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School News
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Dear Las Lomitas Families,
Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year! District and site employees were very busy over the summer preparing the campus for a record number of students, 683! Four new portables were installed, new play equipment is in place on the kindergarten yard and a new sandbox built on the 1st-3rd grade playground. The rooms are bright and clean, ready to welcome the children back to school.
Due to the combination of growing enrollment and several staff members taking leaves, retiring or moving from the area, we welcome 12 new faculty and staff members: Ashley Button (K), Michelle Donecho (1st), Colene McKeon and Becca Holland (1st - long-term substitutes), Kristy Hyres and Kristina Rodriguez (2nd), Judy Harney, Robbie Christensen and Nicky Montre (3rd), and paraeducators Kaitlin McGhee (K-Movement Exploration), Grete Santucci (ELD) and Joanna Dagum (Special Education) paraeducators. I am thrilled at the depth and breadth of knowledge and expertise that these talented people bring to Las Lomitas. I will tell you a bit more about each of our new staff members in future articles.
Safety is always uppermost in our minds at Las Lomitas, so please take a moment to review the tips below regarding arrival and dismissal. Your children are precious. Please help us keep them safe.
Although this is my 24th year at Las Lomitas, the start of a school year never ceases to bring excitement and anticipation for what is to come. I look forward to getting to know each of you better over the course of the school year. Communication is essential to maintain a positive climate and build community relations. To facilitate both of the above, Mornings with the Principal are offered again this year; the first is set for Sept. 14th. By request, there will also be two Evenings with the Principal. Watch the Lion's Roar for details. Parent involvement is a key component of an effective school. We are most fortunate to have an active PTA, School Site Council, League and Foundation to support student learning and provide an optimal learning environment. I encourage you to participate in one of these organizations and wish you all a successful start to the school year.
Until next time,
Sue Sartor, Principal
ARRIVAL and DISMISSAL SAFETY TIPS
Safety comes first at Las Lomitas. Camino al Lago, the parking areas and neighboring streets are very congested during arrival and dismissal times, especially on Wednesdays and minimum days.
Please take a few minutes to review these safety tips. With everyone's cooperation, we can be sure that our students are safe and help traffic move smoothly.
- PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY and PAY ATTENTION, even on neighboring streets. Our students are young and not easily seen.
- BE READY TO UNLOAD; have backpacks ready so the queue doesn't back up.
- ALWAYS UNLOAD CURBSIDE; please do not ever unload from drive-through lane. If you must get out of your car, watch for cars in the drive-through lane before opening your door.
- ALWAYS use the crosswalk! Be a role model for the children, even when tempted to cut across the drive-through or loading lanes. Remember, even when you are alone, other children may be watching your example.
- LOOK BOTH WAYS before crossing! Cars may not see you - watch for them.
- approach the crosswalk area slowly! Be especially cautious if you are in the drive-through lane. Turn off your cell phone.
- DRIVERS, CHECK TO SEE IF THE CROSSWALK IS CLEAR of students and parents before driving forward.
- PARK IN DESIGNATED PARKING SPACES; please honor the no parking signs and only use the handicapped parking spaces if you have a placard. Do not block neighbors driveways ~ please model courteous behavior.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation. We appreciate everyone's courtesy and patience in the parking area, on Camino al Lago and surrounding streets at arrival and dismissal times.
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PTA News
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Welcome to the first day of school! Whether you're a new or returning family, I hope you had an enjoyable summer and are excited for the new school year.
The PTA has been working over the summer gearing up to provide students with a vast array of enrichment opportunities. I hope you'll take the time to show your support for all the PTA does by joining this year. It's never been easier. Just visit the PTA web site at www.laslomitaspta.org and click "join now" or fill out the membership form in your Monday envelope and return it to the office with your payment. 100% of your membership fees and contributions go to support the wonderful programs and events provided by the PTA. Please join the PTA!
There's a lot going on at the start of the school year. Please make note of the following:
- Check out the PTA web site: www.laslomitaspta.org. You'll find membership information, volunteer opportunities, a calendar of events and contact information.
- If you were unable to attend the PTA Volunteer Fair this morning, you can still volunteer by filling out the Volunteer Form. It's available online at www.laslomitaspta.org/volunteer.html
- We are fortunate to have an outstanding group of parents on the 2011-2012 PTA Executive Board. Please visit the PTA web site: www.laslomitaspta.org/who.html
- Important dates to remember:
- Sept. 2, Fri: PTA Volunteer forms due in the office
- Sept. 9, Fri: PTA Membership forms due preferably online or in the office
- Sept. 15, Thurs: Las Lomitas Family Picnic, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
- Refer to www.laslomitaspta.org/calendar.html for future programs and events
A huge THANK YOU to the PTA Executive Board and committee chairs who have already racked up many hours preparing for this school year! We couldn't do what we do without the dedication of fellow parents who continue to generously volunteer their time.
Have a great week!
Donna Hall
Las Lomitas PTA President
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| Foundation News | |
We hope you all enjoyed a wonderful summer with your families and are as excited about the year ahead as we are! To help you get the year started we have some wonderful upcoming events.
