From the Editors
| The Leopard's Spot is published by the La Entrada PTA as a service to the La Entrada families and community. Before submitting an article, please read our newsletter policies.
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From the PTA Co-Presidents
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GIVING THANKS IN A SEASON OF GIVING
Thanksgiving is always an opportunity to reflect on the experiences and people that enrich our lives. Sitting down with family and friends last week made us all thankful for everyday things. We'd like to extend that gratitude through this season of giving. Take a moment over the next couple of weeks to express gratitude to the people who make your life better in both large and small ways. "Thank You" might be the best gift you give this year.
Within our La Entrada School community we have dedicated teachers, helpful staff, and those amazing bus drivers, who make each day better for our children and ourselves, to thank. As representatives of the parent community, the PTA has a large number of volunteers to thank for giving their gifts of time, dedication, and persistence in helping create the fabric of our school community.
Michelle Chapman-Barovich, Tutoring Center Volunteer Coordinator, is responsible for finding long- and short- term tutors for children at La Entrada. Her effort is important and selfless. Please give her a call if you can give an hour a week to help a district child.
Alka Sehgal and Michelle Leclerc, Geo Bee Coordinators, organized volunteers, judges and contestants for a wonderful afternoon of geography and competition.
MJ Crousore and Lisa Reid, Book Fair Chairs, spent hours organizing and staffing another wonderful book fair for our community. MJ and Lisa introduced a new format that included a "used book fair" on campus in addition to partnering with Barnes and Noble for both in-store and online shopping opportunities. Their efforts and your purchases raised funds to acquire materials for the library that every student can use.
Susanna Segre Politi and Patricia Sullivan, Teacher Appreciation, for their ongoing monthly efforts and for the tasty lunches provided during teacher conference week that helped express our parent community's gratitude for our amazing teachers and staff.
Julia Massa, Hot Food Coordinator, and Mary Zarucchi, Hot Food Outreach Coordinator, organize our largest ongoing program and make sure it runs flawlessly.
Hot Lunch Volunteers--five people a shift, two shifts a day, five days a week-spend 45 minutes each shift, sometimes working two in a week, to make sure the Hot Food meals are distributed. It would be impossible to have this program without those volunteers.
Thank you!
Now, looking forward.....
Holiday Faire will be held in Jensen Hall this Tuesday, December 8. Taylor Perkins, Karen Zupsic, and their team of volunteers have created a great group of projects for students to make and later give. In addition, there is a purely philanthropic activity, writing letters to men and women serving in the Armed Forces oversees. Enjoyed by children, volunteers and parents, the day promises to be fun!
For our young scientists, the Science Fair Committee led by chairs Bardia Pezeshki, Diana Sunshine, P.J. Utz, and John Bargar, is working on plans for the Science Fair scheduled for January 18-20. Check out the new and amazing Science Fair website http://www.laentradasciencefair.org/ for lots of valuable information and project ideas.
Bee Season approaches. The Spelling Bee is scheduled for Friday, January 13 our wonderful coordinators, Sandra Cheek and Esther Dicks are working on arranging the event.
With gratitude,
Leslie and Libby
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| PTA News |
THE HOLIDAY FAIRE - DECEMBER 6TH
The La Entrada Holiday Faire is fast approaching! Please have your child bring a handled paper bag with their name written prominently on the outside to carry their projects home. Some of the projects can get a little messy, so best not to wear your favorite clothes! Thank you in advance to the many volunteers who give their time to make this an extra special day for the kids and the La Entrada Community!
LA ENTRADA SCIENCE FAIR - JANUARY 18, 2012
Kids - Get ready for the Science Fair! The Science Fair is a fun event that allows you to work in groups with your friends, to experiment and present your ideas. This self-driven project gives you the opportunity to be creative and think out of the box. Start imagining what you would like to discover and what friends you would like to work with. Please register your project online at www.laentradasciencefair.org.
Parents - The La Entrada Science Fair prepares kids for more complex projects and team work. The format of the event aligns with the Strategic Planning outcomes and Learning for the 21st Century speaker series. The Science Fair allows for teamwork, posing questions, problem-solving, experimentation and communication. These are all skills all our children need to be successful in our ever-changing world. The Science Fair is a fun, no-pressure way to start mastering these skills. Please encourage your child to participate.
