At the first school kickoff party of the year, the Havens community on Wednesday gathered at the home of Shanti and Doug Brien. Parents mingled and enjoyed a delicious dessert buffet provided by the Havens flappers and Havens School representatives Anne Callahan, Nicki Gilbert and Samantha Miller.

The 1920s accessories bar proved to be the perfect place to find feather headbands, boas and fedoras to transform even the simplest little black dress or a suit into attire straight from the Gatsby era.

Parent participation is key to this year’s Spring Fling, said Havens Principal Tery Susman, who also talked about the opportunity to use funds raised by the event to buy back a student furlough day for 2012-13. Co-chairs Cathy Girr and Lesley Zalewski asked parents to do their thing for Spring Fling by signing up for sponsorships and parent-hosted parties, donating items, and bidding in the camp auction online, which opens February 7.

Grab a few other families and create a fun and memorable event that your friends and neighbors won’t want to miss! From intimate dinner parties to outdoor activities, from themed festivities to kids’ gatherings, we can help you come up with the perfect idea.

Parent parties can be hosted any time throughout the year. Download a donation form and let us know what you’re thinking! Have questions or need help? All the basics and an easy Q&A are on our parent party page — or, contact piedmontspringfling@gmail.com for more information!

Break out your pearls, feathers, and fedoras! Come join parents from your school community and the Spring Fling team for an evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dessert — and start this year’s trischool fundraiser in style at your school’s Spring Fling Kick-Off party.

Don’t miss these fabulous parties! You’ll have the chance to catch up with fellow parents, hear more about Spring Fling 2012, and learn about all the different ways you can get involved with this important annual fundraiser for Piedmont elementary schools.

• The Havens party will take place on Wednesday, January 25 at Shanti and Doug Brien’s home from 7-9 p.m.
• The Beach party will take place on Wednesday, February 1 at Susan Miller-Davis and Jonathan Davis’ home from 7-9 p.m.
• The Wildwood party will take place on Wednesday, February 8 at Lynne and Bill Hosler’s home from 7-9 p.m.
• The PMS/PHS party will take place on Wednesday, March 7 at Samantha and Stephen Miller’s home from 7-9 p.m.

Bring your checkbook and purchase hotsy-totsy accessories to wear at the event May 5!

Check your email inboxes for an Evite invitation. Please contact your grade’s fabulous flapper — your Spring Fling representative — or email the Spring Fling committee at piedmontspringfling@gmail.com if you didn’t receive an invitation or if you’d like more information.

The spirit of volunteerism was alive and well January 12 when dozens of enthusiastic parents gathered at the lovely home of Havens school rep Nicki Gilbert to kick off Spring Fling with drinks and hors d’oeuvres, accompanied by a briefing and brainstorming session.

Spring Fling 2012 — Great Gatsby Co-Chairs Cathy Girr and Lesley Zalewski outlined some of the exciting new features of this year’s event — including a beautiful new location, the Art Deco Oakland Rotunda Building, which will accommodate 450 guests.

Tri-school grade rep coordinator Nancy Steimle asked this year’s reps — the fabulous flappers — to do their thing for Spring Fling by encouraging parents to sign up for sponsorships and parent-hosted parties, to donate items, and to participate in the online auction. We’re thrilled that the flappers are already hard at work spreading the word about Spring Fling!

Have questions about Spring Fling? Check out your school’s Wednesday newsletter for a list of flappers and their contact information, or email piedmontspringfling@gmail.com.

Break out your pearls, feathers, and fedoras and get ready to roar into the 20s with Spring Fling 2012 – Great Gatsby. In keeping with the theme, the event will be held at the beautifully restored Oakland Rotunda on May 5.

This annual tri-school auction and party raises crucial funds to help preserve essential academic programs at Piedmont public elementary schools: Beach, Havens and Wildwood. The Spring Fling fundraiser is vitally important this year as Piedmont schools try to fill the devastating funding gap created by the deepest state budget cuts to public education since the Great Depression.

Stay tuned for more details about how you can do your thing for Spring Fling in 2012!

A huge thank you to our wonderful event photographers Brian Molyneaux, Colleen Gallagher & Chris Seybold, and Rod & Carin Alemania!

On Saturday, April 30, Piedmont’s Tri-School Fundraiser, Spring Fling 2011 took place at the Claremont Resort & Spa. The theme was A Night at the Oscars and it was indeed an award winning night! Piedmont parents and teachers walked the red carpet in style and even had the opportunity to pose with an authentic Oscar provided by Piedmont’s own Pete Docter. Piedmont parent Brian Molyneaux took the photos and captured some terrific moments. When the party goers were not hamming it up for the cameras, they were able to enjoy the Silent Auction. Other highlights of the evening were the Live Auction and Wildwood Dad Rob Williamson’s video. This is the second year Rob has produced a video for the Spring Fling and this year’s film had the crowd roaring with laughter. It set just the right tone for a wonderfully successful night.

This event was many months in the making, involving numerous members of the community. And on Saturday night, all of the planning and preparing paid off in a big way – not only in dollars raised for our schools, but in a celebration of our generous and committed community. This is the second year in a row in which the Spring Fling Fundraiser has produced over $500,000. It is an amazing feat and the entire community should be proud of their involvement.

Special thanks to this year’s Spring Fling Committee: Danea Adams, Julia Anable, Lisa Barnes, Beth Barrett, Andrea Binger, Shanti Brien, Anne Callahan, Allyson Cesario, Michelle Cole, Kia Conn, Hilary Cooper, Kerry Corcoran, Laura De Petra, Nicole Derr, Dana DuFrane, Sharon Filler, Colleen Gallagher, Kathryn Garl, Nicki Gilbert, Diana Gleghorn, Diane Halden, Katie Hall, Kyla Harriel, Kim Heller, Julie Hill, Nicole Kennedy, Lisa Kinoshita, Leah Kjellen, Mara Lipacis, Kristen Malan, Kirsten Merit, Ereca Miller, Samantha Miller, Susan Miller-Davis, Chad Olcott, Gigi Orta, Annie Perrin, Amie Prendergast, Sandy Rappaport, Michelle Saunders, Brenda Schaefer, Hilarie Shelby, Cory Smegal, Jessica Spry, Nancy Steimle, Julie Swan, Liz Tahawi, Noelle Tsukahara, Tanya Vawter, Beth Wiesbrock, Katherine Welch, Beth Wiesbrock, Natalie Williamson, Hilary Wolfe, Lisa Wolfe, Sharon Wooden, Helen Young and Lorri Zimmer.

Don’t miss your last chance to bid on many wonderful items!

Be a part of history as parents from our three elementary schools battle it out as Wildwood Elementary fights to retain the title as 2010 reigning champions! Sign up now for your opportunity to support Piedmont Schools and to walk away with the much coveted tri-school championship trophy! This awesome event will be held on Saturday, September 10 — for more details, check out Parent Parties!

Don’t forget — the big event is this Saturday! Doors open at 5PM!