| PTA News | 
BOOK FAIR UPDATE
With only 17 days to go until the PTA transforms Cano Hall into the Las Lomitas Book Fair, we are busy making signs, creating wish lists, and setting schedules. Most importantly, with the help of our librarian Sharon Kelly, we are ordering a fantastic supply of books for our Las Lomitas student readers. In addition to helping us, did you know that Sharon:
- Works with more than 600 students, teachers, parents and staff from 30 classes to pick and check out over 1,500 books per week?
- Assists teachers to select 800 books per month to support curriculum lessons and support free choice reading in the classroom?
- Chooses more than 225 books each year to support the Kindergarten overnight book program?
- Promotes and manage the California Young Reader Medal Program at Las Lomitas?
In addition to this, she cheerfully recommends quality books for us to stock at the book fair. Thank you, Sharon!
With such an active library user base, our book collection needs continual updating. The Book Fair helps to do this through books you purchase to donate directly to the library, and by sharing the proceeds from the books you purchase and take home. Please come to the Book Fair and help Sharon keep our students, teachers, and staff well-read!
LAS LOMITAS BOOK FAIR COMING SOON: October 25 - October 31
Come SHOP BEFORE OR AFTER THE HALLOWEEN PARADE (parade starts at 10:45 a.m.). Coming early or staying after is also a great way to avoid the traffic jam! This year we are also adding an online ordering component to our Book Fair. You will be able to access online orders directly from our PTA website. Stay tuned and we'll let you know when our online ordering is up and running!
Please sign up to VOLUNTEER AT THE BOOK FAIR by emailing Jeanne Arozqueta (llbookfair@gmail.com). This is a fun and relaxing way to share your favorite books with others and peruse new books to consider for your own library!
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STUDENT DIRECTORIES are here!
The Las Lomitas Elementary School District student directory will be sent home today with your youngest student. Please note that the cover was misprinted with 2011-2012. It is,indeed the 2012-2013 directory. Your child's teacher may have marked through it for you already. If not, trust that you do have a new and updated directory.
The student directory is provided to you by the PTA. If you have yet to join the PTA and/or purchase your directory, you still have the opportunity to do so. A membership form and reminder notice are inserted inside your directory. Please remit your forms and payment at your earliest convenience.
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School News
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Head Lice in the School and Community
A recent article in the San Mateo Times nicely summarized, in a lighthearted way, the unpleasant subject of head lice coinciding with the start of the school year. I encourage you to read it here. Overall, this is a good article, but keep in mind that only 1 in 10 cases of lice are transmitted at school. Lice is more easily transmitted through families, close playmates and overnight guests. See the informative table on myths and facts about lice.
After reviewing current literature on evidence-based practices for lice control, our district adopted a home screening policy in 2011. You can learn about our policy here.
Please be diligent in checking your child's hair on a regular basis. Together, we can strive to reduce the incidence of head lice infestations in our students. If you have any questions about the detection or treatment of lice, please call the school office at 854-5900.
Kelly Muenzen, R.N.
School Nurse
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Play dates on Minimum Days: Students will not be able to ride the bus for play dates on minimum days due to bus capacity. Only regular riders will be allowed to board. Play dates will need to be picked up at the flagpole. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Lost and Found will be donated Wednesday, October 10. Please come into the office and have a look! |
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Las Lomitas Education Foundation
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 The Annual Giving Campaign Has Begun! The Annual Giving Campaign has become a cornerstone of the success of our schools. Last year, your donations through the Foundation represented the second largest revenue source for the District. These funds make up for the difference between a good and great education by helping us maintain smaller class sizes, enhance our curriculum, and deliver educational excellence. Our goal this year is to raise $3 million. This significant amount will enable us to hire the additional teachers needed for our growing enrollment as well as invest in academic innovation and excellence. This translates to a funding need of a little over $2,000 per student. Our goal is 100% participation among District families. Any contribution you can make that is meaningful and significant for you is appreciated. Please join us in contributing this year and investing in our children's future. Together, we make a difference.  New Challenge Grant! To kick start the launch of the Annual Giving Campaign, 95 District families who passionately believe in educational excellence have created a $300,000 Challenge Grant by increasing their aggregate gifts over last year by 53%, to inspire other District families to increase their gifts as well. The Challenge Grant will match dollar for dollar any family's new gift or incremental increase over last year's gift. All together, that is an incremental $600,000 that we can raise for our schools!BECOME AN OFFICIAL MEMBER OF FRIENDS OF THE FOUNDATION!  Many people tell us how much they would like to volunteer for the Foundation, but not as a board member. Now you can help your children's schools by serving as a Friend of the Foundation! As a Friend of the Foundation, you will have three responsibilities: - Stake yards near your neighborhood with thank you signs at the end of October, and then collect them when we're done campaigning. This is a 1-2 hour time commitment in the Fall.