Please note that the Science Fair date is dictated by the San Mateo County Science Fair. All 6th - 8th grade finalists will go to the San Mateo County Science Fair. The finalist from the San Mateo County Science Fair will go to the California State Science Fair. In the past, La Entrada students have been selected to participate in the California State Science Fair - a very prestigious commendation.
Since the La Entrada Science Fair is in January, please have your child begin their project in early Fall. Advance planning makes the process more fun and avoids the need to work over the holiday breaks. AND advanced planning is a skill that will serve all our kids for their entire academic and professional lives.
To learn more, to go www.laentradasciencefair.org.
If you have any questions, please email Diana Sunshine, Bardia Pezeshki, PJ Utz or John Bargar.
ART NOTECARDS
Packaged Art Notecards Have Gone Home!
The Art Notecard project was once again a big success! Teachers will receive mini-grants for art enrichment from our proceeds. Thank you for supporting the arts at La Entrada and thanks to our budding artists for creating such remarkable works of art!
Special thanks to all our volunteers who helped with the drawing sessions in the classrooms, tallying orders, and packaging the notecards. We would also like to thank former district parents, Kris Bobier and Tom Coates, for their stupendous support and contributions to this project. We couldn't have done it without you! This year our printing was done by American Printing in Menlo Park.
Questions? Please contact Paula Hamilton (paulajhchang@yahoo.com) or Melissa Jordan (mmgjordan@yahoo.com).
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School News
|  ONE WARM COAT
La Entrada will be participating in One Warm Coat again the year! If your student has any out-grown coats, scarves, mittens, etc. that are in good condition, please have them them donate their warm weather gear to room 7. Youth Action Council with the help of John Ertola will be sponsoring this great coat drive. The deadline to donate is December 19 2011. All donations will be brought to the YMCA in Redwood City.
TOYS FOR TOTS DRIVE
Throughout the week of December 12th - 16th, La Entrada is helping to support our local firefighters' Toys for Tots program. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy during the holidays, a message of hope to needy youngsters that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. We are asking families to bring in an unwrapped toy for boys and girls of all ages. You can drop off your gift before school throughout the week. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Rianda in room 24 trianda@llesd.org or Lexi L., ASB Community Service Coordinator.
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Foundation News
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PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY NOW!!!
We are in our final stretch of the Annual Giving Campaign. We have done it before...
LET'S DO IT AGAIN!!!
Right now, our participation rate stands at 45%. We need to hit 80% by December 31st. Here is the participation rate by grade level. As you can see, all grades need many more people to donate in order for us to reach our goal.
Pre-K 25% Kindergarten 55% 1st Grade 46% 2nd Grade 49% 3rd Grade 51% 4th Grade 54% 5th Grade 45% 6th Grade 49% 7th Grade 35% 8th Grade 38%
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOW!!!
STOP, THEN SHOP ! When you start your holiday shopping, make your first stop
By starting at our website, THEN clicking through to any of the sites you use for your regular online shopping (Amazon, Tiny Prints, iTunes, Nordstrom...and more), a percentage of your total purchase (2 - 9 %) will be donated to the Los Lomitas Education Foundation by the retailer, at no cost to you! It is that easy to help your kids while your shop!  
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Las Lomitas Sports & After-School Activities League
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Open Positions: Secretary & Webmaster
The Las Lomitas Sports & After-School Activities League, an independent, non-profit organization, offers sports and after school classes to students in the Las Lomitas School District. The League is seeking parent volunteers to join the board for the current 2011/2012 school year. There are two positions open:
Secretary: Position responsibilities include attendance at monthly League meetings, minutes and overseeing the OutReach Program for both the Las Lomitas and La Entrada campuses during registration periods.
Webmaster: Position responsibilities include attendance at monthly League meetings and maintaining the LLL website. If you can use Word, you can maintain the website. This is a great way to volunteer "at home."
