, whether it’s physical, verbal, or cyber-bullying. For more resources about bullying, click here.

Safety. Make sure your child gets to school safely. If they bike, make sure they wear a helmet. If they walk, remind them “Head up, phone down” to keep aware of their surroundings.

Sources:

http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/8-essential-back-to-school-tips-for-parents/

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/going-to-school/back-to-school/back-to-school-tips-for-parents/

Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival 2016

Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival 2016It’s that time of year again in the Almaden Valley! The 40th Annual Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival 2016 will be held on Sunday, September 11, at Almaden Lake Park from 10am to 6pm. This year the community celebrates a milestone of four full decades of sponsoring the festival, which hosts over 90 vendor booths including a number of local artists and craftspersons selling their paintings, jewelry, sculptures, and much more.

The food at the festival will be local and diverse, including Indian specialties from Mayuri, pizza from Oak & Rye, Mexican cuisine from Carmen’s Taqueria, and Asian fusion from Cross Hatch Eatery. There will also be Gourmet Food Trucks offering even more variety, and of course you’ll find dessert favorites such as shave ice and kettle corn. The popular Premium Wine Tent will be offering selections from Rombauer Vineyard in Napa and Leal Vineyards in Hollister, along with selections from other local wineries. Not the wine connoisseur? Grab a beer from a beer truck and relax at the Beer Garden! Festival glasses with the Art and Wine Festival logo will be sold at local merchant booths.

The Kid’s Fun Zone will have a rock climbing wall, carnival games, and jump houses. The Fun Zone stage will feature performances by local school bands, dance groups, cheerleading squads, and professional entertainers. There will also be a Main Stage with performances by Joanne LeBlanc, Fog City Band, Big Mike and the HartBeats, Leland High School Cheer & Dance, and many more. The Main Stage and Kid’s Fun Zone entertainment schedules are available online at www.almadenwine.org/events. To top it all off, there will be a silent auction with items such as signed sports and entertainment collectibles, limited edition art, fabulous designer jewelry, and tickets to local attractions.

The Almaden Valley Art & Wine Festival is sponsored by the Almaden Valley Women’s Club, which raises funds for the festival every year. The festival is also made possible through the support of local sponsors as well as the City of San Jose. All proceeds from the festival are donated to non-profit organizations and local schools. As always, admission and parking are free, and a free shuttle service is available. Come join the Almaden Valley community in celebrating the 40th anniversary of this popular annual event!

Almaden Community Center Activity Guide – Fall 2016 – UPDATED 2022

Almaden Community Center Activity Guide[CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO MORE RECENT ALMADEN COMMUNITY CENTER ACTIVITY GUIDE.]

Check out the Almaden Community Center Activity Guide for Fall 2016! The guide contains classes and programs for children of all ages from dance and music to health and fitness and specialty camps. There are also a variety of new classes including 3D Cartoon Drawing, Fundamentals of Drawing, Intro to Pastels, Preschool Artist, Little Medical School, and many more. The Almaden Community Center even offers a recreation preschool and KinderCare to prepare children for elementary school.

Make note of some important dates mentioned in the guide, such as the 9th Annual Harvest Festival happening on Saturday, October 22, from 11am to 4pm. The Harvest Festival is an opportunity for residents to enjoy local art, eat good food, and pick pumpkins out of a pumpkin patch just in time for Halloween. The guide also highlights Breakfast with Santa on December 10 from 9:30am to 12pm. Additionally, there are Free Movie Fridays in the Community Room on September 30, October 28, and November 18.

There’s something for all ages in the Almaden Community Center Activity Guide. Fall registration has already begun. Register directly at the Almaden Community Center (6445 Camden Ave., SJ 408.268.1133) or online at www.sjregistration.com.

Almaden Community Center’s Fall 2013 Activity Guide – UPDATED 2022

community-center-activity-guide-fall-2013[CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS TO MORE RECENT ALMADEN COMMUNITY CENTER ACTIVITY GUIDE.]

Almaden Community Center Activity Guide includes all of the programs, classes, and activities planned for the Almaden Community Center in Fall 2013.

Almaden Valley residents have a variety of classes and activities from which to choose. There’s something for everyone – from toddlers to seniors.

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Art Classes in Almaden Valley for Children Ages 18 Months to 5 Years

Spend quality time with your young child creating art and having fun together! (This is a parent/guardian participation class.) My First Art Class is an art program for children ages 18 months to 5 years. The program offers an art environment where your child can flourish creatively.

Each week, the program offers an exciting theme using an array of art materials such as paint, clay, glitter, stickers, collage, markers, and much more. They set up an art environment with five stations.

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Summer Art Classes at Cindy Art Studio

cindy-of-cindy-art-studioIn addition to its regular weekly art classes, Cindy Art Studio is offering more than one dozen different special Summer art classes for children ages 5 and above.

Classes in standard media include drawing and painting, oil painting, acrylic painting, and sketching. Classes in mixed media include 3D sculpture, diorama making, rock painting, card making, and character design. Classes in specialized media include 2-toned portrait in oil, abstract painting, animal drawing, and fantasy art.

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The Fratello Marionettes Performing The Vaudeville Follies in Almaden Valley

FrogPrincessThe Fratello Marionettes will perform their entertaining “Vaudeville Follies” in Almaden Valley. Experience the Artistry of Kevin Menegus and his marionettes. This variety show is in the spirit of the old time music hall, with experienced puppeteers performing in full view of the audience. The shows are filled with wonderful, high-quality marionettes that range in size from one foot to three feet tall! You’ll see singers, dancers, a clown that blows up a balloon, and even a trapeze artist.

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Almaden Library to Host Performance by José Luis Orozco

Jose-Luis-OrozcoJosé Luis Orozco, popular bilingual musician, is performing at the Almaden Library! Mr. José Luis Orozco is an award winning children’s book author and bilingual educator. He wrote De Colores, Diez Deditos and Fiestas. More recently, he wrote Rin Rin Rin Do Re Mi. CD’s accompany each of these colorful books to present a collection of latino songs, rhymes, lullabies, and holiday celebrations.

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