Community Corner

Today's Happenings About Town

Be on hand for the pivotal school board vote on a new school calendar, have a conversation with an acclaimed history writer, learn the ins-and-outs of hospice, dance like a Brazilian and see powerful keepsakes from the Holocaust.

1. Tonight is the night—the Palo Alto Unified School District will hold its bi-weekly meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the district offices, 25 Churchill Ave., in Palo Alto. On the agenda for this evening is the vote everyone has been waiting for—whether to approve a new school calendar for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years, which could mean such changes as school starting earlier in August, ending later for winter break in December and moving first-semester final exams to before the winter break. Members of the public are welcome to attend. For more information, visit pausd.org.

2. Hilton Obenzinger, a prolific fiction and nonfiction writer and lecturer in Stanford's Department of English and in Continuing Studies, will engage acclaimed author and historian, Peter Stansky in conversation, focusing on the techniques, quirks and joys of writing history and biography. Stansky is known for producing studies of some of the seminal figures in British political and cultural history from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries, such as William Morris and George Orwell. He has written countless biographies and historical nonfiction novels, such as Redesigning the World: William Morris, the 1880s, and the Arts and Crafts and On or About December 1910: Early Bloomsbury and Its Intimate World, and many more. "How I Write: A Conversation with Peter Stansky on Writing History and Biography" is free and open to all. The event takes place tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Geology Corner, Building 320, Room 105, at Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, in Palo Alto. For more information, call 650-725-2650, e-mail continuingstudies@stanford.edu or click here.

3. "The Centropa Project: Jewish Witness to a Polish Century" is an exhibit of more than 100 6-foot banners featuring family photographs and deeply personal stories that tell the story of how Jews in Poland lived during the Holocaust. This collection is on display through Nov. 29 at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, 3921 Fabian Way, in Palo Alto. Admission is free. For more information, call Jennifer Landucci at 650-223-8664, e-mail jlanducci@paloaltojcc.org or visit paloaltojcc.org/arts.

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4. It's common to have misconceptions regarding the term "hospice." The Palo Alto Medical Foundation invites the public to an evening devoted to creating awareness about end-of-life care and dispelling some of the myths surrounding hospice. Counselor Colleen M. Kenny and Sophie Mace, a registered nurse, will discuss and answer questions regarding hospice services and how to determine the best care for loved ones in "What Everyone Should Know About Hospice," tonight, 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the Hearst Center for Health Education, Level 3, at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 795 El Camino Real. For more information, call 650-853-2960 or visit pamf.org.

5. Capoeira is a blend of music, dance and martial arts, hailing from Brazil. Practicing capoeira is good for exercise and coordination. Classes for children are on Tuesday and Thursdays at 4 p.m. in the Stern Ballroom at the Lucie Stern Community Center, 1305 Middlefield Rd., in Palo Alto. Registration is now open through the city of Palo Alto. The cost is $140 for Palo Alto residents and $160 for non-residents, for the session ending Dec. 16, which is open to children ages 7 to 17 years. For more information or to register, call Ronaldo de Sa at 650-384-6241, e-mail mestre-beicola@brazilca.com or click here.

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