- Volunteer to work at either Grandparents' Day or the Auction...which ever suits your schedule the best. Grandparents' Day is one of the most fun events of the year and happens on a weekday! Auction is a great chance to work with other parents and will be an evening or weekend opportunity to help. This will be a 2 hour time commitment in the Spring.
- Be on call to help other fun volunteers stuff letters, assemble flyers or support the Fun Run - according to your schedule and only when you want!!! This is no additional time commitment, unless you choose to give additional time.
Your help and volunteer spirit is needed! Email Shari Guggenhime (friends@llef.org) to become a Friend of the Foundation today. Father-Daughter Dance
 Friday, October 19, 2012. 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Calling all fathers and their gorgeous daughters to Jensen Hall at La Entrada! Dance the night away with your daughter to some great music. This festive event is open to all grades. $75 per father/daughter pair and $25 per additional sibling. **Kindergarten dads, this is a wonderful opportunity to start the tradition of a special father/daughter evening.** (Outreach is available. Please contact the La Entrada school office for details.) |
| School District News |
 ENGLISH LANGUAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Las Lomitas School 2012-2013
The English Advisory Committee was established to advise the Governing Board on programs and services for English Learners. A majority of the Committee must be parents of English Learners. This committee meets five times a year to review and monitor programs that affect our English Language Learners. Among its responsibilities are to:
- Serve as a member on the District English Language Advisory Committee
- Assist in developing school plans for English Learners
- Conduct an annual needs assessment
- Prepare an annual language census
- Advise the District regarding redesignation procedures
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please call Lesli Leong, ELD Teacher at Las Lomitas (854-5900). El comité consejero del programa para alumnos aprendiendo inglés fue establecido para dar consejo a la Mesa Directiva sobre los programas de los alumnos aprendiendo inglés. La mayoria del comité consejero tiene que ser de padres de familia de alumnos aprendiendo inglés. Este comité se junta un vez al mes para aconsejar, examinar y comentar sobre los servicios y programas que la escuela le ofrece a los alumnos EL. Algunas de las tareas son: - Tomar una silla también en el comité consejero del distrito del programa para alumnos aprendiendo inglés
- Ayudar en establecer un plan educativo para los alumnos EL
- Conducir una evaluación de necesidades para cada escuela
- Preparar el censo annual de lenguaje
- Examinar y comentar acerca del procedimiento para la reclasificación
Si tiene interés en este comité, por favor llamen a Lesli Leong, maestra de ELD en la escuela Las Lomitas (854-5900). |
Las Lomitas League
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BASKETBALL COACHES ARE NEEDED!!!
We expect more than 360 children to register for basketball. This means we'll need at least 72 adult coaches. If we don't get enough coaches, we will have to limit registration. You do not need a lot of experience to coach; we can pair you with a more experienced coach. Also, we provide a coaching clinic in early December. Please contact Sue Bartalo at sbartalo@mac.com or Keri Tully at keritully@gmail.com if you are available to coach.
BASKETBALL SEASON AND REGISTRATION
Basketball registration opens Monday, October 8 at 7:00 p.m. Click here to register.