New Families:
The Foundation invites all new families in the District to join us for a NewFamilyNeighborhoodParty on Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Families will have the opportunity to connect with parents, meet school administrators, PTA, and Foundation representatives, and learn about our outstanding District. Refreshments and light appetizers will be served. If you are new to the District, please plan to join us for one of the neighborhoodparties.
All Families:
Adults and kids are invited to join us for our fall parties, donated by parents to help raise money for the Foundation . . . spaces are limited so sign up now!
Go to www.llef.org to see full event details and purchase tickets. Below is a quick list of a few events that are fast approaching and you might not want to miss!!
Kids:
Welcome to La Entrada Party at Pump It Up! (Incoming 4th Graders)
Sunday, Aug. 28 - 1:45 to 3:45 p.m., $40 per child
Afternoon Parent/Child Nature Hike (Incoming 3rd - 5th Graders)
Sunday, Aug. 28 - 2 p.m., $40 per family
Incoming 2nd Grade Boys Lego and Pizza Party
Monday, Sept. 19 - 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., $40 per child
Adults:
"Love Boat" Cruise Party (Adults Only. . .10 spots left!)
Love . . . exciting and new . . come aboard . . . we're expecting you!
Saturday, Aug. 27 - 6:30 p.m., $125 per person
Ladies Yoga Party at Studio Rincon (Ladies Only)
YogaRok - where yoga meets swanky lounge!
Saturday, Sept. 10 - 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., $40 per person
Ladies Round Robin Tennis Event (Ladies Only)
Fun in the sun with friends at the Menlo Circus Club
Sunday, Sept. 18 - 2 to 5 p.m., $50 per player
South Beach Miami Sunset Bash at "The Fire Lounge" (Adults Only)
Style it up and step on out to The Fire Lounge, the hippest party in town!
Saturday, Oct. 1 - in the evening, $125 per person
Gentlemen's Texas Hold'em (Gentlemen Only)
Take a ride on the No-Limit Tournament Texas Hold'em bandwagon!
Saturday, Oct. 15 - from 7:30 p.m. 'til late . . . $100 per player
Have Fun!
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| Playground Improvements | |
We're all very excited about the improvements to our playground at Las Lomitas. This summer has been busy, not only adding "The Village" of portable classrooms to our campus, but adding several new things to make recess and PE better.
- The blacktop has been resurfaced and re-striped. As part of this project, we've also done some repair work to several areas.
- Two new handball walls have been added along the edge of the Kindergarten yard. These are not completely finished yet, but Mr. Grayland and Mr. Jose will be adding the plywood and painting the walls this week.
- Mr. Grayland and Mr. Jose have also resurfaced the exterior wall of the portable which is used for handball as well.
- The old baseball backstop has been removed and recycled.
- A new play structure has been added to the Kindergarten yard.
- Mr. Grayland and Mr. Jose built a fabulous sand box, which sits under the trees just beyond the maize.
We've also had all our playground equipment inspected to insure that our play areas are safe. Some of you may have heard that we had a student injured on our equipment this summer. The injury was serious, but we're happy to report that the young man is recovering well. Our playground was closed for a brief period this summer while we were waiting for a certified playground inspector to look at our equipment and advise us. We're happy to report that our play areas currently meet all state standards for safety. The inspector made some recommendations to us regarding signage; the manufacturer is sending us the required labeling. While meeting state standards is important, our goal is to provide a safe play area for all Las Lomitas children; to that end we are adding some signage ourselves to remind students of our rules. We expect to have the written report from the inspector within the next couple of weeks. If any of you are interested in seeing it, please give me a call.
We hope you enjoy all the improvements we've made to the Las Lomitas playground this summer, and thank the PTA for its help with the funding of these projects.
Joyce Masssaro
MOT Supervisor
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| Parent Information Night (PIN) Child Care | |
CCLC Atherton will have child care available for PIN, September 1st. Pizza dinner will be provided along with some fun activities. Drop off will begin at 6 p.m. and children will need to be picked up by 8:15 p.m. The cost is $25 per child. Siblings welcome to attend as long as they are potty learned. Forms are available in the Las Lomitas office. Please complete the required form and return to CCLC with payment. Thank you!
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| Las Lomitas Hot Lunch Program | |
The Las Lomitas Hot Lunch Program will begin Monday, Aug. 29th. Hot lunch is available for children in grades 1-3. Kindergarteners do not participate in the hot lunch program.
Choicelunch will continue to provide our hot lunch program. They offer a large variety of healthy, daily entrees with sustainable ingredients and their packaging is compostable.
If your family had a Choicelunch account last year, you do not need to re-register as your child or children will be automatically moved up a grade and placed in the proper class. If you would like to add a student to your account, make changes to your existing information, or create a new account, please visit www.choicelunch.com. If needed, the Las Lomitas Registration code is "Atherton."
Volunteering to serve hot lunch is an excellent way to be involved with the PTA, see your children at lunch time, and have a great time getting to know other parents! We are in need of volunteers every day, so if you can help for 30-40 minutes, once per week, every other week, or even once a month from approximately 11:55 a.m. - 12:40 p.m., please contact Stacy May at stacy.may1967@yahoo.com. You can also sign up online at http://www.laslomitaspta.org/volunteerform.html.
