• Sep 4 (Tue.): Study Center Opens

Welcome Back to School - it is so good to see so many returning families, as well as our new La Entrada "Leopards"!

This new school year brings yet another new staff member on campus, someone your children have already met out at the lunch tables and out at our play structure, Ms. Nichole Dausman, our new Yard Duty Supervisor.  If you happen to be on campus either visiting or volunteering with our lunch program, please feel free to introduce yourself to Ms. Dausman.   In addition to supervising our students here at La Entrada, Ms. Dausman is a valued member of our transportation department and drives one of our school buses.
 
I hope that parents were able to take advantage of PIN (Parent Information Night) last Thursday.  If you had to miss PIN, please know that all of our teachers have email and voicemail, and they are more than happy to make sure your questions get answered. 
 
Our next big get together will be our Family Picnic on September 20th.  
 
Here are some announcements/reminders:
 
Dogs on Campus
I am a dog lover, and I have a beloved dog, Duke, that is part of my family.  However, at La Entrada we ask that people not bring their dogs onto campus during school hours (7:45am-3:45pm), or to school events (like our upcoming picnic).  The reason for this is safety.  Even the best trained dog can behave in an unexpected way when around 700 kids.
 
There may be a special time when a teacher invites furry friends for a visit, but please keep them off campus on a daily basis.
 
Drop off and Pick Up
Our community has done a superb job with the drop off and pick up procedures. Please remember that we can only make a right turn out of our parking lot.
 
If you are picking up your student, it is always good to let them know where to look for you.  It can be quite crowded when all the students get out, and it will keep things moving if students can find their parents quickly.

Safety
I thought I would take some time (and hopefully not too much space) to communicate some safety guidelines that I think would be important for families to review with their children:
 
Bicycle Safety Tips

• Be predictable.  This means following the same rules of the road as car drivers do.   This includes obeying all stop signs, traffic signals, and other traffic laws.
• Ride on the right.  Please be sure to ride in the same direction as traffic.  Stay visible to traffic by not weaving in and out of parked cars.
• Wear your helmet and buckle it every time.
• Make eye contact with drivers.  This is particularly important at intersections and driveways.  Don't assume drivers see you.
• You always have the option of getting off your bike and becoming a pedestrian.  This may be the safest thing to do at busy intersections.  Remember that anytime you use a crosswalk, you are a pedestrian.  You must walk your bike in crosswalks.
• Do not carry things in your hands.  This includes ipods and cell phones.
• All bikes, skateboards and scooters are to be walked on the sidewalk both coming and going via Altschul Ave.  This is a one-way street with many parents dropping off and picking up students so safety dictates that students walk on the sidewalk from the District Office's driveway up to the bike rack and visa versa.

Pedestrian Safety Tips

• Be alert: look for cars coming in all directions before crossing a street.  Also watch for cars backing out of driveways.  The drivers can't always see you.
• Don't assume drivers see you: make eye contact with drivers at intersections and driveways.
• Be predictable: follow the rules for crossing streets and intersections.  Wait until it is your turn.

A Safety Note

• Please remember that our parking area can get very congested during drop off and pick up times.  We hope that as many as possible will come to school on a bus, bicycle, or by walking.  If you do have to drive your child to school, please be sure to review the drop off procedures outlined in my previous letter home, or in our handbook (available online at  www.llesd.k12.ca.us/lehome.html).
• Remember that you can only turn right when leaving our parking lot during drop off and pick up times 

Forgotten lunches/instruments/homework 

• Forgotten lunches/instruments/homework can be dropped off in the front office.  Students are to check the office for their forgotten items, which will be stored on the shelf next to our communication boxes.
• Our Homework Policy, located on our website, clarifies the procedure for requesting homework when your child is sick.  Below is a copy of the script, for your convenience.
• Access to classrooms:  It is our policy to not have custodians unlock classrooms for any reason after school.  If your child has forgotten something in a classroom, they will need to wait until the next day to retrieve their item.  

I look forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming La Entrada Family Picnic on September 22, 2011.