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| Sequoia Union High School District News |
Shadowing at M-A
Is your 8th grader interested in shadowing at M-A with a current freshman? Applications are being accepted for shadowing spots now. Shadowing started in November but spots fill quickly so turn in your application soon. For more information and to download an application, please see the M-A Shadowing page at http://www.sequoiadistrict.org/21442017185110943/site/default.asp
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 (650) 853-1711 or email kayton@alum.mit.edu.
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| Community News |
These programs are not supported by or affiliated with the La Entrada School or the La Entrada PTA.
Nancy A. DiSanto
Nov. 18, 1963 - Nov. 19, 2011
Nancy A. DiSanto passed away at Stanford Hospital on November 19, 2011 due to complications arising from her metastatic breast cancer. She died peacefully, surrounded by family, relatives and friends. Nancy was born in the Philippines in 1963 and was raised in San Diego, CA. She received her RN and BSN degrees from San Diego State in 1989. Nancy was an avid volleyball player, both on the beach and on the court, a talent that she shared with her two daughters, Jennifer (14) and Jacqueline (12).
Nancy met Jim DiSanto, a naval officer and F14 pilot, in 1988 at the Miramar Naval Air Base, San Diego, CA, and they married in June 1991. Nancy and Jim settled in Ladera in 1993 and have lived there ever since. Nancy took a position as an RN in the ICU at Stanford Hospital and eventually worked as a nurse in the Stanford Neurosurgery Department. From 2008-2010, Nancy worked as the study nurse coordinator for a Stanford melanoma prevention trial.
Nancy played many roles in her life as an active community member, a regular Ladera bake sale Best in Show winner, and a frequent school volunteer. Nancy served as coach and assistant coach for her daughters' volleyball teams at La Entrada Middle School and during her tenure won every match including the league championship. She took particular pride in training her daughters in the sport. Both Jacqueline and Jennifer played in the June 2011 USA Volleyball National Tournament in Atlanta, GA.
Nancy's greatest legacy, though, is her children, Jennifer and Jacqueline, who meant the world to her and Jim. They are remarkable young women because of Nancy and the best job she ever had - being a mother.
The DiSanto family, with the assistance of friends, medical professionals, and our community, is establishing a non-profit Foundation in honor of Nancy. Gifts to the Foundation will be donated in support of breast cancer research. More details will be available on the forthcoming website for the Nancy DiSanto Memorial Charity Foundation for Breast Cancer Research.
THE GIVING TREE
Supplies needed in Ravenswood School District
The public schools in the Ravenswood district have an on-going need for school supplies. All Students Matter, a grassroots volunteer organization, has an easy way for you to help the schools get those much needed materials - the Giving Tree. When you sign up for the Giving Tree, you will receive a quarterly email "wish list" for needed supplies which you can purchase to support the schools. Supplies can be dropped off in Menlo Park or Palo Alto. There are no meetings, only email, and this commitment is not intended to exceed $100 over the course of the school year. If you are interested in signing up, please contact Linda Knoll at linda_knoll@yahoo.com. To learn more about All Students Matter which operates under the Ravenswood Education Foundation, please visit our web site www.allstudentsmatter.org.
ALPINE SOCCER CLUB
Soccer teams for almost all ages!
Alpine FC will have tryouts for Spring 2012 for U8-U20 competitive soccer teams starting now.
For dates and locations check Alpine Strikers' website at: www.alpinestrikers.org
Please pre-register your player online.
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Tickets on Sale Now! Come support your fellow students!!!
Presented by Dancers Repertory Theatre and Menlo Park Academy of Dance and reviewed as a "charming alternative to the Nutcracker", this is a holiday tradition you won't want to miss. 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. performances will be given at Woodside Performing Arts Center on Saturday December 10th and Sunday December 11th. Tickets are available at www.twasthenight.org or by calling 650-323-5292. Dancers from Las Lomitas are Juliana B., Sophia C., Riley J., Leben K., and Tedi P. La Entrada dancers are Sophia B., Annie C., Sarah E., Greta H., Madeline O., Amelia T., Caroline T., Katie T., and Sasha W.
SPREAD SOME HOLIDAY CHEER!