This is a very popular winter sport that is open to all students in 3rd through 8th grade. Registration may be limited by the number of available coaches. Sign-up early and mark your calendars for the following dates:
- October 8 at 7:00 p.m: Basketball registration opens
- October 26 at 7:00 p.m: Basketball registration closes.
- November 1 at 6:30pm: Basketball Coaches Meeting in the La Entrada library. Required for all coaches. We will choose practice times as well as go over rules, expectations, evaluations, etc. Practice times are selected based on coaches' availability and a lottery system.
- Nov 3rd (Saturday) & Nov 4th (Sunday): Basketball Evaluation Days (schedule to be determined) Evaluations are used strictly to divide each grade level into fair and balanced teams. Your grade will be assigned a specific day and time closer to the date. Check back here or the LLL Basketball webpage later in October.
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Donations Wanted
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Donate Old Computers, Printers, Digital Cameras, Flash Drives to M-A Students WANTED: old computers or parts, working or not, for M-A High School PTA computer donation program. Your old computer equipment will be securely erased, refurbished, and sent home with a needy, hard-working student. Our goal is for every student at M-A High School to have a working computer at home to assist them with their homework. We welcome donations from individuals or corporate donations from companies that are upgrading their equipment. Donations are tax-deductible. We also need other types of electronic gear, such as USB flash drives and digital cameras (include manual, battery charger and memory card if you have them). For more detailed information, visit www.suekayton.com/MAHigh/computerdonations.htm or contact Sue Kayton at (650) 853-1711 or kayton@alum.mit.edu. Halloween Costume Drive - It's not too late!
Please help the families of Haven House Family Shelter have a great Halloween by donating new or gently used costumes in all sizes (infant through adult). The Girl Scout troops of Las Lomitas and La Entrada are working together with Suzanne Mitchell (La Entrada Technology Director) to collect costumes at both schools. La Entrada bins will be out until October 15. Haven House, part of the Innvision/Shelter Network, offers emergency and transitional housing for homeless families. Each night, almost 100 kids (infants to teens) call the shelter home while their parents are working to move them back to permanent housing. Your donation of Halloween costumes will ensure that these kids can participate in the fun of the season at a very difficult time in their lives! Any questions please contact Barrie Shapiro (barrie.shapiro2@gmail.com), Ginny Rader (ginnyrad@me.com), or Suzanne Mitchell (suzannemitchell@gmail.com) |
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Community News
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These programs are not supported by or affiliated with the Las Lomitas Elementary School or the Las Lomitas PTA.
Join the Portola Valley Theatre Conservatory for a smart, poignant evening of theatre! Lisa Loomer's heartfelt play, "Distracted", is a comical, fast-paced script that follows a dedicated mother on her quest to help her ADHD son find happiness. The show runs October 19-21 and 26-28. Tickets are available at www.pvtc-ca.org. Please note: we have rated this show PG-13 due to mature content and are recommending it for adults and students in grades7+.
Need child care? Come to the CCLC Open House to sign up and receive ONE WEEK FOR FREE! We will be showcasing our center with art projects, food, music and FUN. Wednesday, October 24 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. See you there!
Student Public Library Card applications are available in the Las Lomitas school office.
New! Menlo Tennis Academy 10 & under program of Menlo Swim and Sport announces weekly tennis lessons for kids age 5-10 at Burgess Park. Following the USTA 10 & under program, students learn the fundamentals of tennis with smaller courts, lighter and lower bouncing balls, and smaller and lighter rackets. Classes are offered Monday and Wednesday afternoons. For more details, visit our website.
Kepler's Books and the M-A Parent Education Series present:
Dr. Madeline Levine "Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success"
Thursday, October 11, 7:00 p.m. in the M-A Center for the Performing Arts (PAC)
Psychologist Madeline Levine brings together cutting edge research and thirty years of clinical experience to explode once and for all the myth that good grades, high test scores, and college acceptances should define the parenting endgame and acknowledges that every parent wants successful children. However, until we are clearer about our core values and the parenting choices that are most likely to lead to authentic, and not superficial, success, we will continue to raise exhausted externally driven, impaired children who believe they are only as good as their last performance.
