Thornhill Elementary PFC Newsletter

Reminder: No School on Friday

Hello Thunderbirds,

Thank you to the families who have contributed to the Annual Fund - we are off to a fantastic start this year! The Annual Fund is Thornhill’s first and most significant fundraising effort of the school year, and 2026 is our biggest year yet, with a goal of raising $260,000. Your contributions directly bridge critical district budget gaps, ensuring we can maintain essential staff, enrichment programs, and classroom resources that make Thornhill special.

This week, we are featuring Maya Novak, Thornhill’s Teacher on Special Assignment (TSA). Maya focuses on school-wide academic support, curriculum planning, schedule optimization, teacher coaching, and professional development. Additionally, our TSA leads the Junior Coach program, providing upper-grade students with meaningful leadership opportunities on campus and beyond.

In her own words: “This is my 13th school year working at Thornhill! I taught 4th and 5th grades here before becoming the TSA last year. I have two kids of my own, in 8th and 12th grades, who are both Thornhill Alums. As the TSA, I have the opportunity to support my peers in the classroom, organize schedules that best meet the needs of students and staff, work as an instructional coach and develop/facilitate professional development along with the leadership team. I feel so lucky to work at a school with such a committed, supportive and fun staff, as well as a greater community that is involved and caring. I am inspired by the work they do every day, along with leadership and joy that is modeled by our amazing principal, Ms. Scott!”

Thank you to all who have donated already! And if you haven’t yet, please take a moment to contribute to the Annual Fund!

As of this week, We have reached 22% of our goal of $260,000 with 19% of families participating.

We are aiming for 100% participation, so - we still need help! While the suggested donation amount is $1,100 per student, we welcome contributions of any size. Please consider supporting Thornhill at whatever level you are able.

Contribute to the Annual Fund by Check

Contribute to the Annual Fund Online

The Thornhill PFC’s overall mission is to bridge the gap between district and state funding. The success of the Annual Fund is a collective effort that helps to bring the vision and mission of our school to life.

Your contribution to the Annual Fund might be eligible for a company match, doubling your impact! To request a match, submit your receipt to your employer’s matching online gift portal or check with your HR department.

Here are some companies that offer a matching program: Disney, Pixar, AAA, Airbnb, Expedia, Google, Pandora, Adobe, Kaiser, Genentech, PayPal, Apple, Salesforce, PG&E, Williams Sonoma, Microsoft, Verizon, Clorox and more! To see if your employer offers matching gifts, visit Charity Navigator to submit a match request online.

All contributions are tax deductible: Thornhill PFC 501(c)3 Non-Profit Tax ID #94-2529197

Questions? Email annualfund@thornhillschool.org

In partnership,

Stefani Miller, Vaidehi Seth, Annie Sartor & Ashley Hart

Annual Fund Committee

Board Spotlight: Auction Chair - We Need You (or You Two!)

Quick gut check: if nobody steps up for Auction Chair, our biggest fundraiser of the year doesn't happen the way it has in past years. That's the honest stakes.

The good news: venue and catering for this year's event are already secured, so you're not starting from zero. This role can also be split between two people, no experience required, and the PFC gives you full training on the auction software plus support from last year's team.

What's left to lead: setting the theme, coordinating décor and donations, running checkout day of, and a short weekly update for this newsletter. Heaviest lift is September and October at kickoff; it eases up from there.

Curious but not sure? Email president@thornhillschool.org and we'll set up a 15 minute call, no commitment. Or forward this to a friend who'd be great at it.

Also open: Webmaster (about 1 to 2 hours a week after setup), Parliamentarian (about 1 hour a month), and Site & Safety Chair (about 4 to 8 hours a month, coordinating site improvement days and helping with emergency preparedness).

Three candidates are running for the District 4 seat on the Oakland school board: Kathryn Camp, Mike Hutchinson, and Sylvia Williams. That seat represents our school.

Montera Middle School is hosting an evening where District 4 families can meet all three, organized by the Sequoia Elementary PTO. Come out and learn more about the candidates before you vote!

Wednesday, October 7, 6:00 to 7:30 pm, at Montera, 5555 Ascot Drive. Open to any District 4 family.

You have the opportunity to send the candidates a question before the forum! Up to four questions will be selected from those submitted and sent to all three candidates in writing, and their answers will be published together on September 30, before ballots arrive.

Submit a question by Tuesday, September 15th: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgFtMyZ7QePBCk5_5iMopr1Z5N0pF9pAiDwYk1cPPjD7DZ2Q/viewform

Sequoia PTO is a 501(c)(3) and does not support or oppose any candidate.

🌟Volunteers Needed 🌟

Help Our Fall Festival Grow!

Whether you're a master on the grill, a craft enthusiast, face painting apprentice, or simply happy to lend a hand, there's a spot for you! When we volunteer together, we strengthen the roots that keep our community thriving! Sign up here: ThornChill Volunteer Sign Up

Next ThornChill Planning Meeting THIS THURSDAY- 9/17/26 at 6pm: ZOOM LINK

Meeting ID: 958 857 7366

Passcode: 095552

Hosted by the Thunder Dads

When: Friday, September 25th

Time: 6 PM – 9 PM

Where: Thornhill Elementary MPR

Who: A drop-off event for all current Thornhill Thunderbirds!

See details here & buy tickets -> https://givebutter.com/kids-night-out-movie-night-fun-at-thornhill-51526-c

Get ready for the ultimate Friday night takeover! While parents get a few hours off, our Thunderbirds will take over the multipurpose room for a cozy, supervised hangout with all their favorite classmates.

Whether they are there for the movie or just to spend extra time with friends, it’s going to be an unforgettable night! Dinner will be pizza and popcorn, If anyone has dietary restrictions, they can let Thunder Dads know in advance by emailing thunderdads@thornhillschool.org

The BAC would like to welcome families to come together for a relaxed afternoon of play and connection at Montclair Park on September 27th @ 3 pm. Click Here to Sign-up!

Our Neurodiverse Students and Families Advisory Group recently met to discuss ways to strengthen communication with teachers, support incoming families with IEPs, and build a more empathetic school community. We are focused on expanding family education, offering teacher training, and creating engaging opportunities like guest speakers and playdates to help every child thrive.

All parents and caregivers are warmly invited to join our upcoming meetings to share ideas, connect with fellow families, and help shape a welcoming, supportive environment for our entire school!

Mark your calendars for the next meeting on November 7th at 6pm on Zoom.

Be sure also to subscribe to the Thornhill Google Calendar here, and download the OUSD District calendar here.