Help eliminate poverty in the developing world while you do your holiday shopping at FAIR TRADE Marketplace, 846 Santa Cruz Ave, Menlo Park, open from Monday December 5th - Saturday December 24th. Every time you buy the handcrafted jewelry, accessories, home products, chocolate and other foods as gifts for adults or kids, you help improve the lives of the poor and marginalized. The marketplace is not for profit and will be open daily from 10a-8p.
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Business Sponsors News
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The La Entrada PTA and the La Entrada School do not endorse, warrant, or recommend any of these business.
Kepler's Bookstore
Remember to mention La Entrada at the register and Kepler's donates 6% back to our school.
Please check the website www.keplers.com for upcoming events. Holiday Camp Menlo Aquatics Day CampThree to choose from: Dec 19-22, Dec 27-30, Jan 03-06 Fun times at the pool and in the gym during vacation! Three 4-day camps are offered for ages 5-10, 8:45am-1:00pm. Swimming in the warm pool under the dome includes one 45-minute lesson per day plus free play. Camp includes indoor and dry land activities, athletic games, and structured play. Come join us the Burgess Park Pools in Menlo Park. Info and registration at http://www.menloswim.com/menlo/camp_menlo/holiday_camps.html. Menlo Action Academy Holiday Day Camp Introducing an exciting blend between academics and sports. Exploration! Movement! Insight! Three camps to choose from: Dec 19-22, Dec 27-30, Jan 03-06 Join us for a unique land-based camp that uses games and physical exercise to teach personal skills and develop character. Exercise performed in a playful environment is fun for children and play is the way they learn. Each day at camp, physical activities are preceded and followed by a discussion of a special development topic. We create a fun environment in which sports surround this theme for the day. Three 4-day camps are offered for ages 5-10, 8:45am-1:00pm, indoors at the Burgess Park Recreation Center in Menlo Park. Future Stars Hoops Academy
Future Stars Hoops Academy brings You Its 4th Annual Christmas Youth Basketball Clinic
Hosted by: Coach Moseley and Coach Thurston of Woodside Priory School
Dates: December 19th - 23rd, 2011 Time: 9am - 3pm Location: Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Rd. Portola Valley, Ca 94028
Registration email should include the following details of your Child(ren): Name, Age (6-13), Gender, and Emergency Contact Information
Just $350.00 for 30 hours of fun and expert instruction!! Discount available for sibling registration.
Creative Art for Young Children - Winter 2012 Portola Valley Town Canter, Jan 10th - Mar 31. Classes for ages 3 years to 5th graders! Teacher: Jeannie Goldman (650) 851-1914
Kids will fantasize rolling out giant snowballs as they mold their own little snowmen out of white salt dough, topping them off with acorns for hats and sticks for arms; which then transmute into simple line drawings of snowmen. The journey continues as we turn the corner to meet Keith Haring and his lively, one-line, characters in bold colors. Their childlike appeal will inspire the kids to paint their own. As we move from one project to the next the kids will learn to make connections as an element from one project carries over into the next; weaving a continuous thread as we go...the older kids will be challenged to draw the transformation of a common object into something else; for example a pair of scissors into a butterfly. Japanese brush painting and dragon puppets are just a few of the other things we will be doing...ending with our ever popular and much loved ART SHOW! More info on Town's website... portolavalley.net. Register with the Town online or call Teresa or Cindy @ (650) 851-1700 (ext. 200) Sign-ups start Dec. 5th P.V. residents, Dec. 19 open registration.
STUDIO RINCON New Class added At Studio Rincon in West Menlo Park - walking distance from La Entrada!! begins Tuesday, 12/6, 3:05pm Tween/Teen YogaRok (ages 9-14) with teacher Lauren. 6 week session, sign ups now available online at www.studiorincon.com . Your child will have an athletic workout with fun, current music while learning the correct alignment for a beginning yoga practice. Designed for both boys and girls - the class is a power yoga class with pumping pop, hip hop and rock music - perfect for athletes, non-athletes, busy lifestyle kids - the strength, power and calmness that is gained on the Mat is brought into daily life and it's fun! |
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