Madeline Levine, PhD, is a clinician, consultant and educator. She's the author of The Price of Privilege and co-founder of Challenge Success, a project birthed at the Stanford School of Education that addresses education reform, student well-being and parent education.
For more information, contact Charlene Margot (cmargot@csmconsulting.net). Free tickets are available here. This event is open to the public and sponsored by Kepler's Books, Menlo-Atherton PTA and Sequoia Healthcare District. Kepler's Books will have copies of Teacher Your Children Well for sale at the event or you can click here to buy the book online.
Cub Scouts offers fun and challenging experiences for 1st through 5th grade boys and their parents to do together, such as camping outdoors, learning how to cook, learning first aid skills, using hand tools, completing small community service projects, and learning about our community. New dens will be forming this Fall. If you have further questions, please email Stacey White ( swwhite01@yahoo.com) or visit the Pack 222 website.
CALLING ALL MUSICIANS - Musical Service Organization
District parent Paula Hamilton has started a musical service organization named 'Calling All Musicians.' The organization visits senior residential centers and provides music by performing solos, duets, etc. or by leading and participating in sing-alongs. This group was written up in inMenlo this past summer here and is looking for more musicians. All ages and ability levels are welcome in this group. If you, your children, or other family members or friends are interested in participating, we'd love to have you join us for one or more performances. Please contact Paula (paulajhchang@yahoo.com) if you're interested in performing or being added to our email distribution list.
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Business Sponsors News
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These programs are not supported by or affiliated with the Las Lomitas Elementary School or the Las Lomitas PTA:
Creative Art For Young Children - Portola Valley Town Center FALL 2012 Sept. 20 - Dec. 8 (no classes Nov. 22-24) To begin our Fall Session we will bring the earthy colors of fall together with art projects inspired by an African theme. We will explore what life is like for the Maasai children and learn the games they play and how much they are loved by the whole community. The making of clay dolls and jungle animals, masks and beaded jewelry will help us find a deeper connection to our African friends. And our hearts will jump for joy to the beat of African drums as we follow Picasso (who was also inspired by African Art) into his world of painting where we will find inspiration from a man who dared to sketch like a 3 year old and spent a lifetime learning to paint like a child. What comes next depends on where our creativity takes us, but we will end with our ever popular art show where the kids point to their artwork with our very big magic paint brush. More info on the Town's website, or by contacting Jeannie Goldman at (650) 851-1914. Register with the town online or call Cindy @ (650)851-1700 ext. 200. Open registration began on August 24.
Dance Expressions - Love to dance? Come Join Dance Expressions in Menlo Park at the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center. Classes are offered for kids ages 3 and up. For more information check out our website. Don't miss out on the Dance Expressions fun!
Studio Rincon - Tap is Back Mondays after school at Studio Rincon on Alameda in Menlo Park! "Tiny Tappers", ages 5-7. "Funky Tap", ages 8-11. Advanced Tap, ages 12-teen. Fridays feature "Break Dancing & Poppin", ages 10-teen and "Hip Hop", ages 10-teen. Kids learn and practice in small classes while having a great time! View the schedule. To sign up, or if you have any questions, please email us at contact@studiorincon.com. |
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Newsletter Submissions
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The Lion's Roar is published by the Las Lomitas PTA as a service to the Las Lomitas families and community. Before submitting an article, please read our newsletter policies.
To submit an item, email Carol Clark (cclark@llesd.org) by 12 noon on the Wednesday prior to the Monday publication date.
Submission Requirements: - In the subject line of the email, please include the section in which you wish your item to be placed (see our newsletter policies for the list of our regular sections); for example, the subject may read "PTA News" for any item related to PTA programs;
- DO NOT send the article as an attachment but in the body of the email: submissions sent as a Word doc will be rejected;
- Clearly indicate the title of your submission;
- DO NOT send flyers but provide a link to them;
- DO NOT send pictures but provide a link to them;
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The Lion's Roar 