Mrs. Dineen  

Assistant Principal

FROM the LA ENTRADA HANDBOOK

Policy for Requesting Homework when absent due to illness: 
When a child is at home sick, we believe that s/he should rest at home and get well so that s/he can return to school as soon as possible. We also recognize that once a child is on the mend (but not quite well enough to return to school), the child may want some work to do at home. If you would like to request work that your child can do while s/he absent due to an illness, here are some effective options: 

To request work from a teacher, call or email Marja Rudge or Marie Stosz by 9AM on the day you wish to pick up the work. (Requests made after 9AM will not be available on the same day.)

• Phone number: 854-3962o Email: mrudge@llesd.org, mstosz@llesd.org 
• Any work provided by a teacher will be in a box in the office after 3:00PM. If someone other than a parent or sibling is going to pick up the homework, please let Mrs. Rudge or Mrs. Stosz know when the request for homework is made. We feel these procedures will be more efficient for both parents and teachers. (Parents will not have to individually contact teachers, and teachers will get only one request a day from the office instead of many requests scattered throughout the day.)

The highest priority is for the student to return to school healthy and able to participate in class. In order to not overburden a child with make-up work, teachers will only request make-up work that is necessary in order for the student to be able to continue to be successful in class.

PLEASE JOIN THE PTA

Your membership form and dues can be completed online using Paypal or you may still download the membership form and pay by check. Additional forms are also available in the office.

As the La Entrada PTA does not fundraise during the year, it is of utmost importance that we receive necessary funding for vital programs through your membership support.

FAMILY PICNIC

The school year is off to a great start! It's not too early to sign up for the 2012 La Entrada Family Picnic, Thursday, September 20th from 5:30 to 7 PM on the school playgroud. Please click here if you would like order dinner from Lutticken's or mail a check and order form directly at the address listed on the bottom of the form. 

If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please contact Family Picnic Co-Chairs Maryellen McCabe and Liesl Noble at picnic@laentradapta.org. 

LA ENTRADA GEO BEE

GRADE LEVEL GATHERING

Grade Level Gatherings are a chance for the parents in each grade to get to know each other better. They are festive adults-only cocktail parties, hosted by families in the different grades Please come!

4th Grade 

• October 6th from 7:00-9:00 pm
• Hosted by Julie Clugage and Richard Hardegree, and Katharine Moir and Steve Westermann
• At Julie and Richard's home, 14 Shasta Ln, Menlo Park
• Last names A-M please bring dessert or an appetizer and last names N-Z please bring wine or beer
• Please RSVP to Julie at clugage@pacbell.net or 233-9377

• September 14th from 7:00-9:00 pm
• Hosted by Kathleen and Alex Liston, Stacey and Brett White, and Gudrun and Tom Enger
• At the Listons' home, 2319 Crest Ln, Menlo Park
• Last names A-M please bring wine or beer and last names N-Z please bring appetizer or dessert 
• Please RSVP via evite

6th Grade

• October 27th from 7:00-9:00 pm
• Hosted by Ashley Banks and Doug Laird, and Sandie and Aaron Timm
• At Ashley and Doug's home, 39 Sneckner Ct., Menlo Park
• Last names A-M please bring wine or beer and last names N-Z please bring appetizer or dessert
• Please RSVP to Ashley at fosterbanks@yahoo.com or 650-544-8968

• September 21 from 7:00-9:00 pm
• Hosted by Melissa and Rian Jorgensen, Melissa and Albert Jordan, and Suzy and Doug Galen
• At the Jorgensens' home, 1341 Orange Ave, Menlo Park
• Last names A-M please bring an appetizer and last names N-Z please bring wine or beer
• Please RSVP to Melissa at Melissab.jorgensen@gmail.com or 854-2116

• October 5th from 7:00-9:00 pm
• Hosted by Pam and Stephen Ellingson and Cathy and Kurk Mathews
• At the Ellingsons' home, 941 Continental Drive, Menlo Park
• Last names A-M please bring wine or other beverages and last names N-Z please bring an appetizer
• Please RSVP to Pam at pamela.ellingson@cna.com or 234-9934