Parents and students at Castillero Middle School can learn how to surf the web safely at a Dec. 2 workshop. Parents in attendance will view a documentary about three families who lost their children to online predators. Children will be able to play a computer game called "Missing," in which police attempt to save a boy who has been lured from his home by someone he met online. Following these activities, parents and children will meet to negotiate an Internet safety plan—guidelines for family members to use when they're logged on. The workshop begins at 5 p.m. and will be conducted in both English and Spanish. A light dinner will be served. To register, call 408.535-6385.

Graystone seeking volunteer elves

Graystone Elementary School is seeking parent volunteers to staff the school's holiday store. Cashiers, baggers and stock boys and girls are needed for two-hour shifts on Dec. 2­3. Graystone parents can also volunteer to supervise the student elves working at the store. Proceeds go to Graystone's Roots & Wings self-esteem program. To volunteer, call Deb Glusker at 408.268-9459.

Book fair offers holiday book choices

Just in time for holiday shopping, Los Alamitos Elementary School is holding its annual Scholastic Book Faire Dec. 2­5. Students will be able to choose from "really nice hardback books and cheaper paperbacks—all the authors the kids really like," says book fair chairwoman Nikki Pulling. This year marks the fair's first family night; on Dec. 2, the campus will be open from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for Los Alamitos parents to come shopping, with or without their children. "We're giving them an additional opportunity to buy," Pulling says.

Parents organize the book fair each year to raise money for school library books. Pulling says Los Alamitos receives 30 percent of the fair's net profits.

"Last year was our biggest year," she adds. "The gross was $15,000, and we ended up with $4,200."

Pulling, who has three children enrolled at Los Alamitos, says the fair is the school's only steady funding source for new library books. "Sometimes we get a grant [from the San Jose Unified School District]," she adds, "but it's only for about $1,200."

Parents help secure 15 new computers

The media center at Graystone Elementary School got an upgrade recently, and some students have their parents' employer to thank. Graystone parents who work at IBM contributed to the company's matching-grants program for schools, helping raise enough money for 15 new computers and monitors for their children's school. The new equipment has a market value of $17,670.

Dartmouth art hangs in county offices

Six young artists from Dartmouth Middle School have had their artwork selected to hang in the permanent collection at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Their works were among 31 pieces chosen from hundreds of student entries for display in the hallowed halls of the COE, where the art of budding Van Goghs and Monets from across the county is prominently displayed. The Dartmouth artists are Justin Dion, Franchesca Galbraith, Valorie Reyes, Katie Sipos, Rachel Smith and Jocelyn Velasco.