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| Green Team Announcement | |
The Green Team would like to welcome everyone back to school! We would like to carry forward our efforts for waste free lunches with encouraging smart meal packing and resumption of our lunch time composting.
Here are six smart reminders/tips for earth-friendly lunches : 1. Pack the whole and all parts (drinks, fruits and veggies, sides, main dish, sandwiches and/or sweets) of snacks and lunch in reusable containers. Cloth, metal and safer plastic reusable containers are widely available locally at Reclaim, Target, Ikea, Wholefoods, Pottery Barn and online at reuseit.com, laptoplunches.com, llbean.com, etsy.com, amazon.com and others (query "reusable lunch containers"). Don't forget reusable utensils, cloth napkins and lunch box/bag! 2. Avoid single serving packets and buy in larger quantities (standard packages of pretzels/crackers/chips/cookies, yogurt, bunch of carrots/grapes/apples, juices) and pack in reusable containers, saving money and wasteful packaging from entering the landfill. 3. Avoid plastic bags. Plastic bags are harmful to marine and wildlife, are a major source of litter, and take forever to decompose in landfills. While reusable containers are the better alternative, wax paper bags are also an option (available at Wholefoods). 4. Utilize an ice pack or thermos container to keep food items cold on hot days. The thermos can also be used in colder months to keep meals warm. 5. Size portions to your child's appetite and likes, decreasing food waste (even to the compost). Pack a granola bar in their school bag for a "just in case" snack. 6. Remind our kids that the majority of home and hot lunches are compostable and recyclable. If they need assistance, lunch staff and compost volunteers as well as photographic signs are available for help. Our lunchtime composting program was incredibly successful last year and we would like to encourage and continue our students to be caring global citizens. Our waste receptacles include seven (7) compost, one (1) recycling and two (2) trash bins. With our efforts and Recology (our waste service provider), we have been able to divert what would have been landfill and compost 90% of our home and hot lunch waste! With verbal and visual help, our children are enthusiastic and increasingly knowledgeable with sorting their lunch waste. If you would like to help compost at lunch or with any of our Green Team efforts, please contact Monica Albers ( monica.albers@gmail.com). |
| Bilingual Buddies | |
Are you bilingual? You can help!
Would you like to be a Bilingual Buddy and help new families at Las Lomitas? Each year we match parents who speak a language other than English with new families who also speak another language. Last spring the District English Advisory Committee's survey indicated that at least nine parents were interested in serving as a Bilingual Buddy. If you are interested, please call Carmen Patiņo at 233-9663 or email her at cpatino@denodo.com.
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| LLESD Governing Board |
The Governing Board web page (www.llesd.k12.ca.us.board.html) now lists all scheduled Board meetings and their location, and includes links to agendas for upcoming meetings and approved minutes for past meetings. The site is updated when new information is available, so please visit it regularly. Materials discussed at Regular Meetings (held monthly) are available in both school offices Monday through Wednesday prior to the meeting. Materials from past meetings are available at the District Office by contacting Karen Hiatt at 854-2880.
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Community Resources
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The Las Lomitas PTA and the Las Lomitas School do not endorse, warrant or recommend any of these businesses.
- Remember to mention Las Lomitas at the register and Kepler's donates 10% back to the school.
- Circle of Friends Pre-School Looking for a great little pre-school in the Las Lomitas neighborhood? Come see our developmental play-based program where children have opportunities to create, problem-solve, practice skills and concepts, and integrate knowledge in a hands-on supportive environment. 8:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. cofpreschool@gmail.com Debbie 650-854-2468, http://sites.google.com/site/cofpreschool/
- Great Clips NEW Great Clips Haircuts at Sharon Heights Safeway (located right behind Starbucks) - Mention Las Lomitas for a 10% discount for you and we will also donate 10% of your purchase to the school. Not valid with any other offers. Applied to one customer purchase per day. Offer good through 9/10/11.
- Studio Rincon in West Menlo Park is proud to offer New Dance and Yoga Classes taught by excellent, new instructors Sept. 6th, 2011 - May 2012. Enjoy Hip Hop, Funky Tap, Ballet/Tap Combo classes, Kids Yoga (ages 3-5) and (ages 6-11)! Classes start Labor Day week so signup asap to get a jump start on an exciting dance and yoga season. Performance scheduled for mid-May 2012. Registration required in advance at www.studiorincon.com
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| Newsletter Submissions | |
The Lion's Roar is published every Monday. To submit items for inclusion in the newsletter:
· Email submissions by noon, Wednesdays, to Carol Clark at cclark@llesd.org.
· Include a brief description of the item in the subject line of the email.
· Please include the text (in 10pt Arial) in an attachment to your email.
· Flyers will be summarized briefly in the email newsletter, with a link provided to access the complete flyer. Flyers must be provided electronically to enable online access.
Please note: Community announcements are for local children's events only. The title, date and contact number will be listed with a one-two sentence descriptor.
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