Dear Las Lomitas Families,

Welcome to September! I hope you enjoyed the Labor Day weekend. I want to thank all of you for a smooth start to the school year, especially our Hot Food and Compost crew! They have really made a difference! I encourage all of you to review the myriad opportunities to participate in school activities through the PTA, Las Lomitas League or Foundation. Parent involvement is one of the components that makes Las Lomitas a great school.

As mentioned in my first Roar article, we have 12 new faculty and staff members this year. For the next few weeks I'll be writing short pieces about their background. This week I'd like to introduce our three new third grade teachers:

• Nicole (Nikki) Montre received her Master of Education and teaching credential from the University of Michigan. She taught there for several years before moving to the west coast. She has taught a variety of grades over the past eleven years with six being in third grade. She has been a mentor teacher and is fluent in French.
• Judy Harney has taught 1^st through 4^th grades over the past seven years. She is a "local gal" from Belmont, so she knows the Peninsula very well. She was a National Science Foundation Merit Scholar at SF State University so it's not surprising she is very interested in math and science.
• Robert (Robbie) Christensen recently completed his teaching credential program at Monterey Bay. He has taught in a variety of grades including a 5^th grade at an International Baccalaureate school in Los Gatos. He is fluent in Italian and spent the past two summers teaching English at summer camps in Italy.

We welcome these three talented professionals to our staff! Be sure to introduce yourself if you see them at the Family Picnic.

Speaking of the Family Picnic, please be sure to keep a close eye on your children during the picnic. As written in the Roar article by Joyce Massaro the first week of school, we had a serious accident this summer on the play structure. Although our equipment is safe, running or playing tag games in the play structure area is very dangerous. We want the Picnic to be enjoyed by all and need your help to keep your children safe.

Finally, parking is at a premium on campus so many of you park on neighboring streets and walk to events. That is much appreciated! Please be courteous of our neighbors and do not block driveways! Your behavior reflects on all of us. We work closely with the San Mateo Sheriff's Department to manage traffic and parking to keep our students safe. Be advised that you will be ticketed if you block driveways or park in "no parking" zones.

Until next time,

 

Sue Sartor, Principal

While in the drive-up lane, place your child's name card on the visor of your car -- that way it can be read from a distance.

 

PTA News

21st Century Learning & Strategic Planning Initiatives

This Thursday, Sept. 8, the District's Strategic Planning Committee ("SPC") will hold its first substantive meeting in the process of developing a new plan for our District. The SPC will base many of its discussions on the ideas raised in the book The Global Achievement Gap, by Tony Wagner, who writes about "why even our best schools don't teach the new survival skills our children need and what we can do about it."  We encourage all parents to read the book too. It is available at  local bookstores, or through Amazon at:  http://www.amazon.com/Global-Achievement-Gap-Survival-Need--/dp/0465002307/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313514728&sr=1-1. And please plan to attend the SPC's Parent Forum on September 26^th, at 7  pm in Cano Hall.  This will provide a chance for parents to come together as a group to share wishes and hopes about the future of our children's education.

To learn more about our the District's Strategic Planning process, you can see the following web page:  http://www.llesd.k12.ca.us/StrategicPlanning.html.

In addition, the Strategic Planning Committee membership includes several District parents:  Todd Alamin, Lori Brockman, Larry Kelmar, Leslie King, Rita Popat, Christy Story, and Diana Sunshine. Also, Governing Board members Maria Doktorczyk and Ann Jaquith, District parents, are members of the Strategic Planning Committee. You should feel free to contact any of these parent representatives to share your input as the Strategic Planning process moves forward this fall.   

Finally, be sure to mark your calendar for the kick-off 21^st Century Learning Speaker Series presentation which will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. in Cano Hall.  Dr. Ira Lit, Associate Professor, Director of Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) Elementary, will discuss ways that K-8 educators can and are re-imagining teaching and creating the sorts of learning environments that our children need to thrive in the 21st century.   

Thank you for your support of our schools. 

 ~ CUB SCOUTS AT LAS LOMITAS ~  NOTE CHANGE OF CONTACT

Bring the family and join the fun!

Wednesday, Sept. 21 - 9 a.m. - Room 22

Would you like to help plan for the Holiday Workshop? Do you have an idea for a craft that you would like to share? Come join us at our opening meeting to prepare for this fun event. If you have an idea, bring a sample along to share. Please contact Tracie Nelson if you have any questions. TracieRaeNelson@gmail.com

Registration closed on Friday Sept. 2 at 7 p.m. However, it's not too late! For those after-school classes that have space, you can still late register at http://www.laslomitasleague.com/. Classes begin the week of Sept. 12. Late fee applies.  

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 our school.  Please check the website www.keplers.com for upcoming events.
• 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.

• Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.  The Friends of the Menlo Park Library present Mr. Horsefeathers A.K.A Steve Koehler. Please join us at the Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., for this fun show of magic, juggling and comedy. 

• You're Invited to the Menlo Park Library's Book Fair Sept. 17 - 18

   

  Parents, looking for a way to expand your children's reading horizons, while keeping your budget in check?  Teachers, seeking an economical way to add your classroom library?

   

  Select from a broad assortment of gently used children's books, including hard cover picture books and volumes of children and teen fiction and nonfiction at the Menlo Park Library's fall Book Fair, taking place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17 - 18, 10 a.m to 2 p.m.

   

  In addition to the children and teen titles, the 30,000 book selection will include a wide variety of genres and subjects, such as fiction, mystery, science fiction, romance, cookbooks, psychology, business, computers, and much more. You name it, there's something for everyone!

   

  Sponsored by the Friends of the Menlo Park Library, the Book Fair will be on the library lawn at the Main Library, 800 Alma Ave., near the intersection of Ravenswood Ave. and Laurel St. in Menlo Park.

   

  Prices start at just 50 cents, and most books are available for $2 and under. On Sunday, starting at 10 a.m., all books are offered at half price and customers can purchase a bag from the Friends for just $5 and fill it to the brim with books on sale.

   

  All of the proceeds go to support the programs and collections of the Menlo Park Library.

 
The Las Lomitas PTA and the Las Lomitas School do not endorse, warrant or recommend any of these businesses.

• Ladera Fall Swimming   Come swim with the dolphins at Ladera Rec Pool (not REAL dolphins)!  Practices are Mondays and Wednesdays:  4:15-5 p.m. for swimmers 8 and under and 5-6 p.m. for swimmers over 8 or more experienced. The practices for beginning swimmers will focus on technique while practices for more experienced swimmers focus on technique, speed and endurance. Sessions begin 8/31 and end 10/26.  Go to http://www.lrdrec.com or call 845-3242.
• SIGN UP NOW -- SOLO Aquatics Swim Team  SOLO Aquatics offers a year-round program in which swimmers learn excellent swim / stroke technique through outstanding coaching in a fun environment. SOLO, a non-profit USA Swimming organization, has been serving Menlo Park for over 19 years and has over 100 year-round swimmers ranging in age from 5 to 18. Swimmers are grouped by age and ability levels. For practice schedules and fee information, please visit our website at  www.soloaquatics.com or call us today at (650) 851-9091.
• USA Swimming at Ladera Oaks Swim and Tennis Club  Ladera Oaks Swim and Tennis Club in Portola Valley offers a year-round, USA Swimming, youth swim team. Ladera Oaks USA Team offers great coaching in a fun environment for children 6 - 18 years old. For more information or to schedule an evaluation for your swimmer, please contact Head Coach Andy Clifford at (650) 787-8854 or email to Andy@laderaoaks.com